If there had been any simple truths of the world, then it was that Harry Potter did not die. It just wasn't something he did. Too cool for death, he was.

So when Harry is hit with the killing curse, for the third time in his life, and found alive, it should not have been as much of a surprise as it was. Though, this time, instead of opening his eyes and getting right on with life, Harry fell into a coma.

"It's estimated he'll be awake very shortly," Madame Pompfrey said, "A week, maybe two."

That week without Harry was very dulled for Draco, as well as his other friends. They were distraught, wound tight with worry, and unable to focus. Even more so once "Hermione's" body desolved into some stranger, who was later identified to be one Jackson Smith.

Hermione was missing for three and half days until they found her body.

She was curled up in a hidden compartment off of the Headmaster's office. She had been dead for some time when they found her.

Ron had dropped out of school shortly after. For mourning, he said, but once Harry awoke he'd exchange letters with him.

It also made a whole new wave of mourning pulse throughout the school, as well as another wave of gossip. The entire story of Jackson being fake-Hermione and cursing Harry had been the talk of the school.

At time, Draco wanted nothing more than to hex their mouths off. But he restrained himself. He had better things to do. During the week that Harry was in a coma, Draco did a lot of reading and researching.

He first tried to read the book that Jackson had stowed on the Hogwarts student library shelf, but found it a dead end; it was incrypted. Coded. Draco considered that it may be parseltongue, stowing it away in his trunk to show to Harry later.

He also took to finally investigating the student attendece records from Jackson's time, and found something out of the ordinary. Formerly Jackson Smith and now Tom Riddle, eh? How queer. He'd have to ask Harry about it.

And speaking of queer and Harry, Draco had come to awfully miss the boy. He'd grown so accustomed to him, the throne in his side that left him with an empty feeling once removed.

Pansy and Blaise had tried to cheer him up. Empathise on try, because they absolutely did not help.

"Slytherins aren't always the best with emotions," Blaise had said. "And even so, its difficult to understand why you'd be so hung up over Harry Potter, of all people."

Pansy shared the sentiment.

Ultimately useless as they were, it was nice to have some sort of friend by his side. Harry's friends (the few that remained, Draco thought darkly) were not much of a comfort to him, nor him to them. That was nice, too, because it was normal. Draco longed for Harry's return, so everything could just be back to normal.

(How foolish he ever was to expect that anything to do with Harry Potter would ever be normal.)

Draco had, when searching Harry's pockets (where he got the student file from) on the order from Madame Pompfrey that his personal items were to be set aside, come across the three pieces of parchment Harry had showed them. Three memories, stowed away, between Harry and Dumbledore.

Draco didn't want to veiw them at first, he didn't exactly plan to, but as the days without Harry increased, as did his curiosity.

The first memory was titled "RELATIVES," and Draco read the spell off the parchment to get the pensive to appear. He expected a discussion about Harry's parents, Lily and James, but was unpleasantly surprised to find himself watching as Harry and Dumbledore discussed Harry's other relatives.

Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Dursley.

Harry had not told Draco about his relatives, or his home life, mostly because during the time they were friends, Harry hadn't remembered any of it.

Harry was in first year, if his small stature was anything to go by, and seated accross from Dumbledore in his office. "Please," he had begged, "don't make me go back there."

He was disheveled, on the verge of yelling but seemingly restraining himself, and overly upset. What about, Draco hadn't a clue.

"Now, now, Harry," Dumbledore had soothed, "Petunia and Vernon accept you, even if it's begrudgingly. It is best you stay there—"

"Say that to Dudley and Harry Hunting," Harry muttered. Draco raised an eyebrow at that, deciding he'd ask more about it later, when his memories returned.

"It is for your own protection," Dumbledore said, clearly ending the conversation, dismissing Harry.

Draco emerged from the memory with a mixture of emotions and a mountain of questions. Harry's home life was not pristine, that was clear enough, but Dumbledore kept sending him back? Why? What for? He'd have to ask Harry more about it if his memories returned.

Draco knew that, after that, he definitely missed the old man less than before.

Draco also knew that he had missed Harry more than he realized, even hearing his voice sending a jolt of yearning through his heart. He wondered how long had he, truly, been in love with Harry Potter?

Wanting to hear more of Harry's voice, Draco summoned the next pensive, which held the memory labeled "DETENTION." He was, again, in Dumbledore's office, sipping tea, and looking unhappy. They were discussing Professor Umbridge, which meant that this memory was in fifth year.

Draco noticed that throughout their talk, Albus never once met Harry's eyes, and seemed uncomfortable with Harry even being there. How odd, Draco thought, how very odd indeed.

"Can't you fire her, or something?" Harry asked, dragging Draco out of his thoughts.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm sorry, my boy, but she's with the Ministry-"

"But she used a blood quill on me!" Harry yelled, showing off the cuts as if to say look at it, it's real, she did this.

Draco stared in shock at the words, carved in Harry's own chicken scratch handwriting- I must not tell lies. And, from the sound of it, it was administered by Professor Umbridge herself. Draco had seen the scars before when Harry and he were friends, and figured that they were definitely from a blood quill, but without his memories, Harry had no idea who had done it to him.

Now, the secret was revealed.

Dumbledore insisted that there was nothing he could do, and Harry was, again, dismissed from the office without him meeting Harry's eyes.

Draco, when out of the memory, found himself shaking with rage. At Umbridge, at Dumbledore. He's pissed they hurt Harry, pissed Albus just allowed it and wouldn't even look him in the fucking eyes as he sent him back to the teacher who abused him.

Oh, yes, Draco did not miss this fucking Headmaster.

The third memory was labeled "PHOENIX." Harry was sitting in an infirmary bed, his shoulder in a bandage. Dumbledore sat by his side.

"You were bitten by a Basilisk," Dumbledore explained. Draco stared in shock- a bite from one of those was fatal, how on earth did Harry survive? Albus went on, as if answering his question: "It is a good thing my Phoenix found you. Their tears, you know. Healing properties beyond imagination."

Ah. So that's how. Draco tried to make our what year this was in, it being very difficult since most of Harry was concealed by a blanket, but his unspoken question was answered soon after.

"It is thanks to you that the Chamber of Secrets has been closed, and that dear Ginerva is alive."

Second year, then. The wizarding world had been told of the Chamber's closing, but no one except the ones involved had ever gotten the full details. Draco considered himself lucky.

"You did a great deed in there," Albus said. Harry flushed. "You're very brave, Harry."

"Thank you, Headmaster," was Harry's weak reply. Harry's face was filled with a million emotions- pride, joy, relief- and Draco suddenly understood why Harry had liked the Headmaster until his brutal end.

Even though Albus was clearly Not The Best to the boy, he also offered enough praise and favourism to balance it out. Subtle manipulation, likely that Harry had never picked up on.

Draco, when he found himself back in the real world, glared at the pensive bowls before him.

Stupid old coot.

Draco's feelings of anger all but evaporated when, after the seventh day of his unconscious escape from death yet again, Harry awoke.

"I can remember everything," was the first thing he had said. "I'm back."

a/n
alright so that's the right chapter! yeah ! uploading the thing a few hours early bc I cannot wait. ive got the first ten chapters already written and lemme tell u this shit gets good. this is very, very, very plot packed btw. like absurdly. there's still drarry tho so do don't worry.
i appreciate all the love and support the first book has gotten, and so I've planned out an actual good ending in thanks.

QUESTION: would you all like two updates of this weekly, in place of another story? because it'll be 20-21 chapters long and i think it's cruel to make you wait so long for the ending.

word count: 1444