DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. 'Sides, you'd get more blood out of a turnip then you would money out of me! HA!

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey, sorry about that last chapter. Also, I really need a beta, so if someone out there in readerland could volunteer, that would be greatly appreciated.

SUMMARY: Harry feels like he's in hell, Draco's living through a nightmare. Can they help each other before it's too late to save either one?

FROM THE LAST CH.: "Pansy," he groaned, tossing her a look of exasperation. "Will you please quit mothering me? It really doesn't suit you."/ "Hmpf," she said huffily and stormed down the ladder. / "Did you really have to use the m-word to her face," Blaise whined. "Now she'll be bitchy for days and the guys and I'll be the one's to bare it."/ "So sorry, really I am," he said insincerely. "Do make sure to close the door on your way down."/ Rolling his eyes at the blonde, Blaise climbed down to try and placate a pissy Pansy, closing the door after himself

Tainting the Innocent

Chapter Thirteen

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Harry said urgently, tapping the grimy piece of parchment with his wand. He was standing a little away from the Fat Lady, ignoring her grumbles about rude invisible people with no manners whatsoever. The Astronomy Tower, he thought in shock. What could he possibly be doing there at this time of night…never mind, I don't really care. It'll be easier getting to him this way.

He hurried down the halls towards the far off tower, the previous agony reduced to slight twinges.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

He lay on the hard stone, smooth from the feet of a millennia of stargazers. The air had an autumnal bite and the sky was crystal clear. It seemed as if every star hung sparkling like diamonds, a full moon imparting an iridescent glow to the night. He closed his eyes with a contented sigh, almost able to feel the icy fingers of light smoothing over his white skin. He relaxed in the moonlight for a few more minutes before stretching and heading off towards the dungeons.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

He was almost at the Tower when, glancing down, he noticed the little blob labeled Draco Malfoy was no longer there. Nononono, He thought worriedly, searching the map for Malfoy. He's on the move…what if he gets to the Slytherin dorms before I can reach him? Just as he was shifting his path to try and intercept Draco, the other boy began doubling back. Make up your bleeding mind, Malfoy, Harry thought irritably, changing direction again.

Moving as fast as he dared, not wanting to announce his presence to Filch or Mrs. Norris, Harry wondered to himself why it was so important to get this information to Malfoy immediately. Merlin, how am I going to tell him his mum's dead!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Drat," Draco spat out, turning and heading back to the Tower. He'd forgotten his schoolbag on top of the tower. He swiftly strolled back the way he'd come, but suddenly stopped as footsteps echoed through the hall. Remembering the last time that happened, Draco kept going, making sure to keep in plain sight.

He had just made it to the ladder when a loud screech tore the night. An owl came hurdling past his head and left just as quickly after dropping a jewelry box and envelope at his feet. A sense of foreboding swirled in his chest as he bent to pick up the delivery; the Owl Post never ran this late. He opened the letter first, and then tore off the lid of the box in his haste. After staring at the gory contents for a moment, his strangled scream ricocheted through the halls.

"Malfoy," Harry whispered and ran all the faster, uncaring if Filch should notice. Pulling the cloak from over his head, he rushed towards the agonized sound.

Draco had collapsed at the foot of the ladder, clinging to it for support with a white-knuckled grip. He stared at a small black box with a blank, glazed expression. "Malfoy," Harry said quietly. The other boy swung his gaze up to Harry's face. His shoulders shook with gasping sobs, though no tears trailed down his cheeks.

"Malfoy, what happened?" Harry kneeled there on the floor, careful to give Draco plenty of space: he remembered quite well what had happened the last time Malfoy had gotten this emotional.

Harry's expression grew grim as he read the note that was passed to him. A trophy, my son. The blood traitor is no more. Consider your allegiances. He could guess what was in the box. "My mum," Draco said, his voice soft and faintly child-like.

"I'm so sorry."

"But you said she was alright," he cried out, a single tear finally escaping his frigid mask. "You said…"

"I know," Harry said, tears blurring his eyes. The situation struck him as almost funny; he rarely cried, but was now shedding tears for none other than Draco Malfoy. "I'm so sorry," he repeated, trying to blink back the tears. "I just had the vision and came to find you immediately."

"Y-you saw them kill her," he choked out, his voice cracking at the end.

"No, only…" He paused there, unsure of how to tell the other boy that his father had performed this atrocity. "I only saw a Death Eater report back to Voldemort that the deed was done."

"Lucius," Draco stated in an expressionless voice. Harry didn't know what to say to that so he stared at the floor. He did not miss, however, that the other boy purposefully used the man's name instead of "father". When he finally raised his eyes to Draco's face, the other boy had retreated behind his cold expressionless mask once again. "I already know the answer Potter, but I still want to hear you say it's true." His voice had returned to its usual scathing tone. Despite the situation, relief flooded through Harry that he wouldn't have to deal with a hysterical Malfoy.

"Yes," he said, returning his eyes to the floor. "He was reporting to Voldemort and then showed his…proof."

"You mean this," Draco said, opening the box and showing the ringed finger to Harry.

"Yes." He had to push the word past the nausea building in his throat.

Draco snapped the box closed and stared intently into Harry's eyes. He seemed to come to a decision and stood up. "Follow me," he ordered before climbing the tower stairs once again. Harry debated whether that would be wise or not but decided to take the chance. He'd barely gotten through the door before it was slammed behind him. "Potter, just how much control do you have over these visions? Can you do anything else besides piggy-back occasionally?"

