Draco scowled. Trust the old bat to come up with something like this. He'd only had two reasons for returning to Hogwarts. The first, and he was ashamed to admit it, was for protection. Nowhere was safe for him anymore; Madam Malkin's, the three broomsticks, even Gringotts. Everywhere he went he received glares and profanities. That was okay, he could deal with that – he was hardened by the war and it took more than a few petty whispers to hurt him. What he wasn't prepared to deal with on a daily basis however were the curses that were sent his way. Dark curses, curses he wasn't even sure how people on the 'light' side knew. Then again, he had reasoned, Severus had been on the light side and he knew from experience that sectumsempra wasn't exactly child's play. Snape. He missed the man, and it hurt to think about him. He quickly shoved all thoughts of him out of his mind, he wasn't ready to deal with the loss yet.
The second reason was to make friends. He had realized that he'd only ever had one proper friend before, and that was Pansy. Crabbe and Goyle had never counted; he only allowed them to tag along with him because his father has said they would be good acquaintances. At the time Draco hadn't know what that meant, but now he saw what his father had wanted. It was laughable , Goyle was possibly the worse acquaintance in the world now he was locked up in Azkaban. And Crabbe… well Crabbe was dead and Draco was surprised that he didn't even miss him. Not like he missed Sev. He was sick of politics! Sick of appeasing people, sick of worshipping his father. He wanted a real life, one with friends. A life where he could be himself. He'd forgotten the last time he had laughed, really laughed. And he'd been afraid for so long.
So now that McGonagall had come up with this room sharing idea, he was less than happy. It didn't come into his reasons for being here at all! None of the other houses wanted to be friends with him, he was restricted to Slytherin. Blaise, Pansy, Daphne, Theo. He was actually getting on with them all well, and had made fast friends with Blaise already. Pansy of course was there for him like she had been all summer. Daphne was a shameless slut but a good laugh, and Theo was tolerable if a little antisocial. He felt like he was really settling in. He felt for the first time like he belonged somewhere, even if most of the lower years were scared of him and moved out of the way as he walked down the corridor. This suited him just fine. It's better that they were scared of him than the other way round.
He looked around the room with a calculating expression on his face. His eyes involuntary narrowed when they fell on Ron. The weasel had acted like it was a personal insult that Draco had been allowed to come back to Hogwarts. Spluttering and shouting the way he had when Draco walked into the welcoming feast. It was embarrassing really.
"Dray, who you thinking of?" Pansy asked, slipping her arm through his. "I was thinking Granger, imagine all the work she could help me with! We've been talking a bit in arithmancy and she's actually not bad. Not to mention it would annoy Weasley that his girlfriend was fratenising with Slytherins!"
"How many times have I told you not to call me that? We're not four anymore. " He rolled his eyes as his said it, but kindly. "You're always the perfect Slytherin, thinking of what you can get out of an arrangement."
Pansy just smiled happily. "And don't tell me you're not! So who you thinking of? Please tell me it's not a Hufflepuff? Ew!"
Draco just looked at her. As if he was going to room with a Hufflepuff, he did have standards. But when he looked around he soon saw that at this rate he wouldn't have much choice in his dorm mate. Everyone seemed to be pairing off. Finch – Fletchley was threw a key across to room to be caught by Dean Thomas and the two happily wandered off, talking about some muggle dancing competition. At least Draco thought that football was a type of dance, like the Yule ball. Seamus had paired up with Ernie Macmillan and they were looking at the keys trying to identify which led to the biggest room. Longbottom was talking with some Hufflepuff.
Pansy saw this too and ran off to pull Granger away from her boyfriend. Everyone was pairing off and Draco saw with horror that only the Weasley, a Hufflepuff and Potter were left, Potter seemingly oblivious to the fact that everyone else was pairing off. The Hufflepuff was heading towards Potter, which would leave Draco rooming with Weasley. That was just unthinkable. Without thinking, Draco opened his mouth.
"Hey Potter, are you going to get the key or am I going to be waiting here all day?"
Ron blanched and looked at him like he was crazy. Potter didn't look much better.
"Looks like it's you and I then Ron." The Hufflepuff said and cast a quick accio, the key landing in his hand.
Hermione raised her eyebrows at Draco, but then realised that since she was pairing with Pansy she couldn't really claim to be shocked. In fact, she looked rather happy with her arrangement. Pansy was telling her about a spell that she'd invented to keep curly hair straight all day long as they headed out of the great hall together.
"We can't let this happen! He's going to kill you in your sleep Harry! Mark my words."
Draco sneered at Ron. "You really think I'd be so stupid Weasley, as to kill Potter in his sleep when I was the only suspect. Don't insult my intelligence."
Ron didn't know what to say so pulled a face that made his features morph into a turnip. "Death eater scum," he muttered to Harry. "We'll go talk to McGonagall and explain the situation if you want mate,"
"No, it's fine Ron. Leave it, I've done worse things than room with Malfoy. I'll manage." Ron didn't look convinced and raised his eyebrows.
"Rather you than me mate, you're mental. See you tomorrow… if you're alive that is."
Ron left scowling as Harry went to collect a key off the table. Potter, Draco noticed, didn't look as angry at the situation as he'd expected him to. Not that Potter should be angry, he thought, rooming with me is an honour after all. He didn't know how this rooming situation would go, but he suspected that he was far better off with Potter than his freckle faced friend. He turned and left the room knowing that Potter would follow. Sure enough, he heard footsteps in the corridor behind him. So predictable Potter.
