Ghost at the end of the table

by SweetSalt23

Harry stared, even though he tried not to, his eyes constantly going back to the ghost that sat at the end of the seventh-year table. He felt something in his chest as he took in the mere shadow of a person who for years had always had his attention. This attention was vastly different however, the feelings fluttering in Harry' chest unfamiliar when it came to the new Draco Malfoy.

4. Chapter 4

Pairing: MxM

Disclaimer: NOT MINE THANK YOU

Warning: Nothing really

O0O

Chapter 4

Harry growled and slapped down the papers in front of the blonde, his absentminded warmth spell filling the space between him and Draco. He waited until the mans eyes cleared before he spoke, voice angry. "Really, Draco? How the hell are there so many mistakes?" Harry fell into the seat beside the blonde, not realizing how close he was. "I had Hermione look it over and she agreed but I literally have no idea where to start! We have to turn in the draft to Kinglsey at the end of the week. You know how much he loves to see me and the other two for lunch every weekend. He is super excited about trying to wrestle the others to pass the laws, but I can't do that if we never get to turn it in!" Harry signed and sniffed, glaring at all the red marks that Draco had made. He hears a very small chuckle beside him and he whirled around, glaring. "Oh, hush you. This is not funny. To be honest I might as well get you to write the draft. Since you think I am so awful at it."

Draco sniffed; his face as closed off as ever. However, Harry could see the thinly veiled amusement from a mile away. "I should write it honestly, but then I would take away Grangers opportunity to scold you." He muttered, voice empty. He lifted his coffee mug and smirked slightly, knowing that Harry would be the only one that would be able to catch his expression. "However, if you so desire I will write out the final draft before your lunch with the Minister."

Harry nodded and smiled, shoving the papers back into his bag with a happy hum. He paused when he saw the newspaper and glanced up, seeing how Draco was already staring at him with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know how you do that." He said exasperated, not understanding how Draco already knew he was hiding something. The Gryffindor sighed and snagged the paper, sliding it in front of the blonde. "I meant to tell you yesterday, but I got sidetracked. I was wondering what you thought of it. I figured you could find a way to lean this toward our advantage when we go up against the Wizarding council."

Draco hummed softly, reading quickly through the paper. It of course detailed the friendship between Harry and the 'slimy death eater', written by the one and only Rita Skeeter. "This is garbage, but yes we can spin it toward us. More for unity and all that. If the Great Harry Potter is already hanging out with the likes of me, it might be easier to sway the public into believing that dark creatures need more rights."

Harry nodded, before he frowned. "You know that's not why I spend my time with you right? I don't really see you as a Death Eater." He quickly scanned Draco's face, anger spiking at the way the man seemed to close himself off. "Oh, no you don't." He reached forward and snagged the mans retreating hand, not reacting to the strong spark where their bare skin touched. "I already told you I don't see you that way. I want to spend time with you, not the old mean Draco from the past." He knew that their unspoken truce of not speaking about before just got thrown out the window, but Harry didn't care as long as he got his point across. "I know what you did, but I respect you for standing up and protecting your parents. I can't even imagine what you had seen from before, but I don't pity you. I will never pity you, Draco. You are someone who deserves respect, for having such a strong will and an even stronger drive to survive. The others might look down at you, but I don't. I know how hard it is, trying to make things right when everything is falling apart." Harry took a deep breath, staring deep into the other eyes. "I know who you are under that still mask, and I have never once felt pity for the person that I see even now. Understand?" He didn't release the others hand until he nodded, the place that their skin touched tingling. "Now that this is out of the way, can you help me with this?"

Draco stared at him, his eyes filled with several emotions that Harry couldn't quite place. The blonde rubbed his hand with the other, obviously feeling the same sensation that Harry did. "I will never understand you, Harry." His voice was soft, with a small undertone of surprise even as his cold mask settled firmly on his face.

Harry shrugged, a small strained smile on his face as his heart continued to pound. "You don't have too. I definitely don't understand you, but that doesn't stop me." He bumped their shoulders together before sliding the newspaper forward. "You got any lawyers to deal with this bitch?"

