Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and co, okay! It belongs to J.K Rowling. I don't even own a computer; it's my Mums. –starts saving money- … Damn. :-)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The previous chapter is a re-post! For more information, check out the note at the beginning of the first chapter. I found out that you aren't actually allowed to write personal thanks to reviewers, but I can list them:-) So thank you to Phyxe, princess kyra, enchantress of the dark, Magic and sparkle, quashi, ragarsum, Raiyevern, and yehudi13 for reviewing. You are all great!

Warning: This story will contain slash! This means guys/guys. If you hate guys/guys, don't read it! There will be some slash in this chapter (I think, it depends how it turns out:D). There is some swearing in this chapter, so if you get offended by such language, don't say I didn't warn you. :-) Oh yes, and more violence! Lol, poor, poor Draco.

A/N: Firstly, sorry for taking so long to update! I'm very busy with school, and I like to edit my story more than once. :-) Anyways, sorry, I'll try to write (or type, really) faster.
Wow, I got 8 reviews for the last chapter, which were all positive and helpful. I was quite encouraged by this, and decided to keep writing! I still don't have a very clear idea of what can happen at Hogwarts, and what Voldemort can plot, so if you have a suggestion, I'll be very, very glad to hear it!


~Chapter Two: An Unexpected Encounter (And Yet Another Fight!)~

Draco had closed his eyes as soon as he touched the aluminium can, but after a minute of spinning, he was feeling slightly sick. So you can imagine how relieved he was when he felt his feet slam into ground. Draco's hurt ankle gave way, and he fell backwards, letting go of the can at last. Breathing deeply, Draco reluctantly opened his eyes to reality.

The first thing Draco did was take in his surroundings. He was sitting in the middle of a dirty and narrow alleyway, and the sun was shining strongly onto his face. The sky was as blue as Lockhart's robes once were, with not a cloud in sight.

Draco propped himself up with his hands, and slowly got to his feet. He gingerly tested his ankle, and it wasn't too bad. He could walk on it, but had to submit to a sharp pain every time it twisted a certain angle. Looking up from his feet, Draco finally thought about what he had to do. His mother had told him….. No, he couldn't think about his mother; it was too painful.

Shaking his head a little, Draco forced himself to think. He had to go to London, and stay at the Leaky Cauldron. Draco swore and turned to face one end of the alleyway. Where the hell was London from here?

Wincing, Draco started walking to the end of the alleyway. He had to stop and rest a couple of times, but he got there. Draco started to walk down the street, but quickly clutched a fence when a wave of dizziness washed over him. He was never going to make it to London at this rate!

Draco forced himself to stop swaying, and squinted at the street sign. Magnolia Crescent. 'That helps a lot,' Draco thought sarcastically. He shuffled along the sidewalk, mentally cursing his father for coming home, the reason why Draco had to run away.

When Draco was nearly at the end of Magnolia Crescent, another bout of faintness came over him. This time he stumbled sideways into a bush, and had to bend over, his hands on his knees. Fuck, he felt weak. 'Malfoys – are – not – weak!' Draco was reminded of the expression his father had yelled at him in his dream. 'Well, fuck you father! I'm never joining you,' he thought angrily.

Draco took a deep breath and stood up straight. He ran a hand gently through his hair (which felt very matted and messy), and when he brought it away, there was some blood on his fingers. 'Shit, that's all I need.' Draco forced his injuries out of his mind. He had to get to London.

Draco continued walking, and by the time he reached Magnolia Road, his whole ankle was aching. He kept walking; he couldn't stop. If he stopped, he probably wouldn't start again.

Fiercely ignoring his ankle, Draco became aware that he was heading towards a play-park. Luckily, he couldn't see anyone there. It would be too awkward to answer questions from nosy people. He kept walking, and as he arrived at the play-park, he felt yet another dizzy spell rise over him. Draco rubbed his eyes with his non-bloody hand, while using his other hand to steady himself.

Draco closed his eyes, and realised how tired he was. He had to go on. 'Oh, sod that,' Draco thought, and finally sank down on a patch of grass opposite a pair of swings.

Why did his father have to escape? Draco had hoped Lucius would rot in Azkaban, so he could start his life over, and not be like his father. Obviously, fate was not going in his favour. Draco covered his face with his hands, biting his lip when he touched his bruised jaw. It wasn't fair.

