Hey! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Thanks to my new followers and those who have favorited my story or me. Much love 3 Enjoy!

Thewolf74: Thankyou. I sometimes struggle writing naughty scenes, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here's the next chapter! :D

Chapter three.

Harry just stood near the portrait, his eyes trained on his friend. He felt awful and knew he should go and comfort her, but he was too busy gawking at the girl who was muttering softly to herself through heart-breaking sobs.

'Oh Harry, what have I done?' Harry heard Hermione whisper. 'I never meant for this to happen! And now I've lost you because of my own bloody stupidity.'

The green-eyed teenager could feel his eyes welling up at the honesty and sadness in her voice, but he willed himself not to cry. It was even harder when he realized that Hermione was clutching a picture to her chest. When he caught a glimpse of it, he saw it was a picture of him and Hermione from a Hogsmeade trip in fifth year. They both looked happy and relaxed and they were both laughing about something.

'Oh bloody hell.' He thought.

'I never once believed him, but I love him and I could never figure out why he started lying about you.' Hermione gave an anguished cry that was muffled by her hands. 'What am I going to do? Why did I ignore him, instead of standing up for my best friend. He would have do that for me. I'm just a selfish b-b-bitch...'

'Mione?' He said quietly as he took a step forward, letting Hermione see him. She jumped and hastily swiped her hand across her eyes. It didn't stop the tears and she looked pitifully at him before once again descending into loud sobs. 'H-H-Harry... What are y-y-you d-doing here?'

He walked over to her and sat down, pulling the brown-haired Gryffindor into his lap. She hesitated at first, but relented quickly and nuzzled her wet face into the crook of Harry's neck.

'I took a bath and was much longer than I expected.' Harry blushed at the memory and thanked Merlin that the fire was the only light in the room. They were silent for a few minutes, Harry rubbing small circles on his friends back helping to calm her down. It seemed to work as Hermione stopped shuddering and her breathing evened out.

'Harry...' She began to say but the Gryffindor butted in.

'Shhh. It's okay.' He mummered gently. 'It's okay. I promise.'

'No Harry. No it's not okay!' Hermione said, her voice rising in volume. She pulled out of Harry's embrace and looked his square in the face. The tears seemed to stop completely and Harry looked warily at her.

'How could you say it's okay? I was VILE to you. I've not been a very good friend and here you are comforting me! I don't deserve your kindness. I don't deserve anything from you. How can you be so good to me after everything?'

'Because you're still my friend.' Harry replied simply, looking at her through his long eyelashes. 'I know what's gone on, and you've not done anything to hurt me.'

'But I haven't done much to stop them from hurting you either.' Hermione replied softly, shutting her eyes and flinching as if she was re-visiting a bad memory.

'I am so sorry Harry, it's all going to change. I promise.'

'You don't need to chose between me and Ron, 'Mione. I know how you feel about him.'

'I don't think you do. I sometimes think I love him, but most of the time I'm not even sure myself. He's not the man I fell in love with. He's different, he's unfriendly and arrogant and very often cruel. That's not my Ron at all. Ginny's the same but thankfully most of the other Gryffindors steer clear of them now.'

'So what are you going to do?' Harry asked tentatively.

'I think I'm going to break up with him. I can't go on like this any longer.'

Harry mmmm'd in agreement. 'You need some help?' He asked.

'No, I can do this alone. I have to. I'll do it tomorrow after dinner.'

'Alright. Don't talk to me tomorrow as he'll go mad at you if he thinks I'm stealing you away from him. Just act normal and we'll go from there. Let me know if you need me.'

Hermione sighed. 'You shouldn't be helping me, I should be helping you.'

'No more of this, 'Mione. You've always been my friend and I've forgiven you. Please stop punishing yourself over me. I'm okay, we'll be okay. Trust me.'

'I do. I honestly trust you more than anyone right now. I'm going to try and get some sleep, see you in the morning?'

