Author: Lenuvira Dostar

R-English-Romance/Adventure

Summary of events: Ok, so in the last chapter Harry gets an empathy globe from Moody as a birthday gift. Harry and Draco are made quidditch captains of their teams. They are playing against each other in their first quidditch game of the season. Ginny and Seamus are the new chasers for the Gryffindor team. Gryffindor is leading 60 to nothing. Harry spots the snitch, and Draco follows him. Draco pushes him from behind and Harry catches snitch, and falls off his broom. Enjoy this next chapter it starts to pick up speed;) Also the chapters will gradually start to get longer, so you have a fair warning now :D

Chapter three- Dreaming in color

Where have all the good men gone,

and where are all the gods?

Where's the street wise Hercules,

to fight the rising odds?…

I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero 'till the end of the night.

He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast,

and he's gotta be fresh from the fight.

-Holding out for a hero, Bonnie Tyler

Draco watched in a stunned horror as Potter fell through the air, bursting into speed once more he desperately tried to reach the boy before he hit ground, as the scarlet robes fluttered upwards. It was too late, Harry hit the ground with a sickening thud and crack, his right hand still clasped around the snitch, crimson robes coming to settle gracefully around the body on the ground. Shaking his head attempting to get that nauseating sound out, he screamed,

"Nooo!"

Touching down hard, he staggered forward and then tried to run over to the boy on the ground, but was stopped by Ron as the keeper grabbed him from the side and pulled him away from the other seeker. A look of fury burning in the other Gryffindors eyes as he kept a firm grip on the green robes of the other boy. Speaking through his clenched teeth Ron whispered to the Slytherin while bringing him closer,

"If anything happened, I swear Malfoy, I will personally kill you."

Shoving the keeper off and straightening his robes, Draco tried to get to the injured boy again, but was blocked by the entire Gryffindor team, the two beaters facing him with their clubs menacingly swinging in front of them.

Madam Pomfrey scurried out on the field and went straight out to Harry, as he lay deadly still on the ground. Waving her wand she made the Gryffindors body rise and hover in the air as she delicately turned him over. His closed eyes where framed with the glasses that where now broken in odd places, bits of the glass where still on the ground glinting in the sun light. Madam Pomfrey started to direct the limp boys body towards the castle, insisting that everything would be fine. The team followed their injured captain, leaving the Slytherin in the quidditch pitch as the stands started to empty. Everyone was slowly making his or her way back to the castle as the final score was announced. The eager and excited voice of Colin Creevey ringing out over the stands as he said,

"Harry'll be fine, he always is. So Gryffindor wins, 210 to nothing. Nice try Malfoy but it won't work…."

"That's quite enough out of you, the game's over!"

"Right Professor McGonagall, sorry."

The stands emptied and the Slytherin team touched down next to their captain, smiling and clapping him on the back and congratulating him on a job well done. Each one was smiling wickedly to themselves on what had happened to the other seeker, thanks to their leader. Crabbe was laughing in a dull manner as he said,

"Did you see his face as he fell? I bet he started to cry when he hit the ground."

The mention of Harry crying made Draco remember the train ride to Hogwarts and what had happened in the last compartment. Shoving his teammate out of the way Draco started to go to the changing rooms, but stopped and turned to his left as he saw something catch the light of the sun.

Turning completely, he saw Potter's Firebolt on the vivid green grass, the same color of Harry's eyes, who was probably now up at the hospital wing being fussed over by the nurse. Walking over to the forgotten broom, he kneeled down and ran a finger across the finish of the wood; it was still warm from its owner's body heat. A subtle shiver ran down Draco's back as he grasped the broom, he stood up and hugged it close to him so that his teammates wouldn't see it. All of them had been too busy talking about the game that indeed, they didn't pay any attention as their captain walked off the pitch swiftly towards the changing rooms with two brooms in his hands.

"What happened…what's happening?"

Draco's voice rang softly through the tiled walls of the changing room showers. He had been there for hours now and his questions remained un answered. Why had he tried to stop Potter from falling, why did he even care? Didn't he want to hurt the Gryffindor, to kill him, and make him pay for everything? Then why had he tried to save him?

