"Who could it be?" Harry found a new mystery to solve. "Who could be after Dumbledore?"
"I bet it's one of these Slytherins," Ron said, before adding, after receiving a glare from Hermione, "not you or Draco, I mean."
"You have a point." Harry agreed, mentally going over all the people in his house. "They're all sympathizers." He then turned to Draco: "Draco, who do you think it could be?"
Draco looked up from the essay he was working on. Looked around to see Harry, Ron and Hermione looking at him anticipating his response. "I don't know."
During his next lesson with Dumbledore, he couldn't help himself but ask.
"Who do you think sent you the necklace?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore simply smiled, and said: "Well, a lot of people want me dead, Harry."
"Does that also explain your hand?" Harry pointed to Dumbledore's grey hand.
"Our time is valuable." Dumbledore was not interested in having this conversation. "Shall we view our next memory?"
As always, Harry was left feeling that Dumbledore knew more than he was letting on.
November brought with it Quidditch season. The day of the first match, Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin, Harry was sitting in the stands ready to cheer for Draco, when he was joined by Draco himself.
"I brought snacks." He said as he took a seat right next to Harry.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you playing?" Harry asked.
"I'm still too weak to play." Draco said.
"Says who?"
"Madame Pomfrey." Draco said, before adding, "it's okay really, I've been thinking about quitting quidditch anyways."
"But you love quidditch!" Harry said, unpleasantly surprised.
"I know, but I've been busy with homework." Draco said.
Harry hated to see Draco give up on his hobbies, especially now, but Harry also realized that this is Draco's decision, and his alone.
"I haven't decided yet anyways." He added, before grabbing a handful of peanuts. "Peanuts?" He offered.
December brought with it Slughorn's Christmas party. Only members of the Slug Club were invited, but they were allowed a guest. So, almost everyone in the school who was not invited was trying to get an invitation. Harry was a heavy target, given he's the Chosen One and all.
"You should be careful." Hermione warned him, "I heard some Ravenclaw girls discussing brewing a Love Potion the other day in the common room."
"Should I be jealous?" Draco asked him, teasingly.
"You know my heart only belongs to you." He said, causing Draco to blush.
"Not if you're under the effect of a love potion, then not." Hermione reminded him.
All three of them were invited. Hermione was gonna invite Anthony, but he was still in St. Mungo's, so instead she invited Ron.
"We're going as friends." She clarified. Harry and Draco exchanged looks. Obviously, Harry told Draco about Ron's inquiries. Not Hermione, though.
"Whose idea was it? Yours or his?" Harry asked.
"Mine." She said, and then elaborated: "he was saying he wanted to go, and I told him I could get him an invite."
Draco and Harry were also going together. Not as friends though, at least not publicly. To not cause any suspicions, they were meeting at the party.
The night of the party, Harry got ready. He took a quick shower, put on his black tuxedo, matching Draco's, and a Slytherin green tie, matching his own eyes. He wrestled with his hair for a bit before giving up.
He walked to the party.
"You look so handsome!" Hermione greeted him when she saw him, and gave him a hug. Right next to her, stood Ron in his brown wizarding formal robes.
"You look gorgeous too!" Harry said, and held her hand up as she gave a twirl to show her light pink dress. "Have you seen Draco?" He then asked them.
They both have not seen Draco.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon." Hermione said, "it's still too early anyways."
He wasn't there soon, though. The night went on, and the party started. Slughorn gave a toast, and, of course, he didn't fail to mention that the Chosen One was in attendance. Harry hated the attention. People were dancing, and eating, and chatting, and Draco was still not there.
Harry was growing frustrated, and a bit worried. Draco wouldn't stand him up. Would he?
In order to avoid making conversation and unwanted attention, Harry escaped to the balcony with a butterbeer six-pack. It was halfway through the party when Draco found him on the balcony.
"What happened to you?!" Harry was shocked to see the state in which Draco was. His healed black eye, was black again. His lip was cut, and still bleeding. His white shirt was stained in blood, and his tuxedo trousers were ripped around his knee.
"It's okay." Draco started saying, but Harry cut him off angrily.
"No, it's not." Harry angrily said, "who did this?"
"I don't-" Draco tried to say.
"I'll make them pay." Harry felt range burning inside of him.
"Just drop it, okay?" Draco snapped.
Harry just stared at him, shocked and speechless.
"I'm sorry." Draco said, "I just-"
"What?" Harry was now angry and hurt.
"I want you to stay out of this." Draco said, "I don't want to put you in danger."
"Draco," Harry said, "can't you see that it's the other way around?"
"This has nothing to do with you." Draco objected. "This has to do with my dad being a Death Eate-"
"And you dating the 'Chosen One'," Harry interjected.
"No," Draco said, "that's not true."
They just stood there, under the moonlight, staring at each other.
"What are you hiding from me?" Harry finally asked.
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, almost offended.
"I don't know," Harry said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I don't know, something's going on with you, bothering you, and you're keeping it to yourself." He said, before taking a step towards Draco, and holding his hands. "I want to be there for you. If something's bothering you, I want you tell me. I'm here for you."
Harry was looking deep in Draco's eyes when the latter teared up, brought his hands to his face, and started crying, sobbing. Harry simply wrapped his arms around him, and Draco cried into Harry's chest.
