I woke the next morning and had few moments of peace before my thoughts woke up as well. The day before had been interesting to say the least. Gray actually looking at me and not looking away, the way she smirked at me. But then later on in the library she stalked off as soon as she saw me…girls were so confusing. I groaned, heaved myself out of bed and got myself ready for the day, and soon enough found myself in the Great Hall. I idly selected some breakfast and turned my attention towards Crabbe and Goyle who had just sat opposite me. "Good morning Crabbe, Goyle." I inclined my head at them.

"Draco." Goyle gruffed out; Crabbe and Goyle were not the smartest lads, but they served a purpose for me. "You've been busy." Goyle said a frown conveying his utter confusion with life.

"Yeah, I've got a bit of an agenda this year. You boys have any news for me?" I asked quirking an eyebrow. Crabbe had this uncanny ability to repeat a whole conversation back verbatim, even if he had no clue what he was saying, which was generally the case.

"Something weird about the Umbridge lady," Crabbe shrugged.

"I'll agree with you there Umbridge is a little strange. Have you heard anything?" I asked.

"Da' told me to make sure I kept on her good side." Crabbe blinked a couple of times slowly.

"Sound advice from your father. I agree she seems like she's gunning for power, so we need to make sure she approves of us." The boys nodded. "And you Goyle, anything to report?" I asked.

"I heard that Harry Potter is in trouble with most of Gryffindor house." Goyle, my slightly more intelligent cohort motioned towards the Gryffindor table. "A lot of them had to fight to come back after what Harry said about the Dark Lord last year."

"Very good work Goyle, we can use that to our advantage I think." Dissention in Gryffindor was not all that rare. In our first year Harry got ignored for losing mass amounts of house points, in second year everyone stupidly thought he was the heir of Slytherin, and then the year before, after he got chosen for the Triwizard Tournament even the crimson weasel Ron turned against him. I loved it when the golden boy fell from grace. We sat silently for a couple of minutes eating our breakfast; I had to get back down to the dungeons before class, and then make my way up to transfiguration, so I had to cut breakfast short. "Good report today, I'll see you in class." I quickly nodded their way before getting to my feet and hurrying off to the dungeon.

Just as I was leaving the great hall I could feel someone intently watching me. So I span on the spot trying to find the source. My eyes landed on Gray Angeline, her eyes were looking right back at me. I raised an eyebrow; I didn't have time to dwell on her gaze without being late for class, so I quickly strode from the hall and made my way to the dungeons.

At dinner that evening I finally had time to think about Gray and her curious gaze that morning. I think I almost preferred when she was completely ignoring me. At least then I didn't have to puzzle over it. She was confusing as could be, staring at me one moment, and running the next. I found as often I did, my eyes seeking her out, she was sitting at the Ravenclaw table, down near the end were she always was. Her eyes, as usual were glued to a book and she was absently twirling a lock of hair around her finger. I wasn't sure I'd ever actually seen her eat at dinner; she was always too busy reading. I flicked my gaze down to my own dinner. It was not really very appetizing at the moment. I sighed and pushed to my feet. I had to do some research in the library before curfew, and getting there before dinner was over would ensure the quiet that I needed for study.


I soon found myself set up at library table near the back deep in a book about potions. Snape knew of my affinity for potions, and wanted me to get an O on my OWLS, so he had set me an extra assignment on the different ways to prepare potions ingredients, and which was proper for what potion. If I didn't find the whole thing so fascinating, there was no way I'd have done the extra credit. I had just about finished taking notes from the book when someone sat across from me. I looked up, confusion hitting me full force. "Gray Angeline, to what do I owe the honour?" I asked.

"You owe it to yourself Draco Malfoy." Her voice was clear and melodious. "I want to know what you want; why this fascination with me?" Her eyes shone fiercely as they narrowed at me.

"You don't think half highly of yourself do you?" I asked. "You think you're fascinating?" I could tell she was playing some sort of game with me. She was in Ravenclaw so doubtlessly she was smart enough to go head to head with, but she might lack the cunning to best me.

"It's either that you find me fascinating, or I always have something weird on my face. You're always watching me, and you have done for years. So what is it?"

"I've never heard you utter so many words in my life." The corner of my mouth lifted in a smirk. "I find that…strange, you've always been a bit odd, perhaps that's where the interest comes into play. You're unlike anyone else in this school. Don't flatter yourself beyond that." Her eyebrow arched.

"Draco Malfoy the great human observer, I always thought you were too self-involved to really notice those around you. Sure you have a large social circle, but they are all Malfoy devotees. Not like you need to know anything about them."

"That's quite the opinion you've formed of me, considering you've never even spoken to me before."

"We were raised together, essentially, all the same prep schools, all the same galas and functions that society demanded of us. Let's not pretend we are strange to one another. I've known you and your mindset since childhood."

"We are strangers; I'll iterate again that you never once talked to me before today. You're assuming my personality, and you're off the mark." This girl was frustrating in the best possible way.

"So tell me what your plan is." She changed the subject rather quickly. "You're up to something, I can tell, so what's the plan?"

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"Yeah, don't play stupid with me, you want something from me. So tell me what the plan is."

