I'm really sorry I haven't updated this in a long time. Nor have I updated my other story in a long time either. It's just well… I lost the notebook in which I wrote the draft in and I lost the original because I had to reboot my computer. So I'm afraid this chapter isn't going to be as good as the last one. But there is always that chance that is. And if this chapter's better then tell me please. I have a lot of work to do here in England. God I hate going to a grammar school. Oh and minor Slytherin bashing in this chapter, but no Draco bashing. I checked the last time I updated OMG I can't believe it's been 4 months. Gomen nasai.
Chapter 2
Harry hadn't spoken, smiled or actually done anything for two weeks after the incident in potions class. His friends were deeply worried about him as was the rest of the school, excluding most of the Slytherin. Of course the school was also curious about why The-Boy-Who-Lived was behaving… behaving in a way that wasn't his usual behaviour. Had the Dark Lord finally invaded Potter's mind and left him a lifeless husk, his mind ravaged beyond compare? This was the question that had spread like wildfire through the corridors of Hogwarts. Typically the Slytherins had started the rumour but, surprisingly, not by Malfoy.
And then there the case of where did Harry frequently disappear to. Many Gryffindors, including Ron, had almost devoted themselves to finding where the elusive boy went. Ron also knew Harry always seemed to disappear without the aid of his invisibility cloak. Hermoine, Ron and Albus had countless times tried to ask Harry where he went but, the boy hadn't replied but, instead, stared at them with bewilderment or occasionally, just stare at them.It was this staring that scared the teachers, including Snape. It was rather unnerving when a 16-year-old teen starts staring at you whenever he was asked a question. All teachers had quit asking him questions because they knew the reply would be a scary stare. That is all teachers save Snape. The Slytherin master found Harry's behaviour not just curious but a challenge as well.
Harry, on the other hand, seemed not to come about what other people thought about his perplexing behaviour. This was so unlike the old Harry who would have accidentally destroyed half his dorm, with his magic, when he found that the Slytherins had been spreading rumours about him.
Then there was Draco. The blonde seeing Harry current state wasn't only inquisitive but angry, confused, sad and strangely concerned. Angry because he was confused, confused because he didn't know whether to be angry or sad for, or at, Potter. Sad because he was concerned for Harry and because he knew he was getting softer. Draco was concerned because… well he didn't know why he was concerned or why his feeling towards Harry Potter had changed.
"God, fucking Potter is at it again!" shouted Draco as he walked into the room.
Pansy Parkinson sighed. Draco always got like this whenever Potter was mentioned. And then he'd lose control of his magic, causing various irreplaceable objects in the room to explode. Draco usually didn't get worked up like this. He'd normally lift an eyebrow and make a random comment. Pansy wanted to find out what had suddenly changed in "Drakie-poo".
Pansy got up from her chair, walked over to Draco and looked up at him.
"Draco, there's no need to get angry at Potter. He isn't worth it." She walked him over to her chair and sat him down, sat down herself and placed his head on her laps.
"Oh Draconius. What's happened to you? You don't wanna have fun with me anymore." She ran her hand through his silk hair.
Draco raised his head up, "Nothing's happened to me. I've never wanted to have fun with you. And how many times have I told you never to call me by my full name?"
Pansy shook her head. Something was obviously wrong. Draco, being as stubborn as always, didn't want to admit it. She was about to reply when Zabini burst into the room.
"Potter's had one of his episodes again!" he shouted, oblivious to the fact that Draco was in a mood.
Pansy and Draco immediately knew what Blaise was talking about. Harry's episode was well known through the whole school, as was expected. In fact the whole school knew about the incident in the Potions dungeons the day after. Potter in the course of three weeks had only had 2 episodes (included the incident in Potions), so this "episode" was a little surprising.
Draco cocked an eyebrow, "Why exactly would I care?"
Blaise raised his eyebrows in reply, " Well you know last time, in the Great Hall, when Potter had his episode thing he had one of those Custodia shields that only powerful wizards can conjure?"
"Yes we know, we were there," replied Pansy looking bored.
