Tabii: I'm so glad you liked it! Hope you like this chapter just as much.

mermaidQt: Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you like my story :-D

Nicole11: I should just start calling you 'Trump' cause I totally am your apprentice! I love getting your feedback on every chapter before it's posted, I'd be too scared to post without it! Thanks for all your fabulous help, this story is totally dedicated to you! "It really was!" indeed grin

Ok, so you all know the drill, I still own absolutely nothing, just ask my sister she's seen my apartment, she'll tell you! Anyway, hope y'all like the story!

Chapter 1

Draco sat sprawled across the couch that was located in what was once his father's office. He watched his aunt, if you could even call her that, pacing before him as he zoned in and out of her lecture. Despite the number of reasons he disliked Hogwarts, Potter being at the top; at least there he knew he would be free from the torture he was being subjected to at present.

How long had he been stuck in that room? He had lost track after a half hour went by. He was sure at least a day had passed, maybe more. There was an ulterior motive to this, he was sure of it. His family wanted him to miss out on the prime of his life so they locked him in a room with one of his least favorite people. When he finally got out he was sure he'd be as old as Dumbledore.

"You realize of course, how crucial this year is," Bellatrix Lestrange continued. Bloody right it was crucial. After this year he'd finally be free, free from Hogwarts, free from Potter, and free from his fanatical family. He began to zone out again, praying he would soon be free. "The Dark Lord will be in need of your help," his attention snapped back to the woman in front of him.

She had to be bloody insane. "You're in an essential position," she continued. Draco watched her with a practiced neutral expression. "None of the other Death Eaters are able to get as close to Potter as you. Your place at Hogwarts will be incredibly beneficial to the dark side."

"I'm not a Death Eater," he drawled.

She turned and fixed him with a cold expression, "Not officially." It was clear there was to be no more discussion. "Plans are being made, I was told to inform you that when your part in the plan is to begin you will be contacted with directions."

Draco remind silent, the woman had to be bloody mad if she thought he cared about what she was saying. He wasn't about to become a pawn in someone else's endgame. Especially someone like Voldemort, a man that was just as filthy as the mudbloods he hated. The fact that his family followed him so blindly disgusted Draco, it went against everything the Malfoy name stood for. His father may have disgraced the family name but he wasn't about to do the same.

Harry walked through the forbidden forest, the lights from Hogwarts slowly fading in the distance behind him. His wand provided just enough light to see the ground in front of him as he made his way deeper into the forest. He was there; Harry knew he was. He could feel him.

There was a snap of a twig from near by and suddenly Voldemort was in front of him. Harry went to raise his wand but his arm wouldn't obey. He was frozen, forced to stand and watch as Voldemort slowly circled him, eyeing him like a predator would his prey. "You can't hide from me Harry," Voldemort's voice seemed to come from inside his head, "I will always be a part of you."

Hermione appeared in front of Harry but she didn't seem to be aware of his presence. "She will be first," the voice in his head told him. A curse was hurled at Hermione and Harry was forced to watch helplessly as she collapsed into a lifeless heap. "When you least expect it."

Harry's eyes flew open with a soft gasp; it took him a moment to get his bearings as he glanced around the room widely. His heart was racing, hints of his dream still on the edges of his fuzzy mind. He absentmindedly rubbed his forehead as if it would stop the shooting pains. He threw his cover back as his breathing slowed to an almost normal speed. He walked down the stairs as quietly as possible, well aware he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep tonight.

Hermione was curled up on the Weasley's couch, skimming the book assigned for Potions that year. She had hoped she would be able to find something to help calm Harry's nerves but wasn't having any luck. She looked up from her book at the sounds of footsteps on the stairs. A disheveled Harry met her gaze and she offered him a smile, "You couldn't sleep either?" she asked as he sat down beside her on the couch.

Harry shook his head, still shaky from his dream and not trusting his voice quite yet. He watched the girl before him as she glanced back down at her book and the image of her from his dream came back full force. It was just a dream, he reminded himself. But it didn't feel like just a dream. In desperate need of a distraction he turned himself toward Hermione, "No humming tonight?"

Her head shot up and she caught the knowing twinkle in his eyes, suspiciously resembling Dumbledore. He knew, Hermione realized, she could feel her cheeks redden as she struggled to find an answer. "No, that was just a one time thing," she told him after a moment.

He watched as her face flushed and she looked down at her book, avoiding his gaze. "Did Ron—" he started, wondering if his friend had allowed an awkward situation to turn him into the git he could sometimes become.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, "No," she cut him off with a reassuring smile. "We both agreed that the . . . humming was not something we wanted to continue." She couldn't believe she was having this conversation, in code no less.

Harry returned her smile, the absurdity of the conversation not lost on him. He couldn't help but feel a little relived at the news though. Although he had heard from most of Hogwarts, no one more so than Ginny, that Ron and Hermione were destined to eventually end up together he had never seen what everyone else saw. The two were friends but they were constantly bickering and Harry had always felt like, despite their love for each other as friends, they both deserved people they had a little bit more in common with. Plus he had never looked forward to being stuck in the middle of their lovers' quarrels.

"So what brought you down here?" Hermione's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She closed her book and placed it on the table in front of them before turning to face him fully.

He knew she probably wanted to hear more of his sudden paranoia concerning Voldemort but simply shrugged, "Just insomnia."

She watched him closely for a moment before accepting his answer, "I think they'll be a lot of that going around this year," she told him cryptically before picking up her book and pulling it to her chest. "Try and get some sleep Harry," she gave his shoulder a quick squeeze as she stood from the couch. "We have to leave early tomorrow."

He nodded; knowing there would be no more sleep for him that night and distantly told her good night as she began to climb the stairs. He glanced around the empty room, wondering what he was going to do for the next six hours before the house came alive again.

The next chapter is almost completely written in my head, the next step is getting it typed; hopefully I'll be done soon. :-)