Disclaimer: the usual…sadly none of the characters are copyright to me they are as always copyright to j.k.rowling

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning Draco Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table feeling more awake then he had in days. He'd had a peaceful sleep last night, for a change. He'd happily got up early and came down for breakfast and taken his seat at the end of the table, whistling quietly to himself. As soon as the Slytherins started arriving, however, he fixed his face into a smirk and continued eating, avoiding eye contact with them all.

Draco looked up from his breakfast as Potter arrived into the hall. He noted to himself that Potter also looked better than he had yesterday, his hair, however, remained the same. At this Draco smirked. They were total opposites in appearance and yet alike in so many other ways. Potter smiled at him and cautiously lifted his hand. Draco nodded a greeting and raised his hand back, watching as Potter took his seat at the Gryffindor table.

He'd had fun last night at the library, even if it was doing potions homework. Him and Potter seemed to be becoming better friends, much to Draco's surprise. Potter was the last person he'd expected to see himself bothering with, but here he was, neglected by his housemates bothering with his Hogwarts nemesis, who he was beginning to like.

There was a loud fluttering of wings as hoards of owls came swooping into the hall bringing the mail. Draco could see his white eagle owl easily in the crowd of owls. He watched as it drew closer then proceeded to land on the table, leaving a single, white enveloped letter. Before flying off it pecked his ear affectionately, making Draco laugh, earning him shocked glances from his table. He glared at them all. After his owl had gone Draco studied the letter disappointed. He usually got sweets from home off his mother if he got anything. He never usually got letters. However, he was curious. Picking up the enveloped letter he slit it open and pulled out the parchment inside, unfolding it with a flourish he began to read.

Draco,

I have heard that you have not been yourself this year, neglecting your housemates and shouting obscene things about change. What is wrong with you boy? Have you gone mad? I suggest you get back on track immediately, even though I know you're excited about next holiday when you will officially be one of us.

However, I have also heard that you have befriended the Potter boy. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I assume you have reason. The master thinks this is a great development and you should keep us informed on anything he says, does and how he's been acting. Well done to you son! I knew you wouldn't fail me.

Lucius

Draco stared at the letter in immediate disgust. Had he gone mad? No he most certainly had not! He was the sanest he had ever been in his life. As for being excited about next holiday, that was rubbish, what he wouldn't be telling his father is that he would not be coming home for Christmas, he was going to stay here to keep the distance at a maximum, there was no way he was joining his father and the other loonies, he'd happily die before he did that! He snorted at what his father had to say about him befriending Potter and he didn't give a damn about the master's opinion he'd made friends with him because he wanted to not because of any twisted reason. Believe it or not he was not as heartless as they were.  As for failing him, that had become Draco's new goal in life. Giving the letter one last glare Draco tore it to shreds in a rage and scattered them over the table. People around the hall gave him scared glances but he didn't notice his eyes were focused on the remains of the letter, his mouth twisting into a smirk, satisfied.

Then it struck him like lightening, making his insides go cold, How had his father known? Someone must have told. Renewed anger surged through his body as his flashing, ice coloured eyes looked up at the faces on his table, moving from one person to the next, until they made contact with a pair of eyes looking right into his. Pansy Parkinson. Seeing the look he was giving her she quickly looked down at her food. So she'd told had she? It seemed his housemates were spying on him. Draco watched her from the corner of his eye until she looked up at him again then he turned to stare at her giving her a piercing glare. If looks could kill she would have died, instead whimpering she ran from the hall. Draco got up and angrily followed her in no mood to give mercy.

Harry watched Malfoy storm out after Pansy concerned and troubled. He'd watched Draco as he'd read his letter and watched the emotions flicker across his face before he ripped it up looking as if he wanted to destroy and hurt the letter as much as he could, as if Malfoy very much wanted to hurt the person who wrote it. The look on Malfoy's face as he'd glared at his housemates had frozen Harry's insides. He was glad the look wasn't directed at him. Disturbed by what he'd seen Harry continued his breakfast without any trouble from anyone at his table.

+++++++++++

Draco strode into the common room and scanned the area; his eyes narrowed, searching for his victim. He found her sitting whimpering in a chair in the corner. Feeling no sympathy, Draco crossed the room in lightening speed to face her.

"So you thought you'd drop a line to my father did you, Parkinson? Tell him what a naughty boy I've been." Draco said quietly pacing in front of the chair she sat in, quivering.

Seeing her shivering in fright before him, made Draco cringe in disgust. What had she expected him to do? Pat her on the back and say 'well done'!

