Disclaimer: Surprisingly enough I do not own Harry Potter, I own none of the Characters except those who do not feature in the books (duh). Mostly, that's just the new girl . . .

Warning: This will be slash in, here's a hint, if you don't like it . . . don't read it!

Rating: PG-13

Title: Speculation

Author: Dodo

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Chapter 10

In a small classroom on the third floor, Harry Potter sat between his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. He was not paying a lot of attention to short wizard at the front of the classroom, preferring instead to dwell on the other, less academic issues that were currently clogging up his mind.

For the third night in a row, he had not slept well at all. It had not, however, been his usual array of nightmares that left him unrested. In fact, the dreams themselves had been quite pleasant. It was when he woke up that was the problem. He was always left feeling empty and unfulfilled. Like there was something he had to do. The trouble was, although he had a fair idea what it was he needed, he had absolutely no idea what do about it.

Harry was abruptly pulled from his thoughts by a large explosion behind him and yelped in pain as a sharp object hit him on the back of his head. Turning abruptly round to see what had just hit him he almost managed to fall off his chair.

After he had straightened himself up, he raised his eyes to find the apologetic face of a young sandy hair boy staring intently at him.

"Er . . . sorry 'bout that, I, er, well . . ."

Harry just laughed. He was used to Neville's accidents by now.

"S'ok mate, don't worry 'bout it." He grinned at his fellow housemate and he could see other boy visibly relax.

". . . And for your homework you will complete a foot long essay on the relevance of the spell to the charm and what effect the motion of the wand has on the charm. Please also take your Agate stones with you to practice the colour changing charm. Remember, swish and flick. You may go."

As soon as professor Flitwick let them out of class, Harry ran out of the door and down the corridor pausing only briefly at the top of the stairs as he flew down them, an edge of panic in his step.

He was headed towards the owlrey to find Hedwig. He had told her not to come and find him, but to wait for him there. The letter he was expecting was secret and he didn't want to risk anyone catching a glimpse of it.

Even the cool spring breeze that ran across his face as he raced to find his owl did not cool down his flushed face. This letter was important, life or death, he wasn't even sure whether or not he was ready to hear the news but he had to know, he just had to.

In his apprehensive state of mind he did not notice the tall blond boy in front of him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going Potty!" An all too familiar voice cried out as the young Gryffindor ran head long into his school yard enemy Draco Malfoy.

Oh great, he found himself thinking, just what I need.

As his turned round to face the Slytherin he couldn't help thinking back to their last meeting. He had thought it was quite a bit since the previous day. He had found it quite amusing at the time, prideful Draco Malfoy, willingly helping a Hufflepuff. His first guess was that he fancied her but, there was just something in his eyes that showed him to be too naïve and innocent for that to have been his motive.

Pausing for a moment he realised he had just called Malfoy naïve and innocent, that really didn't fit with the bully he knew, not even remotely but then, how well did he know the Slytherin prince? Not very well at all he'd be willing to wager.

He lifted his chin so that his emerald eyes met the cold, icy blue stare weighing down on him.

"Malfoy" he said, his tone even, talking to the blond was something that unnerved him more than anything, but he would never let anyone know that.

"Potter", he replied, "I say again, watch where your going."

Well that was naff! He thought to himself, oh so original! He couldn't even believe what had just come out of his own mouth. Potter seemed have noticed too, damn!

"Er. . . are you ok Malfoy? You don't seem. . . "

But he was cut off mid sentence by an angry voice.

"I don't seem what Potter? I don't seem what? I'll tell you what I don't seem shall I, I don't seem to think it's any of your damn business what I seem so why don't you just crawl back into the hole you came from and bloody well leave me alone!"

Really not a good day for insults he mused. He was going ok till the end but after that he just seemed to sound a bit desperate and that was most defiantly not how he wanted to seem in front of boy wonder here.

This time however, the other boy didn't seem to notice and was looking a little shocked at his consideration being rejected ~quite~ that violently!

