Someone Else's Life

Two: Step Up

My life served on a plate

For all of you to eat.

Take my love and hate,

But what is this inside of me?

Pity me, pity me, don't you pity me!

Under everything, something that you can't see,

I can't even believe something is wrong with me.

You swear that all of this is real,

But sometimes I can't seem to feel.

Nothing ever satisfies,

One day I will realize.

Am I really scared of something that I don't know?

Do you even care?

What is really wrong?

--Drowning Pool "Pity"

There was a noticeable difference in Harry, a difference that Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Ron couldn't deny. The dark haired boy with green eyes was unusually quiet, and while he had been known to be pensive at times, he hardly ever spoke to anyone beyond casual conversation. Both of the Weasley woman were worried, and while Ron was worried as well, he was also highly frustrated. No one knew what to make of Harry any more. Instead of talking about Quidditch and playing Wizard's Chess and Exploding Snap with Ron, he did his homework and read through his school textbooks. Ron was positive that Harry knew all of his Defense Against the Dark Arts texts from cover to cover.

Ron sighed as he threw open his bedroom door and saw Harry sitting at the old writing desk huddled over an open book, quill in hand...taking notes? This was enough to finally make Ron snap. He slammed the door behind him and appeared to be beside himself in disbelief and frustration, because Harry hadn't even flinched, dropped his quill, or looked up.

Shaking his head, Ron made his way to the old desk and his best friend when his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Harry was taking notes for Potions. Ron looked visibly shaken as he allowed himself to fall back on the bed, Harry's bed, that was behind him. He had to find out what was wrong with his best friend, because a studious Harry was a frightening and troubling sight. Studying was what Hermione was for.

Ron waited for Harry to acknowledge his presence, and when the dark haired boy finally looked up at his worried friend, Ron spoke.

"Harry?"

The dark haired boy sighed, removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes tiredly, and put his glasses back on. "What is it, Ron?" Harry asked his voice filled with the exhaustion of experience and working too hard.

"It's you, mate," Ron snapped. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you? All you've done the whole bloody time you've been here are chores and homework. Oi! I think you're beyond homework by now! You've hardly talked to anyone. All you do is work! When do you plan to live?"

"I breathe," Harry hissed. "Isn't that enough? Leave it alone. I haven't the time for 'living' as you call it. I have to be prepared. You don't know. You can't feel it like I can. It's always there and it's coming closer. It will be here soon, and it will only last for a short while. Only one battle matters, and I am the one that must be ready. Me, Ron! I have to be ready for it!"

"Ready for what?!"

"To die or kill, Ron!" Harry yelled and slammed his Potions text shut. "I will die or be forced to kill Voldemort! It's my destiny. It's my battle, and when I go to face it I don't want any ties to the world. You, your family, and Hermione have been so wonderful to me, but I can't drag any of you into a fight that was only ever meant for me. None of you, no more innocents, will die for me or because of me!"

"This is madness! We're your friends, your family! We will fight with you because we care!" Ron tried to reason with him.

A wild look shone in Harry's eyes. "Sirius cared for me and now he's dead. He's been dead for over a year! Because of me! It's over! When I go into battle I fight alone, regardless of the consequences," Harry spoke in a final tone and then added, as though they hadn't been arguing seconds before, "Now I really should be getting back to studying. We have N.E.W.T.S this year, and Snape, I've heard, will be at his worst this year."

----------

There was a groan as consciousness claimed its victim. The boy began to move about like a sluggish cat, and slowly his eyes fluttered, and then snapped open when he heard a low, familiar chuckle. The boy let out a deep shuddering breath as his silver-grey eyes locked with the sable eyes of his godfather.

"Severus?" he whispered somewhat shakily.

Severus Snape smirked and slowly the smirk grew into a smile. "I have been informed that you are a runaway seeking asylum."

The fair-haired boy swallowed thickly, unaware of what to make of his godfather's comment or unusual expression. In the end he simply nodded.

