Thanks for clicking! This is my first crossover fan fic - this one involving Harry Potter and the Naruto anime series. Please note that this is also a SasuNaru story as well, so if you're not into Yaoi/Slash or have no idea what Yaoi/Slash means then you oughta look elsewhere - this story is not for you! Reviews are welcome but please no flames. Thanks xx

A FAILED MISSION

Naruto felt numb.

It's a funny feeling numbness – you feel vulnerable, helpless, feel like giving up and show an absolute desire to do completely fuck all. At least, that's what he wanted to do. Either that or cry a rain of never-ending tears until he shrivelled up like a prune. But he couldn't do that, because he already had done that – back at Orochimaru's lair.

He had just watched his best friend - Sasuke Uchiha, fade away before his very eyes while Sasuke's hard onyx eyes stared with an emotionless expression back at him, pinning him where he stood. Naruto then dropped heavily on his hands and knees and wept, ignoring his other teammate, Sakura Haruno who was trying to comfort him and at the same time stem the tears threatening to flow from her vibrant green eyes.

They both realised at the exact same moment that they once again failed to convince and bring back their obviously lost and vengeful friend home.

Basking in the brilliance of their failure, squad seven front up to Konoha's front gates two days later and go their separate ways to reflect on what had happened and to rest. All except Naruto who was too busy staring at the way they had come with a depressed, almost defeated expression on his tired tanned face.

"Uzumaki?"

A voice speaks out gently as though afraid Naruto might instantly burst into tears or dissolve into an uncontrollable Kyuubi-style rage at having failed once again. Yamato walked over to Naruto's side and placed a cautious hand on his shoulder. Deadened cerulean blue eyes looked back into concerned midnight black eyes.

"Yes?"

He knew that Yamato was offering him the chance to talk about what had just transpired, but he had no desire to talk about it. At least not right now and certainly not with somebody he barely knew or who freaked him out with his 'scary look'. He didn't really want to discuss it with Sakura, who appeared to be the most logical person to talk about their failure because she had been there ever since Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had officially formed squad seven under the guidance of Kakashi-sensei.

But it wasn't the failure of the mission that was bothering Naruto, it was more personal than that.

Sai was definitely out of the question, mostly because he was socially ignorant due to lack of emotions and would probably interpret it in a way that would probably confuse the blonde. Naruto was also most likely to murder the ex-ROOT member every time the size of his dick was mentioned, and when the ink using ninja continues to call him the insulting nickname 'dickless'. If Sai didn't stop commenting inappropriately about Naruto's manhood, he would be castrated, if not by Naruto then by Sakura who constantly had a short fuse around the emotionless bastard.

Kakashi-sensei was still injured from the last mission he had gone on that involved the reinstated squad seven (minus Sai who hadn't arrived on the scene yet and obviously, Sasuke) and Team Gai rescuing the Kazekage from the Akatsuki who had kidnapped him in order to extract the one-tailed raccoon demon that had been sealed within him into a stone statue with lots of eyes.

Despite the fact that Gaara had died briefly and been resurrected from the dead, the entire mission was a success. Kakashi was just a little chakra exhausted and would've been fine to come and help Sakura and Naruto retrieve Sasuke if Gai-sensei hadn't been so enthusiastic to race Lee back to Konoha, consequently knocking out the copy ninja when he bashed his face against the back of Gai-sensei's head and rendering him unconscious and out of commission for a while. This forced Tsunade to enlist Yamato – an ANBU captain – to lead squad seven instead.

Tsunade probably would be the next most logical person to go to talk about his problems, and despite probably understanding what he was going through she was far too busy and Naruto also didn't feel comfortable discussing it with her – he needed a different wise ear who understood exactly what he was feeling.

However, he still needed time to get over the pain of losing Sasuke once again.

"I am going to deliver the report to her ladyship. You're free to go home."

Naruto nodded before shifting his pack more securely on his back and shuffled off towards the crowd, allowing the mob of people to swallow him up. Yamato sighed helplessly as he watched the sorrowful boy disappear from view, knowing how much the normally hyperactive, unpredictable jinchuriki truly felt about the Uchiha traitor. It was obvious that Naruto had feelings for the Uchiha.

Her ladyship is going to be most displeased... Yamato thought grimly as he took to the rooftops and bounded his way towards the Hokage Tower to deliver the mission report to the Hokage herself.

While Naruto was tired and in desperate need to sleep for days, he found himself walking towards the abandoned Uchiha compound to stare at the dilapidated traditional Japanese house, deep in troubled thought.

It was easy to see why Sasuke had rarely spent his time here at his parents' home – it had a foreboding aura. Like the souls of the brutally murdered were still around. Like they were staring at him at this very moment. Naruto shuddered at the very thought. He instantly saw the obvious signs that the villagers had pillaged the home for all its valuables to feed their families or just because they could because Sasuke wasn't around to threaten them with painful dismemberment if they even dared to touch his parents' belongings.

Naruto frowned at that thought.

