Disclaimer: I'm not J.K.R...Thanks for noticing.

Warning: SLASH...yummy

Dedication: This one's for Cole

A/N: Thanks so much to my beta, truthfulchaos, you rock, love ya doll.

The 'Not so Golden Boy': The 'Happy' Boy

"You're neutral, right Dray?" Harry asked, it was around one in the morning and they were sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace in Draco's room drinking pumpkin juice and roasting marshmallows.

"Basically."

"So that means you aren't loyal to either side?"

"If you're asking me if I'll tell Dumbledore things you say to me, or if I'll tell my father, I won't."

Harry smiled slightly. "Just had to make sure."

Draco lay down on his stomach and propped his head up with a hand, then looked over at Harry, who was staring intently at the fire and popping marshmallows into his mouth. "With all the pain you're put through," Draco began and Harry looked over at him. "Why do you still hurt yourself?"

Harry cocked his head to the side. Draco reached out for his arm and pushed up the sleeve.

"Oh," Harry looked back at the fire, then to Draco once more. "I guess... it just reminds me that I can feel... anything at all, besides the darkness that's... well, overpowering me. I don't do it often anymore," he added. "Just when I need to know, need to feel."

Draco saw the pain in Harry's eyes and somewhere past the darkness, he saw the fear, of what, he didn't know. Then he realized he was still holding the other boy's hand from when he reached for his arm. Their eyes locked and for a minute, neither of them moved.

Then Harry pulled his hand away and looked back into the flames. "You don't want to get involved Draco," he said coolly. "I'm more complex than you may realize."

Draco laughed and sat up. "If I don't get involved, who will? You already shut Granger and Weasley out. You can try and shut me out, but right now, as I see it, I'm your only link into the sane world. I won't let you push me away Harry. I'm too involved already. If I don't stick around you could end up killing yourself, or better yet, Voldemort could kill you. So I'm involved whether you like it or not."

Harry didn't say anything for a minute. "So, I guess this makes us friends?" he finally asked.

"Yeah, we're friends. Now get out, Potter."

Harry smiled and headed for the door.

"Harry." He turned around. "You look a lot better when you smile."

Harry froze for a second and then finished the walk to the exit.

"Night," Draco called after him.

"Harry, wake up." Ron shook his arm.

Harry moaned and rolled over.

"C'mon mate, if we're late for Potions, Snape'll kill us."

He dragged himself out of bed and to his trunk to get dressed.

"Meet you in the common room?" Ron asked.

"You mean Hermione's there and you don't want me to keep you from seeing your girl friend," Harry corrected him.

"I knew you'd understand," Ron smiled and left.

Harry sighed and sat on the edge of his bed, slipping on his robes. "You look a lot better when you smile."

Draco's words came back to him, and suddenly, he wanted to get to Potions class.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said as he came down the stairs.

"Morning Harry, ready to go?"

Harry nodded and the three headed off. When they reached the Potions class Hermione and Ron sat together, and there were no more open seats with the Gryffindors for Harry.

Snape walked in. "Is there a problem, Potter?" he asked.

"I don't have a seat, sir," Harry said looking over at him.

"There's an open chair next to Mister Malfoy," Snape spat, setting a stack of papers on his desk.

Harry walked across the room to where Draco sat. "Don't want to sit with me, Potter?" Draco asked playfully.

"Of course not, you're my arch nemeses."

Draco smirked and looked up, receiving an odd glance from Snape, who shook it off and began his lecture about herbs and ingredients that go into potions.

"Lucius wants you to come to the Manor for Christmas holiday," Draco whispered.

"He mentioned something about that last night, after the meeting," Harry said under his breath.

"Are you going to?" Harry noticed Draco sounded almost hopeful.

"I think it only right of me. After all, Lucius thinks I look up to him."

Harry looked over at Draco when he didn't reply. The blonde was scratching aimlessly on his parchment.

"I don't mean-"

"It's fine Harry. My father and I have never gotten along. Now that you're on his side... he sees you as the son he never had." Draco looked over and attempted a smile.

"I won't go if you don't want me to."

"I do want you to."

"But-Lucius?"

"Screw Lucius."

This time Harry smiled.

"Ahem." Both Harry and Draco's heads shot up at the sound of Snape's voice. "Is there something you two would like to share with the class?"

Harry and Draco looked at each other. Draco plastered the Malfoy smirk on his face and Harry fixed a glare on his own. "I was just informing Potter over here that Slytherin House is going to win the Quidditch cup this year."

Snape nodded. "Very well then, five points from Gryffindor for interrupting the class, Potter." The Gryffindor house groaned and Snape went back to his lesson.

Draco snorted and Harry tried not to laugh. "That's all you could think of?"

"Shh, or it'll be your turn to make up an excuse," Draco warned.