Chapter 65:

The Hospital Wing again. It was getting repetitive. And so was the white. At least the pain, and Voldemort, had gone. Ron and Hermione were by his bedside, and both immediately sat up straighter when they noticed he was awake.

"We really need to stop meeting like this," Harry joked, faintly, his voice cracked and rough.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Hermione said. "We were so worried. Do you need anything? Pain relief? Water-?"

"-No, it's okay," he laughed slightly. "I'm fine, really. How long was I out?"

"Only a couple of hours this time," Ron said. "It's an improvement. Riddle sodded off like norm-" Ron came to an abrupt halt as the Slytherin Heir in question walked in. "Speak of the devil," the red head muttered. "I'll go get Pomfrey."

Ron slouched away, shooting Tom a foul look, which the Slytherin heir returned with a sweet smile and a shooing gesture.

"How do you do that?" Hermione demanded, incredulously. "How can you possibly know when Harry will wake up to walk in only minutes after, when the rest of us have to wait?"

Harry frowned; he hadn't forced them to sit at his bedside. Hermione caught his expression, softening.

"Oh, not like that, we don't mind!" she flapped a hand dismissively, still sounding a tad exasperated, before looking at Tom again. "Well?"

"We're soul mates," Tom deadpanned, striding over to the bed. Harry caught the heavy book being thrown in the direction of his head, and flipped it over. It was the empathy guide.

"You know," he started mildly. "I'm starting to think I see why people think we're a couple when you always answer in ways like that.." Tom arched his brows.

"How astute of you, that conclusion only took you about, what, a year?" Tom replied dryly; causing Harry to glare. "But," Tom continued. "Too little too late, according to the general student population we're not a couple anymore."

Harry wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved, or something else.

"Oh?" he questioned

"Yes, thank god," Tom smirked. "Couple was too safe and domestic anyway. Apparently it's friends with benefits now…much more risqué and exciting."

Harry blinked blankly for a moment, resisting the urge to face palm.

"Well, we wouldn't want to be boring," he replied finally.

"Indeed not," Tom said "The rumour mill would have nothing to keep spinning it, and we couldn't possibly have that." The other's eyes lit up, sadistically. "I should find you a pair of handcuffs to wear. See what they do then."

Hermione made an odd squeaking noise, Pomfrey gave Tom an odd look as she bustled over, Ron seemed unnerved. Harry really did face palm.

"You have a twisted sense of humour," he muttered.

"You think I'm joking?" Tom questioned innocently. Harry sneered.

"I'm not doing handcuffs. Or a collar. Or anything else you're disturbed mind can think of. Or anything in general."

"My disturbed mind?" Tom sounded amused. "I only mentioned the handcuffs, you came up with the collar. Tch, masochist."

"I'm not a masochist!" Harry protested. "Stop saying that. And if I was, I still wouldn't date you."

"Sure you would," Tom replied casually. "I'm probably completely your type. That's why the rumour mill goes so mad. If either of us was gay I'm sure we would have hooked up a long time ago."

"No, even if I was gay, that wouldn't happen," Harry argued, though he couldn't help but note that Tom seemed awfully confident in this conclusion, and not so sure himself with the way everyone seemed to keep telling himself the same thing.

He kept one eye on Pomfrey's wand as she did a bunch of medi-spells for something or other. By her lack of exclamations, he assumed it was good.

"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" Tom smirked, smug.

"What happened with Voldemort?" Harry asked instead, loudly, looking at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione had gone bright red, seeming rather flustered by their conversation. His best friend glanced at Tom at the question, uncertainly, prompting the Slytherin Heir to answer, forcing Harry to look at the other again.

Tom still looked far too entertained.

"It took you a while, but you managed to occlude eventually," the young Dark Lord said lazily. "And there was a lot of screaming, but I presume you remember that bit. Probably turned you on. You're not into bestiality too are you, in particular, snakes?"

Harry pointedly ignored the last two parts, feeling totally sick. He knew Tom was only winding him up, but still!

"I occluded?" he questioned, deciding to focus on that.

Ron seemed completely confused, while Hermione seemed to be concentrating on ignoring Tom's remarks too, spots of colour high on her cheeks. Even Pomfrey looked alarmed.

"Occluded?" Hermione asked simultaneously, looking as if she wanted to rush to the library to research the new word immediately.

"Yes," Tom inclined his head. "That is what I said about two seconds ago."

"How?" Harry asked, scowling slightly at the latter part of the confirmation. "I mean-can I do it again?"

Tom gave him a look that suggested that he'd just asked a stupid question. He gave a pointed 'just answer me' look in return.

"Yes, most likely," Tom said, "it should be easier from now on, anyhow. Remind me to send gramps a thank you note, you're lack of progress was getting irritating."

"Gramps?" Ron repeated hoarsely, seeming to guess that Tom was talking about Voldemort. Tom ignored the red head.

"Small mercies," Harry said, looking at Pomfrey as she put her wand away. "So, can I go?" he asked.

"Try and stay out this time. If you keep this up, I'll be getting you your own bed soon."

Harry blanched in horror. Perish the thought.

They were going to little Hangleton in a few days time.

A/N: I don't like this chapter. It was really difficult to write. And feels fillery, again. Sorry. The fillers should stop soon =( For a bit. Thank you for all your kind reviews and support. They are much appreciated. I'm glad you are still sticking with this story. I probably wouldn't have as a reader. I can't stand before chapter 20, and individual chapters after that.

But you know. I have a fluxuating regard for this fic. At least I'm looking forward to the next chapter! =D

Many people have asked if I'm going to slash the actual story now, after the DD oneshot. So, to answer: no, I'm not. No more than what I do already, which isn't in my head intentional slash, but you know, squint and see it that way if it pleases you. The DD thing was just a one off reward for 1000 reviews. So yeah. Next time anything remotely resembling deliberate slash comes up, shall be on 2000 reviews (providing I get that, but you now, optimism) if you guys are still interested in that as a reward system. Feel free to request something else too. I'm open to ideas. Bye. Nervously awaiting feedback - The Fictionist.

At least I'm still updating fast…?