Chapter 4
Draco liked that first year Gryffindor's all had classes together. It meant that he would be with friends all the time and if he ever had questions on homework he didn't have to wonder who to ask. He could also have study partners and wouldn't have to deal with anyone he didn't know or like. After lunch he made his way to Transfiguration, which was absolutely fascinating. Harry and Ron were late to that class, of course. Draco would have scolded then himself had Professor McGonagall not done an absolutely superb job.
Next was potions, which he was dreading. Gryffindor and Slytherin were in the same slot for that class too, so at least Draco could keep an eye on how Snape treated Harry. He readied his things and sat in between Ron and Hermione and waited patiently for their Professor to arrive. Harry was on her other side, and Blaise next to him. With a blur of black robes Snape swooped into the class and began speaking as if he was bored and they were stupid. It irritated Draco more than it should have.
"There will be no wand waving, or silly incantations in this class." He drawled on. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few..." His eyes turned to Draco, looking completely unimpressed. "Who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensure the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame and brew glory and even put a stopper in death."
Draco was almost annoyed with himself that he was so interested in what the Professor had to say. He did make potions seem very exciting. It would certainly put a satisfied smile on his face when he shocked the hell out of his Professor when he turned in a perfect potion.
"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in the possession of abilities so formidable that you feel comfortable enough to not pay attention!"
Hermione elbowed Harry and he looked up suddenly. Snape was staring right at him.
"Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Hermione's hand shot up on the air, but Snape ignored her.
"You don't know?"
"No, Sir."
"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything." He said harshly.
"Clearly, Hermione knows. Seems a pity not to ask her. "Harry shot back.
Draco smiled, he couldn't help it.
Snape however, looked furious. Draco watched as he walked over and stood right in front of Harry. "Put your hand down you silly girl. For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion that is known as the drought of the living dead. Why aren't you all copying this down?" He barked at the rest do the class. "Five points will be taken from Slytherin for your fellow classmate's inability to prepare."
"So five points should be awarded to Gryffindor then, right Professor? Since Hermione knew the answer even though you refused to call on her."
Snape glared at Draco. "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your cheek." He snapped.
Hermione looked like she was ready to scream at him, but Draco didn't care. He couldn't let Harry take all the heat from this wretched man. He'd be writing to his mother about this.
The next day Draco was very excited for, it was to be their first flying lesson. It was his last class of the day, and he couldn't wait.
"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum, turn this water into rum."
"Does he seriously think he can turn that water into rum?" Draco asked Hermione.
"He actually managed to make tea yesterday, before-" They both looked up once they heard the explosion.
"He blew it up?"
"Yes." She coughed as she tried to swipe the smoke away from the table.
"Mail's here!" Ron said from across the table as he looked up to the swarm of owls overhead.
Draco was sure he'd at least get a letter from his mother, so he watched while dozens of owls dropped letters and packages onto the tables.
"Hey look!" Dean said brightly. "Neville's got a remembrall."
"I've read about those!" Hermione said immediately.
"The only problem is, I can't member what I've forgotten!"
Draco laughed as he tore open one of his letters, when the daily prophet that was delivered to Ron caught his eye. "Do you mind?" He asked as he held up the paper. Ron shook his head so Draco read the headline. "It says here that someone broke into Gringott's."
"That's impossible!"
Draco thought so, too. "Hagrid said there was no place safer, except for Hogwarts." He looked up and spotted Harry across the way, reading his own letter. "Harry!" He waved him over and waited until he got there.
"What?"
"Listen to this. Believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown, Gringott's goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken as the vault in question number 7-1-3 had in fact been emptied earlier that same day."
"No way, that's the vault that Hagrid went to." Harry said to them. "What do you think was in that bag?"
"No idea. I wonder who else knows what it could be." Draco asked no one in particular.
"Strange timing, wouldn't you say?" Hermione asked.
"I guess." Ron said as he shrugged then went back to his letter and his breakfast.
The three of them looked at each other before reading their own letters, silently acknowledging that they would talk about this later.
"Good afternoon, class."
"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." The class chorused. "Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick, and say up."
Draco smiled to himself when his broom shot up into his hand. He saw that Harry's did as well and shared his smiled with him. Ron and Hermione he noticed, were having trouble. He thought Ron would do just fine, they'd had several conversations about quidditch and he seemed to really enjoy the sport. He couldn't contain his laugh when Ron's broom finally left the ground only to smack him right in the face.
"Shut up, Draco."
