A/N: A favorite chapter of mine, as Draco Malfoy plays a big part in it. Yay! And there's plenty more of Draco to come. Now people have been asking alot of questions about this story, so i'm going to try and answer a few. If you have anymore questions, keep them coming, as i'm more than happy to answer them. Keep reading as the plot thickens! Angel.

FAQ

Why does Harry still have his scar?

Harry still has his scar, because he is still the same Harry. His body was transported to the new world, rather then just his mind.

Is there a Tom/Ginny pairing in this story?

Nope. Ginny talks alot with Riddle, because she understands him more than anyone else...hint hint... The pairings in this story are: Ron/Hermione andHarry/Ginny mainly, with mild Dean/Erin, Draco/Hermione and others. If you don't like the pairing Draco/Hermione, don't be put off by this, is only mild and fits well with the story.

Why does Hermione still have her cat, as the only reason she got him was because of Scabbers etc?

Well, i just figured that Hermione would have ended up with Crookshanks one way or another. I believe that if she'd walked into the MM on her own and seen Crookshanks, she would have felt sorry for him, and bought him. Thats her nature.

Why does Ginny keep turning up in teachers class rooms?

The only teachers class rooms she is ever in (i think), are Lupin's and Riddles. She's in Riddles because Riddle need someone to confide in, and Ginny understands him more than anyone, and cares about his future. She has a reason to be in Lupin's room, but i wont tell you why, as it would ruin the story.

Chapter 16- Sympathy

Wednesday dragged by for Harry. It was a beautiful bright day, a gently breeze flew through the air, the sky was the brightest blue, yet all Harry could think about was Riddle. How close Ginny had been to him. Had Riddle pulled this Ginny in, the way he had done with Ginny in her first year? Yet it seemed like quite an innocent conversation, between an educator and his favorite scholar. Harry figured he shouldn't jump to conclusions.

Harry didn't divulge this information to Ron or Hermione, but felt it necessary to keep to himself. They had never met the Riddle from their world before, so they didn't know what he was like.

Suspicions haunted Harry's mind all day. The crammed inside his brain, and left space for nothing else. They seemed to ease away after Harry took a late night stroll. He let his thoughts blow away with the winter breeze, and felt refreshed when he entered the common room once more.

As Harry headed towards the boys staircase, he found Ron and Hermione sitting in front of the fire, reading. Harry found the occurrence a little bit odd. It wasn't the fact that they were reading, (Ron read quite often, and Hermione never stopped reading!) it was how they were reading.

Ron sat comfortably on the settee, with one arm round the back of the it. Coincidently, that happened to be where Hermione's shoulders were. Hermione was sitting snuggled up to Ron, leaning sideways onto his chest. They were both reading a book which was propped on Ron's legs.

'Not interrupting anything, am I?' Harry asked.

'Of course not.' Hermione smiled, looking up to meet Harry's eyes, innocently.

'If you don't mind me asking, why are you up so late?' Harry asked.

'Prefect duties.' Ron said glumly. 'We just found out about them today.'

'The sixth years usually watch the common room, like in our world.' Hermione explained. 'But apparently they're getting too tired, so we have to do them today.'

'Fun.' Harry smiled sarcastically.

'It's alright though.' Hermione said. 'Because I found out that I'm still Head Girl in this world.'

'Who's Head Boy?' Harry asked.

'Still Draco Malfoy.' Hermione said, turning her nose up. 'Well, we should get back to our prefect duties.'

'You're more than welcome to join us though, if you like.' Ron said honestly.

'No.' Harry chuckled, as he headed for the stairs. 'I wouldn't like to impose.'

Harry woke up early on Thursday morning, to find Ron's bed still empty. He took a quick shower, got dressed and ready for school, and put some gel in his hair, before leaving his dormitory.

As Harry passed through the common room, he found that Ron and Hermione were still in the same position as the night before, but fast asleep. Harry contemplated waking them up before anyone could see, but found that he was already to late.

'Don't wake them.' Said Ginny's voice, softly. 'They look so peaceful.'

'Peaceful.' Harry said. 'It's quite disturbing if you ask me.'

Ginny was standing at the bottom of the girls staircase, across the room from where Harry was.

'How can you say that?' Ginny smiled, still looking at the couple. 'They look so cute.'

'Awww.' Cooed Erin, as she entered the common room. 'How sweet. Ready to go?'

