FINALLY! THIS FIC IS BACK ON TRACK!

Very sorry for the long wait, RL has gotten in the way of everything! mainly me ex boyfriend driving me up the wall along with a few others. It's been a hard few months and I was putting off re-reading this fi every time as I knew it would take me ages but I've finally done it and it has been edited! YES!

Ah, I've missed this fic and I've missed you guys too! I hope you haven't given up on the fic yet it *will* get finished and hopefully soon now that I'm back on track.

Anyway, guess you want to read the next chapter huh? Ah don't let me stop you!

Enjoy :)

Harry's POV

Where'd he go?

Harry slowed his pace as he came to the grand staircase, frantically wondering which direction Draco would have gone.

If I were Draco where would I go...?

Sadly, he hadn't a clue.

ARGH! Why was he so useless?

He had to find him, there was no way he would let Draco wallow in pain because of that bastard-so-called-tripe-of-a-boyfriend. Harry's heart broke when he saw Draco watching man slag Zabini molesting Chastity I'm-a-bint Blake. The way his serene expression rapidly morphed from content to disbelief to horror and hurt. He looked very close to tearsand Harry wanted nothing more than to run to Draco at that moment andhug him. Harry was certain he did not want to see the expression on theblonde Slytherin's face again.

Draco didn't deserve that, not at all.

Harry needed to tell the blonde that he was valued and that he could doso much better than that stupid son of a bitch. In fact, Harry was desperate to tell him, he had to, he had to make Draco realise what a rat Zabini was. Steer him away from the black boy and into Harry's direction (preferably his arms).

He just hoped Draco wasn't the type to do anything irrational in his current state.

If anyone were to be hurt it was Blaise Zabini and Harry would be all too happy to dish it out.

That could be arranged, he thought bitterly to himself.

Figuring he didn't really have much time to waste, Harry came to the conclusion that it would probably take him hours if he manually searched the entire castle for the blonde (and if he was in the Slytherin common room then he was screwed) so he thought of the only thing he could do at a time like this; time to bring out the marauders map.

Squeezing past the mass of students that were making their way to the Great Hall for supper, he clambered the staircases and made his way to the Gryffindor common room avoiding to bump into anyone on his way up.

By the time he reached the 7th floor, his breathing was harsh and heavy. Ah, he really needed to work on his fitness... But first; Draco.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he careened into a second year making the poor girl stumble and fall to the ground.

"Sorry!" He shouted over his shoulder, having no time to waste. From the glimpse he saw of the small group, they didn't look too pleased.

Well, he was in a rush so he was hardly to blame. If they knew his situation they'd understand!

As he got to the boy's dorms, he wondered where he put the map. Damn. Why were things never easy in situations like this?

He checked his case, bedside draw, under his bed, in his school bag but it was nowhere to be found. Getting frustrated, he clenched his fists and resisted the temptation to throw a massive hissy fit but concluded his energy would be better spent on trying to find the accursed map.

He was so engrossed with the task at hand that he didn't even hear anyone barging open the door and chewing loudly.

"You looking for something Harry?" A voice said between mouthfuls of food, it could only be Ron Weasley.

"Yes! Marauders map! Have you seen it?" Harry said desperately, hoping that by some miracle the map would just appear right in front of him.

For some reason, Ron's face coloured a tomato red that looked horrendous against his hair. "Oh um..." The red headed teen looked awkwardly away, avoiding Harry's gaze, and began shifting his feet.

"What? Do you know where it is?" Harry exclaimed, noting the change in Ron's behaviour.

"Ah yeah, it's in my bedside table..." The red-head flicked his wrist in the direction of his bed, failing to meet Harry's gaze.

"Why is it there? Have you been using it?" He didn't recall Ron asking for it, not that he had to or anything but he liked keeping track of where his stuff was especially when it was something valuable like the Marauders map so it would have been nice.

"Um, yeah. I know I should have asked but you weren't around."

"Well, it's fine and everything but next time put it back where it was so that I know where it is..." He wouldn't have been in this situation then! "Why did you need it anyway?"

Ron licked his bottom lip and began grumbling incoherently under his breath.

"What was that Ron?"

"I wanted to.. Keep an eye on Hermione."

"Oh, is that it?" Harry exhaled, he was expecting a better excuse than that if especially from the way Ron was fidgeting. "Why?"

"Because she... Was going off with Terry Boot a lot to do work for arithmancy or something. Anyway it doesn't matter." He looked increasingly embarrassed so Harry let it go... For now. He was more interested in Draco at the moment more than anything.

