Author's Note: There were a few comments about the look inside Harry's mind, enough that I felt it worth addressing here instead of below. The Harry Potter in this story is not the same as in the books. With the changes I've made to the timeline, I don't believe it would be possible for him to be the same. The biggest difference is that Draco has been the leader, instead of Harry. It's a minor change, but a change nonetheless.

However that was not the source of Harry's insecurities. If you read the third book, Harry is very insecure after he faints in the presence of the Dementors, Malfoy teases her mercilessly, and Lupin seems to have no faith in him. All that happens here as well, but Harry doesn't have the talk with Lupin that sets him back on his feet. On top of that, he feels he abandons his best friend and crush like a coward instead of staying to fight or suffer with him. Said friend is then horribly injured and he arrives far too late to help.

That's why at the point where I did my aside, he's feeling incredibly down on himself. In the future, especially with book four, he will be come "more himself''. At least, I think he will. I may just write him badly .;

Draco woke with the dawn. Someone, likely Sirius, had draped a blanket over Draco and - when he looked up - Remus as well. There was a pile of clothes at his side, his wand atop them, and he had to admit this was the nicest way to wake up after a change that he could remember. Sitting up, he found the animagus hovering near the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who was asleep on the grass, also covered in a thick blanket.

Despite still being tired, Draco got to his feet and began exhaustion wasn't unexpected, after all he had run all night with Sirius and Remus. They had chased each other, Sirius, the moon, anything that lay in their way. The animagus had steered them away from people, the school, and any creatures both would regret harming in the morning because the wolfsbane allowed them their minds, but the instincts of the wolf were always just beneath the surface. A strong mind could control it, but it wasn't worth the risk of an accident. Since this was his first change, the wolf had been stronger than ever in Draco and its desires were hard to ignore, especially after days on pain potions and a nasty fight with his mate. Whenever he appeared to be getting the upper hand with Sirius, however, Remus stepped in. A werewolf, no matter what his shape, would never let their mate be harmed.

Nodding his thanks to Harry's Godfather, Draco cast a quick point me spell and set off towards Hogwarts. Sirius stared, but he didn't try to stop Draco or move to accompany him. Likely it bothered him, letting a child walk through the Forbidden Forest alone, but Draco was only a child in the strictest sense. Besides, Remus had yet to awaken and he didn't want to intrude on that moment between the werewolf and his mate. They had been apart for so long, they deserved time alone together. Maybe a morning shag; plus, he was famished and exhausted. They'd come across a few deer, but apparently his sire took issue with killing them because they'd been steered away. Draco had never minded, though he could admit feeding off an animal raw was a bit gross for most people.

It was nearly a mile walking through the Forest before Draco spied Hogwarts through a sudden thinning in the trees. More specifically, he saw Hagrid's hut and smoke rising from the chimney, but that was as much Hogwarts as anything. By the sun, it was nearing noon, which wasn't unusual when one had been running for a full evening. Hopefully he hadn't yet missed lunch.

During his walk Draco had taken inventory of his injuries and was pleased to find only scrapes and bruises, with a bite mark here and there. Since the shift from werewolf to man didn't heal the werewolf's injuries his still remained, but he wasn't hurt enough to visit the infirmary. Whoever had created the curse had a sick mind. Since any injuries a man had vanished when he was forced to become the wolf healed, the savage beast was always at his strongest when tracking and hunting its prey. However, any injuries the wolf suffered remained in the morning, leaving the man weaker both physically and mentally.

Setting off at a trot toward the Great Hall once he cleared the tree line, he had hardly made it up the hill when the doors were flung open from the inside and seven black robed figures began descending the stairs. Two came at a dead sprint and he easily recognized Ron and Hermione as they pelted towards him. Behind them, Fred, George and Lee jogged down the stairs, also eager to greet him. At the top, Severus lingered long enough to assure himself Draco was alright, before he slipped back inside. Harry didn't join him, hesitating between heading down and going back inside. Draco tried not to notice; it hurt too much to know his mate was still angry with him when he wasn't sure how he could make things right again.

