DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to JKR!

Chapter 4

Harry

Harry walked with Hermoine to the Potions room, after collecting their bags from the common room, pretending to listen to what she was saying, but he couldn't. All he could think about was the way Draco's eyes had burned into his own as if they were making sure there was a place for him there. Harry wasn't sure what this meant. Did it mean Draco liked him back? But, he rationalized with himself, he can't. Why would he? He carried on, lost in his words until he noticed that Hermoine had stopped and was talking to someone who he could sense glaring at him. He looked up and saw that it was Ron. He smiled weakly at him, not sure at how Ron would react.

"Ron, would you please stop being so childish and stubborn. He has apologised!"

"He shouldn't have said it in the first place." Ron replied, still glaring at Harry.

"I know I shouldn't have Ron, and I'm sorry. Seriously, I am."

"See, he means it. I am not having another year where you two don't talk. I am not going to be the go between for you two again." Hermoine said and turned around to talk to Lavender.

Harry looked at Ron, unsure of what to say. "I don't want us not to be talking Ron. You're my best mate."

Ron looked at Harry for a second and his features softened slightly. "Ok."

"So, we're good?"

Ron nodded slowly. "Yeah, just don't yell at me again unless you actually have a reason for it. And stop being such a git. Deal?" he stuck his hand out.

"Deal" Harry replied and shook Ron's hand. "Hermoine will be pleased." He said laughing. The hairs on Harry's back suddenly stuck up and he immediately knew that Draco was walking down the corridor.

"Here comes the ferret." Ron muttered, glaring darkly at Malfoy.

Harry only nodded and looked towards Malfoy who, as normal, was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle with Pansy and Blaise walking behind. Harry felt himself feeling relieved that for once Pansy wasn't clutching onto Draco. For a split second he caught Draco's eye until Draco quickly looked away as if he were embarrassed Harry had looked at him. Harry sighed and turned back to Ron who was talking to Hermoine. Hermoine smiled at Harry when she saw him looking at them.

"We are just talking about the Christmas Holidays" Hermoine started to say but was interrupted by the door opening and Snape staring out at them.

"Get in." Was all he said and then went back into the room.

"Good to see he's happy as usual." Ron said smiling slightly.

"You thought he'd be moody git?! Ron! Are you going crazy?" Harry asked, nudging him slightly and entering the room, glad that Ron had forgiven him properly.

Ron laughed. "Must be."

The three sat at the back and looked towards the front where Snape was glaring down at them.

"If we are all quiet" He said, looking at the three of them. "We will begin. This year we will start to be studying more advanced potions. Anyone without the skills of potion making, as many of you are." At this point he glared at Harry and Neville. "Really need to start paying attention. How you even got into this class is beyond me. Turn to page 15 and start reading about the Felix Felicis potion." There was a sudden noise of people opening their books and then quiet fell on the room as everyone began to read.

Harry started to read the contents of the pages and after a while looked up. He scanned the room, noticing that only a handful of gryffindors were in the room and even he began to wonder as to how Neville had managed to get into this class. His eye settled on the boy who seemed to be taking up most of his thinking time and was about to look away when Draco looked up and looked directly at him, and this time he didn't look away. Malfoy looked at Harry as if he could read Harry's mind. Harry blinked, scared of what Malfoy was thinking but still not wanting to look away. He smiled slightly at Malfoy and was about to look away again until he saw that Malfoy returned his smile, with an even smaller one than Harry had given him. Harry blinked hard. Did he just smile at me? No, don't be stupid. Yes he did. Harry felt himself blush and groaned inwardly, he saw Malfoy smile again before he turned away and Harry looked down at his own book until he felt a sharp nudge in his ribs.

"Are you ok Harry?" Ron whispered loudly.

"Yes. Why?"

Ron shrugged. "You just looked confused. I don't understand this potion either. But I'd like to be lucky, just once." He smiled, but it was quickly wiped off his face when he saw Snape glaring at them.

"5 points from Gryffindor. I told you to work in SILENCE Mr. Weasley. If you cannot even follow a simple instruction like that, then I really do not want to even think what this year will bring us."

Ron gulped and looked down at his book, his cheeks and ears going a bright shade of red. Harry also looked down at his book but after awhile looked again at Malfoy who was talking to Blaise and smiling slightly, Ron also looked up and followed Harry's eyes.

