Title : I'll show you mine…

Fandom : Harry potter

Genre : Slash, angst. (slightly AU maybe)

Pairing : so far, Draco/Justin Finch-Fletchley/Neville

Note : Companion to "I thought you cared" (Trust CompanyStronger)

Summary : Neville wonders what it's like to have friends; Justin and Draco have to share a compartment on Hogwarts express because they both have some issues with their respective housemates…

Part twenty-one

Can you save me
Will you fail me now
It's almost over cause you've faded out, again

You think you can make it all better on your own, don't you…?

Did you think you were gonna save the day… again?

Was I wrong to speak in praises of you…?

Do you do this because you love me…us…? What's meant to be…?

Or are you just another Potter Wannabe…?

Will you break me
When you're holding me down
I will escape you and I'll

I woke up this morning, wrapped in my own arms to keep the cold at bay… and I knew, almost instantly, that something was wrong.

I opened my eyes to see Neville staring back at me silently from the other end of the bed. He was lying there, motionless, on his side... and I knew…

I knew that he knew too…

"He left before dawn…" he said, emotionless.

Idiot Mudblood… at the very least, Longbottom is a pureblood.

Neville hasn't spoken since. He just sat up and kept following me with those pleading baby-blue eyes of his.

"He left…"

Swallowing patiently, I sit down in front of him and seize his hands in mine.

I'm going to kill Finch… if he doesn't die of a stomach ulcer before I manage to get my hands on him.

"He's gonna come back, don't worry." I sigh, kissing the tip of Neville's nose.

"He's trying to find a solution… and I'm here, doing nothing… I'm useless." He smiles bitterly.

"Makes me feel like that too, the little bastard." I frown. "C'mere…"

Bringing Neville closer by the hem of his robes, I press my lips to his and start kissing him in a pathetic attempt at gentleness.

"He said something about your father being the only thing binding you to Voldemort…" he says, gently pulling back from me.

Opening my eyes wide, I look up at him.

"Oh God…"

))))))))))oOo((((((((((

Never gonna save me
you just shut me out
And now it's over cause I'm stepping out, again

"Neville says he left before dawn to… try and kill my father." I growl, slamming my fist on Snape's imposing Mahogany desk.

"Is he stupid or just completely insane…?"

"Dunno! Probably both!" I snap, sending papers flying everywhere. "Aren't you going to do something? Move, I don't know! Say something constructive, please!"

"Mister Malfoy, if you please… I 'am' trying to be constructive here…" he answers, obviously trying hard to keep his legendary self-control. "Okay… Draco, you take Mister Longbottom back to your room while I go have a little conversation with your father…"

Swallowing painfully, I grab his hand and look up at him…

"We're coming with you sir…"

I swear Justin, don't you dare die on me or I'll kick your ass to hell and back…

And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away
You're so far away
And I am, stronger now
Since you crawled away, since you crawled away

)))))))))))oOo((((((((((

But it's already past noon by the time we finally manage to convince that old fool Dumbledore to let us leave the grounds.

My blood is bubbling in my veins and my head hurts from all the inventive ideas of punishment I'm coming up with for that idiotic moron Finch-Fletchley…

Father's gonna pay too… I swear, if one hair's missing from Finch's head I'll kill them both… very slowly and in a very painful way.

Neville is shaking beside me, trying to hide his apprehension.

Even if he's alright, I'll make Finch pay for what he put Longbottom through…

But before we even reach the shrieking shack a cold, familiar voice stops us in our tracks…

Never gonna break me
Just try and hold me down
I will escape you and I'll

I'll push you closer to the ground
Cause you're the one that's going down

"Three purebloods going out of their respective ways to save a poor, disillusioned muggleborn… how very touching…"

"Lucius…"

Standing in the shadow of the whomping willow, the one man I've been frightened of all my life stares at us, wrapped in his long trench-coat. His lips are thin, stretched in this cruel, maniacal smile of his, his pale, white hands poised on the metal end of his cane.

At his feet, a grotesque, huddled figure stands on its knees with a bag of greyish tissue over its head.

"You…" I growl, taking a step forward. "you bastard…"

"Draco, Draco, Draco…" he says with a fake apologetic smile. "See what you made me do, son…?"

Beside me, Neville starts shaking violently, wand clutched in his right hand, left balled into a fist.

"You monster…" he says lowly, barely above a whisper.

Snorting playfully, Lucius probes the poor thing's back with his foot and sends it crashing face down on the cold, damp floor.

"Justin!" Neville cries running toward the fallen figure.

"Finch…" I hiss, wincing.

He's half moaning, half sobbing under his bag, hands tied in his back, legs obviously unable to hold him. Neville delicately turns him over and wraps his arms around him… lovingly, protectively.

"Jus', love…" I hear him whisper as he starts untying the bag.

I feel so cold suddenly, so numb and detached…

"You've been too far, Lucius" Snape says, stepping in between us… in between my father and my lovers. "I can't let you go any further…"

This is not his battle…

Yet, he takes out his wand and aims it at the other man who laughs derisively and takes a step closer to the potion master.

"Have you lost faith in the 'Cause', my dear friend Severus ?" he asks, standing threateningly close to the black-haired wizard.

"This is not about the 'Cause', Lucius." Snape sighs, shaking his head. "This is about sanity…"

"Too bad, Severus… you'll be greatly missed."

Is the sky growing red…?

My heart is beating so hard I can't hear anything else from what they say. I see Snape wave at Longbottom who drags Justin in my direction. I see my father raise his wand and mutter a curse which Snape easily counters with one of his own. My fathers stumbles backwards, holding his chest and waves his wand at Snape who, this time, is not quick enough…

I look down to see Neville and Justin huddled on the floor at my feet.

Neville is crying, Justin is staring at the sky…

And his eyes are…

…lifeless…

On their own accord, my legs start moving, and I find myself running toward my father, wand in hand, growling like an animal.

I'm seeing red and my whole world is crumbling down, heavy, suffocating…

Suddenly, everything slows down… my head stops pounding and I can finally hear my own hateful words…

…AVADA KEDAVRA…!

You want to tear me down
You want to hold me down
You can't control me now
You cannot take me out
You cannot save me now
Because I'm stronger now

End of Part Twenty-one : this is blurry… I'll re-read it later… still need a beta…

Not sure whether or not Lucius is aware of Snape's 'inheritage'.

Thanks much-much-much to all of you, wonderful reviewers that you are! slurp slurp xP

I'm really glad you guys like what I'm writing and I do apologize for being such an… irregular writer.

This is, so far, my favourite piece of crap… bam I mean work! And I really don't think I would have ever gone so far without all those heartening comments.

Thanks to all again and…

Nanais cries, cries I'm SOOOOO proud of you ! bwaaaahhh (hope it wasn't too poor, too badly written, too… much like what I usually do xP)

Love you tooo !

I'm currently writing the last chapters (sniff sniff)… and for once, I have a plan ! haha

I know I know, I'm way too talkative for my own good.

See you all soon, smooches, love, flowers, squids !

(could be my new motto : Smooches, love, flowers, Squid! I sound like a drunk Dumbledore!)