Sorry for the late update but I've been working on getting more chapters typed up and working on a few other fics also. But here is chapter 14. Also this story will be considered AU with the release of HBP. I haven't read it yet but have seen spoilers from others on it. So saying that, this story I think will be considered AU, at least mostly. I might include some stuff from book six, not sure yet. This will be post-OotP and pre-HBP. And now on to the story!

Chapter 14: Unease, Free-Flying and Shocking a Snake

He awoke slowly not fully comprehending his surroundings as of yet. His sluggish mind slowly took stock of things as he rose higher into wakefulness. He was sprawled on his back one arm above his head and the other being pinned down by something. As he became more aware of his surroundings he realized the weight on his arm was also pressed up against his side and that the weight was warm. Opening his eyes slowly he looked down and took in the sight of black hair. So it was another person. Tilting the head back a bit he caught sight of the face and then it all came back to him.

Cho's invitation yesterday, showing up at her room and then, Harry sighed lightly and closed his eyes again, a round or two of shagging with the Ravenclaw. It had been good, a nice change from all the wanking he'd been doing but finally having Cho Chang in any capacity just didn't give him anything but the feeling of being sexually satisfied as a round of good sex. Cho was a beautiful girl really and he could appreciate her and her body which was slim and curvy but he just didn't feel any of his old crush for her.

Opening his eyes again he looked at his arms and relief washed through him. The glamour charm was still in place. It sometimes had an annoying habit of wearing off in his sleep. It hadn't in awhile really, but he wanted to be sure. Shifting slightly the arm across his chest tightened a bit as Cho mumbled something unintelligible before black lashes fluttered softly open and to reveal sleepy dark blue eyes. She smiled at Harry lazily as she looked at him a satisfied glint in her eyes. Harry ignored the glint having accepted the fact in measures that as the Boy-Who-Lived people would always want him the icon and not him the person.

"Hey," he said softly voice soft and husky from sleep. He smiled slightly at her.

"Hi," she said back looking to him before glancing around the room. "What time is it?"

Moving his arm from above his head he looked at his watch. "It's 5:47 I should probably get going," Harry said glancing back at Cho.

"Yeah since technically your not suppose to be in here," Cho nodded still looking a bit sleepy. Harry got up from the bed he was in disentangling himself from the sheets and Cho sparing little thought at being nude. He had had sex with the girl and really it was hard to feel shy and embarrassed when he was apathetic almost half the time and didn't care about a lot of things. He grabbed up his clothes and began putting them on as Cho lay lazily on the bed and watched unashamedly. When he was fully clothed, wand in pocket he turned to look at Cho having had his back to her the whole time while dressing.

"Guess I'm going to get going," Harry said not knowing what else to say to someone he'd just had sex with. With Andrea it had been easy he had been clumsy and shy at first making a lame comment of "That was nice" that she had said was adorable but he didn't think Cho would appreciate a "That was nice" from him.

"Yeah, okay," Cho said with a nod. Harry nodded back and left the room missing the gleam that came to Cho's eyes. Gathering his things from the common room he pulled his invisibility cloak from the bag and made his way from the Head Girl's room invisible to all.

Back in her room Cho waited until she heard the closing of the portrait before standing from the bed, sheet falling from her body. With no care for her nude state she strode lazily over to the desk that was in her room and sat immediately in the seat there and began pulling parchment, quill and ink towards her. With a wicked smile on her face she dipped the quill into the ink, set the quill to the parchment and began to write.

Dear Carmen Farraday,

I write this letter in regards with which I think will interest you and those at Witch Weekly….

Cho chuckled as she went about writing her letter that wicked gleam never quite leaving her eyes.

Harry made it back to the tower quickly before making it up to his dorm room. His roommates were still asleep which was expected really and welcomed. He wasn't up to answering questions that he didn't want to answer. Taking out his wand and spelling the curtains so he could open them he tossed his bag lightly on the trunk in front of his bed and his shoes also. Chewing on his bottom lip lightly he debated with himself before grabbing his journal and pen and hopping on to the bed closing the curtains around it. Sitting on the bed he sighed as he opened his journal and put pen to paper.

