A/N: Thanks so much for all the faves and alerts guys. You should review this time though ^_~

Warning: This is YAOI. This means boy/boy action. If you don't like, don't read. So if I get flames, I'll ignore them, seeing as that if you didn't like it, you wouldn't read it, and if you didn't read it, you wouldn't flame. So a flame means you read despite my warning, so you're an idiot for not taking me seriously.

Setting: Hogwarts, 6th year.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

-Time change, character change-

Observations/Internal Monologues

Dream sequence

Chapter Two: Reunion

September 1st, 6th year

(Harry's POV)

Everything is Chaos. My mind is filled with a loud buzzing sensation as the wards around Grimmauld Place hum with each person's entry or exit, and their whereabouts within the wards flash in my mind. I'm not used to sensing so many people at once and it's more than a little overwhelming. I'm hiding in my now un-silenced room, listening as everyone else scrambles to get ready. I'm ready, have been for hours actually, but I'm avoiding going downstairs for as long as I can.

Ever since Dumbledore told me the prophecy, I've been prone to panic attacks rating from mild to severe. They don't happen often, but being surrounded by other people tends to be a trigger, most likely because I tend to think too much about how much danger they're all in just for being near me, and then I get to thinking…well, I won't get into that now. Best not to think about the things that I know cause me to panic.

I can sense Bill and Charlie in the living room, along with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. I know they're explaining my new aversion to crowds to my friends, but it doesn't make me feel any better. They've been at the Burrow all summer, giving me room to grieve, according to the Headmaster. I don't want to see them. I led them into a pointless battle and endangered their lives based on a false vision I should have seen through. It was my panic that caused us to rush in blindly, and it was my weakness in occlumency that got Sirius killed. They must hate me for allowing Tom to manipulate me to the point where I risked their lives along with mine.

And if they don't hate me, they'll pity me, and I don't know which is worse. I've already decided not to tell them the prophecy. I don't want them mourning me before I die, I couldn't stand to hurt them needlessly like that. I also don't want to take away their hope. They still think Dumbledore can win us this war, if they knew I was the only one who can kill Voldemort they would realize that they're doomed to die, most likely at a young age.

If I wait up here much longer though, they might come up to get me, and I really don't want them seeing my new room… I doubt that they'd understand, especially not Ron who abhors anything Slytherin. It's not my fault that my Godfather's brother was a snake.

I sigh and head downstairs, pushing at the wards of Grimmauld Place so that my room is warded from the rest of the house as well as from the outside. I don't know how I can do this any more than I know how I sense people, but it's a magic that goes undetected by the ministry, so I don't complain.

As I reach the middle of the hallway I realize I've forgotten my trunk, and I wearily head back to my room. Even the simple things seem to tire me lately, and the thought of lugging my trunk downstairs is not a pleasant one. I wish there was a way to-

The gasps startle me out of my thoughts and I look around in shock. I've no idea how, but both myself and my trunk are in the middle of the living room, exactly where I pictured myself dropping my trunk to greet everyone a moment ago. Very interesting.

"Harry!" Hermione is the first to respond.

"Hullo Herms." I whisper, refusing to look her directly in the eyes.

Bill mutters something under his breath and takes my trunk for me while Hermione throws herself at me with a sob. I don't understand why, but as she clings to me and cries into my old robe Ron awkwardly pats me on the back. I look around and see that Ginny went with Bill, otherwise we are alone. After taking a deep breath, Hermione wipes her eyes and releases me before taking a moment to just look.

I can see the wheels turning in her head and I know she's wondering how I managed to appear without the ability to apparate, without the ministry responding, not to mention being in a house with anti-apparition wards. Just as she opens her mouth to ask me about it, Bill and Charlie come back in and she shuts it again with a strange look in my direction.

"Uh, Harry? Mate?" I notice Ron is also looking at me oddly and it sets me on edge.

"Yeah?" I question cautiously.

"Why do your cloths have the… well, you know…" he gives me a pleading look, but I am genuinely confused.

"The what, Ron?"

"The Black family crest? I know… I know Sirius was your Godfather, but you know the rest of the Blacks were evil dark wizards, right?"

I frown at him. It's strange how I never really thought of him as prejudiced before, and yet he is, always has been I realize with a start.

"No. Not all of them Ron. Tonks is good, and I think Regulus might have been as well. And the only other Blacks I've met are Bellatrix, who is agreeably evil and dark, and Mrs. Malfoy, who seemed stuck up and snobbish, and most likely dark, but she didn't really come off as evil."

I see Hermione nodding her head and looking at me thoughtfully, and I know she can tell that this summer has changed me.

"Of course she's evil; anyone who raised Malfoy would have to be evil!"

"Oh really! You're so immature Ronald! It's great that you have a connection to Sirius Harry, and I for one am glad that you're proud enough to be wearing his family crest. I know it would mean the world to him to see you wearing it."

