Here we go folks, another chappy, from me to you.

Enjoy…

Draco stood in the portrait, his mouth going dry and his body stirring. There in front of him stood Hermione running her hands over her own butt.

He tired to blink, he tried to look away, and he tired to think of something cutting to say. But there was nothing he could do that would make him ruin this moment.

But just as suddenly as he had caught her, she moved over to the piece of toast that he ordered for her and bit into it roughly. For some reason his body stirred even more.

"Take that Pansy wansy!" he heard her growl.

Laughter bubbled in his throat. She was still mad at Pansy. It could be much worse. She could have been mad at him. The very thought turned his blood cold, but that's what he wanted her to be…right…she was meant to be mad at him?

Watching her turn and catching him standing in the door way brought him out of his own thoughts. Where as before he would have nothing to say he now did.

"I bet Pansy is in a lot of pain after that one." He ignored her reddening face and went to pick up the charms book he had forgotten. Leaving her with one more cutting comment,

"Honest, I'm not sure she will make it through the day without breaking down with emotional strain."

He left the room and went to catch up with Pansy.

Sitting in the great hall filled him with a kind of peace that he had not felt since he had last sat there. People all around him chatted away about there holidays, about how much they wished they were still there, or at least still in bed for another hour. The clang of cutlery and of people eating was like music to his ears.

It was strange how much he missed this one room, how much he missed this castle. Home was grand but everything was breakable. Sometimes you were scared to breathe in case you broke the air! But here you could run about and do what ever you wanted…well sort of. Don't get him wrong he loved his money and wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes it was fun to not have everything.

People treated him the same here. They didn't bow down at him and offer to do everything. In his first few years at the school that had driven him mad. The younger Draco had not known anything different, but now he would prefer to be equals. But appearances had to be kept. So Crabbe and Goyle still followed him about…Pansy too, but they all knew that he liked his space and knew when to keep away.

Looking at his empty plate he thought about moving to get some more food. But his stomach was full. Anymore food and he might pop.

That was something else. Back at home the meals were all small…designer meals. None of them filled him up the way these meals did.

Sighing and looking up at the head table he caught his head of house looking at him. Giving him a pointed look. If Draco had not been a pupil at this school for 5, nearly 6, years then he might not have known what that look meant. But he did and if clearly said. 'Meet me in my office 5 minutes after I have left the hall.'

Giving a slight nod in return which was received and then covered by a wave of black robes as the man left.

Sighing again Draco found himself looking across at the Gryffindor table. Scanning it he found Hermione starring up at the head table. Following her eye line he could see McGonagall nodding to her before leaving. Hermione then frowned and spoke to Ron.

He appeared to not be the only one that was called for a meeting.

Looking down at his watch, he stood and left, not even bothering to say goodbye to his 'friends'. Making his way down to the dungeons he wrapped his robes tighter round himself. He connected with his head of house on so many different levels but he would never understand why it had to be so damn cold!

Knocking on Snape's door he entered.

"professor." He said.

The older wizard stood and started to pace.

"Sit down boy…we have to talk."

Draco looked at his head of house then sat, crossing his legs at the knees. If he had been with any other teacher he would not have sat this way, but Snape was like a second father to him. He treated him a hell of a lot better than his real father did, or ever would.

"The Dark lord is moving the death eaters." Snape sat once again. "We must be very careful who we speak to and what we say. You will do what you can to persuade your father that you have control of Miss Granger."

"But…"he started to say but was quickly silenced.

"Disagreements must be put to the side in times of need." Snape picked up his quill and started to write. It was a while before he spoke again. "You must watch over her, make sure she and her bumbling friends do not get themselves into another hair brain situation."

Draco nearly scoffed at that one. What the hell was he meant to do that? He had been trying to follow the three of them since his very first day at this school and had only failed. What was going to make this time any different!

"You may go." Snape said.

"But…" he was once again cut off.

"You may go." The professor said with more demand.

This time Draco stood and left. What was going on! Sure he knew that something big was going to happen soon, sure he knew that he would be called to help but never had he foreseen the task that he had been given.

It had been only last year that his father had told him that he would become a death eater when he left Hogwarts. It had been his very first day back at school last year that he had gone to Dumbledore and told him that the last thing he wanted to do was become a slave to the Dark lord. It was then that he had found out about Snape and where his heart really lay. A new found respect grew for the man that he had played along with for so many years.

Before he knew where his feet had taken him, he was outside the heads rooms. Whispering the password he entered and took in the sight before him.

Some one was bent over double laughing. By the curly brown wave of hair he guessed it was Hermione although he couldn't see her face. Ron Weasley stood by the sofa in a clown suit of all things. Pansy lay on the sofa, two cushions covering vital parts of her body…the rest naked.

Everyone but Hermione turned to look at him.

"Dare I ask!" he snapped.

He had wanted nothing more than to come back to his rooms and sit in front of the fire and think. If Hermione happened to be in the room reading…well then he could live with that. But no way was he going to put up with this kind of shit!

Hermione stood up, her hand still on her ribs, laughter erupting out of her every now and again.

"Ron…Pansy naked…you…clown…so funny!" Hermione laughed, bending over again.

Draco watched in surprise at Granger's behaviour, never had he seen her laugh so hard. He may have spotted her across the hall laughing at something. But never had he seen her so…free and happy. It was a good sate of mind for her. He felt some of his anger disappear.

This was not good, he was meant to be mad!

"What did she just say?" he snapped at the other two.

They just shock there heads. Weasley's face having gone even redder…if that was possible. Pansy's normally controlled features were now pained.

"For Merlin's sake!" he growled. "Why is this Pansy naked and why is this clown dressed as…well…a clown."

Granger howled with laughter and fell to the floor. Ron stepped towards her but stopped when she held up her hand.

"I'm okay…it's just…clown! Of all the things!"

"It was the first thing I could think of." Pansy said defensively.

Draco looked between the three. His true temper coming back because he had no idea what was going on or what had happened.

"For Fuck sake!" he shouted.

Pansy stood still, Ron glowered but more importantly, Hermione stop laughing. A part of him was sorry he had to end it but a bigger part wanted to know what was going on.

Hermione stood up and rearranged her clothes.

"There is no need to get annoyed Malfoy." Any laughter that had been in her face was no gone. "It's simple really. Pansy…" she pointed at his practically naked friend. "Decided that she needed to seduce you, so lay naked on the sofa waiting till you got back. Your own fault for giving her the password. Ron bribed the portrait to let him in and found a naked person on the sofa. And for some unknown reason thought it was me." Hermione walked over to Ron and punched him on the arm…hard. "Like I would behave like a prostitute! Pansy though it was you and they started to…make out."

She turned to look at Draco but then looked at his feet instead of meeting his eyes.

"I heard some noise and came down from my room, I told you…em…Ron, to go to his own room and do that. They soon realised their mistakes and Pansy turned Ron into a clown."

Draco looked between the two and bit his lip to stop himself laughing. When he finally thought he had it under control he turned to Ron and Pansy.

"Don't let me interrupt." With that he turned and headed for his room, wondering to himself if he would make it into the room or not.

"Honey bunch." Pansy wined.

Two steps away…so close!

Well people what do you think! Review and let me know! I won't be able to update as I'm gone to England to see my Gran…she hasn't been well so I'm going to fill her up on Chicken broth! Lol!

Will update as soon as I can though!

Review please!

Love ya all!

HC