Harry walked out of Dumbledore's office. He couldn't believe his rotten luck. Staying with Professor Snape over the summer. Yes, Harry apologized to the dour Potions Master, but it didn't mean that said Professor wanted to be saddled with him for the whole summer.

With his mind on where he was to be staying, Harry wasn't paying attention to where he was walking. Actually, Harry's head was down. He was so busy wondering how the summer was going to go, he didn't notice the blonde haired boy walking toward him. A second later, both boys were on the floor. The books and papers that were in Draco's hands were now scattered all over the floor.

“Scar-head, you clumsy oaf. Why don't you watch were you're going?” Draco raged as he stood up from the floor.

Harry, rubbing his head from the impact of hitting Draco's, looked up at the boy with disgust.

“You saw me coming,” Harry said with the same intensity as Draco. “Why didn't you move out of the way?”

“Oh yes, everyone is suppose to make way for the Boy-Who-Lives,” Draco said. “You think you're so damned important.”

“I think you have me confused with yourself,” Harry countered, getting up from the floor and dusting himself off.

Draco walked the two steps and was in Harry's face. “You will get what's coming to you,” Draco sneered.

Before Harry could respond, a voice sounded from the other end of the corridor.

“What is going on here?”

Draco, still looking at Harry, made no attempt to back up. “Nothing, Professor.”

“What are you doing in the halls, Potter?” Harry looked at Professor Snape, who was now standing beside Malfoy.

“Just going to my common room,” Harry answered.

“Go,” Severus snapped. “Before I deduct points for being out after curfew.”

Harry brow creased at the unfairness that just happened, but didn't stay long enough for the Professor's threat to come true. Shaking his head, Harry thought, spending the summer with the professor is going to suck.

______0000__________00000_________

Severus knew that it would have been the perfect opportunity to tell both boys that they were going to be staying with him, but he just didn't want to deal with it right then. Besides, the fact that when he came around the corner, seeing both boys standing so close together and that he could practically feel the anger and rage magic in the air, made him realize that bringing up the subject would only achieve more tantrums from both teens. He knew he would have to tell the boys, but right now was just not the time.

Looking at the mess of papers that were all over the floor, Severus waved his wand and stacked all the papers and books and had them levitating in mid-air for Draco to easily grab hold.

“Get back to the common room, Dragon.” Severus' voice was much softer than it was towards Harry.

Draco, not saying a word, grabbed his books and papers out of mid-air and headed back to the Slytherin common room.

Severus sighed. This is going to be a long summer, he thought, walking back towards his original destination.

_________0000________0000________

Draco was still fuming as he walked back to the Slytherin common room. How dare Potter, he thought. Just wait, he smirked at himself. Walking into the common room, Draco headed straight for his dorm room and to his bed. He pulled out a piece of parchment and smiled.

“Only a few more days,” Draco smiled to himself. He sat on top of his bed and laid back holding the parchment in his hand, laughing.

His laughter filled the quiet dorm, as the look of contentment on his face.

_________0000__________0000_________

“Alright, class,” Minerva said to the Fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindors, “for your Summer assignments I want a three foot essay on all the spells you learned this year along with the potential dangers. Have a wonderful Summer holiday.” She waved her hand as a form of dismissal.

Everyone started packing up their bags. While walking towards her desk, Minerva felt a sharp pain in her chest. Making a gasping sound, she leaned against the nearest desk, which happened to be Draco's.

The mild talking and rustling of paper stopped immediately when they heard the gasping noise. Harry and Ron rushed to their Transfiguration Professor's side.

“Go get Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione ordered on her way towards the others.

Two Slytherins and a few Gryffindors rushed out of the classroom as Harry and Ron helped Minerva sit down in the closest chair.

Draco didn't move from his spot. He just watched as the Golden Trio saw to McGonagall. He had an impassive look on his face as he witnessed the entire thing. A few moments later, Poppy Pomfrey rushed in with the students who went after her, right behind her. Poppy was at Minerva's side casting a diagnostic spell over her.

“Minerva,” Poppy whispered. “What happened?” She asked looking from the small parchment to her close friend.

“Chest pains,” Minerva gasped.

Poppy quickly conjured a stretcher, levitated Minerva on it and rushed to the Infirmary. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were right behind her.

Draco, still not moving, watched the entire scene, then very slowly continued to pack his belongings and calmly walked out of the room and headed for his dorm to start packing.

While heading towards the Infirmary, Poppy sent out patronus to the Headmaster and Potions Master. They were both waiting for Poppy when she arrived with Minerva. Once they came in, Severus saw that she was not alone and stopped the trio.

“Back to your dormitories,” Severus ordered.

“But Professor McGonagall...,” Hermione started, but was cut off.
“Is in very capable hands, and do not need you lingering.” Severus said, raising an eyebrow. “Now do as I said.”

Severus then turned and walked in the Infirmary, closing the doors behind him, leaving the trio standing there just looking at the door.

