A/N: Sorry this is a late update. Last month I was really busy, and the previous week was really hectic with grad planning and going to track meet. I have a massive headache right now, but I've managed to update, though once again it hasn't met my standards. In the future, I assure you there will be 'action'! For now, it's just going to be settle. Heh.

Perfect Enemy

Chapter Three: Enter the Forest

Draco watched stunned as the Death Eaters dropped down at his feet. Harry didn't say anything as he fought them, though fought wouldn't exactly be a good term for it. They hardly put up a fight, let alone marked Harry. Draco could've done the same, but watching Harry was – different. He displayed an unusual kind of strength, unlike the Dark Lord's or Draco himself.

Pansy moaned from below. Startled, Draco snapped his head down to examine his fallen acquaintance and acquaintances. Writhing in the cold environment, cloaks soaked to the skin with sea water, and extremely pale faces. They really did look pathetic… Draco almost pitied them, but not enough to rejoin their ranks.

Harry looked down at them too with untouched eyes. No remorse, no pity, not anything. Draco glanced at him, What happened to him? "What did you do to them?" Draco hissed. He was slightly worried that they may be dead.

With his black hair flying in his face, Harry shrugged and his green eyes flashed as he looked at Draco, "I just erased their memories of the events here. They won't be waking for a long time, but when they do, it's going to be in Azkaban."

Startled, Draco didn't say anything for a while, "You erased their memories? They will come back for me, even if they don't remember."

"How could they?" Harry questioned, "They'll be in Azkaban."

"Those three are escape artists," Draco said before halting and looking away. Those words left the impression of a snitch.

"Aaaagh…" Harry whispered as he looked down at the three, "So they were the ones setting our prisoners free the last two years. You were one of them, weren't you?"

Draco replied with sourness, "Why does it matter?"

Thunder clapped a head. Draco noted a storm was soon arriving and they needed shelter quick. Though disaparating would be difficult during a storm. "I guess it doesn't," Harry replied. Turning on his heels with his dark cloak flapping behind him, Harry said, "Follow me."

"To where?" Draco asked curiously. He looked beyond Harry to see a black forest. Empty and inhabitable. "To no where?"

"To somewhere."

"Where?"

Harry turned around irritated. "Will you just come?"

Draco hesitated to follow. Staring at the bodies on the rocks, and back at the annoyed Harry, Draco slowly took his step forward.

"Draco…" Pansy mumbled weakly. back…."

Halting immediately, Draco crouched to his knees and ran his fingers through her wet ebony hair. "Pansy…" Draco whispered sadly.

"Leave her, you didn't do anything. What's the point in apologizing?" Harry inquired irritated.

Harry hadn't heard her mumbles. He also didn't know that he failed to completely wipe the mind of one Death Eater. Looking down at Pansy, Draco decided he wouldn't say anything. "I felt I owed her that," he answered quietly and standing up, joined Harry.

As they walked into the dark forest, Draco wondered for the first time where they were. Ravens fluttered above his head, dangling tree branches reached out towards him like claws, vast evergreen canopies curtained the skies, and decaying leaves littered the ground. About every so often, Draco felt the dim presence of magical creatures. It wasn't anyplace he recognized, but somehow it seemed familiar. "Potter, where are we going?" Draco asked irritably. He didn't like the idea why the place seemed familiar.

"Shut your mouth," Harry said coldly. "You'll see when we get there." As Harry moved swiftly through the frail trees, his black cape fluttered into Draco's face behind him.

"Don't tell me to shut up! You just disaparated from the ministry of magic department in a rush!" huffed Draco slapping the cloak from his face. "What's your hurry in getting to a desolated area here?" and he quickly ambled himself beside Harry.

"You were making a huge racket."

"I was making a racket? I wouldn't have if you weren't so keen on poking your big nose inside my head!"

"I do not have a big nose," Harry grumbled.

"Yeah, that's what you think, but have you actually looked?"

Harry continued to stride across the ground with a furious ease, "What about you? You look as cold as death and as frail as a skeleton. How can that Pansy girl ever be attracted to you? She might as well love a slab of stone."

Draco was fuming. He glared at Harry and said bitterly, "You don't know what she's like. The last time you saw her was years ago. You don't even know us."

"The last time I saw her was just a few minutes ago, lying on wet rocks."

"That's not what I meant."

Harry didn't reply. Their silence were filled by the crunching of the leaves beneath them. Finally Draco couldn't take it. "Honestly, how much did you see?" he asked resentfully. Draco glance sideways to look at Harry.

"Enough."

"That doesn't cut it."

"Why does it matter? I just saw you killing your own parents."

"You didn't know what it was like."

"Do I have to? I don't need to experience it to feel it," Harry snapped. "I know what death does to people. You think you're special just because you took their lives? There are people you hurt when you destroy their loved ones. Have you ever considered their feelings?"

"I have never taken a person's life," whispered Draco.

"And I was surprised when I learned that. Your profile data says that you have never murdered anyone – not even a Muggle," Harry spoke swiftly, "But you leave your captives' lives to the hands of another Death Eater's. And what is more cowardice than an act like that?"

"Don't talk to me as if you know me because you don't, and I have my reasons," replied Draco spat. "I heard you became the Ministry's number one dog, but you hide within the shadows of the Longbottom bloke. Trying to conceal you're identity so you wouldn't be hunted?"