"Again I'll revert to the part where you flatter yourself. What makes you think you're so special?" She was of course one hundred percent correct, but it was too early on to show my hand in this. She leaned forward a bit and doubled her intensity.

"Everyone in this school thinks I'm oblivious to life. Fact is I know more about all of you than you would believe. I walk into a room and everyone just assumes my head is in the clouds. I hear things, I know things, and I've known of your particular interest in me for years now. So play time is over Malfoy. Out with it no more time wasted please." I leant forward as well, my smirk deepening. I liked a strong willed woman, but she wasn't going to control the game so easily.

"What's your fascination with my fascination? Why do you care what I think, or what I want?" Surprise flashed through her eyes lightning fast before they flicked back to her mild interest.

"It concerns me because it is affecting me. I came in here to read last night, and your express fascination with the back of my head was more distracting than a herd of hippogriffs. Surely you know the unwelcome feeling of being watched."

"So you came here, in essence to ask me not to look at you?" I chuckled. "You've chosen a roundabout way to achieve that goal." Her face betrayed her. "Unless of course that wasn't your goal at all?" I sat back satisfied. "As delightful as this banter has been, I really must be going. I'm sure I'll see you around soon Gray." I walked past her and then turned back. "Oh, and I can't promise the staring will stop. In fact you may have increased the severity." I threw a grin at her before leaving the library.


That night found me replaying the conversation with Gray over and over in my head. What a fascinating mind she had. So she figured out that I was trying to get to her, but she was clearly overthinking past that, like I had some kind of evil agenda. I laughed to myself and ran a hand over my face. She had just made this whole thing a lot more interesting, initially I was just interested in her because she was mysterious and beautiful, but now I knew that she was feisty and extremely intelligent, I was done for. It would make it easier for me to worm my way in too. Clearly mysteries intrigued her, so I would become the biggest enigma she'd ever encountered. She had approached me that night and I had no doubt she would do so again, I had a feeling that she had inadvertently given me the upper hand, and she was probably freaking out about it.

I tried to fight the smirk that overcame my face, but I loved it when things started going my way, and when things did so unexpectedly it was even better. I pushed myself off my bed and headed to the bathroom to shower and get ready for bed. My dreams were of an extremely happy nature that night and I woke energized the next day.

It would seem that Gray hadn't had such a restful night, she levelled a glare at me when I sat down at breakfast, and there were bags under her eyes. I smirked and nodded at her before looking at the table to decide what I wanted for breakfast. "You seem chipper this morning Malfoy." Blaise said as he sat next to me.

"I am in rather a good mood." I agreed.

"Wouldn't have something to do with a blue eyed Ravenclaw, would it?" He asked.

"It might do." I answered.

"Oh really?" He arched eyebrow. "How'd you manage that?"

"Sometimes Blaise, you have to wait for the solution to come to you, and it did last night. She approached me, and we're in a rather interesting tangle now. She'll find me irresistible by this time next week." I tried to tone down my smile.

"I don't suppose you're going to elaborate on that."

"Blaise, you know I'm quite sure of myself, but I don't want to jinx this. Once everything is sorted I'm sure I'll have an amusing anecdote for you."

"Steady on then." Blaise laughed and clapped a hand on my back. I swear he was worse than a girl for gossiping.

"Will do," I mock saluted him as I stood to leave the Great Hall. Just I left I felt someone fall into step beside me. I looked over to see a Ravenclaw I was not quite familiar with next to me.

"Draco Malfoy, my name is Miranda Short, and I am Gray's one and only friend. You've not doubt noticed she's a loner, so I take my role quite seriously." I raised an eyebrow.

"Well clearly you know me, so I have no need to introduce myself. It's nice to meet you Miranda Short. What can I do for you?" She stopped and pulled me into a little alcove looking up at me seriously.

"What did you do to Gray last night?" She was forthright I'd give her that.

"I'm sorry, what did I do to her last night?" I asked.

"I know she was with you in the library, and when she came back to the common room she was completely off. And if you've done something to upset her I'll be more than angry, both at you and myself."

"You'd be angry at yourself, whatever for?"

"I might have pushed her toward you." She admitted.

"Why would you do that?"

"She's so serious all the time and I've noticed you noticing her, so I thought she should have a bit of fun this year." A slight blush graced her cheeks, and she looked down.

"Well I didn't do anything; we just had a little chat, that's all."

"You had a little chat about what?'

"I don't believe Miss Short that that is any of your business. I must thank you though; you've made my life quite a bit easier."

"I'm not sure if I should say you're welcome or not." She admitted. I chuckled and walked off leaving a dumbfounded Miranda Short in my wake. Yes this was going to be an interesting week indeed.


AN: So this story has not really garnered much interest, so I tweaked a couple of things, including the title and summary. I rather like this chapter, character banter is a fond love of mine. I think Crabbe and Goyle are pretty funny, and I can totally see Draco using them to get info about what's happening in the school. I based Crabbe's ability to repeat back conversations loosely from Christopher Moore's Fool. Anyway hope you enjoyed reading, please let me know what you thought! ~WS