Author's Note: I'm so sorry that I've been updating so slowly! Life is a bit hectic at the moment.

Chapter Three – The Hero's Mistake

Harry Potter

I don't go looking for trouble, really.

It just has a nasty way of finding me… all the time. I'm forever taking the blame for something that I didn't want to do. I'm always in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So when I ended up in the Slytherin Common Room, you've got to believe me when I say that I really, really didn't want to be there.

"Honestly, trying to pull a move like that in the middle of the match? No wonder they lost. It's a real shame though, they could've…"

Sliding into an empty spot at the table, I nod and pretend to listen as Ron as prattles on about last week's Quidditch match again. I don't really need to pay attention: I've heard about the match several times already, in excruciating detail. Every fumble, every goal, every injury… I allow his voice to fade out as my eyes quickly scan the Great Hall, looking for that signature splash of platinum-blonde hair.

No, he's definitely not here.

Am I the only one who notices these sudden disappearances? But no, surely his friends have noticed too. One moment he's here, and the next, he's Missing-In-Action for hours at a time. Where does he go? He's up to something, and I'm going to find out what it is.

I'm not obsessed with Draco Malfoy.

I'm not.

I just want to get into his Common Room and find out what he's doing…

With a sudden jolt, I realise that Ron has stopped speaking. I clear my throat. "What?" I ask, innocently reaching across the table for a sandwich.

"Looking for the ferret again, are we?"

"No! 'Course not. Pass the salt, will you?" Oh bollocks. Don't blush, Harry, don't blush, don't blush, for the love of all things pure and good and holy, please don't blush…

Ron rolls his eyes. "You are looking for him! Bloody hell, mate, this isn't natural."

"No, I was just… wondering where he's disappeared to this time, that's all. Anyway, better hurry up. Hermione said something about studying…"

"Oh, come off it, Harry. You're obsessed with Malfoy and you know it. It's creepy and unnatural and… ugh, it's Malfoy. You're mental!" His face contorts into a grimace. "Just let it go. Where he goes and what he does is his business."

I sigh, suddenly irritated. "I can't let it go! He's up to something. I know it. Besides, nothing wrong with a bit of healthy curiosity, that's what Hermione always says."

"'Course not," Ron says through a mouthful of chicken. "But this is what they call an 'unhealthy obsession'."

"Healthy curiosity!"

Ron raises an eyebrow. "Obsession."

"I am not obsessed with Malfoy!"

"You are. And I worry about you, mate."

"Ron, he disappears for hours at a time, almost every day. How do you explain that? Hell, he's a Malfoy, for crying out loud! They're always up to something. The day the Malfoys sit at home and do nothing will be the day that the Giant Squid invites us all for tea and crumpets down by the lake. I'm going to find out what he's doing. Today."

Ron snorts. "The Giant Squid eating crumpets, now that would be a sight… wait, today? What are you going to do?"

"You'll see." Taking a breath to steady my nerves, I quickly make my exit from the Great Hall before he has time to stop me.

Nothing but a healthy curiosity. That's all.

But as I make my way through the halls and down to the dungeons, I can feel doubt trickling into my mind. I know I have to do this, and finally put my obsess… I mean, my curiosity to rest. I have to know what he's up to. I just hope I don't get myself killed in the process. Stopping behind a suit of armour for a moment, I pull my invisibility cloak out from inside my robes and throw it over my head, then continue on my way.

No turning back now, Harry.

"Draco, how nice of you to join us. Perhaps you can shed some light on this fucking interesting situation."

The room is silent as the grave. Malfoy stands frozen at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes locked on mine, and I watch as a hundred different emotions flit across his face: anger, confusion, annoyance, and something else that I can't quite place. He seems paler than usual. Suddenly taking a step forward and breaking the stare, he snaps, "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Well, shit, I don't know, Draco. Why don't you ask him?" Rose quips.

"Oh, shut it. Potter, what the fuck are you doing in our Common Room?" He takes another step towards me, slowly and deliberately.

My heart is racing and I frantically try to think of something to say, but I draw a blank. Eventually, I manage to stutter, "Um… oh, is this your Common Room? Terribly sorry. I'll, uh, just be going then, shall I?" Oh Gods, that was smooth.

