Obligatory Disclaimer: No, I am NOT J.K. Rowling, I do not own Harry Potter and co., I make no money from this, blah blah blah.

Anyway, Hi there! Long time no see I know, I'm sorry. Living that #toddlerlife, Little Miss thinks every screen is a touchscreen and wants to press all the buttons on everything...anyway, here is chapter five! Yay! And even better news, chapter six will up sooner than you think too if all goes well, it's mostly written so woo!

A few notes about this chapter, there is more Ron bashing I'm sorry to say. I had a whole different plan for him but I've also been reading a lot (and I mean a lot) of other Drarry works around here, and, well, there's a lot of Ron bashing out there, and it's kinda organically taken over my plans for him so *shrug* we'll have to wait and see what happens for him I guess. But I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope y'all enjoy reading it :)

Back at the flat, Harry and Draco explained to Ginny what had happened that summer, with Hermione chiming in now and then with questions she had thought of while they were out shopping. Once everything was explained, Ginny sat back and stared at her owl thoughtfully.

'So, Snape helped you get emancipated, and Dumbledore was mad about it? I wonder why. Surely he didn't want you staying with the muggles?'

'I don't know,' said Harry. 'The whole thing is weird. I'm just happy I'm free from it all.'

'Do you want to return Gryffindor Tower when we go back to Hogwarts?' asked Hermione.

'What do you mean?' asked Ginny, startled at the thought of Harry not being in the Tower. 'Where else would he go?'

'Severus says I can share a student apartment with Draco,' said Harry, 'or I can remain in the Tower with the rest of you.'

'Draco,' asked Ginny, turning to the blond, 'why did you decide to move out of Slytherin?'

'It was the safest option for me after I left my family,' replied Draco quietly. He knew these kinds of questions would be coming soon. 'Most of Slytherin would be happy to see me hurt or worse. And Severus and I are sure that my father has something terrible planned for me at some point.'

'That's horrible, I'm so sorry for you.' Said Hermione.

'Thanks,' said Draco. 'Now, let's change the subject. Girls, are you staying for dinner?'

'Dinner?' gasped Ginny. 'I forgot! I have to be home soon!'

'That's right!' Replied Harry, facepalming. 'Come on, I'll show you to the floo. We'll send your owl off with Hedwig to show her the way to your home, okay?'

He and Ginny gathered up her owl's cage and treats and headed towards the fireplace.

'Thank you again, Harry,' said Ginny as she took a handful of floo powder. 'I guess I'll see you on the train next week.'

'Yeah, see you Ginny. Thanks for being so understanding about Draco.'

'Of course,' the young redhead replied. 'I'll talk to Ron for you if you like, see if I can get the idiot to come around.'

'Thanks Gin, I'd really appreciate that.'

Ginny stepped into the fireplace and threw down her handful of powder, announcing 'The Burrow' before vanishing in a green flash of fire.

Harry walked over to the owl roost and stroked Hedwig's back.

'Hey girl, can you do me a favor? Can you accompany Ginny's owl to The Burrow? I'll give you an extra special treat when you return.'

Hedwig hooted at him lovingly and nipped his ear before gathering Ginny's owl and flying out the window with her in tow. Harry gave Draco's owl a pat too and refilled the water bowl.

Harry followed the laughter he could hear coming from the kitchen.

Later that night, Hedwig returned from escorting Ginny's owl to the Burrow with a note attached to her leg.

Dear Harry, thanks again for the owl, Hedwig bought her here safe and sound. I was thinking about names all evening and still haven't found one that matches her. I'll try looking through some books and see if anything pops out. Ron wasn't at dinner, Mum said he's holed up in his room doing some 'serious thinking'. Maybe don't contact him for a while, sorry. Mum sends her apologies for his actions earlier today. Anyway, I guess I'll see you next week on the train. Oh, and congrats again on making Quidditch Captain! Ginny.

Harry's smile had faded as he had read the letter. He knew Ron was still mad, but hearing it from Ginny and having Mrs Weasley apologizing for her son's behavior made him feel worse about the whole thing. He sighed and tossed aside the letter, noting as he did so that his ribs felt less sore, finally.

