A.N There is mention of rape in this chapter, please don't read if this subject upsets or offends you. I apologise for the very long wait for this chapter and I hope there are people still out there interested in reading this fic.

Enjoy

Chapter Eight – Wednesday – Day Seven

No one could ever know me. No one could ever see me.

Seems you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me

Someone to face the day with, make it through all the mess with.

Someone I'll always laugh with, even at my worst, I'm best with... you – yeah

It's like you're always stuck in second gear,

When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but...

I'll be there for you...

When the rain starts to pour

I'll be there for you...

Like I've been there before

I'll be there for you...

'Cause you're there for me too.

The Rembrandts, I'll Be There For You

As soon as they got back into Hogwarts, Blaise hurried off to find Pansy. He located her in the Slytherin Common with Theodore Nott.

"We have a problem."

"Your flies are undone," Theo sang sung as Blaise approached. Blaise quickly checked. Theo smirked. "I made you look." (1)

"Mature, Theo." Blaise snarled as he sat down beside them.

"What is it?" Pansy asked.

"Potter has fallen."

"You are kidding me?"

"No. I heard him say it himself. He told Longbottom last night that he was falling in love with him."

"Potter's falling in love with Longbottom?"

"Be quiet Theodore," Pansy snapped and she sat up. "This was not meant to happen Blaise, you were not suppose to let this happen."

"Yes, this is all my fault because I have control over Potter's emotions."

"What's going on?" Theo demanded.

"Pansy plans on bring Draco down."

Pansy glared at Blaise. "That's not it, and you know it. I want to ruin him, and plus I need the money."

"That's nice of you," Theo commented. "And why do you want to ruin him?"

"After what he did to me, he needs to be brought down a few pegs."

"Aw, so this is because he said no to you. Because he doesn't love you any more? Because he refused to marry you?" By the look on Pansy's face, Theo knew he had hit a sore spot.

"No. You're wrong."

"Oh ok, and what does this have to do with Potter?"

"He's the subject of a bet. Draco has to make him fall in love with him by Saturday evening."

"Blaise, shut your gob!" Pansy hissed, watching Theo closely. She knew how close Theo and Draco were and she didn't want Theo to say anything to Draco.

"Ah, and Potter's falling in love with Drake and you are losing the bet." Theo stood up. "Please excuse me."

"Don't get any ideas, Nott, that 100 galleons will be mine, by any means necessary."

Theo was worried about the conversation he had just taken part in. He had grown up as Draco's childhood friend, born within a few weeks of each other. They had grown up inseparable of each other (2). He had always known that Draco had fancied Potter, even if he hadn't admitted it to himself for a long while. So the thing that was happening between him and Potter currently was a good thing and he wasn't about to let Pansy ruin it. He could recall the hassle Draco had faced when he had told Lucius that he didn't want to marry Pansy. It had taken several months to end the engagement and it had finally happened after Voldemort's death and the Malfoy's fall from grace. It had been the Parkinsons who had called off the engagement in the end, but Draco wasn't really bothered who had done it as long as it was done. Theo decided now that Pansy's plan would not work because he would not let it!

Theo was currently walking around Hogwarts, hunting Draco but so far he had failed in locating the sly Slytherin. It was just lucky that he happened to come across Hermione where he did.

"Granger?!"

The Headgirl looked around at the call and smiled at Theo.

"Can I help?"

"Yes, you don't happen to know where Draco is do you?"

"I haven't seen him since this morning. Him and Harry went off together. They might be in the library, or the quidditch pitch. Harry likes to go to the quidditch field when he wants to be alone."

"Thanks, I'll try there."

"You are quite welcome."

Theo smiled back at her and headed off towards the Pitch. Granger, he noticed, was correct and there in the middle of the field sat Harry and Draco.

Draco had his eyes closed and Harry was talking him through the Animagus process.

"We have company," Harry said as Theo approached. Draco's eyes flew open and he looked around at Theo.

"Hello."

"Theo, what brings you out here? You hate quidditch."

"I'm not here to play quidditch. I want to have quick private word."

"About what?"

"Pansy."

"About?"

"I'm sure you don't want Potter to hear about it. Its rather personal."

Draco gave a nod and touched Harry's hand briefly. "I'll be right back."

Harry nodded and Theo forced himself not to grin uncharacteristic at the couple. Even he had to admit the two looked great together.

Theo and Draco walked over to the stands where Theo spun on Draco and snarled. "What the fuck are you thinking?!"

