Draco sighed as he walked to his bed, flinching at the loud laughter from the other boys as he bumped into his nightstand. Honestly, sometimes these children were...exactly that. At least Harry was quiet. Quiet and calm and sleeping in Draco's bed again. Wait. Draco frowned and walked over to Harry. "Harry? Are you alright?"

"Fine," Harry yawned as he cracked an eye open. "Why?"

"I just...wanted to make sure," Draco said with a weak grin. "Alright. Night." He turned back around and fell into his bed. There was a sound of either annoyance or amusement from Harry, the child struggling for a moment before tugging the blankets over Draco.

"On a bright note, no one thinks you're the Heir of Slytherin anymore."

"They probably think it's the both of us, actually."

"I think the general opinion is either me, or both of us. Rumors about how one of us went after Flint because of the Quidditch match and how it turned out."

Draco sighed, shaking his head. "This is all mixed up." This wasn't going how it was supposed to. Slytherins didn't get petrified. The fact that one had just made it seem like they really were to blame. He really was changing things now.

"Tell me about it," Harry mumbled, Draco glancing over to see he was on his stomach and staring at the headboard. "Maybe the sorting hat was right."

"About what?" Draco twisted until he was on his side facing Harry. He gave Harry a sweet smile, running a hand through his hair. It served to relax him, at least, Harry leaning into the touch with a soft sigh.

"About me being in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor."

Draco smiled. "I think you would have been great."

"You wouldn't have been there, though," Harry forcibly blew the bangs that were covering his scar. "And then I'd probably be stuck at the Dursleys still instead of being here."

Draco tilted his head at that. "What do you mean?"

"You're the one who broke me out of my house over the summer, in case you're forgetting. You also scared Uncle Vernon into leaving me alone for most of it at the end of last year. Plus I'd have no idea what I was doing without you telling me about all of this. I just... I'd be lost without you."

"...Without me, you wouldn't have been locked up to begin with," Draco said quietly, running a hand through Harry's hair.

"You don't know that for sure," Harry yawned once more, and oh. Playing with his hair did make him tired, didn't it? "Maybe where you're from, that other timeline, the same thing happened to me there."

Draco paused and thought about how much he'd talked about perfect Potter to any who would listen that summer before second year. "Probably. Without me, it wouldn't have happened."

"So you're pretty important to me no matter what timeline," Harry laughed, squirming closer and half-laying on top of Draco. "Good to know." Draco laughed softly, holding Harry close.

"I guess so, huh? Let's get some sleep. It was a long day."

::

Draco was half focused on his book, half focused on Harry from where he was pacing back and forth across the room. "Maybe I should apologize to Justin- Or, you know, explain myself! I mean, he didn't know I was telling the snake to back off, and I usually get along alright with him." Draco rolled his eyes at that.

"Justin can go-" Draco glanced to Neville and Dean still in the Room. "Shove it. He obviously knows nothing about you." Groaning, Harry moved to collapse across the end of Draco's bed.

"Still. Do you think I should go find him? We have Herbology off cause of the snow storm, so he's probably in the library or something."

"I think you'll be fine." Draco blinked, and a moment later, he was sitting in a different position on the bed.

His legs were over the side, and his book was set down beside him. As well, Harry was nowhere to be seen. Draco frowned and looked up at Dean. "What just happened?"

"What?" Dean looked up from where he was doing homework of his own and... He didn't have that much done a second ago, did he? "It's been quiet since you and Harry left."

"Left?" Draco frowned before his eyes grew wide. "What did I say? What did I do? Has there been another attack?" Draco looked around his bed as best he could but there was no sign of the Diary... Was it just so connected to him, now?

"Whoa, whoa, calm down." Dean slipped off his bed and walked over, looking a bit concerned. "You said something about going with Harry to get a book from the library where he wanted to talk to Justin. Then you just got back. I mean, you looked a bit tired, but that's about it... Why do you think there would be another attack?"

"Because- I-" Draco groaned and stood, walking out. "I have to go find Harry." He couldn't believe- It had to have been the diary. There was no other reason for him to suddenly be missing memories like that! Granted he had thrown it out the window, but... It had to have been. How else would he suddenly be missing time-

Time. The Time Twister. What if this time wasn't the Diary? He'd used the Time Twister to gain time. To give himself seven years. What if in return, he had to lose time? That... That couldn't be possible, could it? Although, he had been warned there could be side effects. It wasn't like it was thoroughly tested magic. Was this one of the prices he had to pay? Lose time in order to gain it? But what did that mean. How did he act when he 'lost' time. Like himself? Or like... Like how he'd been at this age the first time. Instead of walking around now, Draco was sprinting and panicking. He had to find Harry and figure out what happened.

Finding the first group of people he could, he walked up to them. Maybe they had seen Harry, since the library wasn't too far from here. "Can you believe it?"

"I know! I didn't think Potter would be the Heir, but there he was. Right in front of Justin and Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I just can't believe a ghost got petrified like that."

Draco's eyes widened. The Diary. It had been the Diary. But how? "You lot. Potter. Where is he right now?" The group - first and second years it looked like - went silent at once, all of them staring at him with wide eyes.

