On the day of the second task, Draco rose early, dressed, and spent two hours in the common room trying to stop thinking about what could happen to Harry in the task, drawing and reading and trying to do homework to distract himself - without much success. It had been two months since the Yule ball, and the feelings that had at first threatened to engulf Draco had begun to drain away, leaving a gaping ache of absence in their wake. Eventually, he realised that nothing was working and he was still just as worried as he had been when he first got up. The sick feeling he'd had on the first task was back in his stomach. Manimi was gone, out on a hunt probably.

Eventually, the other Slytherins began drifting into the common room, starting with some older kids he didn't know well from the year above him, and followed grudgingly by Theodore Nott, Blaise, Pansy, and a few other Slytherins from Draco's year. Ever since he'd taken Blaise's advice and brought Pansy on an extravagant shopping trip to Hogsmeade by way of an apology, they'd been on speaking terms. Unfortunately, Draco still got the feeling that Pansy didn't like him, but some things couldn't be helped.

The Slytherins brought little distraction as they crowded the common room, lounging on the regal armchairs and sofas. Pansy was especially unhelpful, as she seemed intent on planning out all the possible ways that Harry might die in whatever unknown event was planned for the second task. Eventually, even the other Slytherins seemed tired of her cackling laughter. Finally, it was Theo who decided to put them out of their misery.

"Pansy, no offence, but could you please shut up?" he asked sweetly. Pansy opened her mouth in mock horror and pouted, pathetically.

Draco was thankful when the group finally decided to move out of the cramped common room to the Great Hall, now joined by Crabbe and Goyle. However, the knot in his stomach tightened when he searched the Great Hall and found that the Golden Trio were absent from their usual spot. Surely at least Granger and Weasley would have been at breakfast. With mounting dread, he forced himself to eat some toast and talk to the others, putting on his Malfoy Face and laughing along at their jokes, until the schools began as one to move out into the grounds, and towards the boats floating on the lakes. Clouds sagged in the sky. Draco wondered if it was going to rain.

The stands on the lake were loud and swayed sickeningly whenever strong wind came about, and still Harry was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that his absence had finally been noticed by the other students, as whispering sounded around the stands. Below them, the judges put their heads together secretively. Karkaroff smirked.

"He's chickened," Stated Blaise. "he's not coming."

"Shame," Laughed Pansy. "I was looking forward to watching him drown,"

"Oh, change the record, Pansy," Spat Draco, and turned back to the castle, ignoring the look she was giving him. Maybe Harry had chickened out... Then he would be safe, he wouldn't have to do the task! Just as Draco thought this, however, a figure came streaking out towards the boats, and the noise in the stands rose as Draco's heart fell once again, coming to rest somewhere near his feet.

Waiting for the champions to resurface was exhausting. He barely stirred when Fleur appeared at the surface, and after that, he couldn't take his eyes off the lake, searching for any tiny hint of movement. For almost an hour he barely moved, staring and waiting, and then jumping almost a foot in the air when out of nowhere a champion appeared. The stands exploded into applause as Draco sank back into his seat. It was only Cedric. Again he jumped as Krum burst from the water with Granger in his arms. But Harry was nowhere to be seen. Minutes passed like agonising hours, and beside him, Draco heard Blaise say quietly,

"Hey, Pans, I think you might have gotten your wish."

Even Pansy's laugh seemed forced now. The judges whispered and the stands held their breath, the tension almost matching how Draco felt until, finally, the water burst and three heads surfaced, coughing and spluttering, Harry spitting water as he heaved Ron and a small girl into the waiting arms of the judges. The stands exploded and Draco was on his feet with them, barely stopping himself from cheering.

0o0o0oo

A galleon shimmered in the air in front of Draco, before landing crest-side up in his palm.

"I'm going to talk to him." Draco stated quickly, before he chickened out. Manimi twisted her head up to look at him from her place on the bed. He took a deep breath, and continued, becoming surer of himself all the time he spoke. "While I was waiting for him to come up from the lake, there was a moment when... when I thought he might not come up again. I couldn't bear it. I guess it made me realise that I need him more than i realised. I have to at least try." He picked at his blanket, thinking.

"I told Harry that we couldn't be together because I thought it would put us in danger. But I... well, I think that even though I might be killed if I'm with him, it isn't really living when I'm without him."

He paused, and as he did Manimi rose up and pressed her head against the base of his chin, where the line of his jawbone made stark shadows across his neck. He smiled; she agreed.

"Basically, I don't think there's anything left to lose. I can't become any more unhappy, so even if he- even if he doesn't want me back, which I would understand, then at least... At least I'll know. For better or worse."

Then Draco thought of something and the smile that had threatened to appear on his lips faded. It had been two months, after all. What if Harry had moved on? He had said something about Cho Chang, maybe he had forgotten about Draco.

Don't think about it, he berated himself. It can't get any worse than this. Just do it, and then you'll know for sure.

0o0oo00o0

"Late, Potter. Do you think that your moral fibre makes you untouchable?" Snape's hair looked particularly greasy as he swooped towards Harry, staring down his hooked nose. The class turned as one to watch.

"No, Sir,"

"Ten points from Gryffindor. Now sit down."

"Yes, Sir," Harry said through gritted teeth as he sat down next to Draco, and began to pull his parchment and textbooks out of his bag, as usual, saying nothing. Slowly, he had managed to pull himself together enough to - mostly - block Draco out of his mind, but he couldn't truly get rid of him. He had simply got better at acting like he had.

The Burn Healing Paste that they had been assigned to make took the whole lesson. It was complicated, requiring all of Harry's concentration. As usual, the boys communicated little, and if they had to it was only through single words or gestures, so in this way, the lesson passed relatively fast, as time does when one is concentrating hard. When only ten minutes remained of the lesson, Draco ladled the potion into a vial and brought it to his Godfather for his inspection. Harry began to clean their table, avoiding looking at Draco as he walked back from Snape's desk. It was only three minutes before the end of the class when Harry felt a tap on his arm, and turned to see Draco, looking nervous.

"Hm?" He grunted, still avoiding looking directly at Draco, instead opting to busy himself in the contents of his bag. Draco cleared his throat.

"Uh, I was wondering if, uh," He trailed off, looking embarrassed.

"What?" He almost saw Draco flinch at the detachedness of his voice.

"Would- would you come to the Guest Room after dinner? I need to talk to you."

Harry's heart beat in his throat and his hand automatically went through his hair. "What is it?" He asked suspiciously, eyeing Draco, though he still didn't meet his gaze.

"Please. I need to talk to you." Draco made as though to touch Harry's arm, and then pulled back, turning slightly pink as he did so. To give himself time to think, Harry turned away again and busied himself with his bag. Finally, he turned back.

"Okay. I'll come if I can. But I've got Quidditch training after dinner so make it quick." then he walked away before Draco could say anything else, to where Ron and Hermione stood chatting by their desks. There was a buzzing in his ears.

What could Draco want?