Of all the- Was it always this unfair?! Detention. Detention. And for what reason? Because they had 'started a fight'. Granted, yes, Ron had thrown the first spell, but it hadn't even hit Flint! Besides, Flint had been the one to really start everything. Was it always this unfair for them? Everyone always expected Gryffindor to start every fight? Maybe Gryffindors had it as bad as Slytherins, some days. Still, though... Did they really have to go and separate the four of them into different detentions? Harry was probably going crazy, stuck with Lockhart for the night.

"Am I nearly done," Draco asked with a whine, stamping his foot childishly at his Uncle Sev.

"There's still another half hour." Ugh. He sounded amused at Draco's pain and suffering.

"But I've finished organizing everything for you! Please? I've done everything you asked!"

"You have. So now you can sit down and you can tell me what really happened the other day."

Draco frowned at that, sitting anyway. "What do you mean?"

"I know my students, and you rarely start fights without a reason. Mr. Flint, however, is a bit more aggressive." Wasn't that the damn truth. Draco glanced away before shrugging.

"Weasley tried to defend me with a broken wand. That's all."

"Why did he feel the need to defend you, Draco." The tone of voice wasn't unkind, but it left no room for lying or avoiding the question.

"He called us names, was all. There wasn't even a fight, to begin with."

"And I take it you won't be telling me the names he called you all?" Smart man.

"Why would I? It's been done. There's no changing it." There was a moment where Severus studied him before sighing and nodding.

"Very well, you can leave. Although know that you can talk to me whenever you need to. You and Harry."

Draco eyed him curiously before nodding. "Yes, sir." Standing up, Draco left the dungeons and glanced around. He supposed he could talk to Tom until Harry's detention ended. Draco walked up the stairs and towards the Defense classroom, pulling out his notebook. 'Just got out of detention. I'm on my way upstairs until Harry's detention is over, so I'm afraid I won't have much time to talk.'

'That's fine. How did you get in detention, however?' At least Tom was speaking with him again. Maybe he - or whatever was left of him - regretted their fight.

'Ah, right, I suppose I didn't tell you. The now-Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team called my friends and I mudbloods and blood traitors.' Draco stuck his tongue out, tipping his head to the side as he wrote.

'Despicable. It's people like that who give Slytherins bad names and make us seem worse than we are. And yet you say you got detention for what he said?'

'One of my friends tried to defend us, and picked a fight with him. Not to mention that Flint is three years older.'

'A fifth year picking on a second year? As I said. Despicable.' The words trailed off for a moment before coming back, slanted and calming. Soft and blurred, almost. 'Why don't you tell me more about it while you wait for Harry?'

'It was honestly a bit ridiculous.'

"Draco? Did you fall asleep while writing again?" Draco blinked his eyes, staring at Harry. When did he get there?

"Harry? You weren't here a moment ago. Did you use your cloak?"

"No, I used the door." Harry raised an eyebrow, seeming amused as he pulled himself up... Why was Draco in his bed- He was just outside the Defense classroom, wasn't he? "Are you alright?"

"I...don't know." Draco shook his head. "I think I just blacked out. I probably haven't been eating, enough. Did anything important happen, while I was out?"

"You blacked out?" Before Draco knew it, Harry was crouched over him and pressing a hand against his forehead, looking worried. "What do you remember last? Are you okay?"

"I was walking up to you after my detention ended early. It's fine, Harry. I probably just don't remember coming to the dorm. Apparently I was exhausted."

"If you're sure," Harry crawled more into his bed, sitting down beside him, shoulder to shoulder and thigh to thigh. "It wasn't too bad, I guess. Ron got stuck on trophy cleaning duty, and I had to help Lockhart answer his fan mail." The child pulled a face, shaking his head. "I was hearing things at the end of it."

"Really?" Draco leaned against him a bit, giving a teasing smile. "Maybe we're catching something."

"Yeah, each other's craziness," Harry snorted, leaning his head on Draco's shoulder and yawning. "At least it was only one night I had to deal with him like that. Although I'm not looking forward to our next Defense lesson."

