Falls the Shadow

by Intempesta Nox

Between the idea And the reality, Between the motion And the act, Falls the Shadow. HD Slash, 18th century setting.

4. Chapter 3

Title: Falls the Shadow

Chapter 3

Rating: M

Warnings: H/D Slash

Disclaimer: We do not own Harry Potter! Characters (except those created by us) belong to the amazingly talented J.K. Rowling, WB, and the publishing companies

Harry groggily opened his eyes and groaned as he tried to lift his head. He felt a sharp pain and rested his head back onto the pillow.

"It would be wise if you would not move," drawled a voice to his left.

Harry squinted and saw Draco sitting down next to his bed, looking at him in a serious manner. 'What is he doing here?' he thought with anger. Did he not think he was unfavorable to him?

Draco seemed to have been reading his mind, for with a slight, graceful movement, he stood up from his chair and walked towards Harry's desk, depositing some books on top.

"Snape wishes for you to know that even though you fell ill, you still need to do today's lessons. The instructions are written inside so you should have no way of not completing the task."

He turned to leave and as his hand grabbed hold of the doorknob, a small but angry voice called from behind him.

"Why did you come?"

"I was ordered to," said Draco, turning to look at him.

"Surely you can get out of something you don't want to do. Someone you do not want to see."

"Are you upset over what I discussed with you…over Weasley?"

"Yes I am," said Harry darkly, wincing as he sat on the bed.

Draco was confused; he was trying to help out Harry. Couldn't he see that?

"I was merely trying to help you. Pardon me if you cannot see what I told you for what it was."

"Helping me does not involve in any way, telling me not to have a friend. I have been told that I am not welcomed here, the least that I can have would be someone to talk to. I like Ron, and if he makes my time here easier then I will continue to talk to him, with or without you and your family's consent," said Harry icily.

Draco was stunned. No one that he had met that was his age had ever spoken to him in that tone.

Silence took hold of the room. Draco looked at Harry in shock, and Harry started to feel guilty as those grey eyes looked at him with intensity. He had clearly over done it. What had made him talk in that manner to the son of the master of the house? Yet, he had acquired a new friend and he was not going to loose him. Panic then overtook him. What if Draco went to his aunt and told her what happened? Surely he would be disposed of to an orphanage very quickly.

"Look..."

"I..."

Both of them spoke at the same time, and fell silent.

"Harry…if you wish to see Weasley then I cannot stop you. I am…sorry," he struggled as he said the last words but kept on. "It is up to you what you do. Your friends are none of my concern. I would recommend that my family should not find out about this…friend. They will make you drop the acquaintance entirely," he finished with some color rising to his cheeks.

Now it was Harry's turn to look back at Draco in shock. He had said that he would still maintain the friendship with Ron with or without the Malfoy's consent. Yet, hearing consent from Draco gave him a complete different emotion, as if he was glad for it.

"Thank you, Draco...I am sorry for speaking to you in that tone. I should not have done that."

"No problem, Harry," he muttered. He seemed to shake himself internally and turned towards the door.

"Draco?" yelled the unmistakable voice of Goyle. "Where are you?"

"Get that done, I do not wish for Snape to get mad at me if you do not do it. You are not excused from lessons tomorrow," he said arrogantly and finally opened the door and left.

Harry gave a small smile and just hoped that Draco would not ask him why he had reacted the way he did when he saw the horse. He knew that he had another new friend, even if Draco wanted him to think he was not interested, and to lose it for a weakness would be unforgivable.

XXXX

He had breakfast in his room and lunch as well. Dobby had been concerned for him, but Harry felt that it was to the extreme. He was not as ill as Dobby thought him to be, and since no doctor had come to check him, he assumed that he was allowed to stay in his quarters through Dobby's insistence.

He started on Snape's lessons and finished them as the sun was setting. He was lonely and wished for a distraction. He had promised to see Ron today, but would he be able to leave?

A quick trip would not hurt, would it?

Making up his mind, Harry descended from his bed and got ready as quickly as possible. He feared questioning if he met up with someone as he left the house and grounds, but eventually decided on saying that he felt better and felt that exercise and fresh air would do him good. Thinking this the easiest and most probable excuse, he made his way down the stairs and to the front door, luckily meeting with no one but a servant who had scurried from one room to another in haste.

Lifting an eyebrow, Harry noted the maid that went rushing by with a strange attitude. Something seemed different… but Harry did not ponder on it for long. Instead, thankful for his good luck, he made his way out the front door and into the cool air that was slowly coming with the darkness.

XXXX

Draco watched with his hawk-like glinting eyes as the door to the Malfoy Mansion opened and saw the ebony haired boy make his way across the grounds. Something tugged inside him, but the words that Harry had said earlier on resounded in his mind and he stayed put. Not that he would have gone after him in the first place. At the moment, he was leaning against the stable doors, having just put his horse away for the day. Crabbe and Goyle had left earlier on to go eat dinner (meals were the only thing those two were punctual in) and Draco had taken the extra time to get his work done, eat dinner, and at the urging of his father, ride his horse for the exercise. Not a word had been muttered about Harry at dinner, though during lunch his aunt had been around and made comments Draco had found himself disliking.

He watched again as the figure slowly became out of sight before making his way back to the mansion. It was probably too late for the redhead to be out and Harry would probably end up making the trip back to the mansion soon.

Draco strode up to his room, ignoring the rustling of movement that was going on in the drawing and ball room, and fell on his bed. He immediately stood up when he felt that he had landed on something and looked down, his face showing distaste as he laid eyes on what he was going to wear the following week. It still had to get tailored and they probably wanted him to try it on. Picking it up and placing it aside, Draco changed and crept into bed. It was early and he was tired. He also needed to think, though he was not sure he wanted to. The first thought that entered his brain was if Harry knew about the ball that they would soon be having. Probably not, seeing as no one informed him about anything. Secondly, would his father and mother even let Harry attend the ball? He was not as low in status as he seemed and was at an even greater class and advantage than some of the people that he had seen were to be invited to the ball, so Draco saw no reason for objection of Harry's presence at the ball. Then came the matter of boarding school. He was sure his father had told him in the morning that it was both of them that would be attending a well re-known and his father's old boarding school in Scotland.

