Still don't own Harry Potter

Hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry for the wait. I decided I was going to switch through first person instead of going to third because it's easier for me. Enjoy ;D

Draco

Blood was rushing through my veins, past my head, and flooding into my brain. My brain cells were drowning. Here of all places. Father was coming here and as soon as he made note of my unmoving progress, he'd take pain to a whole new level. I shortened my breaths, trying to get a grip. Come on, Draco. I told myself. He can't punish you if you've done nothing wrong. Yet it seemed as though I'd done nothing right either.

And then there was Potter. Oh God, Potter, just another worthless bloody person that I'd have to worry about. I ground my teeth as I stared at my bare feet scanning the floor. I'd screwed it all up again, so I guess I'd have to fix it. A strategy. That's exactly what we needed. And to be calm and think about this rationally. Take care of Potter first, make sure he didn't see anything, and if he did, convince him otherwise, physically, if I had to. Blowing air through my nostrils, I closed my eyes. God, why couldn't this just be over? Why couldn't I have been born into some poor family like Weasley's or be an orphan like Potter? Because then I'd have people like me to deal with. I reminded myself solemnly. At least in the Malfoy family I had respect.

I stared at the clock. The day was almost over. I wasn't sure when Father was planning on making his visit, but I was sure that it'd be soon. With that thought in my head, I began to tidy my bed as much as I could, pulling old books and cloths under the bed and stowing as much as would fit into my suitcase. This'll all be over soon.

Harry

I searched through my brain, trying to make sense of the things that had just happened. Out of the bathroom sink, I picked up a razor blade. No. I thought. Malfoy and his arm. No, it couldn't be. I just couldn't. Malfoy was too high and proud to even know what cutting was. It was a muggle thing, for muggles who didn't know how to deal otherwise. And I was sure that Malfoy knew nothing of it. I was almost sure.

Even so, I made my way to the common room, inspecting the finely sized space, scanning for either Ron or Hermione. Our fight had left us somewhat broken, but we'd talked it out after McGonagall had said if we didn't then she'd make us sit in detention for three hours. I understood why Ron had reacted the way he did, I just felt bad for the way I'd treated Hermione.

I found both my friends, talking quietly amongst themselves near the fire; I wasn't slow to join them. I was happy to see that we exchanged warm glances and awkward smiles.

"I need to talk to you guys about something."

"What's up, mate?" Asked Ron, sitting forward to be closer to the crackling flame.

I pulled the razor blade out of my pocket and held it up. Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"It's not mine, don't worry." I stated, holding my hand up in submission. "But, it's Malfoy's."

Ron's face became that of utter disgust and Hermione's eyes widened in an odd way, as if she knew something I didn't.

"I met him in the bathroom, he nearly took my arm off when he tried to get my me for the door. And there's another thing." I looked both of them in the eye. "His arm was bleeding."

Hermione looked straight at me with innocent eyes, "You don't think . . .?" She paused. "I mean, it's Malfoy.

"I don't know what to think," I sighed.

"That's just bloody sick." Ron through in, his gaze distant. "I mean, this is Malfoy we're talking about. Soulless, heartless, cold, unfeeling Malfoy. He doesn't feel emotion."

"Hey, I'm with you there." I said. "I just want to get to the bottom of this. I mean isn't it kind of dangerous to be playing with things like this."

Hermione turned to look at me with a guilty look written upon her face. "After you guys left the library, he came to talk to me. He'd been listening to us talk and all that. I was so angry, I don't know maybe it was nothing. But he was just being plain old Malfoy, so I insulted him back. I just made a few comments about his family, is all. And then he was literally speechless, I mean I've never seen him without something to say. Not even a, my father will hear about this. Nothing. So I left, I don't know what happened after that. You don't think it was because of me, do you?" Her expression was mixed fear now.

"No," Said Ron, "Look it's bad and all and whatever, but whatever his issues are, they're not your fault. If I was around You-Know-Who's daughter all day, I think I'd be cutting myself too."

We were quiet for a while after that.

"You know," Ron started up again. My dad did a study on teenage muggles once. This was sort of part of it. It was weird. He said that in a lot of cases he saw it was because of stress from making a really big choice or getting something done, but he said the most common thing he found was that the muggles had a bad home life. Like, the death of a loved one, fighting with siblings, or abuse."

Again there was silence.

I looked at Ron with a wandering gaze, but I wasn't sure what to say. Word would have gotten out if a Malfoy died and he was an only child. I was certain it wasn't abuse, I mean look at the bastard. So what stress could he possibly be under? I rubbed my temples, letting confusion surround me once more.

Malfoy

It didn't take me long to find Andromeda and Eris. Honestly, to me they stuck out of the crowd. Maybe other couldn't tell because they didn't know them like I did. They had this air about them, as if they were highly important, but I thought it was even easier to notice the darkness that floated around them. Perhaps people who serve the Dark Lord just give off that vibe to me now when I'm around them. Wonderful.

Eris greeted me with a smile and a kiss, diving under my arm to get close to me. I never thought I'd see strong feelings like this from her. And the way we had just sort of dived into a relationship didn't help settle these thoughts. Yet I looked down on her with such a fondness that it was hard to ignore her beautiful icy eyes staring up at me, taking up most of the space in my brain, occupying me with her beautiful being.

I snapped myself from these thoughts to speak suddenly. "My father will be coming." I said abruptly.

Andromeda's head snapped to attention, her gaze piercing me. "Why?" She asked, giving me a suspicious look.

"To check up on us." I said with a look of disgust. "Father doubts that we're doing our jobs right, if we're doing them at all."

Eris looked up at me quizzically. "I don't need checking up on. My father owns him; he knows that I can take care of myself."

"Exactly." I pointed out, "If he's coming, that means that the Dark Lord sent him. Putting it in light terms, we're royally screwed if even your father thinks we can't get squat done on our own." I looked down at my shoes.

With this Eris's face scrunched up with anger, but it soon smoothed out again. "Then we'll make sure that he leaves satisfied. Don't worry, Draco, we're not doing anything wrong. We'll prove to him that we've got everything under control." Her pleasant smile consoled me. Yet inside, I was suffocating in my own troubles.

Alright, so that's all I've got. R&R

XsoulessXgingerX