Nothing was making sense at the moment and as the warm water ran down his body he leaned his head back and sighed. An unexpected shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the face he had seen falling through the sky.

"Bloody Potter."

He couldn't get him out of him head. Why was the look in the other boys' eyes haunting him? Why couldn't this just end? Over and over the images of Harry falling through the air and the sound of the boy hitting the ground played in his mind. Shaking his head vigorously so that water splashed out and around him, he raised his hands to his face and rested his head on them. His white blond hair in clumps here and there as he rested his body against the warm tiles, sliding down towards the floor. The steam was still hovering around the area of the shower, thick and heavy, just like the conscience of the boy on the floor.

A half hour later Draco's slender hand turned the key over and the water stopped coming out of the showerhead. The pale dripping body of the seeker still on the floor as his lips moved ever so subtly, processing his thoughts. He had been hugging his knees for a while now, his head nestled into the crevice of his folded arms.

The sky outside was starting to grow dark, a shade of royal purple mixed in with navy blue as the stars started to shine through the sky. The only lights on the ground where of the castle's Great Hall, the hospital wing and the quidditch changing rooms.

The whole student body was at the Great Hall having dinner, and as the school was sitting down to eat their feast, each house was chattering excitedly over the quidditch game earlier that day and it's out come.

Ron and Hermione where sitting side by side, across from Neville, Ginny and Seamus. They where all slightly at ease, now that they knew that Harry would be ok. Eating their dinner, Ron exclaimed to the rest,

"I still think that we should have gotten a penalty throw for what Malfoy did to Harry. Honestly he nearly killed him."

Hermione turned to Ron and gave him a stern look that matched the one Professor McGonagall usually wore,

"Ron, stop exaggerating. Harry's fine now and besides we won, lets not keep talking about Malfoy."

The rest at the table looked guilty about what Hermione had just said, Seamus had gotten ready to agree with Ron, but Hermione's remark had come as a slap in the hand. They all turned back to the food in their plates and started to talk about what a great game it had been, Ron congratulating Seamus and Ginny on a job well done, and all of them looking forwards to the Gryffindor celebration party to be held after dinner.

Ron had already gone down to the kitchens and had found Dobby, the house elf. Persuading the creature into bringing up provisions to the Gryffindor common room, he had snuck a few extra dozen butterbeers away so that the others could enjoy them as well. The house elf was only too eager to help in anything to celebrate Harry's triumph in quidditch, and promised to have things set up by the time that the rest of the Gryffindor house came back up from the Great Hall.

Every one at the feast had been going on about what had happened on the pitch, and as the noise kept flowing around the area the teachers looked down at their pupils with a smile. All except Professor Snape, but then again it was rare to see him smile.

The potions master was looking over at his own house table, taking note that there was one member missing, but not really worrying about what Malfoy would be up to. Most likely the Slytherin was still too infuriated at loosing once again, to Potter. Snape didn't blame him, but it did seem a bit odd for the other boy to not show, considering the fact everyone in his house thought him like a hero for what had happened on the pitch. Shrugging this off, the Professor turned once more to his own plate and started to converse with Professor Sprout.

Draco breathed deeply as his forehead lay on his arm, his body crouched on the warm tiles of the floor. Lifting his head up slowly he leaned it on the wall and took in another breath of the steam filled air around him. His face was rosy and his skin warm with the touch that the water had left on his naked body.

After another moment had passed the Slytherin boy suddenly opened his eyes wide, revealing shimmering silver eyes. The white blond hair was more or less dry now, and there was still the odd water droplet running down along his body. Shifting and getting up with a renewed strength, he stepped out of the shower stall and grabbed one of the towels on the hanger. The deep pine green color of the cotton fabric, standing out on his pale skin as he wrapped it firmly around his waist and went over to one of the benches where his robes lay in a neat pile.

Moving swiftly he started to put his robes on, as he took off the green towel and threw it to one side. Fixing the cloth of the robes and smoothing out the odd crease he walked over to the mirror and looked at the face reflecting back. The mercury colored eyes where set stunningly in the angular face of the Slytherin boy. His hair settling in the position it normally took. His cheeks where still slightly pink and his lips where also around the same delicate color.

