Author's note: I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry that this took so long. There were some problems with my system, but now they're all good. Hope I haven't lost any readers because of this and I will write more soon.

CHAPTER 6: My Life is Over.

Draco's POV

"My life is over. I'll never survive the rest of the year with Weasel face." Speaking of which, he was looking around like a lost dog. He turned to me, looking very unhappy.

"I'm right here!"

I ignored him. "That pathetic freckle-faced fruit. This is all his fault."

"Yeah, well you're no walk in the park either, Malfoy." And he calls that an insult.

"I'm starving. Weasley, make me breakfast." Weasley just looked at me and laughed.

"You think...you think..." He was laughing so hard he couldn't finish. I don't see what's so funny, though. Oh wait, he's going to say something.

"You think that I'm going to make you breakfast?...You must be going mad." Then he laughed more.

"It's not funny. You're obviously going to have to be my servant while we're stuck like this." That just made him laugh even harder.

"Bloody hell, you have gone mad. Make your own damn breakfast." I couldn't believe it. Does this mean I'll be without a servant for the rest of the year? I think this really must be hell.

Next thing I know Weasley was on his feet searching through the cupboards. The same cupboards that were empty when I got here were now full of stuff. Like boxes and cans and pots and pans. God, I'm rhyming. Note to self: hit Weasley for making me rhyme. There were plates, bowls and cups as well. Only four of each though. I suppose we're going to have to clean too.

I sat there for a moment longer before I too got up and started to rummage through the cupboards. I found a box of cereal that I had never heard of before. It was called Magix. It sounded interesting and you didn't have to make it, so I grabbed the box. I pulled and found that Weasley had a hold on the other end.

"Let go, I had it first!" I shouted at him.

"No way! I had it first!" He shouted back and pulled the box. I pulled at it with equal force. I tightened my hold on the box. He pulled back. And so it began, our little game of tug-o-war that I would no doubt win. Back and forth, back and forth. Then the insults started.

"Let go, you stupid git." What was that Weasley? Is that the best he can do? I thought as I spat a comeback at him.

"Don't you have some patchwork to get done?" This wasn't about the cereal anymore. It was about proving who was better. I shouldn't have to, though. I know I've already won that contest by far. Still. He pulled the box back his way.

"Arrogant, narcissistic bastard."

I pulled the box back. "Piss off." He tried to pull the box back, but I held it in place. He pulled harder but I kept it on my side. Then the brilliant plan hit me. God Draco, I love the way your mind works. Weasley pulled one last time and I released my hold on the box. Weasley stumbled backwards, smacking into one of the armchairs. Serves him right. I went over and pried the box of cereal out of his grip.

"Thanks." I went to the cupboards which were still left open and got myself a bowl. I turned to see the Weasel had gotten up finally and was standing in front of the ice box.

"Out of my way."

Weasley stared at me. "No."

"No? I gave you an order. Now bugger off." I glared at him dangerously.

"I don't take orders from rats." He said, then moved aside. I suppose he was too frightened to stay in my way after that remark, knowing that I would hex him if he stayed put.

By the time I finished my cereal (Weasel face had toast) it was time for class. As if on cue there was a knock on the door.

I went over and opened it. There was no one there. But, no, I was wrong. I looked down and there was tiny Professor Flitwick.

"Good morning. Are you and Mr. Weasley ready to go? Class is about to start, you know." Said the small man in his squeaky voice. I nodded and grabbed my book bag.

"Then we're off." The charms teacher started to head up the sloping lawn to the castle. I followed at a steady pace without looking to see if Weasley was following us. After a moment we arrived at the charms classroom.

"Here we are, boys." Flitwick said, and he let us inside. He led me to one desk and Weasley to another. I saw Potty and Granger rush over to Flitwick as soon as Weaselbee took his seat. Probably wondering why their friend wasn't allowed to sit with them. I never had anyone show concern like that over me. Flitwick seemed to explain briefly before pushing them off to their own seats. He started the lesson.

"Now, these next two weeks we will be looking at the freezing charm." He went on to explain how the charm was useful and how to perform it properly. He told us how it was harder to perform it on larger areas. When he was finished he gave us each a glass of water to practice on. Odd. For some reason whenever I tried to freeze my water all that would form would be a thin layer of ice on the top. I glanced over at Granger. She performed the spell and not only did it freeze all of her water, but three ice cubes formed in Potter's glass as well. Flitwick looked impressed, but I thought she was being a show-off like usual.

The bell signalling the end of class rang and I was escorted by Professor Sprout to my next class. I didn't see Weasley again until lunch, since we didn't have either of our next classes together. I was thankful for that. When I got back to the hut he was already there. He was sitting at the table eating what appeared to be tomato soup. It smelled really good and there was still some left in the pot. If Weasley hadn't made it I would want some. I looked through the cupboards. I had no clue how to make any of this stuff. My stomach rumbled and I glanced back at the still hot soup.

