A/N: No complaining about the wait! This chapter is almost twice as long as my other ones, so it took me about twice as long. And, just so you guys know, I had this whole thing planned out as a Harry/Sev romance before I decided that Harry/Draco is much easier to work with. I might incorporate some of that later in the story, if you guys are interested. And, I hate to repeat what every other author says, but reviews DO make me write faster. If I get don't get a lot of reviews, I assume that people aren't liking it. Plus, if you don't like it and you review to tell me what I'm doing wrong, I can work on fixing it. So, basically, reviews happy author.

Disclaim Her: Die, blood suckers! -beats at lawyer with her laptop- Harry Potter is mine! Muahahahaha! ...okay, maybe not really, but I can dream, can't I?

Chapter 7: Conversations

By the time Dumbledore arrived to take me to get my wand, I was ready to get out of that room. I had been pacing for at least half an hour. I had even made another attempt to talk to the snake, which was still spending all its time sleeping in the corner. It bit me, and I decided not to bother it again. Ever.

"Ah, Harry, my boy. Are you ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I'm sure," I mumbled.

"Good. You will be under the invisibility cloak until we get to Ollivander's."

"Then what? How are we going to explain...this?"

"You will see."

Damn him for being so secretive. This was me we were talking about, here. I had a right to know what he had planned. Not that he would keep it a secret from averybody else, mind you. I was sure the entire Order knew what was going on.

Of course I didn't say anything about it.

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"I have a question." We had just gotten back from Diagon Alley to get my new wand (Yew, eleven inches, Unicorn hair). Dumbledore had just given Ollivander the explanation he hed come up with for everyone else. Somehow I didn't think he bought it, though.

"Yes Harry?"

"What about Quidditch? Will I be able to play? I mean, I don't have any unfair advantages now or anything?"

"Well, as far as anyone will know, you have only been in hiding. The professors will know the truth, and undoubtedly Severus will push for a Quidditch ban, but I see no reason why you should be kept from playing."

That statement brought to light a question which had been vaguely floating around in my head since I first got settled in.

"How is Professor Lupin? Have you told him?

"I was going to wait until you were ready."

"Did he take it hard? My death, I mean."

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "He did not react to your death as badly as he reacted to the fact that you appeared to kill yourself."

I was floored. I had completely forgotten about that little aspect of my death.

"By the way," continued Dumbleldore, "Why did you kill yourself?"

"I didn't!"

He just gave me one of those piercing looks, like he knows that you're lying about something.

"Look, I was just leaning over the edge of the astronomy tower, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in that horrible marble thing you had built for me. Do me a favor: next time I die, don't seal the door after putting me inside. It was almost impossible to break through."

Dumbledore looked surprised. "It was supposed to be unbreakable. Even I couldn't have broken through that door."

I shifted awkwardly under his gaze. "Can I go now?"

He nodded. "I will see you in the morning, Harry. Be careful going back to your room."

"I will, sir."

I left as fast as I could.

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I ran into Malfoy just outside my room. I was under the invisibility cloak, but that doesn't stop someone from feeling it if you run into them. He looked aroung wildly for a moment before realizing that his mystery assailant was not visible. Then recognition dawned on his face. I was the only one in the castle who had an invisibility cloak.

"Potter?"

I grabbed his arm and pulled him into my room. Before the door was even closed all the way I had taken off my cloak and was kissing Malfoy fervently. He moaned into my mouth and that just made me kiss him harder. I reluctantly broke the kiss after a few moments and pulled him over to sit on the bed. There were things to talk about.

"What were you doing out in the hall? I thought you couldn't leave this room."

"I was coming from Dumbledore's office. I just got my new wand. It was lucky that I ran into you out there though, because I had to talk to you."

"Yeah...lucky." He looked embarrassed.

"You were coming to see me, weren't you?"

"Maybe..."

I laughed. "I wanted to tell you that I'm coming back to classes tomorrow."

He sat up quickly. "What? How? What are you going to tell people?"

"That I faked my death to hide from Voldemort. That it didn't work so I'm coming back."

He snorted. "I wonder how long it'll hold until the Daily Prophet comes up with something scandalous to replace that story."

"My bet is seven and a half minutes."

"I was thinking four."

I laughed again. It felt good. I had not really laughed since Malfoy's last visit. "I'll be keeping these rooms, just so you know."

He licked his lips. "Really."

"Yes. I can set my own password so even Dumbledore couldn't get in if I didn't want him to."

"That's great."

"The password is 'absolution'. Come by whenever you feel like it."

He looked stunned for a moment before nodding. "Okay. Maybe I will."

I smiled.