Moments later, a couple more people followed Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, to where Harry held Draco so protectively against him as if they were the Death Eaters that had surrounded him. The angry voices around were muted to him and their hands were slowly reaching out to grab him, as if he were in a silent movie. But Harry ignored them all. He didn't care what about what went on around him. All he cared about was seeing the other boy's silver eyes opening up for him, or at least have some small sign to indicate that he was okay. But nothing seemed like was going to happen anytime soon. The boy laid very still in his arms.

"don't to this to me again…" he pleaded with him. Suddenly seeing Cedric instead cradled in his arms, he began to panic. Harry had tried his best to revive him, but it just seemed like it was going to happen all over again. He shut his eyes tight as visions from his horrifying fourth year came flashing through his mind.

Darkness in a cemetery.

Shadows moving about, whispering in the night.

"Kill the spare…"

Cedric falling at his feet. Cruel and evil laughter.

No…

Eyes…terrifying red eyes, hissing at his every move.

Cloaked men wearing masks. Closing in on him, feeling cramped. Couldn't breathe.

Blood, there was too much blood. Feeling his own life being drained as it spilled everywhere.

"Crucio…"

The pain, it was so unbearable. It hurt so much…

His eyes, they're still shut, is he dead ?

No…not again. Wake up !

"Potter, what's going on here?"

"he's bleeding…what happened to him boy??"

"damn it Potter what did you do to him ??"

"you're in for it now…"

"Potter, Potter…Harry…"

Harry's eyes snapped open as he was shaken back to reality. He was finally able to look around him and realized what was going on, but he wasn't fazed to see all the faces in disarray. He was just thankful that he wasn't in the cemetery. What had just happened to have had him so stricken and reminded of that horrible night? The night that had scarred him for the rest of his life.

He looked down at the unconscious boy in his arms and was somewhat glad to see that it wasn't Cedric, but the boy was still unconscious, and that alone worried him.

"Malfoy…" Harry muttered then felt himself being pulled away from him. He looked up at the worried faces of Snape and McGonagall. They both have helped him up to stand but Harry's concerns were else where.

"Help him…you have to help him…" he said pleading with them, even though Madame Pomfrey was right at Draco's side already conjuring up a stretcher for him.

"Harry…"

"Please help him" he implored again while he was being ushered away, still looking back at Draco, wanting him to wake up. Professors Snape and McGonagall took him by each arm and led him away.

"Calm down Harry of course they will help him, just calm down now. He'll be fine, you on the other hand…" Harry finally looked away and tried to calm his frantic mind. He took in deep breaths then realized just how bad the situation was. He looked up at the teachers and saw that they weren't quite happy with him at the moment. It was either from worry or anger, he didn't know. But he knew that he was probably going to be in for it big.

~*~

The next day, Harry had sat in his favorite spot on the windowsill absent-mindedly gazing out the window of the Gryffindor Tower. He sighed tiredly as he fought to ease his racing mind of the thoughts of worry that had plagued him. He barely slept the night before from the constant thinking and that had left him both physically and emotionally worn-out. Whether it was worrying about his punishment that he will be receiving for being blamed for Draco's incident, or the pale-haired boy's sudden collapse. He wasn't sure which was more of a concern, even if he did find the latter surprisingly upsetting enough.

"I can't believe we weren't there to see him get beat!" Seamus announced from across the room where he sat on his bed.

"Yeah too bad…but at least someone put him in his place. That git deserved it! Thinks he's all high and mighty here, but not when Harry's around. You sure showed him. Erm…what exactly did you do to bring him down anyway?" Ron asked excitedly. Being happy that someone had silenced his most infuriating enemy yet. But he thought wrong, they all did. Harry shook his head furiously and moved across the room to throw himself on his bed. Too tired to even argue.

"I didn't do anything to him guys…he just…fainted" he muttered. Curious to find out what exactly had happened with the other boy.

He obviously didn't care who it was he was worried about anymore.

"Oh c'mon Harry, tell us what really happened!!"

"Yeah!"

"It's the truth, I didn't even touch him" he yelled from under his pillow. He then jerked his head up to the sudden knocking on the boys' dormitory door and found that it was the head of his House, Professor McGonagall. He swallowed hesitantly.

"Harry…would you come with me please…" she said in that serious tone of voice she always maintained. The kind of voice that said you were in trouble. He knew for sure that he was probably going to get expelled.

She had led him all the way to the Headmaster's office and stopped just before the entrance. Harry looked at the entrance to the office then back at his teacher nervously.

