Draco Malfoy was stretched out on a bench, his tie loose and the top few buttons on his shirt open. His eyes were closed, in an attempt to block out the mid-morning sun. Pansy Parkinson was kneeling next to his head, playing with his hair. He swatted her away to a chorus of laughter from Crabbe and Goyle. "Leave me alone, Pansy."

"Oh come on Draco…" She purred with a pout.

"Get off." He sat up and brushed her away. He looked up and saw Harry Potter and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, walking across the courtyard. A smirk crept across his pale face as he stood. "Well, well… If it isn't Saint Potter. And look, it's Weaselbee and that filthy little mudblood."

"Shut it, Malfoy." Ron replied darkly. He quietly said to Hermione, "Just ignore him."

"Aww, how cute! Granger's found herself a blood traitor boyfriend." Pansy joined in. Ron turned a violent shade of scarlet.

"Leave us alone, Malfoy." Harry stalked over, holding his wand out.

"Harry! Don't get involved." Hermione snapped. "It's fine."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Listen to that bitch mudblood, Potter." He felt an odd ripple of regret when he saw Hermione's taken aback and hurt expression.

"We'll fight anyone who insults our friend." Ron approached, pulling his wand from his back pocket.

"Is that so, Weaselbee?" Draco's eyes darted back and forth between the two. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles and stood defensively behind Draco. "Why doesn't the mudblood defend herself?"

Without warning, Ron threw his wand aside and jumped onto Draco. He knocked him onto the ground as Harry cast Stupefy on Crabbe and Goyle, knocking them backwards. Draco's fist, laden with a few silver rings, collided with Ron's nose with a crack."Fuck!" He staggered away, clutching his bleeding nose.

"That's what you get, Weasel!" Pansy shouted, with a smirk.

"I'm not fucking finished!" Harry held Ron back as he lashed out at Draco again. He had managed to get to his feet and was straightening his tie when Ron threw another punch; his fist hit Draco's right cheek. He turned and spat out blood, then lunged at Ron again.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Hermione rushed over and put one hand on Ron's chest, and the other on Draco's.

Draco looked down; the tip of her middle finger was on his bare skin. Warmth blossomed from her touch. He felt himself blush slightly

"Draco!" Pansy hissed, jealously dancing in her eyes.

"Fine." Ron stepped away. "Harry, fix my nose?"

"Sure." Harry muttered a spell and Ron's nose straightened out and stopped bleeding.

"Thanks." He turned back to Hermione. "Let's go. Before those two get up." He gestured to Crabbe and Goyle who were still lying on the ground.

"Right." She had been staring up at Draco. A puzzled expression on both of their faces.

As they turned to leave, Ron shot one last nasty look at Draco, before he draped his jacket over Hermione's shoulders.

"Draco… Why'd you let that mudblood touch you?" Pansy asked, sounding exasperated.

"Fuck off Pansy!" Draco picked up his book bag and stormed away. Pansy gasped and stalked off. Crabbe and Goyle were still struggling to their feet.

"Honestly, Hermione! Don't listen to wannabe death eaters like that prick!" Ron was still fuming over his encounter with Draco as the trio made their way up to Gryffindor tower later that evening.

"Oh, come off it Ron. It's just Malfoy." Hermione shrugged, her arms loaded with books.

"Well, apparently-"Harry began.

He was cut off by the portrait of the Fat Lady, "Password?"

"Dilligrout." Hermione said. The portrait swung open, and they stepped inside.

The common room was still very full, so Harry lowered his voice to a tense whisper, "Apparently you've forgotten what we saw in Bourgin and Burks. He's not a wannabe death eater anymore! He's actually a death eater now! And he's plotting something. I know he had something to do with that cursed necklace! Anything he says should be taken seriously."

"I don't think so, he's just being… well himself. And you don't have any proof about the necklace. I don't care about what he says anymore." Something about the way Hermione bit her lip said otherwise.

"Hermione, I know I'm right about him." Harry insisted.

"You've been wrong before, haven't you? You always think Snape is behind something, but he never has been, right?"

"Well not yet. But I know that Draco is this time!" Harry said, lowering himself onto an armchair and pulling out his tattered potions book. "Unless you've forgotten, his father gave Ginny Tom Riddle's diary."

"But that's his father. I doubt we have to worry about Draco Malfoy." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, you really shouldn't keep that book. I've told you a hundred times-"

"Yeah, yeah." Ron interrupted. "Don't change the subject. We know you don't like that book just because it makes Slughorn think Harry's some kind of a genius."

"Thanks, Ron." Harry said, sarcastically. "Besides, we all know Hermione's the genius."

"I'm only against that book because you don't know whose it was. It could be dangerous! And, no Ronald, I wasn't changing the subject. I have a lot of studying to do and I'm going up to my dormitory. I'll see you two tomorrow." And with that she stalked away up the girl's dormitory staircase.

"What's with her?" Ron asked, as he sank into the armchair next to Harry's. "She's been acting odd since the Malfoy thing."

"I don't know. You believe me, right? About Malfoy being a death eater?" Harry tore his eyes away from his potions book to look at Ron.

"Sure. I mean, you don't exactly have proof. Malfoy's a real ass and he's into dark magic. There's that and his pure blood mania… It makes sense."

"Yeah." Harry continued reading. "Hey, have you heard of this spell, Sectumsempra? I asked Hermione if she had and she said she didn't know it."

"No. Honestly, if Hermione hasn't heard of a spell why do you think I would?"

"I was just wondering." Harry muttered. "I think I'll go up to the dormitory now. I'm tired. Don't forget, we have quiddich practice tomorrow."

"Right." Ron nodded. "I'll head up in a second."