Strolling lazily over to his bedside, Ron reached into the draw and took out the familiar oatmeal parchment and tossed it to Harry who, embarrassingly, failed to catch it despite his remarkable seeker skills.

Harry's heart raced with anticipation, he'd never been happier to see the map. Forgetting about Ron momentarily, he muttered the infamous phrase and the map revealed Hogwarts in all it's.

At last, Harry's eyes blindly seeked 'Draco Malfoy' amongst the vast number of names scattered within the castle. The many dots moving around were making Harry's eyes tired and dizzy but he wouldn't give up, now if only he could find him...

Aha!

...Astronomy Tower? What on earth was he doing there? Surely he

wouldn't...?

Oh no.

And without hesitation, Harry bolted out of the room leaving a very puzzled Ron in his wake.

After a few seconds, Ron shrugged to himself and continued to eat the neglected chocolate bar in his hand.

'Please, please let him be okay.' was the continuous thought that ran through Harry's head as he made his way to the top floor where Draco resided.

The dark haired boy was worried out of his mind that maybe, just maybe, Draco might have gone there to throw himself off the astronomy tower.

He prayed that wasn't the case.

Approaching the long corridor that lead what many referred to as 'the lover's tower', he was abruptly struck with nerves... What if Draco didn't want to see him? After all, they weren't exactly on good terms now were they? And how would Harry explain himself?

He shook his head in frustration, he was not going to chicken out of this, especially after all this effort to find him! He'd faced worse situations in his life so he could definitely face a hurt Draco Malfoy.

Placing a tentative hand on the handle, he slowly turned it and opened the heavy wooden door carefully, as not to frighten the blonde, and stepped inside the high-ceilinged tower. Harry was immediately hit by the icy wind that blew from the balconies that surrounded the room and instinctively pulled his robe tighter around him to preserve warmth.

Harry didn't see Draco at first and wondered whether the blonde had gone elsewhere -or worse- while he made his way up here but as he stalked further inside, he spotted a white blonde head lustrously shining beneath the evening rays of the moon. Relief flooded him and he now felt a bit silly in thinking that Draco would do something as extreme as that.

The first thing that Harry noticed was that the other teen was very still and seated dangerously close to the edge of the balcony against one of the pillars. Harry cursed at the flimsy looking barriers, what if Draco fell accidentally?

From what Harry could see (as Draco had his back to Harry), he was sitting rather strangely on the floor with one leg dangling off the edge and the other bent inward towards his chest, head bowed. Harry also noted that the end of his sleeve appeared damp, that proved to him that the boy had been crying. Doesn't he realise that Zabini isn't worth any tears? Harry exhaled in annoyance.

Clearly Draco hadn't heard him enter as he hadn't turned round or anything, so Harry would have to approach him carefully as not to startle him. Creeping slowly to where Draco sat, it took him a few seconds to find his voice.

"Draco?" Harry raised a hand to gently rest against Malfoy's thin shoulder and jumped slightly as the blonde flinched in surprise.

Draco turned around so quickly that Harry thought he could have given himself whiplash. He looked up at Harry, startled before bringing the sleeve of his robe up and rubbing furiously at his eyes to cover up the fact he had been crying. If anything, rubbing it only made it look worse.

"What are you doing here?" Draco said distantly after clearing his throat, eyes shifting from Harry's face to the floor. His voice was shaky but it was clear that the blonde was trying to hide it the best he could.

"I," Harry started inanely, suddenly feeling like an idiot. "I came to see you, I ,um, saw what happened."

"What are you talking about Potter?" Harry flinched at the cold use of his surname and the slight glare in Draco's expression.

"You know," The dark-haired boy scratched at his head before tilting his head in the direction of the exit. "Down in the courtyard." He didn't know why it came out in a whisper, but it did.

Draco blanched at first, eyes widening slightly, before frowning, looking down to his lap, lacing his fingers together and clutching at them tightly. He briefly closed his eyes before opening them slowly again and looking out into the moonlit mountainous scenery, his back facing Harry once more.

"You didn't deserve that" Harry took a step closer, gaining a bit of confidence. The cool, October air becoming more and more prominent.

"And what would you know about anything to do with my life? Don'tpretend as if you know me," He muttered harshly, not meeting Harry's gaze.

"Look, I may not know everything about you but what I do know is-"

"Potter just shut up I don't want to talk about it, stop gloating!" He suddenly cried out, looking all the more irritated by Harry's presence.

"I'm not gloating!" The Gryffindor defended quickly, the blonde could be so irksome at times.

"Then what are you doing here? You're going to tell me you 'care' are you?" He mocked bitterly, starring up into the stars that littered the dark sky like little diamonds.

