/n just a quick note to Dragenphly, thank you very much for your review, I read through a couple of previous chapters and I see what you mean. as you probably know spell check doesn't pick up on single letter as spelling mistakes and I find it incredibly hard to check my own work, but I will definitely make a conscious effort to not re-offend in future. Also with the scenes moving to quickly It's because I'm trying to set up the story in as few chapters as possible so I can get to the story line, which must be a pain in the bum for you guys so yeah, I'm sorry about that to, hope you keep reading though! And to all my other reviewers I took a chance with leaving you on the cliffhanger, especially with such a sappy line so I hope your still with me. Thank you all for your support and your kind words. And to creepy clown doll, I do it because I care )

" He was the son of a friend of my fathers. He was from Australia, but was on holiday to England. He goes to the English wizarding school, Brigandine. Have you ever heard of it?" Draco paused but Harry shook his head in reply so he continued. " It's a very prestigious wizarding school. One of the top. The reason they don't compete in the tri wizard tournament is because the school is only 150 years old so it wasn't around when the tournament was invented. Any way I'm getting side tracked. "

Draco sat up and rinsed the towel in the cold water again before re applying it to his burn. "He was beautiful. Blonde hair, green eyes, freckles. He didn't have a perfect body or anything but he had… this feeling about him that screamed out to the world he was special. We became very close and our fathers encouraged it. My father Is Voldemort's top man in England, and his father is Voldemort's top man in Australia, so our friendship could only mean good things for a new generation of death eaters I suppose.

I fell quickly and deeply for him, wanting to spend every waking second with him. He eventually realized my true feelings towards him and instead of freaking out, like I thought he would, he told me he returned them. That's when we started "going out." I lost my virginity to him and to this day he is the most passionate lover I have ever experienced. I was hooked from our first kiss and he lead on that he was to."

Draco looked as though he was about to cry. Harry stood and walked around the bed and sat next to him, cross-legged. Draco smiled at him before continuing.

"Eventually it came time for him to go home. I told him we could correspond by letters and I could come and see him on my holidays. He said thanks but no thanks. You were a holiday fuck, nothing more. He had a fiancé back home who he was going to marry once they both turned 18. I was heart broken. Shattered. At first I went into denial, like everyone does I suppose. I used to think the only reason he dumped me was because he was to scared to get close to me encase he got hurt. Then I used to think he'd come crawling back to me once he realized what he had lost. These fantasies were dashed when his father sent mine a photo of the two of them embracing at one of the school dances. It was then I realized it was my fault he had dumped me. I obviously wasn't good enough for him. I was obviously just a worthless chunk of meat that he screwed because he could rather then because he had true feelings for me."

Draco angrily wiped the tears from his eyes, his voice now taking on a bitter tone.

"I turned the hatred I should have felt for him inward. I hated myself and still idolized him in my own mind. A miss placed infatuation; I think you could call it. But for the first time in my entire life I hated what I saw when I looked in the mirror. I saw a fat, ugly, worthless piece of shit. So I stopped eating. Hunger is no match for self-loathing. And when I did eat I punished myself for doing so. For example I'd purge, throwing up what I ate. Otherwise I would drink 10 litres of water over a 5-hour period, practically making myself sick. I got a sick sort of enjoyment out of the water punishment though, it was the only time I actually felt full. I lost 20 kilos in a month. I went from 70 to 50 but my goal weight was 45. The thing that saddens me the most about it is that no one noticed. I didn't have any one in my life close enough to notice that I was starving myself to death. I started taking illegal diet pills. They are basically legal speed. I had tried everything I could possibly find magic wise, but there aren't many alternatives. So that's when my problems really started. Not only did I get down to 45 kilos, but also pushed it even further and dropped down to 43 kilos. But still whenever I looked in the mirror, all I saw was a fat, hideous creature that didn't deserve life. I was eating 5 sticks of carrot and litre upon litre of water a day. I was fainting, I couldn't concentrate and my skin had practically turned translucent. I was so malnourished that I didn't do a shit for three weeks. It was only when Professor Snape found me unconscious on the dungeon floor after a lesson that I got the help I desperately needed. I was rushed to the infirmary and put on a drip. Madam Pomfrey refused to use magic on me, even in the beginning. She said that if I was going to get better and stay better I had to go through the hard yards to do so. Jeez it was hard, Harry, you have no idea. And some of the screaming matches I had with her. At one stage I had to be bound to the bed so I couldn't kill myself or someone else. Some of the darkest days of my life I spent in that hospital wing. But I eventually forced myself to get better with the help of Madam Pomfrey. After a week on a drip, she thought I was ready for solid foods again. We started small, a piece of fruit for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a slice of meat and peas for dinner. But it would take me sometimes 3 hours just to finish the sandwich. I would constantly play with it. Cut it up into tiny pieces and place it is different patterns on the plate.

