Disclaimer: Do not own anything you recognize- those belong to the ever- radical genius JKR! You dig? 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!



To Those Who Reviewed:

ShadowWolf: Thankie loads! Encouragement is always appreciated!

moriavis: lol. I thought so too. Lotsa people just throw Harry and Draco together and expect Mione and Ronnie to deal- Ron was clearly not an option, as Draco and he breath fire at each other every chance they get (notice, in chapter one, Draco chooses to insult Ron (). Thanks for reviewing. More to come, I promise.

Shinigami: Mm-hmmm, exactly what I was thinking! Of course Siri and Ron and Hermione care, and so does Remus, in his own way, but if I were Harry, how could I know who liked me and who liked 'the Boy Who Lived'. Thanks for the input, it helped me write this chapter. Give me more!

Avalon Princess: Thanks. I will. (



A/N: Just in case you couldn't figure it!

'...' is Draco's normal thoughts.

... is subconscious know it all Draco.

*...* is Harry's thoughts.



Chapter Two: Musings and Happenings



Invisibility sure does have its perks. Sure, no one knows you're there, but that's the beauty of it. Potions master that he was, Draco had no problems whipping up a quick Invisibility potion. In fact, he had a bunch stored away, in case he needed it. Wandering the school when no one could see you had its freedoms. The only problem is, sometimes you see things and hear things you didn't want to know.

Making his way back from Gryffindor Tower, Draco continued to wonder what had compelled him to make the journey there in the first place. Had he wanted to see Potter sigh in resignation of the recurring knowledge of yet another plot? Or maybe he'd been waiting for the boy to burst into tears. Either way, that's not what he'd witnessed. 'I've finally gotten a reaction out of him,' he thought wryly. 'In a roundabout way, that is. It is, after all, my information.'

But it wasn't your information that made him angry, a small voice countered.

"Who asked you?" he sneered aloud, and then checked himself. After all, he was only arguing with himself and anyway he was invisible. Someone might see, er, hear.

You've got bigger problems than that, Draco, the voice continued. Why do you want that reaction? Why do you want to know you caused it?

'I'm a Malfoy. We are above Potters. And the way he acts, like I don't even register on the radar, it just!' Draco groaned silently to himself. 'Stop arguing, not only will you convince yourself you're insane, but you'll give yourself a headache. Who cares if you actually care about Potter?' Nodding to himself, Draco froze in his tracks when he realized what it was that he'd just thought. 'Care? About Potter? I must be crazy!'

Whatever, Draco. the voice whispered to him.

Reaching the entrance to the Slytherin common room, he growled out the password to the suit of armor standing guard in front of the wall. "Power to Purebloods."

Saluting Draco, the suit of armor, fondly known as Sir Ben, short for Sir Benjamin of Pippington, moved aside as the stone wall slide silently open, revealing the common room. Draco was so incensed with himself, and preoccupied with his thoughts, that he hadn't realized he'd regained visibility. He soon found out, however, when Pansy Parkinson, a girl sporting bottle blonde hair and watery blue eyes, dull and unpretty as a whole, rushed over to him, crying, "Draco!" as she latched herself to his arm. Staring at her for a moment, blinking, it dawned on him that she could see him.

"Parkinson," he replied coldly, nodding to her. Showing a wide grin revealing a few chipped teeth, she launched into whatever it was she was going on and on about. 'Probably planning our wedding,' he thought grimly, searching for his one and only trusted friend (A/N: besides Hermione, ya'll!). Spotting Blaise Zabini's head bent over what looked like homework, sitting across the common room, deep chocolate brown hair tousled instead of immaculate for once, and he called out, "Hey, Zabini! Moment of your time?" Blaise was the only Slytherin he asked anything of. All the other Slytherins were just expected to obey any and every crazy whim of the Slytherin Prince. And most all were willing.

Blaise glanced up from his work and grinned when he saw his best friend. He raised an eyebrow at the tortured look on Draco's face, but his grin widened when he saw Pansy. "Ah! Malfoy. Just the person I was looking for! Perfect," he called back, gathering up his books and parchments. Making his way over to the blond boy, he said, "Pansy, darling, if you'll excuse us. Men's business." Smirking charmingly, he watched her melt like a snowball in July.

"Sure Blaise," the girl giggled, and put on what she considered a sultry look. Fighting a wince, Blaise bowed to her, and then caught Draco's other arm and dragged him to the male prefects bedroom, Draco's current residence.

"You owe me, Draco," Blaise said the moment the door was shut and barred.

Draco grinned. "I could've done it myself, but I was too tired. Maybe tomorrow."

"Yeah, whatever. So what's up?" Blaise wondered.

"Why?" Draco asked, suddenly suspicious.

"I don't know. You seem more tense than usual. How'd your girl take the information?" Blaise, also against Death Eaters and Voldemort in general, knew about Hermione and Draco's friendship. He also knew Draco passed any information he thought important on to her. They referred to her as 'the girl' when they weren't sure of their privacy, so as not to endanger themselves or Hermione.

