A/N; Wow, I'm so happy today; that was a load of reviews! Thank you to absolutely everyone who reviewed – and also to all those people that are still reading this! – I wanted to reply to you all individually but there were so many of you!

In regards to the Pansy/Hermione ship, I'm just going to take it as it comes; I don't want to move the attention away from Harry and Draco, but if it happens I am not going to stop it! Thank you to all those reviewers who helped me make this decision!

Disclaimer; you know, it's the same every week; I own nothing. What a pity…

Warnings; Slash (though I hope you've picked up on that one already), mentions of abuse/self harm, bad language…you know, same old same old.

Speech "Blah"

Thoughts 'blah'

DmHp

"I just don't get it," Hermione stated, heaving a sigh as she closed the book she had previously been reading. The low sun let a soft light seep into the library, illuminating the table beneath one of the many windows by which she and the Slytherin girl sat.

"There's absolutely no reason for Harry to be in the same state as Draco," she explained "when a veela is rejected they fall into depression, starve themselves, rarely go out and eventually slip into a coma to await death."

"Yeah but…Harry collapsed from exhaustion," Pansy put in, glancing up at the Gryffindor girl from over the top of her own book "you know, the strain on their thin bond mixed with the tiring effects of keeping up that bloody glamour charm; it all just tired him out."

"Well even that doesn't make sense!" Hermione cried, rubbing her temples "because Harry hasn't been sleeping for ages, he really is in a coma, and Draco is too! I don't understand! The books say that the only way for a veela to be awakened from their coma is for their mate to love them, but...argh!" Hermione let out a cry of frustration, banging her head onto the table.

Pansy ran a hand through her hair, staring at the other teenage girl across from her. She knew exactly how Hermione felt; useless and bloody confused.

It was going to be a long night.

DmHp

Harry blinked a few times, sitting up very slowly as though any sudden movements could suddenly bring down an angry beast upon him. Looking around, he made two important observations; 1. He had no idea where he was. 2. He wasn't alone.

A little way from him, still laying on the soft, grey surface of the floor, Draco was currently moaning quietly in pain, rubbing his for-head tiredly.

"Not good," Harry heard the veela mutter as the blonde sat up, surveying their surroundings without noticing the darker haired boy not too far from him.

Deciding he should probably try and figure out where they were, Harry looked around as well. There wasn't really much to look at though; a soft but perfectly solid grey floor, and a seemingly endless, thick and murky fog that completely engulfed them within it, making it impossible for him to see anything other than the teenager a little way from him.

The fog seemed to dance in front of him, swimming with a nameless energy that pulsed with a none-existent life.

And finally, turning to face him, Draco noticed Harry's presence, his eyes widening in shock.

"Well, shit."

DmHp

'It's been a long day,' Hermione thought tiredly, muttering the password to the Gryffindor common room before entering into the hushed silence of the common room that was broken by mere whispers of conversation.

"Oh, so you're finally back from visiting those-those scum."

Well, that had previously been broken only by mere whispers of conversation, Hermione decided. Now it was broken by a rather red-face red head that had taken it upon himself to harass her to the point where she quite literally snapped in half.

Hermione growled a little under her breath as she turned to face – oh god, he was her boyfriend, wasn't he? Why had she ever agreed to that? The teenager adjusted the stack of book she was carrying, steeling herself for the red head's rant.

"I mean, honestly, 'Mione, I don't know why you bother with the slimy gits, they'll only stab you in the back!"

Scowling, Hermione set down the books on a near-by table, where the Gryffindor group was working. Other than herself, Ron, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, Neville (all around said table researching) and some rather timid-looking third years in one corner, the common room was devoid of life.

"I brought more books for you to check through," she stated, jumping a little when Ron wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her close.

With no warning, Ron's lips were suddenly upon hers, in a frenzy of clacking teeth and mashing of tongues that she assumed was supposed to be a kiss; one which she didn't respond to.

"I've missed you," the boy declared as he drew back. When Hermione felt his hand settle on one of her breast, she was certain she knew exactly what he missed, and it had little to do with who.

She pushed him away, backing up a little.

"I've be busy, Ron. Our best friend and his mate are in a coma, and we don't know how to pull them out of it before they die."

From the look on Ron's face, it was easy to tell he had clearly been expecting a heartfelt 'Oh, I've missed you to, Ron!' followed by passionate kissing and a rather long period of time where neither returned from the boy's dormitories. However, scowling, he replied all the same.

"I knew getting involved with a Slytherin was dangerous," he stated, not noticing Hermione's dark glare "but no, no one listens to me. Oh, I'll get that little ferret; I bet he used a spell on Harry, or a curse. I always knew he practised the dark arts-…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, RON!" Hermione yelled, grinning on the inside at the look of complete shock on her boyfriend's face.

"For a start, to you really think Draco would put himself into a coma to await death? He doesn't have a death wish, Ronald! Secondly, all you ever go on about is how evil all Slytherins are; you've never even properly talked to one! Your best friend is lying in the hospital wind dying and instead of finding a way to get him out you're spreading lies about how he got there in the first place!"