"...So what if I was?" As much as it was true, Harry felt awfully silly saying it out loud, he was glad Draco hadn't been facing him.

An awkward silence descended upon the two boys before Draco turned to look at Harry for the first time since he'd arrived. Harry wished the boy wasn't sending a hateful look his way, did Harry caring about Draco offend the blonde?

"You're a bastard you know that?" He spat, looking on in anger that concealed disappointment and... Hurt?

"What? Draco no-"

"If your trying to get back at me about the other night then just fuck off cause your going too far with all this pretense."

"I'm not pretending!" Was it irrational that Harry wanted to shake Draco till he saw sense? Why was he so difficult?

"Whatever Potter just leave me alone, you've got what you wanted to see the great Draco Malfoy at his worst now go crawl back to your loyal followers and that Weasley bint!" Malfoy snarled, words venomous and Harry felt slightly discouraged. Heck, if the boy was trying to push him away, he was almost there...

He snapped himself to his sense. Come on, Harry, you've faced Voldemort! He told himself.

"I'm not leaving," He said firmly purposefully ignored the part where Draco had insulted his friends, the boy was having a rough time at the moment.

"And why not?" The boy had an unreadable expression on his face, very unhelpful.

"Because, fucking hell I care, Draco!" Harry blaired, his voice echoing in the hollow tower, he hoped no one was passing in the corridor. How would he be able to explain such an unbelievable situation?

"Look me in the eye and tell me that you care."

"I care, Draco, I care!" Harry all but shouted, not being able to control his emotions. It was all coming out now... "What else do you want me to admit? That I want to hex Zabini into an oblivion for hurting you? That you deserved to be treated like royalty to anyone lucky enough to be with you? That I haven't stopped thinking about you for weeks? I care dammit!"

Draco looked extremely shocked at the outburst but Harry carried on with his tirade. In for a penny, in for a pound.

"Listen Draco, you can do so much better than him, so much! I don't even know why you put up with him for this long. Someone who has the indecency to hurt the person they 'supposedly' care about and actually cheat on them isn't worthy of that person's affection. He's walking all over you and your letting him! I know that that bruise the other week was from Zabini and don't tell me otherwise! How can you value yourself so little?"

Harry was shocked when he heard a muffled sob emit from Draco. Uh oh, he didn't want to make him cry!

Now he didn't know what to do. He wasn't good at comforting people, should he put an arm around him or...?

"Please Draco, don't cry." The blonde shook his head, bringing his palm to his eyes and letting out another sob that hit Harry like a bullet to his heart. He didn't think twice about settling on the ground next to the Slytherin, wrapping his arms impulsively around Draco and placing his head atop the others white blonde one.

Draco was extremely stiff at first before relaxing slightly against Harry, which he was pleased about he didn't want to have made a fool of himself and have the blonde hex him off the astronomy tower. Harry was surprised to then feel Draco grab loosely at his hoodie, coiling his fingers around the fabric of the sleeve tightly as he continues to sob into Harry's chest. The green-eyed teen could only hold him, rubbing a gentle hand up and down his spine in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. The extra body heat that the boy emitted was certainly very nice.

"Why Harry, why? After the way I treated you the other day? Merlin, after the way I've always treated you?" The boy said, voice slightly muffled against his shoulder.

Harry was speechless, Draco had a point and Harry didn't exactly know why he was overly keen on giving him a second chance, except for the obvious fact of him liking Draco, but was that really enough?

"I, I don't know. I just" Why had this seemed so much easier to do fifteen minutes ago? "I just see something different in you now that I hadn't seen before."

Draco hadn't replied to that making the growing silence uneasy for Harry. Was he about to ridicule Harry for being so cliche? The boy in his arms then tightened his grasp on Harry's hoody, assuring the Gryffindor that he wasn't about to wound Harry's pride further.

They sat like that for a few more minutes before Malfoy finally withdrew himself from Harry's arms. His hair was a disarray and eyes red and slightly puffed. He looked pitiful, like an orphaned child who'd grown up unloved which ironically was the story of Harry's life.

"So what are you going to do now?" Harry asked after plucking up the courage to speak.

Malfoy looked startled. "Do about what?" Although Harry had an incline that Draco knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You know, you and Zabini." He felt silly asking or even just bringing it up but he just couldn't watch the boy go crawling back to Zabini -if that were his intention- knowing that he, Harry, could have done something to stop it. He had to talk some sense into him.

Draco was silent for a while, looking out into the darkness that encased the grounds of Hogwarts.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably, feeling sillier by the second as he anticipated the blonde's reply and he hoped to god that he would reply.

"I," Malfoy bit his lip. "I don't know."

