The infirmary was as boring as it had ever been, and Harry didn't particularly like the idea of being a patient without an illness, but it was only for a day, and he survived... even though he was dead to everyone else.

Dumbledore came to get him at midnight, and, once they were away from the school and able to apparate, they did so, arriving at Draco's Paris home.

"What's it look like?" Harry asked the headmaster, wishing he could see.

Dumbledore looked at Harry with a sorrowful expression on his face. It was as if he didn't feel sorry for Harry, but more as though his blindness hadn't of happened to him. Harry couldn't see any of this, however, and only moved his un-focusing stare to where he assumed Dumbledore was.

"It's a mansion, but muggles can't see it. Three or four stories high, made of dark stone, and large double doors for the entrance. Now, come, let us go inside. It's not a good idea for you to be out here for too long, lest someone sees you."

Dumbledore led the golden boy inside the large house.

"Potter," greeted Draco

Harry nodded his head slightly in response.

"Welcome to my humble home," Draco smiled, gesturing grandly to the humongous castle.

The effect of it all was lost on Harry, which Draco soon realized and frowned slightly.

"Well my dear boys, I think I will leave you two now. Please floo to my office if any problems should arise," Dumbledore turned to leave, but then remembered something and twirled back around, "I'm sure there won't be any problems," he smiled and left through the door, so that he could apparate away.

There was an awkward silence for a minute or two, until Harry said, "Could you lead me to my room?"

Draco nodded, even though he knew Harry couldn't see it, and grabbed onto his arm. Harry stiffened slightly under the touch, but relaxed as Draco led him away.

As he was leading The-Boy-Who-Lived up to his room, Draco tried to start a nice, civil conversation. "What's it like being blind?"

It became apparent that this was probably not a good conversation starter when Harry stopped walking. "Why do you ask?" he wondered suspiciously.

Draco shrugged, "Just thought it would be an interesting experience, you know... not being able to see... Um... Sorry I asked, come on, I'll show you your room..."

Harry began to walk with the blond again, but suddenly said, "It's a little strange, I suppose."

"Hm?"

"Being blind, it's a little strange," Harry repeated.

"Really? Not horrible or anything? Just strange?" asked Draco.

"No, not horrible... just strange. Because even though I can't really see... I can hear so much better, and smell and all my senses are stronger. And I have an almost sixth sense... If you know what I mean..."

"You mean like reading other people's thoughts? That's not really a sixth sense... that's just magic, everyone can do that, if they've been trained," informed Draco.

"No, not like reading people's thoughts. More like I can tell when someone's behind me, even if I don't hear them. I can just sense their presence. Or I can almost tell exactly where someone is standing, even though I can't see them there. It's all very... well... strange, like I said."

"Mhm," Draco tried to sound understanding, but really didn't see how this qualified as a sixth sense.

"Never mind. I guess you have to experience it to really understand the whole thing..."

An awkward silence, much like the one there was after Dumbledore had left, resumed, until Draco finally said, a bit loudly, "Here's your room!"

Harry came in, and walked around the perimeter of the room. It was fairly large, and circular. There was a desk a little ways away from the door. Then a bed opposite the desk. A dresser was across from the door, which was very big, and wonderfully comfortable.

"Like it?" Draco asked. If Harry hadn't known any better, he would have said that Malfoy was a little nervous.

"I love it! It's definitely better than any bedroom I've had before."

Draco didn't seem surprised at this, seeing as he knew what Harry's living conditions were like back at the Dursley's.

"Let me give you the grand tour. The house elves will move your stuff into your room while we're out."

Harry nodded, and Draco grabbed onto his hand.

"This is the pool. It's about as long as the quidditch pitch and one meter deep at its most shallow, ten meters at its deepest." Draco loved his pool. He went swimming in it as often as he could.

"Ten meters?" Harry asked.

"Yes."

'wow' Harry mouthed, wishing he could see it.

Eventually the tour had been completed. The house was huge. Even bigger than what Dumbledore had made it sound like, and the entire tour had taken about three hours, maybe longer. Harry wasn't a great judge of time, now that he could no longer see the sun.