"Well?" The exasperated Slytherin cried, "Bugger off!" He was not in the mood for a confrontation right now. What he needed was to be left alone.

His dreams had been plaguing his for the past few weeks but over the last three days they had been worse than ever. Well, worse from some perspectives that was. He let out a slight, inaudible moan as the tingling sensation reappeared between his legs although he found it rather shameful how much effect a series of dreams could have on him. It made him wonder how he would handle it if he eventually did find his lover, what would he do then?

His mind still on his midnight rendezvous, Draco headed to the great hall. His stomach let out a slight growl and he felt himself flush a little. Quickly checking around him to make sure no body had seen, he cursed his unruly tummy and began to lecture it on the importance of up keeping proper etiquette to a Malfoy standard at all times.

Upon entering the great hall he automatically turned to check the Hufflepuff table. In just over a day it had become a habit of his, feeling as natural as brushing his teeth.

Unlike at breakfast, he noticed, Crystal was there. Laughing and joking with her new friends. He was amazed at how quickly the others in her house had taken to her, accepted her as part of their group. Unblinking trust towards a complete stranger seemed a bit odd to Draco but then, that was what Hufflepuff was about wasn't it?

Mind you, you're hardly one to talk! Came the annoying voice in his head. Just the other day I do believe you said you felt closer to that girl than to any of your housemates.

Yeah but I . . . He trailed off mid thought. But I do trust her!

Bemused and ever so slightly more concerned with the frequency of voices in his head Draco sat down to lunch. As the food lay itself before him he began picking at it and eating almost in slow motion.

His thoughts had gone back to his dreams.

Scanning the hall for any sign or recognition of the smooth, beautiful features that had filled every inch of his head while he slept, he found none.

A little disappointed but not really surprised, the blond Slytherin turned his attention back to his food.

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From across the hall, a Hufflepuff was watching as the petit boy as he scoured the room with his eyes, desperately trying to find that which he had lost.

Smiling to herself Crystal had a fair idea of what that was from the slightly lovesick look in her friend's eyes. What she couldn't understand however was why he was scanning every face so deeply. The expression on his face showed him to know exactly what he was looking for but his body language was recessive and reviled that he was completely and utterly lost.

She added 'to find out what the hell that was all about' to her mental list of things to do, half of which she had already forgotten, and turned her attention back to her own table.

She and her friends had been excitedly planning the talent contest, when it would be held, rules, ideas, publicity and of course, their own entries.

Crystal preferred to sing but she and Susan Bones had agreed to be backing dancers for Hannah and Nicola.

They had decided that each person was only allowed to enter once, but back up dancers/singers/bands did not count as entries, just structure. They would however be up to the individual to sort out.

They had also decided that posters should be put up soon so that people would have a chance to perfect a piece. After all, they had already had almost a day more than anyone else had and so it wouldn't be fair to wait any longer.

The group finished their meals quickly and ran out of the Great Hall and towards their set (a set is the series of tunnels that form a badger's home) to get started on the posters.

Hannah, the most artistic one, designed a first draft on a bit of scrap parchment using a colour charm on her paintbrush to make it change to whatever colour she needed. It didn't take long to complete. She had drawn three Hogwarts students performing on stage.

There was one from each house. There were boys from both Slytherin and Gryffindor and girls from both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. They formed a kind of band, though it looked rather old fashioned in Crystal's point of view. She didn't comment though, figuring that things were most likely done differently here.

The Slytherin was playing a grand piano, the Ravenclaw performing on the flute, the Hufflepuff on the Harp and the Gryffindor was singing.

Hannah then drew a second picture with the same theme. This time however, the four houses were arranged in a muggle style band. The Slytherin on the drums, the Ravenclaw playing keyboard, Gryffindor on the guitar and the Hufflepuff singing.

These, she decided, showed all of the cultural equalities she could think of. After all, she didn't want to cause a riot! She wanted to show that it was open to all backgrounds and all styles of music.

She redrew them carefully on a 14 by 9 inch piece of parchment then performed a duplicating spell on them.