Big Brother is Listening to You

Chapter 21 - Prison Break

A/N: Because of the huge gap in updates between chapter 19 and 20, here's a double dose in the form of another chapter! I can't guarantee when the next chapter will be, but hopefully it will be soon! Hope you enjoy, and remember, I OWN NOTHING! :)

When Harry woke up on Wednesday morning he didn't expect the task to have already started but that appeared to be the case. He gathered this from the fact that he was in a small square room with grey walls thad had a bunk bed pushed against one wall and a toilet stuck to the other. He was on the top bunk of said bunk bed, and still snoring on the bottom was Draco

Harry jumped down deftly and shook Draco awake, 'I think the task has started.'

'Huh, what?' Draco asked sleepily as he opened his eyes.

'Look around you,' Harry said in amusement.

Draco did and his eyes widened, 'What in Merlin's name is this?' he asked, sitting up so quickly he hit his head off of the top bunk.

Harry sniggered, 'Never been in a prison before, Malfoy?'

Draco scoffed, 'Like you have, Potter.'

'Oh I'd call your dump of a basement a prison,' Harry said darkly, 'cold, wet, damp, no food, hearing the screams of your best friend from the floor above.'

Draco sighed, 'Alright, sorry,' he said under his breath.

Harry didn't acknowledge his apology, he just walked around the room thoughtfully.

'How is this a task anyway?' Draco asked irritably.

As if in answer to his question the voice filled the house, 'Good morning housemates. You are each in an isolated room in teams of two. These cells are underground, beneath the garden. Your task today is to perform a prison break, if two of the four teams escape their cell within the time limit then you have passed this task and will receive double rations. The first two teams to complete the task will automatically be immune in this week's double eviction. You have 2 hours, begin.'

A gong went off, signalling the start of the task.

'Prison break,' Harry said thoughtfully, 'you should be good at this.'

'Again with the whole, I've never actually been in prison thing,' Draco remarked, 'you are the one who escaped my basement, and Gringotts.'

'And the chambers underneath the school in first year, and the chamber of secrets,' Harry added in amusement.

'Exactly, so this one is on you,' Draco remarked.

Harry commenced his task of walking around, tapping the walls, 'Well if we're underground we have to be careful. We don't want to bring this whole structure crashing down on us. We can't really go to the side, because we'll end up in someone else's cell. So we have to go up, there isn't any point going any further down.'

'Good logic, any ideas on how to do that?' Draco asked, 'I mean this is what, concrete?'

Harry nodded, 'Concrete…' he mused.

'We could make a hole in it,' Draco suggested.

'We could,' Harry agreed, 'but we don't know how far down we are, or how good this structure is, and we don't want it to cave in on us. We could use a shield charm, but then we might end up stuck down here, or we could bring the whole structure down on the others and hurt them.'

Draco smiled slightly, 'You really do think like an Auror.'

'Well, I am an Auror,' Harry said in amusement, 'and we have this thing at Auror training called the simulation room. It can become whatever the people in command want, and its sometimes pretty horrific. You forget that its all fake, because it feels so real.'

Draco frowned, 'Sounds like torture.'

Harry shrugged, 'You don't just become an Auror. It's hard work, and it takes a lot of dedication.'

'Are you sure Daphne is up for it?' Draco asked, his concern clear on his face.

'I think so,' Harry said honestly, sitting down next to Draco on the edge of the bottom bunk, 'she's got the nerves for it, and she's strong enough. I don't think she'll let them break her.'

'She might seem like this powerful ice queen, the one she wanted to be from that childhood story,' Draco said, 'but underneath it she's pretty damaged.'

'Aren't we all?' Harry asked sadly, 'You and I drank our sorrows away after the war, Hermione threw herself into campaigning to forget her pain. But as much as we pretend we're okay, we'll still always carry that pain with us. We'll always have the scars to remind us, I have my fair share of scars, and you and Hermione have your scars on your left arms.'

