Being 'friends' with Draco Malfoy wasn't like Harry expected. Well he wasn't sure exactly what he'd expected, but it wasn't this. He knew they wouldn't become best friends overnight, but since that afternoon in the Forest they'd barely spoken. Draco spared him a glance and a smile in the halls, and wordlessly handed him potion ingredients before he even knew he needed them, and send his things back to his room when he left them in the classroom or the library, but that was it. Sometimes when Harry wasn't busy studying – since he had finally decided to start seriously studying again – he would venture down to the Forbidden Forest to watch Draco feed the Thestrils. In those times sometimes they would exchange a few words, but mostly it was just glances and small smiles in between the silence. But now Draco wasn't even there when Harry went looking for him.

A few months since that strange day had passed between them, and the less Harry saw of Draco, the more he remained stuck in his head. Draco became more and more distant as the weeks rolled by, Harry barely even saw him anymore, it was like he just wasn't there. Finally he decided to just say something. He didn't want to force their friendship or drive him further away, but he had the feeling something just wasn't right. On his way to the Owlery to send a message to the elusive Slytherin, fortune would have it that the blonde in question resided on the platform above him as he entered, and the Malfoy family owl by the window.

Draco groaned in annoyance, and Harry ducked beneath the stairs, not wanting to be seen. Still accustomed to hiding whenever Draco was around, he kept quiet in the hopes he'd leave and he wouldn't be forced to think on the spot and speak. He'd just sound like an idiot if this confrontation happened sooner than he was ready.

"Well what do you think?" Draco muttered. "You're giving me that look again. Exactly what would you write Bengal?"

Harry heard a sigh. "I'm talking to an owl. Well done Draco you've officially lost your senses."

He heard a scribbling of quill on parchment, then another groan and a screwed up ball of paper came rolling down the stairs. Quietly as a mouse, Harry leaned over and picked it up.

"You just want me to hurry up so you can get a treat from Mother once you deliver the letter. Fine, eat this then, for waiting. Stupid bird." Draco sighed again. "This is getting me nowhere. I'll just write it tonight instead."

The blonde got up and stalked down the stairs, heading out of the Owlery in a flurry. Harry crept out of his hiding place and unfolded the ball of paper. It was to Draco's mother.

Dear Mother,

Professor Slughorn allowed me to use the classroom for my research thank Merlin, so I should see progress soon. I'll be sending some potion samples with Bengal, please give them to Father and record any results for me. While they're not lethal they are experimental, so they may have no effect on his illness or even make it worse.

It's difficult work, the school library has little on exotic potions, so my experimenting has been slow, especially without a test subject. If Father's condition changes in any way please let me know at once, and I will come to administer the potion I sent last week, it should ease his pain and I'd like to be there if he should...

This section was crossed out, and unreadable.

Give my love to Father, even if he doesn't care. I won't stop looking until I discover something to help him.

Now, getting to your letter last week, you asked me some difficult questions. I can't say I like it here, Hogwarts never suited me you know that, I'm not exactly happy here, but then again I've never really been happy anywhere. The next section was blotched out and difficult to read, but squinting Harry could just make out the words. Although I think I've made a new friend, as strange as it is to call him.

But anyway, I wanted to thank you for the test tubes you sent me too, it's made my work a lot easier.

You told me Theodore is spending the winter holidays with us, I'll try to be home for it though I should remain at Hogwarts where I can access the potion labs. I'll try though, if he truly is asking for his cousin like you said, I won't disappoint him. On the subject of me coming home, would you please discourage Father from talk of marriage? I'm far too young to marry and while I know it's tradition and he wants to see me off before he – this section was also scratched out – just try not to let him get carried away. It's a new age Mother, the pureblood way is dying and quite honestly, it's not exactly a bad thing. But I won't speak more of that I know it upsets you.

The rest of the the page was covered in ink blotches and scribbles, and nothing else was readable.

"So, his father is ill." Harry muttered. "That explains a lot."

Disregarding his own note, he set off at once back to the castle.