Pivoting on his left heel, he turned around and started to walk towards the bench. Beside the green towel he had thrown, were the two brooms. His Nimbus two thousand and one next to the Firebolt. The wood of both brooms shinning with miniscule water droplets that had condensed on the handles. Picking up the towel, Malfoy took his broom and cleaned off the water. The polished wood twinkled back at him as he set it down and then picked up the Firebolt.

Running his finger over the wood once again, he left a trace of where he had touched it, the water running off the handle as he raised the towel. Gingerly running the green fabric up and down he cleaned the liquid off it and then tossed the towel to one side. The broom glistened in the lamplight as he turned it over and over in his hands. How he envied Potter for having something so good.

"Potter…"

His thoughts snapped back into place as he said the name, remembering where the boy was and where he himself was. Picking up his own broom he held both of them together as he walked towards the door of the changing rooms and turned off the lights. Closing the door behind him he walked into the cool night air spreading over the school grounds. His fine hair shifting slightly with the breezes movement as he quickly walked across the field and up the school steps.

The feast was still going on as Draco walked past the huge wooden doors of the entrance hall. Stopping with his back turned to the door, he looked ahead of him. To his left was the Great Hall, and he wasn't going to go there, so he had two directions to choose from. To his right, lay the hallway that lead to the dungeons and his house common room. Straight ahead, lay the staircase that would take him to the hospital wing and to the injured Gryffindor.

He didn't want to have to return the valuable broom back to its owner, at least not in front of Potter's friends. Taking a deep breath he quickly moved across the doors of the Great Hall and started to head up the stairs. He was constantly looking around him as he moved down the deserted corridors, wary of any one who might be coming. Luckily he met no one on the way to the wing he was headed to. The two brooms where held in a possessive like manner against Draco's body as he got closer and closer to his destination. Stopping in front of the hospital wing door, Draco looked at the wood of the entrance as he debated with himself, finally reaching out a hand and turning the knob of the door.

It swung open silently as he stepped in, hesitant to be in the same room as Potter, but where was the boy? Looking around to his left and right, Draco saw empty bed after empty bed. The white of the linens distinct against the shadows of the dim room. There was a light up ahead coming from a separate room and Draco found that his feet where carrying him to it. The door of the room opened and Draco stood rooted to the spot.

Seeing who it was Draco started to breath once more as Madam Pomfrey came out with a bunch of bandages and a light green bottle of ointment. As the woman turned around she almost let out a startled cry to find another student standing there, almost like a ghost, the pale skin of the boy reflecting back at her, and the gray eyes sparkling in the little light that was provided. Grasping the bandages she gave Malfoy a look that said,

"Don't you ever do that again, young man."

Shaking her head she said,

"Mr. Malfoy, how may I help you?"

Before he could reply he found that the nurse was pushing the bottle of ointment at him as she grabbed another bandage and closed the door to the room. Motioning to the boy she walked over to her left and over to a slightly secluded bed. In the shadows of the corner, Draco could distinct see a chest rising and falling with each small breath the person took under the sheets.

The two figures walked closer to Harry, as he lay asleep in the hospital bed. Malfoy stopped at the end of the twin bed and leaned the two brooms against the end frame of the bed before going over to the nurses' side and looking at the boy. Madam Pomfrey was putting down the bandages on one of the nightstands next to the bed. Turning around to face the injured boy she lifted off the sheets to reveal Harry's bare chest.

At least it would have been bare, had it not been for an odd necklace that the boy was wearing. Currently it was glowing a deep almost blood shade of red, the light coming off from it was burning so intensely that it lit up the whole corner and cast a pinkish light on the rest of the beds. The nurse bent her head to one side as she said,

"Well that's odd, it wasn't doing that before."

Draco looked closer at the glowing marble like sphere around the boy's neck, before he realized how close he was to the Gryffindor. Stepping back suddenly as if he had been zapped by electricity, he felt a blush come over his cheeks. Calming himself he venture in asking the nurse,

"Is that a devise you use on patients Madam Pomfrey?"