"Think you can handle flying on that thing? Wouldn't want it to get the best of you."
"I can fly!" Ron protested playfully.
Before Draco could make a smart comment about it, Neville was in the air and looking terrified.
"Neville!" Draco said harshly. "Get down!"
"I can't! Whoa!"
"Mr. Longbottom!" Madam Hooch yelled, but it was no use. Neville was out of control and quickly gaining altitude.
"He's gonna hurt himself!" Ron said as he watched Neville try his best to bring his broom back down to the ground.
"Oh no!" Hermione gasped as Neville crashed right into the castle wall, getting stuck on a spear from one of the statues. They all went running when his robe ripped and he landed on the ground with a thud.
"Neville!" Draco and Harry yelled as they reached him.
"Out of the way!" Madam Hooch pushed her way through the students to reach Neville's side. "Oh dear, that's a broken wrist. Everyone stay put while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. If I see even a single broom in the air, you'll be kicked out of Hogwarts faster than you can say quidditch."
"I hope he's okay."
"He'll be fine." Draco said to Hermione. "Theo broke his arm once when Sirius tried to teach us to fly his motorbike."
Harry laughed at that. "He has awful balance, barely made it off the ground."
"Aunt Petunia was livid." Draco smirked. Then he saw Goyle pick up Neville's remembrall. The thing must've fell out of his robes when he fell. "Give it to me, Goyle." Draco said as he walked over to the larger boy.
"No. I think I'll leave it somewhere else for Longbottom to find." He grinned as he mounted his broom and took off.
Draco was just about to mount his own broom when someone pulled at his arm.
"Draco, don't. You heard Madam Hooch." Hermione hissed.
"What's the matter, Malfoy?" Goyle taunted. "Living with those filthy blood traitors make you weak?"
"Shut your mouth, Goyle!" Harry shouted from beside Hermione, who had taken hold of his arm as well.
"Harry! No way! Weren't you listening?!"
Harry yanked his arm free and took off.
"What an idiot."
Draco watched as Harry chased after Goyle, then speed off once he threw Neville's remembrall.
"He's going to get expelled!" Hermione huffed beside him.
Draco had to agree with her, the idiot was flying passed all sorts of windows, someone was bound to see him. That would be a fun letter back home. Thankfully Harry landed before Madam Hooch had returned and they all went running.
"Harry!" Draco yelled once he was close enough.
"I got it!" Harry held up the remembrall and smiled like a fool, then looked passed Draco and his smile vanished.
"Mr. Potter." Madam Hooch said sternly. "You will wait for me in my office until class is finished."
"Yes, Ma'am." He handed her his broom and with a sad look to Draco he walked back towards the castle.
As soon as their flying practice was over Draco, Ron and Hermione went inside to wait for Harry. Her office wasn't far from the great hall, and when Draco spotted Theo he waved.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Waiting for Harry to get expelled." Draco said bluntly.
"What?"
"He was stupid and took off after Goyle during our flying lesson." Hermione butt in.
"He can really fly though!" Ron said, either oblivious to Hermione's seething stare or just didn't care.
"That's beside the point, Ronald! He was caught by Madam Hooch!"
"Well that's perfect. We haven't even been here a month." Theo groaned. "Now what?"
"He's inside with Madam Hooch right now." Draco pointed to the door across the hall.
Theo waited with them, since his classes were done for the day as well. When the door opened they all tensed, expecting to see a heart broken Harry. Instead, Harry looked ridiculously happy, and walked out ahead of some older Slytherin boy and Madam Hooch.
"Harry! What happened? What's going on? Are you expelled?" Theo rambled on.
"Relax, no I'm not expelled. I'll explain on the way. Come on."
"Who was that boy?" Draco asked him as they began walking.
"Adrian Pucey. He's captain of the Slytherin quidditch team."
"Wait, Fred and George are beaters for Gryffindor, I thought the Slytherin team captain was Marcus Flint?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head. "He was captain, I guess his marks were so bad they took captain away from him. If he fails this year he'll be off the team. Anyway, Madam Hooch saw me flying and went and got him and now I'm the new seeker for Slytherin!"
"What?!" Draco shouted at the same time that Ron cheered.
"No way! A seeker! That's great! You must be the youngest seeker in-"
"In a century!" Harry finished excitedly.
"You're on the quidditch team!" Draco barked.
Theo pulled Hermione back. "This is going to get ugly, really quickly."
Hermione just looked confused as she watched the two of them argue. "Why?"