Madam Pomfrey said that it was a side effect of my anxiety about eating. It was weird. It was like I had suddenly developed something along the lines of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Eventually I started to get better. Madam Pomfrey said I wasn't aloud out of the hospital wing until I read 60 kilos. She had sent a note home to my parents to inform them of the situation and what she was doing. The only reply she got was that they understood the situation. They never requested information about my recovery. They never came to see me, nothing. Madam Pomfrey turned into my chef, my guardian, my councillor and my doctor. I disclosed things to her I never have to another human being. The day I left the hospital wing she cried, hugged me, kissed my cheek and sent me on my way. I haven't been there since. Its probably cowardice that's kept me away but you have no idea what its like to have to face someone who has saved your life, and held your hand when you cried. She carried me through one of the weakest points of my life, and I can't face her to say thank you." Draco fell silent and gave into the sobs that had been building up inside him since he started. Harry's eyes had filled with tears to and he shuffled closer to Draco and laid an awkward arm around his shoulders. Draco lost control completely and started sobbing against Harry's chest. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and held him tightly, he felt as though if he let go Draco was going to fall apart. After an hour or so Draco's sobs subsided into random hiccupped whimpers. He eventually pulled away from Harry, embarrassed at his outburst, but Harry stopped caring. It was ticking close to three and he was beginning to feel the effects of his come down coming on. His arms had started to itch and his foot had started twitching, tapping against the corner post of the four poster bed.

" Harry… what's wrong?" Draco looked concern and Harry shook his head.

" Nothing… nothing, but you have to go now ok? Please? Please just go?" Harry began scratching his arm feverishly, he needed a hit and he needed one now.

" Harry stop, your making yourself bleed," Draco tried to stop Harry from scratching but he wasn't powerful enough.

" GET THE FUCK OUT DRACO, JUST GET OUT!" Harry screamed, pushing Draco off the bed. Draco scrambled to his feet and backed away towards the door but seemed to change his mind and remained rooted to the spot. Harry had curled into the foetal position, twitching. He started gnawing up and down his arms.

" Draco, can you get the powder from my trunk please? Please Draco I really need some. Please Draco, don't just stand there get it. PLEASE DRACO GET IT, I need it, please, please, please," Harry started pleading and begging Draco who didn't know what to do, so he just did what Harry had asked him. He opened the trunk at the end of the bed and found a plastic bag full of green powder, he handed it to Harry who shook his head.

" I can't, just add some to one of the cups of water, hurry Draco I'm going to be sick," Harry clutched his stomach as Draco plopped a spoonful of the powder into a glass of water. He hurried back to Harry and pushed him onto his back, lifting the glass to his lips. Harry drank gratefully and returned to his position. Eventually he began to relax and Draco let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Harry sat up and groaned, holding his head.

" Ugh, it wasn't enough, Draco please just go, I don't want you to see this, its ugly and pointlessly stupid," Harry pleaded with Draco who just shook his head. Harry took a spoonful of powder and followed the same procedure he had every night for what felt like a century. He sighed as he injected the drug into his veins, the high only lasted a few seconds now days and he was needing more and more just to feel normal.

" You're a fucking drug addict Harry? What the fuck? How could you be so stupid!" Draco screamed, disgusted at what he had not only observed but also contributed to.

"How dare you judge me, after what you just told me," Harry's strength had returned and he stood to face off with Draco.

" Yeah, but I was a fucking idiot. I know that now. Jesus Harry. You need help."

" I know ok! I know. Do you think I want to be like this? Do you think I enjoy injecting this shit into my veins just to feel a part of normality? I can't stop it Draco, I've tried and I can't stop it." Harry sunk onto the bed and held his head in his hands.

" You can't do stuff like this alone Harry. Ask Dumbledore for some time off from school. He won't say no to you, you're his golden boy. Give me the drugs and I won't give them back to you. I'll be here for you and I'll help you over come this Harry, I've been here before, just lay it all down on me and I'll help you to stand it. I'll read up on addictions so we can both share the pain ok?"

Harry ran his hands roughly through his hair. He knew he didn't have a choice but he was scared of what giving up meant. He was terrified of the comedowns, so scared he was hesitant in accepting Draco's help.

" Jeez we make a good pair eh? A recovering anorexic and a fucked up drug addict."

Draco just smiled in reply, knowing this was Harry's way of accepting his help.

