DISCLAIMER: If you've ever heard of it before, I don't own it, so don't sue me.
A/N. I am So so so sorry about the wait! I just lost track of time, and the next thing I knew, it had been weeks since I last updated. There are some things you should know about this chapter. First off, there is telepathic communication in this chapter, and the format I'm using for that is as follows: (The speech goes here). So if you see that, people are talking mind-to-mind. Second off, in the middle of the chapter, I skip to September the first, as they are leaving for the Hogwarts express. Don't be confused, it'll be obvious when you get there, I just thought I'd best warn you in advance. Most of my current plot line takes place at Hogwarts, so I got bored writing about them at the order. (I have no patience to speak off…) Also, I, personally, think this chapter is crap. It isn't really that bad, and it's probably just that I got bored in the middle of writing it, and zapped the characters forward a couple of months…
Lastly, I decided that I need a beta. If you're willing to take it on, send me an e-mail, and I'll get back to you quick. In your e-mail, include your pen-name, and what exactly a beta does... I'm sorta new at this. I don't exactly know what I'm supposed to do, so any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Scratch that, Draco thought angrily to himself, this summer is going to be horrible. He had just been woken up by the screeching of an unknown voice
"BLOOD TRAITORS!" The voice continued to shriek as Draco continued to wake up. "ABLSOLUTLY FILTHY, ALL OF YOU!"
"Shut up!" Called a familiar voice from the floor below him. The screaming had stopped, but that didn't quench Draco's curiosity.
Slipping out of his bed, Draco instinctually went to get dressed, but then realized that not only did he not know where his clothes were, but he was fully dressed. Shrugging to himself, Draco went in search of Harry.
"Harry," He called as he reached the room he knew Harry to be staying in.
"Yeah?" Came a voice from behind the door.
"Who's that screaming?" There was a pause, then,
"I'll be out in a second," Then the door swung in, and Harry came out of his room, a dark look gracing his face.
"Who is it?" Draco persisted.
"Mrs. Black. Well, it's her portrait, but I swear it has its own spirit. We would have removed it ages ago if it weren't for that sticking charm she put on it…" Harry shot Draco an apologetic smile, and then the strangest thing happened. Draco 'felt' a wave of sadness wash over him, but he had nothing to feel sad about, not only that, but the feelings felt…foreign. What? Then it clicked.
"Harry, we need to talk… alone." Harry shot Draco an inquisitive glance, but gestured for the other boy to follow him.
"We can talk in one of the studies." Draco nodded.
"What's up?" Harry asked, closing the door to the small room behind him.
"Were you just feeling sad about something?" The blonde asked, hoping that he wasn't just going insane.
"How's you know!" No, he definitely wasn't going insane.
"Turns out this emotion sensing thing goes both ways," Draco replied cleverly.
Harry looked confused for a moment or two, but then comprehension flooded his expressions.
"So you can feel what I feel." It was a statement, not a question. Draco nodded.
"Ok. We have to do something about this; you do know that, don't you?"
"Yes," Draco answered, a mischievous grin starting on his face. "I wonder…"
Harry tilted his head in questioning. "What do you wonder?"
"If we can feel each other's emotions, do you thing we could talk, like with our minds?"
"I don't know Draco, that seems a bit far-fetched," Harry said, letting his skepticism show.
"I know, but it's worth a try isn't it?"
(you never know, it might work…)
Harry jumped.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO!"
Draco was just as surprised as Harry. He hadn't really expected his thought to reach Harry. It had been simple enough to do, he had simply taken his thought, formed it into words, then mentally sent it down the bond that he was quickly coming to recognize as Harry.
"Calm down… you'll bring the Weasley's down on me," Draco said, still slightly in shock.
"Calm down?" Harry blustered, "I just heard your bloody voice in my head!"
"Then it worked?" Draco prodded eagerly.
"If that's what you were aiming for, then yes, it worked!"
"Wow. You shouldn't be so mad, though. I did tell you I was going to try it," Draco reasoned.
"Yes, but I didn't actually expect it to work," Harry said, finally calming.
"Neither did I. You try now," Draco said, trying to make his mind as open as possible, something he never thought he'd be doing in the presence of Harry Potter. So many things have changed… he shook away that thought, and concentrated on the present, which seemed far more important than the past.
(This is just plain weird) said Harry's voice in his head. Draco nodded fervently.
"Couldn't agree more." Then a thoughtful look came over his face. "But it could be useful, if we use it right, that it."
Harry's mouth twisted into an amused smile. "By right, I assume you mean to talk during class, cheat on tests, and overall abuse our powers?"
"Yep, that pretty much covers it," said Draco in an offhand manner.