"You always were an intelligent and clever boy. I tried to warn Lucius. I am pleased that you proved me correct. Welcome to sanctuary, Draco," Severus said.

Draco took in a shuddering breath. "You won't tell him? You know I can't go back. He meant to kill me."

Severus looked carefully at his godson, wondering what horrors he'd been subject to at Lucius' mercy. "No, boy. I assure you that you are very safe here, and I would protect you at any cost."

Silent tears fell from silver-grey eyes and trailed down pale cheeks as the fair-haired boy gave into emotion for the first time in a long while and said, "Thank you."

----------

Molly Weasley was bustling about her kitchen preparing dinner. She'd almost burned the bread and the stew had nearly boiled over, but she'd managed to reign in her frazzled nerves and rescue the food. She sighed as she stirred the stew once more, bits of meat and various vegetables making an appearance. She'd noticed the change in Harry. He was always so aloof and on his own lately. He did his chores without question like always, but then once he was finished he would retreat upstairs to the room he shared with Ron and read meticulously through his texts for hours. Not even Hermione was that studious. He hardly ever spoke, and not even Ron could seem to get through to him.

Another thing on Molly's mind had been the strange message she'd received by floo from Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He'd asked if she had enough room for an additional guest, a student who had apparently lost his family. She had immediately said yes, thinking that the poor dear could use the twins' room since they'd moved out. But before Molly could ask questions about the student, Dumbledore had ended the communication.

She sighed and shook her head, mentally making a list of the things to be done before the arrival of their new guest the next day. She couldn't help wondering whom she had taken in. She thought suddenly of Hermione and hoped that the girl and her parents were all right. She stood in the doorway and yelled up the stairs that dinner was ready. She then looked at the family clock and heard a series of cracks as the faces of the twins and Arthur returned to the home position on the clock. Even though the twins had a flat of their own, the Burrow would always be a place for them to call home.

----------

Severus looked at his exhausted godson, anger pouring through him at the sight of the old and fresh bruises on the pale boy's flesh. The boy had noticed his godfather's intent gaze over his person, but couldn't muster the strength to scowl. The boy flinched as the man brought his hand close to the boy's face. The man withdrew quickly, and looked away guiltily.

"Gods, Draco. I would have come for you myself if I had known. Can you bring yourself to forgive my blindness?" the man asked.

For the first time in a long time, the boy's lips curved into a small smile. "There was no way I could have gotten word to you, and mother has always been afraid to act against Lucius, even on my behalf. If I hadn't escaped you wouldn't have known anything until Lucius had killed me. You were never blind Sev, you just weren't allowed to see so you didn't know."

"I'm your godfather!" Snape snapped. "I should have known, and I should have been there to protect you. You're only a boy! You shouldn't be made to face these sorts of things. I've failed you."

"Bullocks," the boy continued with force. "You have never failed me. You made things better. You've kept him away at times, and you always listened. You've got more important things to worry about than me."

The man's head snapped up and his black eyes met grey. "You shouldn't say such things, Draco. You are the closest I've ever had to a son. I wanted to protect you, keep you safe."

"And you have, and I know you will continue to do so..." the boy trailed as he noticed the expression on his godfather's face darken.

The man sighed. "I will always be there for you when you need me, but for now it is best that you try to keep your distance. As you may have guessed, I am a spy for the light. You know what would happen if I were discovered and Lucius will want me to use my skills as Potion Master against you. You are more than aware that I am highly capable of brewing untraceable poisons. Your father knows this as well. You simply cannot remain at Hogwarts, because I can't ensure your safety until school begins."

The boy gave a terse nod. "So, what is to become of me?"

"Albus is making arrangements. You will be situated tomorrow. As for any monetary issues, well I set aside a vault in your name shortly after your birth. I sensed that you might rebel against Lucius, or I hoped that you would at any rate. I am quite certain that the sum there in is adequate enough to see you through these troubled times."

