Hello! Just another plot bunny I guess. Hope you like it!

-8-8-8-8-

Harry sat alone in his compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Ron and Hermione were up with the other prefects, just like they had been on the trip back to Hogwarts the year before. The only differences were that Harry was now a sixth year, and Ron and Hermione were dating.

They had gotten together earlier that summer, not long after Harry and Hermione had arrived at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, where the Weasley family was already staying. Ron and Hermione had been growing increasingly conscious of one another since the end of fifth year, and Harry had known that it was only a matter of time until they got together. They had gone out one day in mid-July, to buy Harry's birthday gifts, and had come back hands-held, and broad smiles on their faces. Of course, them being together didn't stop their passionate fighting with each other, but their arguments had lessened somewhat in number and intensity.

Harry had no problem with Ron and Hermione being together. He was almost as happy for them as they were. His only dilemma was that now that she and Ron were together, Hermione took every chance she got to tell Harry that he ought to have someone as well. Whenever she did this Harry told her he was happy just as he was, because if he looked to Ron for help, he knew he wouldn't find it. The redheaded boy would just grin and shrug his shoulders. Both boys knew from experience that there was no arguing with Hermione once she got an idea stuck in her head.

That's how it had been all summer. Ron and Hermione mooning over each other, and Hermione asking Harry about this girl or that one in the rest of her free time. While Harry found this amusing in the beginning, it did get old after a while.

So, that's how Harry happened to be sitting in the trio's usual end compartment, all alone, and rereading "Quidditch Through the Ages" for the fifth or sixth time when he heard the door of the compartment open smoothly. He looked up, fully assuming that it would be Ron and Hermione back from the Prefects compartment—albeit a little early—but to his chagrin it turned out to be Draco Malfoy. The bane of Harry's existence, third most despised person in Harry's life (after Voldemort and Snape, of course), was standing in the doorway of Harry's little sanctuary, looking as if he owned the place. Of course, it's not as if he ever didn't look that way.

"Hello, Potter. Where are Granger and the Weasel? Or have you been abandoned you in the middle of their lust-filled escapades? Wait—Do Gryffindors even experience lust?" Draco questioned slowly, and in a very disdainful manner.

Harry had decided at the end of last year that he would no longer actively loathe the pale blond boy. After the loss of his godfather he had decided that life was just too short for things like that. So, he decided not to let the other boy's remarks bother him, and responded in the most civilized way he could manage. It wasn't easy.

"Ron and Hermione are at the prefects meeting if you must know. Actually, now that I think of it, you should be there too. And no, they have not abandoned me. Besides, even if they had, why would you care? How do you even know about them anyway?" It wasn't the most amiable thing Harry had ever said, but it would have to do. He wasn't going to go out of his was to be overly nice to the boy—he was still a git.

Draco shrugged and replied, "I didn't feel the need to go. I already know everything that they were going to tell us; Professor Snape spoke with me earlier about my duties this year. And I don't particularly care if you are left on your own by the two lovebirds. I was just trying to make polite conversation."

Harry snorted. Polite conversation? He and Draco had never shared a polite conversation. Well, not since they had first met, that day in Madame Malkan's shop. Harry didn't count that though. He was about to reply when:

"Dray-co... Draco where have you gone off to?" was heard a little way down the corridor. "Draco, I know you must be somewhere around here..." then Harry could hear footsteps approaching quickly.

"Oh shit, Pansy!" Draco said in a fierce whisper, "Will that girl never leave me the hell alone?" He then stepped further into the compartment and slid the door closed and locked. Draco then flattened himself up against the wall, with a look on his face that Harry thought resembled that of a trapped cat.

"What do you think you're doing?" Harry asked him with an eyebrow raised.

"Hiding from Pansy! What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" He replied quietly, but in a frantic manner, "The girl wont leave me alone, and I can't get it into her head that I don't like her."

"Well, that much is obvious," Harry retorted, rolling his eyes, "but why do you think I'm going to let you do your hiding in here? What makes you think I won't throw you out and into her open, if not repulsive, arms?"

