Based on: A yaoi rp my friend Alankin and I did. All parts of Draco and various characters played by her. Harry and other characters played by me. Used off of the Book series, not the movie. We LOVE the movies, of course. But there is simply so much more in the books.

Disclaimer: I and my friend do not own any part of Harry Potter, we're just fans.

Chapter 7

The next day Hermione stopped Draco before he could head to breakfast. "Here Harry." She said, handing him a handful of parchment paper. "Notes on the classes you missed with me. And we got a homework assignment on magical algae. But all the information will be in those papers. Let me know if you need any help." She smiled and started off. Then Draco was nearly tackled by Ron.

"Morning." He yawned. "Hey, we don't have classes today and Hagrid wanted to know if we could come by and visit. He says he has a late birthday present for you."

"I uhh...thanks Hermione." He looked at her in surprise. And before he could recover, he was very nearly attacked by Ron. "I suppose so..." He was just trying to be Potter, he wasn't trying to ruin the guys life. Maybe he felt if he would play nice Harry would stay out of his business. But clearly that wasn't working. Today Harry would be serving his detention with Slughorn, and that made him laugh.

Ron nodded. "Good, lets go get some breakfast." He looked back at 'Harry' and grinned. "You thinking about Malfoy in detention?" Ron laughed. "What did he do to make McGonagall so peeved at him?" He asked, leading the way to their table.

"Yeah actually, I am." How did Ron know this? "Guy's stuck with Slughorn, I almost feel sorry for him..." He shrugged. "I heard he was teaching his new pet to make faces behind her back..." It was his attitude that landed him in detention, nothing more. They made their way to the table, and Draco couldn't help but wonder how long this was going to last.

"Really?" Ron snorted and made a face. He took a seat next to Draco. "Maybe all that time you've been spending with him...maybe you're starting to rub off on him."

"Well I for one think that's a good thing!" Hermione said, looking up from her book. "Malfoy is a stuck up prat who wouldn't know how to be decent if his life depended on it!"

Ron leaned close, chuckling to Draco. "She still hasn't gotten over that insult he gave her. ...I should have been the one to punch him." He sighed and then dug into his sausage and eggs.

Hermione gave him a disgusted look, for he looked very much like a pig. "And somehow I fell in love with that..."

Ron looked up, three sausages sticking out of his mouth and scrambled eggs dribbling out a bit. "What?"

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing." She looked back at Draco. "But really Harry. I don't get why you're hanging out with Malfoy...but...if you are friends with him then we'll try to be nice to him too."

"Speak for yourself! OW!" Hermione kicked him under the table and she glared at him. "I mean yes Harry, I will be the prat's frien-Ow! Stop that!"

"Don't call him a prat."

"YOU called him a prat first!"

Hermione turned to her food, eating it daintily, "Thats not the point."

Draco watched the banter go back and forth, the two of them were loyal, even willing to be nice to their enemy for their friend. And it was weird. "I'm not his friend, he's made it clear he doesn't want or need anyone, and in all honestly, I'm not going to push it." He dug into his own food, slowly though. He hated having to choose his words carefully, having to resist the urge to call Hermione a filthy Mudblood and get over it. He wanted to be himself, even if it meant serving detention with Slughorn.

"So?" They both said at the same time. Hermione sighed and gently touched Draco's hand. "Harry, sometimes the people who act like him are the ones who truly need a friend. I mean, think about it. He grew up with everything. He didn't have to go through any of the hardships that you or any of us did. Because we went through them we sort of became used to them. They were a constant normal thing. But...he doesn't have power. Not anymore. And the rumor is his money is starting to run out. He can't ride on his father's coattails anymore. And one of the few people who I think really understood him...is gone. It has to be tough for him."

Ron stared at her in awe. He blinked a few times. "Blimey. Now you're making me feel bad. If you know him so well why don't you go talk to him?"

Hermione frowned, and grabbed her toast. "What and get jinxed, cursed or worse? No thank you."

What, did the whole bloody school know what was going on in his life right now? "Who cares how tough it is!" He slammed his hands on the table and got to his feet. "He doesn't need friends and pity and people feeling sorry for him. Besides, isn't this what he deserves after all the years of torture he put us through?" Harry's voice was bitter, Draco's own emotions getting through. "Snape's gone, and boo hoo for him, we all lost someone in that fight, it's time he grew up and faced reality..."

The Gryffindor table grew quiet, Hermione and Ron glanced at each other. "Who said anything about feeling sorry for him?" Ron asked, he shook his head and went back to eating.

Hermione gave Draco a small smile. "Harry, we don't feel sorry for him, or pity him. We just can understand what he's going through." She stood. "Come on. Hagrid will cheer you up." And Ron and Hermione led him out of the Great Hall. Ron walked further on ahead and Hermione looked at him. "Harry, are you alright? I mean...you haven't been the same since they died. Hedwig, Dobby, and Lupin I mean." She lowered her gaze. "Hedwig...was your first present, wasn't she? I'm sorry Harry..."

