Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything connected with it, just this plot.

A/n I'm so sorry about this really, really late update. But work has been hectic and not to mention school as well as co-op which requires me to work a second job for free. Can you believe it? Anyways, Writer's block has definitely not been kind to me. So that is also to blame for this very long and overdue update. Now I had it all written up, but then my computer broke down, so my brother tried to fix it and ended up destroying it even more. So I lost everything, so now I had to start this chapter all over again. So it'll probably be a little off. Once again I'm so sorry. I hope you enjoy it anyways.

Xx Harry Potter and the Unforgettable Destiny xX

I know there's something out there I think I hear it move I've never felt like this before I wish you never told me I wish I never knew I wake up screaming It's all because of you So real these voices in my head When it comes back you won't be Scared and lonely-Scared by Three days grace

Chapter 18

Xx Scared xX

When Harry woke up, the first thing that came to mind was that soon he would be out of their and back at Hogwarts. Then as he looked around his room, he realized it was Christmas. Then the third thing was that there was going to be a duel in less then one month's time against the master himself. Harry groaned. He felt drained for the first time in a long time, after waking up from a comfortable if not pleasant sleep. What else was knew? Sighing he dragged himself up right, and pulled back his coverings. There was a pile of presents sitting at the end of his bed. His eyes widened in surprise, but at the moment he wasn't interested in opening presents, he needed to start working out if he wanted to keep up with Voldemort.

Harry grabbed his only pair of jeans and slipped them on, and then he walked over to his closest and picked up his green shirt, and then pulled on his black robe. He looked outside and was glad to see that the weather wasn't too bad for a run. Grabbing his heavier cloak Harry draped it around him and set off for a run.

Draco rolled onto his side, his head hurt a bit and he wasn't sure why. He knew he didn't drink last night, he hadn't touched anything alcoholic since he became friends with Harry, they were too busy training to become strong enough to fight Voldemort, well Harry was at least. Draco was only trying to be strong enough to at least live a little longer then the rest. He groaned and sat up; at the foot of his bed were a pile of presents. Draco smiled, he loved Christmas. He decided to go see if Harry was up yet before he opened his presents. He liked the idea of having someone around when he opened them. Draco sighed, how is it that he was becoming dependent on people? Damn it Harry, your affecting my head he thought to himself.

He threw off the covers and pulled on his clothes, making sure they were clean and unwrinkled. Then he found his robe and pulled that on as well. Finally happy that he looked presentable, he left his room and walked down to Harry's. He knocked but heard no response, thinking he was still asleep he opened the door to find that the bed was empty. There was a pile of presents at the foot of the bed still unopened. There was no sign of Harry in the room. Panic filled Draco's head, where could he have gone? Did Voldemort finally loss patience and kill him? Oh man, what am I going to do?

Draco quickly turned around and ran out of the room. He came to a halt before the stairs, then finally making up his mind he tore down them, and continued to run through the large mansion till he faced the Dungeon doors. He took a deep breath, not sure how Snape was going to take the news. He opened the doors and glanced in, Snape was sitting in front of a boiling cauldron. Draco cleared his throat which made Snape look up. "What do you want Draco?"

"Um, Professor, I can't find Harry" Draco said quite nervously. Professor Snape stood up fast, a worried expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Snape demanded.

"I mean, he's not in his room, and He never told me what he was planning to do tomorrow." Snape started pacing, and Draco having lost his entire cool demeanor stood their, shaking slightly.

"Well it doesn't mean anything drastic has happened. Maybe he went out for a walk, or an early bite to eat and you both just missed each other." Snape rattled on, hoping that's all it was. He knew that the Dark Lord was getting impatient with Harry, since he still didn't seem to be warming up to him. Snape could only imagine the worst, and he didn't understand why he still cared. Harry was just like his father in so many ways. But also like Lily A niggling voice said in his head. Severus silently cursed his thoughts for remembering that bit of information.

Harry sighed with pleasure, the cool air washed over his skin in an almost soft caress, easing out the tension that had been building up since he had been inside that house. He knew that just a little bit of fresh air and a jog was all he needed to feel more into the Christmas spirit. He remembered Christmas with the Dursley's, they were never pleasant, at least for him. He never received anything except maybe another bruise to add to the many that he had already accumulated. Harry shook his head free of those thoughts, and began to jog around the perimeter of the large mansion. His shoulder length black hair wiped around his face, making him wince a bit, but he was use to pain and just continued his jog, speeding up after a while.

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, a small ache started up in the middle of his chest, but he ignored it. Straining his muscles he began his second lap of the building, the rising of the sun glinting off his glasses. Sweat coated his skin, and made the glasses slip down his nose; out of frustration he swiped them off, and put them in his pocket, still keeping a steady pace. Soon the pain was gone, and his muscles felt a little weak, but he didn't mind, he kept going. He felt exhilarated, with adrenaline running through his veins, driving him faster and harder through the coming if the rising sun. He had never felt so free, well, besides the first time on his broom, but this was different. It was like as he ran, something inside of him was finally leashed. It brought a smile to his face, a true smile. He never thought he could ever be happy again, but all of a sudden, out here, alone, something finally came to him.