"Don't play games with us, Potter. How did you get in here?"

Shit. "I, uh… I walked through the door." That much is true, at least.

I don't have time to run as Malfoy takes the next few steps towards me, and suddenly, he has the front of my robes clenched in his fist and his wand stabbing harshly into my throat. "I thought I told you not to play games!" he growls, almost lifting me right off the ground. I've never realised before just how intimidating Draco Malfoy can be. I can see the anger flashing in his eyes. His wand feels hot under my jaw. Oh shit, I'm dead. "I'm n-not playing games, Mal…"

"Stop, he's telling the truth!" I hear a voice say from somewhere on my right and breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, someone on my side.

Malfoy pauses, and after a minute, he shoves me roughly to the floor. "Don't get too comfortable. You're not off the hook yet, Potter."

"I'm serious, Draco. He just walked in. We saw it." A girl with long blonde hair steps forward and her blue eyes meet mine for just a second before she turns her attention back to Malfoy.

"How the hell would he have just walked in? You know as well as I do that it's impossible, Scarlet."

Blaze speaks up from the stairway. "Obliviate him. Now."

"Wait." Draco holds up a hand. "Not yet. We need to interrogate him first. Find out who let him in." His eyes flick over to a girl I recognise as Zara Brookes.

She buries her face in her hands and begins to sob again, and Scarlet rushes back to comfort her, glaring at Draco. "It wasn't her! Get that into your heads!"

James swears loudly. "Fuck, I don't even care who did it anymore! Blaze is right. Obliviate him!"

"We will, James. After we question him. We'll use torture if we must."

Rose cuts in. "Oh no, torture is inevitable."

I clear my throat. "I, uh, suppose I don't really have much say in the matter?"

"Not really, no." Draco turns to a girl I recognise as Lila Bain. "Watch him. I need to have a word with Rose." Lila nods in response and Draco follows Rose into another room, slamming the door behind him. The room falls into complete silence once more. Everyone in the room is watching me and I stare blankly at the floor, waiting for something to happen. I'm still sprawled on the ground where Malfoy shoved me, but I don't want to risk standing up. Finally, Lila breaks the silence.

"Well, well, well… the great Harry Potter in our Common Room. Did you ever think you'd live to see this day, Dameion?"

"Oh no, never. What an honour it is to have you here, Mr. Potter." Dameion bows theatrically in my direction. "Do let us know if there's anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable. Can we get you some water? Pumpkin juice?"

"Perhaps a nice bowl of hot soup," Lila adds.

Dameion grins. "Or a kick in the head, we can definitely arrange that."

"Poor pathetic Potter, always getting into trouble. Where are all your little friends now? Do they know you're here? Are they coming to rescue you?"

I lower my gaze to the floor again and Lila cackles. "They don't know you're here, do they? Oh, this is just too perfect."

"Leave him alone. He'll have a hard enough time when Rose gets her hands on him."

Lila sighs, exasperated. "Shut up, Evan, you're such a spoil sport."

"Yeah, we're just having some fun. Isn't that right, Potty?"

Evan rolls his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I love torturing Gryffin-dorks as much as the next guy. But don't piss him off, alright? He might refuse to talk later."

"Nothing a good old Cruciatus can't fix," Dameion replies cheerfully, but he grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet anyway. "Fine. Go sit on the sofa like a good little Potty, and don't give us any trouble. Got it?" Fighting the urge to punch him in the face, I stumble towards the chair and do as I'm told. I know breaking the bastard's nose won't help my situation, but Merlin knows I'm dying to.

Slowly, they all get tired of watching me and go about their own business instead. Zara and Scarlet disappear into a room behind me while Evan and another boy begin a game of chess in the corner. October wanders over to a bookshelf and begins skimming through various titles, finally deciding on one and settling down to read it. Only Lila and Dameion remain, never taking their eyes off me.

Just my luck. I sneak into the dungeons in an attempt to find out what Malfoy's up to, and end up being held captive by a group of Slytherins who wish to cause me permanent bodily harm. And I'm no closer to finding out Draco's secret.

Fuck. I really, really don't want to be here.