A/N I know, I know, I'm doing horrible with updates lately, I don't know what's wrong!!  It up be that up to the Narcissa chapter, I had a milky plan of what I wanted to do.. now I'm writing it as I go.  Hopefully I'll gain some focus soon and hurry it up.  Anyway, this picks up right after the last line in the last chapter and starts in Sevvy's POV.  I swear there's Draco in this chapter.. eventually lol.  This is pretty short, but I wanted to get it out and the next one will involve the detention and more Draco/ Hermione interaction!! Expect extreme sarcasm and yelling ;p  Oh yes, the song for this chapter is "Silence Again" by Endor....

Ms. Padfoot: Thank you for reviewing :) First of all, just another chapter today and it is sooo good!!  My review raves on about that, lol.  To be honest, I despised Snape before I started reading fanfic.  Since then, however, I have come to quite adore him.  It is lots of fun to peel away the layers and find the human inside :)  Hehe, thanks and I know this wasn't very soon but an update is here!! :)

Mic: Thank you for reviewing :)  I'm glad you liked the foray into Dumbledore and Sev's minds.  I always wondered what Dumbledore's was like, I hope I protrayed it well.  Yes, dear Sevvy does have a rough time of things, hopefully working with Draco will help that.

Darcel: Thank you for reviewing :)  As of right now, no, Sev doesn't keep in touch with the girl.  I used her as a catalyst for his suicide attempt and am unsure right now whether I want her to play any kind of bigger part.  Maybe at the end, for closure purposes, he can find out what happened to her, but it probably won't be anymore than that.

Morloth: Thank you for reviewing :)  Yes, it is pretty sad, isn't it? :)

Cinnamon: Omg, you should've seen my face when I realized you'd reposted that whole review.  I swear you are the review queen!!!  ::sigh:: Voldie's always out to get us, isn't he?  If it's not the smileys, it's your computer.  Even longer reviews?  Oh my, is that possible?  Heck, even if it isn't, I'd love to watch you try :-D  I see your voice is buggin you, mine are off to visit it so sorry if they annoy you too, lol.  Bossy lil voice you have :p lol, but I suppose that's better then having 3 arguing at once.. oh the headaches... :)  I'm very happy you liked the Trista story (not posted yet, for anyone else who's wondering what the hell we're talking about lol) and don't worry about the reply right now, much as I adore reading them, you need sleep!!  You know you're not going to get much tomorrow night :p  I should probably get to the story, huh? :)