He was rewarded with a full-on Draco snort, the sound sitting lightly in his chest. "You have little faith, Harry. Of course, I do." With that they slide closer to each other, one dark and one light head bent together.

O0O

A few days later

Harry growled, glaring at the walls as he threw spell after spell at the practice dummy. He was staying at Grimmauld Place, wanting the weekend to vent his magic. He doesn't perform any real spells at school anymore, not with how his magic currently looks. Even now as he fires spell after spell he sees the dark edge curling through the bright colors. It frustrates him to know end, not knowing why his magic looks like this. He knew Hermione had been researching, but even she doesn't know the reason.

He wants to hide it as much as possible, but sometimes the darkness that licks at his shadow needs an outlet. He of course had permission to be here and he let Draco know he would be gone for a few days. The blonde had only raised an eyebrow, but Harry was determined to keep this secret to as few people as possible. He might tell him eventually, but not anywhere in the near future would that happen.

Harry gritted his teeth and stiffened his spine, throwing hex after hex until the soft mutterings in his ears disappeared. He sighed and dropped his arm, sweat covering him from head to toe. He turned from the practice room and left, walking through the pristine house toward the master suite where he slept. When he had moved in during the summer it had been dark and depressing. Instead of trying to go through the hassle of clearing away the cursed rooms and dirty living areas he hired a team to do it for him. Afterward he had Hermione place another Fidelius Charm, which the witch took as a personal challenge to perform the difficult spell. He had made Ron and Hermione secret keepers, especially since they both will live with him after school. He had plenty of space and it would get lonely without them. Of course, all of his other friends are allowed, but only the three of them can get them past the wards.

His two best friends knew where he was, since they could feel when someone breached the wards. He had also told them just in case, he hadn't wanted them to think the house was being broken into. Now he stepped into his room, relaxing for the first time that day.

The room was large and cozy, with a loveseat and two chairs sitting in front of the fireplace beside the door. A large four poster bed with cream covers and dark cherry wood stood against the far wall, the headboard moving with carved in snakes and dragons. The bed had a big flowing canopy, the dark red fabric wrapped around the bed poles and draping over the back and front. On either side of the bed sat two nightstands made of the same cherry wood, a large glass dome filled with frozen Lumos charms sitting on the top. The room was filled with tons of green plants, the plant boxes lining the walls on either side of the bed and some potted plants laying near the fireplace and in between the chairs. A plush cream and gold colored rug finished the look, the room pulsing with life and warmth. A door to the immediate right lead to a large bathroom, the bath set into the ground and pretty much half the size as a swimming pool.

Harry loved his room, and the whole house in general. After he had a team sweep in and clean the place up, he had several interior designers go in and fill it. There hadn't been a budget, but he had specified he wanted it to feel warm and safe. They had performed brilliantly and now Harry had a home to come to when school was over.

Harry stripped and slid into the filled bath, breathing in the vanilla scented bubbles on the top. He cracked his neck and floated, the shadows around him still and quiet as he relaxed. He felt his magic hum under his skin and he flexed his fingers, allowing it to dance along his hands in small bursts of color. The bright golds and yellows were tinged slightly with black, the swirling mess of color floating around him.

Harry always had very good control of his magic, but sometimes letting it out to play around him was both relaxing and rewarding. He raised a hand and dimmed the lights around him, wiggling his fingers and releasing more ambient magic into the air around him. The area above him slowly filled with dancing lights, the different colors glowing across the surface of the water as he stared up and floated.

Almost an hour later he snapped his wrist and made all the random magic disappear, the lights going back to normal as he stood and dried off. He slowly made his way to bed, falling into it naked and grinning at the feeling of expensive cloth against his bare skin. When he had got the place decorated he had wanted the most expensive things, since he never really had them before. Now, he realized how great that decision was.