"And who would be willing to take in the desolate and disgraced son of a Death Eater?" Draco asked tiredly.

Severus Snape smirked. "You might be surprised."

The boy's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "No...you can't mean... They would flay me alive!"

"I assure you that the Weasley's will take the fact of your established loyalty into careful consideration. I doubt that Molly would allow that brute of a youngest son to harm you in any way. And most importantly, you will be safe there. There are many more protective wards around that house than at the headquarters of the Order."

Draco turned ashen. "I will be staying in a house overflowing with the Weasleys and Potter? For the remainder of summer? I take it all back. Send me back to Malfoy Manor!"

Snape rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic. And for morale, think of the looks on Potter and Weasley's faces when they discover that you are the new mysterious house guest."

"You mean they don't know?"

Again Snape chuckled. "Albus is very fond of the element of surprise."

----------

Dinner at the Weasley household was a loud affair, Arthur and the twins were talking about their day. Ron and Ginny intruding with a few questions of their own, and Molly Weasley scolding Ron and telling him to put more carrots on his plate. The boy's expression darkened a bit, but he complied to his mother's request, knowing that a battle with her was futile. Still, Harry took a plate of food, eating quietly amongst the loud family conversation and not contributing a single word.

When Arthur had finished his story of an incident involving a snapping teakettle and enchanted teacart, he finally turned to his wife and asked how her day had been.

"Well," she said, and then turned to her two youngest children, Ginny and Ron, and Harry, with a small smile. "It appears as though we will be having a guest joining us tomorrow. Professor Dumbledore said he was in your year, Ron, Harry. The poor dear has lost everything, his family, his home. Luckily he managed to find his way to Hogwarts before he was captured by... At any rate he cannot be allowed to stay at the school as a matter of his safety. So, we've been asked to take him in."

Ron and Ginny exchanged a curious look, and Ron was startled when he turned and noticed an interested expression on Harry's face.

Harry spoke for the first time since his earlier fight with Ron. "Did he mention who this guest would be?"

Molly thought for a moment. "Why, no, dear, but obviously the boy has been through an ordeal, and with the twins having a flat of their own, I thought he might take up in their room."

To this the twins exchanged grins and Ron piped up. "Whoever he is, there is no telling what he could come across in the twins' room. Wouldn't want anything to happen to him. Since I know the sorts of things to look for I'll take the twins' room and he can have my room with Harry. I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind. He hardly notices anything anymore. I doubt he would really know the difference if it was me or someone else sharing the room with him," Ron said that last bit with a look of reproach in Harry's direction.

Arthur Weasley and the twins looked startled, Ginny's eyes widened and Molly looked horrified.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley! While I agree with your reasoning as to what is and isn't hazardous in the twins' room, you have no right to be so rude to Harry. You owe him an apology. Well?!" she snapped.

At this Harry stood up and threw down his napkin. He looked politely to Molly Weasley and shook his head. "It's perfectly all right. Really, Ron had every right to say those things. I have been a bit to myself lately. Besides it might do us some good to have time apart. As it is, I'm knackered, so I think I'll head up to bed early tonight. Don't worry about disturbing me, Ron, if you want to move your things to the twins' room. You know how hard it can be to wake me up sometimes. Who knows, I might sleep like the dead tonight."

Arthur Weasley's jaw slackened, the twins looked gob smacked, Ginny swallowed thickly with eyes wide, and Molly Weasley glared at her youngest son and got up to go after Harry, as the dark haired boy left the kitchen and began to ascend the stairs.

"Mum, don't bother. Harry won't talk to you. Just let it go," Ron said tiredly.

His mother turned on him, her eyes sparking fire. Ron Weasley flinched. "Ronald Weasley! I am ashamed of you! How dare you say those things to Harry? And at the dinner table no less! You know all that he's been through! I want you to apologize to him!" she shrieked.