Draco looked a bit panicked for a second, but soon recovered, replying, "Because you're a bloody Gryffindor. Probably haven't got a cruel bone in you." He looked satisfied with his answer. Malfoy's were rude even in the most dire of situations.

"Gryffindor I may be," Harry replied, "but the sorting hat wanted to put me into Slytherin. Don't think that I wont hand you over to her." Harry covered his mouth after that. He really hadn't meant to say that. He'd never told anyone except Dumbledore about his 'Near-Slytherin-Experience' before. He certainly hadn't intended to do so now. He especially didn't mean to tell Draco Malfoy.

Draco however, just looked at him as though he had grown another head. The only noises that the two boys heard were the low rumbling of the train, and Pansy's footsteps as she passed the compartment that the two boys were in. After about two and a half minutes of stunned silence, Draco slid down the wall and onto the seat across from Harry. He still had the shocked look on his face.

When he finally got his voice back, the blond boy asked, "You? The sorting hat wanted to put you into Slytherin?!? Why do I find that a little hard to believe? Everyone knows the Boy-Who-Lived is a Gryffindor to the very core of his being."

"Well it did want to put me there," Harry responded, though a little reluctantly. He didn't want to share any more than he had to with the Slytherin. Who knew what he would do with the information?

"Well," questioned Draco, seemingly very interested, "why didn't it put you there then?"

Harry sighed. He figured that there wasn't any real way to get out of this topic of conversation, now that it had been started, without saying something very rude. Harry wasn't sure why they were being civil to one another, but he figured that he might as well try to keep it that way.

"I asked it not to." He said softly.

"What? Why? I don't get it," Draco sounded genuinely confused.

"Well, for one thing, I had just met YOU, and I knew I didn't want to be in the same house as 'The Evil Draco Malfoy,' especially after you had just insulted the first real friend I ever had," Harry said, the beginnings of a very Draco-like smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Draco appeared to be about to make a snide comment about Harry's previous statement, but then he glanced up and saw the almost-smile on Harry's face. He seemed to change his mind, and was about to say something equally teasing when the door to the compartment opened once more. A look of fear darted across Draco's face for a moment, expecting the intruder to be Pansy having finally located her prey, but it was not. Ron and Hermione walked into the compartment, and as they did the look of easiness he had been wearing with Harry altered into the one of contempt that Harry and the two newcomers were so familiar with.

"What are you doing here, Mal-ferret?" Ron asked in a scathing tone. Hermione sat down beside Harry, and Ron moved over to the seat from which Draco had just stood up.

"I wasn't doing anything, Weasel," came Draco's callous reply. "In fact," he said, "I think I'll be leaving. Don't want to lower myself to sitting in the same place as you if I can help it." With that Draco strode out of the compartment and down the corridor.

"What was Malfoy doing in here, Harry?" Hermione asked with a hint of contempt in her voice. "I had wondered where he was during the prefects meeting. Never thought he would be here."

"He was hiding from Pansy," Harry replied in what he hoped to be a nonchalant manner. He was feeling very perplexed about the conversation he had just shared with the blond. Malfoy had been almost... Well, almost nice.

"Why the hell didn't you throw him out then? Besides, I didn't see Pansy out there just now," Ron said, still fuming from the short-lived encounter with Draco.

"Well, he wasn't being rude to me, and I know what it's like to have girls after you that you don't particularly want to have following you around," came Harry's response. He hoped that Ron would let the damned thing go, "He sat here a few minutes after Pansy walked by, just to be safe. That's why he was still here. Besides, I didn't really mind having the company."

Ron looked a little put out at this, and Harry's last comment had had the desired effect. Ron changed the subject of the conversation.

"Do you think I'll be able to stay on as Keeper for the team this year?" he asked.

"I'm sure you will, Ron, after last year you've proved that you can hold under the pressure, once you convince yourself that you really can do it," Hermione said to him before Harry could respond.

"Yeah, Hermione's right, Ron. You really are better than you give yourself credit for. You improved a lot this summer, as well. I wonder who they're going to make Captain this year, since everyone graduated last year. You know, I'm just now realizing that we've lost a huge part of the team," Harry replied, eyes widening.