March 5, 1997

I should feel happy, you know? I just had sex last night after not having sex for months – though wanking has been a constant fixture. I should feel relaxed and stuff but I don't. I feel a little relaxed but nothing after the times I shagged Andrea. I have this apprehensive feeling in my stomach again like something bad is going to happen. This isn't how I expected things to turn out. Why do I feel like something really horrible is about to happen? I'm a magnet for trouble and danger, I think. Maybe that apprehensive feeling is a signal that I should be prepared for something bad to happen.

I mean right before I got that Howler and that bloody heart – which I still have nightmares about, thank you ever so much – I had that same apprehensive feeling as before and looked what happened that day! I guess I should be alert for anything to happen the next few days. Maybe I should talk to Draco?

Stopping he looked at what he wrote closely and sighed. Maybe he'd developed some weird radar that told him when bad things were about to happen to him? It certainly seemed like it. Closing the leather bound journal with the pen in it he put it to the side and leant against the pillow on his bed. Leaning his head back he looked up at the ceiling of his canopy and shut his eyes. He didn't even realize he had gone to sleep until he was awoken by the voice of his friend, Ron Weasley.

"Harry you awake yet mate?"

Yawning Harry winced at the stiffness of his back as he stretched his arms above his head. He'd not only slept in his clothes but also slept leaning against the pillows. Sighing he pushed his journal under his pillow and opened the curtain. "Yeah Ron, I'm awake," he mumbled as he got out of bed. He rubbed his eyes briefly and grimaced realizing he had slept with his contacts in and hadn't taken them out since last night. Rummaging through his nightstand he pulled out the case to clean his contacts and set about doing so.

"Harry, why are you still wearing your clothes from yesterday?" The voice belonged to Neville Longbottom and if Harry could see and was facing the other boy he would have seen Neville giving him an odd look.

"I fell asleep in my clothes last night," Harry said as he went about putting his contacts back in. He blinked a few times once they were in before looking at his dorm mates. They were both almost finished dressing. "I'm going to get a shower," Harry said as he began to collect his things for his shower.

"You want me and Mione to wait up for you?" Ron asked as he pulled his shirt on over his head.

"No you guys go ahead to breakfast I'll be down once I'm done," Harry said with a small smile to his redheaded friend. Ron nodded with a smile as he went about putting his trainers on. Harry left to take his shower after that. Noticing no one else in the room he gathered that Seamus and Dean probably went down to breakfast already. Standing under the spray of warm water one hand palm flat on the tiled wall, he tilted his face into the stream of water. He sighed as the water flowed over his upturned face and sluiced down his body, wondering if the water could possibly wash away his troubles as well as it does his tense muscles.

Running a hand through his sopping wet hair he sighed again and began to wash himself thoroughly. When he was done he walked back into his dorm. It was a Saturday and since he didn't have to wear a uniform he pulled on the first thing that touched his hand. A black t-shirt with the phrase: You have the right to remain silent, so please SHUT UP in white block letters, baggy blue jeans and his combat boots. Not bothering with his hair he put his eyebrow piercing in and left the dorm and made his way toward the Great Hall. As he reached the large open oak doors he paused to take a deep breath before strolling casually into the hall, ignoring all the eyes that occasionally fell on him and sat at the Gryffindor table next to Neville and across from Ron and Hermione.

"Good morning Harry, how're you?" Hermione asked as he began fixing his plate.

"Morning Mione and I'm doing fine, just a bit tired." Harry said before stuffing some a fork-full of egg into his mouth.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Hermione asked a furrow in her brow as her eyes lit with concern.

"I fell asleep in my clothes from earlier and my back was stiff and cramped this morning so it was an uncomfortable sleep that's all," Harry said giving the girl a small smile of reassurance.

"Harry, do you want to go for a fly after breakfast?" Ron asked breaking from inhaling his food. He looked to Harry questioningly. It wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend so they would be in the castle today.

