A/N Ok, first thing, I'd like to thank you ALL soooo much because I finally broke the 100 reviews!! You're all amazing!! In your own special ways hehe!! Keep the reviews coming!! SECONDLY!! Please all read this bit!! Today (30th April) is my best friend Jenna's birthday. She is one of my reviewers, '.J.e.n.n.a.7.' and she rocks my socks!! Therefore, I am dedicating this chapter to her, since she is eighteen today!! Happy birthday hun! Thanks to reviewers:

Murgy31: Thanks for saying you loved it! Hope you love this one as much! Its not as good as the previous chapter, but just as important!

LunaParvulus: Lol, to be honest, if there was a dripping wet Harry Potter in front of me I'd say 'Would you like me to help you off with your clothes and into the shower?' Haha!! Ahhh… I love him…. Ahem… Thanks for reviewing!!

.J.e.n.n.a.7.: Tehe, glad you liked it hun!! And hope this update is good for your birthday!! If you get to read it on your birthday that is…

Dress up romance xx: Thanks for your review, it made me smile :). However, I'd say Harry is probably wavering between ages at the moment; for example he doesn't know some things and yet he gets urges (like he wanted to kiss Draco in the last chapter although he didn't) So I'd say he's probably between about 13 and perhaps… in this chapter… 15 ish? You can be the judge lol!

SlashFan69: Hehe, thanks for the no death threat! Lol, I like how you decided that Draco came to the conclusion he IS gay when in fact the last line of the last chapter was him thinking 'I am NOT gay' haha! You're awesome!

MagicalWinry: Hehe, at least you won't mind that I updated quickly!

StarDreamer1269: Aww that really touched me that you said your heart was clenching hehe! And I'm glad the Draco's POV part helped.

Tarshil: Well I hope you don't forget, this is nice and quick I think! Oh, don't worry about Pansy, I won't let her get in the way, let alone Harry letting her get in the way lol!

'Splinched'

Harry opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't been a dream. He'd been awake for a few minutes, but was scared to open his eyes and find that in fact, Draco hadn't called him back last night, and that he was wet and cold sleeping in a field somewhere. But no, here he was, warm and dry in the softest bed he'd ever slept in, in Draco Malfoy's house.

Harry sat up in the bed and looked around the room. He had wandered around looking at things last night, but now it was bright in the room, he saw things much differently. Last night everything seemed to be dark, dank, dusty and almost evil. But now the sun was shining into the still darkly coloured room, Harry found that it was basically just a room, no evilness about it. Quietly, Harry got out of the bed and walked around again. It still seemed to be dusty, evidently having not been used for some time, but it wasn't as terrible as it had seemed last night.

Nothing was as terrible as it seemed last night.

He smiled to himself while pulling his clothes from yesterday back on, which were now also dry, and looking at the clock in the room. He wasn't sure, but he would assume Draco was at work at eleven o'clock in the morning, so he wasn't quite sure what to do. He didn't want to invade Draco's privacy by wandering aimlessly around the manor, but he didn't want to just sit in the living room all day doing nothing.

After more minutes of deliberating, Harry decided he'd go downstairs to find the house elf, thinking that perhaps Draco had left a message with him.

When he reached the bottom step however, he saw that he wouldn't need to find the house elf after all, as he could hear Draco's angry voice floating from the living room. Rolling his eyes and knowing exactly what he was about to see, he walked to the room.

"Where is he then? What have you done with him?" Hermione asked exasperatedly, looking almost in tears.

"I've told you, Granger, he's sleeping!" Draco spat back angrily, evidently about to loose a fuse.

"I'm here," Harry said quietly from the doorway, and Hermione span around to see him and began to run up to him, squealing "Harry!" loudly. When she reached him and stretched her arms out for a hug, however, Harry stepped backwards out of her reach. He tried not to smile when he saw a smirk appear on Draco's face behind her.

"Harry…" Hermione said quietly. When Harry said nothing, she said, "Why didn't you come home last night?"

"Why didn't you come looking for me?" He retorted.

"I… Ron told me not to…" She replied. Another pause. "We – we didn't know you'd care…"

"And I didn't know you wouldn't!" Harry shouted suddenly, making her jump.

"Harry!"

Harry ignored her. It was like he'd been waiting for this all of last night; waiting to shout at someone, let out his anger.

"Were all three of you really stupid enough to think I wouldn't care that you don't think I'm worth the hassle?"

"That's not what we…"

"I'm trying as hard as you can, don't you realise that?" He continued, on a rampage now, "I let Ginny kiss me because I wanted to remember! It's not like I want to be the person who's pointed at in the street because I can't remember anything!"

"Harry, I know, that's not what Ginny…"

"Don't blame it on her; you and Ron didn't defend me when she said it!" Harry snapped.

Hermione sighed and shook her head, "Harry, come home, I've got the day off, we can talk…"

Harry opened his mouth to say no but then closed it again. He couldn't invade in Draco's home for much longer, considering he was almost thrown out of it last night anyway.

