Grey-Eyed-Maiden: OK second chapter up…

Any reviews/suggestions/comments posted would be appreciated immensely.

This chapter will be longer, but mostly just conversations back and forth…

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me the characters found in Harry Potter belong to JK Rowlings and not myself. I claim right to nothing but the story plot + story idea.

Summary: Over the summer Draco has become a changed man, he's become a second Harry Potter, and everyone loves him. But can Harry, suddenly cast from the limelight, overcome his suspicions (and perhaps jealousy) and embrace this new Malfoy? Or will he bar Draco's ascension to hero status? Even more pressing is the question of whether Draco's transformation is in fact permanent.

I'm sorry about the comma mistakes…they are hopefully improving but….they still are flagrant.

Last chapter:

Harry, at the start of his 6th year of Hogwarts, has learned that his rival, Draco Malfoy is the subject of stories that are flying through the Hogwarts Express

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Chapter 2: Harry's Hatred

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"Well, you see Harry..."

"Don't take this personally mate but…"

They shared another look and breathing in, said as one

"It's Malfoy."

Harry's response was immediate and instinctive, "What? What about Malfoy? What happened?"

The other two shared a wry expression and started to explain. Harry could scarcely believe what they were telling him but there was little doubt that all they said was true.

It seemed that Malfoy, unlike Harry, had been doing quite a lot over summer vacation. According to Ron, Malfoy had contacted Dumbledore with information concerning the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. Owing to the fact that his father was a high ranking Death Eater who often held meetings at his mansion, Draco was able to collect information to pass on to Dumbledore. With the information obtained by Draco, hundreds of lives were saved.

As Ron and Hermione finished telling Harry this, they eyed him uneasily, waiting for his response. They did not have long to wait, "Do you actually believe this?" Harry demanded, disbelieving.

Ron shared another look with Hermione and the two seemed unwilling to divulge their opinion on the Slytherin boy in question.

"Well?" Harry prompted.

Hermione sighed and said slowly, "Well, Harry, I do actually." Seeing Harry's expression she asked, "Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?"

"Not scum like Malfoy," Harry muttered. Then he threw a sharp glance at Ron and said, "Don't tell me….not you as well?"

Ron's ears went slightly pink, and he had the decency to look slightly shamefaced as he said, "Yeah, I do," adding earnestly, "Harry, I tell you, he's really changed, well he's still a bit of a jerk but he's on our side now."

"So I see you were taken in by his act as well," Harry said coldly.

"What are you talking about Harry?" Hermione said.

"Isn't it obvious? He's taken you for total suckers-"

"Harry it isn't like that!" Hermione cried, interrupting him.

"And then someday" Harry continued undeterred, "he'll turn coat and join up with his old man and his pal Voldemort."

Hermione gasped slightly but Harry ignored her.

Turning on Ron, Harry said, "Ron, would you mind telling me why you're suddenly so chummy with Malfoy? Last I checked you hated him same as me."

Ron's ears went pink again but he stared Harry straight in the eye as he explained that it was only thanks to Draco that his father was still alive and well. "Draco uncovered a plot to kidnap my father, wrest from him any information about Dumbledore's plans, and then kill him gruesomely and leave him as a reminder of what happens to those who resist the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Malfoy immediately alerted Dumbledore and the plot was foiled."

This revelation left Harry speechless. The idea that he might have been entirely wrong about Malfoy began to entangle his thoughts. Then he recalled anew all that Malfoy had done, from getting him a detention as a first year, to his far more recent attempts to sack Dumbledore and Hagrid. Harry banished the thoughts of Malfoy's innocence with an angry shake of his head and renewed his attack.

"He'll betray us," Harry said finality.

"Harry no!" Hermione exclaimed.

"He's no good," Harry said firmly.

"Harry why is it so hard to believe that Draco can change."

"He's a Malfoy," Harry said in a dead voice, "He's bad to the core."

Hermione sighed exasperatedly, "He's one of us now!"

"He'll never be one of us," Harry snarled. "Malfoy is not like us, Hermione; I don't care what he's done to help us. I bet," Harry added, gathering steam, "I bet that he's communicating secretly with his father."

"Honestly Harry, do you really believe that?" Hermione asked wearily.

"It's totally plausible," Harry snapped, "since when do you care anyway? You never liked him. I suppose you've fallen for him," Harry said savagely, "I suppose you fancy him and his troubled hero act."

"Really Harry," Hermione said viciously, "Malfoy has changed, which is more than can be said for you."

"Why are you defending him?" Harry said glaring at her.

"Why are you attacking him?" Hermione retorted.

Harry paused as unbridled anger took hold of him, "HE KILLED SIRIUS!" He screamed, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Honestly Harry," Hermione said waspishly, "You know fully well that Draco wasn't even there and it was Beatrix Lestrange who killed Sirius."

"It doesn't matter whether he was there or not," Harry said, "he probably knew all about the plot to break in to the Dept. of Mysteries."

"So what?" Hermione said furiously. "The point is that that was then and this is now! Dumbledore trusts him, why can't you?"

"He's a Malfoy, all Malfoy's are Dark wizards!"

"Harry I thought you of all people would know that all that is a load of rot! You're related to Dudley, yet you couldn't be more different!"

"That's totally different," Harry argued, "we're only cousins."

"Well what about Sirius Black," Hermione countered. "his relatives were as rotten as the Malfoys, and look at what he had for a mum!" Hermione was referring of course to Mrs. Black, Sirius's mother, whose portrait they'd had the misfortune to meet last summer. "If Sirius could turn out good out good then can't Malfoy?"

At this comment, Harry lost it, he grabbed his wand "Are you daring to compare Draco Malfoy to my Godfather?" he thundered. "Malfoy is a rotten excuse for a human being who wasn't fit to lick Sirius' shoes!"

Suddenly the door to the compartment slid back and Harry heard a familiar voice drawl, "Well now Potter, really, is that how you treat your allies?"

GEM: Well it's not much of a cliffhanger but comments would be awesome.