'Wow, this whole yelling thing really feels good,' Hermione decided, before continuing her rant.

"You call yourself his best friend, but instead of being supportive; helpful, you've been against this whole thing from the start! The Slytherins though; now they're real friends! They spend every free minute trying to find a way to help both Draco and Harry; and you honestly believe you're better than them, sitting here with your pathetic little group complaining about how evil they are? You make me sick!"

By this point, the other occupants of the room were watching with interest – clearly in a state of shock – and Ron's ears were bright red.

"Hermione-…" He reached out towards her "-oh god, please no. Please don't tell me they've got you to?"

The Gryffindor female felt like laughing at his stupidity, feeling the anger and frustration bubbling up inside of her. So she did; laugh that is. She laughed, gaining many anxious looks, taking quite a while to calm down.

"Ah, Ron, you poor, poor, deprived individual," she finally managed to gasp out "how small your world must be."

Hermione straightened up, her face turning stern and angry once more.

"Step outside the bloody box, Ronald! Not everything is black or white, red or green, Gryffindor or Slytherin! This isn't about petty grudges or childish fights; the world is at war, Ron! Harry and Draco are both in a fucking coma, just lying there in hospital wing whilst you just sit around like nothing is happening, awaiting their deaths; I am talking about life or fucking death, Ronald, get that into your head!

Not all Gryffindor's are good, not all Slytherin's are evil; not everything is about bloodlines and selfish pride. When you're ready to except that, Ron, come and find me," she turned away, heading towards the portrait whole, stopping only when she heard Ron speaking again.

"W-w-what are you saying?"

Hermione gave a small sigh, replying simply;

"I'm breaking up with you."

The boy lunged forward, grabbing her wrist painfully hard so she couldn't move away again.

"No, Hermione, please, you don't mean that! This isn't you, Hermione, break through the spell, I know the girl I love is still in there-…"

SLAP. The angry sound of skin coming into harsh contact with skin echoed around the completely silent room, the thick atmosphere choking the occupants as they watched the two in their own personal war.

Ron raised a hand to his stinging cheek, dropping Hermione's wrist as he did so. The girl – no, woman – in question massaged her fingers, ready to deliver another blow.

"The girl you love?" She spat fiercely, cheeks flushed with anger "Don't mock me, Ronald Weasley. I haven't changed, and nor, for that matter, have you. I think that is the entire problem!"

In a flick of brown hair and a few simple stutters from the stunned male, Hermione was gone.

Hermione closed the portrait door behind her calmly, letting a proud smirk of all things to grace her lips.

'I've been spending far too much time with Slytherins…'

DmHp

The first thing Draco noticed when he opened his eyes was that his head hurt, and the painful throbbing was making it almost impossible to move. He gently massaged his temples, before sitting up when the pain finally dulled down.

The next thing he noticed was that this, this plane of reality upon which he currently sat, was completely unrecognizable. From what he could gather from his little knowledge of veela's, when a veela was rejected they fell into a peaceful coma, awaiting their death. But, if he was correct, he hadn't been rejected, and he was quite sure Harry had been the first to collapse.

So the immediate question that flew into his mind was where, then when, the how and then what the bloody hell was he supposed to do now?

Hearing movement to his left, the blonde looked around, his eyes falling upon the dark haired, bright eyed figure of his mate.

"Well shit," he said. That was a surprise.

Harry stood up slowly, taking a moment to gain his balance as he stood unsteadily upon weary legs, then stumbled over to where the veela was still sitting, before collapsing to the ground beside him.

And, as he walked, Draco became entranced with his mate's body; Harry was still completely topless.

"Where are we?" He asked, his voice cracking from his lack of energy, and his eyes drifting closed.

"Well…would you be mad if I said I had no idea?"

Harry cracked an eye open, blinking up at the blonde teenager sat beside him, then groaned and closed his eyes again.

"Okay, then what happened?"

Draco sighed, lying back down next to his mate. Well, at least they were being civil.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, managing to keep his voice soft and not letting his frustration enter it.

Harry heaved a sigh, curling a little onto his side, and promptly fell asleep.

It was then, as he stared across at the peaceful form of his sleeping mate, that Draco noticed the scars.

"Well, fuck me."

DmHp

When Pansy Parkinson opened the door to the Slytherin common room later that night to yell very loudly at the person who dared to come knocking, she did not expect to be greeted by Hermione Granger. Nor did she expect said Hermione Granger wearing a very Slytherin like smirk, looking rather flushed but happy none the less.

And so, I the 7th year Slytherin girl's dormitories, the very first inter-house sleepover was held, the two girls involved staying up late discussing how Hermione Granger, Gryffindor know it all and proud girlfriend of Ronald Weasley, had managed to not only dump her weasel of a boyfriend, but defend the Slytherin community and slap the stupid idiot in the process, all in one very successful nights work.

Needless to say, when the school heard the news in the morning – confirmed only by the fact that Hermione was sitting at the Slytherin table beside a certain Pansy Parkinson, talking and laughing quite happily – the Gryffindor house mourned the loss of their very best student to the snake pit.

