"It's all the paper talks about anymore," Draco frowned, "Stupid Potter."

"We're agog," Blaise said pouring himself and Draco a cup of coffee.

Pansy smothered a yawn and picked up a piece of toast, "Do tell."

Draco folded his paper, eyes scanning past the picture to the drivel written below, "Potter's going to join the auror's, change the world," he grumbled, "you'd think the sun shines out of his arsehole the way they go on about him."

Pansy rolled her eyes.

"Couldn't agree more," A voice said behind him from the Ravenclaw table, "that Potter's a total pillock."

"Exactly-" Draco turned on his bench, his words choking off before they were halfway out of his mouth.

"I really don't know what they see in him," Potter said flatly, taking a massive bite of pancake.

Luna smiled absently at Potter's side, "I don't know, I've always thought he was quite nice."

Potter picked up his pumpkin juice, "To-tal pil-lock."

Draco felt his face go hot and he spun around back to his plate. Blaise quickly picked up his coffee cup to hide a growing smile. Pansy snorted, almost choking on her toast, she ducked her head and fumbled for her cup.

Draco grabbed his bag and left the table with an imperious sniff.

.

Draco studiously refused to speak to either Blaise of Pansy for the rest of the day. Determined to avoid any more of Potter's madness, lest it be catching, he avoided him successfully for the next few days. To be safe, he didn't talk about him either except in the relative safety of the Slytherin dorms. There is, however, only so much a body can take.

"Do tell, Mr Potter. Would you show the class again, Mr Potter? I've never seen such a fine shield charm, Mr Potter. You might as well have him teach the class!" Draco squeezed the strap of his bag until his knuckles ached.

"Well, Potter does know what he's talking about," Blaise said with a shrug.

Pansy leaned against Draco's arm, forcing him to slow his angry march, "He's a good teacher," she said carefully, "Understanding and patient."

Draco's lip curled up in a sneer as he rolled his eyes, "This isn't about teaching, it's about Potter forgiving you about the war, isn't it? He did that with everyone! Letting everyone walk all over him doesn't make him kind, it makes him a doormat, a stupid doormat."

"I know right?!" A dreadfully familiar voice said behind Draco, "First he was a liar trying to overthrow the ministry. Now, he's entirely in their pocket! Anyone could push him around, spineless, really,"

Blaise covered a cough with his sleeve that suspiciously sounded like a laugh. Pansy twitched against his arm.

Behind them, Potter went on, "Poor stupid Potter, I mean what kind of daft numpty just lets-"

Draco didn't wait to hear a second more, jerking his arm free from Pansy and marching away from the lot of them as quickly as he could. He went up to the owlery to be alone. His eagle owl, Sal, flew down to the window ledge Draco was leaning against, staring out over the green highlands colouring into fall. Sal tolerated Draco brushing his fingers over her soft feathers until his fingers started going numb.

He shooed Sal back up to the rafter perches and turned around right into Luna Lovegood, smiling beatifically, her wand tucked into a messy bun on the back of her head.

He hadn't heard her come up and nearly choked on his own tongue in shock.

"Hello, Draco," Luna said, "We haven't really had a chance to talk recently, have we?"

Draco shook his head.

Luna looked around, staring up for a long time before asking, "Are you going to stay here? It's rather cold."

"I was just going to leave," Draco said hoarsely.

Luna nodded. "I shall accompany you then," she said taking his arm and gently leading them down the tower. "Are you going to play?" she asked seemingly out of nowhere.

"Play? Play what?" Draco's brow furrowed, his nervousness briefly lost by the context-less question.

"Quidditch. Ron wants to set up teams for the eighth years, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff on one team, against Slytherin and Ravenclaw's. Or-" she cocked her head thoughtfully, "perhaps that isn't right at all."

Draco waited silently for Luna to continue.

"Either way, you and Harry could play as seekers again," She said, "That would make you both happy."

Draco frowned faintly, "I doubt very much that anyone would want me to play."