He stretched and rolled, grabbing the furred blanket and throwing it on top of himself before immediately falling to sleep. The one good thing about practicing magic is that using a lot of it tired him out.

O0O

Harry yawned and stretched, his muscles sore from practicing all weekend. He fell into the seat beside Draco and casting a nonverbal warmth spell. A few moments later he heard Draco huff, the blonde pretending to glare as Harry sent him a mischievous smirk.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite blonde."

"I thought that was Luna." Draco fired back, his expressionless face scrunching slightly as he fought the urge to grin. "Anyway, enjoy your weekend?" He asked, gracefully making them both a cup of coffee as Harry sighed and slumped into the table. "I am guessing that the Minister badgered you the entire time you ate lunch, yes?"

"Yes, he did. He wanted to know why and how and also asked if you could come next time because he said there was no way I had written out the final draft on my own. Which, rude, but very true. I told him I would ask but don't hold your breath." He sighed, noticing how Draco tensed. "If you went it would look good for you and your family." He muttered softly, knowing that the Malfoy family had little to no respect left from the masses. Lucius was in Azkaban and Draco's mother was hiding away in France. They had left the manor in Draco's name, but he hadn't done anything with it as far as Harry could see.

Draco nodded sharply, mouth turning into a slight frown that only Harry could see. "I know, so I will take you up on the offer. If I have a good standing with the Minister, hopefully life after Hogwarts won't be the hell that I will expect it to be." He sipped from his mug, glancing down at Harry. "So, meeting went well?"

Harry nodded, ignoring the absent way that Draco described his rather awful life. He knew it wouldn't help if he brought attention to it, so instead he brushed it aside like the Slytherin does. For now, at least. "It went great; however, it will be another month of waiting. So, I guess we will have to find another way to spend our time." Harry shrugged, knowing that Kingsley would do his best to push things through as soon as possible. Harry had a sudden thought and he shoot up, whirling around and staring wide eyed at Draco. "Draco, you know what I just realized? We haven't gone to Hogsmeade together!"

Draco raised an elegant eyebrow, unfazed at the Gryffindors energy. "And?"

"And!? We have to go together! Since we don't really have anything until Kingsley presents for us. I would love to go for the day and I don't know…hang out?" Harry trailed off, his voice growing more uncertain. He rubbed his neck when the blonde remained silent, digging his nails in. "Nevermind….it wasn't really important." He muttered, his chest burning white hot and cheeks flushed red.

"If you don't care about the masses staring at us, then I would not mind going. I haven't been since…...before." He sipped from his mug, his expression closed and body language stiff. However, Harry could see the wariness underneath, the uncertainty of them being seen together outside of the castle walls.

Harry quickly nodded, sitting on his hands to stop him from grabbing his neck again as the squeezing feeling in his chest slowly disappeared. "A-Alright…..next weekend then?" He asked, staring at the blonde from the corner of his eye. He grinned when the blonde merely nodded, the Slytherin's nonchalant attitude clashing with the light nervousness under the cold mask. "It will be okay, I promise."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep."

"I never do."

O0O

A few days later

Harry grinned and threw open his bedroom door, rushing around to find clothes to wear. He and Draco were going to Hogsmeade together, early in the morning so no one would be there to bother them. He wanted to make sure that he was at his best, this way he wouldn't feel embarrassed around the usually dressed up blonde. He had already bathed and shaved, now he only needed to finish getting ready before the Slytherin showed up at his door.

About an hour later he was dressed, grinning into the mirror as he turned. He was wearing tight fitting black jean pants tucked into dragonhide boots, the laces a brilliant bloodred. His long sleeve burgundy shirt hugged his chest and shoulders, the tails shoved into his pants and tight around his waist. He had a long thick black wool coat slung over his shoulders, the gold buttons shining in the dim light. He had combed his hair and brushed it back, hoping that it would somehow tame itself for the evening. To finish the look he slid on several gold rings, liking how they flashed against his darker skin. He heard a knock a few moments later and he grinned, grabbing his wand holster and clipping it to his wrist as he pulled the door open.