'Of course. I'll try and stay nearby all day, just in case.' Harry smiled and wrapped Hermione in a rib-breaking bear hug. He kissed her cheek and her forehead and watched as she climbed the stairs that lead to her dorm. He waited a few minutes before starting to climb the stairs to his own.

He abruptly stopped walking as he approached the top of the stairs.

'I don't even sleep here anymore!' He muttered to himself. He couldn't help but chuckle, he was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he had walked up to Gryffindor tower even though he hadn't been up here in months.

He shrugged and hurried off to the Room of Requirement, using his cloak as a precaution.

Hermione couldn't help but sleep peacefully that night. As long as she and Harry were okay, everything was going to be fine. Harry was her first friend, her Brother and the person she trusted most. She couldn't believe that he forgave her just like that as the Gryffindor knew she didn't deserve it, but she was more than glad to have it. She smiled happily and drifted off to sleep.

Harry on the other hand, struggled to sleep. He had got changed and climbed into his large, soft bed and just led there for hours. At about half 3 he decided to go and get something to eat from the kitchen. He snuck in and sat as his usual table and Jolly served him pumpkin juice immediately.

'Thanks Jolly.' He said quietly.

'Master Harry be coming to Jolly whenever he needs feeding!' The Elf said happily.

'How did you know I was here?' Harry questioned.

'Master Harry is a regular down in the kitchens as are other naughty Hogwarts students!' The Elf chortled. 'So we is putting up triggers that tell us if someone is here, we don't mind, we don't!'

Harry chuckled. 'Don't you ever sleep?'

'Oooh, House-Elves isn't needing as much sleep as Humans! We sleeps shortly after 11 o'clocks and wake up about 5. We is needed to cook for lots and lots of Childrens and youngsters. So Master Harry is here just before all the Elves are waking up and starting their day!'

Harry nodded and took a sip of his drink. 'Could I possibly get some treacle tart?' He asked hopefully when he felt and heard his stomach rumble.

'Of course! Of course! Jolly be getting it now!' Jolly said, the joy almost radiating off him.

Harry leaned back with his hands behind his head and sighed.

'Sneaking around the castle again, are we Potter? Somethings never change.' Harry jerked his head up at the sound of the very familiar drawl.

'Malfoy.' He replied in greeting. 'Care to join me?'

Draco hesitated before pulling out a wooden chair and sitting opposite Harry. They hadn't spoken much since Draco's return to Hogwarts but there was no hatred between the two young men. They nodded to one another in classes and were civil in the hallways. They spoke occasionally when they both studied with their mutual friends, but that's as far as it went.

'Thanks.' The blonde said quietly.

Harry just nodded and he grinned when Jolly showed up with with his treacle tart that was drowning in cold vanilla ice cream. 'Want some?' He offered the Slytherin. Draco shook his head no, but then decided to ask the House-Elf for the same thing. Jolly giggled in delight and neither boy could help but smile.

'This is your favourite, isn't it?' Draco asked.

'Yep. How'd you guess?'

'I've seen how your face lights up when it's served after dinner. No matter how much you eat, you still manage to eat at least 2 pieces. You have a major sweet tooth.'

Harry lifted his head and stared directly into Draco's silver eyes. 'Yeah, that's about right. You have too don't you? That's one thing we have in common. You eat your weight in fruit for Breakfast and then you always have some sort of chocolate for afters, at every meal.'

Draco grinned. 'Stalking me Potter?'

'You wish, Malfoy.' Harry responded with a smirk.

They ate their tarts in comfortable silence occasionally glancing and smiling at each other. Harry found he enjoyed the calmness he felt when he was around the blonde Slytherin.

'So...' He said as he placed his spoon down. 'How ya feeling? Are you doing okay in classes? I guess missing that many lessons makes it hard to catch up? It would for me.'

'I've done alright thanks, Potter. Catching up wasn't too hard, Theo, Blaise and Pansy took notes and kept my homework for me. Snape gave me extra lessons in the evening as did the other Professors. 3 hours each night after dinner. I caught up within about 3 weeks.'

'Oh wow! That's great Dra- Malfoy.' Harry said, blushing at his near slip.

