Let the Darkness Take You

Let the Darkness Take You

Chapter Seven

~~~~~

Harry backed up into the door as the three boys advanced on him.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Ron replied, innocently.

Harry didn't trust the looks on their faces. As slowly as he could move, he reached into his robe pocket for his wand. The three boys stood directly in front of Harry for a moment, staring at him, when Seamus, very suddenly threw a punch at Harry's face. Luckily for him, he had been watching the sandy hair boy and saw his intentions before he acted on them. Seamus's fist hit the door with an extremely loud bang after Harry ducked. Seamus clutched his fist and spouted a string of obscenities. Dean took Harry by surprise and held him in place while Ron came forward and punched him in the stomach, completely winding him. As he was doubled over, a punch landed him in the eye, breaking his glasses, causing the glass to cut into his skin.

With a new spurt of anger, Harry lifted his knee and made contact with Ron's groin. He bent over in pain and backed off. Harry's wand was in hand, so he pointed it awkwardly back at Dean. "Stupefy!" He heard Dean fall to the floor with a thud, and turned to see Seamus coming at him just in time. "Impedimenta!" With Seamus going in slow motion, Dean stunned, and Ron clutching his groin, Harry was about to turn and leave again, but the urge to hit Ron in the eye got to him and he took a shot at his left eye. With a satisfied grin, Harry fled the dorm, thinking the whole time, ‘thank Merlin for magic.'

Harry immediately went to the only place that he could think would be safe. The ‘classroom' he shared with Draco. He'd sleep there tonight to be safe. The three Gryffindors would likely be in a very angry mood with Harry. He ran the entire way, not even bothering with his Invisibility Cloak. Once inside the room, he went to a window and sat on the ledge where he finally had the chance to take off his broken glasses. Any spells that might be able to repair them were completely eluding his brain. Anger was the only thing present and blocked out all logic on Harry's part. So, he angrily threw his glasses on the floor and leaned his head on the frost covered window. He began to etch an elaborate Quidditch game in the frost of stick people riding very beaten up brooms. The twigs were sticking out everywhere on each broomstick.

'See what they did to you?' The voice said suddenly. 'And they're supposed to be your friends? The people on the Dark side would never hurt one of their own like that.'

"Good thing those brooms aren't real," remarked a drawling voice. "Those players probably wouldn't get more than five feet off the ground with those travesties."

Harry jumped at the sound of the voice and turned his head slightly so that only his uninjured left eye was showing. The one that wasn't coloured a nasty colour and bleeding. "Yeah. Good thing," he replied before taking out his wand and charming his drawing so that it moved by itself. Both boys watched as one of the stick figures scored and then threw up his arms in triumph.

"Where are your glasses?"

"Broken," he said, pointing to them on the floor.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. I just stepped on them."

"Oh. I see. When did you come back?"

"I don't know. Ten minutes ago? Why did you come back?"

"I didn't feel like being in the Slytherin common room. I stopped by the kitchens and brought some food from the Halloween feast since we just ate sandwiches for dinner. Do you want some?"

"No. I'm not hungry. Thanks anyway."

"Okay. No problem. I'll just put some aside for you."

"Thanks."

Draco sighed irritably. "Merlin, Potter! What the hell is your problem?" he exploded. "I'm just trying to make conversation here. You've hardly even acknowledged my presence. I sometimes wish that I was under that spell, so that I could hex you into oblivion. Because if you keep..." Draco stopped talking abruptly, when Harry drew in a deep shuddering breath. Harry placed his face on the window but then decided against it, as he winced from the pressure.

"What happened?" Draco demanded. "I only saw you an hour ago and you seemed pretty happy then. What happened?"

"..."

"Damn you, Potter! What the hell happened to you?"

"Nothing," came the quiet reply.

Draco walked moodily up to the other boy and stared down at him. "Look at me. Tell me what's going on." Very slowly, Harry turned to face the Slytherin. Draco drew in a sharp breath and took a small step back. "Who..." he asked in a voice strangled with anger.