"Harry would," Luna said with absolute certainty.

Draco shook his head, "Potter and quidditch..."

Potter's voice came from the stairs above them, "Couldn't fly his way out of a paper bag-"

"Shut it, Potter!" Draco snapped, his face getting hot, "You want me to stop talking about you, fine. I'll never mention you again!" He pulled away from Luna and stomped back to his dorm, throwing himself into his bed.

.

Pansy pulled back his curtains. "You've missed dinner,"

"Leave me alone," Draco said, his words muffled by his pillow.

Pansy sighed, "It's Potter."

"It is not," Draco grumbled.

"It is," She said, "because he's in the common room."

Draco sat up with a start, "What?"

"He wants to talk to you," Pansy went on, apparently examining her fingernails in great detail.

"He can't!"

Pansy smirked faintly, "He's talking with Blaise."

"He can't!" Draco scrambled up off his bed.

"Good. I've already told him to come up," Pansy said sweetly, spinning on her heel and flouncing out, slipping past Potter as he came through the door.

Draco froze, trying not to turn bright red.

Potter stopped just inside the door, running his hand through his hair and making the left side stand nearly straight up, "Erm."

"Eloquent as always," Draco said stiffly.

Potter continued to hesitate.

Draco went on, "Pansy said you wanted to..."

"Yeah, I just- I didn't mean to make you angry," Potter said.

Draco crossed his arms over his chest.

Potter shifted his weight uneasily and tugged on his fringe, "It was all- I was just trying to, um, I don't understand-"

"I'm not going to talk about you anymore, end of discussion," Draco said shortly, "What more do you want? Bowing? Scraping? A night in the stockades? Anything to please the illustrious, Potter," he sneered.

"Don't-" Potter stepped forward, his hand brushing Draco's arm before Draco jerked back out of reach. Harry pulled his hand back looking conflicted, "I don't want you to stop. Please, I'll stop. I won't say anything else but don't..."

Draco's brows furrowed, "Don't what?"

Potter sighed, running his hands through his hair again and making the right side stand up as well. "Don't be like the rest of them," he gestured helplessly, "I don't want to be treated like- like the sun shines out of my arse."

Draco rolled his eyes, "There are plenty of people who will treat you normally."

"Yeah, but there's no one that treats me like you do."

Draco stared at him.

Potter looked down at his shoes, tugging at his hair.

Draco snatched Potter's hand out of his hair, "Oh, stop it, you masochist. Your hair looks ridiculous enough normally without you making it worse."

"This is what I mean," Potter twisted his wrist and was quite suddenly holding Draco's hand. "Um..." Potter hesitated and bit his lip, "I was talking to Pansy and Blaise-"

"Whatever they said was a lie," Draco said quickly, his face growing hot and feeling like Potter had petrified him with a touch.

"Oh kiss him, you idiot!" Pansy's voice blurted out.

Draco flinched, his eyes snapping to the door.

There was a scuffle mixed in with shouts that ended with laughing as the door swung open with Blaise just barely hanging onto the door frame to keep upright. Pansy was leaning over his back. There was a giggle and Luna appeared, ringing her arms around Pansy's shoulders and causing Blaise to stagger and groan under the weight.

"You should definitely kiss him, Harry!" Luna said brightly.

Draco looked at Potter and felt the grip on his hand tighten. Potter was right there, so close Draco could see his eyelashes and his lips were soft and chapped. It was too chaste and over far too soon.

"Woo!" Luna cheered.

Pansy smirked, "Took you morons long enough."

"Get off me," Blaise groaned.

Draco brushed his fingers over his lips.

"Sorry," Potter said, "I should have asked-"

"Shut up, Potter," Draco said, pulling out his wand and flicking in the direction of the door sending everyone tumbling backwards into the hall and slamming the door shut behind them. He threw a proper locking spell after and grabbed the front of Potter's shirt, "Now. Kiss me properly, prat."