This is a long one. Took me awhile to finish this! I felt like it all belonged in one chapter though. Id rather have long chapters than short ones. Anyways, Thanks so much for the reviews on chapter one 3 They really made my day! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much! I like including lyrics in my chapters, even if they don't always have that much relevance.

Chapter Two

Butter Beers and Blaming Games

Sold my life to bring the rain,
maybe to wash me clean.
Sold my soul to stop the pain,
hoping you'd set me free.

~Sold My Soul by: the used

Severus Snape hurried as fast as he could down the dark, empty halls of Hogwarts. He had a look of worry on his face as he raced up the flight of stairs leading to Dumbledore's chambers. It was a cold, quiet night, and only the sound of his footsteps disturbed the silence of the hallways. The huge, wooden doors snapped open as he approached, hitting the walls with a loud "SLAM."

As he entered the dimly lit room he was surprised to see only the headmaster and Harry Potter waiting for him. Aggravated, he stopped in his tracks, and glared at them. It seemed all too convenient for Harry that Dumbledore was here to defend him.

"Where are the others?" He spoke slowly, his voice sounded uncharacteristically loud in the empty room. Harry was sitting down in a chair, not making eye contact, and Snape thought he saw his shoulders shaking.

"I wanted to talk to you privately Severus, there is no need to argue the boy's punishment right now." He seemed all too calm.

"Before we set aside his punishment all together let's not forget that my student is lying in the medical ward after nearly bleeding to death." Harry looked up at him and it scared him. Those eyes…they did not look right. Eyes that usually shown a deep, emerald green, looked dull and lifeless.

"Harry here says he did not deliver the blow to Draco." Snape sprang forward, losing control at those words. Deep inside him a hate was growing, but it was not Harry that he was loathing. When he found Draco, the boy had been minutes from death. Narcissa had made Draco his responsibility and he could not even protect him on school grounds! Was he really that incapable of protecting someone?

"So you are insinuating that Draco purposely tried to kill himself?" He growled, closing the gap between him and the headmaster. A feeling of tension was rising in the air.

"Professor!" Snape turned around, hearing Harry's voice. That boy dared to defend himself in a time like this? His dark eyes bored into Harry's, making the boy shrink back into his chair.

"What is it boy? And I do suggest you think before you open that stupid mouth of yours again." Harry looked afraid, that made Snape smile a bit. That boy deserved to be afraid right now.

Harry opened his mouth to speak again but was cut off by Dumbledore.

"Harry says that Draco performed the Cruciatus curse on him Serverus." The calmness in his voice sickened Snape, "What ever Harry did was only in defense after he'd been under the spell. The moment Draco uttered that spell Harry was only acting in defense. We cannot punish a student for defending themselves." Snape stopped, his eyes widening as he stumbled backwards.

"You said…Draco, performed the Cruciatus curse?" That could not be true. Of course all deatheaters new that curse for it proved to be very helpful very often. But Draco? He was just a child…to know a spell of that magnitude at such a young age was alarming to say the least.

"That's right sir." Harry said quietly, "He used the Cruciatus curse on me…" He trailed off, almost as if he had something else to say but couldn't get it out.

"Severus, we both know how serious this situation is. Both spells used were highly forbidden. I'm considering expelling Mr. Malfoy from Hogwarts may be the only answer." How could Draco have been that reckless? If he was expelled from Hogwarts there was no way he would ever be able to carry out the Dark Lords demands.

"And of Mr. Potter?" Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"He was acting in defense. He will not be expelled." How convenient for Harry. Snape wanted to roll his eyes.

"Sir, with all do respect. Shouldn't we atleast wait for Mr. Malfoy's wounds to heal so that we may hear his side of the story. I do not doubt Mr. Potter. But it important that we hear both sides of the story." Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Fine then. I will grant Draco three weeks to heal and come forth with his case. Severus I suggest that in this time you talk to him and figure out what happened and for what reason." With those words still ringing in his ears, Snape turned and walked into the darkness again. He disappeared down the shadowy corridors, leaving nothing behind but the sound of his hurried footsteps.

Sinking into the darkness had been so easy, but coming back out of it was a different struggle all together. There had been several times where Draco's eyes snapped open and he was struck with an overwhelming wave of pain. Anytime that wasn't spent in the painless slumber of sleep, he felt like he was being attacked all over again. He'd spent what seemed like days in the medical wing of Hogwarts, laying in bed feeling like he was dying. Even after the wound on his chest had healed, he'd run his fingers down his bandaged ribs, and cringe when he remembered the feeling of that spell.

He had underestimated that spell. He'd learned it from Snape, who had been teaching him numerous spells for self-defense purposes. Now he was sitting up in bed, trying to recover from the pain he had inflicted upon himself unknowingly. The only positive outcome of the spell that had been the fear its devastating effect must have caused. Surely everyone considered Harry Potter to be a cold-blooded killer by now. He smiled slightly, thinking of how terrifying it must have been for them to figure out what their golden boy was really like. Or atleast, what they thought he was like.

Suddenly very afraid, he shoved his hand into his pocket, searching frantically for the vial. Relief rushed over him as he felt its cool glass still in his pocket. His efforts had not been in vain. He had what he needed.

