A/N: A million thank yous again to everyone who has stuck with this story thus far and a million more thank yous for those who reviewed- you helped me kick this story into shape.
*
A week and a half had now passed since Harry and Draco's last meeting and Draco felt like the living dead. His sleeping habits were still restricted to a few stolen minutes in his classes and an hour or two at night.
Draco really couldn't understand why he was so hung up on Harry Potter and he felt like he was at his breaking point, ready too collapse with exhaustion but too stubborn to admit it. He flopped onto his bed, belly first (not that he had one), not bothering to pull his drapes shut. He lay there unmoving, his eyes closed, listening to the Blaise's incessant chatter about Quidditch. Draco managed a grunt or two, from time to time, to reassure Blaise that he was still talking to a living person, but his mind was really elsewhere.
Draco and Blaise were the only ones in the Slytherin boy's dormitory at the moment because as 8th years, their schedules were much lighter and more irregular as compared to those of the lower years. Blaise sat on his bed, which lay across Draco's.
Draco turned over to lay his on back, eyes staring blankly at the dull dungeon ceiling. As Draco turned he noticed the drawer of his bedside table slightly ajar. His neat blonde eyebrows furrowed as he sat up slowly and reached over. He slung his legs over the side of his bed and opened the drawer to find that it was empty. His frown deepened as tried to recall what he kept in the drawer, his eyes widened and panic set in as he realized- the pouch!
"Blaise, did you take my green ingredients bag?" Draco asked, schooling his voice into the trademark Malfoy nonchalance.
"Hmm? What?" Blaise asked, confused by the sudden interruption to his Quidditch ramblings. "What bag?"
"The green one. The one I use for potions."
"Nope, what's the matter? Is it important?" Blaise stood up and walked over to Draco's bed to get a closer look, eventually settling himself on the foot of Draco's bed.
"No, it's nothing. Nevermind." Draco bit his bottom lip as he shut the drawer, desperately trying to jog his memory.
Maybe I moved it and I simply forgot. Draco reasoned to himself. It's perfectly understandable given my sleep-deprived state.
"Both of you, honestly. It's lunch time, go down and eat." Their door swung open to reveal a slender dark haired girl. Both boys, sitting on Draco's bed turned to face the door.
"Pansy you sound more and more like Mrs. Malfoy with each day." Blaise snickered, nudging Draco in the ribs with his elbow, seeking his concurrence. Draco glanced sideways at Blaise and couldn't help but smile in agreement.
"Shut it Blaise, be useful for once and drag Draco out of here. It's bad enough that he's not sleeping well, he should at least eat properly." Pansy said sharply.
"Come on mate, best give her what she wants before she starts breathing fire." Blaise said jokingly. He widened his eyes and used his hands to simulate fire before giving Draco's shoulder a tap and pushing off of the blonde's bed.
Blaise smiled sweetly at Pansy who glared at him, arms crossed, as he sauntered out of the room past the dark haired girl.
Draco sluggishly got up and followed after his friends, glancing back at his bedside table. Pansy noticed the worried expression of the blonde and his lingering glances into the room, but thought it best to say nothing.
*
At lunch Draco pushed his food around, as was his recently acquired eating habit. He took sips of his pumpkin juice from time to time. He generally stayed quiet, not having enough energy to joke around with his friends. He also made it a point to avoid looking at the Gryffindor table at all costs because he would be met by a questioning (almost pleading) gaze.
"I'm full, I think I'm going to head back to the dungeons. Try and take a nap." Draco said as he restrained a yawn.
"Draco, you hardly ate." Pansy called after him but Draco was already half way out of the Great Hall by then.
Draco hastily made his retreat, he really did feel like he couldn't handle much more of his sleep deprived routine. It was eerily quiet that day, his footsteps echoed through the empty halls, clattering loudly in his ears. His eyes were beginning to flutter close without his permission, his arms feeling heavy.
He felt like someone was following him, Potter he assumed, he tried to walk faster but his drowsiness was getting the better of him. He turned a corner and his world swayed dangerously. He held onto the cold cobblestone wall for support and then slowly he slipped into darkness. He felt warm hands lift him up and he tried to mumble a protest but it was too late, Draco fell into a deep sleep.
*
Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Hermione, who were currently arguing about Ron not starting his Charms essay early enough. "It's not due for a whole week Hermione. I'll get it done by then." Ron claimed which was met by looks of disapproval from his bushy haired girlfriend. They were too preoccupied with each other to notice Harry's dazed expression and his audible sighs.
Rather than feel unimportant, Harry was glad for their inattention towards him for he was lost in his own thoughts.
Draco didn't come down for dinner again tonight. He noted, probably still avoiding me.
You messed up big time Harry! He chastised himself for the nth time since their last meeting.
A loud banging sound, echoed through the common room of someone rapping loudly at the other side of the Gryffindor portrait. The students in the common room curiously peered at the portrait hole as it swung open to reveal a terrified Neville and a very anxious looking Pansy Parkinson.
A few students came out of their dorm rooms to check on the commotion.
"I'm sorry, I was scarred." Neville muttered as he ran inside, away from the dark haired girl.
"Harry Potter, I need to speak with you!" Pansy announced loudly, causing murmurs to sound through the entire house.
The golden Trio now stood up, facing the Slytherin. It was Ron who first spoke.
"What do you want from Harry?"
Pansy ignored him. "Potter, I need to talk to you in private. It's urgent."
Harry's heart sank. He understood immediately, it was about Draco.
"Ron, Hermione, I'm going out for a while." Harry said his voice cold and devoid of emotion.
"Should we go with you mate?" Ron asked, concerned and confused.
"No. Stay here." Harry's voice was terse and snappy. He began to take large strides towards the portrait hole when Hermione's voice called out.
"Harry?" Harry stopped in his tracks but did not turn back. "Be careful. Don't do anything that you'll regret, okay?"
Harry nodded before the portal swung shut. Immediately Pansy started rambling.
"It's about Draco. He's been missing since this afternoon." Pansy said panic evident in her pale face. "Oh god, it's my fault. I told Theodorre Nott about your deal and where Draco kept the ingredients. I didn't really think he would hurt Draco but it's been several hours and I still can't find either of them." She sobbed. "I thought it would be the best way to get the two of you together and make Nott back off of Draco forever."
Harry gritted his teeth controlling his anger towards Pansy and his rage towards Nott. He should have kept a closer eye on the bastard!
Luckily for Harry he had the Marauder's map in his robes tonight. Ever since Draco began to avoid him, he took the map everywhere to increase his chances of 'running into' the blonde, which unfortunately hadn't happened yet.
He invoked the map, not caring that Pansy was there. His eyes quickly scanned the parchment and focused on the only two dots on the west end tower of the castle. It was an old unused part of the castle that not even Filch ventured into regularly.
Harry's rage intensified as he noticed that Draco's dot remained incredibly still as Nott paced back and forth in front of the blond and occasionally their dots were so close together that they almost over lapped.
"Follow me." Harry commanded as he took off, map in one hand, wand in the other, running towards Draco praying to god (and merlin) that they weren't too late to spare Draco from any unnecessary pain.
Pansy followed behind Harry, running as fast as she could. She felt guilt and fear. Guilt that it was her stupid plan that had gotten Draco into this mess and fear of Harry Potter who's magic crackled heavily in the air. His green eyes dark with fury and his jaw firmly set. Anyone who saw this Harry Potter would never doubt that this was the same boy who destroyed the dark lord.
*