"Draco, are you sure your alright?" Pansy asked Draco, grabbing his left wrist.

Draco pulled his arm out of her grasp and stormed out of the Great Hall,

leaving with a hastily muttered, "I'm fine."

Harry watched this scene play out from the Gryffindor table with intrest.

"Hermione, look. She grabbed his left arm and he ran away. I'm telling you, he's

a Death Eater."

Hermione didn't even look up from the Daily Prophet, "Innocent until proven

guilty, Harry"

Harry, at his breaking point, stood up, "Fine. I'm going to go get proof."

Harry walked through the halls, trying to get a glimpse of some white-blond

hair.

When he did eventually find him, he expected to find something at least slightly

menacing. He did not expect to find him eating an apple looking like a relative

just died.

"Malfoy?" Harry questioned, stepping into the charms classroom.

Draco's head snapped up and his face morphed into a scowl, "Get out of here,

Potter."

"No. I don't think so."

"I'm warning you-"

"Listen Malfoy, I saw what you looked like through the door. Something's wrong,

and I want to help."

"Look Potter," Draco sneered, "I know you think you can solve the worlds

problems, but you can't. And you most certainly can't help me.

"And why not?"

Draco sighed and looked down at his apple, playing with it in his hands.

Harry sat staring at him for a while. When it was clear Draco wasn't spilling,

he went to leave. As his hand touched the door knob, he heard Draco from behind

him.

"I worry that the path I've worked so hard to get on will take me furthest from

where I actually want to be."

"What?"

Draco went back to his apple.

"Malfoy-"

"You got me to bloody open up. Now leave."

"Not until I know what you mean."

Harry got no answer.

"Draco, listen. I know what its like to not being able to tell something to

someone. So you can trust me."

"We have hated each other for 5 years, it's not that- did you call me Draco?"

Harry shrugged, "It is your name."

Draco looked at Harry oddly for a few minutes and then said, "Stays between you

and us?"

Harry nodded. Draco sighed and pulled up his left sleeve.

"I don't want to be a Death Eater,"

Draco said to Harry's shocked expression, "I'm being forced to. He's going to

kill my parents if I don't follow through."

"Follow through on what?"

Draco shook his head and took a bite of his apple, indicating he was saying no

more.

Harry got up to leave. As he was twisting the doorknob, he said behind me.

"You told me one of your secrets, I'll tell you one of mine."

Before Draco could even think of interrupting, Harry rushed out, "Until I was

11, I slept in a cupboard, under some stairs."

He ran out before he could hear Draco's reply.

As Harry made made his way back to the Great Hall, the only thought on his mind

was, "What the hell just happened?"