Draco ran his hand through his hair and ruffled it thoroughly as he entered the Slytherin common room, sending tiny water droplets spraying across the stone floor. As he looked up, his eye met that of a flabbergasted Blaise, quill frozen in mid air as he spotted his best friend.

"What the hell happened to you?" he finally managed to exclaim. Draco shrugged, a small smile on his face.

"Nothing. Detention was just a bit more fun than normal." At that response Blaise's perplexed expression melted into a mischievous grin. "Not like that, you tosser!" Draco rolled his eyes as he wound his way out of his wet robe and threw it at his friend.

"Uh-huh," Blaise nodded at him knowingly and tossed the robe back casually. "Well you tell that to your girlfriend. She's looking for you, so you better get dried up before she has another fit.

Draco's heart sank. He knew his friend was right; if Astoria saw him like this she would freak, no matter how reasonable the explanation – especially if his reasonable explanation was a play fight with another girl. He remembered Luna's words, and knew this was the time to try and sort things out with Astoria. So with that thought, he nodded at Blaise and headed for the showers to get cleaned up before she got back to the common room.

After a long, hot shower Draco finally felt clean and refreshed. He'd also given his robe a quick wash in soapy water, to ensure it wouldn't smell of unicorn urine for the whole day. One towel wrapped around his waist and his robe slung over his bare shoulder, he traipsed back into the now empty common room, vigorously rubbing his hair with another towel in his left hand.

As he stopped in front of the big fireplace he took the robe and spread it across the warm stone that cased the chimney flue so it could dry overnight. Normally he'd have washed and dried it with a simple charm, but after polishing all week without magic, he felt it was nice to actually do something little like this by hand. He admitted to himself that he'd felt quite accomplished after he'd seen the whole trophy room gleaming in the dim candlelight and recognised it as Luna's and his own time and dedication, causing a small smile to settle on his lips.

He turned to head up the stairs to the dormitories, but froze when he noticed Astoria stood right there underneath the arch leading to his room. She regarded him in silence for a moment before he took a step forward, about to open his mouth.

"Sit down." She interjected, her voice neutral, but trembling a little nonetheless. There was something about her calm exterior that made Draco think arguing with her would be counterproductive, and seeing as resolution is what he wanted, he did as she said. Silently he waited until she took a seat on the sofa opposite him, her eyes fixed on him but avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sorry about what happened down at the lake," he began cautiously as she regarded his bare torso without saying anything. "-but I've just been so caught up, with detention keeping me..." his voice trailed when he spotted the venom in her eyes as he said the word 'detention'. She was now staring straight back at him, her eyes piercing into his wide, grey ones.

He had no idea what he'd done, but he'd already managed to piss her off before he even managed to apologise properly. It's like it was a gift of his or something, he thought.

"How is detention going?" she snapped sarcastically.

Oookay, what the hell...!

Taken aback, Draco opened his mouth to ask what she meant by that, only to be interrupted again before he uttering a single syllable.

"I saw you! With that stupid, blonde nutcase Lovegood!" she spat at him.

His jaw dropped. THIS is what she was on about? Come ON!

"You think I'm cheating on you with Luna." He stated monotone. She held his stare, a poisonous challenge in her eyes. "Astoria," he paused, collecting himself. The idea that he was having an affair with Luna was so ridiculous it took a lot of effort and a deep breath not to break into roaring laughter. "I promise you, there is nothing going on between us. She was helping me-"

"Us?" she shrieked.

Oh boy, she was already hysterical. This wasn't going to be a walk in the park, that was for sure.

"And what about us?" She waved her hand between herself and Draco. "Hmm? Not once have you tried to apologise to me this week!" She was on her feet at this point, hands on her hips, glaring down at him. Mouth open, Draco stared at her.

"Well I'm trying now!" he said, his voice rising in volume as he struggled to stay calm.

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" she screamed. Stunned with disbelief, Draco closed his mouth, robbed of his counter argument. It seemed like a lifetime passed before he could think of what to say next.

"So, what?" he asked, a hollow echo in his question. Astoria dropped her arms without an answer. "You're breaking up with me over a stupid argument." As she didn't reply, he pushed himself up and walked briskly past her up the stairs. She caught his arm as he brushed her shoulder.

"Don't!" he turned, his foot on the step as he glared at her. Slowly, she let go, her mouth open as if to say something, but it closed swiftly. "Just – don't." He pulled his arm out of her limp grip and stormed up the stairs without another backward glance.

Draco's good mood from the week had vanished the instant he'd walked up the stairs to the dormitories, and it hadn't returned the next morning. He overslept breakfast and remained in bed over lunch, unmotivated to stir for any reason. It was the weekend after all, why should he?

Quidditch practise.

At that thought his eyes flew open in an instant and he practically fell out of bed, tossing his bed sheets aside but not realising his feet were still tangled up in it, and fell face first onto the floor.

"Slow down, Seeker," Draco scooped his face off the solid wooden floor to look at a preoccupied Blaise, sitting on his own bed parallel to Draco's, his attention turned only to a copy of The Daily Prophet, his voice bored, before he lifted his head.

"Parkinson told me to tell you, that Davis told her Quidditch was cancelled. Something about Hufflepuff emergency practise, blah blah blah." He mimicked her voice at an over exaggerated pitch, creating an irritating whiny noise.

Draco was undecided whether to feel relieved that he didn't have to get up, or annoyed that he basically already was for a no longer valid reason. He settled for the latter, acknowledging his friend with a curt grunt and kicked the sheets off his legs. There was no point in returning to bed now, not to mention that his boredom had begun getting the better of him hours ago; he was naturally an early riser and liked to be up and busy, so remaining in bed out of pure stubbornness was agonisingly painful.

He moped over to the dresser opposite the foot end of his bed and dressed himself quickly over his pyjamas, feeling Blaise's silent stare burning into his back.

"Mate, -" Blaise started.

"No." Draco barked harshly before he could be offered a shoulder to cry on and strode down the stairs with his hands buried deep in his trouser pockets. Moments later, Blaise was still looking at the doorway where the thick hoody topped with a blonde mess of hair had just disappeared, and heard the heavy common room doors slam ferociously and with purpose beneath him. Ruefully, he sighed.

The tension rises!

So thanks again for all the support, alerts, comments etc. especially your patience, and please do keep it up! Much love ;)