Draco glanced down, his sleeves were rolled up and his left arm was a mess, you could see where he had tried to cut the dark mark from his skin. You couldn't see the dark mark anymore, it was hidden by the rest of the scars.

'The point is, we're all broken Draco, we're all a little bit damaged. That doesn't limit us, not if we can find a way to use it. I have, you have, and Daphne will too when she starts Auror training,' Harry said wisely.

'As much as I wind you up about being like Dumbledore, I think you're far wiser, and a much better man,' Draco admitted with the hint of a smile as he pushed himself to his feet, 'but as much as I'm enjoying all of this sentimental stuff, we have more important things to do. Like break out of this cell.'

Harry nodded, glancing up once more at the ceiling thoughtfully.

'I'd suggest a portkey, but I doubt that would work, because of the wards,' Draco mused.

Harry's eyes widened, 'That…is…that's genius Draco!' he exclaimed, 'I mean, yes a portkey wouldn't transport us from inside the wards to outside of them, I would know, I designed the damn things. But it would work within the wards.'

'Are you any good with portkey magic?' Draco asked the Gryffindor hopefully.

'I can imbue the object with the magic desired, but I'm not so accurate with the location spelling part,' Harry admitted.

'Well it's going to be a team effort then,' Draco said in amusement as he searched for an item that they could use as a portkey.

'This will do,' Harry said, holding up the metal bed knob he had just unscrewed from the top of the bunk bed.

'Let's get to work then,' Draco said simply.

The voice had awoken the other teams, one of which was Daphne and Gabrielle. They had listened to the instructions, and once they knew what to do it was just a small case of figuring out how to do it.

'So, up it is then if we're underground,' Daphne said.

'Can't we just use a portkey?' Gabrielle asked.

'Way to point out the obvious, and good shout but I don't know,' Daphne said, lying on the floor to look at the ceiling, 'I mean we don't know how the wards were designed. Maybe we could use it within the wards, but if we can't and we try…well it wouldn't be pretty.'

'True,' Gabrielle said.

'But we're breathing right?' Daphne said, glancing at the younger girl.

'Yes…' Gabrielle said as realisation dawned on her face, 'so there must be an air vent somewhere…'

'Exactly,' Daphne said, 'and since there isnt anything obvious on the walls it's clearly hidden to put us off.'

She had gotten to her feet and was now standing in the middle of the room. She shut her eyes, held her wand in the air and said, 'revelio.'

The room glowed orange, and then it appeared. An air vent, which a small person, such as either Gabrielle or Daphne, could fit into. It was high up on the wall opposite the bunk bed, so a few levitation spells had moved the bed to the other wall as their means to climb up and get in.

'Are you claustrophobic?' Daphne asked Gabrielle as she climbed up onto the top bunk.

'No, but that is a very small hole,' Gabrielle said warily.

'It'll be fine,' Daphne said offhandedly, 'just army crawl through it and follow me.'

'Are you sure this will lead to a way out?' Gabrielle asked.

'Positive,' Daphne said, 'the oxygen has to be coming from somewhere.'

'Should I cast a four point charm so that we can trace it to its entry point?' Gabrielle asked.

'Good thinking, yeah, do that,' Daphne said with a vigorous nod.

Still looking a little nervous Gabrielle did so, and without further ado Daphne crawled into the tight air vent.

The third team was Rolf and Oliver, who got to work soon after hearing what the aim of the task was. Their preferred solution was drilling a hole big enough for them both to climb out on a ladder they would transfigure using the metal from the bed.

As it was a precise thing they had to be very careful and do it very slowly, so as not to interfere with the structure of the whole complex.

On the fourth and final team, Luna and Meghan were working on a solution. However it was more like Luna was working on the solution, while Meghan sat on the bottom bunk of the bed after declaring she had no idea how to work out this 'silly logic puzzle'. Luna had also thought of a portkey, but like Daphne she wasn't sure how well it would work because she didn't know the wards well. So she had opted for a different solution, it was one that would take a little time but she had enough time to do it in. Luna was going to transfigure parts of the bunk bed into a door on the ceiling. She would then open that door, and carve out a passage way, if it didn't go directly up, but curved like a staircase that could be walked up then it was far less likely to damage the structure of the complex.

