a/n: Ah... this part was actually written a while ago... I stopped for a while -.-;; and now that I'm moving into my college dorm it's gonna be hectic and yeah. Ack. The end is coming though, soon. XD

Chapter 8

Back in their room, Harry sat on his bed with his potions book open, having forgone going to the common room after pacing in the corridor. He was petting Hedwig, Crabbe and Goyle were snoring loudly, and Skinny was rubbing in the ointment when Draco returned.

Harry did not notice him come in, but Skinny did. He laughed sinisterly, eyes glinting with malice. "I bet you got a year's worth of detention, didn't you?"

"Keep rubbing your ointment, Zabini," Harry snapped.

Draco let out a surprised whistle. He walked over to the rapidly reddening boy, grinning from ear to ear. "Why, Harry, I see you WERE sorted into the right house after all."

Harry blushed harder and ignored that comment. "So how did it go?"

The blonde smirked gleefully. "He complimented me. Said I was talented beyond my years."

Harry laughed at that, and Skinny's face puffed up with indignation. As he opened his mouth, Harry gave him a menacing glare, and instantly the jaws slammed shut.

Draco didn't notice the exchange. He reached forward and gently stroked Hedwig, all the while leaning over to read the potions book. "How's the working ahead going?"

"Oh, it's going great... I read the title."

Draco rolled his eyes and punched Harry playfully. "Want me to teach you with my superior knowledge?" He grinned widely, earning himself a smack.

"I've had enough of learning for today." Harry let out a loud yawn, gave Hedwig one last stroke, and put the owl back in her cage. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Harry beat him to it. "I wanted company," his eyes dared the boy to challenge him, "besides, I doubt I'll be getting any mail."

Draco sighed in defeat, giving Harry a lopsided grin. "You reckon I can let Bucktooth out of my suitcase in our dorm room? I kept him locked up yesterday, but I doubt he'd like living in there all year."

Harry shrugged. "Why not? He can be the mascot, he is a snake after all." A whimper came from Zabini. "Besides, I doubt Snape would yell at you for anything," he smirked, "you're a teacher's pet."

The blonde stuck his tongue playfully and went to let his pet out. Zabini leaned over his bed to peek fearfully at Draco's belongings. The boy noticed this and sneered at him. "Looking forward to meeting Bucktooth, Zabini? Maybe I'll let him keep you company sometimes..." he leered, "when you're alone... asleep... or maybe in the showers."

Blaise let out a whimper. He worried his lips a bit, then seemed to come to a decision. "Weasley," he began with a whisper, voice shaking lightly. Draco raised an eyebrow. Zabini gulped, then visibly deflated. "You win."

The blonde smirked. "And?"

"And I lose," he ground out between clinched teeth.

"And?"

"And I won't bother you anymore! Alright??"

"You won't bother me AND Harry anymore, and you will listen to whatever I tell you." Draco thought for a bit, "you and those thugs of yours. Got that?"

Zabini pouted, "yeah. Got it."

Draco smirked, grinned across the room at an impressed Harry, and waved his wand. Instantly the rashes and discoloring disappeared from Zabini's skin. The boy let out a relieved breath of air and slumped back onto his bed.

Draco let Bucktooth climb up his arm and held it out for Harry to see.

"What!" Zabini huffed, "it's just a regular grass snake!"

Draco shot him a glare, "got a problem with that?"

The boy quailed, "no, no."

"He's cute," Harry said from his side, and Zabini sat up to deliver an incredulous look.

"Bucktooth is not cute!" Draco retorted with a hurt expression, then turned to his pet with a smirk, "he's awesome."

Blaise Zabini slumped down on his bed again, sighing at his predicament.

The rivalry within the Slytherin house abated that night. When Crabbe and Goyle woke up in the morning and Zabini explained their situation, they shrugged. When Draco smirked at them with superiority, they shrugged. However, when Harry apologized for his prank (an act that Draco proclaimed as unnecessary) and pronounced that he was going to remove their unnatural growth of pimples, they blinked at each other with surprise.

