Draco Malfoy and his Unknown Fate:

Author's Notes: Wow, this is really long isn't it? I did warn you though!

Warnings for this chapter: Mentions of cross dressing for humor. That's all, I think.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm merely borrowing them for the time being. This will be slash (eventually). Don't like it? Don't read it. Otherwise, enjoy.

A few weeks passed with astonishing tranquility, bar the seventh year Ravenclaw experiment gone awry that made everyone mute for two days. The Slytherins took to teaching the other houses obscure spells to compensate for their lack of vocal ability - for a price of course. A.S.H. managed to rake in ten galleons, splitting it among each other so they each received two as well as a myriad of favors they could call in later when the need arose. Some were offended at the way Draco and his friends had capitalized on the situation. Snape had been proud of them and had awarded Slytherin fifteen points for each of them for their initiative once he had the voice to do so. And Draco, for some reason, got the impression that Potter had been amused at his antics, though McGongall had been decidedly not.

It was refreshing, and while the lack of Life Threatening Events was unusual it was entirely welcome. In honor of this rare and delightful state of affairs, Crabbe and Goyle chivied the younger boys and a few of the stupid older ones into a panty raid on several of the girls' dormitories not including the Slytherin one, mostly because the Slytherin girls were willing to hex them into oblivion for stealing their expensive, imported silk under things. Draco made a show of helping them plan it to aid their cover as moronic imbeciles incapable of polysyllabic speech, but in reality didn't bother with it in the least. If it had been raiding the Gryffindor sixth year boys' dormitories that might have been a different matter, but Draco had no interest in frilly lingerie, no matter how often Greg offered to let him try their loot on if he joined in on the festivities. And that had certainly helped his reputation among the other Slytherin boys.

NOT.

Of course, his fellow Slytherins were aware of the fact Draco would maim them if they even breathed the tiniest suggestion of it to any of the other houses. They knew it was merely a fairly friendly jab at him, but there were lines that couldn't be crossed. Draco had taken to avoiding the Slytherin common room where they felt it was perfectly fine to tease him about the whole matter. Pansy certainly had fun with it, at the expense of his dignity of course.

It eventually blew over, as most things did, and the weather softened into warm, sunny days with a nice breeze. There were a few rainy afternoons and gray, gloomy skies, but on the whole it was fairly nice weather. Which was why Draco wasn't surprised when Madam Hooch suggested a supervised outing Saturday to a distant shore of the Lake where wards had been set up to allow for swimming. They would have to get there by boat, but it seemed worth the trip. Pansy was beyond excited and had signed herself and Draco up when the list came around for it, despite his vehement protests. Draco always ended up sun burned, turning an unattractive and painful shade of red before peeling. He detested outings involving the sun for just that reason, and in an effort to get Draco to go along Pansy had procured a potion from Snape to help protect his sensitive, easily burnt skin.

Though Pansy had other, less selfless, reasons for talking to Snape. Since the Valentine Ball she had started a sort of two person book club with the professor and they tended to discuss their latest reading material with each other over tea every other Wednesday afternoon. The Potions Master still had no idea that Pansy had a romantic interest in him, and he wouldn't until she wanted him to. He was completely unaware that she was reeling him in with intelligent conversation and genuine if coy admiration of his abilities. Pansy was sly, subtle, and very patient. Snape probably wouldn't even realize that she wanted him until after she'd manage to bed him and Draco didn't think he'd ever realize that she'd been planning her seduction since her second year.

As her plans seemed to be unfolding perfectly right on schedule, she was unusually chipper this term and had no compunction about inflicting her sunny disposition on anyone else or spreading the cheer. Which was how Draco found himself rowing a boat with Blaise at the other oar across the Lake. Pansy and Tracy exchanged gossip and fixed their hair while the two boys sweated and grunted with exertion.

