Harry sat at the top of the pitch, floating through the chilly afternoon air of a February Sunday. The wind was picking up, the semi-frosted grass looking like tiny islands of green in a sea of white. Harry sighed to himself and leaned forward on his knees. Everything seemed so quiet and simple when he was on his broom. He glanced down at the ground and saw a blonde-haired boy making his way across the school yard towards the pitch, followed by two large-set boys. Harry could pick up their far off conversation even from his perch in the air.

"B-but, Draco! Why!?"

"We've been loyal to you, just like our fathers!"

"I could care LESS what our fathers do! As far as I'm concerned, you're dragon dung!"

"But Draco! Come on!"

"We promise we won't tell your father about Potter!"

"Yeah,We SWEAR!"

"But we can't make any promises if you don't stay"

"Oh, go blow yourselves up the arse!"

Harry frowned and slowly descended down until his feet softly planted on the crunchy grass. Draco was still shouting, his white features alive with rage and disgust.

"Go AWAY, you pathetic excuses of flesh! You fat, idiotic lumps of lard! You filthy morons!"

Crabbe and Goyle were looking about as angry as they were stupid, obviously not knowing why their master was treating them this way.

"But, Draco, " Crabbe called." We're supposed to protect you. Our fathers made us PROMISE. Don't you want to please your Dad?"

Draco turned on them so sharply they skidded to a halt and slipped onto the ground." My father is a good for nothing BASTARD! I wish I had the power to kill him, bring him back to life JUST so I can kill him again! He's nothing more than scum I scrape off my shoes! He's just a pile of flaming, stinking-"

Harry had rushed forward and grabbed Draco back before he leapt upon the two bulky forms on the ground. It took quite a struggle to yank Draco's wand from his hand before he got a chance to jinx Crabbe and Goyle, both looking more and more betrayed.

"Buzz off you two or I'll set him loose."

Crabbe and Goyle shuffled to their feet quickly and, despite their girth, hurried off. Harry sighed and let go of Draco's arm when his ex-henchmen were well inside the school. He handed Draco his wand and got shoved back in return.

"What'd you stop me for!? The world would've been a better place if you had let me kill them!" Draco spat furiously, his face still flushed with rage.

"Do you want to get expelled ontop of everything else? Because if you want to, I'll gladly set up a playdate for you and those two oafs you call friends! How 'bout that? You can make your father proud and kill them!" Harry shot back.

Draco's cool, gray eyes burst with fury. Before Harry could react, Draco had tackled him to the ground. Harry grunted, beginning to struggle for control of the fight. He latched onto Draco's wrists, straining to keep him from breaking free and landing punches, which he inevitably did. A few good ones landed on Harry's cheek, stomach and side. They rolled and struggled in the icy grass, snow grinding the dirt deep into their robes and shoes.

Finally, Harry managed to push Draco off, rip his wand out and shout Impedimenta. Draco flew off his feet as his arms and legs clamped securely together, leaving him immobile.

Harry straightened up, wiping some snow and mud from his cheek and stared at the fuming blonde on the grass. Puffs of visible breath burst from their mouths, as each was heavily panting from their battle.

Time past until Harry was sure Draco's temper had simmered down below any attempt to kill him. Harry lifted the spell off the haughty boy and leapt back as he got up and stormed past him.

"Where are you going?" Harry shouted to him.

"Go to hell," Draco shot back viciously.

//------------

"I shouldn't have said that about his father," Harry mumbled miserably to Ron.

Ron scoffed and pointed his wand at the small canary he was to make sound like a music box. It ended up sounding something like nails on a chalk board.

Hermione reached over and silenced the ear-piercing bird with a flick of her wand," Don't kill yourself over it, Harry. This IS Malfoy we're talking about here."

"Yeah, what does he care if you bad mouth his father?" Ron added on, trying again with the canary.

Harry sighed as his own canary hopped into his hand. Stroking it with thumb, the bird cooed happily, slowly falling asleep." I know better than that..."

"Yeah, you do. So, if Malfoy really IS your new 'friend', then he'll realize you made a mistake and come talk to you," Hermione rationalized, performing the spell to result in a beautiful-sounding canary.

Harry stared absentmindedly at his blue bird, watching it nod off in his palm. Draco hadn't spoken to him for three days, what were the chances he'd up and come to Harry now? He knew Ron and Hermione were right in some aspect, but he also knew that if HE had been insulted that low, he'd expect the other person to come to HIM. And he dreaded this common sense and half hated himself for knowing it.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as Harry gathered his things ten minutes before the bell.

"I need to apologize to Draco," He replied setting down the canary, who looked rather annoyed he woke her up.

"Oh,come on,Harry. Have some PRIDE. Remember pride? Well, you lose more and more each day you're friends with the Bouncing Ferret, " Ron commented, giving up on his bird." Its almost disgusting how friendly you guys are together."

"Ron's got a point, Harry... Its just too weird picturing you friends with Draco Malfoy. You two have been enemies since you first came to Hogwarts, its impossible he gave up all his jealousy and hatred for you so quickly, JUST because his mum died." Hermione added.

"He's not as bad as you think, you know. Sure, he's still cold and hot-headed...but if you just get him away from his father's influence, he can manage normalcy," Harry retorted, feeling more than irritated at his friends' lack of faith.

"I don't know Harry. Its just too odd not to think anything's up. Nothing in our past can prove Malfoy has good intentions this time," Hermione continued, despite Harry's angry glare.

"FINE, then DON'T believe me. But I know I'm right about Malfoy. I don't know why, but I KNOW his heart is in a good place...He just needs the right friends to help him see that," Harry said, shoving his bag on.