"Don't be dense, Harry, you'll be made captain of course. You're right though, with Fred and George and the girls gone, you're the only member of the original team left. There are five open slots this year. That is amazing," Ron replied with a bit of awe in his voice.

Conversation continued in the same manner until the friendly witch with the snack cart came by the compartment. Harry once again bought a little bit of everything, knowing that there wouldn't be enough if he didn't. He and Ron were growing boys, after all, and Hermione did have a thing for chocolate frogs... Soon after the trio finished eating, Hermione left to change into her robes, and Harry and Ron stayed in the compartment to do the same. In almost no time at all they reached Hogwarts, and thus, the beginning of their sixth year. Harry could hardly believe that it had been that long since he had first come to Hogwarts, had been friends with Ron, and, he realized as he stepped off the train, onto the platform, and walked towards the carriages with Ron and Hermione, how very long it had been since the enmity between Draco and himself had begun.

Harry wondered: Would this year be any different?

-8-8-8-8-

Harry realized, as he made his way into one of the carriages with Neville and Ginny, that even though he had ridden on the back of one of the thestrals the previous year, their presence still unnerved him. Perhaps it was because they reminded him of the day at the Ministry when Sirius had fallen through the veil. He was glad he had gotten over blaming himself for that mess - after much cajoling and comfort by Ron and Hermione over the summer, he had moved past the initial depression and guilt. He was still deeply saddened by the loss of his godfather, but Harry knew now that even with another time turner there was no way that he could have saved Sirius's life, this time.

Harry, Neville, Ginny, and Luna all climbed into one carriage together. Neville and Ginny had also, much to Harry's relief and Ron's displeasure, gotten together over the summer. They sat on one side of the carriage; Harry and Luna sat on the other. The quartet soon fell into easy conversation.

"How was your summer, Luna?" Harry asked when Neville and Ginny became too wrapped up in themselves (or in other words snogging) to remember that there were two other people in the carriage.

"Oh, Harry, it was simply lovely. My father and I went looking for those Zebra-striped Fizzlesnatches that I told you about last year, and we found some! It was so disappointing that they were the invisible kind. No one would believe we had found them, even after we had shown them the pictures!" Luna replied.

Harry mentally raised an eyebrow at this. He wasn't sure if he believed Luna, even though she did have a startling tendency to be right about the strangest things. He decided to play it safe and see what other information he could get about the "Fizzlesnatches" before he decided to accept her account as the truth.

"Wow, Luna," he said. "That's really fascinating. Where did you find them?"

"Oh," she returned, "They were in New Zealand. It's really beautiful there. It really is too bad though. Invisible Zebra-striped Fizzlesnatches would have been an even greater discovery than the visible ones. I had already known that they existed, of course, as I've read about them in my Invisible Book of Invisibility, but Father and I had never come across one before."

Harry was now even more confused than before about these strange creatures, and thus he was immensely relieved when they arrived at Hogwarts. He scrambled out of the carriage and away from Luna and the two lovebirds as fast as he could.

As he slowed down and his breathing returned to normal he looked at Hogwarts closely for the first time in two months. With the sun setting behind it, and the sky lit up with reds, purples, and deep blues the only word that could describe the view was-

"Beautiful," Harry heard a voice say beside him. He turned, and much to his surprise, Malfoy was standing beside him, gazing at the castle as though he wanted to paint it. He looked as though he wanted to preserve the ephemeral beauty of the moment for all eternity. Harry knew he had been wearing a look similar to Malfoy's just moments before, and he was strangely glad to be able to share this moment with him. He didn't know why, but somehow it just felt right.

Malfoy soon turned towards Harry, who realized he'd been staring. He opened his mouth to say something, but for the second time that day they were interrupted by Ron and Hermione.

"Good God, Malfoy," Ron said, as he came up beside Harry, "Can't you find something better to do with your time than bother Harry? I mean, jeez, it's like you're obsessed with him or something."