"Draco!"

Hermione shouted his name and would have knocked him over with the force of her hug had this happened before Crabbe crippled him. Now he was stronger and he easily wrapped his arms about her waist, lifting her into the air, spinning them both around with her momentum. She laughed, pure happiness, and he did as well despite his brooding mate so close by. As Draco set her on his feet, Ron grabbed him into a hug that became much tighter as George, Fred and Lee dogpiled on.

"It worked, I see," George said as they all finally let Draco some space to breathe.

"You smell ripe, mate," Ron added with a wrinkle of his nose.

"You think?" Draco raised an eyebrow at Ron. The man's arm was still wrapped around his shoulder, a grin plastered over his mouth despite Draco's tone. "I was only in the woods all evening, running, with wet fur."

"Worth it then?" Lee asked, unexpectedly the one to ask the serious question.

Firmly, Draco nodded and then glanced up the stairs. Noticing his gaze, Hermione sighed and Ron clapped him on the shoulder.

"He's been in a snit since last night," he said and shook his head. "He told us what you said; we do have to talk about it, but I don't get his issue."

"Let's not worry about it just yet," Draco said a little too quickly, his pulse having spiked at the thought that all his friends knew who he once had been. "I'm dying of hunger. We can talk after?"

"Anything you need," Ron grinned.

George said, "So we'll hole up in the dorms after you eat-"

"- and have that talk," Fred finished.

"Come on, then."

As they passed him, Harry fell into step behind the others. Ron fell back to walk with him, but they didn't speak to each other. Draco hoped they weren't fighting on his account, but he didn't know what had happened since Harry had stormed out of the infirmary.

Lunch passed quickly, since the only thing anyone wanted to talk about was Draco's night as a werewolf and they couldn't do that at the Gryffindor table. As Severus had promised, the Slytherin table was missing two students and seemed otherwise subdued. Being it was a Saturday, it was an unusually quiet meal in the Great Hall. That made it harder with Harry so quiet, staring at his food instead of looking at any of them. The one time Draco made eye contact, the green eyes had darkened angrily and he had looked away just as quickly.

When they finally made it up to the Common Room, Harry was just as reticent as he had been at lunch. If anyone else noticed, they weren't saying so. They made their way to the fifth year boys dormitory and pulled chairs up and around the fireplace. Fred and George set an alarm spell on the door so no one would interrupt them at an inopportune moment and Hermione started the conversation once they sat down again.

"So we're all on the same page, you're not actually a Seer?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably, but Harry really had spilled the beans and there was no point in lying now.

"No, I'm not. I'm not sure what you've been told," he glanced at his mate, but the man was staring into the flames with a tight expression, "but there was an...accident, I'm not sure what happened, but I turned to sand. I thought I had died, but when I woke up I was eleven again."

"Time travel," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Wicked," Fred and George said together.

It was Ron that asked the question he had been expecting.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry's green eyes locked on Draco and the blonde shifted uncomfortably under the angry stare.

"Because…"

"You're old?" George said with a smirk.

"I don't know how to answer that," Draco wrapped his arms around himself. "I was nineteen, or twenty, and now...I'm not."

"That would make you...twenty two?" Lee did the math in his head. "That's...really weird."

"Yeah, I mean, no," Draco sighed. "Look, I don't feel twenty two. Well, I do sometimes, but most of the time I feel thirteen. It's like I'm growing up all over again."

"Weird," Ron agreed.

"That's gotta suck, mate," George shook his head.

"I'd hate growing old twice," Fred agreed.

"I don't think how old he is really matters," Hermione interjected. "It makes more sense why you didn't want to change the course of history, though. Once it's changed you won't be able to know the future."

"He's already changed history," Harry spoke for the first time, his tone icy. "The second he had the chance, he changed it. All that talk about not affecting things was bollocks from the very beginning."

Five sets of eyes focused on The Boy Who Lived, then back to Draco. The flames crackled, but thankfully Hermione didn't let the silence last long.