"It doesn't matter. You can't do anything about it anyway."

"Dammit! Just tell me who did it! Why do you have to be so insufferable? Just answer the question!"

Harry sighed. "Ron, Seamus, and Dean ganged up on me once I went into the dorm. Ron gave me the black eye."

"How did you get away from them?"

"I stunned Dean, kicked Ron in the groin, and put Impedimenta on Seamus. Then I punched Ron in the eye before I left, for good measure."

Draco smiled and sat down my by Harry's feet. "Impressive. Kick him while he's down. You could be a Slytherin."

"You have no idea," Harry replied, smiling a little as he squinted at the blond.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really? Care to enlighten me?"

"Maybe later. I'm not in the mood."

"I'll hold you to your word. Here, let me take a look at your eye."

"No. I'm fine."

"You're bleeding, and you can't tell me that it doesn't hurt at least a little bit."

"Fine." Harry swung his legs down and moved closer to Draco. He reached up and gently touched the bruise that was rapidly forming. Harry flinched.

"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful. You have a piece of glass stuck in your skin. How can you not notice that?"

Harry only shrugged as Draco reached up to pull at the offending foreign object. It came out with a tiny protest of pain from Harry and it started to bleed a little. Draco pulled out his wand and healed the cut and dulled the colour and pain from his eye. "You'll need some ice on that as well." Draco walked over to the remains of their lunch, dipped a napkin into the water pitcher, muttered a spell, and returned to Harry with a frozen cloth. Draco placed it gently on Harry's face and held it. "Did they get you anywhere else?"

"In the stomach, but that doesn't hurt so much anymore."

"That's good. Are you sure you don't want any food? I brought a lot of it."

"I suppose some food wouldn't hurt."

"Ah. I knew all you would need is Draco Malfoy's magical healing touch."

Harry laughed softly. "Don't let your head get too big."

"Well, you have to admit... it is a good head."

"I will give you that much."

Harry took the ice cloth from the other boy and went to sit on the couch, stumbling over the carpet and furniture that he could have sworn wasn't there before. By the time he sat down, he could hear Draco, very unsuccessfully stifling his laughter. "You're as blind as a bat without your glasses, aren't you? You tripped over the non-existent bump in the floor."

"Shut up. I can't help that my glasses are broken."

"Well, magic will remedy that, you know." Harry saw Draco pick up, what he assumed were his glasses, then he walked towards Harry and sat down. "Since you can't wear them now, I'll just give you a temporary fix. It'll wear off in about three hours." He placed his wand tip at Harry's temple and muttered, "Emendo aspestus." Harry's vision immediately cleared and he blinked his good eye a couple times and stared at Draco.

"Is there a permanent version of that spell?"

"No. They haven't found a permanent cure for bad vision yet. And I don't recommend you doing that all the time. It can ruin your vision even more."

"Duly noted. Get the food. I want to eat."

"I'll pretend that you didn't just order me to do something and do it anyway."

For the next hour, the two boys sat on the couch and ate to their hearts' content, with a few bottles of butterbeer to wash it all down. Both were perfectly content in pretending that nothing was wrong, and that the only reason Harry had an ice cloth over his eye was because he was stupid and ran into a wall. Though the real reason became impossible to ignore, when he finally pulled the ice cloth off and gingerly touched the sore injury and winced. Harry looked at Draco and saw him clenching and unclenching his jaw with a manic look in his eyes.

"I don't like that look, Draco. What are you planning?"

"Who said I was planning anything?"

"Don't play stupid. What are you going to do to Ron?"

"Nothing too serious. Just a little payback. He'll never know who did it."

"Draco..."

"Harry," he replied, looking earnestly into Harry's eyes. Harry found himself bound to the other boy's silver eyes. His heart fluttered and his stomach twisted in knots. Draco reached up and ran a gentle finger around the sore edge of Harry's black eye. "He won't get away with hurting you as long as I'm your friend."

