A/N Lalalala. Haven't updated in ages, but that wasn't my fault! The computer broke down and it was all mean to me. *pouts* Anyway. This is Harry's 'thinking it over, I just want to be alone' chapter. I don't usually do this, but I'm putting in a snippet of A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton because I'm listening to it now and it's making me thinking a lot about what Harry's reflecting on.

Disclaimer: Yes. I OWN Draco Malfoy. I own him. He is mine. Hee. No. JK Rowling owns all things Harry Potter, I own the plot, though I would like to own Draco..drool.. if I did, I'd share him with all the Draco lovers! Promise!

If I could fall into the sky,

Do you think time would pass me by?

And you know I'd walk a thousand miles

If I could just see you. –Vanessa Carlton, A Thousand Miles

Seven Years of Bad Luck Chapter 8: Null and Void

Harry sat on a rock, concealed from view by a few well-placed bushes growing by the side of the lake. He heard the school bell ring, sounding the lunch hour, but he wasn't hungry. Actually, food was the last thing on his mind, let alone his stomach. He felt a bit dizzy and the pain from being away from Draco was burning into him, but he ignored it, gritted his teeth, tucked his knees into his chest and hugged them, watching the giant squid drifting lazily across the calm waters. He closed his eyes, re-living the incident that had occurred only about twenty minutes ago.

"You have to fall in love."

Harry stood up, knocking his chair to the ground. Draco remained in his, but he seemed anxious to look at Harry, although he was sure he hadn't the courage. Harry stood, breathing hard, in total shock. Thoughts swam through his mind like angry wasps, until his head hurt and he felt a bit unsteady. Dumbledore's blue eyes were fixed upon him, not moving, showing no other expression except calm anticipation. Harry shook his head over and over again, as if failing to comprehend the information he had just been given. He was so confused, but why? He turned around and ran from the office, his heart beating so hard he thought it was going to burst out of his ribcage.

"Harry!" He heard Dumbledore shouting, but he kept running. He ran all the way through down the marble staircase and out through the Entrance Hall and out into the grounds, not stopping until he reached the hidden place by the lake.

Harry calmed himself down a bit, still trying to ignore the throbbing pain coursing through him. Why had he reacted like that? Did he love Draco? Well obviously not. He's Draco Malfoy, for crying out loud. Why am I going to let some kiss lead me to believing he's not a bastard anymore? He may not work for Voldemort but he's a downright prick!  thought Harry angrily. But then he suddenly remembered.

"Upset? I have every right to be upset! You treat me like dirt, Malfoy, and you force me to stay at your side for seven fucking years, and now you tell me I shouldn't get upset?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Maybe I wouldn't treat you like dirt if you hadn't shunned me on the train, in our first year." His voice was suddenly full of feeling Harry hadn't heard in Draco before. It was like regret…almost pain.

Harry groaned and buried his head in his hands. Why couldn't things just be simple? Fuck! he thought. Why the hell is it so complicated? He failed to notice that the pain began to lessen slightly.

Sighing, his head still down, Harry felt his heart rate slow down a bit, and felt a bit calmer.

"Something wrong, Potter?"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. "You!" he said, pointing a finger at Draco.

"Yes." Replied the blonde coolly, scratching the back of his neck. "Me."

"How'd you find me?" asked Harry, frowning, still reluctant to accept Draco as a part of his life.

"Please. You think you're the only one with your share of problems who has ever happened to notice that the lake has rocks around it? And bushes? Use your common sense, Harry, if it hurts me then I'll know I'm getting close when the pain decreases."

It was this last remark that stung Harry, and irritated him, like a fly buzzing around him that refused to be swatted. Standing up, he turned his back on Draco. "I don't need you. I hate you, you know that?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sat on the vacated space on the rock. "Didn't seem like that half an hour ago."

"We were arguing half an hour ago!" shouted Harry, turning back around. "Don't give me that crap, Malfoy! I hope you don't expect me to be in love with you! I'm not gay! I can't be gay! Especially not with you!"

Draco felt his temper rising, but with control born from years of practice, fought it down, and instead, replied, "I never said you were gay. I never said I was gay. I never said you loved me. I never said I loved you. I'll admit, maybe now I have feelings for you, but if you're going to be so difficult-"

Harry lurched into the bushes and retched. Draco winced as he heard the sounds of Harry throwing up and waited until a pale figure staggered into view again. "You need to rest this off, Potter. It was a big thing."

"How're you so calm?" asked Harry, still feeling a little shaky.

Draco shrugged. "Because... I know it's my fault. And I've learnt to control my emotions." He stood up and grasped Harry around the waist with one arm. "You're still a bit queasy and unsteady. I'm going to take you back to the castle and you're going to sleep." He felt Harry tense slightly at his touch, and rolled his eyes again. "Relax, Potter," he drawled, a bit reminiscent of the old Draco Malfoy.

With Draco's help, Harry made it up to the castle and to the large room the two shared, where he collapsed onto the bed and promptly fell asleep. Draco stood watching him for a few moments, before changing himself and climbing into the bed.

"Goodnight, Harry," he whispered, turning onto his back and staring at the canopy (A/N Yayyy! I remembered!). He didn't fall asleep for a few hours, but he realised, soon after he had lay down, that he had used Harry's first name. He smiled. Ironic.

Harry murmured in his sleep and turned towards the boy next to him, inadvertently snuggling up to a shoulder he wasn't used to. Draco froze. His eyes flicked left, right, left. He relaxed as he got used to Harry's touch, and found himself drifting into quiet slumber.

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A/N Pleeurgh. I know, I know, this is a really short chapter, but I didn't really want to go into the next part of the story yet. Especially as I don't know what it is. ^^ Thankyou for all the reviews.. let's see if we can make 100! Maybe then I'll write more chapters :P Feel free to drop me an email or AIM, I'm always happy to talk to people. *ping*