Author's Note: Hello again guys! I guess you could say the Sectumsemptra scene in HBP loosely inspired this. I say loosely because it doesn't follow the exact events… but it is going to be set in 6th year! Hey, this is my fanfic okay? :) Also in case anybody was wondering, I will be posting an epilogue for The Joys of Taking Marriage Sex and Family sometime this weekend. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Oh for Merlin's sake. Harry stared exasperatingly at the clock on the wall, silently willing it to go faster. He drummed on the tabletop with his fingertips. He watched a speck of dust float back and forth in the air next to Ron's shoulder. How long is this bloody class? Harry used to love Defense Against the Dark Arts before Snape started teaching it. Now, it was just another opportunity for Snape to gleefully take away House Points from the Gryffindors, and for them to be constantly ridiculed by a bunch of Slytherins with whom they had the displeasure of sharing the class with.

Harry glared at the back of Snape's head. The evil git had already yelled at him three times for various and ridiculous reasons. The first time it was 'for not paying attention' and the second was 'for having an intelligence level inferior even to that of a rock'. Snape's most recent and favorite one to date was 'for being born, you annoying little twit' and was used about 2 minutes ago, when he had caught Harry attempting to slip Ron a note under the table. Harry rolled his eyes. If Snape was trying to convince people that he wasn't an evil bastard working for Voldemort, maybe he should try a bit harder to be a little less… evil.

Harry scowled as Snape awarded Slytherin yet another set of points for some snotty observation made by Malfoy. And of course, the nasty blonde git turned around and smirked haughtily at Harry, as if it were a personal triumph over him. And in Malfoy's case, he supposed that the prat truly believed it was. Harry threw a huge phony grin back and gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up. Snape thumped him in the back of the head for that and Malfoy sniggered. Harry scowled some more and began to watch the clock again with renewed misery.

When DADA was finally over Harry, Ron and Hermione headed back to the Gryffindor common room. "Merlin, Snape was a bastard today, eh?" Ron said to Harry sympathetically, "More to you than me though, he screamed at you seven times and me only five," the redhead observed.

Hermione lightly hit him on the shoulder. "Ronald! Language," she scolded halfheartedly, rubbing his arm where she'd just smacked him. "Besides, you two should be paying attention anyhow."

Harry shrugged and scoffed. "It's Snape. I'll never like him enough to do that."

Ron nodded in agreement. "And what about Malfoy today, huh? Merlin, he's such a prat! Did you see that wicked expression on his face when Snape called you 'a raging pillock'?"

Harry shot him a dirty look. "Yeah and thanks for the reminder, Ron."

Ron clapped him on the shoulder and grinned widely. "No problem. And don't worry about him, mate. Malfoy's not even worth the time."

Harry didn't say anything. Ever since the beginning of the year, Harry had suspected that Malfoy was up to something. And not just the usual somethings, like the "Potter Stinks" badges in fourth year or all the nasty attempts to get him into trouble. It was something else, something bigger. Harry had watched the Slytherin carefully for a couple weeks now and knew for sure that he was scheming, but just didn't know what it was yet. He'd watched Malfoy on the Marauder's Map everyday and observed him during classes and meals, hoping to catch a glimpse of the evil plan but the conniving boy just wouldn't reveal it. It drove Harry mad with curiosity. But every time he voiced his concerns to Ron or Hermione, they'd look at him with concern and tell him that he was getting a bit obsessive. That drove him even more mad. So eventually, he stopped talking to them about Malfoy and just continued to survey the blonde quietly on his own.

Hermione gazed at him with a hint of worry. "Harry, you're not thinking about Malfoy again, are you? I've told you a million times that I don't think you have anything to be anxious about. Ron's right, he's not worth the time."

Harry nodded and agreed with her absently. "Yeah Mione, I know."

Ron lit up at Hermione's mention of him. "You admit that I'm right about something?" he asked slyly. Hermione blushed.

"Oh, shut up Ronald."

Harry and Ron were walking down to the Great Hall for breakfast when Harry spotted Malfoy dart down a nearby corridor. He narrowed his eyes. What was that devious Slytherin up to now? He motioned at Ron vaguely with his hands. "You go on, I've got to use the restroom," he said hastily, dashing away in the direction Malfoy had just gone before Ron could respond.

Harry saw a flash of blonde hair disappear into a rarely used restroom down the hall a little ways and cautiously entered it, slipping in the doorway to hear the splashing of water at the sinks. He peered around the corner and to his utter bewilderment, saw Malfoy doubled over the sink in tears. "Oh gods," Malfoy gasped pitifully, amidst heaving sobs. "What am I going to do?" Harry frowned at the desperate, terrified expression on the usually pointy and arrogant face of Draco Malfoy. What was going on? Did this have to do with the something that Harry suspected of him? He watched as Malfoy buried his face into his hands, snuffling loudly and suddenly felt a peculiar rush of sympathy for the boy. He stepped forward and his shoes made a tiny squelching noise on the wet floor.

Malfoy stopped crying immediately and looked up. "W-Who's there?" he asked, his shaky voice betraying his attempt to sound harsh. Harry stepped out of the shadows by the doorway and Malfoy gasped, pointing his wand at him threateningly.

