Draco pov

The Ravenclaw dorm was nice but I could feel the pressure that existed there as well and I didn't want anymore pressure in my life. I was so tired of being pushed in one direction or the other, no, Ravenclaw wasn't for me. Hufflepuff though was so relaxed the people their smiled more and someone was was always laughing. It drained the tension out of me. I could breath there.

The prefect guided me to the dorm for my year and an empty bed at the far end of the room. Some of the other guys in the dorm came and introduced themselves. One of them, Jeremy was his name, waited until all the others had trickled back down to the common room before introducing himself. He had brown hair that looked bristly and dark eyes and he kept fidgeting as he waited to talk to me. His whole face turned redder than even I had ever seen Weasley's face and he asked all at once, "The other blokes wanted me to ask you if you were interesting in other guys or just Potter?"

It took me by surprise so I didn't answer at first and, almost impossibly, his face turned even redder.

"It wasn't my idea to ask," he blurted, "Some of the guys were nervous so we drew straws and I lost but I've always had bad luck in that sort of thing, but it wasn't like I didn't want to ask you it's just I didn't want you to think I'm homophobic cause I'm not, truth is-" he seemed to run out of air and then after a pause gasped, some of the red leaving his face as he caught his breathe.

I smiled and then before I could stop myself I started laughing, so hard I could hardly breathe. Jeremy just stood there and waited, a happy, slightly puzzled look on his face.

"Truth is," I said when I had gotten myself under control, "I've never fancied anyone in my whole life. I don't know if I fancy Potter because I don't remember anything that happened and that's all I can tell you."

He grinned, "Spiffing. I'll tell 'em all they're being a bunch a whiny pussy's then. Well, not exactly that, more political like but that general idea."

"Shove off, Jeremy!" A girl's voice ordered quickly followed by the owner who pushed him out of the way. Behind her was another girl who finished the job by propelling Jeremy out of the door way. He half twisted and waved before she shut the door on him.

"Wotcha!" the first girl said with a grin, she was short and bouncy with a blond bobbed hairstyle. The other girl was a bit taller with red hair that was wavy and shoulder length with several brightly colored plastic clippys holding back the bangs. They were both cute girls and both exuded and air of almost unbelievable enthusiasm.

The blond grabbed my hands in hers, "My name's Daisy and this is Tulip." The other girl ran up and put her hands over Daisy's. They were both grinning so infectiously that I started to smile in response.

"Of course," Daisy continued, "that's not our real names, they're nicknames and we'd love for you to use them, but anyway, ever since we heard you'd be moving in we've so been looking forward to meeting you."

Tulip said, "Let's sit."

"Yes, lets" Daisy said and the two dragged him over to his bed, still scattered with my clothes and school books, and sat down on either side of on the edge of the bed.

"We heard what happened to you and it's so sad." Tulip said.

"Harry Potter's been going around acting like nothing happened and his friend Ron Weasley has been telling everyone that what happened was caused by some illegal potion Harry was forced to drink and we think that isn't fair." Daisy said.

"Cause they don't say anything about what happened to you so it makes it sound like you took advantage or something and that's so not true." Tulip said, squeezing his hand with a sad puppy dog expression on her face.

"Our focus of study is on magical sentient races, we've studied the veela's quite a lot and know what happened was his fault more than yours. Once you were claimed by him you had about as much control of the situation as a leaf blown by the wind really."

"Yeah," Tulip said, "Cause recent studies of the whole process of claiming in veela culture has studied the chemical changes in the brain of submissive's after being claimed and it's really similar to when people are put into a highly suggestible hypnotic state."

"Which is fine for hundred percent veela's," Daisy chimed in, "cause that's how they've always been so it's normal for them but it's really unfair for a mixed blood especially for less than half, which is what you are."

I opened my mouth to answer but Tulip simply continued the line of thought that her and Daisy seemed to be telepathically sharing, "Besides, you deserve so much better. Not that Harry Potter's a bad catch, cause his isn't, savior of the world right? But, he didn't treat you right and if he's going to be a prick you ought to find someone better."

I said, "But I'm not good enough for-"

"Pish!" Daisy said dismissively, "Not good enough, bullocks, am I right, Tuly?"

"Hundred-percent."

"You are are smart-"

"-clever-"

"-super good at Potions-"

"And bloody gorgeous!" they finished in unison.

"I-I don't know about that last one but I am good at Potions." I said flushing. I was good, really good, I tended a downplay my abilities, did worse on the tests on purpose, did slight misapplications in Potion mixing one out of every fifteens potion I did. Father wanted me follow in his footsteps, to work in finance and politics at which I would probably be as good as he was, mediocre. Even though I could be a good Potions analyst, better than I could be at anything else, being a scientist wasn't a good enough career for a Malfoy. Perhaps, now, I could study Potions as much as I wanted.

"But you know, you really are lovely to look at. You're just more, girl pretty, than boy pretty, but lots of people love that. Tulip and I think it's wonderful."

"Yep. You could make just about anybody fancy you with your face so we think you ought to just fall in love again, properly this time."

I laughed, "You make it sound so easy."

"Well," Daisy said, "it can't be that hard, tons of people do it all the time."

"Anyways, we're friends now so you can talk to us anytime about anything, alright?" Tulip said.

"Friends? We're friends?" I asked softly.

"Course, dummy!" Daisy punched my arm playfully, "It's not that hard ya know. To make friends."

That night, with no light and only the sound of the soft breathing of the others in the room, the feeling of the emptiness in my chest felt amplified because there were no distractions, no life to get in the way. I rolled over on my side and closed my eyes. I put my hand on the edge of the bed and filled my empty hand with another's the ghost of hand that wasn't really there and felt like cold air but if I concentrated on it hard enough I could remember when it was real and pretend that it was real now and as soon as I do, sleep pulls me down.