Harry's POV

It was cold. An icy pond surrounded me as I drowned in it's waters. Reaching the surface was impossible as the ice hardened and blocked the surface. I banged my frozen hands against the ice, my lungs burning and my mouth threatening to open.

"Harry, please." A soft voice called. It sounded like they were crying.

There was a pressure on my forehead, it was cold and wet.

The icy pond disappeared and I was just surrounded by darkness. I felt someone's hand in mine and I desperately wanted to find out who it was. They were warm, compared to the cold chills running through my body. I could feel myself shake slightly, even though I could feel several blankets surrounding me.

Slowly, I was able to force my eyes open. The room was dark, only lit by some candles on the bedside table.

I looked at the hand holding on tightly to mine, my eyes shifting up the person's arm and resting on their face.

I noticed platinum blonde hair, the same hair I have sometimes thought wasn't a natural color, even though it balanced the rest of his features so elegantly.

His sharp chin and slim, yet tall frame. His lightly pink tinted lips, set on a frown and his grey eyes that were currently covered by his other hand as he leaned against the bed I laid on.

I could feel his hand tremble in mine, whether it was from him crying or something related to the other times I've seen them tremble, I wasn't sure.

He took a shaky breath, still having his face covered, like he just needed to disappear for a moment, from reality. Step out of the frame and recollect himself.

Another chill washed through me and I shivered. Making a whimpering sound while curling myself into a ball to help keep warm, but my body ached.

It felt like the Hogwarts Express had hit me. Every part of my body hurt and my head pounded.

Draco heard the whimper and gasped as he dropped down his hand.

"Harry!" He called.

I gave him a small, timid smile, the memories of what happened flooding my mind.

Malfoy handed my glasses over to me and I placed them on my nose, happy to finally see him fully and not just a blurry outline.

I noticed the small cuts on his usually clear face and a faint bruise right below the lip.

Tears flooded my eyes as I took in the rest of him. The ripped clothes and the white collared shirt tainted with stains of blood.

"I-I'm so sorry!" I cried out, sitting up in the bed, though my body protested and my head pounded. Draco shook his head quickly.

"No. Don't you dare apologize. This wasn't your fault." He told me truthfully.

I didn't agree. After all, it was my magic that hurt him. "Malfoy, I didn't mean to hurt you. I-If I was in better control of my magic then you wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

"I know that Harry. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, but listen, don't blame yourself. This isn't something that you can help right now."

I turned away from him, my head casted downward. "I should be able to," I whispered.

Malfoy sighed. "You vanquished the dark lord. It's not entirely surprising that there were some repercussions. The two of you were connected, after all. Weren't you?" He laid his hand on my own, gaining my attention to look up at him.

"Y-Yes." I watched Malfoy's eyes sadden. Knowing that the suspicions that everyone else had about me and Voldemort were true.

"I'm sorry," He said, squeezing my hand lightly. I found it oddly comforting coming from him. "We'll figure this out."

I pulled my hand out of his grasp. "No! This is my problem. Just leave me be!" I yelled at him, but he just shook his head rapidly.

"I can't. Harry, I want to help. For once, just let me help. Let me do something right," He stammered, regret flashing through his eyes.

I thought for a moment. Not really knowing how to respond, if I wanted to respond.

I couldn't ask my friends for help because I have already put them through too much, but would it be right of me to ask my enemy if he would help instead? He too has suffered greatly, just like all of us.

No help came from me to him. What gives me the right to ask him? To allow him to help me when I never really did the same.

He feels guilty, like he owes me something, but he doesn't. He owes me nothing.

"I-"

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione ran into the room, rushing over to me. "Harry, are you okay!?" Hermione asked, worry in her tone.

Another figure burst into the room after them. "I tried stopping them, but of course they wouldn't listen!" Zabini shouted, running to his friends side. Malfoy crossed his arms in irritation.

Why would he want to keep my friends back? Did he want to talk to me alone that desperately?

"What are you even doing here, Malfoy?" Ron sneered at the blonde.

"Whatever the hell I want, Weasley." He sneered back.

Zabini rolled his eyes. "Malfoy's the one that found him. The least you can do is thank him," He jeered.

"Thank him?! For all we know he's the reason why Harry's in the hospital wing in the first place!" Ron argued.

"It's not, Ron. I'm fine. I just got reckless. It's on me," I explained, not giving a lot of details.

"What happened, Harry?" Hermione asked.

I bit my lip and looked away, not knowing how to answer.

"He fell off his broomstick, on the Quidditch field," Malfoy lied. I looked over at him, stunned. 

Zabini only nodded, confirming Malfoy's easy said lie.

"That explains why we couldn't find you. We thought you didn't leave the castle, Harry. What were you thinking going flying while upset?" Hermione snapped, slightly disappointed in me.

I only bowed my head further. "I wasn't thinking. I just needed a distraction and I wasn't paying attention," I expressed, following along with the lie Malfoy had provided. It's best if they didn't know what truly happened.

Hermione sighed. "Well, I am just glad you are alright."