"You're such a lazy bint. This was all your idea, but do you help at all? No, of course not. Mustn't mar the manicure. As if my lovely hands were any less important." Draco said, pulling on the oar with powerful strokes as they made their way among the flock of boats heading towards the distant shore Hooch had picked out. The boats used for the first years were under repair and since Filch was taking his sweet time about it they'd been forced to use the un-charmed ones, which meant actual physical labor. "My poor hands. I'll have blisters." He felt vaguely horrified. "I'm rowing a boat, like some plebian fisherman. This is awful and it's all your fault Pansy. Ouch." He said pathetically when the oar rubbed his palm raw again.

"Oh, stop whining. One would think you were the pansy, not me from the way you're going on."

"Heartless bitch." Draco grunted out, narrowly avoiding an oar to the head from Neville Longbottom who squeaked upon seeing who he'd almost concussed. Draco glared venomously and, thank Merlin, someone else began to row the dinghy in Longbottom's place.

Pansy laughed at the incident and inspected her nails. "Mummy's boy."

"Oh shove it, Parkinson. And we're almost there! Finally." They rowed up to the shoreline and Blaise hopped out, laughing as he splashed Pansy who squawked with outrage at having her hair dampened. Tracy only giggled.

Blaise started pulling the boat to shore. He had a bit of trouble, considering the fact three people were parked in it. "Are you going to help, Draco, or sit there like a lump?"

"Oh fine." Draco sighed, climbing out and tugging the wooden craft onto the sand. Pansy and Tracy hopped out and grabbed their rucksacks, leaving the boys to wrestle the boat upside down and pull it farther up onto the sand. "Oh how brilliant. My shoes, socks, and trousers are all wet."

"Oh Salazar's skivvies, Draco. Just take them off. We're here to swim after all. You have to remove your clothes anyway." Draco rolled his eyes, but undressed, tossing his shirt and damp trousers and footwear on top of the conveniently turned over boat to dry. His swimsuit was black and rather skimpy, a speedo that left little to the imagination. It looked dramatic against his pale skin and light features and since it was such a small dose of black it didn't wash him out at all. "Come on, the girl's are over by the dock with the others." Blaise's swim trunks were Slytherin green, matching his girlfriend's silver bikini. Pansy's bikini was bright pink and orange in a floral print that was neon and blinding, but oddly enough it seemed to suit her.

The two Slytherin boys made their way towards the dock where Hooch was waiting for everyone to gather together. "Alright. The water's fine for swimming until you reach that blue barrier. That's where the wards end and if I see anyone swim past that I'm taking everyone back to the castle, no exceptions. I won't tolerate stupid, dangerous stunts. Understand?" There was a chorus of agreement from the crowd of students. "Don't wander too far from shore and if there's any emergencies I want you to cast the alarm spell you were taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts. If something happens and its needed, there's a port key to the infirmary over there - it's the big rock that looks a bit like a frog. Now, if any fights break out, the participants will be forced to row around the lake until the outing's over. I'll be watching from over there, so don't do anything too moronic." She pointed to the shore where a towel was laid out along with several large containers that held what Draco assumed to be their lunch. "Now go have fun and be careful!"

The majority of the crowd rushed into the water, hollering and hooting while a few girls laid out their towels and bags carefully. Draco helped Pansy and Tracy set up their area and tolerated being smeared all over with something from a jar that smelled like coconuts and salamander oil to protect his skin. "Thanks, Pans." He said, getting in a quick, oily hug that made Pansy squeal before running down the pier and diving into the water gracefully. When he came back up he grinned at Blaise's catcalls, swiftly swimming over towards the other Slytherin with a few steady strokes. "The water's nice, if a bit chilly."

"Yes, it is. Come on, let's go swim around and frighten the Hufflepuffs. They'll think we're Grindylows or mermen if we grab their legs." Snickering, Draco agreed and submerged himself before heading towards an unsuspecting Hannah Abbot. She screamed like a banshee when she felt him brush against her legs.

And to the Slytherins' delight, so did Justin Finch-Fletchy.

To be Continued

Comments and constructive criticism are more than welcome.