"Max?" Harry questioned the grim reaper in shock. He was casually leaning against the wall next to Harry's window, which was now wide open. Clearly that was how Max had gotten in, though just why he was here and what he wanted, Harry did not know nor did he think he really wanted to, but he knew he had to ask, "WH-what are you doing here? I'm not dead am I?"

"Dead?" Max rolled his eyes, "No you idiot, it's time for your monthly evaluation."

Harry was confused now, even more so since Max had said this in a tone that seemed to say 'isn't it obvious?'

"Monthly evaluation? What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean what am I talking about, you read the contract didn't you?" Max asked.

"You mean the one you made me sign? That thing was huge, and you didn't even give me a chance to read it anyway." Harry argued.

Max sighed and reached into his pocket. From it, he pulled a folded piece of paper. "Then I suggest you read this, it's only a small portion of the contract but it will explain everything, oh and a little piece of advice before I forget, next time you sign a contract, read the fine print first."

Harry took the paper from Max's hand and unfolded it. There was a lot of very small writing on it but Harry saw that one section had been circled in pen, and began to read from there.

'I, the undersigned, do accept the rights set aside for my grim reaper including but not limited to monthly evaluation's and slight interference with mine and those around me's daily lives.'

"Wait, you mean not only do you have to come here once a month you can control what me and my friends do?!" Harry asked in anger.

"Well not really, I can just put ideas in their heads, not my fault if they take them, like your godfather's idea to move into a muggle neighborhood and-"

"Wait, you did that?" Harry interrupted, "Why?"

"Well, some people still think your godfather was guilty, more so I had to get you into your soulmate environment so you can meet her earlier than you would have." Max explained.

Harry was made even more surprised by the last part, "My soulmate? You mean Hermione?"

"Of course I mean her, who else, that Weasley girl? Anyway I picked this place because she lives a few houses away, and if your become friends early, that may help you two build a stronger relationship once you get together."

"Why are you so sure that I'm going to with Hermione, I've never had any romantic feelings for her, she's like a sister to me, now Ginny-"

"Will you quit it with Ginny?" Max snapped exasperatedly, "I already told you she used a love potion on you, and even if she hadn't what kind of foundation would you two have to build a relationship on anyway? You hardly even know her."

"That is not true," Harry stated defiantly.

"Oh yeah, then tell me, what's Ginny's favorite food?"

"It's um…I don't know." Harry admitted.

"Uh huh, and what Hermione's?"

"Lemon Meringue Pie."

"What's Ginny's favorite color?"

"…I don't know that either."

"And Hermione's?"

"Red."

"What did Ginny want to do after Hogwarts?"

"…"

"Hermione?"

"She uh…she wanted to get a job at the Ministry of Magic and work towards getting better working conditions for house-elves."

"Well, would you look at that?" Max gasped sarcastically, "You know more about the girl you claim to just like as a friend than the girl you claim to be in love with."

"Okay so I know a few pointless things about Hermione, that doesn't make her my soulmate." Harry argued.

"Oh, then what makes Ginny your soulmate?"

"Well I enjoyed being around her for one." Harry stated.

"You enjoyed being around Ron too, does that mean he's your soulmate too?" Max questioned, clearly enjoying the look of disgust which crossed over Harry's face.

"We have a lot in common."

"You both play a sport and you were both possessed once, that's all, not enough."

"Well, she made me happy."

"Of course she did." Max answered, "You were under a love potion."

"WILL YOU STOP SAYING THAT?!?!" Harry shouted, momentarily forgetting that there were other people in the house.

"No I won't stop saying it because it's true." Max responded angrily, "You and Ginny aren't meant to be, you are meant to be with Hermione, and once you realize that we will be a lot better off. Now then, this discussion is over, we have other things to talk about."

"But wait a min-" Harry started, only to be interrupted.

