Disclaimer: Do not own anything you recognize- those belong to the ever- radical genius JKR! You get it? Don't sue.

Summary: 6th year trials for Harry. Most have secrets and not all is as it seems. Eventual HP/DM. Slash galore. Don't get your panties in a twist, you have been warned. Happy reading!

Chapter One: They're Making Another Attempt?



Eyes. Bottle green eyes, as deep as an abyss, watching. Watching him. Eyes always watching, and waiting. Waiting for what? 'Oh, you know, Draco, you know what they're watching for. Waiting for. You.'

"Yeah, waiting for me, all right! Waiting for me to attack," he growled to himself, determined to ignore the eyes that continued to pry at his back. Crabbe glanced uneasily at him, while Goyle continued to gorge his fill of the evening meal. Sending Crabbe a snide glance, daring him to say anything, Draco waited until he went back to his plate. All the while, those eyes, those unearthly, bewitching eyes continued to bore holes into his back, through the thick black school cloak, and uniform. 'Will he never let up? It's not as though I'm about to pounce on him when I have a stomach to fill,' Draco wondered, almost desperately. 'I always know when he's watching. I feel it. Wish I didn't. But I do.'

His stomach rumbled, reminding Draco yet again what he was supposed to be doing at the table. Not staring at that intriguing knot in the woodwork, seeing but not seeing it, silently begging the Boy Who Lived to look at something else. No, he was here to eat. Sighing, he picked up his fork and started on the steak filling his plate. Remembering every lesson from his mother, Draco began to eat with the poise and elegance of royalty. He felt those eyes, flicking towards him and then away and then back again. Sighing in frustration, ignoring any and all instincts, he turned slowly, defiantly, to meet those glowing emeralds with two icy gray chips of ice. Staring silently back at his enemy, he took in every nuance, every emotion flitting across that face, every change. Draco paused, taking him in, before moving on to sweep his condescending gaze over the people surrounding Harry, stopping on one girl. He stared at her, eyes narrowed calculatingly, thinking hard. Reaching his decision, Draco's mouth curled into the trademark smirk as he stood up slowly, gaze straying back to his nemesis, who was staring back just as adamantly as before. All hunger gone, he moved slowly from the Slytherin table, unusually alone. Approaching the slightly startled and wary Gryffindor sixth year, his smirk widened. Beside Harry Potter, wizarding wonder, was the ever faithful and to Draco, annoying, fellow Gryffindor sixth years. Ron Weasley, on Harry's left, was turning slightly red at Draco's nerve. How dare he approach their table! Mentally chuckling, Draco thought, 'Oh I dare!' Turning his head from the redhead, he surveyed the girl on Harry's right, brown locks pulled up into a tidy ponytail. Her eyes, dark and worried, glanced at her two best friends, and then back at Draco, seeming to gauge the situation. Then there was also Dean Thomas and his best friend Seamus Finnegan, completing the rounds was Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley clan. Done, Draco rested his gaze again on Harry, wondering what he was about to say. He didn't have to wait long.

"Can I help you Malfoy? I do believe you're lost. The Slytherin table is that-a-ways," the raven headed boy stated calmly, pointing back towards said table, raising one ebony eyebrow in inquisition. Totally unaffected by Draco.

Ron, on the other hand, was the first to snicker, followed by Dean and Seamus laughing as well. Ginny Weasley rolled her eyes at their immaturity, but her lips were curved up into a small smile as well. Harry's face remained impassive and his normally alive eyes were dead. As they had been all year, only lighting up briefly. Dead, staring at him in a bored fashion. 'As if I didn't matter. Just like a Potter.'

"Yes, Potter, I'm not daft. I can find my way to my own table, despite what you seem to think. However, you'd do better to remind your pet Weasel to breathe before he passes out. Can't have any trash lying about the Great Hall, now can we?"

Ron's snicker died and his fierce blue eyes darkened dangerously in anger and he gripped the table, hard, while Harry placed a hand on the freckled arm. Whether he was attempting to calm his friend or restrain him Draco wasn't sure.

"What do you want, Malfoy? Is there a reason you stopped by? Or are you so big headed as to think we actually missed being in your presence?"

Feeling most of the Great Hall staring at them, Draco sneered violently at the onlookers before focusing again on the trio.

Smirking again, he drawled in the special, lazy tone he saved especially for the person in front of him, "Oh do shut up, Potter, I had no intention to see you, or indeed, no intention to speak with you either! Ruins my day completely, I'll have you know. I was just doing you the bloody favor of letting you know your friend Weasley here was about to keel over." Mentally grinning at Harry's mix of surprise and anger, he turned away from him completely, his gaze settling again on Hermione. "Granger. A word." When she stared blankly at him, Draco frowned. "That was not a request."

Harry's eyes widened in momentary shock at Draco's odd actions before the shutters dropped again, but Draco saw it. Smirking again, he watched as Harry turned to glance at Hermione questioningly.

