Things settled into a sort of equilibrium in Slytherin House, which is not to say that the biases disappeared, or that everything was made better by a birthday party, far from it in fact. The war of attrition continued, splitting the house into awkwards shards that tried to force themselves into a kind of cohesive unit when faced with the other houses. Inside, however was a constant game of blood and politics that split down unusual lines, even causing Pansy Parkinson to refuse to speak to her sister Primrose, who just didn't care about a muggleborn being Sorted into her House, as long as the girl did the work and got them points.

It didn't take Hermione long to inure herself to the slings and barbs thrown at her over her blood status. They still hurt, but she toughened her skin, and didn't let it show. If she hadn't had friends, she may have struggled more, like she did in primary, but despite the slings and arrows tossed at her, she at least had people who cared: Harry, Draco, and Daphne, maybe even Professor Sinistra and Professor Snape.

It seemed to hurt Draco more as over the days, he seemed to change. He was still eating with her at dinner and walking with her to classes, and talking to her, but he seemed down and less focused on his classwork. He even stopped poking her with his quill. She hadn't liked being poked with the quill, but when he stopped, she found she missed it. He also didn't talk about his home as much. He used to spend hours telling her all about the manor, and his mother's peacocks and his father's hounds, interesting rooms that had been added by eccentric ancestors, and funny stories from growing up magical. He didn't really start conversations anymore either, and she wasn't sure what was wrong or how to fix it. Any time she asked if he was okay, he gave her a smile and said of course, or claimed that the food had disagreed with him. She knew it wasn't true, but she didn't know what was wrong or how to help him. Sometimes, all she could do was give him a hug or a smile when no one was looking.

One day though, when she saw him wince as Derrick muttered about 'the Malfoys turning into blood traitors,' she decided she wouldn't sit back and wait for Draco to ask for help. While Harry was distracted by Daphne one evening, Hermione left, bag in hand, and no one even looked at her sideways. Instead of heading to the library, she went to Professor Snape's office and knocked politely on the door.

"Come in." Came the voice of the professor from the other side, and Hermione hesitantly opened the door.

"Ah, Miss Granger." Severus said with a nod, slightly surprised to see her. Thus far she had not sought out aid from the two teachers. "What can I do for you?"

Hermione wrung her hands nervously, certain her friend would be cross if he knew. "It's Draco, sir. I'm worried about him. He's not been acting like himself lately, and he even stopped poking me in class!" She sighed a little. "I'm worried about him, and scared being friends with me will hurt him."

Severus's eyebrows climbed at this. "I'll look into it, Ms. Granger, but let me assure you, Mr. Malfoy could ask for no better friend than one who risks his displeasure for his own well-being. Just don't make a habit of it."

"Yes, sir." Hermione said with a nod. "Thank you."

"If there's nothing else?" Severus asked.

"No sir." Hermione said respectfully. "Have a good night, sir." She quickly left again, leaving an amused Potions Master in her wake.

Draco hadn't tried to go to his godfather about the letter again. He felt stupid for being so bothered. Severus had said that he would support him, of course, but he didn't want to be running to his godfather complaining about things. He was supposed to be old enough to handle this on his own, old enough to act like an adult, but he had never really coped with anything like this before. He may have gotten anything he could have wanted before, but he had also worked as hard as he could to please his father, whom he had always looked up to and respected. Outright rebellion and ignoring what his father wanted were things he had never really done. They didn't feel liberating.

There was also the pressure from others in the House, who expected him to live up to his father, to be a leader. It was hard It had become even harder since he had heard the first hissed insults calling him a blood traitor. The guilt he felt was immense, and he began to wonder if he was doing the right thing. His friends kept looking at him in concern, Harry trying to put more on his plate as if food would help, and Hermione kept shooting him sad, worried looks with big brown eyes. The first time she cornered him in a hallway and hugged him tight, he was surprised. No one other than his mother had hugged him, but he slowly relaxed, and had to admit that maybe he liked it. Unfortunately, that only made him feel worse. This was not how he expected Hogwarts to be.

"Mr. Malfoy, a word." Severus said briskly, after he had dismissed the rest of the class one Friday before Halloween.

The Gryffindors all oohed, over-excited at the thought that the cranky Potions' Master might be scolding his favourite pupil, or taking points from Slytherin. Harry frowned, but Hermione pulled him on, giving Draco a hopeful smile. "We'll see you later, Draco."