Draco sighed, he was never going to win with these people. They cared too much. The three of them started out of the Great Hall, towards Hagrid's cabin. "I'm alright, just a lot going on I guess..." At least they hadn't said he was acting funny in the last few days. He had to say he was doing a good job playing Harry, even rubbing the scar once in awhile.

"Will you stop doing that?" Hermione said, grabbing his wrist and pulling it away from his scar. "Voldemort's dead. You rubbing that thing keeps making me nervous." Ron was already at Hagrid's door, knocking.

"I can't help it." He muttered, letting Hermione pull his hand away.

The half giant opened it and looked out at them. "Ah! Good ta see you, good ta see you! Come in! Harry!" He clapped a hand on Draco's back, giving him a half hug and trying not to kill him by accidentally smothering him. He had them sitting down with tea and his hard as a rock cookies. Fang lay passed out by the door. Hagrid was standing next to the fire, hunched over. There came muffle grunting whimpering noises and then he turned around, placing a black lab puppy in his arms. He rubbed the back of his head. "I know it's no Sirius but...I thought since you were plannin' on living in that ol' empty house on yer own...you might like some company..."

He looked at Hagrid and entered the house, taking a seat. At least Minerva hadn't told anyone about the switch. And yet, as things progressed and Hagrid showed him the puppy, Draco's stomach turned. Maybe he needed to tell the truth. If he accepted the gift, Harry was going to kill him. Then again, it would be perfect payback for all the things Harry had done to him. "He's perfect Hagrid! Thank you!" He gave that big goofy grin and got down on his feet to pet the puppy.

Ron and Hermione smiled happily. Until the puppy bit Draco, right on the finger. The dog only had soft baby puppy teeth. So the bite didn't hurt. But it was firm.

"Ow! What the..." He drew his hand away and frowned, looking at the dog. Did it know? Draco was, after all, more of a cat person anyways. But surely the stupid mutt couldn't tell he wasn't really Harry Potter.

The puppy sat down and tried to scratch his ears with his back leg but ended up falling over and biting at his own leg. "Hm...maybe he just needs time to get to know you?" Hagrid said, tilting his head.

"Maybe you should keep him here for a few days, seems comfortable enough, and I'll come visit, see if he can't warm up to me in a familiar place." He shrugged, but looked at the dog. Yup, Harry was going to freak.

Hagrid looked a bit sad and nodded. They stayed for a while until finally Hermione led the way back to the school. Ron grinned at Draco. "For once he's given you a gift that isn't half bad!"

"I just...I don't know if I'm ready for a new pet..." He confessed, knowing that was what was going through Harry's mind. You know, hanging out with Ron and Hermione, it wasn't half bad. Of course, they would never be his friends, but in theory, having friends was a good idea, if you could trust them.

Ron's face fell and he looked down, nodding. "Yeah...I understand." He gave him a small smile. "But...maybe this is what you need."

"Perhaps." He left it at that. He wasn't about to decide what it was Harry needed, it wasn't his place. He thought about how upset he was, knowing that Harry was 'doing what was best', and for some reason, he didn't want Potter mad at him.

Ron threw an arm about his shoulders. "Lets head to the Quidditch field! You can hit a couple of beaters at me. After all, I'm going to be your wonderful Keeper again." He grinned.

"You know...Ron." He had wanted more then anything to say Weasley. "I think I'll take a rain check on that." Harry Potter refusing time on the Quidditch field? That was as abnormal as it got. "Did you hear Malfoy got passed up as captain for the team this year?"

Harry, finally free of the detention, made his way slowly outside. He needed a Malfoy spot to sit. He passed Ron and Hermione, making his way toward the Quidditch field.

"He didn't coward out!" He called after Ron, and sighed. "Go back to your bloody mudblood girlfriend" He muttered, crossing his arms and heading towards the lake. It was a Harry place, and it was either there, or the field. And were he to go to the field, right now he'd surely want to play. Maybe he should have taken up Ron's offer.

Harry flopped back onto the crisp grass. He sighed. "This...sucks. I need to get changed back." He mumbled.

Draco wondered how Harry was taking things, they hadn't spoken since that fight. But why did he care about how Harry was doing, what about him! He needed to get back to normal. He had plans, wonderful, perfect plans.

Harry closed his eyes. He wasn't going to try and help Draco anymore. Nor be kind to him. Even though every single strand in his body told him to help him. Be kind to him. But he simply couldn't anymore. Draco was right. You didn't need friends. Ron and Hermione were better off with just each other.

He closed his eyes, for the briefest of moments, and thought about everything he'd learned. Harry had friends, and maybe having a friend or two wasn't that bad. But in Slytherin you couldn't have friends, everyone there was out for themselves, and would stab you in the back in an instant, like Blaise. Pansy was probably the closest thing he had to a friend. But he couldn't seek friendship outside the house, how would that look. And with these thoughts, he dozed off, the sound of the lake soothing.