Harry rolled his eyes at Draco, "Draco... Draco, I've defeated Voldemort what four or five times now? I'm the chosen one, i don't screw things up." He said arrogantly, a little of his fathers arrogance had clearly been inherited, if that was even possible.
He sighed, "I'm sorry Draco." He said sadly, he looked at him with his shiney bright green eyes and smiled.
"We both said things we dont mean." Harry was walking away from the hospital wing with Draco, "Heat of the moment." his eyes shifted around the castle. "Come on, lets try talking again. I know where we can go. its not scary life the forest, and no one will find us. I promise." Harry took Draco's thin little wrist and pulled the blonde a long, he heard footsteps in the corridoor and dropped Draco's hand, luckily it was only couple of second year Hufflepuffs.

"I need a place where we can be alone." Harry thought out loud, to his left a door appeared. this is too easy he thought, as once again he had found the room of requirement. He opened the door and pulled Draco in with him. The room was smaller than it usually appeared to him and filled with squishy sofas, a warm fireplace and soft candle lighting, it looked comforting.

Draco swallowed thickly, keeping silent. He decided to let Harry have this one, not wanting to argue with such an arrogant boy. He could feel nervousness building up in his throat as the apology was offered up. "Yeah...I'm...sorry too..." He tried to sound as sincere as possible. He meant it after all. "Harry..." He tried to argue about talking at the moment, his heart racing for no reason at all, but he lost his train of thought as Harry grabbed his wrist. His breath hitched a little and he could feel his face getting a little warm. He ignored the sniggering little hugglepuffs who giggled about his clothing, or lack there of.

Draco allowed himself to be pulled into the room, his mouth feeling a little too moist for his liking and his hands sweating. He eyed the room nervously. It seemed a bit romantic in atmosphere with the lighting and dark colored sofas, but he kept his mouth shut, sitting on a couch and grabbing a blanket conveniently in the room. He wrapped it around himself to kept from being nude. "Harry.." He choked out, voice cracking. He cursed to himself, wondering why he felt like an idiot right now. He'd never been so nervous in his life and he twisted at strands of his hair. "What...do we need to speak about exactly..?" He inquired, then shut up, afraid of saying something dumb.

(Omg. I didn't realize I hadn't replied...I was waiting for you to respond without realizing it was my reply.)

(ahh, I was wondering what happened for a little bit, but I've been busy with work and making a patchwork quilt so i wasn't too worried ^-^)

Harry smiled at him, "Oh... Anything? The weather?" He laughed as he suggested preposterous things, he only wanted to spend more time with Draco and get to understand someone he once considered to be his enemy. "I just can't help thinking things went really badly the other day."
He flopped down on the sofa next to him, "Are you cold?" Harry asked concerned, "The room probably has some spare robes somewhere if you want it. It's the Room of Requirement, it often has things you, well, require."

Harry sighed sadly, "Things are going really bad between Ginny and I." he admitted, he felt that Draco was the only person he could talk about this with. "I don't want to break up with her but there's just nothing there anymore we just don't talk as much. And I worry she thinks the same but is it wrong for me to think I'll feel bad if she breaks up with me?" Harry said, "Plus Ron will hate me for breaking his sisters heart even if she breaks up with me and Hermione will obviously take Ginny's side. Because they're both girls together." Harry streched an arm out around the back of the sofa and sat comfortably.

(yeah ;u; I've started helping my friend with his farm work, and I've been hella busy)

Draco tensed as Harry took the seat beside him, feeling uneasy though he knew that was silly. Harry wouldn't hurt him he was sure, and deep down he knew that wasn't his fear. He could feel a feeling he'd never had personally, only heard about. It was like something was fluttering deep in his gut, and he hated it. It was a warm feeling that quite honestly pissed him off a little. "I'm fine.." He said swallowing. "The blanket covers me well enough..." Even so he stood, finding a robe a little easier than he should have. He pulled it on and retook his seat, still covering in the blanket for comfort. It was a green blanket with silver lining, very much to his liking.

