I am so sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean for this one to go so long without an update. It's just that I got caught up in Decreso Aetas, and then I started writing new fics.. It all got out of hand. But I know.. excuses, excuses.

Just so you all know, though, I do plan on finishing this one. I'll do my best to update it as often as possible.

Anyway, please enjoy.

Disclaimer: There is no way in any shape or form that I own Harry Potter. The credit should be given to one J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own is the plot.

- - -

Dreaming of You

Chapter 2: The Beginning

- - -

As Harry entered the seventh floor corridor, he came to the realization that he did not know this year's password. The last thing he wanted was to spend the night on a cold stone floor. With a groan, he pressed on, his feet dragging.

However, luck decided to be in Harry's favor. Hermione was leaning against the wall next to the closed portrait, apparently waiting for him. He was immensely grateful that she had not forgotten about him.

"You're back a little sooner than I expected," Hermione said when she saw him. Harry shrugged.

"Madam Pomfrey felt that I was in good enough shape, so she let me go." He felt bad hiding things from her, but Dumbledore had given him strict instructions about keeping what he saw in that room a secret.

"Well, that's good," she replied with a small smile. The girl stepped away from the wall and moved to face the portrait to give it the password. "Initium novus." The Fat Lady moved aside with a nod; Harry climbed through the hole after Hermione and entered the common room.

Harry must have been in the hospital wing longer than he had initially thought; there weren't as many other students lounging in the chairs as he expected.

"Ron already went to bed," Hermione said, sitting on the armrest of the sofa before the fire. "I'm not all that surprised, what with him eating so much for dinner." She chuckled lightly. Harry snorted.

"I think I'm going to head up too," he replied. He wasn't very tired, but the effects of the potion were making him feel somewhat lethargic. He also wanted a bit of time to think.

"Okay," Hermione answered. She stood up and began making her way toward the staircase that led up to her dorm. "I kind of wanted to start reading one of our books anyway. See you in the morning!" Then she was gone.

Harry walked over to the second staircase and slowly went up to the top of the boys' tower. Almost all of the beds in his dorm were already full; it appeared that the only one missing was Seamus. Harry cringed, trying not to think about what that boy was up to. Sometimes the Irish lad could be as bad as Fred and George when it came to pranks. He felt sorry for whoever the current victim was.

After getting changed and brushing his teeth, Harry fell into his bed. The soft mattress seemed so much more comfortable than usual.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, Harry's mind went into overdrive. A feeling of disgust washed through him as he thought back to what he saw in the hospital wing. What disgusted him was not Draco himself, but what was done to the boy. He just could not comprehend the fact that a father would turn against his sole heir just to please a higher power. Wouldn't he want to ensure his son's safety so he could carry on the Malfoy name? Apparently Lucius was so far under Voldemort's control that he barely thought for himself anymore.

Harry instantly nixed that thought; there was no way he was going to defend that man's actions. It was fairly obvious that Draco must have some sense of self-preservation if he foresaw what he'd be getting into if he accepted the Mark. He probably saw himself turning out to be just like his father and wanted to stop it from happening. But isn't that what he always wanted?

Harry rubbed his temples; a faint ache was beginning to form in his head. Too many questions and thoughts were plaguing his mind. He rolled over, facing the large window near his bed. These thoughts could continue tomorrow…

- - -

"Potter…"

My name echoed eerily around me. I turned, trying to see through the intense darkness. I noticed a dim light in the distance. I walked toward it.

"Potter…"The light took on a shape. It appeared to be a person. On closer inspection, I saw blonde hair and pale skin. I couldn't quite see the face, but it looked vaguely famili—

"CRUCIO!"

The sudden shout from behind me caused me to jump. Bright golden light flew past me and enveloped the other person. The screams I expected weren't heard. Was there any way that the curse missed? It couldn't have…

The gold light disappeared, as did the darkness around me. When my eyes adjusted to the new dim light, I saw a bed where the other person had previously been standing. I hesitantly walked over to it, noticing the mussed blonde hair peeking up over the top of the sheets. Reaching out hesitantly, I gripped the cloth and pulled it back to reveal the person.