"You can do that?" Greg asked.

"You can get rid of them, Harry?" Vincent gawked with awe, "gee, thanks!"

Behind them, Draco was cracking up and rolling on the floor.

Harry glared at the blonde's prone figure, then swiftly removed his hex. He tried to explain the fact that he was the one who disfigured their faces with pimples, but despite his attempts, the two boys continued to stare at him with gratitude.

The long and short of it was, Greg and Vincent had developed a liking to Harry Potter, choosing to sit on either side of him during meals. Draco had to give Vincent a menacing glare before the boy made room for him.

"I see you already got a group of adoring fans, Mr. Boy-Who-Lived," Draco drawled, piling breakfast on his plate.

Harry looked hurt. "I tried to explain to them, but they won't listen to me." He sighed and picked up a piece of toast. "I suppose I owe you a chocolate frog now, don't I?"

Draco shrugged, "don't worry about it."

"No, no, I made a bet and I'll go through with it. I'm not going to back down like a weak little..." he searched for a word.

"Slytherin?" Draco quirked, and Harry blinked.

"Um... I'm not sure if that's insulting or not," Harry said.

Suddenly a package landed in front of Draco's plate. The post was here. Draco eyed it for a moment, then noticed the familiar script on the top. His head shot up instantly and his eyes caught the nervous gazes of his foster brothers.

Fred and George gave him a hesitant smile.

Looking down again, Draco gingerly opened up the package. Inside the folds of protective paper was a piece of wheat cracker. There was a little card underneath, and his lips quivered as he read it.

Weasley's Weasels are proud to present: Knicker Crackers

Tested and approved by: Fred Weasley, George Weasley

Submitted to third member, Draco Weasley, for testing and approval.

P.S.- Our trust, loyalty, and acceptance, no matter the circumstances, brother.

Draco lifted his head, emotions gleaming in his gray eyes. He shared a smile with Harry, and turned back to his brothers from across the hall. He grinned widely at them, who visibly relaxed and grinned back. Slowly, Draco held up the cracker, signaling them to keep watching. They did.

"Zabini," the blonde handed him the cracker, "eat this."

The skinny boy raised an eyebrow suspiciously, "is this another one of your pranks?"

"No," Draco said innocently, "not mine, I swear."

Harry hid a grin behind his hand.

Blaise was still staring suspiciously.

Harry glared, and Blaise paled. Draco caught it this time. He raised an eyebrow at Harry, who blushed and avoided eye contact.

Blaise sighed dejectedly, took the cracker, sighed again, and popped it in his mouth. He chewed slowly, and his frown softened, "hey, this is actually pretty good--"

Suddenly, a long loud blowing noise sounded. Split seconds later, choruses of 'eww's and 'that's disgusting's erupted in the hall. Three nearly identical manic cackles broke out simultaneously.

Blaise Zabini covered his behind with both hands, red faced and glaring hatefully at Draco, who was hanging off of Harry again. Then he whirled around and glared daggers at the Gryffindor table, where the Weasley twins were hanging onto each other and rolling with laughter. Another loud fart forced its way out of his body. The crowd began to snicker. Finally, the skinny boy couldn't take it anymore, and he flung himself through the doors, disappearing down the corridor.

With the blonde still hanging from his shoulders and shaking with mirth, Harry patted Draco's back soothingly, amusement dancing in his eyes. "That wasn't really nice, you know. Especially since you two were supposed to be nice to each other now."

A snort was the reply.

Harry chuckled, then his voice dropped to an almost endearing whisper, "you laugh like your brothers."

The blonde lifted his head slightly and smirked at his friend. "Do I?" Then he released the boy and stood up, staring across the hall at his brothers.

The crowd gasped aloud as the Slytherin gave the Gryffindor twins two thumbs up, and was returned the same gesture.

At the high table, Headmaster Dumbledore beamed serenely at the beginning of the healing.

...tbc!