The rest of the school, of course, laughed at the story of how Ronald Weasley had been dumped the previous night by a very irate but correct Hermione Granger.

And Ronald Weasley? Well, he wasn't seen at breakfast, and when he finally showed up at dinner the following night his hair was still dyed pink and yellow, not to mention the fact that his skin was a very putrid shade of green with half a dozen tattoo type snakes crawling all over his body.

Needless to say, after a happy high-five, two girls at the Slytherin table didn't stop laughing all night.

DmHp

Poppy frowned down at her favourite patient as the boy rolled to one side a little, curling slightly into himself. It was funny how he was now lying face the bed that Draco was in next to him, but she didn't bother to pay any attention to that fact as she quickly performed the first charms that came to her head to check the boy over; neither had moved in days, so this little roll could be a sign that something major was happening.

Finding nothing, the nurse gave a disappointed sigh, before muttering a quick good night in case the boys could hear her and dimming the lights with a flick of her wand. She drew the curtains around the area the two boys were being kept in, quickly replacing the privacy charms before shuffling off to her office.

It was in that moment that Draco Malfoy rolled over fully to face his mate, and let a sigh escape from his lips.

DmHp

Draco rolled over to face his mate, letting a pitiful sigh escape from his lips. How could he not have noticed those, he wondered, tracing over the many scars with his eyes, resisting the urge to encase the smaller boy in his arms and never let him go.

The criss-crossing scars on his arms looked painful but old, a clear sign of self harm – the realization of which caused Draco to choke on sad the sad tears that were threatening to brim over.

However, the bigger, deeper and harsher scars – not to mention slowly fading bruises – that littered Harry's body made the tears be replaced with a violent anger, a wish to hurt whoever had hurt his mate, his Harry.

His? Was Harry really his? Draco smiled sadly, moving a few strands of hair out of the dark-haired boy's face, thinking over the truth of the situation; they were mates, but Harry was in no way his. Although he had been aright with it at first, the Gryffindor had clearly expressed his hatred for the blonde, his loathing and disappointment at this situation he had been forced into. No, Harry was definitely not his.

The blonde soon found tears in his eyes once more; Harry would never really be his. He must have rejected Draco in his heart already, not stating so out loud because of that stupid hero-complex that couldn't decide whether or not to let the Slytherin die. Well, Draco could decide. He wanted his mate to be happy, and clearly that wasn't so.

"Harry…" Draco whispered softly, running his fingers down the Gryffindor's cheek. Taking a deep breath, he finally made the decision.

"Harry, I love you so much, please understand that. It's funny; no matter how much I love you, I know you will never love me back."

A single tear trailed down his cheek as he took a deep breath, steeling himself as he made the most important decision of his life.

"I love you Harry, and I want to see you happy. Good-bye, my love."

Leaning down, Draco placed the softest of kisses onto Harry's lips, before wiping his tears away. Then without looking back, he turned his back on his mate and walked away. Perhaps death would give him a little comfort, for he certainly wouldn't find that in life.

DmHp

Blaise shook his head as he sighed heavily, leaning back in the hard plastic chair he had conjured. Blinking back tears he hadn't thought he would ever cry, he returned to watching the pale form of his best friend as the blonde lay unmoving on the bed in front of him.

He was very rarely worried about anyone, but as he continued to gaze at the still body, he found a sense of worry and dread forming inside him. Being a Slytherin made no difference, he still cared for his friend and even, dare he say it, the Gryffindor on the other bed a few feet away.

And then, in the peace and quiet of the hospital wing, he began to wonder how it had all come to this.

DmHp

Harry, still lying unmoving as tears began to flow gently down his cheeks, wanted to go after his mate; knew he should and knew he would never live with himself if he let the blonde simply walk away. But, in the quiet peace of the foggy atmosphere, he found that he didn't.

It wasn't his fault. Liar. He hadn't done anything wrong. Liar. He had only been trying to protect Draco, only wanted him to be happy…

He opened his eyes, the swirling grey of the fog intensified by the tears still present in his eyes, and rolled onto his back. So the veela loved him? Is that what he thought? Did he really love him? Surely it was just the veela genes…

Liar.

DmHp

In that little reality on the edge of all others, where the shockingly pure crystal white met with the obsidian black in a harsh clashing of opposites and parallel, the single strand of power, of energy, stretched to its full length, many more cracks forming between the two colours.

And, in the deafening silence and the darkness cast bright shadows over the realm of unreality, that one, single strand that was made of two separate strands of power entwined together, snapped.

DmHp

A/N; okay, that wasn't really as long as I thought it would be, but I'm already writing the next chapter and this one is an entire week early; sorry guys, it's another cliff-hanger! Big apologies for spelling/grammar; it's 11:50pm because I just got in and I forgot to post this earlier this evening so…I just wanted to get it up!

So, here's the deal; you review and I'll update just as quickly as I did this time, and I'll make it a kind of nice chapter (I'm actually thinking of finally writing their first kiss, but I don't know…) and if you don't I won't update at all. Hehe, evil, no?

Edited; 30-05-07