Rolling his eyes, Draco nudged Harry. "Budge up. I'm going to get dressed for bed." Whining, Harry rolled over and stretched across Draco's bed with a yawn, and, really. Harry was already wearing his own pajamas and... Draco suppose he must have gotten caught up talking to Tom and then went back to sleep without realizing it. Draco shook his head, getting himself changed before he slipped back into bed, nudging Harry over. "Move over. I need a bit of room, too, you know."

"Oh, good, I can stay." Harry shifted over at once, wiggling under the covers before holding up the blankets for Draco with a grin. "How was your detention, then? Severus always goes easy on you." Did... Did Harry just call him Severus?

"Ah- Yeah. Like I said, he let me out, early. When did you get out, then? You just got here, didn't you? Any stops along the way?" Draco crawled under the blankets, curling around Harry. "It's cold."

"You're cold," Harry tugged the blankets up over them, letting himself be used as another pillow more than anything. Really, though, he was warm. "I got here about ten, fifteen minutes ago. I didn't linger around anywhere, really."

"Mm. And how was detention with Lockhart?" This was so much nicer than being in the dungeons cleaning everything.

"Terrible. I never want to deal with him again- Hey, you said there's a curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, yeah?"

"Every year since my parents' years, I believe, there's been a new teacher."

"That... That doesn't sound too good, does it? Wasn't Quirrell on his first year last year? You said something about how he taught Muggle Studies before? Or, well, sometime did." It was a bit hard following Harry's words, since his hand was running through Draco's hair and reducing him to a pile of mush.

"I'm fairly sure," Draco hummed, curling up further under the blanket. "I don't know, though. I wasn't here, before last year." There might have been something else Harry mumbled, but Draco was far too gone to hear or understand. This was just...

This was perfect.

::

"The...Headless Hunt." This was just... Draco and Harry had been on their way back to the Tower after a rainy Quidditch practice - the two were coated in mud - and now they had run into a depressed Nearly Headless Nick.

"Oh, I, ah. I'm sorry? That they won't let you join," Harry tried hesitantly, smiling weakly. "Right awful of them to reject you just because you, um, are who you are."

Draco glanced to Harry, and back to the ghost before sighing. He put on a smile and shrugged. "I wouldn't want to be a part of them, anyway. I think they lost their heads." Nick, at least, gave a dry smile and a little chuckle. Harry just gave him a very odd look. Maybe another year or two before he started understanding good puns.

"Yes, well-" A meow startled them all, Nick quickly shooing them. "You two best be off. Filch is sick at the moment and nastier than ever, and he's already given four people detention for leaving mud all over the castle."

Giving a nod, Draco took Harry's hand in his own, tugging him along. "Thank you for the warning. Good luck with all of that." Giving a last wave, the two quickly rounded the corner, trying to hurry.

"Filch is going to be on the warpath. I heard he made three first years cry earlier," Harry mumbled. "Plus him being sick?"

"Really? He did? What first years," Draco asked with a frown. Maybe he'd take them aside and talk to them.

"Not sure. Two Ravenclaws and a Gryffindor, I think? Hermione was the one who told me, so she'll know more about-"

"Well, well, well. Lookie at what we have here." Oh, dear. "My, my, we are in trouble, aren't we?"

Draco gave a little nod, looking up at Filch. "Sir." FIlch did not at all look pleased, especially as he saw the mud that was coating the floors behind them and, oh, there was quite a bit, wasn't there?

It wasn't much of a surprise when they were toted to Filch's office for punishment complaints and detention slips and all those lovely things. It was a bit surprising, however, when a large crash from a floor up had Filch running out screaming about Peeves. Harry, who had been silent, gave a low whistle, "He really is insane, isn't he?"

The blond only gave a laugh, shaking his head and taking Harry's hand, pulling him from the room, quickly. "I love that poltergeist!" Harry was behind him in a moment, laughing as the two ran through the halls.

"Ah, I see that worked well," Nick was floating beside them, seeming amused. "Amazing what one can do when convincing Peeves to destroy something. Not like there was much use for that old cabinet."