'I think its ready.'

'You think?' Draco asked warily.

'I'm pretty sure,' Harry said.

'You're not very confident, for an Auror,' Draco said with a raised eyebrow, 'didn't they teach you this stuff in Auror training?'

'Well yes, but there were some classes that I didn't really pay attention in,' Harry admitted sheepishly.

'Please tell me making portkeys wasn't one of them,' Draco remarked.

Harry cringed, 'Can't do that.'

Draco rolled his eyes, 'Merlin Potter, if you kill me, I will be incredibly unhappy about it.'

'It's very unlikely you'll die, get mangled slightly yes, but killed, no,' Harry said matter of factly.

Draco looked at the hastily made portkey warily and put his hand on it, 'Come on, lets just get this over with.'

Harry nodded, and put his own hand on top of Draco's on the portkey. They both shut their eyes as the portkey activated and they felt the familiar uncomfortable tug that came with it. When it stopped Harry had the distinct impression that something had gone wrong because all of a sudden he was flailing about in water of some sort and it took him a minute to find his bearings. He was soaking wet, because the portkey had landed them in the pool. He spluttered and pulled himself out, and was met by a similarly dripping wet, irritated looking Draco Malfoy, who was glaring at him.

'I told you I didn't really listen in that class,' Harry said sheepishly, 'just be thankful you're not missing any…bits.'

Draco spat out some water and said, 'You really need to work on your location spelling.'

'So Hermione has told me since 6th year,' Harry said in amusement, 'should we go dry off?'

'Well I wish I could be there right now,' Sophie said as she helped Hermione clean dishes in the kitchen with the radio playing in the background. Charlie was at work, but Sophie and Hermione both had the day off.

'And why would that be?' Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy, soaking wet…' Sophie said dreamily.

Hermione rolled her eyes, 'You are terrible. I'm impressed they worked their way out of it so easily, but I suppose Harry did design the wards.'

'I guess that means he learned something from you,' Sophie said in amusement.

'Harry's always been smart, and logical,' Hermione said, 'sometimes he just a little bit…'

'Clueless?'

'Exactly,' Hermione laughed, 'but I'm glad hes doing so well in there, even he and Malfoy have gotten pretty close.'

'Yeah, a little bit too close don't ya think?' Sophie asked in amusement.

Hermione shook her head, 'Oh no, come on. I know they had a rivalry but it wasn't like that kind of rivalry.'

'Oh maybe not for Potter, but for Draco, I think it was,' Sophie said in amusement, 'Potter this, Potter that, I wish I could be like Potter, I wish Potter could notice me.'

Hermione just chuckled, 'Well whatever reasons you think are behind this, I'm pretty sure it's just the fact they are quite alike and have finally realised it,' she reasoned.

'Ah, spoilsport!'

'It's really hot in here,' Daphne said a little breathlessly, her clothes were sticking to her.

'Well it is an air vent,' Gabrielle said breathily, 'but we're nearly there. The spell indicates that we should reach an upwards shaft around this next corner.'

'Thank Merlin for that,' Daphne said as they turned the corner into a slightly more roomy section of the vent. Sure enough there was a passage up the way, and by her estimations it was about 10 feet up.

'Right, Gabby, curl up on your hands and knees here,' Daphne said, 'I'll stand on your back for a bit of extra height and pull myself up then I'll get you out.'

'Okay,' Gabrielle said, doing as Daphne said.

Daphne got a little more height by standing on Gabrielle's back, but not enough to climb out.

'Bombarda,' she said, blowing the vent cover off so that she could reach the surface. She then shot a rope out of her wand and anchored it to the ground above. She pulled it, to make sure it was secure and it held which meant it was time to go. Daphne tried to muster those nerves of hers, and thought to herself that this was great practice for Auror training as she placed her feet against the side of the vent and began to push her way to the top. It felt like it took forever, but she eventually got there and when she pulled herself out of the top she was dripping with sweat and out of breath.

