Chapter 10: Classes resume, More secrets revealed, Quidditch match and unexpected feelings.

The next day dawned bright and early and it was the first day of the second part of term for students and professors alike. The occupants of the castle went about their normal routine of waking and showering and preparing themselves for the day ahead. Breakfast commenced and the population of Hogwarts ate their fill, especially Harry Potter who had the feeling that today would be a long day. He thought this as he walked to his first class on this Wednesday morning with his friends. He wasn't looking forward to potions today but when Snape was your professor you never really looked forward to it. Unless you're Slytherin, Harry thought wryly as they entered the dungeon classroom and took their seats.

The room began to slowly fill with students as Harry retrieved his things from his book bag (the one Neville got him) and soon Snape was sweeping into the room and class was beginning.

"Today you will be taking notes on a complicated sleeping potion that if you blunder up," he threw a brief look at the Gryffindors and sneered at them. "Could cause serious consequences to the drinker. The ingredients needed in this potion…" and Snape droned on throughout the class about the potion, its ingredients, the procedure to make it and what it should look like and so on and so forth. Harry dutifully took notes as Snape talked in that dry condescending tone. He briefly wondered if the man could talk without sounding patronizing once in the class period but decided it would probably hurt him too much to do so.

Soon class was coming to a close and Snape looked around at all his students sharply. "You are to study these notes and know the potion and how to brew it by the next class. You will each being working alone on this potion and I expect it to be done correctly," he said more to his Slytherins really. He looked at the Gryffindors and sneered again. "I don't expect all of you to be able to do it but do try and use your brains." He finished just as the end of class came. "You're dismissed!" He snapped and the students gathered their belongings and made it out of the room as quick as possible.

Ron, Hermione and Harry walked out of the room Ron muttering under his breath about greasy git's and their bad attitudes. Harry and Hermione ignored him as this was a common occurrence whenever they left potions class. Harry sighed inwardly as they made their way to transfiguration. He was hoping the rest of the year went by smoothly as had the first half. Voldemort hadn't made any of his yearly appearances and while this worried Harry he was also glad that it hadn't happened. He was able to concentrate on his school work, much to Ron's dismay and Hermione happiness and was receiving much better grades than in previous years. It had surprised his professors that he had put so much effort and dedication into his school work but they were pleased about it. Well, except for Snape who seemed to take Harry's vast improvement in potions as a personal slight to him. But whatever, it wasn't Harry's fault that Snape hated his dad so much.
With a mental shrug he walked through the door into the transfiguration classroom.

The rest of the day passed by in an almost lazy fashion with the classes seeming to be longer than normal and the students grousing about having to return to the daily routine of school. Harry wasn't chagrined like the rest of his fellow classmates as the classes let him think as little as possible about things he didn't want to think about. They kept his mind off of his thoughts of Sirius, the Dursley's and, if only slightly, the threat of Voldemort and his existence. That was enough for Harry to throw himself into the work enthusiastically.
The days of January slipped by in an almost lazy way of chilly days and chillier nights. It snowed a few times, tiny crystals of ice falling from a dull grey sky. But the snow was so scarce that it gave time for the Slytherin team and the Ravenclaw team to practice for their upcoming match on the fifteenth of that month. Even through the cold bite of winter winds and the icy sting of the air itself each team prepared fiercely for their match. Harry had had very little time to talk to Draco over the days as they were each busy with their own agendas.

Now it was the day before the match and dinner had just ended and the students were slowly standing and leaving the Great Hall. Harry was standing up with Ron and Hermione and walking from the Great Hall. Harry glanced at his two friends out of the corner of his eyes and then flicked his eyes briefly to the dungeon. He had gotten a note from Draco asking him to come down after dinner and he was eager to talk to the blonde again. Who would have ever thought I'd be eager to talk to Draco Malfoy? Harry thought barely suppressing the urge to snort. Stopping abruptly, his friends, who didn't notice at first, walked a few more steps before they did. Turning around they looked back at him curiously.

"Harry?" Hermione asked brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm going to take a walk around the lake before curfew. I need to clear my head a bit," he replied.

"Are you sure Harry? Have you finished you homework yet?" Hermione demanded hands on her hips.

"Yes Hermione I'm sure I want to take a walk around the lake," Harry said sarcastically, easily ignoring Hermione's glare. "As for my homework some of it is done, the rest I'll finish later." He continued with a small one shoulder shrug.

"Alright mate, see you later!" Ron said and Harry nodded before turning and walking away. Hermione stared after him for a bit before Ron tugged on her hand. "Come on Hermione lets get back to the Tower," Ron said lightly pulling her along.