The sincerity in Draco's voice took Harry a little by surprise. There was a look of determination in his eyes and face and Harry found himself wanting nothing more than to take the aristocratic face in his hands and placing kisses all over it to thank him. "Draco," Harry whispered hoarsely. He felt his face flush as the last thought lingered in his mind. Why would he want to kiss his enemy? Draco had just said that Harry was his friend... but there was still the animosity that had always been there. It always would be there... wouldn't it? Before he could stop himself, he found himself speaking. "Draco, you hate me."

"Yes. And your point?"

"But... you just said, ‘as long as I'm your friend.' Friends don't hate each other."

Draco lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "Are you saying that I'm your friend?"

"I... I don't know," Harry stuttered out and immediately flushed red. "I asked you first."

"Look, Potter, there are some things that will automatically make you like a person more. For instance, when a person takes the Cruciatus that was meant for somebody else, that's a good reason."

"Malfoy, that was really nothing. Quit bringing it up."

"I don't understand you at all! You act as if Lucius threw the tickling charm at you! The Cruciatus is a bit more serious than that! Longbottom lives with his grandmother for a reason, you know."

"I know that. It's just not that big of a deal, okay? It's over and done with."

"And you asked me if I consider you a friend. Mind you, I'm still not a part of your fan club, but I can tolerate you now. And it's because what you do that I can do so."

"Okay, fine. But please, Malfoy. Just leave Ron alone."

Draco shook his head annoyed. "I will not leave him alone. Lucius beats me, you protect me. Weasley beats you, I protect you. Deal?"

"But..."

"Personally," Draco interrupted loudly. "I think I am getting the better part of the deal here. Weasley wouldn't dare use or even be able to use an Unforgivable. So, that should make you happy. I won't get hurt too badly. Do we have a deal?"

"Fine. You…you don't have to."

"Shut up, Potter. We already have a deal."

Harry sighed but decided to just let it drop. "Draco... how do you know about Neville's parents? I only found out in fourth year and Neville wasn't the one who told me. Dumbledore was."

"You forget who my father is, Harry. He knows all about it and he's told me stories about most people in our year. Excluding Mudbloods of course."

"Don't call them that. They are Muggle-borns."

"Still sticking up for them? Even when your so-called best friend, Hermione Granger, the Mudblood, attacked you with a skrewt? Oh, I'm sorry, that was on accident."

"She didn't know what she was doing. So, shut up! This will all be over soon, we'll be friends again and then I won't have to listen to you bash on Muggle-borns anymore!"

Draco stood up with an angry gleam in his eye and walked to the door. "I'm sorry you feel that way about hanging out with me, Potter. I can just imagine you when you get your stupid friends back. ‘You guys will never believe what Malfoy told me! He said he considers me a friend! What a stupid git, eh? Like I, the high and mighty, Boy-Who-Lived, Dumbledore's Golden Boy, would ever hang out with a Slytherin!'"

Harry also rose from his seat and walked towards Draco. "If that's the way you want it to be, then keep talking to me like this."

"What makes you think that I want to keep talking to you, Potter?"

"Oh, the fact that you just told me that you are starting to like me?"

"Starting! That doesn't mean anything! It doesn't mean I want to hang out with you every waking moment like you and your stupid Gryffindor friends always used to do. I'd be fine without you. I always was before this."

"That's the thing. Before all this happened. Before you had your falling out with your father. It hasn't been that long since then, who are you going to turn to now you don't have Lucius to turn to?"

"Severus."

"I know you're close with him, but you'll want somebody else. Why else would you have come back to this room so quickly after we left tonight? Why else but to see me? I have become an important part of your life."

"You haven't become anything, Potter! There has been no time for it."

"Oh... so you're saying that given more time, I could become something?"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Oh, okay. Why don't you just leave then if I'm not so important to you? I'd like to be getting to bed now. Goodnight."

