Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I am making no money from this.

A/N: very sorry for this being so late. Will try to do the next chapter quicker. Again my apologies.

In the Skin of a Slytherin

Chapter Three- The Exchange

"Do you realise what you have just asked of me?" Draco asked his voice so low it was almost a growl.

His grey eyes flashed, like silver daggers set to kill, in anger. It took Draco all of his self control to keep himself composed. Those blue eyes of their mystery guest went comically wide and it was a while before the lion was able to talk, obviously shocked by Draco and Blaise's reaction, who sat next to Draco like a stone statue and his eyes as cold and deadly as the Arctic Ocean.

"wait," the lion called, "you had not let me finish." Although he said he was not so forth coming with ending his speech.

"well out with it then." Blaise snapped.

"I wish to have access to the common room , although as you can tell I am able to get in I am not welcome here unless allowed by you, you are the leader after all Draco." Although rushed at the beginning the last part came out as a slight purr. Well Draco had to admit this Gryffindor knew where Draco's weakness lay. If their lion was on his knees begging that would be even better but that was not Gryffindor style so he knew that would not have happened.

"And why should you be allowed in to spy on us? Why do you think I would accept this? What would you offer in return be? That does not mean to say I have accepted in the slightest." Draco was curious, as always, he liked to know the answers to everything and surely if this Gryffindor they claimed to have at least an infinitesimal amount of Slytherin within them they should realise that no one in this house did something out of the kindness of their heart, they did things for their own benefit.

"Erm....." not a good start there little lion, "I would offer you protection." At that Draco laughed. It had not escaped his notice that the Gryffindor had only answered Draco's last question but he let it slip for now.

"And why would I need your protection?" Draco sneered. "As you have already pointed out I am the leader of Slytherin, there is no one here whom I need saving from, I am no Damsel in Distress." This earned a snort of amusement from the brunette.

"I never thought you were Draco." Laughter lacing every word. But it was soon replaced by a look of seriousness and there was a quick flicker of the eyes to Blaise who sat silently listening to their conversation, and then those piercing blues were looking straight into Draco's own. Draco could they were trying to make a point to him but couldn't understand what, it had something to do with Blaise. An eyebrow lifted on the Gryffindor's face and again a pointed look at Blaise, Draco's heart sped up. Surely the Gryffindor couldn't know something that Blaise didn't about Draco.

The Gryffindor lent in close to Draco. He didn't stop until the sides of their faces were touching and Draco could feeling his breath ghosting over his ear, Draco suppressed the urge to shudder. "It's not the people within Hogwarts that I wish to protect you from, no it's your parents and their acquaintances that I would protect you from." There Gryffindor whispered, Draco froze. "You don't want to bow down to the Dark Lord do you, Draco?" the only thing with Draco that was still functioning was his heart which seemed to be beating so hard and he was sure the few sixth and seventh years left on the other side of the room could hear.

While Draco was playing a game of musical statues, alone and without the music, the Gryffindor had pulled his face away so that he was sat as before. Blaise was sporting a confused, quizzical face; looking between the mystery guest and Draco. Draco snapped out of his frozen stance, although no less worried, and watched as the lion stretched like the feline he was and stood walking with confidence towards the common room entrance.

"Good evening, Draco, Blaise" he called over his shoulder accompanied with a smirk before he left the room.

Draco stared after him for some time. Blaise raised an eyebrow in his direction but Draco shook his head; to dumbfounded to speak. It was not long before Draco went to his room for the second consecutive night of restless sleep.

Two nights of very little sleep were showing slightly the next morning with the bags under his slightly bloodshot eyes so Draco had reverted to using a glamour the morning after. As he sat at the Slytherin table silently spreading copious amounts of Strawberry Jam onto his toast Draco was all the while repeating what the Gryffindor intruder had whispered to him last night. The rest of his house had noticed what was on Draco's plate and had left him be. Blaise had not entered the Great Hall yet, it was unusual for him not to have arrived with the rest of the seventh years.

Draco was shocked to realise that when the owl post arrived he had an owl land on the table beside his uneaten breakfast and hoot at him. It was not Zebulun but a school barn owl. He cocked his head to the side but smoothly reached out his hand to take the letter attached to its leg.

"Does Draco have a secret admirer?" Blaise's amused voice sung as the owner of the voice dropped into his seat with a grin stretched across his face."

"shut up Blaise." Draco muttered darkly. Not only had he had two nights bad sleep but Pansy was in hearing distance and knowing her if she thought it was from a secret admirer Draco would lose his letter to the purple nailed clutches of an envious, spiteful Parkinson.

He was rather intrigued with the letter. Very rarely did Draco get letters other than from his parents and even then he could usually tell who it was from by the handwriting. Draco searched his brain for any recollection of this messy writing, but nothing matched. The capital 'M' on Malfoy and also the 'f' were rather distinctive but Draco could not remember any one close to him having this kind of handwriting, he placed it in an inner pocket for later inspection where he could check for any enchantments, especially any that could be harmful.

"well your comebacks just get more and more creative Draco." Blaise called.

"That's because the nonsense you come out with Blaise is ever more inspiring." Draco replied dryly.

"One must have a rather inventive mind when having a conversation with you."

"yes, and one must be mad to be able to be in close proximity with you for extended lengths of time, that is why I make my leave now." Draco said as he stood ready to leave the hall.

"I'm so proud Draco, confessing such a thing must be so painful for you. It's ok I think your ego was big enough before that that statement didn't inflict lasting damage." Blaise cried jovially to Draco who was already halfway between him and the Door.