"You don't need to do this though Draco. Don't think you owe me anything because you don't."

" Harry… I assure you, you're worth it. Now what I need you to do is to give me that bag to take away with me and anything else the drugs have touched that I can destroy. Its just so you don't have temptations around you to fall back in to old habits." Draco took the bag of powder from the bed and Harry groaned and rubbed his face vigorously with his hands before standing. He collected the spoon, the needles, and the cup and handed it to Draco, who placed them in his bag, informing Harry he would destroy them later.

" Ok, so do the side effects kick in about this time every night or does it vary?" Draco asked, it was creeping 4 o'clock and he was exhausted.

" Yeah, starts at about 2 and gets steadily worse until 3."

" Ok, well unless I see you before hand I'll come here at 1:30. I suggest you use tomorrow to sleep, you have an incredibly shitty few days ahead of you."

"Yeah, again thanks for everything. Just a warning… I may say things tomorrow I don't mean. It's going to be really nasty," Harry walked Draco to the door.

"Yeah I know. I'll see you then dude. Sleep well." Harry just nodded and Draco left Harry alone to dread tomorrow.

Harry woke the next afternoon and wondered why it was he felt so dreadful., then the hole scene early that morning with Draco came flooding back to him. Hedwig was perched at the window seal, 3 letters on the floor beneath her. Harry dragged himself out of bed and retrieved the letters from the floor, opening the one from his pen pal first.

Dear you,

I can't say that I understand what you're talking about completely, but in some way I can understand. I know the feeling in some aspects of what you say. But I have a question for you. I'm not sure I should be asking, but since we don't know who we are to each other, it will be okay.

Okay, here goes. Have you ever felt that your life has been out of your control? Like it was planned for you? I want to do so many things, but have my entire life planned for me with no visible way of escaping, that I cannot possibly do what I desire. I mean, if I really wanted to escape so badly there would be ways for me to, but I am afraid of what would happen.

I've gone through… many things during my life. Some things I cannot reflect upon for fear of them returning. Many do not understand that it is a problem, not just a way for people to take notice of me. I don't pride myself on being what others make me out to be, if you can understand. They make things up. Some things are true; I must admit that not all are false, but most just spin out of control… like many things tend to do.

I feel I must leave it here before I say something that may put you off writing to me again. And I apologise for making you wait so long. Homework was building up faster than I thought it would.

Me.

Harry grinned to himself. He could never have any normal friends… but he supposed he liked it that way. He had steadily drifted apart from Hermione and Ron because he had matured in some ways far more quickly then they had. It saddened him in a way that his childhood friends could no longer entertain him, but it was all just a part of growing up. Harry opened the next letter and was incredibly relieved to see Fred's scrawl.

Dear Harry,

I am so sorry you have been dragged into this. The batch we received and gave to you was laced with muggle drugs. They fuck you up pretty badly and in extreme cases can cause you to hallucinate. He wouldn't tell us wether it was heroin or acid so we think he could have mixed it. I don't know if that's possible cause I'm not really up to date with muggle drugs but that's just what we suspect. . We have been selling it to others in the wizarding community as well and now have an angry mob of addicts after us. I'm so, so sorry Harry. We are in a huge amount of trouble for what has happened, but I beg you, please don't tell Ron and Ginny.

Our supplier laced the drug so the users got addicted so they would need more and make him more money. We were so stupid to get involved and there is nothing I regret more then bringing you into it.

Idiotically yours,

Fred and George.

Harry was furious. Even though he suspected it he couldn't believe Fred and George would get him caught up in such a situation. They didn't seem to understand just how badly they had fucked up his life and then had the nerve to ask him not to tell any one what they had done.

Fuming Harry tore open the third letter.

Dear Harry,

I'll be around at one in the morning. I'll bring some food with me to keep us pre occupied. See you then,

Draco.

Harry didn't even want to contemplate tonight's events, so he dressed and made his way downstairs for some lunch. He was starving but regretted his choice of eating venue the second he entered. Ron came marching up to him, the letter chasing him,. Screaming about how much of a dickhead he was to be tricked etc. Harry groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Is this your idea of a joke? Do you think telling me my mother has died is amusing? What kind of sick fucked up person are you?" Ron screamed at him, trying to swat away the letter that was now dive bombing him.

" Ron, I had nothing to do with this… why is it your always so fucking quick to blame me hey? Ever thought someone else in this school thinks you're a total dickhead as well?" Harry pushed past Ron, loaded a plate with food and headed down towards the lake. It was a beautiful day outside. Clouds danced across the light blue sky and it was a little bit cool, just the way Harry liked it. He grinned to himself when he saw a familiar mop of blond hair peeking up through the long grass next to the lake. When he approached he made to step on Draco, who sat up quickly.

