Title:A Second Chance

Sequel to Drowning

Author: Dragonsbane

Summary: Reactions, some questions and a meeting with someone less than desirable…

A/N: To squeaks if she ever reviews this: There is one part in here where you will moan about my mood jump, HOWEVER sometimes its done with a reason behind it, like this one comprenez?

Thank you's at end

The rain on the window was slow and quiet. Hermione sat in her prefect room attempting to do some transfiguration homework to take her mind of the day's events. After telling her and Ron about the night on the astronomy tower Harry looked regretful and looked at his best friends, a silent promise forming between them.

Never shall they walk alone again.

Hermione gave up on the homework upon hearing her door open and close. She turned round.

"Malfoy" she said mildly surprised.

"Granger" he replied.

Silence descended on the two, darkness, as they were not sure what to say to each other. Too much bad blood between them to push aside and start afresh, too much anger.

Draco spoke first.

"Granger. I am not going to pretend that I like you, because I really don't. To me you will always be a muggle born witch, nothing more." This was said without malice, simply stating a fact. He knew Hermione would be intelligent enough to take it as such.

Hermione spoke

"And Malfoy, to me you will always be an arrogant pig headed pureblood who, although intelligent, is stuck up his own arse"

Draco's eyebrows rose at Hermione's choice of wording. "Yes, that may be…however we both have something, or rather someone in common."

Hermione frowned "Harry."

"Yes, Harry" nodded Draco. He stepped forward so he was standing very close to Hermione. "I dislike you but I loathe your boyfriend, I cant get on with him I know that. So, I'm not even going to try. You however, you are intelligent enough to know that your friend needs you and I at least to be civil."

Hermione thought he had a point she nodded in acceptance.

Draco smiled slightly. "Well, is it Granger still or shall we try for first names?"

"First name basis I think Draco."

"Fine Hermione…mind me asking why I'm allowed to call you by your first name?"

Hermione nodded and then stepped forward and kissed his forehead. Draco looked at her strangely and she smiled and said simply.

"You saved his life, that deserves something in my book, just promise me one thing."

Draco nodded "What's that?"

"Don't hurt him."

"Never, I need him as much as he needs me. Destroying him would destroy me…and I love myself far too much for that."

Having said this Draco took his leave and went back to his room leaving Hermione in no doubt that Harry and Draco belonged together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Pass the syrup would ya Ron?"

Ron grabbed the syrup and handed it to Harry. "No sweat"

Hermione looked across the hall and saw Draco and smiled at him in a friendly way. Harry caught the gesture and smiled to himself. 'One down one to go' he thought. Today they had Defence against the Dark Arts first.

The teachers hadn't said anything to him yet; Harry suspected that they were merely waiting to get him in their classes. Oh how he dreaded divination.

Standing the three Gryffindor's made their way to Professor Lupin's class.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So to recap,

Dragons while are all different have certain traits, they can all breathe fire and they all eat meat. Some are faster than others, and none of them can match the ferocity of the Hungarian Horntail-"

"You can say that again." Remarked Harry. Remus smiled

"None can match the ferocity of the Hungarian Horntail, the only one that comes close is the Hebredian Black. So, homework, choose a Dragon and write an essay on its traits and breeding grounds, to be no shorter that 1 foot, so relatively small, if you wish you can take two dragons and contrast them. Then next week we shall go through the best methods of tackling one, technically this could also be a care of magical creatures lesson but You-Know-Who allegedly has a Dragon Keeper, so, best be prepared."

The bell rang to signal break for the sixth years, Harry got up and Professor Lupin called "Harry can I have a word?"

Harry sighed and turned. He walked towards Lupin's desk.

"Professor?"

Lupin signalled for Harry to sit down. "How long have you and Malfoy been seeing each other?"

Harry blushed "Umm, since the end of fifth year, through the summer." Remus looked impressed. "So being December now, that's nearly seven months, that's impressive… you kept it hidden all that time?"

Harry nodded "wasn't exactly difficult, both prefects, we both have our own rooms."

Remus nodded again. "Yes… why didn't you tell anyone?"

"No one would have understood…well, I didn't think they would have. You're not angry with me are you Professor?"

Remus sighed. "No no, I'm not…Snuffles may be a bit miffed."

"How would he find out!?"

