More angst on the way…

Okay, so I've gotten a couple of messages lately about Harry and Draco and their ages during the second year. They should be 12 in canon years, but since this is a romance fanfiction I decided that I would make them 16. This is to soothe my conscious about having preteens engaged in intense romantic relationships. I didn't feel like I could have them in another year because after the second book, their relationship starts to become more and more strained and other plot points start interfering. Hope that clears some stuff up!

Also, some of you might have noticed that summer is done… and I'm not finished… I really apologize. This story went much longer than I expected… I'm sorry… kowtows

Disclaimed…

Harry sat there pretending to listen to his friends. Their voices seemed so quiet compared to the noise that swamped the Great Hall. Not to mention that Harry was having a hard time focusing on anything at the moment.

He ate slowly, mechanically getting the substance on his plate to his lips. He didn't deem it important enough to actually taste what he was eating, that energy was being used elsewhere.

His friends noticed his inactivity and had tried multiple times to pull him back into a conversation, but were continuously met with failure. Each time they didn't succeed, they kept asking if he was all right.

It was starting to annoy Harry actually, the constant attention that his friends were heaping on him. But he was able to quash that small flame of anger each time it erupted, calming his voice and face to tell them that "No, Hermoine, I really am feeling fine!" and "Just tired is all, Ron."

The trio was leaving the Great Hall when Prof. McGonagall called him out. He wandered over, forcing a polite look of interest to push its way onto his face.

"It has been brought to my attention by a colleague that something is bothering you, Mr. Potter," Mrs. McGonagall started off, folding her hands in front of her skirt. "I just wanted you to know that if there is anything I can do to help, I am always here to listen." Her voice was crisp as usual, but her face showed a small trace of concern that surprised Harry.

"Professor, I feel fine," Harry lied, "Whoever thought I have a… problem, is mistaken."

McGonagall pursed her lips into a look Harry was all too familiar with. "I see. Well I was surprised when he brought it to my attention. But if you are sure nothing is wrong Mr. Potter, I will be going now." She turned and stepped away from him, her back as straight as a board and her movements crisp for her age.

Harry stared after her for a second before moving to return to his friends. 'So a teacher is worried about me,' Harry mused, waving off the concern his friends were showing him. 'I wonder who it was…" The thought floated away as his mind was forced back to the present.

"I could totally see it!" A Slytherin girl crowed from a few feet away.

Hermoine and Ron glanced at her confused, as Harry felt his blood run cold at that screechy voice. She was one of the people from yesterday!

Harry couldn't help himself, his head turned against his will, his eyes lifting to look at the group. Sweat built against the back of his neck.

The girl was pointing at his group. "Does he pay you!?" She asked Harry, her voice echoing in the halls.

Ron leaned forward, "What the hell's that about?" His confusion coloring his voice and face.

Harry forced himself to swallow; trying to get his throat wet enough to speak. "I have no idea." He murmured, robotically. He took a step away from the Slytherin group who was howling with laughter.

He wasn't sure how his face looked at the moment. He wasn't sure how his voice had sounded when he answered. But he was sure that what he thought was just a problem for him had now expanded to his best friends.

The pain was welling up again, a flood that drowned the flame of anger that had been sparking during the day. The voices of yesterday fluttered into the cold space, washing over and over what Draco had said. Harry couldn't make it stop for the whole day. His own personal tormentor was trapped inside his own head.

His next classes swooped past in a mix of panicked thoughts, as Harry wondered how he could possibly save his friends from torment. Dinner arrived too quickly, leading to Harry once again sitting across from his friends. He tried to ignore the world, but the annoying sniggering and catcalls coming from the table behind him was driving him mad.

"I'll see you in the room," Harry bit out to Hermoine and Ron as he clambered from the table. He barely kept a walking pace as he ran from the Great Hall, jeers following him out.

He moved down the silent hallways quickly, keeping his head down as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He turned a corner into yet another empty hall, finally allowing himself to stop and take a breath. He breathed in the cold air of the coming winter when footsteps sounded behind him. Not wanting to be caught alone, Harry began to move forward.

"Harry!" Harry froze in his motion, begging life not to do this to him. To not have that person calling him right now.

Harry slowly turned around, seeing Draco's pale aristocratic face. His stomach turned over.

"Hey, are you doing alright?" Draco asked, concern lacing through his eyes as he approached the other boy. He was about a foot away from Harry when he finally stopped. "I saw you leave early, and Granger and Weasley were looking worried so…" Draco looked off to his right, seeming to scrutinize the wall there.

'…Mudblood stench…' '…the blood traitors need some pride…"

'Is that what he's thinking now?' Harry wondered, his mind feeling disconnected from the emotions that were starting to rage.

Draco glanced back at the other boy, before looking off to the left, seeming to decide to stare down a statue there. "You should ignore those people," He murmured.

Harry stared at the blond, trying not to let the disbelief show on his face. His feelings stilled from their frantic mess.

"Their just trying to get a rise out of you," Draco said, "Uncouth idiots shouldn't even be allowed in Slytherin." A sneer formed over his face at the thought of his housemates. "They are pathetic, really, so just ignore them."

Some part of him growled deep inside. Anger started to heat up Harry's stomach. His eyes narrowed as the emerald of them shown with harsh light. His fist clenched by his side.

"I don't know why I even put up with them," Draco continued, glancing down at his foot. If he was any one else, they might have scuffed their foot. "But just so you know, if you need anything I'll always be around. Like if you need to blow off steam…"

He lifted his head too slowly to see the fist coming at his face, so the attack took him completely by surprise.

Draco staggered back, his feet tripping up and he landed on his back. He pushed himself up just in time to see Harry's face.

"Go to hell, Malfoy," Harry hissed at the sitting boy. He then twisted and stalked away, teeth clenched.

"Harry…?! Ha… Potter! Wait! …What…" Draco yelped out, trying to stand up quickly.

Harry burst into a sprint.

'So this is what rage feels like.'

Well that took a lot longer than necessary… hope you like it! Sorry it's so slow. School takes a lot of time out of my free time.