"Thank you Hermione."

"You're welcome." She smiles as Ron splutters before closing his mouth and glaring at her.

"Whatever, just go change so we can leave already. You don't want anyone seeing that thing and thinking you've gone dark-side. Although it might be worth it to see the look on Malfoy's face when he realizes that you're parading around wearing his Mum's old family crest!"

I merely cast a dark glare at him as Hermione jumps to my defense.

"Ronald Weasley! Harry can wear whatever he wants, and if he wants to wear Sirius' family crest then he has every right to as the man's godson! And I'm sure he has much better reasons to wear it than just to rub it in Malfoy's face that they're only one adoption paper away from being second cousins!"

"Of course he can- wait, what?"

"You heard me. If things had turned out differently and Sirius had adopted Harry, then he and Malfoy would be second cousins right now."

I smirk lightly as Ron pales dramatically. I force myself not to think of Sirius and the might-have-beens, but rather focus on the fact that I never really thought of how close Malfoy and I came to becoming related. I knew his mother was a Black, but I never thought about it before. I'm betting he hasn't either, and I wonder how I can use this little piece of information against him later.

"G-g-good thing they aren't though…"

"Ronald! I swear! You never think before you speak, do you!"

I tune them out as she rants at him for his deplorable lack of tact and focus instead on the presence of Bill and Charlie in the other room. I know they're listening in, making sure that I don't panic again. I'm annoyed, but touched by the care they go to on my behalf. I should have told them about my lack of school supplies, but I know they've been busy enough this summer with their own secrets. They still don't know that I could sense it when they left almost every night for three and four hours at a time.

"Hey Ron, I can hear you yelling from out front, pipe down would you?"

"You stay out of it Ginny, she'll start lecturing you next!"

"Actually, I think poor Harry here might be getting a headache from all your shouting. Give it a rest why don't you, we have a lot of loading up to do."

I blink at her, drawn out of my musings by the sound of my name. The other two manage to look sheepish, but with a nod and an apologetic smile, they drop the argument and head outside to help load up the ministry car that'll be taking us to the station.

"So, Harry, how was your summer, other than boring as hell?" Ginny asks me with a wicked smirk.

"It was… uneventful." I murmur softly.

"Really? So you didn't learn anything new or exciting about Voldemort or the order?" She pouts at me.

"No." I answer just as quietly as before. She frowns, but ploughs on anyway.

"Shame, it would've been nice to know what it is the adults are keeping from us. We were locked in the Burrow all summer; Mum wouldn't say a word about it other than that we were safe if we stayed in. What about you, with Order members coming and going all the time, surely they told you something about why we were all kept in?"

"The death toll is much higher than the papers say Gin, I'm sure that had something to do with it." I whisper, all these voices pounding in my head and the buzz of the wards like an angry bee in my ears.

"You alright there Harry?" Hermione asks as I sway lightly on my feet.

"Yeah. Just tired. I don't sleep much anymore." I just can't seem to do more than whisper; the wards seem to think that having me outside is a bad idea. Though I've no idea how wards could possibly have feelings.

Hermione nods thoughtfully as Ginny accepts my answer and closes the trunk with all of our belongings inside. The conversation is cut short as Bill and Charlie come outside, followed by Arthur and Tonks. I simply wait quietly as they usher us into the cars, and I take my seat in the back of one, thankful that it's Charlie I ride with and not his youngest siblings.

"I see you've kept the crest Harry… it's your choice, just remember that you might get negative attention for it. You can keep it hidden when you need to though, school robes are good for that at least. If there's anything you need help with, feel free to write. Hedwig can find Bill and I wherever we are, and we'd be glad to come to your aid if you need it. I know the twins feel the same. Remember, even if things get rough this year, you have allies that will support you no matter what."

"Of course…" I eye him uncertainly, not sure why he's telling me this now.

"I mean it Harry. We're here for you."

I nod slowly, and the rest of the ride is silent. When we get through the barrier at the station I look for the older Weasleys to say good-bye, but they are nowhere to be seen. I sigh and quietly follow Ron and Hermione onto the train, then head to a compartment in the back while they tend to the prefects meeting. I know they'll find me later, they always do.

As I finally get situated and the train starts to move, I allow my thoughts to drift again. I can no longer feel the wards, thank Merlin, but for about a mile out from the house I had still been able to feel them, and the buzzing had only gotten worse the farther away I had gotten. Yet somehow, I can still sense which people are in the house.

I know that right now Madam Pomfrey is arriving by floo, and that Arthur and Molly are there as well. But it's not like before where I'm immediately aware of them, I actually have to concentrate and ask myself who's there in order to know. Yet know I do, and if that isn't disorienting than I don't know what is.

