(A/N)Okay…second chapter! I'm so fast, heh heh. Anyway- thanks to everyone who reviewed- I don't do personal replies to everyone but I just want you to know how much your review mean to me, especially as I am trying to become an author myself…although I'm not nearly good enough yet. Anyway- please enjoy and REVIEW!

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CHAPTER TWO: Dark Skies Above Our Heads

Harry lay on his back in the astronomy tower, his legs and arms stretched out wide on the stone floor. The candles had long blown out but Harry did not care, he had his eyes closed anyway.

Beside him lay several empty bottles of fire whisky and a few crumpled sheets of paper. He had been trying to write a diary, some sort of record of the events that he was so unlucky to be living through. When he had put his quill to the paper, however, no words had sprung to mind. It seemed as if there was no way to describe what he was feeling, or what horrors he saw every day. Only that morning he had walked into the toilets to find Dean hanging from one of the ceiling beams.

Harry had gagged, and thrown up in one of the rusty old toilets. He had told Professor McGonagall about Dean but as far as he knew, no one had yet come to take him down. It was as if the Death Eaters wanted the bodies to remain, silent corpses reminding all who saw them of the Dark Lord's victory.

Harry sighed and itched his nose, the tower was even colder than the rest of the castle and he wasn't quite sure why he had chosen to spend the night there. Perhaps it was because the tower was quieter than the rest of the school, not many people ventured up that far- they preferred to group together downstairs, nearer the Great Hall. No one wanted to be caught alone by a Death Eater, at least, no one that wanted to stay alive.

It wasn't that Harry wanted to die…he didn't- it was just that he didn't fear death either. It was silly to fear something like death, because after all- you couldn't run from it forever.

Suddenly, a noise interrupted his thoughts. Someone was scrambling up the tower steps. Harry sat up quickly, squinting in the dark….it couldn't be a Death Eater- they were much quieter.

Then a person came into view, their white-blond hair made silver by the pale moonlight.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked in disbelief.

The other boy's face snapped to face his and Harry was surprised to see smudges of dirt on the normally perfect white skin.

"What have you been doing?" Harry asked; taking note of the dried blood on Draco's feet and the fact that he had not changed his clothes since that last time Harry had seen him- which had been slightly more than two days ago.

Draco flopped down onto the floor beside him, out of breath and shivering in his dirty white shirt. "Looking for Snape." He breathed, his silver eyes glittering in the moonlight.

Harry raised his eyebrows and prodded Draco rather firmly in the shoulder. Much to Harry's amusement Draco fell backwards onto the floor, his breath rushing out in a loud gasp.

"How long have you been searching Malfoy?"

Draco let out a small giggle and ran his hands through is hair- straightening out the rather straggly ends. "I don't know…. I really don't know Potter….I just…."

Harry sighed and lay back down, strangely close to the other boy. But Harry didn't even notice- he could feel the heat radiating from Draco's body and it felt….safe.

"Fucking Voldemort." He muttered, taking his glasses off to polish them.

Draco looked over, watching with a rather detached interest…suddenly- for no reason at all except that he wanted to- Draco flicked Harry on the cheek.

Harry jumped and batted Draco's hand away. "What the fuck?" he spluttered, looking at the smaller boy in astonishment.

Draco grinned, suddenly he felt like laughing…he hadn't really laughed in such a long time, and so he did.

Harry watched in surprise as Draco's body shook in silent laughter- tears pouring out of his eyes and his shirt riding up as he shook. Harry winced as he saw the prominent ribs and sharp hipbones. "You really should eat more." He murmured, unsure if Draco had heard him. However, he was pretty sure he had not as Draco seemed to be laughing even louder.

"Your face Potter!" Draco gasped, "Priceless!"

Harry rolled his eyes and Draco's laughter increased again, his pale hand reaching up as if to try and muffle the sound.

