Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter blah blah blah

Warning: There will be mental illnesses/sex/curse words/minor deaths (that you already know of)/ and other traumatizing things in the future.

A/N: My fic Misguided Handshake sucked, but I am going to undo it with this long fic, I hope. It's sort of inspired by that fic, though. Hopefully, better since it's been three years? My grammar must've had improved through the long years. This fic is also sort of inspired by Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, and of course, my love for my OTP.

Chapter 1:

ooo

The atmosphere was dull. Draco felt himself floating over weary air. He did not understand why he felt sudden anxiety inside.

He stood there. He was anticipating something important. He didn't know what he was waiting for. All he knew was that he was waiting for someone's response.

He felt a soft grip around his right hand. He felt sudden composure and everything turned clearer. Harry Potter had accepted his friendship.

ooo

All the first years were in awe, while Draco tried hard to look like he'd seen better structures than this excuse of a castle. He tried his best to ignore each painting that literally screamed for his attention.

"You've got to be in Slytherin," he said, smugly, while draping his arm around an enthralled-looking Harry Potter.

"Slytherin?" Harry asked. "But Hagrid said all the bad wizards were there. Wasn't Volde—sorry, You-Know-Who a Slytherin?"

Draco scorned, but composed himself quickly. He wanted to persuade Harry into being in Slytherin with him. He saw Harry as his equal, which was really rare. "Yes, Voldemort was," he said, not planning to deny it.

Draco was sort of glad to see Harry's eyes widen at his mention of the name without fear. He felt like he'd impressed him.

"But what does that oaf, Hagrid, know about bad and good? He doesn't even know how to read," Draco scoffed. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind them.

Draco's statement seemed to turn Harry off, he noticed. So he added, "I tell you, Potter, Slytherin's… well, more exclusive than the others. All the powerful wizards were from Slytherin," hoping to impress the doubtful-looking boy.

"Then I wouldn't be in it, would I?" Harry replied, looking down. "I don't know a thing or two about magic…."

Draco felt weird hearing this from someone like Harry Potter. "You're either born with it or you're not, Potter," he explained smugly. "And I know you are…. It's in your blood," he added, smirking.

Harry smiled. He was pretty sure it was a compliment. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Draco replied quickly while looking away. He felt weird complimenting someone other than himself… and liking the feeling after.

The people around them blurred and all he could hear was stiff silence.

ooo

"SLYTHERIN" a rusty voice cried.

He felt the need to stand up and clap, but something about the atmosphere prevented him from doing so.

He is seated at the Slytherin Table, right. He had already been sorted. It wasn't natural to get excited over little things, being a Slytherin.

But it wasn't a little thing for Draco; Harry Potter had been sorted to Slytherin. Although many Slytherins claimed to have expected it, it still felt like a relief once the Sorting Hat had officially announced. Draco began clapping. Surprisingly, the higher years started clapping too.

All the voices around him, although a bit gloomy compared to the other tables, sounded very pleased. Of course, he heard distant hisses from the far end of the room, the Gryffindor Table.

When Harry Potter sat beside him, the feast began unquestioningly.

The food kept sprouting and sprouting from the plates which kept sprouting and sprouting from the table. The students, the headmasters, and the even the ghosts kept on eating and eating. Draco felt full, he sensed the others did as well, but it did not stop them from finishing their plates which had infinite ends.

Draco's stomach made him woozy, as if he could not eat anymore, but he also could not stop. He could not breathe. He had been taking too much food in him, as well as the others in his table. He would expect this sort of behavior from a Hufflepuff. It embarrassed him.

He managed to look around. Even ghosts and the professors ate in such barbaric behavior. Had they all starved during the summer? Why did Draco seem to be the only one aware of this? Why does he seem like the only one whose stomach is churning and mind is collapsing.

He felt his head falling and crashing toward the plate.

He felt no bump.

He opened his eyes, and darkness filled the room.

ooo

"Draco," someone whispered from the bed beside him. "Draco," the voice whispered again. "Malfoy!" Harry said a bit louder.

Draco scorned, "What is it, Potter? Can't you see I'm sleeping? We have a Potions test tomorrow and we need rest!"