Draco listened carefully to the problems his former enemy was experiencing. "Sounds like you need better friends to me.." He said softly. "They shouldn't make you feel bad for something like that." He sat up quickly as Harry's arm wrapped around the back of the couch, brushing him. He was positive he was red as a tomato. "She doesn't sound very pleasant.." He choked out. "But then, I'm not very pleasant either and you're talking to me. Perhaps you like being treated badly." He gave a nervous laugh, afraid anything he might say would make Harry yell at him again. "Hey..Harry...?" He paused. "Why don't you try someone new sometime? You know, outside of your house? I don't think gryffindors seem to clash usually. Maybe someone a little different." He quickly tried to be sure Potter knew he wasn't flirting. "Some of the Ravenclaw girls are cute I guess. They all adore you..."He felt his stomach twist into a jealous knot. "Everyone likes you Potter..well, most people.."He smiled. "But don't you dare start ignoring me if you get a new girlfriend..We Malfoys are pretty selfish you know." He leaned back, ignoring that he was on Harry's outstretched arm. He started trying to relax. "Too bad we can't just openly be friends..." He sighed.

Harry was looking forward most of the time whist Draco was talking, he couldn't look him in they eyes and he just didn't know why it made him feel a little cold and sick, not in a bad way but in a way Harry just couldn't describe. He finally looked over at him when he mentioned how Harry like'd being treated badly, which Harry beleived to be untrue. He raised his eyebrows up under his hair. "What?!" He exclaimed, "If I liked being treated badly then why would I be in Gryfindor, Everyone's really friendly there, nearly as friendly as Hufflepuff. If I wanted to be around mean people all the time I'd be in Slyther..." He tailed off. The hat wanted him in Slytherin. Harry requested nott o be in Slytherin. Draco was really messing up his mind and outlook on everything he'd ever know to be true.

He continued to listen to Draco despite how he felt against most of the things he was saying. He shrugged, "Ravenclaw aren't that great if they're all to match up against Cho Chang, she lost her boyfriend to Voldemort and then wanted to be my girlfriend? Thats a little messed up if you ask me, she screwed with my head making me feel sorry for her. I'll never understand her she was always crying all the time." Harry laughed, "I'll never forget you Malfoy. And maybe its more fun that we're not openly friends?" He suggested.

Draco grinned wickedly. "Hermione isn't exactly nice to you. You argue with Ron all the time.. Ginny is simply dreadful to you, and now you're friends with me...The person who's treated you the worst during your entire schooling other than your family of coarse." He found himself leaning in a little more than he really should have, and he moved back quickly, his smirk fading a little. "Not everyone in Gryfindor is friendly Harry. Some of them are just as cruel as any Slytherin." He shook his head. "Hell, may of them are even meaner than I am, and that's quite a feat. Though I suppose I'm not as mean as I am just snobby. Or...I guess I used to be.." He himself was more than a bit confused by his own changes. He wanted less and less to be the old Draco Malfoy. He was ashamed of who he used to be.

Draco heaved a heavy sigh. "Harry, Cho was crazy...Crazy like a coconut. You can't expect all of the Ravenclaws to be looney just because Cho lost her brains after her boyfriend died. If my boyfriend...er girlfriend in my case I suppose, were to be killed, I'd probably fall in love with the only one who could avenge me too." Draco yawned. "Cho is proof that Slytherins aren't the only jerks too...What she did to you was quite rude." He pushed a few strands of blonde hair from his face. "I know you won't forget me. We've known each other too long for that. I just don't want you to lose interest in me after you find someone of a more romantic interest. I know you used to pay Ginny more attention than Ron when you started dating. I'm too selfish for that Potter. I will throw a fit if you do that to me. Also, do remember that while I'm sneaky, I am not brave. This is not fun for me, it's more or less terrifying."

Harry listened to Draco intently, he seemed to be talking a lot of sense to Harry and Harry was starting to believe him either that or Draco just had a way with expressing himself that just made himself right, maybe that was also a Slytherin trait. However Harry was discovering that there were traita in everyone that belonged to each different house and was the hat only creating more problems. "Why can't people be more inter-house? If you know what I mean, you know? Like, why does everyone have to be so close to their own house but not anyone else, what's the point of us being separated into four we're all as bad as each other, the only exceptions is slytherin, there isn't a bad with or wizard who hasn't come from Slytherin, and Im not talking just a bit mean I'm talking Death Eater bad, Draco." He looked at him seriously.
"Your parents are Death eaters doesn't that mean you ahev to be one too?" He asked sensitivly.

