Harry yawned loudly as he sat across from Hermione and Ron at the breakfast table. The first three weeks of school had seemed a lifetime for him. Homework was piling up and Quidditch practice had started. Needless to say, Harry's life was booked.

"Sleep well Harry?" asked Hermione hardly looking over the large text book perched on her lap.

"Sure." That was a lie; as usual Harry's dreams had taken him to the department of mysteries. He had stood at that veiled curtain hearing Sirius call his name, but Harry couldn't move, couldn't help Sirius as he so longed to do and it made him feel so hopeless.

"Well you better eat something quick, History of Magic in a few minutes."

"Oh joy!" came Ron's sarcastic reply and Harry hid a smile as Hermione shot a glare at their red-headed friend.

They rose and left the Great Hall talking and laughing on their way out. A pair of silver eyes followed their progress with contempt.

"Draco? Draco, are you listening?"

"Of course Pansy." Draco turned his eyes back on the girl to smile at her.

"Well whatever." She said shaking her head. "It's time for transfiguration anyways." And grabbing Draco's hand dragging him out of the hall followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

The day past in a blur and Draco and Harry found themselves knocking shoulders at the entrance to the Great Hall. Both had stayed late. Harry on the Quidditch pitch and Draco in the library.

"Potter." Draco spat but with less than the normal enthusiasm.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Having troubles walking today Malfoy?" he shot back.

With a last icy glare in the boys direction Draco swept into the hall. He sat heavily between Pansy and Millicent.

"Nice time in the library?" Pansy asked in honeyed tones.

"Absolutely thrilling." Draco sighed picking up a plate and placing some chicken onto it.

Pansy Millicent and the two goons all started talking. An insult of a classmate here a useless comment about the days lesson there. Draco was quiet but no one seemed to notice. He was surrounded by his "friends" yet he felt this horrible emptiness clawing at his heart. It inflated in his chest making it almost unbearable.

"I'm off to bed." He announced suddenly standing and leaving his housemates confused.

Draco ran through the torch lit halls. Somehow it was making him feel better. The sweat running down the back of his neck as he panted heavily and his thighs burned with the effort of running so fast. He wanted to keep running forever, he felt as if he kept running nothing could catch up and hurt him. All too soon he stood at the entrance to the Slytherin common room. He breathed the password and walked into the dungeon like common room.

'Why is it like this' Draco asked himself fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall.

He mustn't cry. His father always said that Malfoy's don't show weakness and his mother had never contradicted the idea. A foreigner to all forms of affection and love Draco always assumed one could live without it. At the moment however, Draco was unknowingly suffering from a pain caused by lack of love. But he refused to show any kind of weakness. He would not let down his father. So raising his chin he climbed the stairs to the confines of his bedroom.

Back in the Great Hall Harry sat listening to his housemates talk avidly to one another, occasionally nodding or smiling. He wasn't really paying attention though. He was thinking of how he had seen Malfoy run suddenly from the Great Hall and his friends puzzled looks. Harry wished he could do the same but in truth he was afraid of worrying his friends. But what could it hurt if he hid his pain from his friends? It kept them happy and that's all that mattered.

Dinner came to an end and the trio stood and headed back to their common room. Harry lagging slightly behind, sinking into his own world as his feet followed Hermione and Ron automatically.

Before he knew it they had given the password to the fat lady and were sitting in chairs around the fireplace.

"So Harry," Ron began. "Big match against Slytherin tomorrow, think we're ready?"

"Hmm? Oh of course I think we're ready." Harry smiled at Ron and Hermione.

Ron had improved greatly since their fifth year and it showed during practices. Harry loved being back on his broom but was feeling the pressure being Captain. He wondered how Oliver and Alicia did it sometimes.

"Well all I can say is good luck tomorrow." Dean said energetically. "It'd be great to win the Quidditch cup again."

The group all nodded and smiled at each other.

"What about Snape this year? Eh?" questions Seamus.

It was true Snape had seemed to have eased up on the Gryffindors this year, it was odd but Harry had an idea it had to do with whatever he was doing for the order. Snape always had the air of someone who didn't sleep well. Harry knew the feeling. It was odd but he felt a slight twinge of sympathy for the potions master.

"How about a game of chess Harry?" Ron asked Harry jarring him from his thoughts.

"Sure" he replied and they sat down to a game, Hermione reading as Seamus, Dean and Neville all discussed the Snape situation in puzzled and occasionally amused tones.

Ron beat Harry in a series of four games and at ten the entire group decided to call it a night. Hermione headed off to her dorm room and the boys there's. Outside of the door Harry was stopped by Ron who stood in front of him, a concerned look on his freckled face.

"You okay mate?" He asked worry laced in his tone. "You've seemed so out of it lately and they way I just creamed you at those chess matches, well..."

"I'm alright Ron, just lost a lot in my head lately."

Ron nodded. He would be lost a lot too if he had gone through what Harry had, and the looming threat of Voldemort had all of them scared. Secretly Ron admired Harry. He seemed to take everything he was given and just bear it. Ron didn't think he could ever hold up that strong.

"C'mon Ron, lets get some sleep. I'm beat."

Ron nodded and they both entered the room, Dean, Seamus and Neville already in their beds and beginning to doze off. Harry and Ron slipped into their pajamas and got into bed silently.

"Goodnight Harry." Ron said. He hoped Harry knew how much he and Hermione cared for him.

"Goodnight Ron."

Soon the room was filled with Ron's snores as Harry lay wide awake staring at the dark velvet of the curtains surrounding his bed. He was hurting so much and he felt so alone. He was afraid of falling asleep in case of his dreams that would come and haunt him.

Harry turned over and did something he hadn't done in a while. He began to softly sob into his pillow. Little did he know a certain Slytherin was doing the same many floors below.

A/N: I am so sorry my chapters are so short guys. I don't feel like this is my best work but you guys are so wonderful in all the reviews you give me. You all lift my spirits, and so a special thanks to all of you;

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Huge apologies if I missed any of you!