Draco felt confused though. Harry was not, in any way, his friend. The actions that were taken towards Harry and Harry's own actions should not have been important to him then, but he found himself worrying over the other boy. He had noticed that an air of depression still hung around Harry, a heavy and brooding sadness that was easily felt at the sight of the boy, and Draco had felt compelled to help him, though he was not sure why nor how to go about it. Then Harry had made friends with the redhead and Draco now understood that he had probably felt jealousy that day he had first spoken to Harry. Then again, once he mulled over the thought again, he did not really feel anything towards the other boy. He only felt an awareness that this boy could have in common some of the feelings and troubles he was going through as well and felt a small sense of protection over the other boy since no one else seemed to be bothered by him except their elf-looking servant, who tended to act rashly and do things that eventually brought on the desired result but with more trouble than there needed to be.

Giving off a small sigh, Draco turned his thoughts back to boarding school and pushed Harry away from his mind. He would be attending for the following seven years and would probably be ready with a career by the time he graduated at seventeen, though he knew his family wanted to go on with his studies and attend university to become what his father said was a 'well-educated, well-rounded asset to society'. Draco scoffed lightly at the thought. He had enough fortune not to have to worry about himself for the rest of his life, but an education was an education. Turning to lie on his stomach, he closed his eyes, thinking his last thoughts for the day before falling asleep, his features falling into an angelic state that rivaled any renaissance painting that could have been put up against it.

XXXX

Harry practically ran to the same stream as the sky slowly darkened more and more.

"Please be there… please be there…" he found himself muttering as he came nearer and nearer to the stream. He began to slow down once it came into view and his heart and smile slowly fell as he saw no one waiting for him by the lake. He scanned the area, looking downstream and upstream, just in case the boy might be by some other part of the stream, but no sight of the fiery red hair caught his eye. Feeling near tears and his heart clenching and churning inside of him, he sat down near the edge of the stream, chin resting on his knees and back against a tree as he looked out over the water with a defeated and desolate look on his face.

"Glad you could make it," a voice said from above him and, feeling his heart skip a beat, Harry looked up to find the smiling face of Ron staring down at him. His expression changed from one of sadness to one of immediate delight when a thought darkened his expressions. Slightly pinching himself, Harry nodded and turned back with an even greater smile on his face, having made sure that this was not a dream or wishful thinking, but his actual friend come back to greet him.

"What are you doing up there?" Harry asked once he found his voice again and stood up beside the tree as he watched the other boy carefully climb down.

"Hiding and waiting for you… though I really didn't think you were going to come in the end, once the sun started setting. Why are you so late?" Ron asked as he made his way down through several more branches before finally standing in front of Harry.

Harry shifted, unsure of what to say or do. Should he tell him everything that had happened the day before? Or just say he fell ill suddenly? "Traumatizing experience came back to haunt me yesterday and well… I fell ill," Harry said, finding himself being unable to lie to the other boy, who merely nodded with a smile still on his face.

"Want to come back home and meet the family?" Ron asked him, at which Harry was immediately taken aback. He shifted, once again, debating on whether he should or not, and deciding that as long as he did not stay out after curfew hours, he would be fine.

"I would be delighted," Harry said, offering his newly found friend a lopsided grin and earning himself another bright smile from Ron.

"Great, come on then," Ron said, beginning to lead the way through the forest and talking about his brothers and family and small absurd things like the polo matches and horse races which he seemed to be fond of. After a few minutes they both came to a clearing and Harry looked up to see the most unsafe, lopsided, and unorganized house he had ever seen. It looked like several houses had been piled on top of each other and a few of the windows and roofs seemed to need a bit of repair, but otherwise it looked like… 'home,' Harry caught himself thinking. He immediately fell in love with the place.

"It's not too much," Ron said embarrassedly once Harry's stare had continued on. Harry turned to his now red-faced friend and gave him a smile.

"I love it," Harry said, bringing back a grinning and sure Ron that bade him to follow inside the house.

"Mum, I'm home," Ron yelled out and Harry saw an organized and cluttered room meet his eyes. A strange clock stood off to the side and on the couch lay several knitting pieces, a few needing only the last touches. The furniture was rustic and old looking, a bit mismatched, but nonetheless worked with the room and gave off a warm feeling that Harry had not felt for a while.

A woman in her early forties came through the door, apron around her hips and red visible hair in a bun behind her head. She scowled at Ron, before turning and smiling at Harry, which Harry smiled back at, and then went back to scowling at Ron.

"Do you know how late it is? I've been here, worried about you, sent your brothers off to look for you and…. Sorry dear, what was your name?" The woman asked, her warm smile back on her face.

Harry was a bit surprised to find the easiness which she could change her moods, from a warm, smiling, caring woman to a stern, ready-to-inflict-punishment mother. "Harry Potter," Harry found himself saying, "from Malfoy Mansion. They have agreed to raise me in their home until I turn of legal age and can settle down on my own."

The woman's face seemed to have gone dark when he mentioned the name Malfoy, but Harry passed it off as his imagination once it was immediately replaced by a warm smile again. "Well, Harry, I'm Molly Weasley and welcome to our home. Make yourself comfortable, dear, the pastries will be done in a while and you can try some before you make your way back," she said and then she was immediately gone, back into her own kitchen which Harry was sure was probably Mrs. Weasley's favorite room.

Ron looked after his mother and once she was out of sight he let out a sigh. "Mental… I see where my brothers get it from," he whispered jokingly to Harry, apparently loud enough for a reproach from his mother that sent him bounding up the stairs with a rather amused and happy Harry behind him.

"This is my room," Ron said, opening the door to a small (compared to his) room but with everything it needed and with that warm same feeling that seemed to be all over the house, even in the hallways. A small bed had been put against the wall and to the side of the window, which stood in the middle of the wall opposite the door and gave a clear view into the forest and, far away in the distance, Malfoy Manor. A chest was situated at the foot of the bed and two more were shoved against the opposite wall, a small desk and chair in between them.