Remus looked Harry square in the eye "I hope that you will tell him, before the magical world finds out through the news papers. It will be all over the news in a few days, think about it, all the people in the school writing home to tell their parents. Imagine how many of them that have brothers or sisters who work in the papers."

"Oh."

"Yes oh, that's why I wanted to see you. You should see Snuffles, I owled him and he sent word that he will be at the cave tomorrow, and tomorrow happens to be a Hogsmeade weekend. I think that you should firstly explain to Draco about Snuffles and then take him to meet him"

"Are you insane??"

Remus smiled "Malfoy shouldn't have a problem, Snuffles is, after all a pureblood wizard isn't he? And I'm sure if you just explain to Snuffles how you got together he'd be okay about it… incidentally, how did you two get together?"

Harry furrowed his brow "I'd rather not say." Remus nodded "Sure, I just wondered how, I mean, you hated each other."

Harry sighed, "Lets just say that we found out we had a lot in common…"

Remus nodded "Well Harry, you're free to go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So…have you two done the deed?"

"Seamus! Harry doesn't need to answer that question!"

Hermione looked outraged at her housemate's audacity. Harry looked thankful at Hermione and as soon as she went back to her homework Seamus mouthed the question at Harry and Harry mouthed back.

'Well duh!'

Seamus sniggered and went on

'did it hurt?'

Harry nodded

Seamus winced and went back to his own homework. Harry, try as he might, just couldn't concentrate knowing tomorrow he would be seeing Sirius, with Draco. He knew Draco would be fine, he was worried about Sirius though.

What the hell was he going to think?

Draco had been very calm, he of course knew Sirius was innocent, his father had told him so in his third year when Sirius escaped.

So, Harry stood and went to leave the Gryffindor common room and head back to his prefect room and study when Ron grabbed his arm and handed him his cloak.

"Fancy a walk mate?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah sure."

Ron and Harry made their way out of the portrait hole and towards the exit of the castle. They exited and walked towards the lake, Harry leading Ron following.

"Is this the route you used to take when you went walking alone then?" he asked.

Harry nodded "Yeah it is. Walking helped me think."

"About killing yourself?"

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. Ron sighed and looked at him "That was harsh…I'm sorry, but, I don't know what to say, what to do… Harry, you tried to kill yourself and I never even noticed I don't even know the exact reason why! Please tell me."

Harry nodded; he could see he wasn't going to get out of this one. "fine, I'll tell you, but I need to sit down, walking doesn't help with talking."

They walked the rest of the way to the lake and sat by the water in the moonlight. Harry gazed across the lake and sighed.

"I suppose you want me to start from the beginning?"

"It would help"

Harry nodded and cleared his throat. "Started October 31st 1981 when my parents died. When I was sent to live with the Dursley's. Dumbledore has apologised to me personally about that, many times but it was the only way. So, I grew up, with no family or friends to speak of for eleven years. That's a long time to be alone. I used to think there must be something wrong with me, that I was evil somehow."

Ron frowned

"So, then one day I find out all about the magical world. I had no idea beforehand why all these strange things used to happen to me. So, I went with Hagrid to buy my school things. And I met Draco Malfoy in the robe shop. I immediately didn't like him, was like an instinct. Then on September 1st, I met you Ron. And I was glad to have someone to share anything with, for example the sweets."

Ron grinned at the memory and so did Harry. He let the smile fade and then he went on…

"You told me that basically in a nutshell Slytherin was evil, Gryffindor was good and that I should hope to be a Gryffindor, I wasn't worried about anything really apart from the fact I couldn't do any magic. So up I trot to the Sorting hat…" Harry paused for a moment not sure wither to divulge the information he kept from his two best friends for so long.

"And you were sorted into Gryffindor, go on."

"Ummm… wasn't as simple as that…"

"What, what happened?"

Harry frowned "The hat told me, I'd be great in Slytherin, it wanted to sort me into Slytherin Ron… But… I wouldn't let it. I asked it not to because of what you told me. Then that got re-enforced by the whole being a Parselmouth… I felt alone with those fears, backing up my assumption I must be evil. Third year, nothing much in the way of traumatising me into thinking I was evil, but… I don't really have to recap fourth year do I?"

