Putting aside Differences (Chapter 1)

I don't own Harry Potter. BOOM. BYE. FIFTH YEAR FIC.

"Umbridge is slowly making things worse, and all houses agree," Hermione said, reading off of the polls and statistics section of the school newspaper, Hogwarts Life.

"All?" Harry asked,"Even Slytherin?"

"The poll claims they have 100% participation, and that 97.4% agrees," Hermione read.

"But they have a relatively small house compared to everyone else," Ron said,"They have what, seventy students? Everyone else has about a hundred, Hufflepuff scoring a whopping two thirty."

"Ravenclaw has one hundred, and we have somewhere around one sixty. So yes, Slytherin is easily the smallest house, but out of Seventy students, that's still a good number," Hermione said.

"Who wants to take a bet that Malfoy's apart of the remaining 2.6%?" Ron mumbled.

"Oh come on Ron, we can't judge quickly," Hermione said.

"He's apart of the bloody Inquisitorial Squad!"

"Yes, possibly as in inside agent. I've heard rumors that Slytherin's actually trying to bring Umbridge down from the inside. Malfoy could possibly just be acting. Just the other day I saw a group of Ravenclaws bullying a few first-year Slytherins, and Malfoy stormed over, took some points and assigned them all detention, and then bent down to check the first years."

"He's probably just defensive of his own house."

"We'll know later," Harry said,"Somehow we'll know."

LATER THAT DAY AT LUNCH...

Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. Malfoy was standing over him and he said,"Potter, get Weasley and Granger and come with me."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood up confused and followed the Slytherin Prince.

They came to an abandoned classroom and Malfoy hastily unlocked the door. He ushered the Golden Trio inside, checked the corridor one last time, and slammed and locked it behind him.

Crabbe and Goyle guarded the door as Malfoy walked across the room to where Zabini, Parkinson, Nott, and Greengrass stood. He took the middle position between Zabini and Nott.

"Well, why the bloody hell are we here?" Ron asked.

"Tsk Tsk," Malfoy said and shook his finger,"Not around the little ones now."

"What do you-" Ron started but was cut off by a few first years coming out of the shadows to show themselves. Except for one girl with black hair, who hid behind Malfoy. She clutched onto a bit of his cloak, and Malfoy didn't seem to mind.

"Does this answer your question? Now, your here because seemingly, your sort of the 'leaders' of Gryffindor house, so to speak. I know you lot don't have a monarchy society, more or less a democracy. I really just took my best guess," Malfoy said.

"You took your best guess?" Hermione repeated.

"They call me the 'Slytherin Prince' for a reason," Malfoy said calmly.

"Oh," Harry said, like a class finally getting what the teacher was talking about (which had happened on more than one occasion in DADA that year).

"Anyway, going to the actual topic of this lovely conversation I dragged you in here for. I believe you have read the poll about how awful Umbridge is?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, his white-blond bangs falling gracefully to the side. Why the hell was this boy so handsome?

Hermione replied,"Yes."

"Well, here's a shocker, every Slytherin in this room is apart of the 97.4%," Malfoy said, his voice unchanging.

Hermione gave Ron an,"I told you so" face, which Malfoy smirked at, bringing his head back up to straight forward.

"I've heard rumors about Slytherin bringing down Umbridge from the inside. Is this true?" Hermione asked.

"It was my idea. But I wonder," Malfoy said, turning to Parkinson and Zabini, his voice rising and turning sarcastic,"Which of these two bastards were responsible for it being blabbed to the entire school?"

Zabini and Parkinson automatically pointed at each other.

Malfoy let out a small chuckle and smiled. He raised an eyebrow at Zabini, who fell to his knees, covered his face with his hands, and cried,"Fine, fine it was me!"

Malfoy laughed and helped Zabini back up, chuckling,"I am never telling you anything top-secret again Blaise."

Malfoy turned back and said,"Anywho," he gave a quick throat-clearing cough and went serious again,"We need more people. I hear that you," He pointed to Harry,"Have started a little group called the 'D.A.', correct? We could be very valuable to you, all this inside information locked with a key. In turn, we aren't getting the education we deserve, so you could help us there. We also know what hits home easily, after all this bullying we've done. Slytherins are actually the most rebellious house, but seeing because we're so good at hiding it, no one knows. We're as loyal Hufflepuffs, smart as Ravenclaws, and as brave as you. We just use all of it for our own purposes, and this is kinda one of those one-time offers. Take it or leave it!"

Hermione looked like she was considering taking the offer. She also, however, looked like she was thinking about all that Malfoy was planning, and what he could do to them if they accepted.

Ron was scowling, he wasn't trusting Malfoy, helpful or not.

Harry thought it could be a good chance to close the barrier between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

They turned into a circle and bent their heads.

"I think it would be a good idea," Hermione said.

"Not with you," Ron growled.

"We could fix Gryffindor and Slytherin's rivalry," Harry said.

Hermione smiled and nodded. Ron hesitated, and then nodded grudgingly.

They turned back to Malfoy and the Slytherins, and Harry said,"We accept. But I can't speak for the whole of Gryffindor house like you can with Slytherin. We need to meet up tonight."

"Hmm, how about 9?" Malfoy asked.

"That's curfew," Harry said.

Malfoy's lips curled into a smirk,"What fun is there in life if you can't break a few rules here and there? We'll meet up at the Room of Requirement."

Harry nodded and said,"I accept. One condition."

Malfoy's smirk faded into a look of anger, but he looked regal still. "And what may that condition be?"

"You have to promise-no, swear, to not bully anyone else ever again," Harry said.

"And if you sell us out to Umbridge, I will punch you, harder than I did when we were thirteen," Hermione said.

Malfoy raised his right hand and said,"I agree to these terms and conditions, and I speak for all of the great and noble house of Slytherin when I say this."

"Great!" Harry smiled.

Malfoy lost the solemn look and smiled. "Alright, first-name basis for this contract. And Ravenclaw is apart of this pact as well, and trust me, that took a lot of persuading to make the Ravenclaw High Council agree to. We are still awaiting Hufflepuff's word, they run a pure Democracy, and their speaker will send back my messenger with news if they agree. Any day now, they've been at it for three days."

"So Ravenclaw has a Council, Slytherin has a Monarchy, and Hufflepuff has a Pure Democracy. Gryffindor, well, Representative Democracy?" Hermione pondered.

"True," Ron said,"And we've been elected for Representatives!"

Malfoy allowed a lopsided smile to play. "Ha. By me! The Ravenclaw council consists of seven elected students, one from each year. They are Trevor, Annabelle, Ian, Katharine, Michael, Cho, and Ryan. I, am obviously the Slytherin Prince. I also have a court, who consist of," He gestured to Parkinson, Zabini, Nott, and Greengrass. "And Hufflepuff-insert every student here."

A knock at the door was heard. It was to the tune of,"Salazar Slytherin." And Malfoy flicked his wand. A third-year boy stumbled in, and said,"Sir! Sir! Caput Draconis! I've received word that the Hufflepuffs agreed to the contract!"

Malfoy's face lit up, and he did a jump and said,"YES!" He then composed himself and said to the messanger,"Send word to Hufflepuff that Ravenclaw is also allied with us, and Gryffindor is being determined tonight, at 9, so if they could please send a few, maybe ten would be good, representatives to the meeting? And then send word to Ravenclaw that Hufflepuff agreed, and same thing to Ravenclaw, only that I require the council's presence. Go! We have much to do in so little time!"

The messenger bowed and ran off.

"Caput Draconis?" Ron snorted.

"Laugh all you want, I don't care," Draco said bored.

They left the room, the prospect of the meeting hanging thickly in the air.