A/N: *Edited 11/18/15

Thanks to all who are reading. Please leave a review. I feel inadequate without them. I have no idea if anyone even likes this story. LOL.

Anyway, I am now ready to start getting into deeper issues with the story line. I just had to get them to Hogwarts. Gotta get the creative juices flowing. I have really enjoyed writing about my beloved Harry & Draco. Both of them are really about to go through some major changes. I kind of feel sorry for them. But it will definitely be a test of endurance & character for everyone involved.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. All JK's.

Mature rating: Slash, violence, drugs,..the works. just not all in this chapter.

Much love everyone.

The Last Train Ride

Harry sat in his compartment on the Hogwarts Express and looked out the window. Although he was awake, he felt like he was in a dream-sleep, his mind swirling in colors of silver and white. A faint smile tugged at his mouth. It had been like that all week. The pain from Nicos' attack had been a lot more severe than he had originally thought. After he had managed to apparate back to the Leaky Cauldron, he found that he could barely move the next morning.

He had just enough strength to pop one of the candy-like pills that Fadien had given him. Charlie Weasley had shown him some similarly charmed pills while he had been in Romania. Some of the Romanian Dragon Keepers had used them on the dragons to calm them down. They had mixed them in with their food, along with potions at times. Harry felt it funny that he was taking pills that he had assumed had been used on dragons, but Charlie had said they weren't harmful. So Harry figured these would be okay to take. They definitely numbed his pain, but then it seemed to increase the power of his magic. He could think much more clearly when he did simple spells. And things just seemed easier. The power blasts would only last for a short while and then he would get sleepy, which was happening to him right now. He didn't quite remember the dragons become more powerful though, but he shrugged it off.

Harry was glad that he was feeling a bit distracted by the upcoming train ride back to Hogwarts. Usually he was excited to be returning to school, with Hogwarts being his real home instead of the Dursleys. Now he was feeling unsettled about the upcoming year. His fight with Ginny still bothered him and he was still in a slight state of shock that he had been attacked by a werewolf at a Slytherin party. He hoped that the school year would be less chaotic.

I just want to get through it, with no drama, he thought irritably. That thought pulled his mind back to the present. He would be seeing Ron and Ginny again very soon. Hermione had owled him again this past week leading up to going back to school, but he hadn't heard from Ron at all. Harry felt queasy about that. He hoped that he had not irrevocably destroyed the relationship with his best mate.

He had just closed his eyes, when he heard the door sliding open. A familiar voice spoke softly to him.

"Hey Harry," Hermione said and she looked nervous. Harry looked up and grinned at her. Her eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"Harry! Your glasses are gone! And…is that an earring?! What have you been up to?" She asked eagerly and she bent to examine it. "I can't believe that you did that!"

The entry way became crowded with his fellow Gryffindors, Neville, Seamus and Dean.

"Harry pierced his ears?"

"No glasses, whoa!"

"Where'd you get that done?"

Harry grinned at his classmates. "I also got a tattoo", he said slyly. He pulled his shirt down to show the tattoo, trying to be careful and not show the still reddened scars of the attack. Exclamations exploded from the group over the artistry. But leave it to Hermione to still notice the redness. She reached for his shirt and Harry immediately pulled back. She frowned at him.

"Harry, what happened? Did that happen in Romania? But…that looks new! Or did Ginny…?" She hesitated to finish the rest of her thought.

Harry covered his chest with his arms and then shrugged. "I had an accident, nothing big." He said weakly. He hadn't prepared a cover story for the scars, not thinking that anyone would see it this soon. He should have known better to underestimate Hermione's inquisitiveness.

"What kind of accident would cause something like that, Harry?" Hermione demanded. "That looked like…claw marks or something! Let me see!" She reached for him again and Harry wiggled away from her, his face red.

He knew he was caught and Hermione wouldn't let it go until he told the truth. Seamus was looking amused, while Neville and Dean looked back and forth between them.

"Fine. I was attacked…by a werewolf, okay! But I wasn't bitten or anything!" Harry said quickly. "I'm fine, though!"

Four pairs of eyes immediately stared him down.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Blimey! A werewolf?"

"Harry!"