'You may as well call me Draco, the others call you Harry and I know you call them by their given names.'

'Okay, Draco. Call me Harry.' The Gryffindor smiled. 'It's only fair. Maybe we should just start again? Clean slate and all?'

'Sure.' He replied brightly. 'Hello, I'm Draco Malfoy.'

'Nice to meet you Draco, I'm Harry Potter.'

'Pleasure.' Harry and Draco shook hands and neither could help the feeling of warmth that radiated up their arms.

'You were right you know.' Harry said suddenly, when his hand was finally released.

'What do you mean?'

'About Weasley. He's an arse. The others are great, except Ginny. The bitch.'

'I'm always right.' Draco smirked and raised his eyebrow. Blaise had told him snippets of what happened on the train, including the bit where Harry found out the red-headed slut had been cheating on him. The thought made him angry, but he pushed it aside for the time being.

'Not about the other Weasley's though.' Harry laughed. 'They're pretty awesome.'

Draco made an uncommitted 'mmm' sound, but didn't make any other comment for a few seconds. 'There was always something about him.'

'He was fine, up until the end of the War. The fame went to his head and he became someone else. Part of me misses him, but part of me thinks good riddance. If he could turn on me just like that he's no real friend right?'

'Exactly. And he turned on you more than once didn't he?'

'Yeah.' Harry sighed.

'Fuck him Harry, stick with us and you'll be fine. Pansy and Theo thinks the sun shine out of your arse.'

'Well, the sun does sun out of my...' Harry replied, getting cut off when Draco flicked a bit of icecream at his face. He casually wiped it off and poked his tongue out.

'Hey! I've heard it myself you know.'

Draco guffawed suddenly and smacked his hand over his mouth. He looked mortified that such a sound just came out of his throat.

'Don't worry Draco, I won't tell anyone you think I'm funny, but let me guess? Malfoy's don't laugh like that?'

'No, we most certainly do not.' He said haughtily, although his smile gave him away. Harry chuckled and shook his head slightly. 'You're alright you are.' The blonde smiled gently and suddenly his face went serious.

'I know you've been protecting me, protecting us.' Draco said softly, all jest and merriment abruptly forgotten about.

'Well, you know how it is.' Harry shrugged, wishing to see Draco's smiling eyes again. He decided he liked that side of Draco.

'No, not 'you know'. You've been risking yourself to protect those who have made your life hell for the last 6 years. We all know what you've had to do to keep us safe from those who mean us harm, you've been hexed and you've thrown your own back. We know, no matter how hard you try and cover it up we know.'

Harry was lost for words, he had been so careful and he knew that his Gryffindor friends hadn't said a word. Yes, he had been protecting the Slytherins from afar but thankfully now there wasn't many people attacking. Ron and Ginny were the worse of course, and they only had several other students on their side. Unfortunately for them, they could never prove it was the two youngest Weasley's as Ginny was clever, and she was too good at covering her tracks. On the other hand they didn't get far as Harry was generally around to stop any curses or hexes hitting the Slytherins.

'I just want to say thankyou, from me and on behalf of my housemates. Thanks Harry.'

'That's okay, Draco. I look out for my friends, don't go thinking you're special.' Harry said, laughing. He reached across the table and took Draco's hand in his own, he squeezed gently and rubbed circles on the blondes pale thumb before letting go.

'All my friends are special to me, old and new get the same treatment. I've lost too much to take things for granted and now I have a close knit circle of friends and that's it. You all mean the world to me.'

Draco felt like he was going to cry, this man in front of him was amazing. He was caring, strong and powerful with an unhealthy dose of kind and compassionate thrown in. He had a brilliant smile and he was beautiful.

'Did I just call Harry Potter beautiful?' Draco thought, a blush creeping over his pale cheeks.

'Are you okay?' Harry asked, concern creeping into his voice as he noticed Draco's flush.

'Yes, thank you. Just a bit warm in here.' Draco said, dismissing the notion that anything was wrong. Harry shrugged and let it slide.

The two boys ended up talking for hours and it was only when the House-Elves started taking the food out for Breakfast did they realise the time.