"Hey, Draco I-." Harry froze, his breath catching in his throat as he got a good look at what the blonde was wearing. He knew how well the man could dress, but at that moment he looked criminally handsome. "Hi," Harry mumbled stupidly, grinning wide as he wolf whistled at the blonde. "You look great."

Draco wore dark gray slacks, black leather shoes hugging his feet and flashing with gold accents. He wore a black silk shirt, opened at the collar with billowing sleeves. A set of dark blue robes lay over his shoulders, the hem brushing against his ankles. What really caught Harry's attention was the large gold metal choker the blonde wore, a dark sphere of obsidian resting in the center.

Harry could feel the magic pulsing from the stone and he raised his hand, pressing a fingertip to it. "This is powerful…." He muttered, the rock warm underneath his skin. He dropped his hands and looked up into Draco's eyes, noting the minuscule lifting of an eyebrow. "Surprised I could sense it?"

"Very. Not many could if they had tried, but then again you have always been different."

Harry felt a pang in his chest at that, knowing that the blonde didn't really understand how very 'different' he was to regular people. He swiftly turned and shut his door, gesturing to Draco to walk forward first. "What does it do?" He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Draco hummed; his face as impassive as ever. "Why don't you try and guess?" He muttered, back straight as he turned a corner and started walking toward the portrait. "If you could feel it in the first place, you must have gotten an impression of what it does."

Harry frowned, shrugging a shoulder as they walked out into the cold hallways. Without thought he blasted them with a heat charm, not wanting to risk the blonde having what he could only describe as an 'episode'. "Well, I would have to touch it again to be certain-." He cut himself off as Draco stopped and turned to him, his chin dipping down to the choker he wore. "You sure?" He waited for the blonde to nod before lifting his right hand, his other limp at his side.

He knew this wasn't what a large majority of people could do, but to him it was simple enough to read the wards and spells wrapped around and in the ball of stone. He closed his eyes, not looking as he reached out and pressed his fingers against the obsidian. He sighed, the rock heating under his skin. He quickly dived deep, his mind reaching out for the burn of magic. He was never good at Occlumency, but this was something he could do with minimal effort.

He blinked his eyes open, gaze snapping towards Draco. "Ward against evil, Ward against darkness, Protection against enemies, Protection against physical attack and magical attacks." Harry frowned as he thought, rattling off the list of things that the gold metal necklace could do when attached to a raw sphere of obsidian. "Minor healing release spells, and I am thinking a spell to keep people from noticing you? Notice-me-not isn't right, but its along those lines." He dropped his hand, his cheeks heating when Draco stared at him. He knew no one else could tell, what with the mans unchanging facial expressions, but Harry knew how shocked the blonde was. "What?"

"Harry, how?" He muttered, his head titling slightly to the side.

"What? You mean the necklace thing? I mean, you did ask me." Harry pointed out, raising an eyebrow as Draco just stood there and glared. "It's not that hard for me…" He muttered, glancing away and crossing his arms. "It is something I have always known how to do; I've just never wanted people to find out."

Draco hummed, nodding quick before he continued walking. "Well, you were right on all of them. It is very difficult to layer spells, however pure gold and raw obsidian made it simple enough. It took a long time for me to get the placement right, but I managed it before the year started." He raised an arm and shook his sleeve down, showing a bracelet that matched the choker he wore. "I wear the necklace out, and I wear the bracelets during school."

"That way no one could see then and try to counteract them." Harry muttered, mind whirring as the blonde shared one of the first personal items about himself. "Wait, you made them?!" He stopped mid-step, twisting around to gap at the blonde. "Draco, that is amazing!" He exclaimed, grinning wide as he suddenly reached down and grabbed the man's wrist. The electric shock where their bare skin touched flared quick and bright, startling Harry. He almost dropped the man's hand but he refrained, lifting to look closer at the gold bracelet.