Harry nodded and then sighed. He might as well get the whole story out and get it over with. He launched into his explanation of the party, carefully omitting the kiss with Zabini. No point in bringing that up.

"Wait a minute", Hermione quipped, "You went to a Slytherin party? Alone? And you were drinking? And Malfoy was there?" Hermione glared at Harry. "How can you be so stupid? Do you know how dangerous that could have been? What if there were Death Eaters there or worse?! What were you thinking?" Hermione couldn't believe how irresponsible Harry had been. She stared at him incredulously.

Harry shook his head and smirked at her. "Hermione, I doubt Voldemort is into drinking games and getting felt up by drunk blokes. It turned out okay…well…except for the werewolf part," he said sheepishly.

"Leave it to you, Harry to have these barking mad things to happen," stated another voice. They all glanced up to see Ron, who was now standing in the doorway. Ron had no malice in his voice, but was just stating a fact. Harry got up slowly and walked over to Ron. The red head looked curiously at Harry as he approached.

"Ron, look, I'm sorry about what happened", Harry began, but Ron held up his hand.

"Look Harry, it's none of my business. Ginny is my sister and I don't want to see her get hurt. But you are my best mate and I know that you wouldn't hurt her on purpose. You wouldn't do that." He shrugged, then looked away quickly, but not before Harry caught the affection in Ron's eyes. Harry smiled. His friend was still in his corner. Ron nodded towards Harry's open shirt.

"Show me that tattoo," he said with a grin. Harry pulled his shirt open. Ron peered closely at it.

"Wicked," he finally responded. "I want one too. Where'd you get it?"

"In Muggle London. The girl who did it was amazing. I'll take you one day."

Ron nodded eagerly and went to sit down with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Merlin, I hope this year is a good one. I'm so glad we're almost finished!" Seamus stated.

"Yeah, I can't believe we're 7th years. It's great! But now we have to figure out what we're going to do with our lives," Dean added.

Harry listened to the conversation without much interest. He was suddenly reminded of the fact that there was a mad man out there who was trying to kill him. He probably wouldn't even live past this year if Voldemort had his way. There was no point in planning a whole future if it was going to end at any moment.

Hermione looked sad at the prospect of school ending. Ron looked at her. "No doubt you're sad because you won't have any more studying to do." The others grinned at this.

"It isn't the only reason, Ronald! I'm going to miss everyone. We won't be together anymore."

No one had really thought about it like that. A thick silence descended on the group, each mulling over the end of their school experiences.

Hermione broke the silence. "It's time for our Prefect and Head meeting." She nudged Ron, who looked to be falling asleep with his head lolling on Neville.

It was no surprise to anyone that Hermione was picked as Head Girl. She had the best grades in the entire school. The 7th year Prefect slot had gone to Ron again. He was the only logical choice of the remaining 7th years. Neville was not the leader type and Dean and Seamus both goofed off too much. Lavender definitely wasn't into leadership and Parvati could care less about that kind of responsibility. Harry didn't want the job. Not that anyone would have selected him anyway. He had been passed over as Prefect the last two years because of all the pressure he had been under. It wasn't any different now.

Ron and Hermione left the compartment and the rest of them decided to play a game of Exploding Snap. Surprisingly, Neville was on his way to cleaning them out when Harry was hit by nature's call.

"Hey, I'll be back. Loo." He stood up and left the compartment, while the others kept playing.

The one closest to their compartment was occupied, so Harry went in search of another one. As he rounded a corner, he found himself face to face with Ginny and Luna. Ginny looked pale and her normally beautiful mane of fire red hair looked limp and unhealthy. There were dark shadows under her eyes and there was no life in them whatsoever. Harry grimaced slightly at her appearance. Ginny looked sick and Harry felt a stab of guilt that he might be the cause of her looking so awful.

Ginny's eyes widened when she saw him and she looked at him hungrily. She licked her lips slowly, basking in his presence. She was staring at him so intensely, that Harry began to feel very uncomfortable. It almost felt like she was violating him with her eyes. He swallowed down a spike of irritation.

