— CHAPTER TWO —

"Draco!"

Draco turned, his heart leaping at the sound of the familiar voice. Harry was striding down the hall towards him and for once he was alone. He kept walking past him, jerking his head in the direction of the dungeons as he said, "We're both going to the same place, so why don't we walk together?

Draco blinked and fell into step beside him. Harry slowed a bit to match his pace. Draco questioned, "Where are your sycophants?"

He had meant the words to be lighter than they came out but Harry only laughed. It was a sound Draco longed to hear more of. Harry said, "I'm learning how to shake them. God help me, it's sure not easy though. How have you been? I rarely see you around outside of class."

That was likely because Draco was doing his best to make himself invisible. Draco replied, "I spend a lot of time studying."

It was true enough. Harry nodded in understanding, "I really don't do enough of that. I'm so behind on everything, I don't know how I'll catch up. Maybe I can join you sometime."

Draco cast him a disbelieving look. He said slowly, "Harry, no examiner in this world would give you any less than top marks on any N.E.W.T. you decided to take."

Harry's expression fell and he ran a hand through his hair, which was still too long and too wild. He said quietly, "I know."

Draco regretted his words immediately. He scrambled for something to cheer Harry up, "You should not be unhappy about that. It is not as if you do not deserve top marks. You are likely the most powerful wizard in our history."

"But power does not equate to knowledge," Harry argued passionately, the words bursting out from him as if they had long been held back. "There is still so much I need to learn, so much I want to learn. I wouldn't have returned to school otherwise. I didn't come here for the social aspect, hell I came here in spite of it. I want to learn, Draco."

Draco blinked, taken aback that Harry would say so much to him. Harry's green eyes seared him for a moment then Harry looked away with a sigh, shoulders slumping slightly. Draco thoughtlessly reached out, placing a hand on Harry's arm, "If you want to study undisturbed, wait for me after class. I'll show you my favorite hiding place and I'll even help you with the potions homework - that has always been your worst class, hasn't it? Maybe in return you could... help me with Defense."

Those green eyes snapped back to him, searching, then Harry smiled at him, "Thanks, Draco. I would love that."

Draco dropped his hand, nodding awkwardly, hoping - praying - that he wasn't blushing.

Draco saw that Weasley looked furious when Draco walked into Potions beside Harry but Draco was too elated to even care. He was barely able to pay attention in class but he managed a decent potion anyway. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at the potion's quality, which was subpar for Draco, but the man didn't comment.

Rather than wait for him outside after the class ended, Harry stopped right by his desk, smiling at him and questioning, "You ready?"

Draco felt everyone's eyes on them, but Harry didn't seem to care so Draco wasn't about to let his nerves show. He inclined his head, slipping his bag over his shoulder and walking out with Harry. Weasley shouted, "Hey! Where are you going?"

Harry kept walking, "Studying with Draco. See you later."

Draco waited until they were out of hearing to say anything. He murmured quietly, "Is that really okay…?"

He didn't know what else to say. Harry nodded, "Don't worry about it."

"Are you and Weasley... ah, fighting?"

Harry frowned slightly, "Honestly, I don't really know, Draco. He's been acting strange ever since I got back. I think he's still upset about being left behind, when I went to America after Voldemort."

Draco flinched. Harry noticed and tried to amend his speech, "Sorry, the Dark Lord. Anyways, I don't think he is going to forgive me any time soon. I'm sorry to have broken his trust, but I cannot regret leaving him behind. Ron is my best friend, my first friend... but he is no match for Vol- the Dark Lord. I left him behind to protect him. After Hermione- I couldn't lose him too."

Harry's voice broke suddenly, raw with grief. Draco didn't know what to do. He placed his hand on Harry's arm again. Harry swallowed and whispered, "Sorry."

"Please don't be," Draco replied quietly.

Harry cast him a surprised glance then a grateful smile. He cleared his throat and questioned, "Where is this supreme hiding place?"

Draco paused in front of a tapestry portraying a forest glade and a lone white hart. He pushed it aside and stepped through the door behind, removing the spells he had placed on it. There was a long walk through a black tunnel. Harry followed after him without question. Then, the tunnel lightened and they stepped into a vast circular chamber. Harry stopped in his tracks, staring at the floor to ceiling windows that encircled the room at intervals, revealing the lake beyond. Harry breathed, "No way. We're under the lake?"