"D-Dumbledore's office." The first year was the first to speak, hiding behind one of the others. "Please don't have him petrify us!"

"No- No! Shut up, it's not him!" Draco shook his head, hurrying to wait outside Dumbledore's office. It was incredible how much of a relief he felt when he saw Hagrid was there as well, looking nervous.

"Draco! There ya are! Was wonderin' where you went after seein' you- Don't worry, don't worry. Was in there meself just a moment ago. Dumbledore doesn't think Harry did it."

"You saw me? When?" Draco stared at him with wide eyes. He'd seen Hagrid? Talked to him? How much had Tom done? How long had it been?

"'Course I did. Just a bit ago when you two were leavin' the library. Said you were headin' back up to the dorms. Must've heard what happened- To think they all believe Harry did this! Just isn't right. Wrong place at the wrong time, mark me words. Potters are good at that."

"Do you know how long they'll be? I need to talk to Harry now. It's important!"

"Won't be much longer, I expect. Draco, are you alright? You look worse than Harry when I saw 'im!"

"Yeah... Think I'm catching something." Draco paced the width of the hallway, arms crossed against his chest tightly. He couldn't believe this was still happening. He had stopped it. He had stopped it.

It could have been seconds or minutes before Harry was coming down on the steps, looking rather small and drawn in on himself. Draco launched himself at Harry, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy. "Harry- It happened- In the dorm- Or happened again."

"Wha-" Harry's arms were around Draco just as quickly, although he seemed startled. "What do you..." Harry went tense in his arms at once, breathing seeming to stop. "The journal?"

"Last I remember, I was reading in the dorm and telling you not to worry about yesterday and Finch-Fletchley." Draco tugged Harry away, hiding his shaking hands.

"We were together until after the library, and that couldn't have been more than ten minutes since the attack?" Harry slowed his speed a bit, looking hesitant. "I guess you didn't hear what they said about me in the library, then."

"No- Why? What did they say? Harry, what did I say?"

"Just that you wanted to come with me in case I needed you, and then after we ran into Hagrid you said you were going back up to the dorms to start packing for the hols."

Draco shook his head. "That wasn't me, that was him. Harry- I don't remember any of this."

"But we got rid of the journal- You threw it out the window. There's no way it could still be controlling you when you aren't writing in it... Right?"

"I don't know!" Draco gripped Harry's robes tightly. "I'm scared." This was terrifying. It was one thing to be forced to follow Voldemort like he had, but now he wasn't even in control of himself in this- This mess. He... He didn't know what to do here.

"If it helps, it's not just you." Harry was wrapped around Draco tightly in a moment, hugging him close. "Come on, let's get back to the dorms. We'll... We'll figure this out, Draco."

::

"We have to tell them." As soon as they had reached the dorms Harry had pushed them into Draco's bed and tucked the curtains around them, closing off their space to where it felt small and safe. Draco appreciated it more than he could say.

"Are we sure the journal was behind all this? Yeah it was taking you over, but it's gone now. Maybe it's something else?"

"Harry," Draco said with a shake of his head. The first time, Mrs. Norris got petrified. Last time, it was Flint. Every time he takes me over, someone gets petrified. This time, it was Justin and Nicholas."

"Should we tell a teacher about this? Dumbledore?" Harry had at some point laid down next to Draco, relaxed against him. "They might know something about all of this."

"I don't know if we should go that far. Just... We'll Wait until after holiday. If during all of holiday it doesn't happen, I think we'll be fine."

"At least we'll be out of the school soon, and all the rumors going around now." Ah, yes. Everyone currently thought Harry was the Heir, didn't they? Draco nodded.

"Just a couple more weeks," he said with a smile. They all needed a break, he and Harry especially. At least Draco had the benefit of sometimes knowing what was happening, or what would happen. Harry knew nothing.

"Hey, Draco..."

Draco tilted his head as best he could, curling around Harry. "Hey what?"

"What... What kind of things did people say, after that attack by Vol- By You-Know-Who. About me?"

"What do you mean? You mean when you were a baby?"

"Yeah. Like I know about 'the Boy Who Lived' stuff but was there anything...else?" Harry shifted, looking uncertain.

"...Most of the wizarding world thought you were the Savior. Some, like my family, thought you were the new Dark Lord. Even better and more powerful than the last."

"Yeah, that's about what Macmillan and the others said. That he went after me because he didn't want the competition," Harry muttered, hiding his face. "What if they were right?"

Draco shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "Trust me, they're not. Think about how you feel about hurting muggles you don't know just because they're muggles."

"What's them being muggles have to do with anything?" Harry looked up with a frown. "I'd feel bad no matter what they were."

"Exactly. Voldemort, he enjoyed hurting muggles. And that's the point of it all. You don't want to do that."

"So I'm not going to be the next dark wizard or anything, right? I don't have some weird magic no one else does?" Well... Potter had always had more magic, but not stronger.

"You're not going to be the next Dark Lord, no. The only thing you can do most others can't is speak Parseltongue." Nodding, Harry relaxed against Draco with a sigh.

"So we're telling Ron and Hermione about this?"

