DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters mentioned and I'm not making any money out of this. Only the plot is mine.

WARNING: This fan fic contains slash themes, which is male/male relationships. If homosexual themes bother you, don't read this.

Rated: R, not really worth it yet but I'm anticipating events to come ;)

Didn't take as long as I thought, aren't you lucky??!

Chapter 10

Harry woke suddenly the next morning. He sat up straight in bed and wondered why bright sunlight was streaming into his room. It was then that his headache hit him. He shut his eyes and slowly sank back into his bed, vowing never to drink again. He let his mind drift, and slowly the events of the previous evening came back to him. He sat bolt upright when he remembered his talk with Ron. 'Oh. My. God. I didn't. Oh shit, I really did.' He groaned and covered his head with his pillow, willing the memory to go away.

It was then that Ron and Hermione both bounded into the room.

"Hi Harry!" said Ron in a loud voice that made him flinch. "How's the head?" Harry groaned again and lifted his pillow off of his head.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly lunchtime. It's about time you surfaced!"

"What?! Why didn't you wake me? I missed breakfast and a whole morning's lessons! Oh shit!" Harry was frantically trying to wrestle himself out of bed, somewhat hindered by the fact that his legs had somehow gotten tangled with his sheets.

"Relax! It's Saturday and the first day of the holidays." said Ron, pushing him gently back down.

"Oh Harry you won't believe it though!" squealed Hermione, in a tone very unlike her normally serious voice. "At breakfast, before everybody left, Dumbledore announced that there's going to be another ball! A Summer Ball to help us all relax before the exams." This did not improve Harry's mood.

"Why are you excited about that?" he asked incredulously. "God I hate balls! All the stress of trying to find a partner and then having to dress up." Harry gloomily contemplated the prospect.

"Well actually," said Ron "Dumbledore said it wasn't essential for us to have partners. But…" he looked shyly at Hermione, who smiled and nodded. "I don't think me and Hermione are going to have a problem finding partners."

"What?" asked Harry suspiciously, then he saw the looks passing between his two friends and he broke into a huge grin. "Well finally! Took you long enough didn't it!" he exclaimed happily.

"We haven't told anyone else yet; we wanted you to be the first to know." said Hermione shyly, taking Ron's hand in hers.

"Well congratulations." said Harry, truly happy that his friends had finally seen the light; and each other.

There was an awkward silence between them, until Hermione got the hint and announced she was going to find Ginny to tell her the news.

"I'll see you later." she said, shyly kissing Ron goodbye. Harry smiled again.

"So." said Ron, sitting down on his bed and staring at Harry, who shifted awkwardly under his gaze.

"Yeah, about what I said last night…" Harry began nervously, but didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"You don't need to be embarrassed Harry" said Ron quickly. "I told you last night, it's OK." Harry sighed in relief.

"The thing is though, I don't think I'm gay. I mean, I've never thought about another boy like this before. I think it's just him."

"Harry, whatever you think you are, it doesn't matter. You're still the same person to me and I'll always be your friend. It's who makes you happy that's important. I'm worried about you though. It doesn't sound very healthy." Harry thought about this. He'd fallen in love with someone he was supposed to hate; someone whose father was allied with the man who killed his parents. He had to agree with Ron, it wasn't healthy. Ron didn't even know it was Draco and he could tell this wasn't good for him. That had to mean something didn't it?

"Is he here over the holiday?"

"No." said Harry quietly. "He's gone now."

"Well maybe it'll be a good break for you. It might help you sort a few things out in your head."

"Yes. Maybe." said Harry, thinking about what Draco had gone home to and whether he would be the same person when he came back.

**********

Draco leant his head against the window and felt the vibrations of the train running through him, soothing the pounding headache he felt behind his temples. He looked out of the window and noted the clear blue sky; another perfect day. It was stiflingly hot and he felt as though he was melting. The door to his empty compartment opened and he vaguely noted Pansy and Millicent entering. He didn't acknowledge their presence and they ignored him; recognising one of his bad moods. He carried on staring unseeing out of the window, not noticing the beautiful scenery that shone in the sunlight as the train sped past.

He let his thoughts wander, unwilling to let them settle on one thing for more than a moment. The heat seemed to be draining him of energy so that he could barely be bothered to even think. The stabbing pain in his head increased and he winced slightly.

He'd been like this all morning, since he'd woken up extremely early and found that he was unable to get back to sleep. In a daze he'd risen from bed, dressed and sat in the common room, staring into the empty fireplace and thinking how it echoed the state of his mind. He'd felt completely wrung out.

A few hours later, he registered that the other members of his house were all making their way to breakfast. He'd waited for Crabbe and Goyle and then made his way to the hall; dreading having to see Harry. As he'd entered the hall, his eyes had automatically drifted to the Gryffindor table as they so often did these days, and he'd immediately noted Harry's absence.

Sitting at the Slytherin table he wasn't even able to muster the energy to eat. He sat, looking mournfully into his plate and playing with his food. He barely heard Dumbledore's announcement that there was to be a Summer Ball the day they came back from the holiday. He had, however, noticed Snape's almost imperceptible nod in his direction; an indication of his knowledge of what Draco's time at home was sure to contain. The man was wishing him luck. He'd received news from Dumbledore the previous day, just before the Quidditch match, that the Order had accepted his offer and there was no need for him to attend a meeting. His instructions for over the holiday were that he was to gain as much information as possible but to try and keep out of danger. Draco had found this slightly amusing when he considered any attempt to avoid direct contact with the Death Eaters and Voldemort was probably the most dangerous and suspicious thing he could do. He'd been surprised that the members of the Order, whose identities were shrouded in mystery to avoid discovery, had not demanded some kind of interrogation. He had a suspicion that Snape may have had something to do with this, and he was immensely grateful.