Harry stepped around him, opened the door and gestured Draco out. The Slytherin scowled at the other boy and left. Harry leaned up against the door after he closed it and sighed. If he and Draco couldn't make up, the only friend he had left was Snape. And, they weren't exactly friends. More, like reluctant allies. The Gryffindor stripped his clothes off on his way to bed, leaving a trail of clothing. Since he didn't have his pyjamas, he just left his boxers on and crawled under the dark silver quilts and immediately fell asleep.

Harry awoke the next morning, extremely warm and comfortable. A feeling of great contentment was hovering over him and he couldn't figure out why it was there. He smiled sleepily and snuggled into the arms that were holding him and buried his head in the person's neck. He inhaled deeply and took in the soft scent that was emanating from the skin. It smelled of pine needles and honey. "Potter?" a voice asked sleepily. "You awake?"

"Um hmm."

"Oh. Good morning."

"Good morning."

Harry's eyes snapped open and he sat up and looked at the other person in bed with him. "Malfoy!" he exclaimed and backed up on the bed and promptly fell onto the floor in his surprise. Draco's dishevelled bed head came into view and he had an amused smirk held in place. "What the hell are you doing in my bed, with your arms wrapped around me?" Harry asked, his eyes huge.

"I didn't know you were snuggler, Potter."

"That's all you can say? That you didn't know... What the hell is going on here? I thought you left? Did I get drunk and dream up that fight we had? I do feel a headache coming on. Could that be a hangover?"

Draco fell back onto the bed and promptly began laughing hysterically. "Oh, I was looking forward to seeing you wake up in the morning, but I didn't know it was going to be this amusing! That look on your face! What was that Muggle saying I heard Granger saying one time.... a deer in headlights? Whatever headlights are."

Any more speech that may have been planning on coming out of Draco's mouth was lost as he rolled onto his side and clutched his stomach in hysterical laughter. Harry felt his face turn red and he stood up. "For your information, headlights are the lights on the front of a car. You do know what a car is, don't you?"

"Of course, I know what a car is," Draco said, getting some control over himself. "We have a Rolls Royce at home. It's been enchanted, of course. It doesn't even need an engine or gas."

"Then why on earth do you not know what headlights are?"

"I don't even know what an engine or gas are. That's just what the driver told me. I just nod my head and pretend to understand. All I know is that a car has four wheels, drives fast and can get you places when you don't have the means for the Floo network or can't Apparate."

"Okay... that answers that question. Now, what the hell are you doing in my bed?"

"Oh, come on Potter! You seemed to be enjoying the close proximity!"

"When I didn't know who was there! I didn't look at you! All I knew was that I was warm and comfortable and something smelled good."

"Really?" Draco asked slyly. "You think I smell good? Tell me, what exactly do I smell like?" He smirked broadly as Harry flushed red again.

"I... I don't know. I... you smell like... you smell like you," he stuttered out, completely aware of the fact that Draco's eyes were roaming his almost naked body, apparently appraising him. Whether or not Draco knew Harry was aware, he had no idea. Or if Draco knew that he was doing it, was an even bigger mystery.

"Like me," Draco said faintly as his eyes finally settled on Harry's eyes once more. Harry kicked into action once more and walked quickly towards his discarded robe and then went to get his glasses that were still by the couch. He then went and sat at the edge of the bed, making sure the robe was covering as much skin as possible.

"Like you. Now, answer me! Oh, wait a moment! I know what this is! I am important to you! You couldn't stand the thought of being in a fight with me and so came and laid in bed with me. Kind of weird, to tell you the truth..."

"No, that's not the reason. And I'm not going to tell you, either. Breakfast? I'm starved."

"Yeah, sure," Harry said faintly, as Draco jumped out of bed and rang a bell that Harry had never taken notice of before. A house elf popped into view and looked at Draco eagerly.

"What does Master want this morning?"

"Breakfast for Master Potter and I," he said haughtily. "Could we get something different than what is in the Great Hall? We're not eating there for more than one reason, you know."