To this Ron stood up, and held his ground against his mother. "No, mum! Not this time. You don't know. He's changed. He's not the same Harry that I've been friends with for the past six years. Something's changed in him. He wants to be left alone, then so be it. If he wants to be my friend again then he can apologize. He ignored me first, he told me it was over! He wants to be alone, then fine. He can rot alone for all I care. I'm tired of trying to break through that thick skull of his. I can't try anymore!"

With that Ron tossed his napkin on the table and then ran up the stairs. A few minutes later footsteps were heard in the hall above. Ron had his trunk and was headed towards the twins' room.

Fred and George exchanged a look and then Fred spoke:

"Mum, just give it time, and Ginny could you pass the bread?"

----------

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, are you ready to go now?" Dumbledore asked.

The platinum blond youth looked at the man with an eyebrow raised in disdain. The old headmaster simply smiled and his eyes twinkled. He then turned to the Potions Master.

"Severus, I assume that you have volunteered to escort our young Mr. Malfoy to his destination?"

The Potions Master nodded and rolled his eyes as the headmaster turned once again to the boy. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, you have everything?"

The boy scowled and looked down at his appearance. Someone had taken the liberty of conjuring a pair of muggle tennis shoes, socks, a pair of blue jeans, and a crimson shirt. Of all the colors imaginable, the shirt had to be red. The boy glared at the old man, and the old man's eyes twinkled even more in mysterious mirth. The Potions Master just shook his head and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Yes, Albus. I will take the boy, as I can supply Mrs. Weasley with more answers about him than you could. I will be back once he is situated. I also think that I should go ahead, as the woman, as I understand it, is not aware of just whom she is taking in. I'm sure that this will come as quite a shock to her," Severus Snape said, to which Malfoy snorted at the last bit.

"Well, as you are both prepared to leave, I see no further reason to delay you. And don't worry, Draco, I am sure that you will be received well into the Weasley home. Molly is always welcoming," Dumbledore said, his eyes continuing to twinkle infernally.

"I'm sure," Draco said with a roll of his eyes.

Severus had already taken a pinch of floo powder. He turned to Draco, his godson, and then said, "Well, boy, step up. It is time you face the rest of your life. You will be safe. I'm sure that Mrs. Weasley will see that you are clothed until such time as you can go out and buy some new things. I will be awaiting your arrival."

With that Severus threw the powder into the fire, when it turned green he shouted, "The Burrow!" and stepped into the flames. Draco waited for a few minutes and then followed the man's example, a scowl graced his face as he said his destination and stepped into the green fire.

The world around him blurred as he traveled through the floo network, and then he was sliding through a fireplace on his back, patting his chest, coughing, and scowling as he slowly got up and began to brush the soot from his hair and clothing. He heard a collective gasp and cut his eyes at Severus, realizing that he hadn't given the man enough to time prepare the Weasleys for his arrival.

Draco turned away from his godfather and looked at the Weasleys that were present. Ron and Ginny Weasley were in the room, as was Molly Weasley. Ginny was in shock, Mrs. Weasley looked surprised and Ron looked outraged. Draco let out a slow breath and looked at his godfather, wondering what he was supposed to say or do.

Ron was the first to speak. "Mum! Are you out of your head? He can't stay here! He's MALFOY!"

This seemed to snap Mrs. Weasley out of her stupor and she glared at her youngest son. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, upstairs this instant! Not another word! I will deal with you later! Ginny, why don't you go into the kitchen and began making sandwiches. It will be time for lunch soon."

Ron stomped off up the stairs, and Ginny gave a little squeak, nodded, and headed toward the kitchen. The woman looked at the boy that stood before her. Carefully taking in his appearance. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she retrieved a dishrag from her apron and began to wipe the soot from his face and her eyes widened as she gasped at the bruises she noticed on his cheeks, and around his jaws. She then scrutinized him carefully, noticing more bruises trailing down his neck. She also noticed how thin the poor boy was. She clucked her tongue and shook her head.

"Poor dear, what have they done to you?" she asked and reached up to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. She noticed him flinch and she sadly shook her head again.