He still blamed himself for so many of the deaths, because he knew that if no one had ever known him, even more if he had never existed, then nothing that has happened could ever happen. With out him there would have been no prophecy, and without a prophecy, most likely no Lord Voldemort. Somehow, running till he could no longer tell which side was up, it was like he was able to break down the things he had blocked from his mind, things that had been devastating to him. There was no other explanation; it was like his mind never wanted him to truly understand the depth of his power, but with everything that had happened so far, it gave him no choice. The string holding his sanity and his love finally after being wound so tight, loosened. No, he could never lose what was inside of him, but he could learn to use it to his advantage, to create the biggest barrier ever.

But with all brooding aside, Harry new that he was going to have to improve everything about himself, physical endurance, mental stability, as well as emotional fixation. He needed to learn how to control his temper, and make it his biggest weapon, not his weakness. Voldemort knew how to irritate him, to the point that he was ready to kill him, but he had to control it, and make himself more resistant against attack. All he had on his side against Voldemort, was surprise, if he could find away to catch Voldemort unawares, then maybe he could beat him. He didn't need more fame, or to be a hero as most people liked to think he was. All he wanted was the threat to be gone, and to leave him alone. To give him the life he had always wanted just to be a normal kid.

Somewhere deep inside, he knew he would never get that dream, but he knew that someone somewhere would. All he wanted to do was make the Wizarding world a safer place, so Wizards could once again learn without fear, or thoughts of war. Life was a strange prospect for him, some days he was surprised to wake up and realize that everything that had happened wasn't just a dream. It was disconcerting to know, that he was the only one who could change what the outcome of this war will be. He could train himself and fight with every ounce of power he possessed, or he could give up and let everyone else take care of Voldemort's plague of misfits he liked to call the death eaters. Sighing Harry stopped running; he knew that as long as he lived, he could never let anyone deal with Voldemort; even though he didn't want to he knew he had no choice.

He took in a few deep breaths before he turned back and walked up the path to go back into the mansion. Looking down at his watch he was surprised to see that he had been outside in the cold for over 2 hours. Smiling slightly he climbed up the steps and stepped into the warmth of the hall. He probably went around the mansion 10 times as he wandered through his confused brain. Feeling strengthened from what he had discovered, he ran up stairs to take a quick shower, and to change his sweat soaked shirt. He was going to have to search through Draco's closet for a pair of pants till his were washed.

He ran to Draco's closet, rifled through some of his pants until he found a pair that looked like they would fit him, folded it over his arm and ran into his own room where he threw the pants on to his bed, went to his own closet where he found another shirt and threw that on top of the pants. Then he stripped down and walked into the bathroom. He turned the water on, and let it run till the water warmed up enough. Then he grabbed one of the fluffy white towels on the chair and put it on the towel hanger beside the tub, and then he climbed into the bathtub.

He sighed as the hot water washed over his surprisingly frigid body. He never knew that he was actually cold until he felt the piercing heat of the water against his skin. Wincing he picked up a cloth and began to rub it over his body hoping to warm up some of his limbs. He was surprised to find that he hadn't gotten a frost bite yet. It was a little eerie to know that, all the time he was outside that he could not feel the cold, it was like during his run their was a barrier around him, not letting any harm come to his body. It was just a weird acknowledgement. Harry finished up his shower then he stepped out, wrapped the warm fluffy towel around his midsection and walked into his room.

There he sorted through his clothes, and after drying off, he donned them and lay back on his bed. He could feel the hunger in his belly almost like a strange fire kindled within. Sighing he stood, and made his way downstairs. He realized that he had forgotten about his breakfast, smiling wryly at his own foolishness he made it into the kitchen, where Draco and Snape sat. When they saw him they gave surprised gasps, before Snape stared at him accusingly. "Where were you?" He asked harshly.

Harry looked at them bewildered, then shrugging he started to butter some toast. "I went out for a jog; the air in here was stifling and causing me headaches. So I decided the cool Christmas air might clear my head a bit." He glanced over his shoulder at the 2 people curiously, "Why does it matter?" he questioned. Both men glanced at each other before shrugging and ignored him. Shaking his head, Harry found the bacon and began to make himself some breakfast, nibbling on the buttered bread as he waited.

Draco sat in the kitchen and watched Harry curiously. Why would he all of a sudden go jogging in this 0 below freezing weather? It doesn't make sense; he would have become an icicle for the length of time that he's been gone. Did he go back to the school, or maybe pay a visit to Ron or Hermione? Maybe he did and just didn't want anyone to know, but he should know he could trust him and Severus, they were on his side. Draco studied Harry critically, and noticed small things that everyone else was able to shrug away. Harry was still way to thin. Even after all his years at Hogwarts, these battles haven't been doing anything for him, and now with his rigorous training and jogging, there's no way he'll be able to keep a healthy weight. Worry kept jumping inside him, and he hated it. Why should he begin to care about this person, when they had been enemies since they first set eyes on each other, and all of a sudden they become friends from a misfortunate encounter? Things just didn't happen, and yet Draco feared what fate had set before him. He knew the adventures and dangers that Harry had ever faced, though he mocked him in public, privately he awed him; this scrawny uneducated child was able to face the most feared lord and survive.

