I forgot to mention last time that this fic ties in with "Don't Close Your Eyes" although I dont think you need to read that one to understand what's going on. It would just tell you who Lark is. Anyways, thanks to everyone who read the last chapter, sorry it took me so long to update, I was hoping for more reviews, but beggars can't be picky. So this chapter is dedicated to Steph. Because I love her. :) Enjoy!

Chapter Two

-Harry Potter-

Harry stared out at the window at the beautiful day. People were whispering about him again, but he had learned not to care. At least they had stopped asking him if her were "The Chosen One" as the Prophet had reported. He had spent the summer first in isolation, and then in the pleasurable company of the Weasley clan plus Hermione. Now they were back at school and everyone was acting no different than normal. Except that now they all believed him. He found he just didn't care anymore, and didn't know if this was because he had matured or fallen into a depression. He knew what the prophecy meant and didn't see how he was supposed to fulfill it. Ron and Hermione seemed confident that he could, although he suspected they just said that to make him feel better.

"Harry, don't you want some lunch?" Hermione asked gently. He snapped out of his daydream.

"Yeah, food sounds good," he replied, plastering a smile on his face and walking out of the common room with her and Ron. In the hall, they passed Draco Malfoy, whom Harry had become increasingly suspicious of since the end of the summer. Malfoy gave them a furtive glance and kept walking.

"See!" Harry whispered fervently to his best friends. "He isn't insulting us! He's definitely up to something!"

"Of course he is," Hermione waved her hand in a dismissive way. Ron chose not to look at Harry. Harry glared at the floor, annoyed that his best friends wouldn't listen to him. Lark and Cedric had believed him, and Cedric had even offered to help.

"If I see him going anywhere suspicious, I'll try and follow him," Cedric had promised. It was depressing to realize that the intern Healer and a ghost that he'd seen die were the only ones who supported his "Draco is Evil and Going to Destroy Us All" theory.

"Did you hear that Pomfrey's going on vacation for a month? Apparently she really trusts Turnings to take care of us students," Ron was saying.

"Well, Lark was always really smart," Hermione nodded her head as though agreeing with herself. "That's what George said anyway."

"She's really nice too," Harry added, although he didn't think either of his friends heard him.

"Yeah, George was pretty fond of her, wasn't he?" Ron scratched his nose as he spoke.

"He was her friend Ronald," Hermione replied in a stern tone. "I don't know why you always have to turn platonic relationships into something more."

"I do not!" Ron argued, pouting slightly. "I was just saying he was fond of her as a friend!" Hermione shook her bushy head.

"You were not," she answered haughtily.

"And since when have you been able to read minds?" Ron demanded. Harry's head was starting to hurt.

"Yours isn't that hard to figure out," Hermione fired back.

"I'll see you two later," Harry mumbled, turning around and heading back in the direction they came. Neither Ron nor Hermione noticed he had left as they were still having a heated argument. He took a right into a hidden staircase and headed towards the Hospital Wing to find some peace and a headache cure.

"You come here far too often for a student who's not hurt," Lark commented the moment she saw him. "Are you here for a potion or did you just need to get away?" Harry fully appreciated Lark's abilities to read minds.

"Both," he replied, sitting down on one of the beds and rubbing his temple with the palm of his hand. Lark poured something into a tablespoon and handed it to the black haired boy who took it gratefully. His headache disappeared instantly.

"Ron and Hermione were at it again," he explained after handing the spoon back. Lark nodded knowingly.

"That's how Mack and Jules were," she sighed. "I miss those days. Now we're all professionals out in the real world and hardly have time to talk." She stared off into space for a moment, finally looking down at her patient.

"Don't you find it the least bit troublesome that you find solace in the Hospital Wing?" she questioned, replacing the sheets on one of the beds.

"At times," was the honest reply. "But my friends don't understand and the rest of the castle still thinks I'm crazy."

"To their credit, you do have to be a bit crazy to face You Know Who," Lark pointed out. "And brave, but mostly crazy." Harry pulled a bemused face.

"You're a great help," he said, holding back a laugh. Lark smiled, tucking in the corners of the sheets on the bed.

"Do Ron and Hermione know this is where you sneak off to?" she questioned, sitting down next to him. He shook his head.

"Once again, they wouldn't understand. I know Dumbledore told me to share the burden with them, but honestly…telling them everything didn't make it any easier. They just think I'm overreacting to everything now."

"In short, they still think that you're losing it by thinking that Draco Malfoy is up to something sinister?" Lark questioned. Again, the dark haired boy nodded. Madam Pomfrey walked in at this moment.

"Potter, what are you here for?" she questioned sternly.

"Really bad headache," he answered quickly. "But Miss Turnings fixed it. Thanks!" He exited the Hospital Wing in a speedy fashion, afraid of more questioning from Madam Pomfrey. He located Ron and Hermione out of the grounds, enjoying a free period after lunch.

"Where did you sneak off to?" Hermione demanded the moment she spotted him.

"I had a really bad headache and went to see Madam Pomfrey for it," he replied. It was partially true.

"I thought your scar had stopped hurting," Ron intervened.

"It wasn't my scar," Harry answered irritably. Really, did they register anything he told them?

"There's no need to take that tone with us!" Hermione sniffed. Harry rolled his eyes and left the duo once again.

"Where are you going now?" Ron yelled after him.

"Honestly!" he heard Hermione huff.

Once inside the Entrance Hall, Harry was presented with a dilemma. He couldn't go back to the Hospital Wing, lunch was over, and the common room was bound to have people. At the moment, he just wanted to be alone. Dumbledore had warned him against this, saying that Harry needed to confide his soul to his two best friends. Well, his two best friends were being prats and never listened to him anyway. And who really wanted their best friends knowing every little thing about them? He certainly didn't. With a decision that was bound to turn out bad for him, he headed to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It would most definitely be devoid of people, but Myrtle was probably there. If he insulted her early on, she'd quickly leave. As that thought lifted his spirits slightly, he pushed open her door, only to find that someone was already in there.

"Malfoy?" he raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Malfoy spun around, his face white and his eyes bloodshot.

"What do you want Potter?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"Well I came in here to be alone, but seeing as it's already occupied, I guess I'll leave."

"No, I was just…I'm finished," Malfoy responded, pushing past Harry to leave. For the first time in his life, Harry felt pity for the youngest Malfoy. Something had severely shaken him, and he looked weak and scared. Harry caught the sleeve of his robes.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, concern etched in his features.

"Since when do you care?" There was no malice in Malfoy's words, only curiosity at the sudden interest. Harry let go of his sleeve.

"I just think we've both been through a lot and are feeling misunderstood and utterly alone," was the reply. Draco studied Harry for a moment before walking away.

Harry shut the door and bolted it, sitting on the floor and leaning back against the cold, stone wall. He contemplated how much life had changed, all because of that stupid prophecy. No, Harry thought to himself, all because of Voldemort.