Harry tried to sit up, but his back blatantly refused and his head hurt something awful, so instead he opened his eyes and stared groggily up at the ceiling. This hurt, so he yawned and closed them again, sinking into the thick duvet and silk sheets.

When did I get silk sheets, he wondered sleepily.

His eyes snapped open and he jumped out of bed.

Draco Malfoy tiptoed up to his parent's bedroom. It was noon and his mother was still asleep. He knew she'd be angry if he woke her up, but even angrier if he didn't. She had a meeting today on Lucius' behalf.

He knocked gently at the door.

"Mother?" he called softly. He pushed the door to and stepped inside. Narcissa lay sprawled on the bed, still in the purple evening dress she'd left in. Her traveling cloak lay discarded on the floor, and the room reeked of wine.

"I wish you wouldn't," said Draco quietly. He found a throw on the floor and tucked it around her sleeping body.

Deciding she needed the sleep after all, he let her be and left. Narcissa didn't even stir.

Harry took in the room around him. An empty portrait hung above the bed. A large ornate mirror hung on the opposite side of the room. Bookshelves lined the walls.

Harry read the titles: 'A Guide to the Pure Blood Lines', 'The Secrets of Salazar Slytherin,' and 'The Act Against Mudbloods'.

Harry tried to work out how he'd ended up what appeared to be a Slytherin's house. He strained his memory. Luna had visited, and left. Harry had gone downstairs for a drink. But then what? Had been Obliviated?

Harry searched the room for a way out. There was a tall door, and a window which, to Harry's surprise, was open. He peered out, and down; he was three stories up, and as he leaned out, his nose squashed against an invisible barrier.

"Breathe," be muttered to himself. "You're still alive."

He noticed his suitcase against the wall, and inspected it quickly; everything was there, except for his wand. He ransacked the bed, dragging the bedsheets away, the pillows, until he heard a familiar clunk of wood on the hardfloor ground.

His wand.

He pointed it at the bookcase.

"Accio 'The Secrets of Salazar Slytherin'." The book flew directly into his left hand. To his relief, his wand was undamaged.

He took a step forward and turned on the spot, The Burrow firmly in mind.

Everything went black as Harry began to spin, and he felt the usual but unsettling compressing sensation that came with disapparating. And then suddenly it stopped, and as it started again he felt weirdly like he was spinning in the opposite direction. Light flooded his vision as he apparated, and the room from before appeared around him.

Someone began to cackle behind him. The empty portrait was now occupied by an old witch. Her purple hair was thick and messy and she seemed to be missing most of her teeth.

"You could always try the door!" Harry glared at her.

"Now don't go looking at me like that," she said with a tut. "I know for a fact that the mistress didn't lock it when she left."

"Your mistress?"

"Oh, you'll see," said the painting, flashing him a nearly-toothless grin before disappearing out of the frame.

A couple of brass snakes hissed at Harry as he reached for the door handle, but they let him open it; it clicked open, and he stepped out quickly, nearly colliding with someone passing on the other side.

White blond hair and pale skin. Harry jumped back and raised his wand.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Malfoy all but shrieked, stumbling back and staring at Harry, wide-eyed.

It took Harry a moment to recover. "Where am I?" he said eventually.

"I certainly didn't-" Malfoy started, but then faltered. "Oh."

"Where am I?" Harry repeated, not lowering his wand.

"Malfoy Manor," said Malfoy, stepping further away from Harry's wand, "but..."

"But what?"

Malfoy hesitated. "You can't just 'be' here. You can't sneak in. They charmed the house. The Ministry was pretty thorough about it." Malfoy tilted his chin up. "Although it's not perfect; my father worked at some of the loopholes beofore they locked him up."

"You think I - I what? Knocked on the door? Hullo, Mr and Mrs Malfoy, I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd drop by - do you mind if I stay the night?"

"I told you, my father's in Azkaban," said Malfoy coldly. "And no, I think mother brought you here. She'll deal with you when she wakes up."

"I'm not staying."

"Like I said, father filled in some pretty big holes. They said the charms were for our own protection, but really they're there to stop us from kidnapping, well, people like you. You can't enter the property without agreeing to a contract, but father altered it."

"It sounds like Lucius didn't exactly plan to give up his Death Eater activities."

"We can't hurt you while you're here. Not fatally, anyway." Malfoy smirked. "But you can't leave either. Not without our permission."

"That's a pretty big loophole."

"My father's good at what he does. The ministry can come and leave as they want though. It's not like you're in any danger." Malfoy turned to walk away. "I'm sure mother will find you soon. You can talk to her about it."

"What the hell, Malfoy?"

Malfoy sighed loudly. "This isn't my problem," he said, sounding frustrated.

"You just expect me to wait around?"

"I don't really care," Malfoy snapped. Then after a beat, he sighed loudly. "Breakfast?"

Harry blinked.

"Well, brunch," said Malfoy, his voice clipped. "It's twelve."

Harry let out a strangled laugh. What was going on?

Malfoy clicked his tongue impatiently. "I really don't care what you do. Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing. Brunch sounds great."