Based on: A yaoi rp my friend Alankin and I did. All parts of Draco and various characters played by her. Harry and other characters played by me.

Disclaimer: I and my friend do not own any part of Harry Potter, we're just fans.

Chapter 1

As soon as they boarded the train Harry hugged Hermione and placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. He could sense that the two were wanting to go on a snog fest. And Harry really didn't need to see that. Actually recently Harry had taken to being alone. While he still loved his friends and enjoyed their company he felt...different than them. So he would sneak off to be alone. That was the case now. He left his friends and went off to a lonely compartment near the end of the train. He sat on the familiar seat and watched as the familiar scenery began to go by. It was almost comforting if it didn't remind him of so many things. He leaned his head on the window pane and sighed as his dark hair fell into his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. But instead of his messy hair annoying him as it used to he slowly found that people now liked it. It gave him a mysterious look. He snorted softly as he wondered if this was how Malfoy had felt. Harry had heard some of the girls talk about Malfoy and how mysterious he was. Harry had just found it annoying at the time but now he wondered if it was the same.

In an attempt to get to the station early, he achieved in getting there late, dodging people he knew, and apparently his mother, who thought she might be able to catch a glimpse of her son. Though he loved her dearly, he wasn't ready to go back. He had spent the summer on the streets, in hotels and, when possible, in a room when people were kind enough. Of course he wouldn't let people on the train know of his plight.

Once on the train he moved to the back, he needed a quiet space to be alone, and he needed one soon, before everyone saw him and brought him into their group. Flinging open the door, he moved in the compartment and closed the door, pulling down the shade. That would have been about the same time Pansy's voice rang out his name in question.

"Bugger." He muttered, finally noticing his compartment wasn't as empty as he thought. No, of course he contained Harry Potter, that was just how things were working out.

Harry slowly raised his head and looked over to Malfoy. "...Oh..." he said in a tone that said he wasn't surprised or thought Malfoy was worth the effort. He leaned his head back on the window pane, his arms crossed and his eyes closed as if in a half sleep. "You're running from your lackeys? I thought I heard your disgusting girlfriend's voice calling for you." Harry suddenly felt like if he and Malfoy fought he could get back to a sense of normal. But it was obvious his heart wasn't into it. He sighed softly, "Want fire whiskey." He muttered very softly.

At first he froze, not knowing whether he was going to have to turn around a leave, or if he was even welcome. Draco just scowled at the remark about his 'girlfriend', it had been an ongoing thing that he feared he might never be able to shake off. With the offer of fire whiskey Draco felt comfortable enough to take a seat, sliding onto the floor with his bags on the seat above. He prayed Harry didn't notice the state of his belongings. Dirty, stained, torn, he hadn't the time to get new things, and living on the road certainly took it's toll, and living without his parents money was even more difficult. "Yeah...sounds like you could use some yourself..."

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask, tossing it to Draco. "I'd say that there is no way you could understand but after all that happened I'm sure you could. Or at least try." He looked over at Draco and did a double take. He wanted to ask Draco about it, or at the very least tease him a great deal about it. But judging from how Draco looked at the moment...Harry didn't want to be responsible for breaking someone. Not now when he was on the verge too. Harry then turned his gaze back to the window and watched the countryside slide by. He was silent for a moment and then finally said, "...Truce." His head thunked on the glass again as he sighed. "At least till we get to school." He slouched low in his seat and propped his feet up on the other seat, his arms crossed once again. His green eyes took on a dull look. "Then we can go back to whatever. Get something of a normal life again." He muttered softly. He hadn't slept in what seemed like forever. Nightmares would flood his dreams. He was thankful that his scar never hurt anymore. But images of the past would enter his dreams and he would wake either crying or in a cold sweat. For about a week, till he became too tired and would pass out into blissful oblivion. The only time he got sleep. But the next night they would be back. The screams...the blood...death all around him. Harry felt his eyes closed and he struggled to pull them open again. Afraid of what hid behind his eyelids.

Draco took a sip from the flask, tilting his head back, relishing the burn as it went down. Another sip followed, before screwing the cap back on and tossing it to Harry. "What is normal now Potter?" He believed the boy-who-just-wouldn't-die was going through as tough a time as he was. Yet they were both handling it whatever way they could. Of course Malfoy was on the edge, he was ready to snap, maybe that was one of the reasons he couldn't go home. Too many pressures and accusations. He cried. A lot. Sleep wouldn't come some nights, everything from the last few years hit him, from who he was and what he had become, and how he had become exactly what everyone wanted, despite he constant attempts to rebel.

Harry actually managed a dry chuckle. "I think our relationship was rather easy. I hated you, you hated me. For us, that could be normal, couldn't it?" Harry's eyes finally slid closed again. "There is no normal...anymore. I screwed that up. So...rry..." Harry's head lolled to the side and he was asleep. Dementors could have attacked the train, Voldemort could have risen from the dead and still Harry would not have awoken, so deep was his sleep. In his sleep he looked more like a wounded child than a broken young adult.

"I still hate you...I think." In no time Potter was asleep, which meant Draco technically had the compartment to himself, a snoring Gryffindor was the least of his worries. He talked to Harry, like the boy was awake, he tried to figure things out, like how he was going to face the Slytherin's, who needed their leader.