"Old-" Draco froze, pulling to a stop and staring up at Nick. "What did this cabinet look like? Large, about as tall as a seventh year? Dark brown? Two doors with bronze knobs?"

"Oh, well- Yes, I suppose so. You know it?" Nick looked shocked, but Draco barely registered anything beyond the fact that this moment... The Vanishing Cabinet had been destroyed just now. Peeves was the one to break it right this moment.

"You could say that. Bloody hell, it all ties together." Draco beamed, looking over at Harry. "It all ties back to you."

"I, um, thank you?" Harry looked startled before looking over to Nick. "And thank you, Nick. We wouldn't have gotten out of that without your help. Let us know if you need any help in the future." Draco closed his eyes for a brief moment. Harry was so lucky he was talking to a Gryffindor. If he'd said those same words to a Slytherin-

"Well, actually, there is something you could help me with." Nevermind. "You see, perhaps if you came to my Deathday Party, you could convince the others that I deserve to be part of the Hunt!"

Draco took a slight step in front of Harry. "When would that be, exactly?"

"On Halloween, unfortunately," Nick admitted. "No doubt you two would rather be at the feast... Although it does start before the feast. Perhaps you could miss the first ten or so minutes? Only if you wish, of course."

Draco looked as disappointed as he could. "I'm afraid we still haven't seen what a proper Halloween feast is like, and we've already made plans with our other friends. Maybe next time."

"Yes, yes... Maybe next year, then." Nick seemed accepting of the matter, patting each of their heads before floating off. Draco did his best to not show the effect the ice cold touch had on him, Harry not so lucky.

"Harry, you never say that to a person unless you well and truly mean it," Draco said with a sigh.

"Sorry," Harry gave a weak smile, pulling them along. "I'm still not used to dealing with people who actually kind of like me."

"Well, that's a lesson for later in life," Draco said with a nod, smiling at Harry. "Are you going to do a bit more drawing?"

"Definitely. I'm finally all caught up on our homework and now that we've finished practice for the day, I can spend time just drawing. Be my model for me?" A pause, Harry looking down at himself. "After some showers?"

Draco laughed at that. "Of course I'll model for you. Come on. You have plenty of practice to catch up on." He still couldn't believe... Potter must've gotten into trouble the first time around for the Vanishing Cabinet to have broke like it did now. If it hadn't been broken, the attack on Hogwarts would have happened that much sooner... It all began and ended with Harry Potter, didn't it?

A week later Draco had been ready for the feast, only to find himself once again in his dorm. Although he was hungry... Draco looked around a bit curiously, standing and stretching just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione came bursting in. "There you three are."

"Draco!" Harry had Draco in a hug at once and... Why was McGonagall, Severus, and Dumbledore behind them? Actually, why was Draco in the dorms to begin with? They had been about to head down to the feast, hadn't they?

"Right, then." McGonagall's voice was shaky, a quiver running through it. "You four, follow us."

"Wait- Four?" Draco frowned at Harry. "Harry, what's going on?" Ron and Hermione were grabbing them and tugging them along, Harry muttering quietly under his breath.

"We were coming up to check on you after you said you wanted to lie down for a bit. We found- There was- Mrs. Norris was hanging up by her tail in one of the halls, frozen stiff or something! There was this message on the wall in what looked like blood."

"'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware'," Hermione recited, voice quiet as they followed the adults. "Harry wouldn't let the teachers take us anywhere until we came and checked on you."

Draco frowned at that, looking between the three of them. "I never said I was going to lie down. We were just on our way down to the feast. I was writing in my journal..." Twice, now. Twice he had blacked out while writing to Tom.

"Don't you remember?" Ron frowned, reaching over to feel his forehead and honestly. Why was everyone doing that lately! "You said you weren't feeling all that great so you were going to lie down and join us later." Draco shook his head, swatting Ron's hand away.

