Nothing Else Matters

Author: Criss Angel

Chapter Three: I've Gone Alone, Took All My Strength

"Writing is like prostitution.

First you do it for the love, then you do it for the few friends,

And finally you do it for the money."

-Molière

"Harry!"

Harry sat bolt upright. "Wuzzgoinon?" He mumbled as he squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the light. He didn't even remember falling asleep in his own bed. Hell, he didn't even remember falling asleep. He looked around and realized that the world to him seemed blurry. He groped around for his glasses and shoved them on. He realized that standing in front of him were his two best friends, Ron and Hermione.

"Are you okay? You were mumbling in your sleep."

Huh? What was she talking about? Harry didn't know he talked in his sleep. Unless he was dreaming about Voldemort. But that wasn't the case. He didn't even have a dream. Or did he... "I have no idea what you are talking about. I wasn't talking in my sleep." Hermione and Ron exchanged worried glances at each other. Harry hated when they did that. That look usually meant that they weren't telling him something important. Or that he completely missed out on what they were really asking. "What?"

Hermione drew in a breath and exhaled before she answered. "Um, nothing. I was just making sure that you were alright," she stood up and crossed the room to the door. "We'll be waiting for you downstairs." She crossed the threshold with Ron behind her. Ron closed the door and Harry was left alone.

Harry threw the covers back as he tried to recollect his memory. He really didn't remember having any dreams about Voldemort. He would've remembered those. So, what would cause him to talk in his sleep? Maybe it was stress.

Harry finally got out of his warm bed and was immediately exposed to how cold it was. Even the floor was freezing. Harry quickly picked out some clothes and grabbed a towel before heading into the bathroom. He turned the knob for the shower and waited for it to heat up. While waiting, he disrobed and looked into the mirror above the sink. He looked tired, like he hadn't gotten any sleep for a couple of days. He absent-mindedly ran a hand over his scar. He sat down his glasses on the sink, as the mirror began to steam up.

Harry stepped in the shower. It was one of his favorite places because the water seemed to take his stress and worries and send them straight down the drain. But only for the few minutes that he showered.

Harry's eyes slid close as he let the water run over him. He tried to suppress his thoughts and just focus on the black space behind his eyelids. But a thought pushed forward. Last night. At the abandoned astronomy tower. His confrontation with Draco Malfoy. The words that were exchanged. Harry sighed audibly. He just couldn't grasp the concept of Malfoy saving his life. Or more like helping when he wasn't wanted. Harry wondered how Malfoy felt. Although, he clearly expressed that he hated him, that seemed highly unlikely. But it also left Harry wondering. Would he do the same for him? Would he help save someone he hated? Harry didn't have an answer.

Harry came down to breakfast. He only had a slice of toast and a fourth of a glass of orange juice. He hated mornings. Everyone seemed so cheerful and chattery while he remained quiet. He looked around the Great Hall. Particularly over at the Slytherin table. There he was. He was staring right back at Harry. Harry's heart began to race as he stared on.

Harry was angry as hell at Malfoy. What gave the right to play 'hero'? What gave him the right to call for help or whatever the hell he did to prevent Harry from dying? Who the hell does he think he is?

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts by someone shaking him. He felt as if he had been staring at Malfoy for hours, but in reality, was only a few minutes. He looked up to see who had shook him. It was Ron. "You alright, mate?" Harry nodded and mumbled to Ron saying that he had to get his books. As Harry was leaving, he stole a glance at the Slytherin table once more. He was surprised to see that Malfoy wasn't there. Harry convinced himself that he had been staring at an illusion.

Harry let his feet take him toward Gryffindor Tower. Half-way there, Harry rounded the corner and hit something. Hard. So hard that he fell. Harry looked up and realized that he had bumped into someone and not something. Harry automatically began mumbling an apology. "I'm sorry. I-" he cut himself off as he realized that he had bumped into none other than Malfoy. Harry's embarrassment quickly shifted to anger as he looked at him. Draco Malfoy hadn't even fell when Harry bumped into him. He stood towering over Harry. "Watch where you are going, Malfoy." Harry said coldly even though he knew it was his fault as he stood up.