'I was hoping to catch some sleep, but that's not going to happen now.' Harry said trying to suppress a yawn. Draco's response was just to yawn too. They made their way out of the kitchen and went to clean up and get changed before they headed down to Breakfast.

'Where have you been all night Draco?' Blaise asked when the blonde finally made an appearance at the Slytherin table.

'Couldn't sleep so went down to the kitchen for a snack and ended up talking to Harry all night, turns out he struggled to sleep and had the same idea as me.' Draco shrugged as he pulled a bowl towards him and started filling it with his favourite sweet fruits. He smiled when he realised what he was doing.

'What's so funny?' The Italian asked, looking at his blonde friend.

'Nothing much, Harry was saying that he noticed I had a bit of a sweet tooth and I ate the same bowl of fruit every morning.'

Blaise snorted. 'That's an understatement. It's a bloody nightmare getting you to eat anything other than sweets.'

Pansy chuckled from across the table. 'Yeah, I remember the arguments when you were little. You always managed to find some form of chocolate in the middle of the night.'

Draco looked smug. 'Yes well, they weren't exactly hidden very well.'

'Well your Parents could never keep anything from their darling little boy.' Theo sniggered.

'Hey! Stop ganging up on me!' Draco pouted. He ate his fruit and subtly spooned more into his bowl, he couldn't help but close his eyes in bliss as the soft flavours attacked his mouth.

'So did Harry have anything much to say?' Pansy asked as she covered her toast in a thick helping of butter and cheese. Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust at his friends food. Cheese in the morning? How plebeian.

'Not really, we just chatted about...'

Draco was cut off by a painful howl coming from the Gryffindor table. Harry looked like he was in agony, he'd fallen off the bench and was immediately surrounded by the Gryffindors.

'Get back, all of you!' McGonagall demanded loudly as she and Snape rushed over to the fallen Lion. He was thrashing around wildly, before becoming as still as a statue.

'What happened?' She asked sternly, looking at the members of her house one, by one. They all faltered under her gaze.

'We have no idea Professor!' Seamus said, worry lacing his voice. 'We just started eating and Harry fell off the bench in pain. He'd only just gotten here and poured himself a drink...'

The Irish spun on his heel and looked at the table suspiciously. The Professor looked with him and went to pick up the cup that had been knocked over. Ginny grabbed it first and 'accidently' spilt the rest of the juice on the table.

'Oh no! I'm so sorry! I was just trying to help.' She said mournfully, although her eyes said otherwise.

'Not to worry Miss Weasley. I'll just take a sample off the table, we'll soon find out what's happened.'

Both Weasley's went red and sat down. Severus had already taken Harry to the hospital wing so Minerva used her wand to take a small sample of the juice, and then cleared the rest up.

'I'd question the Slytherins Professor, they've been spending an awful lot of time with Pott- Er, Harry.' Ron said maliciously, glaring over at the outraged faces of Harry's Slytherin friends.

'Professor, I can safely assure you that we had-...' Blaise started talking, his Italian accent coming through in his fear and worry. He would never hurt Harry! How dare he suggest such a thing.

'Mr Zabini, I had no incentive or reason to even think you were involved.' She turned around and faced Ron, glaring at him over her glasses. 'Mr Weasley that is a very large accusation.'

'It may be large but it's no less true, they've been hanging around waiting for a time to get back at him!'

Draco and the others were shaking with rage and spluttering incoherent sentences trying to defend their honor, but Draco left the Great Hall before he ended up in Azkaban for crucio'ing the red-headed prick and his slutty sister. He ran up to the hospital wing and headed straight for Harry's bed. Poppy was bustling around, looking slightly frazzled. He sat down and took Harry's pale hand in his own and stared at the Gryffindor's face. He was out cold and ghostly pale. Alarm bells started ringing in Draco's head and he began to panic, swallowing the bile that had risen in his throat.

'Madame Pomfrey, do you know what's wrong with him?'