Hedwig nipped his ear a bit harder than usual.

'Alright girl,' he said, his smile returning as he got up. 'Come on, let's get you that treat I promised.'

'I have to admit,' said Harry as they boarded the train to Hogwarts, 'it is much easier to do this while levitating my trunk than dragging it behind me.'

Hermione nodded her agreement. Harry had offered to levitate her's as well, and Draco had done the same for Ginny. The four of them were searching for a compartment to share.

Ginny had met them on the platform with Mrs Weasley. Ron was nowhere to be seen.

'I'm sorry, Harry dear,' Mrs Weasley had said after giving him a hug. 'Ron went on ahead with Dean and Seamus, something about meeting Neville. I honestly don't know what is going on with him at the moment. Hello Hermione, and Draco. Good to see you both.'

Draco had looked slightly alarmed as Mrs Weasley had drawn him in for a hug after hugging Hermione. Harry and Hermione had just grinned at him as he awkwardly returned Mrs Weasley's hug one armed, the other holding tight to Ulyess's cage. Ginny giggled before telling Harry she had finally came up with a name for her owl.

'I've decided to name her Pandora, because she likes opening things without paying any attention to what could be inside. She opened one of Fred and George's new joke products the other day and nearly fell backwards in surprise when all these miniature fireworks erupted from it.'

'A perfect name then,' laughed Harry. 'Hopefully she'll learn to avoid their products soon.'

'Come on you two,' said Hermione, interrupting their conversation. 'Let's get on the train already.'

They said farewell to Mrs Weasley and boarded the train a few minutes before it left the station.

'Here's an empty compartment,' said Draco, opening the door. 'Let's get settled.'

The four of them managed to stow their trunks and pets safely and had just sat down when the door opened again to reveal Neville and Luna.

'Hello everyone, hi Ginny,' said Luna, waltzing into the compartment and sitting down next Ginny, smiling softly. She and Ginny started catching up on their summers while Neville just stood in the doorway gaping at Harry and Hermione sitting with Draco Malfoy of all people.

'So it's true?' he said to Harry, though his eyes kept flicking back to Draco.

'What's true?' asked Harry, with a sinking feeling.

'That you're shacking up with Malfoy,' said Neville as Hermione hissed and dragged him into the compartment before slamming the door closed. He fell onto the seat next to her with a wince.

'Sorry Neville, but this is a conversation meant for privacy, not gossip.' Hermione said.

'So, Weasley is spreading rumors then?' asked Draco.

Neville glanced at him before looking at Harry and asking again if it was true.

Harry was pale, and angry. He felt like he was about to explode, but felt Draco's hand lightly touching his where it lay on the seat. He quickly glanced up at him but Draco was looking at Neville who had not yet answered his question. He gratefully grazed Draco's hand back, not noticing Hermione's sharp gaze.

'Yeah Nev,' he sighed. 'I was living with Draco for the last of the holidays. I had some, family issues, and Draco was kind enough to help me out.'

'Ron said your muggle family beat you and left you for dead and that instead of asking your friends for help, you let Malfoy kidnap you and-'

'He said what?'

'Excuse me?'

'How dare he!'

Harry sat there in stunned silence as Draco, Hermione, and Ginny pelted poor Neville with questions as to what Ron had said and to whom. He couldn't believe his so-called best friend had done this to him.

'Neville,' he said, the others falling silent. 'Ron really said all that?'

'Yeah, he did,' said Neville, 'But I know it wasn't the whole truth, because he kept changing things here and there. I figured, instead of listening to him get more and more excited as more people stopped by to hear him talk, I'd find you and get the actual truth from my friend and make sure he was okay. To be honest Harry, you look much better than you usually do at the start of the school year.'

'Thanks Neville. I feel better, at least physically, than I remember feeling in a long while. I won't tell you everything just yet, the train doesn't feel like a secure place for what I have to say, but I will tell you right here and right now that Draco quite possibly saved my life, and I have been living with him, and it's been great.'