"Because Draco's jealous. It's true that he doesn't handle emotions well."
"Isn't that great?!" Harry shouted.
Draco thought it was the exact opposite of great. "First years aren't allowed on the team!"
"Madam Hooch is a Slytherin alumni and said that she's been trying to put together a good team that won't cheat and will play fairly. She saw me from the window and was impressed with the way I caught that ball. I guess they made an exception for me." He finished with a shrug.
"Oh, right. For the Great Harry Potter." Draco spat.
Harry looked at him with hurt eyes and a shocked face. "No, why would you say that?"
"Exceptions are always made for you!"
"You know that I don't like-"
"When it doesn't benefit you! Clearly you've got no problem with it now!" He shot back. Before Harry could say anything more, Draco ran off.
Harry stared after him. "Why is he so upset? I thought he'd be happy for me."
"He will be." Theo assured him. "Just give him time. You know how he is, always talks before he thinks. Nice job, Harry. You'll be a great seeker."
Harry smiled weakly. "Thanks, Theo."
"Moony!" Sirius yelled as he ran through the house. "Where the hell are you?"
"Sirius, what are you on about?" Narcissa asked as she stormed down the stairs.
"Harry sent a letter! It's the best news! Where is he?"
"Most likely at the shop. Normal people work during the day. And if it's the best news shouldn't you wait for Tuni?"
"Cissa!" He pouted.
"Fine, don't wait. It's you that will be on the receiving end of her scorn then."
Sirius knew all about that. The summer Theo broke his arm his wife didn't speak to him for nearly two weeks. She had specifically told him not to take the boys out on a ride, and as usual he didn't listen. Other than his time in Azkaban, it was the longest period of time in their marriage that she ever went without speaking to him. After twelve days of the silent treatment, he was on his knees begging for forgiveness.
"I'll wait." He said quickly, making Narcissa smirk.
Four very long, very miserable hours later Petunia arrived home.
"Tuni! Thank Godric you're finally here!"
"Siri, what's wrong?" Her voice full of concern.
"Nothing! I've got a letter from Harry, and I waited patiently all day for you to come home, so-"
Petunia let out a very unladylike snort. "Sirius Black you are anything but patient."
"Well now I can floo Moony and bother him to come home." He ran to the floo and threw in some floo powder. "Remus!" He waited all of three seconds before opening his mouth to shout again.
"Sirius, stop it!" Petunia scolded. "He might be with a customer." She looked at Narcissa, who she spotted on the corner reading a book while scribbling some notes. "Has he been like this all day?"
Cissa glanced at the clock on the mantel. "Most of it, yes."
"What the bloody hell do you want, Sirius?" Remus barked out.
"Come home now, I've got a letter from Harry and I am not above reading it without you! I've waited all damn day!"
Remus sighed, but everyone knew he was smiling. "Give me ten minutes." Without another word he left, knowing Sirius would argue.
"He's got three minutes." Sirius said as he stared at the clock.
"Oh, for the love of god, Sirius. Calm down." Petunia scolded.
They all looked up when the screeching of an owl at the window distracted them.
"Oh, that's Casper!" Narcissa cooed.
"You'll have to wait your turn!" Sirius grumbled. Sure enough, with barely a minute to spare, Remus flooed home. "Cutting it close, don't you think?"
Remus smirked and went to sit in the chair beside Narcissa. "I waited as long as I could."
Narcissa smiled back at him. "You're terrible, Remus."
"Okay, listen up!" Sirius nearly shouted. "Dear Sirius, better get everyone for this news, because it's big! I've been invited to play on the Slytherin quidditch team as their new seeker! I can't believe it, I'm so excited! Madam Hooch was impressed with my flying skills and the next thing I knew I was meeting with the team captain and I'm on the team! I start practice this weekend! His name is Adrian Pucey, he seems like a good captain so far. Sirius, I just can't believe it. Me, a first year! Madam Hooch said I'm the youngest seeker in a century! Alright, I better be off before I explode, dinner will be starting soon and I haven't done my homework yet. Love you all, Harry."
Sirius looked up and beamed at everyone. "A seeker! As a first year! Can you believe it?!"
"That is wonderful news." Petunia said slowly, "However..."
"I'm sure Draco is very upset by it." Narcissa finished as she held up the letter from Draco.
"No, he's certainly happy for him. This is excellent!"