"Hermione! Have you seen Malfoy?" he asked as he approached her in the courtyard.

Hermione groaned and looked up from her book. "Harry honestly! This obsession with Malfoy has got to stop." she chastised.

"Take that as a no then," Harry said briskly, and resumed his search inside.

He didn't find Draco in the Great Hall, but he did notice another familiar Slytherin instead.

"Parkinson! Hey, Parkinson!"

"What do you want Potter?" Pansy drawled, looking up from the Slytherin table.

"Would you mind giving this to Draco? I mean Malfoy, that is."

Pansy raised her eyebrows as she took the folded note.

"So it's Draco now is it?" she murmured. "Interesting. What do I get in return?"

"What do you want?"

"Assurance."

Harry blinked. "Assurance?"

"That whatever it is you intend with Draco, it won't get him hurt."

Harry was speaking before he even realised. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt him."

Pansy nodded. "Good enough. I'll deliver your little love letter."

"It's not – why would you – just – ugh! Slytherins!" red-faced, Harry marched away from the now smirking Pansy.

Pansy was true to her word however, and that night as Harry paced nervously in the courtyard, his mind was reeling so fast he barely heard Draco approach.

"Well well, Harry Potter nervous and flustered over little old me again," a teasing voice sounded from behind him.

"Draco," Harry said turning. "You came."

"Pansy gave me your note. You wanted to discuss something?"

"Yes. I...uh..."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You know as fantastic as standing out in the freezing cold is, I actually don't have all night."

"Right, well...the thing is...I didn't plan this far ahead to be honest,"

Draco chuckled quietly. "You're cute." he commented leaning against a wall. "You should be adorned in ribbons,"

Harry blushed scarlet, thanking the dark for hiding it.

"I'll just get right to it then shall I?"

"Please do."

"I want to know what's wrong with your father,"

Draco straightened, a mistrustful expression on his face. "How did you...?"

Harry handed him the crumpled letter.

"You were there? You read my letter?" Draco looked up from the paper, scowling at him.

"I didn't mean to snoop! I was just panicking and I hid and I..."

"Couldn't resist could you? Couldn't put a cork in your bleeding heart for five minutes!"

"I wanted to help..."

Draco sighed, eyes dropping to the unfinished letter. "You can't help me."

"I want to help." Harry said desperately.

"You can't." Draco folded the letter and put it back in his pocket. "Potions is my area of expertise, not yours. Father is sick, struck with an illness no Healer can seem to identify. This is my burden, and I can't trouble you with it."

"We're friends now right, or did I mishear you?" Harry challenged. "That's what friends do. They help each other."

"Harry..."

Harry blushed again, hearing his name on Draco's tongue was foreign but...not unpleasant.

"I appreciate your concern. I do. But this is something I need to handle on my own,"

"Don't you think you've been on your own for too long?" Harry asked. "I was worried. You've become a ghost, you're not eating, you're not sleeping, you barely do anything that's not study-related or potion-related."

Draco bit his bottom lip, not realising Harry had noticed his behaviour. After a while he spoke. "Alright, I'll make you a deal. You want to be my friend, fine. You can nag me to eat and to sleep all you like, and I'll listen. Just, let me deal with this by myself. If I need you, I'll come to you, but otherwise stay out of it."

Harry wasn't exactly happy with the offer, but it wasn't like he had a choice. "Deal."

"Good. Now, can I actually get some sleep?" Draco grinned. "Not that spending the night with you wouldn't be interesting..."

Harry almost choked to death from the embarrassment, and Draco walked off laughing to himself. As Harry let his face cool, slowly walking back to the Gryffindor tower, his mind was once again reeling. Ever since that day in the forest, not only could he not stop thinking about Draco, but he got so flustered and nervous whenever he thought about it. He'd experienced these symptoms before but...not towards a guy. Especially not one like Draco.

That night he went to bed with a headache, trying to change his train of thought and failing, and he ended up dreaming of the sexy blonde – No! No he is not sexy! Stop that brain!

Oh man...what had he gotten himself into this time?