He hadn't noticed before, but there was a very simple design curling around the edges, difficult to see if you weren't looking. It was small and wrapped around the entire length, the Celtic knots looping through each other. Words were inscribed in between the circles, to small to read but nearly vibrating with power. "This is truly gorgeous, Draco."

"It isn't," Draco argued, not moving as Harry turned his wrist this way and that. "It was simple enough, just a pain to do." He lifted an eyebrow when the Gryffindor closed his eyes and turned his head, as if he was listening. "I won't believe you if you say you can hear the obsidian." He said bluntly, frowning before he tugged his hand free and crossed his arms. "I really won't."

Harry snickered and shrugged, whirling around and pushing open the portrait door. "Fine by me." He gestured grandly, bowing deep and beckoning the blonde forward. "After you my liege." He said with a very Irish accent, the tone thick and heavy. He smiled when he heard the blonde sigh, knowing that the man was entertained from the underlying hint of amusement in his voice. "Oh, hush. Remember when you said that since I have bothered to make your aware I should be entertaining? Well, this is all your fault."

Draco sighed, the sound small but filled with so much emotion. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Harry snickered and fell into step beside the blonde, excited to spend some time together in Hogsmeade. "Oh, but tomorrow do you want to go to the library? Kingsley said that one of the drafts isn't up to par, or at least that is what the people around him said. He told me that if I can get it in by the end of this week, he can still push everything through at once." Harry sighed, frowning at the idea of Draco's official final draft not being 'up to par'. "I honestly think they don't want to send that particular bill though, but once I start doing conferences it will be hard for them to try to push it under red tape."

Draco hummed, quirking an eyebrow and glancing at Harry before he faced straight ahead. "Which bill is it? I don't believe they would try push down the Hogwarts system we proposed, but then again all the old family blood wouldn't want there to be much change." Draco paused, a small crease lining his brow. "So, I am guessing either the dark magic laws be reviewed, or the bills to allow 'dark' creatures to gain more rights under the Government."

"Bingo, it's the dark creatures draft we sent. I mean, the whole reason that Voldemort got so much power is because he promised them a better future. Which is not an awful thing to want. However, the way they would have went about it would have been heinous."

"That's a very big word, Harry. Where did you learn it?"

Harry snorted and rolled his eyes, immediately getting off track from the original conversation. "I can't believe you know my name. Where did you hear it?" He mocked, snickering to himself. "Anyway, I think our first stop should be to grab some coffee."

Draco nodded sharply, rolling his shoulders when they past the gates and towards the village. "Yes, first order of business it to obtain caffeine." He muttered, voice dull. "I really would love to have a real cappuccino, but they are awful here in town. The best coffee I ever had was in Italy. Truly amazing what they can do with a couple of beans."

Harry hummed, his expression wistful. "I have always wanted to travel. I was thinking of spending the summer and touring around Europe, see all the things that I dreamed about." He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pocket and casting a wordless warmth spell when the biting cold tried to grab them. "I've never really been out to see the world, and I would love to do that before settling down."

"Settling down? Marriage?" Draco inquired, a small hint of curiosity peeking through even as he tried to hide it. "I didn't take you for the marrying sort."

"Oh, I definitely am, but that isn't what I was referring too. I want to see the world and find the place that I feel the most at home. To just be at peace for a while before jumping into whatever stage my life takes me next." Harry kicked a pebble off the path, closing in on the buildings. "I want to feel content, because I never really have before." He shrugged lamely, pursing his lips. "I would like to marry, but I just haven't felt the need to. If I ever will, that is."

Draco hummed, reaching around the Gryffindor and pulling open the door of Madame Puddifoot's. "I understand." He replied simply, letting the subject lay as he made a beeline toward a far table in the corner. There was only one or two other people inside, neither of them paying Harry and Draco any heed as they slumped over their respected tables and sipped from their mugs.

"Well, what do you want to do after school? I mean, we still have a long time to figure it out but I bet you have already given it some thought." He grabbed the back of a chair and pulled it out, falling into and shrugging off his coat. "I know how much you hate it here."

