"Sleeping With the Enemy"

Chapter 10: Systematic Disassembly

~*~

A feline figure slid into the shadows. The cats pointed nose lifted in the air as it distinguished one scent from another. It was quiet and falsely calm in the corridor, the moonlight streaming in through the windows and coloring the floor with pseudo-peace. The cat suspected something was amiss, and it began to move silently down the corridor, its eyes glowing from around a pattern of fur.

It traveled silently to the very depths of Hogwarts; places where staff and student alike rarely ventured. The cats head whipped around at the slight sound of padded feet, its back arched and tense. The animal remained in this position, frozen, for a minute or so, then relaxed and resumed its course.

Adrenaline, like electricity, caused the cat to sense the other presence just before it arrived. The cat leapt around, its fur bristling with hostility, and came whisker-to-whisker with another cat, its red eyes twinkling dangerously in the dimness. //Mrs. Norris,// the cat had time to think before it had to defend itself from whirling claws and vicious teeth. Our cat, which for now is dubbed "Minnie", rolled out of the way and pounced on Mrs. Norris, claws outstretched and very sharp. Mrs. Norris tumbled backward and landed on her feet and came at Minnie, slashing violently. Her claws connected with shoulder and arm flesh. Minnie yowled and decided that she had had enough of this. Suddenly Mrs. Norris found herself dangling in the air from the scruff of her miserable neck, as a rather ruffled Professor McGonagall inspected the wound on her shoulder. She grimaced and shook the cat a little.

"You little wretch, what has gotten into you? Where's your master, eh? Where's Mr. Filch?" The talented Transfiguration teacher strode purposefully down the hall, the cat resignedly bumping along with her.

~*~

Harry watched helplessly as a smirking Pansy took out her anger on Draco. His white skin was crossed with streaks of blood, ruby in comparison to his milky flesh. It wasn't fair! Draco couldn't even fight back, held down as he was. Pansy just kept going, and more and more red smeared the white. Harry knew he was going to blow, he was so angry. He had to do *something* to distract them from hurting Draco, but what? He's just have to draw their attention to himself, then. Taking a deep breath hurt because of his rib, but he did anyway and shouted, "You let him alone!" Pansy looked up at this interruption.

"Harry!" Draco hissed, shaking his head violently, "Don't!" Harry swallowed unhappily.

"But-"

"Please!" Draco whispered.

Harry nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. Evan watched this exchange amusedly. Raising an eyebrow, he approached Harry.

"He's certainly got you whipped, eh Potter? Are you this submissive in the bedroom?" he turned and directed his next comment to Draco. "You've found yourself the perfect fucktoy, Malfoy. It isn't fair that you get this pretty piece all to yourself." Draco growled at him.

"Don't even *think* about it, Cognevoc, you bastard." Evan gave Harry an appraising look and gripped the Gryffindor's chin.

"Oh, but I am," he said softly. "Does he fuck you, Potter? Does he take for everything you've got? Did you lose your virginity to his hot, pulsing-"

"Shut up!" Harry screamed. "Shut up shut up! He doesn't do that he'd never do that! Shut *up*!" Evan stepped back in surprise and Draco swallowed a despairing moan. Now they knew that-

"You're a virgin?" Evan asked incredulously, watching Harry closely. The black-haired teen didn't say anything. "You haven't put this nice toy to use, then, Malfoy? Tsk tsk, I'm disappointed in you. How very lovely. The Boy-Who-Lived, still a virgin?!" Evan, Pansy, and the rest laughed at this, and Harry clenched his teeth. He had to remind himself that this was better then Draco getting beaten to a bloody pulp. Evan, still chuckling evilly, said, "We can change that," and began to peel off the Gryffindor's tanktop. Harry's green eyes widened and Draco bristled, but before he had time to do anything, a hooded member approached the group. Evan stepped back and tilted his head. "Yes?"

"You need to get on with it," the female urged, and Harry gasped in recognition. "We just chased off Granger and Okun, they came to retrieve their *precious* Potter."

"Cho?!" Harry asked, mouth agape in disbelief. The girl removed her hood and sneered at the stunned teen.

"Well hello Harry," she snarled. Turning to Evan, she asked, "So are you going to do it or what?" It was almost a challenge. Suddenly the mood of the group of serious and tangibly much more dangerous, and Harry shivered in fear.

~*~

Snape strode quickly through the darkened halls, a grimace of determination masking his features. He was about to turn a corner when Argus Filch slunk around it and nearly bumped into the taller man. The caretaker bobbed his head down and back in surprise.

"Severus," he greeted.

"There are students about, Argus," the Potions Master informed him icily.

"Eh? Students, really? Better go catch them, then," he said rather dodgedly.

Severus harrumphed his opinion of this and nodded before he swept past the caretaker in search of Potter and Malfoy. A sense of insistence flooded his mind as he increased his pace. Time was of the essence…

~*~

Evan stood in front of Harry, his wand pointed at the alarmed Boy-Who-Lived. "This is the end, you know," The Slytherin informed him softly. "We can't have you hangin' round with your damned Gryffindor righteousness and fucking up our plans. Good bye, then, Potter. I'm so very sorry I didn't get to fuck you. Ah well," he sighed and aimed his wand at Harry's scar.