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling at his redheaded friend. "Sure Ron why not, we haven't been out flying together in awhile." Harry said nodding his head.

"Ron! Harry! What about your homework? You should be spending this day getting it done," Hermione said looking at the two boys disapprovingly.

"Its only Saturday Mione we have all weekend," Ron said in a whiny voice.

"Besides Mione," Harry said looking at his female friend. "I only have my transfiguration and herbology homework to do which I can do tomorrow." Harry ignored Ron's gaping mouth as he looked at Hermione. "So Ron," Harry said before Hermione could get back into her little spiel. "Ready to go flying?"

"Yeah Harry lets get our brooms," Ron said enthusiastically stuffing one last forkful of food into his mouth before rising from his seat. Harry rose also along with Hermione and Neville who were joining them on the pitch if not flying. They made they're way back to the tower where Ron and Harry retrieved they're brooms before all four made they're way out to the pitch. While Hermione and Neville sat in the stands, Hermione reading a book and working on her homework as was Neville, Ron and Harry spent the next few hours flying around the pitch. Harry had performed a few dangerous stunts that had Hermione yelling at him when she pulled away from her book long enough.

Harry felt free as he flew through the sky on his Firebolt. He felt the unease he had felt that morning trickle away and a sense of calm overcoming him. His mind cleared from its troubled state and he felt at peace. It was something he needed and he was glad he had decided to join Ron for a nice fly around the pitch. Other students were out flying also as the weather wasn't too cold nor was it warm. It was a nice March day for Scotland and people were taking advantage of it.

Sighing he flew through a gold goal post and immediately cut sharply upwards flying vertical. Squinting against the harsh touch of the wind he flew up higher and higher, the cries and shouts fading as he got further away until he made an upside down backwards roll and began spiraling back down toward the earth. A smirk crossed his face as he spiraled down towards the ground the pitch getting closer and closer. Blocking out everything else he concentrated on what he was doing. Roughly five feet from the ground he pulled up sharply, coming horizontal to the ground and began skimming the light scattering of grass.

Pulling up into the sky once more he smiled as he heard Hermione's frantic streaking at his behavior. Stopping his broom from moving he clutched the handle tightly took a deep breath and then moved his legs so he was crouching on the broom handle on the balls of his feet. Sucking in another deep breath realizing he may just be slightly round the bend he began to stand up on the broom as he let go of the handle with his hand. Blocking out everything else once again he carefully found his balance on the broom left foot in front of the right. He wasn't looking down, no, that might be a bad thing at the moment. Spreading his arms wide he wobbled briefly, panicking slightly as he thought he might fall before he steadied himself. He was standing up on his broom in a position reminiscent of his first year when he had caught the snitch.

Carefully he pressed his left foot down onto the handle slightly with a little more pressure tipping the broom at a small angle and pushing his Firebolt forward. At first he was gliding slowly, so slowly it was like he was hardly moving at all. Soon he picked up speed a bit and was floating a little faster through the air. Trying to keep his balance was a little hard at first and he almost fell off but he soon got himself steady and was floating around the pitch, standing on his broom at a moderate pace. Closing his eyes briefly a bright smile spread across his face, genuine and uninhibited in its beauty. He hadn't smiled like that in awhile.

Keeping his broom horizontal he descended downwards until he was mere feet from the ground. Looking down he realized he was about two or three feet from the ground, closed his eyes and jumped off the broom landing with a graceful 'thud' onto the hard earth on his feet. And then he heard the clapping. Eyes shooting open again he saw all those who had been on or by the pitch standing near the edge of it clapping with awed and shocked looks on their faces. Harry grimaced slightly at the looks and sighed. Should have remembered that would happen, Harry thought sourly. Looking through the crowd of students he saw a flash of silver blonde hair and looked sharply in that direction. Draco was standing in the back with Blaise Zabini if Harry wasn't mistaken and Crabbe and Goyle and glaring at Harry. To anyone else who didn't know the blonde they would have thought he was glaring out of anger but Harry knew that he was most likely sulking. Draco was quite envious when it came to his natural skill on a broom as Harry had come to find out though he had been quick to reassure the blonde that he was just as skilled as he, Harry, was.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Came the furious shout from Hermione Granger. Harry winced at the ensuing lecture. He looked up and saw her stalking forward with a mix of relief, anger and disapproving on her face. An odd mix really but Harry didn't think about that as she came forward. "What were you thinking! Pulling such dangerous stunts, you could have hurt yourself or worse!" She was now standing in front of him shaking a finger at him like she was scolding a disobedient child.