He could have stayed in that position all day, but Draco suddenly felt some shadows being cast over him.

"Look what we have here boys, a cry baby." Draco looked up at the leering voice. Standing in front of him was a gang of gigantic boys, the fattest of them right before Draco. He had blonde hair plastered to his chubby head, and he held a cigarette in his hand. It seemed to have been him who had spoken, because the others were chuckling appreciatively.

'Don't reply, just ignore him,' a sensible voice in Draco's head said. He clenched his teeth, desperately wanting to throw a curse at the overweight boy. He wanted to vent his anger onto someone else. Instead Draco fixed the blonde boy with one of his deathly glares.

"Look, the baby has lost his tongue as well," mocked the obese blonde boy.

'Don't do anything, don't retaliate...'

"Why don't you run along home to your mummy?"

For the second time that day, Draco lost his temper. He quickly got to his feet, disregarding his ankle.

"Why don't you go fuck yourself, you pathetic excuse of a fucking muggle," he spat at the boy.

Fear and anger crossed the boy's piggy face. He flicked his cigarette away with practiced ease. He thrust his hand into his pocket and drew out a pocket knife. Draco eyed it warily. He contemplated pulling out his wand, but decided against it. It wouldn't do for him to get caught by the Ministry of Magic.

He stared at the knife, and suddenly the blonde boy lifted him up by his hair. The boy then brought the knife to Draco's cheek, and held the metal to his skin.

"You bastard," he hissed at Draco, and without hesitating, slashed Draco's cheek with the knife. Draco gasped at the sudden burst of pain. Once, twice, three times the boy cut Draco. The last slash caught Draco's bottom lip, and he could taste blood trickling into his mouth.

While Draco was spluttering, the boy pocketed the knife, and threw Draco with such force, that Draco hit his head hard on the ground.

The boy started walking slowly but ominously towards Draco. Sighing, Draco closed his eyes. He was going to die. 'Malfoys fight!' a voice remarkably like Draco's father said. 'I thought I told you to sod off!' Draco couldn't have fought back even if he had wanted to. There was no one left for Draco. His mother was dead; his father wouldn't want him (Draco wouldn't have gone back to his father anyway). Hell, he didn't even have many friends. Crabbe and Goyle were just his bodyguards. Pansy was as annoying as tight shoes are, and Blaise was too quiet and mysterious to engage a proper conversation with. No one cared about Draco.

As Draco was readying himself for death, he thought he heard footsteps, but they didn't sound heavy, like the blonde boy's did.

"What the….?" That voice was all too familiar.

Draco's eyed snapped open. Standing to one side of the blonde boy, who was still approaching Draco, was one of the last people Draco wanted to see right now. Harry Potter.

Harry was stock still, mouth hanging open, and in other words, in complete shock. Draco closed his eyes again, his heart sinking. He was going to die at the hands of the fat boy and Potter. It wasn't fair. Harry always bet him at everything.

What Draco wasn't prepared for, however, was for Harry's voice to speak again.

"Leave him alone Dudley!"

His eyes flicked open for the second time, and this sight was no less surprising than before. Harry was glaring at the fat boy, with a dark scowl etched deep in his face. The boy turned, and looked at Harry.

"What did you say?"

"Surely even someone as stupid as you can understand English. I said, leave him alone Dudley."

The boy made no signs of movement, so Harry shoved his hand into his jeans pocket, and drew out his wand. The boy named Dudley froze, and his white nostrils widened. His face turned a pasty grey, and opened his mouth. Then he seemed to think better, and turned from Harry. He motioned for his gang to follow, and slowly they trudged away.

Still scowling, Harry pocketed his wand, and faced Draco. The look on his face would stay with Draco forever. His eyes were shining with concern and confusion, and his brow was furrowed in deep thought. It was so unlike the usual hatred, that Draco seriously wondered whether it was actually Potter.

"I think I'll leave the question 'What the hell are you doing here?' until later," Harry said finally. He cautiously walked up to Draco and knelt down beside him.

"What are you doing here Potter?" Draco mumbled.

"I live here in the holidays Malfoy," Harry replied with a faint smile on his face. "Can you stand?"

Draco stared at Harry, taken aback.

"What?"

"Can you stand? As in be on your feet, staying upright…"

"I know what you mean you idiot," Draco snarled. "I meant, why are you asking me that?"

