AN: I wanted to use this chapter to portrait how Draco's interaction's with his friends are, I made him particularly giddy at the beginning because I believe that after so many months of the strictest self-control, he's going to be a bit high with the freedom.

Chapter 1

Draco walked down the stairs to wait for his friends in the Floo room of the south wing of the manor. Last time, he had made them wait for almost a half an hour, the blond suspected that might have incited the comment about his robe. This time, he wanted to be there to greet them, not only because it was rude to make them wait despite being close friends but because he had learned not to let anyone roam around his wing alone. He mentally winced remembering some of the curses the Death Eaters had placed around, it was now automatic to accompany all the people who went into his side of the manor. He would grow anxious if he had to leave them alone.

He walked into the Floo room, rolling his eyes at how childish he had been, decorating the small room with forest greens and silver touches to proclaim his house to all his visitors. Slytherin pride. It had been his way to revere the Dark Lord too since he was a descendent of Lord Slytherin. How naïve could he be? Slytherin had been a part of the equation during the war but it was only the cover.

The grey marble fireplace roared announcing his friend's arrival. Blaise Zabini stepped out of the enormous fireplace with the ease of a pureblood, brushing non-existent pieces of ash. He looked so young, although he had always been taller than Draco, he was a few inches shorter than he had been as a sixteen year old. He was slimmer and his masculine broad shoulders weren't there yet.

"Blaise!", he greeted him, smiling as he approached his fellow Slytherin.

It had been so long since the last time he had been able to converse with his friend without the tense undertones. He had worried about slipping something he shouldn't, he stressed because Blaise was neutral and some of his affirmations could be taken as him trying to scout his Italian friend, but at the same time he was supposed to speak only preaches of his Lord.

He hugged him tightly and Blaise responded his embrace. Draco sighed contently, refraining his urge to snuggle closer. When he had been fourteen, he had been too prickly to hug his friend anymore, believing he was too old for hugs. Once the Dark Lord started living in the manor, he had wanted no more than feeling the protective warmth he felt in a hug.

Blaise gave the best hugs, even better than his own mother or father. Although, in his parents' defence, they hadn't been embraced a lot through their childhoods since it was considered a sign of weakness and the parents-child relationship was more distant. While Blaise and Mrs Zabini's relationship was warmer, probably due to Italian culture. His friend's hugs were more natural and less stiff than his parents'.

He was sure that if he wasn't friends with Blaise, he wouldn't receive any hugs at all, except the occasional awkward embrace from his mother. His Italian friend was affectionate by nature, and since his English friends refused to be greeted by one kiss on each cheek, he had resorted to giving wonderful hugs. Spurred by Blaise, the tight group of friends were more "touchy-feely" than was considered normal in English aristocracy which was why the only acted that way in strict privacy.

"Draco, I see that you missed me", teased the older wizard, parting from their hug.

"Maybe because someone has barely written more than two letters this entire summer", he answered with only the slightest reproach on his tone.

"Barely more than two letters? I wrote at least ten and it's only the first of August!", responded amused the Italian.

"Yes, well, but you were in Italy with all your family, while I was here in all my lonesome", he huffed dramatically, it felt good to be able to behave as childish as he wanted and he knew Blaise wouldn't use it against him.

Blaise laughed, "I did invite you"

"You just wanted me to get burnt again, like last year", he pouted.

"But of course! You turned the most captivating shade of pink", joked the foreigner.

"Not everyone can tan like you! You, you caramel-turning-wizard!", he exclaimed with theatrical anger, waving his index as he pointed his friend.

Chuckles were heard from the fireplace, Theo stood there staring at them with mirth in his honey eyes. Draco blushed realising he had been so immersed in the little fake fight he hadn't even heard the fireplace roar. He really had gone overboard but it felt so good not to be constantly restrained. He felt carefree and happy. He supposed he was in a high, he just hoped that he wouldn't crush too badly when he had to return to self-control at the taylor and during dinner.

"Good afternoon", smirked the dark haired wizard.

"Hello", responded with his cheeks still coloured pink the blond.

"Hi, Theo!", said enthusiastically the Italian engulfing their friend in a hug.

Draco watched them smiling, there was always something humorous about seeing open and expressive Blaise with studious and introspective Theo. The eldest of the trio stood stoically letting their friend hug him in greeting, putting his hands on his back before moving back. He wasn't surprised when he didn't receive a hug and was gifted with a small smile instead, Theo wasn't as keen on physical contact as Blaise.

"Now that we're all here, shall we move to the yellow dinning room?", Draco suggested before heading to the dinning room.

The small dinning room was painted with a yellow and off white paper, there were two large windows that faced a small patio and were framed with golden and yellow curtains. The round wooden dinner table was in the centre of the square room and there were three side chairs around it. The table ornament was a simple bouquet of white and yellow narcissus. It was a quite intimate dinning room due to its size and Draco only used it when he was going to eat with Blaise or Theo or both.

"I still can't believe that you used yellow to decorate, I thought it was a Hufflepuff colour?", teased Blaise.

Draco shrugged elegantly, "It's a Hufflepuff colour when they don't know how to use it"

"So everyone but you?", asked Blaise arching an eyebrow.

"That's not true Lady Yaxley has the most lovely drawing room, how a witch whose taste is so exquisite married such a brute is something I can't understand", he answered dismissing his comment.

Blaise rolled his green eyes, "Yes, Draco, we know, you fell in love when you saw the decorations of their Yule ball, even though we were on the children's side. How long have you had this crush? Five years?"

"I don't have a crush!", exclaimed blushing the Malfoy, "I just appreciate her taste, that's all"

The Nott Heir snorted, "That's an understatement. You love the interior design of every single room of Yaxley Manor and there're, what, two hundred?"

"Well, I don't like the gallery rooms and the Lord Yaxley's study and office are atrocious",refuted stubbornly the blond.

"You do realise those are the only rooms not decorated by Lady Yaxley, don't you?", smirked Blaise.

"Enough about my non-existent crushes! How did it go with Phillipa this July?", he asked smiling, he knew they had snogged that summer.

Phillipa was the fourth daughter from a rather prominent Italian family. Blaise had met her when he was eight years old and had fallen head over heels, since then, he had pursued her relentlessly. Although when he was eight years old that meant her giving her his share of dessert and lending her his practice broom.

Draco had the suspicion that both families had already written a marriage contract and were just waiting to see whether either one would receive a creature inheritance. In the pureblood world, it wasn't odd to have some creature traits passed down through generations but no one knew for sure which traits were latent. So a pureblood could be part veela and need a particular mate, for instance, making the marriage contract void and null.

As expected, it was Blaise's turn to flush and try to look nonchalant, "We spent some enjoyable afternoons together"

"Which means he spent all afternoon trying to romance her while she smirked and let him make a fool of himself", translated Theodore smirking.

"That's not how it went at all!... Ok, maybe there's a slight similarity"