When the world dished out fairness, something had gone horribly wrong on Draco's end, he decided. The rumours at Hogwarts were beginning to drive him insane. Word from the trial of Harry Potter had revealed that Potter was not only acquitted and would, most unfortunately, be returning to Hogwarts this year after all, but he could also summon a fully-fledged stag patronus, and had been able to do so for quite some time. So once again, everyone was talking about how great the little Gryffindor golden boy was.

"Okay look, I don't care what everyone else is saying, it's not that exceptional to be able to summon a patronus. Just because Potter received special tutorials before he was supposed to does NOT make him the smartest thing since spell-o-tape."

Pansy, who was secretly also somewhat impressed by Potter's feat, but did not particularly want to interrupt Draco's rant (he was paying attention to her for once), just nodded sympathetically.

"And they ask; 'why is it always Potter?' I'll tell you why, because he's Dumbledore's favourite. No one gets the little extra lessons and special treatment, and still everyone makes a fuss because he can summon some little patronus." He spat the last word. "Besides, it's just a stag. Not that great an animal as far as patronuses go."

"Oh really Malfoy? The Ministry of Magic seemed to think it was pretty good." Theodore Nott said, looking up from the book he was reading across the common room. "But then, I suppose you know more about that than the Ministry as well?" He added dryly.

"And maybe I do!" Draco shot back. He knew he was rising to the ever-cynical Nott's bait, but he couldn't help himself. It was bad enough having everyone outside the dungeons praising Potter to high heaven, he didn't need it from his fellow Slytherins.

"Whatever Malfoy. Unless you can do better, you've got nothing to say." Nott rolled his eyes and went back to his book.

Other than his temper, two things stopped Draco from simply leaving the retort alone then and there: one was that Pansy was now nudging him goadingly, expecting him to retaliate. The other was the subtle tone in Nott's voice which grated on his nerves, daring Draco to prove him wrong.

Now Draco had also been practicing Expecto Patronum (his father had been giving him lessons over the break, with the excuse that 'he might be needing such skills soon'), but whilst he was getting better at it, he still had not managed to make his Patronus take form. It was a huge risk he was taking, but he was far too proud to back down now. Dragon, he thought. I know it's a dragon.

"Expecto Patronum!" Nothing. Obviously not a happy enough thought. Okay then, Potter's face when confronted with an entire Slytherin Quidditch team of Nimbus 2001s.

"Expecto Patronum!" Was that a wisp of silver? Nott flipped a page in his book, smirking. Draco bristled. It was a little embarrassing, but he drew deep, much deeper than his days at Hogwarts, to his childhood when he had his father and mother all to himself. His father's smiling, proud face the first time Draco ever rode a broom without help, and his mother's glowing hug when he got off safely.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Suddenly the room flashed with white light. Pansy squealed and shielded her eyes. Gradually, the glare faded and centralized. What was left was the bright figure of Draco's fully-fledged patronus.

At first, all three of them goggled, never having seen a true patronus before. Then, registering the animal's actual shape, Nott cracked up.

Draco just stared. "You have got to be kidding me."

There, in the centre of the room, was a shiny, bouncing ferret.