They had rolled on all night, heading south, and it was time to roll some marks.

Draco Malfoy was sooo nervous. Harry had never seen someone so nervous, and Ollie Wood could make his Quidditch players believe their immortal souls depended on winning the game.

Draco couldn't sit still, he kept leaping up, hissing, sitting back down again, bouncing on one leg.

"You're making me dizzy," Harry said.

"What if I fail? What if I fall flat on my pointy face?" Draco Malfoy said, anxious. "Would they kick me out? Would you go with me, if you could?"

Harry looked, and Harry saw - that this was Draco given an Important Task by someone who wasn't his Father. Someone who didn't give him unconditional love and affection.

Draco had always done well in school - but this wasn't school.

"Fear can't hurt you unless you let it," Harry said. "Relax, and let it encompass you." Harry didn't really know what he was saying, but it sure sounded good.

Draco tried - for five seconds, and then was bouncing around the room again.

The music started up outside, and it was glorious. Draco had to put on his suit (deep maroon, with a white bowtie). "I feel so... Gryffindor," Draco whined.

"Suck it up, buttercup," Harry responded automatically. There were few smart things the Dursleys had taught him, but Life Isn't Fair was one that he'd embraced.

Draco held out his hands, "How am I going to do this?" His hands were shaking.

"You walked into Hagrid's class, didn't you?" Harry said, feeling awkward giving a Go-Get-Em speech to his former school rival (former? echoed in his mind). He'd seen enough of them on the tube, though - Vernon loved sports movies. "You flew on the pitch, high enough to break bones."

"You'd know," Draco said, a ghost of a smile flitting across your face.

"Draco Malfoy, you can do anything." Harry Potter said, grinning with glee.

Now, Harry? He was a bundle of nerves while Draco was out giving the speech, hissing to Snake.

Draco Malfoy had calmed down of course - practice something enough and you get into the groove, you simply let the words play out as if it was someone else speaking.

But Harry suddenly had nothing to do - other than watch faces, of course.

That was an old (bad) habit, and Harry could feel the indifference of the crowd, the baby wailing...

It was like magic -

Draco's speech gaining the attention of the crowd - people orienting, and then paying attention.

He wasn't loud, didn't bellow - it was ordinary projected speech - and yet he had the crowd.

Snake even liked the attention, coaxed up to sway as Draco pretended to play the recorder-flute.

Draco's smile was as big as the moon, as he took his bows.

First show of the night. Two more before bed.

[a/n: Stagefright? Just a bit. Leave a review, loyal readers!]