"Ummm…how are you?" Harry asked stupidly, but he really didn't know what to say to her. Sleep had obviously evaded her and it would be rude to tell her how bad she looked right then. He belatedly realized that it was an equally stupid thing to ask someone how they were doing after he had just broke up with them.

"I'm fine Harry, doing great! I see you're doing well," she said, sarcasm dripping from every word. She was looking pointedly at his face without his glasses. "Where are your glasses?"

Harry instantly felt guilty. "Well, I just wanted to make some changes, that's all. It wasn't planned or anything. It just kind of happened."

"Oh, like just ending our relationship was part of those changes, right? Do you feel better now?"

Harry sighed. "No, Ginny. I don't. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want you to get your hopes up about…things." He cast a look at Luna, who was hanging on to every word that he said. Now was not the time to have a discussion about their not getting married. Even though Luna looked perfectly okay with the concept of her being privy to such a private conversation.

Apparently Ginny agreed with her because she said, "Not get my hopes up? Well Harry, what did you expect? You just have sex with me, but then you don't think I would want more than that?"

Harry barely kept from choking at Ginny's comment about sex. He made a disgusted face at her to clearly let her know that he didn't appreciate the fact that she had just told their personal business, in front of Luna on the Hogwarts Express. Anyone could have heard her say that.

Harry lowered his voice to respond, "It wasn't just that, Ginny! You know that's not what I meant." He ran his hand through his hair. "This is all coming out wrong!" He was already tired of talking about it.

When Harry brushed his hair back, Ginny noticed the earring and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Harry, you got an earring? Where did you get that? Who gave you all of these ideas to change things? Some girl?" She frowned at him, but reached out to touch the earring. Harry couldn't hold back his flinch, fearing that Ginny would try to yank it out of his ear. He came to the realization that he was a little bit afraid of her and what she would do. The way she had reacted at The Burrow, yelling and attacking him the way she did, in front of her family, told him that Ginny was capable of a lot more than he had originally believed about her. She seemed to read his reaction accurately.

"I'm not going to hurt you Harry. That's the last thing I want to do." She began to look desperate again; tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "Harry please, can we just talk? I'm sorry for the way I acted. I don't know what came over me. Please? I love you and I would do anything to make this right."

She began to move closer to him.

Harry looked at her, guilt racking his soul. He felt that the least he could do was hear her out, but now was not the time. Luna was still hovering next to them like a pale ghost, watching the exchange intently. She gave Harry a languid smile.

"Okay Ginny, we'll talk when we get to school. This isn't the place to talk about this."

"You're willing to talk about getting back together?" she pushed.

The last two weeks had been torture for her. Her mother and Hermione were the only reason she had managed to keep it together. When Hermione had told her that Harry had sent an owl to let them know where he was, she had been determined to go to the Leaky Cauldron and demand he talk to her. Hermione had to actually cast a Binding spell on her to keep her in the house.

Her mother had pleaded with her to give Harry his space. Ginny hadn't wanted to listen; she just knew if she could get to Harry, she could convince him that they belonged together. Molly ended up casting a charm on the floo powder to keep Ginny from actually leaving the Burrow. The powder would zoom around the room out of reach whenever Ginny tried to pick it up. She wasn't old enough to Apparate yet, so she was stuck there.

"I'm not saying that Ginny, I just think that we do need to talk. But not now. I'll see you later." He went to move past her, but she grabbed his arm.

"Harry, I love you more than anything in life. I promise that whatever you want, I'll agree to, as long as we are together."

She stared up at him, the obsession that she had with him completely overtaking her senses. He saw the determination burning in her brown eyes; fueling her to new levels of desperation. Harry didn't have a chance to process that bit of information, before another situation confronted him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Zabini coming down the hallway. Harry's stomach knotted. Oh god, not now…

"Potter," Blaise said pleasantly. "How are you?" He gave Harry a sly smile, but Harry detected no malice from the Slytherin. He was shocked to say the least, but managed a small smile of his own to return.

"Fine, uhhh…Zabini," Harry said awkwardly, wishing that he could sound as cool as the other teen. "I'm fine. You?"

Blaise grinned at him. "Fine, Potter. Look, can we talk a minute, in private?" He gave a quick glance at the two girls, with a hard look at Ginny. He licked his lips and turned his attention to Harry.