Draco, however, seemed to read Harry thoughts and said from behind Hermione, "You can stay here for as long as you want."

And although Harry felt like he had said it to get one over on Hermione, Harry nodded his head.

"Oh, Harry, for goodness sake!" Hermione said loudly, "You can't stay here, it's not right!"

"Why not? If Draco's letting me!" Harry fought. "And besides, by staying here I might remember things quicker, and then you'll actually want me back!"

Hermione gasped, "Harry!"

"I'm staying here," Harry said decisively.

"Harry, don't be stupid! If you knew…"

"It's time for you to leave now, Granger," Draco said suddenly from behind.

"Shut up, Malfoy, I'll leave when I like!" Hermione shot back.

"It's my house and you'll leave if I have to drag you out!" Draco said, stomping towards her. Harry saw a scared look in Hermione's eye as she began to back away.

"Harry, come home!" She yelled from the hallway.

"No!" Harry shouted back.

"Out, Granger!" Draco shouted, but then he added quietly, "He's chosen me, Granger, don't you get it? Out with the old, in with the new. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to leave, and not come back."

Harry felt a twinge of guilt as he saw tears running down Hermione's face as he turned to leave, but only a twinge. Draco was right, after all; Harry had chosen him.

The front door closed behind her and Harry watched Draco put his forehead against it, evidently exhausted. He heard him sigh loudly and breathe deeply after. And despite feeling sorry for him being caught up in all of Harry's own mess, Harry couldn't help but feel attracted to the tired, beautiful man leaning against the door.

Harry tried to ignore his conscience talking to him and stood silently, waiting for Draco to stand back up into his usual stiff position. When he did after a few minutes, he turned to Harry, took a deep breath and said, "We need to talk."

Draco walked straight back into the living room after speaking, and Harry thought he was supposed to follow, so he went to sit on the sofa, while Draco sat opposite in a chair.

"A few things," Draco started smartly, "I'm letting you stay here longer because I hate the three people you live with, no other reason." Although Harry already knew this, it hurt to hear Draco say it. "Also, I – I…" Harry was pleased to hear him stuttering; it meant he wasn't sure about what he was going to say, "I thought about last night, and I want you to put it behind you, like I'm going to. You're not gay, Harry, and neither am I. The idea of it repulses me. But I'm your only real friend… And you're mine…" Harry was shocked to hear these words. "That's why I'm letting you stay."

Harry realised he had finished speaking and nodded slowly, not sure whether to be pleased or upset. He didn't really want to talk about last night after Draco had been so final, so he changed the subject completely instead. Thankfully, he saw Draco's face relax when he asked, "Why aren't you at work then?"

"I called in sick," Draco replied, a cheeky little smirk on his face.

Harry smiled, "You? Not work?"

"Yes, I know," Draco replied, "I feel quite the rebel."

Harry laughed, "So why are you skiving?" He asked bluntly.

"I thought…" Draco hesitated, "Well, I wasn't sure if you'd be ok today… You could have woken up ill, upset or anything…"

"You didn't need to keep an eye on me," Harry said appreciatively.

"I know… But you don't know my house or how to get back to your own, so I thought it would be best if I stayed," Draco replied. "Besides, this way, I can teach you some more."

Harry felt his eyes light up when Draco said this. "What are we going to do?" He asked excitedly.

"I thought I might teach you how to apparate," Draco answered, "That way if anything else like last night happens, then you can get here in a second."

"What if you're at work?"

"Daniel will let you in," Draco said.

"Daniel?" Harry repeated, not knowing who this person was.

"Yes, the house elf. It's an odd name for an elf, but I thought giving him a human name to answer to would be more…" Draco looked almost sickened at himself. "Well, Granger would be pleased with me, and he seems to appreciate it."

Harry, who didn't even know what a house elf was until a couple of weeks ago, had no idea what Draco was talking about with giving the house elf a 'human name'; what name was he going to give him?

"I only brought him last year you see," Draco went on, "He was being mistreated in another family so I brought him here. I gave him a new name so that he'd be able to put his past family behind him and start again. I thought being here alone all day was better than being mistreated…" He paused again and considered, Harry still finding the conversation rather abnormal, "On second thoughts, don't tell Granger any of this, she might want to hug me…" Harry opened his mouth to ask why and Draco shook his head and said, "Don't ask… Anyway, we're getting off subject. Apparating.

"It's fairly easy, the person who taught us in sixth year kept banging on about the three D's, but I can't remember what they are now, we all just gave the three D's different names!" Draco laughed at his memory, but Harry watched him glumly. "Sorry," Draco said, "Basically, I'm going to make a ring on the floor, here," He said, getting up and drawing a white circle on the carpet with his wand, "And I want you to appear in it without taking one step."

Draco smiled at him, but Harry had no idea what to do. "And… How exactly do I do that?"