"Okay, what does Masters want? I is willing to bring you anything, sir."

Harry rolled his eyes and was just about to say to the elf to bring them whatever was in the Great Hall when ‘The Voice of Evil,' as Harry had dubbed it, came to him again.

'Good morning, Potter. Have you come to your senses yet?'

"If by senses, you mean, tuning you out, then yes, I have come to my senses. Good day."

‘You think it will be that easy, do you? Nothing is that easy. Especially when it comes to fighting the dark. Especially when the person fighting the dark is you, Harry Potter. It's there inside of you, waiting to come out and when it does, you will not be able to stop it. When it does, everybody in the light will shun you, be afraid of you for your power. What do you think is happening now, Potter? It's happening already. They can feel the darkness in you, waiting to be set free. They have started to shun you, there is no place for your kind of power in the light side. Come to where it will be useful, appreciated. Come to where you will not be shunned. You are dark. Let it come.'

"Harry! Harry!"

Draco was shaking Harry's shoulders and leaning over him with an apprehensive look on his face. "Harry, what the hell just happened to you?"

"Wha…'?"

"You just like fell onto your back and started screaming, ‘NO', over and over again. Then by the time you woke up, you were screaming, ‘You are dark! Let it come.' You said it twice and you were nodding your head, yes. What were you talking about?"

Harry sat up and looked around his surroundings. There were breakfast trays sitting on the bed beside them and the curtains were now open as if the elf had done a bit of tidying up before it left again.

"I don't know. I think it may have been another dream about Voldemort," Harry lied.

"Is your scar hurting?"

"A bit. I don't remember it though."

"Oh," Draco said uncomfortably. "Maybe you should just forget about it then. You know, since you can't remember it. Probably nothing important. Are you hungry?"

"I'm starved."

Draco reached for the food trays hurriedly, obviously glad for the change in topics. The two boys began eating hungrily. After a couple minutes silence, Draco finally spoke up. "So, we're starting Apparition lessons today. That should be pretty cool, right?"

"Oh. I completely forgot about that. Who's teaching it?"

"Some Ministry official, I think. We have to go to Hogsmeade after we finish up with breakfast. Slytherin and Gryffindor are together again."

"That's good. How many times are we having these lessons anyway? I forgot."

"Three times a week until we learn how to Apparate. We won't be able to do it legally until we're either seventeen or out of Hogwarts. Whichever, comes first."

"I don't think I'll be very good at it."

"Well, if you think like that you won't be. My mother said that's the way she thought and she wasn't good at it at all. She still prefers Floo over Apparating."

"I hate Floo. Hopefully I'll be good at this."

"You should be. I hear it's quite easy for powerful wizards."

"You think I'm powerful?" Harry asked surprised.

"Well... yes. How can you not be? You're the bloody Boy-Who-Lived and not to mention a Potter. Of course you're a powerful wizard."

"Don't call me that name and why would my being a Potter be a factor in any of this?" Draco gave him a confused look and stood up.

"Maybe one day, Potter, somebody will tell you the history of your family. Potters are powerful wizards. I can't believe nobody has told you already. Your family history is quite impressive. Come on, let's go."

***

Draco hurried into the entrance hall and brushed the snow off of his cloak. He turned to say something cutting to Harry, just for appearance sake but found him to be already climbing the stairs. "Bloody ungrateful little sod," he muttered under his breath and started walking into the dungeons, which at this time of year was almost as cold as outside. It was now approaching the middle of December and more than a month had passed since the day Draco had surprised Harry in bed the morning after Halloween. Since then, everything had continued as normal between them. The fights were a constant but they were getting closer. Draco couldn't help but smile a little when he thought of the normally insufferable Gryffindor boy. In a way, he hated to think of himself as friends with Harry Potter, but that was what they were inevitably becoming. Friends. It had sort of a nice ring to it.

