"He doesn't want to see you." Ron growled, blocking the entrance to the Eighth Year's boys' dormitory, arms crossed over his chest and a harsh glare firmly in place."And who let a ferret like you inside in the first place?"

"Brown." Draco said, voice clipped. "I don't know how you managed to put up with her. She'd do anything if it meant getting some drama started for her gossip mill."

The truth was he'd been waiting outside the portrait hole for hours, arguing with the Fat Lady until Lavender had happened by and agreed to let him in only after he told her why. He merely said that he'd promised to study with Harry, Lavender having pouted in disappointment before eventually stepping aside to give him entrance.

Ron frowned, eyes narrowing a bit as he said. "Well tell her she's isn't getting any, you're not seeing Harry."

"This doesn't concern you, now move aside Weasel." Draco said, attempting to walk around the redhead before he was roughly pushed back.

"It does concern me if you're hurting my friend. I knew you hadn't changed, I have no idea why he gave you a chance in the first place."

Draco growled, what little patience he had vanishing as he snapped, "Well it's a good thing it's none of your damn business, now move aside Weasel before I make you wish your parents had heard of the term contraception two children ago."

The Slytherin didn't even flinch as a wand was pointed at his throat, simply raising a challenging eyebrow. "Is that supposed to intimidate me?" he smirked, "Perhaps if you were as skilled as you are incompetent I'd be a bit more concerned."

Draco realized he might have been pressing his luck considering the position he was in, and his suspicions were confirmed as the Gryffindor raised his wand, opening his mouth to hex him before he was interrupted.

"Don't, Ron."

Both teens whipped around to stare at Harry in surprise, neither having noticed the door opening as he stood in the entryway.

"But Harry-" Ron murmured, only to be cut off again.

"Just stop, it's okay, really." Harry murmured. "Please, can you just give us a minute?"

Ron stared at him incredulously, eyes moving over his friend's face until he apparently found something and nodded once, turning and shouldering past Draco roughly as he left down the hall in a huff, grumbling to himself as he went.

Harry stared at Draco blankly, normally bright emerald eyes unsettlingly void of emotion as they stared back at him.

Now that Harry had finally come outside Draco was embarrassed to find that he was unsure of exactly what to say. It had been nearly an entire week since he'd seen Harry anywhere aide from across the Great Hall and the opposite side of the classrooms.

"Well, what do you want?" Harry demanded after a few moments of tense silence.

"To talk, I want you to let me explain."

Emerald eyes narrowed as Harry crossed his arms, "I don't see that there's anything to talk about, I think everything's pretty damn self explanatory here."

"Harry-"

"I'd actually prefer you call me Potter, thanks."

Draco snarled, "I will not fucking call you Potter damn it! Harry-"

"Look, Malfoy, I don't want to hear anything from you, please leave."

"I will not leave." Draco said stubbornly as if their houses had been reversed. "Not until you listen to me and then use that brain of yours I know you have to think."

Harry sneered, an expression that looked oddly out of place on his face after Draco had grown so accustomed to seeing him smile. "You want me to think, well, here's a thought. You're as much of a selfish, arrogant, spiteful prick as I'd originally saw you to be and I'd appreciate it if you'd kindly fuck off." He said before promptly slamming the door in Draco's face.

Ignoring Weasley's smug smirk as he descended the stairs he stomped his way out of the common room, refusing to give up. Harry hadn't seen anything yet.

-x-x-x-

"Neville, please." Blaise pleaded, finally having managed to corner Neville in one of the greenhouses.

"Blaise-"

"You can't honestly believe that everything that happened between us was just for a bet. I was stupid, but I meant it when I said how much I cared for you. You have to believe that."

Neville sighed, looking up from where he'd been resolutely trying to work over a yet to be identified plant. "I honestly don't know what to believe Blaise. What you're saying sounds truthful, but I don't know if that's because I want to believe it or it actually is. I just need time to think."

"Neville-"

"What do you want me to say Blaise." Neville snapped, patience thinning. "When we were in school, before the war got big I never thought I'd have a relationship I was so insecure. And then during the war and after it I was too preoccupied to consider it. And then you come along and make me rethink everything only to find out that it might all have been some big joke. Are you really surprised that I'm hesitant about this?"

"I'm sorry." Blaise said, "I don't want this to be the end, I've never cared for someone as much as I have you."

Neville smiled, the expression somewhat pained as he murmured, "I just need some space, I'm sorry. I'll see you later."

