Title: "Mask"

Author: Lyla Hayden

Rating: Mature, "R", "M", whatever. Warnings are; slash, gore, the usual nasties but nothing too graphic.

Pairing: HP/DM, what else?

Summary: When one bears a mask to become someone else, sometimes that mask becomes who you are, despite all your true thoughts and feelings. Such a mask cannot be shed easily and often times it takes another to rip its roots out. Harry's mask has deep roots, but the one who helps him remove them is the one he would least expect.

A/N: Well, as I make my way into part two of this I seem to have trouble making the words flow from my head to my fingers. A common problem for me. Thank you to those who took the time to review. I am going somewhere with this…and…eventually it will become clear. Also, I have a very busy schedule, so please be patient. n.n; Well, here's part two of "Mask"!

"Mask"

Part Two:

"Routine"

As he made his way towards the shadows he saw a blur within the corridor. "Malfoy," Harry said softly, but loud enough to make the Slytherin hear. "What the hell 're you doing out so early?"

"Late, you mean," came the icy response. "You've been here since well after midnight."

"You spied on me?" Harry let out a hoarse laugh, his voice a bit sore from his singing. A blond eyebrow arched in question.

"You can drop the mask, Potter." Harry froze, his mind racing. Mask, he knew about Mask. How could he know about Mask? Mask was…was Harry. "This isn't the first time I've seen you out here. That is who you are, not this."

"You're insane, Malfoy!" Harry shook his head vigorously. He was being himself. Mask wasn't there. Such thoughts ran ferally through his mind. Pushing his way past the Slytherin, he sank into the shadows before the blonde head turned to see.

"Damn him and his lousy tricks." Arms crossed over his chest, he stalked on after the boy, knowing exactly where he was going. Gryffindor Tower loomed up ahead and steel eyes took it in without a second thought. A portrait up ahead swung closed and Draco cursed, for he had lost his prey.

Back in the sanctuary of his own bed, Harry sat wondering. Mask had indeed made an appearance that night. "Why couldn't I shake him off?" Harry asked aloud. "I am not Mask, and Mask does not control me! So why couldn't I be me? Why was Malfoy there?" Harry cursed himself as Dean stirred in a bed near him.

The boy did not wake. Comforted by the thought that he could still be himself when all lights were out and no one was there, he laid down and fell into a soft slumber. Perfect dreams were invaded by Draco and Mask, plaguing him until Ron woke him the next morning.

"Sleep in your clothes again?" Came the disgruntled reply when Harry stirred only slightly.

"Always, Ron," Harry murmured, still in a haze of sleep. Harry felt as if he ha been pushed far away, back into the corner of the room, while Mask took over his body. Harry Potter was not the one these boys liked. Mask was the one they liked.

Harry seemed to watch from afar as the day dragged on, Mask laughing with his friends, shouting foul names when Draco insulted Ron or Hermione. Finally, night fell and all the pleasure that came with the night surrounded Harry as he walked within the shadows towards the only place he truly felt free.

Horror crept upon him when he found Draco sitting on his broom just around the corner of the field. "Malfoy!" he shouted, voice squeaking with fear and surprise. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to practice. That's all. Stop being so pissy." Those stale words seemed to echo through Harry's head as the Slytherin took to the air. "Just ignore me." Harry hissed softly and began his nightly routine.

Glasses were discarded. Spells were cast. The Firebolt was left to float alone. Boots were cast aside. Bare feet left the ground to mount the eager Firebolt. Steel eyes looked on as the enigma that was once Harry Potter rose to fly with a grace Draco had never seen before.

Within minutes, a song charmed the air. Draco froze in his flight patterns to watch the Gryffindor boy become an entirely new person. He had seen this before, but never so close. The sight brought shivers through his very core.

The raven head radiated a sort of majestic beauty that all wished to possess. The Slytherin's eyes lay glued to the now glowing form flying around the field. Not even Voldemort himself could make Draco's eyes stray.

Hours passed, but it seemed to be mere seconds. Before he even knew it, dawn was approaching and Harry's feet touched down. His routine continued as glasses were replaced and the Firebolt was tossed across his shoulders.

The blonde touched down moments later, his footsteps following after Harry's. Harry seemed to be lost in a trance, walking as if floating on air. Ghost-like, he moved towards the shadows to disappear completely.

Draco hurried to where he had last spotted the boy, but there was nothing to be found. The enigma must have forgotten that the Slytherin boy had been watching or he couldn't have done any of what he had just done.

It wasn't until the next morning that Draco saw Harry again. Icy silver met heated emerald across the Great Hall. Something was different about the Gryffindor. His eyes, Draco thought silently. His eyes lack malice. Odd.

Class started and everyone was on the edge of their seats. Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter had yet to have their daily bout. It was bound to spring upon them at any moment, the time building up just adding to the intensity that would be their brawl.

A blanket of silence was dropped over the Potions classroom from the very start. Even Severus Snape noticed the tension. Oddly enough, the tension was not focused between one Harry Potter and one Draco Malfoy. The entire room was bursting with it.

Try as he might, the great Potions Master couldn't seem to form any words; he just made some odd sounds and went back into his study. The tension stunned Severus for a moment, but he came out almost as soon as the door had shut behind him.

"Study for your O.W.L.S.," was all he could say before he went back into his study. Severus Snape did not want to be in the same room when the two started fighting. Draco Malfoy was most definitely his father's son as he had the same raw talent with seemingly no limit. And Harry Potter; he defeated the Dark Lord in less than half an hour. Enough said. Severus would have no chance to stop it should they fight.

Back in the classroom, not one of the students moved, their eyes glued to the table that sat before them. Harry tapped Hermione on the shoulder and she jumped nearly five feet. "Bloody hell, Har! You scared me!" she whispered, hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry," Harry said without bothering to lower his voice. The tense students all flinched, although the Gryffindor did not seem to notice. "Why are you so jumpy?"

"Shh!" Glancing around, the girl leaned in and whispered, "Don't speak so loud. Everyone is jumpy because you and Malfoy haven't fought yet. It's usually worse the longer you two wait. We are just waiting to see who'll die in the crossfire."

One corner of Harry's mouth turned up in a soft smirk, Mask briefly fading from view. "Guess we don't feel like fighting, eh?" A soft chuckle could be heard from the Slytherin side of the room showing that Draco had heard.

The rest of the class was spent in the silence of watchfulness or work, mostly the first. Even after the bell, everyone exited as quietly and as quickly as possible. Hermione didn't want to wait for the slow Harry Potter to pack, so she said she'd meet up with him later.

The only ones left in the room after a total of two minutes were Harry and Draco. Both ignored each other as they left. A nervous Severus slipped out of his study and went to inform the Headmaster of the strange hour.

That night, Harry quietly moved out of Gryffindor Tower and out towards the Quidditch pitch using the shadows for cover as always. As he emerged from the shadows near the field, Draco stood waiting for him, his own broom in hand.

Harry walked right past him as if he wasn't even there. He went about his nightly routine without a second glance to the blonde behind him. Glasses and shoes were discarded and Harry took to the air. Behind him, Draco sighed heavily and followed, ready for another long night of watching the enigma that fascinated him so much.

-To Be Continued

A/N: Just wondering…How many people read the author's notes at the beginning or end? I know a few of you did, for which I am very grateful. To those who didn't, I'm still happy you read my story. n.n Thanks. Be nice in your reviews? I'm starting to get to the plot…I swear. I don't plan on dragging this story out for very long, I just don't like really long chapters. It makes it harder to read and it would make me update less. I'm trying, I really am. I'll update again soon, I hope…