Sorry for the long wait on the update. Also, in one week I am leaving for vacation so there won't be any updates. Hawaii! Woohoo. Anyway, on to the story now. Oh and don't forget the little friendly blue link in the corner! Click it when you're done. You know you want to!

"Malfoy?" Harry questioned thoroughly confused.

"It's to nice to see you too Potter. Anyway, I'll just get on with it. I was sent here by Dumbledore believe it or not. A lot has happened while you've been isolating yourself here. People were worried when you said you'd not be writing anymore. It's not like I cared or anything..." Malfoy trailed off, and Harry could have sworn there was a tiny blush on his pale face.

"How would you know about the letter?" Harry questioned him, not really because he was interested or eager to learn, but rather just because he felt awkward letting Malfoy do all the talking.

"Well, my father and the other death eaters broke out of Azkaban. I thought it would be good at first, but then when he demanded that I become a death eater.... Well I..." He trailed off once again. Harry felt a lurching feeling in his stomach. 'Could this be pity? Why would I be pitying him?'

"I got scared. I realized what an irrational action it was. But my father, he wouldn't have that. So I ran for it. I really didn't have anywhere to go, but a great twist of fate came to me. I was found by our old defense against the dark arts teacher, Moody."

Harry chuckled, envisioning what the real Moody might do away from the school campus. True, it had really been Crouch who had turned Draco into a ferret and whacked him on the ground. But still, from what Harry could gather, the real Moody would do worse.

"Is that a laugh I hear?" Malfoy questioned, raising an eyebrow.

'Wow... I laughed, somehow Draco... no, Malfoy made me laugh. Why?' Harry just looked at Malfoy lost in thought.

"Fine, don't answer me. Anyway, as I was saying, Moody that old bat found me. He instantly thought I was up to no good, and I don't blame him, for the state I was in was atrocious. He grabbed me, and blindfolded me. I normally would have used a spell, but I am sure father had my wand jinxed, and any spell I cast would lead him right to me. So as disgraceful as it was, I went along with him. Hey! Are you still alive Ha.... Potter?"

Harry suddenly realized that he had been staring. He blushed and quickly apologized.

Malfoy eyed him strangely, as if taken aback by the apology. "Anyway," he continued, "We traveled for a while, and when I could finally see again I was in some very old looking room in a house. There he questioned me, and I told him why I was on the run. It took some convincing for him to believe that I truly wasn't spying for the Dark Lord. He eventually did, and then I was told where I was. Turns out, I was in the hideout for a anti-Voldemort society."

"The order." Harry thought aloud.

"What's that Harry?"

Harry blushed at the sound of his name. 'Why the heck am I doing this? And better yet, why is he calling me by name?' "Oh nothing..." he stammered.

"Well anyway, you do have it right. It was the order's hideout. I was soon told all about them and they let me join. That weasel's mom sure gave me a hard time about it. She kept going on about how I was "still to young to be fighting. Its to dangerous for young ones!" Of course I quickly reminded her that I was 17, and that I was fully capable of taking care of myself." Malfoy paused waiting for Harry to yell back at him about calling his friend a weasel, but no response came. A look of concern flashed across his face and then he continued. "So they gave me my first assignment, and that was, to come and get you. I am to bring you back to the headquarters."

'Why did they send him? Out of all the people. Why not send Lupin or Moody?' There was awkward silence for a moment.

"Don't you want to leave this place?" Draco asked, in attempt to break the silence.

Harry for once had to think about that question. 'Here it is so quiet, and I can be left alone to think. But there it is always busy and people would surround me. It was bad enough when I left Hogwarts having everyone's sympathy, and now I would be there with them permanently. And also, I don't think I could stand being there, without Sirius. It would just feel so wrong. After all it is his house... why is Dra... Malfoy staring at me? He's blushing to...'

"You don't want to leave, do you?"

Harry didn't move.

"You know what?" Malfoy said, his voice suddenly sounding harsher, "It's getting real annoying, trying to be all nice to you. They all told me, "be nice to him, he's hurting", but I don't think that's it. You just want the pity!"

Harry could feel his eyes swelling with tears. 'Why do his words sting so much? I shouldn't care what he thinks." He looked up. Malfoy's face went paler than usual. (if that's even possible)

'Damn, I didn't think he'd take that so seriously. What? He's crying! It wasn't that harsh! Come on! I'm not comforting him. I've already done enough but....' Malfoy looked into Harry's once green eyes. He remembered the first day he saw those eyes, how beautiful and deep they had been, but they also had sharpness to them, which nothing seemed to penetrate. But now, his eyes had grown paler, clouded over, and looked like the eyes of a tormented and restless soul.

"Sorry... I didn't mean to be cruel..." Malfoy whispered nervously.

"It's ok." Harry cringed. "You're right you know. There was still that part of me that wanted attention. But now, a lot of time has passed. I'd rather not have attention anymore. I just want solitude. Nothing matters anyway..."

"That's not true Harry. A lot of things matter. If you wimp out on us now, Voldemort will win. You're the only one with the power to stop him..."

'Why did I just pour my heart out to him?' Harry thought. 'Honestly, what has become of me? It doesn't really matter I guess, if people know how I feel. And in a really strange way, it almost seems right to tell him.'

"Look, you're too lost in thought. You need to get out of here, out of this dump, and be around some other people. You know what happens to people that don't? They end up dead Harry. We're not going to let that happen to you."

"What about the spell? The shielding one. The reason I had to stay in this treacherous house in the first place?"