What? How could his answer not be anything but 'I want to dump his sorry ass'?

This comment stirred Harry back into action, giving him the confidence -or impulse- to say what he needed. "What? You'd actually go back to him?"

Draco shrugged, a troubled look on his face. He moved away from Harry slightly.

"That's bullshit Draco, come on! Where's that self value you once had? You'd never let anyone walk all over you before! Why start now?" To spite the boy, he moved closer to Draco. What was wrong with him?

"I don't know Potter, I suppose I've changed." he said miserably leaning his head against the pillar of the balcony.

"But you can't stay with him after that!" Harry said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world because, fuck, it was! Harry suddenly wanted to waltz back to Zabini's unconscious body and kick the fucker again. He felt very protective over Draco at the moment.

"And why not? I don't think you realise Potter but-" Malfoy cut himself off, looking even more somber. It was as if he just had a sudden epiphany. "I have no one else, if I don't have Blaise I'll really be alone. Not many people like me as you probably already know."

"You won't be alone," and Harry meant it too, as long as he were around, and as long as Draco let him, Harry would be there for the other boy.

"Oh?" Draco answered dubiously.

"No, you-" he tried finding words the appropriate words. "You'll have me?" Harry said unsurley, proverbial butterflies jittering in his stomach making him feel queasy.

Harry saw hope in Draco's eyes, they were bright and he looked as if he wanted to believe Harry's words. Had he no faith in other people?

"Would I really?" He asked tentatively.

"If you wanted to..." Harry assured, edging closer to the blonde and placing his hand on Draco's slender arm. "We could be friends, proper friends this time."

A small smile graced Draco's face. The boy sure had a lovely smile. Nice lips too...

Harry felt like smacking himself upside the head as soon as the thought left him. Now was hardly an appropriate time!

"That's a nice thought Harry but how long would that last really? None of your friends like me making it awkward for you to juggle us all."

"No Ron and Hermione have eachother, they spend most of their time together, trust me, I could really use some decent company these days." Harry quickly reassured, it was true, Ron and Hermione spent more and more time togetehr these days and Harry didn't feel the need to be selfish and intrude. He had plenty of other friends though, although he kept that part to himself.

"But I'm the son of a Deatheater! People might lose respect they had for you for associating with me." Draco added glumly.

"Oh let them! I don't give a flying fuck what other people think, never have." He really wanted Draco to see that he didn't care and would do anything for a chance to get closer to the boy.

He smiled casually to himself and then looked at Harry those hopeful eyes again. Harry was overcome with the sudden urge to kiss him with that innocent look on his face.

"You mean it?"

"Of course, just please... ditch Zabini?" Ah, way to sound pathetic Potter.

"Well considering I told him last time that this was his last chance I can't very well seem like a pushover for him as you said, I'm not going to let him think he can walk all over me." He said with a hint of a smile, Harry beamed in return.

Suddenly wanting a change of scene, preferably somewhere cosey and warm, Harry got up looking down at the curious expression on Draco's face.

Harry reached out a quidditch-calloused hand for Draco, the latter held it and allowed himself to be pulled up by the stronger boy. Looking at the vulnerable boy, Harry was overwhelmed with fondness for the smaller boy.

"Thanks," He smiled coyly up at Harry, the latter couldn't stop thegoofy grin from gracing his face. The blonde looked abruptly down after a few seconds.

Harry then went to hold Draco's chin to get the boy to look him in the eye. "Hey, it's no problem okay?" Referring to the conversation they'd just had, Draco just smiled once more and this time it reached his radiant mercury eyes, making harry's heart staccato in his chest uncomfortably.

"So... No more you and Zabini," Harry felt like running around pumping his fists.

Draco laughed softly, a lovely melodic sound that was music to Hasrry's ears. "no more."

"Good."

And with that Harry dragged a hand through Draco's hair, succeeding in messing it up further. It had the desired effect of lightening the mood as he was directed with a mock glare by Draco and both boys laughed.

Things might just be looking up after all.

And I'll be damned if Zabini tries to go anywhere near Draco, Harry thought possessively wanting nothing more than to keep the blonde with him at all times.

If only there was a way to make Draco his...

To my readers;

I am so sorry about the loooooong delay! I really hope this chapter was worth the wait. I'm a bit dubious about it however, I'm worried that it's not quite up to standards and that I've ruined the whole fic with this chapter :( I don't know whether I should re-write it? Has the fic gone downhill?

Thank you for your patience, I will be updating this summer as I have free time.

WinonaRose

x

p.s. please review! I need your feedback on especially on this chapter because I'm insecure about it... so please let me know if it's a dissapointment.