Repressing the sudden flare of irritation he clamped down on his control and ground out calmly: "Hermione you know that Quidditch and flying are both dangerous and just because I like to pull outrageous stunts doesn't mean anything. Besides I'm fine, not injured at all." He gave her a small strained smile.

"He's right Mione, he's fine no harm done," Ron said coming up beside them. Turning to Harry his eyes brightened. "That was bloody brilliant though Harry!" he exclaimed. Hermione scowled at the two before she sighed at the smile Harry gave Ron. She couldn't stay too mad at her black haired friend when he smiled like that. Those smiles were far and in between lately; those bright, heart-melting smiles that he didn't give nearly as often anymore.

Others came over after that to comment on Harry's little stunt, inquiring as to how he did it and whatnot. When he finally slipped away from the crowd he glanced around for sight of that silver blonde hair. He remembered he had wanted to talk to the Slytherin and now he looked around the pitch for sight of him.

"Come on Harry lets head to lunch," Ron was saying and tugging Harry's sleeve lightly to urge him forward. Harry stumbled a bit before walking with Ron, Hermione and Neville. He kept glancing around for Draco very keen to talk with the blonde. Sighing he looked to the ground as he walked. He had to find a way to talk to Draco; he really needed the Slytherins advice at the moment or at least for him to confirm his suspicions.

Eyes on the ground he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings and therefore didn't see the thing he collided with. From the yelp and grunt he heard it was obviously a person that he walked into. From his sprawled position on top of the other person he looked down and saw the very person he had been thinking about. Draco looked briefly shocked, a light pink flush coming to his pale cheeks before covering it up and throwing Harry an annoyed look.

"I need to talk to you. Meet you later after dinner, your room." Harry whispered quickly before scrambling off the blonde.

"Watch where you're going Potter you blind arsehole!" Draco sneered effectively, jerking his head once in a show of acknowledgement to Harry.

"People walk here Malfoy you shouldn't be standing around like you own the bloody path," Harry snapped glaring at the blonde for good measure.

"Yeah Malfoy it's not Harry's fault you're a prat whose stuck too far up his own arse!" Ron said also glaring at the blonde.

"No one was talking to you Weasel," Draco spat at Ron lips curled in a sneer. He looked back at Harry and glared harder and abruptly turned on his foot, stalking away, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"Who does that bloody git think he is? He was the one standing there in the way of where people walk," Ron complained as the four Gryffindors began walking again.

"Ron you have to admit though that he's been less of a prat then usual this year. I mean he hardly ever insults us and never starts fights," Hermione said looking after the blonde's retreating back curiously.

"She's right Ron," Harry said making his voice sound thoughtful as he kept walking. He had spent as little time as possible thinking of his friends reactions to his friendship with the blonde Slytherin.

'They're right Ron, I mean he hasn't even bothered me this year and that's something," Neville pointed out.

"He's still a right slimy prat," Ron grumbled looking from Hermione to Harry to Neville with wide eyes. "You can't seriously be…what are you guys saying?"

"Just that he doesn't pick on me as much if ever anymore this year." Neville said hastily throwing the redhead a quick look.

"I'm just saying he's not being as much of a nuisance as before," Hermione said calmly looking at her boyfriend and shrugging. "Maybe he's matured or something, Granted he is still annoying when he wants to be."

"But he's leaving us alone basically right? So what's the fuss about," Harry asked, desperately wanting to get off this subject. He knew that Draco wasn't as horrible, really, as they had all thought and didn't want to say something to make the others suspicious.