I need some time to research this without Hermione around, I'm not sure why, but I don't want her knowing about this just yet. I get the feeling it might be important, especially since no one has else seems to know about it. On top of that I really need to talk to Snape when he recovers; as much as I despise the very thought of it, I need to ask him to resume my occlumency lessons.

I can't have a repeat of last year, and that aside I'm just really tired of watching people get tortured. I've grown used to not sleeping, but it's not like I can sneak outside in the middle of the night for some fresh air here, and I tend to feel claustrophobic after my visions lately. All part of that "Why can't I save anyone" feeling that's prone to making me panic.

It's going to be a busy year, but I'm going to work harder than I ever have before. I'm going to prove to Dumbledore that I'm ready for the advanced training I'll need in order to face Tom. I won't let people jerk me around anymore. I'm aware now, and now that my guard's up I won't be letting it down so easily.

It may have taken me five and a half years, but I see the manipulations I've fallen victim too, and now that I know what signs to look for I'm going to pay even closer attention to everyone around me. I'll play along as if I'm as clueless as ever, but until I understand more I'm going to have to be very careful how I handle myself. Dumbledore thinks he has me fooled, but I know he told me the prophecy when he did for a reason, I know he was counting on me feeling angry and hopeless….I just don't know why.

I have a lot to think about it seems, and a lot to keep to myself. I'm surprised to find that though I'm happy my friends don't hate me, I don't miss their presence in the compartment, and in fact find myself dreading their return. I'm noticing more about them now that I'm paying closer attention, and I only recently realized that I'm not the only one who's changed over the years. I don't really know either of them half as well as I should, and I can only hope that the children I befriended in first year are still buried in them somewhere.

I'll pay more attention to my surroundings this year, get to know them better, reconnect a bit more. It is with this goal in mind that I finally allow myself to relax and enjoy the passing scenery as the train rolls on.

(Draco's POV)

Things are so very different this year. With Father gone Mother alone is accompanying me to the station, and the lecture I get this year isn't about grades or quidditch or being the best, but rather about Malfoy pride. On the platform we hold our heads high, and though no one says anything to us directly, I can feel the stares. I kiss mum on the back of her hand in parting, I don't know when I'll see her again. Though I know she's determined to follow through with this plan, I can see a glimmer of worry flicker in her eyes before she turns away and is gone.

I board the train slowly and my steps never falter, but I am cautious. I cannot sit in my usual compartment, as Crabbe and Goyle's fathers have ordered them to have nothing to do with me. I despise politics sometimes. Still, I can count on Pansy and Blaise to find me later. Those two always seem to know where I am, and I know they could care less whether or not my father was incarcerated.

I will have to use this time to think, for after the welcoming feast I'll have to reinforce the fact that I am the Prince of Slytherin, and make everyone see that my father's arrest has little to do with it. A difficult task to be sure, but it can be done. With Father gone I am now the head of the household, even if I won't gain control of everything until I turn seventeen. Even though Father's actions have smeared the Malfoy name, I will remind everyone that I have not.

I don't bother to attend the Prefect's meeting; I know Pansy will fill me in later. Severus will forgive me… or, he would have before my father was exposed. I'm not sure what to expect from him now. He is still my Godfather, but he is Voldemort's new right-hand man, and for all I know he has orders from the Dark Lord himself to make me pay for my father's mistake.

I shiver uneasily as I head for the back of the train. I need more time to sort this all out so that I can appear perfectly composed at the feast. If I look anything other than my best others will see it as a weakness and zone in on me. I cannot appear to be anything other than in complete control of the situation. I must command attention in the way that Malfoys always do, with regal poise and dignity, and a mask that keeps others wondering what exactly we're planning.

So deep in thought am I that I am startled to find myself standing in an empty hall in front of a closed door near the very back of the train. I blink a few times before quietly opening the door, hoping it's empty. The scene inside freezes me to the spot. Harry Potter is alone in the compartment, eyes closed and head resting against the window. He hasn't noticed me, and I take advantage of the moment to study him.

He looks… different. His hair is longer and not as wild, and his cloths seem to actually fit him for once. There's a corner of a design showing on his shirt, but he's turned at an angle so I can't make out the design. His shoes are black and well-shined, and the black jeans hug his much too thin frame. Obviously he's not been eating enough, so something's bothering him. His clingy black shirt also reveals how unhealthily thin he is, though he doesn't appear to be thin enough to have anorexia or any other eating disorder. The circles under his eyes are a good sign of how tired he really is, and the shadows reflected in his green eyes make him seem a touch intimidating…wait a minute… 'fuck!'

A/N: sorry for the long wait, but I've had a hell of a lot going on lately. Hope this chapter isn't quite as boring as I think it is, but I promise it gets better. Not a single review last chapter, but plenty of faves and alerts. So please review loves, they give me the much needed motivation to keep on writing!