A/N I am genuinely so sorry about my pathetic attempt at 'regular posting'. I have no excuse, and I don't know if anyone care, but I feel hella guilty. I know this chapter is kinda lacking but I figured posting something was better than more nothing. I'm so sorry :( PS also sorry if the format is weird, had some issues on this site.

Harry

He thought about telling Draco about the voice he had heard but decided against it. Like Hermione said, hearing voices wasn't a good thing.

Besides, both he and Draco spent almost all their free time on the quidditch pitch. October had come, bringing with it cold damp weather but Harry found punishing quidditch practices far more fun now that Draco was on the team too.

Harry's new broom was incredible and the Slytherin team were flying amazingly on their Nimbus 2001s. Harry was sure that they would win their first game of the season. The whole school was looking forward to the Hallowe'en feast. The Great Hall was decorated with huge pumpkins grown by Hagrid,the grounds keeper and the house elves had been busily preparing dishes all week.

Lockhart was still enthusiastically praising Harry, although not quite as much as he praised himself. Draco and Daphne were still going out but Draco still made time for Harry. When Draco was with Daphne Harry hung out with Pansy and Blaise. Harry, who had always been bullied by Dudley, was one of the most popular Slytherins.

Hermione

The other Gryffindor girls were talking about how dreamy Professor Lockhart was. For goodness sake he was at least 15 years older than all of them. He would hardly be interested in a few 2nd year girls' attentions. You fell for a guy who has no interest in your attentions she thought bitterly.

She hadn't really fallen for him though she forcefully reminded herself. Everyone in the school thought Draco Malfoy was hot-this just proved that she was normal. But to think he could ever like someone like her-that was just vanity and wishful thinking. She was hardly in his league-not beautiful, popular and pureblood. She didn't have friends, not really, just her books. She could read about true love but who would ever love her, with her stupid hair and too big front teeth? No-one. Certainly not Draco Malfoy.

Draco

Quidditch practice was hard but satisfying. Every day he would walk off the pitch bruised and sweaty, but knowing he had achieved something. Quidditch was one of the few things he enjoyed that his father was proud of.

On his broom he could escape from Daphne. She came to support him sometimes but he could block her out. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that she was perfect for him, that she helped maintain his image, that she would make his father proud, his heart knew he was lying to himself. He didn't care about Daphne. He would have felt bad about stringing her along but a fling with him would be good for her reputation.

And yet as hard as he tried to avoid thinking about her, he couldn't. He watched her with her Gryffindor friends. He knew he couldn't have her, and a part of him wondered if she would even want course he was a Malfoy, and he was practically flawless, and most girls would die to have him, but... she wasn't most girls. He saw the looks of disdain and contempt she gave him, and whenever he had the chance he insulted her, but now the insults felt more for show, his heart wasn't in it anymore.

Harry

The Hallowe'en feast was tonight. Harry hoped this year's would go better than last year, when Quirrel had interrupted the feast with the 'troll announcement'. Harry winced, not liking to think about Quirrel.

They were sitting at breakfast and the owls had just delivered the post. As usual, Harry had nothing, but a tawny brown owl with amber eyes dropped a thin scroll of parchment in front of Draco. Draco seemed to hesitate a little, his eyes flicking round the roon. As he read the letter he turned pale and glanced up at the teachers' table, where Harry noticed Snape was absent from. Draco excused himself from the table and Harry frowned, wondering what had upset his friend. Perhaps there were problems at home? He hoped Draco was okay.

Draco

He had recognised the elegant handwriting immediately. Part of him wanted to just burn the letter but he knew he couldn't. He would follow his orders like always. He left the table and made his way to Severus' room. He nodded briskly at the professor who stepped out of the study. Draco locked the door behind him and went over to the fireplace, crouching down before the embers.

He waited for a few minutes and then Lucius' head appeared in the grate.

"Draco, we don't have long. The diary has been planted?"

"Yes father I did as you said. The Weasley girl has the book". Giving the diary to Ronald's sister had been almost good. The weasel was one of her best friends.

"Good. Now Draco, the chamber opens tonight. You have to be ready. Prepare Potter for his little adventure and the Dark Lord will be most grateful."

"Yes sir," he answered, and Lucius' head disappeared.

Tonight? He wondered who would be the first. He had hoped to be able to make arrangements, trying to keep her safe. It would start small he knew, she would be safe for a while yet. Meanwhile he had to drag Harry through this mess all over again. What kind of friend was he? There was a reason Malfoy's didn't get close to other people-they tended to destroy everyone surrounding them in their grasp for power. Sometimes Draco hated himself for letting his family do this to him, but what else could he do? Public defiance of the family would end in family ties severed, his reputation destroyed, and he would be left wirh nothing. He wonfered if she would like him then, if they could be together, but how could he, Draco Malfoy, possibly live the way normal people did? He knew how violently his family dealt with disloyalty and his father's anger and violence had terrified him since he had been a child. He sighed, knowing he would still obey, had to obey, and unlocked the door and stepped out of the room.

Snape was of course desperate to know the plan. It was pathetic how he desperately clung to the Dark Lord, feeding him scraps of information in exchange for his protection. Draco told him it was secret and left him to his sad life.

Harry

Draco rejoined them in time for their first class much quieter. He seemed paler than normal and withdrawn, and he snapped at Daphne when she tried to entangle him in a flirty conversation. Harry didn't know what was wrong but he hoped Draco would cheer up in time for the feast.