So here is the next chapter for you all. Thank you again to those who reviewed/ followed /favourited this story

I don't own any of the people or places J.K Rowling so kindly created

Chapter 9

Harry lent his head back on the cold stone wall just outside the library. He tried to control his breathing as anger flowed through his veins. He was so angry! At himself and at his life and most of all her - who the hell did Tracey Davis think she was? What gave her the right to ask questions on matters that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. He silently fumed and stared moodily at the wall opposite. Anger swirled in his veins - who was she? Nosy, stuck up, inquisitive just to name a few.

Taking deep breaths Harry tried to bring his breathing and his emotions under control, anger wouldn't solve any of his problems. Pushing off the wall he wandered back down to the Slytherin Common Room musing as he went. A run would do him good - run out all his anger. Anger was the one emotion that training in the Room of Requirement didn't solve. If anything it just made the anger worse.

Changing into a loose pair of grey tracksuit bottoms and a white t-shirt, Harry grabbed his trainers from the trunk at the end of his bed and pulled them on. Walking down to the Quidditch pitch he stopped up short when he found he wasn't the only one with the idea to go there on a Sunday afternoon. A lone figure was leaning on their broom above him, deep in thought. From the green robes the person was wearing, it was obviously someone from his house Quidditch team. As Harry himself was one of the last to leave before he went to meet Davies it narrowed down the possibilities of who the mystery flyer was.

However the person on their broom decided at this time to glance down beneath them, jumping slightly when they realised they were no longer alone. Harry then realised that it was Theo. Smiling slightly Harry wandered over to the stand and sat down deciding to wait for Theo to wait up before he started his run. Up above Theo flew down towards the ground and hopped off his broom, throwing it across his right shoulder as he walked. Going over to the broom closet Theo gave the aged door a quick tug and placed his broom inside before proceeding to amble over to Harry.

"Hey" he greeted as he plonked himself down. His light brown hair was slightly damp and his cheeks pink from the sun

"Hi" Harry replied sullenly. "What were you up too?"

"Not much, just practicing a few moves for the game, and then I just got thinking about .. You know - stuff" came Theo's answer as he ran his hand through his hair.

Silence followed. Out of his two closest friends, Theo was the one that would wait out the silence, waiting for Harry to open up in his own time whereas Draco was just blunt. He said what he thought and meant what he said. Theo knew of Harry's situation - partly. He knew that someone was after him and that his parents had been murdered. However he didn't know about the attack at the manor last summer. Neither he nor Draco did - it was in Harry's better interest to keep them in the dark about that particular tit bit. Theo's patience was rewarded after about half an hour.

Sighing Harry finally opened up. "It's Davies. She's getting too inquisitive for her own good. Asking questions that she won't want to know the answers to. She can't see the flaws in her precious life and that god awful lifestyle she seems to worship. " Realising his mistake - Theo was part of that society that Harry loathed so much he muttered a quick sorry and a "I didn't mean to insult you ".

Theo was quite for a moment ,shaking off Harry's apology he'd heard it all before , while he processed the new information. " I think the thing about Davies is that she always has to know the answers. And lets face it mate, you a pretty big hole of a mystery, and Davies loves mysteries. She's not so bad once you get to know her, she's got a good heart. At least let her get to know you"

"I can't. I can't get to know anyone while that bastards out there. I'm only stuck with you and Draco because you're so stubborn and wouldn't just let me stop talking to you." He sounded bitter even to his own ears

"Harry - you've got to let people in, and I'm not just talking about Tracey here, I'm talking about people in general. None of us know when he'll be gone . It could be tomorrow or next week or even years away. You can't let him dictate your life, because one day you'll wake up and find that you'll have done nothing noteworthy and have no one there when you need them. By doing that you're letting him win." theo was pleading with him, begging Harry to wake up and realise what he was doing to himself. "You've got to start living".