'Nice look,' Harry teased from where he and Draco were sitting by the pool in only their boxers.

'I could say the same about you two,' Daphne said with a raised eyebrow.

'Well we used a portkey to get out, but Potter fell asleep during that class of Auror training so his location spell landed us in the pool,' Draco remarked.

'So our prisoner jumpsuits are drying off,' Harry added.

'Where's your teammate by the way?'

'Oh Gabby's down here,' Daphne said, glancing down the shaft, 'I just need to work out how to get her out.'

'Transfigure something into a ladder!' Gabrielle shouted up.

'Good thinking,' Daphne murmured, and the decking on the patio briefly became a ladder. Once Gabrielle had emerged, a little shakily, from the shaft, Daphne put it back in its rightful place.

'You're quite timid,' Draco commented as he hugged Gabrielle, 'for someone who works in the Department of Mysteries.'

'Well that's mostly research,' Gabrielle said simply, 'and it was really hot in those air vents.'

'Here,' Draco said softly, he cast a cooling charm on her.

'Do a drying charm while you're at it,' Daphne said, also worried about the youngest member of their group.

'We can't,' Harry said, 'the jumpsuits are imbued with magic which means they can't be dried with magic. So you're going to have to strip and let it dry off in the sun.'

Daphne raised an eyebrow at Harry, 'Not that you're looking forward to it Potter,' she said as she unzipped her jumpsuit and stepped out of it. Harry wasn't entirely sure what the big deal was, she looked the same as she did in a bikini and he had seen her in a bikini lots over the course of their time in the house. The only difference was the fact that her underwear, unlike her bikini, was satin and lace, and Slytherin green.

Gabrielle was much more timid than Daphne, so Draco fetched one of his shirts for her to wear over her underwear which she was grateful for. With all of their jumpsuits drying off they sat down on the grass in the sun, and it was only then that they got around to really talking about the task.

'So we're the first two teams to finish,' Draco pointed out, 'which means all four of us are immune from eviction.'

'So we can't be nominated?' Daphne asked.

'I'm pretty sure that's what it means,' Harry said, 'which means of Luna, Oliver, Rolf and Meghan, three will be up for eviction.'

'Well I can only say I hope Luna doesn't go,' Daphne said.

'I quite like Oliver,' Harry admitted, and before they had known it they had broken the rules.

'Housemates Harry, and Daphne. You have been discussing nominations. This is against the rules of the show and you will be punished for this action. You and Daphne are now up for eviction this week, alongside those who are nominated for eviction.'

'What?' Draco barked, 'that's ridiculous!'

'That's the way entertainment works,' Harry said with a roll of his eyes.

'You won't go,' Gabrielle said with a hopeful look, 'people outside must like you, right? We like you.'

Daphne laughed, 'Well that's sweet Gabby, but we don't know what those on the outside think.'

'I'm sure you'll be fine,' Draco assured them but the situation was still irritating. All the same, it had taught them their lesson about discussing nominations. They knew it was against the rules, they had just forgotten and slipped up.

They spent the rest of the task waiting, but as they had both finished they had already won the task which was something, even if they hadn't all managed to avoid being up for eviction that week. Oliver and Rolf emerged after a little while, and last out were Luna and Meghan although from what they heard Meghan hadn't really helped much. They shared the fact they had discussed nominations and its consequences, and hoped the others would learn not to do the same.

A little while later Gabrielle was in the bathroom brushing out her hair in the mirror when the voice spoke and she jumped.

'Gabrielle, you are the only person who can hear me. As the power housemate you have an important decision to make. You may reward 200 Galleons to one housemate, but you also must give one housemate a killer nomination. This means that they will be up for eviction every week that they remain in the house.'

Gabrielle sighed, 'Do I have to? Can't I just not give anyone money so I don't have to do that to anyone?'

