The Spaces Between Shadows & Night

by: Silver Prophet
the combined talents of:
silverphoenix & poetic licence

Prologue

The only real chaos of Platform 9¾ was the insistent yelling of the first years, making Draco Malfoy's head ache low in the base of his skull.

He remained completely indifferent to every single person surrounding him, his finely chiselled features; slender none, taut cheekbones, silver blonde hair, icy grey eyes; a perfect picture of the disdaining aristocrat. He neatly side stepped a huge, black shaggy dog that came bouncing through the crowds, barking happily.

"Mister Malfoy, how pleasant to see you again."

A clear slightly amused voice trickled in behind him. Draco didn't need to turn to question the identity of the voice.

"The pleasure is all mine, Professor," murmured Draco smoothly as Remus Lupin stepped in beside him, his face free from emotion, a hint of a smirk gracing the edges of his pale mouth.

"You'll have to excuse Snuffles, he can be a bit excitable." Draco raised an eyebrow.

Lupin gestured towards the dog, who was currently having his ears scratching by some cooing second year Hufflepuffs. Draco shrugged, turning to observe the shaggy mutt, tongue lolling out, eyes almost closed, with vague disgust. He had never been much of a dog person, preferring the company of cats.

Remus suddenly saw a figure come through the barrier and called out above the heads of the swarming students and parents, his hand raised in familiar greeting. "Harry!"

Snuffles instantly turned and almost threw a third year Ravenclaw to the ground in the rush to reach Harry's side. Draco immediately scowled. Potter!

Harry walked towards Lupin and Draco in a slow steady step, scattering the crowd without noticing, ignoring the stares in his direction, Snuffles bouncing all around him like a kangaroo. He had the air of someone who didn't really give a toss about what everyone else was doing. Draco was suitably impressed.

As Harry drew closer, Draco noted his unusual paleness, the kind of tan that came from living underground; his hair hung limply around his maturing face, not even having the energy to stand up at the back. His body seemed longer too, lankier than Draco remembered; his movements loose as if he wasn't held together properly at the joints; his haunted eyes very serious.

"Hi Professor," Harry half-smiled at Lupin as the snowy white owl launched from Lupin's shoulder to alight on Harry's, giving his ear an affection nip. Harry stroked her back gently as he inclined his head towards Draco. "Malfoy."

Draco felt like he'd been slapped, he couldn't have been more shocked if Snape had just turned up in a glitter suit and danced the Time Warp. Harry Potter's voice sounded at if it had travelled a thousand miles just to get to his lips; it sounded like the silence just before the sky rumbled in a thunderstorm; it sounded like the emptiness that filled Draco's heart whenever the Dementors came too close. Bleak, flat, mundane…emotionless. Two concepts that were always linked in Draco's mind were 'Harry Potter' and 'emotion' – they went hand-in-glove together, and yet…obviously not, mused Draco, still stinging with shock.

"How are you Harry?" Lupin spoke quietly, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder as it shrugged under his touch. Snuffles sat beside him protectively and butted his hand with his hand, earning an unconscious scratch under the ear. Suddenly, Draco saw why people looked at Harry the way they did. Even washed out, pale, tired, emotionless; even in Muggle clothing that was miles too big for him, with Snuffles sitting at his side protectively, Hedwig on one shoulder, his spine straight and tall – Harry was the picture of a Hero, of a Great Wizard That Deserved Capital Letters. Draco shook his head of such thoughts, resuming his scowl quickly before anyone could see that his mask had slipped briefly.

Harry took a moment to answer the question. "M'ok,"

Draco raised an eyebrow unintentionally, pull the other one Potter, it plays jingle bells. But before anything more could be said, a voice interrupted them.

"Harry!" It was Hermione. The brown haired witch raced up to Harry, throwing her arms around him almost knocking him to the ground, Hedwig taking off and alighting back on Lupin's shoulder to get out of the way. Draco scowled harder, nice one Granger, but please, keep the public displays of affection to an absolute minimum.

"Hermione!" Harry sounded faintly startled, his emerald eyes widening. Hermione drew back quickly, embarrassed of her lack of self-control before remembering why she was so happy to see him in the first place.

"Harry James Potter where have you been?!" Hermione was drawing on hysterical.

Harry sighed with deep feeling before saying one single word. "Cupboard."

