A/N: Hey. Just letting you know this is not HBP compatible. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or the school mentioned in this fic.

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When had everything changed? When had it started to get complicated? It was simple enough in theory. The boy falls in love with the girl, the girl falls in love with the boy. Simple. They spend lots of time together. Easy. The girl shares her friends with the boy; the boy shares his friends with the girl. Pretty straightforward. They get married and live happily ever after, have a few kids if they feel like it. The world is in perfect order.

But it's not like that for me. No, not for Harry Potter. It's a bit more complicated than that for The-Boy-Who-Lived. One of the more obvious reasons is that the girl is actually a boy. Not too big a deal, but still a complication for the perfect love scene. Also, the 'spending time together' thing is difficult when the boy is supposed to be your enemy. 'Sharing of the friends', also a problem, because not only am I his supposed enemy, but his friends and my friends are enemies, too. It's not just a simple school rivalry, either. It's a 'give me a reason to hurt you real bad and I will without hesitating' kind of rivalry.

And then there's the 'happily ever after' dilemma. That doesn't work out at all. See, I'm the one who's supposed to destroy Voldemort, the evil wizard set out to kill all muggle-borns to purify the wizarding race's blood. Not only that, but I have to destroy his followers, the Death Eaters. Here's where the complication comes in: there is a ninety-five percent chance that the boy in question will become one, and very soon.

The beginning of the story isn't like a fairy tale, either. It wasn't a bright sunny day where our eyes met and we knew in an instant we were meant to be. It wasn't a long and blooming friendship that only ended so we could start something more. No, everything began when I cried in front of him. That's when this huge mess started. That stupid git pushed me over the edge, and I cried…

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The long corridor was deserted. Everyone was piled under loads of homework, and Harry knew he should be doing his homework aswell. But he couldn't concentrate on it. He couldn't concentrate on anything. His grades were slipping, his friends worried for him… Harry barely spoke now, unless it was completely necessary. Losing Sirius was the hardest thing he had ever been through. Sirius… he was like a father, a brother, a best friend… but better. And now he was gone. Harry was forced to accept it during the summer, in the Grimmauld home. Although it had been bustling with people from the Order the entire summer, Harry couldn't help but feel alone without Sirius. All he could feel since Sirius' death was pain and guilt. Not his friends, not Quidditch, not even Hogwarts itself could bring happiness back to Harry. Harry was completely disconnected with what was going on in the world. It wasn't good for him, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

His walks were frequent. Most of the student population let him be, thinking he was worried about the war. War was the last thing on his mind. The first, and only thing on his mind was Sirius Black. Even when he bumped into someone, he was still in his own thoughts.

"Sorry…" Harry murmured and continued on his way, not even bothering to look at who he bumped into.

"You better be," Harry could hear the smirk in the boy's voice. He turned around to face him. The blond was still looking aristocratic; his robes long and green, his hair slicked into place. Draco smirked at Harry, but Harry didn't glare. He didn't react at all.

"I am." Harry said, his voice low. Draco was not satisfied with this reaction at all. His eyes turned hard.

"Glad to hear it. Finally, you see your place amongst the wizarding world. Below me." Draco smiled smugly, but Harry simply stared at him, his face completely void. Draco was persistent. He needed a reaction from Harry to satisfy him. "Not denying it? I'm proud of you, Potter." Harry still looked at him, but Draco sensed something. He was looking at him, just in his general direction.

Draco was outraged. He would not stand here, insulting someone, just to have it wasted. His determination boosted considerably.

"What's the matter, Potty? Something bugging you?" Draco asked in a mock-sweet tone. Harry just nodded. Draco's eyes widened. He nodded. Nodded.

The truth was, Harry had forgotten about Draco. He was just staring ahead, thinking of Sirius, and only Draco's voice came through his head, and even then he barely noticed it.

Draco's smile was gone now. He needed to get Harry angry. He hadn't fought with him in weeks! He needed to relieve some stress, and it didn't work if the enemy didn't react.

"What's bugging you, Potty? Too much propaganda? Is it getting to hard for you to deal with, Potter?" Harry blinked, as if just realising Draco was there. The Slytherin took that as a sign that Harry was now paying attention and smiled. "Was the excitement in the Ministry too much?"

"Stop talking." Harry's voice was dangerous, and Harry's eyes hardened on Draco. This just made Draco smile wider.

"Is that it? Can't handle the pressures?"

"Malfoy, I swear. Shut it."

