Snape had told Harry that he would send out letters to the (remaining) members of the Order and notify him when he had them all gathered together. That had been last week.

Harry was starting to make an effort to go to classes now, to Ron and Hermione's delight. He had wanted to change some of his classes at first, so he didn't have to see Malfoy's face. But he quickly beat down that idea, he was not a coward! He would face Malfoy like the brave fucker he was!

So when Harry sat at the back of class in Biology, it wasn't because he didn't want to be spotted by the blond who had broken his heart into tiny little pieces, but because he didn't want to fry off the boy's face with the heat of his glare burning into it. When Malfoy came into class, however, he didn't even look towards where Harry sat, making the brunet boil. While he no longer felt the deep feelings he did for Malfoy a few weeks ago, at least he wasn't pretending like nothing ever happened! How was the blond boy so heartless as to not even spare a glance towards the boy he broke so badly?

"Ah, Harry!" Professor Flitwick said delightedly. "I'm so happy to see you're back!"

That was when Malfoy turned to look at him, jaw slack and eyes widening. The blond must not have seen him, Harry realised. That was when Harry got a proper look at his face.

Eyes red, a faint bruise on his cheekbone. His facial structure was more bold than usual, suggesting he had lost weight. He looked like shit. It made Harry feel a little pity towards him, despite how he broke his heart. And while he understood Draco did it out of love for his mother, Harry knew that the damage that had been done to him would take a while to repair.

Malfoy deserved to suffer for it.

Harry felt bad for even thinking it, but after weeks of moping like he severe depression, he had come to the conclusion that his self worth was more important than making someone else feel good about themselves. Even if they were close to him.

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied to the short teacher. His heart warmed when he saw the Professor's genuine smile, like a beam of sunlight shining through the clouds on a stormy day.

The lesson, however, was the opposite, raining on him for a whole hour relentlessly. Harry had no idea what he would do for his exams, he barely studied! When the lesson was finally over and he was walking out the doorway, he felt someone grab his arm. Of course, it was the mess that was Draco Malfoy.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice hoarse and fragile. Harry refused to be swayed by the act.

"No. I don't want to," Harry said, tearing his hand out of Draco's grasp.

The taller boy let out a sob and caught a hold of it again. "Please! I need to tell you-"

"I already know all of it, Malfoy," Harry said, turning around to look at him. "But don't you think for a second you can use love as an excuse. You don't even understand what that word means."

"I just wanted my mother back!" Malfoy said desperately, his voice echoing in the empty corridor. "She didn't deserve what she got!"

"NEITHER DID I." Harry yelled. "I DIDN'T DESERVE TO HAVE MY PARENTS KILLED AND THEN BE SENT OFF TO AN ABUSIVE HOME WHERE I GOT BEAT UP NEARLY EVERYDAY TO THE POINT I PASSED OUT. I DIDN'T DESERVE TO COME HERE AND BE USED LIKE SOME BARGAINING CHIP BY A DICKHEAD WHO LIED LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD WAS COMING! YOU HUMILIATED ME, MADE ME FEEL LIKE MAYBE SOMEONE CARED AND UNDERSTOOD! BUT YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOTHING LESS THAN A GODDAMN PSYCHOPATH WHO STOPS AT NOTHING TO GET WHAT HE WANTS!"

Malfoy remained quiet, but Harry didn't stop.

"And what really ticks me off is the fact you lied to me for so long! You could have told me, I would have helped! But instead you played me like the latest video game," Harry sniffled.

Tears dripped down the boys' cheeks as they realised the mess they had become.

"I wish I had never met you," Malfoy sobbed. "My mother-"

"Is not my concern," Harry replied icily. "Nor my fault. Now get lost, I never want to speak to you again!"

And suddenly Harry was standing alone in the corridor, sobs slipping out of his mouth as his knees fell to the ground.

It was Sunday evening and Harry was rushing towards Headmaster Hagrid's office, where he had been called for an emergency meeting with the Professor. Although he had never talked to the man before, he wasn't all too worried about their meeting, as Ron had once told him he was the nicest teacher in the school.

He arrived at the staircase that had gargoyle statues on either sides that was said to lead up to his office. Quickly, Harry went up the stairs and knocked on the door opposite the stairs. Luckily for him, it was already slightly open and he could see inside.

"Ah, that mus' be Harry," said a gruff voice. "Everyone jus' wait here while I go get the door."

Harry stepped away from the door as it opened, a large man in the doorway. Professor Hagrid.

"Hiya, Harry," he said cheerfully. "How are ya?"

"I'm good, thanks," Harry replied, a little wary. "You wanted to see me?"

"Ah yes," Hagrid said, smiling under his beard. "Come in, Harry."

Walking inside the room, Harry could barely suppress the gasp of awe that slipped from his mouth. The room was large and spacious, with a fireplace built into the left wall. There were weird but pretty instruments on the desk. But what shocked Harry was the golden phoenix sitting in the big gold cage-

"Ah," Hagrid followed Harry's shell-shocked gaze. "That's Fawkes. Extremely harmless. Come on through to the meeting room, Harry. There are some people here to see you."

Harry was more than a little confused as he followed Hagrid through a second doorway where there was a large round table in the centre of the room surrounded by men and women who looked at him with awe and admiration the moment he came into the room.

Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were there, as was the teacher Harry knew as Professor Dumbledore. A red-headed man and woman who looked at Harry fondly. An eccentric-looking woman with purple hair grinned at him.

"Hiya, Harry," she said, repeating Hagrid's earlier words. "I'm Tonks."

"This is Harry?" said a sceptical voice. Harry looked over to see a short but dominant man standing at the right side of the table. He was missing an eye and a leg, and had had fake ones to replace the things he had lost, by the look of it. "You're sure, Hagrid? We don't want any spies..."

"Don't be ridiculous," said a familiar voice from opposite Harry. "I know it's Harry."

"Sirius!" Harry exclaimed with delight as his eyes landed on his godfather, who's smile overshadowed that of anyone else's as he looked at Harry.

Sirius immediately strode over to the boy and engulfed him in a hug. "Oh wow, you've gotten so big! I missed you so much, Harry!"

"I did too," the smaller boy said as tears brimmed his eyes.

"What, I don't get a hug too?"

"Remus!" Harry said joyously, extracting himself from Sirius' arms and immediately falling into gentler, more fragile ones.

"Great! The whole gang's here!" Tonks said happily, trying to downplay the fact she had tears in her eyes.

~~~

*sob*

I HAVE FINALLY LET UP ON THE ANGST. YOU'RE VERY FUCKING WELCOME!!! :D

vote and comment because i am a desperate bitch >:(