"It is excellent. I'm impressed that Harry's made it on the team." Cissa said genuinely. "But Draco is surely mad about it." She opened up the letter and unfolded the parchment. "Dear mom, you're not going to believe this! Harry was showing off in our first flying lesson and foolishly flew around like an idiot and instead of getting reprimanded the jerk makes it onto the stupid quidditch team! Waited outside Madam Hooch's office, expecting him to be expelled and instead he's rewarded! Sometimes I really hate his name. Things just seem to happen to him just because of it! I'm just over it. I'm sorry, I just had to tell someone. I'm so upset. I don't even want to see him right now. We usually share meals together, maybe I'll just skip dinner and do my homework. No doubt he'll be late because he hasn't done his yet. Send my love to everyone, I love you, Draco."
Sirius visibly deflated. "Well then."
"I'll write to him tonight and try to smooth it over as best I can." Narcissa said as she folded the letter back up. "He's jealous, that's all it is."
"Very jealous." Remus agreed. "He'll got over it. I'll write to Theo as well, hopefully he can get them together somehow and they can all talk it out."
"Harry knows to leave him alone for a while." Petunia said. "Tell Theo to give it a day or two."
"So, I shouldn't buy him a broom?" Sirius said sadly. "This is a big deal."
"Of course it is." Narcissa said proudly. "Get the boy a broom, Draco will just have to get over it. Next year when he tries out and if he makes it he can have a broom, too."
"You're the best, Cissa." Sirius grinned. "Will it upset Draco even more, though?"
"Oh, I'm sure of it." Remus aid with a nod. "The first game is always in November. Get the broom, but perhaps wait until this is all settled. Then Draco can share the excitement."
"You're the best, Moony."
"And you're ridiculous." Petunia said as she stood. "I'm going to change, then write Harry and tell him how proud I am of him."
"Sirius batted his lashes at his wife. "You're the best, Tuni."
Harry sat next to Blaise and stared at the Gryffindor table. "It's been a week, how long to do think he'll be mad at me?"
Blaise looked over and shrugged. "I don't have any brothers or sisters. I have no idea. Why don't you just try to talk to him again?"
"Because every time I try he walks away and won't listen to me."
Blaise stared at the Gryffindor table, too. He'd heard stories from his mother about the Malfoy's. His mother liked to align herself with powerful people, and spoke highly of Draco's father, since he was more influential than Draco's mother. Blaise had met Lucius Malfoy, he didn't really like him. He did like Draco, though. And Harry, surprisingly enough. He'd heard stories about The Chosen One, too. Everything he'd heard about both boys so far seemed to be the exact opposite of who they really were. "I think you should try again. You're just going to sit here and be miserable otherwise."
Harry sighed but got up anyway and made his way to the Gryffindor table. He just knew this wouldn't go well. "Hey, Draco? Can we talk? Please?"
Draco froze and for a moment Harry thought he would say yes. Instead, he just glared at him as he got up and walked out of the great hall.
"I've tried to talk to him." Hermione said as Harry just stood there, watching Draco walk away. "He's just so..."
"Stubborn." Harry finished. "I know."
"How about you come with us to Gryffindor tower?" Ron suggested. "He can't run away there."
"I'll lock the door!" Neville said with a grin. "He's been whiny all week!"
"I don't know-"
"Come on." Hermione tugged on his arm as she stood and dragged him out of the hall, with Ron following.
"I told Draco she was bossy." Ron whispered.
They'd climbed only three flights of stairs before Harry was huffing about it. "How many more?"
"A lot. Let's go!" Hermione said, annoyed. "The staircases-"
The entire staircase shifted and began to move in the opposite direction.
"What's going on?!" Harry yelled as he clung to the railing.
"The staircases change!" Hermione yelled back.
Once they stopped Harry ran to the landing. "Bloody hell, is that necessary?"
"Let's go this way." Ron said as he walked towards a door and opened it. He led them into a creepy dark corridor. "Does anyone feel like we shouldn't be here?"
"We're not supposed to be here! This is the third floor! It's forbidden."
"The one that will cause us to die a most painful death?" Harry asked. "Great. I'll be going then." He turned around but stopped quickly when he heard the meow of a cat. "It's Flich's cat!"
"Run!" Ron screamed and took off the other way.
They ran all the way down the corridor and came to a locked door. Ron banged on it loudly to try and open it, but couldn't. "It's locked! We're done for!"
"Oh, move over!" Hermione drew her wand and aimed at the door. "Alohamora!"
"Alohamora?"
Hermione turned to Ron, exasperated. "Standard book of spells, chapter seven. I think Filch is gone." She said as she let out a breath of relief.
