Somehow I had managed to not wake any of my dorm mates as I readied myself and exited the room. Even when the door slammed behind me, no one awoke to see what had caused the bump in the night. My immediate nerves were placated.

Tiptoeing down the steps to the common room, I wasn't surprised to see Hermione sitting near the fire with a potions text on her lap. Her hair was pulled back out of her face and her eyes were determined on the words before her, slippers and a blanket lay haphazardly on the floor.

"Going out Harry?" she murmured, her head still bent over her book. She didn't look up at all as I continued to head for the door. "Do you really think it wise?" I didn't respond.

I knew she was right. I shouldn't go to see him but I had to. My head was spinning and trying to reason with me but my heart wouldn't listen at all. I knew it was silly, what was there to see? He had told me the truth; he hadn't lied about his affiliation. And for that I knew I was lucky. He could have done or said so many things and I never would have seen any wiser towards the true situation. But he hadn't lied, or even tried to deceive me. It was strange, not the Malfoy I knew.

But then again the Malfoy... Draco, no, I was right the first time... The Malfoy I knew before wouldn't have been fooling around with me in abandoned classrooms. He wouldn't have held me close to him, so close that I could hear his heart beating beneath his robes. The Malfoy I knew would have lied, cheated and manipulated me to get off a few times and then left. He wouldn't have had stuttered when telling me about his joining with the enemy, he would have been the self-assured prat he always was. His eyes wouldn't have held that hurt look that seemed to cut into my heart when I walked out.

And he had looked hurt but then as I reached the door I noticed how he had set his jaw in that familiar sneer. Maybe I imagined the hurt look...

But still I had to know. I had to see the mark on his arm. I don't know why I had to do this. It would only hurt more to actually see it there then to just imagine what it looked like.

Not answering Hermione, I continued on my way out of the common room. Quickly I made my way down the hall and headed towards the Slytherin dormitory. Luckily after going there in my second year and having the Marauders Map, I knew the way perfectly. Even better though was that Filch was at the complete other side of the castle and there was no way I'd be caught. Making it down to the Slytherin portrait I looked around but there was no one around. Quickly my eyes scanned the map, making sure my trip wasn't for nothing; Draco was nowhere in the dormitory or school. Then making myself comfortable, I settled down against the wall and waited for him to return.

My legs had completely fallen asleep by the time Draco wandered down the hall. In the distance I could hear the bells chime 3:30 am. Struggling I stood and entered the common room before the portrait door swung closed. It took my eyes a moment to get used to the darkness of the room, the fire burned on it's last embers, giving a minimal glow to the room. Asleep on the couch closest to the fire lay Pansy Parkinson. Following Draco, we barely took two steps towards the dorm rooms before her head shot up fully awake. Looking through me, she glared at Draco.

"Well it's about time you made it back. I've been worried sick all night!" Stretching languidly she shifted and put her feet on the ground and then stood. "Well come on, let's see what they did to you."

Quickly I moved out of the way as Draco moved towards the couch. When he reached Pansy she gently put her hand on his cheek and smiled softly. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece." Moving closer it was easy to see that she was putting up a brave front. Her eyes were sad and tears were fighting not to fall. Silently she ushered him to sit and she began to look him over. A bowl with water appeared on the floor next to the couch and a towel next to it.

A cut above his right eye was what she attended to first. Then she moved to a burn on his shoulder and another on his side. His eyes showed no hint of pain and not once did he flinch. He could prick his finger with his quill in class and cry and whine for hours, but now he showed almost no emotion at all, just the occasional grunt of thanks to Pansy.

"I'm surprised you got away this easy. After what happened to Perchard at his initiation I was sure you'd be a bit more bloody." Still with no response from Draco, she began to unbutton his top and slide it off his shoulders, letting it pool around his waist on the couch. Across his chest were shallow cuts, no bloody enough to gained earlier notice. The burn on his side tickled forward onto his abdomen and down towards his groin. And then there on his arm, the skull and snake branded into his skin.

A tear started down Pansy's cheek. "I can't believe I let you go… Maybe if you told Potter, he could have talked some sense into you. Maybe he could have convinced you that this plan was just stupid… bloody stupid."

Plan? What plan?

"Snape is an imbecile! It's fine if he's going to put his own life on the line but to bring you into to it plane ridiculous! I'm sure that old coot Dumbledore put him up to it. That man has more then a few screws loose and must enjoy playing with people's lives. With idea's like this one, I say he's just as bad as Voldemort."

"The Dark Lord!" Draco hissed, rising quickly from the couch. He glared at her for a moment until his gaze softened. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Then he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for everything Pans." She blushed slightly and nodded once, then bent over to gather the bowl and now bloodied towels. Murmuring a goodnight she headed towards the girl's dorm. Following suit Draco headed for his own room. I followed behind.

He walked into his room and laid his shirt on his bed before turning to close the door. I stood back next to the dresser, making sure I would be out of the way if he went for a change of clothes. Staring out a window that faced the quidditch pitch he stripped off his pants, leaving him and dark blue boxers. Somehow seeing that his underwear was neither green nor silver surprised me and I had to stifle a chuckle.

We stood like that for a while. I hadn't planned what I was going to say and now that I was standing just a few feet from him my tongue seemed to get swollen in my mouth. I wouldn't have been able to say anything even if I tried. After what seemed like ages Draco made his way to his bed and sat down on the edge. Grabbing his wand he tapped his bedpost twice and muttered something I couldn't make out.

Then he looked to where I was standing and said, "Going to stand there all night Potter?"