Harry's eyes darkened and he ran his hand through his hair. "I saw, I saw what Hermione felt for you that year, and I knew she loved you and that you belonged together. So, again I was left alone, I used to feel like a third wheel at the start of fifth year…"

"Then the dreams started… do you still get them?"

Harry nodded "every night…unless…"

"Unless what Harry?"

"Unless Draco is there. They go away if he is there."

Ron nodded.

"I didn't plan on killing myself you know… it wasn't like I woke up and thought 'hmm I think I'll do myself in today'. It was just I took a walk up the astronomy tower to watch the rain. And I recited that poem and I felt like I was really drowning… You had Mione, I wouldn't be missed was my reasoning…"

Ron put his arm round Harry and looked at him

"Harry, im going to say something that should strike fear into your heart."

Harry looked at his friend who looked and sounded very serious.

"oh? Whats that?"

"Harry… YOU'RE A WEASLEY OF COURSE I'D MISS YOU!"

Breaking the solemn and depressing atmosphere the two best friends embraced while a pair of watchful eyes looked on the scene and smiled. He smiled as he knew Harry would indeed be all right.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry woke up the next morning and smelled the sweet perfume of a lily. He opened his eyes and there stood Draco who was holding a single lily and a small parcel.

"7 month anniversary Harry" He handed Harry the flower and the parcel. Harry smelled the flower and he opened the parcel that was emblazoned with silver lettering in a black case

"The Little Book of Feelings by Draco Malfoy"

"You remember I told you that I wrote those letters and poems? I did a lot more than just to my mother and father…"

Harry opened the book and it said

"To Harry, who shall never be alone in the night as long as there is life in my veins"

Harry smiled and kissed Draco on the mouth.

Whenever a month passed they would just let it go without marking it in any way. Harry never realised Draco kept a close watch on the time things happened.

"Thank you…I never got you anything"

"I know, its alright I didn't expect you to."

Draco smiled as Harry opened the book and started to absorb himself in the words.

"Harry Love, Snuffles?" Harry jumped out of bed "oh yeah!" He raced towards the bathroom and then doubled back placed a lingering kiss on Draco's mouth and then fled out the room to the bathroom to wash up.

Draco sniggered and sat on the bed.

Hermione walked into Harry's room "Hello Draco."

Draco nodded "Hello Hermione." She walked towards the bed and saw the book "whats this?" she picked it up. Draco froze and she looked at the front cover. She opened it and looked at the dedication.

"A poetry book?" she asked as she flicked through a few pages and then lay it back on the bed. "Never knew you wrote poery."

"Neither do a lot of people"

"I just came to wish Harry luck with Snuffles and you this morning." Draco nodded "He's washing up"

Hermione smiled "Well, see you later."

She exited the room as Harry walked out of the bathroom with just a towel round his waist, he dressed in his favourite deep red shirt and black pants and he took Draco's waist and they walked out of the dorm together.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco and Harry made their way up the slope to the cave Sirius used when here with Buckbeak. They entered the cave and Sirius was in his dog form. He sat on a small pile of rags and growled at Draco.

"Sirius its okay, I brought him here I have something to tell you." Sirius looked suspicious and then transformed into Harry's godfather. Harry walked towards Sirius and hugged him.

"Nice to see ya"

"You too Harry, you look well!"

Harry smiled and then beckoned Draco closer

"You, look like Lucius Malfoy's son" said Sirius with some distaste.

"I am, I am Draco Malfoy." Draco reached his hand out to shake Sirius' hand Sirius looked him up and down as though he had some ulterior motive. He shook the boy's hand. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"Sirius!" said Harry rather scathingly "Don't you think I would have brought him for a reason?"

Sirius nodded and sat down as Harry handed him the usual parcel of food Sirius asked for from him.

"well?"

Harry looked about to collapse and Draco put his arm round him in a comforting manner electing a raised eyebrow from Sirius. Harry steadied himself.

"Sirius, this is my partner, I have been seeing him for seven months. I love him so…" Harry ran out of steam at the utterly shocked look on Sirius' face. Draco and Harry waited for a few heart stopping moment and waited his reaction.

Sirius burst out laughing after a few moments.

Draco and Harry looked confused

"I-I'm sorry for laughing, but, its just Draco Malfoy and the word Arsehole were interchangeable for such a long time" he said through gasps. "of all the people…" He slapped himself in the head and laughed "That would have been the same if James had came to me and said 'Sirius im seeing Snape"

At this comment Draco and Harry dissolved into laughter.

