Draco's POV
I couldn't bring myself to look back at them when I walked away to meet Snape. If I did, i'd probably turn back around and I wouldn't go. One look from Avery and I wouldn't go.

I was on my way to the room of requirements when I was stopped by Hermione fucking Granger and her little Weasel friend. What the fuck do they want?

"Whatever you're up to, I wouldn't do it. Harry's on to you, you know." Granger says.

"Okay, it doesn't really matter anyway." I say to her. "Now get out of my way."

"No-" Weasle begins but I turn to face him and he shuts up real fast.

"Get out of my bloody way." I repeat but they don't move at all. Fine, they want to play it this way? Fine.

"I would get out of the way before I tell your boyfriend here what you've been getting up to these days with my friend." I say to her.

To be fair, I don't actually know if it's Granger that Theo has been sleeping with but he never told me who it was so I can make assumptions. Judging by the look on her face, it's not her. Interesting.

"I don't know what you're talking about Malfoy."

"I'm sure you don't as long as Weasel is here but we both know what I'm talking about Granger." I say. "Now if you don't want me to tell him, get out of my fucking way."

"I don't know what you're-"

"Yeah, okay. I'm going to go before this argument starts because by the look on your boyfriends face, he's about to blow. I don't really want to be here when the red hair gets everywhere. I'm not a fan of getting hair all over my robes." I say before pushing past them.

"Ron, I really don't know what he's talking about-"

"What friend was it then? Please tell me it wasn't Nott!" Ron shouts.

I can't help the smirk that grows on my face when I hear that. So maybe she's not shagging Nott right now but she wants to by the sound of it? Or at least she's talked about him enough for Weasel to see him as a threat.

Oh boy do I have news for Nott. He's going to find it funny, he might even like to hear that the golden girl is interested in him over the Weasel.

I get a little further down the hall and I'm stopped again, this time by Adrian Pucey.

"Malfoy, where the fuck is everyone? I haven't seen Daphne in two days and she was supposed to help me study." Pucey says to me.

"Yeah, sorry. They went home and probably won't be back this year." I say to Pucey. "And I actually have a meeting with Professor Snape so I have to go."

"Oh yeah. Don't want to keep him waiting." Adrian says. "See ya then."

"Yeah." I mumble before continuing walking. Why does everyone want to get in my bloody way today? I'm kind of in a hurry. I don't feel like getting on Snape's bad side. Especially not today. 

When I finally get to the floor that the room of requirements is on, I was stopped once again. This time by Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Malfoy, may I have a quick word with you?" She asks me. For fuck sakes, I'm in a hurry. Can you all fuck off.

"Sure." I say. "What can I do for you Professor?"

"Have you seen Mr. Nott or Miss Stewart today?" She asks me.

"Not since dinner." I respond. "Why?"

"I have been informed by Professor Slughorn that they improved their marks and are now the next highest marks in class. Of course behind Miss Granger and yourself."

"That is impressive since Avery was horrible at potions when we were kids." I say, laughing to myself.

"Yes, it was rather impressive and I wanted to congratulate them but I can't seem to find them." She says. "If you see them, would you mind passing the message on?"

"Yes Professor." I say and she nods her head.

"Don't stay out here too long Mr Malfoy, it's nearly curfew."

"Yes ma'am. I'll be heading back in a moment." I lie. She nods her head and walks away. I let out a breathe and continue walking.

When I finally reach the room of requirements, Professor Snape was waiting right inside and looked rather unimpressed about my timing.

"Don't even start with me, I was interrupted every three fucking steps." I say to him.

"We don't have a lot of time Draco, get going." He says to me. Inpatient git.

"Why are you even here? I don't need your help you know." I ask.

"Your mother made me promise, do an unbreakable vow to make sure you succeed."

"Don't lie to me. My mother wouldn't do that." I say bitterly.

"Believe what you want Draco, but she came all the way over to my house against the dark lords wishes to ask me to protect you and do everything I can to make sure you do not fail."

"That doesn't sound like her." I mumble.

"Why would I lie to you abut something like that and why else would I be here?"