The minute the bell rang, Harry stormed out of the classroom, knocking over a few classmates on the way. He just walked, not in the mood to have dinner with the others and not in the mood to hide out in the common room. He knew everyone was wary of Draco, he was as well. But he wasn't going to let that stop his gut feeling. He knew Draco was different from his father...and if Harry could save Draco from the same fate of being a Death Eater, he would do all it takes.

"UMPF!"

Harry stumbled back and dropped his books. He quickly gathered the strewn books and parchments, stammering apologies when he looked up and saw Draco doing the same. They both looked down and finished picking up their things. Draco turned to leave, but paused when Harry told him to wait.

"What do you want, Potter? Want to add something else?"

Harry shoved his things back into his bag and forced himself to look Draco straight on," I'm sorry I said those things, Draco. I really am. I went over the line, and if I could, I'd take 'em back."

Draco looked up, having a struggle behind his eyes. Obviously one side won because he mumbled," Fine..."

"Look, Draco...I know this probably doesn't mean much, but...I have faith in you."

Draco blinked, staring in skepticism at the sincere look in Harry's eyes." But...Why? Even I think you're an idiot."

"Maybe so, but I know to trust my instincts, and they tell me you're a good guy." Harry replied.

Draco shifted awkwardly, feeling rather horrible now that he had dismissed Harry so quickly." I...um...er...Well...I'm...you know..."

"Sorry?" Harry offered, slightly amused.

"Yeah, that thing," Draco mumbled.

"Apology accepted...Bygones-be-bygones?" Harry asked, holding out his hand.

Draco nodded and shook Harry's hand ," Its been pretty hard not having any flunkies being at your beck and call."

"I can only imagine," Harry replied with a slight smile.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Draco exclaimed, reaching inside his bag and pulling out the Daily Prophet.

It didn't take Harry long at all to discover Draco's interest with this edition. There, plastered in malevolent black letters, read ' MISSING REPORTER'S BODY DISCOVERED IN CHIPPENHAM'. Harry didn't need to read more.

"She had been tortured," Draco filled in, seeing Harry's eyes drop from the article quickly after seeing the title." They could hardly recognize her body when it was found in a well of this farmer's. Muggle. Didn't know what the hell was going on when the Ministry showed up. Had to get his memory modified...Stupid Muggles...."

Harry's throat felt dry and his heart slightly ached. Yeah, he never really liked Rita Skeeter, but she still was dead. She'd never write another annoying piece on Harry's love life or see that irritating quill she had that wrote complete nonsense.

"Wasn't she the broad that wrote that article in Witch Weekly about you and Granger?" Draco asked in the middle of Harry's thoughts.

Harry nodded.

"And didn't she do that piece in The Quibbler where you named all the Death Eaters, including my father?" Draco went on.

Harry nodded.

"Well?" Draco asked, eyebrows raised.

Harry frowned, "Well, what?"

"Hello, moron. She wrote all this stuff about you, had PLENTY of interaction with you, knows LOTS bout you, and yet you're still stumped why she was taken and killed? " Draco drawled impatiently.

Harry shifted, "Well, I had a feeling that's why...But it doesn't make sense why they'd take Buckman Cherrywood or Pansy for that matter."

"Pansy could've well been my fault...Wrong place at the wrong time sort of deal. I'm not too worried," Draco added.

"She was in your house, Malfoy. She liked you. Doesn't that even make you the LEAST bit upset?"

Draco looked at Harry as if he had said the world was made of cotton candy and there were frogs shooting out his ears.

"Oh, nevermind. Bloody git," Harry mumbled.

"What? Am I SUPPOSED to be upset? Is that the goody-goody thing to do?" Draco retorted as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall.

"Well, that's usually what NORMAL people do when someone they know is gone," Harry replied, stuffing the paper into his bag.

"In case you haven't noticed Professor Potter, I'm not normal. And why would anyone WANT to be?" Draco went on, looking visibly ruffled.

"Agh, get off it Draco. You're just a pompous idiot who's grown up rich and snobby. You're not apart of us down here on Earth,"

Draco shoved Harry slightly," Hey now. Just because I've been BLESSED with so much." He motioned to his face," DOESN'T mean I'm snobby."

Harry stifled a laugh as they entered the Great Hall side by side. Draco looked at Harry as he clapped his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, shove it out your ear," Draco remarked, marching indignantly to the Slytherin table.

Harry walked over and took his seat besides Hermione.

"Everything all right, again?" She asked, plucking a plump chicken leg from the bowl infront of them.

Harry nodded spearing a baked potato and setting it on his plate.

"You know what we think though, "Ron added, his mouth full of chicken.

"Yeah, but...I got to think for myself. I know Draco's good...He won't betray me," Harry replied.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a look, then went on eating. The topic they discussed next was Rita Skeeter's discovered body.

"Why do you think he dumped ol' Skeeter first and not Cherrywood?" Ron inquired as he plopped two backed potatoes on his plate.

"Who knows. Maybe he disposed of them all already and we've only just found the one," Hermione said.

Harry's mind trailed off their conversation as he did some personal thinking of his own. What would be the use of kidnapping Rita though? Its not as if she knew any in-depth facts about him, they were just all lies. Sure, she knew his accounts of that night in the graveyard, but then again, EVERYONE knew now. It didn't make sense. Why kill a reporter who wrote fiction and a man who played with animals? Why?

A/N: Sorry I didn't comment in the last chapter. I TOTALLY meant to, but you know how things get. I'm hopelessly absentminded. So, in reply to a reviewer named "Jeff", YES! I'd LOVE for you to be my beta. I need one DESPERATELY! My spellcheck isn't working right so there're all these obnoxious mistakes, plus, I'm just too lazy to go through all my chapters and find the screw-ups. So, if you're still up for the job, lemme know. I'll be anxiously awaiting!