All Things Must Come to an End

CHAPTER 1

Draco Malfoy was lying in his bed in the Slytherin dormitory at school. He was trying to fall asleep, but he couldn't. He kept thinking of what he knew about Voldemort's plan.

Hermione Granger is going to die! Should I warn her, or just let Voldemort kill her? No, I can't - she's Potter's friend. Thinking about Harry Potter made Draco very confused. He wanted to hate Potter for making his life so terrible; it was terrible, in Draco's mind, especially since his parents had expected that he would become Head Boy. They have been bothering him about it ever since he found out that he wouldn't be Head Boy because Potter was Head Boy.

But then again, thinking about Potter almost made him feel...well, excited and challenged. He was nervous around Potter, but never liked to admit it so he would always try to act tough and grounded.

"Stupid, filthy Mudblood," he muttered under his breath. "Perhaps she's finally going to get what she deserves..."

But he didn't want believe it. Nobody deserves to die - not even Potter's parents.

Draco turned to his right side, trying to get comfortable. But the bed felt hard and cold. It was aching his back shoulders. He had to get up. Maybe go for a walk. But he couldn't - not now. He couldn't without someone catching him.

Why couldn't he have an Invisibility Cloak like Potter? Then he could sneak around the school grounds whenever he wanted and nobody would know. It's not like anybody really even knew Draco existed. Nobody seemed to care about him. And what good were Crabbe and Goyle - stupid gits - they couldn't even read!

Oh well. He could always wiggle his way out of losing points for Slytherin - even if that meant getting detention. He would rather have detention than let Slytherin lose their chance in winning the House Cup.

Professor Snape always let him get away with everything, but Snape was the only one. Professor McGonagall was too hard on him; but really easy with Potter. It was probably because Potter was in her House, but it may also be due to the fact that Potter is famous. Even Albus Dumbledore was suspicious of him, but that was because Draco's father was a Death Eater - one of Voldemort's most loyal followers.

Snape used to be a Death Eater, but he backed out when Voldemort lost his power, and hadn't returned to him since, as far as Draco knew. Voldemort considered Snape to be a traitor.

"He will finish Snape off, too," Lucius would tell him of Snape's fate. "Voldemort is still angry that Snape betrayed him."

"Are you sure Snape really betrayed him, Father?" Draco would ask.

Lucius would nod in reply. "Yes. I believe he did. He hasn't come back since Voldemort regained his power." Lucius gave a cold sneer. "He has become loyal to Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic."

Draco got out of bed and decided to go to his favorite hiding place - a small room high up in one of the castle's towers which was never used, he suspected, because everything was dusty and the room always looked completely deserted. He didn't even think the school's ghosts went up there. Maybe Peeves to play a joke, but nobody else ever did.

Draco quietly ran through the halls, unnoticed (for everyone was still sleeping), and finally reached the entrance to the tower. He had to climb up many stairs, but it was well worth the climb. The room was at the very top, and there was even a window on the ceiling that he could look out of and view the night sky whenever he wanted.

When he entered the room, it was very dark. So to give himself some light, he whispered, "Lumos!" and a bulb of light shone at the tip of Draco's wand. Draco looked around the room. His room. The only place he could ever go to where he could just be himself and not be bothered by any annoying people.

The room looked like an old classroom. Maybe it was the old Divination classroom, which was now located in the Astronomy Tower, farthest away from the tower Draco was in.

The place was very dusty, with old desks turned up side down, scattered all over the floor. There was an old dusty cauldron in a fire place that looked as though it hadn't been used for years.

Draco didn't know what the room was used for, but he liked it. It gave comfort to him. Sanity, and it was very soothing to come up to the room after a terrible day.

He placed his wand in a little hole on the window still, which kind of made a stand for it. The light was bright enough where he could pretty much see the whole entire room, except for the farthest of corners.

But the room could use some warmth to it, because it was a little chilly up there, especially once the weather outdoors started getting cold.

Draco coughed a little as he rubbed his hands together. But something was bothering him - he felt a chill run down his back. He got the feeling that he was not alone - that someone else was in the room, with him!

* * * *

The eyes stared at him from the farthest away corner.

Those bright green eyes - they looked so familiar. Suddenly, the head popped out. It was Harry Potter.

What is he doing here - did he follow me? How does he know about this room? Draco thought, staring coldly at him. The boy with the round glasses, messy brown hair, and lightening bolt scar on his forehead stood up and walked toward him.

"What do you want, Potter?" Draco snapped. "This is my room - so get out of here if you know what's best for you."

"But this is my room, Malfoy. I've been coming up here with Cho Chang since the beginning of last year," Harry insisted.

"You mean the Seeker from Ravenclaw who used to date Diggory?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded. "We're kind of dating now..."

"Just kind of?" Draco snickered at this.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Malfoy."

"Well, didn't she graduate last year? So why do you still come up here then?" Draco asked him.

"Because," Harry responded. "I like it up here."

"So do I," said Draco stubbornly. "And I'm not leaving just because you like it up here, too."

"Well, I'm not leaving, either."

Harry sat down to face Draco. They frowned at each other and narrowed their eyes. Draco, however, found it impossible to take his eyes off of Harry's. He continued to stare deep into those green eyes...suddenly finding them oddly and disturbingly attractive. But why?

Why couldn't he take his eyes off of Harry? Now Draco started feeling nervous again. This time, it was more like butterflies in his stomach. He felt like vomiting, but realized it would be embarrassing to do so in front of Potter, so he tried to hold it inside.

Harry also seemed to not be able to stop staring at Draco. As Draco and Harry continued to stare, Draco felt cold wind whipping fast around him - he managed to glance over at the window, which was opened slightly.

Finally, Harry managed to pull his eyes off of Draco. He turned his head and looked around the room.

"It's the same as always, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

Draco shrugged. "I guess not many people come here," he agreed.

Harry swallowed. "They probably don't know about this room."

"Yeah, maybe."

Why did Draco feel so much tension between the two of them? Was Potter trying to play around with Draco's emotions - or even his mind?

Harry sighed. "Well, I'd better be going back to the Gryffindor dormitory," he finally said, standing up and picking up his Invisibility Cloak which had been lying on the floor. Harry looked a little nervous for a moment. "Um, want to come so you don't get caught?"

Draco was a little shocked when he heard this. Why would Potter want Draco to share his Invisibility Cloak with him after all the years he's taunted and harassed Potter and his friends?

"Well, um...okay," Draco managed to croak.

Draco walked toward Harry, and Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak over them.

They walked in total silence to the Slytherin dormitory. Draco soon realized that this would be a school year he'd never forget, when the most unexpected things would happen.