'No my Dear I do not. I've ruled out poisons but I have to do some more tests. Usually I know right away, but Mr Potter has always been a complicated case. Poor thing, we'll sort this. Don't you worry.'

Draco just sat still and looked at the boy in the hospital bed, and he only moved when a gang of angry and worried teens burst into the ward, almost pulling the doors off the hinges. Hermione marched straight up to the bed and stopped short when she saw how pale her best friend was. She quietly sat on the chair on the other side of the bed and gingerly took his free hand in her own.

'Oh Harry, please get better. We'll figure it out, I promise.' Tears were falling steadily and unchecked down Hermione's face, making everyone well up. Blaise and Theo stood behind Draco, showing their support silently, whereas Pansy had pulled up a chair and was pretty much sat on the blondes lap. Neville, Seamus, Dean and Luna were on the other side on the bed, in a similar fashion to the Slytherins.

'Snape is testing the juice as we speak, he'll know what the potion is within the hour. They know it was the Weasels but it's just getting solid proof before they get tested with veritaserum.' Pansy whispered to the silent group. 'Hopefully they didn't use anything serious, because I will kill them before they get shipped to prison for attempted murder.'

There was a quiet chorus of furious agreement as they continued to stare at their fallen friend. It was so quiet that you could hear someone grinding their teeth in stress.

'He'll be okay.' Neville said softly. 'He always is, it's Harry. Our Harry will never fail. He won't let them win, especially if it puts his friends in danger. It's not his style.'

'His damn Hero complex.' Blaise sighed. 'Always putting others first, even when it's his life on the line.'

Hermione looked at the Italian sharply. 'You noticed then?' She said quietly.

'We all did, we used to think he was idiotic and that he wanted more attention, but as we got older our opinions changed.' He replied simply. 'Now we know he's the bravest of us all.'

'Yes, he is.'

They all jumped slightly when they heard the doors slam, as Snape came billowing in the room, in his usual fashion.

'MOVE!' He demanded as he pretty much pushed the Slytherin teens aside. They scurried out of his way quickly and went to stand with the others on the other side of the bed. It was a bit of a squeeze but they all moved to accommodate the extra people.

He tipped Harry's head back and poured a lime green potion into his open mouth, he called Poppy over and whispered something in her ear, causing the Medi-Witch to pale slightly and take her wand out.

'He'll be fine, but the worst isn't over. The potion used is VERY dangerous in large quantities but thankfully Potter didn't drink the whole amount, he is essentially unconscious but he will suffer through terrible nightmares that will be worse as he has suffered and witnessed much more than your average wizard.'

Hermione and Pansy gasped, and within the minute Harry had begun thrashing in the bed. He cried out in anguish and tears fell from his closed eyes.

'I think you should all leave.' Snape said quietly. 'He wouldn't want you all to see him like this.'

Draco looked like he was about to protest when Hermione reached over to him and put her small hand on his arm.

'He's right.' She said quietly, the tears gathering in her eyes. 'There is nothing we can do for him now, but we can promise to be here when he wakes up. I will be here when he wakes up, even if it means missing lessons.'

She said it so scandalously that everyone that heard had to hold in a giggle, it was not the time or place to be laughing.

Draco took one more look at his new friend, and the others mirrored his action. He nodded once and stood, up leaving the hospital wing. Hermione, Pansy and Luna all placed chaste kisses on his forehead and the Gryffindor boys couldn't help but slap Harry on the leg as they said goodbye. (When I say slap I mean the manly tap that men do instead of hugging)

'Please, please let us know.' Hermione pleaded with the nurse as they were ushered out. Pomfrey took one look at their worried faces and couldn't help but sigh and agree.

The group closed the door behind them, just as they heard Harry cry out again. It was the most heart-wrenching thing they had heard and Hermione covered up her own sob with her hand. 'He's been through so much, he shouldn't have to re-live it!' She cried. 'They will fucking pay for what they've done to him!'

'Yes, Granger they will.' Blaise replied, venom saturating his usually soft voice.