"I like it," Harry found himself saying as he looked out the window.

"You're just being nice now. I bet yours is way better over there in that mansion," Ron said, surprising Harry with the near bitter tone his friend was using.

"If you call cold and empty nicer then I suppose you're right," Harry said, finding himself laughing. "I like your room. It has a warm feeling to it that… seems familiar… it makes it livable, likeable," Harry said, turning to his friend.

Ron smiled slightly. "I still bet you have loads of space for everything though, and not secondhand furniture and such things," he mumbled.

"If you count nice furniture as pale things in your room and a clean room nearly all the time that looks like it should be on show rather than lived in, then be my guest and call it nice," Harry said, not wanting to continue this conversation further and feeling rather angry that his friend should actually be jealous of him, his situation.

"I'm sorry," Ron finally said after a few moments. "I just… sometimes I look out that window and wish I could live there, if even for one day. See what it feels like not to have a care in the world, not to have to worry about what other people think, knowing that you're already on top, not having to worry about spending too much or what the best price may be or spreading out money and trying to make it last the entire winter…."

"I wish I had my parents back," Harry said, cutting off Ron and feeling a need to reply with his own inner troubles. "I never met them…. I wish I had Sirius back, my godfather," he said, nearly choking on the name. "I wish that I could look at horses like I used to, love them like I used to, ride them like I used to," he ended, looking up after a few moments of silence to find Ron gazing at him with an indescribable feeling.

"Well then, we both want things we'll never have," Ron said, his bright smile on again. "Now let's go downstairs," he said as he heard the door open and slam shut. "If it's my brothers, its better to be around my mum," he explained as he opened his door and exited his room with Harry. "If they offer you anything, reject it. Anything at all, reject it. They're half mad… they create these things and test them on people to see the effect and say they're going to open a shop one day."

"Do you think they will?" Harry asked, at which Ron shrugged.

"There's a possibility they might. I actually think they probably will. Where there's a will, there's a way, and they definitely have will," Ron said as they neared the living room and two red heads turned their ways, both sharing exactly the same expression of mischievousness as their eyes landed on Harry.

"Don't even think about it," Ron said with eyes slightly narrowed at his two brothers. "I've already warned him."

"But Ronny-kin-poo…"

"It's been so long since we've had company…"

"I'm sure your friend here wouldn't mind sitting with us and sharing sweets…"

"Find another test subject," Ron said, "and mum's making pastries, so we'd rather not spoil our appetite, thank you very much." Harry only stared between the exchanges, feeling very much like a third wheel until Ron introduced him.

"George Weasley," one of the red head's said.

"Fred Weasley," the other identical twin said.

"Harry Potter," Harry muttered, looking at them both and trying to find anything, any little mark that would tell them apart. He finally gave up after a few minutes of search but no find.

Mrs. Weasley eventually came out with the pastries that had been promised and gave several to each. Harry looked at them, feeling like it was too much to take in at one time and picking up one of the scones Mrs. Weasley had placed on his tray. He bit into it and nearly moaned at the delicious taste that took over his senses.

"Mum, congratulations, you have a new fan added to your cooking fan club," George said as he looked half-amused at Harry.

"Yep, this one's a keeper mum. He appreciates your cooking," Fred said, taking a bite out of his own pastry.

Harry continued enjoying them until he remembered where he was, where he had to get to, and how much time he had left. Dismissing himself and mumbling a quick apology about why he suddenly had to go, he left with Ron, sent by his own mother as a company to Harry.

"Percy's a right up snob," Ron said, explaining a bit more about his brothers. "The less you see of him, the better. Then there's Bill, who's a banker, and Charlie, a horse tamer who lives some way from here but comes to visit every now and then. My own dad works for the minister, though a low position that I'm sure they don't pay enough, but he enjoys his job," Ron said as they neared the Malfoy gates. "Then there's my sister Ginny, about a year younger than me. Very shy around boys, though she did grow up with six herself. Anyways, I'll see you soon then?" Ron asked, hope apparent in his eyes.

"As soon as I can tear away from my studies," Harry answered. "If I don't make it tomorrow, don't wait anymore for me until the end of the week. That just means that I've been piled with things to do," he said.

Ron nodded. "Until the end of the week," he said before leaving. Harry nodded and trudged up the hill as well, and, with luck, got into his own room without complication and fell asleep, a slight smile playing on his lips and the taste of the warm, rich pastries still not gone from his mind.

XXXX

"Mr. Potter, your work?" asked Snape, looking down at Harry with distaste.

"Here it is, sir," said Harry, handing out the work that he was assigned to Snape. He had taken a great amount of time doing his assignment, and for once he was sure he did a good job.

Snape looked at the papers one by one, his eyes narrowing into slits as he got to the last page.

"Where is the rest?"

"The rest?" replied Harry blankly.

"Yes the rest…I also gave you another page to read and answer questions from."

"I did not receive that…"

"Where. Is. It?" asked Snape icily.

"I do not know, I am sure I did not see that assignment inside the book….sir," said Harry in a low tone, some color rising to his cheeks in anger.

"I will not put up with this abysmal behavior. You cannot even finish an assignment given to you. Such irresponsibility…tsk tsk...immaturity. Then again, what can I expect from an eleven year old like you?"

Harry was about to retort when Draco spoke up. "Sir, I must have dropped the paper on my way to give it to him."

"On the way for you to give it to him?" asked Snape, raising an eyebrow. "I asked Dobby to give it to him, why did you do it?"

Harry looked at Draco questioningly, but Draco would not turn to look at him.

"I wanted to…I…sir I dropped the paper, it was not Harry's fault."

"Stop covering for his irresponsibility Draco, I know that you did not give him that paper!" snapped Snape, turning angrily towards his desk.

"Draco was in my room. He brought me my assignment," said Harry. "Why do you not believe him?" he added before he could stop himself.

Snape turned to look at him with great anger, his words coming out very forcibly. "I want both of you out of here. NOW!"

