Draco woke the next morning in a considerable amount of pain. He had crawled into bed after his workout with Harry and spent the night curled up in a ball. This morning he could hardly move; his legs felt like lead and wouldn't uncurl. Draco groaned as the green bed curtains were pulled aside to revel a horrible sight, Crabbe's flat face. "It's almost time for breakfast, Draco," having delivered his message the bulky boy stood there like the idiot he was staring at Draco.

Draco ran the back of his hand across his eyes in a childish manner thankful that his body guard wouldn't remember his actions past breakfast. There were very few blessings to having an idiot for a patsy; this was one of them. "Well then, don't you think you should be getting ready to go," he snapped at the boy. A light bulb seemed to flash dimly over Crabbe's head, and he rushed off. Draco on the other hand only rolled out of bed directly onto the floor. After that he decided that he had put in a full days work and since the floor felt nice and cool, screw breakfast.

Twenty minutes later Draco's pride made him lever himself up and proceed to erase all evidence that he had ever touched the floor from his person. He slowly made his way across to the bathroom and nearly screamed when he looked into the mirror and saw his hair sticking up in several different directions. Look just like Potter. I do not need to see that first thing in the morning. Fifteen minutes after that Draco's hair was perfectly slicked back and ready to take on wind, world, and light to mid-weight falling objects.

A glance at the clock reviled that Draco only had ten minutes to get to class. He threw on some robes and rushed out the door. The Charm's class room was on the fourth floor, a full six floors from where the Slytherin dorms were. Draco ran or rather walked hurriedly all the way; Malfoys never ran anywhere. Stopping one corridor from Charms he cast a straitening charm on his robes to make sure they were up to his standards of neatness.

Class went by in the normal fashion. Professor Flitwick taught them some of the more complex levitation charms for heaver objects, and every time the little man was out of hearing range Draco would make a comment or joke about the Hufflepuffs that shared the class with them. All of his "friends" would laugh, seeking to curry favor with the blond, and wait eagerly for more. It was hard to keep the sallies coming. Draco was actually thankful to the blundering Hufflepuffs forgiving him fresh material.

It angered Draco that his father thought that these useless children of Deatheaters were the proper friends for his son. They were, in Draco's opinion, worthless, stupid, and all around dull. If Draco had any say in whom his friends were this batch would have been dropped a long time ago. Potter on the other hand would have been a friend worth making. Draco sighed and went back to keeping the monkeys entertained.

It wasn't until the end of class that Draco began to worry about his "encounter" with Harry. Any way he looked at it this was going to ruin his reputation, and on an unrelated matter he had to walk back down to the dungeons for his potions class. His only hope was that Snape would keep him entertained for the next hour.

Draco sat at the table he shared with Blaise. The other boy pushed his brown hair out of his eyes and leaned over towards Draco. "You forgot that there was another meeting about the party last night."

"Shit," Draco scowled. "I forgot all about that. I don't think I'll be able to help any more. Put Tanya in charge."

"What, that girl? Who knows what we'll end up with if Tanya decorates." Blaise grabbed Draco's hand in his own. "Please Draco, I don't want to have a party with fuzzy things everywhere or whips and chains." He shook his head, "There is no middle ground with that girl. Besides I would miss you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're pathetic. Fine I'll help but only one day a week." Slave-Driver-Potter would have to cut his training down to six days a week. He glanced across the class room where Harry was settling in with his friends. "On Saturdays."

Blaise nodded and seemed about to say more when the class room door slammed open and Snape stormed in. One look at his face and every Slytherin knew that they wouldn't get any slack to day. Draco turned to look at Blaise who shrugged. So much for being entertained. What fun was it to watch Gryffindors get yelled at when you couldn't laugh at it.

Professor Snape strode to the front of the class and gave them all a withering glare. "Turn to page 123 in your books and read over the Inferno potion." He turned on his heel flaring his robes and sat down at his desk. He then proceeded to glare at anyone who dared to make eye contact.

This behavior worried Draco. Even at his worst before Snape always lectured the class. He never trusted them to figure it out on their own. Draco began to take notes out of his book sneaking glances at his head of house. For the most part Snape glared at Potter. Ah, well, at least it was Potter's fault.

Class ended, and everyone rushed out the door when Snape's voice rang out. "Mr. Potter, stay after class." Potter sighed and sat back down at his desk waiting for everyone to leave. The rest of the class bolted.