"I can't believe you wrote to him about me! Why? Why, did you do it? I don't think you quite understand what will happen to me when I go home for holidays do you? No, I didn't think you would. You don't understand what's expected of me, nobody does, and everybody expects me to be someone I'm not, Draco Malfoy typical Slytherin. Well I've had enough! I'm not being who others want, I'm being who I want, as if having my father on my back isn't enough I have you feeding him information! Not to mention telling him about me befriending Potter. Its none of your goddamn business!" Draco screamed in her face, looking totally stressed, running his hands through his hair, which was now sticking up in all directions. Pansy had broke down on the chair before him, crying her head in her hands.

"I'm…Sorry…Draco" She choked out between sobs.

Exhausted from his outburst Draco backed away, scared. Scared of himself. Scared of who he had just reminded himself of. He had just sounded like he one person he truly hated, his father. This was how his father had always been with him. Shouting at him and if he broke down he'd beat him telling him Malfoy's didn't cry until Draco no longer cried. Then Lucius had found other reasons to beat him, the fact that Granger beat him in every subject and also that Potter was better than him in Quidditch and then when he hadn't been as interested in the dark arts as his father wanted him to be. The list went on.

Turning around Draco fled from the common room, hoping to escape what he'd just done.

Pansy sat there for a while longer, in deep regret of her actions. She hadn't wanted to write to Lucius, she'd done it because she was worried about Draco. All she'd done, however, was make things worse. Now he hated her. She only wanted his love, but he'd never felt the same way and now he probably never would. Giving a quivering sigh, Pansy wiped her bloodshot eyes and left for her first lesson, double potions.

++++++++++

Harry sat in his desk at potions tapping his quill on the table wondering how Malfoy was so late. It was rather unlike Snape's best pupil to be anything other than early. Snape himself was getting rather annoyed. He was pacing in front of the class giving them murderous looks. He was once again in one of his usual foul moods, which had increased when Pansy Parkinson had walked in late snivelling, however, Malfoy still hadn't turned up, making Snape even more deadly than usual.

"Where is he, Potter? Locked him in the broom cupboard so you won't have to do the experiment have you? Well your not going to get away with it." Snape spat in Harry's face.

Harry glared back at Snape and wiped his glasses in his robes before putting them back on, still glaring at his potions teacher. Straightening up Snape made his way back to his desk just as the door swung open revealing a very dishevelled looking Malfoy.

Closing the door after him, Draco strolled over to his desk next to Harry and slopped into his seat putting his head in his hands. The class looked on stunned, except for a few sniggers from the Gryffindors. Snape, however, looked livid.

"Well?" He snarled, leaning over Draco's head. "What time do you call this? The lesson began ten minutes ago!"

Draco raised his head slowly and looked Snape in the eye.

"I'm sorry, sir. I have my reasons." Malfoy replied quietly his eyes flickering to Pansy Parkinson's bowed head and then returned back to meet Snape's furious gaze. He would never forgive her for this. She had messed up everything. Was there no escape for him? Or was he too going to be forced to join the Malfoy legacy of deatheaters. He wasn't going down without a fight that was for sure. Draco vowed to himself he would do anything he could before he followed in his father's footsteps. He wasn't going to reply to that stupid letter and he most certainly was not going home for Christmas, his father could rant and rave all he liked.

Muttering to himself Snape stared into the eyes of his favourite student. The boys eyes showed no hint that he was sorry for being late they just stared at him calmly determined. Snape knew that the boy probably had a lot to live up to with a father like his and pitied him for it. He also knew that he'd probably be forced to join the deatheaters soon, maybe this was why he had started to act strange. Snape himself had been through similar circumstances, being forced to join Voldemort because of his father and even now he was still tied to the deatheaters and though now it came in handy Snape also knew that his life was at risk. He didn't want to see the same thing happen to Draco, though there was nothing he could do to stop it, was there? Mulling these thoughts over in his head, Snape's anger began to die.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Please remain behind after the lesson." He told his student finally before returning to the front of the class.

"I assume that everyone has looked up what they need to make their potion." Snape asked his eyes darting around the class. "I suggest you get your notes out as we will be conducting the experiment today. The ingredients you need are on your desk, it is up to you to prepare them. When you've added them all, you should ask me for the last one. I'll be expecting results by the end of the lesson!" Snape finished his eyes landing on Harry who stared back at him defiantly. Uttering a few dark comments Snape turned round his black cloak flying out behind him as he took a seat at his desk.

Sighing deeply to himself, Draco ran a hand through his hair, which was currently all over the place, unlike its usual sleek, smoothed back self. He'd just realised that he didn't have his notes with him and had no idea how to make the potion.

