It was almost curfew. Professor McGonagll was grading that day's assignment. She was reading an exceptionally long and detailed parchment when she was interrupted by the door.
Knock, knock.
"Come in." Said Professor McGonagll. 'Ah! Speak of the Devile!' She thought, then said out loud "Miss. Granger? How can I help you?"
Her star student's eyes fell on the parchment in her hands and, instantly recognizing it, she asked "Did I do that one well?"
McGonagll smiled, and with red ink, she wrote a big 'O' on the top of the assignment. "An Outstanding like always, Miss Granger. But I don't think your worry for your mark is what brought you here thirty minutes before curfew, is it?"
Hermione smiled. "No, Professor, it isn't."
McGonagll smiled in return, then gestured to one on the chairs in front of her. "Then have a seat, Miss Granger. I get the feeling I'm going to write an exuse for Mr. Flich for you being out of bed way after curfew."
Hermione's smile widened as she complied.
In another part of the castle, Mr. Flich was talking to another student in his office.
"A prank, you say?" Asked Flich.
"Yes, Mr. Filch." Answered Neville. "Some Slytherins'll tell you that students would be out of bed in The Trophy Room, while, in reality, no one is. It'll be a false alarm." seeing his slightly untrusting face, Neville decided to change tactics. "They just want to see You and Mrs. Noris struggling to find none-existent students."
Neville knew then that he had him. Filch likes that cat of his way to much. 'It's almost like he's married to it.' He thought.
Outside the castle, a suspiciously similar conversation was taking place in a fimiliar hut.
"They wan' ter frame ya!?" Hagrid asked. Well more like yelled. "No one messes with ya while ah'm breathin'!"
Hagrid advanced on the door, with every intention to hurt a certain blond, when he found Harry blocking his way.
"Thanks, Hagrid, I appreciate you're effort, but I've got a plan. Come with me." Harry took his first friend's hand and took off towards the castle.
_
Their plan worked! It actually worked! Everything went as they expected! Well, most of it anyway.
They didn't tip off Filch as they expected, but McGonagll caught Malfoy and Crabbe trying to sneak into the Trophy Room, and Hagrid was able to somehow convince Dumbledore who was at fault here ("It was just a harmless prank, Hagrid."), which resulted in a detention for Malfoy with Snape. But Harry had a feeling that Malfoy won't be serving any punishment.
What Harry didn't expect, though, was seeing Hedwig waiting for him with a letter first thing in a Christmas morning.
'I wonder who could that be.' He thought, releasing Hedwig from her burden.
'Meet me by the Black Lake tonight at 12:00.
And don't. Tell. Anyone.'
'Okaay...?' Thought Harry. 'Wasn't expecting that.'
But Harry decided to go one with his day, and deal with this mysterious person when the time came.
And it came faster than he expected.
Before he knew it, it was already Midnight.
Harry was making his way down the stairs under his father's Invisibility Cloak, with his wand in hand. You can't be too careful.
Harry made his way out of the castle through the yard, and to Black Lake.
He checked his surroundings and, after making sure he was alone, took of the cloak.
"I knew you'd come here invisible." Said a voice.
Harry turned around so fast he heard his neck crack. But he couldn't care less at the moment. Because standing there in front of him was the boy he hated the most besides Dudly.
Malfoy.
So Harry did the first thing that came to mind. With a little "Wingardium Leviosa!" , Malfoy was up in the air.
Malfoy blinked. Then sighed. "I guess I sort of deserve that."
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"I just want to help you."
"Yeah, right. You were just trying to get us expelled!"
"Will you please just listen to me!"
"Why should I?!"
"Because I'm in no place to do anything!" Malfoy shouted, gesturing to himself where he was still in the air. Then to his wand that fell on the ground during their quarrel.
Harry eyed him closely, trying to detect any lies. But finding none, he nodded to Malfoy. "But I'm not letting you down."
Malfoy shrugged. "Fine by me."
"Now tell me how we're you planning on helping me by getting me expelled." Asked Harry.
"I wasn't trying to get you expelled. I just wanted to talk to you alone." Answered Malfoy. "And that was hard to do with everyone staring at you because you're Harry Potter."
"How do I know that you're not making that up?"
"If I was making that up, I wouldn't have left you that note yesterday!"
Harry was confused. What note? Then it downed on him.
Yesterday morning he found a note besides his glasses on the night stand when he woke up.
It said: 'Snape is going to ask questions about the ingredients of The Draught Of Living Death today.'At first, Harry thought it was a prank. They haven't got to that part in class yet. Then he thought that it was Snape they were talking about, so he told the others.
Neville dived for the books as soon as he heard the news from Harry, trying to memorize as much facts as possible. Hermione, however, didn't believe him. Saying that there was no way Snape was going to ask about something he hadn't taught yet.
So she was surprised when Snape did ask about it in his lesson that day. She was glad she reviewed that part with the others.
Harry snapped back to the present. "That was you?!" He asked, barely believing it.
Malfoy nodded, still in the air. "Snape told us in the Slytherin Common Room. Apparently he was trying to catch the Griffindors of guard. Now will you please let me down before you empty your magical core?"
Harry let him down. He was feeling a little tired. But he still kept his wand pointed at Malfoy just in case.
Malfoy picked up his fallen wand, pocketed it, and lifted his hand in the air to show Harry that he's harmless.
"I don't agree with my father's ideas about Purebloods." He began. "But I can't openly oppose it. He's got student spies all over Hogwarts to make sure I'm 'on the right track'. That's why I was so mean to you. I just want to help you."
Harry lowered his wand, but still got a firm grip on it. "What do you mean?"
Malfoy, seeing the wand go down, lowered his hands. "I'm gifted with the ability to sense magic, but I haven't told anyone about it. Not even my parents, so I don't have that much practice. But I can tell that there is dark magic roaming Hogwarts. And, for some reason, it's after you. That's why I want to help you."
Harry sighed and, against his better judgment, pocketed his wand. "I believe you." He crossed his arms. "But that doesn't mean I trust you. You're going to have to work at it if you want to earn my trust."
Malfoy shrugged again. "I can live with that."
Harry smiled. "Then let's start again." He extended his hand. "Hello. My name is Harry Potter."
Malfoy smiled back, taking his hand. "And I'm Draco Malfoy."