Draco sat up, breathing heavily and sweating. He had finally gotten a good night's sleep and what happened? He dreamed about Harry bloody Potter! He lay back on his pillow, trying to steady his breathing. The dream was rather short, but vivid. He seemed to be in a deserted classroom. Draco waited for the person who had sent him a note, asking him to meet them. Shortly after, Potter entered the classroom. Arguing ensued, and with lightning speed, Potter had Draco backed against the wall, faces mere centimeters apart. Draco could still hear Potter's words clearly. "What's the matter, Draco? Scared?" After tracing a finger along Draco's jawline, Potter turned to leave. At which point Draco woke up.

Draco sighed, threw back the blankets and stretched. Something *definitely* had to be done. Draco would put an end to it before it went too far. 'But isn't it already too late?' Bloody voice. He shook his head and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Then Draco thought of something he hadn't before. 'What if he feels the same way?' He snorted. Indeed. 'So then what, Malfoy, you'll gleefully announce to the entire wizarding world your relationship after which you shall join hands and run together fearlessly through the Forbidden Forest? Because that's where you'll have to live!' Draco promised himself that as soon as he rid himself of the Potter problem, he would find the source of that bloody annoying voice and squash it like a bug.

He crossed the room to the mirror and checked his reflection. "Honey, you're the only one who can look this good first thing in the morning," the mirror told him cheerfully.

"Of course," Draco responded, admiring his reflection. He just loved enchanted mirrors.

~~~~~~

Draco made his way through the hallway that connected his room with the Slytherin common room. He didn't quite know what to expect, but he had decided that he wouldn't be intimidated by anyone. 'I'm Draco fucking Malfoy, all others be damned!' he told himself. Bugger everyone else. He held his chin high as he stepped into the common room.

Blaise Zabini sat alone on the sofa and smiled a greeting to Draco.

Draco nodded his head in reply. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Breakfast," Blaise answered. "How are you today, mate?"

"I've been better," Draco admitted. He flopped down next to Blaise. Clearly, he wasn't going to chastise him for his actions the day before.

"You fancy him, don't you?"

"What?" Ok, he hadn't been expecting *that*.

"Potter. I can tell you like him. You've changed. I noticed back before the summer. I'm not blind, you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about. So what if I've changed? Maybe I just grew up. Maybe Potter and his little Gryffindor followers bore me. That doesn't mean I fancy him."

"Look, don't get defensive, Draco. It's not just because you've left them alone. I see how you look at him. You're different, Draco. You've all but cut yourself off from the rest of us. You should have seen Pansy last night. Running around the common room shrieking like a bloody banshee. She thinks you're under some kind of spell."

"I don't care what anyone thinks, especially the likes of her. She and Goyle can just go and jump off the Astronomy Tower, for all I care." Draco pulled his wand out and twirled it in his fingers.

Blaise started to laugh. "Oh yeah, you should've seen him, too. Vincent had levitated him in here for everyone to see before he released him from the spell. Goyle was *furious*. He didn't know what hit him. He started ranting and throwing things, demanding who sucker-hexed him. I found it quite hilarious."

"Did anyone tell him who did it?"

"A second year girl told him she saw Potter heading his way, but she didn't see him do it. So, of course, now he thinks Potter did it." Blaised chuckled again.

"It *was* Potter, Blaise," Draco said seriously. "He saw Goyle getting a little rough with me and decided to take matters into his own hands."

"Really?" Blaise's eyes widened. "Well, that's interesting. Returning the favor, perhaps?"

"That's what he said. He told me we were even."

"Hmm. Well, if you think about it, he *did* owe you. Wizard's debt, and all."

"I don't think that really qualifies as payback. My life wasn't exactly in danger."

"True. You'd better let Potter know he's still in your debt, then." Blaise noticed Draco's hands started shaking.

"I don't *want* him to repay me, Blaise! I'd really rather forget it happened. I don't care about a bloody wizard's debt!" Draco threw his hands in the air, forgetting he had his wand. It clattered to the floor.

The stone door slid open and Goyle lumbered in. "Malfoy!" he shouted, heading toward Draco.

Draco deftly snatched his wand from the floor and stood to face Goyle. "Don't think about it, Goyle!" He pointed his wand in Goyle's direction.

Goyle froze. Draco smirked. He knew Goyle was no match for him. Draco was too quick. Truth be told, any first year Hufflepuff would be too quick with a wand. That was why Goyle relied on his brawn to get him out of sticky situations or to just plain bully someone smaller. Draco, however, would not be intimidated. Yesterday he didn't have his wand ready. But now. . . .

"Get out of my face, Goyle," Draco sneered.

"Look, Draco, I don't want any trouble with you. I wasn't . . . I wasn't feeling well yesterday."

"Oh, it's Draco now, is it? What's wrong, Goyle? 'Going soft'?"

"I just . . . wanted to see if you would help me find Potter. I think he was the one that attacked me yesterday."

Blaise grinned widely and clapped a hand to his mouth to keep from laughing. He knew that Draco would get the upper hand.

"You think so, do you? Why would I want to help you find him? I saved his life, remember? In fact," Draco slowly started walking toward Goyle, "you seemed to be a little . . . irate with me, yes?" Draco's mouth quirked into a nasty smirk.

"N-no, Draco, that's not how it was!" Goyle backed up until he hit the wall behind him. "I- I told you, I didn't feel well . . . it won't happen again, I swear!"

Draco lowered his wand. "See that it doesn't. You haven't bothered with me in the past few months, anyway. Why start now? As for Potter, I have my own score to settle with him. So, you can just stay away from him. Do I make myself clear?"

"Ok, if you say so," Goyle's shoulders slumped. "But . . . ."

"Enough! You may go now." Goyle ran for the door to the common room. "And remember to leave Potter to me!" Draco called after him.

Blaise could hold his laughter no longer. "You've still got it, mate," he said, wiping his eyes.

One corner of Draco's mouth quirked in a half-smile. "I know," he drawled, twirling his wand again.

