Chapter Text
“Good-bye father.”
Lucius Malfoy nodded curtly at his son before Apparating away. Draco sighed, his stiff posture relaxing into a small slouch. Glancing around to see if any of his friends were here yet, he grabbed his trunk and stepped onto the train.
He slid his trunk into the slot above the seats and sat down, staring numbly out the window. Should he do it now? He had to do it soon, if he waited more than a few weeks then he might not be believed. He needed to speak with his friends first though, needed to know where they stood.
A loud noise startled Draco out of his thoughts, and knocked him to the floor.
“Drake!” The voice was loud, and broken by laughter. “I never knew you to be so thoughtful as to not pay attention to your surroundings.” Draco heaved himself back into his seat.
“Hello Blaise.” At least one of his friends had arrived. Blaise dropped into the chair opposite him, flicking his wand. His trunk flew into the baggage slot above him.
“How was your summer?” Draco paused before answering him. Should he ask now?
“Boring. Yours?” Maybe he should do it later?
“Obviously mine was boring. Mother carted me off to Greece to meet her latest boy toy or whatever she calls them.” Blaise rolled his eyes. “But at least it kept me away from this war.” Draco’s back straightened.
“You don’t wish to be…involved then?” This was it. He could do this.
“Involved? Drake I don’t want to die a slave.” Yes, Draco understood that very well. “That’s what we’d be to him, slaves.” Blaise was giving him a cautious look.
“I quite agree Blaise.” He said it in a bland voice, no inflection to give away how terrifying it was to say it out loud. Blaise’ eyes nearly bugged out; if this weren’t so serious Draco would have laughed at him.
“Draco…” The lack of his nickname told him that Blaise was well aware of how serious the conversation had gotten. “What happened?” And that is why Blaise is his best friend.
“I met him.” Blaise’ face turned white. “Father took me to a meeting, to be introduced; to be promised to him.” The disgust he felt couldn’t be disguised. “Made me kneel before his master and promised my services and loyalty to him.” His breathing was getting heavier, his anger at the situation reviving as he thought about it.
“Shit…” Blaise took a deep breath. “What are you going to do?”
Draco looked at him, his face blank but his eyes hard and determined. “I’m going to talk to Potter.”
Blaise blanched. “What? Draco that’s…so stupid it might work.” Draco rolled his eyes.
“Why is it stupid? It’s Potter; he’s not going to hurt someone who wants to switch sides. Once he believes me it’ll be fine.” Honestly, it was like Blaise thought him stupid. “And none of my plans are stupid thank you very much.” It was Blaise’ turn to roll his eyes.
“And how exactly, are you going to get him to believe you?” Draco had thought of that, so Blaise could wipe that smug look right off his face.
“I’ll drink Veritaserum if I have to.” It was highly amusing the way Blaise sat up, alarmed.
“What? Draco you can’t do that!”
“And why not?” He only said it to indulge Blaise; he already knew what he was going to say.
“You know why not! Veritaserum forces you to tell the truth, Potter could make you tell him anything, or everything you know! Literally ever-“
“Honestly Blaise, I know that! You think I’d do it if I had any other choice? If he doesn’t believe me then I will consent to Veritaserum, I need him to believe me Blaise! I refuse to live my life as a slave to a madman!” He forced himself to take a deep breath; if he wanted Blaise on his side then he needed to stay calm. “Are you going to help me or not?”
The next few moments were the longest of Draco’s life. All he could hear was his own heart beat, fast and bruising against his chest. He held his breathe, not daring to breath as Blaise stared at him.
“Okay.” All the air he’d been holding in came rushing out in a sigh of relief. His heart still beat against his ribs, but it was less painful now that he knew that he wouldn’t have to do this alone.
“Well alright then.” He turned to look back out the window, the platform now swarming with students. He didn’t see Pansy or anyone he knew, so he turned back to Blaise.
“When are you going to speak to him?” Draco still didn’t know. “It won’t be easy getting him alone at Hogwarts.” Good thing Draco didn’t want him alone then.
“Actually Blaise…I don’t want to get him alone. Not entirely anyway.” He could see the exact moment it clicked in Blaise’ head.
“Are you insane? You want to talk to the three of them?” Draco’s reaction had been eerily similar when he had first had the idea.
“Yes, I want to talk to the three of them. Potter will tell Granger and Weasley anyway, and if I tell them all at once it might make me seem more serious.” It was a good idea, he knew it was.
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Blaise’ voice told him that he wished he could tell him that he wasn’t.
“I know.” He looked out the window again. Still no Pansy, but…he recognised that hair. “What if we spoke to them now?” Whilst he still has the courage to do it.
“On the train?”
“Yes, you said it yourself; it’ll be hard to get them alone at Hogwarts.” Blaise opened his mouth, no doubt to tell him how stupid the idea was, but he snapped it shut. The click it made was near audible.
“Yeah, alright then.” Draco grinned.
“Wonderful.”