"Oh for God's sake." Harry said, turning to face the other way. How could Draco be laughing at a time like this…but maybe it was just his way of releasing his fear, or pent up frustration? Plus, Harry thought- at least he wasn't beating people up, or rather- getting Crabbe and Goyle to beat people up.

Slowly Draco's loud shouts of laughter died down to small gasps and then to nothing at all. Harry leant his head back- revelling in the silence, only to have Draco break the peace once more.

"While I was looking for Snape I saw this girl….she was…well, she was dead, Potter."

Harry sighed, breathing in the cold air, the scent of the fallen autumn leaves and decaying wood filled his nostrils- reminding him that there was still a world outside Hogwarts. "Everyone here is dead Draco." Harry said woodenly- thinking of the figures he saw wandering the corridors- their pale faces and haunted eyes.

There was silence for a moment and then Draco spoke again- his voice quiet and betraying his fear. Fear that Harry had never thought he would hear or see in Draco.

"No, she was really dead….there was blood all over." Checking to see that Harry was still facing the other way, Draco scratched at his pale feet. "There's still blood on my feet." He said absently.

Harry swallowed loudly and turned around to face the Slytherin, his eyes taking in the thin form that sat, bent over his feet, examining the dried red liquid. Unable to stop himself, Harry sneezed and Draco looked up- jumping slightly. It was then that Harry noticed the grey shadows under Draco's eyes, and the red around the edges.

"You should get some sleep Malfoy." He said, with more compassion than he liked.

Draco smirked weakly- as if he had forgotten how. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans he pulled out his crumpled packet of cigarettes. "Want one?" he asked, offering the packet.

Harry shook his head, "I don't smoke."

Draco shrugged and slipped one into his own mouth, holding it firmly in his pale lips, slightly chapped from the cold. Bowing his head he lit the cigarette, blowing smoke in Harry's face with a delighted sneer.

Harry coughed and waved away the smoke. "Bastard." He spat, glaring at the other boy in disgust.

Draco grinned and blew the smoke once more toward Harry. "Get you hair cut Potter." He said suddenly- startling Harry out of his glaring.

Annoyed, Harry slapped the cigarette out of Draco's hand and put it out on the grey stone floor. "Get your own cut." He snapped- ignoring Draco's rather hurt expression.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, each staring at the crumpled cigarette on the floor. Hesitantly, Draco reached out a slim finger and trailed it through the silver ashes. "She was dead." He whispered, shivering from cold…or from fear- he wasn't sure which.

Harry closed his eyes, letting the other boy's words wash over him. "We're all dead." He repeated, reaching a hand out to still Draco's. Surprisingly, Draco didn't pull away from his grasp- instead he held on tighter, as if Harry were some sort of lifeline.

"It wasn't my father." He whispered, seeming unsure of the truth in his statement. Then, abruptly, he wrenched his hand away and stood up. With one last glance at Harry, who watched him with faint concern, Draco walked slowly back down the tower steps.

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Ron looked up as Harry entered the dormitory. Seamus had long ago retired to bed and now only Ron was awake- waiting for his best friend. "Where have you been?" he asked, his blue eyes questioning.

Harry shrugged and collapsed on his bed, turning to face away from Ron. "You can't keep avoiding us you know." Ron said, sitting up slightly to get a better view.

No response came from Harry who lay as silent and still as stone.

"Hermione wants to talk to you." Ron continued, "She want to know if you are okay."

Again, no response came- outside a wolf howled in the distance and Ron shuddered.

"Harry? Are you okay?"

The wolf howled again, a little closer to the castle this time- the sound eerie and strange to hear.

"Harry?" Ron pressed, unable to bear his friend's silence.

Suddenly the other boy turned over and Ron jumped slightly as emerald eyes stared coldly into his. "Sure, I'm fine Ron. I'm fucking fine."

(A/N) Okay- sorry that one was so short but the next chapter will be longer I promise! Still…..PLEASE REVIEW!