"He probably thinks this door is locked." Ron guessed.
"It was locked."
"And for good reason." Harry said quietly.
Hermione and Ron turned in question and saw what Harry meant. A huge three headed dog stood before them, growling with jaws dripping, ready to attack. They ran screaming from the room, only locking the door just in time. They ran as fast as they could, with Harry following them, completely forgetting that he wanted to talk to Draco until they reached Gryffindor tower.
"What do they think they're doing?!" Ron huffed after he gave the password and walked into their common room. "Keeping a thing like that in a school?"
"You don't use your eyes, do you?" Hermione scolded as they walked up the steps to their dormitories. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"I wasn't looking at its feet! I was a bit preoccupied with its heads. Or maybe you didn't notice! There were three!"
Harry wondered if they always bickered like this, and how Draco could possibly stay friends with the both of them if so.
"It was standing on a trap door, which means it wasn't there by accident, it's guarding something."
"Guarding something?" Harry asked, speaking for the first time.
"That right. Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed. Before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed. Or worse, expelled." She turned and opened her door and left them standing there. Like idiots.
"Come on, Draco's this way." Ron's annoyed voice breaking the silence. "She really needs to sort out her priorities." He mumbled as he opened the door.
Harry walked in slowly, nervous that Draco would just yell at him and kick him out.
"Hey, mate. You've got a visitor!" Ron said as he yanked on Harry's elbow and threw him into the room. Ron and Neville bolted out the door and locked it before Draco could even realize what was happening.
"Before you start in, this wasn't my idea. At all." Harry said as he held up his hands.
Draco snorted in disbelief that he didn't even feel. He knew Harry would never try something like this. Harry always seemed to know when to give Draco space versus when he really wanted to talk. Theo on the other hand, this was exactly the kind of thing Theo would do.
"Was this Theo's idea?"
"No, well, I don't think so. Ron's the one that mentioned it to me, I just followed him up here. Nearly got killed, but whatever."
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Draco sighed.
"You know that third floor corridor we're not allowed to go into?" Harry asked as he sat down on the bed closest to Draco's. "Well, we went in by mistake. Why in the bloody hell would staircases change?"
Draco grinned at that. "It's a pain, isn't it?"
"Very. Anyway, there's a Cerberus hidden there. We saw it, Ron, Hermione and me."
"What?" Draco sat up and looked at him. "Are you sure?"
"Do I look that stupid?"
"Don't make me answer that." Draco smiled.
Harry smiled back. "Yes, I'm sure. Hermione said she saw a trap door, like it's guarding something."
"She sees everything! When are we going, then?"
Harry just stared, slack jawed. "Beg your pardon? Again?"
"Yes, I want to see it."
"Then go yourself. I've just told you where it is."
"Harry, aren't you the least bit interested in what could be down that trap door?"
"Not really. Whatever it is a damn three headed dog is guarding it!"
"Fine then. I'll go by myself." Draco said smugly.
Harry groaned. "You know I can't let you do that."
"You just told me to do exactly that. Make up your mind, Harry."
Harry felt like pulling his hair out. "Why do you have to be so difficult all the time?! Do you think I wanted to find a stupid murder dog today? Do you think I'm always getting into this nonsense on purpose?!"
"No." Draco answered quietly. "No, I don't."
"Then why are you so mad at me? I can't remember the last time you didn't talk to me for this long."
"We were seven. You thought it would be funny to hide the chocolate frogs I got for my birthday, then Theo found them and ate them."
Harry winced. "I'm still sorry about that."
Draco chuckled. "You didn't even remember until now."
"I can still be sorry. I really am sorry, Draco." He said sincerely.
"I know, Harry. I'm sorry, too. I was jealous you get to fly and play quidditch and I didn't mean anything I said."
"Not even a little bit?" Harry wondered.
"Well, maybe a little bit." Draco's eyes wandered to the bed frame, then back to Harry. "Look at this."
Draco stood up and climbed onto the bed Harry was sitting on and pointed to something on the frame. Harry's eyes got wide when he saw his father's nickname carved into the wood.
"This was my dad's?"
"Yea. The one that I have belonged to Sirius."
"Really?" Harry got up and looked at Draco's bed, and sure enough he saw the word Padfoot. "That's really something."
"Yea, I thought so, too. I wasn't sure if I should tell you. I didn't want it to make you sad."
Harry went back over to his father's bed and gazed at the letters. "No, I'm not sad. Slytherin is not that bad. I really like Blaise."
