*

Draco was beyond tired. He had been having troubling sleeping lately, his dreams filled with the horrible scenes that he experienced at the manor having to serve under the thumb of the Dark Lord. He now regularly cast silencing spells around his bed as he often woke up screaming bloody murder, trembling with fear and disgust.

He still remembered the agonizing screams, the blood drenched floor, the crippling fear and the cold darkness that enveloped them all. The war had definitely changed him; it forced him to grow out of being the spoiled and petulant little rich boy he once was.

He also understood the tenuous situation of the Slytherins in Hogwarts and in the wizarding world in general. They constantly stood on glass shards knowing that any small infraction that could be attributed to them could be used as a paltry excuse to throw them out of school and further ostracize them from society.

Slytherin, a once proud house now stood with quiet strength humbled by the mistakes of many of its current members and their fathers.

Draco knew that the only reason he was still admitted back into Hogwarts was because his mother and he had aided Harry Potter, saving his life, otherwise the Ministry and most of the wizarding community would have gladly thrown him in Azkaban with his cold hearted father.

Harry Potter, he no longer spat the name out venomously for he remembered those strong arms lifting him up out of the gates of hell and whisking him away to safety. Draco sighed, he knew that Harry Potter had been watching him closely lately, no doubt thinking that he was cracking up some murderous scheme again. Draco quietly pretended not to notice because the last thing he needed was a confrontation with the only reason he was still accepted back into society.

He therefore, decided that tonight would be the last night he would go out after hours, as he often did to walk off the terrible nightmares. Draco decided that he would break in to the ingredients closet to get supplies to brew his own sleeping draught. It was the only way, now that Harry Potter seemed to be homing in on his nightly excursions.

Draco carefully slipped out of the Slytherin dungeons as he made his way to the Potions classroom, quietly creeping into the ingredients closet. He took his time looking through the various labels to make sure that he'd get everything he needed. Draco moved slowly, his sleeplessness getting the better of him and constantly resisted the urge to yawn.

He mumbled the names of the ingredients under his breath as he dropped them into his green pouch one by one.

Finally he found the last ingredient he needed, a single Sopophorus bean, which he carefully placed into the pouch. Draco then placed the pouch into the inner pocket of his school robes. He gave the small room one last glance and proceeded, in quick strides out the door.

It was the oddest feeling as he passed through the doorway he felt something brush against his arm. Confused, he looked back and at first he saw nothing but then a small glittering flash appeared. His pale hands instinctively went into action, his right hand aiming his wand at the phantom as his left rose and encountered what felt like cloth. An invisibility cloak! He thought.

He pulled at the cloak with all his might. Grey eyes widened.

"Potter?!"

"Stealing potions ingredients is a serious offense Malfoy." Potter said tersely, his head boy badge gleaming proudly against his dark school robes.

Draco's whole body tensed. A gut wrenching feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. He tried to school in his fear, shock, and disbelief back into the mask of Malfoy nonchalance. His fingers clenched into a white knuckled grip.

Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, held Draco's future in his hands once again. Draco knew that if Potter reported him that he would be punished severely for stealing, maybe even expelled, what would his mother say? Draco couldn't bear the thought of putting even more heartache on the plate of Narcissa Mafloy. It would be another shameful notch on the already downtrodden Malfoy name and the Slytherin house.

If the war had taught the blonde anything it was that sometimes a person must do whatever it takes, even if it was against his own gut, so that he can to survive and with that thought he quietly said. "I'll do anything you want Potter, just don't report me."

They stared at each other in tense silence. Draco closely watched Potter's face, looking for any indicators as to what he was thinking. Maybe his Gryffindor nature would not allow him to bend the rules for Draco, he was a Slytherin after all, and a childhood rival at that, but then again maybe his hero complex would kick in and he'd save Draco once again.

Harry stared at the blond standing in front of him, who was waiting quietly, tensely, for his response.

A part of him wanted to just tell Malfoy that he wasn't planning on reporting him anyway just so long as he not harm anyone with the ingredients he stole, which Harry already knew he wouldn't do. It was only sleeping draught after all and he really looked like he needed it.

However, another part of him wanted to find out just how far Malfoy's 'anything' went.

Harry licked his lips that suddenly seemed much to dry for comfort as he said. "What exactly are you offering me, Malfoy? How far does 'anything' go?"

Grey eyes met green with a sudden intensity. "No rules, no limits, Potter. I will do whatever you tell me to for an entire week."

"Isn't that a dangerous deal to offer to your school rival? What if I turned out to be some pervert or a sadist, or both?" Harry laughed nervously, a strangled sound that faded into awkward silence. Harry chastised himself for making such a stupid statement.

Apparently unnerved by Harry's awkward outburst the blonde said. "Just think about it, please. If by tomorrow you don't contact me then I will take it as a sign that our deal is off." With that he walked off into the darkness of the dungeons. Harry stared after him, wondering what the hell just happened.

*