"Today he didn't have that shield on. So stupid Weasley thought that he could help his friend. And we thought he'd succeed. But as he touched Potter he got throw all the across the Great Hall. He had to be taken to Madame Pomfrey.
"Then Dumbledore – that old fool- tried to touch Potter but he also got thrown backwards, but only about 10 feet into the air. And the thing that was surprising was that Dumbledore had his shields up. Everyone's talking about how powerful Potter is."
"And again, why would I care about Potter?"
"Well you don't, I know that," Blaise replied with the smallest hint of sarcasm, "anyways, Longbottom told Dumbledore about what happened in Potions class 3-" insert groan from Draco- " weeks ago. He also added that you had taken Potter to the Infirmary without incident. So Dumbledore called for you."
Draco stood, with another groan, and walked out of the Slytherin Common Room.
xXx
" But Albus, Potter collapsed last time because he consumed some Memory restoration potion. That has nothing to do with this incident as we can see. For all we know the Dark Lord might be trying to invade his mind again and he's reacting to it. I don't want Draco to get hurt," Snape was arguing with Dumbledore.
"But Severus, there is a chance that Harry might be having these … black outs because of that potion. That shield he cast two weeks ago might have been the result of his magic protecting him while he was recuperating. I myself have done that before… but of course that was years ago. Are you sure that you're not objecting simply on the intent of protecting your godson?"
Severus narrowed his eyes; he despised this man. Dumbledore always took advantage of his knowledge on people. He was about to reply when the doors to the Great Hall were pushed open and in walked Draco, Parkinson and Zabini.
"Ah Mr Malfoy, I was just about to get someone to call you."
Draco walked up to the century old wizard. Dumbledore was by far taller than Draco making the blonde look up. Draco hated looking up.
"Yes Professor?"
"Would you mind answering some questions for me?"
Draco shook his head.
"Good. Now Draco would you mind telling me what happened in the Potions class three weeks ago."
Draco told him.
"Hmm… Draco would you mind going over to Harry?"
"But Profess–"
Dumbledore gave him a stare. Draco sighed and turned around. The Gryffindor table was empty as Dumbledore instructed them to move when Ron had been flung away.
He walked slowly, cautiously. He continued walking. Then as he passed an upturned plate the whole hall –excluding the teachers- gasped. It was at this point that Dumbledore had experienced some 'turbulence', he had had to bend forward as if walking through a blizzard. Draco raised an eyebrow. He continued walking. Few moments later the Hall erupted into whispers. Apparently at this point Dumbledore had been thrown into the air. Draco sneered, he could sense the surprise radiating from Dumbledore. He continued moving forwards until he reached Potter. Potter was in a foetal position. His hair – as unruly as ever- was softly billowing around his head even though there was no wind. Draco reached out and tentatively touched the boy. The Hall exploded with voices, including the voices of the student body. Draco bent and picked up the boy. Harry was cold, very cold.
Dumbledore and Snape 'casually' rushed over.
"Come boy, we have to get him to Poppy."
oXo
"Well, I've done my diagnosis on him but I'm not truly sure what is wrong with him." Madame Pomfrey looked at the unconscious boy solemnly, " the only thing I can say is the problem is to do with his mind. It seems to be falling apart, I think, I'm not sure."
"So what you're saying is that Potter is slowly going insane?" Snape asked.
"No, no, no." Pomfrey shook her head, "these… black outs are a way of 'stitching' some of the pieces of his mind back together. His magic is healing his mind in the most unusual way. It takes an enormous amount of magic for a wizard or witch to be able to 'stitch' his or her mind together again. The strangest thing is Harry's magic seems vast enough to hold Contego shield while stitch his mind together. It's even more amazing for that shield to be able to hold back a wizard such as you. Also Harry's magic is… how do I put it? Er… expanding. Harry's magic seems to be expanding. Growing bigger. At this point his magic overshadows your magic, Albus."
Albus frowned but there was a glint in his eye, " A Contego, you say. That's one of the most powerful protection shields there is. Hmm…"
Draco was clueless," Er, Professor, what is a Contego shield?"
Snape replied in the place of Albus who looked to be in deep thought.