"Excuse me?!"

"This stupid bet you have going with Pansy. She is going to ruin you!"

"Slow down, breathe. Now, explain."

"This stupid bet you have going with Pansy about Potter. She doesn't care if you win the bet or not. She knows you like him and she will destroy him in order to hurt you! Do you care about him at all?!"

"Yes, I…"

"Be quiet. Listen. She plans on telling him everything and if you don't call the bet off or tell him now, then he doesn't deserve you. Actually, you don't deserve him at all! You never should have made such a deal. Or is that it? Is this nothing more than a game to you?!"

"Theo…"

"No! Be quiet. I don't care. One of you is going to get hurt, and it'll be Potter. Just watch it, Malfoy, whatever happens this time I am not going to be around to pick up the pieces. You got me?"

"Yes and I promise. I'll be careful, I always am."

Theo sighed. "I can't ask for more."

"I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"What's happening between Malfoy and Harry. Harry has opened up so much in just a few days. I think Malfoy is going to hurt him. God Ron, what if it happens again? What if Malfoy leaves Harry in the state Charlie left him?"

Ron tightened his grip on Hermione. "I don't know, love," he whispered, "but all we can do is be there for him." She buried her head against his chest. Ron wouldn't want to change his friendship with Harry for anything but it did cause a hell of a lot of heartache. He loved both Harry and Hermione more than anything in the world but sometimes it just hurt so much.

Ginny climbed the stairs up to the seventh years dorm rooms and knocked lightly on the door. She was desperate to speak to Ron about Harry. She needed to know if it was true or not. She had seen them together earlier on and had heard the rumours. But she didn't want to think it might actually be true. When she got no reply from her knock, she pushed open the door and peered around its frame. The sun through the window revealed an empty room and she sighed in annoyance.

"Who's there?"

Ginny jumped as Neville's voice whispered. She took a step forward. Neville's bed was curtained off from the rest.

"Neville? What's wrong? Why are you hiding away?"

She reached the curtained bed and pulled the curtains apart. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of multiple cuts along Neville's arm and the red strained bed sheet. Tears spilled down Neville's cheeks.

"Oh Neville," she muttered, "why?" Ginny was alarmed; she had never seen anyone in this kind of state before. She didn't really know what to do with herself or with Neville. In the end she used magic to clean Neville's wounds and heal them. She then took Neville and placed him on a toilet seat in the bathroom while she finished cleaning him and the bed. Once done, she put him back into bed and got in beside him. She took Neville into her arms and encouraged him to talk. He spilled everything to Ginny, including the true details of Harry's new relationship.

"Ah! I can't do this!"

"You can. You just have to calm down and relax. You are stressing far too much." Harry couldn't help but laugh at Draco's frustrated state.

"It is not funny! You are meant to be helping me!"

"I'm trying, but you are expecting too much for yourself. It can take years to master Animagus form."

"How long did it take you?"

"A while."

"How long?"

"About three weeks. I had McGonagall, Hermione and Dumbledore helping me, and my father was an Animagus too so it was in my blood."

Draco hissed like a cat and continued to stroll around Harry in a circle. He couldn't see what he was going wrong. He was a strong capable wizard and he knew how to do it. He just couldn't put theory into practice.

"Maybe you need a break. Have a drink, have food. Its lunchtime. What do you say?"

"I don't seem to have anything else to do!" Draco sulked.

"And afterwards, we can go see McGonagall, she will be able to help."

Draco stopped pacing to glare at Harry. "She hates me!"

"So? I hate you."

Draco's jaw dropped and Harry smirked.

"You, Potter, are an evil bastard."

"Nah, I'm not."

Draco scoffed.

"Ok, no McGonagall, what about Hermione?"

Draco shrugged.

Harry sighed and resisted the temptation to bang his head on the grass. Draco could be such a spoilt little brat when he wanted to be.

"I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" She lashed out and kicked a stonewall. "Ouch!" she sobbed. "Fucking bastard. I hate him."

"Join the gang."

She looked up at the girl who had just walked in.

"Pardon?"

"I said, join the gang. I assumed you were talking about Potter. I hate him too."

"What do you want?"

"The same thing you do."

"You know nothing about me!"

"I know what Potter did to you. Must have hurt. Doesn't he deserve to feel the pain that you feel right now? Shouldn't he pay for what he has done?"

"I… I-mmm-I guess so."

"Surely, you must know how to hurt him."