"We probably should... Can it wait until after holiday? I don't want to worry them."

"It can definitely wait." That was three attacks, which meant there should be... One more?

They had time.

::

Draco knocked on the door, entering when given permission. He smiled sweetly. "Uncle Sev."

"Whatever you're here to ask me for, the answer is no."

"I wasn't going to ask you for anything," Draco pouted, looking as cute as he could. He only had so much longer he could get away with acting like this, and if it got him what he wanted, he would do it as often as possible.

"Draco, I helped raise you. I know when you're after something," Severus sighed, absently flicking his wand and cleaning up after his latest Potions class. "What do you want."

"Well, it's just that... You assign so much homework over hols and half your students don't even do it, so assigning so much is a waste, especially since no matter what, you end up spending at least one class hour on review. Really, you're only creating more work for yourself."

"I'm curious, did you honestly believe that would work?" There was no need for him to be so rude about it. "How are you and Harry coping with the latest bout of trash that constitutes as 'gossip' these days."

"I should have waited until you were in a better mood," Draco said, crossing his arms with a pout. "We're surviving."

"I'm hardly ever in a 'better' mood," Severus rolled his eyes, tousling Draco's hair as he wiped the board clean and replaced it with instructions on how to brew Draught of the Living Death. Must have been preparing for his N.E.W.T class. "At least you two will be at the Manor for the next few weeks. And yes, Narcissa does tell me everything."

Draco frowned at that. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind..." Tell one of them his secret, he told the other. Good to know. He had forgotten how close the two were... It was unbelievable he had, considering Severus had made an unbreakable vow with his mother to keep him safe.

"Aren't you supposed to have a Charms lesson in a few minutes?"

"You don't know that for sure," Draco said with a smirk.

"Mm." Severus gave him a rather dry look, getting the last line of instructions on the board before sixth year students began walking in, looking dead and lifeless. Just as Draco remembered. "Go to class, Draco."

"Fine. But I'll be back."

"Of course you will be. You have a Potions class after lunch, today."

::

"Right, so I think that's everything." Harry huffed and puffed as he sat on top of his trunk, looking exhausted and ready for a good nap. "I forgot how many clothes you and your mom bought me before school this year."

"Isn't it nice?" Draco fell back onto his bed, smiling brightly over at him. "We get to go home." Home to his manor, not that sad and depressing pit of despair it had been after the war.

"Yeah..." Harry laughed, a short, incredulous noise of surprise. "Yeah, we do, don't we?"

Draco tugged Harry over, grabbing him tightly and curling around him. "I'm glad I get to spend Christmas with you."

"Oh- I- Ah- Too! Me too! I'm glad! Really glad, aha, yeah, um, yes. Do you- Is there anything else? To pack?" Poor thing was blushing red as could be. He was still probably nervous and embarrassed when Draco caught him off guard with hugs.

"Nope. That should be all of it." Draco stared up at the ceiling, laughing quietly. "We get to go home, tomorrow." He was caught off guard as Harry moved to suddenly be sitting on top of him, grinning down at him so Draco was now looking at him instead of the ceiling.

"It's gonna be great. Do I have to wear anything special for the ball your parents are throwing? I should get them some Christmas presents. What do you think I should get them? Is Severus going to be there? I should get him something too! I've been thinking of telling them about the Dursleys and everything- I really won't have to go back to the Dursleys this summer if I ask them? Are you sure? Because I can still go back to Privet Drive, it's okay if I have to-"

"I promise, Harry, it'll be alright. If they disagree, I'll kick up a stage four. Maybe even a stage five." Draco grinned at that. "Uncle Sev will probably be there for some of the time, though not all of hols. And you just have to wear formal robes, though I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed to one of your muggle suits."

"I have a suit- I remember you mom making me get a suit because I didn't want to get formal robes. Yeah, okay- What do you mean by stage four and five?" Harry settled down to get him comfortable, hands braced against Draco's chest. This kid was adorable, really.

Draco smirked. "I have different levels of fits."

"Different levels?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Fits... Like tantrums?"

"Yes, exactly." Draco looked at him before sighing. "Stage one is normal enough, pouting and whining, stage two is when I start to raise my voice and stamping my foot and all, stage three I start yelling and occasionally cursing, kicking beds and the like. Stage four is when I start destroying things and screaming, and stage five is when I start crying along with everything else. I rarely have to pull that one out."

"I... I'm not sure how to react to this information," Harry finally admitted, looking down at Draco as if trying to solve a puzzle. "I have never seen you throw a- Well, no... I think I"ve seen a few stage ones and a two. Maybe four when we were down with the Philosopher's Stone."

"Yes, exactly. I was being an effective distraction and nuisance." Draco beamed up at Harry.

"You're ridiculous," Harry laughed, shifting to where he was laying out over Draco. "And comfortable."

"Mhm. Feeling better?"

"Much better. It'll be nice, to get away from all this Chamber of Secrets mess."

"I think so, too," Draco confirmed, hugging Harry close. Just another day and they would finally be on the train home, at least for a short while- Oh, hm. "Harry, do you know how to dance?"

"Uh..." Oh, dear.