Everything else was continuing normally, as well. Well, as normal as you could get, considering the circumstances. Weasley was still being awful towards Harry, as was everybody else. So was Professor Black. Harry had mentioned something about Black's visit to the infirmary the day before he was released. Something, about Black not really hating him. It now seemed like he hated Harry. Harry had managed to lose about one hundred house points in the past month just because of Black, and not to mention the three detentions for doing absolutely nothing. Harry had come back from each of those experiences, white, shaky, and extremely upset. He was in no mood for talking those nights. Draco had basically left him alone but had stayed on the couch in the classroom for moral support if it was needed. It wasn't, but Harry was grateful; Draco could tell that much.

As Draco walked down the dimly lit corridor, the suits of armour would start up on their horrible renditions of Christmas music and Draco would be forced to put a silencing charm on every one. What was the use of charming them to sing if you couldn't charm them to sing correctly? The Slytherin boy scowled at one when it began singing the worst Christmas song ever. ‘There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays' The words of the song weren't only terrible, and too American, and Muggle, but it only reminded Draco that he didn't have a home to go to over the Christmas holidays, or anytime for that matter. He threw a hex at the knight and made it collapse in a heap to the floor, words from the song still coming out at sporadic places.

"Now, now. What was the need of that? That song is perfectly delightful."

Draco whirled around from the mess he had made and glared at the man standing before him. "Perfectly delightful if you've got a bloody home to go to during the holidays. And perfectly delightful if you're American."

"There's nothing wrong with listening to music that is clearly American like that. And surely you can go home to Malfoy Manor."

"Not likely. But it's not any of your business. If you'll excuse me."

Draco tried to push past the man but was stopped by his arm stopping him roughly across the chest. The younger man looked up bewildered. "I have to go to my Common room right now to change before dinner. I was just outside and it was snowing."

"Why don't you come with me and I'll give you a nice cup of hot chocolate. It'll warm you up and I know a good drying spell as well. You'll be warmed up and ready to go to dinner in no time. In fact, I'll escort you there."

"No thanks. I'll do fine on my own. I'll take a rain check on that hot chocolate. I've got somebody to meet for dinner."

"Indeed? And who is this?"

"Nobody. Just a person."

"A girl, by chance?"

"Not really. It's just a friend."

"Hmmm... I think your friend can wait a bit. Come along then."

The man grabbed Draco by the arm and started pulling him down the corridor. He yanked his arm free and glared at the man. "I do not want to have hot chocolate with you. I'd rather kiss Neville Longbottom. What are you doing here anyhow? If Professor Snape catches you..."

"My dear boy, I hardly care where I am supposed to be. And besides, the reason that I am here is none of your concern. Now come along... just a quick cup."

He grabbed Draco's arm again and pulled him along but Draco had reached for his wand and was pointing it at the back of his head. "Let go of me.... now." Draco said firmly. The man turned around, still clutching Draco firmly. He made a swipe for the wand but Draco dodged and pointed his wand again. "Stupefy!" The man fell down and Draco only looked down at him for a few moments before he fled to his common room, thoroughly shaken.

When he got to his bed, he collapsed onto it, breathing deeply, trying to calm himself. Since when did people become so forceful about having a cup of hot chocolate with them? Should this be one of those things that he should tell Severus about? Surely the man just wanted company of some sort. But that would be strange. He and Draco knew each other, sure... but they had never been on friendly speaking terms. Why would he start now? And what was he doing in Slytherin territory? To see the man while walking to the Slytherin dormitories had been strange.

Draco was brought abruptly out of his thoughts by an owl landing on his stomach. He looked at it and immediately groaned. It was his father's owl. Probably another one, begging him to reconsider his decision to never come home again, that Lucius was still keeping Draco in the will, and that he would just in case Draco ever changed his mind. Draco figured that it was only because he was the only Malfoy heir. If his name was taken out of the will, the money would probably go to charity, and a Malfoy would never let that happen to his money without his consent. Draco scoffed and untied the letter from the owl, which immediately took off again. Sure enough, the letter was the same as always. Begging him to come home. Well, the closest a Malfoy could come to begging, that is anyway. It was more like a subtle threat. Nothing too nice or needy sounding. But near the end, a phrase jumped out at him that made his breath stop and everything around him come to a stand still.