"Oh, bugger off, Weasel," Draco shot, before walking off towards the castle. Ron stared scornfully after him.

"Well, that was uncalled for, Ron," came Hermione, who glanced at Harry, who was still a bit involved in the previous 'moment.' With an odd look on her face she asked, "Malfoy wasn't doing anything malicious as far as I could tell. Am I right, Harry?"

Harry snapped out of his reverie and replied, "Yes, as usual. Shall we get going then? I'm hungry."

Ron snorted, "When are you not, mate?"

"Like you've got any room to talk, Ron," Hermione said from behind the two boys as they all started to make their way up to the castle.

'Well,' Harry thought as they walked into the Great Hall, decorated for the New Term festivities, 'it certainly looks like it's going to be an interesting year.'

A very interesting year, indeed.

-8-8-8-8-

Harry found he was very cheerful throughout the feast. He listened attentively to the new year's announcements when they were made by Professor Dumbledore, along with the announcements that Harry had heard every at every start of term feast he had attended, including the ones about the Forbidden Forest being, surprisingly enough, forbidden, and "no magic in the hallways." Harry sang along with the school anthem, and he applauded the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was a young man named Jack Silverton, whom the Trio thought to be a very agreeable-looking sort of fellow. Harry only found him looking in the direction of the Slytherin table twice. Not that he would admit to himself exactly why he was looking in that direction.

The feast was as huge and as filling as it had always been. The noise in the Great Hall, however, was kept down to a dull roar; all of the students were busy eating as though they hadn't had a meal in days. Even Ron ate more than normal, and that was saying something. Conversation was pleasant, company was good, and Harry soon found himself setting back in his chair, very full and content. He also found himself once again staring at the Slytherin table. Or rather, staring at the blond boy sitting towards the end of it.

'I can't seem to get our conversation out of my head,' Harry thought to himself. 'He really didn't seem to hold any real malice towards me. I don't think that's ever happened before. He seemed almost amiable.' He decided it must have been a "once in a blue moon" kind of thing - either that or something big had happened to the boy over the summer. Harry figured that the former was more likely, but he still felt a bit unsettled.

By the time everyone trekked off to his or her respective common rooms for the night, Harry had put these thoughts out of his mind, and decided to concentrate on being with all his friends again. He felt that he was truly home once again. He played a game of chess with Seamus, and then one with Ron, both of which he lost, graciously. Then he chatted pleasantly with Hermione in front of the fire, and finally he went up the stairs to his dorm, where he collapsed into bed.

Yes, he was home.

-8-8-8-8-

It was seven o'clock when Ron woke Harry the next morning, even though it was seven fifteen before Harry actually got out of bed. When he had finally woken up, had his shower and was dressed for the day, he went down to the common room once more and found Ron and Hermione waiting for him on one of the sofas. Actually, when Harry thought about it, they might not have been waiting for him. Perhaps they had just gotten a little distracted on the way out the door. Harry walked up beside them, quietly as he could manage.

"HEY!" he shouted, right beside them. Ron and Hermione sprung apart as though they had been struck by lightning, and, once they had gotten their bearings, turned to Harry with a look of mixed embarrassment and anger.

"Somebody had to do it," Harry said to them, looking back and forth between them, "At the rate you two were going, you might not have made it to class at all this morning."

Ron grinned sheepishly, and Hermione simply looked shocked that anyone had the audacity to suggest that she of all people would ever miss a class willingly.

Harry smiled, turned, and climbed through the portrait hole behind the Fat Lady. Ron and Hermione followed closely behind.

When they arrived at breakfast they sat in the seats they had been using for meals ever since they had all become friends in first year. As Harry realized this, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Once again he found it hard to believe that they had come this far, and been through so much together. He knew he took them for granted, but he was glad he had them, just the same.

Soon enough they received their class schedules, and almost immediately Harry and Ron began comparing them. Hermione raised an eyebrow at this.

"You know, boys," she said, "class isn't just about being with your friends. Some people go there to learn."

Ron stared at her in awe for a few moments before saying, "Wow. I don't think I've ever heard anyone do such a good impression of McGonagall. Good one, Hermione."