Green eyes never wavered from grey ones as Harry stared him down. Now, Harry was convinced that they were staring at each other. The boy before Harry turned his face into a sneer and simply replied, "I was. Its idiots like you who daydream in the hallway." Malfoy continued to stare Harry down, Malfoy didn't even blink. "What were you thinking? About how to kill yourself?" Harry cringed inwardly. "Or are you deciding to start a cult-"

That was the last straw. Before Harry even processed that thought, he lunged at Malfoy, successfully pinning him against the wall. Clearly Malfoy wasn't expecting it or Harry probably wouldn't have been able to push him into the wall. "Shut up, Malfoy! You have no idea what you are talking about!" Malfoy wasn't even struggling. He just stared at Harry who wanted to take his head and pound it into the wall until Malfoy saw the next corridor over.

"Is that the only witty retort that you could come up with?" Malfoy sneered. His eyes glittering with hatred. "You really are pathetic, you know that?" Malfoy grabbed Harry's arms and pushed Harry off of him, knocking Harry onto the floor. Malfoy gracefully walked over to Harry and grabbed him by his robes and yanked him upright. He reared his fist back and hit Harry squarely in the face, knocking off Harry's glasses. As Malfoy went for a second hit, Harry held his hands up blocking the blow. Not satisfied with Harry's reaction, Malfoy jerked Harry against the wall. Malfoy began to beat Harry's head into the wall. After the sixth time, Malfoy let Harry go and Harry pitifully fell to the floor in a heap. Tears were running out of his eyes from the pain. Malfoy straightened his school robes and looked down at Harry in disgust. "Like I said Potter, you're pathetic." Malfoy made special care to step on Harry's glasses as he left the scene of their quarrel.

Harry lay on the floor. His head was swimming and he was happy to be conscience. His head felt like it was splitting in two. For a moment, he thought it might have been considering how hard he had his head bashed into the stone wall. He heard the crack of his glasses as Malfoy stepped on them. Harry reached a hand to the back of his head to see if he was bleeding. Thank the gods there is no blood, Harry thought to himself. Harry kept his eyes closed trying to will the headache away. Harry debated on whether to go to Madame Pomfrey or not. If he could make it down there.

Harry thought about where he was. He could go to Gryffindor Tower, or he could go to the abandoned astronomy tower. He would choose whichever was closer. He squinted his eyes as a rush of pain from his head decided to hit him at that moment. He rose slowly and staggered as he stood up. His head swam even worse standing. He wanted nothing more than to lie back down. Harry picked up his broken glasses and begin his journey over to Gryffindor Tower.

The entire way back, he reprimanded himself for not fighting Malfoy back. He even cried. Cried! Malfoy was right, he was pathetic. He had Malfoy at first. He couldn't even strike a blow. And he even let himself be thrown around like a rag-doll. I'm so pathetic! He was right! I couldn't even fight for myself, Harry thought. He felt like screaming at the top of his lungs. A blood curdling scream. A deafening scream. Then he wondered how many people would hear and come running. "No one would," he said aloud.

When Harry reached his room, he collapsed on the bed. He didn't even care that he was still clothed. Even with shoes on. He stared up at the ceiling. Letting his thoughts mingle and what Malfoy had said mingle with his own. If I am so pathetic, why did you interfere in my plans to escape this world? Harry thought about the questions that he had asked himself earlier. Would he do the same for Malfoy? Would he help save someone he hated? No. That was Harry's answer. He decided that Malfoy would pay before he faded out of consciousness.

A/N: Well, what do you think? I think that there is always room for improvement. Every writer has an area that they can improve. Leave a review and let me know what you think! Sorry it took so long to update. I had to find the right emotion. But seriously, I don't think I will continue if I don't get more reviews. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate the ones that I have, it just seems like there could be so much more said. And people who have reviewed, I thank you all for your input. Oh! Before I forget, I was thinking of writing the next chapter from Draco's POV. But I kinda like the fact that it is mysterious and unknown to the reader. I only will know what he will do next!

It's kinda hard getting into Draco's character. I hope that I am capturing it nicely. I am not an overtly mean person, so I get into the right "Emotion" when I write about an encounter with Harry and Draco. If anyone has any suggestions about how I can capture Draco's "True Essence," let me know!

Sigh, I know that an author's note is supposed to be short, but I just need feedback. So now I am going to end it. Seriously. If you read this last line, it won't tell you anything.