A/N: longer chapter! Yay!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

It was dark. Very dark. Blackness surrounded the corridor, the only visible thing was the huge snake slithering across the weathered and rotting wooden floor. It hissed loudly, passing a man.

He was old, quite old. He was clearly hiding, and jumped in fright when he saw the great beast of a snake pass by into the room.

Voices were heard from that room. At first, the man, who was the gardener to this house had thought that the local troublemaker teenagers had started another fire and he had gotten out of bed, with his back aching something terrible to investigate.

What he found horrified him. Two men were planning a murder! A murder of a person called "Harry Potter."

"Nagini?" Came a hoarse voice that sent chills down the man's spine. "It seems we have a guest!"

There was a bright flash of green as screams ripped through the air.

******

"Potter! Potter, bloody hell, wake up!"

Harry awoke with a cry of fear, letting out another as he scrambled away from Draco Malfoy who was watching him with wide eyes.

"Malfoy, sorry," Harry drew in a few deep breaths, shaking. "Bad dream."

"I know how that feels," the Malfoy mumbled, standing up and walking a few paces away to look out the window.

It had been four days since the incident at the Malfoy Manor, and the pair had successfully made it to the Leaky Cauldron with thankfully, no incidents.

The weary and depressed vampire stood up, staring out of the window, staying out of the sun's rays.

"It's just hard to believe that I'll never be able to go in the sunlight again," Harry said quietly, holding back tears.

"I'll never be able to watch the moon from my window again, either," Draco's voice was weak.

Draco's health had slowly deteriorated over the few days. His face seemed sunken in, his skin even paler than before. His eyes seemed dull and glassy.

These were things that Harry had clearly noticed. Despite his pervious burning hatred for the silvery haired blond, Harry found that he wasn't so bad after all.

He spoke with a civil attitude, but it was clear that he didn't quite like Harry, even if there was an evident show of trust from Draco. The werewolf hadn't made any rude remarks about his parents, or otherwise.

******

Harry kept his hood up as he hurriedly followed the Malfoy onto the Hogwarts Express.

Luckily, it hadn't been a very long walk from the Leaky Cauldron to King Cross Station, so as long had Harry had kept his head down nothing happened. The train was loud, louder than it had ever seemed before. It's whistle made Harry's ears ring, and the steam that flooded out of the metal machine kept making him jump.

The two had received some strange looks at having no possessions with them, looks which were quickly gone as Draco sent icy glares their way.

Draco got on the train, and threw open the door to the nearest empty compartment he saw, pulling the vampire in with him and drawing the curtains as Harry pulled down his hood.

"That went better than expected," Harry sighed as Draco pulled the blinds to the window that showed the station closed.

Draco simply nodded, falling into the seat opposite the raven haired boy.

"What're we going to do once we get to Hogwarts?"

For Draco, it was hard to pretend that he didn't dislike the way Harry kept saying "we". There was no "we", but Harry never seemed to notice his discomfort at it, or just directly didn't care at all.

"Well I'm going to see Professor Snape-"

"Snape hates me," Harry said flatly.

"Well I can see why," Harry shot Draco an angry glare. "But if anyone can help, it's him. Plus, maybe there's a spell or potion that'll turn you back to normal."

"What, a cure to being a vampire?"

"No, you idiot. To make your skin look normal."

******

"Hermione, did you see Harry get on the train?" It was an understatement to say that Ron Weasley was worried for his friend. Harry hasn't answered any of his owls over the holidays, not even when he offered to take him to the Quidditch World Cup, or to stay over at The Burrow.

"No... I didn't... I hope he's alright, especially after the attack at the World Cup..." Hermione replied, also concerned. What if something had happened to Harry?

Ron sat down, sighing. "Maybe he's just trying to find our compartment or something, or got caught up talking to someone else. I hope he didn't run into Malfoy."

"I didn't see him get on the train, either," Hermione said, suspicion in her voice.

"Maybe his daddy is bringing him. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me."

******

The sky had begun to grow dark, and Draco opened the blinds. The dark countryside that sped past kept Draco's mind in a haze.

He flicked his grey eyes over to his quiet companion, who was now quiet for a reason. He had fallen asleep.

Harry hadn't slept in at least four days, since his last nightmare incident at the Leaky Cauldron. Draco was thankful that he had fallen asleep, at least it shut the vampire up.

It provided a slight bit of relief without Harry constantly being able to read him like an open book. Draco had been told that the myths about vampires being able to read minds was a load of rubbish, but Harry contradicted that statement.

It was almost scary, that from the slightest stutter in Draco's words, or a change in facial expression how Harry could know exactly how he felt, what he wanted to say and most of the time, what he was thinking.

Harry had always been an observant and wary person of those around him. It was clear to Draco that Harry hated not knowing what was going on.

Draco diverted his gaze from the sleeping vampire and back to the window. It wouldn't be long until they got to Hogwarts now.

******

The train pulled to a halt, shocking Harry awake. He blinked a few times as his eyes focused.

Draco was standing, looking out the window with his back turned.

"We'll get off last," Draco said calmly, turning.