"What did you change, Dray?"

"I joined Gryffindor," he answered softly. "I was originally in Slytherin."

"He was originally Crabbe," Harry snapped. "You know, the guy who's been the worst bully to the three of us since we got her. Once upon a time, that was Draco."

"The same Crabbe that broke Draco's back?" Lee asked, looking like he didn't believe his ears.

Draco nodded, his eyes dropping to his hands.

"What's that mean, exactly," Fred asked after such a long silence Draco thought he might lose it, "You were Crabbe? How's that work?"

"When I was...here, at school, the first time, I...was in Slytherin, as I said," Draco cleared his throat and looked up at the vaulted ceiling. "Being a Malfoy, and, well, me...I was the First Year's natural leader. Harry...offended me off during the sorting and on the train, so I lashed out at him and his friends. When I saw Neville was given a rememberall, I wanted it. So, I tried to take it, but McGonagall stopped me. Later, I got my hands on it and tried to break it. I challenged Harry to a duel, then reported him out of bed to Filch instead. Second year, I called Hermione a mudblood, third year...making fun of Harry's fainting and I got Buckbeak executed. Everything I could think of to make his, and your, life hell. It got worse as the years went on…Until sixth year, when I was bitten by the werewolf."

"Why did that change anything?" Hermione asked and Draco couldn't bear to meet her gaze, so he kept his gaze pointed upward.

"My friends, well, the people I thought were my friends turned on me," the blonde tried not to remember it as he explained. "I was an outcast in my own House, bullied and tormented-"

"So you got what you deserved."

Draco closed his eyes as Harry's words echoed in his memory.

"Yes, Harry, I did."

"Is that why you chose to fight with us?" Hermione tried to keep the conversation on topic.

"That's the short reason, yes," Draco answered.

"What's the long reason?"

"One of us is his mate."

Draco felt like the world fall out from beneath him. Embarrassment and despair warred within him as the wolf railed against the anger and hurt in his mate's voice. He couldn't speak, the air stolen from him as his face flared in a bright blush. With that statement, everything he was was on display for everyone to see.

"Harry, that's enough." Hermione's voice cut through the room like a knife. "I understand that you're very hurt, but acting like a five year old is not helping. If you can't say something nice, stay silent or get out."

"Hermione, he lied to us again!"

"So that gives you the right to blurt out all his secrets?" Draco couldn't help it, at the anger in the girl's question he looked down. Bushy haired and red faced, Draco thought she had never been more beautiful as she glared daggers at Harry for him. "That gives you the right to hurt him when he's already weakened from the full moon? He's still my friend, Harry, and I am going to give him the chance to explain himself. Either you can sit there, silent and listen, or you can leave. I won't tell you again."

"Damn," George murmured as Harry turned red, crossed his arms and sat back in his chair.

"Remind me not to make her mad," Fred told his twin.

"It doesn't change-" Harry began, but George interrupted.

"Jealous much?"

That shut Harry up rather quickly and he turned his glare on the fire.

"Now, Draco, what's the long reason?"

This time, he didn't have to look away from Hermione as he answered her. Not even the werewolf's annoyance at her dressing down of his mate was able to keep the warmth he felt for her at bay.

"My mate is a part of it," he confessed, "but...I heard the three of you - you, Harry, and Ron - talking on the grounds one day. About leaving, going off to fight Voldemort. Dumbledore had just been killed and I...I couldn't stay at school any more. I begged you all to let me go with you, to help you."

Draco took a deep breath and turned to Ron.

"Imagine that, alright? If Crabbe asked you to help you with the Chamber of Secrets or something?"

The red head frowned.

"Hell no."

Weakly, Draco smiled.

"That's exactly what you said to me. Harry told me to get stuffed." He looked back to Hermione. "But you asked me why." The girl flushed and he smiled at her. "I told you half of the truth - I wanted to fight. He killed my parents and he cursed me. I wanted revenge. You said it would be stupid not to use me and so I came with you when you started the resistance."