Hermione just rolled her eyes at him, and turned to Harry. She was surprised to see that he had a look of utter confusion on his face. 'Something must be wrong,' she thought.

"Harry, what's the matter?" she asked in what she thought to be a soothing tone.

Harry turned to her, dumbstruck. "I've got Potions," he said, "I didn't get enough OWL's for the class, but I've still got Potions. What do you think happened, Hermione?"

But for once, Hermione didn't have all the answers. She just shrugged and turned back to her breakfast, a thoughtful look on her face.

Soon enough, however, the mail arrived, and with it came what Harry supposed to be the answer to his Potions problem. Hedwig landed in front of him and stuck out her leg, upon which was tied a note from Professor McGonagall. It read:

Mr. Potter,

Please join the Headmaster and myself in his office immediately after breakfast, as you have a free period this morning. We have some things that need to be discussed with you. The password is 'pickled peppermint'.

Professor Minerva McGonagall

This note placated Harry's confusion a bit, and he hurriedly finished his meal, before explaining what the note had said to Hermione and Ron. He then left the Great Hall to head to Dumbledore's office.

"Pickled peppermint," Harry said to the gargoyle in front of Professor Dumbledore's office. He watched it move out of the way before going to stand on the revolving staircase. When he reached the top he knocked on the door to the Headmaster's office, and immediately entered.

Professor McGonagall turned to him when he entered, and motioned for him to sit down, which he did. She then went to stand beside Dumbledore, who was seated behind his desk. Harry glanced around apprehensively as he waited for them to begin saying whatever it was they wanted to say. He didn't have to wait long.

"I trust you received your schedule this morning, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked in his usual manner.

"Yes sir," Harry responded. So this was about the Potions mistake.

"And you noticed that you still have Potions as one of your classes, even though you did not meet the requirement in your OWLs?" continued Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, I did notice that. Are you going to tell me why that is? I am very curious to find out," Harry said, in what he hoped was his best 'I'm-just-a- curious-little-child-so-don't-you-find-me-so-very-cute-and-want-to-tell-me- everything-I-want-to-know' voice.

"Well, Harry," replied Dumbledore, "Professor McGonagall has spoken to me about your wanting to be an Auror in the future. The staff and I have decided that, since Potions was the only subject in which your OWLs were lacking, we would bend the rules a bit, and let you join the NEWTs Potion class anyway."

Harry was a bit taken aback by this turn of events. He hated getting special treatment, just because of whom he was, and was about to say so when Dumbledore continued.

"Well," the Headmaster said, "That's the story we're using, anyway. You see, my boy, Voldemort is continually growing in power. I'm sure you are aware of this. The members of the Order and I have decided that we need to begin training you, Harry. You will need to be proficient in all areas of magic. That is the real reason that you are continuing your Potions training. We need you to be able to make more difficult potions on your own. Who knows when that skill will prove valuable? In addition to continuing your Potions training, you will also be having a few 'extra-curricular' classes this year. You will be having Quidditch practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I have arranged for you to have additional Charms lessons on Tuesdays, and Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons on Thursdays."

Harry was speechless. He had known the time when he would have to prepare for the final battle with Voldemort would come, but he had never expected it to come so soon. He really didn't know what to think.

"Are you alright, Mr. Potter?" questioned his Head of House.

"Yes, just a bit anxious I guess," Harry replied.

"I should imagine, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said with a small smile, "that the idea of all these extra classes would make anyone 'a bit anxious.'"

"Harry," started Dumbledore, "as there have been some developments over the summer, there will be another student joining you in these extra training sessions. Do you have any questions?"

Harry was in a daze. "No sir."

"Then you may go. I will send word via owl about the time of the lessons, and when they will be starting. Have a good first day back," said Dumbledore, concluding the meeting.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied, and got up to leave. When he reached the door he remembered something, and turned around to ask, "Who's the other student, if you don't mind me asking?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in that way they always did when something noteworthy was about to happen when he answered, "Draco Malfoy."