Looking over at the Slytherin, Madame Pomfrey restrained herself from laughing as she saw how deeply the other boy was blushing. You would think he had never seen a boys bare chest before. Shaking her head she said,

"No, it's not mine. It's his, he owns that. I don't know exactly what it is, but it wasn't glowing like that when he was first brought up here."

Draco's attention slowly shifted from the globe, to the bandages at the abdomen on the boy. Looking at the white fabric bound tightly around the stomach, Draco watched as Madam Pomfrey started to gingerly unfasten the tie of the bandages and begin to take them off. Slowly and carefully the nurse rolled the bandages off as her hands moved over and under the sleeping body on the bed. Draco's eyes didn't leave the scene before him, his conscience eating away at him as he saw what he had done to the boy. The last bit of the bandages where coming up as the nurse took the fabric off. Draco expected to see blood or a cave in of the stomach, something other than the sight that met his eyes.

The crimson light of the sphere revealed that Potter's chest and abdomen where smooth and firm. No trace of anything upon the skin of the other boy, no sign that he had fallen off his broom and come crashing down to the ground from a high altitude. Sighing in relief, Draco turned to the nurse as she threw away the bandages she had taken off of Potter.

"What exactly happened to him?"

Remembering that the other boy was there as well, Madam Pomfrey grabbed a new bandage and came to stand once again next to the bed before saying,

"Well when he fell, he broke two of his ribs. Luckily he didn't puncture his lungs because it was the lower ribs that broke, other wise…. well he's fine now. He'll have a bit of bruising, and will be sore for a while, but he'll be fine. Pass me the ointment."

He had started to feel guilty again about the fall and everything that had happened out in the quidditch pitch, not that he would ever let anyone know that he felt that way, but he couldn't help but feel guilt at the moment. Handing over the bottle he watched as Madam Pomfrey unscrewed the bottle and poured out the greenish silver liquid onto her hand. Giving the bottle back to Malfoy the nurse started to rub the thick lotion like liquid in between her hands before rubbing it on the boy's abdomen. It shone for a while like a sheet of green metal on the skin of the boy before sinking in and disappearing through the pores.

Absent mindedly Draco screwed the bottle shut before placing it beside the bandages on the nightstand. Madam Pomfrey had finished rubbing the ointment onto Harry's abdomen and was starting to place clean bandages around the boy's body when she moved the Gryffindors right arm up. At that moment, the light from the necklace Harry was wearing shore off of something in the other boy's hand. A familiar fluttering of small wings told Draco what it was. Moving over to stand at the other side of the bed Draco lifted up the boy's hand and peered at the golden snitch that was still clasped tightly around his fingers. Smirking in wonder and amazement he looked at the other boy's face and shook his head.

Madam Pomfrey watched the Slytherin as she kept putting on the last bit of the bandages around the abdomen of her patient. Seeing the seeker grin at Harry she also smiled and said,

"He hasn't let it go since he fell. Not even Mr. Weasley could get him to let it go or loosen it. He's a tough boy."

Not looking away from the face of the boy on the hospital bed Draco nodded and whispered,

"I've noticed."

At that moment the light from the orb intensified so much it forced Draco to drop the other boy's hand. As he did so, the light subsided a bit and shone softly on every shinny surface. The broom handles, the ointment bottle, the snitch and Harry's green eyes…

"Mr. Potter, so good to have you come round again, I'll get you something to eat and drink. Make sure he doesn't move too much."

Draco has stepped back a bit when he realized that the Gryffindor was awake, and every anxious and almost fearful feeling came flowing back into him, more intense than before. As Madam Pomfrey gave her orders to Draco, he kept his eyes on Potter as the light slowly changed. There was a swirl of color in the sphere, the two distinct colors being the deep crimson from before and this time a sharp blue color.

The Gryffindor shifted his body up and started to fix himself on the pillows, before taking in a sharp breath in pain. Before Draco knew what he was doing he had breached the gap in between him and the boy and was forcing him back down a bit, gently and softly placing the boys head in between the pillows.