"Yes Ron because you have homework you need to do also," Hermione said, immediately changing modes. Ron groaned loudly and began whining as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower.
Harry had ducked into an alcove as soon as he was out of sight of his friends. As he waited for the hall to clear he set his bag down and pulled out his invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map. He had gotten them earlier after receiving the note. When the sound of the many students faded into echoes he opened the map and activated it. Looking at the way he needed to go and his destination he figured by the time he'd crept down there the few Slytherins in the hall will be gone.

Pulling his bag over his shoulder and then pulling on the cloak he made his way out of the alcove and started his path for the dungeons, occasionally glancing at the map. By the time he'd reached the dungeons the few straggling Slytherins had gone and he made his way to Draco's room wondering not for the first time how and why the Slytherin had his own room when the other prefects didn't. Draco had told him when he asked that when his father was on the Board of Governors and he'd gotten prefect Lucius had bribed them basically to get his own private room. Harry had just shaken his head, muttered something along the lines of "spoiled blonde prat" and changed the subject.

Harry finally reached Draco's room, pulled off his cloak and stuffed both it and the map back into the bag and knocked out a pattern that let Draco know it was him. The door opened and Harry slipped through quickly, shutting it behind him. looking up he saw Draco was in the chair sitting sideways and walked over to the couch, dropped his bag and sprawled himself on the couch on his side.

"Yes, just make yourself at home," Draco mock sneered, sarcasm dripping from his words. Harry rolled his eyes at the blonde and smirked.

"I am," he said simply and stretched cheekily for good measure, ignoring the snort from his friend. "Ready for your game against Ravenclaw tomorrow?" Harry asked.

"Yes of course I'm ready," Draco said arrogantly as if what Harry had asked was obvious and stupid, rolling his eyes.

"Confident aren't you, you arrogant git?" It was more of a statement than a question that held much sarcasm and amusement.

"Yes I'm confident because Slytherin WILL win." Draco stated looking at the black haired teen thoughtfully. "You know something's been bothering me for a while now. That match back in November with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. How the hell did you lose that? You're a better seeker than Chang, as reluctant as I am to admit and you should have won. What happened?" Draco asked raising a finely sculpted eyebrow in question.

Harry sighed lightly as he closed his eyes. "The week leading up to the game I had been having…nightmares constantly. I hadn't been sleeping well and with the nightmares I… I was cutting also. So when the day of the game came I was exhausted and just too tired to care about beating Ravenclaw in a Quidditch match and only played half-heartedly but I doubt anyone noticed," Harry explained in an indifferent tone of voice, eyes still closed.

"Then why did you storm off the pitch afterwards? Everyone assumed you were upset about the loss." Draco asked realizing now that he hadn't noticed, really, that the other teen had been playing half-heartedly. He'd noticed he wasn't playing the same he just didn't realize what was different about how he had been flying.

"After hopping off my broom I left the pitch because I wanted to shower and rest. I was beyond exhausted and normally when I'm like that I don't dream and I was looking forward to a nightmare-less sleep," Harry replied opening his eyes slowly and moving his gaze to the fire.

Draco looked at Harry, understanding in his eyes. He knew what it was like to have nightmares interrupting your sleep. He had the Dreamless Sleep potion on most nights but with his godfather catching on to what he was doing he was now monitored on it and Severus had also banned his use of his private store of ingredients. Draco had to wait for Severus to give him more potions and that infuriated and embarrassed him to no end.

"What are your nightmares about?" he questioned in a soft, subdued tone, eyes trained of the black haired teen.

Harry was silent for awhile gazing steadily into the dancing flames of the crackling fire. Draco wasn't sure he was going to answer when the silence stretched on. Harry was deciding the best way to say what he wanted to and finally in a low, soft voice he spoke. "Someone I ked who was…close to me died and I relive their final moment in my dreams. There were also others of," he stopped abruptly, cleared his suddenly tight throat and looked the blonde square in the eyes. He wanted to say this, he wanted Draco to know that his life wasn't as perfect as many thought. He didn't know why this suddenly seemed important to him but steeling himself with a determined glint to his eyes he continued. "There were also others of my cousin beating me up and my uncle abusing me. my relatives don't like magic, you see, and anything to do with it so they don't particularly like me either," Harry said starting to babble a bit, adverting his eyes back to the fire before looking at the blonde again, defiance in his gaze.

Draco was looking at him with a shocked look on his face. He hadn't actually expected that coming out of Harry's mouth. He knew the other was cutting for a reason but abuse wasn't what he thought would be a reason. He had thought Harry was treated like a prince at his relatives, pampered and waited on for being the Boy-Who-Lived.

