AN: Here's chapter six finally. Keep in mind that book six has been completely ignored. Even though there's a lot of Tom info in it... which i'm probably going to incorporate...maybe... Anyway, sorry for the short chapters, but number seven will soon be on it's way!

CHAPTER SIX

Harry was the quiet type. He liked to sit in the shade by the lake and stare at the sunlight on the water, a book sitting idly on his lap. He would join Tom in the library whenever it was too hot, or too dark, or too far a walk. Tom wanted to join him by the water, but it seemed like such peaceful solitude, and he coudn't bear the thought of interrupting that. Besides, just watching Harry from the windows infected him with a satisfying calm.

The castle was so quiet now. Tom swore that it was even quieter now with Harry here. And awkard. It was so awkward that whenever they caught each others eyes they laughed in embarrassment. Tom would have been surprised to catch Harry staring so often if he weren't the only thing here to stare at. Besides, catching his green eyes fixed on him so intently had turned into a deep thrill. He wanted Harry to watch him.

He looked up casually, and of course there was the objects of his thoughts gazing at him. This time with a smile.

"You're so pale," he said. "Do you ever go outside?"

Tom shrugged attempting to hold back his blush.

"There's nothing to do outside," he said.

Harry raised his brows. He glanced around the library.

"Less than in here?" he asked. He sighed and pushed off casually from the shelf. "Come on," he said.

He grabbed Tom by the sleeve, ignoring his protests, which fell quiet at once and pulled him out the door.

It wascolder than expected for the high end of summer, the breeze travelling over the lake before hitting them and causing a cascade of ripples. Tom stuffed his hands into his pockets against the chill. When was the last time that he'd done this?

He remembered his last walk though the castle grounds, when he had been brought here in the middle of the night. He clenched his fists.

"This isn't so bad is it?"

Tom shook his head silently and pushed away those memories.

"...what's school like now?" he asked.

Harry thought.

"Er...educational...?"

Tom laughed.

"Are there a lot of students?"

"Yeah, a few hundred I guess."

It sounded the same. "But it wont be."

"Wont be what?"

Harry was watching him intently, his green eyes standing out starkly beneath his jet black fringe.

Tom couln't breathe until he looked away.

"Everything is going to be different... so different, I probably can't even comprehend." He thought back to the previous month, trying in vain to remember his last moments at Hogwarts and his most pleasant times at the school which had been his closest form of home. He had people who respected him and were nice to him, teachers mostly, Professor Dippet, Madam Fortier, others. Truthfully there wasn't much. There were private moments, studying by the fire, exploring the grounds, realizing that he was top of his year. Finding his beautiful , dead now. Almost everything alone. "Better," he said. He looked at Harry, realizing that his jaw was set, his eyes narrowed over the lake. "It'll be better now... I hope."

Harry's gaze dropped to the ground and he wouldn't look up.

"What's wrong?" Tom asked hesiantly.

Harry shook his head tensely.

"I--I don't know what I'm doing," he said and practically ran from Tom's side.

Tom watched him go, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his head bowed, his back straight. Harry always had that tense aura surrounding him when Tom was near. Truthfully Tom had expected him to dissapear at any second. It didn't really mean anything that he finally had.