"He seems alright. I'm glad you have a friend there."
Harry looked at Draco. "I'm glad you're here, even if I'm not. This is where you belong, you know that, right?"
Draco just shrugged, but couldn't keep them smile from his face.
"I better go. Ron and Neville will surely want their room back soon. Where are your other roommates?"
"Dean and Seamus? Who knows? Most likely with Fred and George somewhere blowing something up."
Harry laughed at that. "Are we good?"
Draco nodded. "We're good, Harry. Good night. I'll sit at Slytherin tomorrow."
"Okay. Good night, Draco." With a small wave he got up and left Draco's room, to head back to his own.
The closer Halloween got the more concerned Draco became about Harry and Theo. This would be his first year without the family they had left to take their mind offs of the day Harry's parents died and Theo's mom beingmurdered by his own father. Draco had asked Robert Hilliard, a Ravenclaw prefect, who he would have to get permission from fro Theo stay in the Gryffindor rooms with him. This turned out to be a brilliant move, since Hilliard was rather gifted at transfiguration and could easily transfigure some furniture into beds for him. As long as they snuck him in, of course. Everyone knew how much of a rule follower Percy was. He told Harry their plan on Halloween morning and Harry asked if Blaise could come too, so he wouldn't be stuck in Slytherin alone.
With their plan set, everyone felt much better. Theo knew his mother died in November, but he'd always grieved with everyone else at Halloween, instead of carrying the misery for another three weeks. Draco was happy that Harry and Theo wouldn't be alone and it would be the first time they would all really be together since making it to Hogwarts. Dean and Seamus were in charge of bringing snacks and candy back to their dormitory after the Halloween feast, then they could have some fun. Before lunch they had transfiguration, a class Draco really enjoyed. Today they were trying to make feathers levitate. Draco was sitting next to Ron, with Hermione on Ron's other side and Harry and Blaise in the row right across from him. His feather quivered in midair for a few seconds before it fell back down to the table.
"Don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" Professor Flintwick said to the class.
Beside Draco, Ron was having an awful time getting his feather to do anything, and was getting very annoyed by it.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron would mutter, right before flailing his wand at his feather.
"Stop, stop! You're going to take someone's eye out!" Hermione said as she grabbed his hand. "Besides, you're saying it wrong, it's levi-o-sa, not leviosaah."
"Fine then! If you're so brilliant why don't you do it?" He challenged.
Hermione turned back to her own feather and held her wand delicately as she spoke the incantation clearly. Her feather rose higher and higher into the air and Draco beamed at how smug she looked. She earned the right to look that way, no one else in the class could do it.
"Well done, Miss Granger!"
Just as Draco was about to congratulate her, an explosion from his other side made him jump. Seamus had blown up his feather. How he managed to do that, Draco had no idea.
"I think they're going to need another feather over there Professor." Harry giggled as he smirked at Draco's soot covered face.
After class they headed to lunch, deciding to cut across the courtyard.
"It's levi-o-sa, not leviosaah!" Ron complained. "She's a night mare! Honestly, it's no wonder she hasn't got any friends!"
Draco saw a mess of wild hair run passed them, and realized that Hermione had heard everything Ron said.
"I think she heard you." Harry stated, obviously,
"Hermione, wait!" Draco called out, but she didn't stop. He turned to glare at Ron. "Why did you do that?"
"Do what? I didn't know she was there!"
"Just leave her alone for now, give her some time." Harry suggested.
With a heavy sigh Draco followed them to lunch, and didn't see Hermione for the rest of the day.
Theo, Harry and Blaise all sat at the Gryffindor table for the Halloween feast. They didn't even get odd looks anymore, since the boys had taken to sitting wherever they pleased so often no one bothered to care.
"Where do you think she is?" Draco asked the group while he glanced at Hermione's empty seat.
"Oh!" Theo said just before he took a huge bite of carrot cake. Draco waited not so patiently for the prick, since he knew he did it on purpose. "Padma told me that Parvati told her that she's been in the girl's bathroom all afternoon, crying."
Draco turned to Ron, who at least at the manners to look guilty. "You should go find her and apologize."
Ron didn't say anything, but nodded, so Draco let it go for now.
"So, are your dormitories all decked out in red? Red walls, red pillows, red floors, with stuffed lions everywhere?" Theo chuckled.
"Harry told me that the first years have a full sized lion in their room! With an ugly dead bird hanging out of its mouth." Blaise told him.
Theo looked at Harry. "Is that true?"