The boy turned from her kind gaze and spoke dispassionately. "There was no 'they'. My fath... Lucius did this."

Again her eyes widened, and she threw her arms around the boy, holding him to her. She patted his platinum blond hair and nearly suffocated him. "How could anyone do this to their own child. Almost afraid to be touched. There will be none of that here. You'll get a hug from me if you need it. And you, nothing more than skin and bones, we'll have to fix you up. I think a good bit of soup with those sandwiches will be a nice start. Are you hungry dear?"

Draco's eyes widened and he managed to turn his head a bit and looked pleadingly to his godfather. Severus Snape was smirking and trying to hold back his laughter. Obviously the boy should have been prepared for Molly's mothering.

Awkwardly, Draco patted the woman on the back and she finally released him. He sucked in a huge gulp of air and was grateful that he still had the ability to breathe, as the woman had cracked a few ribs in that hug of only moments before. He might have been a whole foot taller than Molly, but that woman hugged like the devil.

Draco glared in Severus' general direction and said, "I am a bit famished. I supposed soup would suffice."

"Good then," the woman said and smiled widely. "I'll fatten you right up!"

"Fatten?" Draco said weakly.

Molly hadn't heard this as she turned to Severus and invited him to stay for lunch. Severus, of course, had the opportunity to refuse the invitation and did so graciously. Draco looked at him pleadingly and the Potions Master just smirked and shook his head at the boy.

The Potions Master turned back to the fireplace and as Molly had no questions for him as she was so wrapped up in dealing with the new houseguest, he took a pinch of floo powder, said his destination, and left Draco in the care of the Weasleys.

Draco swallowed thickly once he realized that he was left alone in the care of the Weasleys. He wondered if it could get any worse.

Molly was leading him to the kitchen and suddenly spoke up, "I hope you don't mind dear, but you'll be sharing a room with Harry. I noticed you didn't have anything with you. I suppose you will need some clothes? Well, don't you worry, I'm sure we can find some things for you."

Draco nodded and then processed what he'd heard. He swallowed thickly. "I'm sharing a room with Potter?"

"Yes, dear. Ron decided to take the twins' room and that leaves you in the room with Harry. Why? Is their a problem with this arrangement?" she asked, as they reached the kitchen and she took over making sandwiches, and told Ginny to get out one of the pots to make soup.

Draco shook his head. "No. I just wasn't expecting to share a room with him is all. I thought he and Weas... Ron would be rooming together."

"Oh no," Ginny spoke up for the first time since Draco had arrived. "Harry's been acting strangely. They had an argument last night and Ron decided to move into the twins' room afterward."

"Ginevra!" her mother scolded, and the girl's cheeks flushed a color that matched her bright crimson hair.

Molly then turned to her new charge, one Draco Malfoy. She shook her head again, wondering what kind of life the boy must have lived at the mercy of having Lucius Malfoy as a father. She noticed how tired he looked and then looked at her daughter. "Ginny, dear, why don't you go show Mr. Malfoy to his room?"

Draco looked up at the reference and winced. "Please, if you could, call me Draco. I don't want any part of his name associated with me."

Molly and her daughter's eyes widened at this, and they both looked at the boy incredulously. "Of course Draco. Now you go up and get some rest. I'll call up when lunch is ready. And don't worry about Ron, I'm sure that you won't be bothered."

Draco nodded and then followed Ginny out of the kitchen, up a set of stairs, and then down the hall of the second floor. She stopped, pointed to a door at the end of the hall and told him that was the lavatory and then she turned to the door on her left.

She grabbed the handle and almost turned the knob, but thought better of it. Instead she looked up and said, "Mal... Draco, this is the room where you will be staying. I'll see you in the kitchen later..."

She then turned and quickly scampered off, leaving Draco to wonder what was going on. Why hadn't she opened the door, and why hadn't he seen Potter yet?