With these words Theo stood up, brushed his robes and headed off to the Slytherin changing room to collect his belongings. Harry stayed seated with his arms braced against his knees. Theo's words ringing n his years. He was right - he was letting him dictate his life - and his was still angry as hell with Davies. After his talk Harry now knew that Tracey Davies wouldn't give up until she got her answers.

Following Theo's lead, Harry stood and proceeded to have a much needed run. Round and round the track he went until his lungs burned and his legs ached, screaming for a rest all the while Theo's words bouncing around in his head.

You've got to start living … You've got to start living … You've got to start living

It was nearing curfew when Harry finished up. His mind was blank as he walked back to the dungeons, zoning out the buzz in the Common Room as he moved through it. Heading to his room he huffed out a breath, his lungs still struggling slightly to draw enough air in. entering the room he was meet with the sight of Draco and Theo sitting facing each other on their respective beads deep in conversation. A conversation that quickly cut off when they caught sight of him. Both looked slightly hesitant before Theo smiled slightly and asked "All right now mate?"

Harry smirked " I was better and then I had the misfortune of seeing your ugly mugs, when all I wanted was a shower."

Theo barked out a laugh and Draco scowled, shoving Harry in the arm as he passed them on the way to his bed. Pulling out a hoodie and a pair of jeans Harry entered the bathroom. Shutting the door and turning the shower up to hot, Harry stripped off and stretched his shoulders above his head, wincing at the click before stepping into the hot spray that immediately proceeded to relax his muscles. Quickly washing and shutting off the towel he dried himself with the towel and left his hair to air dry and changed into his clothes. Bending down he collected his other clothes, stepped out the bathroom and tossed the clothes into the laundry basket ready for the House Elves to collect.

"I think I'm going to head down to the common room for a bit - you wanna come?" he questioned his two companions. Shrugging and murmering their agreement they all headed down to the common room.

She felt awful. Absolutely awful. Ever since Potter had stormed out the library earlier that day. She would have chewed all her nails off it wasn't so unlady like, she felt that guilty. She knew she had been out of line saying those things. She knew Potter was a private person yet she couldn't stop herself from opening her bit fat mouth and ruining any possible friendship they could have had. Or more her mind whispered

Trying to focus her attention of her potions essay at the tables in the Slytherin common room she found herself too distracted. The scene from the library echoing round and round her head. Pushing stray strands of hair off her face she bit the end of her quill determined to finish this essay tonight if it was the last thing she did. She was starting to make some progress with that promise when loud laughter threw off her concentration. Glancing over at the armchairs just off to the side of the fire place, Tracey saw that Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott were engaged in a game of chess and from the smirk gracing Draco' s face, she assumed that he was the one currently winning. She realised with a start that Potter was also there. Sitting off to the side of the game an opening book resting in his lap while he observed the game with a smile. He had a nice smile Tracey decided, he should do it more often. Blushing at her thoughts Tracey pushed her essay away from her and stood. Taking a calming breath, she marched over to the trio before her nerves deserted her.

She froze up when she reached the armchairs. They all glanced up. "Ermm…" she squeaked stupidly as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Glancing down at it, she cleared her throat and finally managed to stutter out "Potter, could I have a word? ", all the while they stared at her. Potter glanced at his friends before nodding curtly at her and marking the page of his book closed it with a quite snap. Once he was standing Tracey led him over to the table she was previously occupying. Rounding on him she got straight to the point

"Listen Potter, I'm so sorry for what I said earlier. I shouldn't have said it and it was so wrong of me and I'm really sorry - please forgive me" Tracey rushed out. Potter looked at her for a moment before running his hand nervously through his hair, with a look of contemplation on his face

"No you shouldn't have said those things" her heart dropped "but - I think we both got off on the wrong foot. I want to be friends with you. Why don't we start again?" Holding out his hand he introduced himself - "Hello, I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you"

Staring at his hand for a moment she smiled hesitantly and grasped his hand shaking it slightly. His hand was really warm. " Tracey" she replied shyly "Tracey Davies, nice to meet you too."

Hope you enjoyed that, and if any of you are interested I have a new story called The Lonely Souls if any of you want to read it