2. The Unbreakable Vow

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I just like to play in his world.

Note: I used an English to Latin translation website for the Latin in the Vow.

New Note: I don't really have much to say on this one! I did write a much requested deleted scene for this chapter that shows what happened between Harry and Draco.

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Chapter 2 – The Unbreakable Vow

Infragilis - Votum - Opus.

The witch blinked, twenty-three times—Draco counted—before acknowledging what he said. She stuttered, unable to hide her surprise and a healthy dose of fear. She fiddled with some paperwork on her desk, then turned to her associate and said she would return shortly.

"Right this way, please." She stepped from behind the desk and motioned for him to follow her, though Draco knew it was the last thing she wanted. When they reached the elevators, the woman turned around nervously. "Uhm, I'm sorry, but, policy, you know; I'm afraid I must ask for your wand."

Draco smirked again and pulled his smooth, hawthorn wand from his robe pocket. He looked at the wand, then the woman, before handing it to her. Her hand shook as she gingerly reached out to take it, then stuffed it into one of the inside pockets of her robe. She turned around and pressed the button to call the lift. When it arrived, they stepped on, and the witch pressed the button for Level Two.

They rode in silence; the sense of fear emanating from the woman increased noticeably at being in an enclosed space alone with Draco. He studied her; she was short, petite, and had straight brown hair that had been pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. Other than that, she was unremarkable. When the doors finally opened on their destination floor, she practically ran out of the lift. She caught her breath and started walking down the hallway.

Draco had never been to the Ministry before and kept himself busy by looking at everything he passed. They soon arrived at a door that said, "Auror Headquarters." The witch opened the door and walked in, leading Draco. She made a straight path for an office located on the wall opposite the door. It was fortunate that most of the Aurors were at lunch; no one really noticed Draco.

Finally, they stopped outside a plain, brown, wooden door. The woman raised a hand, hesitated, then knocked.

"Yes?" came a tired voice.

"M-Mr. Potter. You have a walk-in, sir."

There was no sound for a moment. Then, a heavy sigh followed by a tired voice. "Did you get a name?"

"N-No, but you'll know him."

"All right. Please send him in." The woman motioned for Draco to enter the office. He opened the door and took one step inside.

Harry dropped his drink when Draco's profile appeared in the doorway.

"Malfoy!" he said, jumping to his feet and clutching at his wand.

"Hello, Harry," said Draco brightly, watching with amusement as coffee slowly covered the papers on Harry's desk.

"Uhm, thank you, Donna," said Harry to the frightened witch. She left, no further encouragement needed. "You're the walk-in?" When Draco nodded, Harry gaped in astonishment. "Right, then. Well, sit." He then used his wand to clean up the mess on his desk.

Draco sat gracefully, as instructed. Every movement he made told Harry that he was superior, smarter, and that he had the upper hand.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

Draco smirked. "Didn't you hear the nice lady? I'm a walk-in."

"Yes, I heard," snapped Harry. He knew what a walk-in was, and that's why he had dropped his coffee. Draco Malfoy was here to turn himself in. He would ask for something in return, of course, as was the arrangement the Ministry kept with all its walk-ins. Then he, Harry, would have to weigh Draco's offer against Draco himself to determine if the exchange was acceptable.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I want out."

Harry couldn't help it, he let his jaw drop. "Out?"

"Yes, Potter, that's what I said: out."

"Out of what?"

Draco sighed and started picking non-existent dirt off his cloak. "My current occupation."

Harry sat down roughly in his chair. Draco Malfoy was sitting across from him, acting as if he had just stopped in for a chat with an old friend, and telling him he wanted to quit being a Death Eater.

"You don't just quit being a Death Eater, Malfoy."

"Just because no one has yet been successful doesn't mean it cannot be done."

"But—why!?" spluttered Harry. Scenarios were darting through his mind that included Malfoy, trickery, and death. "I thought you loved causing terror and torment everywhere you went, having people tremble when they see your face or hear your name."

