The next day Draco got up from bed barely remembering how he had managed to stumble to his dorm room and into the bed in the first place, with the events before somewhat blurry in his mind but still pretty clear. He dimly thought "an invisibility cloak…like mine...I guess that explains a bit..." as he sat up amidst the strewn emerald colored bed sheets and comforter.

His hand hit the side of something thing thin and hard and he felt around for it. His palm fell onto a cold glossy surface poking out from beneath his pillows and he suddenly felt his face flush with embarrassment and shame and many other things. He let his hair fall in his face to cover the heat in his cheeks, hand still pressed against the magazine, images of green coming into his mind. This time they were of green eyes unmarred by thick glasses, real eyes instead of glossy eyes printed on paper, just a ghost of the originals.

He pulled his hand away and pushed himself out of bed, pushing every one of those thoughts away as well, trying to leave them on the bed and under the pillows. He made himself presentable and headed down for breakfast, knowing he had to eat, knowing he could NOT have another episode like the one he had had the previous night, in front of Harry potter no less.

He headed down the cold corridors, completely off in his own when Millicent came bounding up to him. She gave him a very unexpected hug and Draco just stood there awkwardly, half accepting it but not making any movements to return it. When she finally released him he gave her an odd questioning look and she returned it with a big smile. "I'm on the team!" She exclaimed, "I'm replacing our injured chaser, and it's thanks to you". She beamed at him. "Erm, your welcome…" he said awkwardly, not used to the kind of affection she was showing.

A thought struck him and he tugged at her sleeve awkwardly to get her attention. He cleared his throat slightly and began, "Millicent…I'm sorry for the way I've snapped at you in the last few weeks..." Before he could continue she replied "Oh that's alright Draco, thank you for the apology though". Her face read as if she knew all along he would apologize and he crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.

She grabbed his arm and said "Well let's go to breakfast, I'm starved", ruining his stubborn stance. Together they headed into the great hall and toward the Slytherin table and into a pair of empty seats. Without waiting to be pushed into it Draco began slowly ushering small amounts of food onto his plate as Millicent added more generous amounts to hers next to him.

He pushed the food around on his plate for a while, reluctant to eat. He slowly put his fork through a piece of a pancake and brought it to his mouth, chewing it slowly, knowing he had to take it slow or queasiness was sure to follow. He was expecting some bit of nausea either way, but knew it would be less if he started out slow.

"So what's your first class today Draco?" Millicent asked beside him. "Um, Charms" Draco replied. "Okay, I can walk you; I have care of magical creatures first". He nodded and looked back down at his plate. Silence followed and he glanced back up at her and noticed she was trying to stare very subtly at the Gryffindor table. He followed her gaze and found a Pair of green eyes staring back at him, it was too far away to really tell but the gaze looked concerned. Draco almost choked on his bit of pancake and quickly lowered his head back to his plate.

He shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth and began getting up to leave when Millicent took hold of his arm. "Wait, I'm almost done, I'll walk you" she began, but Draco gently pulled himself away and gave her a quickly thought up excuse. "Sorry I just realized I forgot my Charms book and assignment back in my room". He was about to rush away but turned and quickly added "I'll see you in potions" with a small smile, and rushed off, suddenly feeling a great need to leave the common room.

He only took a second to contemplate why he felt the need to be nice Millicent when he didn't have to, but wrote it off as unimportant as he exited the great hall, the door's swinging shut behind him. He slowed his step and headed towards charms. "Hey Draco!" someone called out from behind him. He kept walking for a second as the voice registered in his mind and then a tingling feeling rushed from his stomach into his legs, making him stop and turn slightly as a dark haired boy walked quickly toward him.

This was getting to be way too many run ins with Potter in one week, he thought, but without much conviction. "Hey" the dark haired boy puffed out as he caught up to Draco. "I, uh" he began, seeming to have forgotten why he had stopped the blonde boy in the first place. "Thanks for the Charm" he said feebly. "You know, the one you gave to Hermione, it's really…convenient' he finished. "Um, your welcome" Draco replied, getting the feeling that that wasn't really why he had come after him, but letting the thought go quickly, to weary to explore it.

"Yeah" Harry said, as an uncomfortable silence stretched and both boys stood there awkwardly. Just as it looked like Potter was turning to leave, something grasped at Draco's mind and he said "Thanks!" Potter turned to him uncertainly and Draco cleared his throat and said "Thanks, for helping me out yesterday…" Harry gave him an uncertain smile and said "Oh, ya, are you…?" "Ya I'm fine" Draco finished for him, completely lost at how to act and what to say in this conversation. "Well I have to head to charms now" Draco said and turned to leave, trying not to look back as he turned the corner out of the hall.