"What do you think?" Harry could hear the pride in Draco's voice.

"I think that this house or mansion... castle perhaps, is one of the most awe-inspiring buildings I've seen," Harry smiled, and heard Draco's breath hitch, but it was such a small sound that he wasn't entirely sure he had heard it.

"It's pretty late, I think we should all retire for the night!" Draco said quickly.

Harry was a bit puzzled, but decided he was pretty tired. Then his stomach growled, however, and he realized he hadn't eaten since a few hours before he had left Hogwarts.

"Do you think I could get a snack quickly?" Harry asked.

"Of course, I'll lead you to the kitchens!"

Four pumpkin pasties, and six chocolate frogs later, Harry was heading up to his bedroom.

"You need to think about eating healthier," scolded Draco.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously. You start training tomorrow, and have to be in top physical condition. Not that you aren't now, but all the same..."

"Training?" this was the first Harry had heard about any 'training'

"Did I forget to mention that... Oh... you see, while you're here, you will be taught how to best use your magic and senses, without your sight, in order to defeat the dark lord. That way, even though you're handicap, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will be wanting to attack you now that you're vulnerable, you won't be completely defenseless."

Harry nodded. "Well, goodnight Malfoy. See you tomorrow," was all he said before he walked into his room.

"Night, Harry," muttered Draco.

Harry leapt out of bed when he heard a terrific bang from downstairs. It sounded almost like Neville's potions during Snape's class... but a little louder. He decided to investigate.

After managing to get down the stairs without tripping, he then took out his wand (Dumbledore had put a charm around the building so that Draco and Harry could use magic without it being detected) and told it to point out the way to the kitchens, because it seemed that if anything was going to go bang, it would probably go bang in the kitchen. Of course, logic probably didn't mean a whole lot in this house... but the kitchen was at least a place to start.

Harry was rather sure he had was correct about the kitchen when he heard Draco coughing.

"What happened?" Harry asked, smelling smoke.

Between coughs, Draco replied, "Nothing! Nothing happened!"

Harry raised an eyebrow until Draco got the fire under control, and repaired everything that had been burnt.

"Now really, what happened?" Harry repeated his question.

Sighing in defeat, Draco said, "I was trying a new potion, but it didn't go as planned..."

Harry's already raised eyebrow traveled a little farther up his head, "You messed up a potion?"

"There's a first for everything, alright!" Draco yelled defensively.

Harry put his hands up in a 'back off' gesture. "Sorry! I was just surprised, that's all!"

Draco cleared his throat and said in a much more civil, if slightly distant tone, "Your first lesson is about to begin, please follow me," and with that, Draco reached out and grabbed Harry's hand, in order to show him where to go.

There were beautiful tapestries and statues around every corner and down every hall. Beautifully painted pictures (there was even a picture by Leonardo Da Vinci, who had actually been a wizard, but chose to live among the muggles) hung on the walls. It angered Draco slightly, although he tried to tell himself that he wouldn't let it bother him, that Harry couldn't see all of the architecture and history of his home. Bragging was one of Malfoy's favorite pastimes, but he couldn't brag to Harry, because Harry wouldn't see what he was talking about. He couldn't show off, and it was starting to get to him. Luckily, it was just when Draco was finally going to crack, and brag about the artwork, that they arrived at the training room, and Draco hurriedly ushered Harry inside.

"You were awfully silent on the way here," Harry observed.

"I could say the same for you," answered the Malfoy.

Harry only shrugged.

"First lesson will be hand to hand combat," Draco began the lesson.

"Wait!" interrupted Harry.

Draco was a bit surprised at the interruption, but stopped talking all the same.

"You'll be the one giving the lesson?" Harry asked.

"Yes, of course. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Well, you just never seemed like an expert on 'hand to hand combat.' How do I know I'll be learning a single thing correctly?"

Draco sighed impatiently, and then set about explaining that he had trained with a personal coach on muggle martial arts, and was also a master with the sword, and a terrific archer, as well as being able to perform hundreds upon hundreds of spells, both light and dark in nature, and he, Draco Malfoy, was to teach Harry all that he had learned.