Draco Malfoy's face came into view. However, the other boy looked completely different. It startled me. The gaunt face, the dark shadows under the eyes -- the eyes… the eyes that snapped open and fixed upon me…

"Potter…"

- - -

Harry jerked awake violently, his name still reverberating in his mind. He flipped over, and then immediately regretted it. Bright sunlight filtered through the window, almost blinding him. He clenched his eyelids shut, but then all he was able to see were empty grey eyes in his mind. The image chilled him.

"Ugh…"

He heaved a sigh as he warily opened his eyes again to allow them to adjust to the morning light. After rubbing the last vestiges of sleepiness from them, he got to his feet and went through his normal morning routine as his dorm mates began rousing.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione met up in the common room as per usual before making it down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They each held their breaths as Professor McGonagall came over to them with their timetables. Harry snickered gleefully when he saw that Potions wasn't anywhere on the slip of parchment. That means that he wouldn't have to deal with that hook-nosed son of a –

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione was looking at him oddly, her spoon poised in midair above her breakfast. The raven-haired boy just smiled and nodded before turning back to his own plate. It rather upset him that he no longer had a chance at becoming an Auror since Potions was a prerequisite for the job, but he would rather be able to avoid that bastard as much as possible. He could look for another career that would suit his tastes, as long as he survived after facing Voldemort…

"Look over at the Slytherin table."

Ron's voice broke through Harry's thoughts, which were steadily becoming somewhat morbid. Harry moved his eyes to look over at the other side of the Hall where the Slytherin house sat. His gaze moved down the table until he found Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. Malfoy was obviously (to him, anyway) absent.

"Malfoy's still not here," Ron continued. "I wonder where he is. Dumbledore announced him as head boy, so he's apparently going to be here this year." He seemed thoroughly confused. Harry wanted to bang his head on the table; if anyone were to guess what happened to Malfoy, it would be Ron. Harry did tell him about his vision after all. Could he have forgotten about it already? If that were the case, he was not about to remind the redhead. There was a possibility he would let it slip to others. The boy's tongue could be just a bit too loose for his own good sometimes.

"But look at Crabbe and Goyle," Ron muttered. "They look lost without their leader—well, more lost than usual. And Parkinson is looking fairly huffy. I guess because she doesn't have her boy toy to hang onto..."

Harry lost track of Ron's ranting as he concentrated on the two goon-like Slytherins. He was somewhat surprised that they were looking confused. Their fathers were present for the first part of Malfoy's torture. Surely they would have mentioned it. However, maybe they didn't; it is obvious that Crabbe and Goyle had to have gotten their dimwittedness from somewhere.

They finished breakfast and began making their way to their classes. Ron and Harry had double Charms first, while Hermione had Potions and Arithmancy. Ron gleefully noted that she would probably have a homework-filled day ahead of her.

"You probably will too," she replied. "Just remember, we're starting the N.E.W.T. curriculum this year." She smiled vindictively when his freckled face fell.

Luckily the boys' morning passed without a hitch. They had been assigned a good deal of homework like Hermione had said. Ron grumbled every chance he could about this, especially during lunch. Harry just nodded, pretending he was listening. In truth, his mind was elsewhere.

He had noticed that each time a professor did attendance, not one called out Malfoy's name. He thought that to be odd. Surely the Slytherin would be in at least a couple of his classes. However, maybe they had already been informed about Malfoy's condition. It was possible that having Malfoy's name called but him not being present would cause a stir among the students.

It already seemed, though, that Malfoy's disappearance was beginning to be noticed. It is obvious that the Slytherins would be the first to realize he was missing, seeing as how he shares their dorm and common room. However, Harry passed a few whispered conversations about Malfoy in between classes, and some of them included Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. The only ones that seemed not to show any interest were the Gryffindors. Go figure.