"I seem to have forgotten my notes." Draco stated.

"It's ok, I have mine." Harry said placing his crumpled piece of parchment in between them. Reading it over, Draco picked up the nearest ingredient and began to slice it into small even pieces while Harry peeled another. While he was doing this he began to think about how this experiment was going to work out. He had no idea how he was going to mess it up, with Snape now pacing up and down the class watching everyone carefully a sneer fixed on his face. Maybe he could just stir it in the opposite direction quickly rather then in a clockwise direction slowly like the instructions read. There was no way he was having, Potter or anyone else intruding on his feelings, he didn't want it or need it, for that matter. Draco was pretty sure the feeling was mutual and was beginning to wonder why the two of them hadn't realised what the potion would entail when they first heard the title.

"Longbottom I know it's hard for you but could you try not to melt another cauldron this lesson, and the instructions say small even pieces Longbottom, small even pieces!" Snape shouted cruelly at Neville who was trembling under the Professors dark gaze. Snape had never forgot about Neville and the boggart.

Harry cringed. Poor Neville always suffered at the hands of Snape, like Harry himself did. Though Neville was scared of Snape whereas Harry himself just hated him with a passion. Dropping his ingredient in the cauldron before starting on another, Harry shot a glance over at Malfoy who was slicing some bloomslang, a blank expression on his face. Harry wondered if he should ask him about this morning. Unlike Malfoy, Harry himself had had a peaceful morning with no problems from Ron or anyone else; he had been feeling rather pleasant. He'd noticed that Ron and Hermione had seemed to be having another heated discussion at breakfast and they'd both kept shooting occasional glances in his direction. He hadn't bothered to think about it, Harry had just been happy that he could eat a meal in peace.

"What happened this morning?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Breaking out of his thoughts Malfoy turned to Harry.

"Why do you care?" Malfoy said bitterly, obviously in a bad mood. He regretted snapping instantly though, no one had ever shown much concern towards him before, except his mother but now she was basically nothing more then a shell that he himself was desperate not to become.

"A few slight problems with my father, Potter. Nothing to worry about I'm sure." Malfoy replied unconvincingly.

Harry wasn't taken in by Malfoy's answer. If it was nothing to worry about then he wouldn't have arrived late looking like he did. This was Malfoy they were talking about, the person who remained immaculate in any circumstance.

After Malfoy had added the last ingredient Harry read the method again.

"All we have to do now is stir it clockwise slowly, before we add the last ingredient." Harry told Malfoy.

"You get the last ingredient I'll stir it." Malfoy answered, seeing the perfect opportunity to put his plan into action.

After Harry had got up and headed down the class to Snape's desk Draco grabbed the stirring stick, after making sure no-one was looking, and began to stir the potion counter clockwise as fast as he could. His arms began to ache but he kept going until Potter returned with the last ingredient.

"You can add it now, Potter. I've finished stirring." Draco told Harry indicating the cauldron.

Harry opened the container in his hands and Draco watched as he poured the liquid into their cauldron turning it a dark reddish colour and causing it to bubble.

"Finally someone has finished." Snape said rushing over. "Well done Draco, Potter." He said sneering the last word of his sentence out. "Gather round class, lets see if this potion has been made correctly."

The class crowded round Harry and Draco's desk while Snape filled two small glasses with the potion.

"A hair from each of your heads needs to be added now." Snape said, and before they could object he cut a strand from each of their heads and then put Harry's black hair into Draco's potion and Draco's blonde hair into Harry's.

Picking up their potion glasses Harry and Draco stared each other in the eye following each other's every move. Everyone else including Snape was watching as well. Raising the glass to his lips, Draco watched as Potter did the same. With one last hope that Potter wouldn't feel what he did, and without a thought for the consequences of his actions Draco drank the potion down straight and watched as Potter did the same. After drinking it Draco felt nothing and smirked when he realised that nothing had happened, Potter seemed to be fine as well. Then all of a sudden a sharp pain shot through his head, he cried out in pain and grabbed it as Potter also began to groan clutching his own head. Both boys sunk to the floor in agony, and then fell back onto the floor both twitching.

"Stand back, Stand back" Snape shouted.

This was the last thing Draco heard as he lapsed into blackness, as the pain enveloped him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N – Sorry this chapter took so long to upload I haven't really had much time to write this week. I was hoping to make this chapter longer, but I've decided to make the next chapter about what they experience from the potion. Due to the fact I have work experience the next chapter may not be up till about another week, but if I can I'll try and get it up sooner.

Thanks once again for all the wonderful reviews; I'm glad everyone's enjoying my story.