Draco Malfoy had been going through the entire day in a bit of a fogged daze. Oh, he wasn't sulking - more dreaming. Of all the things Blaise had ever pulled out of his arse, a dance with Hermione Granger seemed the unlikeliest. Of course, this was why he was friends with the darkest Italian - he was useful. Draco didn't delude himself into thinking Blaise would say any different about him. Oh, sure, everyone had feelings - but if push came to shove, you would, you could kill your friends. You'd talk them out of resistance, you'd find a way to make peace if possible.

But when push came to shove, people died.

It was a large part of why Slytherin House decided its arguments behind closed doors. Not because of the appearance of disunity, but because - by forcing it to be in the Common Room, or in the Dormitories, leveler heads could intervene. He'd almost taken Blaise's block off, and knew that they'd both been seconds from being hauled in front of a prefect. It had only been Blaise's quick thinking - and heart-deep understanding that Draco Malfoy was upset, but was not going to take things too far. Nobody'd lost an eye, after all.

Still lost in thought, his unbidden feet meandered toward the Owlry, even though his hands held no letter. Until he felt a ghostly tendril wrap around his leg and give a tug. Turning, he headed towards Luna Lovegood, wherever that was.

"Freedom's slipping through our fingers, Malfoy. Time to get your head out of the clouds."

"What pieces do we have? What can we count on?"

"Gryffindors will continue to charge blindly in where angels fear to tread."

"Fortune favor the fools - what else?"

"The Death Eaters will want to spread fear and destruction."

"And the Order of the Phoenix will try to stop them." Draco Malfoy said, eyes gleaming at the pearl of information Luna had dropped like so much dross.

"Unless we flip the script." Luna said, smiling dreamily. Draco Malfoy's smile, when it came, was sharp as a stiletto.

[a/n: Awareness of what's coming is a powerful, powerful tool. They will not waste it. Leave a review!]