A great scream of joy arose as a large woman with ginger hair looked over her shoulder at the noise from behind her.

'Ginny!'

'Mum!'

'How did you save her? Thank-you! Thank-you!' Mrs Weasley said, as she gave Harry a hug so hard Draco was sure one of his ribs must break. Eventually, she let go and Harry told the story. For the next quarter of an hour, the only voice that could be heard in the office was Harry's. After the tale was told, Ginny left with her parents to go to the hospital wing on the suggestion of Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall left at the same time to order a feast from the kitchens. The elderly Professor smiled down kindly at them.

'My, my boys, we do seem to have a knack for getting ourselves into trouble don't we? In finding out who did this, you seem to have broken almost every rule in the school except for. Well. Yes, that one. It only seems fitting therefore that I award you with special awards for services to the school. Oh, and I think two hundred points apiece for saving Ms Weasley should be about right, don't you?' Draco was in shock. He scarcely noticed as Dumbledore explained Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue had been passed to him by Lord Voldemort. He was even more surprised when he heard that the young Riddle person was Lord Voldemort. Nothing however, surpassed the surprise he felt when his father walked through the door.

'Ahh, Good evening, Lucius.' Dumbledore said pleasantly.

'So, you have seen fit to return to Hogwarts.'

'Yes, well, when the other governors heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed, they saw fit to reinstate me.'

Lucius Malfoy looked slightly disturbed by this, at least so it seemed to Draco, who could see under his father's carefully constructed mask better than anyone else in the room. The older Malfoy tried another tack.

'Well, have you caught the culprit?'

'We have.'

'And...?'

'It was the same person as last time, but this time acting through the means of this diary.' Dumbledore said pointedly.

'Yes, how very lucky that it was discovered. After all, how terrible it would be for the young Ms Weasley to take all the blame.'

'Quite so, Lucius. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise.'

'Well, good day Dumbledore.'

'Leaving already Lucius? Not even going to congratulate your son on his part in all this.'

Lucius was walking out of the door, but on hearing this he turned his back for a parthian shot.

'I have no son.'

And he left.

'What's that all about?' Harry asked, 'of course he's got a son.'

Draco blushed.

'Well, guys. I'd appreciate it if you keep this quiet. He doesn't recognise me as his son. Disowned me. Chucked me out of the family.'

'What, why?' Draco looked more embarrassed then he ever had before.

'Because I was sorted into Gryffindor.'

'So, where are you living. Surely not with him.'

'No. My uncle adopted me.'

Draco didn't want to say any more on the subject- a fact that Harry and Ron missed. He was saved from answering any more questions however, by Professor Dumbledore, who advised them it was time to go to the feast.

When they got to the Great Hall, they found themselves the only people there wearing robes. The rest of the school were in their nice clean pyjamas. Well, that wasn't quite true. A few minutes in Hermione came in with the rest of the formerly petrified. Draco stood up and rushed over to her, his mouth full of sticky toffee pudding. He opened his arms wide and gave her a great hug.

'Great to have you back, Hermione.' He said through a full mouth.

'Thanks, it's great to be back, but where have you been? You're filthy!' She looked down at her robes, which now had a dark green stain going down the front of them.

'Sorry about that.' Draco looked incredibly guilty for a moment. Then they both started to laugh. When they had gotten back to Harry and Ron, Draco began to explain the events of the day. He stopped only when Professor McGonagall stood up to announce that as a special treat, all exams had been cancelled. Only Hermione seemed despondent at the news.

The rest of the summer passed quickly. Draco made the squad for the Gryffindor cricket team, but didn't get to play any matches- the one match he was supposed to be playing in got rained off- and all too soon the reunited quartet found themselves on the train home. They sat alone in a compartment as the train pulled out of Hogsmeade and began to speed south towards London. Draco thought about heading back to his uncle, who had agreed to meet him at the station. Suddenly he realised something.

'Hermione, there's something I haven't told you.'