"L-like what," he asked warily.

"Like reading his mind or controlling his actions."

"I honestly don't know," Harry admitted. "I've never tried."

"Why in the world not," Draco asked explosively, looking truly baffled.

"If you found out one day you were sharing the mind of a mad man, would you do anything other than try and shut that connection down," he asked heatedly, screwing his face into a scowl. Angrily, Draco opened his mouth to respond but Harry just kept talking right over him. "If you constantly had to guard your mind or every waking moment would be filled with his murders? If you were so absorbed by the visions you couldn't separate him from you when they occurred?"

"I…didn't realize they were so involved," he said through his teeth, trying to reign in his temper.

"Yeah, well now you do," Harry replied testily. He hugged himself and looked out over the castle grounds before continuing in a subdued voice. "I…sometimes even I forget who's who when I'm not 'piggy-backing', as you put it."

"Never mind," Draco said dismissively, realizing that he'd seriously upset the other boy. "It doesn't mat-"

"Yes it does," Harry interrupted quietly. "To you, anyways, or you wouldn't have said anything. Last year, Dumbledore was worried that Voldemort could use the link to possess me. He did use it to send a false vision. So maybe…maybe I can do stuff like that too."

"Potter, you're supposed to be the only person who can destroy him, is it true?" Startled by the change of subject, Harry whipped his head around and nodded before shrugging. "What the hell was that," Draco asked in exasperation. "Either you are or you aren't."

"The prophecy says so, but it was made by Trelawney, so I don't know how reliable it is."

"Professor Trelawney!"

"Yeah," Harry said with a smirk. "Apparently, she's not a complete fraud. Shocking, isn't it?"

"Very." They stood in silence a few moments more. "You'd probably have to be a very skilled Legillimens," Draco continued, picking up their previous conversation.

"Don't know it," Harry said with a shake of his head. "All I ever learned was Occulamancy, and I'm horrible." Draco made a noncommittal "hmmm". "Why did you want to know," Harry questioned.

"About?"

"My link with Voldemort."

"Oh, just a flash of inspiration that said you may be able to help me get revenge against Lucius."

"You want me to help you kill your own father!"

"Yes," Draco said with cold sincerity. "And please, don't refer to that man as my father." His face became fierce. "He's nothing to me now."

"Oh."

"I could teach you, you know."

"Huh?"

"You grunt out responses more than Crabbe and Goyle combined," he said in annoyance. "I said I could teach you. Legillimency."

"You know Legillimency?" Harry was quite surprised.

"No, I just thought to offer because it'd be a pleasant way to pass the time, don't you think."

"Ok, ok, stupid question."

"Do you ask any other kind?" They glared at each other before Draco continued. "I'm not the most skilled, but that's one beneficial difference from Occulamancy. I could be the worst in the world and still teach someone perfectly as long as I know the basic rules."

"Oh," Harry said, causing Draco to roll his eyes. He chewed his lip for a few moments, trying to decide if he could tolerate Malfoy long enough to learn anything. They'd kept things rather in explosive for this conversation, but Harry had been choking back retorts the entire time. "Um, do you think we'd be able to do it without killing each other?"

"You're the only one who'd have to worry about that, so why should I care." Harry scowled at that and Draco just smirked.

"You'll be teaching me so that I can help you get revenge against your-against Lucius?"

"Yes," Draco bit out, a vicious expression suddenly on his face.

"Any idea how I'm supposed to mess with Voldemort's mind after I learn from you?"

"Do I have to think of everything," he exploded, throwing his hands into the air. "I teach you Legillimency, you figure out how to crawl though his brain, we figure out how to kill that sodding bastard! Now, was any of that difficult to understand?"

"No," Harry growled, restraining himself from socking Malfoy in the face.

"Good! Now what's your blasted answer!"

"Fine," Harry said after some thought.

"Finally! Meet me here to morrow night after dinner."

"I can't. Ron scheduled Quidditch practice."

"Skip," Draco said with a smirk. He turned on his heel and began to walk away when Harry grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"I can't do that either, you prat," he ground out. Draco glared at the hand gripping his arm and suppressed the urge to do bodily harm. He needed Potter and couldn't go smacking him about…yet. "We'll meet the night after that."

"Well, what if that's not good for me," Draco hissed out.

"Malfoy, I'm learning this so that I can help you, not me. Work with me here and I promise not to rearrange your pretty face," Harry threatened. His green eyes glowed with anger, faces close enough to feel each others breath on their lips. Draco nodded slowly, entranced by the sudden feeling of helplessness. He never felt helpless. "Good, see you in two days then." With that, Harry stalked away, slamming the door behind him.

Draco remained on the tower until he could no longer hear Harry's footsteps or angry mutterings. His hand had just reached for the latch when an errant thought floated through his head. Did he just call me pretty?

2ND AUTHOR'S NOTE: I promise that there's a reason for all of this weirdness surrounding Draco and his friends. A big and (hopefully) good reason. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and please review. I wouldn't even mind those filled with criticism as long as their constructive. Thank you.

WRITER RAMBLE: Have you ever had this problem when writing: the big things (plot twists and such) are quite clear as the story unfolds in your mind, but filling in the spaces between those milestones is quite difficult and tedious. What's your opinion on this?