"I am too, Harry, but I still don't understand why the git is here," Ron fussed.

I rolled my eyes. "The two of you fighting like that earlier was petty. We're adults, the war is over. We need to move on. I get there have been some awful things said, but both sides have done bad things to each other. It's not one sided, so we just need to drop it," I insisted, but I still saw the look of defiance on both Ron's and Malfoy's faces. "Fine, don't. At this point, I could careless, but don't be dragging me down into it anymore. I want no part of it."

"You used to hate Malfoy. I don't understand what's become of you."

"Ron, I am not starting this conversation again with you. It's over. I'm tired. I don't want to do it anymore. I'm sick of it, so just leave it."

Ron grunted, but did not respond. Obviously upset as to where this conversation is going. "Whatever. Rest well, Harry. I'm going back to our dorm," He trailed off and left the room quickly, not looking back at either me or Hermione at all.

I rested my head in my hands, frustrated and exhausted.

Why do we have to keep up this tense of hate and anger everywhere we go? Haven't we all suffered enough?

A hand was laid gently on my shoulder and I looked up to see my best friend, Hermione. "I'm sorry, Harry. I understand where you're coming from. I really do, but sometimes emotions just get in the way of rationalization. I'm sure you can understand."

I turned from Hermione and settled down in the bed, facing away from everyone and pulling the blanket up over my shoulders. "I understand, but I'm done. I learned my lesson when I let my emotions get the better of me. I just want peace." My eyes welled up in tears a couple of them fell, unseen from the other three people in the room.

"I'll come visit in the morning. Boys, best we let Harry rest," She told them and I heard three different pairs of footsteps leave the room.

I was alone, back to my unpleasant thoughts and tarnished nightmares.

Transfiguration. One of my more harder subjects, but not a class I disliked. McGonagall still taught this class, despite being Headmistress now. Why? I think partly because she still enjoys the work she gets to do with the students. Being the Headmistress probably can make one feel very secluded from the students and I think she would've really disliked that.

"Now, this class will a mixture of seventh and eighth years. I know it will seem odd, but after everything that had happened, this was the best way to incorporate our returning eighth year students who did not get to complete their education. However, I will be basing the rest of this year's class off of individual work performed and be assigning different variations of homework to each of you based off of what you already know and what may need some extra work," McGonagall explained to the class.

I sat beside Hermione, Ron and Dean in front of us. In the corner of the room, sat Malfoy and Zabini. I watched as some of the seventh years send glares at them, but did nothing more, considering who the teacher was for this class.

I felt bad for him. No matter what I had said at his trial or to anyone else, no one seems to just leave him alone. They are all hellbent on blaming everything on him, like it was his fault. When really, we all are just some puppets on a string, being forced into one direction while begging to go in a different one.

"I have also gone ahead and paired you off. I want each set of partners to work on the particular transfiguration I will be giving each of you. Some may vary in skill for this one, but I believe with the right kind of support, each of you will exceed in this class. This will also be the only person in the class that has similar homework assignments as you and so it is recommended, but not required to work with your partner outside of class."

The format that the professor has given us for this year is unusual. Normally we would all learn together and hope we understand before test day, but I guess it would make sense after the war. Each of us are on different levels than we were previously and it doesn't help that there are two years being put together.

McGonagall then called each students names, putting them in pairs. Dean and Seamus, not surprising. Ron and Luna, well that will be interesting. Hermione and Ginny, also an interesting pair, but I thing they will work well together. Neville and Blaise, I'm a little concerned there, Neville's face paled out of fear. He may have become a much more confident person during the war, but he still gets very skittish and working with a Slytherin probably still frightens him. 

Lastly, a partnership I was not surprised by. Malfoy and I. "Please go sit with your partners and I will be around to discuss what you will be doing for the remainder of the class," She said and we all stood up to move. "Mr. Potter, a moment," She called and instead of walking over to Malfoy, I walked over to her desk where she stood.

"Yes professor?"

"I wanted to speak with you for a moment. There is a specific reason I paired you with Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure you are aware of the bullying?" I nodded my head. "Well, this is very unacceptable and I am working on getting it sorted with the rest of the students, but in the mean time, I needed someone I can trust not to follow in their fellow students footsteps and perhaps help make sure no one is giving him trouble."

"Why me, professor?" I had to ask. Yes, I won't bully Malfoy, but surely I'm not the only one. Luna would never, nor Hermione, or even Blaise. She could have paired him with them.

"The students in this school respect you-" I opened my mouth to argue. "Whether you like it or not, Mr. Potter, it is true. I believe that the others seeing the two of you working together harmoniously will help alleviate some of the bullying that's been happening to him and his friends. I know the two of you have been getting along a little better than normal and so I know there won't be any trouble. Is that correct, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, professor. I understand."

"Good." I turned to take my seat with Malfoy. "Oh and Potter." I turned back towards her. "Thank you." I nodded and turned away, a frown on my lips.

There is nothing I should be thanked for. I don't deserve it.