~~~~~~

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast. Harry stirred his porridge thoughtfully.

"What's on your mind, mate?" Ron asked.

"I'm just thinking," Harry replied.

"Need I ask what about? Or, *whom*?" Ron grinned.

"I'm sure you already know." Harry shifted in his seat. "I was up late last night trying to figure out what I'm going to do."

"Well?" Ron pressed.

"I have an idea, but I don't know if it'll work. I want to get him alone somewhere and kind of catch him off guard, so he'll be too flustered to hex me or beat the shit out of me. I think if I do this right, I can find out how he really feels about me."

"Not wasting any time, are you?" Ron grabbed a piece of toast.

"Well, no. Now's as good a time as any."

"I guess so, mate." Ron chewed his toast and looked at Hermione, who seemed oblivious to the whole conversation. She had her nose in a very large book. "I think we've lost her."

"Oh, shut it, Ron. I know precisely what's going on. Harry has a plan to get Malfoy to spill his guts, you're hounding him about it, and gnawing quite loudly on that toast, I might add," she huffed.

"Whoa, calm down, Herm. It was a joke. Go back to your book."

Harry stood. "I'm going back to the Tower. I want to get this started."

"Ok, mate, see you later," Ron said through more toast.

Hermione just mumbled something that sounded like, "See you." Harry waved and sprinted out the doors of the Hall.

~~~~~~

Harry ran into the dorm and pulled a small piece of parchment and a quill from his school bag. He sat down at a desk in the corner and began writing:

Malfoy,

Meet me on the fourth floor in the old

arithmancy classroom. I'll be there at

midnight tonight. Come alone.

Harry didn't sign the note. Malfoy would know who it was from. He rolled the parchment, waved his wand and muttered a charm and put it in his pocket. Making his way down the staircase to the common room, he bumped into Ron.

"Where are you going now, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I'm off to the owlery. I need to have something delivered. Here we go!"

"Well, good luck. Keep me posted."

"Thanks, Ron!" Harry called as he headed toward the Fat Lady.