Draco stopped in the corridor. Dropping his bag he leaned against the wall to wait. Potter better not make me late for class. Draco didn't know how long he had waited. He only knew that he was pissed when the raven haired boy finally mad an appearance.

"What took so damn long," Draco snapped.

"Dumbledore is making Professor Snape give me privet lessons again. It didn't go too well the first time."

Draco narrowed his eyes and mulled that over. "Well," he looked at his watch. "I have fifteen more minutes before I have to be in class."

"Only fifteen, I thought you had a free period now?"

"I did. You in there for a long time getting your new lesson plans, and I demand retribution."

Harry stared at Draco for a moment nonplussed. "Retribution?"

Draco marched up to Harry looking down on the smaller boy. "You owe me one." He spoke clearly and slowly, enunciating every word.

Harry frowned at him, and then shrugged. "Let's go find a closet." He grabbed Draco's hand and dragged him down the corridor toward the main part of the castle. Draco's only reply was a startled squawk.

Three corridors later Harry pulled open one of the many doors, and tried to shove Draco inside. Draco planted his feet and sent both of them to the floor with Draco on top. He was about to say something scathing to Harry when he heard a startled squeak. Draco turned to see a Hufflepuff girl staring wide eyed, hands over her mouth.

"Scat," Draco yelled at the girl. She took off running pigtails flying out behind her. "Damn it, this will be all overt the school by dinner." He glared at the boy below him. "My reputation is ruined, and it is your fault." He quickly levered himself off of Harry.

"Ya, but this is exactly what we wanted remember?" Harry stood and brushed off his robes. "The only problem I have with this whole affair is that it will be on the front page of the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning." Draco only gaped at him mouth opening and closing like a fish. Harry nodded sagely. "Yep, you're ruined." Draco didn't move. Aren't you going to be late for class?"

The news did indeed spread like wildfire through the school. Draco sat between his oblivious bodyguards. He had never been thankful for their presence, but right now he was willing to claim them as his best friends. No one came between Crabbe, Goyle and their food without loosing a limb, which is exactly where someone would have to get to talk to Draco right now.

Draco's only problem were the two people sitting across from him. Pansy was still in a state of shock. She talked nonstop about the most inane things Draco had ever heard. She even started asking him about his relationship with Harry. Blaise on the other hand wasn't taking the situation at all well. He kept grinding his baked potato until it was mashed and the hamburger patty looked like it would soon follow. He never took his eyes off of Draco all through Dinner.

It was disquieting to say the least. Draco knew that Blaise liked him in a backward Slytherin way, but this jealousy was something else again. He never believed that the small boy was serious about wanting to be with him, not this serious anyway.

Draco hazarded a glance at Blaise, who stared right back brown eyes flashing something remarkably like hatred. He's going to kill me. No Potter, he's defiantly going to kill Potter. Draco felt better about the assertion until he looked at Blaise again. He is only going to maim me.

Later after getting beaten around again by Harry, Draco brought the situation up to the brunette.

Harry only stood there stupidly. "Really?"

"Yes, really you idiot, so if you don't want to be the butt of some prank or more likely dead, watch your back."

"Awww. Draco, I didn't know you cared."

"Shut up."

Harry sat down on the bench next to Draco and leaned back against the wall. "Okay, you don't care."

"Exactly, but I do have a demand."

"Oh."

"I want Saturdays off."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Prior engagement."

"What kind of prior engagement?"

Draco looked over at Harry. "I'm helping-"

"Helping, you?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Harry didn't answer, just looked at Draco expectantly. "Anyway," Draco continued. "I'm planning a party for this Halloween. I need the time to meet with my house mates and prepare. Understand?"

"There's no need to be rude." Harry said, and then shrugged. "Sure I understand. Am I invited?"

"Of course not." Draco paused thinking. "But you did say that I had to get you into the Slytherin dorms some how. I could let you in while the party is going on."

Harry's eyes got real big. "You mean your going to take me home with you?"

"Don't do that," Draco said leaning back. "It does mean that I've filled my part of our bargain though."

"Yes it does."

"So how exactly are you helping me again?"

"It might not seem like much now," Harry answered, "But in another two weeks I'm going to start teaching you how to do some interesting spells along with knife fighting. In short I'm teaching you how to protect yourself. If you ever thought that going against your father would end in anything but a fight you are more hopeful than a Hufflepuff."

"Don't insult me." But Draco knew it to be the truth. One day soon he would have to kill his father. And he was going to enjoy every minute of it.