Draco nodded, "Yes."

"This is incredible, Draco. You come here often?"

"As often as I can. Nearly every day."

Pillows were piled on the floor and there were stacks of books that he had collected over the years - mostly stolen from the library. Madam Pince would be outraged if she knew. Harry questioned, "You've never brought anyone here?"

Draco shrugged a little, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal, "I do not have any friends, Harry."

Harry turned, raising a brow, "You have me."

"Yes, well," Draco swallowed, turning away, "I suppose that is why you're here."

Harry sank down on the cushions, gazing out at the lake. Draco grabbed a single cushion and moved it away from the pile a little before sitting down on it. He'd hoped Harry wouldn't notice… but of course he did. Harry sat up immediately, "Hey no, this is your pile of comfy pillows. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hog them all. You should sit over here instead."

"No, please," Draco waved his hands. "Make yourself at home. I'm fine with one cushion."

Harry groaned in exasperation and glared at him, "Draco Malfoy, I swear-"

"Really! I'm fine!" Draco insisted. "Don't worry about little old me. The savior of the wizarding world should have all the pillows he wants."

Draco bit his lip to keep from laughing, not looking at Harry. He was feeling almost giddy with excitement. He couldn't believe he'd actually brought Harry here. Being alone with his crush made him feel like a preteen girl. He had to try to maintain some dignity.

He gave a startled cry as he suddenly found himself drifting off of the ground, like a balloon cut from it's cord. He cast a frantic look at Harry as he drifted up towards the ceiling, but the other boy's smug and amused expression told Draco exactly what had just happened.

"Let me down this instant!" Draco shouted down at him, scrambling to find his wand. He spotted it lying innocently next to the pillow below him and he scowled at Harry.

"Hm," Harry replied, gazing up at him thoughtfully, "from that height I think your one cushion might not be enough."

Draco crossed his arms, "You're incorrigible. Is this how you get your way all the time?"

Harry chuckled and shrugged, "Kinda makes you regret wanting to be my friend huh?"

Those words gave Draco pause. Regret wanting to be Harry's friend? It wasn't possible. Harry tilted his head a little to the side and his gaze softened. A moment of silence passed then Harry said, "Just hang tight for a moment, I'm going to make more pillows for us and then I'll bring you down. Is that okay?"

Draco nodded. He might have been mostly powerless without his wand but he was also entirely unafraid. He relaxed against the ceiling, watching as Harry effortlessly tripled the pillows in the room without even using his own wand. Draco slowly began to drift back down from the ceiling and he landed so gently he barely felt it. The pillows were similar to the ones Draco already had in the room but significantly softer and fluffier. They were also warm, as if Harry had added warming charms.

Draco sighed in contentment and said lightly, "Harry, there are way too many perks to being your friend for me to ever regret it."

Harry grinned, his teeth flashing, "I'm happy you think so."

Draco lay there for a moment longer then found the will to push himself upright. He dug through the pillows for his wand then he summoned his school bag, "What do you want to start with?"

"How about Transfiguration? Mcgonagall is the only teacher who isn't giving me a pass on the work I missed while I was gone."

Harry referenced saving the world like some people referenced an extended stay in the hospital wing. He talked about it so casually. Then Draco frowned as something occurred to him, "Wait, you're saying Professor Snape gave you a pass?"

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, it surprised me too. Maybe it's because I saved his life but it's awfully generous of him, especially considering how much he dislikes me."

"How can you be so casual about things like that?" Draco demanded.

Harry's expression fell a little and he didn't have to ask what Draco was talking about.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Does it bother you?"

Draco hesitated then asked, "Doesn't it bother you?

Harry gave Draco a rather sad smile, "Draco, people see me as some amazing larger-than-life hero who lives this incredible life doing incredible things… I get that, but for me, it's just my version of normal. Incredible things happen to me all the time and I have to either roll with it or be dragged down. I'm… kinda tried of being dragged down, to be honest. It's over and I'm just trying to figure out what exactly makes me happy and where to go from here."

"Well, on the second thought, it is rather refreshing," Draco said. "Maybe if I gave it a try I'd feel better too."

Draco was rewarded with a beautiful smile.