A/N: Here is the newest chapter! I wanted to add more, but I thought this might be a good stopping place. The first day of dueling is in this chapter and let's just say it doesn't go as smoothly as the staff hoped, but so what else is new. Let me know what you think. Oh and I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the reviews I've gotten. I'm really happy that I'm only this far in and I have that many reviews. You guys are awesome. Anyway, review please!

Chapter 6

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. (Marianne Williamson)

Harry and Draco linked hands as they approached the school smiles on their faces. Harry lifted up their joined hands kissing the back of Draco's hand. "How are we going to control the longing while we are in class?" Draco asked after he blushed at Harry's gesture.

"Hmm, I don't know. I guess focus on the fact that we will see each other soon enough and we'll be able to touch again. Of course we should focus on the subject as well," Harry suggested.

"Let me try something," Draco said as he let go of Harry's hand. "Close your eyes and tell me what you feel," He continued.

"I feel like I want to just grab you and wrap my arms around you and never let you go," Harry muttered eyes closed.

"How about now?" Draco asked clasping his hands together.

Harry grinned at him. "I feel your hand, but not like it feels when I am actually holding it. Now I feel a slight touch along our symbol, a caress almost." He opened his eyes and saw what Draco was doing and he smiled wider. "That's brilliant. Let me try that," He said.

Draco grinned back and closed his eyes. Harry did the same as he had done and Draco experienced the same feelings. "Okay, so it doesn't quite take the longing away, but at least it numbs it. I think I can handle being away for a bit from you," Draco said.

"Well, today we won't have to worry much since we are all together for dueling," Harry said jumping into a dueling stance. Draco started to laugh rolling his eyes.

"Well then let's get going. It's a bit chilly out here which is strange," Draco commented as he started walking towards the front doors wrapping his arms around himself.

Harry froze where he was, not following behind Draco. His eyes were focused on the south. Draco stopped when he noticed that Harry had not followed him. He turned to look at him and followed Harry's gaze seeing nothing as per usual. He walked back over taking in his tense posture. He immediately felt the tension seep into his body as well.

"Draco, we need to get inside. Something is working its way here and I don't think we should be outside right now," Harry muttered not looking at him.

"What like a storm or something?" Draco asked looking to the sky for any sign of clouds. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue with no sign of any disturbance.

"No. It's something else. Let's go," Harry said. He finally pulled his eyes from the south and grabbed Draco's hand walking quickly towards the castle doors. Draco was running to keep up. By the time they reached the castle doors and rushed inside Draco was breathing hard and glaring slightly at Harry.

"Harry…this…what is…." Draco huffed as be bent over taking deep breaths.

"They aren't going to come into the castle. They'll stay outside until I find them. Just promise me you'll stay inside. Don't go out there for any reason. Promise me," Harry said sternly lifting Draco's chin to look up at him. He looked up at him fearfully.

"Harry, you're freaking me out here," Draco said regaining his ability to talk coherently.

"Draco, promise me," Harry begged.

Draco searched his eyes for an explanation, but found only torment. "Alright, I promise," He said quietly wondering exactly who Harry was referring to as 'them'.

"Thank you. Let's go before we're late. The happiness from breakfast with the staff may very well dissipate if we don't get in there on time," Harry said. He grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him, slower this time, towards the Great Hall. Draco followed behind looking concerned about what Harry saw.

When they entered the Great Hall they dropped hands, but Harry couldn't quite keep his hands to himself so he casually threw an arm over Draco's shoulders as if they were the best of friends. Several of their fellow Hogwarts' classmates were looking shocked at their behavior and whispering madly. Draco glanced over at Harry who was grinning, but his eyes betrayed his smile.

They made their way over to Hermione and Blaise who were talking animatedly with each other. They took a seat behind them and rested their legs against each other. Both noticed that as long as they touched in one way or another the need was satisfied.

"Where did you two disappear to?" Hermione asked looking between the two suspiciously.

"We went down to the lake to talk about some things," Harry answered.

"Well, what did you talk about?" Hermione asked. She noticed that they were sitting rather close and that they weren't the slightest bit concerned.

"Hermione, that is none of your business," Draco replied.

"Well, you guys flew out of here like you were going to make out or something," Hermione commented.

Draco blushed and Harry merely smirked.

"You didn't!" Hermione shrieked covering her mouth. Half the room turned to look at her while the other half stopped their conversations and listened intently to what was going to happen next. She looked horrorstruck.

"So what if we did?" Harry teased.