"Have it, it's not poison. I'm not like that." Weasley startled me. It seemed that he had been watching me since I came in. My stomach growled again, so I grabbed a bowl out of the cupboard and poured the rest of the soup into it. I sat in the other seat and sipped the soup. It tasted ok, so I ate it in silence. When I was finished I looked at my watch. 12:27. We still had forty-eight minutes until our next class, double potions which we did have together. I decided to work on my freezing charm while lunch was still on. Weasley pulled out a parchment and quill. He was writing a letter. To Potter, no doubt. I went to the sink and got a glass of water. I set it on the table and started to perform the charm.

At about 1:10 there was a knock at the door. It opened up and Professor Snape came in.

"Malfoy, Weasley. Come with me, class starts in five minutes." Snape held the door open for us. I got up and Weasley did the same, jamming the letter in his pocket. We left the hut and headed up to the castle. When we arrived Potter and Granger were already present. I made a mental note that Vincent and Greg weren't waiting for me to show up.

Granger rushed forward. "Ron, what's going on why weren't we able to speak to you in charms?" Potter was at the boy's other side in no time. Before he could answer her however, Snape cut him off.

"Mr. Weasley is being punished for his behaviour. Not being able to speak to his friends is part of that. Now, class is about to start, take your seats." We were once again led to seats isolated from the rest of the class. I saw Potter take something from Weasley as we passed, however. In the next three minutes the rest of the class arrived and I saw that it seemed Blaise had taken over my role in Slytherin. He even had Vincent and Greg following him. Traitors, all of them. Snape started the lesson. We were going to learn about and try what was called the Calling Well potion. It was supposed to have a similar effect as a pensieve.

"You will need to get into pairs, then I will pass around vials that contain a small amount of potion." Snape instructed. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, please pair up." Potter and Granger looked thunderstruck; obviously they hadn't gotten that far in the letter they were reading when Snape wasn't looking. Snape came over to my desk.

"I apologize, Malfoy, but those are the rules." I waited for Weasley to come over to my work area, then for Snape to hand us the vial. The way this was supposed to work was that one of us would drink a portion of the potion while the other concentrated really hard on a single memory. If this was done correctly then the drinker should be able to see the memory just by looking at the person. We would both receive full marks if at the end of the lesson both of us could describe accurately one of the other's memories. I handed Ron the vial. It was getting to tiresome to think of him as Weasley all the time, but I still called him that.

"Drink up, Weasley, I want to get this over with as soon a I can." Ron drank about half the potion then sat there staring at me with narrowed eyes. I concentrated very hard on a memory of when I was 12, a year after first coming to Hogwarts. There was no memory that I wanted to share with Ron, but since I had to I picked one. I didn't expect the memory to run so long. It was as if Ron and I went on a journey inside my head.

There I was with my father in Borgin and Burkes. My father had just put away the rest of the items that Borgin didn't want. "Let's go, Draco." My father called to me. I was examining a mummy case. Ron sniggered. Of course no one in the memory could hear him. My father cuffed me in the back of the head. "What did I tell you about not touching things?" He hissed as he shoved me roughly out of the shop. Ron and I followed the memory me out and down a dark ally.

"But Father, I thought we were getting my school things now." I noticed this wasn't the way to Diagon Ally. My father turned to me and griped me hard by the upper arms.

"Oh yes, we will just after you define what I mean when I say 'do not touch anything.'" 'This wasn't the memory I wanted. No, I don't want to see again, no...' I thought furiously. I tried to shut it out but it was no use. Ron and I watched as the memory me bowed his head.

"Do not place a finger on anything."

"Very good, Draco. And what did you do in the shop?"

"I didn't touch it, Father, I swear I was just looking…" My father slapped me across the face.

"Do not lie to me, boy." He hit me again.

"But father, I didn't…." He threw me to the floor.

"You are worthless. Now get up." I got to my feet. "Now, who am I?"

"My father."

"What does that mean?"

"That you are in control and I must obey you no matter what."

He hit me again, causing my nose to bleed. "Wrong. What does it mean?"

"That you are in control and what you say is the law and I must obey you no matter what."

"Good. Now, did you disobey me?"

"No." He hit me.

"Did you disobey me?"

"No, sir." He hit me again.

"Did you disobey me?"

"No, I didn't. Please…" I was crying now. He hit me and I fell to my knees. Again and again he asked me the question and each time I gave the same answer. He continued to hit me as the memory faded out.

Now I could see Ron staring at me with wide eyes.

"What are you staring at, Weasley?" He opened his mouth to speak but shut it again.

"Stop gaping. It's no big deal."

Then he did speak. "Why didn't you tell him yes?"

"Because that would be a lie." Professor Snape walked past our desk to the front.

"Now the next person will take the potion and drink the remainder." He said and Ron handed me the vial. I took it and gulped it down.