"My, my, Potter, I didn't know you kept such a good eye on me." Draco picked up a picture frame from Harry's desk. As he expected, it was of Harry, Ron and Hermione, and they were waving and hugging each other, dressed in Hogwarts uniforms. It was clear they were in their Seventh Year, a year he did not attend. He smirked.

"I'm glad I didn't have to go through all that nonsense," said Draco.

Harry grabbed the picture from Draco's hands. "Why?" he repeated, angrily. "Why would someone in your position just up and want to leave?"

"That's for me to know."

"Well, my knowing would make this process run more smoothly," said Harry.

Draco remained silent, however, to Harry's annoyance.

"Fine. Be uncooperative. Why shouldn't I just throw you in Azkaban?"

Draco wagged a finger at Harry. "Uh-uh, Potter. I'm a walk-in. There are rules about these things, and we have negotiations to make. I have no intention of going to Azkaban."Azkaban." He sat back in the chair and casually put his arms behind his head. "Besides, I've already picked out the island to which I'm going to retire at the ripe old age of, say, twenty. Maybe twenty-one."

Just then, Harry's door opened, and a brown-haired witch walked in without looking up from the stack of papers she was carrying. "Hey, Harry, I was wondering if you would mind signing some things for me—oh!" She looked up when she felt another presence in the room.

Draco didn't need to look at the young woman to know it was Hermione Granger. And she didn't need to see his face to know that the blond-haired man in Harry's office was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Harry, I'll come back." She started backing out of the office, careful not to let her eyes leave the back of Malfoy's head no matter what—in case he made any sudden movements.

"No, Hermione, come in. Please, have a seat," said Harry, motioning to the other available chair in his office.

She looked at her friend with wide eyes for a moment before obliging. Every cell in her body screamed at her to run, to get as far away from Malfoy as she could. But she sat silently instead.

"Malfoy here is a walk-in."

Hermione said nothing and refused to look at Malfoy. She knew what a walk-in was, and she

couldn't imagine why he would turn himself in.

Draco refused to look at Hermione as well. He continued to watch Harry fidget with the knick-knacks on his desk.

"Negotiations, Potter," he said finally, hoping to bring Harry back to the present discussion.

"You want to negotiate? What makes you think we'll negotiate with the likes of you?"

"I have met my half of the arrangement, have I not? I entered the Ministry and turned myself in so that I might have this interview with you. My intentions will be made known, in time."

"Your intentions? You are really something, you know that? You're going to have to give us an awful lot if you hope to ever be a free man."

Draco just continued looking at Harry.

"Names, Malfoy. A list of Death Eaters; aliases; financial records; hideouts and safehouses. Anything and everything you know about your cowardly master and how he works."

Draco sneered. "Potter, don't act like you're so high and mighty, so above everyone else with your code of ethics and your shiny Auror badge. Out here, in the real world, power makes the world turn, and I have it in excess. You just have your shiny badge." Then Draco chuckled. "Are you jealous that you didn't get a shiny Prefect or Head badge? Even I got one of those."

Harry glared at him. "Power, is it? Is that what you call it? Preying on defenseless Muggles and killing for sport? I call that evil, Malfoy, pure evil. That's all you've ever been, and that's all you'll ever be."

Draco's eyes flashed dangerously, and Harry was forced to remember that this wasn't the boy who'd teased him and sent relatively harmless hexes his way when they passed in the corridors. This was Voldemort's right-hand Death Eater. He could probably kill Harry right now if he wanted. Harry swallowed hard. But the flash of anger in Malfoy's expression passed, and Harry felt more sure of himself.

Draco sat up and looked Harry in the eye. "I'll give you Voldemort."

Hermione gasped, and Harry's eyes widened.

Draco leaned back in his chair once more and continued, nonchalantly inspecting his fingernails. "And the whole of his organization and operation. Minus myself, of course. That is, unless you want to continue to argue about who's better at what subject and who caught the Snitch more, or why your head is shaped so ugly."

