Disclaimer: None of the Harry Potter characters, places where the books are held, or even the plot belong to dear old me. They belong to wonderful, intelligent J.K. Rowling (even though Book Six made me howl in disbelief and shock...besides those rather strong emotions, I liked the book just fine) and distributed by Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic Inc., at least here in the U.S. Since I have taken the time to write this disclaimer, there's no reason in the world anyone should feel the need to sue me.

" Shattered Illusions"

Chapter One - Two Opposites

" By the Gods, he's gorgeous."

I couldn't help but let out a small sigh as I stared across the Great Hall at the object of my eternal fascination and envy. Yes, I knew that if any of my Slytherin associates caught me in the act of staring at a known enemy with anything but hatred in my eyes, I wouldn't make it through the rest of the school term but I could not help myself. He fascinated me...much like a moth to a light fixture...and I could not resist him...knowing that it could cost me my life.

Him…Harry James Potter.

The Savior of the Wizarding World.

Quidditch hero.

" And as far out of my reach as the sun is from my fingertips."

My hands clenched, tightly, against the Slytherin table as I made an attempt to shift my attention away from the smiling Gryffindor. I should not had bothered to attempt it; not even two minutes later, my eyes were right back on him, hopelessly studying everything about him.

" He's changed much since last year. Depending on who you talk to, he has changed for the better."

My eyes quickly traveled over Harry's body with a practiced ease. His wild raven-black hair had finally been tamed over the summer and now, was styled into his usual inch-long spikes and without the obnoxious distraction of those ugly oval glasses he used to wear (Granger had finally given him the spell in order to restore his vision), I could finally see those striking, intense emerald-green eyes of his.

His body…yes, his body. No, it was not a typical example of handsome, sensual masculine form...but still, it was still oddly beautiful in its own way. Six years of playing Quiddtich had clearly done him some good. Instead of the hulking muscles and colossal body parts I was accustomed to seeing on players like us, he sported a tanned, lean body. His slender limbs and sinewy, strong muscles made everyone, male or female, give him second looks in pure appreciation. His old pale and slight frame had obviously become a thing of the past.

" Draco!"

I was jarred out of my inspection at the sound of my name being called. I quickly rearranged my features into an expression of mild disdain and calmly, looked into the bemused face of my best friend and occasional lover, Daphne Greengrass. At least, I hoped that I appeared to be calm. It wouldn't be in my best interests for anyone to find out my true feelings, concerning Harry. It would automatically make me a pariah within my House...and that was something I could not risk.

" Yes?"

" Are you all right, Draco? You looked like you were in a totally different world for a moment there." Daphne asked, midnight-blue eyes looking into mine with concern. " Let me guess...you've managed to scare the crap out of some first year and they've stupidily threatened to report you to Snape? You know as well as I do that he won't do anything to you."

I smirked and shook my head. " No, I was just thinking about something. It wasn't important" I barely caught myself from gazing across the Great Hall at Harry, again, and tried harder to focus my attention on Daphne. " Was there something specific on your mind that you wanted to talk about?"

" I just wanted to give this to you," she said, pulling out an envelope from her bag and handing it to me, " It must have gotten mixed in with the usual from my family, earlier today. I was about to open it when I saw your name on the front…"

" My name?" I took the letter from her manicured fingers and looked at it intently. Judging from the texture and smell (vanilla), I knew that it came from one of two people, my father or my mother. More than likely, it was my father. Mother was always too busy, going from one function to another with other high - powered pureblood witches, to even bother much.

Daphne nodded. " Yes. Do you know what it could be about?"

" No but I'm about to find out."

I tore into the envelope with an almost demonic force and pulled out a hastily written note. As I had though, my father had written it. It can't be all that bad, then. He leaves me notes now and again. If it were an emergency, he would have been here faster than I can say 'Albus Dumbledore'.

How I wish I hadn't thought that…

Draco,

I know very well that we weren't going to discuss this until your 19th birthday but it seems as though we...no, I have no choice in the matter anymore. You must be married, or at least engaged, by the end of this, your final year at Hogwarts.

No, I'm not going to make you marry any specific female but I would suggest no female from Slytherin would be your choice. For some reason, the Ministry is of the belief that marrying Slytherin women would be something akin to disaster. Clearly, I can't tell you the exact reasons why in this letter. I will manage to associate with whomever your choice will be...within reason, of course...

If you choose to defy me, I have no choice but to disown you as my son and as the Malfoy heir. As you well know, your cousin has just come of age and I would be all too happy to replace you if necessary. I thought I would like to remind you of that. The notorious Black stubborness you inherited from your mother would not do you well in this instance. You have much more to lose than I do at the moment.

Seeing as though the term has just started, you have exactly ten months to find a bride. Do not disappoint me and don't lower your standards to please me.

--Happy Hunting, Lucius

I dropped the letter onto the table and turned an icy calm gaze directly on Daphne, who cringed as if she already knew what was in the letter. My breathing slowed down, by a bare margin and I stood up, a red haze already clouding my vision. I knew I was about to embarrass myself beyond redemption but I didn't care. I was that furious.

" WHAT!" I screamed loudly.

It was a typical breakfast at the Gryffindor table. Some students were busily eating and chatting with their own Housemates, while others were up and about talking earnestly with their friends from the other Houses. The relaxed atmosphere can lull one into some false sense of security. I guess, it was part of the reason why the brazen Hufflepuff actually has the nerve to approach me at my table, with no fear of the consequences.

Compared to her usual style of pigtails, her blonde hair hanging loosely around her shoulders lent her a different aspect to her rather ordinary beauty. I'm sure others thought that she was beautiful, but I'm sure that I wasn't one of them. Personality wise, she was a decent person but there were moments, like this one, when I wondered who exactly had invaded her body. Somewhere, deep inside of her, she must have dredged up the nerve to go against the grain of her House and actually come walking over to me.