'No Gabrielle. As power housemate you must make this decision, and you must make it quickly.'

Gabrielle groaned, 'Then I'll give the money to Daphne, she deserves it more than anyone else in this house and I think she could use it when she gets out of here.'

'What is your killer nomination, Gabrielle? I must rush you.'

Gabrielle said the first name that came to mind because of the fact she didn't have much time to make the decision, 'Meghan.'

It wasn't really personal, Meghan was just the one person she hadn't really identified with in the house. Of the three new people she was also the one who Gabrielle liked the least.

'Thank you Gabrielle. Leave now and tell no one of this conversation.'

Gabrielle nodded and reached out for the handle of the bathroom door which she unlocked. She hated this, she felt like she was lying to her friends, and she was in two minds. She couldn't wait for this week to be over so she didn't have to do it anymore, but she was dreading them finding out she had been going behind their backs.

Two people stood holding hands outside of a fairly ordinary looking building in Manchester. They were dressed simply in jeans and jackets, and the building itself looked ordinary. It was just a simple whitewashed building which was greying slightly. Above the door was a sign that read 'Saint Mungo's Orphanage'.

There was something that gave it away however, the lack of ordinariness around the place. It was the fact it was imbued with magic, the two people holding hands could feel the powerful wards. This was a magical orphanage, or at least it was an orphanage full of squibs who had the potential of having magical surges, and the abandoned, or unwanted, children of witches and wizards.

'Are you ready for this?' Theo asked Astoria.

She looked pale, and her hand was sweating in his. But all the same she nodded.

'Are you sure?' Theo asked softly, glancing at the woman.

'I'll be fine,' Astoria said, pulling herself to her full height and putting on a brave face, 'let's get our daughter back, Theo.'

Theo smiled proudly at her and tightened his grip on her hand as they walked through the front doors of the orphanage. They had floo-called ahead and were expected, so a young woman at the front desk smiled at them when they walked in.

'You must be Mr Nott, and Miss Greengrass,' she said politely, 'I'm Sophia. If you'll just come into the office I'll explain what will happen today.'

Astoria nodded and followed the woman into the small office, not once letting go of Theo's hand. She kept it gripped tightly in her own even when they were sitting down opposite the fully loaded desk in the cramped office space.

'Okay, so I do need to go over some things with you both today. You can see your daughter, we've explained her parents are coming to see her, and if all goes well you can take her home today after filling out the appropriate paperwork. However, she is five years old, and it may require some visitation sessions before she is ready to go home with you. I need you to be prepared for that possibility,' Sophia explained.

'We are,' Theo said, tightening his grip on Astoria's hand.

'We don't expect this to be easy,' Astoria added honestly.

'Well I'm glad your expectations are realistic,' Sophia said, 'when you see Daphne I will introduce you to her, and her to you, to make things easier. And from there we'll see where the rest of the afternoon takes us.'

Astoria nodded, wondering if there was more. But there didn't seem to be as Sophia got to her feet and smiled at them, 'Alright then, follow me and I will introduce you to your daughter.'

Astoria breathed out a little shakily as she and Theo followed Sophia into a bedroom. It was decorated in pale green, and silver, the Slytherin colours. It was fairly small, but it had a comfortable looking bed with a bedside table and a night light. There was also a little table with four chairs and at that table sat a little girl.

She didn't notice her visitors at first and Astoria and Theo took that moment to look at their daughter. For Theo it was the first time he had ever laid eyes on her, and for Astoria it was the first time she had seen her daughter since she was a baby. She was so petite, just like Astoria herself. She had long hair which reached the middle of her back, it was dark brown, like Astoria's, and when she turned to look at them she had Theo's big hazel brown eyes.

Astoria's breath caught in her throat when she looked in the little girls eyes for the first time.

Sophia smiled and stepped in, 'Daphne, I would like to introduce you to your Mum and Dad. This is Astoria, your Mum, and this is Theodore, your Dad.'

Daphne looked at them inquisitively, and Sophia finished, 'And this is Daphne Greengrass, your daughter.'

