By the end of the day, a study on deception had mostly devolved into "Who can make Goyle laugh first." - which was quite a trick, as Goyle wasn't speaking, and he seemed to count laughter as part and parcel of his ... whatever he was doing. Draco hoped he hadn't been loon enough to make an actual vow.

Pansy said, "Where's a broomstick that Snape can't break?"

Daphne said, with a slight, steady, sly smile, "Why, the one shoved up his arse."

Goyle just looked bored. Vince was ... wait, what was Vince doing? Draco perked up as he saw his tall friend with a bucket of ice water (Merlin knew where he'd found it) lifting it up behind Goyle's head.

All at once there was water everywhere, Goyle sputtering (pointedly not laughing), as the room devolved into great gouts of laughter.

"Where'd you learn that trick?" Astoria asked quietly.

"From those redheads in Gryffindor, of course!" Crabbe said with a toothy grin, "Fools gotta be of some use."

Draco suddenly found himself wishing that it was just a task of convincing the WeaselTwins that he was someone they could trust. Yeah, sure, he'd said some things to them (generally during Quidditch, which oughtn't to count but did.) - but, daft as it might sound, Draco understood their brand of mischief and mayhem. Certainly Slytherins weren't unable to prank people (though they generally needed a little better reason than the Twins, who seemed to see it as their entire reason for existence).

Draco stood up grandly, walking forward as if he was Admiral Perry himself, "I will break this stalemate," he pompously barked. With an expression of utmost dignity, Draco began to dance the polka, all hops and kicks and enough jumping to guarantee the flash of a knee beneath his robes. At this, Goyle's face morphed into mock horror - and then he leaped behind the couch, his eyes the only thing visible as he peered up at Draco.

Draco pretended to twirl the end of his invisible moustache, saying only, "Hmm... it would appear my sense of humor needs work." Draco paused for a moment, "I don't believe I walk on clouds, unlike Potter and his crew." Dammit! Draco thought, when Goyle didn't as much as crack a smile at what Draco'd said.

Pansy simpered a snigger, and said, "You know that's not nearly so funny when they aren't right there glaring at you, unable to figure out what you've said, only that it's about them."

Draco released a loud sigh - speaking normally, "I know, I know."

Daphne tried a joke that was entirely too complicated for most of the room - even her sister had a frown on her face, "What needs to be broken before it can be used?"

"An Egg," Draco said with a smile.

Quietly as anything, Goyle had stood without anyone noticing - the japes and jests flying around the room had quite distracted the rest of us. Everyone looked at him, as he quietly held his first finger up. "Number One" Draco thought, and then Goyle's fingers closed into a fist, his thumb protruding out* as he brought his pointed thumb back to his breastbone. I'm number one. Draco thought, and smiled softly - this was the first time ever that Greg had managed to win a game.

*like a hitchhiker

[a/n: I totally didn't plan to come back to trying to make Goyle talk. I do love reviews, and I do write more on the stories that get them frequently]