Draco stormed away from the room. His robes flying around his long legs. Of course he hadn't forgotten his wand. He just needed to get away from Granger. Merlin she made him insane.
"Hey mate, you're going the wrong way." Blaise teased him good naturedly as they passed, Draco heading towards the Slytherin common room, Blaise and Theo towards the Great Hall. "Draco?" The young man's smile faltered at the storm on his friends face.
"Draco?" Theo, normally so stoic spoke up stopping his friend.
"I just need a moment. I need." Draco ran a hand through his hair. He needed alcohol. Strong alcohol. He didn't have any though. In surprise Draco caught a key Theo flung at him.
"Under my bed. My trunk is there. Don't take too much. It was my father's favorite." Touching Blaise's shoulder he ushered the young man to leave their friend be. Watching them walk away Draco almost smile. Sometimes, sometimes he thought Theo had abilities.
Ten minutes later Draco returned, two shots of fire whiskey warming his belly. He felt much more inclined to deal with Granger, and her crew. As he stepped through the door, that had appeared before him moments prior to his arrival, Draco took a deep breath. The firewhiskey had certainly taken the edge off, but mental preparation was key.
"Ah Draco! Good to see that you've finally decided to join us again." Neville's tone was pleasant as he looked at the young man. Draco almost felt as if he meant it. "We were just going over when each of us will make our rounds. Also, a few of the ideas that Hermione's had for the Halloween Masque McGonagall has permitted us to have this year." Neville motioned towards one of the free chairs around them. Malfoy's smile was a wry one.
"I trust that Granger." Her name barely left his lips they were so tight. "Is making arrangements so that it'll be inviting for each of the houses." Draco didn't look at Hermione directly but judging from the glare he felt on him she had been indeed planning a party that would be welcoming of all students. Harry immediately took the role of the peacemaker. He'd known from the beginning when McGonagall had named Draco, well when she'd announced that Hermione had named Draco, that the chances of him having to do this was likely.
"Malfoy." Still not on good enough terms to use his first name Harry spoke up. "Even if it wasn't strictly against McGonagall's instructions, out of each of us, Hermione is the only one who ever prompted us to show compassion towards the other houses." Harry didn't want to admit that his and Ron's hate towards the Slytherin house had been so strong that Hermione had told them to play nice. Even if she herself wasn't particularly fond of them.
"Thank you Harry. Just to catch Malfoy up to speed." Draco had a nagging feeling that she really wanted to say something akin to 'For your information'. "The Halloween Masque will be held the night before Halloween, as Halloween is on a Sunday and we have school on Monday." Granger, ever thoughtful and her studying duties.
"Which makes further sense as traditionally the Holiday is celebrated as All Hallow's Eve. October 30th, not 31st." Draco was slightly surprised at the spout of information that came out of Longbottom. Typically he didn't say anything unless it was about Herbology or Charms. Kid had a knack for charms.
"Yes, that's true also." Hermione amended with a smile at Neville. "The party, as I've designed, will be a Masquerade. Each person is required to dress in the form of an animal, with an appropriate matching mask. Of course there will be two seperate parties." Draco couldn't be sure but he thought a blush stained the frizzy haired girl's cheeks. Though, as he glanced at her, her hair had become increasingly less frizzy, more wazy, silk like.
"The 1st through 5th years will be having their party in the great hall, there is more of them and they require more space." Neville explained, Draco wasn't particularly interested, from the looks of Potter he wasn't either. "Professor Slughorn has graciouslly agreed to allow the 6th and 7th years to host their party in the same room he hosts the Slug Club." Neville added. Grabbing one of the many finger sandwiches that had been brought to them, Malfoy didn't know it but Harry was quite popular among the house elves, he popped it into his mouth nodding.
"Alright, all those things aside, is there anything else terribly important I need to know? Or am I free to go to the Great Hall? I'd like to talk to my friends. You know, be around people who like me."
"Excuse me but if you hadn't been so rude, calling me names, teasing Harry, singing songs about Ron!" Hermione had begun to fly into a rage though was stopped swiftly by Neville's hand.
"Hermione." He put his hand down slowly on the desk in front of them. His voice was calm, calculated. "If we can't bring ourselves to forgive others how can we expect to better ourselves?" His voice was soft, stumbling Hermione over her words.
"Of course Neville. You're right, I'm sorry." Hermione muttered looking down at her papers. Picking one up she swiftly handed it to Draco. "This is your schedule for the next month, as far as rounds go. Who you'll be partnered with, what time you're expected to do your rounds."
"The next month?" His voice was incredulous. She had really planned that far ahead in the time he'd been gone.
"It's better that way, I only have to worry about them once a month." Hermione sniffed her nose upturning slightly. "Besides it was easy, I just made two weeks the same, switching which day you got off on the same weeks. Exchanging your first week's Monday for the third week's Friday, and your second week's Tuesday for your fourth week's Thursday."
"I have to do rounds one Friday out of the month?" Merlin's saggy nut of course he did. Weren't there plenty of prefects who could do that sort of thing? Draco looked at Harry as the young man laughed.
"I said the same thing mate! Isn't there someone else who could do rounds on a Friday? But 'Mione insisted saying."
"'Mione is right here." Hermione cut him off shooting her best friend a playful glare. "It makes perfect sense that every Friday one of us is doing the rounds. It is the first day of the weekend and statistically more students roam the halls." Even if she did had a point. Draco hated to acknowledge it.
"Lunch is almost up." Neville's voice broke in as he looked over his own schedule. Carefully folding it and placing it on his desk across from Hermione's. In two corners of the room were small desks, presumably for Harry and Draco. Though the two giant desks facing one another dominated the room nicely. With a sofa, two arm chairs and a coffee table, it almost looked like a mini common room.
"Well, now that I've officially missed my meal." Draco knew that he sounded like a git, he couldn't help it though. Bloody Gryffindors wanted to play nice.
"Oh shove off Malfoy, we've all missed our meal. Don't you think that I'd rather be in the Great Hall chatting with my friends instead of in here listening to your self righteous arse?" Hermione asked her fuse finally lighting.
"Oh come off it Granger, we all know that you've had a crush on me since first year. Not that I'd want your hands on me." Hermione's mouth gaped open at his accusation.
"Malfoy!" Harry's tone laced with warning. They all seemed to forget though, Draco wasn't a Gryffindor. He heeded no warning.
"Hey," He held up his hands with a shrug. ", I'm just pointing out what everyone else already knows. After all, Granger always finds a way to be around me."
"Me? Want you? I've never heard such a ludicrous statement before in my life! How conceited can you get?" As she stood, Draco only smirked. It was always interesting to see her get riled up. Frazzling the Head Girl's nerves.
"Really Malfoy that's enough. You know that Hermione holds no feelings for you." Neville said a hand on Harry's shoulder. The raven haired boy looked furious.
"Say what you like Longbottom. She chose me." Draco stood up, swiftly, gracefully his face positively smug. "Just something to keep in mind."