"A Contego shield is a shield that is meant to deceive and protect. When a Contego is cast, wandlessly is the most effective way for it to be cast, there is no sign of it. Not even if Alistair's eye were to be used. Hence the deception, no witch or wizard can be aware of a Contego shield until it has its effects. A Contego is almost always impenetrable, depending on the power of the person who cast it, it shields from physical and magically attacks. Whenever a physical object comes in contact or in close proximate to the shield it is thrown away, the distance depends on how powerful the object is and how heavy it is. This was the case with Weasley and Albus. On the other hand when a spell or some form of magic touches the shield - only magic can touch the shield itself – the magic is either absorbed and transformed into the powerful sleeping spell Dormio or the magic simply rebounds on the caster, as is mostly the case nowadays. It takes an immensely powerful wizard to cast the shield. Even I can't cast it."
Draco looked unimpressed, thought he truly was, "So if it's such an impenetrable shield then how was I able to break through?"
Snape looked at him disapprovingly, " you didn't break through Draco. You were either 'let' through. Or Potter took down the shield."
"But why would Potter let down the shield for me. I mean what could I do for him."
"Do you think he had a choice in this, boy? Harry was unconscious. His magic let you through. His magic, for some reason, trusted you." Dumbledore suddenly broke in to Draco and Snape's conversation.
Draco was taken aback by Dumbledore sudden revelation. Snape frowned.
"Come Snape let's leave this place. I need to talk to you, alone." Dumbledore stood up to leave. Severus followed hesitantly.
A few moments Draco stood up and walked over to Harry.
"When you left I found him crying, you know."
Draco turned to Pomfrey, "What?"
"I don't know what you did to him to make him cry but I want you to apologise." Pomfrey turned around and walked into a separate part of the Infirmary.
As he looked down he became aware of some out of place bangs. He softly flipped Harry's hair into the right position. As he did so he noticed that some of the Memory Restoration potion had caused the tips of some of Harry's bangs to go blue. He smiled. The cyan tips somehow added to the cuteness of the overly cute boy. Draco was about to pat Harry's head – for some unconventional reason- when Harry opened his eyes. Draco stepped back. Harry sat up on the bed holding his head.
"Aw shit."
Draco coughed.
"Malfoy? What do you want? What? Do you want to make fun of my current predicament 'cause I'm-"
Draco cut him short, " I'm here to apologise… I think." In truth Draco had no idea why he was here, why he didn't leave after Severus.
Harry's eyes widened, " What?"
Draco cocked an eyebrow, obviously not wanting to repeat himself.
Harry understood, "For what?"
Draco breathed in, " For making you cry."
"Are you serious?"
"Whatever." Draco turned around to leave.
"Draco, wait," Harry's voice was softer, much like the voice he'd used on the train three weeks ago, " do… do you care more about your reputation- your image, than you do the people close to you? Those you love. Your ego stopped us from been friends."
Draco turned around surprised. He bit his lip and looked at the floor, " yes… yes I do," he said coldly.
He looked up and sneered, " I don't know why you're asking me this Potter. What? have those black outs of your taken a toll on your mind or something because it is none of your business. Seriously Potter what is wrong-" He stopped as he noticed tears falling off Harry's face.
"Potter…" Draco leant forwards and placed his arm on Harry's shoulder.
Harry shrugged him of and suddenly ran out of the Infirmary. Draco groaned.
"What is wrong with me? Why can't I do anything right?"
He took off, running after Harry. As he ran he thought what Harry asked. Harry had been right. His ego had him act self-centred, muggle hating, megalomaniac like when he had first met Harry. He had wanted to be friends with Harry, from that first meeting in Hogsmeade. It would be nice to have such a famous friend. But he just had to go ruin everything by acting in a way a Malfoy should: self-centred and spoilt brat. When Harry had rejected his offer of friendship in front of everyone, he'd been angry and ashamed. He was determined to get his own back. That was what Malfoys did when they were wronged. So Draco, not wanting everyone to think of him as a sorry-excuse-for-a-Malfoy, had tormented Harry. He'd made his life hell. At first he'd planned to stop after first year but seeing most of the Slytherins cheer him on as he abused Potter made tormenting Harry somewhat addictive. He couldn't stop thanks to the Malfoy ego. And now that he wanted to stop, he still couldn't be friends with Potter. Nothing could fill that immense rift between him and The-Boy-Who-Lived. Nothing.