"Yeah." Draco agreed, packing up his things and heading to his godfather's desk. He waited, wondering what he had done now. Lately it seemed that he couldn't quite do anything right.

"I thought you had made your decision, Draco." Severus said after a moment. "This sulking is unbecoming of you."

Draco frowned slightly. "Father wrote me." He admitted. "I thought I was sure, I thought I was fine, but...people keep looking to me and then...I get called a blood traitor, Uncle Sev!"

Severus sighed, steepling his fingers. He knew the story he should tell Draco, but he knew he couldn't. It still hurt him too much. Luckily, there were no shortage of stories in the ranks of the Death Eaters. "I knew a young man once…" He said slowly. "A lot like you, Draco. Born into wealth and privilege with all the power, influence and ideas of duty that a pureblood line provided. He was smart, and he wanted to be everything to everyone. He discovered too late that he couldn't, and he died alone, a footnote in history, a name people only note in passing." He tilted his head to his godson. "Your father has made his choices, as have I. It is not our place to make yours for you." He nodded slightly. "You can still change your mind, Draco, but I have never seen a young witch so upset that someone had stopped poking her before, and it is rare I have students worried enough to come to me about their classmates. And if you change your mind...witches can be...unforgiving. Be certain."

Draco swallowed hard and nodded. "You'll talk to my father?"

Severus chuckled. "I'll do better than that." He said, reaching for a quill. "I'll talk to your mother. Now, I have marking to do, and you should spend some time with your friends. If that's what you choose, of course."

Draco gave him a brisk nod, picked up his bag and headed down to the Common Room. He was surprised to find Harry and Hermione waiting for him on one of the couches, when thus far they had a standing appointment with the gamekeeper. "What are you doing here? You're normally off having tea with staff."

"We thought you might need us, if you were in trouble." Harry admitted.

"I told you he wasn't." Hermione said, flipping a page in her Transfiguration book.

"Fine, I thought you might be in trouble." Harry said, shooting Hermione a look. He knew what it was like to be called in by teachers. He still remembered when he ended up on the roof and the trouble he had been in when it happened.

Knowing there were plenty of listening ears around the common room, Draco did what any good Malfoy would have done. He puffed himself up slightly and lied like a professional. "You shouldn't have worried, Harry. Professor Snape just had a message for me from Father that he didn't trust to owl post." He gave his friend a smile, then. "Thanks for having my back, though."

"So everything's fine at home?" Hermione checked, glancing up at him.

"Nothing my mother can't handle." Draco assured her.

"I guess we'll go see Hagrid then." Harry agreed, relieved.

Hermione gave him a smile and squeezed Draco's hand, before joining Harry, glad that everything would go back to normal.

Draco didn't return the hand squeeze, but he returned a slight smile, just sharp enough not to call notice. Everything would be all right, he was sure. If his mother hadn't been an expert in getting her way, he would have gone to Durmstrang. The proof came the next morning, with his usual box of sweets, his mother telling him to pay attention to his studies and that she had added a few more cakes for him to share with his friends. She might be a pureblood, but Narcissa Malfoy was a socialite and a law-witch; she knew politics, social and ministerial. There was value in powerful allies, one did what would get the job done.

Hallowe'en dawned bright and with just a tinge of cold in the air. The halls were filled with the scent of baking pumpkin, and there was an air of excitement and expectation, even in the dungeons. Draco's mother had sent enough fancy Hallowe'en pastries for the entire table, and Harry was shocked to discover he had mail, as a pleasant barn owl dropped a note from Aurora onto his silverware, wishing him a happy holiday and asking him to please stop by her tower before the feast. Even Hermione had received another charm for her charm bracelet, a tiny witch's hat. The teachers even seemed to get in on the celebrations, with homework and assignments lighter than usual

Harry climbed the now-familiar stairs to the Astronomy Tower, note clutched in his hand. He knocked cautiously, knowing that Aurora was normally just waking up at this point. He was pleasantly surprised that when he knocked on the door it quickly opened to show a perky Astronomy professor, dressed in copper-coloured dress robes with a crown of leaves on her head instead of her usual braids. "Hullo Harry!" She greeted happily. "Happy Hallowe'en! Come in, come in!"

"Hullo, Professor Sinistra." Harry said with a grin, walking into the tower, which was decorated with falling leaves, floating black candles, and tiny Jack O' Lanterns made from large turnips. "You wanted to see me?"