-x-x-x-

"I'd like to bloody kill you right now." Draco said seriously, sitting down stiffly beside Blaise.

"Believe me the feeling is mutual."

"This is all your bloody fault." Draco snapped, leaning back and closing his eyes in hopes of soothing his growing headache.

Blaise scoffed, "Hardly, you were just as much a part of the bet as I was. Besides, at least there's hope for you and Potter once you get past his damn stubbornness. I feel as though I've been walking on eggshells this whole time with Neville and once I finally thought I reached the end someone pushed me back and I crushed the whole lot."

"Oh please." Draco sneered, "Just do something nauseatingly bold and romantic and you'll be fine. I'll be lucky if Harry doesn't hex me the next time I see him."

"It's Potter." Blaise said, as if that explained everything. Only continuing at Draco's raised eyebrow. "He's stubborn but he's not stupid. Get him to see reason and you'll be fine. Honestly, stop your whining. It's most unbecoming."

Draco opened his mouth indignantly, a cutting remark poised on the tip of his tongue before he promptly closed it, a thought occurring to him.

"You know what, you're absolutely right. Whining won't do a thing, besides; I've always preferred to be a man of action." He said, standing.

Blaise smirked. This was how his and Draco's friendship worked. Sure they'd argue and yell and insult one another to the point where hexes almost seemed imminent but it was always worth it in the end. After they got passed all that their friendship turned into something brilliant, and in this case it took the form of two simply genius ideas in each Slytherin.

"Yeah, good luck with that mate." Blaise waved off, a smirk of his own in place as he waved a hand, "Go on with whatever it is this time, I've got a journalist to owl."

-x-x-x-

"I'm sorry about all this mate, really I am. But I knew Malfoy couldn't change."

"Ronald." Hermione hissed, fixing her boyfriend with a scolding gaze.

"What? It's not like it isn't true, I mean we're talking about Malfoy here."

"Thanks for the help guys." Harry murmured, closing his eyes and leaning back against the Gryffindor common room couch.

"Harry, I am sorry." Hermione said earnestly, placing a hand on his knee.

"It was bound to happen eventually 'Mione, you know it was. Oi!" Ron yelped, rubbing the back of his head vigorously after Hermione's sharp slap. "You know as well as I do that Malfoy was no good.

"Ronald! Honestly, would you please leave Harry and I alone for a moment."

"But 'Mione-"

"Go, Ronald." Hermione said in her best 'no nonsense' voice. "You can come back once you're done with the comments and I've had a chance to talk to Harry."

"But-" Ron started before wisely closing his mouth, shaking his head in resignation. "Fine, I'm going. And, I really am sorry you were hurt mate. I never wanted that."

"Thanks Ron." Harry said with a small smile, knowing that his friend was just trying to help, even in his somewhat misguided way.

Hermione was silent until her boyfriend had vanished up the dorm room stairs, closing her eyes as if to compose herself and take in the silence of the near deserted common room.

"Harry" she whispered, eyes opening to fix him with her signature pity gaze.

Harry winced, feeling uncomfortable under the look as he murmured, "Yeah?"

"Ron was being an idiot."

Harry smiled at the blunt statement, a chuckle escaping him as the words seemed to relax him. "Yeah, but he means well."

"I know" Hermione said, pursing her lips as if her next words were hard to say, "But, he was wrong . . . about Malfoy."

Harry paused, blinking in surprise, not sure if he had understood correctly. "Um, what do you mean?"

"Malfoy, I don't like him but . . . you were happier than I've ever seen you after the war when you were with him. And you know how stubborn I am, do you honestly think I would have stayed quiet about it all if I thought he hadn't changed? I saw him with you Harry, and he was far from the same Malfoy we knew a year ago. I honestly don't think he'd do something like this to hurt you."

"Yeah, so why would he do it then?"

"I don't know." Hermione said, trying not to show how not knowing the answer bothered her so much. "But I do think you should ask him, and listen to his explanation before you draw any final conclusions."

Harry attempted a smile he didn't quite feel as he stood, "Thanks Hermione, but I don't know if I can do that just yet. I need to think a bit, but I'll see you guys later."

"Alright Harry." Hermione said carefully, her eyes watching him sadly as he made his way up to the dorms, "Sleep well."

Harry really did grin this time, waving to her and murmuring something of the same as he walked on, thinking that it'd be a miracle if he managed to fall asleep at all.

AN: No one's out of the woods yet but I'm planning on wrapping this story up in the next two chapters or so, let me know if there's anything in particular you want to see :)

Reviews are Love =D