A/N: I like reviews that speak to me. When I see a review that makes me laugh or just makes me feel really good about myself, I usually take time to reply to it... unless I'm busy and then forget. Oops. XD

Hint: Begin playing sad music here - like... My December by Linkin Park or something.

Chapter Two- The Funeral

The next five hours were blurry and quiet. Harry remembered telling Luna to take him back, to wherever he needed to be to find answers. He remembered people telling him the details....and he remembered Draco. His hair was stained with blood that hadn't come off in the clean up. His pale face was even paler, almost see through. He body was bruised down the left arm and back. A slash tore the clothing over his chest but barely grazed the skin.

"Instantly fatal," he remembered someone saying. Harry was sure the entire room could tell how he felt now. The way Draco's face was blank was just like the expression Draco wore at work when he sat against the back wall and pretended to sleep. The way Harry stepped up to the body, laying on a bed at Saint Mungo's, everyone must be able to see. The way Harry went to touch the body but resigned himself to holding the bed, they must all be connecting the dots. The way Harry bit back the tears just like when Sirius died... only worse, yes... Everyone must know by now.

"...went to stop a rampant dragon at the bank," someone was telling him. "He almost had it but..."

"...tossed him around a bit.... tail caught him..... Chinese Fireball, Hungarian Horntail mix....hit the wall pretty hard..... instantly fatal."

Instantly fatal.... instantly.... no time to think about the pain... no time.... to.... to...

"What do we do?" Harry asked. "He was an auror.... what do we do?"

"Harry?" Hermione's voice registered. "You're not suggesting we kill the -"

"No!" Harry barked. "I meant about the... the funeral! Does he get something special? He was... a good auror."

Hermione frowned. Everyone was so quiet that Harry didn't know how many people were there. As far as noise went, it was just him and Hermione. Someone put a hand on his shoulder.

"He'll get a special ceremony, Harry. He'll get an medal. It's okay," it was Percy. Harry nodded. If Percy said it was so, it would probably happen. He had the new minister's ear these days.

"It's okay, Harry. It's going to be alright....." but the voices were fading away. He couldn't hear them anymore. All he could do was stare at Draco's pale face and brush the hair out of his eyes.

"Hey, Potter, are you alright?"

Harry's head snapped up. The sound of fireplaces roaring to life surrounded him. He saw the bright flames letting their passengers out in a timely manner. Businessmen of all ages greeted each other on the lifts. The magnificent golden sculpture and fountain of the ministry of magic glistened in the background.

"Potter, I'm talking to you," the person spoke again. Harry braced himself and looked to his right. There was Draco Malfoy, standing tall and impatient. He regarded Harry like he was an idiot, as usual.

"Draco?" he asked. Draco scoffed.

"Yea. We're both late for work and you're standing in the middle of the hall like you're possessed. Are-You-Okay?" he asked, the question stressed like Harry was a retarded child.

"Y-Yeah," Harry nodded. "I was thinking about the cases piling up down in the office," he explained as they began to walk. "I was just deciding to take that goblin case over in Germany when you came up."

"The goblin case? You know it's all a bunch of coswallop, Potter! What kind of idiot are you? Are you THAT bored?" Draco asked as they stepped onto the lift. Harry didn't even have to say where they were going. Somehow, the lift always knew.

"Yeah," Harry laughed. "I guess I am."

Draco looked at him like an idiot while he laughed. Harry laughed as his body was overwhelmed by a great sadness. Then the tears started. Then he was back in the hospital, standing by Draco's bed, unable to stop his silent tears.

He was almost alone now. Even without hearing them in the first place, Harry knew they were all gone. He bet only Hermione was left, if any at all. Harry fell down onto one knee, unable to support himself anymore.

'God, Draco..... Why are you such an idiot? Taking on a dragon all on your own? A fireball and horntail mix?! Draco, you idiot!' Harry yelled in his head. He wanted to yell out loud, but he didn't want to draw them all back.

A hand ghosted over Harry's shoulder before settling on it. Harry started, shocked. He looked up at who was watching him cry like he'd never cried before. George.... George Weasley was there, kneeling beside him.

"Harry.... It's okay... I know how you feel," he whispered. Harry nodded, blinking to try and stop the tears. "They wont stop, Harry. They wont ever stop," George murmured, looking at the floor.

Harry sniffled and grabbed a hold of George. He buried his face into George's chest and cried. Yes... George would understand. The older Weasley twin stroked Harry's hair and didn't show any signs that he found a twenty-four year old auror crying into his chest at all awkward or weird. Yes, George would understand. He probably went through something even worse when Fred died.... Yes, only George...

"George, I don't want it to hurt," Harry choked out. "I've had enough pain for one lifetime, haven't I?"

"I'm sorry, Harry.... I'm sorry," George whispered harshly, pulling Harry tightly to him. That's when Harry felt it. Something metallic and round was poking Harry through the pocket on George's shirt. It hurt just enough to slightly stop Harry's tears and to let him concentrate on that instead of Draco.

"George... what's in your pocket?" he asked through sniffles and a slightly raspy voice. George pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Harry. It's a really bad idea," George said. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out.... a time turner.

"George-!" Harry gasped. Was George saying he should -?

"Listen to me, Harry. Don't use this unless you see no other way. Time turners aren't guaranteed. Things can go horribly wrong. Seeing him die twice wont make it any better. Please... wait until at least after the funeral before using it. I want you to be sure. Last resort, Harry. Last resort," George stressed. He stood up and dangled the time turner in front of Harry.

Harry held out his hands and relished in the cool feel of the metal as it dropped onto his skin. George had said 'seeing him die twice'.... but Harry hadn't seen Draco die... did that mean-?

"George," Harry called out. The red head paused by the door. " 'Seeing him die twice'? Did you use this too?"