"No you idiot! Are you sure you're a Ravenclaw?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at Theo's scowl, that he could barely hold before laughing.
"Troll!"
Everyone turned to see Professor Quirrell running into the great hall and headed straight towards the head table.
"Troll in the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon! Thought you ought to know." He breathed just before he fainted and hit the floor.
There was a moment of shocked silence before the chaos. All at once students were screaming and running towards the door.
"Silence!" Dumbledore's voice carried through the hall. "If everyone would please not panic. Now, prefects will lead their houses back to their dormitories. Teachers, will follow me to the dungeons."
The boys followed Percy out of the hall and down the hallway that lead to the staircases.
"Ron, wait." Draco hissed. "What about Hermione?"
Harry looked at Neville. "Take Theo and Blaise up to the tower, we'll be right there."
Neville nodded quickly then ran to catch up with the others, with Theo and Blaise right behind him.
"Come on, this way." Ron said as they took off in the opposite direction.
"What's that?" Harry asked when he saw a huge shadow moving down the end of the hallway.
"It must be the troll! It's headed right for the bathroom!" Ron shouted.
"Of course it is!" Draco grumbled as he ran faster. He heard Hermione scream just as they rounded the corner. "Let's go!"
They burst through the door just in time to see the troll swing its heavy club at the bathroom stalls.
"Hermione, move!" Harry yelled as he picked up whatever debris he could lift and began throwing it at the huge creature before him. Ron and Draco followed suit until Draco saw Hermione climb out of the demolished bathroom stalls and try to get under the bank of sinks. Unfortunately, the troll saw this, too.
"Hermione!" He yelled as he dove to cover her. "Come on!" He tried to drag her away quickly, and barely missed being clobbered by the troll.
"Draco, you idiot!" Harry huffed. Now they had two people to save.
"Help us!" Hermione screamed. They were sitting ducks, their only chance of running away was a distraction.
Draco covered Hermione again as the troll took another swing.
Harry took out his wand but instead of using it he grabbed the trolls club and flung himself on his shoulders, then jammed his wand up its nose.
"Eww!" Ron said with a disgusted face.
Draco was just as confused. What the hell, Harry?
"Do something!" Harry shouted at Ron as the troll reached up and grabbed Harry by the leg, swinging him around.
"What?" Ron looked around cluelessly.
"Anything!" Draco yelled back.
Ron took out his own wand and took a deep breath.
"Swish and flick!" Hermione encouraged. "You can do this!"
"Wingardium Leviosa!" He aimed his wand at the trolls club and they all watched in shock that it actually worked, the club floating weightlessly in the air.
"It worked!" Ron shouted. He lost his concentration though, and the club came smashing down right on the trolls head. It dropped Harry and he scrambled away just before the troll hit the floor.
"Is it dead?" Hermione whispered.
"I don't think so, just knocked out." Draco said back as he climbed out from under the sink. He held out his hand for Hermione and pulled her up.
Harry pulled his wand from the troll's nose and Draco wanted to gag at the snot that clung to it. He watched in pure disgust as Harry just wiped it on his robes. "Harry, that's gross!"
Before Draco could say anymore Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell ran into the bathroom.
"Oh my goodness! What- Explain yourselves!" She asked as she looked right at Harry and Ron.
"Well, we-"
"It's my fault, Professor." Hermione said quickly, cutting Harry off.
"Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked, the shock in her voice matching her expression.
"I went looking for the troll. I read about them and thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. If Harry, Ron and Draco hadn't come and found me, I'd probably be dead."
"Be that as it may, it was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would have expected more rational behavior on your part and I am very disappointed in you, Miss Granger." She said sternly. "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor, for you serious lack of judgement."
Draco was surprised that she covered for them, since it was their fault she'd been alone in here in the first place. He knew what lying to her professor and their head of house would make her feel.
"And as for you gentlemen, I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first year students could take on a full grown mountain troll, and live to tell the tale. Five points will be awarded to each of you." She looked between Ron and Harry then Draco. "For sheer dumb luck!"
Draco didn't like the way that Professor Snape was looking at him, eyeing him like he knew him at all. Draco hadn't said anything more in his potions classed other than to answer a question that was directed at him, and never interacted with the man outside of class.
"P-perhaps you ought to go. M-might wake up." Professor Quirrell laughed nervously as he ushered them out of the bathroom.
Surprisingly, they were left to themselves while they all made their way up to Gryffindor tower. No one spoke until they were safely inside their common room.
