Christmas break ended with a heavy heart. Harry didn't want it to ever end, however time moved forward. And thus he returned to the busy schedules and everyday life at Hogwarts.

Ever so slowly spring returned. And with the change of season it was very obvious that Harry was more than exhausted. He waved it off to his friends. He suspected they wanted to bring their concerns to a teacher, however what stopped them was probably due to the determination in Harry's eyes.

For a Slytherin they were beginning to learn he was quite stubborn. He proved it with the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. It required a huge amount out of effort on his part. He and the Ravenclaw Seeker were evenly matched.

However he proved to be more stubborn with his dives. He pulled his broom up at the very last second. She had pulled up a full five seconds before him and lost precious distance between herself and the snitch. It proved to be her undoing as he showed off the snitch for all to see as he came back up.

The whole stadium was in an uproar. As Harry did his one victory round with the snitch he didn't catch on a rogue bludger make it's way towards him. He hears shouting and yelling from his fellow Slytherins. Harry turned and quickly raised his arm to block.

He screamed as the bludger hit him full force and knocked him off his broom. He was a good fifty feet off the ground. Screams filled the air. From the ground Draco got onto his broom and raced after to catch him. Some of the Slytherins and a few Ravenclaws also raced to help.

Harry blindly reached out just as someone grabbed hold of his outreached arm. He screamed in pain, for it so happened to be his broken arm that clung onto someone's hand. As the pain ebbed away to a bearable amount he opened his eyes to see Draco holding onto his own broom for dear life.

"Thanks." Harry gasped out.

"We're not out of the woods, yet." Draco grunted.

"Hand him to me! I got him." Their captain moved closer.

"You're too big to share a broom with him!" The pale boy yelled.

"Bring him down gently. Can you do that, Malfoy?" The Ravenclaw captain asked calmly.

"Yeah. I think so." Draco's grip on Harry's hand tightened besides the fact both of their hands were sweating. Harry looked up to see that his classmate was struggling to keep hold of his broom.

Tom? Harry reached out.

I can't help, darling. I'm too weak.

"Please don't let go." Horror was taking over him.

"Now isn't the time to panic, Harry." Draco hissed as they slowly descended.

It felt like forever before Harry finally touched the ground. The second his feet felt solid dirt they both let go. And as Harry pulled the arm close he was overwhelmed with pain and stumbled. Teachers were running to his side and he was surprised one caught him and let him down gently.

Harry was even more surprised that it was Snape.

"Yes, yes it's definitely broken." Professor Lockhart took out his wand. "I have the perfect cure for it!"

"No!" Harry shook his head. He tried to scoot away, but behind him was Snape.

"Professor - " The potions master didn't have a chance to finish his sentence when Lockhart casted his spell.

Suddenly his arm felt like jello. He realized with horror that his whole arm couldn't move. Something awoken in Tom in that moment and a wave of magic sent Lockhart flying. Behind Harry, Snape tensed. Hidden underneath his sleeve the mark burned.

Draco frowned at the spectacle. He had a year and a half worth of sensing Harry's magic. That did not feel like his magic at all. It felt tainted, darker. Sinister undertone whereas Harry's tasted of a fiery hope.

Meanwhile Harry was in disbelief. Did that really just happen? He watched as Professor McGonagall scolded Professor Lockhart. It would have been hilarious if not for the fact he sensed Tom's retreat into his own soul room, overly exhausted from that one action. Snape meanwhile relaxed as the mark disappeared.

Briefly Harry wondered what would have happened if Tom had been at full strength as he was at the beginning of the year. He couldn't dwell on those dark thoughts as Snape guided him towards the castle.

xXx

He was given a potion to help regrow his bones. It took a few days for all of his bones to come back, but he healed nonetheless. Once it was done Harry was released to return to normal life. He had recieved multiple gifts during his stay at the hospital wing. Most of them sweets.

"That was bloody insane, mate. The way you sent Professor Lockhart flying!" Ron was still mind blown over that detail.

"He made me angry. The fool made the situation worse by getting rid of my bones." Harry knew in that moment Draco was growing on him if he actually began to sound like the boy.

"Have you always been able to do that kind of magic?" Hermione inquired.

"I've broken cups on multiple occasions at the Dursley's growing up. Before I learned what I was. But that's the first I've pushed someone like that." Harry didn't mind taking the credit. It wouldn't be much of a stretch, given how his magic acts out now and then when he's pissed off.

"Remind me to never piss you off, Harry." Neville was a little frightened of him now.

"Don't worry, it takes a lot to anger me. You guys would be the first to know if something is wrong." He assured them.

"Will you continue being Seeker?" Ginny asked.

"I might pass the torch to Draco for next match. I've been having nightmares of falling I can't seem to get rid of." Harry wasn't so sure. As of late it was growing more and more difficult to write in the diary.

"Really? Against Gryffindor?" Draco was surprised.

"For this match, yes." Harry made up his mind then.

"You any good, Malfoy?" Ron challeneged.

"I don't plan to lose, Weasley."

"I won't have any arguments in this group." Harry warned them before things got too heated. Quietly the two boys only sent glares their way every now and then. And for Harry that was decent enough.

In the end the match turned out well for Slytherin. Draco Malfoy proved himself a great Seeker when he caught the golden snitch. As Slytherin celebrated at winning the Quidditch cup, Harry retired early.

He ended up falling asleep in the middle of the writing session. He had an odd dream. Tom was gone from his soul room. In fact, the soul room itself was gone. Harry remembered calling out for him, and recieved no answer.

"Wake up, darling." A familiar voice whispered in his ear.

Harry bolted up, startled. He blinked several times until he could focus. He couldn't believe it. Tom was here! In the flesh! Harry was beside himself grinning.

"Is there a ward put up?" Harry whispered.

Tom nods, having already done it himself.

"What do we do?" Harry asked as his excitement wore off.

They were at Hogwarts. Where a number of Tom's enemies resided. Among them was the most powerful, Albus Dumbledore.

"I have an idea. But I'm going to borrow your invisibility cloak. Don't worry, I intend to return it when it's no longer useful in my care."

"Where will you go?"

"Somewhere out of Dumbledore's reach."

"When will I see you again?" Harry was doing his best not to feel sad. This was an enormous occasion, however it meant that he would have to say goodbye to his first ever friend in this cruel world.

"Don't fret, darling. If things work out the way I want it, then over this summer. If not, I will send a gift where we could see each other over vast distances."

"You promise?" Harry bit his lower lip.

"You have my word, Harry."

"Can you...can you stay until I'm asleep? Please?" He knew he sounded childish, but he wanted to spend as much time he could with the older boy.

"Of course, darling." And so they snuggled.

Eventually Harry fell asleep to a hand in his hair and the warm heartbeat next to his ear. Soon as he was sure the boy would remain asleep, Tom moved out of Harry's grasp. He quickly located the invisibility cloak and made his way out of the Slytherin common room and made his way to Professor Snape's office.

"Good evening, professor." Tom revealed himself.

Dark eyes studied him with surprise. The mark on his arm was visible and burning. There was no doubt in his mind now. The Dark Lord was back.

"I want you to make an unbreakable vow to me. That what you are about to hear never reaches the ear to anyone else. By word of mouth or memory sharing." Tom continued cooly.

"... Yes, my Lord." Snape made the vow.

"Very good, Severus." Tom smiled.