Harry ignored his protests. "I'm going to Hagrid's tomorrow, do you want to come?"

"That's it?" Draco asked, pissed. "That's what couldn't wait 'til tomorrow?"

"Aren't you going to make a speech on how you think Hagrid and Ron and Hermione are the wrong sort or something?"

"Mudbloods and Traitors are coming to The Uneducated Giant's Hut too? What an afternoon delight!" said Draco, his whispers getting louder.

Harry grew accustomed to ignoring Draco's insults about his friends from Gryffindor. He did not like it, but he knew best to ignore it. "I'm surprised Crabbe and Goyle aren't awake with the level of our voices,"

"Their brain is sleeping when they're awake, it's probably dead when they're asleep," concluded Draco.

The two boys shared a laugh before going back to sleep.

Draco wasn't coming.

ooo

Draco opened his eyes. He was standing on grass. Behind him was the castle.

"Snape does not hate you, Potter," Draco said, while walking with Harry down to Hagrid's Hut. "Tell me again, why we're going down to the gamekeeper?" he complained.

"I didn't ask you to come this time, Malfoy," Harry replied. "You followed me."

"Yes, I did. I didn't have anything better to do. Okay?" Draco defended. "I still don't trust those Gryffindors—with their fake heroic portrayal of themselves, they're just plain impulsive. They might brainwash you, you know."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, because they're the cunning house."

"You know what I mean," added Draco.

"I happen to trust them," Harry replied quite fiercely. "I'm not asking you to befriend them, Malfoy; I'm asking you to tolerate my friendship with them."

Draco scoffed. "Well, I don't have a choice, do I?"

Harry knocked once before Hagrid opened the door.

"Hi Hagrid!" Harry beamed.

"Heya thur, Harry!" the giant oaf greeted happily. "Ron en Hermoine's waitin' fer ye inside."

"I brought Malfoy," said Harry. "Is that alright?"

Hagrid's face fell. Who would've known half giants with brains as big as ants had prejudice bones in them? They probably ate a pure blood. "Aye, Heya Malfoy," he said awkwardly to the timid boy standing behind Harry.

"Hello," said Draco, tightly. Hagrid didn't hear him.

"Harry ken I talk te yeh fur a minu'e in private? I got summat priva'e to say."

Harry looked at Draco to see if it was alright. Draco didn't have a choice. "See you later, Potter," he said, threatening to leave

Harry nodded.

"See yeh, Malfoy," Hagrid said before closing the door.

Draco stared at the details of the wooden door. It was a poor excuse of a door. He could easily see what was happening inside through the broken planks.

Granger and Weasley were sitting together side by side, while Harry, of course, had his own seat beside Hagrid who was telling him something.

It must be something important because the oaf's eyes were looking intently into Harry's. All Draco could see into the giant's eyes were strong black pupils, and it secretly scared him. He did not admit this to anyone, but one of his fears was being crushed by the giant. It would be very embarrassing to be out-smarted by a stupid human-hippo.

Draco glanced at the left of the room where he spotted a giant egg being boiled. This egg looked unlike any other eggs he'd ever seen before. If he wasn't smart enough, he'd almost think it to be a Dragon's Egg.

Suddenly, the Gryffindoric lot started laughing alongside Harry. Maybe the conversation's over and they're going to let Draco come in, or better yet, they're going to let Harry leave.

They did neither.

Draco felt like he'd been waiting for hours.

Time felt so long that he'd fallen asleep.

ooo

It was Potions, Draco's favorite subject. Who could hate Potions? It's a subject where you just mix stuff up and Professor Snape is watching. It's almost a free pass.

Surprisingly, that's not what Harry Potter's thinking. "I hate Potions," he whispered toward Draco.

"Are you serious, Potter? How can you hate Potions? It's Snape!" Draco said.

"Exactly," said Harry miserably.

Draco ignored him.

Harry sighed, before looking at the Gryffindor's side, at the bush and orange. Hermione, Ron, and Harry gave each other a knowing look against their professor.

Draco felt angry. It seemed he was losing his friend to those Gryffindors.

ooo

Draco and Harry had been punished for staying up late.

