"Oh my god, I am so sorry to have waited two years before updating this story! I know, I know I have no good excuse but I have started my Master's program which I will be finishing up on this February 2014 and I have a full time job as a Chief Operating Officer for a consulting firm that I am working on getting a promotion to become the Chief Executive Officer for the firm. I will continue as much as I can, I am going on vacation next week so I can devote as much as I can to finishing up this story and update it weekly."

Anyways onwards to the fic!

Disclaimer: Don't own, please don't sue

Chapter 14: Friendship

Draco sighs as he looks up from his parchments to look out the window towards the Quidditch field so he could watch the Slytherin team as they practiced. He quietly chuckled as he recalled the memory of Blaise ambushing the last minute 2 hour long practice onto the team before the weekend,

Flashback:

"We need to beat the Gryffindorks!" Blaise yelled as he walked among the Slytherin team "We need to practice, practice, practice until you puke blood." The team paled significantly at the thought and the picture of his resolve as he glared down all of them. They turned to look to Draco as the team captain, "Don't look at Malfoy!" Blaise yelled, "We are in complete agreement and he said that you are mine until I say we have perfected our moves." Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked at the team as they looked defeated at Blaise's statement.

"Now Draco won't be joining us since HE says that he needs to practice in private for the match against the Gryffindors," Blaise glared pointedly at Draco "So since he won't be joining us, we need to do everything we can to win, especially since he has yet to win against them or should I say Potter."

Draco flinched at the barb that was aimed specifically at him, he glanced down and stared at the floor as Blaise finished crushing the Slytherin team of any hope of a social life for the weekend. They filed out quickly when Blaise dismissed them in hopes to get a social life before the next day began, soon it was just Blaise and Draco by themselves in the room. Blaise crossed the room to put his stuff together into the bag, not bothering to look at Draco while doing so.

Draco rolled his eyes and asked "Don't you think that was kind of a low blow?"

"How is it a low blow when it's true?" Blaise snapped back, as he snapped the bag closed before hoisting it up over his shoulder.

"While it may be true, did you have to announce my tendency to lose to Potter to the whole team?" Draco answered "We win the game when the snitch is caught, not by making the team practice so much by puking blood."

"Well then I certainly hope your private practice will win us the damn game!" Blaise retorted, finally looking up to look at Draco.

Draco paused at the anger in his eyes, he sucked in his breath and said "Why don't you just say whatever it is that's on your mind that's got you so upset?"

Blaise froze at that statement and answered "Well since you already know me so well, then why don't you go ahead and answer that question you just asked me?"

Draco sighed "Because I won't answer your question about why I kissed you that day."

"Damn right" Blaise growled, "Feel like answering it yet?"

Draco glanced up at him before glancing down again to stare at the floor. The silence becoming deafening as Draco once again refused to answer the question.

Blaise scoffed before stating softly "Coward." Before turning and walking away from Draco

Draco's head snapped up furiously at Blaise's statement "I'll answer your question when you answer mine." He replied angrily at Blaise's back "Why the hell did you fuck Astoria?"

Blay stopped at Draco's outburst, before turning his head and answering "I don't have to answer that and I don't have to explain myself to you."

Draco growled "You'll have to if you expect me to answer your question and considering that me and her were once engaged and you know how much I despise her I think I'm entitled to knowing why you were fucking her."

Blaise growled back "Then I guess neither one of us are going to get what we want." He turned back and walked out of the room.

*End Flashback*

Draco sighed as he rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking back down toward his parchments. Truth be told he didn't need to work on them anymore as he had already finished a week's worth of homework in two days. Funny when your best friend wasn't talking to you, you seem to have all the time in the world to finish homework. He thought back a week ago after his parents left as did Blaise's parents and he took off running when Blaise asked him that question about why Draco kissed him. When Blaise cornered him again demanding answers he tried to dodge him again like the coward he was whenever it came to matters that involved feelings.

Flashback

"Okay Dray, there's nowhere to run now," Blaise smirked as he cornered Draco in his room, "Now why don't you answer my question that you seem so content on not answering? Why did you kiss me?"

At that time Draco had been a girl since he had gotten his heart rate up running away from Blaise, which had proven futile since Blaise knew that eventually she would have to go back to her room to sleep. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath; she opened them and answered "I don't want to tell you."

Blaise paused at the statement, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion, "Why not? Don't you think I should know? You were the one after all who kissed me."

Draco nodded, "I know and it was a mistake at the time and…"

"So what was your initial reasoning for kissing me?" Blaise interrupted his eyes narrowing, Draco stopped at the expression on Blaise's face 'Uh-oh,' she thought 'I'm wading into dangerous territory when he gets that look on his face.'