"I would be hunted no matter what position I am in and no matter where I am. Though staying low is my objective, but my primary reason is to not involve the ones around me. So I work alone," replied Harry. "You'd be surprised by how much you learn when you're alone."

Draco stared at Harry. His ruffled black hair danced in his face and his brilliant green eyes flashed with a tense determination. Harry glimpsed at Draco and then reverted to the trees ahead. But for just that moment – Draco felt a fleeting feeling. He suddenly knew why the forest felt so oddly familiar. Harry had the eyes that reflected the desolation of the forest. Though something about Harry's voice, his aura…it was something Draco couldn't exactly place, and it reminded him of himself. "You think you can do everything, don't you?" Draco questioned.

"We're here," stated Harry halting in front of a rundown mansion.

In the middle of nowhere? thought Draco. He hadn't realize the old façade was there until he looked up.

"Bloody hell – what is this place? It's huge!" Draco inquired stunned. His previous question faded from his mind as Draco slowly took in the aged building.

"The Black Manor, this is where I live. I relocated it from its original location and positioned it here a couple of months ago," responded Harry calmly. "My friends are also staying here."

Draco pondered slowly and tapped his chin as he traced Harry's steps up the stairs. Friends? Images of bushy brown hair and a red head flashed through his head…No…He couldn't possibly mean those losers?

Just as Draco began to retort, Harry hissed viciously at him, "If you even say one word out of line to them, I'll withdraw you from my watch and hand throw you to Voldemort's wolves." With that, he sharply turned around and open the door.

Draco stared skeptically at Harry. He sounded as if he had just adopted him. Naturally, Draco didn't like being ordered around like that, but he didn't have the time to reply angrily before the door swung open. Exposed to Draco's eyes was a grand hallway decorated top to the bottom with colorful ornamental that looked ancient. Astonished, Draco took a step forward and noted the mushiness beneath his shoes – plush red carpets!

"You honestly live here - ?"

"Of course. What's wrong with that?" Harry asked. He smirked at Draco's long jaw. "That's right. Be amazed. Everything here's fake."

" Oh Harry! You're home," cried out Hermione at the end of the hallway corner. She quickly scurried across the carpet to meet Harry but paused at the sight of Draco. "Harry, what is he doing here?"

"I'll explain later Hermione," replied Harry with ease.

Draco voiced his immediate thoughts, "Filthy mud - "but when Harry clamped a fixed grip on his thin arms, his mouth sealed shut.

"Draco will be staying as a guest for 'x' amount of days here," explained Harry as he swiftly headed for Hermione. "Can you show him the guest room please? I need to speak with Ron."

"Harry he's not here," Hermione informed suddenly worried. "The ministry called moments ago and he left. Something about discovering three Death Eaters on the shoreline near here. You don't happen to know anything about it do you?"

"They were - " Draco began.

Harry interrupted, "No I don't." When Hermione turned to stare at Draco, Harry looked fondly at her and softly said, "Don't worry Hermione. He wasn't involved with them in anyway. He won't hurt anybody here and I promise I'll explain myself later."

That seemed to relieve Hermione for she smiled heartily and nodded. " Okay," she turned to Draco with an uneasy face. "Umm. Malfoy, I'll show you to your room - "

"I don't need your petty assistance!" Draco spat indignantly as Hermione took a step forward. "If you ever dare touch me again I'll bloody hex you!"

Harry's face twisted into a face of fury as he grabbed Draco's elbow and jerked him up the foyer stairs. "Uh, Hermione never mind about him. I'll show him my self.," Harry stated stiffly. He glared down at Draco with deathly intention.

Hermione 'hmph-ed'. "Alright," she said and walked into the living room to await the return of Ron.

They stomped up the stairs in bitter silence, and not until Harry stopped to open a dull looking room did any exchange of words took place. He slammed Draco into the thick black walls that created a dull sound. "Did you even listen to what I said? One more word out line…"

Draco slapped Harry's hand away and quickly recovered, "Who gave you the rights to tell me what or not to say? Don't treat me like I'm a child!"

"Well it's kind of difficult considering how you act like one," Harry snapped. "And I thought you've grown out of that juvenile shell of yours after what Voldemort did." Draco noted the change in Harry's eyes as he said it, and before Draco knew, Harry suddenly lashed out a nearby armchair. He glared up at Draco through his thin framed glasses and his ebony hair. "Enjoy your stay," Harry muttered and left the room.

Draco looked at the door as if he wanted to set fire to it. And he called Draco childish? Harry acted like he was a toddler having a tantrum with the way he kicked the chair. But maybe he realized that and left.

Draco slumped on to the plush armchair and put a hand to his tense forehead. He never felt more rage than he did now. How did it ever come to the point where Harry had to protect him? It was in some way irritating and humiliating. Why would he do that in the first place anyways? Harry detested Draco like he loathed him. It was an endless circle of hatred, yet somehow they ended up together. And Draco knew for a fact that after the incident with Dumbledore a couple years ago, and after his recruitment in to the Death Eater society, he knew that he changed. He wasn't the child like he was until meeting Harry again. It seemed like that for Harry as well. The sudden mood swings…Raising his voice, calm all of a sudden, then shouting and snapping the next.

How unstable was Harry? Has he always been this way?

Draco thought. Back at Hogwarts, Harry was just an angry kid who liked attention. But now he's maintained, or tried, to conceal the anger and even went undercover during missions, but that would be the smart thing to do wouldn't it? Draco decided to test how much Harry was capable of standing him.

Aaagh...please review. It would really make me happy.