OK, so... there will be one more chapter after this one. I was informed we needed Draco's reaction.

HDHDHD

Part 2-ish of 2

HDHDHD

"And that's what happened," Draco concluded. He'd been sitting in the headmaster's office for the better part of an hour telling the Headmaster, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, the twisted machinations of their beloved savior while Harry sat there looking bewildered and sad and occasionally rubbing at his scar. Please; like his scar meant anything to anyone besides the insipid fan girls who stalked his every move. Draco sighed, exhausted, and took a sip of tea while he waited for the reaction; shoving the platter of offered biscuits away. He'd eaten far too many biscuits tonight.

Surprisingly, it was his head of house who recovered enough to answer first. "You mean to tell me that Potter came up with the idea to frighten the entire school with the threat of the Dark Lord, and Death Eaters just happened to choose tonight to attack Hogsmead?" Draco nodded. Snape exchanged a meaningful look with Dumbledore, giving a minute shake of his head. Draco frowned.

Flitwick spoke up. "And escaped murderer Sirius Black, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Luna Lovegood were all in on the ploy?"

"And Neville Longbottom," Draco interjected. He gave the Headmaster a meaningful look. "Everyone always overlooks Longbottom." Dumbledore offered a comforting smile, his blue eyes twinkling alarmingly.

"Indeed." Snape's voice was dry.

"And you maintain there were no poisonous snakes running rampant throughout the school?"

Draco smirked at McGonagall's expression. Obviously she was having a difficult time accrediting her Gryffindors with that level of cunning. "Nope. Just Elvis."

"Who?"

"Elvis."

"Elvis?" Snape repeated. "I was under the impression that Elvis was a Muggle hallucination brought on by the era of relaxation in the sixties and seventies and is since deceased."

"I don't know anything about that." Draco shook his head in confusion. "The explanation was confusing and included something about no sex in violence and songs." He shrugged. "But I assure you Elvis is very much alive." He paused, eyes widening in horror. "And he's still in the Slytherin common room!" He turned and glared at Harry. "Potter! I demand you get your snake out of Slytherin!"

"I thought you said there were no snakes in this school, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco glared at McGonagall and opened his mouth to answer.

Flitwick beat him to it. "Why would Mr. Potter want to terrorize the school and seclude himself in the Slytherin common room?"

"Because," Draco smiled smugly, unconsciously straightening his posture. "He wanted to ask me out."

Dead silence. Even Fawkes stopped preening his feathers and looked at the blond. Snape closed his eyes, looking tired and resigned. "Mr. Potter wanted to ask you out?" Dumbledore's bushy eyebrows had risen to his hairline.

"Yes."

"Out where?"

Draco rolled his eyes, giving the man a respectfully exasperated look. "On a date. Potter concocted this whole scheme to ask me on a date." He turned back to smirk at Potter. The Gryffindor just blinked at him in response before rubbing at his scar. Whatever.

McGonagall stepped forward and placed a hand on the blonds' shoulder. She spoke slowly and clearly. "You believe Mr. Potter protected the school from You-Know-Who in order to simply ask you on a date?"

"Yes."

Flitwick looked at the Slytherin in concern. "But you and Mr. Potter don't strike me as particularly enamored with one another."

Draco waved his hand dismissively. "I've never claimed to understand Gryffindors."

"Hmm." Dumbledore looked pensive as he studied the boys before him.

Snape sighed, turning to the headmaster with a pained expression. "I do not believe at this time that Malfoy Senior is in disgrace. Perhaps the expectations of future servitude were too much, and Draco's unconsciousness tried to protect his mind by developing the illusion of a romance."

"Disgrace?" Draco looked at the Potions Master in confusion. "My father is a well respected member of society."

McGonagall gave the boy a pitying look, patting him gently on his head. "Perhaps if he asked Mr. Potter on a date and Harry said yes it would help him?"

"Ask…" Draco gaped at the woman; shooting to his feet in dismay. "You don't believe me? I wouldn't lie about this! Potter kidnapped me and held me hostage while he asked me out!"

"Really?" Snape arched an eyebrow, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared the blond down. Draco sat back down immediately. And reached nervously for a biscuit. "Was this before or after he saved you from the snake you claim does not exist?"

"After. Wait…"

Dumbledore tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I don't see how it could hurt."

"Harry?" McGonagall turned to her Gryffindor, giving him a kind smile. "I know you would be willing to help Mr. Malfoy by going on a date with him. Right?"

"Well…" Harry frowned thoughtfully, taking a sip of his tea and rubbing absently at his scar again. Draco narrowed his eyes. "If it would be for the greater good… ok" He straightened his shoulders, offering Draco a tentative smile. "I would be happy to go on a date with you Malfoy. May I call you Draco?"