Neville looked at Draco then, who had silently been watching watching Harry as he spoke, and, as though coming to a decision, straightened his back and held out his hand to Draco.

'Neville Longbottom,' he said strongly, 'Nice to meet you.'

Draco looked at his outstretched hand for a bare second before extending his own, grasping Neville's hand firmly, said 'Draco Malfoy. Nice to meet you too.' The two shook hands, and grinned at each other as everyone laughed.

'Are we all introducing ourselves again then?' asked Luna dreamily.

'No Luna,' said Ginny. 'Neville is just acknowledging Draco as a friend now, that's all.'

'Oh,' replied Luna thoughtfully. 'Well, then, hello Draco. I'm Luna Lovegood, want to be friends?' she held out her hand palm up.

Draco, after a quick glance at everyone else's barely contained giggles, placed his hand gingerly on top of hers. 'Sure,' he said, 'let's be friends Luna. Um, what are you doing?'

'Checking your hand for signs of Wrackspurts,' replied Luna, who had taken Draco's hand in both of hers and was indeed closely examining it. 'You're all clear,' she said, releasing him and turning back to her copy of The Quibbler.

'What is a Wrackspurt?' Draco whispered to Harry, who laughed and replied that no one actually knew.

'Just go with it,' he said as the door slammed open again to reveal Ron and the rest of the sixth year Gryffindor boys.

'Told you,' he sneered to the boys behind him. 'There he is, our great Savior, parading around with a snake.'

Before anyone in the compartment could react, Luna had stood up and walked over to the door, raised her wand and sent a wave of blue sparks cascading at the boys, who yelped as the sparks stung their bare arms, and firmly closed the door in their faces, locking it for good measure.

As she sat down, the others staring at her, she said lightly 'No one bullies my friends, I know what it feels like and I won't tolerate it.' And with that she stuck her wand behind her ear and began reading Ginny's palm as the rest of them finally stopped staring and shrugged it off.

No one else disturbed them for the rest of the trip. Blaise and Pansy did stop by quickly to greet Draco and be introduced to the rest, they hadn't been able to meet up in Diagon Alley before school started, and couldn't stay long, lest the other Slytherins thought they were still friendly with Draco, but they promised to sneak out and visit him in his student apartment after curfew, a fact which Hermione ignored after Blaise winked at her, she was too busy hiding her blushing face after that.

All too soon they were arriving at Hogwarts, caught up in the flurry of disembarking the train and making their way to the carriages. Harry and Luna stopped to greet and pat the Thestral that were pulling their carriage, Hermione and Ginny climbing straight in. Draco was staring at Harry as Luna passed him to join the girls.

'What's wrong?' asked Harry, still patting the Thestral which was nuzzling at his chest now.

'You're, you're touching it,' he stammered. 'Why are you touching it?'

'Why not?' frowned Harry, 'and you can see them too?'

'I've always been able to see them,' Draco said, still staring. 'Ever since my grandmother passed away.'

'You saw that?' gasped Harry, 'But you said you were only seven when she died.'

'It's a pureblood thing,' said Draco. 'Being there when an elderly member of the family dies. It's supposed to be a sign of respect, but Father just wanted me to be able to see the Thestrals so he could better threaten me with them. Why are you touching it?'

'Because she likes it,' replied Harry, still reeling inwards from that revelation of Draco's. 'Come on, she won't hurt you.' He held out his hand to Draco, who gingerly stepped forwards, and with a fearful glance at the Thestral, allowed Harry to take his hand and place it on it's neck.

'Wow,' he breathed, gently stroking the Thestral, 'it's so warm and solid.'

'Of course,' said Harry, 'what were you expecting?'

'Coldness, like touching a cloud.'

Harry shook his head. 'They're like horses,' he said. 'Except they like raw steak instead of apples. Come on, we'd better get inside.'

Draco gave the Thestral one last pat and followed Harry inside the carriage, where they listened to Luna reading Hermione's palm and trying to explain that it wasn't all hookum and balderdash, that certain lines on one's palm did mean something.