Without You

A/PreN: First off thank you too chantalmalfoy, and thrnbrooke for your reviews so far. I like writing it, it makes me laugh thier antics sometimes and I could only hope you liked it just as much. Thanks for letting me know, chapter three is for you guys!

The amount of time they had left until they started internships was fast fading. Harry knew this to be true the moment Hedwig delivered him his mail that morning. He untied it from her leg and slipped her a tiny bite of his breakfast.

He opened the letter to read:

Dear Mr Potter,
The Auror office is very pleased to except your offer for Internship.

Harry snorted, he just bet they were pleased. He could almost see them wetting their pants in happiness upon receiving his application.

On Monday May first you shall report to the Auror's office at 10:00 Am. This location shall not be disclosed for reasons of security. Your duties will be explained to you upon arrival. Please take into consideration your housing for you're two weeks of internship. It has come to our attention that The Weasley family has offered to room you. We advise contacting your God father, being on time is crucial tardiness will result in immediate termination of your contract.

Signed
Philip Morton.
Head of Auror office.

Harry frowned, why didn't they want him rooming with the Weasley's? They were the most obvious choice. Sirius although his god father and a beloved one at that was constantly busy with matters for the Order. Weren't they concerned Harry would overhear something he shouldn't? Hermione would know, she had a knack for figuring out those kind of things.

He leaned over and showed her the letter, not before noticing her pocketing several of her own. He rolled his eyes, Hermione had applied to at least seven different places. Naturally she was excepted to everyone, and of course she had spent the last week predicting every one would turn her down.

She seemed loads more cheerful now that she had been proven wrong, imagine that. She looked over Harry's letter with a thoughtful frown then her face brightened.

"why its obvious Harry, notice how they mention tardiness right after suggesting you room with Sirius. Sirius must live closer to the head quarters then the Weasley's." She informed him with a satisfied smile.

Ron glanced at the letter, then at her. "That was obvious?"

Hermione shot him a long suffering look then eyed the still unopened letter in his hands. "Well are you going to open it?" When Ron looked away with a flush on his cheeks she seemed to loose her patience. "Oh honestly Ronald, why all this secrecy? You wouldn't even tell me who you applied to intern with, or why you were excused from classes on Thursday!" She snapped at him.

"Well I just wanted to get it finished without you harping at me Hermione" Ron shot back in agitation.

Harry saw a flash of hurt pass in Hermione's eyes before she stiffly replied. "I do not Harp!"

"Yes you do! No one can take two steps without you playing them a tune!" Ron insisted.

Harry cringed, there they went again. He couldn't figure if it was frustrated love, a twisted form of sibling rivalry or an itch they were both refusing to scratch that made them go at each other like that. Whatever it was Harry had harbored hopes that by the time they Graduated they would have either admitted they loved each other, realized that Harry loved them both equally and therefore did not need to compete for his favor, or shag like bunnies to get that itch out of their system.

Although the later he heartily wished he was not present to witness. His mind began to float away from thier argueing as it always did. It instead drifted to the one thing usully on his seventeen year old mind. Bed sheets and warm feelings...strong lightly tanned limbs and pale blonde...

Harry shot up in his chair and mutterd a hasty excuse to Ron and Hermione.

STOP THAT!!! You're getting as sick as Malfoy! If you need a shag that bad go find Pravati for gods sake! Don't sit there getting off to that Bastard!