She swallowed before answering "Again I don't want to tell you, it was a mistake for me to have done it and just leave it at that. And since you're so keen on me answering then answer me this first why the hell did you fuck Astoria knowing exactly how I felt about her?"

Blaise scowled deeply at her, before crossing the room toward her aggressively, at this act she backed away from him out of instinct before feeling the wall behind her back as Blaise advanced upon her. She flinched closing her eyes as Blaise slammed his hands on either sides of her head, she felt her chin being grasped and pulled up sharply and opened her eyes in surprise at Blaise's actions because despite everything Blaise has done in the past he never place a hand on her that was hostile either as a guy or girl. Blaise glared at her before harshly saying "Fuck you Malfoy, you think that you can just kiss me and expect me to take your pathetic excuse that it was a mistake and trying to spin it back on me with your own question? Well think again" Blaise hissed out the last sentence before releasing her and backing away from her "Don't talk to me until you decide to tell me the real reason, and I will know whether you're lying or not." He stated before walking out and slamming Draco's door behind him.

Draco let out the breath she was holding before sinking down and drawing her legs up to hug her knees to her chest. She shook her head and cursed her situation that she had been turned a girl as it seemed to only cause her to have more and more fights with her best friend than they ever had in the 12 years they've known each other.

*End Flashback*

Draco was snapped out of his thoughts when his eagle came in with his large wingspan causing his parchments to start flying everywhere. "Really?!" he asked at his eagle as he stooped down to gather up the parchments. The proud eagle seemed to give him a look that told him that Draco should be happy to be graced with his presence and the message he was sporting on his foot.

Draco shook his head and smiled as he took the message from the eagle's outstretched foot, "Well they do say that the animals take after the owners." He mused as he gave the eagle treats. He turned away and unfurled the parchment to read the contents. His face broke out in a wide smile as he reread the contents:

Dear Master Malfoy,

The item you have requested has now arrived, please come by to the shop to pick up said item at your convenience.

Sincerely,

The shopkeeper

Draco folded the parchment and dropped it on his desk as he gathered his cloak and headed out of the Slytherin area. He obtained a pass from Professor Snape and was on his way toward the common road to take to Hogsmeade.

He strode quickly through the crowds of Hogsmeade and made his way toward the decrepit building passing by The Flame, his face momentarily flushing as his mind brought up memories of his activities with Potter. He shook his head and reminded himself that everything that happened that night was to clear Blaise's name and will never happen again nor will it ever be mentioned again. His stride slowed a little as he allowed himself to think about the aftereffects with Potter.

*Flashback*

"Malfoy!" Potter called out to Draco as he ran up to him, Draco jerked his head around and asked "What do you want Potter?"

He paused momentarily at his tone before continuing "I just wanted to say that I had a fun hanging out with you and thought that maybe we could…"

"Could what?" Draco interrupted "Do it again? You must be delusional Potter, in case you forgot, the reason why we were together was because you insisted to come when I was working to get my friend Blaise's name cleared. That is the only reason why we "hanged" out in the first place."

Potter was frowning now at the end of Draco's statement "You're such a prat," he spat out "I thought that since I helped you that we could…"

Again Draco interrupted him "Could what? Be friends? Not going to happen."

Potter gaped at him "I helped you…"

"After I begged you and offered to do something for you that didn't require the use of the Wizard's debt. What else you got?"

"Er, we danced together."

"Acting Potter, need I remind you that we had to dance together to get that ponce Thor out of hiding?"

"We- we slept together…"

"You were under the effects of a powerful lust potion, and I had to do it to get rid of it or else as you so put it would have gone insane and that you don't blame me." Draco finished off as he crossed his arms in front of him before continuing "While I do appreciate you helping me after I begged you, don't act like you did it out of the goodness of your heart especially since you got something out of it as well."

Potter glared at him furiously before opening his mouth again before Draco cut him off yet again "You know as well as I do that really nothing has changed between us and you know it, you don't even like me right now, now that you are no longer under the potion and that your feelings really haven't changed?"

Potter sulked before answering "Well, no they haven't, but I thought that after what we went through that we could start to become friends."

Draco shook his head before answering "Well you thought wrong, again I am grateful for your help with my friend Blaise, but let's face it you and I as friends won't happen." He finished the statement while turning around and walking away from Potter.

"DAMMIT Malfoy! Why do you HATE me so much?!" Potter yelled at his retreating form.