However, Ron was having none of it. "Wherever Hermione goes, we go," the ever protective redhead announced, glaring at the blond.

"Fuck that, Weasley. I don't take orders from you. Granger, if you please," he demanded, motioning impatiently at the grand double doors with his hand. Nodding slowly, Hermione stepped forward quickly with a short look at her friends and marched out of the Great Hall, Draco following close behind.

"What the hell, Draco?!" Hermione demanded the moment the grand doors slammed behind him.

"Shh! Granger," he hissed, stressing the last name as he wrenched free from the smaller girl's strong hold. "Not here!"

"Fine," she grumbled, stalking swiftly down the empty corridors. Reaching the private niche they usually met at, she whirled. "What was the agreement, eh, Draco? Have you lost your senses? No approaching each other in the Great Hall! And did you have to say that about Ron? Really!"

"Mione, I know, I'm sorry about Weasley, but it's no secret we loathe each other and I had to say something. I know I wasn't supposed to do that there, but I had to! I couldn't wait." At the nickname, her face softened and her posture relaxed a bit as she summoned a chair with her wand. Sitting, she peered up at his nervous face.

"Draco, what is it?"

Ever since the fall of their fifth year, when they'd been forced to work as partners for a semester long Arithmancy project together, they'd been friends. Hermione soon learned that while Draco was as sarcastic and cutting as ever, he wasn't really the spawn of Satan, much as her friend Ron swore it on oft occasion. By time Christmas break arrived, she was downright fond of Draco and almost considered him a good friend, even if she didn't tell him so. He had stopped calling her mudblood all the time, and although he continued with the sarcasm and poking at her, it was more affectionate than anything else. He'd truly grown to like her and had no idea why they'd been fighting in the first place. All throughout the project, they worked in secret and eventually were friends in secret. To the public, however, they were sworn enemies. Their project was soon completed and Ron and Harry went home for Christmas, Harry to visit Remus and his dog "Snuffles" and Ron to his family. That winter, as the only Gryffindor and Slytherin left at school for break, their friendship grew and soon after Draco started telling her about his home life. Hermione and him were close, in a brother-sister bickering sort of friendship, and Hermione considered him one of her best friends. Draco considered her one of his only friends. The count was up to two. The great thing, for Draco, was that no one suspected a thing.

"You know how the Death Eaters are always trying to think of a successful plan to get to Potter. I swear, they think about him so much it could almost be considered an unhealthy infatuation. I'm almost positive they've got yet another scheme cooked up for his demise, only this time I'm not so sure it's as hair brained as normal. An elaborate attempt, if you follow. Meaning it's already set in motion. I've only had suspicions before but it was confirmed when I went home this weekend-"

"You went home this weekend?" Hermione demanded, sucking in her breath. Draco had a Port Key in his room, one that could send him home when he was summoned for. Hermione was one of the only people who knew about it.

Draco winced at her tone. He supposed he should have told her earlier. "Yes, I did. It wasn't that bad, I promise, I didn't stay long enough for it to be bad. He only beat me once."

"Once!" she hissed, then louder. "Once! Draco, that's one too many! Oh, wait until I get my hands on that horrid man! I'll strangle him, see if I don't!" She was practically shrieking now, and Draco came closer to her, hugging her and shushing her at the same time, glancing around nervously.

"I'm sure you will, Mione, I know. Please, someone might hear. I'm fine, I'm whole. It's okay, that's not what's important. What's important is that they've got another plan. And I only know a little."

Hermione calmed slowly, breathing deeply and leaning into Draco's warmth. "This conversation is not over," she promised severely, and then sighed. "Okay. What do you know?"

He then proceeded to fill her in on what little he'd discovered.



::-::



"All right, run this by me again?" Ron demanded while Hermione rubbed her head wearily. "You were gone for almost an hour because why?"

"We have a project in Arithmancy we're working on and he wanted to show me something he found in a book, that's all." Draco had smartly thought up that excuse the winter before, claiming if they always paired up, then they'd have a reason to meet.

"Smarmy git," Ron muttered jealously. Harry hid a knowing grin. "Why was he all secretive about it?"

"You know Malfoy, he likes to think himself important. For Heaven's sake, Ron, listen to me! Forget about Malfoy! While I was heading back, I overheard Dumbledore and Snape talking." Actually, she'd dashed off to Dumbledore's office with Draco's information, and found Snape there telling him the exact same things she's just heard. Making herself known, she asked to speak privately with Dumbledore, and explained how she'd found out. 'Someone' had told her, and Dumbledore seemed to respect her need for secrecy containing her source. "They were discussing you, Harry!" At this, Harry's head snapped up in attention.

"What?"



"Yes! And what I heard- Harry, Voldemort is going to make another attempt on your life."

