A/N: Hello there! If you've read my previous version of this story, I ask you to please reread the new version I'm making. I wasn't happy with the quality of the first version of this story, and I was younger and newer to writing when I started it. I want to give something back to my readers, so I think a better quality story is something that I can do. Don't worry about the storyline being lost or this never being updated; it's basically the same story line, but it will be much better and have much more content :) Thank you so much if you're giving this another shot! If you've never read this before, then I hope you enjoy this Harry and Draco friendship fic ! Thanks, love and lightning bolts xx

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I'm not profiting from this in any way, only having a bit of fun with the characters ;)

He was alone, yet again, with only his reflection in the lake for company. The sun would set soon, and he would have to go in. He kept this thought in the back of his mind, for it was a reality he didn't want to face. It was so much nicer to just sit here, his back against the sturdy weight of the beech tree, and stare at the shimmering surface of the water. The tree anchored his body to the ground, for without it he might not stay, might just float away and never come back.

It had been this way for the past week, ever since Harry and the others had gotten back from the Ministry. A numbness had settled upon him that he couldn't quite explain, but he knew it was there. It was always there, seeping into his every pore. For without the numbness he would be left to his feelings, those traitorous emotions that he was sure would completely destroy him. It was better this way, not to be around any of his friends. He couldn't bear their expressions, the way they talked so carefully to him, treating him as if he were something fragile. Deep down, he knew he didn't deserve their sympathy. Perhaps they were just lying to him, telling him it wasn't his fault when they truly thought he was to blame for everything that had happened to them.

So Harry Potter continued to sit alone out by the lake, having told his friends that he had eaten earlier and wasn't full, slipping away from them so they could enjoy their dinner in peace. He didn't know how long he sat there, but this place had become a retreat for him over the last week. The whispering of the other students followed him everywhere, their covert glances boring holes into him and stripping away any fleeting desire to be around people. People knew not to bother him here. They had tried at first, tried talking to him, but had gotten the point when he simply ignored them, his eyes glazed over and staring at the water.

A little after the sun had set, Harry heard soft footsteps making their way toward him. His knees were pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped loosely around them, when Hermione approached.

"Harry?" came Hermione's soft quiet voice, touched with concern. Harry lifted his gaze to meet her eyes as she knelt next to him, her robes softly settling around her. She shivered slightly in the cool night air, the sun having set already. "Are you okay?" she asked even more quietly, her hand reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Hermione wasn't quite sure why she was asking, because she knew that Harry wasn't okay. A longing filled her to reach out and put her arms around him, to reassure him that everything would be all right, even if she didn't know if she believed that herself.

Harry turned his head at the sound of her voice, his eyes still holding that dreamy quality. Blinking a few times, Harry nodded in response to her question. The shadowy air continued to cool around them, a wind whipping up the branches overhead and lifting up the edges of their cloaks.

"You should come inside," said Hermione.

"All right," said Harry grudgingly, knowing that night was falling and that curfew would probably end any minute; he didn't want Hermione to be caught missing curfew, and he knew she was stubborn enough to stay out here with him until he came inside with her.

The pair made their way across the empty grounds, their feet making soft sounds against the grass. Shivering, Hermione drew her cloak closer around herself. A few stars had popped out already, shining weakly through a film of hazy clouds.

When they reached the front door, they found that it hadn't been locked for the night. Slipping inside quietly, Hermione pushed the large wooden door shut behind her, a thudding noise filling the air despite her efforts to be quiet. Harry waited for her, hands in the pockets of his robes, and set off as soon as she was finished.

They were on the fifth floor when a student approached them, a third year Gryffindor they had talked to a few times. He jogged up to them, a roll of thick parchment tucked into his hand.

"Harry!" he said, holding out the little scroll. Harry took it without opening it, merely allowing it to sit in the palm of his hand, a lilac ribbon tied around it.

"Dumbledore told me to give that to you," said the third year, and when Harry didn't answer Hermione thanked him and the boy left. Turning back to Harry, she saw that he had untied the ribbon and was scanning the loopy words inked onto the parchment.

"I've got to go see him. It doesn't say why," said Harry, a small frown in place on his face.

"Do you want me to walk with you there?" asked Hermione, glad that she could hear a trace of curiosity in Harry's voice.

"I'll be fine. You should go get some rest," said Harry with a weak smile, stowing the note into his pocket.

"See you later," said Hermione, standing on tiptoe to give Harry a quick kiss on the cheek before setting off for the common room. Harry stood in the same spot for a moment, his hand reaching up to touch the spot where her lips had touched his skin.

Harry quickly found the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. Pulling out the note again, Harry saw a postscript: Jelly Slugs are a favorite of mine.

"Jelly slugs," said Harry, and the gargoyle sprang aside to reveal the winding staircase that led to the Headmaster's office. The stairs started moving, twisting him up to a door, which stood slightly ajar. Knocking, Harry heard a voice call, "Enter."

Harry stopped in his tracks when he saw who was sitting in a seat across from Dumbledore. He would know that pale hair anywhere, and he didn't want to be anywhere near him.

"Have a seat, Harry," said Dumbledore with a smile, his blue eyes as twinkly as ever. An aged hand moved over Fawkes's head, who sat on a perch near the desk. Thinking that it would be especially rude to walk out of the Headmaster's office, Harry took the only other chair, right next to Malfoy. He leaned as far away as he could, shooting the blond boy a customary look of distate.

"Good to see you, my boy," said Dumbledore.