"I did!" Aurora answered, happily. "The castle and I had a little chat, and I decided that I could not possibly play Seeker on one of those school brooms." She opened a door, and pulled out a brown paper package that was obviously a broomstick. "Happy Hallowe'en, Harry!"

Harry looked at her in amazement, and then back down at the package. "No one ever…" He said after a moment. "You got me Agathos, told me about Hogwarts and now this...I...I don't know what to say."

Aurora understood, more than she cared to admit. She didn't have a lot growing up either. Her parents had both worked, sometimes more than two jobs, just to provide for her. She had gamed the exchange system in her youth, flattening out galleons or melting them down, selling them for the value of the gold, and then saving out just enough cash to take to the bank and get another, just to pay the bills and take the pressure off of her parents. "Oh, Harry, I want to do it. It's not like I have anyone else to spoil. The war took that possibility away from me, as much as it took away your chance for Lily and James to spoil you." She grinned. "Just play your best, and keep your grades up."

"I will." Harry promised. "Thank you, Professor."

Aurora smiled at him and tapped the broom with her wand. "We don't want the secret out." She whispered to him, and then tapped lightly on a wall near her desk."If you please, dear Hogwarts."

Harry was confused for a moment and then blinked as a door appeared. "How?" He asked, surprised.

"Magic." Aurora replied with a grin. "Always be kind to the castle, Harry. These steps will take you straight to the dungeons, only two turns from the common room." She tapped his nose. "Don't be seen before you're inside."

Harry nodded and approached the door, looking down at the spiral stairs, that went so far down he couldn't see the bottom. He reassured himself that at least if he began to fall, he had a broom. He tried his best not to be seen, but then he saw Hermione tear past him. Normally he would have called after his friend to see what had her so rattled, but he had to put his broom away first, and when he emerged from his dorm, his search for the curly-haired witch turned up nothing. Thinking perhaps she had already headed up to the feast, he headed toward the Great Hall to meet his friends.

Hermione had been having a lovely Hallowe'en. It was a holiday she had never really taken notice of before, but she threw herself into it with as much enthusiasm as she did everything about the magical world. She had even purchased Happy Hallowe'en cards by mail order, and had put several on the pillows of her friends, as well as most of the teachers' desks. There were only two more teachers that she had to deliver two, and those were the most important to her: Professor Sinistra who had taken time out to give Hermione and Harry extra lessons, and Professor Snape who kept providing her with books on duelling and had somehow managed to pull Draco out of the funk he had been in earlier. She pressed the card to her chest as she headed towards the classroom, hoping that it would be empty so she wouldn't be lectured on 'unnecessary niceties.'

Hermione stepped into the classroom, trying to determine the best place to leave the card. She didn't want it to be too obvious, but she didn't want it to be found six months after the fact either. She wandered along the classroom, considering perches for the black envelope. She was just trying to slide it between two silver cauldrons, when she heard a crash of glass against wood and stone. She jumped, looking around, worrying perhaps that she had tipped over a specimen jar and end up with not-a-detention from Professor Snape. The floor was free of glass however, and she realised only when she heard a voice from beyond a door that whatever the crash had been had cracked the door just slightly ajar, rendering the silencing charm had been used moot.

"A mudblood, Severus!" A male voice was ranting.

"She is a Slytherin, Lucius." Professor Snape's voice said calmly. It was then that Hermione realised that they were talking about her, and that the man Professor Snape was talking to was none other than Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father. The discovery made her better nature struggle with her curiosity and self-interest. She knew she should leave. She was eavesdropping on a teacher for goodness sake! That could probably get her expelled! Despite this, however, Self-Interest and Curiosity sat on Better Nature until it said "uncle."

"What potion fumes was that bloody hat inhaling?!" Lucius replied, angrily.

"It's rare, but it happens." Severus reminded him. "The school governors have one employed here, remember."

"Ah yes, Barty's would-be bride." Lucius said with a little laugh. "Still pining from finding out a pureblood whore is better than a mudblood wife?"

Hermione blinked as water fell onto the envelope in her hands, only to realise that she was crying. Angrily, she shoved the card in between the cauldrons, wiped her face and left the room as quietly as she could. She made it only a few steps before her tears had turned into sobs, and when it did she ran towards the nearest loo. She thought she had grown a thicker skin. She hadn't reacted to someone calling her a mudblood in days. It still hurt, but she hadn't reacted. Now, though, she just let herself hide away in a stall and cry out all the frustration she was feeling, all of the hurt. Why hadn't Professor Snape stood up for her? Did he believe those things too? Did everyone?"