Harry simply nodded, standing too and wincing as his legs ached. Draco pulled open the compartment door not long afterwards, and the two crept off the train.

Immediately, Draco glanced around, and then broke into a run towards the castle. Harry followed, becoming a faded, zipping blur as he ran next to the speeding werewolf.

The corridors of the castle were silent, the only noise heard coming from the great hall where all the students were attending the feast. Draco hurriedly turned down the path towards the dungeons.

"Won't Snape be at the feast?" Harry asked curiously, jogging to catch up and walk next to Draco.

"Hopefully not," was Draco's quick reply.

Draco didn't even bother to knock on Snape's office door, simply throwing it open and walking in, looking around and quickly catching sight of the dark, greasy haired professor.

"Mr Malfoy, this is most irregular-" Snape started, freezing as Harry walked into view. "What happened?"

Draco slumped down in a chair, running a hand through his hair.

"My father," Draco began, his voice faltering at the memory of Lucius. "Thought it would be a fantastic idea to get rid of Potter himself. Sadly, my father wasn't a complete idiot and got a vampire to drain his blood in fear that he would overpower them. The vampire betrayed him and turned Potter instead, then Fenrir went crazy and bit me and father threw me in the dungeons with him to be left for dead. We escaped."

Snape's eyes were wide as they flickered between the dead looking, corpse like Harry Potter and the tired, weary Draco Malfoy. There was a moment of silence where no one knew what to say.

"We'll have to see the headmaster about this after the feast. Draco, how bad is the bite?" Snape turned, rummaging through a drawer.

"Pretty bad, but I haven't looked at it. I passed out after we escaped and Potter had to carry me to the nearest town where he apparently caught fire," Draco drawled, giving Harry a skeptical look.

"You try nearly spontaneously burning your arm off! It's not funny!" Harry glared.

Snape beckoned with a hand, and Draco stood, walking over. He pulled off his shirt and Harry couldn't help but wince at the sight of the wound.

Draco's whole left shoulder had been mangled. It looked worse than it had before, the once blue strips of Harry's shirt were stained almost black with blood. The blood that ran down his side, some of it still fresh was almost black.

Snape cut the strips of cloth with a pair of scissors, Draco biting his lip to prevent himself from crying out as the cold dungeon air flooded the wound.

"Quick thinking with that cloth, Potter," Snape said, inspecting the wound. "Looks like a few minor infections though."

"Can't you use magic to heal it?" Draco asked shakily.

"I'm afraid not. Werewolf bites don't heal-"

"You mean that'll be there forever?!" Draco's reply was panicked.

"No, it'll heal, but it'll scar quite badly."

Harry was surprised at Draco's utter amount of self control. He was clearly in immense pain as Snape bandaged the bite, but not once did he cry out, whimper, or even let a tear fall.

"Potter, come here."

Harry walked warily over to the professor, as Draco moved to a darker corner to lean
against the wall.

Carefully, Snape examined his now crimson eyes, light grey skin and the two small wounds on his neck.

"Is there a way to hide," Harry paused. "This?" Harry gestured to his skin and eyes.

"A simple illusion charm should suffice," Snape said. "But it won't hide all traces. It'll be able to let you go in the sunlight though."

Harry sighed. At least it was something.

Harry moved to sit back down in the seat that Draco had previously occupied.

"Is there anything we've missed from the feast?" Harry asked.

"The Triwizard tournament is being announced and Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang are arriving," Snape said boredly, sorting through a potion cabinet.

"Triwizard what?"

"It's a tournament, you idiot. Three wizards are chosen from three schools, the other two being Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and they have to compete in the tournament," Draco piped up, not resisting the chance to call Harry an idiot.

"Right," Harry frowned. He'd get better details from Ron and Hermione later.

It only took a few more minutes for Snape to finish whatever he'd been doing previously, and he got up to leave, gesturing for the two to follow.

Again, they passed no one but a ghost who was floating aimlessly, uncaring about the three. After quietly speaking the password to the huge stone gargoyle, it turned and spun, revealing a stone staircase that the two students and Snape walked up.

Snape merely opened the door, walking in to find the office empty of the headmaster. Of course, he was still at the feast. Harry and Draco each sat down, both just wanting to go to sleep and hope that this was just a strangely realistic but horrible nightmare.

Ten minutes had passed, and Harry had quickly grown bored, so with Fawkes on his shoulder he walked over to the huge window that was behind the headmaster's desk. He petted the fiery bird on his shoulder as he looked out on the dark grounds of Hogwarts, raising an eyebrow.

By Hagrid's hut there was a huge carriage, a bit larger than the size of a small house. Harnessed to it were six winged horses, about twice the size of normal horses. And on the Black Lake was a huge pirate-like ship.

Harry turned as he heard the sound of a door opening.

In walked Professor Dumbledore, wearing his silver robes and his long white beard nearly touching the floor. His half-moon spectacles were balanced on his nose, his blue eyes widening as he caught sight of Harry and Draco.

Harry's red eyes widened in surprise as the old wizard sighed.

"I feared that something like this might happen."

Harry's eyes narrowed into angry slits as he stormed over.