Ginny nodded.

'See you later, Harry.' Ginny smiled, and with a swish of red hair, the girls were gone.

Harry made his way to the Great hall alone. When he arrived, many groups asked Harry if he'd like to join them, but Harry declined. He wasn't in the mood to entertain today.

As he had nothing better to do, Harry decided to head to his first lesson. Harry read his timetable, and found that it was History of magic. Harry headed there is haste, wondering if Riddle would be there yet.

Riddle was. As Harry approached, he found that the classroom door was open a jar. Riddle was sitting behind his desk, and looked as if he was marking something.

'Do you mind if I come in?' Harry asked, unsure of what he was doing.

'Not at all.' Riddle said, with a forced but honest smile. 'Is there something on your mind?'

'Kind of.' Harry confessed. 'It's just…I overheard your conversation with Ginny Weasley the other day.'

'Oh.' Riddle said, putting down his quill. 'Well don't mind that. We were just discussing my giving up teaching, not that it's definite yet.'

'Right.' Harry said, taking a seat. 'Aren't you happy teaching?'

'No.' Riddle said softly. 'Not anymore. It just isn't enough anymore. I've always wanted to be someone important, to have power and influence.'

'But you do.' Harry said, almost confused. 'You influence the people in your classes.'

'Not that kind of influence.' Riddle explained. 'The thing is, I've always wanted to make history, not teach it.'

Riddle went back to his marking, and Harry couldn't help but have a pang of sympathy for the old man before him.

'Well it's never too late.' Harry said, in an encouraging voice.

'I know.' Riddle said, on a more serious note. 'And as soon as an opportunity comes up, I will take it.'

The tone of Riddle's voice startled Harry a little, because it was a familiar one. Harry stood up form his chair, and Riddle's eyes were brought to his.

'Going somewhere?' Riddle asked.

'I-I was just going to get some breakfast.' Harry stammered. 'I can bring you some if you like.'

'That would be splendid.' Riddle smiled, and Harry left the room swiftly.

Harry got the breakfast from the Great hall, and passed Ron and Hermione on the way out.

'So you finally woke up?' Harry said. The duo blushed.

'Yea.' Ron said, scratching the back of his neck. 'We have really got to stop doing that.'

'I wouldn't worry.' Harry said. 'Everyone thinks you're a couple anyway.'

Harry's comment caused them to blush even more.

'Where are you going with that toast?' Hermione asked, to change the subject.

'Professor Riddle.' Harry muttered. 'I was at his class early, so I said I'd get him some breakfast.'

'First you can't stay in his class.' Ron grinned. 'And now you turn up early! Make up your mind!'

'It's not like that.' Harry said.

'You've just realized that in this world Riddle isn't an evil dark wizard?' Hermione questioned, with a smirk.

'Maybe.' Harry said. 'Now lets go.'

Ron took Hermione's hand again, uncomfortably, and they were off.

The trio arrived at Riddle's room, with enough time for Riddle to eat a slice of toast, before the bell rang.

Once the class was seated, Riddle began.

'Today we will be studying Enid the Evil.' Riddle announced. 'Not that it was necessarily an appropriate name.'

'Why?' Seamus asked, confused. 'Wasn't she evil?'

'She made muggle hunting legal, for a short period of time.' Riddle said, with no emotion in his voice.

'Sounds pretty evil to me.' Dean muttered.

'But is there really evil?' Riddle asked, and the class was transfixed. 'Enid just took power.'

'The wrong sort of power.' Piped up Hannah Abbot.

Riddle looked seriously at Hannah, giving her the kind of look Harry recognized as Snape's, then carried on.

'If there is one lesson young people need to learn in life, it is this.' Riddle said, seriously. 'There is no good and evil, just power, and those who take it. People aren't born evil.'

Harry raised his hand.

'Would you like to add something, Harry?' Riddle asked.

'I disagree with you.' Harry said, in a serious tone. 'You're right, people aren't born evil. People can grow to be something we've come to know as evil, but that's not really evilness.'

'Would you care to elaborate?' Riddle asked, sounding more interested.

'You're right.' Harry said, looking Riddle squarely in the eye. 'There is no good and evil, just selfishness. Selfish people who will ruin the lives of others, to improve their own lives. People who can't see beyond themselves, to the people they're hurting, and the suffering they're causing. Selfish heartless people, who grow to be what we know as evil.'