"Professor, I swear I didn't do anything to him"

"Well why don't you tell that to the Headmaster…" she said as she motioned towards the spiraling staircase. Harry nodded slowly in understanding. He entered the office and began praying to himself.

The Headmaster sat behind his desk and was rather immersed in his writing until McGonagall had made their presence known. The Headmaster had smiled quickly and stopped his writing.

"Ah Harry, I was expecting you" he looked up at the Headmistress and she left the office knowingly. His twinkling eyes then went back to a nervous Harry who sat rigidly across from him.

"Now, I believe you have some explaining to do as to what happened to Mr. Malfoy and what you were doing out of bed after hours?" he asked curiously.

"I-I swear I didn't do anything to him Professor…I was just…" he then stopped. He couldn't tell him about the dragon, but Harry really hated lying to Dumbledore of all people.

"Then what were you doing out of bed? You know there's a reason for that curfew Harry, for even Hogwarts isn't safe at night now a days. You know that" Harry sighed disappointedly.

"I know and I'm sorry sir, really. I just…had a nightmare a-and went for a little walk to clear up my mind, that was when I ran into Malfoy sir"

"Its obvious that he's lying Headmaster!" came a thundering voice from behind. Harry rolled his eyes and turned his head back to meet his potions teacher that came marching into the office.

"What did you do to my student Potter? Did you duel?"

"No we didn't! I didn't do anything to him" Harry said irritably as he glared back at Snape.

"Potter I know you somehow--"

"Severus, I believe he is telling the truth"

"Professor Dumbledore, I know how much you would like to take his side but I think we should hear what Draco has to say. Maybe he can clarify some things" Snape said bitterly as he looked towards Harry. The Gryffindor thought it would be the end of him for sure if Malfoy lied and told them a different story. He would most definitely do anything to get Harry Potter expelled and out his life.

"b-but he'll lie!! He'll do anything to have me expelled" Snape raised a brow to this.

"Oh? Well then, we'll just try and get the straight story out of him" he said with sly smile. Harry wanted to wipe it off his face so badly. Dumbledore decided to break the tension between them.

"Well I had the chance to talk to Mr. Malfoy myself and heard his side of the story. He told me that Harry was indeed, innocent," Dumbledore said with amusement. Harry was in disbelief.

"He told you that? He woke up?" Harry asked with much enthusiasm. Dumbledore smiled warmly at him, putting aside his curiosity about the boys' behavior with each other as of late.

"Yes…and yes. However you're not quite off the hook just yet my boy, you're still in trouble young man" Harry's wide smile suddenly turned into a frown.

Just when he had his hopes up too.

"You did break the rule of being out of bed after curfew, and for that my boy, you must be punished for. So, I believe two weeks detention with Professor Snape and Mr. Filch in the evenings should do it. As would ten points to be taken from Gryffindor" he announced still sounding amused and the emerald- eyed boy's shoulders sagged in defeat. But he supposed that wasn't too bad, he had survived nights with Snape before. But who was he to complain, anything was better than being expelled.

"Is that all right with you Severus?" Dumbledore asked. Snape, who had been sulking in defeat perked up and grinned.

"Of course Headmaster, I can always use his help" he answered while sneering at Harry.

"I believe there are some vials and cauldrons that need to be scrubbed clean. I'll be seeing you tonight then Potter…" he said happily and Harry's lips twitched in disgust. He then made his way to exit the Headmaster's office until…

"Oh and Harry?" Harry stopped to face Dumbledore again.

"Next time you have a nightmare of some sort, its best if you talk to somebody about it, your friends maybe?" he suggested. Harry nodded agreeably to him before he left.

~*~

The corridors of the school seemed so bright all of the sudden as he felt so overjoyed with the way things had worked out. He was in high spirits and felt like skipping down the halls of Hogwarts from being so excited all of the sudden. Sure there was detention later to serve, but even that didn't bother him very much. Right now, he was in a good mood and thought nothing could ruin that for him at the moment. He looked out one of the windows and found a few specks of white falling from the gray skies. His smile only grew brighter. He dug his hands into his robes and continued walking on ahead.

He was thinking about his unbelievable luck when the hospital wing came into view. He stopped short in his tracks and remembered what Dumbledore told him about Draco telling him the truth. He then found himself walking towards the entrance of the hospital wing, thinking why Malfoy would pass up such an opportunity to have him expelled and told the truth instead. He was only curious to find out, as he was curious to find out about other things that made Harry suspicious about him.

When he reached there, Harry slowly walked in and looked around. He bit his lip lightly as he spotted the bed that the blonde boy was lying in and slowly approached him.

