A/N: Yay! I'm glad that people like this story so far (though a few more reviews would be nice *wide anime eyes; blinkblink*) Heh, anyway, thanks to those that did review and on to the next part of the story ^w^

Harry had intended on asking Malfoy to sit with him in Potions class the next day but the blond had been so late that the lesson had already started. Professor Slughorn wasn't happy with Malfoy's tardiness but he didn't really seem to care. Actually he looked like he didn't care for much of anything. He kept his eyes cast downward, strands of hair falling into his face which he didn't bother to push back.

The professor was still talking but Harry wasn't paying any attention. He subconsciously stared at Draco, wondering what the hell his secret could be. What could be this bad? He felt a sharp jab in his ribs and turned to see Hermione glaring at him pointedly, "Stop staring at him, Harry, you're starting to get funny looks!" she said in her loudest whisper. Harry quickly apologized and tried his upmost to listen to the teacher but within a few moments, his eyes drifted back to the melancholy Slytherin.

Suddenly, Draco looked up, his red-rimmed eyes meeting Harry's. The latter jumped and abruptly looked away, his face growing hot. The rest of the class was quite uneventful and though Harry knew he should be plotting a way to get the memory out of Slughorn, he couldn't help but obsess over what Malfoy could be hiding. He was well aware that his friends thought him and his suspicions were mental but he didn't care. Actually, he hadn't even told Ron and Hermione what had happened on the Seventh Floor. For some reason, it seemed to be a thing that should remain a secret. It seemed too personal.

When the class ended, Harry was sure he was going to approach Malfoy but he managed to be out the door before he could reach him. Harry cursed quietly to himself and walked with Ron and Hermione to the Great Hall. He ate in silence, his thoughts consumed. At first Harry had just wanted to find out what Malfoy was plotting but now he wanted to help. It seemed insane to want to help his enemy but he was not one to sit idly by and watch someone go to pieces.

Just then, the very object of his obsession walked into the room and was actually walking towards the Gryffindor but then paused. Harry watched, bewildered at the strange array of emotions on Malfoy's face, wondering what he was thinking. Their gazes were locked for a moment and then Draco turned and left the room altogether.

"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed, "What was that all about."

"I…I dunno," Harry replied and took a sip of his Pumpkin Juice.

***

Harry stood outside Potions before class the next day, waiting. "What are you still doing out here?" Hermione asked.

"Waiting for Malfoy," was Harry's honest reply.

Hermione looked at him as if his eyebrows were on fire and he took that as his cue to explain. "I'm trying to get close to him so I can find out what it is that he's hiding."
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, "Harry, has it ever occurred to you that he might not be hiding anything?"

He knew that she would say something like that. "I know what I'm doing, Hermione, just please have a little faith?"

She looked at him long and hard, contemplating and then retreated back inside the classroom but not before saying, "Just come inside before class starts, there's no point in you being late as well."

But he would be late, if that's what it took. Finally Malfoy came trudging down the hallway in no particular hurry. His head was bowed which was definitely not very Malfoy-ish and he looked a bit disheveled to be honest. He didn't even notice Harry until he reached for the door and came into contact with the other boy's torso. He looked up, startled and took a step backwards to put more space in between them.

"Good morning, Malfoy," Harry said with a smile.

He too looked at Harry as if his eyebrows were on fire, "What are you doing, Potter?"

"I was waiting for you," he replied, "I was hoping that you wouldn't mind too terribly much if we sat together."

This statement received an even stranger look and was accompanied by a slight…blush? "I don't know what you're playing at Potter, but I don't find it amusing." He tried to push past Harry but he held his ground.

"I'm being perfectly serious! Look…I know we haven't quite gotten along in the past but I'm trying to change that."

"Why?"

This was infuriating, "Because, you daft git, I want to be your friend!"

Malfoy was silent for a moment, just staring at Harry and then he averted his eyes, biting his lip in thought. "Fine," he muttered, "Now move."

Harry grudgingly obliged but he was quite happy Draco had agreed. As would be expected, the whole class gawked at them for at least the first ten minutes of class. Harry pretended as if nothing was out of the ordinary though he could still feel their eyes boring into him. Worst of all was the look of utter shock and disgust on Ron's face. Harry didn't make eye contact.

They were all assigned to make a fairly easy potion that Harry didn't even catch the name of. He opened his textbook eagerly, thinking that the "Prince" would have some helpful advice to spice up the potion but this particular page was free of his slanted scribbles. Harry frowned and went about mixing the ingredients. Malfoy said not a word to him the entire time but every now and then, he watched Harry when he thought he wasn't looking. Harry did the same occasionally, noting how self-conscious Malfoy was being all of a sudden. He'd stop to push his hair behind his ear or straighten his tie, and was just being generally fidgety.

At one point their hands brushed while reaching for an ingredient and Draco drew his hand back as if he had been burnt and his face flushed considerably. Harry had never seen him act so odd. But in all truthfulness, he was feeling a bit odd himself. Even though they hadn't said a word to each other, Harry felt strangely good being close to him and couldn't imagine why. Malfoy still hated him, right?

As soon as the class was over, Draco gathered up his things and went to make a run for it when Harry caught his arm. He turned back around to face the brunette with a look of surprise written all over his face.

"Thanks…for letting me sit with you," Harry said, feeling his ears go red.

Malfoy became more flustered than ever and muttered a quick, "No problem," before yanking his arm back and making a beeline for the door.