She looked over to her female Housemates, who were looking and giggling, before returning her gaze to me. " Maybe, tonight, Harry, we can hang out . I know we've both been too busy to get together." Hannah Abbott said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and giving me a flirtatious grin.

I gave her a considering look and shrugged. " Maybe." I answered, smoothly. I don't know what in the hell was on my mind on the train when she asked me whether I would hang out with her sometimes. For some stupid reason, I actually told her that I would. Maybe, it was a sense of pity...or more than likely, it was a sense of boredom. I was caught...for now...but I also knew that I had no intentions of dealing with the Hufflepuff.

Fine, I know that it isn't fair to keep stringing her along but truthfully, I really didn't care at that point. I was sick and tired of the scheming females in this school trying to gain my affections...and become known as the girlfriend of the " Savior of the Wizarding World " when last year, when I actually was seeking them out, they didn't give me the time of day. It would be a cold day in Hell before I fell for any of their crap.

Ronald Weasley, one of my best friends, let out a low whistle as Hannah flounced back to her own table. " I cannot figure this out. How do you manage to get the most beautiful girls of our year dying to go out with you?"

" Call it animal magnetism," I answered, holding back a grin. " What do you think, Hermione? Do you think that I'm too much for any lady to resist?"

Hermione Granger, my other best friend, jerked her attention from the Ravenclaw table, where her boyfriend since the end of their sixth year, Kyle Campos, sat. I could tell that she was apparently suffering from a case of 'separation anxiety' so I didn't do what was on the forefront of my mind, which was shake her and say that she was being too possessive.

" Well? Do you think that I'm too much for a lady to resist?" I asked again when she gave me a blank look.

" Of course not. What brou--?" Hermione's answer was cut short when a loud noise from the Slytherin table distracted everyone. To my utter surprise, the cause of the uproar was Draco Malfoy, the perennial ice prince of Slytherin House.

What's his problem? Can't we have breakfast in peace without him doing something completely stupid?

I could feel an annoyed sigh slip past my lips and I turned right back around, determined not to let the arrogant fool ruin breakfast for me. " Whatever it is, I hope it's enough to make him leave the Great Hall…forever." I muttered to myself as I speared a piece of bacon with my fork.

I could hear the exact moment when Malfoy made his dramatic exit out of the Great Hall and almost immediately, everyone burst into excited whispers. Both of my best friends turned their gazes on me. Damn…what did I do now?

" I wonder what has Malfoy so angry?" Hermione said, thoughtfully.

" Whatever it is, I hope it's particularly vicious." Ron said, smiling maliciously. " He deserves whatever's coming to him. Right, Harry?"

" Right." I answered back. Something, however, made me look back at the Slytherin table and then at the doors. It wasn't anything significant; it was just an uneasy feeling that I had.

" Anything wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, after a couple of minutes of silence. I knew that she found my lack of reaction to Malfoy's curious behavior odd. Usually, I never missed an opportunity to insult Malfoy or say something especially nasty about him.

" Nothing, Hermione," I answered, quickly. " Can't I just think for a while? Or do I really have to talk about stupid, non-important stuff?"

She bit her lip and turned away to talk with someone else. I really didn't mean to bite her head off like that but it couldn't be helped. My mind, for some reason, was still stuck on Malfoy and his odd behavior.

It isn't like him to be so…so…weird. He's usually so cool, calm, and collected. Even when we're at each other's throats, he stays the same, the proud, conceited Slytherin. Nothing unsettles him and I mean nothing. Something must have really gotten under his skin to make him act like that.

" Harry? Harry?"

I had to stop myself from glaring at Ron's expectant face and gave him a cool grin instead. " What? Did you call me?"

" It's almost time for Potions. As much as I would love to skip Snape's class, I'm afraid that we're going to have to attend. You're ready to go?" he promptly asked, as if he knew that I was seconds away from blowing a federal case.

I flashed a quick grin across the aisle at an attractive Ravenclaw girl and nodded. " Sure, sure. What about Hermione?" I muttered, gathering my things together in a rushed manner.

Ron's eyebrows knitted closely together as he stared at the focus of his affections since their first year. I could tell, as well as anyone who knew him as well as I did, that he was still head over heels in love with the girl. It was just his luck that when he finally had the nerve to tell her about his feelings, she had decided to go out with someone else.

He reached over and tapped her on the shoulder. Her cinnamon-brown eyes flashed momentarily as she waved a goodbye to the friend she was talking to and gave them her complete attention. " Yes?"

I stood up and slung my backpack in my shoulders. " We're about to head to Potions. Are you coming or are you going to be a tad bit late?"

I made sure to send a pointed look in Kyle's direction. She picked up on the unspoken message and flushed slightly. I couldn't help but smirk a little; it was all too easy to make someone feel guilty, especially close friends.

" I'm coming with you. Just give me a moment," Hermione replied, anxiously, " I just have to say--."

I didn't give her that moment after all. I just turned around and headed toward the doors with Ron right at my heels. As I walked, I could feel the collective stares of every solitary female in the Great Hall on my back. All that did was make my already gloomy mood even worse.

When will they get a life?

A/N: This is my first HP fanfiction and I would expect that this wouldn't be one of the greatest ones anyone had ever read. For those who will read this, you can't say that I didn't warn you…

For those of you who are against ships such as HPDM or HPSS, this story will not be your cup of tea so I would suggest that you stop while you're ahead. I will not pay any attention to flames or anything of that sort. If you don't like my stuff, then don't read it. However, constructive criticism would gladly be appreciated.

Chapter Two should be up pretty soon. Until then, keep reading and please review!