As Draco sped past people he could pick up words such as "chase" and "kiss." He had a inclination to stop chasing Harry but thanks to a certain feeling that Malfoys weren't supposed to feel, he had to. That feeling, the feeling that he hated, was guilt. It had gotten him countless reprimanding from his father.
He stopped running so he could catch his breath. Fuck, could Potter run. He stood to catch his bearings. He froze. Draco was now in the Forbidden Forest. He looked ahead of him, hoping to catch a glimpse of Harry. There was no sign of the Gryffindor. Shit, he hated this place. It brought back memories, bad memories especially one of a certain hippogriff.
"Potter?" Draco looked around again but there was no sign of the other boy.
He walked forwards cautiously; thinking that if he made even the slightest of noises some evil creature would descend upon him. He placed his handtentatively on a leviathan of an oak, as he did so he heard snapping of fallen branches and eerie footsteps. He turned around. But there was nothing there.
"Hello… anyone there?"
In reply to his question more branches snapped- right behind Draco this time. Draco felt the hairs on the nape of his neck. He turned (again) slowly around. This time his eyes met another pair of eyes. Starling green eyes that shone in the dark. Immediately Draco recognized the pair of eyes has not been Harry's. He'd gotten used to Harry's emerald green eyes over the five years he'd been in Hogwarts. He was sure these weren't Potter's, they were something else's. Then the tingle of warm breath on his throat broke his train of thought. Shit, this thing, whatever it was, was going to eat him. He turned tail and ran as fast as he could. Thankfully for him he couldn't hear the thing's stalking footsteps behind him.
He'd been running quite a while now, in some direction, when he stopped. He stopped to bear his setting. He didn't know where to go, where he was or where Hogwarts was. He was quite sure he was lost. Paranoia and fear set in. He was going to die … or so he thought. After some moments of pulling at his hair, Draco walked forwards. He continued muttering something about not writing his will and how heartbroken his mother was going to be. Then a giggle stops him in his tracks. Draco cocked his eyebrows. He walked forwards in the direction of the "giggle." A few seconds later he came to a clearing. Scratch that 'A clearing' was an understatement. Draco rubbed his eyes to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. They weren't.
In front Draco was a… pond? Lake? Draco couldn't really say what it was for it was bigger than a pond but yet smaller than all the lakes he'd seen. For now he'd just call it a lake. The lake was absolutely beautiful, much more beautiful than those Draco had seen. Around the banks of the lake were flowers. Not the normal flowers you'd see at a lake but flowers all the same. There were flowers of every colour possible for a flower to have and then there was the occasional black flower that added to the serene image of this place. As it was sunset, the still surface reflected the brilliant colours of the sunset. Red, purple, pink and orange.
"Wow" Draco whispered thinking of the improbability of such a beautiful place being in such a dark forest that radiating foreboding
Then he caught the crouching figure of Harry by the bank that was closest to him. In Harry's hand was a black flower; his other hand was skimming the surface of the lake. He was smiling. Then suddenly he turned around and stood up, facing the Malfoy-to-be. For some obscure reason, Draco felt warmth flooding northwards.
"I can see you like this place." Harry walked forwards his voice seemed playful.
"Yah. Wait just wait a second. How the hell did you get here? How the hell is it possible for such a … beautiful place to be in this forest? And why are you smiling at me all of a sudden. A few minutes ago you were crying."
Harry laughed, liveliness radiating from him. "Well… erm…" he looked up and placed a finger underneath his chin, just like a five year old would, " I think I walked here. And I well... created this place. And I wasn't crying, Harry was."
Draco was puzzled, well and truly puzzled.
Finally, this took me a full 2 hours or so to write. I'm sorry for not updating faster but since it's summer holidays here in England I think the next chapter will come up in less than a month. Review please or else I'll die.