CHAPTER TWO: TEMPTATION

Tick tick time o mad desire
Evil eye me high above
Jet black coal my soul on fire
Deep inside you can't deny my love
-Ferry-

Professor Severus Snape could hardly believe his ears when he heard about the fight on the train. It just seemed a bit too good to be true, that Potter had given himself another excuse to be expelled. Dumbledore had gathered all the involved students at his office and asked the heads of the two houses to be present, so Snape was hurrying down the corridores and up the stairs to be there in perfect time. If this was the final nail in Potters coffin, he was going to be there, not missing a second.

A heavy silence rested over the gathering at Dumbledore's office. Snape could almost smell the fear of expulsion as he entered and he savoured it, giving a polite nod towards Dumbledore and professor McGonagall before he placed himself beside the headmaster and explored the room with a calculating gaze. His Slytherin students were seated beside Potter in front of Dumbledore's desk. Draco looked a sorry mess, with bandage wrapped around his moonpale hair and small cuts from shards on his face. But he was sitting rigid in his chair, putting on a show of silent martyrism. Potter and his friends looked all the more tense. One exception stood out from the usual troublemakers. Neville Longbottom had obviously gotten himself into bad company. It was a bit out of place to see him there. Maybe if some absurd accident had occured, but not because of a brawl. Draco's gaze was also drifting strangely towards Longbottom. Could the sad excuse for a Gryffindor have played a larger role in this?
As Dumbledore drew out explanations from each one of the gathered students, the situation became clearer and everyone except Harry and Draco were dismissed. Dumbledore studied them with a piercing gaze until they avoided his eyes.
"You two need to understand the seriousness of your actions." he said. "You, Harry, must learn not to use violence as your weapon."
Snape could see how Harry reacted to this, how sparks of anger were lit in his eyes.
Go on Potter, do it. Snape thought as a silent prayer. Lose it in front of Dumbledore. "What?" Harry looked full of dismay. "So anyone who'd like to can have a go at my parents? Or at Neville's..."
"Settle down, Harry." Dumbledore said in the same calm voice. "And you Draco, need to realise that words sometimes have the impact of fists."
Draco looked down, but inside he thought that Dumbledore must be a complete idiot. Of course he knew what impact words had. Words were the fine art of war when all other weapons were out of boundaries. His father had taught him that. Did Dumbledore think that he was, like, five years old?
"The head of your house will decide how to make you understand the seriousness of what your actions." Dumbledore finished.
Snape was growing impatient. This wasn't going his way.
"Forgive me, headmaster" he said. "But dare we have Potter around, knowing of his already ignorant disposition towards rules?" Snape eyed Potter with a contemptous stare.
Potter returned his gaze, full of hate.
"He did, after all, attempt to murder young Malfoy over some minor, common dispute. The law clearly seems to be below him."
"There there, professor." Dumbledore soothed, in the same voice he had used addressing the students. "I am sure that professor McGonagall will handle the situation properly."
Snape bit his lower lip in fury, but said nothing.
Harry disappeared out of the room with professor McGonagall, who gave Snape a comforting glance, making him even angrier. Dumbledore leaned forward, catching Draco's gaze with eyes more serious and reproaching than Draco had ever experienced from his headmaster.
"And there's one more thing before you go, Mr Malfoy. Your joke about Mr Longbottom's parents has come to my attention and is not to be taken lightly."
Draco vinced at the mentioning of the joke. He widened his eyes and tried to grasp for words to defend himself, but nothing came out.
"In these times when Voldemort's appearance is a frightening reality, these words of yours could have been easily misinterpreted."
Draco vinced again when Voldemort's name was spoken. This wasn't allowed even in his own home, behind closed doors. Some rage adopted from his father simmered in the back of his head, at Dumbledore's lack of respect for the Dark Lord. But Draco felt no loyalty for Voldemort of his own, since this legendary wizard was defeated around the time of his birth. He never saw Voldemort in his glory and could not relate to it other than through the stories of his parents.
Dumbledore eyed him curiously.
"Do you understand me, Mr Malfoy?"
"Yes, Headmaster."
He suddenly hated Dumbledore for bringing that knot into his stomach again and for the lack of control in this situation. Draco loathed being bullied around by adults and students alike, since it was not in his nature to give authority over to anyone else. Except for his father, who was outright dangerous to refuse. And then there was Snape. Was Snape watching him just now? Why did he look so demanding and impatient? And why was Dumbledore looking at him as if he was expecting some kind of phenomena to emerge from Draco any minute? Finally he understood.
"Forgive me, headmaster." Draco murmured, while looking at his shoes and trying to make the heat on his face go away.
Dumbledore really treated him like a child. But on the other hand, Dumbledore just did that to professor Snape, when he rightly tried to have Potter thrown out.
"Very good." Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling in an annoyingly friendly way. "Please follow professor Snape and let him give you instructions."
Draco nodded and was relieved that Snape made his way out without hesitation. Only once did Snape stop to turn in the doorway and shoot an accusing glance at his headmaster. Potter was still running free and Snape had been given extra work.