"Doesn't take points from his own bloody house does he." Ron said, glaring at the two boys.

Harry shook his head and watched as Draco turned around and glared at Ron and what Harry could have sworn was a ghost of a smile at him. Harry blushed and looked down at his book, not wanting to let Ron see that he had blushed. Ron also looked down at his book and the lesson finally finished.

"Write 4 pages on this potion for the next lesson." Snape snapped at them and swept out of the room.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Well, that lesson was full of fun."

"Actually, I find this potion particularly interesting. And if you too hadn't of been talking then you wouldn't have had points taken away." Hermione said to the two of them.

"Yes. It's very interesting." Ron replied sarcastically, raising his eyebrows.

The three of them made their way to the common room where Hermione immediately set to doing her Potions and Ancient Runes work while Ron and Harry, knowing nothing was in for tomorrow began a game of chess. While they were playing Ginny walked in and Ron nudged Harry and nodded towards his sister. "I think you should apologise to her as well mate."

Harry nodded and walked towards Ginny. "Hey Gin. Can I have a word with you please?"

She looked at him and then nodded and followed him up to his dormitory, they sat on Harry's bed and Ginny suddenly realised that what she had been hoping for, for so long was about to come true.

Harry looked at Ginny, unsure of where to start. He could hear Hermione's words inside his head, telling him that he has to tell her how he feels. "I'm really sorry, for acting like an idiot earlier. I didn't mean to upset you."

Ginny smiled at him. "I know. I just over reacted."

Harry nodded and looked down at his hands, which he was twisting in his lap. "And, I think. That…well, I think you are a really good friend Ginny."

She moved closer to him. "And you are an amazing friend too Harry. You are so nice and kind and everything I have ever wanted in a guy."

He looked surprised and looked at her. "Thanks…But…"

Ginny interrupted him. "No, let me go first. Harry, I've always liked you. Always, since the first time I met you and at first, I was sure it was just a little girl's crush. But then, when you saved me in my first year it started to give me hope that you might like me back. But you are my brother's best friend, so I didn't say anything. Infact, I started to hide that I did like you; everyone believed I had gotten over my 'crush' and this is what I wanted. But I never have Harry. Never. I have been waiting for this moment for so long and now it's finally here. Harry" She looked at him, and took one of his hands, holding it in her own. "I think, no, I know. I love you."

Harry stared at her, unsure of what to say, what to do. He didn't feel like this about her and he didn't even realise that she felt like this about. He knew that she liked him but he just like everyone else believed she had gotten over him. He blinked and pulled his hand out of hers.

"Harry? Please say something." Ginny said, starting to panic, thinking she had come on too strong. That she should have let him tell her that he loved her before she said it.

"I…" Harry stopped. "Ginny…" he stopped again and stood up. "I'm really sorry how I acted this morning, I shouldn't have treated you like that and it hurt me, that I had hurt you, because you are one of my closest friends Ginny." He looked at her. "And I love you, but only as a friend. It's like you said, I'm your brothers best friend and I have ever only seen you as nothing but a sister. I think you are beautiful Ginny, but you deserve so much more than me. I'm sorry." He sat down next to her again and looked at her. "Ginny?"

Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "This is what you wanted to say to me? That you loved me as a sister. Why, what is it about me that you don't like? I'll change it, I promise."

Harry looked at her in shock. "Ginny, you're amazing. There's nothing wrong with you, I just don't feel like that about you." Ginny gave a sob. "Please don't cry" Harry said, reaching over to hug her.

Ginny pulled away, tears flowing freely from her eyes now, she stood up and looked at everywhere but him. "I'm sorry I ever told you Harry, that I wasted my feelings on you."

She walked towards the door, tears stopping her from seeing where she was going properly. "Ginny wait. Please."

Ginny stopped, with her hand on the doorknob. "I don't think I can just be friends with you Harry." She turned around and looked at him. "Sorry." She closed her eyes, wishing for the tears to stop and walked out of the room and down the stairs, away from the one person she thought she could ever truly love.

Harry watched her leave, stunned, and sank down onto his bed, wondering how on the first proper day back at Hogwarts he had already lost one of his best friends.