"For one thing, people within one house tend to learn the same way, making it easier for them to study together. That creates friendships. Also, competition between houses causes tensions. We're almost raised to dislike each other. I mean, we're in school from such a young age." He sighed in an exhausted fashion. "Yes. I know. We are different than any other house in an evil way." He shook his head. "Yes, I will be a death eater at some point. Probably very soon honestly. I'm getting older. If I refuse, my father won't think twice about turning me over to you-know-who, and that would be more than a little awful. In case you didn't know, he'd kill me...or persuade me in some other way..." Draco held his head in his hands. "I'm basically doomed either way. Unless...I were to run away, but even then they'd find me and kill who ever helped me run."

Harry felt uncomfortable at this news he knew he always thought it but it had never been realised. "I'll protect you, Draco. You dot have to become a death eater" he sAid determinedly. He thought there must be something he could do to help he'd escaped voldemort so many times that he knew he could help. He looked away from Draco as he felt his eyes gettin hot. He wasn't able to save diggory and he'd also never been allowed to grieve either. Diggory had done nothing wrong nd he was murdered because he was in the wrong place. Harry knew if he was to protect Draco he'd have to become a greater wizard. He held his arms around himself tightly he found it comforting he was trying to keep himself held together he was always under such a large among of stress nd never able to admit it to Ron or hermione. He looked sadly at Draco. "I wish I could make things work."

Draco sighed. "Harry, you can't sav me from this. You can't save someone from the dark lord no matter how hard you try. You may be a pretty good wizard, but you can't defeat just anyone. You're not some sort of god you know. No offense, but there is no chance for me. We'd both be killed and that would be stupid. I don't want to die Harry...I'm not ready for that. I'm not brave and I'm not selfless." He started feelings exhausted all of a sudden, tired of being forced to make important choices. "I honestly just want a chance to be a child. I want to worry about homework and friends, not my father and his obsession with evil and power. I'm never going to get that though. We're getting so close to being adults now." He became silent, staring offas he went deep into his thoughts.

Harry looked at his feet, he didn't know what to say, he didn't have all the answers. "Everyone has a choice Draco, I'd rather die than join Voldemort and so would most people I know." Harry's eyes kept to his feet, he knew it was more difficult for Draco but other people had to make the decision. "They kill innocent people, Draco, how is that not a problem? Do you actually believe that pure bloods are better than muggle borns?" Harry questioned, he was curious to see if Draco still had an opinion.

Harry found it difficult to be around Draco, still, they'd reach a point in the conversation that was inevitable, but Harry always had these thoughts in his head, yet he still managed to enjoy life. "I know its hard but you just have to value the small things, friendships and learning and all the normal things people enjoy because that's all that matters really. Because the big stuff is so uncontrollable just control the small stuff else whats the point in even being alive." Harry suggested, it was the nicest most sincere thing he'd ever said and he'd said it to Draco, not Ginny, his girlfriend, not ron or Hermione his best friends, Draco of all the people.

"I suppose that's why I'm in Slytherin Potter. While you'd give up your life to save innocent people, I'm more worried about myself.." His voice was soft as if he were thinking about what he'd just said. He lifted his head at the question of muggles and mud bloods. "Of coarse I don't think that Harry. I know some mud-bloo-- er, I mean mixed wizards who are quite alright. I haven't really spent a lot of time around muggles, but I'd have to say I'm more afraid of them than anything. A long time ago, people like us were burned at the stake for practicing magic." He fiddled with his fingers. "I was raised to hate you know..I'm just now realizing I've been wrong for so long."

Draco blinked at the words of kindness. "You're right I suppose...I just don't have so many of those things. You're my only friend...and spending time with you is going to be hard." He heaved a sigh. "But I suppose I can just treasure every moment we have left." His mind was spinning with thought. "Harry, If I were to refuse my father and were to die, would you miss me? Would anyone even care that I was gone? Would you tell them that at the very end I was one of the good people?"

Harry laughed a little, in a way, Draco being himself still made Harry feel more comfortable being around him, it was part of Draco's charm.