"Good to see you too, Professor," said Harry, though an awkwardness settled into his words. The last time he had seen Dumbledore, Harry had shouted at him and thrown his possessions around his office. Harry noticed, with a quick glance around the room, that most of them seemed to have suffered no permanent damage.

"I'm sure you are wondering why you are here," said Dumbledore, steepling his long fingers together as he looked at the two boys sitting across from him.

"Yes, sir," answered Harry.

"As you are aware, only a few short weeks ago Lucius Malfoy and other Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban for the occurrence at the Department of Mysteries," Dumbledore continued on. Harry twisted uncomfortably in his seat, not wanting to be reminded of this. All he had been trying to do lately was avoid the nightmares that plagued him about that place, causing him to twist and turn in bed and break out into cold sweats. Malfoy didn't want to be reminded either; ever since his father had been sent to Azkaban, he had been the subject of much pointing and whispering, even from other Slytherins.

"Draco's mother has decided to leave the Death Eaters and go into hiding with the Order," said Dumbledore, and Harry thought his mouth might have dropped open in surprise. A Malfoy, going with the order? Harry glanced at Draco to see how he took this news, but he seemed to have already known about it; his jaw was clenched tightly shut, but other than that he showed no emotion.

"As such, Draco also needs somewhere safe to be, since he would be good bait to use to get his mother back," Dumbledore said gravely. "He had protected while at Hogwarts, which has very powerful magic surrounding it. However, Draco cannot go back to his home, for two reasons. The first is that his father placed many enchantments around the place, and since his wand has been taken from him while in Azkaban, he cannot uphold them. The second reason is that the Death Eaters, and Voldemort, all had access to the Malfoy home."

Dumbledore paused to let the words sink in. He appeared to be choosing his next words carefully, and now he turned the full power of his gaze onto Harry.

"As I'm sure you know, Harry, your house is one of the safest places anywhere. Voldemort cannot enter it because of the powerful blood magic that encases it, not to mention the many enchantments placed around it. Your home would be the best possible place for Draco to hide, and also the least expected."

The weight of Dumbledore's words hit Harry. "Are you kidding me?" he burst out angrily. The Dursleys were awful enough, but with Malfoy there it would be unbearable. "Why can't Malfoy just go into hiding with his mother?" he spat out.

"We believe it would be easier for Death Eaters to find them together. Also, no Death Eaters can come to your house, Harry, and Draco's mother wants him to be as safe as he can possibly be."

Harry stared angrily at Dumbledore, pressing his lips tightly together. He didn't need this right now, not on top of everything else that had happened this year. Draco was upset too, but Dumbledore had explained everything to him before Harry got here, and as much as he protested Dumbledore wouldn't be swayed.

"Well, then everything is settled," said Dumbledore brightly. "You two will go home with the Dursleys once term ends later this week," said Dumbledore, looking between the two boys whose arms were crossed across their chests and were wearing nearly identical expressions of irritation.

"But the Dursleys will never let another wizard in the house," said Harry, thinking he had found a way out of this mess. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated as much as they hated Harry, it was the magical world and anyone else who was in it. To Harry's annoyance, Dumbledore merely chuckled.

"I have already talked to your aunt and uncle, and they have agreed to take in Draco. You'll find that I can be rather persuasive when need be. So, if that is all, I suggest you two go get a good night's sleep," Dumbledore said, gesturing toward the door, dismissing the boys. Harry wanted to stay and argue, sure that this was the worst mistake Dumbledore could possibly make, but he was tired and knew that nothing he said would work. Dumbledore never listened to his opinions about things before, and he wasn't expecting him to now. The anger that had swelled within him during their last meeting was still there, bubbling in the pit of his stomach, but if he stayed here much longer he might start screaming again. He didn't want that to happen; he just wanted the numbness that overcame him at the lake to return again.

Draco followed him out of the room, his footsteps muffled by the carpet on the floor.

"Just great," spat out Draco, his tone biting. Harry didn't say anything to him, just turned down a hallway to get away from him as fast as possible, leaving Malfoy to slink off to the dungeons. When he reached the tower, Harry told the fat lady the password and entered to see Ron and Hermione awake and waiting for them by the fire, a book in Hermione's lap.

"Harry, are you okay? You look really upset," said Hermione anxiously, rising up to meet Harry and give him a quick hug. Harry just sat down, avoiding her eyes. He didn't want Hermione to worry about him and he didn't want to get into his conversation with Dumbledore. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up for several days. But they were his friends, and he knew he couldn't ignore them forever, as he had been doing for the past week.

"Malfoy has to stay with me this summer," he said, trying to keep his voice void of emotion but not able to control the edge of anger that crept into it. They both stared at him for a moment before saying anything.

"What? Why?" asked Ron loudly, looking horrified. Harry explained everything to them, and they both were at a loss of what to say. Ron just sat there looking dazed, and Hermione brought a hand to her mouth and stared at Harry with sympathetic eyes. Harry was glad that they weren't saying anything.

"I'm so sorry," said Hermione, coming over and sitting next to him, putting a bracing arm on his shoulder.

"I'm going to bed," he muttered, abruptly standing up and leaving Hermione looking hurt. Harry went upstairs and got into his bed as soon as he had changed, wrenching the hangings closed around him. As much as he wanted to sleep, he tossed and turned with thoughts of Malfoy and the Dursleys, every fiber of his being filled with dread for the day when the Hogwarts Express left.