Twenty minutes before they arrived at Hogwarts Harry's inner alarm clock seemed to have gone off, letting him know that they were near. ...That or the fact that he was sleeping in such a precarious position. He slipped off the seat, having slowly slid forward more and more in his sleep till he finally fell onto the floor in an odd position. One leg on the seat still, the other up on the window and his arms above his head as he lay on the floor, gasping at the shock. He then groaned loudly, he didn't know whether to grab his back or his head in pain. "Bloody train seats." He groaned, figuring it was better to blame the train then himself as he slowly sat up. His back popping.

Draco had dozed off himself at some point, waking mere moments before Harry. "You looked uncomfortable, but you looked like you needed the sleep..." Draco shrugged, even seeing Potter in pain didn't get a rise out of him. He had used his magic, temporarily patching up his things, he still had an image to keep.

Harry had blinked at him, confused. For a moment it almost sounded like Malfoy had cared. Had had a human emotion. Now Harry didn't know what to think of the very pale blond boy in front of him. Harry shook his head and removed his glasses to clean them. "Yeah." He said, his voice still gruff from sleep. "Don't sleep much anymore." He yawned as he put his glasses on and pulled out one of his bags. He searched in it till he found his robes. He slipped them on and sat down. Then his eyes widened and he smacked himself on the forehead, muttering a few choice words. "Forgot to buy an owl." His heart lurched at the thought of another owl. Hedwig was his owl. Would always be his...but she was gone so he knew he'd have to get a new one eventually. He fairly growled his frustration. Was everything going to be a horrible reminder for him about all that he lost? Or all that he had taken from people? He took a deep breath, trying not to over react. Not to lash out. He glanced over at Malfoy and was almost shocked to see Malfoy looking like his old self. He couldn't help but smile a little.

For Malfoy, the illusion of normal would be easy. Scowl and frown, dismiss people with a wave of his hand and waltz around like he owned the place. As long as he didn't have to speak, he was never too sure of what would escape his lips anymore.

At Harry's realization of having to get a new owl, Draco almost felt sorry for him. Almost gave him his own owl. But then snapped back to reality for a brief moment, Draco Malfoy being nice? Not happening. "Sorry about Hedwig..." He muttered, suprising himself with the knowledge that he knew the owls name, and remembered it. His focus had shifted to his own bag, reorganizing it simply so he had something to do, something other then watching Potter.

Harry jumped. Visibly startled that Draco remembered or even knew his owl's name. Harry turned, almost robotically to look out the dark window. "Thanks." Harry said. The rest of the trip was filled with silence. Harry was shocked that they didn't try and bait each other into a fight. But Harry figured they both needed the break. He sighed when the train slowed to a stop and he heard the other students filing out of their compartments. He didn't moved, not till it got quiet outside. Harry took a deep breath and stood. "Here we go." He moved past Draco and gripped the door handle but paused before opening it. He looked at Draco, reached in his pocket and gave Draco the rest of the fire whiskey. "Thanks...for not trying to talk to me about what happened." He gave a smile and then pulled the door open, starting down the corridor to exit the train and into the cool air.

Draco simply shrugged, knowing Harry was startled by his memory. They each fell into silence at that point, lost in thoughts, lists of things to do. When the train finally stopped, neither boy moved, not until the rush was gone. Harry left first, tossing him what was left of the fire whiskey. "I don't really want to talk about it myself..." He watched Harry go, wondering what this year would bring between them. Did he really have the motivation to continue making fun of Harry and company?

It felt like eternity when Draco got off the train. He had completely forgotten that he had been chosen as Head Boy for Slytherin, something that over the summer had slipped his memory. He curse softly under his breath, knowing he was going to have to make appearances now. He took another sip of the drink, tucking it into his robes, making his way to the carriages, where he was attack by Pansy and pulled into one with her.

Harry almost felt sorry for Draco. ...Almost. He climbed inside a carraige with Ron and Hermione, ignoring their slurping and giggling. Hermione pulled away from Ron long enough to ask Harry where he had been. Harry shrugged, "Just alone..." He smiled slightly, knowing they would never believe he had been hanging out with Malfoy. As he thought about it Harry found it strange how easily they had been with each other. When he isn't being an ass he's actually an okay guy. he thought about it.

After the long bumpy ride to the school Harry soon found himself sitting at the house table, eating the delicious food and listening to the stories around him. Hearing about everyone's summer was...well frankly boring. They had all gone out celebrating, mourning the dead and rebuilding what was destroyed. He couldn't help but feel guilty at knowing if he had been faster...if he had been stronger...he could have defeated Voldemort that much sooner...and maybe everyone would still be alive and homes not destroyed. At the thought of homes being destroyed he looked around the great hall and was surprised, finally seeing it for the first time. It was perfect. From what he heard from Hermione every witch and wizard available had come to fix Hogwarts and to add more magical barriers again. Now it all looked as it should. He slowly turned his gaze around the room till it fell on Malfoy. He was so different. And Harry wondered now if this was for the better. Once upon a time Harry would have been jumping up and down for joy at the way Malfoy had acted. But now Harry just found it...curious. He snorted softly and went back to eating, waiting on when Ron and Hermione, the head boy and girl, would be leading them to their dorms so Harry could once again sleep. Sleep before going to class...for once Harry didn't feel anything for the classes. What more could they teach him now?