"Voldemort used your blood right? So therefore that spell is of no use anymore. You are under much better protection under a bunch of aurors than you are here, in the middle of a muggle neighborhood."

"Yes, I suppose..."

"So that's settled. You're coming with me. Pack your things, and grab your broom. You'll need that to travel. Oh and as for Hedwig, I saw her on the way here, and I told her to send a message to the hideout. She'll stay there."

Harry did as he was told. For once, it felt right to follow Malfoy's orders. Once everything was gathered in his trunk, (with the exception of the bird cage which he would have to carry and the invisibility cloak he would be wearing) they headed towards the window.

"Oh and I almost forgot," Malfoy began, "You have to leave some sort of note for those screaming muggles out there."

Apparently they had been outside Harry's door the whole time, pounding and demanding he let them in. Malfoy, in no mood to be disrupted, had placed a barrier and silencing charm on it when he landed.

"Oh yes."

Malfoy summoned a piece of paper and quill, and Harry began to scribble down a note. Dear Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia,

I will be leaving this house for the rest of the summer. Do not expect to see me anytime soon. As for Dudley, I never put a spell on him, only took my wand out, so once he quits his obnoxious wailing he will be fine.

Good Day, Harry

Harry smirked, satisfied with his letter. He dropped it on the floor by his door. Malfoy took off into the sky with an invisibility cloak on. Harry wasn't sure where he got it, but he figured it had been stolen from Mr. Malfoy. Harry followed after him, with his own invisibility cloak, and birdcage in hand.

'I'm really flying. I'm getting away from that place. I'm free, and yet I don't feel good about it.'

Twenty minutes later Harry was quite glad he had his cloak on. The rain that was drizzling earlier now began to pour down. It didn't hurt though, in a way it felt like a massage or one of those vibrating chairs. He was now filled with apprehension, wondering what would happen at the house. He wondered if it had ever really gotten clean. After all it had been a good six months since he had been there. The thought of when he had last been at the house, reminded him of how happy Sirius had been then. He was even singing Christmas carols and decorating the house. Thinking of him always made Harry more depressed. And so, his apprehension faded and replacing it came a feeling of utmost dread.

Harry was finally torn from his dreamlike state when Malfoy yelled,

"Prepare for landing Potter."

'What where am I? Oh yeah, I'm going to the hideout with Draco, I mean Malfoy. Why do I keep saying his name? Its as if I feel closer to him somehow... Ah, yes landing.'

They landed in-between 11 and 13 Grimmauld place. Before their eyes the houses began to spread apart and a new house materialized between them. They were now off their brooms and began to walk towards the house.

'This is it.' Harry thought as he began the trudge up the steep creaky staircase. Suddenly a ghastly thought struck him. "Oh my god! Lupin, I didn't even think about him. He must be devastated. Is he still here?'

Sure enough a tall, weary looking man opened the door. The man was so similar to the appearance of Harry when he had looked in the mirror, that he thought he was looking at an older version of himself. The man was worn out and exhausted looking. The state of his clothes was even shabbier than usual. His usually neatly combed hair was tossed everywhere.

"Hello Harry." the man smiled unenthusiastically. "It's nice to see you. Come in now, your getting wet."

Harry looked down at his clothes. He hadn't even notice how soaked he was getting. Next to him stood a shivering Malfoy, who looked as if he'd kill to get in that house. Harry began to step towards the house. With each step he took, images of old times swept passed him. He remembered the first time he had walked into this house. At that time he had been accompanied by a group of cheerful aurors and a smiling Lupin. But as he stepped inside and saw the others, he knew this visit would be nothing like the last.

All the faces around him tried to hold fake smiles. 'A crypt would be a happier place than this. Who are they trying to fool?'

"Harry dear! Its so nice to see you!" Mrs. Weasly sighed with delight as she squeezed him into her arms. Yet, the hug was not given out of happiness or love, but out of protectiveness, and fear.

'This is going to be a long summer.' Harry thought looking towards Malfoy. 'Why is it that Draco is the only one I can turn to now?'

Simultaneous with that thought, Hermione and Ron burst down the stairs.

"Harry!" They both shouted. Hermione got to him first.

"It's so wonderful to see you! Were the Dursley's treating you right? I wanted to write, but the others said I should respect your wish. Oh we've missed you so much Harry! How have you been?"

"Just fine, Hermione." Hermione saw his expression and gave a worried look.

"Are you sure? You don't look fine..." Ron then interrupted her.

"Oh leave him alone 'ermione." He then turned his attention to Harry.

"It's been real boring here without you. Not much of anyone to talk to with Fred and George off at their joke shop every day." Ron gave a nervous glance at Hermione and when seeing the look on her face added,

"I mean 'ermione and Ginny are great, but they have been off talking about girl stuff a lot. And Malfoy here," He gave a cold glare, "Why I've had better conversations with a chess board!" He leaned in closer to Harry lowering his voice to a whisper

"Honestly, ever since he came things got a lot worse around here. But you should have seen the look on his face when they took his wand. It was worth every chore Mum gave me for spying!" He looked at Harry expecting to see a smile, but his face was blank. If one could pick out any emotion was written on it, it would probably be sorrow or something of that sort.

"Well you're not just going to leave Harry standing there with all of his things now are you." prodded Mrs. Weasly attempting to break the awkwardness. "Go along now! Show him to his room."

Without a second thought Harry, Ron and Hermione headed upstairs. Harry glanced over his shoulder to get another look at Draco and Lupin, but they were gone.

Dun dun dun.... ooops forgot no suspense this time. Anyway... click the friendly button!

-Mel