The light from the sphere shined brightly again, this time with a considerable amount more red light than blue. It almost blinded Draco as he kept a firm hold on the body of the Gryffindor, placing him softly on the bed once more. As the light slowly subsided back, there was another sharp intake of breath from the boy on the bed, as he looked up at the face of who was holding him.

Harry was drifting around in a place that was all hazy and glowed with a crimson light all around him. It was a comforting sort of place, a cloud of calm and comfort surrounded him, almost invigorating his senses as he looked around him. In front of him was a shadow, looming darkly ahead consuming the soothing light that hovered around him. What he found odd though, was that he wanted to go to the darkness looming ahead, he needed to. Why, he didn't understand, but that was what was necessary. As he got closer to the shadow the crimson light around him shone brighter as he felt a warm presence by his side. Not looking at his right side he knew that there was someone there. The scarlet light around him shone like armor around his body, as he traveled deeper and deeper into the dark abyss. The light around him was becoming real, not just something of a dream like state, it was as if he was traveling through a black tunnel surrounded by the crimson light and as he looked around him, he realized that he was awake, and that the light indeed was there, so strong it was almost tangible it had floated in front of him now and was flowing over his numb limbs.

Shifting up he felt a deep stabbing pain wash over his body starting from him stomach and flowing through his torso, the numb feeling completely gone now and suddenly leaving him vulnerable to every stabbing pain coursing through his veins. He felt like collapsing once more but found that he was being supported by someone. The hands that where holding him up slightly where now placing him down once more towards the fluffy pillows of the bed he lay on. The light shone again, it lit up everything around him and prevented him from seeing the face of the person who was placing him so gently upon the pillow. Relaxing completely Harry looked up. The light slowly started to fade a bit, just enough to allow Harry to see the person above him, the face of the person who had eased his pain at the moment. He was expecting to see Madam Pomfrey and was about to thank her, before his breath caught at his throat.

The face of Draco Malfoy looked down at him, as he lay there, helpless on the hospital bed. Harry's mind was racing, but the first thing he did was extend his hand out over his heart and grasp the necklace tightly in his left hand. The crimson light dimmed immediately as Harry's fingers covered its surface. Looking up with worry and anger at the Slytherin he took in a deep breath, but found that it hurt him tremendously. He winced as he breathed once more and attempted to shift away from the other boy and sit up to face him. The effort though, had left him faint and in more pain, he was starting to fall to one side, but was stopped by a pair of steady cool hands.

Draco had reached out and stopped Harry from falling over, placing him up right and slightly inclined on the pillows. The two boys looked at each other for a while, not saying anything to each other, both out of breath from their movements, and both without sensation from what was happening. The sphere in Harry's left hand was shinning brightly through the small gaps in the Gryffindors fingers. Harry felt another sphere in his right hand and brought it up to his eyes, attempting to get a better look at it.

Malfoy lighted a match, the snitch glowed under the faint light of a candle that had been lit at the nightstand by the Slytherin, as Harry examined the snitch. The eerie light made everything seem like a dream once more.

"You wouldn't let it go. Not even Weasley could make you loosen your grip on it."

The voice that said this was not from the boy he had known for years, at least it didn't sound like the drawl that was a hallmark of Malfoy, yet the words where coming from his lips. Shifting his head he looked over at the Slytherin and into the silver pools that where his eyes.

"Why are you here Malfoy? Come to see how good of a job you did?"

The light from Harry's hand started to change colors into a dull gray just as something in those deep silver eyes changed,

"I'm sorry for what happened ok, I didn't mean to… I brought your broom back."

The Slytherin had moved over to the end of the bed and had shifter around so that Harry's Firebolt was clearly seen by the boy. Harry's hands and body relaxed at the sight of his broom, shinning from the candlelight. He was confused however, why had Malfoy brought it back and not his teammates? How had Malfoy gotten a hold of it? Why was this boy acting so…. nice and thoughtful? Was it a trap of some kind?