"Mr Malfoy?" He practically jumped out of his bed from fright when he heard a familiar voice above him. Looking up, he was met with familiar black eyes, staring inquisitively at him. He removed his hand from his pocket quickly, and let it rest in his lap. He fiddled with his fingers, obviously nervous. There was only one reason why Snape would be here, he wanted an explanation.

"Hi there," act like you've got it all together. Don't let him know you're nervous, "Um. Thanks for saving me last…um well, when it happened, ya know?" He was mentally kicking himself. His voice was shakey and a drop of sweat was sliding down his face.

"I want answers now. Mr. Malfoy. Potter says you used the Cruciatus curse on him." He could sense a certain anger in Snape's voice that made his heart beat race. It was terrifying to say the least.

"Well… I had to." Draco said flatly, his silver eyes meeting Snape's black ones with the same amount of ferociousness.

"Don't play games with me. Tell me everything. NOW!" Snape yelled, losing control for a moment. This boy was incredibly frustrating. Leave it to a Malfoy to act all high and mighty when lying in a medical ward.

"Fine then," Draco spat, "I had to use the curse on him. He had something that I needed in order to carry out…" He looked around, to see if any unwanted ears were listening in, "my mission."

"And what was it that he had that was so important?" Draco smiled at that and pulled the vial out of his pocket, and held it up so that Snape could see.

"This." He grinned.

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were waiting outside the hallway. They knew Harry was upstairs, talking to Dumbledore and they were anxious to know why. The rumors spreading around the school were nasty ones. Some of the worse being that Harry had killed Draco Malfoy, or that Harry and Dumbledore were plotting on taking out each student one at a time, etc. They were all nasty lies. Hermione was sure of it.

"You reckon they'll be in there much longer Miny?" She crossed her arms at that and pouted.

"How am I supposed to know Ron? But I feel like he's been in there forever." Both were dying to figure out what was going on. Neither one had talked to Harry since the fight. Hermione was twirling strands of her hair with her fingers, and Ron was pacing back and forth. When they heard the doors to Dumbledore's chambers open, Hermione sprang to her feet and Ron stood still. Both watched anxiously as their friend walked towards them, his head held low.

"Harry!" Both of them hollered in alarm and rushed towards their friend. Harry was bombarded by a rain of "What happened? Are you okay? Where have you been?You don't look so good!" and probably a few more that he couldn't hear due to them both talking at the same time.

"Guys," He said softly, his hand pressed against the side of his head, "My head hurts. Please stop yelling at me." Both stopped immediately, looking a little bit disturbed by their friend's reaction.

"What happened Harry?" Hermione asked softly. Harry sighed.

"I was Draco. He attacked me…" He decided to withhold the part about the cruciatus curse. He didn't want them getting too riled up, "He took the Felix Felicus potion from me and I didn't hurt him! Don't believe anyone who told you that!"

"That bloody bastard! Who the hell does he think he is anyways?" Ron crossed his arms and Hermione smiled slightly at him. She always found him cute when he acted tough.

"Are you allright?" Hermione asked with concern. Harry looked much paler than usual.

"I need to figure out why he took that potion…" Harry said as he sat down on the stone bench where Hermione had been waiting earlier. It had been such a long day… Enemy or not, earlier he had been covered in Draco Malfoy's blood and it terrified him. Just thinking about it made him feel sick.

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand. He put everything into getting that potion. I don't understand what could make a person want something so badly…" Ron and Hermione stared at him, both obviously confused by what their friend was saying.

"Um wait, you said you need information out of him? Hermione asked, excited for the challenge.

"Well yes but…"Harry trailed off, "It's not as if he'd going to tell me anything 'Miny. He hates me. I know that more than ever now." She put her hands on her hips and pointed a finger at him.

"There is a way to make everyone talk Harry!" She said confidently.

"And that is?" He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she could be so excited about in a time like this.

"Well," Hermione started pacing, "Do you remember last year at the Christmas party when Cho drank all that butterbeer and told you she was madly in love with you?" Ron laughed.

"Yes but I don't see the poi-" She cut him off, as she was prone to doing.

"She spilled all of her secrets to you Harry. She told you everything. Just get that bastard drunk and he'll tell you everything you need to know." Her plan had a hint of conniving, charm that only a girl could possibly be capable of.

"I have to admit that's not a half bad idea Hermione but it will never…" He was cut off again. Hermione sure liked to talk when she had a good idea.

"Of course it will work Harry. He's obviously upset. Don't men always want to drown their troubles away in alcohol?" He decided to ignore that last part.

"She has a point ya know." Ron said. Of course she was right, Hermione was always right.

"Okay then…we'll get Draco Malfoy drunk." The moment he agreed he began to wonder just what he had gotten himself into. Hermione and Ron only smiled.

Im sorry it was so long. I really thought that not a lot happened, so I didn't want to split it into two chapters. Ive been planning the next chapter for a really long time and Im super excited for it c: I hope you stick around to read it! And I made up that part about Cho Chang obviously haha Annndd if you do have time, I love your reviews! They really keep my writing!