"I was just about to go down and get food because I'm hungry, why would I skip?" They looked so uneasy... The Chamber was open then. He had forgotten that it happened on Halloween, although it was at least only Mrs. Norris who had gotten hurt. It was certainly enough to unnerve Harry. The child had yet to let go of his sleeve. Draco gave a shake of his head. "Harry, you have to believe me, I didn't say that." Suddenly he was a lot more trepidatious about that diary...

Harry stared at him, looking to pull himself together before speaking quietly. "What's the last thing you remember exactly. As specific as you can."

"Exactly as I told you. I was writing in the journal, and we were walking down to the feast. Ron was moaning about his hunger, as usual." That got a scoff from Ron, Harry's expression only growing colder.

"Draco, I want you to stop writing in that journal." Oh, good. Draco wasn't the only one feeling uneasy about Tom's diary. "Is this what happened with your detention?"

"I don't know. I think so. I don't trust it, either, though." Was this why his father had wanted the diary, at the beginning of summer? It would make sense... He would need to be careful. Maybe it was just part of the magic of the diary, but it felt deeper than that. Darker.

"In here, please." Dumbledore was guiding them into Lockhart's office, the man already there with Filch and the petrified Mrs. Norris. The four made their way into the room, standing close to each other and looking at the adults cautiously. Dumbledore went to examine the cat, McGonagall and Severus doing their best to glare Lockhart into shutting up for once. A worthwhile endeavor, but one not working.

"Professor Lockhart," Hermione said. "I think that the other students will panic less if you were to go and reassure them. Your being a celebrity, and all."

"You're quite right, Ms. Granger! I'll go make sure they're all good, then." Lockhart was beaming and smiling as he left the office, McGonagall nodding after he left.

"Five points to Gryffindor." At Dumbledore's look, McGonagall raised an eyebrow back. "For calm decisions during the face of such panic and uncertainty, of course."

"Professors, I still don't entirely understand why I'm here. I was in my dorm." Draco was frowning, looking up at them.

"Your presence couldn't be accounted for during the feast," Severus explained quietly. "Although I don't see why that should matter, as this looks to be magic far behind a second year." Draco gave a slow nod. Maybe beyond a second year, but... Maybe on par with a sixth year.

"Just a matter of precaution, Severus." Dumbledore turned to Filch and began speaking quietly about the mandrakes Sprout had recently gotten hold of. That meant Mrs. Norris would be fine- Well of course she would. Draco remembered that much. Although right now he was focused on the fact that the one behind all this may have been Tom. Draco's hand balled into a fist at his side and he felt a coil of disgust and fury twisting in his stomach. Had Tom been controlling him? He'd been letting Tom control him! Ugh, Draco could not believe he allowed himself to trust him!

Harry's hand slipped down from his sleeve to tap at his fist, waiting until he relaxed it to slip his hand into his and give a weak smile. Draco leaned over and whispered to Harry. "We're getting rid of that thing as soon as possible." They needed to get rid of that diary, before it did anymore harm. Tom had to have been behind this somehow, involved with this Heir business. He said that he'd been around the last time that the Heir had been about. Had he caused this? No one really knew what happened in the Chamber of Secrets with Potter, and no one had known what had controlled whatever had petrified all those people. Draco drew himself up a bit, crossing his arms. "Well, sir, if you can prove without a doubt that it was one of us, we'll gladly take the punishment."

"Relax, Mr. Malfoy. I can be rest assured that none of you did it," Dumbledore smiled genially, looking at them all - although his eyes landed on Harry. "Although is there anything you four wish to tell me? Anything at all?" Draco just barely stopped himself from glancing at Harry when he felt the younger tense up, beside him.

"No, sir," Draco said firmly with a shake of his head.

"Very well. Minerva, please see these four back to the dorms?" And oh, there was definitely something wrong with Harry if he was already tugging Draco along towards the door.

Draco followed the pull quickly, and as soon as they got to the dorm, Draco was tugging the journal out and handing it over to Harry. "Keep it away from me. Don't write in it, just... I don't care what you do with it."

Carefully taking it, Harry gave it an odd little look. "Hard to believe something like this could cause any trouble, huh? I mean... It just looks like a regular journal or something." Draco shook his head at that.