"Malfoy—" he started, but a curse flew at his face and he ducked behind the wall again to avoid it. He clumsily took out his wand and jumped back out in a defensive stance. "Wait—"

Another hex soared towards him and he missed it narrowly before instinctively yelling, "Expelliarmus!" It missed Malfoy only by a few centimeters and then the blonde stood facing him, his wand pointed directly at Harry's chest and his gray eyes blazing with passion. Harry took a few cautious steps back. He was just realizing that maybe it was a bad idea to follow Draco Malfoy around after all.

Malfoy sneered at him. "Cru—"

Harry dove at him before he could finish the Unforgivable curse, knocking them both to the ground and pinning him there by sitting on top. He yanked the wand out of Malfoy's death grip and threw it aside.

"Stop it!" he yelled, and for good measure (and because he'd always wanted to do it), he slapped Malfoy hard across the face. Malfoy stared back at him in astonishment.

"Why'd you do that for?" he snarled, making futile attempts to wriggle out from underneath Harry.

Harry crossed his arms defiantly, refusing to let him budge. "Why'd you attack me?" Malfoy said nothing and only glared at him. Harry sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Malfoy, just… stop. I know you're up to something awful. Stop it now before… someone gets seriously hurt." Harry stared at him challengingly and saw a flicker of fear flash in Malfoy's eyes. But the fear morphed into fury in an instant. With sudden force, Malfoy shoved Harry off and he toppled over in complete surprise. Malfoy stood and picked up his wand that Harry had hastily cast aside and shoved it in his face menacingly.

"It's none of your fucking business, Potter. Go away."

Harry glared at him and stood up as well. "It is my fucking business to keep people safe from Death Eaters like you, so no, I will not go away!"

To Harry's surprise, Malfoy faltered a bit. "I am not a Death Eater," he growled, a little less forcibly than before.

Harry let out a bitter, humorless laugh and spoke in the mocking tone he used only when he was fighting with Malfoy. "Oh yeah, you're just training to be one, my bad."

Without warning, Malfoy dropped his wand and threw Harry back against the wall with his fists digging into Harry's shoulders. "I am not a Death Eater," he repeated slowly, warningly.

Harry glowered at him. "But your father is! He works for Voldemort and you'll be working for him too—"

Harry's back was slammed into the stone wall again, making him temporarily lose his breath. "You stay out of my family's business, or I'll—"

Harry wrenched an arm out from Malfoy's grasp and pushed at his chest fiercely. "Or you'll what? You're a coward Malfoy, you don't make your own choices and you're a worthless coward—"

Malfoy punched him so hard that Harry slid down the wall in pain, clutching tightly at his side. Oh gods, that fucking hurt. Harry squeezed his eyes shut in agony. Who knew that Malfoy could actually pack a pretty mean punch? He opened his eyes and was shocked to see Malfoy sitting on the floor too, his face in his hands again. His body trembled violently as he tried to suppress the tiny, wretched sobs.

Harry stared at him for a bit, but Malfoy didn't get up or move or say anything. It was sort of making him uncomfortable. He wasn't used to seeing Malfoy so completely overwhelmed, they usually just hexed each other and got it over with. This was new and bizarre territory for them. Harry didn't really know what else to do, so he scooted over towards Malfoy and gingerly touched his shoulder. "Hey, Malfoy? Malfoy."

The blonde looked up at him, his eyes puffy and cheeks tear-stained. "I may be a lot of wicked things, but I'm not worthless," he whispered, gazing down at his hands. "I'm not worthless," he repeated, as if trying not only to convince Harry but himself as well.

Harry felt infinitely guiltier than he ever had in his entire life, and he wasn't sure why. Malfoy was always such a prick to him and was always plotting against him. He'd been Harry's archrival for as long as he could remember and they fought practically every day— he'd never felt bad about it before. But seeing Malfoy huddled up on the floor, looking utterly afraid and vulnerable… well, it sort of broke his heart.

"I didn't mean it," he blurted out, and Malfoy looked back up at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You're not worthless," Harry went on, not quite sure why he was still talking. "You're brilliant at Potions and um…" Oh gods, stop talking. "Making people feel incompetent? And…" For the love of Merlin, shut up now! "Yeah," he finished lamely, blushing at his stupid attempt to make Malfoy feel better. Why was he even doing this anyway? He should be rejoicing at seeing his enemy crumpled on the floor in emotional defeat. He should just leave and let Malfoy sit and cry here alone. But no, he would never do that to anybody, not even when it was Malfoy.

The other boy looked a bit amused now. "That's… nice, Potter. I think," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Harry wondered when it had become acceptable for him to sit on the ground in abandoned bathrooms consoling longtime adversaries. He had to admit it was more than a little strange, even for him. Harry glanced over at Malfoy, who was looking less and less haggard by the moment. He decided that it was time for him to head out. Harry got up and picked his wand up off of the floor and Malfoy mimicked his motions. They stood facing each other, not quite sure what to say about what had just happened. The situation was just immensely awkward.

Harry coughed. "Well… Uh, see you around, Malfoy," he mumbled, walking towards the door.

"You too." Malfoy replied, watching him go.

Harry was halfway out when he heard Malfoy call out again.

"Potter?"

He popped his head back in the door frame. "Yeah?"

Malfoy gave him a teeny smile. "Thanks."

Harry smiled back, pleasantly surprised at the uncharacteristic sincerity laced into Malfoy's voice. Then again, this whole encounter could be classified as "Uncharacteristic Malfoy" in Harry's book.

"You do have choices, you know," he said softly, before closing the door and walking away.