Hello Agains my Drarry SHippers! I know it's been a while, but the Alliance has been quite busy with school, band, and other academic distractions. As a Christmas gift to all of you reader, we give you Chapter Four, in which Hermione confronts Harry, Harry confronts Draco (Or at least tries to) and Dumbledore confronts Draco. It's confrontation galore!

~Severus

Chapter Four: Second Thoughts

"Harry, can I talk to you?"

Harry looked up from his potions book to see Hermione gazing at him questioningly.

"Sure," he said, closing his book and moving to make room on the over-stuffed couch.

She sat down hesitantly, angling herself so she was facing Harry. Biting her lip before releasing a heavy sigh, she began to speak, "I saw you with Draco Malfoy, Harry, in the Library earlier; I heard you comfort him and tell him you could be friends."

Harry stared at her blankly, jaw dropping in shock.

"And I know that you both smelled each other in potions class today, in the Amotenia."

Of course she's figured it out, she's Hermione after all, he thought.

"Do you... do you... fancy Draco, Harry?" She asked quietly.

He widened his eyes at the question. Truthfully, her didn't know. When he was with Draco, nothing mattered, those thought just never crossed his mind. And now, even thinking back to that moment, Harry felt a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. Did this mean he actually fancied Draco? Did this make him... gay?

"I don't know 'Mione," he answered hoarsely, "I just know I have to help him."

She edged closer to him, "You've been helping him, Harry. Blaise told me that ever since -"

"Wait, you've been talking about me and Draco with Blaise Zabini?" he gasped.

Hermione she lowered her head as a slight blush crept across her cheeks, "We met at the start of term in the Library. At first it didn't mean anything to either of us, but after today, everything changed..." she trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

"What changed?" Harry prompted gently.

Her golden brown eyes glanced back up at him, "Everything."

He leaned away, slightly taken aback by the intensity of her gaze and tone, "How?" he gulped, trying to relax his posture. He felt something stir in the back of his mind at the way she spoke, but pushed the thought away. Perhaps what was gripping Draco would find a way to destroy Blaise as well and here was Hermione, his best friend, confessing to have fallen for a possible dangerous boy. The strong willed Gryffindor who never seemed to fall for anyone.

"How has it changed, Hermione?" he repeated.

"It used to be harmless, him flirting and teasing me; a way to pass the time really," Hermione paused, struck by the realization that she had flirted back, something she had never done before, during her last encounter with him in the library, "Then today it changed. Instead of him just teasing me while I studied, we had a conversation. We talked about classes, quidditch, and we talked about Draco. Not you and Draco, just Draco. And from what Blaise told me, he's in a lot of trouble and pain. Blaise can't seem to understand why, for some reason. He seems a bit jealous of Draco, and almost excited over what ever is worrying him..."

"Wait, does Blaise know?" Harry asked abruptly, "Does he know what's wrong with Draco?"

"They're becoming Death Eaters, Harry. Both of them, over Easter break, are going to take the mark."

"He has no choice," he snapped, "You don't know the half of it."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "I know more than you think."

Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, "What else do you know then?"

The conversation was starting to drain hi; he wasn't in the mood to fight with her tonight.

"Oh, Harry, it's all so horrid! Blaise has already trusted me with so much, and every new thing is more terrible than the last. He's so excited about all of this... but he knows Draco doesn't want to talk about, so he came to me." She took a deep breath, her eyes looking more worried then ever, "Draco has been given a mission, and once he complete it they'll become death eaters. From what Blaise has guessed, Draco is close to finishing the task..."

Hermione took another deep breath, focusing herself, and paused to wait for Harry to respond. All Harry could do was sit there speechless. Seeing that Harry wasn't going to speak, she continued.

"Blaise wouldn't tell me what the mission was; Draco had refused to tell him and he was sure that it was very important. Harry, it's just so terrible! My heart goes out to Blaise, but I don't know how to help him, or even Draco for that matter! I do like Blaise, but he believes it's alright to be a Death Eater! How could I possibly be with someone like that? Over this term I've gotten to see a different side of Blaise. He's kindhearted, funny, and a real gentleman, but that won't matter if he becomes a Death Eater. It would take away all the good in him..."