The rest of the day went by in a blur after lunch. Before Harry knew it, he was seated in the common room with parchment spread out before him and a quill in his hand. He tuned in to the middle of Ron and Hermione's discussion (though it sounded more like an argument – never a surprise) over wand movements for a certain charm.

"But isn't it supposed to be more of a jab?" Ron questioned, demonstrating with his wand. Hermione quickly ducked out of the way.

"No, Ron. Do it like that and you will take the person's eye out rather than cure their hiccups. It's more of a sweep."

Their bickering continued.

Harry mentally grumbled to himself. Couldn't they just learn to get along after knowing each other for almost six years? It seemed impossible nowadays. The tension between them just becomes too much for them sometimes. Harry made a mental note to set them up somehow and allow them to show each other how they really feel. He snickered evilly as images formed in his mind.

Hermione cleared her throat, ending Harry's cackles. He abruptly blushed; it seemed as if Ron and Hermione had quieted a moment ago to look at him, yet he had still been going. His female friend's eyes were narrowed, a look of mingled confusion and perplexity on her face. Ron just looked lost.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, feeling thoroughly embarrassed. Hermione did not reply. She just looked as if she feared for his sanity. "I think I will go for a walk," he continued after an awkward pause. He began rising from his chair.

"Bu t what about your homework?" the girl finally said, suddenly sounding like the mother hen Harry sometimes viewed her as.

"I'll get it done. I promise." She didn't look entirely convinced. He began feeling agitated. "I'll stop at the library sometime tonight. Don't worry. I just can't concentrate here." He looked pointedly at the two of them; both Ron and Hermione looked at each other guiltily. Harry picked up his things and put them in his bag. "See you later," he said with a smile before leaving the room.

Harry had no set destination in his mind. He just aimlessly wandered down miscellaneous corridors and staircases, not really minding where they took him. At one point, he found himself in the entrance hall. On a whim, he decided to explore the darkening grounds a bit.

He was glad for this sudden decision. Harry stood at the top of the front steps and took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling invigorated immediately. The light breeze carried the scents of late summer with it.

With a new spring in his step, Harry directed himself toward the lake, which was dyed orange and blood red in the light of the setting sun. He sat on a large stone near the bank and watched the bright colors swirl and blend into one another before giving way to different shades of purple and dark blue.

Harry kept his mind blank, not wanting to think about anything for the time being. No Sirius, no Malfoy, no Voldemort… The calmness he was feeling was very welcome after the past couple of days. He opened up his senses, feeling the light breeze that continued making its way around the grounds, smelling the scents of the woodsy forest be wind brought in his direction, scents that hinted at the approaching autumn. He could not remember feeling this good in ages. It sent his blood into a frenzy.

As they say, though, all good things must end. The temperature dipped a bit as it got darker, so he began feeling a little chilled. Harry got to his feet and went back toward the castle.

On the way up the main stairs in the entrance hall, Harry suddenly remembered the bag he had hanging from his shoulder. He grudgingly decided to head to the library to fulfill his promise to Hermione. He had a feeling she would ask around, seeing if anyone had seen him in there. That was just her nature.

He found an empty table in the Charms section. He had the most homework for that class in particular. He had an essay to work on and questions he had to answer after reading a few chapters from one of his Charms books. After Charms, he moved on to Transfiguration. That subject was already very complex; his head ached with the effort of trying to understand the homework by the time he was done.

At around ten-thirty, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he packed his books. He gathered his pieces of scratch parchment and discarded them on his way out of the library. At least now he could truthfully tell Hermione that he finished everything.

When Harry made it into the deserted corridor, he let his feet decide where to take him next. He knew there was a curfew, but he did not want to go back to the common room just yet. He still wanted a bit more time to himself. He decided it was worth the risk of being caught by prefects or Filch.