It was unheard of, yet he saw proof in the haunted emerald green eyes. Draco felt an ache begin to start where his heart was, and with anger and impatience pushed it away, he couldn't soften, not now, not when his life held in the balance of Harry's faith. This young Emerald eye boy was the answer to finally ridding the world of the most feared dark lord to ever exist, and he meets his fate with not fear but disgust. Disgust at what the world throws at him, and how a boy not even of age has to fight for a cause that was thrust upon him, not something he chooses to fight. Draco knew now that everything that has ever happened in Harry's life was not by his choice, but of something that had already been foreseen, and now he must deal with it, in his mind alone. What the raven haired boy didn't understand was that he would never be alone, Draco wouldn't allow it, and neither would Hermione or Ron. Sighing Draco turned back to the paper that lay in front of him. There was just a bunch of news on the up coming elections for a new Minister. Fudge was stated as insane with all his babble on Harry and Dumbledore being crazy blubbering fools. Draco bit back a laugh when he remembered last year's chaotic mess. He knew that Voldemort was back, but he had enjoyed Harry's reputation being destroyed and now, he wasn't so sure anymore.

He was confused at what he felt towards the troubled teen. They had so much in common but were so different. Draco looked at his home life with cold disdain, but Harry thought of it as what he had brought on himself. He felt as if he deserved most of the hits he had received, Draco thought that Harry was messed up. But the more he thought on it the more he realized it was because he never experienced anyone treating him with respect, he grew up with the beatings, he was unable to turn to someone who would be compassionate to him, and show him true love. Draco was fortunate to find that within his mother on good days, and sometimes he had to find it for her, just so he knew that he wasn't the worthless child his father made him out to be when he was younger. The beatings and jibes had lessened as he got older, because he became smarter at eluding his angry father. Draco could only suspect that the beatings got worse for Harry because as he got older strange things happened more abundantly. Draco only wished he hadn't been so stupid by making Harry an enemy.

Harry quickly ate his breakfast and then asking if Draco checked on Neville left the room to resume his training session. He made it to the sparring room, where he set about conjuring the dusty and useless furniture into work-out machines. He moved over to the station that he set up which held all the free weights. He started on the 60 pound weight and began his curls, building up his muscles.

Neville woke up alone in Draco's room. He hadn't been comfortable sleeping anywhere near the Slytherin, but he knew he could trust Harry and so he was created a bed in Draco's room, and slept surprisingly soundly. Sighing he stretched and pulled himself out of the warm cocoon the bed had become, and he quickly dressed himself. As he was walking down the hall to breakfast he heard a strange pounding noise in the sparring room, silently he turned and peeked in through the gap of the door and the wall. He saw the Sparring room was filled with a bunch of strange looking equipment, and there was Harry standing in front of a large bag hanging from the wall, and he was wearing some kind of padding on his hands. He was punching the bag with ferocious intent, Neville felt a little sorry for the bag, even though he knew it wasn't a real living thing. Neville was confused why Harry would be doing this instead of working on his magic. But what he didn't know was the point of this heavy looking bag, and what it would do to Harry's already well toned body. Neville was wary and he decided to leave before Harry caught him spying. He quickly finished his route down to the kitchens and came face to face with his worst nightmare, Professor Snape sitting in the kitchen, reading the daily prophet. Neville pulled up short, and took a quick glance around. No one else was here; he felt his heart rate increase and was worried that he was going to have a panic attack. He quickly back tracked, turning around and running back up the stairs. He wasn't ready to face his potions teacher, not yet, especially not here where he had a million allies, and Neville only had one, maybe two including Draco.
Severus watched from the corner of his eyes, Neville running out of the room. Sighing he put the paper down, rubbing between his eyes. A headache was coming on. He didn't understand any of what was going on. Harry was acting strangely, pushing even Draco away. What was he planning, it must be something big, probably something he feels only he could accomplish on his own, and no one else is allowed to know about it. He was impossible; the kid just didn't know when to let other people figure things out. He took his responsibility seriously, almost as if it was against whom he was if he let other people figure things out. Severus was scared, and he hated to admit it, but that was the only thing he could feel at the moment for Lily's son. One day he was going to get himself in deep trouble, and he won't be able to find a way out. Severus was trying to figure out a way to help, to get him to realize the danger he is in, but nothing came to mind, sighing with resignation he realized, Harry was on his own.

A/n Once again i'm sooooo sry for the late update...I hope this helps out...I don't know when the next chapter will be up by...but hopefully it doesn't take as long as this one...wow..almost 5 months...soooo sry...don't kill me please..