The Dark Lord wants you to join him, Draco. He is willing to offer you a place in his inner circle. Just think of the rewards you could get. Think of the glory that would come your way for torturing and killing Muggles and Mudbloods. The feeling is like nothing else in the world, son. If you don't like it right away, you will learn to love it. It's thrilling. And as an extra incentive... the Dark Lord suspects that he is close in getting Potter. I won't tell you how as I'm sure you have noticed the change in the school, but he thinks he may be able to get Potter to join him. A very valuable resource has come to us and said that the darkness is getting him. It's only a matter of time before he surrenders. We would be on the winning side of this war already if he were to join us. If he does, I suggest you make up your mind which side you are on. If you decide to join me before that time comes, write to me and I will get into contact with the Death Eater inside Hogwarts. He will come to you.

Please reconsider the Christmas and summer holidays.

Lucius

Draco knew that this letter would be good to show Severus. They were close with Harry. Just how close? How would they find that out? And what exactly was Harry not telling Draco?

***

The next day was the match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Harry's nerves were very high because everybody was telling him that he was going to do horrible and fall off of his broom. Even the Gryffindors were saying this but were also threatening that he at least better catch the snitch before doing so. That didn't help alleviate Harry's worries at all. And Draco hadn't been much of a help. Ever since dinner the night before, he had been acting strangely, giving Harry looks as though Harry were going to pull out his wand and kill Draco. Dinner had been an extremely silent affair. Any time that Draco did speak, it was tense and would usually end in a sort of weird, tense laugh.

So, when the whistle sounded, Harry mounted his broom and kicked off into the air, listening to Seamus Finnigan's voice announce the game. He had taken over this year in the place of Lee Jordan. Cho Chang gave Harry a menacing glare and flew off to her own end of the field, for which Harry was profoundly grateful. That meant that he probably wouldn't have to have any contact with anybody. He flew high above the game, keeping a watch out for any sign of the little golden ball. The Ravenclaw beaters seemed to be hitting the bludgers in his direction more often than usual and Harry highly suspected that the only reason the Gryffindor beaters were helping him was because they wouldn't be able to win the game without him. Though, they were a bit sluggish in hitting the rampaging balls out of the way.

When the score was 80-60, Gryffindor's lead, the little snitch was spotted by both seekers at the same exact time. It was hovering in the middle of the field, about fifty feet from the ground. Harry wasted no time in flying after it. As Cho was definitely closer, she had the advantage. Harry was flying up behind her, putting all he had into his broom. Luckily, his Firebolt was still the fastest racing broom in the world and he was quickly neck and neck with the older girl. Just as they were nearing the snitch, Cho pushed Harry violently to the side in an attempt to get him away from their quarry and he veered off to the side. But then the snitch moved again, and in Harry's direction. He chased after it again, and reached his hand out and closed his hand around the fluttering ball.

From behind, Cho Chang flew up to him and pushed him violently once again. Harry lost his balance and started to fall off his broom. He quickly grabbed hold of it with his free hand and held on for dear life. As if from somewhere far away, he heard Cho yelling something to her beaters and saw her gesturing to him out of the corner of his eye. In the next moment, two bludgers were flying his way and hit his stomach and arm in quick succession. His arm cracked and the wind was knocked out of him, and he could no longer hold onto the broom. His fingers slipped off the broom and he began to fall the fifty feet to the ground, out cold before he hit.

***

"Harry, wake up. Don't be dead. Don't be dead."

Harry listened to the person's mantra with a groggy head. What was going on and why did it feel like he had been bashed with a hammer until he was mere Jell-O on the ground? He opened his eyes blearily and saw a head of blonde hair sitting beside him. His glasses were slipped onto his face and Draco Malfoy's fear stricken face came into view.