Harry fought the jerk of his limbs at the surprise request from Zabini, but looked back at Ginny. She was staring at the Slytherin with a look of utter contempt for daring to interrupt their conversation.

"Ginny, we'll talk later like I said, okay?" He nodded at Luna, indicating a dismissal. Luna turned to walk away but Ginny grabbed her arm and stopped her. She glared at Harry and then at Blaise.

"Harry, why are you talking to him? He's a Slytherin." She pulled her wand and pointed it at Blaise. "Leave us alone, Zabini! Go away!"

Blaise blinked and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Wow, what's got you in a snit?" He raised his eyebrows at Harry, who sighed deeply.

"Ginny, stop! I said, I'll talk to you later!" Harry glared daggers at Luna, trying to give her a hint to help him with Ginny and get her to leave. Luna blinked slowly and finally came to life and pulled Ginny's arm.

Luna said softly, "Ginny, he said he would talk, at least be happy about that. He could have told you to get lost."

Harry wanted to kiss Luna for that.

Ginny still looked like she wanted to protest, but Luna was dragging her away. She stared at Harry with desperate eyes and mouthed a silent, I love you. Harry felt nauseous and drained and knew this thing with her was going to be a bad situation.

Blaise looked on with an amused expression. He looked around cautiously before speaking, and then lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Look, Potter, about the party, I can't talk about what happened, we signed those vows of silence, but I noticed that you didn't. I just wanted to make sure…that things stayed that way. I don't want anyone to know I kissed a Gryffindor."

Harry gave a snort. "Like I would tell anyone about that? You're a Slytherin and a boy!"

He then noticed that Zabini was alone, something he had never remembered seeing his whole time at Hogwarts. The Slytherins always traveled in packs. It then occurred to him what what he had said.

Zabini didn't want anyone to know he had kissed a Gryffindor. He didn't mention anything about kissing a boy. This new revelation intrigued Harry. He recalled that he didn't seem all that disgusted by the challenge when it happened. As a matter of fact, he'd been very much into the kiss from the moment Harry had touched his lips. Harry looked at Zabini with renewed curiosity. The teen immediately understood the look on Harry's inquisitive face. He lowered his head and growled out,

"Don't tell anybody," as he looked over his shoulder again. "You owe me, I saved your arse!"

"I told you I wouldn't tell anybody. But that means you have to keep quiet on your end as well," he added quickly.

"I already said I can't talk about what happened at the party."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Harry said cryptically. He gestured slightly between the two of them, hoping to make himself understood.

Blaise raised an eyebrow and licked his lips, his mind racing with the implication of Harry's words. Even though Blaise couldn't discuss the kiss, that didn't mean he couldn't gossip about the fact that Harry may very well like blokes.

"Okay, Potter," Blaise said, "but on one condition." Blaise eyed the Gryffindor with an expression that clearly indicated what he wanted. "Do you mind if I finish where we left off?"

Harry let his mouth fall open. He wanted to kiss him right there in the hallway? Anyone could see! And after all of his complaints of not wanting anyone to find out about him, now he suggests snogging in the middle of the train? Harry was surprised to find that he was slightly excited about that prospect. He hadn't had much time to really consider how he had felt about the kiss, but upon a moment's quick thought about it…he had liked it too. But this was Blaise Zabini. Harry didn't know a thing about him, other than he was in Slytherin and he was Malfoy's friend. That wasn't much to go on at all.

While Harry was contemplating all of this in his head, Blaise took his silence as acquiescence and looked up and down the passageway quickly. After making sure no one coming, he leaned in and softly brushed his lips against Harry's, giving him a soft kiss. Harry felt a wave of excitement rush straight to his groin. He shuddered slightly and his manhood pulsed in response. He exhaled deeply, trying to get his libido under control. Blaise had moved back and was watching him intently, a small smile on his lips.

"Urhgh…" Was all Harry could manage as he stared at Zabini. He shifted uncomfortably, as his pants felt a bit tight.

"I think you should call me Blaise," he whispered. Harry swallowed thickly and then nodded. "Yeah…I think so too. Harry". Blaise chuckled and leaned in again to steal another kiss.