"No!" The word shot through the air, much like Draco as the small blonde hurtled himself at his enemy. Evan dodged neatly aside and Draco tumbled straight into Harry, who winced and fell down to the floor.

"Malfoy wishes to join you?" Evan shrugged. Harry tried to move but found that some sort of binding spell held his feet firmly glued to the ground. He clung desperately to Draco and his lover hugged him just as tightly. He bit back a desperate moan. Hot tears were running down his face.

"Draco," he whispered as Evan lifted his wand and the group shifted in delighted tension, "Before we die I want you to know-"

"Stupefy!" a well-known and usually hated voice rang out, but at that moment Harry would have sold his soul to the owner of that deep voice, Professor Snape.

"Holy fucking shit." Draco muttered in relief as Evan dropped to the ground beside them. The spell was released and Draco nudged the offending wand away.

Meanwhile, Severus was eyeing the hooded cult with a mixture of disbelief and trepidation. They were eyeing him equally so. The Potions Master cleared his throat, wondering how the hell he was going to deal with *all* of them when *he* heard a familiar voice and inwardly thanked whoever was up there for the promptness of one Transfiguration professor.

"This is utterly ridiculous!" she cried exasperatedly. "Severus?" As one the teachers raised their wands and stunned every single hooded teenager in the room.

"How-?" Snape asked, but McGonagall answered grimly,

"Filch." And stormed angrily out of the room.

Snape heaved an annoyed sigh as he surveyed the carnage. "Of course, the bloody Gryffindor leaves it to *me* to pick up the mess." He grumbled as he set about identifying the students. He paused and gazed at Harry and Draco, huddled in a pool of relief. "Are you all right?" Both boys nodded. "Good. Then get out of here." He snarled, back to his old self, and the two scrambled up and out the door, finally free of the hellish nightmare.

They leaned on one another as they walked swiftly away from the night's torment. "You're going to need to see Madam Pomfrey," Draco remarked.

Harry paused, then said softly, "Not tonight." Draco nodded.

As they entered the common room all strength seemed to leave Draco's body and he stretched carefully out on one of the couches. Harry stifled a yawn.

"C'mere," Draco motioned with one arm. Harry collapsed into his arms, so tired he didn't feel the pain in his ribcage or smell the dried blood that covered the both of them. He simply snuggled into Draco and closed his eyes.

~*~

Hermione and Kaleb settled Neville on the couch, then Kaleb went and locked the massive door while Hermione started a crackling fire in the fireplace. She pulled a chair up near the couch and sat down, looking around the Potions Master's quarters apprehensively.

"Cheery place," she commented to Kaleb as the blue-haired girl ruffled through a few papers and generally poked around in Snape's quarters.

"I've never seen a more depressing place," she agreed. "Maybe we should decorate it as a surprise!"

"No, Kaleb." Hermione's word was final. Kaleb didn't seem to hear her.

"You know what Snape needs? A good shag."

"Kaleb!"

"Well... look at this place." Kaleb continued looking around with careful eyes. "It's prolly been ages since his last romp in the sack."

"Kaleb I-"

"What do you think he wears? Boxers or briefs?"

"KALEB!"

"Eh." Neville watched them with sleepy eyes. Kaleb began to hum a wordless tune while picking up various objects and studying them. Hermione smiled softly as she saw Neville gradually falling asleep.

Kaleb paused in her perusal and tilted her head to the side. "What the hell is this?" She held up a small smoky crystal ball on a chain.

Hermione glanced at it, then did a double take. "It looks like a love charm," she said excitedly. Kaleb shrugged and tossed it to the girl in a high arc.

"Here," Kaleb winked. "For luck with Ron." Hermione blushed.

"Thanks." Silence for a while as the girls listened to the popping flames and Neville's soft breathing. "I hope Harry's all right." Hermione broke in, her voice wavering slightly. Kaleb could say nothing, so she pulled up a chair next to Hermione and sung softly. The trio of wayward Gryffindors were soon resting, secure and safe, in the proverbial enemy's nest, the *private quarters* of the *Slytherin* Head.

About an hour later, a tired and thoroughly irritated Severus Snape unlocked the door to his rooms and peered perplexedly into the dimly lit room. "Oh, yes." he said softly, when he saw the slumbering students. Hermione opened her eyes and sat up a little straighter when she saw her teacher. She nudged Kaleb, who was sleeping with her head tilted back and her mouth wide open, snoring.

"Professor," Hermione said, anxiety sharpening her features, "What happened? Is Harry-"

Snape held up a weary hand. "Potter is fine, as is Malfoy, though I expect they'll both need a day or two to recover." By now, both girls were staring attentively at him. He heaved an irritated sigh. "Mr. Cognevoc, Ms. Parkinson, and Ms. Chang are being expelled; they are leaving tomorrow. As for the rest of them, their fate is still being decided. Mr. Filch got away, but Hagrid is after him."