"Use you?" Hermione repeated.

Draco shrugged and nodded.

"I was just happy to be allowed to go with you."

Lips pursed, Hermione looked away and then back again.

"We were never friends, were we?"

To his surprise - and everyone else's - Draco laughed.

"No, no we weren't. Eventually you trusted me and that was enough. Or...it was until I was on the train, coming back here for the first time. Then nothing in the world could make me do it all over again, not even to save you."

"That's why you joined Gryffindor?" she pressed.

"No," Ron answered. "He joined Gryffindor so he wouldn't be alone."

Draco was getting tired of his blush, but he nodded, then looked at his hands because it was that or look at Harry again. After hearing all this, if his mate was still mad at him, the wolf's emotions were likely to overwhelm his control. Crying in front of his friends was not at all what he wanted to do.

"Well," Ron said with a laugh, "I can see why you wouldn't want us to know you used to be a gigantic prat, but I've never known you as anything but who you are. I don't know what the big deal is."

Heart swelling, Draco smiled warmly at Ron. Despite the truth, he still had one friend.

"The big deal," Harry's voice immediately drowned any happiness Draco had found in Ron's statement, "is that he lied. Again."

"We know that, Harry," George said, his tone as casual as if they were discussing Zonko's new line of fireworks. "But think about it, Draco just told us that he was fighting Death Eaters with the three of you, completely alone, for two or three years. He had your trust, not your friendship. Would you risk losing that, once you had it?"

"Especially if one of you lot is his mate," Fred added. Before Harry could respond, he then asked, "So, Dray, about that; who is your mate?"

Draco flushed and glared at Fred as best he could with his heart constricted as it was.

"None of your business, that's who."

George laughed.

"It's alright, we think we know anyways, don't we Fred?"

"Bit obvious, if you ask me."

Draco wasn't about to let them get to him, so he rolled his eyes and looked back to Hermione.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," he said, "all of you, but George is right. I will do anything to make sure that the future I know doesn't come to pass, but I can't...I couldn't live through those eight years knowing what I do now. I couldn't...be someone I'm not."

"We die?" she asked in a small voice. Draco didn't know what else to say, so he nodded. "How many?"

"Too many," he answered and something in his eyes seemed to warn her because she drew away and didn't ask again.

"Well," Hermione said instead, "I don't think I can hold that against you. You're not Crabbe, no matter who you were before because I didn't know that person. I know you, Draco Malfoy, my best friend."

"Here, here!" Lee cheered.

All eyes turned to Harry, even Draco's, hesitant and full of hope.

"Come on, Harry," George urged.

"Kiss and make up, yeah?" Fred said.

Harry fixed his eyes on Draco and he saw his resolve waver. Hope bubbled up inside him and he nodded eagerly as Harry asked, "Can I talk to you alone a moment?"

Getting up, he followed his mate out of the room and into the third-year dormitory. It was thankfully empty, everyone else enjoying the brilliant day outside. For a moment, Harry looked outside the window before he turned to look at Draco.

"I am jealous. Don't," he said quickly as Draco's mouth opened, "just let me finish. You're always...you're always there for me. And now I find out it's because you wanted to save Ron," Draco blinked, "but then on top of that you lied to me again. I get it, okay? I wouldn't want anyone to know if I'd ever acted like Crabbe either, but...Damn it, Dray! It's me. I don't give a damn who you were or what you did, I only ever wanted you to be honest with me. How am I supposed to trust you after you've broken your promise? When you didn't trust me?

"I-" Draco wanted to answer, really he did, but the wolf only cared about one part of Harry's speech. "What do you mean, I only wanted to save Ron?"

A soft blush spread over his mate's cheeks.

"Well, I heard you talking to Professor Lupin and if you're gay, it can't be Hermione. If your mate is straight, then it can't be me, so it has to be Ron."

Draco felt dizzy.

"What do you mean, you're not straight? You like girls."