Harry looked around the Slytherin table in confusion, midway through his second goblet of pumpkin juice and helping of beef. "Hey, where's Hermione?"

Daphne glanced up at this. "Tracey said she was in one of the loos before we came up to eat."

"She did run past me in a rush before I came up." Harry admitted. "I thought she was coming up here. I guess I forgot."

"Yeah, but that was ages ago." Draco said. "What could take so long?"

Daphne pursed her lips and said delicately: "Well, perhaps she's feeling a bit ill. I'll check on her after the feast."

"No, I'll do it." Draco said.

"In a girl's loo?" Daphne asked. "No, I'll go. She might need to talk to another girl."

"Let's take her some food." Harry suggested, and then leaned over and asked Flinton to conjure him a box, which Harry and Draco quickly filled. Their task, however, was interrupted by the entrance of someone else who had been missing from the feast: Professor Quirrell.

He came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence. Harry didn't know anything about trolls really, but from the look on Draco's face and the fact that Daphne gasped and didn't cover her mouth, Harry could guess that the fairy tales he had heard at Mrs. Figg's were semi-accurate.

"Prefects," Dumbledore rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

The Slytherin prefects all looked at one another. The troll was in the dungeons. So was their Common Room. They had just been ordered to their Common Room.

"Mad coot's trying to kill us all off." One of the sixth year students muttered.

Hands shaking, the prefects gathered them all up, and started to head in the same direction as most of the teachers. Aurora noticed, and held a hand up. "To my tower." She told the prefect's firmly.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they started to climb the stairs.

"Someone had to make it." Draco said, worriedly. "They're stupid creatures. Barely worth breath, Father says."

"At least we're not going to the dungeons." Pansy remarked. "I'd hate to be there, with a troll wandering around. It could eat me!"

The boys looked at each other, and then said in realisation. "Hermione!" Daphne turned pale.

With the teachers looking for the troll, the three friends in silent accord, turned back. Daphne apparently knew the quickest route to every bathroom in the school, and on the second try...they found it.

Hermione was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls with its' club as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Draco, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

Draco looked down, still clutching the box of food. He had forgotten he had it in his hand, but threw it with all his might at the troll like he was about to score the most important goal in a game of Quidditch. It hit the troll in the face, sending roast beef, a turkey leg, pumpkin pie, honey cakes, roast corn, and baked apples around the bathroom.

The troll made a confused noise and picked up the turkey leg that had landed on it's shoulder.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The troll inserted the large turkey leg into its mouth whole as if it was an after dinner mint and crunched it, bone and all.

"Run!" Draco shouted.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Daphne, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club. Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Draco didn't know what to do, so he said the first spell that came to his mind. "Everte statum!"

The spell sent the troll flying backwards into the wall, and Harry flying to the side against one of the remaining stall doors. The troll's head hit the tile with a sickening thunk that made the room shake, and as it lost consciousness, it's club falling soundly onto its own skull.

It was Hermione who spoke first. "Is it - dead?"

I don't think so," said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out."

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue. "Urgh - troll boogers." He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Daphne, Harry, and Draco angrily, cheeks flushed and lips white. "What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"Our dormitory in the dungeons?" Daphne asked, pointedly.

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows. "Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall said in shock, hand over her heart.

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last. "I was upset over something someone said about muggleborns, and didn't feel like I belonged at the feast." She swallowed hard. "Draco, Harry and Daphne came to make sure I was safe. "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Draco hexed it. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

"Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, and then making a face as if she had swallowed a lemon. "Five points each to you three for saving a fellow student, and for sheer dumb luck! Not many first years could take on a full-grown mountain troll. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go. Students are finishing the feast in their Common Rooms."

"Head to the Astronomy Tower." Snape corrected, firmly. When McGonagall gave him a strange look, he repeated. "Slytherin is in the dungeons, Minerva, where we thought the troll was."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else. "Thank you, Harry." Daphne said, blushing. "If you hadn't jumped on its back…" She trailed off and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you all for coming after me." Hermione said, voice shaken.

"What did you expect?" Draco asked, and as they reached the Astronomy Tower and found themselves in the midst of an impromptu dinner party, they knew their bonds would be stronger than ever. Harry offered Daphne his arm, while Hermione took Draco's proffered one and they sat down to the place settings with silver stars on them to finish their meals.