Hermione's eyes widened to the size of saucers and Blaise looked between Draco's blushing face that was deepening in color and Harry's grin that was widening by the second. He stopped and stared at Draco.

"Did you?" He asked him looking closely at him.

"No Blaise we did not and even if we did it's none of your business," Draco replied haughtily.

Harry burst out laughing as Hermione continued to stare at them wide eyed and soon enough Blaise's expression looked the same. Harry glanced over at Draco who was laughing softly along with him.

"May I have your attention please?!" Professor McGonagall said her voice amplified. Harry and Draco continued to laugh and missed the scathing look that Professor McGonagall had sent their way. "Mr. Potter! Mr. Malfoy! May I have your attention please?" Harry and Draco jumped and clamped their hands over their mouths looking straight at her apologetically.

"Sorry Professor," they both mumbled.

She glared at them one more time and turned back to the politely awaiting students. "Good morning. As Professor Dumbledore addressed at the welcoming feast, we are bringing back dueling here at Hogwarts. It will be carefully monitored by myself, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Lupin. In our regular classes you will be learning different spells and defense to help you in a duel. In a real life duel there will be no need for politeness and often times you will have no chance to prepare yourself for it, but here you will follow all the rules of a professional dueling match. Today we will spend the time scoring your abilities so that we will be able to help you prepare in the best way possible. Please listen for your name as we go along to find who you will be dueling. Let's start with Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson," Professor McGonagall explained.

Ron and Pansy approached the dueling platform smiling smugly at each other. They bowed and took the necessary steps away from each other. As soon as they were where they needed to be, both of them turned around at the same time sending a spell at each other. Ron dropped to the floor in fits of giggles as Pansy dodged his spell. She glanced around the room in a cocky manner and missed the spell that flew at her from Ron. It hit her square in the chest and she suddenly began jumping up and down in place acting much like a rabbit. Ron grinned happily as he overcame her spell. He slowly stood keeping an eye on her. She was glaring angrily at him as she battled to cancel out the spell. Finally she was back to herself and grinned maliciously at him. She waved her wand elaborately and shooting from the end of her wand were several spiders that began scuttling towards Ron. Ron's eyes widened fearfully and his hand began to shake as he tried to counter the spiders that were coming at him. Pansy watched him gleefully, but soon realized that he was turning rather white and looked as if he was going to faint in a matter of seconds.

Soon enough the spiders were only a foot away from Ron and one leapt at him. Simultaneously Pansy banished them as Ron fainted falling backwards off the platform. Pansy hurried over to him and knelt down next to him looking down at him fearfully. Harry and Draco exchanged curious looks. Professor McGonagall bent over Ron and revived him. He spluttered awake shrieking madly about spiders and then he passed out again. Pansy started tearing up as she followed McGonagall and a levitated Ron from the room.

The duels continued on without nearly as much excitement as the one between Ron and Pansy. Soon enough Harry and Draco's names were called together. They approached the platform apprehensively.

"I don't know if I'll be able to do this against you," Harry whispered as they walked up there.

"Don't hold back just because I'm your mate," Draco responded with a grin. Harry looked at him in concern and Draco merely rolled his eyes at him.

They bowed and turned to take their required steps back. As soon as they were in the right spot they whirled around and sent a spell at each other. Harry ducked and rolled as Draco's spell whizzed past him. Draco threw up a shield and the spell was absorbed instantly. Harry crouched and flicked another spell at Draco who sent another one his way as well. Both boys had their shields up and both spells were absorbed.

"Alright boys, I want things to be interesting. No shields. It will all be skill now," Professor Lupin directed.

Both boys dropped their shields and took their stance. Suddenly both boys started shooting off one spell after the other and both boys effectively dodged each spell. Harry sent a spell at Draco and it barely missed him. Harry looked up at him in concern. That was the distraction that Draco needed and he sent a stinging hex at Harry. It hit him in the leg sending him falling to the ground and cringing in pain. Draco narrowed his gaze and taunted Harry.

"Come on Potter. Give me your worst," He taunted.

Harry stood as he successfully cancelled the spell. He narrowed his gaze at Draco. "Malfoy, are you sure about that?" He asked in a warning tone. His eyes started to rapidly change color to a frightening black.

Draco faltered for just a moment, his confidence slipping and fear taking over. Harry took his chance and flicked his wand muttering "Extraxinis Parumeruo." Draco watched in horror as fire shot out of Harry's wand and headed towards him. Suddenly the fire made a ring around him and morphed into little demon looking things that were sending sparks of fire at Draco. Harry watched as the fire demons slowly closed in on Draco who was staring around him fearfully looking for a way out. His hand was shaking so hard that he couldn't utter a single thing to stop them. Everyone else in the room watched the change of events in shock frozen in place. Draco looked up fearfully at Harry.