Kaleb wrinkled her nose in puzzlement. "Filch?"

"Yes, Ms. Okun, it seems that he was behind most of this." Snape grimaced. "All right, I believe that was enough information to satisfy your curiosity." he pointed at the door. "Bed." The girls, hungry for more information, reluctantly roused themselves and Kaleb went to prod Neville awake. "Leave him," Snape said, his features softening. "Let him sleep." Kaleb and Hermione exchanged bemused glances as they exited the Potions Masters quarters.

"Ms. Granger... what is that in your hand?"

Hermione looked down at the pilfered love charm and blushed. "I- er, well..." Snape rolled his eyes.

"Right then. Out!"

"You don't want-"

"Ms. Granger," he said voice dry, "I certainly do not need it." Hermione smiled shyly (while a Kaleb simultaneously started coughing, causing Hermione to slap her -hard- on the back), and the two girls fled to the tower.

~*~

"Did you see-"

"what I saw?" Kaleb finished, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "Why was Snape so... agreeable?"

Hermione shook her head and examined the globe in her hand. She innerly debated, then draped the chain around her neck. "I dunno." she said as she followed Kaleb through the portrait hole.

She stumbled into her as the shorter girl stopped in her tracks in the common room.

"Kaleb?" Peering over her shoulder, Hermione saw what had caused her friend's sudden halt. There on the couch, sleeping peacefully in eachother's arms and covered with bruises, were Harry and Draco Malfoy.

"Eeep!" said Hermione. Knowing was one thing, but *seeing* was another altogether. Kaleb got a sappy look in her eyes.

"Awww..." she cooed as she examined the sleeping couple.

Shocked as she was, Hermione still managed to remember that it would be *bad* if anyone else saw them. She walked over to the sofa and tentatively poked Harry. The messy-haired boy jerked awake immediately and assumed a defensive posture.

"Who- huh? What do you want?" he asked suspiciously, then got a closer look. "Herm? Kaleb?" Now Draco was stirring next to him. Harry looked at his sleeping companion and then back at his friends. "Uh-"

"You better get upstairs, Harry, before anyone *else* sees you."

"You... but..."

"Tomorrow, Harry," the girl said firmly, leaning over and giving him a hug while Malfoy scowled at her. "I'm glad you're okay." She sent Malfoy an equally loathsome glare and then went upstairs, Kaleb prancing behind her. The girls entered their dorm room and saw that both Lavender and Parvati were still awake. Kaleb yelled out,

"Cowabunga!" and jumped onto the big bed.

"You have *way* too much energy," Hermione informed her resentfully, and flopped onto the bed as well.

"Where *were* you guys?" asked Lavender curiously.

"Is everything okay?" Parvati chimed in.

Hermione groaned as Kaleb bounced excitedly on the bed.

"You'll never *guess* what's happened...!"

This would take a lot of explaining.

~*~

Severus watched the Gryffindor girls disappear around a corner, then closed his door and stood next to the couch, watching Neville sleep. He carefully gathered the stocky 16-year-old into his arms and carried him to his bedroom. Pulling back the covers, he placed Neville gently between the black silk sheets and covered him. Almost timidly, the bad tempered teacher reached out to brush back a few wayward wisps of brown-blonde hair. His hand hovered in the air, and then he turned abruptly and left the room, leaving the door open slightly. He settled down in a chair and proceeded to stare meditatively into the fire.

Not much later, Severus could hear whimpers emerging from the other room. They subsided quickly, and as Snape listened, he heard the rustle of sheets and the pad of bare feet as Neville approached the door. Sad, scared green eyes peered into the dimly lit room, and Severus stood and nodded slightly at the hidden youth. Neville took this as encouragement; he inched through the gap and blinked upward at his teacher.

Strangely, Neville found that he wasn't really intimidated by the older man anymore. Or perhaps, he had faced scarier things, and minor demons such as this Potions Master no longer could frighten him. It didn't mean Neville wasn't still *wary* of the man, of course not, that would be foolish, but now, he *trusted* this man. Vague memories of a few hours before, //vulnerabilty// in the Infirmary, flitted through his mind's eye, and warmth, so acutely needed, grew and glowed heartily inside of him, beating back some of the freezing numbness that had taken hold of him.

"Are you all right?" Severus asked, his voice retaining its usual cold inflection, but it was augmented by a flicker of humanity in those piercing eyes. Empowered by this glimpse of compassion, the Gryffindor took a step forward, then another.

"I... need a... hug," Neville whispered, and pressed his face into the taller man's chest. Severus stared down in surprise, but then, not knowing quite how to react, haltingly put his arms about Neville in a loose embrace.

This touch of comfort melted some of the frost shielding Neville from pain, and small shudders coursed through his body. This bleeding gash in his emotions needed, cried out, *demanded* to be healed, and it seemed that his psyche had chosen the once-feared Potions Master for the job.

~*~

One more to go, the Epilogue. A few last scenes, thank yous, and notes will be posted there. ^_^ Go on, click the button! On to the epilogue! (See, I uploaded simultaneously! ooo!)

~RS