Theo couldn't stop himself, he walked over to the little table and knelt down in front of his daughter so he was at her level, 'You look an awful lot like your Mother,' he said softly.

Daphne cocked her head at him, 'But not my eyes,' she said, 'they look like yours.'

Theo nodded, struggling to hold back tears, 'Yeah, I guess they do,' he said.

'They've been looking for you for a long time Daphne,' Sophia said softly.

'We have missed you so much, Daphne,' Astoria said tearfully as she also knelt down in front of her daughter.

Daphne looked her right in the eye, and they both knew then that she was one incredibly intelligent little girl.

'I'm glad you found me.'

'So are we,' Astoria said, gently placing her hand on her daughters.

Daphne's fingers curled around Astoria's and Theo placed his hand on top, 'So are we,' he whispered.

Late on Wednesday night there was an announcement. Everyone was called to the living room area and then it came, and Gabrielle had to try her best to act surprised, because she knew exactly what was coming.

'Housemates. The power housemate has made an important decision. They have elected to reward one housemate with 200 Galleons, and punish another with a killer nomination. This nomination will mean that this person is up for eviction every week that they remain in the house.'

There was a collective gasp at this, and then the room fell silent once more.

'The power housemate chose Daphne to receive the 200 Galleons upon leaving the house.'

Daphne's mouth fell open in surprise, 'Merlin!' she exclaimed, 'thank you, to whoever it was who did this.'

Gabrielle tried her best to remain stoic, to remain calm. She knew the storm would come with the next statement.

'However. The power housemate made one killer nomination, and the housemate who received that nomination was Meghan.'

'What?' Meghan asked sharply, 'I just got here! What did I do wrong?'

'Meghan. You cannot be nominated, for each week you remain you will automatically face eviction.'

Meghan shook her head irritably and left the room the second the doors opened.

'This is getting extreme,' Draco said with a frown, 'this person is secretly putting people up for eviction and giving money away? Come on, own up, whose the traitor here?'

'It's a game show Malfoy, whoever it is, they aren't a traitor,' Oliver said rationally.

'No they're just sneaking around behind our backs and living among us,' Harry said, eyeing everyone in the room with suspicion, 'and we know it can't be Meghan or Daphne, or any of the new housemates. Which leaves just Draco, Gabrielle and Luna.'

'And you,' Draco said, standing up to face the Gryffindor, 'you could be the traitor.'

'Like I've been in the past you mean?' Harry asked hotly, 'like I've tried to kill Dumbledore? Like I've betrayed people to Voldemort? Oh wait, no that wasnt me, that was you!'

'You better watch your mouth Potter,' Draco spat.

'You better watch your back Malfoy,' Harry hissed.

'Stop it!' Gabrielle shouted, standing up and pushing them apart, 'this isn't a war! There aren't any traitors, it's a show.'

They both noticed she was close to tears and it brought them out of their paranoid state.

'Can we please put an end to this?' Gabrielle asked tearfully.

'Sorry Gabby,' Draco muttered, turning away from Harry without looking him in the eye.

'I think Harry should be the one you're apologising to,' Daphne said coolly.

'I don't need an apology from the likes of him,' Harry said abrasively.

'Good, because I don't want to apologise to the likes of you,' Draco said bitingly.

Daphne sighed, 'Come on, you two are friends now. Can't you just-'

'No,' Harry and Draco replied in unison, still refusing to look at each other.

'This sounds familiar,' Hermione said, rolling her eyes as she sat on her sofa eating Chinese takeout with Charlie.

'Does it?' Charlie asked.

'Oh yeah,' Hermione replied, 'Harry and Ron were always like that at school. They'd have a fall out and that would be it, sometimes it was days, sometimes it was weeks. One time it was months before they spoke to each other again.'

'They sound like women, no offence,' Charlie said.

Hermione laughed, 'None taken, its accurate. Although I suppose it does mean that Harry and Draco are really friends.'

'Or at least were,' Charlie joked.

