Here is the next chapter; extremely sorry for how long it has taken! A massive thank you to my BETA, everfire! Hope you enjoy this chapter now...read and review!

Harry

Harry didn't talk to Draco for a few days after Blaise had spoken to Harry. He didn't know if Draco was avoiding him for some reason, or if it was just coincidence, but Harry never saw him to ask him. Every time he did see him it was in lessons, and Draco was always being followed by his friends. Harry didn't dare go near him then. Harry was beginning to feel left out of his friends and he found himself spending more and more time with Ginny. He always felt people were talking about them when they were together, but Ginny always told him to stop being stupid. They were just friends and people could think what they liked. Harry agreed with her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that people thought they were going out. When he was with Ron and Hermione they were always trying to get him with someone but the only person he wanted to be with was Draco. Harry knew that he couldn't even tell Ron and Hermione that he actually had a friendship with Draco now. He certainly knew he couldn't tell them that he wanted more than that with Draco. They would think Draco was plotting something against him; they would never accept Draco for what he was. They would just see him for what he had done.

It was Saturday morning and Harry was lying in his bed, staring at his ceiling, regretting the fact that he had said he would go to Hogsmeade with Ginny. He sat up and moved to the edge of his bed, staring out of his window. He stood up and walked into the bathroom where he stared at his reflection in the mirror. As he looked he realized how much he had changed. Not on the outside, he still looked the same but there was something different about him.

He had grown up over the summer, leaving behind the Harry that wanted to be in the middle of all adventures and in his place stood someone who was tired of everything. Tired of losing the ones he loved. Tired of being the 'chosen one' and tired of having to lie to everyone all the time. He looked at his eyes and noticed there was no spark in them. The bright emerald green everyone had always talked about had disappeared and was replaced with a duller green. This scared Harry, but at the same time he knew when it had left him.

"When Sirius died." He said quietly and closed his eyes, finally letting Sirius back into his memories. Harry had always thought that Sirius would be the one to save him and look after him. But Sirius had been taken away from him, without any warning, no signs to tell Harry that his last hope was about to disappear.

He opened his eyes and stared back into his reflection. All he could see now was a scared little boy, wondering why everyone wanted him to grow up so quickly. He blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall and splashed some water onto his face. He took one last look at the person he had become and walked slowly down to breakfast.

Harry pushed the food around his plate, not wanting to eat it. He felt someone sit next to him and he looked up into Ron's smiling face.

"Hey, mate." Ron said, grabbing the food nearest to him and piling it on to his plate. "You alright? I haven't seen you in awhile."

Harry nodded and forced a bit of egg into his mouth. "Yeah, I'm fine thanks, Ron. How are things with you and Hermione?"

Ron grinned at him, his face coming alight with just the mention of her name. "Seriously mate, it's amazing. She's amazing. I've never felt like this about anyone before. Not that I've really had that many options but then I guess it's because it's always been her. She makes me feel, I don't know, I can't even think of the word! You need to get some of this action Harry! Not with Hermione of course, but you know, someone."

Harry smiled properly. "You've got it bad."

Ron blushed and nodded. "I know." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled again. "You're going to Hogsmeade with Ginny today?"

Harry nodded and looked down at his plate, not wanting Ron to see how badly he didn't want to go with her.

"I thought you didn't like her." Ron went on, eating his breakfast.

"I do. Well, as a friend anyway. Nothing more, we're just going as friends."

"O." Ron paused.

Harry looked at him, and could tell that Ron was wondering if he should tell Harry something or not. "What is it Ron?" Harry questioned cautiously.

"Well, it's just that, I mean, don't go off on one it's just, I heard that you and her are together together. Which you know, at first I laughed off with you apparently not liking her like that, but then everyone started to say you were, and I always saw you with her and then I heard you were going to Hogsmeade with her" He trailed off when he saw the anger flickering in Harry's eyes.

"You mean everyone thinks we are going out?"

Ron nodded slowly.

"And why do people think that?" Inquired Harry with a dangerous tone to his voice, his hands clenching into fists.

"I don't know, maybe it's just a rumour."

"Yeah well, I'm sick of all these rumours that go around about me Ron. Especially when they aren't true." Harry practically yelled the last sentence and a number of heads turned in their direction.

"Harry mate, calm down."

"Who started it Ron?" Harry grilled, pushing his plate away from him.

"I don't know. I just heard it." Ron replied, scared at the way Harry was reacting.

"Did Ginny?" Harry asked, speaking through clenched teeth.

"She wouldn't do that. At least, I don't think she would."

Harry glared at him. "Come on, people are leaving for Hogsmeade" Harry uttered, standing up.

Ron was surprised at the way Harry had just changed the subject but stood up anyway. He followed Harry out of the hall and the two of them stood in the line as Filch checked over everyone that was leaving the castle.

