A/N: I'm not going to over do the Author Notes, I just want to say that this is shorter than the other one was and I'm sorry for that. Enjoy!


Reggie groaned as he woke up. Nate must have opened his curtains again; the brat was sadistic enough to do it after a night at the club. He could almost taste the whiskey and smoke, meaning he really needed to shower and brush his teeth. Reggie opened his eyes and stared. He was not looking at the white ceiling of his room in the townhouse, but at a ceiling painted with stars. He hadn't seen that ceiling in years.

Reggie sat up and gripped his head as a headache came roaring to his attention. After a moment, he opened his eyes and stared, because this was his room at Malfoy Manor. "What did I do last night?" He whispered.

His eyes fell on his old Nimbus 2001 and memory asserted itself; Hermione, the death of Rick Potter, the potion.

Reggie fell backwards on the bed, We did it. He thought. We bloody well did it.

Reggie wanted to laugh, but knew that he might be watched, so he didn't. Instead, Reggie rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I have to remember that I'm Draco Malfoy again. He thought as he entered the white and black marbled room, I'm no good at occulmency, and if Snape, Dumbledore, or Moldy-shorts figure out I think of myself as Reggie Black, the gig will be up.

Showered and dressed, Draco stepped back into his bedroom, wondering what day it was. His body, the broom, and the lack of certain trinkets said he was about thirteen years old, and it was very clearly summer.

The door to Draco's room banged open and Lucius stormed in, "Father," Draco said, and winced as his voice broke. Puberty, again, how lovely.

"Can you explain this?" Lucius asked, thrusting a scroll at Draco.

Draco took the scroll and opened it.

Draco Regulus Black

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Mischief Managed

Harry James Potter

There was a sketch of a dragon playing a guitar at the bottom of the scroll.

Draco grinned for a moment, and then looked up as Lucius cleared his throat. "Harry Potter is my potions partner," he said, "we did a partner potion for extra credit, it was a sort of reversal potion but when it's give to someone not already enchanted it causes them to walk and speak backwards. We had some left after turning in our extra credit. Potter took some home with him to prank Perfect Patrick Potter. He was just letting me know that he pulled it off."

"I see," Lucius said. He stepped back, "Be careful about associating with Mister Potter, Draco, but continue to do so. Our Lord might find your connections helpful in the long run."

"Yes Father," Draco said.

"Do not take too long to write him back," Lucius said, "your mother is waiting for you to come down to your Birthday Breakfast."

"Yes, Father," Draco said.

When the door was shut behind Lucius, Draco relaxed for a moment, and then hurried over to his desk. If Harry had sent him the first letter, then Draco would have to let Neville know. In minutes, his owl, Armand, was heading off with the two notes attached. Then Draco checked his image, wrinkled his nose at the sight of his white hair, and headed down to breakfast.

Breakfast in the Malfoy household was easily the warmest meal; Lucius seldom ate with them, leaving Draco and Narcissa to discuss their daily routine. Lucius might eat with them once a week, but he always appeared on the important days, birthdays, Lucius and Narcissa's wedding anniversary, and certain holidays. When Lucius wasn't there, Draco and Narcissa could speak, if not warmly, then with more familiarity than Lucius permitted.

Of course, Draco knew that after his fourth year, a lot of things changed. With the return of Riddle, the familiarity that Narcissa had once allowed him had faded away as Riddle's control of their lives grew. When Bellatrix had arrived, it was all Draco could do to stay home until he had his NEWTs. "Aunt" Bellatrix had been mad, driven so by her Lord, Azkaban, and her own sadism, and Draco feared her more than Riddle in some ways.

Draco shook off the memories and walked into the dining room where Voldemort had once killed the Professor of Muggle Studies.

"Draco," Narcissa said, "good morning."

"Good morning, Mother," Draco replied, moving to kiss his mother's cheek before taking his seat. "How are you this morning?"

"I am well, and yourself?" Narcissa replied.

Draco allowed himself to smile, "I am very well." He turned, "Good morning Father."

"Draco," Lucius replied. "I have some business to attend this morning, but I will be back in time for the party this afternoon."

Draco knew his parents probably expected him to whine about him not being there. "You'll be there for the party though, right?"

"I will be there," Lucius said, raising his eyebrow.

Draco nodded, and looked down as his plate appeared.

"You aren't upset about it?" Narcissa asked.

Draco frowned at his mother for a moment, "Well no," he admitted. "Harry, I mean Potter; he said that last year his mother had to work and couldn't be at his party at all. I know how lucky I am that Father will be here at all."

"We all know that Mrs. Potter is a mudblood, I think I can provide a better example in parenting than she does," Lucius said with a disapproving frown.

"She made time to see Patrick Potter," Draco said quietly as he picked up his knife and fork.

"Clearly you've spent time talking to Mister Potter," Narcissa said.

Draco shrugged, "We were potions partners, mother. It was either get along or kill each other and we agreed we wanted Os in potion over the death of someone we hated through an intermediary." He poked the sausages with his fork for a moment, and then looked up at his parents, "Is something wrong?"

"No," Narcissa replied, looking over at Lucius, "nothing's wrong."

"Ok," Draco said. Inwardly he was furious with himself, he wasn't twenty-five and independent, he was thirteen and dependent, and if he didn't watch himself, he was still of an age that his father's cane would serve a very painful purpose. He had to be careful about not letting on that he was anyone other than Draco Malfoy, and he had a whole month before Hogwarts to hide that he wasn't who they were expecting to see.

When breakfast was over, Draco watched his father leave, and then turned to his mother, "Is there anything I need to do this morning, Mother?"

"Only make sure you are dressed and ready for your party, Draco," Narcissa replied.

Draco bowed slightly, "I'll be in my room then. I want to revise my potions homework."

"Very well," Narcissa replied.