Harry slumped against a wall trembling slightly. What was the matter with him?
~~~~~~*****~~~~~***~~~~~****~~~

Just tell him, what are you some kind of coward? Tell them all, your not ashamed of who you are. Are you?

Seamus groaned leaning his forehead against the mirror in the boys lavatory. Just how do you go about telling your best friends that your gay. There was always the truth, Seamus snorted thinking that over.

"Hey everyone remember when we were twelve and Timothy Hailey had that swim suit issue? Yeah and everyone was drooling over this girl in a bikini that could sing? Well I wasn't even looking at her." And he hadn't been. That girl with the big breast and the bikini that sang, take me off its oh so easy, was not what had made his thirteen year old face flush and his body run unfamiliarly hot.

It had been the boy next to him who was still half way into getting into his night wear.

"Nope, wasn't even looking at her! I was eyeing Dean over there trying not to notice he was only half dressed, and that if he kept up with the exercise he was going to have one stunning body some day. Oh for any of you who are interested and haven't noticed, I was right have you seen him lately! But anyway back to my point, So yeah for the last four years I have seceretily been lusting after my best mate. Oh and Dean I love you and every time I see you with that no good whore Ginny I want to pluck out her eyes and possibly eat them for breakfast. Well anyway got to get to class now, Hermione can I barrow your homework notes?"

"oh sure Seamus, oh and we all wish you the best of luck with Dean. I mean we all hate Ginny anyway, she's such a bitch. The nerve of her touching Dean!" Hermione would reply.

To which Harry would nod in agreement, "I couldn't agree more Seamus, its obvious who Dean should be with. You've allays been there for him. You know more about him then anyone else. When you look at him you want to give him the world, you want to give and give and give so much of yourself that there isn't anything left."

Ron would nod and take up where Harry had left off, "And you'd be ok with that because he's everything to you. He always has been, he completes you in a way nothing else ever has. Just being near him is enough to keep you content."

Lavender would smile wisely at him, "But you shouldn't have to be just content. You want happiness, Dean is your happiness. Dean could never be happy with Ginny. That's why were all burning her at the stake tonight, it's only fair since she's only using him to get to Harry."

Harry would gasp, "That bitch! I could never love her. Everyone with a brain can see I'm lusting after Draco anyway. Were both just too proud to admit it, and yeah there's that whole opposite sides thing."

Then Nevillie who sounded oddly like his conscience would scold them all a little, "you're being a little unfair to Ginny you know. She cant help feeling attracted to someone and wanting what we all want. Just because Harry would be better with someone else doesn't make her evil or worthy for burning."

"What about using Dean, that's just low!" Ron would retort, he would look disgusted that such a fiends blood should run in his veins.

"That is a little low, and a little desperate but she'd hardly be the first sixteen year old to rebound to somebody else when they get their heart broken. She cant have Harry so she turns to Dean. And it's not like Dean isn't using her in his own way. Dean is hardly in love with her, he cant be" Neville would say.

Hermione would nod, "how could he ever love anyone but you when you feel so much for him. All that love just cant be meant to be waisted."

The door would open and Dean would be standing there with such a look of passion and love in his eyes that Seamus would feel like all his waiting and all his tears...weren't A high enough price for such a gift as Deans love.

And then monkeys would fly and hell would freeze over.

Seamus whipped a tear from his cheek, the fact of the matter was if he told anyone about how he felt he could well imagine his friends reactions. The world was cruel to people who were different. He opened honey brown eyes and stared at himself in the mirror.

"He would hate you if you told him. He would feel betrayed, you would ruin the friendship you have and shatter your own heart. Why cant you just be happy with the way things are!" He demanded of his reflection.

"Because you like everyone else are beginning to realize that everything is changing. Your changing along with it, what made you satisfied before no longer satisfies you. You want everything he has to offer and you want it now." A voice whisped from the Lavatory entrance.

Seamus turned to meat the eyes of Draco Malfoy. He wasn't surprised that he was being civil to him, well maybe a little after all they were in opposing houses. But since Seamus was the only one who had guessed he was less then strait and it was painfully obvious that Seamus wasn't they left each other alone.

Each had too many problems as it was.

"Is that what you discovered about Harry, Malfoy? You were comfortable enough when you got to see him everyday and even wrestle on a floor with him?" Seamus sighed glancing at the slightly taller and much blonder male.

Draco walked over to the Mirror and stared at his own reflection a minute before nodding. "It's crazy, do you know how many nights I've spent trying to get rid of this feeling?"

Seamus snorted, he knew that game. "Not as many as you spend burning up alone in your bed." He replied, thinking on all the nights he had lain aroused and un satisfied thinking about Dean and knowing nothing would ever relieve him.