Ron was whiter than usual. "They're going to try again? But last year- last year they left him alone."

"He must've been gathering his power, uniting everyone," Harry mused calmly.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "All I know is that he has a house-elf working here. The problem is, we don't know who!"

"A house-elf? He's stooping that low, huh?" Under Hermione's incredulous stare, Harry faltered for a moment trying to read his friend. Abruptly, he lunged up from his chair, and began pacing in front of the fire in a sizzling rage. "What, so are you saying I shouldn't eat? Maybe I should even start drinking from a flask, like the ever-paranoid, but still great, mind you," he added nastily, "ominous Moody! Merlin, Hermione, Old Moldy Voldie is always 'making attempts on my life'. It's old news!" Harry snapped sarcastically.

"Don't make fun of him like that," Ron pleaded.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled at the same time, appalled at how lightly he was taking the news. "How can you say such things! Everyone around you is doing everything in their power to protect you, some even risking their lives despite their true feelings for you, and all you can do is degrade every effort they make to protect you!" Her dark eyes lit with fury.

"It's not my fault they chose to do so! Not everything is my fault! Seriously, Hermione! Do you expect me to be bending over backwards in humble gratitude for all they've done for poor, orphaned Harry Potter, the 'Boy Who Lived', the 'Living Wonder', their only hope for the salvation of the Wizarding World? Let it come, I say!" he shouted, shaking with fury. He had wanted to say all these things for so long. "I mean, let's just spend one moment here in reality, Hermione! One moment, okay? My life- or the defeat of the most evil, despicable, pansy-assed wizard the world has ever come across? Which do you think they value more?"

Hermione felt tears sting her eyes as the truthfulness of his words hit home. But she was only peeking through the window into Harry's world. Only beginning to understand. "The defeat," she whispered brokenly.

"Damn straight!" He shot back, green eyes blazing and truly alive for the first time in months. "Fuck them! I'm just a goddamn pawn, someone they think they can use. I'm fucking disposable, Hermione! Do you know how that feels?" His eyes hardened. "You don't. People care about you. Truly care, don't they? You don't have to wonder if people are nice, are your friends, because they actually like the real you or just because of a bloody scar, a name, and a chance in the limelight!"

"Harry!" Ron gasped, finally finding his voice. "Are you suggesting.I mean, do you think." he trailed off, shock making him once again speechless.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered hoarsely. "I'm sorry I didn't see it before. You're in trouble, oh god, Harry! How long have you been feeling this way? Let me help you, I'll do anything to help you."

"I don't need help, Hermione! This is not some disease, and I'm not fucking crazy! You can't read this away." His eyes suddenly lost their fire, and now all was once again dead inside Harry Potter. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, gaining control over his emotions once again. "I'm sorry, you two. I wasn't- I didn't mean for all that shit to come out at you like that. And I definitely wasn't implying that you guys are only my friends because of the name," he added truthfully, gaze shifting from Hermione to Ron, speaking from his heart. "Hell, you two are like family. Hermione didn't even like me the first two months I knew her, despite my legend or whatever. And Ron, you sat with me when you thought Fred and George were just pulling your leg." His eyes hardened again for a moment. "But I take nothing else back. And Herm, this is not something you can fix. It's how I feel."

Ron smiled weakly, as did Hermione. She spoke first. "Harry, can I just say one thing about your, erm." She paused, not knowing what to call Harry's passionate outburst.

"My rant?" he asked, smiling warmly.

"Yeah," she grinned in relief. He nodded. "Don't keep it bottled up inside Harry, it's not healthy. At least once a month you can rant to me, or Ron, or anyone, but don't, don't keep it inside. It'll kill you."

Harry sighed, knowing he couldn't say no. "Fine, deal. Now Herm, let's get back to what you were saying earlier- what's the plan of action?" he asked kindly, seeing her finally, and completely relax. "What do I do about the elfie?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" he asked, surprised by her answer. Hermione always had a plan.

"Nothing. The house-elf is just supposed to watch you, learn your patterns. My suggestion, Harry, is to make your schedule erratic. I mean, besides your school schedule. Don't make yourself predictable, easy to take, and be wary." Thank god Draco'd had advice, although she'd been thinking along the same lines herself. It made it easier to have someone agree with the course of action as the best than to just hope it was, as was Ron's usual thought process.

"Try not to go out alone," Ron added.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Just don't be predictable and always have your wand ready."

"Sure, Hermione. Of course."

Little did the trio know that a pair of haunting gray eyes hid in a corner, watching the entire bout unfold. Invisible Draco Malfoy would leave Gryffindor Tower with more on his mind than before he came. All thoughts on Harry Potter.





Author's Note:

Wondering what you're thinking~ wanna review? That might help my 'telepathic tendencies', you know.

Not sure what I think of this fic. I like it, but do you?



Hasta.

::Riana::