After several moments, Harry noticed that he had stopped walking. He hadn't paid attention to where he was going at all. He looked up to see what his destination was and then immediately let out a groan. He should have known that this is what his subconscious was focused on. Feeling it was too late now, Harry reached up and quietly opened the door to the hospital wing.

It was mostly dark in the wing, the only light source being a few floating candles. All of the beds were empty. Harry surreptitiously slipped inside and quietly closed the door behind him when he decided it was clear. Madam Pomfrey must have already gone to bed; there was no light to be seen under her closed door. He tiptoed over the tiled floor, past her office and sleeping quarters, hardly daring to breathe, berating himself a little too late for not bringing his invisibility cloak.

Before he knew it, Harry was standing in front of the intensive care room. He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the cold handle. He made sure to be very quiet as he turned it and opened the door.

This room was even darker than the first. There was a single candle floating near the ceiling; its light blended with that from the moon that was visible from the solitary window. He could barely make out the lump in the bed at the end. He cautiously walked over to it and took a seat in the chair underneath the window.

Malfoy looked the same as he did yesterday. The light from the moon, if anything, made him look even paler. Almost deathly so. The sight caused Harry to shudder. The boy did look too much like a corpse. It was frightening.

The sound of the Slytherin's breathing was barely audible. He was taking in small gasps. Harry gritted his teeth; a wave of fury washed through him as he thought about the elder Malfoy. He was surprised that he was still feeling disbelief that Lucius would do such a thing to remain faithful to Voldemort. Harry just could not get over the thought that Lucius actually wanted to kill his son. It was one large conundrum. He thought through what he remembered of the vision he had over the summer, trying to work it all out.

A strange noise brought Harry back to the present. It sounded like a snuffling. He jerked his head up, whirling left and right, thinking that someone came in the room without him noticing. But there wasn't anyone else with him.

Just as he was beginning to feel thoroughly confused, the sound stopped, and everything became quiet again. Almost too quiet. Harry tried to notice what was missing. He looked down; almost immediately, he noticed a change in Malfoy. The blonde boy's lips were turning a light blue. His chest had stopped rising and falling…

Oh, fuck…

Malfoy had stopped breathing.

Panic seized Harry. He stood up quickly, knocking over the chair in the process. He had no idea what to do. The adrenaline that entered his blood urged him to do something, anything, but he was at a loss.

Run! Get help!

His mind finally began working again. It screamed at him, telling him to get his legs moving. Harry took off through the room, out the door, and back into the main room. He raced toward Madam Pomfrey's door, not caring how much noise he was making and that he was about to blow his cover.

When he reached for the handle, the nurse barreled out of the room, nearly knocking him over in the process. She looked highly surprised to see him there, but after a split second, she grabbed his arm and wheeled him back toward the room Malfoy was in before he could even say a word.

Madam Pomfrey finally stops when they reached Malfoy. With a brief gesture, she had Harry stand next to her, both of their backs toward the window. She placed her wand on Malfoy's chest and ran it down his front; his shirt fell open, revealing his deathly pale skin.

"Put your hands on top of each other and place them on his chest," she ordered. Harry barely hesitated before doing as she told. He almost jumped back; Malfoy's skin was icy to the touch. It frightened him.

The nurse began whispering spells at top speed, her eyes closed in deep concentration. A bluish-white light formed at the end of her wand. She placed the tip to Harry's shoulder. Almost at once, an intense pressure pushed his arms down, and he suddenly knew what he had to do. Harry thought back to what he saw on television when a person was trying to revitalize someone. He pumped his arms up and down, trying to get Malfoy's heart beating again.

Just when he thought the pressure would be too much to handle, Madam Pomfrey removed her wand from his shoulder and stood back. She nodded at him, letting him know that it was okay to remove his hands. Harry was almost afraid to; was Malfoy all right? Or was he…

A cough ripped from Malfoy's throat. He took a deep shuddering breath, and his chest began rising and falling again. Harry felt the blonde's skin warm slightly underneath his fingers before he finally took them away.