Draco sighed, and muttered the spell to insure their silence. An added feature, Draco set up alarms that would go off if anyone tried to eavesdrop. You needed these things in Slytherin Dungeons. "Mione's okay. She's kind of used to it, you know? Man though, I was nervous about her telling those two dolts she calls friends and so I followed her up to Gryffindor Tower." Liar! You were concerned about Harry! 'That's Potter! And shut up!'

"Oh, you did? So how's their pad? Is it better than ours?"

"I wouldn't say better. Just warmer, more 'happy', I guess. More light." Draco waved his hand impatiently. "That's not what's important though. Potter, he was all sarcastic about it. Would've made a Slytherin proud. Then Mione got angry with him for taking it so lightly, and that boy exploded! Have you noticed how dead he's been since we got back to Hogwarts three weeks ago?"

Blaise shook his head slightly. "I mean, he's been a little more subdued, and he won't fight you back. All sarcasm and coolness, no anger."

"Exactly! His eyes look so dead all the time. Like he's soulless. But up there, they were blazing, hot and electric and so full of life, and-" Draco had been going on and on, imagining Harry's burning eyes in his mind, so passionate, so sexy- 'Whoa! Stop! Rewind! I, Draco Malfoy, did not just think Harry Potter's eyes are sexy! I didn't!' You did. 'No, I didn't!' Draco stopped at the look on Blaise's face. His best friend was smirking slightly in the irritating way that meant Blaise knew something about Draco that he himself didn't. "-and I have no idea why I'm telling you this," he finished lamely. Scrutinizing his friend, he frowned. "What's so funny? Come on, let's have a laugh," he urged, annoyed now.

Blaise's face lit with understanding. "You don't get it," Blaise gasped while struggling to hold in his laughter.

"Get what?" Draco demanded.

"Damn, Draco, you are so far down in denial you could drown," Blaise crowed, letting loose his laughter.

"What are you on about? What does this have to do with The Nile? That's a fucking river in Egypt!"

At this outburst, Blaise laughed even harder, if possible. How was he supposed to know Draco was going to make a pun out of the whole thing? However, Draco was seriously confused and didn't follow, for indeed, he was so deep in thought about Harry's - 'Potters!' - er, Potter's eyes, he had actually thought Blaise was talking about said river. For Blaise, that made the whole situation even more hysterical.

"Fine, just laugh it up! When you're ready to continue this discussion like a sane person, let me know." 'Speaking of sanity, where's yours?!' Draco demanded of himself and was about to leave in a huff when Blaise grabbed his arm, slightly out of breath from laughing, black eyes twinkling.

"I'm sorry Draco," Blaise said. "Come on, sit back down. I'm done, I promise."

"What the hell was that all about? Explain, now!" Draco demanded, still short of patience.

"Draco, Draco," Blaise sighed, shaking his head. "I'm surprised I didn't see it before."

"See what?" Draco whined, exasperated.

"Why, Draco, you fancy Harry Potter."



::-::



Harry jerked awake suddenly, disoriented and sleepy. Wondering what it was that had woken him up, he felt something nudging his hand. Grabbing his wand, he muttered, "Lumos," and a faint light shimmered from the tip of his wand, revealing a gigantic, bear-like black dog nuzzling his hand. Harry sucked in his breath, filled with worry and apprehension. "Snuffles!" he hissed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The dog strolled over to Harry's open trunk, and dug around in it, emerging with the ever-familiar shimmering silver of his father's invisibility cloak. Nodding, Harry huffed out a breath and slid stealthily out of bed, grabbing the cloak and draping it around him, careful to cover the dog as well. Slipping out of the common room, Harry followed as Snuffles led the way around the corridors, coming to stop in front of a painting of the four founders. "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," Harry whispered, barely audible, and the portrait swung open, revealing a small, but cozy room, complete with fluffy furniture and a fireplace. As the portrait swung firmly back into place, Harry yanked the cloak off and faced his godfather, displaying the fury he'd displayed earlier that evening. (A/N: not so dead anymore, eh?)

Sirius appeared in a 'pop' next to him with his usual grin. "Harry!" Sirius exclaimed, reaching out to hug his godson. "How have you been?" He frowned when Harry pulled away.

"Damn it! Siri, how could you do that? You shouldn't be here, you could get caught, you could get hurt, you could-"

"I'm sorry," Sirius mumbled in a slightly ashamed voice.

"You're all I got! I can't loose you as well, or, or-" Harry stopped speaking as he began to shake all over with pent up worry for his godfather.

"I know, I know," Sirius soothed, reaching out again and this time Harry didn't retreat from the protective circle of Sirius' arms. "I won't do it again. I was just worried. Ron sent me an owl earlier-"

"You came here because Ron sent an owl?" Harry looked murderous. "You can't risk yourself every time one of my friends owls you!"