Draco placed his hands on the table, his fingers threaded together. He took a moment to answer, his eyes unreadable. "No comment," He replied, voice soft and devoid of emotion.

Harry sighed, knowing that the blonde would say that. For the past two months of them being in each other's proximity, Draco would utter that exact some sentence if he didn't wish to discuss or answer Harrys questions. Harry understood, knowing that having a safety net for their usually volatile relationship could only be a good thing. However, at times it did get a bit frustrating. Harry would never push of course, but he wanted to know more about the enigma that was Draco Malfoy. So, instead of arguing Harry shrugged and smiled, waving his hand to push aside the subject. "What are you going to get?" He asked, looking down at the menus that were charmed to stay stuck to the surface of the marble table. "I think I want to go crazy and get my regular." He heard Draco snort and he smirked, crossing his arms and leaning forward. "You want to get that cappuccino you hate so much?"

"Of course…." Draco murmured, eyes staring at the menu.

It was Harry's turn to snort, sighing as he leaned his head on the table. "Hermione wants to meet up tomorrow by the way. She wants to go over that draft that Kingsley was complaining out." He rolled his eyes, frowning. "I can't believe they think your writing is subpar, it literally is amazing how persuasive you can be on paper."

Draco hummed, the sound bleeding with pleasure at the compliment. "Well, tomorrow will be fine as long as you bring me some coffee. That is the only way I will allow myself to be in the presence of more than one Gryffindor." He glanced up, eyes catching Harry's. "You're the only person I can tolerate at the moment."

Harry smiled, the ball of warmth that followed him when Draco was around swelling. "Well, I think tolerate is undramatic. I think you should go for something a bit heavier; don't you think? Wallowing is a good one." He grinned when Draco quirked both eyebrows, his lip twitching. "Dreading too, I know how much you love that word."

"I know I do, now get up and start our orders."

"Yes, sir."

O0O

Harry hummed happily, walking out of the tea shop with a coffee cup in hand. "Three cups of coffee in and I am still feeling sleepy. I don't know how you do it honestly. I would be dead if I did what you did." Harry sipped from the takeaway cup and gestured down the village, falling beside the blonde. "Bookstore next? I think after that we should probably head over to actually grab something of sustenance." He felt rather then heard the blonde's amusement, the man not arguing as they made their way toward the new bookstore at the end of Hogsmeade. "Want to grab some weird shit to read? I know I am. Also, more on magical cores I still have questions."

"You always have questions, Harry." Draco muttered, the silence of the bookstore embracing them as they moved away from the chill of outside. They both immediately went to the bulging shelfs, the thick tomes shining in the dull light of the store. The two of them started to grab things, moving away from each other and falling into a companiable silence.

Harry slowly made his way around the store, a large pile of books floating behind him. After a while he lost sight of the blonde, not to worried as he continued to add to his ever-growing pile of thick tomes beside him. He rounded a corner and stopped, the ambient magic from the leather-bound books suddenly calling to him. He took a step forward and paused, the darkness in his shadow suddenly looming above him. He growled and whirled around, the pile of books falling to the floor as he stared at the dark mass in front of him. "No…" He said simply before walking through it and bending down to pick up his books.

"Harry?"

Harry jumped, whirling around to face the blonde who had appeared behind him. He quickly glanced around, sighing in relief when the small wisps of dark had disappeared from around him. He swallowed and forced a smile, turning and lifting the books that he had dropped onto the floor. "Yes?"

Draco merely stared at him, his face unreadable. It made Harry nervous, the thought of the blonde seeing the figure in his shadow causing his heart to pick up. They stood there for a moment before Draco huffed, the blonde flicking his wand and levitating the books that Harry was trying to gather. "I can't believe you dropped them. What are you, a first year?" He asked, voice even and monotone as he began to walk toward the front.