"I have been knocked out, tortured, bitten, and nearly handed to Death on a silver platter, and you knew something might happen?!" Harry yelled.

"Harry-"

"No, shut up!" Harry snarled, Draco standing up as thunder rolled outside. "You didn't even think to send me an owl?! Nothing?!"

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed outside.

"Harry, cease this madness!"

"No! I'm sick of it, I haven't been told anything, and it's your fault!" Harry's voice turned low and demonic as the thunder outside got louder.

"Get a hold of yourself, Potter!" Draco growled, slapping Harry in the face, Harry's eyes widening.

"For gods sake, both of you, stop being so insolent! You're both acting like toddlers!" Snape said angrily, pushing the two away from each other.

After Harry had managed to calm down a bit, he sat back down.

"Now... Explain to me exactly how this happened."

"I was walking down the street when someone knocked me out with a cloth, and I woke up in the Malfoy Manor. After being Crucio-ed a few times, I was bitten by a vampire. I was thrown in the dungeon, and then Fenrir lost it and bit Malfoy. He found a way out and we escaped, that was about a week ago," Harry said.

The old headmaster shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you two. I must ask, do you wish to remain at this school?"

"Of course I do, I mean, it's not like I've got anywhere else to go," Harry replied.

"I'm not going to be welcomed back to my home with open arms either," Draco muttered.

"Well then, I hope you two understand that it isn't safe for you to be around the other students, especially with the two other schools here-"

"What do you mean?! Do you think I'd hurt someone?" Harry asked, anger in his voice.

"Of course not, not on purpose at least. If you two wish to remain at this school, you will be required to stay in a separate dormitory with each other, away from the rest of your houses," Dumbleore spoke calmly.

"You can't be serious! I'm not sharing a room with Potter," Draco spat.

"I thought we were on civil terms, Malfoy, and trust me, I don't like this either!"

"Just because I can speak to you civilly doesn't mean I hate you any less," Draco snarled viciously.

"Well I'm afraid that's the only way I can allow the two of you to stay at this school," Dumbledore spoke up.

Draco thought for a moment. "Fine," he growled angrily.

"Whatever," Harry shrugged.

Dumbledore led them to a dungeon corridor, to a portrait of a huge, black wolf. When they came to it, it opened its mouth and spoke.

"Password?" It's voice was low, and menacing.

"Misunderstood," was the word that the headmaster spoke. The wolf nodded, and the portrait swung open to reveal a room, with two branching staircases.

"Your things have both been placed in your rooms," Dumbledore said. "I'll leave you to get settled in."

Harry and Draco both nodded, walking in.

The main room was large and spacious, the size of a normal common room living area. A large couch and three armchairs occupied the space in front of a fireplace, the flames burning an ominous green. There were several windows, each of which had silver curtains. A coffee table was set in front of one of the couches.

Harry looked around the room warily before ascending one of the staircases.

Pulling open the door, he recognised that it must have been the room intended for Draco.

Green banners on the walls, silver bedcovers, Draco's trunk and black hawk in a cage. There was a desk in one corner, and a large bookshelf in the other. A closet was against the wall by the bedside table which had a lamp. A large, full length mirror stood against the wall by the dresser. There was a window, one of the circular ones that had seats at an outcropping in the wall. There was another set of stairs leading to a bathroom opposite.

"This must be your room," Harry said.

"I think I've found yours too."

Harry's room looked bigger than Draco's, but that might've been because of the coffin set up in the middle of the room instead of a large bed. Harry's room had a singular window that was able to be locked, and several candle-bras. A bookshelf and desk sat against one wall. The room had a red rug on the floor. Hedwig's cage with the snowy owl was standing by a wall, his trunk at the end of his bed. Another staircase, presumable leading to a bathroom branched off.

Harry reached his room, and after closing his door and sitting on top of the coffin, he lost what little self control he had left and began sobbing.

The room felt cold and unwelcoming. This wasn't his room, this wasn't familiar. All he wanted was to be curled up in his bed in the Griffindor Common Room. He'd never be able to do that again.

Shaking uncontrollably, tears flooding his face, he stood up to unpack.

After finishing putting his clothes away and his pyjamas on, he opened Hedwig's cage. The owl seemed wary of him, and didn't come out of her cage like she usually would have.

This only magnified the intense hurt he was feeling, and sitting down at the desk, he buried his head in his arms and cried, feeling utterly hopeless.

******

Draco lay awake in his bed. He doubted he'd be able to sleep at all, so he sat up, running a hand through his already messy hair.

Using a spell to light the lamp, it illuminated his room. Wrapping a blanket around his skinny frame, the Malfoy walked to a bookshelf and grabbed the nearest book after discerning that it was a narrative book of fairytales.

He sat down by the window, looking out across the grounds, and then turning, looking through Harry's window. He was at his desk, seemingly crying.

Draco couldn't help but feel bad. Even if he did know how to comfort people, he doubted that he'd have the nerve to go and help out Harry. Throughout the whole experience, Harry had seemed like the kind of person who never cracked. Yet this said otherwise.

Sighing, Draco curled up and opened the book, beginning to read until he finally dozed off.