Seeing the shocked look on his face Harry said, "It's true. No one knows the extent of it, I don't think."

"Not even Weasley and Granger or Dumbledore? They don't know?" Came the incredulous response.

"No. they knew about the fact that the Dursley's make me do all the housework and that they basically starve me but they don't know about the other stuff and its better that way. If I can survive through a summer of that then there's no point telling them about it." Harry replied with a shrug.

Draco looked at Harry intensely, eyes thoughtful. Something in him was urging him to tell Harry about his home life, something that was pressing on him to speak. He didn't know what it was that was urging him to talk but face slipping into an impassive mask he said, "My mother basically ignores me, frigid bitch that one and my father…he well," he was uncharacteristically nervous and took a deep breathe to steel himself and ploughed on. "He tended to like to beat me for things, mostly stuff that wasn't my fault mind. So, I can understand the nightmares about being beaten even if I can't understand the one about losing someone close to me. I have nightmares of Lucius and when he's beaten me. Bastard." He said muttering the last part with a bitter tone.

Harry propped himself up with his head in his palm and his elbow digging into the cushion and stared at the blonde opened mouth with incredulity, eyes wide. He looked at the blonde as if he'd never seen him before; trying to process what was told to him. Sitting up fully, slowly, he got a thoughtful look on his face. "I always knew your dad was an asshole but I didn't expect him of abusing you." Harry said evenly.

Draco's face remained impassive but his eyes showed his gratitude and Harry knew it was for not pitying him. Draco didn't like pity and neither did he. They both knew this and didn't pity the other.

"Yes, well I praised my father until he started abusing me. He said it was for discipline but I know it wasn't." Draco said with an indifferent shrug. They were silent for a moment as they stared into the fire. Harry looked at his watch and stood up.

"I should go its getting close to curfew now." Harry said as he grabbed up his bag and adjusted it onto his shoulder.

"Alright Harry. Oh, by the way what excuse did you use with Granger and Weasley?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Told them I was going to the lake for some time to clear my head and that I'd be back by curfew." Harry replied with a shrug. Draco nodded and Harry nodded back before stepping out the door. He walked a ways before shrugging on his invisibility cloak and making his way to the Tower. He took the time to think about what he'd learned about Draco that night as he lazily strolled back. It would be hard to believe the blond if he hadn't seen him when he hadn't put up his glamour. He had seen the scar down the blonde's bicep when Draco had been wearing a sleeveless shirt once. He had asked about it thinking Draco had done it himself but all he got was an "I don't want to talk about" and a look that meant to drop it. He had but wondered ever since what the scar was from. Draco wasn't really ashamed of his self-mutilation scars having shown Harry them before so this one had left him curious. Now he had an idea of where it might have come from and the thought that Lucius had left that scar on his own son was both sickening and saddening.

He reached the corridor before the portrait and pulled off his cloak, stuffing it back in his bag and proceeding to the portrait where he said the password and walked in. Ron and Hermione and a few others were still in the common room, sitting around and doing various activities.

"Hey mate," Ron called.

"Harry your back! Are you feeling better?" Hermione asked having looked up and seen him.

Harry barely resisted rolling his eyes and nodded his head instead. "Yeah the walk around the lake cleared my thoughts up. I'm going to head up to bed early though, night Hermione, Ron." He said as walked on to the staircase leading to the boy's dorm and walked up them.

Hermione looked at the stairs with a calculating look on her face and then turned to the red head beside her, who was playing chess with Neville. "Do you think something is going on with Harry, Ron?" she asked.

Ron looked up at his girlfriend and rolled his eyes at her. "Mione, you worry too much! He's probably still hung up about Sir-Snuffles and just wants to be alone. If he wants to talk to us he will, stop worrying so much. You saw what happened last time, just give him time," Ron exclaimed. Hermione looked back to the staircase and sighed. Maybe she was worrying about Harry too much and should just let him be. With another heavy sigh she went back to her homework, deciding to, for once, give Harry the benefit of the doubt and let him be.
The match had been going on for an hour now and the score was 50 to 80 in Slytherins favor. Harry was watching from the Gryffindor stands ignoring Ron's slurs at the Slytherins and watching the game though his eyes strayed from Draco up in the air to the pitch itself and looking for the golden ball. The game had been fierce and fast between the two teams and the Slytherins were brutal in their executions of their moves. Just like Harry knew they would be.

"….Slytherin in possession of the quaffle, Pucey passes to Nott, Nott to Pritchard and Pritchard soars toward the goal post. OH! Pritchard narrowly misses a bludger and…Score! Slytherin 90 and Ravenclaw 50. Those slimy Slytherins-"

"Finnigan! Don't make me drag you off of there," McGonagall warned as she glared at Seamus Finnigan the new announcer.

