Disclaimer: I don't pretend to be so creative. I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Quick update, huh? I figure you guys deserve a lot of updates since you waited so long. I am actually having an easier time writing on this story than Dance With Me and I think it's turning out to be pretty good. Anywho, here's another update.

Neville walked slowly down the steps to the dungeons. Even after all these years he still felt nervous going into them. It always felt like he didn't really belong there, it was Slytherin territory after all. Unlike Dumbledore, he felt no need to unite the houses. The closest the school had ever come had been the dance back when he was a student and that had been a disaster, thanks to Malfoy, a Slytherin. The students needed to be separated for there own good…and that was that.

He got to the bottom step and took a deep breath, "Ok Neville, there's nothing to be afraid of. Just dirt, a few mice, and…bacteria…" His face distorted at the thought of the disgusting microscopic creatures crawling around the damp stones that made up the dungeons. It really was unsanitary.

Putting his thoughts aside he continued down the dark hallways to the very last door and poised his hand to knock. Why did he have to do this? It wasn't really his responsibility…the only upside was he would finally be the one in the right. Malfoy always seemed to be the one scolding him. It was a relief that he would finally be able to regain some of his status as headmaster.

He finally brought his fist down on the hard wood. The thump was light against the heavy oak door, hardly even audible. He twisted his face in annoyance and knocked again, harder, until his knuckles were turning red. A sharp agitated voice snapped from the other side, "What the bloody hell do you want?"

Neville grabbed the handle and shoved the door open, "Wha……oh….my…" As soon as the door got half way open it hit a pile of book filled boxes and stopped dead. Even still, he could see enough to know the room was a mess. Hundreds of papers were thrown about the area, melted wax from old candles sat stuck to a small table in the corner, and there were bottles and bottles of strange, beautiful, or grotesque ingredients laying out across the floor and tables. Then, in the very center of the mess, was Malfoy like never before. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a mess, and his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed for a week.

"Malfoy?" Neville pushed his way through the books and into the room, "Malfoy, what are you doing?"

Draco didn't look up from his work, "Brewing…calculating…I do believe I have something on old Einstein…maybe…" His hand shot out and grabbed a notebook sitting next to a jar of toes, in which he quickly started jotting down notes.

"Malfoy, you've missed class for a week…Hermione…she's really worried."

Draco looked up for the first time, "Oh yes, I bet she is." He giggled and turned back to his papers.

"I can't…have you just not teaching classes. You're here because I was…ummm….Malfoy, can you…ummm….stop and listen?"

"No." Again he didn't look up.

"Oh…well…the students aren't learning anything. Midterms are soon you know…what are you doing anyway?" He took another step forward only to get one of the nastiest soul piercing glares he'd ever been shot with before in his life…and he'd been glared at a lot.

Draco pulled his notebook out of Neville's sight, "Get on with it Longbottom. What do you want?"

Neville twirled his thumbs nervously, "Classes, Malfoy. You need to teach them or I have to fire you. Not that I…well…I don't like you, but it means a lot to Hermione that you're here…"

"The students are incompetent, I can't teach them." Draco tapped his quill on his desk. He just couldn't get the equation right. He knew the date…the exact date. He had to get back as soon as possible…then again what was time with time travel potion? It was just his own excitement driving him to figure it out. He never dreamed it would be so complex.

Neville sighed deeply and shook his head, "Show up…tomorrow…"

Draco laughed, "Or you'll fire me? Is that it?" He pierced his lips, "I will be there, just get out of my office, I have work to do and I can feel myself becoming more incompetent every second you're here."

Neville didn't know how to respond except for to look insulted and storm away…badly…he tripped over a book and stumbled out into the hallway and onto the floor. The door was instantly slammed shut and a locking sound clicked, echoing down the hallway.

Humiliated and angry Neville gathered himself and made his way out of the dungeons.

Draco sat in front of his class, foggy eyed and unkempt. His mind was scattered about and none of his thoughts were on his class. His students waited and watched for him to say anything…give homework…insult Calisle. It was like waiting for a hurricane to hit without cover.

Finally he let out a breath and stood, "Class dismissed, I can't deal with you all right now."

The students waited for a moment disbelieving.

"Get out!" He shouted and sent them all scrambling.

As the teens rushed out of the room, Hermione worked her way inside and over to Draco. She stood in front of his desk until all the students were gone and then she waited.

He didn't look at her, "What do you want?" His voice was tired and lazy. He didn't care what her answer was, he just wanted her to leave.

"When did you last eat?" She waited for a moment until she was sure he wasn't going to answer, "Have lunch with me."

"No, what do you want?"

Hermione crossed her arms, "I want you to come and eat with me."

He looked up and glared at her…big mistake. There was that damnable look again, "FINE! Fine, fine, fine, I'll go bloody eat with you."

She grinned, "Well good."

Draco picked at his sad excuses for servings with his fork and waited for Hermione to talk. She was inevitably going to lecture him about his obsession with the potion.

"Draco…I have been thinking a lot about this whole thing."

"Have you."

"Yes, I have." She sat back and looked him right in the eye, "I think that this is a mistake."

He groaned, "You've said that, several times actually."

She nodded, "Yes, I know. I also think that, in your situation, I would do the same."

He stared at her for a moment, "Really?"

"Yes…If Ron…well, I won't put the idea out there, but I would do the same." She sat back and folded her hands neatly in her lap, "Even if you can't save him…"

"I will." He snapped.

"You think you will, but if you don't, at least you will have the time with him that you lost. Everyone makes mistakes, Draco. Why shouldn't you get a chance to go fix yours?" She sighed. Honestly, she had an idea of what was to come…the second he was gone the entire future would be rewritten and there was a chance it wouldn't be for the better.

He stood slowly, "Thank you, Hermione. That's...nice of you to say." He felt like he was going to crack right down the middle if he stayed with her any longer, "I have to go."

"I know." She sounded distant.

He shook his head and walked briskly away from the table, "Good bye."

Draco sat in his dark office staring at the candlelight as it danced off the glass of his finished potion…finished…all done. His head was spinning. Hermione's support worried him. She was only doing it because she knew she couldn't stop him. She was afraid she would never see him again.

It was a possibility.

There were a million possibilities.

He stood and paced the length of the table a few times. Was it so important? Going back for a teenage crush.

After several minutes standing still he reached forward and wrapped his hand around the bottle of green liquid. He lifted it upwards as if it was the world he was being forced to carry.

It was worth it because it was more than a crush.

After another string of seemingly endless minutes…

He drank it all down.

A/N: Ooooh, cliffy! Don't worry, I have the next update all ready to go! It will be up in a couple days. I know a lot of you are upset because this story has been rather depressing compared with Dance With Me. Don't lose faith, that's all going to change really quickly here. Review! D