A/N: My story is still dedicated to the late Beatz Holohan of Bayside.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Absolutely. Nothing.

Warnings: There's nothing really bad in this chapter. I don't even think there's any obscene language….how strange…

Chapter Seven: Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated (Rise Against)

DMHP

Draco walked into the Great Hall the next day and his eyes automatically searched for the raven-haired boy he'd learned so much about the previous night. After a few moments of scrounging, his eyes fell upon the mop of messy hair that belonged to one Harry Potter.

Draco was shocked at how frail and pale the Gryffindor looked. He wasn't even eating anything. Draco quickly masked his concern and went to sit at the Slytherin table with his mates. During the whole meal, the blonde boy kept sneaking glances Harry's way, only to become more upset every time he saw the crestfallen look that marred the other boy's face.

Draco thought he was being subtle when he snuck glances at the Boy-who-lived, but apparently he was pretty damn obvious. Blaise leaned over to him about halfway through breakfast, questioning what was going on.

"Draco, why, pray tell, do you keep looking over at Potter? Does it have something to do with last night? You never told me what happened." Draco looked at his best friend with the slightest bit of grief slipping past his mask.

"Blaise, I would've told you what happened, but you and a certain boyfriend of yours seemed to be quite busy. May I add that you guys should think of putting of silencing charms before you shag each other senseless." Blaise just smirked at the comment and said, "What, you don't like what you hear?"

"No, not particularly. Especially when I've had a rough night and just want to sleep." Blaise's smirk fell and concern soon showed on his face.

"What happened?"

Draco sighed. "I'll tell you later, when there's a bit more privacy." Blaise just nodded and turned back to his breakfast. Once the two Slytherins finished their meals, they headed off to double Potions with the Gryffindors, of course. Class went as usual, Snape droning on about this and that, docking points from Gryffindor and adding points a-plenty to Slytherin.

Draco tried to stay focused, he really did, but with Harry being in the same class, he couldn't help but think about the night before. Draco couldn't stand it anymore; he had to take action. He decided to write a quick note to Harry.

With Harry sitting just across the aisle from him, it was pretty easy for Draco to give him the note. When Snape had his back turned, he tucked the note under his foot and slid it across to the Gryffindor.

DMHP

Harry was trying to pay attention, but he kept noticing Draco stare across the aisle at him; it was really unnerving. Finally, Draco looked away, but only to scrawl something on a piece of paper quickly before he resumed his staring.

When Snape had his back turned, Harry noticed that Draco stuck the piece of paper under his foot and slid it across to him. Harry quickly grabbed the note before Snape turned back around.

Harry unfolded the note slowly, not wanting to make any noise. When he finally got it open, he began to read.

Potter, or Harry, I'm undecided as of now,

I'm sorry about last night. I didn't know. Unbelievable as it my sound, I'm concerned for you. If you need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to come to me. Now, this is extremely un-Malfoy of me, so please take it to heart.

Sincerely,

Draco

Harry was stunned. Malfoy actually being concerned? Absurd. Harry didn't know how to respond to the note, so he didn't. He just tucked the paper away and pretended to pay attention for the rest of class. This did not bode well with Draco; he didn't like being ignored. Slowly but surely, Draco's anger rose until he was near rage at the end of class.

As Harry left the Potions room with Ron and Hermione, he was grabbed from behind and shoved up against the wall. He looked into the silver eyes of his aggressor with confusion. Why is Malfoy…er Draco? I don't know what to call him. Anyway, what's he doing shoving me into the wall? I thought he was going to be nice from now on. Harry's thoughts were soon answered.

"So, you think you can just ignore me, Potter? Bad decision." The Slytherin practically growled as he said this. He then reached behind Harry and turned something. It happened to be a door handle he turned, resulting in the door opening, and Harry tumbling backwards.

Harry fell upon the cold, hard floor of an abandoned classroom. He looked up to see Draco closing the door and casting several different locking and silencing charms.

Draco sneered down at the Gryffindor with pure, uncontrolled rage. Harry, seeing the look in the blonde's eyes, stumbled to his feet quickly. As soon as Harry was standing, though, Draco advanced upon the Gryffindor and tackled him back to the ground. Draco began pummeling the other boy with all his might.

Draco was soon flipped over, though, as Harry gained the upper hand. Harry pounded away at the blonde, punching anywhere and everywhere. The roles were reversed compared to when Draco beat Harry up the night of the Veritaserum incident, especially when Harry struck an old wound of Draco. A wound caused by his summer torturer.

Draco, formerly silent while the brunet was beating him up, screamed out in pain as Harry hit his old wound. Draco managed to shove the Gryffindor off of him and tried to stand up and leave. The pain was from his revisited injury was too great, though, as Draco went falling to the hard ground beneath him.

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, his mask fell completely, leaving a hurt, sobbing Slytherin. Draco tried to gain control of his crying, but his emotions were just too powerful. His face was wet with tears, and loud cries emitted from his throat. Draco curled up into a ball, pulling his legs to his chest, somewhat muffling his sobs.

Harry, on the other hand, was standing up perfectly straight, completely taken aback by the turn of events. He just stood there for a few moments, until he came to his senses and went over to help comfort the blonde.

Harry walked over to the broken boy and sat down next to him. At first, Harry just rubbed Draco's back soothingly, but it didn't seem to help. Harry, thinking of what he did those many weeks ago during the summer, started whispering calming words into the Slytherin's ear.

Draco seemed to relax a bit, and the raven-haired boy enveloped him in a caring hug. Eventually, Draco's sobs changed to slight sniffles, and the tears stopped flowing.

They remained in a hug for a few moments more, until Harry was forcefully shoved by the blonde boy he had just brought back from a severe mental breakdown. Harry stood up and looked in the silver eyes of the Slytherin, only to see a mask firmly in place.

Draco just stormed past Harry, taking off the locking and silencing charms before slamming the door with all his might behind him.

Harry was left stunned. He wondered why Draco wrote that note. He wondered why Draco broke down while they were fighting. He wondered if Draco was alright. And he wondered why it suddenly mattered.