" Aw sorry mate, didn't see you down there." Harry smirked and sat next to Draco.

" Fucking smart ass," Draco said, picking blades of grass out of his hair. He lent over and stole a piece of toast from Harry's plate.

" So what are you doing out here instead of stalking the dungeons, looking for little baby bunny's to decapitate?" Harry asked, stealing Draco's position and lying out flat on the grass, staring up at the sky.

" Just contemplating tonight's events. Thinking about what I've gotten myself into," Draco replied honestly.

" You can back out you know? Just give me back the stuff and call it a day if you prefer."

" Ha! Couldn't possibly make it that easy on you. Just because I fed you the story yesterday doesn't mean I've turned into a soppy-hearted fool. I have no patience or pity for drug addicts. Having been down the same road. You chose to inject the drug into your body therefore your responsible for it. No one else. Not your circumstances or the people around you. If you decide to be the pussy I know you are and not give up, that's fine, I'll give you the shit back now and you can continue on with this pathetic version of life. Or you can quit and I will help you," Draco stole Harry's last bit of toast and stuffed it into his mouth.

Harry sighed deeply. He was so comfortable lying in the cool grass. He wished he could lie there forever but he knew Draco was waiting for an answer.

" I said yes to your help yesterday. What do you want a fucking written invitation," Harry rolled over onto his stomach and rested his head on his arms. Fucking Malfoy. Acting so bloody high and mighty.

"A written invitation would be nice, but I'll settle for verbal insult instead. I'll come around tonight. At 12:00 cause I have Transfiguration today and I could use your help with the mountain of homework I'm bound to get. Fucking McGonagall, she favours the Gryffindor's so much," Harry rolled his eyes and watched Draco walk up to the castle.

" I suppose I should go talk to Dumbledore about some time off," Harry sighed into his arms, but he really didn't want to get up.

Harry stayed in this position for another half an hour, enjoying the contrast of the sun warming his back and the cool grass beneath, he eventually forced himself to get up when he felt himself nod off. He'd need his wits about him.

Dragging himself up to the castle he stopped off at a bathroom on the way to see Dumbledore. Looking at himself in the mirror for the first time in ages he realized how shit he was really looking. Even his usually lively, flyaway hair hung limply around his face.

Harry scrubbed his face hard with soap and water and ran a wet hand through his hair; trying to make him self look presentable. Harry headed towards Dumbledore's office and was only a few paces away when he realized he didn't have his password.

"Hello Harry, I've been waiting for you," Dumbledore snuck up on Harry from behind and scared the shit out him. Wheeling around Harry found himself face to face with the silver bearded, twinkle eyed old fool.

"How do you do that?" Harry inquired as the gargoyle jumped aside when its master quoted, "Jellybeans."

"I have many spies in this castle. All of which only answer to me. " Dumbledore stated simply, sitting in the chair behind the desk and directing Harry to the one he had perched upon many times in previous years.

"So Harry, how can I help you?" Dumbledore asked. Harry suspected he knew full well why he was here but played along.

"I need some time off. Things have just gotten too much and I need a week off to sort my head out."

"Ok Harry. You can have the time off. As long as you continue studying Defence Against the Dark Arts in your spare time. You will need it for the war looming ahead. As you know Voldemort is steadily growing stronger and gathering an army of supporters. You are one of the only things standing in the way of him succeeding. I'm incredibly disappointed that you gave up on Quidditch. Your broom skills could have come in handy." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Harry tried to contain his frustration. He hadn't rejoined the quidditch team once he returned to Hogwarts because he no longer had the motivation for it. He no longer felt that tingle in his stomach when he mounted his broom and it saddened him beyond anything else. It used to be his escape from the world. If he had an issue he used to just be able to fly away from it but now the thought of getting back on his broom almost…scared him. But that's not what was pushing Harry's buttons. How dare Dumbledore place that pressure on his shoulders? How dare he laden him with this burden, like the only reason he existed was to kill Voldemort.

"Ok, I'll continue studying Defence Against the Dark Arts. But it will probably by closer to 2 weeks that I'll be off. Since I now have to prepare myself to fight a war by myself. Since no one else seems to want to take responsibility for helping me," Harry stood and walked to the door without farewelling Dumbledore.

"Oh and Harry, its ok if you stay in the Room of Requirement." Harry turned back and faced Dumbledore who just smiled.

"Thank you sir," Harry said, before quickly departing.