Harry looked confused for a moment, "Of course I would, I would miss you a lot, you've never really done much wrong personally, so in my books you're a good guy, you're just on a pathway for making terrible decisions. I think you would miss ou as much as Ron and Hermione and grieve you more as I haven't yet got to understand you fully." Harry shook himself mentally, he sounded weak and pathetic and sentimental and he didn't like it, he looked at his watch, everyone would be wondering where they were and he'd missed lunch and last period. He opened his Marauders Map and tapped it, he glanced sideways at Draco. "This was my dad's and his friends," He smiled mischievously. "It shows you where everyone is in the school. I'm looking to see where everyone is so we can leave suspiciously." His mind was racing through other ways of finding Draco and seeing him again. "You know it might be quite fun to come up with ways of seeing each other again. I have an invisibility cloak, a map and a good knowledge of the grounds. What about you?" He asked with a grin.

"That kind of surprises me. No offense, but I didn't think you'd really care as much. I certainly didn't think you'd care as much for me as you do your two best friends." He knew he wouldn't be missed since he was expected to be in his room resting, but he was realizing that Harry was missing class. "You're not going to be in trouble are you?" He asked with a frown. "You've pretty much skipped class sitting here with me. Unless you claim you were watching me to be sure I was alright." He eyed the map and rolled his eyes. "You're even sneaker than I am aren't you?" He sighed. "I don't actually have anything to contribute other than my own sneakiness. I can get around easily enough." Draco threw the blanket at Harry. "You could come into my film sometime." He snickered. "Since you're looking for such a challenge obviously."

Harry shrugged, he wasn't too bothered about missing a couple of lessons his record was clean and he could always say he had a headache or something or like Draco mentioned he could say he was helping Draco, although that looked even more suspicious. He knew he'd be able to get the notes off Hermione and the homework assignment.

Harry grinned, Draco didn't know the half of it yet, he was excellent and sneaking around. "I've actually already been into the Slytherin commonroom with Ron in my second year, we took a polyjuice potion and became Crabbe and Goyle." he addmitted, "Goyle tastes disgusting by the way. We had to take the potion with their hair and it was just horrid." Harry thought a bit more, "In our third year Harmione and I set free Hagrid's Hypogriff, you know the one who injurred you and your father got sentenced to death, in order to free the wanted man Sirius Black." Harry looked sadly at the floor, "My only remaining family, murdered by one of your dad's lovely Death Eater friends." Harry shrugged it off, he'd had too many losses to think too hard about every single one. "Theres a lot of things I do, I've been in the restricted section of the library a tonne with my cloak. Hogwarts is way too boring without a bit of sneaking around."

Harry grinned, "I can try."

Draco's face became a bit pouty. "You were in my commonroom snooping around?" He tried his best to keep his voice from sounding like a whine. "What a terrible thing to do Potter! What an intrusion of privacy!" He sighed softly. "So you sneak around more than any of us know?" He wasn't surprised honestly. "Hey Harry? What if I came to your commonroom sometime? I'm not usually really big on the whole getting caught thing, but I suppose their is a thrill in sneaking about." He thought of the cabinet he himself was sneaking around to fix. He thought about the fact that he was to be a murderer. The fact that sometimes he'd sneak out to attend meeting with his father and the dark lord himself. He'd seen that horrid snake eat the victims of voldemort. He was slowly beginning to realize what he'd become a part of, and he knew he'd have to stop. He couldn't have these things on his conscience. "I have some work I need to attend to, so I do think we should end this little meeting for today." He stood and quickly left.

Draco was careful to avoid everyone for the rest of the night. He left a note for Crabbe and Goyle explaining that he'd had to go attend to some things. They knew of his business with the dark lord, and they wouldn't question his disappearance. He could feel a knot in his stomach. What he was about to do was stupid, and he knew his father would turn him over to whatever the dark lord wanted to do to hum. He faced his father now, staring into his eyes. "Draco?" He knew he hadn't been expected to show up here today. "Father we need to talk.."