As he headed towards the Charms classroom he noticed he was going the wrong way and mentally slapped himself. He turned and headed back to the entrance to the great hall, finding it empty, a slight disappointment, though he didn't know what he expected. He then turned right and headed up a corridor and to a staircase in the correct direction to the charms classroom. He opened the door and chose a seat near a window as the rest of the class let themselves in and Class began.

Professor Flitwick gave out an assignment and Draco got started on it, thinking that the drab assignment and the feel of the dry parchment clashed well with the thrill of the cold and the September rain falling outside the windows across the grounds. He noticed that October was coming very soon. The scratching of the quills on parchment around him an the low chatting added to the sound of the rain hitting the windows soon brought his thoughts away from his assignment and to his encounter that morning.

He felt slightly embarrassed as he thought about it, his sudden and awkward exit and the short sentences in the "conversation". He realized Potter had wanted to ask more about how he felt then to thank him, but brushed the thought away with the question of 'why the hell would he care?'. Even with that thought, a strange feeling rose in his stomach at the thought. He tried to brush it all away but it was so many new things to him. He wasn't used to feeling awkward or embarrassed, or even content. Was he content? He wasn't sure…

He might be, almost, but then his thoughts wandered to his mother, to his father. His face hardened and he thought of the next Hogsmead weekend, the first weekend of October. That was when he'd go to the family plot. In the back of his head he thought that maybe after that he could actually be content, after he had cut himself away from his family, dealt with them. He realized that was what he actually wanted to do. Cut himself away.

He thought about what his self 2 years ago would have said to these thoughts, but then noticed he really didn't give a damn. These were some very new developments, he thought awkwardly. Maybe he could be content after that…The image of emerald eyes appeared once again and he didn't want to contemplate that, or how that image was now slightly haunting him.

He tried to get back to work on his almost completed assignment and thankfully finished it as the class ended. When the class was over he headed to double potions, knowing that after that he had double ancient ruins with Granger. He got to potions and grabbed a seat next to Millicent. He tried not to notice as Harry and Granger filed in and pretended not to notice Millicent noticing Ron file in behind them.

The assignment was an easy one and Draco had some "extra curricular" studying to do, so he quickly lost himself in the potion, trying to complete it was fast as possible, and ending up completing it perfectly with the help of Millicent. He pulled out the parchment that contained the half copied book and began to read as Millicent began some assignment or other.

As potions drew to an end Draco headed to Snape's desk and turned in his potions early, taking the moment when the other students were finishing up to take the Potions master aside. "Professor?" He began, stepping to the side of the desk as Snape turned to him, his back half turned to the class. "Yes, Mister Malfoy?" he asked in his drawling voice. "I've become quite interested in a subject as of late, defense against the Dark arts, one of your favorites actually, and I wanted to do some extra reading on it, but the book I've been recommended is in the restricted section I'm afraid, and I know you of all the teachers would appreciate this thirst for knowledge the most, and I was thinking perhaps you would write me a pass for the book?" Draco explained carefully.

"I always wish to help those looking to further educate themselves in this place, tell me of this book you want and I'll see what I can do" Snape replied, eyeing the boy and hoping his request wasn't for some dark arts book. "I don't know the name, it's escaped me" Draco began, "But it has a half black and half white cover, and is quite thick, maybe you know it?" "Ah yes, The book of the Grey teachings, I know it, and I am happy to say I can write you a permission slip for that book" Snape replied, tone not betraying the relief he felt at the book the boy wanted, though it still held some dark spells, but the knowledge of how to do them was looked under spell inside the book, the spell known only to teachers.

Snape pulled out a piece of parchment and scrawled out a quick permission slip in his neat hand and handed it to Draco. "You will only be allowed the book one week Mister Malfoy, the book is often used in Defense against the Dark arts here for the higher years" He warned. "Thank you Professor" Draco replied, taking the slip and heading back to his desk to collect his things as most of the students were turning in their potions.

As he finished placing his things in his bag he turned to look at the table where Potter and his friends were sitting at before. Harry was still there, finishing something in a hurry while Granger was putting things away. He stood there for a moment almost flat out staring at him but unable to turn away until the usually oblivious boy turned his emerald gaze from his desk to Draco. Feeling a bit like a deer in headlights for a second Draco returned the gaze, his own gaze completely open and without barrier for a moment. Then he quickly regained his barriers and turned his head slowly away, picked up his bag, and headed for the door and then to his next class, where he found a seat thankfully far away from Granger.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

After ancient ruins he felt his stomach growl in a warning and he remembered with a slight guilty feeling how he had skipped lunch that afternoon in favor of finishing an ancient ruins paper. He decided to make a quick stop to the library on his way to dinner and walked through the double doors and straight to Madam Pince's desk where it took him a few attempts at clearing his throat to get her attention.