"Because I need to know whether or not you can walk back to my Uncle's house," Harry said, sardonically.

"What the hell? You're meant to hate me! Why should you help me?" Draco was incredulous. This couldn't be the actual Harry Potter. Someone must have put him under the Imperius curse, or used the Polyjuice Potion, or something.

"Even I wouldn't let you stay out here in the state you're in," Harry said reasonably.

"But –"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Malfoy. Just swallow your pride and shut up."

Well, at least that was more like the old Potter he knew.

Before Draco could say any more, Harry had his hands under Draco's arms, and was gently lifting him to his feet. Draco blinked a couple of times, trying to clear his vision. Harry let go of Draco, and he swayed dangerously. Harry quickly steadied Draco, and pulled Draco's arm over his shoulder.

"Ok, we're going to walk back to my Uncle's house now, just go slowly, I'm here," Harry said softly, his mouth near to Draco's ear. Draco felt Harry's warm breath on his skin, and felt a blush creep over his cheeks. Something quite unrelated to his dizziness was making him feel quite light-headed. He swallowed thickly, and tried to think about the task at hand.

Draco hesitantly took a step, and kept walking gradually along the grass, Harry supporting him. With Harry occasionally whispering words of comfort in Draco's ear, together they reached Magnolia Crescent.

And then, Draco came to an abrupt halt.

"Wait. I can't walk anymore. I'm so dizzy." His legs felt incredibly like jelly, and Draco fell sideways into Harry.

"It's ok," Harry said, holding Draco stable. "I'll…" he paused. "I'll carry you." Draco was too weak to protest, so Harry scooped Draco up, holding him under his knees and arms. Feeling ill, Draco closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see anything.

Harry's muscular arms were holding Draco strongly as he carried him, and for the first time in his life, Draco felt truly secure. Sighing contently, Draco buried his face in the crook of Harry's neck. Harry stiffened a little, but quickly relaxed. Draco could smell Harry's hair; it smelt faintly like blueberries. It smelt so good that Draco took a deep breath, savouring the aroma.

Now Draco normally didn't have thoughts about smelling another guy's neck, so he was a bit confused by this. He hurriedly blamed it on his current state of mind, as he was pretty close to blacking out. In the back of his mind, however, was a little voice screaming 'Liar! You're attracted to guys, so why deny it!'

Draco shooed this voice away, and concentrated on staying awake. All attempts were in vain. His last thought before he fell unconscious was 'I wonder if Harry's shampoo is made to help him appear even sexier?'


Harry angrily kicked an aluminium can down the alleyway in which he was walking. He really did loathe his Uncle. It wasn't Harry's fault that Dudley was too lazy to walk and get his dinner from the kitchen. And it certainly wasn't Harry's job to get it for him. Stupid Uncle Vernon.

Still fuming, Harry looked up and realised where his feet had taken him. He was at the park just off Magnolia Road. Just ahead of him were Dudley and his gang; he could tell by the sizes of their bodies. They were closing in on a blonde boy, who looked extremely battered, from what Harry could see. His anger enveloping him, Harry strode towards Dudley. He was going to vent his frustration out onto him.

When Harry was about 10 feet away from Dudley, he heard the blonde boy sigh, and he turned to look at him. Then Harry wished he hadn't.

Draco Malfoy was laying there, with blood streaked down his cheek and bottom lip. His face sported a couple of black and blue bruises, and his ankle was twisted under his other leg an unnatural way. Harry said the first thing that came into his mind.

"What the….?"

Draco opened his eyes, and gaped at the sight of Harry. He was sure that he was gaping at Draco too, but his injuries and unexpected appearance weren't the only things making Harry stare. For the first time in knowing Draco, Harry could see an emotion other than malice and coldness in his silver eyes. There was pain dancing in them, along with grief and even a glint of hatred in them. But there was no sight of fear. He wasn't even trembling at the sight of Dudley advancing on him, fists balled tightly.

And then, Draco's eyes were shut, and Harry saw no more. His shock had evaporated, and his hatred for Dudley was resurfacing.

"Leave him alone Dudley!" Harry turned on his most irate scowl, and directed it at his cousin.

"What did you say?" Dudley stood facing him, flabbergasted.

"Surely even someone as stupid as you can understand English. I said, leave him alone Dudley." Harry was surprised at his own forcefulness. He had never ordered Dudley around before. Not like this.