"Sorry professor," was heard muttered. "Slytherin in possession again, Nott passes to Pucey and – the quaffle is intercepted by Ravenclaw chaser Roger Davies who passes to Chambers who passes to Bradley and Bradley goes to the goal and OH! Stopped by Slytherin keeper Baddock."

Draco was up in the air shifting his gaze from his search of the snitch to the other seeker, Cho Chang and back. He was vaguely listening to the commentary going on as he searched. He was about to drift to the other side of the pitch when he caught a glint of gold out of the corner of his eye. Turning sharply he saw the snitch at the ground near the Hufflepuff stands and took off after it. Chang was by the Slytherin stands looking and further away then him and he had the advantage of distance. He vaguely heard Finnigan announce his sighting of the snitch as he sped toward it, ducking under a Ravenclaw chaser, dodging a bludger and side-swiping another chaser as he sped toward the gold glinting ball. The ball fluttered where it floated for a moment before zipping of to the right. Draco tailed in, barely noticing Chang out of his periphery as he sped after the snitch, twisting and turning and diving for it. Clutching the handle of the broom in one hand tightly he reached out with his left as he swerved a flyer. He inched slowly closer to the ball catching the other seeker about a half a foot back from him and leaned forward flat against the broom as, urging it forward faster. Suddenly, the next thing he knew the gold ball was clutched in his hand, golden wings flapping frantically for release and he was sporting a big smirk on his face as he turned his broom and looked at Chang.

"And Slytherin wins 240 to 90!" Came the half-hearted announcement from Seamus. The pitch was racked in cheers from the Slytherins and boo's from the majority of the other three houses. Harry looked at Draco as the blonde flew a few laps around the pitch and smirked to himself. Draco was such a dramatic show-off sometimes. The stands slowly began to clear as people began to vacate the pitch and return to their common rooms. Harry was walking down from the stands and looked back briefly.

"Guys go ahead without me I have to talk to Dumbledore about something," Harry said casually.

"We can go with you if you want." Ron said as Hermione said, "Is this about V-Voldemort?" Harry just stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

"No guys it has nothing to do with that. I just had to ask him something," Harry said barely able to keep the exasperation from his voice.

"Okay mate, we'll meet you back at the common room." Ron said and he and Hermione walked off. Harry circled back and made his way to the Slytherin locker room and waited off to the side out of sight. He saw as the players all walk into the locker room and slumped against the wall as he waited. After about ten minutes he saw all of them but Draco walk out and waited for them to walk off before strolling into the locker room.

Draco was standing in a pair of black trousers, no shirt with his back to Harry. Harry stopped at the sight for a moment before shaking his head and leaning against a set of lockers, arms crossed. "Arrogant prat aren't you? Nice win by the way," Harry said nonchalantly.

Draco jerked a bit before turning to look at Harry and smirking. "I know I'm good, that's not arrogance but fact. And thanks I thought it was nice too. What are you doing in here anyway?" Draco asked

"Oh nothing," Harry said finding it a bit hard for some reason to keep his eyes off of Draco's exposed torso. "Just thought I'd remind you not to get too cocky. You may have beaten Ravenclaw but Gryffindor will trounce you when we play at the end of the year." Harry stated with a smirk, keeping his eyes on Draco's face.

"Please," Draco scoffed. "Your delusions are pathetic. Gryffindor can't always win and this year I'll prove it." Draco said as he pulled a grey jumper on. Harry was dually glad and felt a twinge of something that he didn't even want to think about. Draco stood with his feet apart and arms cross over his chest, head tilted haughtily as he stared at Harry, smirk firmly in place.

"I think you, you blonde nuisance, are the one with delusions. You have never won against me and you never will," Harry said arrogantly taking the same stance as Draco.

"Well you pathetic Gryffindor scum," Draco spat but the sparkle in his eyes betrayed his mirth of the situation. "You just better be prepared for the game and to lose because this year, I'm going to win!"

"Keeping dreaming Malfoy," Harry drawled.

"You too Potter," Draco drawled back. They looked at each before bursting out into laughter.

"I'm going to go before Ron and Hermione send a search party for me or something," Harry said once he recovered from his laughter and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah I should too their having a victory party tonight and I should be there," Draco said with a long suffering sigh.

"Have fun Draco," Harry called over his shoulder as he left the locker room, having already forgotten seeing Draco with his shirt off and made his way back to the common room thinking up excuses for what he talked about with Dumbledore.

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