But then a most unwelcome sound thundered down the passageway.

"Zabini! Where are you off to? I want my chocolate frogs!" Malfoy's voice rang out.

Blaise sighed deeply, but then gave Harry a wink. With lightning speed, he expertly wiped his face of the pleasure he had just experienced. His face twisted into an ugly grimace.

"Move Potter, get out of the way!" he shouted in Harry's face. "Sorry," he whispered under his breath.

"Arse!" Harry cursed, pushing past the Slytherin. Blaise made a rude gesture and Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Harry moved quickly down the passage and found the bathroom he'd been looking for, hoping that was enough to throw Malfoy off. It could only spell disaster if the blonde menace to society caught wind of this recent development. He had snogged Zabini…Blaise…again!

Draco had watched this exchange silently with his eyes narrowed. This was the second time he had witnessed a conversation between these two. The first had been Blaise's concern about Potter at the party. Potter had even thanked him for saving his sorry life! But something had happened before he had entered that hallway. Blaise had been standing way too close for Potter. And even though Draco couldn't prove it, he could have sworn that Blaise had just kissed him. He could tell that he had interrupted something.

Draco had been named Head Boy, along with Granger as Head Girl. No big shock there. He was on his way back from the Head Boy meeting, had passed through the car connections in enough time to see Blaise moving away from Potter's face. Both of them looked guilty as hell. And Potter looked…odd somehow. He didn't even bother to try and insult Draco; Boy Wonder had simply made a quick escape down the passage, practically running away from the scene of a crime.

Draco looked at Blaise, who was looking anywhere but in the eyes.

"What was that all about, Blaise?" Draco asked casually. He didn't want to ruffle his friend's feathers. He wanted an answer and Draco figured that if he came at him wrong, Zabini would shut down like a vault at Gringotts.

His friend snorted. "Nothing, Draco! Potter's a stupid git. He was actually trying to be nice! I guess because I saved him and all. Gryffindors are so noble". His voice was dripping with sarcasm. Draco nodded absently, his mind drifting to other memories.

Draco had spent the last two weeks trying to forget the party. Okay, to be more honest, trying to forget that kiss. He didn't know why he had been so bothered by it. It was just a game and it wasn't Potter or Blaise's fault that the card was selected that demanded a kiss. But Draco couldn't shake the look that Potter had on his face when he approached Blaise. Draco was struck by how powerful and sexy that Potter had looked. How could that be just by him taking off his glasses? Draco had never been turned on like that before; by something that he himself was not actually participating in. But if he was being honest with himself, Potter had looked powerful other times as well. Flying on his broom during Quidditch games, when he flew on that ridiculous Hippogriff that nearly killed Draco and had even killed a Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, according to rumors. Potter actually always looked powerful and determined and his snogging Blaise was no exception.

Draco wasn't ashamed to admit that he responded and respected power, and Potter certainly defied a lot of things. He'd even survived the Killing Curse…which no one else had ever managed to do. And even when he'd been attacked by a crazed werewolf, Potter still managed to not get bitten and survive that! Even though there was a moment that Draco feared that Potter was dead and he felt some way about it. He later dismissed that fleeting emotion as a by-product of their long standing rivalry. He would have missed Potter, like someone misses kicking a crup.

At least that was what he was telling himself. And then Blaise had stepped up and saved the git, sparing Draco the effort of having to mourn-celebrate- Potter's demise. Now Potter would be bugging Blaise and not him. Which should be a good thing, right? Let Blaise deal with that nuisance. So why did he feel…upset about it?

Draco snapped back to reality and laughed at Blaise.

"Well, better he bothers you, than me," he laughed. "You've got a boyfriend!"

Blaise grunted. "Like that would ever happen, Draco! Potter wishes I would deign to date him!" He stole a glance at Draco. "Wouldn't that be hilarious if Potter was gay? It would explain so much." He waited breathlessly for Draco's response.

Draco looked at Zabini incredulously. "Are you serious? Scarhead, gay? Not Perfect Potter! There's no way he's into blokes. That would go against his perfect image. Besides, it'd be all over the Daily Prophet." Draco rolled his eyes. "Come on, you owe me some chocolate frogs, that you were supposed to be getting me, remember?"