Harry followed after him, clenching his hands into fist and trying to gain control of his erratically beating heart. "I just got startled is all…" He muttered, not glancing at the blonde as they made their way toward the counter. He felt his anxiety and fear start to ebb away, sidling up and standing beside the Slytherin as his heart finally settled. "Anyway, grab anything interesting?" He asked, reaching forward and watching over the blonde's shoulder as the tired looking clerk started to ring up their orders. He huffed in surprise, seeing the multitude of healing texts and potions books. "Healing? Any reason as to why you're interested?"

"No comment."

Harry sighed but shrugged, tapping the man on the shoulder before reaching into his pocket and grabbing a sack of coins. "Alright, mister mysterious." He handed over the gold, paying for both him and Draco before the man could protest. "Oh, hush. This is for buying my coffee."

Draco sighed but relented, his eyebrows slowly rising as he saw how many books the Gryffindor had acquired. "Why so many?" He asked, voice low enough that the person in front of them wouldn't pay them any mind. As it was the person look about ready to drop, the expressionless face they wore nearly rivaling Draco's.

"I want to stock up at home. I had the people renovating put in a ton of bookshelf's in the office, and I want to fill them up." Harry shoved the bag back into his pocket, reaching forward and spelling all the books into palm sized novels wandlessly. He quickly summoned a cloth bag and piled them in, uncaring that he would have to sort out Draco's selection later. "For some reason the house only came with a very small one and most of them were torn up and tattered. I threw most of them out." He shrugged and handed the bag to the blonde, frowning when the man just stared at him. "What?"

"There is a library in the Black house. I used to go in it all the time when my parents were visiting my great aunt. It's hidden behind a panel near the back of the house." He drawled; one eyebrow quirked at the other mans shocked expression. "It's a secret door since some of those books aren't really legal to own much less read. There are also a lot of wards on it as well, so it won't allow anyone that isn't a black inside. However, I think you should be fine."

Harry stared; expression shocked before he threw up his hands. "How? No, you know what. Your going to show me." He glared, daring the man to argue as he crossed his arms. "I can't believe you didn't tell me!" He growled, rolling his eyes as the minuscule expression of exasperation that graced the blondes face. "This weekend. You and me. Secret library. Got it?" He demanded not even waiting for the Slytherin to answer before he dropped his arms and started to push him out of the store. "Now, come on. We have a lunch to eat."

"Yes, ma'am."

O0O

Harry groaned, slowly waking as the chill of cold air wafted across his body. He sighed and blinked up at the moon, rocks pressing into his lower back and the water of the lake lapping at his bare feet. He slowly sat up, confused and disoriented. "What…." He muttered, reaching up and rubbing his forehead as his head pounded. He slowly stood, swaying lightly as he glanced around him, a small sense of unease growing. He was right beside the lake, his skin still wet from the waves that had washed over him. It was dark, the moon bright as the webbing of shadows stretched around him. As he stood there and squinted, the sound of the waves slowed and hummed with a disquieting air.

Harry felt the hair on the nape of his neck rise, the immediate sense of danger growing. The image of the space around him warbled slightly and slowly grew duller as the dark loomed up ahead and around. He gasped, turning quick and trying to run, the rough stone beneath his feet cutting open his skin.

"No, no, no…..not again." Harry muttered manically, running straight toward the faded image of Hogwarts. His breath echoed heavily in his ears, his heartbeat loud as he sprinted for the safeness of the stone that was the castle. As he ran, his steps grew slower, his body stretched out toward the light that flickered dully in the distance. He opened his mouth to cry out, to scream. He sucked in a breath, but no sound escapes as the darkness around him swallows him whole.

O0O

HELOO GUYS! Sorry about the wait! Also, I'm surprised no one mentioned but in the first two chapters their skin didn't spark when they touched! There is a reason for that that you will find out later~ Also, I am excited because I will slowly integrate some…other stuff and I cant wait! Hopefully after this chapter they will start to get longer. I can already see that this story will be about 100 pages at the minimuim. Pretty excited actually. Let me know how this is! I am going to start adding more and more detail as we go, with less dailouge but more plot. Ill see you next chapter!