"No."

"You don't know his darkest, deepest secret?"

"No, he never told me how he defeated Voldemort."

"That's not what I mean. I mean the secret we all have that makes us feel ashamed. The one that we dread others knowing."

"Oh, that would be… what's it to you?"

"You bring Potter down. Hurt him like he's hurt you. Let him feel how you feel. Let him know what it's like to be human. Let me deal with his lover."

It wasn't until Harry joined Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor Table that he realised that everyone had stopped talking and was looking straight at him. Harry raised an eyebrow at Hermione who shrugged. Ron glared around the Hall, making most people look away. There was suddenly a buzzing noise filling the Hall as the many students began to talk to hushed whispers. They weren't doing a good job at hiding the fact they were talking about Harry.

Sitting at the Slytherin table, Draco pulled a face at the amount of attention his boyfriend was receiving. Harry seemed to be the main focus of conversation, even at the Slytherin table.

"What's going on?" Draco ordered a nearby 5th year. She turned to look at him with a scold.

"Pardon?"

"What's suddenly so bloody fascinating about Potter?"

"Oh, haven't you heard?"

"Yes, that's why I'm asking you what's going on."

She tutted. "Well, Weasley has been telling everyone what really happened between Potter and Charlie Weasley."

"What did happen?"

"Well…"

Harry's eyes went wide at Parvati's words and fear rushed through him.

"What?" he gasped, the words barely audible.

"I was just wondering if it was true or not? I mean if it is true, you are so brave to go through that terrible ordeal and still be able to continue dating."

Harry didn't know what to say to her. His body seemed to have frozen up. His eyes fixed on Parvati who was still talking but he couldn't make out her words. With great effort he forced himself to stand up. Well, actually, he stumbled backwards, landing ungracefully on his backside.

"Are you ok?" Parvati asked.

Ron looked round at Harry. "What are you doing down there?"

Harry shook his head, trying to get his legs to obey him.

"Harry?"

"Oh its nothing, I was just asking him if what happened between him and Charlie was true. Charlie's your oldest brother yes?"

Ron's eyes went wide as he realised what the girl was talking about. Hermione let out a squeak and jumped to her feet in shock.

"Oh you stupid girl!" she snarled.

"What? Ginny's been telling everyone."

The look on Ron's face turned from horror into disbelief.

"Ginny?"

"Yes, Ginny. She told us everything. It sounded awful."

Hermione bent down and helped Harry stand up. Once again, everyone in the hall focused on Harry. The boy looked like a deer trapped in headlights. Hermione held on to him tightly to stop him falling over. His green eyes plead at her and she knew that she had to get him out of there.

"Come on," she whispered softly and gently coaxed him into moving. Ron stood too. His body blocking Harry from the public eyes. He looked ready to murder.

Draco looked at Harry, his own face showing disgust at the news he had just heard. He couldn't get himself to move. He didn't know if he wanted to go help Granger or go kill Weasley.

"Is it true?" someone yelled out from the Slytherin table and Draco glared at them. It was Pansy, her eyes glowing gleefully.

Weasley growled at her from across the room, and Granger wished she could reach for her wand.

"Come on, I want to hear it from Wonder Boy himself," she laughed and the Slytherins laughed too.

"Shut up," Draco warned her with a soft growl. The table looked at him.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"I told you to shut up."

"And what makes you think I'm going to obey you?" Pansy giggled. "Its not my fault that Pot…"

"If you finish that sentence," Draco stood up, "you won't live to regret it."

"What's going on here?!" Snape snarled. "Everyone get back to eating their lunch. Parkinson, Malfoy, Granger, Weasley and Potter, I want you in my office right now."

"Sir, Harry needs to go to the hospital wing," Hermione piped up.

"Take him, Miss Granger, then come join us. There is something I think we need to discuss." McGonagall had joined Snape. Her eyes watched her students with concern. The boy looked deadly pale and he could barely moved. "Lead the way, Severus."

Snape gave her a nod and he walked off, the other three students followed him.

As Draco walked past Theo, the boy sent him a look. It was the look that Draco hated. It was the look that said "told-you-so".

Hermione never got to Snape's office. She couldn't bear to leave Harry's side. The nurse gave him a potion to calm his nerves and send him to sleep. But now that he was asleep, he looked so peaceful that Hermione didn't want to leave him. She was lucky that McGonagall came to her in the end.

"Professor?"