'Even if they get expelled, we will find a way of getting back at them. They've always been arseholes but now they're borderline evil!' Neville growled, his handsome features twisting in a sneer befitting a very angry Slytherin.

'We'll make Slytherins of you yet.' Theo joked sadly, biting his lip. 'We should meet again in the Room, tomorrow at 8?'

It was agreed. The revenge plan would go ahead.

Harry was able to come out the hospital wing as soon as he woke up, as long as Madame Pomfrey's tests came up clear. It was about 48 hours after the attack when he was finally released but as promised everyone was there to greet him as he woke, so they all left with him. He was pale and his eyes were dark and groggy, yet the fire in them was intense. He was angry, but too tired to even act on it.

They got to the Great Hall just in time to have dinner, and they all felt slightly smug when everyone rushed to Harry to make sure he was okay, yet the two Weasley's were being galred at so ferociously that Harry wondered how they hadn't been set alight. Rumour had it that everyone believed Ron and Ginny to be the cause of Harry's illness, but the lack of evidence stopped them from being expelled immediately. McGonagall and Snape both believed these rumours to be true and they were doing everything in their power to find out how the two red-heads had managed to cover up their tracks so well. It was annoying and baffling to the older and very much more experienced duo.

Harry got his full strength back over the next few days and he took great joy from plotting with his friends. The plan was set in place and as long as it went smoothly the Weasley's would want to leave Hogwarts, expelled or not.

The Slytherins had persuaded the Gryffindors to let them use some very slightly dark spells. Nothing too serious but enough to hurt and embarrass. Harry agreed readily but drew the line at any permanent harm or death. He trusted his new friends completely and he knew that they would never use nasty spells on people who didn't deserve it 100%. Hermione was harder to convince but Neville and Dean (two of the better behaved Gryffindors) had slowly yet surely changed her mind. After all, Dean and Neville had never been in trouble and they were sticklers for the rules. Or so she let herself think.

It started in Potions when Draco, Blaise, Theo and Pansy used their wands to add a 'little extra' into Ron's cauldron. (Pansy had recruited a couple of 6th years to do the same with Ginny, although she had taught the girls a spell that wasn't classed as dark)

Ron had paired up with Lavender Brown who was the only person that would talk to him and despite her new status as 'Werewolf', he seemed to not mind her company. Greyback had caused her some serious damage in the battle before he died and although she had healed, the Werewolf gene had already done the damage and had spread through her veins. She would have been spared the humiliation, but her words and actions were almost as bad as Ron's so she deserved the punishment too.

Pansy used a spell that made the duo lose control of their bladder and Theo threw a tripping jinx at them when they stumbled back with the realization that they were soaked from the waist down. Blaise made the cauldrons tip over onto the shocked pair who had fallen to the floor and Draco couldn't help but move the table behind them slightly so they both hit their heads on the way down. Harry couldn't help but feel worried at the deep feeling of satisfaction that stirred in the pit of his stomach. Neville and Dean 'checked' to see if they were okay and in the process used the distraction to deposit some potent itching powder into their robes.

It had been timed well as at that moment class ended and the two tried to run before getting spotted by anyone else. Unfortunately for them it was the last lesson before lunch and the halls were already packed with students. The Potion made boils well up all over their bodies and they ditched their robes and uniforms because the itching was unbearable. They scurried away to the hospital wing, but not before over half the student population had seen them run half-naked through school covered in angry, red boils. Pictures had been taken and they were already circulating the castle.

Snape pretended that he hadn't seen anything and Harry felt a wave of affection for the usually cold and stoic Potions Master.

Harry and the others found out within minutes that a similar fate had befallen Ginny who was in Charms at the time. There was a blackout in the classroom and a mysterious Potion had been deposited over head in the confusion. She too lost control of her bladder and fell over in the haste to get her now mysteriously itchy robes off her body.

Lunch time saw a group of very smug Slytherins and Gryffindors eating their lunch and smiling at each other from across the tables. Ron and Ginny were no where to be seen, and it stayed that way for the best part of a week.

AN: Wow that chapter was hard to write! Hope you all enjoyed it and speak soon!