In front of them, Harry could see the back of Draco's head and just the sight of him made him relax. It's just a rumour. He thought to himself, I'll ask Ginny if she knows anything about it and then we will laugh about it and tell everyone we are just friends. As Harry was standing there, Draco turned around with a look of pure sadness in his eyes and the ghosts of unshed tears shadowed his dull eyes but when his eyes met with Harry's they turned to anger and Draco's eyes frosted over so they almost looked like ice. Harry gasped at the look he was receiving from Draco, and the worst thing was he couldn't do anything about it, that look wasn't allowing him to move. Draco was just staring at him, as if he was looking straight into Harry's soul.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Ron quarried and finally Draco looked away. Harry moved his head so he was looking at Ron. "Harry, are you alright? You don't look to good."

"What? No, I'm fine." Harry muttered, nodding his head.

Ron just shrugged his shoulders and the two of them made their way to Hogsmeade. "I'm meeting up with Hermione in a bit." Ron mentioned as they stepped into Honeydukes.

"Yeah, I'm meant to be meeting up with Ginny."

Ron looked at Harry, "You don't look to happy about that mate."

Harry placed some peppermint toads back onto the shelves and turned towards Ron. "I am, I think, I don't know. Don't you think it's just a little weird that everyone seems to think that me and her are going out? When I haven't said anything like that to anyone. And also, she said she didn't want to talk to me after I told her how I really felt, but then suddenly she wants to be friends again after just a couple of days. It's just weird."

"Do you really think Ginny would do that?" Ron whispered quietly.

"I don't know Ron." Harry sighed.

"Look, Ginny is my little sister; I know what she is like. I really don't think she would do this. I honestly don't think she has it in her. What would she get from doing it? It doesn't make sense."

Harry gave a snort of laughter. "What would she get from doing it? Oh come on Ron. What has been splashed across the papers since what happened at the ministry? 'Harry Potter, the chosen one.' Anyone linked with me is going to have stories written on them. I can imagine it now, 'Ginny Weasley. Girlfriend to the chosen one.' Blah blah, and so it goes on and on. She's changed Ron, I've heard thingsshe's not who I thought she was." He shook his head and looked at Ron. He could see that he had hurt Ron by saying this about his sister but for some reason he just didn't care. "If I'm wrong then I apologize, but I don't know that until I ask her."

Ron just looked at Harry with a strange look in his eye. "I can't believe you would think that one of your best mates would do that Harry. I don't know what is going through your mind at the moment. I've got to go and see Hermione. I hope you figure out what is happening, and you realize Ginny would never do this." He gave Harry one last look and walked out of the shop.

Harry watched him go and let out a groan of frustration. He walked out of the shop and turned towards the three broomsticks where he had arranged to meet Ginny. He stopped with his hand on the door handle and took a deep breath. He pushed open the door and saw Ginny sitting on a table in the corner. He made his way over to her, forcing a smile onto his face. "Hey Ginny." He said when he reached her.

She looked up at him and gave him a huge smile. "Hey Harry, I was starting to think you wouldn't turn up!"

He gave a little laugh and sat down opposite her. "Yeah, sorry. I was talking to Ron."

"Its fine, I don't mind. I ordered you a butterbeer." She pushed the drink towards him and gave him smile.

He couldn't gather the energy to smile back at her and so settled for taking a sip of his butterbeer. He sat there, occasionally glancing at Ginny who would smile at him and then look around the three Broomsticks. He looked towards the door as it opened and saw Draco enter with Pansy. He could feel his heart start to beat faster when Draco looked over at him with the same look in his eye as he had earlier. Harry watched as Pansy whispered something in his ear and the two of them sat at a table near them. All Harry wanted to do was go over, push Pansy out of her seat, sit with Draco, and talk to him but he knew he couldn't. He finally tore his eyes away from the pair of them when Pansy caught him looking and gave him a glare. He became aware of Ginny talking to him and he looked up at her when he felt her hand on his.

"People just keep talking about it." Ginny said and gave a laugh.

"Keep talking about what?" Harry asked her, taking his hand away from hers.

She gave him a look that was a mixture of confusion and hope. "Us."

"There is no us." He said shortly.

"Well, I know that and you know that but everyone else seems to think there is."

"And I'm guessing you have been doing nothing to stop them saying this." He said his voice low.

"No..." She trailed off when she saw the look of anger on his face.

"So, basically, people have been saying we are going out, when we aren't. I hope you do actually realize that, and you aren't living in your own little world. But, the question is...how did they come to this conclusion?" He paused and looked at her but carried on without giving her a chance to say anything. "You see, my theory is that you started this little 'rumor', but then, if this is the case, why would you do that? I thought we were friends."

"We are friends, Harry." She grabbed hold of his hand and kept hold of it when he tried to pull away from her. "People just came to the conclusion on their own, maybe...when they saw me coming out of your room crying they thought we had had a fight...and then...when they saw us together the other day they thought we had gotten together."