Hermione looked up from where she was sitting holding Harry's hand. McGonagall looked down at her with a sigh.

"This is very serious business, Miss Granger. Someone should have told me."

"It was Harry's choice."

"I have to inform Molly and Arthur, and the ministry. This is a very serious issue, and should have been dealt with at the beginning."

"Miss, I know you are trying to help but it won't. Harry hates it, and he hates to be reminded of it."

"I understand what you are saying, Miss Granger, but I have no choice. Remus Lupin is Harry's guardian and he will be informed immediately. It has to be done. Now, its time for you to head off."

"Can I not stay for a while?"

"No, Potter needs his sleep and his strength. He will need to give a statement in the morning."

Hermione rubbed her face with desperation.

"Professor, please…"

"Granger, this is out of my hands. Go to dinner."

Hermione stood and left, one hand clamped over her mouth to stop her yelling at McGonagall. When she reached the Entrance Hall, Ron was standing there with a pacing Draco.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, seeing her upset state.

"She's informing the authorities. Harry will hate us."

"Its not your fault," Draco said as he watched Ron take the girl into his arms. "It's the baby Weasel who I plan on skinning."

Ron shot a level glare at Draco. "And that will help Harry how?"

"It'll make me feel better."

"I hate her too right now but let me deal with her, yes?"

Draco snorted.

"Listen, Malfoy, Harry needs support. Why don't you go support him?"

"No one is allowed in to see him."

"Fuck."

"Wait until tonight," Hermione sniffed, "you can borrow the invisibility cloak."

"You own a invisibility cloak?"

"No, its Harry's."

Draco looked at her with a soft smile. "You always lend out other people's stuff?"

Hermione gave a weak grin back before burying her head once again in Ron's chest.

Draco gave a nod either though neither of them saw it and walked away.

Ron handed the cloak to Draco later that day, with a promise to deal with Ginny. The Slytherin didn't seem happy to let Ron deal with his younger sister but he didn't give him any choice, so he covered himself in the cloak and headed up to the hospital wing.

The hospital wing was deadly silent. There was only Harry in and he was asleep on the bed beside the window, the moonlight bathed over him. Draco approached and just stood to watch the breath-taking beauty that was before him. But Harry wasn't really asleep. He had heard the footsteps and shut his eyes quickly, but he already knew it was either Ron, Hermione or both that had come to visit him.

He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at the foot of the bed. "I know you are there Ron, Hermione, take off that cloak and ask me first next time for my permission."

Draco grinned slightly and reached up and pulled the cloak off.

"Oh," Harry stared at him.

"Not too excited to see me huh?"

"No, I'm not really in the mood for company."

"But you want Granger and Weasley here with you?"

Harry tossed his head to the side, his eyes closing. "I'm tired. I don't want a fight."

"Neither do I. I wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"What are you? A bloody doctor?"

"No, I'm your boyfriend."

Neither of them had voiced the changed statue of their relationship seriously. It was the shock of hearing Draco calling him his boyfriend that made Harry re-open his eyes and look back at the blond.

"Things change, I know I'm not the person who you would normally spill your worries and secrets too, but I'm more reliable than baby weasel. I care about you. God, I have for such a long time, and now, you are offering me something, which I want so much. I'm offering you an shoulder, let me help you, please?"

Harry pulled the covers over his body more and curled into a ball. He patted the space on the bed beside him and Draco sat down, his hand finding Harry's.

"What do you want to know?" Harry asked softly.

"Charlie."

In his past, Harry had always found he could open up easily to his friends. He could talk to them about anything and he never felt the need to shy away or hide anything. When Charlie first made his move on the young boy, Harry had been so unsure of what to do. He couldn't go to Ron and tell him because it was his brother! He couldn't go to Ginny because of her crush on Harry, and when he went to Hermione the girl warned him to be careful. She gave him no advice on the matter and still with no idea of how to deal with the situation, Harry approached Charlie, and the result wasn't pleasant. Soon after Charlie, Harry faced Voldemort. The older wizard seemed to be able to see the shame Harry had felt, and the upset of what had happened. Voldemort spent ages exploiting Harry's painful memories, and slowly the boy had craved. Kneeling on the floor at Voldemort's feet, Harry almost craved the simplicity of Death. He didn't know what it was that kept him from surrendering completely but whatever it had been gave him the strength to stand up again, and finish the job he was meant to do. After Voldemort, Harry had fallen quiet. He had no words to say on the matter, and Dumbledore forced the experience out of him. From that day, Harry had closed off that matter, trying to forget it and stop it from slowly destroying him. But some things can never be left to rot in its grave. But Draco wasn't asking about Voldemort, he was asking about Charlie, and Harry didn't really know where to start.