Both boys left their seats as soon as they were told, and left the room, Draco banging the door behind him.

"Insufferable man!" yelled Draco. "Wait until my father hears about this…not believing me…thinking me a common liar!"

Harry continued walking by Draco, and noticed two maids running with different types of cloths in their hands.

"What is going on, Draco?" said Harry in a low voice.

"How dare Snape tell me…What?" asked Draco, stopping in the middle of his exclamation.

"Why are there a lot of maids going from place to place in a great hurry?"

'Oh, the ball' thought Draco. 'What do I say to him?' What if he ruined it all by telling Harry about the ball only to find that he will not be invited, and then letting Harry down in the process…but surely the planning of a ball will be hard to hide in the coming days?

"There…is a ball to be held."

"Oh. Is there a special occasion for it?"

Draco hesitated; he really did not want to tell Harry that the reason for the ball was for his departure for Scotland. "I do not know. My parents accustom holding balls throughout the year."

"I did not know about the ball…" muttered Harry. No one had told him about it, he was sure he was not to go. He would surely feel out of place, but the Malfoy's should have at least invited him, after all, were they not known to be polite society?

"I do not know why they did not tell you…" started Draco, when he was cut off by Harry.

"I know why I was not invited, you do not have to explain to me. I bet your Aunt Bellatrix had something to do about it," said Harry darkly.

Draco remained quiet and they walked a few steps until they encountered Narcissa coming down from the stairs. Her pale form was indeed the picture of elegance and grace. She was known for her beauty, but also known to be polite- but with a near coldness in her manners.

"Draco, your father is waiting for you in the drawing room. He awaits you, make sure you take haste."

"Yes, mother." Draco replied with coldness.

"Harry, if you need anything please do inform Dobby. My husband and I wish for you to be as comfortable as you can be here," she said before giving him a small nod and heading towards the library.

Harry looked at her retreating back. She had not uttered a word to him since he had arrived, it was clearly shocking to be hearing such statement from her.

Draco cleared his throat and moved past Harry, "I will see you at dinner."

Harry nodded, and knowing that Snape might come out of the room soon, left quickly to the grounds in hope that he would amuse himself somehow.

The rest of the week passed by without any significant event occurring. Only if the constant arrival of people and the running around of the maids in preparation for the ball, and the untimely disappearance of some items of high value that the Malfoy's just had to use to adorn the mansion, count as events of catastrophic pre-ball episodes.

Harry had spent most of the week engrossed in lessons, Snape continued on like if nothing had occurred, but Harry still felt the hatred in his eyes for him. No one had mentioned the ball to him, so he would probably spend the day at the Weasley's. He had not talked to Draco since the time after Snape had thrown them out of the room, and this was in part that Draco seemed to be always busy, either talking to his father, riding his horse, or being with Crabbe and Goyle. He had ignored Crabbe and Goyle as much as he could, for he knew that those two still did not like him in any way and probably never would. He would not endanger his stay in the house for the foolishness of two others. He did wish that Draco would make an effort to speak to him more, but he was not going to go and seek the boy. If he wanted to be his friend, then he would act like one.

He decided to go and meet Ron back in their 'meeting place'. Hopefully he was there, and not in his house. Although he really did like Weasley's, he felt like if he went unannounced that he would be most impolite.

He walked through the dense forest, still in awe with his surroundings. The tall trees looked foreboding and overpowering, but their presence gave the forest its core. The small bushes filled with berries gave a pleasant aroma to all those that walked by, and the small animals that habited the area finalized the forest's picturesque setting.

Harry felt the breeze run through his unruly hair, and he smiled. He was comfortable in the forest, and in his short time living with the Malfoy's he had immediately fallen in love with the place. The air of calmness and solitude did wonders for him.

"Harry! You made it!" exclaimed a voice from his left. Harry turned and sure enough, the grinning face of his friend greeted him. Harry grinned back, "My professor, Snape, had me cooped up there doing work. Finally, I can do whatever I please."

"That's great! Look, I brought some of mum's pastries for you," he said, handing a napkin to Harry with a couple of the pastries he loved from the day he visited.

"Thank you so much, Ron. I love these pastries…they are delicious," Harry said, helping himself to one of them and putting it in his mouth.

"Glad you enjoy them. It is extremely hot, don't you think?"

"Hmmm…yes, I suppose so."

They rested for a few minutes, but eventually both boys got up and started climbing the enormous trees around them. Harry laughed when Ron could not get down from one of the trees, and he had to go and help him. Harry felt like an eleven year old boy again, a boy not plagued by nightmares and worries of not being welcomed. He had not felt at ease since his birthday, and playing childish games like he was supposed to made his heart a lot lighter.

Harry and Ron finally got down, laughing and yelling at each other, when Harry heard a branch snap. He turned quickly behind him and saw a figure coming towards him.

Ron had not noticed anything, but continued laughing, grabbing at his sides.

Harry squinted and was surprised to see a shock of blonde hair come through the trees. "Draco?" he said, surprised.

At the sound of Draco's name, Ron turned around, his face turning into a scowl.

"Harry, you must get back," he said, giving a glance towards Ron.

"And who are you to tell him what to do?" snapped Ron, looking furiously at him, "You think you can make others do your biding?"

"I was not speaking with you Weasley, do shut your mouth," drawled Draco.

Harry looked at both boys, eyebrows raised. They really did not like each other…

"Don't you tell me to shut my mouth, Malfoy!" yelled Ron, "Why don't you just leave us alone! Go back to your mansion with your bloody servants!"

"Weasley, if you are too dim to notice, then let me inform you that you are standing on Malfoy grounds, so it is me that wishes for you to leave us alone," said Draco icily.

Ron stood there with his mouth open, and looked at Harry in expectation.

Harry squirmed under both of their gazes, "Listen Ron, I am sorry but I do have to go. It is getting late and I am wanted over there. Let us meet in three days, how is that?"

Ron nodded, but did not say a word. He turned around and left Harry and Draco by themselves.

