Draco knew that he was going partially insane for thinking of getting Pansy's help, but he didn't know what else to do. She was the first one that he thought would believe him, and even if she didn't, she could still do something to assist the problem. It was a lot different than going to Potter.

"Pansy, I need help."

"With what?"

"Getting Snape to stay away from me."

Sigh. "Alright Draco, what do you need?"

"You believe me?"

"No."

"God damn it. Well can you give me some bloody advice anyway? Just pretend that it's actually happening."

"I'll try..."

"I have it! Why not make yourself ugly? After all, you said Snape called you cute." Shudder.

"Ugly? Are you insane! I'll be around all the people that can see me!"

"You asked for my help, I gave it!"

"How about being too cute so that he can't take being around me? Is that possible?"

"Umm... depends..."

"Do you have any outfits?"

"For girls, yes."

"... well, I suppose I can ask Blaise."

"Fine. So are you taking my advice?"

"No. There's no way I can make myself ugly. It's impossible. I'll make myself look the other way around."

"Fine, okay, don't!"

When it came time for breakfast, Draco had done what he hadn't thought he'd do in his entire life. Not that he had been thinking about it. But he knew this was because he'd rather do something to solve his problem rather than lying around and growing miserable over it. He had just about done that last night; becoming depressed like that had brought out the small bit of daring he had in him. It was apparent.

Draco entered the Great Hall ahead of all the other Slytherins, and right away, he could feel many pairs of eyes move onto him. Whispers and choked laughs and what might've been gasps broke out along the house tables. He grinned. The plan, hopefully, was to draw people either toward or away from him, and all he had to do was keep it that way. It seemed like it might work, so Snape shouldn't be able to get him alone or give him detention for unjust reasons.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Ron elbowed an oblivious Harry in the side. He was chewing on a mouthful of his breakfast. "Hey, Harry! Look at Malfoy! Look at how he's dressed!"

"What?" Harry turned around on the bench to glance at the Great Hall doors. "Oh god, what happened?" Harry's eyes narrowed, trying to see if he wasn't just going blind or imagining things. It looked a lot like Draco, but he'd definitely done something different.

And it was his clothes, Harry knew. Draco was wearing all black, and looked a bit like he'd come out of a western movie that had gone to the dark side. He wore one of those cowboy hats, black, but the brim was lined with silver. He wore a long sleeved button-up shirt, which wasn't entirely buttoned, and black jeans that appeared to be a bit too tight on him. Something seemed to be loose though, because they were held up by a silver belt lined with jewels. Last were the black boots, which were also brimmed with silver. Wherever he'd gotten that outfit, Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Everyone else in the hall went quiet, though a few giggles could be heard here and there. There was no doubt that a lot of the whispering had to do with how bloody creepy Draco looked. However, the boy made his way to the Slytherin table without any notice of it; Blaise was grinning behind him.

Draco took his seat whilst everyone watched him with disbelief. Harry was included among them. The boy seemed to want all of the attention, even when he'd never went to such a measure to gain it before.

Pansy planted herself beside him; Blaise sat on his other side. From there, Draco seemed to participate in a very amusing topic of conversation, because he was grinning and acting like the day couldn't get better. Curiously, Harry snuck a glance to the Head Table to see what the professors made of the situation. None of them, excluding Snape, seemed to be taking it as something to worry about. The man was staring at Draco with a look of uttermost bewilderment, if not a certain something else.

Harry tried choking back whatever was threatening to come up and forced himself to look back at his plate. Ron had already done so, thinking Malfoy's insanity was bound to show someday. Hermione didn't look convinced, but hated the Slytherin enough to not care about what was going on. So, things proceeded as usual. It was only behind them that things were moving on.

"Is he looking, Pansy?" Draco asked.

She snuck a glance over Draco's shoulder toward the Head Table, then nodded. "A lot of other people are too, though."

"Good."

"Really, Draco. He can't like you like that."

"Pansy, be cooperative." Draco turned around to look at Snape himself, one of his hands resting on the brim of his hat. When he saw the man staring at him with hidden incredulity, he gave a sly smirk. A moment later, he turned back to Pansy, wrapped one pale arm around her waist, then brought her in for a kiss. As unappealing as this felt, he didn't let it show, and instead prolonged the kiss and continued the quick show of affection with the startled Pansy.

When he broke away, dozens of the students in the Great Hall were gawking. Pansy looked flushed and breathless. "Mind your eyes, children," Draco commented with a pleased grin.

They turned away, blushing themselves, and when Draco stole another glance at the Professor, he couldn't help but feel better by the look of fury he held. The plan was working so far, and he hoped the man didn't dare come near him again. All he wanted was to be left alone.

"Draco, that wasn't what you were supposed to do!" Pansy gave him a slight swat at his arm.

"Sorry," Draco replied, sounding distracted until his eyes moved back onto her. "I couldn't help it. It seemed like a good idea.

"Let's go. If we leave, they'll think we're going off to do something." Draco stood then, neglecting his half eaten breakfast and instead wrapping his hand around Pansy's wrist to pull her up with him.

"Oh, but--"

"Don't question! Just follow me!"

And they were off. Pansy kept close to Draco, her arm wrapped tightly around his waist. His own was still latched onto hers, pulling her out of the entrance doors with that sly grin still plastered on his face. As soon as they left, most of the muttering from earlier broke out inside the hall.

Draco stopped them just outside the hall. He leaned against the wall, taking off his hat and holding it against his chest. "A job well done. I don't think he should bother me now that he knows I'm straight. What do you think?"

Pansy smirked, shaking her head as she stepped away from him. "You could be going both ways."

A second passed, and then Draco frowned. "What? No! He can't bother me. I didn't do all of that for nothing. People must think I've gone insane."

"You really have."

"Haven't. I'm just serious about not being molested anymore."

"It's hard for people to not want to molest you, especially with you dressed like you are."

"What do you mean! This is a muggle outfit!"

"Yes, and probably one that gay muggles wear." She giggled, not being able to help herself. Draco proceeded to not be in such a good mood.

"No one told me that!"

"Oh, don't worry! If you get detention again, just don't go."

"Fine! Then I'll hope that my mother doesn't kill me for the bad grades I'll start receiving!"

To the side of them, quiet footsteps were heard, and then they stopped. Draco quickly grabbed Pansy and tugged her against him, not wanting anyone to think that had all been an act. It seemed to be too late when he saw that the student was Potter, and that he'd probably seen them before he'd done anything.

"What do you want, Potter?" Draco asked, irritated. "Can't you see we're busy?"

"Drop it, Malfoy. You don't fool me. This has something do with--"

"Excuse me, but when did my business become yours!"

"I --"

"Why are you out here anyway? Why do you care about what I'm doing? Leave, please!"

Pansy could tell Draco was overreacting just a bit, but who was she to put her word in when the boy Draco was battering was Slytherins' enemy? She put on her best mocking smile and stayed where she was.

"Malfoy! This is stupid!"

"Yes it is, especially when you keep on acting like the bloody hero you think you're required to be!"

"Hey, I'm only --"

Draco didn't allow Harry to finish. He'd taken Pansy again, and was moving them toward the Slytherin common room at an angry pace. He knocked into the Gryffindor just as he began his retort. "Let's go."

The two disappeared a minute later, leaving an aggravated and disheartened Harry alone in the hallway, glaring after them.