"Charlie…"

Draco sat still as Harry tasted the name of his lips.

"Charlie was upset, his girlfriend had just been murdered, and he didn't know what he was doing."

Excuses, Draco snarled silently, Harry was excusing the man's behaviour.

"When I first saw him after her death, he was crying and I tried to comfort him, but, I wasn't offering that. He um… kissed me and I didn't really stop him. The next time I saw him was when I stayed at Ron's during the summer. He was sitting on Ron's bed, this odd grin on his face. When I asked him what was wrong, he just grinned and said that everything was perfect and he asked me to shut the door…

The bedroom door shut with a resounding click. Charlie looked at Harry with blue eyes that seemed to burn the very clothes of his body. Harry shivered at the intensity of the gaze and took a step towards him.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

Charlie nodded. "I just wanted to see you."

Harry's body froze at that comment and he stammered out. "I have to go speak to Ron."

But when he reached for the door handle, the door was already locked.

"Charlie?"

Charlie stood up and strolled towards Harry who backed up until his back was flat against the door.

"Don't worry, everything is fine."

"Charlie you're…" Harry gagged on his words as Charlie bent down and kissed him. Harry fell still and let Charlie kiss him, as the man moved away, Harry turned his head to the side. "Don't do that again," Harry told him.

"Why not? You enjoyed it."

Harry sniffed. "Have you been drinking?"

"Only a little."

Charlie again tried to kiss Harry but the smaller boy ducked under him and backed away into the middle of the room.

"Open the door," Harry pleaded, his mind trying to recall where he had left his wand.

…"

"You can stop if you want," Draco whispered, suddenly he wasn't so keen to hear what Charlie had done but once he started, Harry couldn't stop.

"He approached me. This strange look in his eyes. I was scared and I couldn't move…

"You don't need to be afraid, Harry. I promise that you'll enjoy this."

"Enjoy what, Charlie? You're drunk. You need to think about what you are doing."

Charlie reached Harry; his hands came to hold Harry's arms.

"I know what I'm doing. I know what I want."

The man bent down and kissed Harry again. Harry struggled, but Charlie's bigger build was too much for him to fight. When finally released the boy straggled backwards, his knees hitting the foot of the bed and he lost his balance.

"See?" Charlie laughed. "You're all ready prepared for me."

Charlie bent down, and trapped Harry's body between his legs.

"… I… I couldn't stop him!" Harry whispered, tears in his eyes, which he refused to let fall.

"Shh. It wasn't your fault."

"But I could have tried harder, I could have…"

"We all could have done many things. It wasn't your fault so stop blaming yourself. Harry…" the smaller boy looked up. "Listen, it happened and I hate it and if I could do something I would. Please, stop blaming yourself."

Harry looks up confused. "You don't hate me?"

"No."

"But everyone is talking about it! They all think I…"

"They don't think anything. People think you're brave and fantastic and they love you."

"That's because of Voldemort."

"No its not. Everyone who knows you well loves you because of who you are, not of what you've done."

Harry gave a small smile. "Really?"

"Trust me."

"I don't know if I can…"

"Hey!"

Harry's smile widen.

"Promise me something?"

"If I must."

"This isn't a dream. That tomorrow you wont go back to being the Malfoy we all hate."

"Potter, you are stuck with me, wither you like it or not."

Harry smiled brightly. "I can live with that. Now, kiss me."

Draco bent over and pressed his lips lightly against Harry's.

"Now, go to sleep."

"Thank you."

Draco stayed with Harry until the boy fell back asleep. He wanted to kill Charlie and Pansy. Theo was right, this bet had to end, and it would end tomorrow, Draco swore. Things had gone too far.

TBC...

(1) Its a Friends thing, I've been watching it a bit too much!

(2) There isn't anything on Theodore Nott in the books so I'm making him my own nice Slytherin

I do actually like Charlie Weasley and I'm sorry for making him horrible in this fic but I couldn't think of anyone else to use!!! Please, let me know what you think, all comments welcome part from the ones telling me how bad my spelling etc is cause I already know and I apologise for the mistakes made. My beta did do this fic once then my computer crashed and I lost it. Sorry.

Thanks for reading!!!!

Shinny