____0000__________0000_____

The last few days were a blur to everyone. Everyone was worried about their Deputy Headmistress. She was flooed to St. Mungo's that very evening. She had suffered a heart attack. Poppy and Severus did all that they could for her, but the severity of Minerva's illness was too much for the medi-witch to handle just at the school. Minerva would need more, and was flooed to the hospital with Severus and Albus. Albus stayed the night, but knew he had a school to run and flooed back the next day. Severus stayed long enough for Poppy to finish her work at the school and close up the Infirmary for the Summer. She usually worked at St. Mungo's during the Summer months and now she knew she could be there for her friend.

The End of the Year feast was a somber event. The Gryffindor's table was especially subdued. The Headmaster gave his usual end of the year speech and informed the students that Professor McGonagall was in very capable hands and was on the road to recovery. This year, the House Cup was awarded to Ravenclaw, but no one really felt like celebrating.

While the children ate their dinner, a note appeared beside Draco's plate. He opened it.

Take the train to Kings Cross.

I will pick you up from there.

Wait for me at the luggage gate.

SS

Draco folded the note and looked around. After the somber feel around the Great Hall, no one noticed around him that he even received a note. Draco didn't even notice that the Boy-Who-Lived did the same thing with a small piece of parchment.

_______0000___________0000________

The Trio were alone in the train compartment. The ride back to Kings Cross was a quiet one. None of the three felt like talking. They were all lost in thought. Harry, sitting with his feet up on the small couch, looked over at his friends. Hermione was reading a book and Ron was leaning on the window asleep. He really wanted to tell his friends that he wasn't going to the Dursley's this summer, but when the Headmaster told him that he would be staying with Professor Snape at his house, he was instructed not to tell his friends for their own safety. Harry wanted to talk with the Professor again before they left, but before he could, Professor McGonagall got sick and Harry didn't see Snape any more. Actually, the only communication between them for the last week was the note that appeared on the table by his plate at the feast.

Take the train to Kings Cross.

I will pick you up from there.

Wait for me at the luggage gate.

SS

Harry looked at the note again and knew this was going to be a difficult summer. Even though he and Professor Snape had come to an understanding, he didn't think five years of hatred would dissolve over a few months of talking. Harry couldn't say that he and the Professor had been bonding, but it was nice that in the last few months there were no snide remarks or intimidating hovering while he was in class. After Harry apologized to Snape, he had even started teaching Harry Occlumency again. This time Harry felt like he was really learning something. A small smile ghosted over Harry's lips as he thought about the lessons. It was hard work, and Professor Snape didn't accept anything other than perfection, but his head didn't feel like it was going to explode like it did in the beginning.

Seeming like the longest ride ever, the Hogwarts Express finally started to slow down. Hermione shook Ron's arm, waking him up.

“We're here.” Hermione gathered her things. Harry and Ron did the same.

As they walked off the train, everyone stood around for a minute and said their goodbyes. Hermione was the first to leave, as her parents needed to get back to the office. She hugged all the Weasleys, and then Ron and Harry.

“Keep in touch,” Hermione said as she got in the back seat of her Dad's car.

Harry watched as she rode off. He then turned and saw the longing look on Mrs. Weasley's face. He walked over to her and she wrapped her arms around him.

“Are you sure you will be fine?” she murmured in his ear.

“Yes, Mrs. Weasley.” Harry nodded in her shoulder. “I'll be fine. Honest.” He looked up at her.

“Are you sure you don't want us to wait with you?” Mr. Weasley asked.

“I'm sure.” Harry felt a warm feeling at the love that he got from the Weasleys. “I'll be fine. It shouldn't be that much longer.”

Molly pulled Harry in for another hug and then stepped off. Arthur shook Harry's hand. Fred and George patted him on his shoulder. Ginny kissed his cheek and Ron gave him a hug. Then the large Weasley family walked to the the end of the track, Mr. Weasley pulled a small object out of his pocket and Harry watched as all of them, touching the object, disappeared within a second.

Harry's heart felt heavy as he stood alone. He gathered his trunk and Hedwig's cage and began his trek towards the luggage gate so that he could be picked up. Once he got to his destination, Harry sat down on his trunk and waited for his Professor.

As he sat there waiting patiently, thinking back on everything that happened throughout the year, a rustling sound brought him out of his musing. Harry quickly stood up. Harry looked around. He didn't see anything or anyone. Thinking that the noise was probably just his imagination, he walked back to his trunk. The next thing Harry knew was someone had their arm around his neck and a hand over his mouth. The person was bigger and stronger than the fifteen year old, but that didn't stop Harry from struggling. The force of the impact of the man grabbing Harry, he dropped his wand and it rolled under the luggage coral.

“Easy,” a gravelly voice said, soothingly in his ear. “Easy, beautiful. It will all be over soon.”

Harry tried to struggle more, but he felt something prick the side of his neck. Everything started to get foggy. His arms started to feel heavy and he couldn't keep his eyes open. The last thing he heard was the same gravelly voice saying, “We are going to have fun with you.”

Harry's body went limp in the burly man's arms. He picked the teen up and put him over his shoulder. Two other men came out from the shadows and grabbed Harry's trunk and cage. The three men walked off into the night with smiles on their faces.

Walking out of the corner, the blonde-haired boy watched with a smirk on his face as Harry was carried away.