Not to long afterwards, Draco found himself under the pain of the Cruciatus curse. He could hear cries, not realizing the were his own. He could feel vomit rising in his throat, and he did his best to keep it down. He was regretting everything he'd said to his father. He'd told everything. How he had become friends with Harry, how he didn't want to be a death eater, and even how muggles weren't so bad. He could feel liquid trickling from his eyes, and he wasn't sure if it was blood or tears. Either way even crying was painful.

The pain lasted until a few hours later when he was released. He was given the order to discontinue his chatting with Potter and he chose to continue following his path as a death eater. He didn't desire to be driven mad by the Cruciatus curse and he knew that meant he was selfish. He managed his way back into Hogwarts and laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Harry laughed a little big with Draco. "I wanted to know if you were the heir of Slytherin! But you didn't even know" he laughed at his own immature stupidity. When he was younger he seemed to think that everyone from Slytherin were really bad people as he grew up he believed that most were bad but not evil. After talking to Draco even Harry was a little confused at what it meant to be a Slytherin.

He looked at his map and threw his cloak over his thin frame. He walked the corridors silently he had missed two meals now and he was absolutely ravenous. Luckily he had a few stale biscuits in the dormitory, which he ate when he got back. Ron and hermione gave him fun y looks when they met in the common room intro of the fireplace. "Where the bloody hell have you been all day Harry?" Ron asked his face flushed with red and he demanded an answer. "I erh I was busy I wanted to read up on something dumbledore had said to me in our meetings and then he wanted to speak to me so I went to his office to talk to him and that's where I've been." Hermione didn't seem to believe Harry."really?" She asked flatly, "so this is after you took Malfoy to the hospital wing?" She asked curiously.
Harry lied confidently, " I actually didn't take Draco be wouldn't let me as soon as we left he and I went our own ways I'm sure he was fine." He added in a nonchalant shrug to convince his friends.
Ginny because a useful destraction as she entered the too. By now she had forgiven Harry and she sat down with him I front of the fire. She kissed his cheek sweetly and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Haven't seen you for a while you been a busy bee?" She asked sweetly a little too sweetly but Harry over looked this.

Draco didn't wake until the next morning, miserable and sick to his stomach. He quickly showered and pulled on his robes, going down to the great hall for breakfast. He picked at his food, not taking a single bite. At the end of the meal, he went to his first class, carefully listening to the lesson to get his mind off of the night before. He finally started to drift into his own thoughts. He was less than excited about seeing Harry in his next class. He felt even sicker as his first class ended. He walked in and sat, refusing to meet eyes with anyone. His face was almost green. He was surprised that none of his friends asked about his behavior, but he supposed he was happy that they weren't questioning it. Snape gave him a few looks, having seen what happened to Draco the day before. Draco glared at the professor for not taking his side. He knew Snape couldn't have done anything to help him, but he needed someone to blame.

Harry ate with Ron and Hermione in the great hall in the morning, he couldn't help but look in Draco's direction but he had his back to him, he saw Draco again in Potions class, he didn't look so well.
"Pst, What do you think's up with Draco?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron, almost with glee, she liked seeing Draco less than perfect.
"He looks ill," Ron suggested, he looked at harry.
"How am I supposed to know?" Harry answered angrily, it wasn't like Draco just told him things sometimes he was so cryptic, but he did feel concerned for the boy, he didn't look so well, Harry needed to find a way to talk to him later to find out what was going on.

"Hey...Hey Draco..." Hermione was throwing balled up parchment at him, trying to get his attention. After about the forth piece hit him, he stood quickly turned toward her, and screamed. "WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU WANT YOU MUDBLOODED WHORE?! I'VE DONE NOTHING TO BOTHER YOU SINCE WE ARRIVED AT HOGWARTS, AND YET YOU SEEM OBSESSED WITH BOTHERING ME!" She stared at him, looking close to tears and Ron took to glaring at Draco. "Oh fuck off Weasley. She brought that completely on herself." He realized everyone in the class was staring at him, and he flushed. "What?" He snapped, and most of the students went back to what they were doing. "Mr.Malfoy, please see me after class..." Snape droned on calmly.

Hermione looked at Ron for a few moments until he assured her she was great and Draco was a jerk. "Why were you trying to get his attention anyway?" The red headed wizard asked curiously. She didn't answer, sniffling instead.