George smiled sadly. "Not really.... but it's a complicated story."

The echoing sound of the closing door brought Harry back from thoughts of something George may have done or even thoughts of things he, himself, may yet do. The sound echoed off the walls and reminded Harry he was alone, even with Draco right beside him.

"Draco...," Harry breathed out, turning back to the body. "Draco-," his voice cracked as he took in the sight of the corpse again.

Those big blotches of purple and blue looked like preemptive signs of decay with their unhealthy backdrop of Draco's paper white skin. Harry brushed his hand over a particularly dark bruise, almost as if he expected that to make it go away. When his hand moved away and the color was still there, Harry's eyes filled with tears again.

"Damn," he cursed, leaning his head on the bed. "Damn it, Draco. You weren't supposed to die before I told you-!" he growled through grit teeth so he wouldn't yell. In his hand, he held the time turner so tightly that it left marks in his fist.

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

It was raining. How fitting. The only problem with the rain was that it wasn't raining over the right area. The funeral was next to Hogwarts, a place Draco had once revealed to Harry as the only place he felt he could be accepted. At home, Draco had said, he was always under scrutiny from his father and even from his mother, who was always trying to please her husband. At home, there was even more pressure to be a dark wizard.

"It was always like that," Draco had revealed, sitting in his own chair but leaning against Harry's desk. "Dad was always trying to convince me to be evil. Even after everything had happened... dad just couldn't completely accept the fact that it was being called the 'muggle-born's world'. Said it was rubbish and disgusting. You'd think he'd learn his lesson..."

Here Draco had paused and glanced at Harry, who was listening while trying to write a report. His report wasn't going so well because of it.

"If it hadn't been for..... that I would probably be the dark wizard being chased by you... instead of chasing them with you," Draco had admitted.

Harry didn't know what 'that' was, and Draco had never explained... not once in the few times they talked about themselves. Harry wished now that he'd asked. There were so many things about Draco he didn't know. Had Draco thought anything of him? Had Draco liked the gift Harry got him last Christmas, when he lied and said he'd accidentally gotten two of them so he gave one to Draco?

"Potter!"

Harry had heard that call just before he left for Germany. He'd turned to see Draco leaning against the door. Harry had smiled but Draco... Draco hadn't said anything. Even when Harry motioned for him to continue, Draco just turned away and went back to his desk. What had he been trying to say?

It didn't matter now. Still, the rain was only over Hogsmade, not over Hogwarts. Harry wished it would rain over him now, so he could cry without ever-watchful eyes. Then he could mourn the death of his love that had never begun. He would never know how Draco felt now. He had no time left to ask questions. Draco was gone.

As the ceremony came to a close, it was time for everyone to walk by the casket for one final goodbye. As the people lined up, Harry counted who was here. Hermione and Ron stood together near the middle of the line. Luna was here, but she'd go to anyone's funeral if she knew them. All the Weasley's were here, though out of sorrow for Draco or out of pity for Harry... he wasn't sure. Professor McGonagall was here and seemed deeply, and honestly, upset for the loss. George kept glancing at Harry, nervous, unsure glances. Harry knew what he was thinking.

The time turner was hidden just inside his robes, hanging around his neck. Harry scanned the crowd for people he knew again. There weren't a lot of people to begin with. Some of the workers at the ministry were here. Some slytherin classmates were recognized and a few high ranking wizards Malfoy senior probably knew. The Hogwarts professors present were few, but all looked sad. The majority came out of politeness. The only ones who looked torn about it were Draco's parents, Professor McGonagall, and Harry. George looked pained, but Harry knew his source. He was worried. Narcissa Malfoy was inconsolable. She had to be restrained when her wailing reached new decibels and she tried to pull the body from it's casket. Lucius Malfoy held his wife off to the side and threw Harry a complex look that Harry couldn't define. Was it trying to say that Lucius blamed him?

Why? No... He deserved it. He didn't care if Lucius had good reasons to blame him or not. He wanted Lucius to blame him. Harry bit his lip. It was his turn to walk by, and Malfoy senior was watching. He could feel it... but he didn't care.

Harry dragged his hand down the coffin as he came to Draco's head. Harry leaned over the coffin and smiled. It was a bit sad, but it was a smile. Lucius's grip on his wife tightened angrily, though she didn't notice. Harry reached into his robes and pulled out a small figurine. It was a dragon figure, liquid green and gold.

"I remembered, Draco...," Harry whispered. "I remembered."

Tears pricked his eyes. He'd bought the dragon in Germany... a specific dragon figurine Draco had always wanted but had never been able to get. Made exclusively by the goblins of Geldwarter... Harry pushed the figure to his lips before setting it in the coffin right by Draco's hand.

When Harry moved on so the next person could pass by, he caught the look on Lucius Malfoy's face. It was surprise, perhaps a bit of understanding. It was a look Harry hadn't thought Malfoy Senior was capable of. Harry didn't give the man more than a moment's glance. Then he walked off on his own, away from the others and off to the edge of the forest.

No.. He didn't need Lucius Malfoy's pity and understanding. He wouldn't stay this way, everyone giving him those pitying looks. He was going back. He was going to save Draco. Harry whipped out a bundle of cloth from under his cloak - his father's invisibility cloak. He held it tightly under his arm and pulled out the time turner. Harry cursed under his breath. He didn't know exactly how to use this... not as well as Hermione at least. Was it one turn per hour?

"Harry!" George's voice called out. Harry shook his head, pushing George's voice away. "Harry, don't!"

But it was done. Harry had spun the time turner backwards... fast. He didn't even watch as time swam past him, rewinding back hours... days. He could only hope his roulette spin had sent him back far enough to save Draco... and not too far back to be of any use.