I've decided to stick in another disclaimer since it's been awhile:  Attention to everyone!  I do not, I repeat, do not own any of these characters.  I am but a poor, hopeless fan who dreams of Draco.  Don't you all feel sorry for me?  Enough to give me him?  No?.. hmph, just go and read the damn story then... ::pout::.... :p

~~~Snape's POV (for now anyway, lol)~~~

~*Losing yourself
To all the shame
You're not to blame*~

"To begin with, you can start to believe in yourself more", Albus smiles kindly at me.

~*The writings on the wall
But you didn't lose it all*~

He's always been the one person I could turn to, the only one who truly knows who I am.  So why doesn't he understand how stained I am?  What is there in me to believe in?  I once again hear the young girl's screams and burst out, "I'm a bloody murderer Albus!  I killed people, tortured them, stood by as others did the same!  I belong in hell!" My voice gets quieter, "That's all I believe in".

~*Distance grows with every breath we take*~

"Severus, you cannot continue to let your past control your future.  You aren't like them, you got out.  And think of all the danger you have placed yourself in as a spy, think of all those lives you saved", he truly looks like he thinks that's true.

~*Silent thoughts
On the horizon
Midnight falls
Between the lines*~

"None of them will bring the dead back to life", I mutter bitterly.

~*Making amends
Along the way for every day*~

"No, they won't", he agrees, "But neither will sitting here torturing yourself about it.  You have to be strong and help Draco release his anger, maybe then you can release your own".

Hmph, I wonder if he's been talking to that voice in my head.  They're sounding very similar.

"Yes, smart man that Dumbledore"

Hey, I can only deal with one of you at a time, okay?  For all Albus' arguements, I'm still no closer to having a clue what I'm to do next.

~*The question still remains
Was it worth the price you paid?*~

He takes notice of this, "Draco needs someone and you are the perfect person to fit that right now.  You two have a lot in common and you know his father well, so you can have extra insight into his mind.  It cannot be anyone else, they will all try to save him with sweetness and love... can you imagine how the boy would react to that?  Not helping Draco will only make you feel worse".

I know he's right, dammit he's always right, but.."What if I break him even more?"  That is my biggest fear, maybe I'll just make him run for a knife quicker. 

~*Distance grows with every breath we take*~

"That is highly unlikely.  From what you've told me, he can only go up from here.  You two need eachother, Severus, something in you knows that".

"Yup, right here!!  I know it, I'm in him!"

"Go to hell", I unconciously say it aloud and Albus looks at me in surprise, "Not you".  He looks around the room, sees no one else and looks back at me.  "You don't want to know", I grumble, "Hell, I wish I didn't know."  The older man just nods although I'm sure he thinks I've gone off the deep end.

~*Silent thoughts
On the horizon*~

"I have complete faith in you.  Draco is going to need this even more considering what Lucius recently requested", my head shoots up in alarm and he continues, "Every other weekend, Draco will be going home".

My mouth drops, "What?  No!  Lucius will use that time to train him, oh my god, can you imagine what he's going to do to the boy?!  Voldemort's going to take part too, he might not make it through the first session!" I am pacing again.

"Give him more credit", Albus says gently, "And I couldn't exactly tell him no because I knew he would be training his son to join Voldemort.  He would've become suspicious if I argued too much.  Besides, I expect many things will 'randomly' come up that will lessen the amount he goes.  As for the times he has to... even more reason for you to be around".

~*Midnight falls
Between the lines*~

Fine, I'll attempt to save the bloody child, but if it all blows up, it's on Albus' head.  I exhale loudly, "Very well, he has detention with me for a week, that should provide time to talk.  Then after that, I'll figure something out", I remember something, "Drat, that Granger girl has detention too."

Albus grins, "Good, it would help him to become involved with people other than Slytherins, no offense meant of course."

My face twists into a grimace, "I understand... but Gryffindors?"  I feel like I may be sick.

He laughs, "Just a thought.  Don't worry, I have a feeling Mr. Malfoy would fight something like that till the end anyway."

"Merlin, I hope so", I mutter before we walk down to breakfast.

~~~Draco's POV~~~

~*Alters burn away the reason
Ashes fall between the lies*~

I poke once again at my breakfast, eating doesn't really seem like a fun activity right now.  If it hadn't been for Professor Snape, I wouldn't even have that problem right now.  Damn him.  The only reason he stopped me is because he is a deatheater and wants me to be alive to help Voldemort.  That's all, I drill into my head, nothing more. 

~*Is this what it's worth?*~

"Are you truly that dense boy?  Or blind?  The man was terrified".

Yeah, that his lord would be disappointed.  I'm merely a tool to him, just like Lucius. 

~*Is this what you hoped for?*~

"Lucius wouldn't have stopped you", it says quietly.

I stab my food extra hard because the voice is right.  My father would've stood there silently and watched my descent, secretly pleased I was getting out of his way.  He wouldn't even turn away, the man likes the pain of others too much.  I don't suppose many people know what it feels like to know your father wants you dead.  Gee, aren't I unique.

~*Standing on the edge
Spilling over*~

"Whining about it will hardly help".

I really don't give a damn.  I shouldn't even be here now, shouldn't be anywhere.  So close, I was so freaking close to escaping and he had to ruin it!  It wasn't being done for only selfish reasons.  If I'm gone, then I can't help Voldemort rise again.  Of course, he'll find someone else but that person will have to be trained too and it will take a while for him to find someone he trusts.  By keeping me alive, everyone's damning the future of the wizarding (and muggle) world.  I will have so much blood dripping from my hands.

~*(Somewhere in between, somewhere far)
(Never looking back. Is this what you thought would last?)*~

"Luckily for you, there's no such thing as hopeless".

~*Silence*~

Of course there is!  Lucius is hopeless, Voldemort is too, and... and me.  Someday I will be that monster that poses on my father, I know it, and I don't want to live that long.  Snape won't always be around.

~*You stood so far away from silence...
Again*~

A/N: Told you it was short!!  Hope you all enjoyed and, god willing, the next chapter won't take so long.  ::yawn:: it's 11:00 right now and I really should be sleeping or, at least, doing the pounds of homework that I ignored but I decided I'd rather finish this off :)