Looking deeply into the eyes of the Slytherin for a good amount of time, he stared at the face of the boy trying to detect anything. Then looking at his left hand he observed the shade of color that the sphere had turned. The dominant hue was still the deep crimson that it had been when he had woken up, but now it had a marble color of gray and blue. But that couldn't be right at all. Blue stood for fear and anxiety and gray was…hurt. Maybe it was analyzing his own feelings at the moment, but it only did that with emotions, and he wasn't feeling emotionally hurt, just physically. So if that was true then that meant Malfoy was….

At that moment another noise distracted Harry, and looking down the rows of beds, he saw that Madam Pomfrey was coming his way with a tray of something. Immediately the other boy stood back and let the nurse take over the situation. Madam Pomfrey came up to the bed and set the tray on a little table that she had rolled along from the side. From the tray floated a sweet aroma of food and tea, as Madam Pomfrey shifted the tray and it's contents closer to the boy and balancing it on her patient's bed table. Harry's eyes fell on the contents of the tray as the nurse lifted the lid to reveal a bit of roasted chicken and fried rice. A roll was next to the tiny tray of butter, and the sweet smell of tea drifted towards Harry's nostrils as the aromas wafted over to him.

Harry realized that he was very hungry and not hesitating to get the approval of the nurse, he placed the snitch in his other hand along with the sphere, and reached over to grab the knife with his right hand, starting to cut away at the chicken. Bringing the food up to his mouth he ate in silence as the nurse looked on, the other boy behind her still looking intently at Potter. Shifting around Madam Pomfrey faced Malfoy and asked him in a low voice,

"Did he move around too much?"

Eyeing the boy on the bed, Draco shook his head at the nurse and said,

"A bit, but I tried to stop him from making too much movement."

Turning over to her patient, the nurse narrowed her eyes as she looked at the boy who was now taking a bite out of the buttered bread. Shaking her head slightly she said,

"Mr. Potter you always where a willful one. I'll be back, I need to get a potion for you so that you can fall asleep, Mr. Malfoy will keep you company and warn me if you move too much."

Before Harry could swallow his food and call out in protest, the nurse had turned around and was heading out of the ward, leaving the two boys alone once more. Potter took a drink of the tea and washed down the food before he realized that Malfoy was staring at his hand that held the snitch.

Placing the cup down Harry turned to face the other boy as he looked at the place the Slytherin was gazing at. The snitch had stopped struggling in his hand and had folded its wings in, lying calmly against the sphere of the allemotion globe.

Looking up to face Malfoy, Harry made eye contact with the other boy and caught the silver eyes of his enemy. Narrowing his eyes once more, Harry looked again at the sphere and watched the swirl of colors inside the globe. There was still some blue swirling in the deep crimson, but most of the gray had disappeared, being replaced by pale blue. Harry knew the pale blue to be nervousness, he had sensed it around those that had tried out for the quidditch team, but Malfoy. Why was he feeling this, Harry sure wasn't, but why would the Slytherin be sensing this emotion at all. Harry started to relax a bit, against his own will but he on the other hand did start to accept the fact the Malfoy just might be able to feel these types of emotions like any other person. Of course it didn't make sense at the moment, after all he was a Slytherin, the son of a death eater, and the most cold, self conceded brat one would ever have the un pleasant opportunity to run across, but Harry guessed that he was after all human, a bad specimen but a human none the less.

Looking up he saw that Malfoy was running a finger down Harry's broom, and a soft tint of pink spread across his cheeks as he realized the injured boy was looking at him. Moving away from the brooms at the end of the bed, Malfoy came to sit down on one of the chairs that had been near the bed. Looking down at Potter's left hand, Draco was itching to ask what the small sphere was and why the Gryffindor constantly kept looking at it and then at him. It was as if he was a case that the other boy was analyzing and trying to label, Draco hated that, all his life he had been labeled, by family, and friends alike, he didn't need Potter to do that. Finally Draco couldn't stand it any more and taking a calming breath, he looked at Potter as he said,

"What is that thing, in your hand?"

Vaguely startled by Malfoy's question Harry took another drink of tea before he said in a short and mocking like tone,

"A golden snitch."

Malfoy looked back at the boy and caught himself before he smiled, how Potter was quick. He kept his face as blank as possible from the amusement that he felt towards the other boy's response,

"You know what I meant Potter. It's fine if you don't want to tell me, I know you don't trust me."