"I mean, it's ridiculous," Draco complained. "The Forbidden Forest is forbidden because you're not stupid and you don't wish to die there, right? But as soon as you do something bad you're punishment is going to the Forbidden Forest. What if I wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest and someone caught me? I'd be punished by—oh, surprise!—going to the Forbidden Forest!"

Harry sniggered. Being in the Forbidden Forest wasn't as bad as Draco thought it would be.

"I guess it was a sensible punishment," Draco continued. "What kind of punishment could I expect from a Gryffindor?"

"Bugger off, Malfoy," snapped Hermione. It was much worse.

"Snape picked our punishment, Malfoy," Harry added. "He agreed to Professor McGonagall's punishment, technically …"

Draco looked at him angrily. "You're one of them."

"I'm not," Harry assured him rather lamely. "Not that—not that there's anything wrong with that, guys."

"Okay," Hagrid finally said. "Le's star' with who's goin' with who."

"Slytherins and Gryffindors," said Draco. "It would only make sense."

"Uh, okay, Malfoy, ye and Harry are goin' toge'er. Yeh get Fang," said the giant, handing Harry the leash. "…since I'm Gryffindor an' all. Cas' red ligh's through yer wand if any of yeh're in trouble, okay?"

Harry nodded. Draco scoffed. They went left while the Gryffindors went right.

"This is your entire fault, Potter! Wait 'til my father hears about this!" Draco said, breaking the silence.

"I'm sorry, Malfoy," Harry said annoyingly. "I didn't know you'd follow me."

"I knew there was a Dragon's Egg!"

"You didn't," Harry snapped back. "You said, 'He couldn't possibly have a Dragon's Egg,' before comparing him with another large creature."

Before Draco could reply, Fang started barking. "What the bloody hell is that smell?"

"It's coming from there," Harry said, pointing at the direction Fang was barking at. There seemed to be a white creature lying down a few bushes ahead.

It was a unicorn. It was dying.

Draco screamed, casting red lights above him for Hagrid to see.

"With the rate of your screaming, you don't need to cast red lights, Malfoy," Harry suggested.

"WHERE THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT OAF?" LET'S LEAVE IT, POTTER! LET'S LEAVE!" Draco begged, pulling Harry's arm, but Harry's feet seemed to be stuck on the ground. Fang seemed to agree with Draco.

"You go ahead," Harry said.

"ARE YOU BLOODY NUTTERS? I'm not leaving you with that thing!"

Harry moved closer.

"Potter!" Draco hissed. "You come back here this instance!"

"Don't worry," Harry said. "Someone seems to be helping it."

The cloaked figure stopped caressing the unicorn. It looked at Harry.

"Potter," Draco said, afraid, but moving closer toward Harry. "Potter, he's got blood all over his mouth. He drank the unicorn's blood!"

"What?" Harry said in disbelief.

"Potter," Draco said, tugging Harry's arm once more. "Let's go."

They started running but the creature was too fast.

Draco and Harry, along with Fang who seems to be leaving them behind, did not stop running. They dared not to look back, but they had to once they've heard a kick. And was that a neigh?

Draco stopped running. "Potter," he said.

"What is it?"

"It's a Centaur."

"What's that?" Harry asked in confusion.

Draco looked at Harry with utter disbelief. How daft is the Muggle World?

"Harry Potter?" the Centaur said.

"I—I'm Harry Potter," Harry stammered.

"I bet even Centaurs know that," Draco commented.

"I'm Firenze. He wants to kill you… He won't be unconscious for long. Let me help you," said the Centaur, offering Harry his back to ride on. "You won't need my help," he turned to Draco.

As Harry left with Firenze, Draco was left alone with Fang.

"Aguamenti," he said. Water spurted out of his wand and toward Fang's face. Fang didn't complain. Draco grunted. "You weren't supposed to enjoy it, you beast."

The forest got unbearably dark again.

ooo

"Here it is," Harry said, pointing at a mirror.

"'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi?'" Draco tried to read the imprints of the frame. "What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? I suppose it's not Latin."

"I don't know. I just—I just see my parents every time I'm here," Harry said, getting caught up at the reflection once more. "What do you see?" he asked, changing the topic.

Draco looked at his reflection and Harry's. "I don't get it. I just see our reflections. I don't see my parents."