"I rest my case." Draco called and could hear Blaise's laugh as he left the Great Hall.

The rest of the day went on accordingly. Draco always found the banter between Blaise and himself helped with stress relief. It kept other darker thoughts from suffocating him and gave the pretence that everything was in perfect order. Draco had realised a long time ago that it was the same for Blaise, it kept them from having to speak of any pressing problems and things with more meaning. Slytherins did not do emotions; that was the same with emotional conversations.

After dinner Draco was sat at his desk with his letter in front of him. He had performed many revealing and detection spells. All had come out negative. So, feeling like there was no other reason not to open the letter, with his pen-knife in one hand, the dragon on the handle constantly moving , he picked up the letter and sliced one length of the envelope. Placing the knife back in the drawer Draco then took out the folded parchment out of its cocoon.

Unable let his curiosity starve any longer Draco unfolded the parchment and began to read.

Dear Draco,

I had a lot of fun last night. Thank you for allowing me to be present at your games evening, it is greatly appreciated. Although I enjoyed it I found it rather unproductive. I realise I left without receiving an answer from you but then I thought you would appreciate some time to think the exchange over. But I do need your answer rather soon. Whatever you decide please meet me in the charms classroom on the third floor on Sunday at 9pm. I think it is in both our best interests that we agree to this exchange. I shall await your answer.

Yours sincerely

James.

Draco reread the letter to make sure he had read correctly. After the awful conversation they had last night this person still believed he had a chance for Draco to agree with him. But then again the Gryffindor did seem to know about him. That annoyed Draco, that information could be used for blackmail. What happens if this was a spy within the ranks of the Dark Lord? Draco would be dead within the week that the news was found out within the Death Eater circle. But then he was going to tell his parents anyway at the party so what was the difference?

After Draco had sat lost in thought for over an hour, repeating the same thoughts over and over he decided to go in search of Blaise. Blaise had been there last night, he would be curious about what happened with the 'James' situation. Two minds were better than one. The Gryffindor seemed to be in a better position than he, Draco didn't know who this Gryffindor was let alone information on him.

"Zabini" he called as he walked into the common room. Blaise's face appeared from the side of the high backed chair as he looked towards Draco at the entrance and rose his eyebrows in question. Draco was soon across the common room taking residence in his usual seat. Tracey who was sat beside Blaise feet had swiftly left due to the glare sent her way.

"Draco" Blaise said, coming out as more of a question than greeting. In reply Draco silently gave him the letter and watched as Blaise read it. By the time Blaise had finished and brought his head back up to look at Draco his eyebrows were almost touching his hair line.

"well he's definitely a Gryffindor." Blaise said trying to lighten the conversation, whilst silently handing back the once again folded letter. "but then again, Draco, this is showing that he must be quite ambitious." Blaise seemed to be contemplating this with an expression on his face that showed he was lost within his thoughts.

"Zabini." Draco snapped, that was not his biggest concern and wished to be talking about the more important topics than whether the mystery guest would have been good in the house of Salazar Slytherin.

Blaise jumped silently at Draco's voice but was soon composed and ready to talk business. "Well Draco, it depends on whether you need the protection, doesn't it?"

Draco had known Blaise would want to know what the lion had whispered in his ear. "Did you know we are holding a celebration at the beginning of the Christmas holidays Blaise?" Draco asked. Draco was not going to say it directly but then again he needed Blaise to know.

"I do believe I have been invited Draco." Was Blaise's reply.

"And do you wish to attend? There shall be some very prominent people there." Draco sat very stiff with his eyes never wavering from Blaise's.

"I am not a huge fan of such celebrations, I prefer parties where everyone is around my age, one's where parents would not wish to be." The tension within Draco's body left instantly. He was relieved. Blaise did not want to be a Death Eater either.

"I find that very easy to believe." He said truthfully. "I must agree with you." It was Blaise's turn to sag with relief. "Unfortunately this causes a conflict between myself and my parents. James wanted to allow me to go to the parties I prefer." Blaise understood that even though it was not the truth. He had heard their mystery guest was going to give him protection just not who it would be against.

"Well that is a better exchange than I thought it was going to be." Blaise spoke after some thought. "He was an intriguing character, I would not be too opposed to having him around. He would be a challenge." Blaise seemed to be for the exchange with Draco found surprising.

"But we do not know which party or celebration he prefers. He could be lying."

"Well I believe he is not the partying type but most likely prefers the same as us. But I would not give an answer straight away but talk to him for some time before making your decision." So Blaise thought he was on the Light Side. Draco thought so too but was a bit more wary than Blaise seemed.

"Would you like to come with me, Blaise?" Always best to have back up, especially if it is an unknown enemy or ally. If it was a trap it was best to have more than one person.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world Draco." Blaise grinned. They were soon back to their normal banter and conversations of little importance. Until Draco rolled back onto the same topic.

"But I do not wish to betray those within the house. I especially have a duty to the Slytherins."

"The war is not an openly spoken subject amoung us, James will probably find very little evidence also if he hates the celebrations then the people who are against him are more likely to attack us. We are more of a target to those than the others, by our choices they are our enemies so in a way Draco you are just saving yourself not betraying another. How can you betray one that is already an enemy?" Blaise's words relaxed Draco slightly and comforted him.

As Draco crawled under the green silk sheets of his four poster bed that night he found that the lull of sleep wonderfully called to him, the last thing he thought of was the fact that there would be nothing sweet on his plate come breakfast, he fell asleep with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

End of Chapter Three

A/N: the next chapter is going to be the meeting. Will Draco and Blaise agree?