'The power thing is making them paranoid, it's just because of the war,' Hermione sighed, 'I'm started to get pissed off with how much this show is getting under peoples skin and into their heads. If Harry has a relapse in there because of it, I swear, there will be hell to pay down there between Ginny and I.'

'I don't doubt it,' Charlie said, he shivered just thinking about the fearful combination that was his sister and Hermione Granger when they were both pissed off and trying to protect Harry Potter.

Harry and Draco refused to speak to each for the rest of the night, and for the entire next day. They ignored Daphne and Gabrielle's advice and remained the stubborn idiots that they were which caused tension in the house, between both partnerships as well as between Harry and Draco.

They still weren't talking on Friday morning when they heard an announcement about nominations. Meghan couldn't be nominated because she had received the killer nomination. Harry and Daphne couldn't be nominated because they had broken the rules and thus had to face eviction. Draco and Gabrielle couldn't be nominated because they had received immunity by completing the task on Wednesday. That left only Luna, Rolf and Oliver free to be nominated and since each housemate had to nominate three people for the double eviction it was clear they would all end up nominated. Therefore, the announcement, in a long-winded, cryptic way told them that every single housemate would face eviction that weekend, and that there would be no nominations.

That was a fairly shocking surprise, but what was worse was the last part of the announcement.

'As next week is the final week of the show you may have guessed it. If you have not, there will be a triple eviction this weekend, not a double eviction. The housemate who receives the most votes will be evicted tonight at 9pm. Another two housemates will be evicted tomorrow evening.'

They were silent after that news, and Daphne said, somewhat bitterly as she pushed herself to her feet, 'you two better make up. If three people are going this weekend it might well be one or both of you after they way you've been acting over the last few days.'

Harry and Draco glanced at each other, but they were both stubborn. They were so stubborn that neither of them wanted to apologise first, neither of them wanted to acknowledge one of them was to blame for Wednesday evenings argument. They did however, both know, that Daphne was right.

It was for that reason that Draco swallowed his pride first and said, 'Sorry Potter, I mean Harry. You were right, the scars are still there and I still get agitated when people prod them.'

'Me too,' Harry admitted, 'sorry Malfoy, uh, Draco.'

Draco held out his hand and Harry shook his head, partially in amusement, but mostly in disbelief, 'is that the only move you've got?'

'Well sorry to disappoint but I'm not going to hug you, so it's a handshake or nothing,' Draco replied sarcastically.

Harry didn't want to laugh, he still thought Draco deserved the cold shoulder but he couldn't help himself. He chuckled and held out his hand, shaking Draco's hastily and letting it fall to applause from Daphne and Gabrielle who had been lurking in the doorway.

Friday dragged on, like Saturday normally did because it was an eviction day. 9pm had them all sitting on the sofa dressed to the nines and nervously awaiting the voice of Stephanie Cruise.

'Hello housemates. We are live on WWN, it's 9.05pm and we are about to find out which housemate has been evicted. With all housemates up for an eviction this is an open playing field. However, the housemate who received the most votes and who will be evicted from the house tonight is….'

The pause dragged on, and on, and Harry was surprised when Daphne slipped her hand into his. But he squeezed it in response and the small smile she shot him told him she appreciated it.

'Meghan!'

Meghan seemed pretty resigned to that, after her killer nomination vote so without any goodbyes she got up and left the house and everybody else breathed a sigh of relief.

'We live another day,' Gabrielle said.

'Literally,' Draco said, much more of a pessimist, 'two more people will be leaving tomorrow.'

'Yeah, you don't have to remind us Draco,' Daphne said with a sigh as she got to her feet, 'I'm going in the jacuzzi, you coming Harry?'

Harry nodded, and that was how the four of them ended up spending what had the potential to be their last night in the house as a quartet, sitting in a jacuzzi sharing jokes and funny anecdotes.

TBC :)

A/N: So only a few more house chapters left, and then its post-house stuff. Hope you enjoyed reading this one guys! :)