Draco was reaching over to get a drink of water when Harry came out of nowhere and poured a glass for him to drink.

"Here, let me get that" Draco blinked in surprise. He studied Harry for a moment then took the glass with trembling fingers. Harry frowned to this and actually felt sorry for him. Draco didn't look like his usual self at all.

He was too pale in appearance and seemed like he hadn't slept for days. His hair was loose and fell in small waves of silk over his face, even that looked unhealthy in appearance. He had also lost a lot of weight for his own good, as Harry was clearly able to see through his baggy hospital pajamas. During the times lunch and dinner would be served, Draco instead of eating slept through them from being so drained. The boy looked helpless and lost. Harry found this to be very disappointing. What had happened to his Malfoy? This one was almost alienating to him. After taking a few sips of water, Draco curled back under the sheets.

"So, what brings you here Potter? I know its not to tell me to get well" he said, his voice was pleasant and all too new for the other boy. Harry takes a seat at the end of his bed.

"Not sure, but maybe because I wanted to find out a few things" Harry said slowly as Draco closed his eyes tiredly, his mind and body aching for slumber.

"Don't ask me anything just yet Harry, because… I don't think I can provide you with the answers" he said and Harry looked down at the white tiles of the hospital floors.

"You had a chance to get me expelled…"

"I know"

"And yet you didn't" he looks back up at Draco. The other boy's silvery eyes seemed to have changed to bluish hues with the expression that he was displaying now. Without his usual sneers and snide remarks, the boy looked more appealing somehow. Harry admired these never before seen features, even though Draco was ill.

"Why not?" Harry asked, emerald eyes locked onto silver-blues firmly. Draco brought up the covers to his chin from being so cold. He then sighs.

"It was the right thing to do, I suppose" Harry snickered to this.

"Since when did you know what's right to do? When did you even start having a conscious?" Harry asked realizing too late that it was probably a little too harsh, but he was confused. Draco let out a frustrated sigh.

"God Potter, you don't ever change? You're not tired of these stupid games we play back and forth? The way I see it, things change. We're not children anymore" he croaked then directed his gaze elsewhere. Anywhere away from those piercing jaded eyes that captivated him. Harry looked back down at the floor again, running a hand through his jet-black hair.

"I guess you're right…" he said. Silence for a moment, then...

"…Thank you…" Harry said with a little smile. Draco rolled his eyes at him and shook his head.

"That doesn't mean we're buddy buddies now Potter, I still think you're annoying" Harry nodded his head agreeably.

"Oh of course not…it wouldn't be right" they watch each other for a moment and smile stupidly for no reason. Harry then takes off his gold and crimson Gryffindor scarf and reached over to place it around Draco's neck, tucking it snuggly under his chin. Draco groaned to this, but Harry found it amusing.

"We're not buddy buddies Malfoy, but I would still like to take care of my enemy. No one could possibly replace you as best rival now" he said mockingly.

"No because no one can measure up to me. But these are Gryffindor colors…ugh!" Draco whined and Harry chuckled a little, shaking his head.

"Why? Gryffindor colors look nice on you Malfoy?" Draco rolled his eyes. Harry then took out his wand and pointed it to his scarf, muttering a transfiguration spell, changing the colors into the Slytherin House colors, silver and green instead.

"There… better?" Harry asked as he stood up to leave. Draco still complained. Harry furrowed his brows together playfully.

"What? You were cold" he said. Truthfully Harry felt like doing more than just offer him his scarf. Draco to him in this state seemed like a lost little boy that needed to be cared for. In it was in his nature to feel like a mother hen for some one in need since he had never had much of it when he was younger, even if it was Malfoy.

"Oh jeez, next thing I'll know you'll be bringing me flowers and candy. I can take care of myself thank you" he sneered and Harry raised his brows to this…

"Oh? Is that why you collapsed? I swear Malfoy, you and your stupid pride, it'll kill you someday for sure" Draco shrugged to this.

"Wouldn't I be better off dead for you Potter?" he asked seriously and Harry froze in his spot to this. His face was unreadable for a moment but slowly turned around and said.

"No actually, that won't do me any good…unless you were one of Voldemort's arse kissers" they're eyes locked on to each other for a moment, Draco now was the one that was confused. Harry smiled all of the sudden then began backing away to leave finally.

"Get better, I think we still have a score to settle…" he said while laughing then left the room. Draco gazed after him for while thoughtfully then ran his fingers over the scarf and smiled wearily to himself. He dozed off after a while, succumbing to the tranquility of room around him. He dreamt that night about Voldemort, the Death Eaters, his father and…

…Harry Potter.