Chapter Fourteen: Sleeping in

Draco opened his eyes as saw Blaise's face, "mate, your going to be late! You've slept in,"

"What?" Draco asked rubbing his eyes, "it's only...," he looked at his watch, "damn!" It read 7:20. He got up quickly and went to go in the washroom.

"You won't have time for a shower Draco," Blaise told him as Draco slammed the door.

Why the hell did I sleep so late? Draco wondered changing his boxers. He looked in the mirror at his face and yawned, there were small bags under his eyes, oh for the sake of Merlins beard. Draco took his wand and muttered a spell that made him look perfectly awake. That's better. While Draco got dressed he tried to remember what happened last night and why he was so tired. Last night he had filled in his application for the trip to Rome, gone to visit Granger, then...He walked out of his room to see Blaise waiting expectantly.

"Done yet?"

"Hair," Draco answered obviously grabbing a fresh uniform, pulling it on he went back into the washroom and took out his gel. Then I dropped her papers...and I had to pick them all up in the right order so I was stuck in the hall until about 12:30 in the morning...why did I have to get so aggravated over this little thing? Draco asked him self, because even though he looked awake and fine, he felt tired as hell.

"Mate, no offence but...," Blaise said.

"Yes I know, I need a change, but what?" Draco asked making his hair clean with again with a spell.

"Well in third year you had your hair down," Blaise pointed out, "that wasn't too bad. It looked nice," Blaise said pointing out his hair at that very moment. It was simple, straight, down, and not as long as third year but possibly just as nice.

"Ah yes, and since when have you been gay?" Draco asked simply taking his gel out of the cabinet.

"You know what I mean Draco," Blaise said, "It's not like I'm checking you out," Blaise said turning his back from Draco.

"It reminds me of my father," Draco said simply taking the lid off his gel.

"Your hair gelled back reminds me of your father," Blaise said turning his head to him.

Draco stared at him for a moment then shook his head, "my father would never touch gel,"

"Maybe that's why you do," Draco rolled his eyes slopping gel onto his hands, "well it only reminds me of him because your father pushes his hair back as well,"

"Well then, what do you suggest is to be done with my hair?" Draco said finding no answer himself and holding up his messy-with-gel hands.

"Nothing for now, we're due in Potions!" Blaise said pulling him out of the washroom. Draco managed to grab a towel and wipe his hands clean of the gel.

"Blaise, I can't just save the life of a mudblood and change my hair. People will talk; people will start to find me less than despicable!"

"Perhaps because you are?"

"Blaise!" Draco sighed desperate to just hate and be hated again, "this is no time for insults,"

"Draco!" Blaise mocked, "We are going to be LATE!"

"I hope you know," Draco grunted picking up his books and Granger's work, "I hate it when you're right,"

"Oh I know," Blaise said dragging Draco through the corridor and out of the port whole. Draco laughed and slung his bag over his shoulder and putting Granger's work in it also feeling awkward with his hair as all the Slytherins and some other random students got glimpses of it.

"Drakkie!" Pansy squealed appearing by his side. She linked his arm and tugged on it annoyingly, "have you been avoiding me since your horrible, HORRIBLE happening?"

"What?" Draco asked.

"Horrible?" Blaise inquired annoyed.

"He saved that filthy girls life!" Pansy squeaked, "So yes, HORRIBLE,"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Since when was saving a life horrible, Pansy?" Blaise asked before he realized Pansy was probably too common for common sense.

"Well every thing if its the life of a mudblood, Draco you better be careful. You'll get a bad name if you keep this up, and what in Merlin's name have you done to your hair?" Blaise rolled his eyes as Pansy looked at Draco appalled.

"Nothing actually," Draco said simply. The fact that this easier hair-do repulsed Pansy was a good thing, inside he was thanking Blaise.

"Oh what ever Drakkie, so why have you been avoiding me?" Pansy demanded.

"Maybe because he can," Blaise laughed and Pansy exhaled super loud, perhaps she was trying to pout but neither of the guys cared.

They walked into the dungeon and the first thing Draco saw was Hermione Granger laughing with Potter and Weasley, every voice and noise drained out of his head except her laughter as she chatted with her friends. She's back...Her eyes met his and she sent him a small unsure smile until she quickly seemed to notice Pansy's arm dangled in his. He yanked his arm from Pansy's grip. Hermione looked away and laughed with Potter and Weasley again. Draco watched her until he felt a tug on his robes by Blaise. Annoyed he looked over to Blaise.

"Mate, sit down, Snape!" Blaise warned.

Snape was walking to the front of the class; Draco sat down beside Blaise looking to the front of the class. "As you know, today is Thursday, and today you will be beginning to brew your potion. I'd like you to get in your groups in a moment after you are finishing writing down the ingredients on the board. One of your group members will come and get the ingredients while the other begins a fire under your cauldron,"

Draco began to take down the ingredients on the board. He had finished every other part of this project already on the first night, almost forgetting Hermione was a part of it. She will want to do some thing for it. But at least she can't say I've done nothing. Once he was done, which was at about the same time as every body else he noticed Granger coming over to his table as Blaise stood up.

"Wish me luck?" Draco asked as Blaise gathered his stuff. Draco all of a sudden desperately wished he had slept in instead, he didn't know if he could work with her.

"Why? She's already coming to sit with you," Blaise smiled and headed towards his partners.

Hermione put her bag down at his table, "Hello," she greeted, he looked up at her speechless, "I'll go get the ingredients then," she decided and hurried up to the front.

"Uh, yeah, okay," Draco said, "incarta inflamareh," and a fire began under the cauldron as he took a deep breath and inwardly hoped to prepare himself for working with her.