"I'm Malfoy, I don't beg for anything! I never lower myself, I certainly wont do so for Potter!" Draco suddenly snapped insistently as if Harry were in the room right then.

"You do that then Malfoy, but you'll certainly never be happy." Seamus advised.

Draco tossed him a look of censure. "Yeah your one to talk about achieving happiness Finnigan, didn't I just find you crying in a bath room."

Seamus felt his ire grow, he did have his pride. "Better then getting off in one to a guy I cant stand!" He retorted.

"I'm pretty sure you've gotten off in here a couple times yourself Finnigan so spare me!" Draco sneered.

"Your scared Malfoy admit it, your scared what your father and all your little snake mates will think if they find out your in love with..."

Seamus watched Draco go from his usual cool disdain too blinding fury in an instant.

"MY FATHER! Because of Potter my father's in AZKABAN! Because of Potter everyone in this school thinks I let the Death Eaters into the castle last year! Because of Potter I cant even FUCKING SLEEP!"

Seamus shivered backing up as Draco advanced on him blue eyes nearly red with rage.

"Don't tell me what I do and don't feel! Don't tell me where my allegiance should lye! Don't tell me what I think or how I feel!"

Did Draco even realize who he was talking to anymore? Seamus didn't think so, Draco was screaming at a great many people right now the least of all was him.

"I'm not your clay so don't mold me! I don't believe in your damn Prophecy, and I wont die for a fools cause! And that doesn't make me a fucking death eater either! Life isn't your way or noway! I'll tell you right now I don't want to be any dark lords puppet. AND I MOST CERTAINLY AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HARRY FUCKING POTTER! YOU GOT THAT FINNIGAN!"

Draco roared slamming his fist into the mirror only a few inches away from his face. Seamus thought it best to completely agree.

Draco panted, a little out of breath, and backed away from him. His hand was bleeding but he seemed not to notice it. He was staring off into the distance now not really seeing anything anymore.

"I'm loosing my mind. I cant stay like this, I cant keep hoping the line back and forth. To them your either With Harry or with Voldemort. I don't want to be with Either. One sees me as a tool, as a pawn. Easily used easily sacrificed. The other looks at me and sees filth, something unworthy of even a second look. They can both take a long drive down a one way road to hell for all I care. I'm making a clean break of this entire fucking war..." Draco's voice faded for a moment.

And then his eyes connected with Seamus's for the first time since his tirade had started.

"If you were smart Finnigan you would too. Dean is never going to wake up and if he does it's only going to be long enough to spit in your face. But I already know what choice your going to make. You're going to pretend that being friends with him is all you need and be unhappy for the rest of your life. Because you're a fool like everyone else in your house."

With that last retort Draco swept from the bathroom leaving Seamus cold and alone.
~~****~~****~~~****~~

"DIGGORY!"

Cedric was walking arm in arm with his girlfriend Cho Chang when he heard his name shouted out. They were on their way to Harmens, a rather fancy new restaurant in Hogsmeade. And if they didn't hurry they would be late and lose their reservations. A fact that Cho had just moments before reminded him of, when his kissing her had halted their moving forward. Cedric thought she was cute when she was flustered.

However she was far from cute when she was angry which being late and losing their seats would definitely make her. So he ignored the hails and highs coming behind team as they made their way down the street. However it seemed as though the person was not content to be ignored.

"Hey CED!"

Cedric groaned inwardly and tossed Cho an apologetic glance. He turned to see twin mops of red hair coming his way. Fred and George Weasley were both dressed in screaming scarlet robes with a gold badge on their breasts.

The badges had three interwoven scarlet W's. He knew that the boys now ran a shop in Diagon Alley, he hadn't spoken to them in a while though. They where a year younger then Cedric, in Cho's year. They were a decent sort; if some what misguided in what was right or wrong.

They had not always gotten on well at Hogwarts, having held a grudge on him for wining what they deemed an unfair match. Privately Cedric had always agreed, Dementors raiding the field should have ended the match on the spot, but they had continued and Harry had fallen and Cedric had caught the snitch.

He was determined to be nice to them. Besides their being Charlie's little brothers, they were friends of Harry's and he owed Harry his life. Their relationship had improved in his seventh year after returning from the ministry banged and bloodied alongside Harry. They had announced that as long as he was willing to die for their approval they might as well just give it.

"Fred, George good to see you mates, what are you doing here so far from your shop?" He asked fondly clapping both men on the back. The Weasley twins were just as tall and lanky as ever with the same slightly manic grins on their faces. Their hair he could see they were growing long these days; it had reached passed their shoulders. Much of it hung in their eyes.

They were good looking men he supposed with a rather impish charm about them. Cho had once remarked that they were the kind of sexy a girl finds confusing rather then alluring. That particular piece of wisdom he had yet to understand.

