Just noted my review count, so the Review Challenge is back on! (Remember back to a few chapters ago?) But anyway, to sum up, my 800th reviewer gets to give me a challenge to write for DD (Destiny's Darling). Just not slash ;) Review Challenge comes up on every 100th review. :) But anyway...read on!

Chapter 53:

The next morning he was up early, for both Hogsmeade and the Gryffindor Keeper Trials. He had hoped to be out of the Dungeons before anyone else was awake, but that seemed to be too much to ask.

Tom's bed was empty; and Harry just knew he would be in the Common Room when Harry tried to sneak out. Well, not sneak out, he had no reason why he should be sneaking, but…He was right, either way. The Slytherin Heir looked up as he entered.

"You're up early," Tom noted. Harry shrugged, wondering if he should just ignore the other and keep walking. In the end, he did both, talking over his shoulder as he crossed the common room.

"Quidditch trials, Angelina wants the whole team to be there. Then I'm going to Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione, I already told you, remember?" he knew perfectly well that Tom remembered. Git.

The Slytherin heir rose, seemingly decide to walk to the Great Hall with him for breakfast. Harry suppressed a sigh - of course he wouldn't be allowed to do something as scandalous as walk across the school on his own. He might fall down the stairs or something equally ludicrous. He hated that Horcrux.

"No you're not," Tom said calmly. "I've been thinking about it, and I won't allow it."

Harry arched his brows.

"You won't allow it?" he questioned delicately, struggling to hold his fraying temper. "Interesting presumption."

"It's too dangerous," Tom said, glaring at him. "You always get into trouble when you're with those two. They practically encourage your stupid desire to risk your life."

"Because you're model company," he countered sarcastically.

"I'm a prefect," Tom replied. Harry snorted.

"Not in this time period. Ron and Hermione however..." Tom's expression told him exactly what he thought of that statement.

"I said no," he said firmly.

Harry tried, he really did, but a week of choking possessiveness was too much for him to take. He spun round, aura surging.

"Oh, but I'm dying for a bit of danger," he snarled. "Really. We were thinking to see how many bullets there would have to be in my head before I died. Fun times. That would destroy it -" the horcrux - "rather effectively wouldn't it?"

"You wouldn't dare," Tom hissed, taking a step up, features livid.

"Try me!" he snapped, wild with rage. "Or better yet, BACK OFF. You have absolutely no say in what I do in my free time or who I spend time with. Do you understand me? I'm not a pet, and I'm certainly not some little possession for you to bubble wrap - I'm a person! - I said do you understand me?" he demanded. Tom's head tilted back.

"Harry-" he began.

"No!" Harry growled. "Shut up. Not this time. A simple yes or no will suffice." Tom was silent for a moment.

"Yes," he said finally. "I understand you. But-"

"No buts," Harry said firmly. "Back off. I am spending this weekend with my friends, none of you or this war or any of that crap, okay?" Tom looked mutinous, hand fisted tightly around the handle of his wand.

"If you get into any trouble-" he started.

"-You'll hunt me down and kill me?" Harry offered sweetly. "Right now, that actually sound preferable. Nuhuh" he said, taking a step back and raising his wand as Tom's fingers moved to curse him. He pointed his wand, not at Tom, but at his own chest. Tom froze on the spot, eyes wide.

"You wouldn't really kill yourse-" he started.

"Wouldn't I?" Harry dared. "Do you truly care to call my bluff right now?" Tom surveyed him darkly. "Didn't think so," he said. "So turn around, walk, and go terrify your minions or whatever is you do when I'm not there for you to smother with your god-damn possessiveness."

Tom stared at him for a couple of seconds longer, features shadowed, before stowing his wand away. There was an odd expression on his face. Harry got a funny feeling in his stomach at the sight of it…it wasn't quite hurt, but…there was fury there too. And fear and…it wasn't hurt.

"You better come back in one piece, hero," Tom warned, dangerously, before turning around and stalking away without so much as a backwards glance. Harry waited until he rounded the corner, before letting his stance relax.

Yes, he definitely needed a weekend.

A half hour later he was on his broom, hovering above the Quidditch pitch. To his utter shock, it seemed as if Ron was trying out for the keeper position.

It made him feel terrible; shouldn't he have known if his best friend was trying out for the team? Before the day? He felt slightly better that Hermione hadn't known either. It appeared Ron had been worried they'd laugh, even though Harry thought it was a brilliant idea. At least it explained the mystery as to why Ron had been so tired, clearly he'd been out practising late at night. Harry only wished he'd known, then he could have offered to help.

His best friends were right, he was out of touch. It would have been easy to hate Tom for that, but he knew it was partially his own fault too. He hadn't made as much effort to reach out back to his old life as he should have done. He'd let it slip away, getting too caught up with everything going on. He did enjoy Tom's company, the other was great company when he wasn't being an ass, which is why it had been so easy. He'd gone a year without Ron and Hermione, with Tom and the Slytherins being his main source of companionship, he couldn't have possibly expected adjusting to be easy. He shouldn't have given up so quickly, or closed off…hindsight was a double edged sword.

He leaned forward eagerly as it became Ron's turn to play. The red head was good. He wasn't exceptional, but he was good. He definitely had a decent chance. Harry only hoped he got the position. It would be awesome. He crossed his fingers in his pocket.

Yes!

Ron had got the keeper position. They headed towards Hogsmeade to celebrate. His mood felt lighter already.

A/N: Aaah, I'm sorry. That was…*shudder.* I don't think I'm very good at writing Ron and Hermione, sadly. I shall endeavour to improve, and next chapter shouldn't have Tom butting in and taking all my thoughts. He's such an attention hog. He doesn't like the other characters getting a turn…and wow, I sound crazy. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you managed to enjoy the update. Next stop - Hogsmeade.

At least it was a quick update, ja?