NOTE: I do not own any recognizable characters, etc. It's all Rowling.
The man in the cell next to him was screaming again. Draco ground his teeth in frustration. Finally, the man stopped. Sighing in relief, Draco rolled over to get a more comfortable position on his cot. Pulling the thin blanket over himself, he tried to doze off. It definitely didn't help that he could hear more screaming from cells further away. It kept getting colder and colder, and Draco knew a dementor was approaching, probably on patrol. He watched it as it glided down the hall, black and dangerous. His teeth chattered and he tried to compose himself.
The creature stopped outside his cell and reached out a skeletal hand to unlock the door. The cloaked figure came nearer and nearer. Placing its hand on his shoulder, it drew back his hood. Draco couldn't help the fog that was closing over him, and dimly he heard his neighbor screaming again. Then he realized it wasn't his neighbor who was screaming. It was Draco.
Draco forced himself awake. Sitting up, he found Blaise leaning over him, hand on his shoulder as if he had been trying to shake Draco conscious.
"What was it this time, mate?" Blaise asked worriedly, his eyes not leaving Draco's.
"Azkaban." Draco said shortly. "A… a dementor was trying to Kiss me." Blaise shuddered.
"I don't think anyone else heard. I put a silencing charm on your bed right when I woke up." Draco looked up at his friend.
"Thanks, Blaise. I don't know what I would do without you." Blaise grinned and looked down at him.
"Just remember this next time there's a dance and I don't have a date. I don't know where you get all those girls from, but they are gorgeous." Draco flapped his hand.
"Your wish is my command, Master Zabini."
"Very good, Master Malfoy. Now if you are done flopping in your bed like a stranded fish, I will be returning to my own." Blaise gave a very elaborate mock bow, and Draco chuckled.
"See you in the morning, Blaise," he called.
"It is morning," came the muffled reply. Draco looked at his clock and saw that it was only three. He lay down in bed again and closed his eyes. Counting down from one hundred like his mother had taught him, he reached negative eighty-seven before feeling himself slip off into a light doze.
-O-O-O-O-
Blaise found him the next morning in the library.
"Why weren't you at breakfast this morning?" he demanded to know. Draco absentmindedly waved his hand towards one of the empty chairs at his table as he poured over a book.
"I ate earlier," he replied as he turned a page. Blaise snorted as he dropped into one of the chairs.
"Fine. What are you doing here anyway?"
"I'm looking to see if Hogwarts has a music room." Here Draco looked up and Blaise could see the tension in his eyes. "Playing piano helps me relax. I played every day at the manor, but I can't find anything here. And I've spent a good amount of time looking."
"What about that place where you found the vanishing cabinet?" Blaise suggested. Draco's eyes flashed a warning. "No, not that room exactly. It's called the Room of Need or something like that. It's how Potter hid that secret group in fifth year. Maybe it can turn into a music room for you." Draco frowned slightly.
"I still don't think people would be happy if I went skulking around that room." Draco wasn't sure why he was so unwilling.
"You won't be skulking. If you're really worried, go ask McGonagall or something. I can act as chaperone or whatever."
"Blaise, you really are a genius, you know that?" Blaise chuckled.
-O-O-O-O-
Draco and Blaise went straight to McGonagall's office. She seemed faintly surprised to see the two of them, but ushered in all the same. When they explained what it was they wanted to use the Room of Requirement for, she sat back and studied them for a moment.
"You really are full of surprises, Mr. Malfoy. You didn't really need permission, but I appreciate your honesty. So, yes, you may use the room. I am going to trust you on this. If anyone gives you trouble about this, send them to me. Draco nodded. "If that is all, you are dismissed. Though, Mr. Malfoy, would you mind staying behind? I wish to speak with you." Blaise left, leaving Draco alone under McGonagall's powerful eyes. He shifted in his chair.
"Mr. Malfoy, you said that you had trouble sleeping?" Draco nodded. He had kept the problem vague, not mentioning the nightmares in particular. "Have you spoken with anyone about this?
"A little bit with Blaise. And when the healers were trying to fix my leg, they gave me a sleeping potion. Mostly for the pain, though. It does, however, keep me asleep. I can't use it very often, but if the pain is bad enough, I do." McGonagall nodded.
"I see. If you need anything more of the sort, I'm sure Professor Slughorn and Madame Pomfrey could be of assistance. That is all, Mr. Malfoy." He thanked her and slowly left the room.
Blaise was waiting for him in the hallway. He raised an eyebrow in silent question, and Draco grinned shakily, giving a thumbs-up. The two headed back to the common room. The opening feast was tonight, and they had to change into their school robes.
-O-O-O-O-
The new first years gazed around excitedly. The Sorting was finished and the feast had just appeared on the tables. It was good to see the Great Hall filled again. The suspicious looks had not been as bad as he was expecting, and no one had attacked him yet, so in Draco's opinion the feast was going rather well. Some of the first-years had looked terrified when they were sorted into Slytherin, but they had relaxed when they realized they were not going to be eaten or Marked on the spot. Draco was currently in conversation with a sixth-year who was curious about what his classes would be like. Unfortunately, Draco had not been paying much attention to classes during his sixth year and couldn't give the boy much information.
When the feast was ended, Draco received many more fearful looks than before as he limped through the hallways. Damn – he had thought it wouldn't be that bad. Composing himself, he made his way, somewhat hurriedly, to the sixth floor.
Finding himself in a familiar hallway, Draco smiled grimly. He paced back and forth near the tapestry of Barnabas, and sure enough, a door appeared. He opened it, and let out a sigh.
There, in the middle of the room, was one of the most beautiful pianos Draco had ever seen. The ivory keys called for him and he dropped his cane as soon as he could sink down onto the bench. He carefully pressed on of the keys, and grinned when the note played in perfect pitch. Closing his eyes, he gave himself over to the music. He played until all he saw and heard were his fingers across the keyboard and the notes in his ears.
He let the music trickle away, and slumped on the bench – exhausted but peaceful. Glancing at his wrist, he saw it was past eleven o'clock. He had no idea how the time had passed so quickly. Standing up and stretching, Draco moved towards the door. Hearing people in the hallway, he waited in the Room of Requirement until they were gone. While he had McGonagall on his side, Draco wasn't sure he could trust the rest of the student body to ask questions before attacking. He made his way slowly to the portrait of the Founders. Thankfully, they did none of the riddle asking, soul-searching stuff that the headmistress had told them about. All Draco wanted to do was go to bed – he was exhausted.
The dormitory was pitch black, seeing at it was nearly midnight. After narrowly avoiding tripping over a pair of shoes and a book, Draco decided it would just be easier to crawl. Hoping everyone was in their beds and fast asleep, he got down on his hands and knees to make his way over to his bed. He was almost there when he heard someone talking. He froze.
"No! Don't - don't touch her! She – let her go!" Draco realized it was Potter, talking in his sleep. He swallowed a smirk as he thought of what he would have done the year before with this knowledge. But now? Best to let sleeping dogs lie. He knew more than anyone how terrifying the night could be. If Potter, too, wanted to face it alone, Draco wasn't going to do anything about it. He understood.
A/N: Sooooo, watcha think? Also, I'm thinking of changing the story title because it currently has nothing to do with anything at all. Just wondering if perchance any of you have any ideas? Let me know!