Poets have said that every rose has its thorn,

But you're certainly not a rose, now are you?

Holy Thorn, delicate flower encrusted with thorns -

Your fiery eyes sparkle with determination.

Your tongue just as sharp as those thorns -

And as beautiful.

You glow, alight from inside out -

Shining with all the unseen colors.

It was early evening, Draco had finished the letter with speed, and strode down the dungeon hall, clad in a cloak and enough spells to reduce his voice to indistinguishability. Standing in a dark corner, he threw his voice - a small squeak came out, "Help me." it pleaded. Footfalls came and went.

Draco shook his head, and tried again."Help me." it was small, an eleven year old's cry - were the Hufflepuffs deaf, or was their house filled with liars like his own?

"Help me," the cry filled with pain - and Draco nearly smiled at the hurried gallumphing. The Hufflepuff prefect walked right past where Draco Malfoy was standing. Draco Malfoy strode into the center of the narrow hall, his bulk enshadowing the hall lest his shortness impede his intimidation.

"Ah... just the person I was looking for. Would you mind delivering a letter for me?" Draco Malfoy said in a perfectly polite tone - one that few people outside Slytherin would realize he possessed. He didn't even use it to stick-up-her-ass McGonagall, and he could have used the spare points in that class.

"What is it? Who's it to?" The Hufflepuff asked unnecessarily, grabbing the letter and looking at it. "Sal?" The Hufflepuff shook his head saying, "I don't know any Sals..."

"Use a school owl." Draco said quietly, turning to go.

"Wait." the Hufflepuff said, the doughty word commanding obedience as his earlier questions had not. There was a difference between idle curiosity and a Hufflepuff's moral rigidity, after all.

Draco turned slowly, and looked at the Hufflepuff impassively.

"I want you to swear that you mean this person no harm. I won't be a party to tricks or pranks." The Hufflepuff was frowning, his brown eyes upset. Had he been caught up by one of the WeaselTwins pranks? Draco silently wondered.

"I so swear." Draco said with a smile - well concealed by the hood.

The Hufflepuff walked off, muttering to himself about "Kids these days."

[a/n: sorry this took so long. Been working on other stories. if you want more of this one, you'll need to review.]