"School-boy tricks and baiting won't work anymore, Malfoy. You're going to have to do better than that."

"I know. Which is why I brought this." A sheet of parchment materialized on Harry's desk.

Harry gasped. "They should have taken your wand!"

"They did," said Draco confidently.

"Then how did you do that?" Harry asked, bewildered.

Draco continued watching Harry with a self-important, knowing smirk. "Look at it, Potter, I know you're dying to."

Harry picked up the parchment. It was a list of names. He scanned the list, but when he got to the C names, they started to disappear.

"Hey!" he said, looking up at Draco.

"Just a little sampling of what I have to offer."

"What do you want?"

"To get out, I told you that."

"Why?"

"My reasons, Potter, are my own. We're starting to run in circles now, aren't we? You've asked these questions, and I've answered them. Shall we begin to discuss terms?"

"I'm not inclined to continue this discussion at all, as you refuse to give me any information about your purpose."

Draco exhaled sharply. He was frustrated, but didn't want to show it. Harry was his only chance, and he had to get him to listen. But he had to do it in a way that Harry would believe.

"What I want, Potter, is to leave here, today, with an agreement to one day leave England and never return."

Harry scoffed. "It's doubtful you'll escape Azkaban."

"Oh, I certainly don't intend to spend any time there." Draco leaned back in the chair again with his arms behind his back. "Remember the island I mentioned? I'll name it after myself, of course. Can you picture it? Pristine white beaches, sparkling blue horizon. A true tropical paradise, and all for myself."

"Malfoy, why should I believe you? How am I to believe this isn't some trick?"

"You don't have to believe me, and there's no way for you to be certain," said Draco, eyes laughing. "I can always walk out of here, you know. This offer only comes one time. Once I'm gone, I'm gone, and this opportunity goes with me."

"You can't leave," said Harry trying to sound sure of himself.

"Yes, I can. According to Ministry rules. If we do not come to an accord, I have the right to retract my offer, namely myself."

Harry thought for a moment. "I want to know where your island is."

Draco laughed. "Sure. I'll leave a hammock strung between two palm trees for when you come to visit. A double, if you bring the Mrs."

Harry tensed, staring at Malfoy, and Hermione seemed to come to life. She had been looking at Harry the entire time and she saw him tense. Her eyes widened, then she looked at Draco, then back at Harry.

"She doesn't know?" said Draco, laughing at Harry with his eyes. "Brilliant!"

"What do you want?" Harry snapped. "I'm in no mood for this."

"Geez, Potter, has sitting in this office addled your brain? I've already told you—I want out."

"Scot-free?"

"What?"

"Muggle saying," said Hermione, speaking for the first time since sitting down. "It means with no consequences."

"Well, obviously," Draco drawled, rolling his eyes. "I have a very hectic life ahead of me, taking care of my bird, sitting on the beach—"

"Yes, yes, your island. I know already." Harry turned to look at Hermione, only remembering she was there when she spoke. "Hermione, I'm sorry you've wasted your time. You may go."

She nodded, grateful to get away from the oppressive feeling in her chest from being so close to Malfoy. She was about to turn the doorknob when Draco addressed her.

"Granger, please tell me you're not Potter's secretary," he said with disgust.

Hermione bristled. "For your information, I'm an Auror."

Draco scoffed. "Never pegged you for an Auror, Granger. I'm disappointed."

She tried to remind herself that Harry would fix everything after she left, that he would take care of the evil little pig sitting in his office. "Well, Malfoy, you turned out to be a weak, evil, spineless automaton, unable to think or act for yourself. Which is exactly how I pegged you."

Before he could say something smart in return, she wrenched the door open and hurried out, slamming it shut behind her.

Draco chuckled to himself.

Harry scowled at the man in front of him. "You killed her parents, Malfoy."