"Well, yeah," Harry shifted from foot to foot, "Hermione figures I'm bi."

"Bi."

Harry nodded.

"That's not what's important here, Draco."

"Not important?" he repeated. "I was certain you were straight."

Frowning, Harry asked, "You were?" Then he shook his head. "It doesn't matter-"

"It does matter," Draco interrupted. "How do you know you're- that you like guys?"

Harry looked annoyed, but he answered anyways.

"I have, had, feelings for you."

"Had," Draco repeated, the wave of dizziness now compounded by despair.

"I can't trust you!" Harry burst out. "I can't have a...a crush on someone I can't trust!"

"I would do anything for you, I wouldn't let anything ever happen to you. You can trust me."

It was the wolf that made Draco speak up, but Harry wasn't having any of it.

"Because I'm the key to your perfect little future," Harry snapped, "Because without me, you can't defeat Voldemort."

"No, it's because you're my mate, Harry."

As soon as the words left his lips, Draco flushed a brilliant red. Harry Potter, his mate and best friend, stared at him with wide green eyes.

"That's why I couldn't tell you," he whispered, "I couldn't bare it if you hated me again."

"You said your mate rejected you," Harry said hesitantly.

"You did. I...Harry, I don't know. I was certain...well, you know."

"Tell me what happened."

"Someone died, someone we both cared about, and I was trying to comfort you." Draco looked away, the memory of Fred's death particularly painful. "I put my hand on your shoulder and you…You pulled away. You told me to stop trying. You knew that I...that I loved you and you said, in no uncertain terms, that you would never return my feelings. That just being my friend was hard enough. You left and...we didn't talk about it again. Once, before you...died, you kissed me, but it was to ensure that I promised you something."

"I kissed you and you thought I was straight?" Harry repeated.

"Well, yeah," he said, but with what he had just been told, he felt a little stupid.

"And I'm your mate?"

"Yes, Harry. Why you think I'd - I mean, Ron, really?"

"Well, you two get on well and he's straight...but this is not the point! So stop changing the subject, how am I supposed to trust you? We can't have any kind of...of relationship when I'm wondering if you're telling me everything.

"I think I'm out of secrets at this point."

"I want to believe you, Dray."

"Harry," it hurt, but he had waited a long time, Draco didn't mind waiting even longer for his mate, "Okay. I know I can't earn your trust back over night, but give me a chance and I will. Just...please, don't give up on me."

Pressing his lips together, Harry hesitated and then nodded once.

"I'll give you another chance, but it won't be like the last one. I'll doubt you and you'll have to prove yourself."

"Anything, Harry," Draco promised.

Looking a little flustered, Harry ran a hand through his hair and then stepped up to hug Draco tightly. He didn't linger, but it made the wolf howl with pleasure. Of course, Draco didn't let the sound out, but he knew tonight would be full of the noise.

"Come on," he said, "Let's get back to the others. And, um, Dray, I'm really glad you can walk again."

"Me, too," Draco laughed.

Clapping Harry on the shoulder, he lead the way back to where the others were. It wasn't the best outcome he could have hoped for, now that Harry knew he was Draco's mate, but it was fantastic to not have been rejected outright. Maybe nothing would come of it, but there was hope now when there hadn't been before. He had a chance, to get Harry's trust back, then maybe ask him out. The boy wouldn't have the same draw that Draco did, now that the wolf was inside him again, but it was better than anything he had ever had.

Phoenix-Eldar: Thanks! Wish I spoke Portuguese or I'd say something clever 3

rebelghost85: Thank you! I'm glad someone noticed Snape ^_^

blackcurrent: I hope so, too. I'm not sure quite yet, Sirius and Severus being who they are, but it would be nice since they're going to be around each other so much.

EygptianFireFly and Kigen Dawn: Not quite the resolution I imagine you were hoping for, but I hope it suits nonetheless =)

ameless: Be responsible! Heh, thanks for spending time with my story though.

Prince of Enchanters: No worries! I think you've given enough reviews to make up for a short one ^_^

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