After the mirth had subsided Draco and Harry sat on the floor with Sirius and they told him how they had got together, the astronomy tower. Sirius was deeply saddened that Harry felt so alone but agreed with Draco that fate pushed them together and he told Draco he was always welcome in his house, when he got one…

After they had exchanged stories Harry and Draco made their way down the slopes and Draco recited a poem as they walked down the main street of Hogsmeade.

"The glass in my hand splits open the skin

Blood drips

Spatters

Red

I looked and I saw nothing within

Empty hole

Heartless

Black

I feel nothing

Pain does not form

For it is normality

For me

The pain is endless

It scorched my soul

Then it left me

Left a gaping hole

Into my darkness

Shined a light

A light that warmed me

Found me

Healed me

I rescued you from drowning

And you saved me as well

In the ocean of our pain

We clung together

We saved ourselves

From destruction

We saved ourselves from hell"

Harry smiled "the first poem in the little book of feelings…"

"Really?"

Asked a cold voice from behind them as a black cane with the snake head came down harshly on Draco's shoulder. Harry and Draco stopped dead and Draco pulled his arm away from Harry's lower back.

"Now, Draco, care to explain this situation?"

"I…I…" for once Draco was at a loss for words.

"As I thought… turn and face me."

Draco and Harry turned round.

"Mr Potter… simply a delight to see you again…The World cup must have been the last time I saw you…"

"No Mr Malfoy, it was fighting your boss, and escaping again, that you last saw me." Lucius looked a little impressed

"well, you are the brave one… Gryffindors…  now, what I want to know is, why you, Draco, had your arm around him. Hmm? Come now time is wasting."

Draco's right hand twitched as he thought about reaching for his wand and Lucius saw this "you know I could kill you before you place your hand on your wand." He pulled his wand out and pointed it at Harry who drew his wand just before Lucius did.

"Oh, I see, so that's how it is then… Wait, wait and I'll kill you for this one day soon."

Harry smiled at Lucius "no you wont"

"Oh I wont?"

"No, because I know Lord Voldemort wouldn't be happy if you killed me, he likes to toy with me before he does anything, that's how I got away last time, he has too much confidence in his abilities."

Lucius placed his wand back in the cane. "Touché Mr Potter…" He looked at Draco menacingly "I wonder if you will be brave enough to return home this Christmas, I highly doubt it…Good day *gentlemen*"

Lucius walked past them and went into the Three Broomsticks. Harry and Draco sighed in relief "You can fight the rest of the battles I have with my father okay?"

Harry smiled "Consider it my anniversary gift"

"I will do"

After a few moments Draco and harry went back to the castle to wind down after an eventful day…

TBC – Look out for more and I'm pretty sure that was less than a month!

Thank You to:

NayNymic: **grins** thank you for the comment on the interaction, do you know how hard it is to do dialogue?

Serenitas: Here is the next instalment and your comments mean a lot to me, I know what you mean about the Astronomy Tower scene sometimes being corny. Glad you liked it.

Penny:Angel of Darkest Dreams: What a cool pen name… and here is the update and I believe a IM message or email shall reach u…

THomASS: Here is more, stop freaking out…lol, just kidding, freak more I'll update faster!

Mistal: Abyss Water Fairy: Thank you and this is the soonest I could update, im having a break from my study timetable

Dracavia: **cries** Nicole I bloody miss you hon! EMAIL ME AND I CAN EMAIL BACK WITH ZAINY CONVERSATION and yes I have TOO MANY WIP's…whos fault is that? *looks at Queen Li*

Myk: *waves at all the monster/demon people* hello, you keep taking over the reviews… so hi!

N0va: Thanks

Queen Li: Yeah it was your fault… but I love you! Thanks for the review!

Rowenna: If you were to be online for more than 10 seconds when I am on I'd send you stuff to beta but you *know* I don't like just sending you stuff and assuming you will look over it. Its rude!

Gothickitten: *blush* You flatter me with your words…

Alybaby: Heres some more *smiles* there shall be more **goes off cackling into the distance and then comes back for the final thank you**

SunGoddess: Glad you like it! Here is more!

More shall be on the way, again I say if you wish to be updated with an email just ask it really is no trouble.

Dragonsbane