Firstly, thanks again for all the feedback on this story. I loved that when I woke up the morning after posting the last chapter I had twenty e-mails all concerning this story, with reviews and story and author adds. It made me feel lovely and warm inside.

I should probably mention a few things though, so you know what you're getting yourself into; I do tend to drag out my stories a bit, something that I am trying to refrain from in this story. I like to plan my stories in a bit of advance and did recently have a plot change with this where I started to plan a direction of going in and then found out it didn't work so had to go back and change it. That in particular doesn't really affect you, the readers, as I write in advance too and am actually on chapter 12. I'm sorry if this does go on a bit of a slow ride, but I don't like to rush things, certainly not in a pairing like this.

I hope you are alright with that and I promise it does get there eventually. Oh and I'm going to try and post once a week from now on. I'll try.

Oh and one last thing, I am working on a Draco/Harry one shot that is epically long and should be ready for Christmas, or at least I hope so as it is actually Christmas themed, so if you're interested look out for that. It should be done for Christmas eve, fingers crossed.

Disclaimer: The wonderful and talented J.K. Rowling has dibs on the characters and the majority of everything else. I do however own this particular variation so if you'd kindly not steal and claim as your own, I'd be grateful.


Part 4

Harry trudged through the throngs of his fellow students slowly making his way in the general direction of the Gryffindor common room with his head down. It was now the end of the day and he'd successfully managed to keep his mind busy with transfiguration research and notes and potions ingredients after leaving the library. Not once did he allow himself to think about Malfoy. Well, not too much anyway.

He had missed lunch, having not wanted to be confronted by Hermione and Ron about his clear avoidance, hiding out in the room of requirement for the majority of his free time. Harry was sure that if she wasn't so concerned or worried or whatever it was Hermione was feeling towards him right now, that she would be proud of his concentration on school work.

Now, however his stomach grumbled in protest at not being fed all day and the smells travelling from the great hall, where a majority of the students had started dinner, already was all too tempting. He had to face the music and he had to do it as quickly and painlessly as possible. There was no time like the present.

After dumping his books in his dorm he walked the now empty echoing corridors back to the Great hall, all students except him enjoying their dinner. He vaguely wondered if he would have missed anything exciting happening between his friends, any funny jokes that he missed or any drama he wasn't part of and felt stupid for being so reclusive. He was going to have to apologise to some of them, that is, if they even noticed.

He shook off the feeling and rearranged his features into something that could probably resemble a smile as he pulled open the heavy door of the hall, the sounds and sights and smells of food and socialisation greeting him fully and sucking him in. He quickly made his way to where he had spotted Ron's flaming ginger hair and plonked himself down in the spare space that had been left for him.

"Hey mate, where have you been?" Ron asked, for once his mouth not full of food at the table as he poked at a stray pea, and chased it around the plate, really only half paying attention. Hermione on the other hand, had her eyes trained on Harry and was watching his every move, quite clearly already suspicious.

"Hey, sorry, I got caught up at the library," Harry said, only half lying considering the room of requirement had made itself into a loose resemblance of the library. If he had said he had been in the room of requirement however, it may have seemed slightly odd that he was there alone, to study.

The scent of shepherds pie reached him immediately, making his mouth water. He quickly shovelled some onto his plate and dove in with his fork, regardless of how hot it was.

"At the library?" Hermione said, in slight disbelieve, her narrowed eyes heightening how suspicious she looked. Harry just nodded in response, already stuffing another forkful into his mouth, barely even tasting it as it slid down his throat, his stomach growling appreciatively at finally being given some food.

Ron looked up from where he was chasing the lone pea around his plate and frowned at Harry also. "Why were you in the library?" he asked, full attention on Harry now, so much so he put his fork down on the plate.

"Studyin'" Harry said through a mouthful of potatoes and mince and peas, careful not to make eye contact and taking a swig of pumpkin juice at the same time, washing everything down. He was almost half way finished already.

"Why? Was there a hot girl lurking in the corner that you wanted to speak to or something?" Ron asked, obviously out of impulse as Harry was sure he heard a dull 'thud' that sounded a lot like Hermione's foot connecting with Ron's shin. Ron's slight grimace when Harry looked at him told him he was right.

Harry's chest tightened slightly at the mention of a hot girl. As far as he was concerned there were none in the school, to be honest. Sure Ginny was pretty, really pretty but he'd been there, done that and it hadn't worked. Ron had given him another idea of a distraction but to be honest the idea made his stomach churn all the Shepherd's pie he had just eaten and not in the good way.

"Nah, NEWT's are this year man, I needed to start studying," Harry shrugged, stupidly glancing at Hermione, whose eyes had narrowed even more. Even though he was telling the truth she was making him feel like he was lying. He was technically, as there was a reason why he was doing that in the first place and it had nothing to do with NEWTs.

There was silence while Ron genuinely contemplated this and Harry finished the remainder of his dinner, as quickly as possible. He'd began to regret going into the great hall after all. The stares from Hermione were getting to be a bit much.