Harry stood up suddenly, startling Hermione out of her thoughts. He snorted and chuckled darkly as he shook his head at Hermione.

"They know exactly what they're doing. Don't be fooled by a pretty boy and a sad story," Harry's sarcastic tone and words paled Hermione, her eyes beginning to water with the threat of tears, "Just like I was." he added in a faint voice, walking towards the portrait hole.

She stood up as he turned, "Harry, where are you going? It's nearly Curfew!" She called after him, hoping he would stop, even though she knew he wouldn't.

Harry Swept out of the Gryffindor common room, ignoring the look on the Fat Lady and students he pushed past, all of them knowing curfew was fast approaching. He paid them no mind; he was on a mission. He needed to talk to Draco now. He was tired of the secrets; if Draco wanted this protection, he needed to know why and what his mission was. From what Hermione had told him, Blaise was pressuring Draco as well, contributing to what ever it was that troubled the blonde. The idea angered Harry for some reason, causing his chest to clench in wrath. He needed to talk to Draco now, no matter what. He stalked quickly through the corridor, pulling out the Marauder's Map to search for Draco.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He muttered, pressing the tip of his wand to the parchment.

The name Draco Malfoy appeared in an empty corridor at the base of the Astronomy Tower.

"Got you now, Draco."

Draco's heart was sinking rapidly, even as he walked farther away from Blaise, hoping profusely that he hadn't heard a word of the conversation. As his heart sunk even lower he could feel it's beat increase, rising as fast as his panic.

What if someone did hear? What would they think? What would they do?

Draco knew he couldn't go to Harry for help this time; he couldn't bring Harry any deeper into his problems. Already he had dragged Blaise in much more than he would have liked, and now neither of them could could escape.

Not that Blaise seemed to mind. Father would be proud to have him as a son; he's ready to be a Death Eater...

In his arrogance, Blaise had yet to see how truly dark and evil he would become if he joined the Dark Lord's followers. Blaise would lose all his charisma, his charm, and all that made him good. And there was nothing Draco could say to convince Blaise otherwise. Draco refused to lose Harry to this life like he had lost Blaise; Draco's reputation was already Dark, and he didn't need Harry's name to carry the same weight as his. He knew that if he allowed Harry into his life as a friend, Harry would become as trapped as he was now.

Draco already despised his life. He was seen as a cruel person; someone not to be trusted or bothered. His father's reputation and his well-known past 'achievements' hung over him like silver guillotine; poised and waiting to swing upon Draco's neck when he least expected it. The solution to this seemed simple at first: become a Death Eater. It was far too late when Draco finally realized that it wasn't that simple a choice. Now there was no choice at all. It was either become a Death Eater or die.

Whether he liked it or not, he was trapped. At age seventeen he was already living the life that had been planned out for him since birth. He would destroy people's lives, their families, and even kill...

Draco's haunting thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly came crashing down onto the metal steps of the Astronomy Tower. He scrambled to the top of flight of stairs, leaning against the railing to steady himself. The fall had knocked the wind out of, him making it harder for him to catch his breath. The only breaths he could draw were ragged and rapid. Draco fought hard to hold back the sobs that were escaping his chest, but it only made breathing more difficult. The room around him seemed to grow larger, the telescopes and large planets melting into the pale gray sky. The crisp wind was of no help, only serving to steal his breath even more, stinging his tear stained cheeks. His tie seemed tight, far too tight. He couldn't breathe... he could barely stay awake...

Suddenly, warm arms enveloped him, shielding him from the bitter wind and panic. The tears stopped and slowly, he began to breathe again. Faintly, Draco could hear words, but they were soft and jumbled, making no sense to him.

"Up... Stand... Draco"

"... Draco … "

"Stand … Draco …"

"Stand up Draco!"

Harry shouted at Draco, shaking him slightly. He was right in his desperate need to talk to Draco, meaning to confront him. But he hadn't expected to find Draco in the middle of a panic attack, much worse than the one he had suffered that day in the bathroom days ago.

"Draco, can you hear me?" He pressed, wiping the tears from Draco's wind blistered cheek.

Draco nodded slightly, trembling slightly.

Harry pulled off his Gryffindor robe, ignoring the chill of the winter's wind, wrapping Draco in the wool cloak. He knew that it would barely stave off the cold; the Astronomy Tower was always freezing this time of year.

