Chapter three :D Hope you guys like it! Thank you all so much for all and any reviews thus far, it's so so so so appreciated! Hope you all enjoy the latest chapter!

"I'm so glad you're all alive, now open up to page six hundred and forty four."

They all groaned; Severus Snape hadn't changed a bit. He still slurred evilly with every syllable pricking at egos. He still moved like a snake, his glare still as freezing, but Harry was glad that Snape hadn't been working for Voldemort. He was happy to learn of Snape's protection over him. Knowing what he knew now made Snape's lectures and insults more endearing than irritating. Harry thought him to be some kind of outward beast with a kitten's heart; the very idea made Harry chuckle.

He opened up his textbook and passed a note from under the table to Ron. Hermione spotted the red-head laughing and mouthed discipline to them. Ron seemed to be having issues keeping his laughter subtle and found himself silently laughing hysterically. His cheeks were a vibrant, Gryffindor red, his eyes scrunched up and teary with his pale hand covering his clenching teeth. The moment Snape's attention fell on him would mean the end of their flawless trading system beneath their tables.

"Vampires, Professor Snape?" Hermione implored.

Ron passed the note back to Harry, it read; Bet you he's Dracula; think he sleeps in a coffin?

Harry smiled and began writing a response as Snape answered, "Yes, Ms. Granger, vampires are more sophisticated creatures of darkness, but what I would like to talk about is the venom found in their teeth, not the creatures themselves."

Ron felt the note hit against his leg (it's been floating back and forth between them), so he grabbed it and opened it, it read; More like Frankenstein; do you think he showers?

Harry bit his tongue to keep from laughing at the sight of Ron's reluctant laughter. Hermione's voice still peaked through,

"Are they really considered creatures even though they're so human-like?"

Ron wrote a response sending it back to Harry as Snape's monotone voice continued, "They are considered creatures because they are not human. This does not mean, Ms. Granger that they are inferior to us, it means they are different and in this case, dangerous. If you want more information on magical creatures I suggest you approach your magical creature professor on the matter rather than bringing irrelevant inquiries into my classroom and if Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter do not cease their antics this moment there will be astronomic points deducted from their house."

Their laughter abruptly ended, fear striking down their spines as Harry hid the note behind his back, setting it on fire with a tap of his wand and a whispered spell. It was nonexistent only moments later. Snape perked a brow and turned around again, "Now, can anyone tell me what vampire's venom is used for?"



On cue, Hermione's hand shot up into the air, but surprisingly she was not the only one. Harry look to his left and on the Slytherin's side of the room, Draco Malfoy's pallid arm stuck high into the air, demonstrating his proud and self-certain attitude that was consistently found in Malfoy blood. The blonde flicked his chin up, trying to brush his parted platinum bangs from his eyes, only to find that they fell back into place. He scowled, but the glare that seemed self-directed was broken and melted into nothingness when Snape called on him. Draco replied simply,

"Veritaserum."

"Elaborate." Snape commanded softly.

Draco sighed, continuing, "It's a potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth no matter what the question or answer may be. 'Parently it first started in the Ministry. Not that that's a surprise."

A few classmates chuckled, but Harry was captured by Draco's sunset eyes. They really were the sun over the lake, the thunder and lightning of a stormy night, melted silver and dark gunmetal. They were beautifully grey, troubled eyes. Harry wanted to know the torment, he wanted to know the pain and agony Draco knew. He wondered how much stronger Draco was than him. He wondered how awesomely Draco deserved every ounce of Harry's respect and admiration. And perhaps sympathy. Harry very suddenly heard Draco's distinct, annoyed voice pierce, "What are you looking at, Potter?"

Harry blushed, looking away and avoiding the stares of Ron and Hermione. Snape's voice interrupted their intent gazes, though,

"Now, for partners. Seeing as Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter may be plagued with some misconception that they will be working together, I've decided to see to it that there are assigned partners. Weasley, you're annoying and frankly, you're failing. I'm teaming you with Ms. Granger to up your grade and if I don't see you working don't expect any credit whatsoever."

Ron groaned; Hermione was always a hard partner to match up to. Ron never did seem bothered by in-class humiliations such as bad grades being announced. Ron was probably much more concerned with how he'll keep from killing the brunette while working with her than actually accomplishing anything. Snape continued on a list of partners until he finally proclaimed, "And Malfoy…you're with Potter."

Harry saw the dismay and sickly shade of green wash over Draco's face as the blonde snapped,

"Outrageous! I demand another partner this instant or my fa-" Draco cut himself off from his favorite line. There was no father to consult anymore, to complain to or kiss up to. The blonde's perfect, boyish face shrunk back into a cross of anger and sadness as he mumbled some colorful words. Snape didn't act on his unfinished sentence, probably feeling just as uncomfortable as the rest of the class. Harry picked up his books and moved beside the pale boy, smiling weakly.

