As it turned out, Draco's agreement with his uncle had some far-reaching consequences that the blond boy had failed to foresee. The Slytherin first-years weren't pleased with the results and Draco noticed a lot of them sending him angry looks over the next few days. Draco tried not to notice, but even he was beginning to feel nervous. He tried his best to never leave the protection of the Dark Lord.

"Finally, we'll get to fly!" Ron said excitedly as they walked out of the castle. The first Flying lesson was supposed to start in a few minutes and all of the first-year students gathered together for it.

Draco was confident in his abilities, but his bushy-haired friend seemed about ready to faint at any given moment. "You'll be okay Hermione, we'll only learn the basics today," he said, trying to soothe her nerves. "And besides, flying is fun!"

Hermione glanced at him and smiled, still just as nervous as before. The two of them grew closer together in the last couple of days, beginning an unexpected and unusual friendship. Harry and Ron also seemed to grow fond of the Muggle-born girl, and the four of them spent most of their free time together.

After a moment, they all stood together, waiting for the Flying Professor to show up. Draco looked in the direction of the Slytherins. They were chatting quietly while sneaking glances at him and his friends. Draco held his head straight, trying his best to appear confident and undisturbed.

"Alright, what are you waiting for?" the sound of Professor Hooch's voice interrupted their stare-down. "Stand on the left side of your brooms, held out your right hand and say up."

The students quickly shuffled and did what she instructed them to do. Draco's broom went up to his hand instantly, and so did the Dark Lord's. Most of the other students seemed to have a bit more trouble, but soon enough, they all managed to grab their brooms.

When they were instructed to mount their brooms, something went wrong. A chubby Gryffindor boy, Neville Longbottom, started to rise into the air. After a few moments of completely uncontrolled flight, he was back on the ground, his wrist broken.

Madam Hooch left with him in tow, threatening anyone who dared to mount their broom in her absence with expulsion.

Draco glanced at Hermione. I don't think it'll be possible to convince her that flying is fun now.

"What a fat idiot," a Slytherin boy said, earning a few chuckles from his Housemates. The group of Slytherin first-years walked up to Draco and his friends. "That's who you are friends with now, Malfoy, right?" the boy asked with a sneer.

Draco recognized him. Theodore Nott, an imbecile.

"We know what you did, Malfoy," the boy continued. "Asked Snape to be nice to you and your little pathetic Gryffindor friends… But just so you know, we'll make sure that you don't get away with it. You better watch out, Malfoy," he ended his speech and the Slytherin students walked away.

Draco gulped loudly. Idiots, the lot of them.

"You okay, Draco?" Harry asked as he put a comforting hand on the blond boy's shoulder. "They're just a bunch of morons, I don't think we'll have to worry."

Hermione glanced at them nervously. "But we need to be careful now. Stick together."

Ron nodded. "Just let them try something, I'll show them what pathetic little Gryffindors can actually do."

Draco clenched his fists. Just try to hurt my friends, I'll destroy you. Or if I don't, then surely the Dark Lord will… and if even he fails, I can just write my father.

The tension between the youngest students of the two Houses was only growing bigger as the days passed. The second Potions class wasn't a practical one. Snape taught them theory and they answered his questions. Draco and Hermione together earned more points than all of the Slytherin students combined.

The four Gryffindor friends were walking together after the class ended, when they were stopped by a tall figure dressed in green robes.

"Excuse me," Harry said as he tried to pass the figure, but he was held by a strong pair of hands and pushed back.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, her voice impatient and annoyed.

The figure before them turned out to be an older Slytherin student. He was tall and big, and he made the impression of a delinquent.

"I heard you were misbehaving," he said. "You turned Snape against our younger students and they aren't happy. We aren't earning as much points in Potions as we used to. So, I'm supposed to teach you brats a lesson," he finished.

To Draco, he seemed like an older version of Crabbe or Goyle. Equally stupid, just older.

"So they asked an older guy to help them? A bunch of cowards," Ron said.

"Hey, they aren't cowards, they're just smart about it. Why risk it, if I can just do it for them?" the older boy said. "And anyway, I'll gladly wipe that smirk off your face, Malfoy."

"Guys, prepare your wands," Harry ordered and they all followed.

Hermione's hand shook slightly. "Shouldn't we run away? We don't stand a chance, we've been learning magic for two weeks!"

Ron furrowed his eyebrows. "There's four of us, we'll manage for sure," he said.

The older boy chuckled. "Well, well, you want a fight, huh?" he asked mockingly. "Then I'll give you one with pleasure."

Draco's hand was trembling. He knew a few spells, he read a few books in his family's library. But he never actually tried to cast them… Still, they have the Dark Lord on their side…

"Expulso!" the Slytherin boy cast, a blue light escaping his wand. It hit the ground between the four Gryffindors, throwing them into the corridor walls.

Draco hit the wall and blinding pain shot through his shoulder. His eyes teary, he tried his best to stand up again. With a groan, he managed to pull himself up. Harry was also standing, looking at the two unconscious bodies of their friends.

"It seems like you don't have that much of a fight in you after all, huh?" the Slytherin mocked them, twirling his wand in his fingers.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted, but she didn't respond. "Ron!" he tried, but the red-haired boy wasn't moving at all. "We need to take them to the Hospital Wing!"

"Well, sorry, but I can't allow that," the older boy said. "You need to defeat me," he said, laughing at them.

Draco was extremely worried. Both Hermione and Ron could have been hurt badly. They needed to end this, fast. Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.

"Harry!" he shouted, making the other boy look at him. "Serpensortia!" he cast, a medium-sized snake escaping his wand and landing on the cold stony floor. It slithered toward Harry, hissing angrily.

The Slytherin boy laughed maniacally. "I don't even have to do anything, you'll just kill each other yourselves!"

The snake hissed angrily at the noise. Harry hissed at the snake. The snake rushed in the older boy's direction, ready to strike.

"What…" the older boy managed to gasp, before the snake bit his leg and a scream of pain escaped his mouth.

"Harry, let's run!" Draco shouted.

Harry took Ron, and Draco took Hermione on their shoulders, making a run for it. With the adrenaline still high, they managed to find some older students nearby, who helped them get to the Hospital Wing quickly.

When the door to the Hospital Wing opened, Draco fainted, his body hurt and exhausted.

My father will hear about this.