Draco

Draco walked down to the Potions lab lost in his thoughts about Harry, as they walked down the corridor he felt Harry look at him, he looked back but quickly looked away, not wanting Harry to know that he had made Draco feel something for the first time in his life that hadn't been drilled into him by his father. They walked into the classroom and he started to read about the potion Snape had set until he felt eyes on the back of his head. He looked up, straight at Harry and this time, he didn't want to look away. He stared at Harry sensing that Harry was as walled up as he was. He watched as Harry smiled at him and for a second, Draco didn't know how to react but finally, he smiled ever so slightly back at him. Draco wanted to laugh when he saw that Harry actually blushed but this stopped when he saw Ron start talking to Harry, obviously saying something about him.

"He's so bloody stupid." Blaise muttered, glaring at Ron. "He actually makes me feel rather ill."

Draco smiled. "Never would have thought he was pureblood." He commented.

Blaise nodded in agreement. "Whole family…My mother says their house doesn't even stand up straight."

"How does your mother know that?" Wondering, not for the first time how Blaise's mother finds out everything that she does.

Blaise looked at Draco and smiled. "My mother knows everything."

Draco smiled slightly. "I do believe you are right there Blaise."

"He's glaring at you again Draco. I swear they must fancy you Draco."

Draco smirked. "Who wouldn't." he turned around and glared back and then saw Harry watching him, again. He gave Harry the smallest smile and turned back around, finishing the chapter on the potion, content that Harry didn't seem to hate him anymore.

At the end of the lesson Draco, Pansy and Blaise made their way up to Draco's and Blaise's dormitory. Blaise flung himself onto his bed. "So glad this day is over."

Draco nodded in agreement and sat down on his bed. Pansy sat next to him. "It feels like we have been back forever." Pansy said. "I can't believe this is our sixth year." She looked around. "I'm scared that we only have 2 years left."

Blaise sat up. "Why?

"Because we only have 2 years left of safety. 2 more years where we are free to do what we like."

Draco laughed sarcastically. "We aren't free to do what we like Pansy."

"What do you mean, 2 years left of safety?" Blaise asked again.

Pansy looked at Draco, unsure of what to say, he just shrugged at her. Not really caring what she said. "Once we have left Hogwarts, we will have to do exactly what the Dark Lord wants us to do." Pansy said

Blaise nodded. "I would say that there is more safety with him, than there is here."

"Are you going to get the mark Blaise?" Pansy asked him, not really wanting to know the answer.

Blaise looked at her and nodded slowly. "Yes. I am, it is what I want. Are you?"

Pansy looked back, unsure of what her answer is. "I expect so. The Dark Lord is more powerful than anyone."

Blaise nodded in agreement. "What about you Draco?" He asked, looking at him.

Draco stared at the wall. "Yes. It is what is expected of me."

Pansy looked down, scared at how Draco had accepted he would not have a choice at all in his future. She looked at him, but he was still staring at the wall.

Blaise smiled. "We will still be together. Fighting together, like we have been since we were born"

"And dying together." Draco muttered.

Blaise looked at him. "We will be dying for what is right. Dying for what we believe in, dying fighting. Isn't that what you want?"

Draco finally looked away from the wall and looked directly at Blaise. "Yes. That is exactly what I want."

Pansy wanted to cry and reached out for Draco's hand which she clasped in her own. "At least we will be together, us three."

Draco let her take his hand and looked at her. He knew Pansy knew some of what he felt and he trusted Pansy more than anyone else he knew and he knew that Pansy was reading between the lines of what he was saying. She knew that he didn't believe he would make it further than his eighteenth birthday. It had never been said out loud, but she knew him too well. He loved Pansy, she was his closest friend, and in some ways his only friend. He knew that she wanted to go with the Dark Lord but she wasn't as blinded as Blaise was. Blaise seemed to think that going with the Dark lord would be amazing but both Draco and Pansy knew better. Draco wouldn't leave Pansy; he couldn't let her face Voldemort on her own. So, he would be by her side. The three of them had grown up together knowing how things would end up. But Blaise was different to them, his father wasn't quite so in Voldemorts inner circle as Draco's was and so Blaise was told the glorified stories of what happened. Draco, on the other hand, had seen first hand what being with Voldemort was truly like but he was destined to be next to his father, it was the path was chosen for him when he was born and it was the path he had been going down ever since then. He didn't see a way out. So he hid how he felt, he didn't tell anyone, even Pansy, what would happen when they left Hogwarts. He wouldn't let himself let anyone know that he was scared. Not only for himself but for everyone.

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed! Keep them coming, makes me want to update faster!