"'Lo, Draco."

"Shut up, Potter."



Harry glared, "Don't start it up just because I greeted you."

"It has nothing to do with you greeting me."

"So?"

"It's the very fact that you even dare to exist."

Harry scoffed, "You are so immature, Malfoy."

"And you're repulsive, but we all have our crosses to bear, Potter. You'll understand when you're older."

Harry felt the blood rising into his head; murder was in the air. The ebony-haired boy sharply turned to his textbook, opening to the assigned page. Harry tried to clear the angry auras between them by mentioning, "So ehm…do you know how we'll be getting the venom?"

Draco very slowly looked to the Golden Boy, a lazy and condescending look on his face as he sighed,

"Yes, Potter. I have my garlic and crucifixes right in my bag, gimme a minute."

Harry rolled his eyes, "That's to ward them off, not to lure them in."

"Will they work on you?"

Harry scowled, "What is your problem? I'm being completely normal to you and you're being a prat!"

Draco sat up straight, his voice taking on a new tone, "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it, Potter?"

Harry contemplated standing up and possibly shoving his foot into Draco's rain cloud eyes. Or perhaps hexing him until the blonde was completely covered in boils and painful rashes. Or maybe Harry wouldn't move at all, just take his leg to the leg of Draco's chair and send him falling to his boney little ass. These options all meant, though, that he would be feeding Draco's hunger. Draco's hunger to set him off. He wouldn't please Draco no matter what, he wouldn't give in until he was at wits end. He couldn't let Draco work him up, he couldn't give him that satisfaction. That knowledge that he got inside his head.

"I'm going to ignore it and do my work."

Draco glowered as Harry turned his attention back to the typed pages before him. He read one of the side passages which described what many vampires appeared as;

"Male vampires have been highly documented as dark-haired (black, brown or dark reds) creatures with no irises, or black ones. Female vampires are more likely to be light-haired (blonde or white) with much longer canine teeth than the males. The females are known to appear paler and thinner than the more muscularly-toned males."



Harry looked to Draco, unable to resist the urge to start a fight, "Draco, I think we may learn a bit about you."

Draco leaned over, shortly reading the passage, but to Harry's wonderment Draco's finger moved across the page to another paragraph titled "The Fire Rat's Dirt Kingdom" as he snorted, "Too bad we haven't gotten to your section yet."

Harry's half-lidded eyes moved dangerously to Draco's as he muttered, "Very funny."

"I know, people think it's hard to do, but it comes so naturally to me."

Harry was exactly two seconds away from knocking Draco's teeth out, so he looked away to his work again. Harry found, though, that his concentration level was pathetic this day. Concern washed over him; was Draco going to be okay? His attitude, his bate for arguments may be a cry for help or perhaps it was simply his way of coping. Harry glanced back to the platinum blonde and found himself once again ensnared by his smoky eyes. They were dark tornados twisting in and out of Harry's soul, winding in and winding through, creating a labyrinth of grey web within him. The foggy eyes were all Harry could see, all he could hear or comprehend. They were the only real thing in that moment.

Harry watched in horror as said eyes connected with his, but Harry found himself bolted. He had never noticed but all this time there was this weight on his shoulders, but it was somehow lifted when Draco looked into his eyes. A weight he had never known was there; he had felt all alone. Harry had felt completely alone in this castle of thousands, until that moment. When he looked into Draco's rainy eyes, glassy and spine-tingling cool, he felt that perhaps he wasn't completely alone.

That perhaps Draco was there while no one else was. There was a magic erupting from deep inside Harry's chest, a sort of tug or thrust at his ribcage and his mind was racing with thoughts he couldn't remember. Every time he tried to remember the one that had just passed it drifted further from his reach and was instantaneously replaced with a new thought that he would chase. The tips of his fingers had pins and needles while his feet felt restless, but no matter how his body reacted he couldn't move his stare from Draco's beautifully grey eyes. The silver stare had captured him; left him spellbound.

"…Potter?"

Harry snapped back into reality, "S-sorry? What?"

"Stay on Earth, Potter, I'm not failing because you were busy gawking."

Harry blushed and defended, "I-I was not gawking!"

"Yes you were, I know what I saw."

Harry rolled his eyes with a scoff, "You can't know what you see when you don't know what you feel."

"What I feel?!" Draco snapped, "What would you know about my feelings, Potter?!"

"Enough to know that you don't have any!" Harry spat.



Draco sat up straight, a mutiny shining in his brilliant eyes, "Dare to say that again, prick?"