Draco shrugged to himself and then turned the knob. He pushed open the door, and stepped inside. The room had two beds, and all sorts of Chudley Cannons paraphernalia, not to mention orange was splashed severely throughout the room. He then noticed that someone, Potter, was sitting at a small desk, bent over a text in his lap and scribbling furiously on some parchment on the small desk. The boy's back was to the door. Draco quietly closed the door, and the dark haired boy's quill suddenly stopped.

At the sound of the door opening Harry felt a chill run up his spine, when it closed he paused and then slowly turned. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Malfoy standing in Ron's room.

"Malfoy?" Potter said.

Draco flinched at the name and his knees began to buckle. Not having time to think Harry reacted. He threw down his quill and the Potions text that had been in his lap and hurried over. He just managed to catch the boy before he hit the floor.

"What happened to you, Malfoy? What are you doing here?"

Malfoy suddenly began to tremble. The blond boy fought off an insane urge to laugh as he realized what was happening.

"Potter, get me to the bed. Now," he gasped, as he felt a tremor run through his body.

Harry complied, and got the boy over to his bed and allowed him to fall back. The boy's body began to shake violently and his hands clawed at the sheets, cold sweat breaking out over his pale skin, and a low groan escaped his throat. The boy began to thrash on the bed, and Harry watched in morbid fascination, and then the blonde's body began to buck, and the boy began to cry out in pain.

Harry raced to the door and then shouted, "Mrs. Weasley, get up here now! Something's wrong!"

A few minutes later there was a loud pounding on the stairs and then Mrs. Weasley came bursting through the door, somewhat out of breath. She noticed the boy writhing and bucking on the bed and then looked at Harry who was watching the blond boy, with an almost worried expression. She raced to the bed and tried to get a hold of the boy, so that he wouldn't cause any harm to himself, but the boy fought her. Harry decided to help her. He grabbed Draco's wrists and held them down by the boy's head, and climbing onto the bed, had the boy straddled.

The blond boy's body went still, and slowly the boy turned his head and blinked open his eyes. They were somewhat clouded over, and a soft moan escaped his lips. Mrs. Weasley looked over the boy and wondered what had happened to him. After a few minutes, Harry sensed that the episode was over and climbed off of the boy.

Molly Weasley conjured up a bowl of water and a wet cloth and began to wipe gently at the boy's forehead and face, and the boy whimpered.

"Shhh... You're all right dear. Nothing will hurt you," she soothed, and dipped the cloth back into the bowl, rung it out, and then applied it to the boy's face once more.

Harry reached out for the cloth when she went to dip it in the bowl once more. "I can look after him, Mrs. Weasley. I'm sure that you have things you need to do, and I can call down to you if it happens again."

Molly looked at the dark haired boy and nodded, "All right, Harry, dear, you may look after him, but if anything should happen I want you to give a shout. Are you sure you can handle him?"

The boy nodded and then took a seat on the bed, dipping the cloth into the cool water in the bowl sitting on the small bedside table. Molly Weasley looked at Harry, glad that the boy finally seemed to take interest in something other than chores or a textbook. She smiled as the boy rung out the cloth, and gently applied it to the frail blonde's face. She wondered what could have happened to the blond, she had an idea. His episode could have been a delayed reaction of prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus curse. Again she shook her head, and feeling that she was leaving the ill boy to good hands, slowly left the room.

Once the door was shut, a pale hand grabbed Harry's wrist. The boy looked startled and saw that Malfoy's eyes were clearer, he was obviously more aware of his surroundings.

"Potter," the boy said through clenched teeth.

"You're not looking so well, Malfoy," Harry retaliated and noticed how the boy flinched at the mention of his last name. Harry then took stock of the boy, noticing the faint bruises on his face and down his neck.

The blond, realizing what Harry was seeing turned his face away, ashamed to admit that he was at the mercy of his enemy as he felt so completely exhausted. The boy let go of Harry's wrist, and his hand fell back to the bed. Harry then applied the cool cloth to the boy's face, rubbing it across his forehead and gently down his cheeks and along his jaw line.