'I wouldn't call it selfishness.' Riddle argued. 'Just smart strong people taking power, when the opportunities arrive.'

'It's selfishness.' Harry argued bluntly. 'Nothing but that, could cause someone to end another persons life.'

'Well if it is selfishness,' Riddle said, 'why are people not born selfish and evil?'

'A wise man once told me,' Harry said, 'that it is our choices that show who we really are, far more than our abilities.'

A short silence followed.

'Passionate words.' Riddle said to Harry, then turned to the class. 'Opinions vary. Which is why we are going to discuss them today. Split up into groups, read page 306 of your books, and discuss. Begin.'

Harry left the classroom later, fuming.

'How can he say that?' Harry asked Ron and Hermione. ''Opinions vary.' He was practically saying that it was alright to kill muggles.'

'Well it's what he believes in.' Hermione said. 'He truly believes that evilness isn't a factor. That it's just power.'

'It's selfishness.' Harry muttered.

'And you put your point across pretty well.' Ron grinned. 'The look on his face.'

'Before today, I thought that people weren't born evil.' Harry said. 'I thought it was how you were brought up. Now I'm seriously changing my mind.'

'He's not evil, Harry.' Hermione said. 'Just opinionated.'

'Too opinionated, if you ask me.' Harry grouched.

Harry spend the whole of Herbology calming down, and by lunch time, was back to normal. Harry enjoyed his lunch with the marauders, who seemed quite impressed with Harry's passionate speech.

'That was fantastic.' Dean stated. 'Simply fantastic.'

'You really put Riddle in his place.' Seamus grinned.

'Well I thought he was wrong.' Harry said simply. 'And he was.'

'Bit of a weird one, Riddle is.' Seamus said, not taking it too seriously.

'If only you knew.' Ron sighed.

Ron and Harry took a walk after they'd eaten, and tried to make the most of their time outside.

'Supposed to snow soon.' Ron said, looking quite pleased at the prospect.

'Would be nice.' Harry smiled, looking out onto the grounds.

It was a stormy wet day, and the soil grounds had turned to mud. The leaves were flying off the trees, which blew this way and that, in the wind. Harry looked down towards the lake, and out at the forbidden forest, before something caught his eye.

It was a crowd of students pushing around a boy with blond hair. Harry automatically thought of Neville, and it seemed Ron had the same thing in mind.

They both rushed down to the scene, to have the shock of their lives.

The blond boy who was being pushed around, was not Neville, but Malfoy.

A large group of Slytherins were taking it in turns to push him into the mud, or kick him to the ground. Malfoy didn't look cocky or angry at all; he looked scared. His usually slick hair was hanging in his face, and his cold gray eyes had an odd spark in them. Malfoy's eyes were usually dull and lifeless, as if trying to shut off emotions and stop people from seeing inside. Today you could see how Malfoy was feeling, just by looking in his stormy gray eyes. His eyes showed fear.

Malfoy closed his eyes, as one boy kicked him in the back. He lay there, pain seizing through his body. He didn't move. Harry found it unsettling how still he was.

Blaise picked Malfoy from the ground, by the scruff of the neck, and punched him harshly stomach. Harry was about to step in to help Malfoy, when someone held his shoulder back.

It was Lupin.

'That's enough boys.' Lupin said, without an ounce of warmth in his voice. 'Blaise, you are to report to your head of house immediately. The rest of you have detention. I will not tolerate bullying.'

Lupin levitated Malfoy's injured body, and left swiftly.

Harry couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, right in the pit of his stomach.

'Do you think he'll be ok.' Said a shaking voice.

It was Hermione, standing a little behind the boys.

'I got professor Lupin as quickly as I could.' She said, looking scared and worried. 'I wasn't going to interfere, but they were really hurting him.'

Hermione looked truly scared.

'He'll be fine.' Ron said, comfortingly. 'Madame Pomfrey can fix anything.'

'You didn't see it.' Hermione said, in a small voice. 'They just picked on him for no reason. They started throwing punches and curses, then they were kicking him in the head.'

'Come here.' Harry said, and pulled Hermione into a hug. She sobbed silently into his shoulder. A few people around gave Harry a funny look.

'On second thought, hug Ron.' Harry said. 'He's supposed to be your boyfriend, not me. People might get suspicious.'