"I said the discussion is over, now then, in the last few weeks you have managed to get your godfather pardoned and released, you've gotten away from those Dursley people, and you've gotten Narcissa Black's marriage thrown out." Max rattled off while writing on a clipboard which seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Wait, I didn't do that last one, Sirius did that." Harry said.

"I know but he couldn't have if you hadn't gotten him released, which according to the contract, makes you responsible for it." Max explained.

"Really?" Harry asked, wondering just what else the contract stated.

"Really…okay, it looks like you've been doing good so far, you've just got to stop being so cold toward the Malfoy boy and you'll be doing gre-"

"Wait a minute!" Harry interrupted, "You want me to be nice to Draco Malfoy? I don't think so."

Max sighed, clearly he was becoming even more annoyed, "Well why not? What's he done to you?"

There are some times in life when a person makes a statement that is so ridiculous and stupid, that you have to start laughing, in Harry's opinion, this was one of them.

"What is so funny?" Max asked angrily.

"Wh-what has Malfoy ever done to me? Where do I start?"

To Harry's slight surprise, Max waved that off before he even could start.

"I don't mean in your old time, I mean now. I've been watching you and I haven't seen that boy do anything except try and be friends with you."

"Try and be friends with me?" Harry repeated, "When has he ever done that?"

"Well doesn't he ask you to play with him like five times a day? And he always wants to come play with you and the other kids doesn't he?" Max asked, already knowing the answers.

Harry could not come up with an argument against that. He knew that Max was right, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Draco really hadn't been mean to him or to anyone else since he got there. Maybe he really was just trying to be friends with him.

"Harry, I'm not Draco Malfoy's grim reaper, so I don't really know what he was like in your old life, but that life doesn't even exist anymore. Don't you understand how great a gift you've received; it's not just you who gets a second chance. It's everyone around you. Sirius is out of Azkaban eight years earlier than he would have been. Lupin has his best friend back, Narcissa has her life back, and now Draco has a chance to be a better person, and he can be with your help, with you as a friend he would be steered in the right direction, and without his father around to influence him, he won't have any of those prejudices he once had. He has a second chance too Harry; I think you should give it to him."

When Max's speech ended, Harry thought about what he had said. The Draco in his time had been a horrible person, but this was a different time now, and Draco could be a different person here.

"Well," Max started pulling Harry away from his thoughts, "I think that that should just about do it, just don't kill anyone okay? Most of your friends and enemies aren't supposed to die for a while and if you do kill someone, you're out of here by the way."

"That in the contract too?"

"You got it." Max answered.

Max then moved back toward the window and climbed out while Harry looked on in confusion.

"I'll see you in a month." Max called before jumping out the window.

Harry jumped from his spot on his bed when Max did that and ran to the window, half expecting to find him splattered on the ground. But to his surprise, Harry found nothing, no indication at all that Max had been there.

'Well he is a grim reaper.' Harry thought reasonably.

With a long yawn Harry closed the window and crawled back into bed. He was asleep the second he closed his eyes.

Harry sat down at breakfast the next morning and ate his cereal while Remus and Sirius were discussing something about quidditch and Narcissa sipped a cup of coffee and read a book.

A small shuffling of feet indicating that someone had just entered the room. Harry did not have to turn around to know who it was.

Narcissa looked up from her book and smiled at her son. "Good morning Draco."

"Good morning mother." Draco answered as he sat down next to Harry and Sirius poured him a bowl of cereal.

Ten minutes later Harry and Draco were finished with breakfast and the adults excused them from the table, as they were walking out of the kitchen, Draco turned to Harry.

"Hey Harry, do you want to come play with me? I have a toy broomstick and I'll let you ride it."

Harry knew this was coming, it had happed every day just like Max said. Harry though back to last night, and to Max's words, 'He has a second chance too Harry, I think you should give it to him.'

Harry turned to the other boy and smiled, "Sounds like fun."

Draco grinned happily as the two boys ascended up the stairs.

A/N: Sorry this chapter is so much shorter than the last few, but I promise the next one will be longer, and Hermione will finally appear, so I hope to see you next time.