"Harry, I've been receiving owls from Ron and Hermione since school began. They're both worried about you, they say you're not the same anymore; they say it's like you died and left your body behind. And then Ron owled me about this afternoon and I- I missed you anyway and I wanted to see you and I was worried so I came."



"It's none of their business! So what if I don't like living here all coddled and secreted away from Voldemort when I know I'm going to be sacrificed for the good of the Wizarding World anyway? So fucking what? Yeah, when I was younger, I was naive, I thought, 'it has to end somewhere,' but I never guessed that 'somewhere' was probably going to be me."

"No Harry! I won't let them," Sirius growled fiercely. "You won't be sacrificed. We'll find another way, you and I."

"You know what people say, Siri? Could you possibly? They say, 'Poor Cedric Diggory, Voldemort got to him. But, hey, we still have Harry Potter.' So how long do you think it will be until they say, 'Poor Harry Potter, Old Voldie got to him too, but at least Voldemort's gone completely now, we still have the Wizarding World'? Not long."

"I won't allow it," Sirius growled again, looking ready to bite anyone who suggested the idea.

Harry smiled wanly, his anger fading away. "I think I know that," he said softly, meaning it. There was a small silence, and then-

"Um, Harry?"

"Huh?"

"Ron, um, told me you don't know who actually like you for you, and who likes you for Harry Potter, 'Boy Who Lived'."

Harry sighed wistfully. "Yeah. I don't mean to say such mean things, but it's...I sometimes wish I was normal."

"I know. It's okay to wish that, Harry. We all wish to be different sometimes."

"No. I like myself. I just don't want to be famous."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does."

"You do know, don't you, that I love you and I would die inside if you thought otherwise- you know, like maybe that I just stick around because I think I owe Prongs, and Lily, or maybe you think I stick around because I feel guilty because it's my fault your parents died, but I really do love you and I would hate it if you hated me and-"

"Siri! Of course I don't think that! And I don't hate you, either! Where did this come from?" Harry wondered, raising a concerned eyebrow.

"Well, when Ron said you were doubting who liked you for you and stuff, I began to wonder what you thought of me...?"

"I think the world of you Sirius Black!" Harry scolded in mock anger and then smiled that Potter lopsided smile that would melt anyone's heart. "Don't you forget it."

"You do?" Sirius asked softly, looking hopeful.

"Of course, you silly mutt!"

Sirius grinned in response. Then, his grin got even wider as he remembered something. "Harry. Guess what? Dumbledore's, erm, done with me."

"What do you mean?"

"He thinks it's too dangerous for me to continue to transfer messages for him all over. He- he wants me to be at Hogwarts, with you."

Harry's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked breathlessly, hoping against hope that Sirius had agreed.

"Really," Sirius confirmed with a smile.

"But- but you can't!"

Sirius' face fell. "I told him, of course, if you didn't want me here, I could stay with Remus."

"Siri, are you insane? Of course I want you here with me. But, dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts, are they?"

"They are if the Headmaster says they are. I'm your 'familiar', making me special. You'll pick me up tomorrow."

"This tomorrow?" Harry repeated dazedly, too happy for words.

"Of course 'this' tomorrow. You know, a Hogsmeade weekend? Don't tell me you forgot!" Harry, meanwhile, wasn't listening. He was happier at that moment than he'd been for almost a year and a half.

"Sure, Hogsmeade, great," he replied. Watching his godson, who had a goofy smile plastered on his face, and his large, enigmatic green eyes lit with genuine pleasure, Sirius was overjoyed. And he didn't regret his visit one little bit.

"Harry, what time is it?" Sirius wondered.

"It's almost 3:30," Harry said. "Why?"

"Dumbledore's expecting me in his office. Got to Floo back to Remus', you know. He'll be worrying himself silly. So, one o' clock tomorrow, in front of the Three Broomsticks?"

"Of course, Sirius. See you tomorrow," Harry added, hugging his godfather tightly.

"I'll be there," Sirius replied, giving Harry a wink before he popped back into 'Snuffles formation', as Hermione called it.

Harry pulled on the invisibility cloak and watched as Sirius exited the secret room, disappearing down the darkened corridor. Harry followed a few moments after, so happy he was practically floating. *Wait a second!* Harry glanced down at his bare feet, which were hovering about 20 centimeters off the ground. *I am floating!* Harry thought in panic. Almost instantly, he fell to the ground in a heap.



::-::

Author's Note:

That's it for chappie 2. I really like this fic! It's better than anything else I've written before because so far I haven't planned ahead! It's great! I have no idea what I'm going to write before I write it. Reviews and Flames both happily accepted. As long as you give me feed back, I'm happy. *grins ecstatically*

Also, I'm kinda looking for a beta reader. I think. I just wanna try one out, see if I like having one. Any volunteers? *glances around hopefully*



Hasta for now.

::Riana::