"We just bought a spot of land, going to expand a bit. Open up a new branch. What about you, saw you on the Network the other day" Fred or was it George asked him. Cedric had never been able to tell them apart, he generally asked them questions or talked to them without using their names unless in greeting. Then he could just great them both at the same time.

"Yes, That segment they did on Horntails, quit exciting actually." Cedric replied putting his arm around Cho. Cho smiled at the Weasley twins and nodded.

"Cedric's on leave, it was real luck actually, I just got back from Wiltshire with the London Knights we hardly get any time to see each other being so far apart all year." Cho sighed, and Cedric squeezed her closer. She smiled up at him, and he kissed her lips quickly and grinned at Fred and George. George, or was it Fred rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I always thought it would be you Diggory who went on to be a professional quiditch player, instead you decide to muck around in Egypt studying Dragons. And Cho here becomes the quiditch star." His eyes brightened as if just remembering something. " nice save in that last match by the way that dive was brilliant." He declared, clasping Cho softly on the shoulder. His twin whichever one he was; turned to address Cedric.

"How's Charlie doing? Mum after all these years is still worried he'll get his face fried off or some such. Make sure he doesn't get eaten will you? Cause we'd have to deal with her moaning for months." one of the twins bemoaned. The other nodded in agreement.

"Yeah she's always moaning about something or another, this time its ickel Ronniekens. Her little baby is graduating, she's having a rough go of it. Can't see why really she was in a rage when we didn't graduate. Moaning on about shame on the family, never been so embarrassed and how we'd disappointed our poor hard working father. To tell you the truth dad nearly thanked us. The ceremony is always so bloody long, most people are just thankful when its over."

Harry had mentioned in a letter that he was graduating this year, he'd have to make a note to attend, after all he owed Harry a lot. If it wasn't for Harry he might not of survived the first task. Although he hadn't encouraged peoples reactions to Potter being named fourth champion he hadn't scolded them on it either.

In a way he had felt it was justified, Harry had known the rules and in an attempt for attention it appeared as if he had entered anyway. Taking away Huffel Puffs one chance at being the ones recognized as bold and brave. So he had let them tease and taunt Harry and even laughed behind his hands at times. So Harry had truly no cause or reason to warn Cedric about the dragons, in fact it was to Harry's advantage that he not tell Cedric.

He had told him anyway. Then when they were in the maze and Cedric had been caught by Victor about to be painfully hexed Harry had appeared and put Vicktor out.

They had both wanted that trophy had run for it with all their might, then the devils snare had caught him lurched him off his feet and his wand had gone flying. A blast ended Skewt was scuttling toward him pinchers open flames and sparks coming from its end. Harry could have left him there, he could Have sent up the sparks knowing eventually he would be rescued and taken the prize for himself.

Harry had come back for him. As Cedric had lain there panting he had come to the realization that Harry wasn't the kind of person who constantly needed attention. That he wouldn't have put his name in the cup. Harry couldn't possibly be in that race by choice or he would have done anything to win. All his actions thus far spoke of bravery and integrity. And that meant, someone had put his name in that cup and that something was terribly wrong.

Which was proven when Mad Eye appeared, he had snuck up behind them and Cedric had turned to hear the whispered beginnings of the killing curse. As he stared death in the eyes, Harry had acted, he had hexed Cedric so hard he went flying backwards right into mad eye. It had stopped him from finishing the spell and saved Cedric life. He had blacked out only to awake in the hospital wing.

He knew from rumors and speculation that Madeye had taken Harry to a grave yard that the cup had been a portKey. What happened while he was there remained between potter and the Dark lord. Harry had returned bloody and scarred from that grave yard with Crouch Jr... dead and the dark lord disappeared to plot his return yet again. He had looked at that small fourteen year old boy in the bed next to him and had been filled with both sorrow and awe.

Needless to say he felt bonded to the boy, despite the difference in their ages they had become friends after that. Harry was one of the few fifth years who could say he had a seventh year as a best mate. They competed together of course, Cedric as Huffel puff captain and seeker and Harry the Gryffendor seeker.

They had however, found quiet moments to practice together and had even eaten lunch outside by the lake a couple times. Hogsmeade trips they always stopped to merger their different groups of friends together for an hour or two. When Harry had been tricked into going to the ministry to look for Sirius, Cedric had been one of the first to agree to go with him.

True enough Harry had not wanted to bring anyone, his only thought was saving his uncle. Cedric and Hermione had wisely warned him as to the dangers but Harry had insisted on going, and Cedric could hardly let a bunch of fifth years face possible death eaters alone.