Slightly taken aback at the calm manner in which the Slytherin responded, Harry thought a bit before he asked,

"And you trust me?"

Wondering how the other boy would react to his question he looked deeply into the eyes of the other boy. He knew, from years of experience, that the face wouldn't give anything away, but the eyes where a different story. A sparkle went off in the eyes of the other boy, deep in pools of mercury colored liquid of the pupils. At that moment Harry felt the glow of the sphere intensify as Malfoy looked back at him. Daring to look down Harry saw the crimson color of the globe start to take over but still mingling around the dark and pale blues. Not looking away from Malfoy, Harry raised his eyebrows and asked in a whisper,

"Why are you being nice to me Malfoy? Why are you really here, what do you want? If this is a trap or a trick of some kind it's not funny."

The words that floated his was from the Gryffindor stung Malfoy, as if he had been slapped, Potter thought this was a game, but then Potter realizes there is something else going on, how do I make him understand that I don't know? Getting up Malfoy smothered his silky hair back and started to pace as he said to Potter,

"I'm not playing a game, I'm not trying to be nice to you either … bloody hell I hate you Potter. I don't know what's going on, I don't know why I brought your broom up to you, I don't know why I took the time to come to you now, I don't know why I tried to stop you from falling in quidditch, I don't know what's going on, I…"

Harry's voice cut him off as the Gryffindor was left in shock,

"Hang on…I thought you just said that you tried to stop me from falling off my broom."

Harry was even more stunned when he realized that the other boy had stopped in his tracks, his profile revealing to Harry that indeed, he had said that. Malfoy didn't say anything and was left looking down at the floor as Harry shifted uneasily in the pillows, things just kept getting more bewildering by the minute. Both of them had been left speechless for a while as they looked awkwardly around them, finally the silence was broken by Malfoy's voice as he said in a mildly brusque voice,

"Listen Potter, I just came to bring your broom up, that's all. I better leave now, seeing as how things could get difficult from now on."

Looking over at the white blond hair Harry said in a confused manner,

"What do you mean? We haven't been at each others necks for a good couple of minutes, and if I remember correctly you've always been the difficult one."

Turning around so that his eyes focused completely on the injured boy, Draco said to him in his drawl like manner once more,

"Then I guess you have a poor memory…but then again that's always been obvious, especially in potions class."

Harry knew this Malfoy, and he knew how to handle him, but still it was a shift from the Malfoy he had been talking to before, almost as if the Malfoy who had held him up from falling over in the bed, was protecting and shielding himself with this Malfoy. Starring him in the eye he thought he saw the other boy shift slightly uncomfortably under the Gryffindors gaze. Before realizing what he was doing Harry found his lips forming the question,

"Who are you?"

Dazed by the question, Draco broke the eye contact, turned and walked over to the end of the bed where the brooms lay. Picking up the Nimbus two thousand and one, he turned his back to Potter just as Madam Pomfrey opened the door and came up the rows of beds with a silver smoking goblet in her hands.

Nodding to Madam Pomfrey he didn't turn to face Potter as he walked off down the rows of beds in the ward, not answering the other boy's question and not looking back as he came upon the door and swung it open.

Stepping out into the hallway Draco closed the hospital door behind him and rested his back to it for a minute or two, before he started to make his way down to the dungeons of his house, the question the other boy had asked, ringing in his mind. Knitting his eyebrows he whispered to himself,

"What ever this is…it must stop."

Thanks: Thanks to all of those who have posted reviews and thank you all for your support and constructive criticism. Little things like that are appreciated by me, so I would be grateful for any thing else that you have in mind as you read these chapters. For those of you who have made it this far, bunches of thanks from me to you. Also thank you for all my buddies at HC, you're the ones that got me started in all this really. I truly am astounded at how many have read and replied to my fanfic and I am surprised at how many positive things I have gotten out of it from everyone. Once again I extend my gratitude to all of you, and I do hope that you enjoy the rest of the fanfic, I promise you it starts to pick up speed in events and the chapters are going to get longer, I'll be uploading and posting the next chapter to my story as soon as possible;)