"Alright. Shoot then," Harry said resignedly.

"Now, fighting stance..." Draco began, positioning Harry's hands and feet.

"Lunch break," Draco finally called, and snapped his fingers. There was a loud crack as one of the many house elves appeared in the room with a tray sporting two sandwiches, some chips, and two sodas.

Smelling the food, Harry said "The lunch smells rather muggle for your tastes. Very normal, nothing fancy... is this how you prefer to eat?"

"Well, everyone likes something different now and then, right? Now you better start eating because we go back to training in thirty minutes."

In response, Harry took a large bite out of his sandwich.

By the end of the day, Harry had improved greatly in his martial arts skills. All of the quidditch he had played had already toned his muscles, and he was limber enough, all he needed to develop were the different attacks and blocks. He learned all those rather quickly, and was already able to spar with Draco, and almost win.

"Alright, let's go down and get some dinner. We'll continue this lesson tomorrow, and then move on to dark magic, and your animangus form."

Harry nodded, tired. He was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and couldn't wait to get a shower.

Draco, had noticed Harry's slightly disheveled, slightly sweaty, slightly tired, and very hungry look, and, before he could stop himself, thought, 'no wonder all the girls crowd around him right after his quidditch practice. He's goddamn gorgeous after a work out!'

Draco squeaked (in a very un-Malfoyish way) in surprise at his own thought.

"Did I just hear you squeak?" Harry laughed.

"No!" Malfoy quickly denied it, but Harry had already realized it was him, and was rolling around on the floor laughing.

Letting out a low growl of annoyance, Draco pounced on an unsuspecting Harry Potter. Well... he thought he was unsuspecting.

"Oof!" grunted the blond, after Harry rolled out of the way, and he crashed into the stone floor. As soon as he tried to stand up, Harry tackled him.

"Hey!" Malfoy barked indignantly.

Harry only laughed, so Malfoy fought back.

Eventually, Harry had gotten Draco pinned.

"Ha!" he laughed triumphantly, "I win!"

Draco only smirked, and rolled, so that he was the one pinning Harry.

"Don't be so sure!"

Harry started to struggle to his feet, seeing as he was a little stronger than the Draco.

Feeling that he was losing the battle, Draco flung all his weight forward, bringing Harry crashing to the ground, and Draco basically lying on top of him.

Although he couldn't see his face, Harry assumed that Draco's face was very very close. A little to close for comfort, maybe. Or maybe not. Harry was discovering he had mixed feelings for the blond, so this whole situation was beginning to confuse him.

Draco, unlike the golden boy, could see perfectly well just how close he was to Harry. Just a little farther and their noses would be touching. 'just a little farther and our lips would be touching,' said a part of Draco's mind, which he shut up immediately.

"Yeah... so let's go dinner, right?" Harry suggested weakly.

"Mhm, dinner," echoed Draco.

Neither made a move to get up.

Suddenly, a loud crack made both boys jump to their feet.

"Master Snape is here!" called the elf, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"Snape?" Harry asked, a mixture of disbelief and utter loathing in his voice.

"Snape!" Draco called happily, bounding down the stairs, before remembering Harry couldn't see to get back to the main hall. So he bounded back into the room, took hold of Harry's hand, and bounded back out the door, Harry grumbling behind him.

A/N: Yay! I have updated! I am back from vacation, and ready to write some more on my stories! Sorry I've been gone so long. And please excuse and bad writing and lack of action in this chapter, my mind is still on vacation, and I'm out of practice in writing fanfics, so it'll take a little while for me to get up to par again, but I shall work on it! Anyways, sorry nothing too much happened in this chapter, but more stuff next chappie! I promise!

Oh, and for those of you who have read the sixth Harry Potter book, I would assume you have realized that this story takes place before then... or maybe this is sixth year, and we'll pretend the book never happened! For you people who haven't read the sixth book, I'll try not to spoil it for you!

Thank you guys who reviewed, even though I was on vacation! That means a lot to me! Please keep reviewing! I will love you forever!