"Whatever- it doesn't really matter right now anyway." I say, wanting to change the subject because I'm too confused. My mother, the same mother who never helped me before when I needed her, asking Snape to protect me and make sure I don't fail. My mother being happy about me being with Avery after her and father forbid me from seeing her only a year ago? Something does not add up.. but I don't have time to think about that right now. Now I have to kill my headmaster to make up for my fathers failures because he's too weak to do it himself.

I say the spell to fix the cabinet and bring the death eaters who are waiting on the other side over.

The cabinet opens and out comes Bellatrix, followed by Greyback and Nott's father and Dolohov. Great, send the nastiest death eaters you've got to a school full of bloody children, yeah that makes total sense.

"Good job Draco, I'm very impressed with you so far." Bellatrix says to me when she steps out of the cabinet.

"All he did was get us here, he hasn't even done the hardest part yet. Don't go praising him yet." Senior Nott says to my aunt.

"It's more than his father could do, and don't you tell me how to treat my nephew." Bella shouts at him.

"Okay, that's enough shouting." Snape interrupts. "We need to hurry before people realize you are here.. which if you're going to be so loud will not be long."

"Will my son be joining us later?" Theo's father asks me.

"No sir, I have him doing other things right now at my house." I say.

"No surprise that he won't be here. He probably volunteered to leave."

"Not that it matters but I asked Theo to leave." Snape speaks up. "I didn't give him much of a choice."

"Where is Dumbledore? His office?" I ask Snape.

"Eager young man." Dolohov mumbles behind me. "That's a good sign Bella."

"Yes, yes it is." Bella says.

"No, not his office. He should be in the astronomy tower right now." Snape says.

"The astronomy tower, why would he be there?"

"Do not ask questions Draco, just go to the astronomy tower and complete your task." Snape says firmly. Something's weird about that.. but okay. I just want to get this over with and go home to Avery.

"Alright, I'll go up first and you guys cover me from the bottom. Make sure no one else comes up."

"Yes, we shall do that." Bella says. "You go up and do what you have to do. We'll join you as soon as we can."

"Okay."

I have to think of all of the reasons why we do not like Dumbledore, which isn't hard. There's a lot of reasons.

He allowed Theo and Avery to get the dark mark knowing it'll ruin their fucking lives just so he could use them as spies, the same way he's using Snape. As if he needed more spies.

He favours Potter and all of his friends just because they are Gryffindor. He gives them extra points for doing stupid shit that if any other house did, they'd lose points for.

He allowed Potter to enter the triwizard tournament even though he was underage.

He probably knows how many Slytherins are in danger because of their parents but doesn't offer help to any of them, instead just watches them get the mark and have their life ruined. Isn't it his job to protect students? All of them, not just the ones he likes the best.

Yup, pretty clear that I'm pissed all over again. Bloody hell I hate that guy. How did Avery put it.. Good riddance? Yeah, I agree.

With that, I start walking up the stairs to the astronomy tower. I hear voices.. is he not alone? Fuck. I point my wand up while entering the room but he's alone.. I thought I heard more than one person in here?

"Ah, Draco. What are you doing up here? It's rather late to be out right now, is it not?" He asks.

"Who's up here with you? I thought I heard voices?" I ask him.

"Oh yes, I do often talk to myself when I'm alone. Another thing that comes with old age i'm afraid."

He's probably lying but I can't see anyone else up here at the moment.

"I- I don't have time for small talk." I begin.

"Yes, I am quite aware why you are here tonight." He says quietly. He then lifts his wand and whispers, "Let me help you."

"Expelliarmus!" I shout and his wand goes flying.

"Draco- you are hardly an assassin, let me help you."

"I don't need your help!" I shout. "He trusts me! This is my mission!"

"I see." Dumbledore says. "And where is the group of Slytherins you usually surround yourself with?"

"Not here." I say. "I don't want them anywhere near here. Not for this."

"Very Gryffindor of you Mr. Malfoy."

Gryffindor? I don't bloody think so.

"I know you don't know this about them because you just sent them to the death eaters when you could've helped them, but they aren't horrible people. They can't do this-"

"I'm sure they could if they had to, like you have to."