"Come with me Draco. We have to get you warm." he said, pulling Draco to his feet.

Draco leaned against Harry as they slowly descended the spiral staircase into the small library below. The blond was shaky on his feet, clinging to Harry tightly. Once they were far down enough to not feel the chill of the wind, Draco's trembling lessened, but he still grasped Harry as tightly as ever. Harry ushered him over to a stone bench that sat beneath a lit torch. Slowly, as Harry held Draco in his arms, the trembling stopped and Draco's breathing evened.

"Draco? Are you alright?" he asked hesitantly.

Draco shook his head, shying away from Harry's touch.

"You shouldn't be here, Potter. Go back to your Lion's Den and leave me be." he rebuffed, jerking away from Harry's emerald gaze.

"So,it's back to Potter, is it, Malfoy?" He said calmly.

"It has to." Draco whispered, "It's the only way."

"What are you talking about Draco? I thought that we were ... friends."

He shook his head, still unable to look Harry in the eye, "We can't. I won't let my mission ruin you. It's my burden, not yours. I can't risk you getting hurt, Harry. I've already lost Blaise to this, and I won't lose you too."

"What do you mean? Lost Blaise?"

Draco looked up at Harry, eyes swimming with tears again, "Blaise. He's going to take the Dark Mark. He wants to take the Mark."

Harry's eyes widened. Now he knew what this was all about. He then realized that this was beyond his control and clearly Draco's as well. They needed help.

"Come with me, Draco. I know how to fix this." he grabbed Draco's hand in his, pulling him to his feet.

Before Draco could protest, Harry began to lead him down the halls. Draco's questions went unheard as the began to walk down the fourth floor corridor and into the Grand Staircase.

"Where are you taking me, Harry?" Draco growled at Harry pulled him through the Entrance Hall and into the Entrance Courtyard.

"To Dumbledore's office. He'll know what to do." Harry answered as he came to a stop before the Gargoyle.

"Acid Pops." he said to the gargoyle before it jumped to the side, revealing the staircase behind.

Awestruck into silence, Draco followed Harry's lead into the Headmaster's office.

The Leader of the Order of the Phoenix? What is he thinking? Bloody Hell, Snape is going to kill me...

"Harry, no! Stop! He can't help! You don't understand!" Draco protested, pulling away from harry's grip on his wrist.

But harry was unrelenting as he dragged him up the stone staircase, knocking urgently on the oak door.

"Professor, are in you in? I need a word with you please!"

"Potter, stop this madness, you bloody Gryffindor!" he hissed, tugging against Harry's strong grip.

"Do come in, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy." Called a voice from within.

Draco paled immediately. He could do this, he could face the Headmaster, knowing that it was his mission to...

Harry pushed the door open quickly, pulling a now ghostly pale Draco with him.

"Professor, we need your help. Or, well, Draco does." He said, looking over at the visibly shaken Slytherin.

Harry's gaze pierced Draco, his emerald eyes boring into his, as if he doubted about whether the Headmaster could really do anything. Draco gazed back, eyes pleading.

Please, don't make me face him, harry. I can't.

"And what is the problem, may I ask?" asked the Headmaster from behind his desk.

Hesitantly, Draco followed Harry to the professor, taking a seat across from him. He glanced over at Harry, who nodded encouragingly.

With a heavy sigh, Draco spoke.

"Both Blaise Zabini is going to take the Dark Mark or the Winter Holiday. I am expected to as well, sir. And I don't know how to stop it." His voice shook at his words, terror flowing through him.

"Ah, I see. And tell me,Draco, is this something you want? To you wish to become a Death Eater?"

The headmaster's tone surprised him. It was not angry or even disgusted. He spoke as if the topic was not so dark, but mere small talk. Like they were discussing an upcoming quidditch match...

"Blaise does, sir. But not me, not now that I know what living that life means."

The Headmaster let out a heavy sigh before turning to Harry, "Harry, would you kindly wait outside my office while I discuss private matters with Mr. Malfoy?"

"Of course, sir." He said, glancing at Draco before leaving.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, let us discuss your mission to kill me."

Cliff Hanger! What do you guys think? I hope you like it! Reviews are appreciated and always get a reply ;)

~Severus