Harry was walking through a dimly lit corridor. His breathing bounced off the walls and filled its way up to the tall celling, wait he thought, this was Hogwarts, how could he not have recognized it he'd walked these halls since he was 11 year old boy, he now stood an 18 year old man. As he got to the end he noticed a mop of red hair, the man the red hair belonged to, wore a smirk he could never forget, "Fred!" Harry coughed, "What are you doing here? I don't know how I got here," he pressed. Fred's laugh was distorted and was not one Harry was familiar with. "Fred?" he questioned as the Weasley twin ran off around the corner, Harry bolted after him, "Fred, you gotta help me something's off!" he called as he ran. The distorted laugh carried its way through the ancient castle. "Fred please," he pleaded with him, "just wait," then Fred's body collapsed rigidly, Harry rushed to it. Oh no Harry thought as he got to his side, somehow the body of Fred has already begun to rot, "Fred, NO," he shouted and suddenly Ron was shaking him awake.

"Bloody hell Harry, you've been shouting about Fred in your sleep, if mum hears, well you know how she's been since the funeral!" Ron sat at the edge of Harry's bed, he looked pale and exhausted, none of them had slept much since the war ended in may, this was August. Time would heal everything he would hear over again but exactly how much time would that take? And surely there was nothing time could bring that would replace what they had lost. Just then Ginny came in, sometime after the dead had been buried Ginny had struck up about how there was no Voldemort anymore no danger no reason for them not to be together, and Harry well Harry now lacked the energy to argue he lacked the energy to do most things now.

"Mum has breakfast prepared boys," she said smiling weakly at them, under her eyes were black pools, she had not come round from the loss of her brother, George, George was well worse, it pained Harry to even think of him, shut up in that shop barely coming round and when he did come round he was hardly talking, it was breaking Mrs Weasley's heart. The boy's and Ginny made their way down to the table; Mrs Weasley was putting on her best fake smile and informed them their letters had come. Hermione passed two letters to Harry one was from Hogwarts offering him to do his seventh year he knew this was coming they had all discussed it. Ginny was excited they would be in her year this time, Hermione of course wanted to go back to finish her education this was important to her always had been, however Harry and Ron were not so keen, but Mrs. Weasley insisted her son and her may as well be son would attend their last year and it was anything to please her after all she had done for him. The second letter was from Narcissa Malfoy; they had corresponded a lot since she had saved him in the forbidden forest. This letter contained her worry's about Draco starting back after everyone knowing that he was a death eater, and of course she asked how everyone was, Harry wrote back trying his best to comfort her although he knew exactly what she was looking for, she wanted Harry to befriend Draco Malfoy, how could he do this? He was his sworn enemy, the first boy he remembered hating more than Dudley but then again things with Dudley turned out alright in the end, but no, he couldn't, could he? "Honestly Harry I don't know why you write to that woman," Ginny said coldly,

"She saved my life Ginny, none of us would even be here if it wasn't for her, don't you get it?" Harry snapped

"Alright mate keep your hair on." Ron interjected

"You know where she is coming from, what her family is like, what they have done," Hermione said soothingly as she caught site of Ginny who looked hurt by the way Harry spoke to her.

"Yeah well she is not her family is she?" Harry muttered hotly. The Malfoy name was taboo but once the Black name was too and look at Sirius and Regulus they turned out to be amazing exceptions and Naricssa who was half Black herself could be one of those exceptions, however they were never going to give her a chance. Prejudice should have died with the war.

Draco sat at the dining table, in the chair besides his mothers, the room was deathly quite as Potpourri entered the room pushing a giant, sliver trolley, that had to be twice the size of her, How has she not crashed that thing yet? Draco thought to himself as Narcissa sent a small smile towards the new house elf,

"Dinner is served," Potpourri squeaked, in a jolly tone and waved her hand, causing the food to leave the trolley and plant itself in front of the Draco and his mother, she quickly bowed as she scurried out of the room, 'I shall return with desert," she finished as the door closed behind her.

"This nice, it's the first time all summer we have sat together for dinner," Narcissa spoke softly as she began to eat her food. Draco nodded while continuing to stare the plate in front of him, "I made sure it was your was your favorite you know before you return to school," she chuckled uncomfortably and Draco lifted his eyebrow and shrugged.

"Honestly mother I'm not that hungry and I must finish packing," Draco stated and pushed his chair back as if to stand up, Narcissa reached her hand quickly to land on top of her sons, Draco could feel the warmth of his mothers skin, and could almost feel himself filling with sadness and guilt because of the pain her had caused her all summer,

"Please Draco, stay and eat with me, just a little," She pleaded and Draco shook his head at her,

"Mother honestly I am stuffed from Breakfast and-" he started as he tried to reason with her, when she slammed her hands on the table in front of her and stood up,

"YOU SEE DRACO THAT CAN'T BE TRUE AS YOU HAVEN'T EATEN ALL WEEK," she shouted and Draco felt his breath catch in his throat, his ears with the loudness of her pain roars and he seen a small tear escape her eye, "I'm sorry Draco please, sit and eat with me," she muttered quietly as her voice cracked and she returned to her seat. Draco stood for a few moments in shook at his mothers outburst, she had been walking on glass since they arrived home and here he stood now, repeated her cries in his head, He took a deep breath and sat back down and lifting his fork. He could feel his mother's eyes on him as he filled his fork with broccoli and placing it in his mouth. Draco chewed slowly as he felt the vegetable, swirl between his teeth and he almost gagged at the feel, he quickly reached across and drunk a massive gulp of wine, forcing the food down his throat.

"Thank you my love," his mother spoke, somewhat calmer than before and took a sip of her own wine. The dinner continued on in silence as Draco continued to force his vegetables down, he had caused his mother enough harm he owed her this one meal. "That was beautiful don't you think Draco?" his mother laughed lightly and placed her cutlery down beside her plate, Draco had just finished his carrots and had no intention of continuing the meal, but nodded in agreement with his mother anyway, "Deseret will be here now," she smiled and held her cup to her lips. Draco felt himself becoming overwhelmed with the thought of trying to stomach sticky toffee pudding and stood up swiftly and headed for the door,

"Thank you for Dinner mother, it was lovely to spend some time together before I go back to school, but I really must finish packing," and he disappeared through the door, stopping to calm himself and steady his shaking legs,

"Thanks for trying," he heard his mother say softly, her voice filled with sadness, he sighed deeply and wiped his eyes before rushing quickly back to his room.

When Narcissa heard the door close she listened for the sound of Draco's footsteps carrying him away before dashing across the room for parchment where she scribbled merely two words

Help him

With that she sung for an owl carefully placing it in a enveloped addressed to Mr Harry James Potter, she watched her owl carry it gracefully away from site. Narcissa blew a kiss "Harry please, you might once again be our only hope,"