"Good of you to get us out of trouble like that." Harry said shyly.
"Mind you, we did save her life." Ron said to him.
"Mind you." Draco almost growled. "She might not have needed saving if you hadn't insulted her."
"What are friends for?" Ron said with a sheepish smile at Hermione.
Draco watched her smile back, and knew that from this moment on, these were his people.
"So let me get this straight." Theo said as he waved a rope of licorice in the air. "You went to rescue your girlfriend-"
"She's not-"
"And got awarded points for being reckless idiots?!"
"Pretty much, yea!" Ron agreed with a face full of candy.
Theo looked over at Blaise. "Why didn't we go along? Maybe we could've saved the day."
"Because we're not reckless idiots?"
Theo grinned. "Excellent point."
"That's not all that happened." Harry said, his voice low and serious. "Something was funny about Professor Snape."
"He was giving me this odd look." Draco agreed.
"Did you see his bloody leg?" Harry asked Draco.
"What? No?"
Harry looked around the room. "I'm guessing that Snape let the troll in as a diversion, so he could try and get past that... thing."
"What thing?" Neville asked.
"I don't think telling more reckless Gryffindor's is the greatest idea." Theo said to Harry.
"It's just Dean and Seamus." Neville said with a smile. "Unless you don't want anything getting blown up, then you'd best keep it to yourself." He joked.
Seamus stood abruptly when everyone laughed. "I don't appreciate the insinuation, Longbottom! Besides, if anyone cared to notice... my eyebrows have completely grown back!"
"Well he's touchy." Theo said after he stormed out of the room.
"Only because everything he touches really does blow up." Dean smiled. "I'll go talk to him."
Theo looked to Harry as soon as Dean left. "Spill it."
"Okay, you know the third floor corridor? The one that we're not supposed to go near?"
Neville nodded. "Because it will kill us? Yea, Wh- Wait. Harry, really?"
"It was an accident! And completely Draco's fault!"
"My fault?! How-"
"Okay, before you two get going, tell him the rest." Theo scolded. Harry and Draco could argue about nothing for hours.
"Anyway." Harry drastically emphasized. "There's a three headed dog in that corridor, behind a locked door and we think it's guarding something. I think Snape let the troll in so he could make his way to that trap door, and take whatever is hidden down there. His leg was all bloody and scraped up, so I don't think he made it."
Neville stared at his friends. "What do you think is down there?"
"Whatever Hagrid took from that vault at Gringott's that day." Draco answered.
"You really think that whatever that is was so important that maybe Dumbledore knew someone would try to steal it?" Blaise asked.
"Hagrid did say that there was no place safer than Hogwarts." Harry answered.
"Because there's stupid three headed dogs in third floor corridors." Ron grumbled.
"Somethings just not right about all of this." Theo mostly said to himself.
"You better watch it, the both of you." Neville said seriously. "What does your family have to say about all this?"
Draco and Harry looked guilty, while Theo just shrugged. "Remus says that Snape has always been sneaky and nosy."
"You told him?" Harry squeaked. He was certain he'd get a letter from Sirius now.
"I write him letters, yes. I didn't tell him about your ridiculous antics, you're welcome. I have potions with Snape, too. He doesn't pay nearly as much attention to me as he does you two, but I'm used to that." He winked at Harry while Draco just rolled his eyes.
"Can't you just leave it alone?" Blaise asked Harry. "Snape is already watching you, and Draco."
"Not like we can do anything about it anyway." Harry sighed in defeat.
"Trouble always finds you, Harry Potter." Theo joked. "There's no way he'll leave it alone."
Theo nearly fell over when Harry smacked him with his pillow.
"It wasn't me." Harry said innocently. He barely had time to cover his face before Theo threw a pillow at him, starting a fight with laughter and feathers going everywhere.
Dean and Seamus returned just in time to join in, with everyone shouting and not even knowing who they were hitting with their pillows.
Hours later, Draco stared at Harry while Harry stared at the ceiling. Theo was already asleep, thankfully. "Are you alright, Harry?"
Pulled out of his thoughts, he looked over at Draco. "Yea." He whispered back. Everyone else was asleep, and he didn't want to wake them. "I just miss them. I don't even know them."
"Of course you do. Sirius tells you stories all the time."
"I wish I didn't just have stories."
"I know." Draco said sadly.
They stayed silent for a while, just looking at the ceiling together. "Then I wouldn't have met you or Theo though, so there is that."
Draco smiled at him. "Yea, there is that."
