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                                                       Chapter two

The next morning at breakfast, Harry's mind was still preoccupied by his encounter with Malfoy the night before. Was it possible that the strangely beautiful creature he had felt so attracted to was in fact…Malfoy? There was no way Malfoy could be considered beautiful, he was sure of that. Scanning the crowd of students filling the Great Hall, he found the object of his musings sitting alone at the far end of the Slytherin table. Wait. Malfoy, alone? Harry wondered idly where his two gorillas had gone before deciding he didn't care. Instead, he began studying his enemy's face as objectively as possible. Mmh…extra-pale complexion, white-blond hair, icy-grey eyes…yep, Draco Malfoy was the perfect picture of a living ghost.

'Hey, Hermione?'

'Mmmh..' she mumbled absently from behind her Arithmancy textbook.

'Do you find Malfoy good-looking?' This got her attention.

'What? Why would you ask such a question?'

'Just wondering. So?'

'I don't know', she began thoughtfully, looking towards the Slytherin table as well. 'I've never looked at him this way, but come to think about it, he does have a kind of…ethereal beauty. It's hard to define, really, but he certainly is attractive. It's funny, I've never noticed before.'

'Funny…' Harry echoed, frowning. The bruises he had seen on Malfoy's neck were not a trick of the light after all, for he could see them again, bluey-grey prints on the perfectly white skin. He watched the blond get up and walk out of the Hall, wondering what was up with that new attitude of his. All week Malfoy had been more distant than ever, except for a couple of passing remarks in the corridors. And now he seemed to be getting away from his friends too.

Harry stood up from his seat too, and deciding he had spent way too much time of his Saturday thinking about a stupid arrogant brat such as Malfoy, he went straight to Gryffindor tower in order to drag Ron, awake or not, to the Quidditch pitch.

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Three hours later, a very muddy but ecstatic looking Harry entered the Gryffindor common room, closely followed by a panting Ron, a matching smile etched on his features.

'Where is everybody?'

'Eating lunch. I've been waiting for you two. Now go change and please hurry, I'm starving!'

'No need to tell me twice!'

Harry took a step forward in order to follow his red-headed friend, but a hand on his right arm made him turn around with raised eyebrows.

'Harry, I've been thinking about what you asked me this morning, you know, about Malfoy', she added upon Harry's confused face.

'And?'

'Well, it's just…'she trailed off, her cheeks slightly pink.

'Please, Hermione, I'm really hungry and dirty here, so if you could…'

'Okay, okay. Were you asking me this because - because you were worried that Malfoy was better-looking than you?'

Harry almost laughed at her anxious expression, but caught himself just in time.

'Of course not, Hermione. What in the world gave you that idea?'

'Oh, it's nothing.' she said with a dismissive wave of the hand, 'just something I heard some Ravenclaw girls giggle about…'

'If  you're talking about Cho, you can say her name. And it's no big deal if she fancies Malfoy, I don't really care about her anymore.'

'Oh. You don't.' She looked a little put out.

'No.' Harry shrugged, 'I guess it was just a crush, nothing more.'

'Oh.' She said again. 'Well that's a relief, you and Malfoy compete enough on the Quidditch pitch without you two fighting over a girl.'

Harry gave a little laugh. 'I really appreciate your concern, Hermione, but you worry too much about me.'

'Yeah, well you'd better start worrying too, cause lunch will be over in thirteen minutes.' She smirked, looking at her watch.

Harry never made it faster to his dormitory. Stumbling in the stairs, he heard Hermione's voice calling after him.

'Oh, and Harry, in case you were wondering, he's defenitely not!'

Frowning, Harry tried to decipher his friend's enigmatic declaration. Hermione's anxious inquiry a few minutes earlier finally came back to his mind, and, smiling, he called back.

'Thanks!'

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Later that night, as he was confortably sitting in his favourite armchair playing chess with Ron – well, losing spectacularly, actually, but who cares?-, Harry was feeling relaxed and almost carefree, as if he didn't have a single worry in the world. 'What's happening to me?', he thought, watching Ron's triumphant smile as he took his opponent's Queen with a white Knight. 'Yesterday I felt things couldn't get any worse, and now…I feel…good.'

'Checkmate!'Ron grinned broadly and stood up to bow to the audience, which consisted of Dean, Seamus, Hermione and a couple of studying seven-years. Dean and Seamus cheered, Hermione sighed and the seven-years shot annoyed glares in Ron's direction, while Harry was feeling…bored.

'Well done, Ron, you were great, as usual. I don't know why I even bother playing against you when I so obviously suck at this game.'

'Don't say that, mate, you'll get better, you just need some practice!'

'Yeah, maybe you're right.' Harry stood up and yawned widely. 'I think I'm going to go get some sleep.'

'Already?' Ron asked with wide eyes. 'It's only half past nine!'

'Really? Feels more like eleven to me. Can I see your watch?'

'Why would I lie to you?'

'I dunno.'It was becoming harder and harder to keep his eyes open. 'Look, I don't care how early it is, I'm exhausted.'

And with another yawn, he climbed the stairs leading to the boy's dormitory, before collapsing on his bed, fully dressed.

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The following days passed in a sort of happy blur for Harry. He was eating, sleeping, going to classes and playing Quidditch, and everything was as normal as possible, except for the fact that he slept nearly twelve hours every night and that his friends kept asking him if he was feeling alright. The truth was that he was feeling better than he had in years, and nobody seemed to think it was right! Harry was beginning to wonder wether his friends wanted him to be happy or not.

'I'm fine, Hermione!' He said for what seemed to be the three hundredth time in a week. 'I'm just tired, that's all!'

'But you sleep all the time! And there's something else, you…you're not yourself anymore. It's like you don't care about anything anymore!'

'And what if I don't? Why can't I just be happy living my own life without taking care of everyone else's all the time!' Harry snapped angrily.

'Because it's not you!' Hermione shouted back.

'Oh, so now you know me better than I know myself?'Harry yelled, his temper rising by every passing minute.

'No, but I've been your friend for five years, and I think I know you quite well!'She said with equal anger.

 'I'm not a book you can read and learn by heart, Hermione! I'm a human being, and I'd like to live my life without you constantly looking over my shoulder! If that's how you're gonna act as a friend, well maybe I don't need your friendship!'

A shocked silence followed Harry's words, everybody in the common room having long since stopped their own conversations to listen to the argument.

'Very well.' Came Hermione's voice, very calm and cold as ice. 'Maybe you're right, Harry. Maybe I don't really know you after all.'

A/N : Sorry for the delay! I was on holidays very far away from my computer!!

I hope this chapter wasn't too disappointing, it's not what I expected either but it came out like this…

I'd like to say enormous thank yous to my reviewers : Glassdreams, Artemis1000 and especially Sakai Michiba, my 1st ever reviewer!!! I love you guys!!! And I hope you're not too mad at me for taking so long to update, but it won't happen again, I promise.

Oh, and I really don't mind constructive criticism, especially about my English. And I could do with a beta-reader, too. J