"WHAT!" Draco stared around the office, noting the expression of concern with rising dismay. "But I'm telling the truth! Potter wanted to ask me out so he staged this 'elaborate ploy' filled with plot holes and we drank tea and ate biscuits and he wanted to swim out of the dungeons but it would have gotten my hair wet and Granger is researching ways to keep him from being expelled and Loony Lovegood ate pudding." Gray eyes widened. "I bet he had his little club in on this too! Ask Umbridge – we've been trying to find their headquarters for months now!"

McGonagall looked viciously pleased. "I am afraid that once Delores wakes up, she will be leaving this school. As such, her worthless decrees will fall by the wayside."

"Leaving?" Draco looked between the teachers helplessly. "Why is she leaving?"

"Death Eaters attacked Hogsmead," Dumbledore gently reminded him. "Minister Fudge had no choice but to recognize Voldemort's return and has decided to rescind his intrusion into my school."

"But… but…" He looked around desperately. "But this was all Potter's ploy! His plan! Because of some guy named Shakesperone or something! And love! Love was mentioned. And snakes and Hogwarts and biscuits…" he trailed off.

"Yes," Snape deadpanned. "Because most kidnappers offer their prisoners tea and biscuits." He looked sadly down at his favorite student.

Dumbledore's expression of concern deepened as he continued to observe his student. "Severus, I fear you may be correct." He shook his wizened head sadly. "Mr. Malfoy, I feel a Calming Draught and a night under Poppy's most excellent care would not be amiss." He twinkled benevolently at the stressed looking blond. "I will personally escort you down."

"I'll help you." Flitwick reached out and grabbed an arm, helping Draco to his feet and steering him towards the door.

"But… but…" Gray eyes looked at Harry pleadingly. "Harry?"

"It's alright Draco." Harry smiled. "We'll go on our date this weekend. You'll see. Things have a way of working themselves out."

Dumbledore smiled proudly as he paused in the doorway; yet not looking directly at the boy for some reason. "Harry? Would you like to accompany me to the Infirmary?" His gaze flickered to the boys scar. Draco was really beginning to wonder about that.

"No." Harry smiled bravely; sinking back into his chair and picking up his tea cup again. "I just want to sit here for a few minutes before going back to my common room."

"I'll keep watch over the Golden Boy," Snape looked bored and slightly irritated. "I'll need to ensure my students have survived the lions den."

"He's in my house." McGonagall raised her chin proudly. "I too will remain and escort Mr. Potter back to the tower."

"Very well." Dumbledore nodded and helped herd the protesting blond down the stairs.

The office was quiet until the sounds of the wall at the bottom of the enchanted stairs sliding shut reverberated in the office. McGonagall turned to Harry and gave him a stern look. Harry hopped to his feet, removing an envelope from his robes. "As promised." His smile was slightly strained as he handed the envelope to his head of house. "Thanks for playing along!"

"It was nothing." McGonagall blushed, eyes gleaming as she hid the envelope in her robes. "You have loyal friends. By the time I finished my perusal of the tower, the Slytherins were settled and singing your praises and the Gryffindors were keeping Hermione distracted so she wouldn't accidentally blurt out the truth. All I needed to do was inform the headmaster that the students were safe and wait for you to come back."

"Yeah," Harry smiled affectionately. "They're pretty great."

"I assume you are capable of getting yourself back to the tower?" Harry nodded. McGonagall smiled, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Then I bid you good night, Harry dear." She didn't look back as she rushed from the room.

"What did she want as payment?"

Harry turned back to his Potions Professor with a slightly nauseous expression on his face. "Pictures of Sirius and Remus in various stages of, err…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "You know what? Sirius is like a father to me. I really don't want to think about that ever again." He scowled. "Sometimes I hate having an Invisibility Cloak."

"Why? Does the wolf howl?"

"How'd you know…" Harry trailed off, glaring at the smirk on his teachers face. Sulkily he pulled out the bottles from his robe and handed them over. "Why you help me?"

Snape's eyes gleamed greedily as he lovingly caressed the bottles in his hand. "Basilisk venom is extremely rare. I would have done a lot more than helped you with Malfoy Junior to get my hands on these."

"Really?" Harry's eyes lit up, a devious smile spreading over his face.

"Indeed." Come talk to me when you're ready to peel off the skin." He left the office without a backwards glance.

Harry smiled to himself as he finished his tea. Who knew his third grade teacher was correct when she told him the truth shall set him free? Not only had he gotten away with his brilliant plan without getting expelled, but Draco had asked him for a date! Well – kind of. He was pulled from his musings by a rather morose sigh.

The Sorting Hat pouted down at the boy. "You would have been great in Slytherin."