They walked back to the mansion in silence side by side. The silence was immeasurable, but both boys did not want to do anything about it. Rather they let the silence overtake them, and they pondered their own thoughts.

They got to the doors and Draco led him to his father's study. Harry's heart began palpitating wildly inside his chest, fear gripping him. Had they find out about Ron? Had Snape told them how awful he was? Was he going to be thrown into an orphanage?

Draco must have noticed his discomfort, for he turned to Harry.

"Don't worry; it must not be something bad for father does not seem in a bad mood."

Draco knocked and waited for an answer, "Come in," said a deep voice from inside.

"I'll leave you now, Harry."

Harry's eyes darted to Draco's in a silent plea to not leave him alone, but Draco gave him a nod and left him.

He went inside and saw Lucius Malfoy sitting in an armchair by the fire. He motioned Harry to sit down, and Harry tentatively walked towards the chair.

"You might be wondering why you are here," drawled Lucius.

Harry nodded, not able to look at Lucius in the eye.

"You must have noticed that there will be a ball in two days time. I know you must have been worried for the proper clothing…"

"Sir, does that mean I am going?" said Harry in a small voice.

"Why of course you are, why will you not go?"

"I...just assumed…"

"Well you will be going, and as I was saying, I do not know if you have proper clothes for it. I have had someone deliver some clothes for you; they are on your bed."

"Thank you, sir."

Lucius nodded and started to write on some parchment. Taking that as his cue, Harry got up and left the room.

He was going to the ball! He had never been to one before, and the prospect of attending one filled him with curiosity. So he was not ignored…they had just assumed that he knew he was going. Another thought entered his mind, he knew Bellatrix would be there and would probably try to make the ball a horrendous experience for him. 'No, I wont let her get to me,' he thought with resolve, and as he went up the stairs, the prospect of a ball seemed grander.

The next morning, he was on his way to his favorite place in the forest when he heard some voices. He recognized them as Crabbe's and Goyle's and sped up to get into the forest, but closed his eyes in trepidation when he heard them calling for him.

"Servant boy! Where are you going?"

Harry kept on walking, but he heard them come closer and heard the whine of the horses they were riding.

They were on both sides of him, and he felt himself start to shake as he tried to move as far as possible from the horses.

"Afraid of the horses, Potter?"

"How girly. We should tell Lady Malfoy that she is keeping a girl within her house!"

They got closer to him, knowing well that the horses were what was making Harry shake with fear.

Harry tried not to look at the eyes of creature, but he felt their breath on his face. He took deep breaths to calm himself, but it was not working. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, but he was not going to have a fainting spell in front of them.

"Coward!"

"Crabbe…Goyle…leave him be!" yelled the unmistakable voice of Draco.

"Want to scare him yourself?" said Goyle, as Draco neared them. Draco pushed past Crabbe and Goyle, making them move away from Harry.

"Harry?" he whispered tentatively.

"We were just saying that such cowardly girl should not be in your house, Draco. When all of us are enjoying the ball tomorrow, he will be stuck inside his room like a good servant boy."

"He is going to the ball, Crabbe," said Draco darkly.

"But…"

"He is going to the ball on my father's and mother's insistence."

"Ah, they fell pity for him then…surely it is for appearances. You don't wish him to be there."

Harry looked up at Draco, feeling the other boy looking at his friend in anger.

"It is also at my insistence that he attends the ball."

"Draco…"

"Listen to me," he snapped, "you are to leave Harry alone, I order it. He is my friend…"Draco's eyes widened over what he had just said, but he got himself back together and whispered menacingly to the boys he had grown up with, "and you lot will respect him for what he is to me."

Harry breath caught in his throat, and he looked at Draco with shinning eyes. Draco had finally stood up for him; he had not ignored him like on the past occasions when his friends were in his company.

"Do you understand?" he yelled.

Both boys nodded dumbly, "Then get out of my sight," Draco snapped.

Their horses took off in a fast run, while Draco remained with Harry in the clearing before the forest.

"Thank you for that…so you are my friend then?" asked Harry, his voice still shaky.

Draco gave him a slight smile. "I am sure you can say that." He remained standing next to Harry, trying to ask him the foreboding question.

"Harry, why do horses scare you?" Draco asked softly after gathering his courage.

Harry sat down on the cool grass and placed his hands on his head. "My godfather…was killed by a horse," he whispered.

Draco sat down next to Harry and lightly touched his knee, "I'm sorry, you should have said something sooner."

"To who? No one bothered with me." he said slightly laughing darkly.

Draco sighed and looked into the forest, "I am guilty of that, I admit," he said quietly.

"Have you always hated horses?"

"No, I used to love horse races. My godfather and I would race against each other. He had gotten me a proper horse for my birthday…it was sold shortly before my departure."

"Harry, I am sure you still love horses. Would you give it a try…to make you more comfortable with horses again?"

"I don't…think…"

"We will not know until we try, what do you say? I promise not to push you into anything. Harry, I am sure your godfather..."

"Sirius," Hary said softly.

"Sirius…would want you to continue horse racing, after all it was a sport both of you practiced together. What do you say?"

"Draco…first you don't want to be my friend and all of a sudden you want to help me. It does not make sense."

"I don't know Harry…I just feel that we may have some things in common. You are not like Crabbe and Goyle. You do not let me boss you around like them, you stand up for yourself against me. No one has ever done that…I guess you can say I admire that."

"I thought of you as an arrogant, selfish boy."

Draco laughed, "Yes that is the general impression of me. So…the horse…?"

Harry hesitated, but the grey eyes were looking at him with the intensity he remembered, and he could not say no, "I'll try it."

"Excellent. Come on then, let us head back and we shall give the horses a try another day" he said, giving Harry a pat on the shoulder.

Harry nodded and smiled slightly. The shaking had subsided greatly, but he still remained nervous due to the promise he had made Draco.

XXXX

They had not yet gone out to ride horses when the night of the ball finally came. Malfoy Manor was in a state of flurry and excitement. He had heard of the numerous preparations that had been done in order to make the evening exquisite.

