Ok so this chapter was a bit later than I said it would be but something was wrong with my computer and I couldn't post anything until today. Since I have to go back to school tomorrow I'm not really sure when I can get the next chapter out but I will try to post somewhat regularly I promise. Also to Donelle who made a very good point about how Draco should have known about the hypothermia bit, he does know and his reasoning, how ever lame it is, for not following the right procedure is mentioned in this chapter. I was planning on using the cold bit as an excuse to make Draco and Harry sick just to torture them a little bit more but thanks for the input anyway. As always please read and review and no flames.

Disclaimer: *grumbles* I'm really getting sick of these, I don't own and never will.

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Chapter 8

Draco coughed and wrapped his arms tighter around himself attempting to stop the shivers that were constantly wracking his body. He had woken up the morning following their little leap of faith stunt Harry had forced them into with a pounding headache and an aching throat. He had a feeling that it was due to sleeping in his wet clothes all night but he would have been tortured by rabid wolves before he went parading around in front of Harry in just his boxers so his clothes could dry. Draco looked up and squinted at the sun that was almost directly over them, and wished its heat would warm him just a little. He sighed before looking back to where Harry was currently outstretched a couple of feet away on the ground engrossed in a conversation with a passing by snake. Draco hadn't seen Harry talk to snakes since that incident in second year. It was creepy then and it was creepy now.

"Are you just about finished over there?" Draco called out impatiently.

Harry spared him an annoyed glance.

"Do you mind we're talking?" He said before turning his attentions back to the snake.

"Do I mind?" Draco muttered "No not at all Potter, go-ahead talk to your new best friend it was rude of me after all." He let his head fall back against the tree he had been sitting against with a light thunk.

"I mean why not" He continued more to himself, looking back up at the clouds gathering, "What better place to have a nice conversation than in the middle of a creepy forest, inhabited by creatures spawned from hell. And with a snake no less?"

"Geez do you complain much?"

Draco blinked at looked back down to see Harry right in front of him. He didn't even hear Harry approach. He silently cursed himself for not being aware of his surroundings more and frowned at Harry.

"So did you have an enlightening discussion?" He asked sarcastically.

Harry rolled his eyes "Yes we did as a matter of fact." He said.

"What were you two hissing about anyway?" Draco asked as he started to push himself upwards. As he was getting up he put too much pressure on his injured foot and let out a gasp from the rush of hot pain and started to slide back down the trunk again. Harry frowned and stuck out his hand to help him up. Draco glared at the offered help and muttered an angry "I don't need your help."

Harry sighed and watched somewhat amused as Draco struggled for a few minutes before managing to stand mostly upright though still leaning against the tree for support.

"We talked about food mostly." Harry said answering Draco's earlier question.

"You talked about food?" Draco asked eyebrow raising as he gingerly pushed himself from the tree and struggled to find a comfortable position that didn't require leaning too much on his sore foot.

"Yes or were to find some actually." Draco stared at him.

"Let me get this straight, you asked a snake for directions on where we could find food?"

"...Yes..."

"Oh" Draco said "So what did the snake tell you then. To go hunting for some rats or perhaps some spiders, maybe both would make a fine meal wouldn't they?" He snapped then added for good measure "Idiot."

Harry simply stared at him blinking for a few minutes then smiled in a very worrying manner in Draco's opinion before turning and striding off into the forest.

"Potter where are you going? Hunting?" Draco said sniggering. Harry didn't respond and slipped in between some trees leading back into the forest. Draco stomach suddenly lurched.

"Potter" he yelled out "We're not really going to hunt rats or spiders...are we?" Still no response.

"Potter...Potter...answer me!...Potter!...Potter wait up!"

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"This is it?" Draco asked gesturing towards a clump of bushes that, in his opinion, didn't appear to have any edible qualities at all.

"Yep" Harry answered "right where the snake said it would be."

"Potter this is even more stupid than if we did hunt rats and spiders. We are not eating a bush."

"Not the bush idiot, look what's on the bush." Harry said. Draco huffed in annoyance and stepped closer. Upon closer inspection he could see that he bush was covered with...little...things. Possibly small berries from the looks of it...little purple berries. Now Draco had seen a range of berries before, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries but never purpleberries. Purpleberries did not sit well with Draco though he wasn't entirely sure why. Perhaps it was that the colour purple reminded him of something like poison or perhaps it was the way some of them were oozing, whether it was one or both Draco wasn't sure but he was put off by it never the less, and he said so.

"I don't think these are exactly safe." He pointed out.

"Why not?"

"Well look at them." Draco said. Harry did.