His eyes had constantly drifted towards the Gryffindor table throughout the course of the meal, but Harry still did not appear. He'd seen Granger and Weasley enter together, surreptitiously trying to hide the fact that moments before they had been holding hands. Draco deducted that, from the Weasel's flushed face, they had been doing something else as well. Nobody at their table seemed to notice. Draco had left the hall, resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to see Harry before he left, and wondering if this was a good thing or not.

He shifted and lifted his hand to open the window and a mass of noise entered the compartment, sending angry spasms through his head. He shuddered and shut the window again violently. Pansy and Millicent had turned to watch him.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"Looking forward to going home Draco?" asked Pansy in a knowing voice.

"It will be good to get away from Hogwarts for the time being." He said diplomatically, not wanting to give away his true feelings.

"Well from what I hear, your holiday is going to be full of…new experiences shall we say?" said Pansy, flashing him a smirk. Draco sighed inwardly; of course his impending initiation would be the latest gossip around the Death Eaters and their children. He could hear his father boasting now. Suppressing a shudder, he simply glared at Pansy.

"What? Not looking forward to it? I'd have thought you'd be honoured, you being so young and everything. You'll be the first of us you know?" 'And not the last.' thought Draco gloomily. He fixed Pansy with his most intimidating glare and she positively wilted underneath its force.

"Do you really think that this is a suitable conversation to be having here? Where anyone can hear? How stupid can you be?" Pansy huffed and stood up, clearly insulted.

"Fine, be that way. I was just trying to say that I'm happy for you and proud of your achievement." With that she flounced out of the room, with Millicent scuttling along behind in her wake. Draco turned away, disgusted. Proud? Happy? His mood darkened as he contemplated his sorry fate. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. Soon his exhaustion took hold, and he drifted into a fitful sleep full of the sound of his own voice screaming and pleading and crying.

**********

The dark hall echoed with his footsteps. No light had entered this place in centuries, and the air smelt musty and old. In his mind, he could almost hear the chanting monks, their glorious harmonies reverberating from the walls, sending praises to the heavens. Their plain-song filled his mind with haunting beauty. He could smell the burning incense, clouding his mind with memories of a time when he was great and powerful. The place felt dead now; mournfully gloomy. The silence was overwhelming. He glanced around at the impressive stone arches, rising high above his head. He knew it had taken the monks that had lived there hundreds of years to complete them, and they were perfect in every way. They would stand up to many more years of neglect. The ceiling was intricately carved with disturbing images, which entwined and blurred into each other. Children with wings and fangs, twisting and stretching their bodies around horrific monsters covered in blood. His eyes were drawn to the large alter that was the centrepiece of the hall, and he smiled evilly. It was black marble, looking scrubbed and clean, as though time could not touch it.

It was in this place, many years ago, where the ceremony had been conducted; his own private invention. Here he vowed to stick to his beliefs, to avenge his fore-fathers, to put right every wrong deed against his people.

It was here that he became the man he was, and it was here that Harry Potter would die.

Lord Voldemort turned and left the Temple of Souls, leaving only the dust to settle where his feet had been.

**********

Sometimes, a song can remind you of so many things, can make you ache so much that you cry. But then sometimes, nothing is right; nothing connects or makes sense. Everything you feel is disjointed; anger, but also sadness. Calmness so severe that it terrifies you. Something settles, but you don't know what. Craving silence; soft, calm, everlasting silence. Anything for the silence. You're falling but you know you'll never, ever land. There's nothing left worth anything, but the silence in the music. Behind and between the notes. Listen and you'll know where I am.

Beyond the horizon, I can see a face. I reach out, but it's not there. It was perfect. So perfect that it hurt. It was all I could see. Grey, crystal-clear, burning eyes; your eyes. They told me nothing, but everything. They reflected back my insecurities and added their beauty. I was captured by their passion, and then held by their pain; more than anything I wanted their pain. With pain comes passion and with passion comes beauty. Shining pure and true, with nothing to stand in its way.

Silence and beauty surrounds me, but I make them impure. My heart screams out loud, forcing sound from my lips, and that everlasting silence is broken. Your face disappears forever.

**********

Draco only woke when the train pulled into King's Cross that evening. He rose regally, straightened his shoulders, and stepped from the train. He scanned the crowds on the platform, and almost grimaced when he saw his mother and father waiting for him. Draco Malfoy was home, and his time had come.

**********

Following the sounds

As they echo, over and over.

Repetition degrades them,

But they're still the same.

The same. Never changing.

Never ending.

Repeating my shame forever.

Echoes of memories. Forever.

A/N: AAAHHHH!!! So many reviews! Thanks a lot! OK the next chapter will be about Draco's holiday, so lots more angst, sorry I like to torture them! I've got it all planned out, but I've just got to find time to write it. Bear with me!

No clues about the ending, not even if you beg! It's going to be a surprise.

Slytherin-git, Crystal: I'm not telling!! HAHAHA! You'll just have to wait and see I'm afraid. Glad you're enjoying it!

Xirleb70: *blush* you're too kind.

Draconian, shadowcat, soulsister, Rachxx: don't cry! Please! I'm happy it touched you so much though.

Draconianas: I think they deserve to be together to! But life isn't always fair is it?

Dracos_toy33: cute image, it made me smile. Don't you cry too!! I might start to feel guilty!

Moonchild: I'm blushing. Thank you

Max Kitten: sorry but I'm not telling! Oh, and there's nothing wrong with being obsessed!