Draco's detention was to be served in the school library. Snape gave him instructions on sorting the potion books, categorizing them into an entirely new order, written down by Snape. Meanwhile, the potion's master declared that he would be in the dungeons, checking on Draco after a while or so. Snape was obviously displeased with the situation and Draco did not give him a reason to get any crankier. He attended to the given task, making it as perfect as he could. It took more than half an hour before somebody else entered the library. At first, he thought it was Snape. As he heard the footsteps approach his shelf, he increased the pace, looking very interested and eager about the books. The person came into view and leaned himself lightly on the side of the shelf.
But it wasn't Snape. It was Neville.
Draco's irritation caught fire at once. He straightened up and shot a contemptous glance at the uninvited guest. He really didn't wish Neville to see him in a position doing detention. But another strange side of him didn't want Neville to leave either. Neville looked back at him with that typical, accusing stare.
"Are you lost, Longbottom?" Draco said with a sneer that he hoped looked like Snape's. Neville didn't answer at first and Draco took hold of another book with as much dignity as he could muster.
"Concidering your own dodgy family, it's surprising you had the nerve to speak to me that way." Neville was partly looking at his fingers, partly at Draco. But he stood there, relaxed as if he didn't realise that he had used the wrong voice to a Malfoy.
Draco almost dropped the book in surprise. He couldn't believe his ears.
"What?" he finally managed to get out, putting the book down.
"You heard me." Neville answered, voice still low, but steady. "If you're going to start something, at least dare to do it with the odds even!"
Draco folded his arms and bent slightly forward, giving Neville the most threatening stare he could.
"Maybe you'd like to take that back while you still can!" Draco hissed, but had a feeling of treading on thin ice. This annoyed him even more. How could he feel even a hint of uncertainty around Neville?
Neville's answer was soft, but determined.
"I'm not taking it back."
The world was upside down. He, Draco, stood in the library suffering from an unfair detention and Neville was right there, insulting him. And as if it wasn't enough, Neville's presence made Draco a bit nervous. His father would have died of shame at this show of weakness. Neville couldn't win!
Draco scanned Neville for signs of weaknesses, while moving slowly towards him. Neville froze at Draco's approach, but did not move. Draco finally found some flickering fear in Nevilles dark brown eyes, but was greeted with all the more obstination. Damn these Gryffindors! Draco was now less than a step from Neville, cornering him so that Neville had to keep his back to the shelf. Now he could see the Gryffindor trembling slightly and this awoke new sensations of pleasure in him. He was in control and it was impossible to resist the temptation of going further, getting the full kick of the moment.
Draco closed the distance between them with one last step and stood so close that Neville had to press his hands to his stomach not to bump them into the Slytherin by accident. Draco gave him the evil eyes and the wicked smile, meaning victory. It was nice standing so close to Neville, seeing those dark eyelashes shade the warm haunted eyes, absorbing the clean, soft features of his face, feeling his uncomfort, letting fingers play over the smooth chin...
"You know..." Draco whispered in a mocking voice, his lips way too close to Nevilles. "...I am quite mean, now that you're bringing it up. So what are you going to do about it, hm?"
And before he really knew what he was doing, he had pressed his lips against his intended prey. Neville got startled and didn't move one inch, seemingly caught up in the shock of feeling Draco's lips touching his own. Then Neville's breathing became short and fast, waking all the more response in Draco. He sank his fingers deep into the back of Neville's neck and pressed his thumbs into those soft cheeks, just a little too hard. Then Draco let his tounge slide into Neville's slightly parted lips, making this first kiss ever rough and demanding. Neville almost lost his balance, letting out a miserable sound of conflicting feelings that drove Draco almost mad. But the kiss met response and the hands that flew up to push Draco away was trembling too violently and lacked any real strength. Draco caught these hands and slammed them into the bookshelf with such force that several potions books came crashing down to the floor. Neville made that maddening little noise again and still he did not try to stop Draco's exploring tounge. Draco's brain seemed to be controlled by an autopilot, making plans to drag Neville down with him on the floor, untying his robes...
"Mr Malfoy."

Draco thought he would die of fright, hearing the chilly, cynical voice of Snape peircing his clouded mind.
He took a startled leap away from Neville, feeling like his heart would stop, like he would crumble to pieces or evaporate into thin air by the mere sight of his potion's master, standing with arms folded, demonstrating the most scolding glare Draco had ever seen directed towards him. Neville seemed in no better shape, bracing himself against the shelf to remain standing, his face white with fear of this intimidating interruption.
"I thought I told you what to do, Mr Malfoy." the cold voice continued.
Draco felt his cheeks burning red with embarrasment. He tried to regain his normal royal composture and fought to shape words in a fruitless attempt to answer the head of his house. Everything failed and Snape let the same cold voice dictate the iron order he was to put on the situation.
"I recommend you to clean this up, Mr Longbottom." he said, pointing at the books on the floor. Neville could only nod for an answer, the fear of Snape eating all words.
"I strongly recommend you, Mr Malfoy, to return to your dormitory. At once."
"Yes, professor."
Draco didn't know how he managed to answer at all. He didn't recognise his own voice. He was more than relieved to be dismissed and rushed out of the library and all the way up to the Slytherin toilets in senseless panic, escaping Snape's stare and the dawning realisation within him.