She looked up at him warily from her open books and raised a steel grey eyebrow at him as if to say 'Well?'

He gave a slight cough and said "Yes, um, I'd like to check out The Book of the Grey Teachings from the restricted section" He stated, feeling a little uncomfortable. He always felt slightly uneasy when under the old librarians gaze, not in a threatened way but in more of an alarmed way. She seemed to pay him more attention then most students, maybe because he was there so often.

"Do you have a permission slip for this book?" She asked him in her rough but quiet voice. Draco handed her the piece of parchment Snape had given him and she examined it for a moment, then walked off to retrieve the book, saying "Wait one moment," to him as she passed him.

She came back carefully cradling the black and white book in her arms and handed it to him cautiously. She wrote down his name and the name of the book in her log and glanced at him once more before going back to her books, apparently satisfied that he was a student she need not worry about abusing the books.

He carefully stowed the book in his bag and headed towards the great hall for dinner, obeying his stomach's wishes at last. He sat down and helped himself to a small plate of food that for him was much larger then what he was accustomed to and surprised himself by eating all of it. Before he could have another run in with an unnamed Gryffindor he excused himself from the table, grabbing a pastry as a second thought and taking it with him as he exited the great hall.

Draco made his way back to the common room then to his dorm, taking the book from his bag and placing it on his bed. After getting dressed in his silk pajama pants and a black t-shirt he settled onto his bed. He had intended to start studying from it right away but for the moment he could only stare at it and not will himself to pick it up. Finally he decided to put it away and pull out a Muggle novel instead, but after 150 pages or so of that he realized he was feeling restless.

Zabini had come in and gone to bed apparently in exhaustion about 30 minutes ago and there was no one else to see his absence, so he grabbed his invisibility cloak and exited the dorm. In the common room a student was asleep with a book in her lap in front of the slowly dying fire and another student was hard at work on a roll of parchments with two open books at his side.

The Common room had an eerie stone glow to it with the only light and warmth coming from the waning fire, an emerald glow. Draco slipped out unnoticed and undisturbed. Once outside he began walking through the halls of the dungeons and soon found himself climbing farther up through the castle until he was sure he was above ground level and he realized he had no idea where he wanted to go. He made a slight turn, taking in his surroundings, and headed up the next flight of stairs.

As he turned the corner he heard a crash that nearly lost him his hold on the cloak. He heard a smaller echoing crash and turned to a door of an apparently abandoned classroom. He peered in through the small window on the door and seeing nothing, cautiously opened the door. He took a step in and thought he might have imagined the noise when there was another crash that sent his heart skidding as an orange cat bolted out from beneath a chair, knocking it into another chair next to it, apparently in pursuit of some poor creature.

He had time enough to take in a flat face and matted orange fur before the cat was out of the classroom and dashing down the corridor he had just come through. He chuckled to himself and back out of the classroom, closing the door behind him softly and continued on his way to no particular destination. He turned the corner and entered an unfamiliar corridor where the right-hand wall was studded with tall windows reaching from a pointed beginning slightly beneath the ceiling and expanding until it hit thigh level and stopped with a thick sill. They covered the wall until the end of the corridor, spaced at the most a foot apart each, giving the illusion that there was no wall on the right side of the corridor.

He was on the third floor and the most he could see was a large expanse of rich blue night sky sprinkled with bright stars the way only a country sky could be, stretching out over an almost empty field of light green mildew covered grass. He stopped to gaze out the window and noticed the at least half the windows were open and without glass as a cold gust blew in and ruffled the fabric of his cloak against his skin.

As he stopped to appreciate the romantic view the wind was suddenly knocked out of him as something collided with his stomach. His hand reached out automatically in front of him and met a filmy material which he tugged at as his invisibility cloak began to slide off his body.

In a few seconds his grey eyes met a startled emerald gaze much with the same expression as his own. Two invisibility cloaks slid to the ground as Draco clutched at his side and as the other boy brought his hand to his face with a small mutter of "ow". Draco felt the side of his face throb a bit with pain as he realized they had collided face first into each other, or rather, the boy had collided face first with him.

"You again!" Draco exclaimed before he could stop himself. "What are you doing out here?". Potter toke a second to understand the situation and get over his initial shock before responding with an exclaimed "what are you doing here?". "I'm…" Draco began, he glanced to the side, then looked to Harry again and gave a small smile, "Taking a walk" he finished.

Potter just stared at him and Draco cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter, "And what are you doing out this late? I am a prefect you know, and if I recall correctly this is very much against the rules". "I'm….taking a walk as well" Potter replied, seeming to stiffen up a bit. He looked down at his cloak and Draco got the impression he was considering grabbing it and running. For some reason or other Draco didn't want that and let out a small laugh, startling the other boy.