"Harry, stop this please," He pleaded tears coming to his eyes.

Harry's gaze narrowed even more as he looked at the circle that was getting closer and closer to Draco.

"Harry please!" Draco cried.

Harry's black eyes glazed over momentarily and then turned back to his startling shade of green. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. He looked up at the ring of little demons that were nearly ready to engulf Draco. He realized immediately that he had caused that and flicked his wand effectively banishing the fire of little demons. Harry looked up with tormented eyes at Draco's fearful face. He looked around the room at everyone's worried expressions. He looked back at Draco who was looking at Harry in a way that broke his heart. He shook his head angrily and closed his eyes disappearing instantly in a gray mist.

Draco whipped his head around looking for Harry and could find no sign of him. Hermione and Blaise had leapt up on the platform and ran to Draco checking him over to make sure that he was alright.

"Draco, what is going on with Harry?!" Hermione demanded.

"We've got to find him," Draco muttered looking around once again. He was flexing his hand repeatedly trying to get a sense of how Harry was feeling. He felt nothing.

"Draco! I need to know what is going on with my best friend!" Hermione cried tears threatening to spill.

Draco turned back to her. "Hermione, he's an Aduroatracomm. He's a light and dark elf with something else mixed in. That's what's going on with him. We need to find him. I don't have a good feeling about this," Draco explained hurriedly as he jumped from the platform running towards the Great Hall doors.

Hermione and Blaise followed behind him. Draco stopped at the castle doors and turned back to them. "He went into the forest I bet. He's probably looking for his parents, but I can't go out there. I promised I'd stay in the castle," Draco muttered to himself as he paced back and forth. Hermione watched him for a moment as she thought about what exactly Harry was and what that meant for him. The professors and the rest of the students had left the Great Hall for their offices or their dorms leaving Draco, Blaise, and Hermione the only ones left in the entry hall. Suddenly Hillioes and Lelie appeared from a white mist right next to Hermione sending her about a foot in the air and a shriek out of her mouth.

"Oh I am so sorry young lady. I did not mean to startle you. Draco, what happened in here?" Lelie asked looking mildly frantic. Hermione stared at her and Hillioes.

"Who… who… you're…." Hermione stuttered.

Hillioes stepped closer to her sending her stepping back into Blaise's arms. She looked at him fearfully. "Are you friends of Piekeren?"

Hermione stared at him her voice gone.

"Yes, this is Hermione Granger, Harry's very best friend and this is Blaise Zabini, my best friend. This is James and Lily Potter or Hillioes and Lelie," Draco introduced absently as he continued to pace.

Hermione looked between the two seeing the similarities. Lelie smiled at her. "Hermione, it is so nice to meet you. Where is that son of mine?" Lelie said kindly.

Draco stopped pacing. "Wait, you haven't seen him?"

"What are you talking about Malfoy? What happened in here? We felt a change in our son," Hillioes demanded as he turned his penetrating gaze on Draco.

"Harry disappeared in a gray mist or something. He cast a spell on me that I've never heard. It created this ring of fire that surrounded me and then these little demon things morphed from this fire and surrounded me. Harry was utterly frightening. His eyes turned to an ominous black and he looked nothing like himself. He looked like he was going to kill me and that he was enjoying himself," Draco explained.

Lelie gasped and Hillioes tensed next to her. He looked over to Lelie who looked terrified. "Oh no, that is definitely not good. Lelie we need to find him. Let's go," Hillioes said as he turned to his wife to disappear.

"Wait! What is going on? What's happened to Harry?" Draco demanded.

"That would only happen if Dark Elves were nearby. If Piekeren disappeared like that he would go immediately to someplace that he was able to be alone and among nature so he must be in the Forbidden Forest. We need to get to him before the Dark Elves find him," Lelie responded frantically.

"Why are there Dark Elves here? Is Harry in danger?" Draco asked.

"Draco, we can explain later. We need to get to Harry before they do. Stay inside. Do not go outside. When we find him we'll bring him back to you okay?" Lelie replied. She looked at Hillioes and nodded. He wrapped his arms around her and they both disappeared.

Draco slammed his fists against the door angrily and stalked away. Hermione felt like she was going to collapse and she turned to look at Blaise fearfully. He wrapped his arm around her waist walking up the stairs to the common room.