"I am aware," he said smoothly, no trace of emotion on his face.

"Don't you care? At all?" said Harry, angrily.

"Why should I?"

"Don't you feel bad? Ever?"

Draco waved dismissively. "Oh, sure. It's that pesky little thing that I've been told is called a conscience. It's no problem, really; you just have to beat it down a bit, and then it goes away."

"But—you know her. I know you hate her, but her parents couldn't have been nameless faces that night you went to their house."

"I've killed countless wizards, witches, and Muggles. Why would they, in particular, matter to me?"

Harry shook his head in disbelief. "It's Azkaban for you, Malfoy." Harry sat down and reached into his drawer to retrieve the Walk-In Negotiation and Agreement Forms in order to proclaim his sentence on the foul creature that was dirtying his office space. But as he bent to write, he happened to look up at Malfoy.

Draco had gone deathly white; his hands shook as he ran them through his hair. All the confidence, and all the arrogance he had displayed were gone as if they'd never been there at all. In their place was a terrified ghost who looked as though he'd just been given the Dementor's Kiss.

"You're scared," observed Harry casually.

"Bloody right."

Harry put down the quill and looked more closely at Draco. "Tell me the truth, Malfoy. Why are you here? What are you scared of?"

Draco couldn't tell Harry that he was scared that Harry would say no. All his work, his efforts, his planning, could come to nothing on a single word from the Auror. And tied to all his work was Draco's plan for himself. Harry's judgment against him now would seal his fate.

"I promise whatever you tell me will stay between us. As part of this agreement."

Draco still didn't speak. He looked at Harry, and Harry noticed his blood-shot eyes and saw how utterly exhausted he looked, in stark contrast to the man who'd strutted into his office acting like the king of the world. Harry sighed and paged Hermione to his office.

She came to the door after a minute, worried; she knew Draco hadn't left yet. "Yes, Harry?" she said, only poking her head in.

"Come in, please. Shut the door behind you."

Hermione obeyed reluctantly. She glanced at Draco, whose shoulders were slumped with his head in his hands in defeat. For a fleeting moment, as if in reflex, pity flashed through her mind, but she banished it as quickly as it came. Then she felt proud of Harry for breaking him.

"Hermione, I need you to be our Bonder."

She gasped.

Draco's head shot up to look at Harry, and Hermione saw the face that matched the dejected body she'd seen when she entered the room. A completely different person was sitting where she had left the arrogant Death Eater.

"Harry, no, don't do this," she pleaded. Entering into an Unbreakable Vow with Draco Malfoy could not end well.

Draco felt hope shooting through him as he looked into Harry's eyes.

"It's okay, Hermione. Trust me." Harry looked up at her.

"I do trust you," she said, telling Harry with a motion that it was Malfoy she didn't trust.

"Hermione, I need you to do this."

"Why me?" she whispered, gripping the door knob.

"The fewer people involved the better, I think," he said, looking to Draco, who nodded.

"Surely, you can find someone else," she protested.

Harry looked at her imploringly. "Hermione, please. I can't trust this with anyone else. I need you to do this."

Against her better judgment, against all the screaming cells in her body, she sighed and said, "Okay. For you, Harry. But I want you to know I officially think this is a bad idea."

Harry exhaled in relief. "Noted," he said.

He and Draco clasped right hands, though hesitantly, as if both were afraid the disease carried by the other would spread.

Hermione placed her wand on their joined hands and muttered, "Infragilis Votum."

"I, Harry Potter, will not repeat anything spoken between you, Draco Malfoy, and myself over the course of the next hour." The first tongue of flame encircled their hands. "It will stay between us, unless you wish to divulge it." The second flame joined the first. "And only you may remove the Vow at any time." The third tongue met the other two, forming the fiery serpent.

"Opus." With that final word from Hermione, the Vow was sealed. The snake flashed brilliantly for an instant, then disappeared.

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A/N: Any and all reviews welcome! Thanks for reading:)