A/N: Lo and behold, it is ANOTHER CHAPTER! Well, it is officially decided. SLASH! Whoo hoo!

Chapter 4: Old Friends, New Problems

There was a moment of stunned silence after I said that. Finally, Ron broke out of his stupor.

"Bloody hell!"

And then Hermione: "Harry! We thought you were dead!"

"I was." Merlin,am I going to have to go through this with everyone who finds out?

Ron blinked. "So, what happened, then?"

"I woke up."

"You came back to life? But how?" Hermione was staring at me with something akin to awe on her face.

"I didn't come back to life. I just woke up." Iam going to go through all this again,aren't I?

Ron looked confused for a moment, but that soon gave way to disgust.

"You mean you're like a zombie or something? That's gross!" And he backed up against the door, trying to get as far away from me as he could.

"I honestly have no idea at all what I am," I answered truthfully.

Hermione was worried.

"Oh, Harry, have they taken you to the infirmary? If there's something wrong with you, you should really see Madame Pompfrey, she'll be able to help you for sure-"

"Already done," I said, interrupting her. "I don't exactly have a curable condition, Hermione."

She looked put out for a moment, then suddenly burst into tears. I stared, unable to think of what to do, since I didn't even know what had set her off.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!"

I was more than a little frustrated. "What have you got to be sorry for? You didn't kill me!"

That just made her cry harder, and I, becoming increasingly alarmed, suggested that they leave before she got more upset. Ron, still looking at me as if I had three heads, agreed, and quickly took his leave, dragging a sobbing Hermione behind him.

After the door had closed, I shook my head disbeievlingly.

"I will never understand the way girls think."

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About twenty minutes later, Dumbledore came in, that damn twinkle in his eyes like always.

"So how did it go?"

"Hermione was okay until she started sobbing, and Ron acted like I had a contagious disease." I paused. "Pretty well, actually, considering the circumstances."

He smiled sadly at me. "I don't suppose ther is anything I can do?"

"Yes, there is." I paused again, wondering whether I should tell him or not. "I want Malfoy to be told."

Dumbledore looked at me strangely. "I was under the impression that Mr. Malfoy and yourself are hardly friends."

"I want him to know."

"May I ask why?"

I sneered at him. Not like me at all, I realized, but I would examine the facets of my new personality later. "No, you may not. I have my reasons. I trust him not to tell anyone. That should be enough for you."

Dumbledore looked reluctant, but he agreed.

"Very well. Tomorrow at-"

"Eleven," I broke in. "He has a free period then."

He nodded and left, with another strange glance, as though he could not recognize me anymore. I sighed, and tried to come up with interesting ways to pass the time until the next day. It was going to be a while, and I couldn't sleep the whole time.