"Harry! You're awake! Do you know who I am? Do you feel like shit? Should I get Madam Pomfrey?"

"Shut up, Draco!" Harry replied hoarsely.

Draco crossed his arms and pouted. "Some thanks I get for worrying. You fell fifty feet, you know. I thought you died. And then to not even be able to come and find you until it it's dark... it's been sheer torture."

"Gee... I didn't know you cared that much."

"Shut up, Potter. You would have been worse, had it been me playing."

"No, I wouldn't have. Ah... I have such a headache. How come I didn't die? The last time I fell that far, Dumbledore slowed me down and I highly doubt he did so this time."

"No, I did. Very discreetly, I may add. I knew I'd be the only one who would. Severus wasn't at the game. He said he had a bunch of essays to correct."

Harry smiled weakly at the boy sitting beside him. "You saved my life. Now I owe you."

"You owe me shit, Potter."

"Shut up. You pay back Ron, I'll pay you back someday when the time comes. Say, how is that coming anyway? Are you still planning on paying him back?"

"Of course!" Draco grinned widely. "I am a Malfoy and we always get revenge." He got up from his chair and sat on the edge of Harry's bed. "Do you want to hear what I've got so far? It's very amusing."

"Um... no, I don't think so. It'll be better if it's a surprise."

"You're right. It'll be smack you on the arse funny! We'll definitely be putting Weasley in his place. I can't wait! It's been so long since I've been able to put my brilliant brain into action like this."

Harry scoffed. "Brilliant?"

"I resent that. I don't think I'll talk to you anymore tonight. Good night, Potter."

"Wait. Speaking of not talking anymore... what was up with dinner last night? You were acting extremely weird."

Harry immediately noticed the change that went over Draco. His face paled and he started fidgeting. "It was nothing, Harry. Just something personal that I spoke to Severus about."

"Was it about your father?"

"Yes. But I'd rather not speak about it, if you don't mind. Look... I'd better be going. I need to get to bed."

"But it's Saturday night."

"Well, I'm tired."

"But I need company!" Harry whined.

"I'm going to bed." Draco lifted his hand and hesitated for a moment but then entwined his fingers in Harry's hair and ran his hand through it. "I hope you get better soon." He took his hand out of his hair and ran his fingertips down the side of Harry's cheek. "Goodnight, Harry. Sleep well." The blonde hair boy quickly got up and left.

Harry watched him go until the door shut and only managed a weak, ‘goodnight' after the door closed. He looked up at the ceiling, willing his heart beat to slow down so that he could go back to sleep and try to forget the pain in his entire body. And maybe the light touch of Draco Malfoy's hand on his cheek. But no, that memory was worth keeping.

The same grassy field that Harry had been in only once before was surrounding him again. The flowers were alive and prospering, screaming their colours to the world. Harry smiled down at them but didn't pick any, knowing that where he was going, it would only die anyway. The thought made him kind of sad but also excited. He began to walk with his face upturned towards the bright sun. Before too long, the sound of water reached his ears and he looked forward to find that where there was once a river, a large lake sat. He walked to the edge, and knelt down beside it and looked at his reflection.

But his reflection wasn't there. In the water, he could see the plain as it was after he spun for the first time. It was dirt and rocks and bare trees. He touched his hand in the water and was sucked forward in a whirlpool. The spinning sensation overtook him and he found himself to be laughing. It felt so good to be so free, liberated. And finally, he landed with a soft thump in that bereft plain. He looked around, smiling. Nothing had changed. The clouds were covering the sky, just as the dirt and rocks were covering the ground. The scarce trees were bare and there was no sign of plant life anywhere.

"This is where you could be, Harry Potter. Notice how happy you are? How free? You can do whatever you want here. Because when it's dark, nobody sees it. You're free. This is where you belong, not with the traitors who make you fall off your broom. You belong here, in the dark. Let it come."

And Harry found himself nodding along.