"It's not supposed to show anyone's parents, it's supposed to—" Harry stopped, not sure exactly how the mirror works.

Draco stared at the reflection. It was like an ordinary mirror to him. "Wait," he told Harry. "The reflection is changing. Is that my—is that my dad?" Harry's reflection got replaced by Lucius Malfoy. "Potter, you're reflection was replaced by my father," he observed happily.

Draco stared at the reflection; Lucius seemed to be patting his back. He looked proud at his son before disappearing. "That was nice," he said. "Quick, but it's still nice. I'm glad you showed me."

"Quick?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"The reflection went back to normal," replied Draco.

"It never showed my reflection alone," Harry said. "My parents were always there. That's all I ever see here."

Draco didn't say anything, but the both of them looked happier in the mirror.

ooo

It was dark. Draco knew he was sleeping—should've been sleeping.

He was awoken by Harry's movements. Draco could not believe his ear's sensitivity. "Potter," he whispered. "Where are you going?"

Harry, unfortunately, couldn't hear a word. He left the common room again.

He couldn't hear him, Draco assured to himself. That was the right answer. He couldn't have ignored him, right?

Draco went back to sleep.

He dreamt about floating with Harry. It was pathetic. He was losing himself in the air and in the unknown darkness, before he felt himself alone.

He opened his eyes.

ooo

Everything looked like a blur. His feet were on the ground; he just knew it. He did not feel his feet or the ground. He felt time move too quickly. At the same time, it felt like it did not move at all. He felt his body idly still, before it pushed him to move.

To run.

ooo

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Draco came barging into the Hospital Wing, screaming at a calm-looking Dumbledore. He was surprised at his own reaction.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy…" Dumbledore said coolly, placing a finger on his lips for silence. "I believe Mr. Potter, as you see, is tired."

Draco looked at Harry, resting placidly on one of the beds. Draco examined Harry's face. The scar wasn't the only mark on his forehead. "He's badly bruised! Of course he's bloody tired!" Soot patches were all over Harry's face. "I knew that mudblood and—"

"Language, my boy!" a young-looking Madam Pomfrey cried from her place. "You happen to be talking to the Headmaster," she added sternly.

"It is okay, Madam Pomfrey. One cannot control one's words when one is in deep fear or worry," Dumbledore assured knowingly.

Madam Pomfrey looked like she wanted to say something before stopping herself, curtly nodding before leaving the two.

"I'm not afraid!" Draco replied, once again, defensively. "I just want to know why he's bruised! I woke up this morning and found him gone! Where did go? I suppose you, of all people, know," he demanded.

"Ah, my boy," Dumbledore said, "What Mr. Potter did here was quite heroic. Of course, it is a secret. However, I ask Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to help him. I am sure, knowing secrets here at Hogwarts, this secret will come out very soon, and you will hear all about this from your peers…" He added, smiling.

Draco looked at the man with utter disbelief, and added irritably, "Why won't you just tell me then? I can't wait that long. What happened to him? Why is he bruised? Who has hurt him? I bet it was that Mudblood and Traitor's—" Draco was used to this language with his friends and family, he felt careless tossing it in front of the Headmaster.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy…" Dumbledore replied, hiding the fierceness in his voice, "we do not tolerate rude name-calling in Hogwarts. I am sure if your friend, Mr. Potter here, knew what you called his friends; he would be very offended, indeed."

"Granger? Weasley?" Draco jeered. "His friends? He—"

"He would've told you, if you never felt ill towards them in the first place," Dumbledore replied. "I sense jealousy, Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure Harry has enough kindness to be friends with anyone from any lot, I assume."

Draco had already known before. He just couldn't accept it.

"Now, would you like a bean from Bertie Bott's?" he offered one.

"I'm not jealous," Draco continued, not looking at the man.

Albus Dumbledore smiled at him. "You knew they were friends. The sooner you accept it, the happier you would be," he added.

Draco thought Dumbledore was a complete nutter, he was screaming and shouting at him, and all the Headmaster could do was smile? He felt sick, those blue eyes gleaming at him like it could see through.

"It's not a happy thought though, is it?" Draco continued on. "You're bestfriend in the whole world doesn't think of you as his best friend? He prefers a different lot. A lot you despise."