Draco had always thought that his father was the only person on Earth that could grey with pure anger before that moment, but Granger proved him wrong, and he was even more shocked when she, Hermione Granger, top student and Lady did the unthinkable. She swore. Loudly.

"Fuck!" she was absolutely seething, her voice raised at least an octave and Draco could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. He was rooted to the spot. It was fascinating. "I'm going to kill them Harry, I swear I'm going to kill them!"

"Miss Granger, calm yourself please!" Remus Lupin jumped into the conversation swiftly.

"Yeah Granger, have a little self control," drawled Draco. Hermione jumped, seeing him for the first time, her fists balled, trying to relieve the stress. She shot him a look that was pure venom, making him quickly realise that if he didn't tread very careful then he'd end up with another slap across the face like the one he had received in third year. He'd swear to anyone who'd listen that he could still feel it hurting at times.

"Sorry Professor Lupin, I apologise," Hermione turned back to her best friend, disregarding Draco again completely, eyes flashing, worry etched in every motion of her body. "Why didn't you write? Did you get all of the letters I wrote you…and Hedwig didn't turn up for your birthday present like she usually does."

Harry answered carefully, his tone stretched at seeing his best friend so worried. "I sent Hedwig to Professor Lupin as soon as I could with a letter for Dumbledore and asked him to take care of her for me. As for your letters," he sounded vaguely bitter, a strange sound to Draco's ears, not used to Harry sounding as such. "I have little doubt that the Dursley's saw them as anything more than fire kindling." He set his jaw firmly, before changing the subject suddenly. "Where's Ron?"

Hermione stared at him critically before forcefully dropping the subject. "Already at Hogwarts. He travelled down with Bill whose going to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year. He, Ginny and the twins all went with him a couple of days ago. Molly thought they'd be safer with Bill." she paused regretfully. "They've been so worried about you. I've been so worried about you."

"I'm fine Mione," -- Even Draco didn't believe this for one single second. -- "All I want now is to get on the train and leave the damned Muggle world behind for a while."

Hermione sighed deeply. "Yes, yes, lets," a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Harry, what about your school books? I've been in Diagon Alley for the past week because you would have had to get them eventually, but you never turned up."

"Remus got them for me," Draco was momentarily confused until he realised that Lupin's first name was Remus. "Professor McGonagall had her instructions to send the list there. After all, we couldn't have Hagrid breaking down another door, now could we?" Harry grinned slightly as Hermione giggled at this obviously private joke.

Lupin chose that moment to jump into the conversation, holding a substantial package forward. "Harry, you're books and things are in here, as well as some money from your vault. There are some new robes with a special 'to fit' charm on them, so they should fit you straight away…I stocked up on your potion ingredients, quills, ink, scrolls and a few other things as well. Your birthday present from me and Snuffles is also in there."

"Thanks," Harry smiled at him gratefully, and took the package from him carefully, showing his thin hands to Draco's disgust, paper thin and worn finger pads, like someone who had written so much because there was nothing else to do. "I appreciate it," Snuffles barked again, wagging his tail furiously. "Thanks Snuffles." Harry passed the package to Hermione, who also frowned in disgust at Harry's hands, one of the only parts of him visible, and he knelt down to hug the black, shaggy dog. Snuffles licked the side of his face affectionately, tail wagging so hard it was nearly a blur.

Harry stood back up and tapped his left shoulder, which was quickly occupied with Hedwig again, and opened the train door, holding it open for Hermione, who slid past him after patting Snuffles goodbye. "Goodbye Professor. And thanks."

"Goodbye Harry. Have a good term…I may come up to the school for Christmas, so you'll see Snuffles and myself then. Come on Snuffles…time to go."

The dog gave Harry's hand one final lick before trudging to Lupin's side and the two vanished into the crowd. Harry watched them go, a far off look on his face, until they vanished from sight. He turned to Draco, his face expressionless, taking in the motionless blonde Slytherin with a quiet contemplation.

"Malfoy," his tone was completely civil as he nodded his head towards him, no mocking involved.

"Potter," inclined Draco, not letting his surprise show through his careful mask of indifference.

Harry boarded, closing the door firmly behind him.

Draco remained rooted to the spot.

~~ ~~~ ~~
TBC
~~ ~~~ ~~