"Slytherins…"
And then, Harry heard what must have been, at the time, the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his life. Draco Malfoy laughed. It was a clear sound, like bells chiming at a wedding. Why doesn't he do that more often? Harry thought to himself. Then his mind jolted back into reality. I must be suffering from some odd side affect of telepathic communication… there is NO other way I would have just thought that MALFOY's laugh is the most beautiful thing on earth. It was rather pretty though…
"Let's head down to breakfast," Harry suggested, more to distract himself than anything else.
"Good idea," Draco said, turning towards the door. Harry followed, letting himself be lead down into the kitchen.
"Harry?"
"Yes Draco?"
The boy seemed to be considering what to say, then after a moment settled on his phrasing. "Is it all right with you if we don't tell anyone about our connection? I can't see the weas- Ron responding very well to it."
Harry thought about this, wondering if he should tell Ron. Draco was right, Ron would be enraged beyond imagining, but it would be even worse if he found out from anybody besides Harry.
"I think you're right… we should keep it a secret," Harry decided.
And then Draco smiled to light up the world.
Wow. Thought Harry, Maybe the after affects of mind-to-mind are worse than I thought…
"Harry are you ok?"
Harry gathered his thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just hungry."
And then they entered the kitchen, any musings of their bond ended abruptly as Harry was greeted by the Weasley clan.
Harry sat down at the table, Draco taking the seat next to him.
Harry looked around him, seeing the regular chaos that was omnipresent at the order. It was comforting, somehow, to know that even during these hard times, there were some things he could count on. Glancing over at Ron and Hermione, both of them smiling, Harry applied himself to his breakfast, happy to be among family.
"Hurry up! We're leaving in ten minutes! Ten minutes everyone!" Mrs.Weasley's voice echoed up the stairs, reaching Harry's ears.
Ten minutes! He must have overslept. Harry jumped out of bed, rushing into his clothes, thanking god that he'd packed his trunks the night before.
(Running late?) Draco's voice said, smug.
(Just a little. I'll be downstairs in a couple of minutes.) Harry replied easily.
The two boys had quickly grown used to their new found powers, and were looking forward to their uses at Hogwarts.
Harry jogged to the bathroom, quickly brushing his teeth and hair.
"Five minutes!" Mrs.Weasley called out.
(Draco! Get up here and help me get my stuff downstairs.)
(Say please.) Harry rolled his eyes, even though he knew the other boy couldn't see him.
(Please!)
(I'll be right up.) Harry headed back to his room, meeting Draco outside his door.
"Will you carry Hedwig?" Draco nodded, picking up the owl's cage. Harry grabbed hold of his trunk, and dragged it out of the room, Draco in tow.
The two of them made it to the kitchen before meeting up with one of the Weasley's.
"Harry! Where have you been! We leave for the Hogwarts express in," Mrs.Weasley consulted a clock on the wall, "Three minutes! Are you packed?"
"I overslept. But yeah, my stuff is all packed up." Then another thought occurred to Harry. "How are we getting to the station this year?" They had taken the knight bus last year, but the war seemed to make that an unlikely choice.
"We're apparating. Dumbledore found a way for us adults to apparate you children, and it's the only option. You-know-who is watching the floo network and portkeys…" She shuddered. "But let's not talk about that dear! School starts soon, aren't you excited!"
"Yes." Said Harry dully. He shot Draco a look. Going back to Hogwarts meant many things, but to the two boys, it meant hiding their friendship. The had decided, after hours of discussion, that it was best kept a secret. If people knew of their relationship, Draco would lose all potential as a spy, and frankly, they didn't want to have to deal with the ridicule that their friendship would bring.
(I know. I'm not looking forward to it either.)
It was going to be hard. Harry and Draco had grown close over the month and a half they had spent together, and their friendship was tight, not to mention their magical bond, which, if anything, had become stronger.
"It's time to leave!" Mrs.Weasley announced to the room. Their was a shuffle of motion as everyone gathered around her.
"Now, here's what we're going to do. I will perform the spell, and you will feel slightly disconcerted for a moment, so be prepared. I'm going to send you to a bathroom on the station, where members of the order will be waiting to escort you to the train. Everybody ready? Good. Harry, Draco, why don't you go first?"
The two boys stepped forward, both of them aware of what waited them at the other end of the apparation.
(Ready Harry?) Harry took a deep breath, glancing over at his friend.
(As ready as I'll ever be.) Then, with a quick whip of Mrs.Weasley's wand, Harry's world went blank.
A/N Chapter thirteen will be better, I swear! Please please please don't stop reading if you didn't like this chapter, It'll get better once their at Hogwarts, mainly because I'll be able to jump into the real plot. Review!