"Don't trust him."

"After what he did to you? Not bloody likely," Harry scoffed, tossing the diary on his bed before wrapping Draco up in a hug. "Are you going to be okay, Draco?" Draco gave a small nod, hugging Harry back tightly.

"I will be. Now can we please get something to eat?" The quiet laughter did more to soothe him than anything else, Draco hugging Harry just a bit more tightly. That diary was dangerous, and it definitely had something to do with the Heir... He hoped Harry got rid of it soon.

::

"This is coming back to bite me." At his comment, he noticed Harry was giving him an odd look, a silent question in his eyes. "This all happened before," Draco muttered, shaking his head. They were getting looks from everyone in the Great Hall, and he was pretty certain near the entire school thought he was the Heir. Perfect.

"This Chamber of Secrets thing?" Harry pushed a cup of tea over towards Draco, his own half drained already. "Or the Mrs. Norris thing?"

Draco sighed. "That's just it. All of it," he said as he took a sip from his own cup. "This all happened before. The message. The Chamber of Secrets. Mrs. Norris. This all happened before."

"Do you know who was behind it? How to stop it?" Harry was doing his best to be quiet, and not draw any attention. Especially Ron and Hermione's, since he knew that they didn't know about Draco's...past.

"No. I don't, and that's the problem." Draco shook his head again. "I don't know enough about this year. Potter and his lot, they thought I was the Heir, but I couldn't be."

"So now we just need to find out who the Heir really is and stop them before it can get any worse... Are there any attacks after Mrs. Norris'?" Oh, boy. There was a question. Draco gave a slow nod.

"I don't know how long it'll be, but I think it was a Hufflepuff in our year."

"Keep an eye out for anything strange, got it," Harry nodded along, shaking his head a group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws skittered past. "Might be harder than we think."

"They probably think I'm... Well, technically speaking, I am an heir."

"Yeah, but not the Heir of Slytherin-" Pausing, Harry have him an odd look and oh. Really? Draco wasn't that much of a Slytherin.

Draco frowned, looking at Harry. "What?"

"Just to be sure, you're really not-"

"No, Harry, bloody hell. I'm heir to the Malfoy name, is all."

"I'm just checking!" Harry collapsed against Draco's side, rather dramatically, and pouted up at him. It... It was hard to stay mad at him. "How am I supposed to know how all this crazy wizard stuff works?"

"Harry, Salazar Slytherin was alive hundreds of years ago! I seriously doubt that any of us are related to him." That had Hermione looking up, spark in her eye and sweet Merlin here she went.

"That doesn't mean it's improbable. While unlikely, it's still possible someone here could be his descendent. Very likely, in fact, with the pureblood families." Well... She had a small point there, he supposed. "While it's not possible to be sure, it's likely."

Draco opened his mouth before slowly closing it. "...You're right." He stood and called across the room like he used to to Potter. "Oi! Blaise! Get over here!" From the Slytherin table, Blaise looked up with a confused look before nodding and getting up. Of course, Pansy was right behind him and flouncing over before sitting on Harry's other side.

"It's been too long since I spent time with you, Harry." Honestly.

"Why am I being yelled at from across the Great Hall, exactly?"

"We need your help with research. Any living descendants of Salazar Slytherin." There was a long moment where Blaise stared at him as if he had lost his entire mind.

"You... Do you know how much research that is going to take me?" Across the table, Hermione had perked up and oh, dear. "I'd have to go back on every family tree for all the Sacred 28, and a few other families I bet."

"I didn't say you had to do it alone." Draco nodded to Hermione with a smirk. "Granger?"

"I suppose if I must," Hermione turned her head, smile unable to be hidden. "We'd have to cross reference all the current students and their families, first. Narrow it down to a certain amount of families before tracing it back through the generations." Blaise stared at her, slowly nodding.

"You, Granger, are a Gryffindor I think I'm going to end up liking."

Draco nodded, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist and scooting a bit closer, smiling. "We'll figure this all out."

"Let's hope it's before what happened to Mrs. Norris happens to a student..."