"Bullshit, Ginny." He finally ripped his hand away from hers. "If you were my friend you wouldn't have spread some crap rumor about us going out, we never were and we definitely never will. Who the hell does this type of thing to their friends?!"

She glared at him. "Well, who the hell rejects me? Nobody has ever done that Harry. Nobody. I really liked you and you liked me. Then you just throw it back in my face!"

He stood up and slammed his hands on the table. "So you started some stupid rumor about us going out because I REJECTED YOU? You are truly pathetic."

"I am not pathetic." Ginny growled, standing up and glaring at him, her voice low and filled with anger. "You are the one that rejected me. Me! Anyone would love to be in your shoes. You should be happy that people thought we are going out. We are the perfect couple. Everyone thinks so!"

Harry let out a snort of laughter. "Listen to yourself!" He turned to go and looked back at her. "I'll see you around Ginny." He walked towards the door, ignoring the curious looks he was getting from every angle. As soon as he left the three broomsticks he made his way to the Shrieking Shack.

"Hey Potter." A familiar voice drawled behind him.

Draco

Draco sat down next to Pansy at the breakfast table and looked towards the teachers table where he saw Snape sitting. He needed to talk to Snape, ask him what was happening but at the same time, he didn't want to find out. He had been hearing things from everyone in his house about them getting letters from their parents telling them the things were going well. Yet, nobody knew what the 'things' were. This scared Draco in a way he never would have imagined. He had always been in the loop, his father had always confided in him but he had heard nothing from his father in so long.

"Oh, Draco! Have you heard?"

Draco turned his head towards Pansy, "Heard what Pansy?"

She giggled, "About Potter and the Weaselette. It seems they finally got together."

Draco felt his stomach drop. "Really. What have you heard?" grilled, trying to keep the bored tone to his voice.

"Well, apparently, the other day they had a fight where Weasel said to Potter that she wanted to tell everyone about them, but Potter refused, saying he didn't want everyone to be jealousso she ran out of his room crying but then, they finally made it up the other day and he said sorry and the Weaselette told her friends who then told everyone that they are in love." She gave Draco a grin. "It's funny how the biggest losers always seem to find each other."

Draco just nodded at her and looked over at the Gryffindor table where it looked like Ron was having difficulty trying to keep Harry calm., "Come on Pansy."

"What, I haven't finished my breakfast" She trailed off when he stood up and looked down at her with a look that truly scared her. "Ok, I'm coming." She conceded quietly.

They walked out of the Hall together and immediately joined the queue for Hogsmeade. After a while Draco sensed that Harry was somewhere nearby him and all he could think about was that Harry had lied to him.

He knew that Pansy heard a lot of things, but she only ever told Draco what was true. He didn't know how Pansy found out the things she did around the school, but he was glad he had someone who would tell him what was going on.

He thought that he could trust Harry, but apparently that wasn't the case. He wanted to scream at Harry, but he knew this wouldn't achieve anything. He wanted to know why Harry had lied to him after everything they had talked about. He flat out lied to my face. Draco thought and he turned around and looked straight at Harry, forgetting to make sure no emotions where coming through. When Harry looked back at him, all Draco could feel was anger. He wanted to look away, but for some reason he couldn't. He just stood there; staring at Harry as if he was the only person in the room. He finally looked away when he saw Ron nudge Harry and ask him something. He couldn't deal with people that lied to him and he definitely didn't have time for people who kept messing with his head. He stared ahead and just nodded to the things that Pansy was saying to him on their way to Hogsmeade.

They walked around for a bit, visiting all the places there, not really talking, but Draco could tell Pansy was glad they were there together.

"Are you ok, Draco?" Pansy appealed him, as they made their way to the Three Broomsticks.

He nodded his head at her, "Yes. Just a bit worriedabout things."

"Have you still not heard anything from your father?"

"No. I don't think I really want to"

She linked her arm through his, "Don't worry about it, Draco. You know what I always say, only worry about things when they are actually upon us. Otherwise, you could be worrying about something that will never happen." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and put her hand on the door handle.

"Yes, but we both know it will happen, Pansy."

She gave him a smile. "But we don't know when. Come on." She pushed the door open and the two of them walked into the Three Broomsticks.

Draco immediately felt himself looking over at Harry. He didn't know what to do; he didn't want to stay here, not if Harry was so close to him.

"Draco, lets go sit over there. Near to Potter and his girlfriend, never know what you might hear." She giggled and pulled Draco over to the table near to Harry.

Draco sat down and refused to let himself look at the pair. He allowed Pansy to do most of the talking but he could feel a pair of eyes on them. "Is Potter staring at us, Pansy?" He asked her, still not wanting to look over at him.