"But how did you know?" he finally questioned after a moment of silence, turning to face Madam Pomfrey.

"I placed wards on him to notify me of any drastic changes in his condition," she replied. She then looked suddenly stern. "And now I want to ask you something in return, Mr. Potter. What are you doing here?"

Harry cringed. He should have known that this was coming. He took a deep breath and told her about the previous night.

"You are too curious for your own good," she replied, shaking her head. "It's going to get you in trouble one day." The nurse then placed a hand on his shoulder. She threw a sad look at the Slytherin. "Just make sure you stick to the promise you made to Dumbledore. No one needs to know about this." She patted his shoulder. "I must thank you for being here and helping me, though. I do not think I could have done that on my own. Not with these old bones." After quickly checking over Malfoy, she walked out of the room.

Harry watched her leave. When she was gone, he turned back toward the other boy. His breath was no longer coming out in gasps; it was deep and even. Harry couldn't help but wonder if Malfoy was subconsciously giving up on life, and that's what caused him to stop breathing.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of his morbid thoughts. He looked at Malfoy once more before picking up his bag and leaving himself.

As he walked back toward the common room, Harry wondered if it was pure chance that he happened to be there when Malfoy stopped breathing. What if he hadn't been? Malfoy could be dead right now. Unwanted images of professors burying the Slytherin's body popped up in his mind; he banished them instantly.

Hermione was waiting for him in the common room. She sprung up from her chair when she saw him, worry lines appearing over her eyes.

"Where have you been?" she questioned. "Neville said he saw you in the library, but that was hours ago." Harry almost chuckled. He had a feeling she would question about him being in the library.

"I just got caught up in my walk, Hermione," he answered. "It was calming to be on my own for a bit. It was a nice way to think clearly." She merely stared at him for a moment, and then seemed to decide that what he was saying was believable.

"Alright," she replied, sounding calmer. A small smile appeared on her face. "You should just let us know. You know we worry about you, Harry." She stepped forward and caught him in a friendly hug, which Harry somewhat awkwardly returned.

"I'll do that," Harry said. "Good night, Hermione. Sleep well."

The two friends parted ways and made their way to their dorms. When Harry entered his, it was almost like walking into a brick wall; Ron's snoring was that loud and jarring. He cringed, hoping he would be able to fall asleep.

After getting ready, Harry lay down on his bed and pulled the covers up. His thoughts whirled almost immediately, unsurprisingly. Today was somewhat traumatizing. He was used to death, but Malfoy's predicament scared him. He had never been close to anyone so young that was in danger of losing his or her life. It was frightening. Just to have a whole life thrown away in the blink of an eye. True, Sirius was young, but…

Harry immediately put an end to that train of thought. He willed the wrenching feeling in his chest to go away. He didn't want to renew that pain.

Luckily, after a few moments, Harry calmed down enough to feel drowsy, and Ron's snoring turned into deep breathing. With a light sigh, the raven-haired boy drifted off to sleep, trying to keep his mind clear to prevent himself from having unwanted dreams.

- - -

Over the next few weeks, Harry made his way to the hospital wing almost every night. There was no real progress in Malfoy's condition, but he went all the same. He helped Madam Pomfrey take care of him in any way he could. Harry was not entirely sure why he was doing this; he was sure it was out of pity.

After a while, his friends questioned him about his sudden disappearances. Lies about his visits to the hospital wing began coming more easily. He did not enjoy lying, but he was not about to tell them about Malfoy. He was going to stand strongly by his promise to Dumbledore.

All the while, the dreams about Malfoy kept coming. Each one was different, but symbolic in a way. Harry puzzled over them, trying to figure out what each one meant. They all still seemed related to the Slytherin's torture, just like the first.

It was the next dream, though, that flipped everything in a whole other direction.

- - -

Any reviews are welcome.

To be continued...