"You think about it. Concentrate every single thought in your brain to that spot. Then you twirl around and click your fingers, and it will feel the same as side along apparation, only you won't have to hold onto anything."

Harry stared at him in disbelief, "And how's that going to work?"

"It's magic, Harry," Draco laughed, "Everything works! Do you have your wand on you?"

"Yes," Harry replied.

"Then it'll work," Draco said.

Harry stared for a few more seconds but decided to believe him anyway, since he had taught him so much else. He then looked once more at the circle on the floor, took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He was thinking completely and only about the circle and about to click his fingers when Draco said, "Oh, and don't worry if you fall over, I won't laugh."

Harry gave him a look and closed his eyes again, taking a minute to think only about the circle once more.

And then he did it. He clicked his fingers and twirled on one foot, feeling like a ballet dancer, and the next thing he knew, his back hurt and he could hear Draco sniggering to himself.

Harry opened his eyes and rubbed his back, "You said you wouldn't laugh…" He moaned.

"I know," Draco chortled, "But that was so funny!"

Draco stopped laughing when Harry threw a cushion from the sofa at his face.

"Ok," Draco said, "The reason it didn't work was probably because you concentrated too much on twirling and clicking, that part has to just happen."

"How is it supposed to just happen?" Harry asked, "I have to think about something to be able to do it."

Draco nodded, "That's why people get splinched."

"Splinched?" Harry repeated, he didn't like the sound of that. "What's that?"

Draco hesitated, "We'll talk about that if we come to it… Now, think about the circle."

Harry nodded wearily and turned back to face the circle. After closing his eyes, minutes seemed like hours, just concentrating on the white mark on the floor. And then suddenly, he realised he had twirled and clicked already, and was starting to be sucked through the suffocating tube that he knew from side-along apparation. Halfway through, however, he felt a searing pain in his side and cried out when hitting the floor back in Draco's living room.

He fell to his knees and held the pain, not wanting to look.

"Harry!" Draco shouted suddenly. He was on his knees next to Harry in an instant trying to move his hand away from his side. He brought it back up, however, and Harry saw blood on Draco's fingers.

"What happened?" Harry asked breathily.

"You splinched…" Draco said, jumping up. "Don't move!"

Harry's closing eyes saw a blurred Draco running away, and then Harry toppled over, half on his good side, half on his back. He was hot, sweating…

"Harry! No, don't! Stay here!"

He heard Draco's voice shouting at him. "I don't…" Harry muttered, but then all was black.

Harry opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times, then felt a slight twinge of pain in his side. He looked down at himself and saw that he was no longer wearing a t-shirt, and on his naked side there was a small dent in his skin.

"You don't what?"

He jumped and turned his head to see Draco looking at him.

"I'm sorry?" Harry said.

"Before you fainted, you said 'I don't'." Draco said, smiling.

"Oh," Harry smiled, "I can't remember. What happened?"

"You splinched," Draco replied matter-of-factly. At Harry's confused look, he went on; "Took a chunk out of your side. It stayed where you were standing when you landed in the circle."

Harry's eyes widened. "Well… At least I made it to the circle."

Draco laughed. "Yes, you did well for a second attempt. But of course, you would."

Harry felt himself go slightly pink in the face and asked, "How long have I been out of it?"

"About ten minutes," Draco answered, adding quietly, "And… you weren't 'out of it'."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked worriedly.

"You were awake, you only fainted for about thirty seconds," Draco replied, "But most people can't remember being awake and talking after they'd fainted."

"I was talking?" Harry asked, even more worried now.

"Yes…" Draco said, looking away.

Harry gulped. "What… What did I say?"

Draco paused, and then stood up. "That's neither here nor there. You were half asleep, it meant nothing."

Harry sat up as Draco walked around him, clutching his side as he did so, "What did I say?" He repeated.

Draco looked at him and sighed. "You said… Things about me. But you were delirious, Harry, it doesn't matter."

But then Harry remembered; and it did matter.

"I said you're amazing, didn't I?" Harry asked, Draco looked away again. Harry smirked and stood up, walking behind Draco. "I said that I need you," He whispered, and Draco jumped. "I said that you're the only person in the world who understands me."

"Harry, shut up," Draco snapped suddenly.

"I hit a nerve, didn't I?" Harry said, as Draco walked quickly away from him.

"You've got a lot more confident since you woke up in a hospital at 'eleven' years of age!" Draco said, neither angrily or joyfully.

"I'd say that was a good thing," Harry shrugged.

And then he saw it. Draco's unwavering stare faltered, and he gulped slowly, something Harry always did when he was nervous. Harry smirked, and Draco's tongue flicked his lips quickly before he walked out of the room, leaving Harry standing topless. He thought for a moment and shuddered. How had his shirt been removed?

A/N All I can really say is hope you like this chapter!! I'm a little angry at myself for updating so quickly… it means I get less reviews… But I suppose I know you'll all read them sooner or later!! Loves!!