The first thing he was going to do after he dragged Sasuke's stubborn ass back to Konoha was report the theft - not that those ridged elders will even consider giving him the time of day. He was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no kitsune - the fox demon who terrorised the village 15 years ago and killed innocent people. There was no way. Feeling the anger rising in him, Naruto immediately turned and went home. He slammed his Apartment door closed and toed off his sandals.

"God, I need a shower." He muttered underneath his breath as he unzipped his black and orange jacket and tossed it carelessly onto his couch.

He stumbled lethargically into his bathroom and closed the door behind him before stripping and standing under the spray of his shower head, hopping in and out of the spray until the water turned hot. Naruto ducked under the spray and wet his hair moaning as the warm water trickled down his face, disguising the sudden tears that formed as he remembered the few last words Sasuke had said to him before they started fighting back at Orochimaru's lair.

~FLASHBACK~

Naruto barely had time to blink before he found himself standing there with Sasuke's arm balanced casually on shoulder like a close friend would. It would've been believable if it weren't for the fact that Sasuke was threatening to kill him at the same time.

"Come to think of it, wasn't it your dream to become Hokage, Naruto?" Sasuke's deep, baritone voice slid like silk over Naruto who had stiffened up the minute Sasuke materialised in front of him, malicious intent on his pale emotionless face. His words were carefully chosen, but had the tone of hatred within his words.

"Wouldn't it have been better to have focused on your training to become the Hokage, rather than chasing after me?"

Sasuke had asked casually but his voice had a mocking tone in it and Naruto could've sworn that the corners of his lips might've slanted upwards slightly into a cold sneer before returning to its neutral expression. Naruto relaxed very slightly, steeling himself so he could say what he needed to say next. He knew that Sasuke was not going to like what he had to say.

"How can I become Hokage when I can't even save my best friend?" Naruto asked quietly trying to reach out to Sasuke with his words, hoping that he'd understand.

Sasuke then started chucking deep within his throat as though what Naruto had just said to him was incredibly funny - but the sound shot down the blonde's spine like icy rain dripping unpleasantly down his shirt. Sasuke shifted his arm slightly so that his hand was the only thing cupped on Naruto's shoulder. He didn't dare move, wondering desperately what Sasuke was going to do next. He stopped himself from jumping in shock just in time when Sasuke gently rubbed his thumb soothingly on his shoulder and the smallest gasp escaped Naruto's lips.

Out of his peripheral vision, Naruto could see that Sasuke's face had softened slightly and his onyx eyes were smouldering with a hidden message meant only for him - Naruto's words had reached him. However, Naruto was unable to distinguish exactly what Sasuke was trying to translate to him with that single non-threatening gaze. But just as quickly as Sasuke's face had softened, it hardened just as fast and he immediately tightened his grip on Naruto's shoulder causing the Jinchuriki to wince. He was going to gain a bruise there if he managed to escape this virtually unscathed.

"I might have spared your last time on a whim, Naruto. But this time, my instincts are telling me to finish what I started." Sasuke whispered into Naruto's ear - his warm breath brushing across Naruto's cheek like a caress which caused Naruto to shudder, but not out of disgust.

Oh no, it was the complete opposite.

The hissing sound of a blade being removed from its scabbard rang out clearly and everyone in the vicinity knew that Sasuke was now drawing his Katana to impale Naruto upon it and 'finish what he had started'. The rest of the fight was a complete blur after that - at least in Naruto's point of view. Sai immediately intervened by grabbing Sasuke's wrist before he could deliver the final blow. Naruto let out a relieved breath just as Sasuke swivelled his head around to stare blankly at his replacement.

"That was the correct move." He had said tonelessly.

Sai responded with his usual fake smile which looked like it irritated Sasuke. But when he moved to counteract the lethal strike, Sasuke grinned triumphantly.

"But that was the wrong move." and striked like a pissed off cobra with a series to expertly excuted swords work, all barely dodged by his former teammates - Naruto especially.

But the most painful part of what happened that day was when Sasuke had retreated with Orochimaru, who had arrived at the last minute claiming that he was bored with the proceedings and ordered both Sasuke and his creepy assistant Kabuto to move out so they could seek out their new hiding place. Naruto couldn't remove the image of the cold unfathomable look Sasuke bestowed upon him before he literally disappeared without a trace.

~END OF FLASHBACK~

Naruto shut off the water abruptly and yelled out his frustrations. Realising that yelling wasn't enough he took his anger out on the bathroom tiles, blood pooling around his knuckles and seeping freely from the cuts. It dripped down Naruto's arm as he watched Kyuubi's charka immediately healing the wound.

A yawn forced its way out of Naruto's mouth and he realised that it was time for bed. Hopefully nightmares wouldn't plague his dreams tonight. The weary blonde stepped from the shower and vigorously towel-dryed himself before loosely tying the towel around his waist.

He padded over to mirror and brushed away the condensation with his hand before brushing his teeth. After exiting his bathroom, Naruto pulled on a pair of black pyjama pants and an orange t-shirt before collapsing onto his mattress, falling into a dreamless sleep.

He would remain there for an entire week - rising only to use the bathroom, eat and meditate.