Draco went on, pushing it further. He wanted Harry to make a comeback, not tell him to shut up. What kind of lame attempt was that?

"The Ministry… did you see some unsightly things there, Potter? Because you know, it'll just keep on coming. That was just the beginning…"

Harry took a step back; something Draco had never seen him do before. Maybe he was going too far. After all, Draco didn't know exactly what had happened. All he knew were stories from his father and his aunt. But Draco didn't want to let this chance go. Maybe he, for once, would be able to outwit Harry in an argument. Not that it was that fair, seeing as Harry wasn't acting like himself.

"Did someone close to you get hurt?" Draco's smile was malicious. "Everyone was fighting for you, Harry, because of that stupid dream that caused you to run away in the first place. I bet the Death Eaters showed them their place. Is that what's bugging you? Too many hexes on too many people for your mind to handle?" Draco's smile vanished when Harry fell on his knees to the floor, clutching his head.

"I didn't mean to…" Harry whispered frantically. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" He repeated it over and over and over again, hoping by some miracle Sirius would know, would hear his apologies. Harry let the tears flow down his cheeks. He hadn't cried for Sirius since his arrival at Hogwarts, and when he had during the summer, he could never control it. Just like now. He couldn't stop the flow of tears that raced down his cheeks. "It's all my fault. And now he's gone. He's gone…" Harry sobbed into his hands, completely unaware that Draco was still watching.

Draco paled, guilt washing over him. He was definitely missing information. Certainly Harry wouldn't cry like this over someone who had their legs turned to jelly. The words echoed in his head. 'And now he's gone. He's gone…' Draco gasped at his mistake. Someone had died that night. He hadn't known. He knew some were hospitalized, but not dead. His father failed to tell him…

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you actually lost someone. I would have never… I mean… It was unreasonable for me to-"

Harry looked up, and Draco saw his eyes already red and puffy through the Gryffindor's glasses. He glared hard at Draco, who approached him and tried to pat his shoulder.

"Get the fuck away from me." Harry whispered, trying desperately to wipe away the tears as Draco neared him. When Draco's arm gently patted Harry's shoulder, Harry flinched away.

"I'm so sorry…" Draco tried again.

"I don't need your pity, Malfoy," whispered Harry. His voice wasn't rising, like Draco thought it should have been doing.

"You obviously need something." replied Draco, trying not to be so annoyed with Harry. Harry was trembling on the floor, and Draco wished he sounded as sympathetic as he felt.

"I just want him back. I want him back…" Harry murmured, his flow of tears never stopping. Draco kneeled down next to Harry, and rubbed his back, trying his best to be soothing. Harry couldn't help it. The next thing he knew, he was holding onto Draco for dear life and crying into him.

Draco didn't flinch away, but wrapped his arms around the sobbing boy. "It's ok, Harry. It's ok…" That was all Draco knew to say. Only once had he cried in public, and that was all his mother had said. Draco was never good in comforting people.

Harry wanted to yell at him. It was not okay! It was as far as you can possibly get from okay! But he didn't feel like yelling. He had already. He yelled at his mirror, yelled into the emptiness, and it just never worked. He took another handful of Draco's robes and pulled himself closer. Draco stopped whispering things, and just continued rubbing Harry's back.

Harry was done crying. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, his breathing almost regular now. His eyes were still red and puffy, Draco noticed. Harry stood and tried to straighten out his robes.

"Are you ok?" Draco asked slowly.

Harry looked at him, and Draco knew right away that he was not. Harry turned to take his leave. It was all just a blur to him. It almost didn't even register that he had broken down in front of his enemy. The past twenty minutes seemed ages ago already, and he had just taken a few steps. Harry realised that he had wanted to break down. He had wanted someone to hold him, to take care of him. Draco Malfoy just happened to be the person to do it this time. And Harry decided Draco was the perfect person to do it. He didn't want his friends to see him like that, since he was always with them, and then they would always sympathise with him. Harry didn't need sympathy. Draco would probably try to forget the whole 'break down' scene ever happened, which was perfectly fine with Harry. Or maybe Draco would tell the Slytherins, and by breakfast everyone would know. It didn't matter. Harry didn't care.

Harry almost completely forgot Draco was the cause of his break down. In fact, he did forget at the moment, and was grateful Draco was there to hold him. Maybe later he'd remember. All he knew now was that Draco wasn't that bad a person, and Sirius still wasn't alive. Harry went back to his dorm, closed the curtains to block the afternoon sun, and went to bed.