"Need I remind you Potter? Personal reasons," Draco answered without a change in his stride as he walked away from the Golden Boy.

*End Flashback*

Because of his little statement to Potter, it seemed the Dork who lived was dead set on making Draco's life miserable by invoking the wizard's debt more and more for little things as if to make sure it will take a long time for the debt to be paid off.

Draco shook his head to rid himself of the memories and continued on resolutely to the front of the building and walking in. Inside he strode to the front of the counter and again started to bang on the bell to announce his presence.

"I know you here! Quit it with damn bell!" the old man shuffled out carrying a medium sized parcel fixing Draco with a glare, to which Draco smirked at him before raising his hand away from the bell.

"Here it be," the old man started setting the parcel on the counter in front of Draco, "It exactly what you want."

Draco opened it to inspect the contents before nodding and replying "It looks to be in order, thank you for getting it to me quickly."

The old man inclined his head toward Draco "You be good customer, you come back and bring in more customers."

Draco smirked "If I do that, you won't respect me in the morning." The old man smiled at his remark "You know saying you don't forget the first."

Draco smiled at that "No…you don't." he replied before lifting the parcel and tucking it under his right arm "Pleasure doing business with you." He turned and started for the door pausing when the old man called out

"Whoever it be that receives that, I hope they know they have good friend," the old man stated making Draco turn around to face him, he pressed his lips together before answering "I wonder about that sometimes." He murmured before inclining his head towards the old man and stepping outside.

During his walk back toward Hogwarts he ran the old man's statement through his head over and over again. 'Am I a good friend?' he pondered as he walked with his head down, oblivious to everything until he just about crashed into someone. "Oof, excuse me" he muttered looking up to the person he walked into, he blinked in surprise "Potter? What are you doing here?"

Potter glared back at him setting his jaw tight " I can say the same to you Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes "Just picking up a parcel" he answered before sidestepping Potter and continuing on his way, to his dismay he heard Potter's step fall right behind him as he started to follow him.

"What is it? It's that parcel you ordered last week isn't it?" Potter asked behind his back unable to mask his curiosity

"Since you answered your own question there's no need for me to give a redundant answer." Draco replied as the drew nearer to Hogwart's

Potter sucked in his breath before stating to Draco "Let me see it." He stated authoritatively, Draco winced as the debt forced him to turn around and hand Potter the parcel, he glared furiously as Potter smirked and took the proffered parcel and opened it.

"Free hand quill writing?" he murmured as he looked at the writing before looking up at Draco with a raised eyebrow, Draco remained stubbornly silent so Potter rolled his eyes before stating "What is this for and for who?"

Draco gritted his teeth before he was forced to answer haltingly "It's…for Blaise…and it's…to help him…w-with his assign-assignments." Potter raised his eyebrows "You mean that since he's good with reciting everything verbally, this quill will write down everything verbatim?"

Draco nodded glumly before frowning "Wait, how did you know he's good with reciting everything verbatim?"

Potter's eyes widened slightly before answering "Well isn't it obvious? He has the verbal spells down perfectly, even better than Hermione, he just really sucks at putting it on paper."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Potter "Well now that you have forced me to answer, will you kindly give it back to me and sod off?" he held his hand out expectantly at Potter, who handed it back to him wordlessly.

Draco took it and started his trek back to Hogwart's, hearing once again Potter's footsteps behind him but being silent along the way.

As they got to a clearing they could see the Quidditch field as the Slytherin team was still practicing, it seemed Blaise was making good on his promise that they would practice until they puked blood. Draco smirked softly as he scanned the air with their practice techniques searching for Blaise until he found him at the top of the air shouting orders at the team. During the time it took him to find Blaise he didn't notice Potter stepping up beside him and watching him in lieu of watching the Slytherin team. Feeling Potter's gaze on him he glanced towards him and saw that Potter was looking at him with an expression that looked like realization.

"What?" Draco snapped at Potter in annoyance.

Potter shook his head and said "Sorry, er it's just that I didn't realize that…er…" his voice trailed off

"Realize what?" Draco prompted

Potter swallowed a couple of times before answering "I didn't realize that you don't do all those things for Blaise just because he's your best friend…" he paused and as he paused Draco could feel his blood freezing and leave his face as he realized what Potter was about to say "It's because you're also in love with him."

Dangerousgirl: …..I know I'm cruel BUT I already have the next chapter thought out, I just need to get it on the computer and you my lovely readers are in luck because I am on vacation tomorrow and Tuesday so I will work on the next chapter ASAP, so please if you would be so kind let me know what you think so far ^_^