"Why?" Draco asked in a whisper.

Harry looked at the boy for a moment and then shrugged. "I needed a break from Potions and you were a convenient distraction."

The blond slowly shook his head. "No... Why is it...like this?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Why am I at the mercy of your charitable pity? I hate this. I spent most of my life making fun of people like the Weasleys and you. How can you bring yourself to help me? How can you pity me? Pity, ha. I hate it. I should have let him finish it, then I wouldn't be at the mercy of anyone's pity," Draco snapped.

Harry recoiled as though he'd been struck. He looked at the angry, spiteful, grey eyes of the ill boy and sighed. "I don't pity you Malfoy. You need help, and I can help you. It is not pity, it's just the way things are. I don't know why the Weasleys took you in, but they have, maybe from pity or compassion. I'm usually indifferent to those emotions now. I really have no idea why I'm here, helping you now, but I am, and I don't really want to question it."

The blonde's cool grey eyes were calculating and then he let out a small breath. "Stop calling me that."

"What?" Harry asked.

"My last name. It is nothing to me any more. It used to be a title, something to be proud of. It means nothing now. I don't want that name to have a claim on me anymore," he whispered.

Harry looked over the boy, and realization dawned on him. "Your father did this to you? He hurt you? Why? Tell me."

"Why should I tell you anything?"

Harry shrugged. "You know things about me, the whole wizarding world knows about me, but no one knows about the things you've suffered. I want to know."

The blond snorted. "I've been locked in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor since I returned home from school. My father sought to break me so that I would join his cause. I, of course, refused. You can see the evidence of the things he's done. That little episode you just witnessed was a delayed effect of the Cruciatus curse. When he tired of flogging me with his cane he used magic against me. He was angry because I refused to cry out with everything he did to me. I could never seem to feel it. Perhaps that is why nothing ever satisfied me as a child, I was incapable of feeling. Does that mean something is wrong with me? There is nothing in the world to fear, but even when he promised me death I fought. Why did I fight? Why?" Draco asked and his voice cracked, then he began to sober as he realized to whom he was talking to as he snarled, "Do you even care?"

Harry gently pushed back some of the pale hair that had fallen into Draco's face. "I'm beginning to," he replied.

"Why?" Draco asked.

"My life has always been served up for the world, and they think they know about me from legends and stories and newspapers. They know nothing. They think I'm a hero, but I'm not, and when they realize I'm human they pity me, and I hate that. They pity me when I fail, when I get someone killed. They pity me for the childhood I never had. So I've turned from them all, and I won't fail again. I just have to get them to see that I am alone in this."

Draco nodded and felt respect for the dark haired boy gently wiping his face with a cool damp cloth. "So, step up and be a man, Potter. Push them away and show the world what they can't see under everything."

Potter looked at the boy that had once been his enemy, the boy that seemed to understand him, nodded, and then asked, "You see it though? Don't you?"

Draco smirked weakly. "I've always seen it, Potter. They see what they want to see, but they never saw you. I did, though. I saw everything, and that made me envy you. I wasn't supposed to envy anyone..."

Harry looked up startled, "You never had to envy me, Malf..."

The blond cut him off before he could finish saying the name. "Call me, Draco. And remember you were the one that turned me down, you made me envious."

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.

Draco snorted. "I'm weak and obviously delirious, and I hope you never plan to use any of what you learn while I am in this state against me."

Harry grinned at that offhand comment. "You've nothing to worry about."

"Good," Draco said and then rolled his eyes dramatically. "This can't be real. I am being civil with the Golden Boy, Harry Potter?"

At this Harry laughed. "I won't tell anyone, and I know this has to be a result of your delirium."

"Whatever Potter," Draco said and then moaned as Harry began to rub his neck gently. "Uhm... That's nice. Could you by chance go lower?"

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at the blond. To which the blond smirked and said, "Come on, Potter. Step up and be a man. Finish what you start."