Harry looked so shocked at the scene that was exploding around him it made him worry about he future he never realised how volition his friends could be with Draco but more importantly to Harry was how Draco was feeling right now. He knew there must have been something wrong with him to react like he did. His wasn't his usual disliking for Hermione so was there something going on that Harry didn't know about? Harry looked confused at hermione and asked "what's typing on why did you want malfoy's attention?" He looked confused at Ron as well. Even Snape didn't seem to be on Dracos side this time and that really confused Harry. Ion face Harry felt like he'd been hit with a very strong confundus charm.

When the class ended, Snape beckoned to Draco, ordering him to come to him. Malfoy walked over and crossed his arms, pursing his lips. "You could have helped me..." Draco hissed, eyes narrowed. "You know why I couldn't do that. I would've suffered the same fate." "Someone once told me that it was better to risk your own life than let innocents suffer." Draco snapped. Snape started laughing bitterly. "Two things. You are far from innocent. Secondly, listening to Potter is a stupid idea." Draco puffed out his cheeks and stamped. "I didn't say it was Potter who told me. Besides! He's not so bad." He muttered. Snape frowned. "You're going to get yourself killed if you don't stop. He's going to kill you. You're seventeen Draco. You can't just decide to betray your family. Where will you go?" Draco didn't answer. "I can't just stop talking to him. He's my best friend..." Snape sighed. "Is it worth getting cursed again?" The younger wizard shuddered. "I...don't know what to do...just leave me alone..." He stormed out of the classroom, pressing his hands to his face in an attempt not to cry.

((IMPORTANT: Starting Monday evening I will be gone for the week and will have no wifi. I won't be able to respond, so this is just me telling you that I haven't lost interest, but am going on a trip. I'll still be Regina today and tomorrow, just not after that til the week's up.))

Harry left with his friends but he worried about Malfoy. "You go on I'll hold back, I need to speak to Snape." Harry rolled his eyes, "Yeah I know, I wish I didn't have to seriously."
Harry threw the cloak over himself once Ron and Hermione had disappeared, the cloak was becoming increasingly more useful since he'd started speaking to Draco. Harry hung around the door nervously, he could hear hushed voices but unfortuntaly he couldn't work out what was being said, he kept very still and quiet, it sounded like and argument. Before Harry could react Draco stormed out of the classroom with his hands over his face, Harry shadowed him in the cloak until he passed a corner.

"Don't react." Harry whispered loudly, "Stand still, please." He begged quietly. Once Draco was stationary Harry threw the cloak over the pair of them, Draco was thin like Harry so they managed to both just fit under the cloak, it was close though Harry had never stood so closely to someone he once considered to be his enemy. "I told you I'm good at stalking," He said with a grin, he used his wand to light up Draco's face. "Whats wrong?" he asked, Draco looked ill, more ill than Harry had noticed earlier his face was paler than usual, which Harry didn't believe was possible and there were obvious shadows under Draco's eyes. "What happened to you?" Harry said angrily, he felt very protective over Draco all of a sudden and he didn't know why.

(Oh okay xx)

Draco nearly screamed, startled by the voice, but managed to remain silent. "Harry...." He stared at his former enemy. "You can't just sneak up on me. I could've had a heart attack and died. Is what what you want?" He took a deep breath. He was closer to Harry than he'd even been to anyone. He could count the eyelashes on his friend's eyelids if he wanted. At first he wasn't even listening to Harry. He was too caught up staring. The angry tone of the other's voice snapped him out of his daze. "What...nothing happened to me." He choked out. "Harry I need to talk to you. It's important." He slipped his hand into Harry's and dragged him towards the Bathroom. "We need somewhere private to chat..." He whirled around as a door came up and opened. "Well then..it seems the room of requirement wants to help us again." He dragged Harry in and stepped out from underneath the cloak. The room was tiny this time and quiet, but very comfortable. Draco sat on a black couch and curled up. "I can't talk to you anymore." He sighed deeply. I've spoken with father about my future, and he was displeased. I am to discontinue our chats and resume my duties to the dark lord." He thought about the torture he'd gone through the night before and nearly vomited. "I'm really sorry."

---------- Post added 07-28-2013 at 11:16 AM ----------

((I'll be on all today though and probably until around 12:00 tomorrow c:))