Harry looked at his attire in wonder. He felt the cloth with his hands, and found it extremely smooth and of the best material he had ever had. He did have some fine clothes, but none that would come close to this. He only wondered if his were 'suitable', then how were the clothes of Draco and his family?

He got ready with speed, and then tried to smooth down his unruly hair. He sighed, knowing fully well that his hair would never cooperate with him. He dared not go outside his room until he was called for, and so he waited patiently, his stomach filling with butterflies.

At exactly half past six, he heard a knock in his door. He got up, and opened the door, only to find Dobby looking at him in excitement.

"Lord and Lady Malfoy are asking for your presence in the ballroom, Mr. Potter," he squeaked.

Harry gave him a small smile and followed Dobby into the ballroom. He opened the door and his eyes looked at everything in front of him; elegance was an understatement. The windows had golden curtains with beige silk elegantly accenting them. The windows were partially opened, letting the cool breeze scatter the scent of summer flowers into the room. To his side stood an enormous flower arrangement in a crystal vase; the white orchids in full bloom.

He was broken from his musings by Bellatrix's voice addressing him from across the room.

"I see you were invited too…make sure you behave yourself, boy. Dare not disgrace the name of this family," she sneered. "Honestly, Lucius, what prompted you to let him come?"

"I have my reasons Bellatrix," was all Lucius said to his sister-in-law, before turning to speak to a maid.

Draco walked to him with a smile. "The guests will be arriving any minute now. Now we just wait…I see father bought you some clothes. They are well-tailored."

Harry looked up at Draco, surprised. He had not expected a comment like that at all, much let any comment on how he looked by anyone. He gave a slight nod and found himself blushing under the gaze. "The suit you have on… looks good too," he said, stumbling through words and trying to come up with the right thing to say.

Draco gave him a slight nod with a smirk before turning back around as the first guests began to arrive. Soon, everyone was split up and being hospitable to the guests, dancing was going on in the well-decorated ball room, and other guests stood around the side, women waiting to be asked to dance and men waiting to gather the courage to ask. On the couches several ladies sat, mouths either drawn in a small line or constantly moving with hands waving in the air erratically.

Harry moved around slightly, feeling uncomfortable and a bit out of place. Sirius had never found a reason to give balls and so had never had any. He had parties, but never anything as formal as a ball. As Harry thought more about it, his godfather had never really being one for the formal things, but enjoyed the casual things of life more. This was the first ball Harry was actually attending and he did not know the slightest way about how to act or what to do.

He felt stares on him, whispers in the air as he passed through guests. He could decipher those looks, eyes filled with curiousness, pity, and some that looked down on him with only a cold glance. He heard snatches of the Black family name, the sighs and shakes of head, the criticisms coming his way, the sympathetic comments on how horrible it was to die the way Sirius had, how horrible for a man that young, who had potential, to die before he could marry or something of the sort.

Harry, by now, did not know where to go. He could not stand in one place for long, seeing as he was alone and the whispers and looks only grew if he stayed. No one, though, came up to him or cared to talk to him. As sympathetic and pitying as they might be, they still would not talk to him, would not even offer words of consolation. He felt himself boiling up, getting angry at these people who were judging him by status alone. Draco had left him to go socialize and meet with those his parents wanted him to meet and he had been left alone amidst the great masses of people. His mind began to debate on whether he should stay or not when he felt a hand tap on his shoulder.

Turning around, he was met by the chocolate brown stare of a slim, fair-skinned, brown-haired, bookish looking girl with lips upturned in an amused way. "I do not believe I've seen you here before," was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

Harry stared at her for a while, not believing at first that she had come up to him and afterwards not believing that she was actually talking to him. When he took too much time and she stated her second statement about introductions being necessary, he knew it was actually happening and that the girl in front of him was actually talking.

"I am Hermione Granger," she stated with an ease in her voice like she was stating a fact. "I am guessing you are Harry Potter?"

Harry nodded slightly, curiosity coming into his eyes. "How did you know?"

"I guessed. I heard about you from my parents and guests. I am not one for gossip, but it has been repeated about a million times over how Sirius, a very eligible bachelor died one day and left his possessions practically useless for his godson, an eleven year old boy with very untidy looking hair and bright green eyes by the name of Harry Potter that had been adopted by the Malfoys. By your looks I was guessing you were him," she stated, again as if it was something everyone should know about.

"I did not know I was that popular," he stated, anger almost seeping into his voice. How dare they be talking about him like that? And Sirius!

The girl only shrugged, uncharacteristically for a girl of her status, and asked him if he wanted to sit down. Once they were both situated she started off, once again, and Harry found himself learning more about the girl and slowly growing more at ease with the whole situation.

"My family has lived over a variety of generations on the same land, though we have some prejudices against us. You see, my family is not exactly local. Even though the land belongs to us, no one in our family ever lived in it until recently. We were the new people in town and although most accept us there are still a few families that behave like this country is theirs, only because they have lived here longer," she almost huffed. "How about your family?"

Harry was a little taken aback by the question and found himself wondering how to answer it. Truthfully to a stranger he did not yet really know? "I'm not sure about my actually family… the Potters… although I do know I have an aunt on my mother's side of the family whom I visited once. And a cousin and an uncle, all of whom live in Surrey. Compared to them, I am actually glad I ended up here at Malfoy Manor rather than with them," he stated, smiling lightly and receiving another amused smile from Hermione.

"Glad to hear it, Harry," Hermione said and was about to go on when someone tapped Harry's shoulders.

Harry turned around and saw the pale blonde behind him, though his gaze was not situated on him but on the girl he had just been talking to.

"Granger," he heard Draco say rather curtly.

"Malfoy," Hermione uttered, with the same air of distaste.

"Fancy meeting you here… I would have thought father would not invite a family such as yours, but who knows. Standards are probably falling. Either that or your family really wanted to come they begged. I believe the latter, but I do not have time to chat right now," Draco said with an air of disinterest before turning back to Harry, who was staring at him with a surprised expression etched on his face. He had not heard Draco talk that rudely until now, though his exchange of words with Ron might have rivaled it if it would have gone on.