"I'm not going to report you or anything…"he said, "No need to worry Potter". "I was only…joking" he added, feeling how awkward it felt saying that to Potter. The dark haired boy looked at him a bit suspiciously and Draco bent down and picked up their cloaks, handing Harry his almost as a peace offering. "Nice view ay" Draco said awkwardly, turning his attention back to the window, not capable of Holding Harry's gaze.

The other boy turned to look and nodded, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Harry turned back to Draco and noticed him rubbing at his stomach and said " Sorry about that, I sort of collided with you there", slowly beginning to let go of his wariness of the boy but not completely throwing caution to the wind. Draco turned back to look at him and then down at his side. "Yeah, I was looking out the window so I didn't see you coming…" He began. Harry laughed and said "You wouldn't have seen me coming anyway". He lifted his arm and shook it to show the cloak hanging from it. "Oh yeah." Draco replied, feeling himself blush slightly and uttering a small laugh himself.

"Invisibility cloak too huh?" Harry asked. "Yeah, my uncle gave it to me this year actually" Draco replied. "Oh, I've had mine for a long time now, it was my fathers…" Harry began, but stopped himself with the realization that he was just divulging information to a former (former?) enemy. Draco noticed this but pretend not to and said "Well that explains a lot" and laughed, smoothing the bump over. After a moment Harry laughed too.

"So what are you doing out here really?" Harry asked Draco, feeling he had some right to ask since he had divulged some personal knowledge. "I told you, I'm talking a walk" Draco said, then gave a half smile at the look of suspicion on the other boy's face. "Really, I am" he said, "I'm not up to any secret evil plans…".

"Promise?" Harry asked. Draco laughed and said "Promise, and what are you really doing?". "Honestly, I was out on the ground flying, and now I really am taking a walk, but I'm getting a bit tired".

"Well" Draco began, "This is a nice place to sit down and rest" he finished, gesturing to the windows and the sills. "Ya, you're right, it is" Harry replied and headed towards an open window, sitting down on the floor so that his back was to it. After a moments hesitation Draco joined him on the ground, feeling the cold marble of the floor against his palms and the delicious shiver of the cold wind hitting the back of his neck and scattering the blonde hair there.

They sat in a silence that should have been awkward but was surprisingly comfortable despite the knowledge of how odd the whole event was and how it shouldn't have been happening in the first place. According to whom, neither knew, and Harry decided at about the same time as Draco did that it didn't really matter because something that comfortable is fine and right by his standards.

"You were flying in this cold and wind?" Draco asked out of the blue, turning his head to look at Harry and noticing how their heads were not that far apart. "Ya" Harry replied. "Must have felt great" Draco said and was rewarded with a grin from Harry. The boy turned around and faced the window, bracing his hands on the window sill and standing on his knees. "I was restless" he said smiling as the breeze hit his face and blew jet black strands of hair away from his forehead, revealing his lighting shaped scar and once again it dawned on Draco how weird this moment was, but how strangely comfortable, which made it even weirder.

Draco watched him and Harry suddenly turned and caught his gaze, then returned to his sitting position. Draco noticed they were sitting much closer now, the sides of their hands almost touching and Draco found it odd that he could feel the heat pulsing from Harry's hand sitting closely next to his, also making him suddenly aware that all he was wearing was a thin t-shirt and silk pajama pants. "This is perfect Quidditch weather" Harry said, breaking through Draco's thoughts.

To distract himself Draco hooked onto the subject and soon they were discussing Quidditch as if they hadn't hated each other through most of their years at Hogwarts. Who knows how long later Harry had his hands in the air in front of them gesturing to demonstrate a quidditch move. When he dropped them back to the ground his hand slipped and landed on Draco's, sending a not unpleasant jolt through him even as Harry tossed a "sorry" at him and removed it.

Draco stiffened and sat up quickly, then said "shit we should be getting back to our dorms, it must be late". Harry looked around and it seemed to dawn on him how long they had spent sitting there. When he turned to look back at Draco the blonde boy was already standing up and dusting off his pajama pants. Draco wasn't really all that worried about the time they had spent there but rather more about the jolt he had felt. He was glad to have an excuse to leave but was a bit disappointed to let the moment go.

"I'll, um, see you later Harry" Draco muttered, and Harry noticed the other boy's face was slightly flushed just as he disappeared under the folds of an invisibility cloak and disappeared. He felt the same lingering disappointment as Draco had felt as he pulled his own cloak on, and then something came to his attention and made him smile a bit, even as it slipped Draco's attention entirely. Draco had called him Harry.

A/n: Well there you go, its been awhile, been busy but school here is almost over so hopefully ill have more time to write, thanks to everyone who's been lovely enough to review, love you all, and plz R &R this next installment as well, still don't know exactly where I'm going with this but wherever it is, I'm getting there!