He couldn't hate Dumbledore, but he couldn't like him either. Not at the moment. He knew Dumbledore was just being frank with him, which is what he wanted. And he hadn't mentioned Sirius to him, which is what he wanted to. At least its what he thought he wanted.

Harry made his way back to the Room of Requirement. He knew he would be out of action for a few days and had to prepare himself to be a total fucking mess.

When Draco walked in that night Harry was sitting on his bed, legs crossed with his eyes closed, 2 strings coming from his ears and connecting to a silver round thing that was sitting on his lap. He knocked on the door behind him but Harry didn't stir. Draco, curious at this stage, walked over to the bed and brought his hand down heavily on Harry's shoulder. Harry jumped out of his skin for the 2nd time that day.

" Fuck Draco, don't you knock? I could have been naked or something."

Draco visually shuddered. " As…interesting… as that image would be I did knock. You didn't answer cause you had these thingy's in your ears." Draco picked up one of the strings with the nobly thing attached to the end and showed it to Harry.

"Heh, oh you wizarding scum. It's a disc man. You can't tell me you've never seen a disc man before." Harry put the two pieces of string in Draco's ear and pressed play.

Never thought you'd make me perspire
Never thought I'd do you the same
Never thought I'd fill with desire
Never thought I'd feel so ashamed

Me and the dragon
Can chase all the pain away
So before I end my day
Remember

My sweet prince you are the one

My sweet prince you are the one

"Hey I know this song!" Draco pulled the two string thingy's from his ear and looked up at Harry excitably.

"Would you like a medal or shall I write it on your chest?" Harry asked, smirking.

"Hey smartass, that's my smirk. Nuh I heard it last holidays at Pansy's house. She had err… what do you call them... those BC players?"

"You mean CD player?" Harry inquired, enjoying Draco's ignorance.

"Yeah one of those. Her mum bought it because she has this fascination with muggle shit. She has this spell that means she can run it without plugs and such. Any way she used to play this song over and over and say it was our song. She's lucky I loved the song or I would have had to kill her." Draco smiled at the memory.

Harry eyed the cardboard box in Draco's arms.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing to the box.

"Well I didn't see you at dinner and I didn't want to give you hunger as an excuse to leave the room, so I bought you some food. Dobby was really helpful. He's still a squeaky, pathetic sort of creature. I also bought some…other things. "

"Other things?" Harry stood and walked over to Draco, taking the box from him. He carefully took out the plate gladdened with food and the large bottle of water. Underneath he found a large rope, some duck tape, some potion Harry knew to be a simple pain killing potion they had brewed earlier in the year, large blocks of chocolate and some books.

"I just wanted to be prepared for any situation. I read up on some withdrawals and they aren't very nice at all. I heard sweet things can sometimes help and that you need to stay really hydrated cause you'll be puking tons... and I bought the rope and duck tape to keep you here during the day for the first couple of days while I have to go to school. I don't care whether you want me to or not you agreed to my help so this is how we are going to do it."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He hadn't even thought of some of these things and he was glad Draco had. Except the tying up thing.

Draco spread the contents of the box onto the table before sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking up at Harry who had sat himself down again onto the bed.

"So Pothead. What shall we do to pass the hours?" Ask Draco looking around the room.

Harry shrugged. " There are some board games in the bookshelf. A deck of cards to. We could play strip poker," Smiled Harry, only half joking.

"As tempting as that sounds how about we play just ordinary poker? Though there isn't really a point considering we both know I'll be the superior player." Harry rolled his eyes and made his way over to the bookcase; fishing out the deck of cards he had seen there previously. Sitting on the floor across from Draco he shuffled and dealt the cards.

"So, are you scared about tonight?" asked Draco, picking up his cards and eyeing them.

"Terrified," Harry neatened the rest of the deck and place it in between them.

A small smile played across Draco's lips. Harry didn't know whether it was because of his hand or because he was about to play a part in Harry's misery.

A/n sigh o.k. that chapter was just a chapter to set up all the exciting bits which premier in the next chapter! In the next chappie there will be some Draco Harry action because I'm dying to write some! Ok so I know a lot of you are going HOW COULD YOU MAKE HARRY NOT LIKE FLYING YOU EVIL EVIL EVIL PERSON! Its part of the plot I promise. So, a preview of the next chappie:-

- Harry Draco action

- More pen pal shenanigans

- Harry in huge amounts of pain and discomfort from withdrawal symptoms

- A waterfall

- Draco being his assholish, prickish, hatred inducing self that we all know and desperately love!

Hope you enjoyed it guys. I'm hoping to keep chapters after this 2000 words and do one or two a week!