"Prejudice," Dumbledore continued, "Mr. Malfoy, is—"

"Not tolerated at Hogwarts, I know," said Draco. "It's just hard. I should've been the one helping Harry. Why didn't he ask me?"

"Maybe you weren't the right person, but Harry would've appreciated your effort, Mr. Malfoy. You're a great friend, I'm sure. Jealousy just gets in your way."

"I can't help it…" Draco said.

Dumbledore didn't say anything in return.

"Can I stay?" Draco asked, looking at Harry peacefully sleeping. "Wait for him to wake up, I mean." He explained.

Dumbledore sighed, "It might take a long time before he wakes up… Don't you want to watch the Final Quidditch Match? I hear Slytherin will give my old house, Gryffindor, a run for their Galleons." He chuckled.

"No. Not really." Draco replied; his tone was softer than before. "I should stay here."

Dumbledore stood up. "Okay, goodbye, Mr. Malfoy."

"Wait," the boy cried. "I've been hearing things."

"Ah, hearing things that aren't sounds is dangerous," Dumbledore replied quickly.

"Is it true though, what I've been hearing? Voldemort came back and he was one of the professors all along?"

"Well," the old man paused. "Perhaps rumours spread as quickly, but more far-fetched as before. As Headmaster, I do not wish to confirm nor deny said rumours. I don't think it would be fit for you to hear it from me, Mr. Malfoy."

As Dumbledore nodded, leaving him alone beside Potter's sleeping body, the room seemed to have disappeared.

ooo

The room reappeared again.

Harry woke up.

It felt like days.

Maybe it was.

It didn't matter.

"Malfoy," Harry said.

"Was it true, Potter?" Draco asked the moment Harry stood up. "You defeated Voldemort again?"

Harry nodded.

"Who was helping him?"

"Professor Quirrel," Harry said flatly. "I thought it was Snape, but it was Quirrel."

"Oh," was all he could reply before helping his friend up.

ooo

The Great Hall appeared. Green filled the room. Despite Gryffindor's close points, Slytherin reigned victorious in the year's House Cup.

The Slytherins gloated.

Draco and Harry smiled.

xxx

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"I knew he wasn't evil."

"Mr. Malfoy."

"I knew it the moment—what?"

"Mr. Malfoy?" a woman's voice called.

Draco opened his eyes. A ray of light seemed to be flashing his face. The Potion wore off. Draco regained consciousness.

"Your time's up. That would be ten galleons," said the Divination's Artist, Martha Mankins.

"Already?"

Martha nodded. "You have to stop crying, honey. It makes me nervous. Tears are one of my potion's side-effects. It might cause sore eyes."

"I didn't get very long," said Draco. "Usually I—" he stopped, unable to share what the Reverberum makes him see.

The Reverberum is a potion Mirabelle Mankins, great-great grandmother of Martha Mankins, conjured in the late 1800s. It helps you fall into a deep hallucination of moments from the past, but with one thing altered.

Many customers have fallen addicted to the potion, wishing to change the choices they had made or other people had made for them. It results their mind and body to crave for the life that the potion holds. . Many customers are currently staying at St. Mungo's; that's why it's illegal. However, Mankin's business had always been on the second corner to the right in Knockturn Alley… for eighty years. There's no stopping this family business.

Many people alter the broomstick they bought or the question they've answered(—a no, instead of a yes—)but for Draco Malfoy, it was always altering Harry Potter's choice. It was always about Potter accepting his hand.

"Are you sure? It depends on what you focus on, dear. Avoid focusing on too much details, it tends to drain out the liquid's capacity on holding altered time."

"I can't help it. It feels so real."

Martha smiled. "That's why you're always coming back. Want to live hundreds of alternate lives, you do," she joked.

Draco didn't say anything. It was just one altered life.

It was the life he wanted.

"Would you ike some more?" Martha asks before the potion stopped brewing. The bubbles turned a light blue color.

Draco nodded before gulping the glass and closing his eyes.

Thank you. Reviews are very much appreciated.

A/N: I wanted it to be sort of like a Pensieve, the Reverberum, but it just wouldn't have much effect in the future chapters if it was Pensieve-like.