"Right, as long as the nasty little ferret leaves us alone we shouldn't worry about him," Ron said with a smile as they walked into the Great Hall for lunch. Harry bit back a sigh as the conversation ended. He really didn't want to see their reactions when they found out he was friends with Draco. Sighing he decided to push those thoughts out of his head. He had other things to worry about and couldn't wait to see the blonde later. He felt a brief twinge of guilt for wanting to talk to Draco and not his friends about his problems but pushed it aside. He didn't think they would understand anyway.

Later that night after dinner was over Harry had made his way back to the tower and gathered his invisibility cloak and the Map, made his excuses of needing to be alone for a bit and left the tower again. Now safely nestled under the cloak, map in hand, he was making his way to Draco's rooms. He passed few people on his way towards the blonde's rooms and when he finally stood in front of the portrait to the room he knocked quickly on the frame of the picture disturbing the dragon in the frame. The dragon looked up curiously but not seeing anyone put its head back down closing its eyes. He quickly deactivated the map and stuffed it in his back pocket. The portrait opened and Draco looked out a look of confusion on his face at the sight of no one there. Harry pulled off his cloak and looked to Draco who inhaled sharply at the sudden appearance. Harry smirked before brushing past him and making his way inside. Draco closed the door before turning to look at Harry with wide eyes.

Looking mildly amused at the blonde's reactions Harry smiled at the blonde, holding up the material in his hands. "Invisibility cloak got it Christmas of first year. It was my fathers," Harry answered as Draco came over to touch the cloak reverently.

"Wicked," Draco breathed running his hand over the material. "Even Lucius doesn't have one, or at least not one he's told me about." Draco said not even noticing he said 'Lucius' instead of 'Father' before looking at Harry and narrowing his eyes. "That was you in third year then. I had been wondering how you did that." Draco said smirking at him.

"Now you know," Harry said shortly as the other boy sat down across from him in his usual chair as Harry sprawled himself out on the couch. "I needed to talk to you."

"As I remember after you fell on top of me," Draco drawled raising an eyebrow at the black haired boy.

"That was an accident," Harry said slightly defensively. "Anyway what I needed to talk to you about. I – er – shagged Cho last night see and this morning and through most of the day I've had this uneasy feeling, especially if I look at her. I'm not sure but I think I'm really missing something here and I've possibly set myself up for something bad," Harry said without taking a breath. He looked to Draco who was looking at him blankly.

"You shagged Chang last night?" Draco asked and his face looked quite unreadable and his voice was almost indifferent.

"Er, yeah, see she invited me to her room early in the day and I basically knew what she would most likely want to do. But I had this uneasy feeling before I went into her room, which had nothing to with having sex with her, really, considering I had had sex this summer but then I had the feeling this morning also after leaving her room. It's been there all day really," he was rambling and he knew it and when he finally looked up to Draco he looked the blonde in the eye; emerald locking with silvery grey. "What do think?"

Draco looked at Harry nothing showing on his face but he felt extremely jealous and upset at the thought of Harry and Chang having sex. Of Chang putting her filthy hands on Harry at all made him want to either throw up or curse Chang something nasty. The latter being the more preferred choice in his mind. But should he really tell Harry what he thought? What if his friend got upset at him? Steeling himself he decided that Harry had asked what he thought and no matter the outcome he was going to tell the black haired boy what he thought.

"Well," he said at last looking at Harry thoughtfully, masking his caution that he felt. "I think – this is only a suspicion, now – that Chang might not be all sweet in her attentions to you. I believe she's got some ulterior motive and if like you said, you slept with her last night and she hasn't bragged about it yet I think she might be planning something a bit bigger. But its only suspicion," Draco said being honest while still being cautious. He knew all of Harry's control sometimes slipped if he was extremely angry or emotional in anyway.

Harry was silent for a moment before nodding his head slowly and licking his lips, not noticing Draco's eyes following the movement. Looking back to the blonde he sighed. "I thought something was off but I…" he trailed off and gestured with his hands lightly shaking his head. "I thought it was just the hype of getting a piece of the "Boy-Who-Lived" and all that." He said making air quotes on his title. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?" he asked looking at Draco with a raised eyebrow.

