The snow was falling in steady rhythm with his heart beat as he lay on the ground. There must have been a billion snowflakes up in the air right now. He caught some of them in his gloved hand. He had already sent a letter to Sirius and there wasn't much left to do now.

He saw the form of Draco Malfoy and his cronies walking towards him. He thought about getting up and throwing snowballs at them, but as soon as he had thought, the thought had ended. He heard Malfoy's words and it surprised him greatly.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I'm running out of time. If I don't hurry up, I'll be killed..."

"Draco what are you talking about?" One of his friends/shadows asked.

"Nothing. Nothing... You two go on ahead. I'll be there later."

"Alright," the two responded quickly and went off on their own. Some friends they were.

Draco stood just a few feet from where Harry was laying and seemed deep in thought.

Harry pondered the idea of getting up and talking to Malfoy. 'Supposed it was the snow getting to his head, or maybe it had already frozen off his shoulders without his notice. Either way, he could tell Malfoy wasn't his usual self and that something was upsetting him, and it would probably bother Harry and his curiosity for the rest of the day if he didn't find out what was going on.

Harry made a decision. He got up carefully and walked toward Draco Malfoy.

Draco POV:

Great, Potter. Just the person he didn't want to see. Why was he here? He had been trying to avoid Potter this whole time, yet with his luck, he was walking right towards him. Great, just great. He wiped his eyes quickly with his shirt sleeve, he'd probably make fun of him if he saw, but he couldn't let the great Harry Potter see- his watery eyes.

Draco decided to get the first words in. "What's the matter Potter? The world not big enough for you that you come talk to me?"

"'Nothing of the sort Malfoy."

Draco glared. What's his problem? Did he just come over here to make fun of him?

Potter looked pretty awkward in the way he stood and looked like he was mulling something over. Draco just waited for whatever the lightning jerk was going to say, but he found he wasn't ready for it when it was said, or rather asked. "Are you okay, Malfoy?"

Draco stumbled back a little. What was happening? Could he really tell something was wrong? "I'm fine Potter, not that you care."

"What's wrong?"

Jeeze, what was with all these questions? Usually he didn't care what was going on with him, why would he now? He must've just wanted someone to laugh at, to feel even more superior. But Potter looked up at him with his brilliant green eyes and Draco couldn't find any mocking in them no matter how hard he looked.

Maybe he really could talk to Potter, just this once?