Once again he found himself fighting side by side with Harry, all of them nearly dying at points. Nothing had shaken him more then seeing Ron wrapped in the slimy ropes of a giant brain. Or watching death curses narrowly missing his young friends. Or when he had seen Sirius''s cousin Lestrange rear up unnoticed as he stood in front of a sinister archway covered by a thin Veil.

Cedric had acted on instinct to this day he did not know what hex he had uttered. He just remembered watching her fly forward purple light surrounding her as she fell into the veil and disappeared. Needless to say Sirius remained unharmed, and it occurred to him he might just owe Cedric his life. While neither Cedric or Sirius thought it necessary to dwell on it, in fact found it just as embarrassing as Cedric's mates must have found hanging with a bunch of Fifth years.

Harry however had gone ghostly pale at Sirius near death and had never forgotten what Cedric had unwittingly done. Harry had even stood up and clapped, among a million others true enough, when he had crossed the great hall to receive his certificate of Education, and his Honors awards. Now Cedric was going to return the favor, he felt a burst of pride in his young friend.

"Long or not, I'm making a point to go. Wouldn't miss Harry walking the plank for the world. Got a letter from him just last week, whens the big day you know?" He inquired. George/Fred whichever rolled his eyes and said rather cheekily.

"Course we do, mums planed our entire lives around it. Always sending owls and appearitng to remind us. June first you got a good two months yet."

Cedric frowned, Vaniszka a young yellow snout queen had just taken only sixth and a half months before. Dragons where like humans in that they carried for nine month periods. By carried he meant they nested, when a dragon female which they had all termed queens took after being bred it took about nine weeks for her to lay a batch of eggs. Then she nested them for nine months until they hatched.

It would be cutting it close, if hatching day was too close to Harry's graduation he might miss it. Cho seemed to read his mind and hugged him closer.

"Its ok Ced, if you can't make it I'm sure I can and I'll tell him you tried. Harry will understand." she soothed softly. He felt that familiar warm glow that he always felt around Cho, spread throughout his chest area. He sometimes wished he could just snuggle onto a bed with her somewhere and just stay there holding her for all time. She teased him, about that of course but he was hardly ashamed.

He took the hand that wasn't wrapped around his waist and kissed it. She colored, and the Weasley twins sneered and rolled their eyes.

"You two sure haven't changed much." Fred/George sneered. Then George/Fred glanced down at Cho's hand.

"Wow Chang look at the size of that ring!" Fred/George exclaimed excitedly catching sight of Cho's engagement ring. Cedric felt a glow of pride warm inside of him and grinned from ear to ear. "So you finally got around to asking her did you. About time only took you four years."

Yes four wonderful years of dating, in his sixth year he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask her to the yule ball they'd dated ever since then. All through his seventh year and even after he graduated and she was still in school.

They'd corresponded back and forth, and arranged to meet in Hogsmeade on his off weekends and on holidays. It had been harder when he actually left for Egypt they saw each other less and less especially this last year her first year on her own and playing quiditch. Their leave days rarely matched and even holidays weren't a guarantee. The less and less he had seen of her, the more and more sure he had become that all he really needed was her.

"You should bring Cho around, Mum would love to see both of you, in fact our little trio's coming home weekend after next. Starting internship the fallowing Monday. Ron's going to shadow the London Knights, now that I think on it so you'll be seeing loads of him, Cho." Glancing to Cedric, George/Fed added, " Bring her on by then Diggory it'll be like old times. By the way talked to Wood the other day gives his hellos. He and Katie broke it off didn't you know something about him being a quiditch obsessed Pratt or some such. World seems all put back together don't it." Whichever one of the twins he was laughed.

His brother rolled his eyes giving him a laughing glance, "You going to call him up George? Comfort him in his time of loss. Wouldn't that just be like old times?" the twin he now knew to be Fred teased.

George grinned apparently something about comforting Oliver wood made him rather gleeful.

"Yeah I might just do that. It will be an interesting week, the brats home. Oliver here, what about you though Fred."

"Oh don't worry I've had my eye on some fun for a while now."

Just what they were talking under the table about he didn't know and he was sure he didn't want to understand.

A/N: Ta day. Part of this chapter kind of explains most of the non Canon aspects like Sirius and Cedric being alive and why Harry would feel so laid back about Voldemort. Cedric and Cho are together yes I dont think i'm going to tinker around with them they're pretty much cut and dry. Fred and George I am going to have a lot of fun with, come on thier The Weasley twins!

As For Draco and Harry I have things planned, the poor gue just needed to say his peice in this one.

Oh and Seamus and Dean...*sighs* (poor Seamus) are going to have a bit of a rocky go ot it. Lol kind of like Harry and Draco. Now read enjoy...AND REVIEW. So I can love you all and giggle and laugh and get better and all that good stuff. Lol love you all.