He pushed Blaise ahead of him. They had perhaps walked five feet, when Draco suddenly stopped.

"Go on. I forgot something at the meeting room. I'll be right there." Blaise nodded and continued down the passage. Draco waited until Blaise disappeared through the car connections and was on the next train car. He then went back up the passage the way he had been coming and waited outside the bathroom for Potter to come out.

When Harry emerged a few moments later, he was roughly grabbed by an unseen hand. Malfoy was pushing him against a wall and his gray eyes were glittering hatred. Harry pushed him back, glaring hard at the Slytherin.

"What the hell?! What's the matter with you, Malfoy! Get off me!"

Malfoy stepped up into Harry's face. "What's going on with you and Blaise?" He demanded angrily, breathing hard.

Harry gaped at Draco. "Whaaatt?"

"I want to know what's going on with you two! What were you talking about earlier?"

"That's none of your business Malfoy! And why don't you ask him? Why bother me?"

Draco hissed at him, sounding like a snake. "Because I'm asking you! You're acting all grateful to him for saving your pathetic life? You're lucky it wasn't up to me. I would've left your arse there for that werewolf!"

Harry looked at Draco with a peculiar expression. "Why are you so worried about what I said to him or about him saving my life? You didn't do it, so why the fuck do you care?" Harry was pleased to see Malfoy gasp a little at Harry's curse.

"I don't care Potter, it's just ridiculous that you are following him around like a lovesick girl that's all! That's so pathetic."

"Speaking of following people around, Malfoy, aren't you the one who's stalking me outside the loo? I think your compartment is that way. Don't worry about who I'm talking to! When I want to talk to you, which will be never, I'll let you know."

"Stay away from Blaise, Potter! I mean it." He shoved at Harry again.

"What are you going to do about it, Ferret Face? Are you jealous? Is that what this is about?" Harry suddenly looked straight at Draco, daring him to deny it. Draco paled considerably.

"Jealous of what? You? Oh please…keep your place, Scarhead. You're a half blood, stay out of Slytherin business!" Draco stepped back away from Harry and he didn't like the way Potter was looking at him. It was like he could see right through him and see his confusion.

"Fuck you, Malfoy! I can talk to anybody I want, without your permission. I'm sure Blaise will love to know that you're trying to tell him who his friends can be, trying to control his life. What are you, his mother?" He stared hard at Malfoy then. An idea popped into his head.

"You are jealous! You fancy him, don't you?" Harry crowed in delight as Malfoy's face registered pure shock and dismay.

"What? I'm not some pouf, Potter! You're crazy!" Draco said in outrage. His fingers itched to grab his wand and hex the prat.

"Oh this is rich! You're scared I'm going to steal your boyfriend! Ha!" Harry gave the blonde a shark's grin at the idea.

"Oh please, Potter! If he was my boyfriend, there would be no way that someone like you could steal him away. Who in their right mind would pick you over me?" Draco drawled.

Harry shrugged. "Loads of people would, and your boyfriend too, since you're trying to scare me away from him. But look, Malfoy…seriously, there's nothing going on. Just leave me alone."

He shouldered past Draco and walked back down the passageway, shaking his head in annoyance.

As Draco watched Harry walk away, he grew angry at himself for letting the conversation get away from him like that. He had expected Potter to tell him the truth, at least saying something about being grateful to Blaise for saving him and owing him a life-debt. But the conversation went in a direction he hadn't expected. He hadn't expected Potter to be clever enough to place Draco's annoyance on his being jealous. Draco figured that Potter assumed that Draco was upset about Potter planning a trick or some type of revenge against them, which really didn't make much sense when he really thought about it, but certainly not guessing that there was an emotional thing going on. Did Potter really think that he was dating Blaise?

Thank Merlin, that Potter didn't really know anything. Draco shuddered at that thought. Potter wasn't too far off the mark though. It wasn't Blaise that he was thinking of at all. Draco swallowed uncomfortably. "Pffft…not jealous," he said petulantly, to no one in particular. He stalked down the hallway and back to his compartment.

A nearby compartment door slid open and a pair of Extendable Ears was retracted to the owner. The door slammed shut.