"You're the prick here, Malfoy, all I ever am is polite to you-"

"Oh," Draco cut him off, "except for that time you killed my father, but again, that was only once."

Harry snarled, "You told me you forgave me!"

"How could I forgive you for killing my father?!"

"I don't effing know! You're the one who said it, you tell me!"

"You're just making shit up because the Golden Boy can't be out of the center of attention for a minute, can he?"

"What?!"

"You know it, just admit it, you're worried that the Chosen Boy's thunder is over now that the war's ended!"

Harry's face filled with blood, "You're just jealous because you'll never be as strong as me!"

"Jealous?!" He laughed, "Yeah, that'll be the day, Scarhead, I'd rather be a spider or a rat than you, you ugly attention-whore!"

"Potter! Malfoy!" Snape's voice pierced.

It was then that Harry realized he was standing in a fighting stance right before Draco Malfoy. The blonde's infuriated gaze was troubling Harry; what made him crack so easily? Harry shook the thought away; he was too aggravated to deal with it right now. He looked to Snape and awaited the proclamation of his immanent doom. The tall, serpentine professor looked almost concerned for Malfoy; the teacher could probably see through to all the struggle. Harry thought that maybe Snape even saw the pain. The pain Harry so wished to know.

"What is going on here?"

Draco opened his mouth and told him with poison dripping from his words, "Potter has decided to test a, frankly stupid and meaningless, psychoanalyses on my beautiful mind without my consent."

Snape cocked a brow and for the first time in history, the man looked to Harry and ventured,

"Is this right, Mr. Potter?"

Harry swallowed; why? Why the first time Harry has done something where he wasn't completely a victim did Snape ask for Harry's side? Harry sighed, though, clearly disappointed with the events of the last few minutes as he told him,

"Ehm…I suppose in a harsh, exaggerated type way, yes he's right."



Snape nodded solemnly and announced, "Well, then twenty points deducted from both of your houses and you'll be serving detention for me for the next two weeks."

The groaned in unison until Draco slurred, "Surely you mean Harry, though."

The professor sighed, "Yes. Along with yourself, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco threw himself back in his chair like the spoiled prince he was, his lightning eyes glaring off to nowhere. Snape told them, "I have a plan for the two of you."

"A plan?" Draco implored anxiously.

Snape looked down at him, telling him, "Yes. You see, Mr. Malfoy, it takes a common goal for people to communicate."

"…what?" Harry asked.

Snape rolled his eyes, explaining, "When people have a common interest or goal they find common ground, meaning these two or several people can sit down and have a conversation in which they connect. Emotional connection is key to communication and communication is key to a relationship."

"…what kind of relationship?" Draco murmured.

"Any civil one. After all, if you don't try you won't see them and if you don't see them, you can't possibly ever see how they feel. Isn't that right, Mr. Potter?" Snape moved his gaze to the charcoal-haired boy.

Harry sneered, "And what if you already know how they feel?"

"You can't know how they feel unless you ask and listen, can you Potter? And the only way to ask questions and receive answers are when you communicate. And to communicate takes patience, bravery and most importantly, connection."

Harry blushed at the thought of any of those words befitting a relationship between himself and Draco Malfoy. Harry inquired, "But I have none of those things with him."

Draco snorted, "You can say that again."

"Didn't hear it the first time, prat?"

"I'm sorry, I don't speak obnoxious."

"Yeah, retards usually have a hard time translating."

"Boys."

"Yeah, real mature, Potter."

"Boys."



"I know, some people say it's hard maintaining awesome intelligence and social skills while being a hero to millions, but it's just so organic when it comes to me."

"Boys."

"At least I'm modest about how amazing I am."

"Boys."

"In your dreams, Malfoy."

"Boys."

"You pickin' a fight, Potter?"

"Boys."

"I'd knock you out in ten seconds, Malfoy."

"Boys."

"That's nine more seconds than I need."

"BOYS!"

They looked to the frustrated professor as he glowered and snapped, "Potions lab. Nine tonight. You better come prepared because we clearly have a lot of work ahead of us. I want you out of my classroom for now. I can't come here breaking you two up every five minutes."

"Yes sir." They replied in sync.

Harry moved his intent gaze back to Draco's angry eyes. They stayed there for a moment; Draco glaring from his seat to the Golden Boy and said boy once again captured by his icy eyes. Life had slowly been melting back to normal for Harry as of late. Nothing was out of the ordinary as it had been during the war and for a week or so after, but then something happened. While they remained looking infuriated with one another Draco mumbled three words that would forever haunt Harry's mind, send him spinning down a black hole within himself that Draco's stormy eyes and weaved themselves, tainting his soul and squeezing his heart, cutting him from air…

Those seemingly dead, silver eyes were short slits of loathing as he said nearly inaudibly, "I hate you."