"I'm sorry Harry, but I'm not even buying that," Ron said finally, looking at his friend with a frown that had turned concerned. "What's really going on?"

Harry sighed as he wiped his mouth on his napkin and looked over at Hermione, whom had been unusually quiet with her questioning up until now. He was distracted from her however when he saw Malfoy, in clear view a table away behind her, standing up and preparing to leave.

His golden hair was falling forward, swiping his sharp cheekbones as he leant over the table to pick up a few peppermint pastels from another Slytherin Harry couldn't see properly. Harry watched as he flicked his hair out of his eyes once he had stood up straight and popped one of the sweets into his mouth and started to chew. A weird feeling came over Harry as he watched Malfoy's mouth move and his throat muscles ripple as he swallowed, it was a feeling that Harry couldn't quite explain. If he had to pin point it, it probably felt a lot like lust, especially as his mind immediately jumped to images of that mouth -those tight thin lips- peppering his skin with open mouthed kisses, but it was something else as well, something Harry halted his thoughts about. The lust part was scary enough; he didn't need to add anything else to it.

Harry licked his lips subconsciously and looked the boy up and down slowly, taking in the body that his robes were partly hiding. The school robes didn't offer much but Harry could imagine the slender curve of Malfoy's body, the sharp hips and the-

He stopped mid thought and shook his head. Those were the exact thoughts he wanted to get rid of, wanted a distraction from and there he was watching, staring and thinking and fantasising. This was not right. Never mind the fact that he was thinking all these thoughts about a boy, a man no less, than the fact that it was Malfoy. He was in trouble. He needed help.

He was snapped out of watching Malfoy, toss his head back in light laughter by a sharp prod in the ribs. Hermione was looking at him, slight sympathy in her eyes, mingled with angry tension in her pursed lips at the same time. For a second Harry thought she had figured it out, knowing she was bright enough to probably notice where his gaze had been.

"Harry, were you even listening to me?" she asked, showing that he had nothing to worry about. He was thankful considering even he didn't know what this was that was going on with him at the moment. It would have been embarrassing if she had figured it out before he had.

"Er, sorry," Harry mumbled, his blush creeping up the back of his neck again. He put his fork down that he had still been holding, just in time for the main courses to disappear and the desserts to pop up in front of them.

Now that Ron was well and truly distracted with some strawberry tarts, Hermione sighed and leant over the table a little closer to Harry, closing off any chance of any one else hearing their conversation. "Are you okay? You're clearly not sleeping well and your concentration is barely there. Do you think...maybe...?" Hermione gestured around her, as if trying to illustrate what she was trying to ask. Harry immediately understood.

"Hermione, it's not being back here, well not so to speak," Harry said glancing quickly at where Malfoy was finally walking out of the Great Hall. "There are people here who lost more than me and it would be selfish to think about it, so I'm not. It's something else but I'm dealing with it. Don't worry,"

Hermione looked even less convinced than before. "Thinking and grieving is not selfish Harry. You need closure as much as anyone else here," she whispered.

"'Mione it doesn't matter 'cause it's not really that anyway, I've barely thought about it, honestly it's something else," Harry said. Part of him wanted to tell her, just to see what she would say, but he needed to figure it out for sure himself first, he needed to come to terms with it before he shared it. And talking to Ron was completely out of the question.

Hermione leant back, away from Harry again, thoughtful. He picked at a slice of pecan pie he had served himself during their conversation, waiting for her response. "I understand you don't want to tell me about what ever it is, but-"Hermione started.

"No you wont be able to help with what it is Hermione, before you suggest that," Harry shook his head, picking up a jug of cream and pouring some over his pie.

"I wasn't going to! I was going to suggest you try and get more sleep, I don't want to be seeing you so tired all the time Harry." She said softly. Harry glanced up at her and saw the concern written in her big brown eyes and sighed to himself.

"How do you suggest I do that?" he asked, giving in a little, filling her need to help people.

She thought again for a moment before that signature Hermione smile that appeared whenever she had an idea spread across her face. Harry paused in bringing his spoonful of pie to his lips, waiting for it.

"You could always use the Prefect bathroom, have a nice relaxing bath, de-stress and think about whatever it is you don't want to think about and get it sorted out, you'll be able to relax and your thoughts will be clear enough for sleep." Hermione said carefully, without getting too carried away with her plan.

Harry cringed. A bath? Yeah the Prefect bathroom was nice in forth year and all and the bubbles and scents were relaxing but he didn't like the idea of having all that free space to think about...everything. He hadn't used it when he was Quidditch Captain in sixth year and the thought hadn't occurred to him to use it this year either.

"Just, consider it Harry, you know the password right?" Hermione whispered across at him before swiftly standing up.

"I really don't think-" Harry started but Hermione was giving him her 'trust me' look and he found it difficult to argue with her about it any longer. Harry sighed, looking across at Ron who was tucking into a second helping of Strawberry tart. He supposed he didn't have much of a choice, he could at least give it a try.