Pansy looked in the direction of Harry and Ginny and gave a small nod. "You know, they do make me feel sick."

"Why?"

"Just look at them." She whispered. "It's disgusting. I don't know who would even want to go near her with the amount of boys she's been with."

"Potter apparently." He said quietly and took a sip of his butterbeer. "Look, can we just go. I don't want to be in the company of people like that." He moved his head towards Harry and Ginny, but Pansy didn't make a reply. "Pansy"

"Oh! This is good, we can't leave now, Draco!" Pansy uttered excitedly.

"Why? What is happening?" He leaned forward, trying to listen into their conversation.

"Mmm, seems they are having a lovers tiff." She laughed. "He just said 'there is no us.' She doesn't look very happy."

"What are they saying now?" Draco asked, keeping his voice low, and refusing to look in Harry's direction.

"I can't really hear. Potter has lowered his voicehe doesn't look too happy though."

Draco finally allowed himself to look at Harry and when he did, he wanted to laugh out loud. Harry looked furious and was spitting words out at Ginny. He watched as Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and wouldn't let it go. He wanted to get her off of him, but he knew he couldn't do anything.

"Oh. My. God. Can you believe that, Draco?! She made it up. She is amazingly twisted. It's such a slytherin thing to do." Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Not that I would do itbut you know, do something for your own gain, and not caring if it hurts your friends."

"Yes, I guess you're right." He looked over again when he heard Harry slam his fists onto the table.

"He's rather sexy when he's angry." Pansy said quietly, watching Ginny and Harry.

"What?" Draco stuttered out, as he had been thinking the exact thing.

"Well, he's not ugly is he and when he's angry. He looks like this when you two stand off against each other."

"Does he? I've never noticed..." Draco said quietly, trying to stop himself from blushing.

"Well, of course you haven't. You're not gay." She gave him a quick grin and went back to looking at Harry and Ginny. "Ooo, he's leaving."

Draco watched as Harry made his way out of the Three Broomsticks and he realized he had to go after him. "Pansy, I just remembered that I said I would meet someone. I'll see you back at Hogwarts."

"But you said we could spend the day together" Pansy looked down, away from him.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry. Another time, ok?"

She just nodded at him and Draco made his way towards the Shrieking Shack when he saw Harry heading in that direction.

"Hey Potter." Draco called out, finally deciding to make his self noticed. He watched as Harry stopped and turned around to face him. As Draco looked at him he could see in Harry's eyes the amount of hurt and anger that he was feeling. Draco cautiously stepped towards him. "Are you ok?" He asked quietly, not looking away from Harry's face.

Harry looked back at him and nodded slowly. "Yes." He paused and continued to look at Draco with the same look in his eyes. "Why were you following me?"

"I wasn't following you exactly."

"What were you doing exactly then?" Harry asked him.

"I saw that you looked upset and wanted to make sure you were ok." Draco said, wishing that Harry would stop looking at him like he was.

Harry finally gave him a weak smile, "I'm fine."

Draco snorted, "Of course you are."

Harry sighed. "I don't see why you care anyway, considering the fact that you haven't talked to me for the past week and when you look at mewell, you look at me as if I'm dirt."

"I've hardly seen you all week."

"You admit to looking at me as if you hate me then?" Harry said quietly. He turned around and leant against the fence that cut off the Shrieking shack.

"I don't hate you." Draco said slowly. "I just...heard stuff."

Harry turned to face him. "Heard what?"

Draco looked towards the shack, avoiding Harry's eyes. "Stuff that made me think you lied to mewhen I told you the truth. I just thought we were over everything, but apparently we weren't...aren't" He stopped and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I over reacted, it doesn't matter now anyway."

"Why?" Harry asked quietly.

Draco finally turned and looked at him in the eyes. "Why? Because...after your run in with Blaise, it showed me, it showed me how different our lives our. The paths set out for us. Nobody will accept the fact we are friends. More bad would come out of it than good. Don't you see that, Harry? Can't you see it?" Draco begged him silently with his eyes, hoping Harry would understand.

Harry gave him a shaky smile. "You are such an idiot, Malfoy." He muttered and turned away from him.

Draco blinked at him. "What? You have no right to call me an idiot, Potter. Especially when I'm not one."

Harry laughed, "Yes you are. You don't see that you can do what you want: be friends with who you want to be. Even if you can't tell a lot of people about it. I want to be friends with you Draco." He stopped and looked at Draco. "The question is...do you want to be friends with me?"

Harry grinned at him and Draco saw how vulnerable Harry was, how much he needed someone there for him. In that moment Draco could feel himself falling in love with Harry. "I suppose I can lower my standards just this once." He said, but gave Harry a smile, and as Harry smiled back at him, Draco knew this is what he truly wanted from his life, however long it was. He wanted to be by Harry's side, whether it be just as friends, or more.