DISCLAIMER: If you've ever heard of it before, I don't own it, so don't sue me.
A/N Whew… That was a harsh chapter to write. About half way through I was struck by a horrid case of writer's block, and I think my parents are convinced that I'm insane, because I started banging my head violently against the computer table. Anyways, here's chapter seven in all its glory:
Malfoy slammed his head into his pillow. Again. This was horrible! ALREADY he had broken Harry's trust!
Though he wouldn't yet admit it to anyone, he was finding that he liked Harry. Already Harry was more of a friend than anyone he had ever had, simply because he seemed to trust, which was a concept unknown to all his other 'friends'.
And he had ruined it already! He was lucky that Harry was even talking to him after the six years of hell Draco had caused him. So there was only one thing to do. Find Dumbledore before school started. That was another fact he had forgotten to tell Harry all this was to take place on the first day back from summer break, the death-eater's thinking being that things would be more chaotic as student and teacher's settled into their new schedules.
How. Draco didn't have a clue, only that if he left this room before he knew, Harry would most likely be outside waiting to curse him, which wasn't something he wanted.
He needed Harry's help. The boy who lived knew the headmaster better than most, and vice-versa. He would have to risk Harry's wrath, and, even worse, ask for help.
He continued rationing his affection towards Potter, and eventually came to a conclusion that went somewhat like this:
He was Draco Malfoy, and he always got what he wanted. Always. So if he wanted to be Harry's friend, nothing could get in his way. He would help in the fight against the Dark Lord, even if it was just to spite his father.
His emotions slowly falling into place, he continued his useless brainstorming of ideas about communication.
"Hey Harry," Ron said, doing his best to keep the touches of contempt out of his voice, "What'd that…." At a look from Hermione, he abruptly changed his choice of words. "What did Malfoy need?"
Harry sighed, collapsing on his bed. "Just wanted to talk. About his dad." Hermione gave him an odd look, then,
"About that Harry… How do we know Malfoy's not spying on us? I mean… He's always been so… so devoted to his father and the dark arts," Hermione asked, concern etched across her intelligent face.
Harry shut his eyes, about to tell something no one knew yet. It was the right time for them to know.
"At the end of last year, at the department of mysteries," Both Ron and Hermione went completely quiet at his last words; they had heard so little about what had happened to Harry during those horrible hours at the department of mysteries.
"When Voldemort came, to kill me, you already know that Dumbledore saved me. There's more that happened. Voldemort possessed me. He took me over…He spoke through me…" Harry felt his throat lock up at the memory of the pain that had come with the possession.
"He also left more of his powers in me. Now, not only do I have his parseltounge, I have his legimancy." Hermione gasped.
"You can… You can read minds!!!" Ron looked clueless until Hermione's remark.
Harry shook his head vigorously, sitting up on the edge of his bed.
"More like… I can read emotions. I noticed during the summer when the I kept feeling a sort of sick happiness whenever Dudley taunted me, except it wasn't me who was feeling it. It's really weird and I wish I couldn't do it. I can also tell when people are lying, or when they're telling the truth… that's how I know Draco's really come over to our side. Can you accept that?"
Ron and Hermione look and felt dumbstruck.
"Voldemort possessed…" Hermione trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She changed her trail of thought, "Well that settles it, doesn't it! Malfoy's on our side, no matter how much some of us," She shot a look at Ron, "might contest it. We should do our best to make him feel as welcome as possible." Hermione proclaimed, with the air she usually took about S.P.E.W. Hermione was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her. Ron grimaced, but Harry smiled. He had gotten to almost like the blonde Slytherin in their trip to Hogwarts, the fight with the dragon… almost. He wasn't quite there yet, though.
"I'll be civil. Nothing more. Civil. I won't call him Draco, and I don't think Harry should either." Ron said stiffly, knowing that Hermione would never leave him alone if he didn't consent. Hermione nodded, apparently satisfied, and then turned to Harry. She was going to say something to him, but Harry inexplicitly leapt up, a half shocked, half joyful look on his face.
"I've got to go talk to Draco," He said, running out of the room.
"Hermione, you know that we really shouldn't be encouraging this friendship. Malfoy's going to have a bad influence on Harry," Ron said mournfully, as if Harry had died.
"Oh Ron! Hermione scoffed, "You just don't like him. And plus, I've been saying for years that we should try for inter-house cooperation and friendship. Nobody's listened to me, but it's even more important now that the second war's begun. It's like Dumbledore said at the end of our fourth year. You remember that speech, don't you?"
Ron nodded reluctantly, "You've quoted it enough times."
"Good," said Hermione, as if that settled it all, "Then we'll support Malfoy in his decision to fight for our side, won't we Ron?" Hermione said sharply.
"Yeah. We will."
Meanwhile, Harry and Draco were thrashing out the details in an ingenious plan that would, hopefully, allow them to contact Dumbledore.
While talking about his legimancy, Harry had realized that Dumbledore had once mentioned that he had skills in the art too. Maybe, just maybe, he could contact Dumbledore through their minds.
Malfoy hadn't been too convinced at first, but after Harry had demonstrated that he could indeed tell when people were lying through a simple test of his abilities.
"Harry, this is amazing…" Malfoy whispered in awe, "nobody can tell when I'm lying, but you… you guessed it every time…" Harry smiled.
"I need you're help with this, though. You're a powerful wizard, Draco. I need your power along with mine." Draco looked confused though.
"What can I do? There aren't any spells for this sort of thing, are there?"
Harry shook his head, then explained, "No, there aren't spells for that, but there are spell for magically locating people. I need you to find Dumbledore, so that I can concentrate on talking to him."
It made sense. Harry would need to have his whole attention and powers into communication, but there was one thing that didn't fit.
"Why don't you have Weasley or Granger do it?" Harry smiled again.
"They're not powerful enough. You are. That's another thing my new powers let me do, I can see how much magical strength there is in a witch or wizard. And you've got more power then both of them combine," Harry answered Draco's inquiry.
Malfoy's voice dropped. "How much power've you got?"
Harry looked uncomfortable.
"Let's put it this way. You know how great of a wizard Dumbledore is? Well, take his potential, then double it." Then it was Draco's turn to look uncomfortable.
"In that case, I think we can pull this off. It will be hard, but we can do it," Draco practically whispered. So much power was frightening, and it was sitting in front of him, staring uncomfortably at into his eyes.
"You're right… We can do it."
The two boys sitting next to each other, staring blankly into the at the other's face, their minds developing plans for the advanced and nearly impossible bit of magic they were about to perform, when the door flew open.
Fred and George Weasley burst in, finding the two in a rather incriminating position, and even though there was nothing going on, by the look on the twins face, they had drawn the worst possible conclusions.
Poor Harry and Draco had a lot of explaining to do, it would seem.
A/N No, this is NOT a slash story. I don't have anything against slash, and I read it all the time. I'm just not an advanced enough of an author to write romance, so I won't put you through my horrid bits of writing.
Now, you know that Harry and Draco aren't involved, but I make no guarantees for the rest of the characters…