"My family was invited, Malfoy, and I would like to remind you that everyone is allowed here on this soil, not only the families that first came here," she said with vehemence in her voice that surprised Harry as well. "Excuse me, Harry, but I have to leave now. I hope I do see you again soon. Goodbye," she said before standing up and taking leave.

Harry turned back to Draco with slightly narrowed eyes, ready to ask what all that had been about when Draco put up a hand. "I would rather not discuss it right now. We will have plenty of time to discuss it afterwards and we do not want to keep my father waiting. He has asked you to come near while he gives his final speech," Draco said, waiting for Harry to stand up and follow.

Harry nodded and stood up from the seat before following Draco, who had already turned and was snaking a path through the crowd of people that was already forming towards the front.

Draco stopped at the very front of the crowd and Harry walked up next to him, unsure about the whole situation and fretting, unable to rid himself of the stares that he felt coming his way. Whispers began to rustle in the air again until an elegant looking Lucius Malfoy, in a black suit that contrasted very well with his pale complexion, stepped onto the balcony and cleared his throat, a sign that he was to begin the farewell speech. Beside him stood Narcissa in her gown, looking as lovely as ever with her pale hair piled high on her head and a rich, dark velvet decorating her body. She stood looking down at the crowd with a complacent smile displayed on her lips, her hand lightly resting on her husbands arm.

"We are pleased to see how enjoyable the evening has been. We hope everyone took pleasure in the entertainment that was provided and that it was overall a delightful experience," Lucius Malfoy said, his voice holding an air of dignity and pride that transpired throughout the room and left everyone hushed and staring at his figure, their ears only open to his words. "This festivity did have its purpose, though, as many of you have guessed. Our only son, Draco Malfoy, has now come of age and is ready for an altogether new journey of life. We have agreed and talked about it and we find him ready to go to Hogwarts, a prestige school in Scotland where he will undoubtedly learn from the best. This was a farewell token, as I am sure many of you would like to say farewell as well to my son and wish him good luck before he embarks to his new school."

A ripple of voices began, most excited and accompanied with admiring and awed gazes towards the youngest Malfoy, who stood composed and dignified, just as his father stood, at the beginning of the staircase and offered them all a small smile with a cool glance. Everyone seemed overjoyed at the thought that the young Malfoy heir was getting ready to go and be properly educated. Everyone except Harry, that is.

Harry found himself turning to the boy beside him, who had now turned around to face the crowd after a quick glance at his father. He was now offering them all a small smile and seemed to be almost inviting them, in a cool manner, to offer their best wishes and regards. Harry found himself stumbling through his thoughts though, confused green eyes still on Draco. Had he heard right? Was Draco really to go to Scotland while he stayed here? How long was he going to go for? Was he going to have to grow up alone amidst Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix? Harry felt like shaking his head, wanted to forbid this event from happening, but he had no power to do so. He was a charity case and he had no say in matters not concerned with him. All he would be able to do would be watch Draco walk out of his life and leave him in an uncomfortable house until he was finally of legal age to live on his own. Would he even see Draco again? Harry did not think he could survive without Draco, without a friend inside the house. Surely if Draco was his friend he would not leave him. Would he? No, surely not, he repeated to himself, unsettling thoughts taking up most of his mind and nearly not letting him hear the next statement Lucius made until a pair of grey eyes glanced in his direction and felt the need to nudge him in order to bring him back to attention.

Harry quickly turned to see concerned grey eyes looking at him in quiet questioning before turning back up to Lucius, who apparently had not been done with his farewell speech.

"Draco will not be the only one in this household to be attending Hogwarts, though. Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter whom now lives with us, will also be attending Hogwarts along with Draco. He is, in an intricate way, connected to the family, and we find ourselves needing to extend a hand in order to get him back up on his feet, and how better than to allow him a proper education. Draco and Harry shall attend this boarding school, coming back home only for the summers, for the next seven years of their life, and so, as I end, I would like to wish these two boys good luck," he said, looking at them both down with a small smile that did not quite go to his eyes but at least was there.

XXXX

The rest of the ball had gone smoothly; Harry had been able to converse with Hermione once more, and he had received several greetings from the guests, though he did not fail to miss a few curt nods. They did not bother him, however, as his mind was entertained with other things at the time, one of those being Hogwarts.

It was now Saturday and in order to get there by Monday they had to leave, at the latest, Saturday late afternoon. Everything had been arranged, their carriages, luggage, and other things they might need, and so the only thing left to do was to spend the time as best as they could.

Harry had decided to go down to the stream that day. He had missed going and meeting his new friend on account of the ball, and now felt guilty, not because he had not been able to meet his friend but because he had not thought about the redhead throughout the afternoon. He sat as near as he could to the water, making sure that his clothing would not get wet, and he absentmindedly threw rocks into the water, some of them skidding on the surface before being swallowed by the water.

Harry sighed and drew up his knees, resting his head on them as scenes began to replay in his head and the new occurrences made their way. He still could not believe that he would be allowed to go to Hogwarts. The cold indifference he was originally regarded with had left him with little doubt that he would not be cared for, but apparently that had not been the case. And, to top it all off, Bellatrix had made millions of excuses as to why he could not, should not go until Lucius finally stopped her ranting and bid her adieu.

He suddenly tensed up at the sound of footsteps coming near him. "Who's there?" he asked, scanning the forest with wary eyes.

"Just me," he heard a familiar voice say and before he could help himself, Harry was already smiling.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, looking back out at the stream and picking up another rock as the other boy sat next to him.

"Came by hoping to meet you here, actually," the other boy said, looking at him and then turning his gaze back to the stream.

"Do you want to ask me something?" Harry asked, noticing the unease and unrest of the person sitting beside him.

"Is it true what they're saying? Are you really going away to one of those bloody cliché boarding schools?" Ron spat out, his tone bitter.

"And what, pray tell, would be so bad about that?" Harry asked, his voice now cold as he confronted Ron.