Ron took Harry's place of hugging Hermione, who buried her head in his chest. Ron patted Hermione's back unsurely, and whispered comfortingly in her ear.

'Do you think you could tell us what happened?' Harry asked quietly, after a minute.

'It was horrible.' Hermione said, not letting go of Ron. 'The gang of Slytherins were picking on Malfoy's brother, so Malfoy tried to help. Then they turned of him.'

'Malfoy has a brother?' Harry asked.

'And a sister.' Hermione replied. 'Isabelle is in her 5th year, and Sebastian is in his 3rd.'

'Why does he have a brother and sister, when he doesn't in our world?' Harry asked, confused.

'I don't know.' Hermione answered. 'I suppose Lucius wanted more children, not that he lived to see them grow up. He died 13 years ago, probably before Sebastian was even born.'

'Maybe that's why Malfoy got beaten up, and isn't a bullying slime ball.' Ron said. 'In our world, he grew up with Lucius. That can't do anyone any good.'

'You're probably right.' Harry said. 'Maybe without Lucius's influence, Malfoy is a better person.'

The trio headed to Transfiguration after lunch, and took seats at the front of the class.

'Today we will be studying how to turn mice into kittens.' McGonagal told the class. 'This is a very difficult spell, and I trust you will all take it seriously, as to not harm the animals. Now read page 235, and I will be right will you.'

Harry followed McGonagal's gaze, and found her looking to the half open door.

Standing outside the room, was Malfoy.

'Come in dear.' McGonagal said. 'Why are you late?'

'I had a problem with Blaise.' Malfoy said, not in his usual cocky voice, but sounding sad.

As Malfoy entered the room, Harry realized why. Since his fight at lunchtime, Malfoy had picked up an additional bruise. He was wearing a large black ring around his eye, and it was throbbing.

'Mr Malfoy, please sit down.' McGonagal said, wearing a shocked expression. 'Let me get the headmaster.'

'No.' Malfoy said, holding his face. 'It's bad enough.'

'But the headmaster must hear of this.' McGonagal said, looking worried. 'Blaise must be punished.'

'The more you punish him, the more he'll punish me. Please don't tell anyone, not now.' Malfoy begged.

'Fine.' McGonagal said, looking sorry for the blonde boy. 'We'll discuss this later. Take your seat.'

Draco found a spare seat at the front of the room, to Hermione's right. He put his bag down, wincing as he moved his shoulder. He pulled out his book, put it on the table, and opened it to the appropriate page.

'Thank you.' He whispered to Hermione, with a small smile. 'If you hadn't got someone, I don't know what would have happened.'

Hermione looked from his genuine smile, to the sincerity in his eyes.

'It's nothing.' She said bemused, but returning the smile, before going back to her reading.

The end of the lesson came quicker than Harry thought it would. Harry packed up his things at an unusually fast speed, and ended up knocking his bottle on ink onto the floor, along with his quill.

'I'll meet you back in the common room.' Harry told Ron and Hermione, and bent down on the floor to clear up the mess.

'That was a great lesson, Professor.' Malfoy said, on his way out.

'And you did some great wand work to go with it.' McGonagal said, fondly. 'Now run along to the hospital wing, and get those bruises sorted out. And remember, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm always here. Oh, and I will be informing your head of house about this incident. I'll get it sorted out.'

'Thank you.' Malfoy said, with a sorry half smile.

Malfoy exited the classroom, just as Professor Flitwick entered.

'What happened to him?' Flitwick asked McGonagal, a look of concern on his face.

'Blaise.' McGonagal said sadly. 'I believe Blaise had been picking on young Mr Malfoy again, and it's getting serious.'

'Serious?'

'His injuries are getting worse.' McGonagal explained. 'I do feel sorry for him. Everything seems to happen to young Mr Malfoy. Both his parents pass away, and he's left to bring up his younger siblings. Even now that he's at school, things are still difficult. He's continually being beaten up, because his Father was the Dark Lord. These are supposed to be the best years of his life.'

Flitwick shook his head sadly, as McGonagal walked around her desk.

'It's a shame.' McGonagal sighed. 'He's such a lovely boy. I have no idea why he got sorted into Slytherin.'

The two teachers left the classroom, and Harry picked up his ink sodden quill, wishing for the first time, that he was back home again.

Feeling sorry for Malfoy? :(

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