"Pardon you?"

"You're being forced into this, are you not?"

"I suppose-"

"So then I'm assuming your friends could handle this if they had to. Same as you."

"I didn't come up here to argue about my friends." I say. "You don't have a bloody right to speak about them. Not after what you did to them."

"Draco, you do not need to do this either. Let me help you."

"Like you helped my friends?"

"I was trying to help your friends. If I would've stepped in he would have known you guys told and it would've caused more problems."

"No, you didn't care about them."

"Let me help you Draco. You do not need to do this."

I lower my wand slowly. He wants to help us? Is this just some kind of scheme to save his life? But then why wouldn't he report me and my friends to the ministry the moment we gave him what he wanted? He could've.

He was about to say something else when the door opened again and my Aunt, followed by the rest of the death eaters who came through the cabinet. No Snape though. He probably chickened out. I raise my wand again fast.

"Good job, Draco!" Bella shouts proudly.

"More than I thought the kid would do." Dolohov says.

"More than his father could." Bella adds.

"How did you get them into the castle?" Dumbledore asks me.

"The cabinet in the room of requirements." I respond.

"Ah, clever boy."

"Enough of this! Draco, do it." Bella says.

I tighten my grip on my wand. Just focus. The faster you get this shit done with, the faster you can go home and be with Avery. You can go on that date with her, and apparently the one with Nott too. Your parents will be proud of you, your Aunt, the dark lord. Nothing bad can happen if you go through with it, nothing except you'll be a murderer.

"Come on Draco, Now!" Bella continues to shout. I twist my wand in my hand and try to focus.

"No-" A voice comes from behind us. Snape.

I drop my wand and back up while he steps in front of me. He looks at Dumbledore and I notice something. Dumbledore almost looks relieved that Snape is here. I know that they're working together but- but doesn't he know about the unbreakable vow? He has to kill him. One of us does.

"Severus, please." Dumbledore says but it doesn't sound like he's begging to save his life. It almost sounds-

"Avada Kedavra." came Snape's voice and a second later, Dumbledore was falling off of the Astronomy tower.

I can't-

He's actually gone...

Wasn't he the only hope that the dark lord may be defeated.

"You may want to practice occlumency right now if those are the thoughts you're going to be having." Snape whispers to me.

"Right." I mumble, almost embarrassed. I didn't think he'd be reading my might right this second.

"Let's go!" Bella shouts as she exits the tower and starts racing around the school like a maniac. I try and focus on clearing my mind so no one can read it but it's kind of hard to do when Greyback and Nott are going on about how I'm weak just like my father. Not two minutes ago were they saying I did more than my father could and now I'm just as weak as him? Make up your bloody minds. I didn't see them doing anything besides complaining. Useless gits.

"Occlude Draco." Snape says to me.

"Quit reading my mind." I say to him.

"You think the dark lord won't be reading your mind when you return home? Occlude now."

After Bella destroys the great hall, we move outside and she starts destroying other parts of the school ground when a voice comes roaring from the other side of the field.

Potter.

"He trusted you and you killed him- you- he never should have trusted you!" Potter shouts at Snape as he rushes over to us.

"And you! You spineless git. You let them in the school? You betrayed the entire school and for what?"

"Draco, go!" Snape says to me.

"Wouldn't expect you to understand, Potter." I say to him.

"Good because I don't! Don't worry though. I'll make sure everyone knows what a traitorous git you and your friends are!"

"My friends had nothing to do with this! They aren't even here!" I snap.

"Yes but they have the mark, don't they. I was there! I was under the stairs. I heard everything."

Of fucking course he was.

"Draco, go now!" Snape shouts this time and I hesitantly turn and head towards my Aunt, leaving Snape to deal with Potter. He won't kill him but he's gotta do something.. right? Or at least buy us some time to get out of here.

"Apparate back to the manor, we're coming right behind you." My aunt says to me. "You do know how to apparate, right?"

"Yes."

"Good, meet you back at the house then."

And with that, I apparate back to my house.