Dudley didn't move, so Harry withdrew his wand from his pocket. For a second, Dudley seemed too stunned to react. His face steadily became paler, and then, he turned and waddled away. His gang seemed surprised, but followed him without protest.

Harry turned to look at Draco, his anger fading at the sight that lay in front of him. Now that he was a bit closer, he saw that Draco had blood seeping down his face, coming from cuts on his cheek and lip. He also noticed that his usually perfect hair was streaked with dried blood, making him look like he'd had an accident with a bottle of hair dye. Unfortunately, Harry could tell this was not the case.

"I think I'll leave the question 'What the hell are you doing here?' until later," Harry said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"What are you doing here Potter?" Draco mumbled.

"I live here in the holidays Malfoy," Harry replied. Trust Malfoy to ask a question like that. "Can you stand?"

Draco's eyes were wide, staring in disbelief.

"What?"

"Can you stand? As in be on your feet, staying upright…" Harry couldn't help but smirk as he said this.

"I know what you mean you idiot," Draco snarled. "I meant, why are you asking me that?"

"Because I need to know whether or not you can walk back to my Uncle's house," Harry replied, trying not to smile. Draco was rather cute when he was confused and angry. 'Whoa! Why the hell am I having these thoughts about him? He's my arch enemy. That I happen to be helping… uh… yeah, I think I'll stop thinking about this now.'

Harry forced these disturbing feelings away, and concentrated on the job at hand.

"What the hell? You're meant to hate me! Why should you help me?" Draco yelped, his face showing that he thought this must be unreal.

"Even I wouldn't let you stay out here in the state you're in," Harry said reasonably.

"But –"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Malfoy. Just swallow your pride and shut up."

Before Draco could start protesting some more, Harry hurriedly put his hands under the other boy's arms. He tried not to cause Draco anymore pain. Harry let Draco go, and when Draco nearly fell over, Harry hurriedly held him again. He pulled Draco's arm over his own shoulder, and spoke to Draco.

"Ok, we're going to walk back to my Uncle's house now, just go slowly, I'm here," Harry said softly, his mouth near to Draco's ear so he was sure to hear. Draco started moving, and together they walked out of the park. Harry whispered words of encouragement in Draco's ear every now and then.

And then, when they had just reached Magnolia Crescent, Draco came to a stop.

"Wait. I can't walk anymore. I'm so dizzy."

"It's ok," Harry said, holding Draco stable. "I'll…" he paused. "I'll carry you." Draco didn't object, so Harry scooped Draco up, holding him under his knees and arms. He was surprisingly light, not at all the weight of a normal sized teenager.

Harry carried Draco down the sidewalk, hearing a little sigh come from Draco. Draco must have had a hard day.

Stiffening slightly, Harry felt Draco bury his head in the crook of his neck, but Harry relaxed almost immediately. Draco's platinum hair was soft against his skin and that soothed Harry.

"Draco?" Harry whispered. Draco didn't seem to be conscious, so Harry kept on walking. He had now reached the alleyway which would take him through to Wisteria Walk.

Harry wondered why Draco was here, in Surrey. Surely he didn't spend his holidays in a city like this. He had always imagined the Malfoy Manor to be out in the countryside, with huge forests around it. No, there must be a reason for Draco's appearance in Surrey.

Speeding up slightly, Harry strode briskly down Wisteria Walk, and into Privet Drive. Dudley didn't seem to be home. He walked up Number Four's driveway, and paused for a second. He couldn't hear the Dursleys' normal chatter, and their car was absent.

The front door was mercifully unlocked, so Harry pushed it open with his foot. He carefully manoeuvred Draco up the stairs, and across the landing. He laid Draco on his own bed, and saw that he was indeed unconscious.

As Harry sat down at his desk, his gut instinct told him that Draco wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. His gut also told him that he was glad Draco was going to have to stay here. Needless to say, Harry ignored the latter.


Chapter 2 is finished! -wipes forehead- I'd like to thank yehudi13 again, because she has reviewed all of my stories, and she really inspired me to sit down and finish this chapter!
(yehudi13, you're my favorite reviewer… sshhh, don't tell the others that! -dodges rotten tomatoes thrown by other reviewers- Don't worry, I love you all!)

I hope you decide to review, and this chapter is a bit longer than the last, so is it a good length :-) Review Please!