"Everything! You're turning into one of them! You won't be here anymore! You are going to go off to some rich bloody school, never give me a second thought ever again, and grow up to be one of those rich people that have everything they want by doing nothing at all," Ron uttered in an angry spell.

Harry stood suddenly, silent and his eyes turned away from Ron, though he could see that Harry's features had darkened considerably. The wind shifted and the trees creaked, as if trying to move away from a force that could explode at any second.

"I do not need your consent or anything from you, for that matter. I will continue visiting, and I am not just going for social status. I do not think I can forget you, Ron, seeing as you were my first friend, and I am sorry I was born into a family where both of my parents died but left me with a rather large fortune," Harry said in a deathly still voice, sending traveling chills through Ron's spine.

Harry turned and walked away. If this was the way he was going to be then great, Harry thought. He had not expected his friend's arrival, but had been glad of it. He had been expecting a congratulations, a farewell, and yes, maybe some argument, but not that one and not like this. Harry sighed as he made his way back up towards Malfoy Manor, suppressing his sadness and tears back into the dark corners of his heart and allowing anger to take over his rational thought.

"Were". It continued replaying in Ron's head. "You were my first friend". Ron sighed and put his head in his hands. If he could, he would travel back and change what he had said. What had prompted him to do such a thing in the first place! He pushed aside his suspicions of jealousy and struggled as to what to do. If he did not go after Harry now, would it be too late? He finally decided that it was now or never and he made his way over to the Malfoy Gates, bitter disappointment showing on his face as he saw the carriage almost out of sight. Sighing, he made his way back to his own house, hoping against all odds that things could still be resolved in the future. With a heavy heart that made no one prompt him, made not even Fred and George tease him, he crept up to his room in which he curled up and fell into uneasy rest.

XXXX

Harry had gone up, lain on his bed, and given up all hope of ever having friends. No, he did not want, nor did he need friends, he had decided. All he needed was himself. Yes. Attaching himself to people had only brought trouble and misery into his life. Maybe if he shied away from those relationships, he would be able to live a much better life. Maybe then the longing and heartache he felt would go away. Maybe then….

Tears started streaming down his face once again as he realized the hopelessness of the situation. He could not survive without anyone, but that person would not always be a good guarantee. Take Ron. He had seemed like a good friend but had abandoned him in what seemed to be a fit of jealousy. Harry could only control his emotions from flaring as he spoke words to Ron that did not seem to come from him and then slowly walked back towards the manor and up to his room.

He shifted and turned on his bed only to find a pair of grey eyes gleaming at him next to the door. Harry bolted upright, his own green gaze on the other boy as the grey eyes took in everything, from his shattered composure to the tearstained face and even the dirt on the soles of his feet that made him confident that his guess was right.

Harry only sighed and fell back onto his bed, turning and ignoring the other boy, hoping that maybe he would go away. As much as he felt towards the other boy, as much friendship as he felt he had to offer, this was not the time. He did not feel like this was the time, yet Harry could hear footsteps, not retreating, but coming closer, and his suspicion was later confirmed when he felt an extra weight on the edge of his bed.

"Are you alright?" he heard the Malfoy heir ask him with a tone of actual concern. Surprised, Harry turned to look at him, but Draco had his back turned to him and he could not see Draco's features.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Harry answered a few seconds later, sitting up on his bed and looking at Draco.

"Was it… did it have… anything to do with Weasley?" Draco asked, unsure of how to go about it and how to even act compassionate towards another person, something he had rarely done in his years of life.

Harry nodded the sudden feeling of foreboding towards all his friendships suddenly overcame him. He felt a deep desire to run Draco out now, out before he could cause any more harm than he could possibly harm at the moment.

"He was never worth it. You know my opinion on that friendship," Draco said, now turning to look at him but with expressionless grey eyes.

Harry stared into those eyes but found nothing. Maybe this really was nothing, maybe he is just being courteous… he is doing it out of a sense of duty, possibly. He does not want to see me cry on the carriage or in the hallways. After all, when was the last time I ever heard a Malfoy cry? Never.

"Are you sure you will be all right?" Draco asked once more, standing up from the edge of the bed but eyes still fixated on Harry.

Harry looked down at the mattress and nodded, feeling small and helpless and wanting to hold Draco back now, wanted to tell him and feel comforted, but he could not. He struggled with his own mind as Draco just watched on when he suddenly felt a light hand on his shoulder and another one lifting his head up.

He looked up and was startled to find the piercing grey eyes of Draco staring at him with an emotional intensity he had never seen before. He did not have time to think, though, before words of comfort were being uttered at him, and then into his ears as he found himself soon in the arms of Draco, who stayed and comforted him until he was not a sobbing mess anymore but instead an embarrassed pink boy with handkerchiefs scattered, but ready to go out once again.

Harry had realized he did have a friend.

Harry knew he would not be alone at school.

Harry found that trusting in Draco was not so bad.

Harry was reassured that someone did care about him.

Harry understood the trouble it had been for Draco to comfort him. And now, Harry was staring outside the carriage window, unsure if he had seen a tuft of red hair or if it had been the autumn leaves. He shrugged off the thought. Draco was his friend, Draco would see him through, would comfort him until he was better again and offered the assurance Harry needed at the moment. Within minutes, Harry had fallen into a slight doze, an amazed Draco beside him at his quick emotional recovery, dreading that there might have been more withdrawal in it than recovery, and cursing the redhead for furthering troubling the twice-orphan's life.

Eventually, after a good days travel, they stood before the gates of Hogwarts, each eager and excited in their own way as to what awaited for them inside.

A/N: Glad to finally be updating once again! Longer than usual, but hope it was still good : ) . Ron's and Harry's relationship is a bit strained, but it will work, and yeah. Draco and Harry's relationship is moving along smoothly. The trouble won't appear until later, so we need a few happy moments. Hope it didn't seem to rushed though, we're trying to get the stuff we don't really need out of the way, which explains the lengthiness of this chapter, and trying to get ahead to the real plot of the story. A few more chapters and it should get more interesting… well, actually, it should be interesting pretty soon : ) Anyways, please Read and Review!