Draco sighed and bit his lip trying to think about what to say so as not to come off sounding like a sentimental twat. Looking anywhere but at Harry he sighed again. "I didn't know if you would believe me and figured why risk it," Draco said with a careless shrug trying to brush it off. Harry looked at him oddly before a look of understanding crossed his face.

"You were worried about upsetting me," there was a hint of surprise in his tone as he spoke like he couldn't quite believe it himself.

"Of course not!" Draco snapped, looking Harry as close in the eyes as he could.

"Yes you were," Harry said smiling at the blonde's discomfort. "Admit it Malfoy you were worried about my reaction!"

Draco glared at him head on lips curled in a sneer. "No I wasn't," he snarled.

"Yes you were!"

"I wasn't!"

"You were!"

"I w – oh for Merlin's sake," Draco spat throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I was alright, are you happy?" he snapped.

"Yes I am," Harry said smiling as Draco glared harder at him. "I'm glad to know that our friendship means something to you also." Draco looked momentarily startled at this statement and was speechless for a moment just staring at Harry who continued to smile that sweet little smile at him. "But back to the subject at hand," Harry said turning serious again. "I should have listened to my bloody instincts when they started flaring up."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked finally snapping out of his daze. Harry explained how he got the same feeling before stepping into the Great Hall on the first of February when Voldemort sent him that human heart. Draco had quirked an eyebrow as this and looked as Harry oddly.

"These wouldn't happen to be the same instincts that tell you to break school rules and whatnot are they?" the blonde asked with a smirk on his face.

"Prat," Harry grumbled glaring half-heartedly at the blonde nuisance across from him. But there was a smile peeking through his scowl so Draco knew he wasn't serious this time. "Anyway, I should be looking out for anything to happen over the next few days' right?" Harry asked looking at the blonde.

"Yes," Draco said nodding his head. "I think if she's up to something that it will most likely happen in the next few days. I'm a Slytherin though and can tell a scheme when someone's got one."

Harry nodded as he checked his watch and stood up from the couch grabbing his invisibility cloak. "I thought she might be up to something also. I guess great minds think alike," Harry said walking towards the door.

"What do you mean by that?" Draco asked as Harry swung the cloak around himself, all except his head disappearing.

Smirking at his blonde friend wickedly Harry said: "The Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, you know," he said matter-of-factly. "Great minds think alike Malfoy." And with that Harry pulled the cloak over his head, opened the door and walked out closing the portrait behind him leaving a stunned Draco Malfoy standing there looking at where he had stood in speechless shock.

Harry Potter, Draco thought shaking his head when he finally snapped out of it. You never cease to amaze me!

Review Responses:

DeAtHsTeNsHi: Your a new reviewer of mine. Glad you like the story so far. As for Cho...Well you get a hint of what she's going to do. I dont really like her so she was my scapegoat

Wykked As Syn: Thanks for the review.

Chelsie (anonymous): Thanks for the review. When I got it in my email I was like...Well there ya go, better keep writing.

Touya4me: I'm a recovered cutter which I've mentioned before, so the self-harm parts are from experience. Glad you enjoy my story so far.

Blaze Freyidi: Yes the six book was a bit shocking. I never expected Dumbledore to be the one to die and for Snape to be the cause. That was just mind blowing! Thanks for the review.

Poison Remedy-Sinful Angel: I'm with you! I cant stand Cho but I needed a scapegoat.. That was Cho's purpose.

Saylie Rain (anonymous): Thanks for the review. I like harry like that too or at least not as innocent and virginal as many make him.

intricate simplicity: Thanks for the review! I will definitely keep writing since I've gotten such positive responses so far.

serenia-sd: Thanks for the review. There wull be a lot more Harry/Draco interaction in the next few chapters and we also will start to see a bit of Harry/Draco romance beginning.

Isidoria, butterfly-soul, Vampire-child-of-the-light, Tari Faelivrin: Thank you all for your reviews!