. . . And it's Taken me With It
By Allanasha Ke Kiri

Prologue

Harry jerked up in bed, looking around frantically. His eyes glazed as he took in the Dursley's second bedroom. He was back, just as Halfreck had said.

"But how long have I been gone?" he asked aloud. Then he slumped. "Was it even real? Did it even happen?"

A soft hoot had him looking over at Hedwig. He blinked twice before rubbing his eyes and looking once more. Biting his lip, daring to hope, he reached up and fumbled with his eyes, gently extracting a small circular contact.

He took a shaky breath. "It happened," he breathed in amazement. Barely able to contain his excitement, he replaced the contact.

{I'm trying to sleep.}

Harry froze. {Nataniel?} he asked, hesitantly.

{Yess, Masster?}

{I'm happy you're here,} he said, relieved that his small friend was not lost to him.

There was a pause. {I am glad to be here, Masster.}

Harry chuckled at the snake's confusion before glancing at the clock by his bed. It was after three. He frowned, if he remembered correctly, it had been after three the last time he'd been here.

He sighed. "The Dursley's aren't going to like this," he muttered. "Probably threw a party when they found I was gone."

Biting his lip he glanced back at Hedwig. "I'll send a letter to the Order tomorrow," he decided, finding that he was too tired to move much any more.

With a tired sigh, he lay down on his left side; his right arm having Nataniel curled around it. He stayed like that for a long while, feeling a gaping hole in his chest. Draco was gone; his Draco was gone. He would never see him again, never hold him, kiss him.

Well, he amended bitterly. I might see him, but it wont be him.

He would never see Draco again. All he had left was Malfoy, and Malfoy hated him. Harry swallowed heavily, allowing the tears to fall. He knew he shouldn't have allowed himself to grow more attached to the blond. He should have known it wouldn't have been able to last.

Harry sniffed, his breath hitching. Slowly, he let himself drift off to sleep, hoping to dream of a certain gray-eyed blond.

As promised, here is the prologue of the sequel. Not the happiest thing in the world, and I'm afraid to say that we'll have a few of these instances but it will get better, I promise.