"I see your point."

"Well good."

"I'm gonna try them anyway"

"What?!" Draco exclaimed "have you lost your mind? They look dangerous Potter."

"Well they might not be, and besides the only thing we've had since we got here is some of that disgusting lake water, we'll starve to death if we don't eat something!" Harry said.

"Yeah but you can't just go eating whatever without knowing if it's safe first." Draco pointed out trying to get Harry to see some reason. In truth he was starving too and finding it very hard to keep control but he wasn't stupid enough to eat something if he didn't know whether or not it was safe. Apparently from the look in Harry's eyes he was.

"It'll be fine Malfoy, the snake said it was perfectly safe."

"Haven't you heard the phrase 'don't take candy from strangers'?"

"Your mother teach you that one Malfoy?" Harry sneered "Look if it bothers you so much then I'll go first and if I don't drop dead then we'll know that it's safe to eat all right?"

Draco sighed heavily then threw his hands up in the air exasperated. "Bloody Gryffindors...fine go ahead see if I care."

Harry nodded and turned striding towards the bush, determined glint in his eyes.

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He promised himself that he wouldn't laugh.

Because it wasn't funny. Not at all.

The unmistakable sound of retching reached his ears. Draco bit his lip

*Won't laugh, won't laugh, won't laugh* He chanted to himself.

"What are you smirking at?" Harry snapped remerging from some bushes, cleaning his mouth with the sleeve of his robes. Draco graced him with a charming smile, holding out his hand, an offering of purple berries in his palm.

"Want some more?"

Harry glared at him.

*Who am I kidding I am going to laugh.* Draco snorted and bit his lip harder.

"Don't even think about it." Harry warned before plopping down next to Draco in their chosen place for the night. It was under a huge fallen tree that had been raised at one end about two metres as it had fallen on top of another fallen tree. Harry was concerned as to what could of made these trees fall down in the first place as the were massive trees but it was rapidly getting dark, he didn't feel well and was sure that Draco didn't either, and plus Draco's foot was giving him a lot of trouble and he wouldn't of been able to walk much further anyway, for now they were going to stay put. Harry just hoped that whatever did push the trees over wouldn't be coming back any time soon. Especially if that something happened to be another fire breathing dragon.

"Potter do you hear that?" Harry looked over at Draco whose posture had stiffened. Harry strained his ears to hear whatever it was that Draco was hearing. Then he heard it. It was quiet but every now and again he could hear twigs being snapped underneath soft footfall, a quiet, low growl accompanying it.

"Yeah I can hear it." Harry answered "I've been hearing things like that for a few days now, I wasn't sure before but I think something has been following us ever since we got here.

Draco shivered and not from the cold either "Why do you think it hasn't attacked us yet?" He asked.

Harry shrugged "Might be waiting for us to keel over, then it could just have a free meal...it's gone now."

The noises faded away and the two were left in silence once again.

"Hey Potter?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Harry turned to face Draco who had his head lowered.

"For what?"

"For getting us into this situation in the first place. I don't even know why I did it, I knew it was dangerous but I went ahead and did it anyway, and now we're most likely going to be killed and its all my fault, I'm stupid and I'm sorry." Draco said quietly not once looking up at Harry.

"Of all the things I expected to hear from you sorry wasn't one of them." Harry said genuinely surprised.

"Yeah well, despite what you and your groupies think I do have a conscience."

"Awwww Draco that's so sweet, I never knew you had it in you" Harry mock glomped onto Draco's shoulder.

"Get off Potter." Draco snapped trying to shake Harry lose. It was no use Harry would not be budged.

"You know what this means now don't you." Harry said.

"What?"

"We're bonding"

Harry could see, even in the dark, that Draco was looking outraged at the prospect.

"Don't be stupid."

"But we are now we can be best friends." Harry said laughing "We can hold hands and skip and be forever happy."

"Can not!"

"Sure we can."

"This isn't funny Potter." Draco said finally shaking Harry lose. Harry just looked at him laughing.

"Yes it was, you should have seen your face, and by the way apology accepted."

"No its not, I'm taking my apology back now."

"You can't. I've already accepted it."

"You're a real idiot you know that?" Draco asked. Harry started laughing again and Draco couldn't help but give a small smile. In all this danger it felt good to hear laughter and for the mood to lighten up a bit. That was it did feel good until Harry started coughing again and something wet splashed onto the ground and onto the sleeve of his robes. Harry apparently still had some of the berries in his system.

The muscle under Draco's left eye twitched.

"Potter...did you just throw up on my arm?"

"...A little." Came the whispered reply...