It was a full two hours before Draco returned to the common room. Hermione wasn't there, thankfully. Draco wasn't sure he wanted to see her right now. What was he going to do? Well, he'd needed to finish that Potions essay for a while now, so why not head to the Library to finish it? Draco was torn between not doing the final bit of research and getting murdered by Professor Snape or going to the Library, where Hermione might be. In the end, the fear of Snape won out.

As Draco opened the great door to the Library he looked round, no Hermione! As he took up his favourite table by the window he smirked to himself-to think he'd been worried about bumping into Hermione- she wasn't even here! Right, now all he needed was the book on potions that Snape had recommended. He walked over to the relevant section and picked out the weighty tome. Index, index. Ahhh. There we go. Page 274. What does it say? Perfect, just what Draco needed.

The essay took a good three hours to finish, so Draco was quite tired when he walked out of the Library. So tired, that he wasn't looking where he was going.

'Mind yourself, Mr Malfoy.' An ancient voice half-boomed at him. It was Dumbledore!

'Sorry, Sir. Wasn't looking where I was going.'

'I can see that.' Was that a smile? Certainly the corners of Dumbledore's mouth were curling.

'I take it you've been busy since this morning, then Draco.'

'Yes, quite, thank you, Sir, I was just heading back to the common room after finishing my Potions essay.'

'Ah, yes I know the one. Professor Snape says that he hasn't seen one answered correctly in years.'

'Well, there's a first time for everything, Sir. I got the answer partly from the recommended book but mainly from one I got for Christmas a couple of years back.'

'Is it any good?'

'I don't think I've seen one better. In many ways it's a shame I don't have one for Ancient Runes or Arithmancy. They've been really useful.'

'Have they indeed. Do you know where they came from?'

'No idea, Sir, but whoever it was, I wish they'd sent a note so I could thank them.'

By now, Dumbledore was definitely smiling.

'Well, I've held you up long enough. Off you go now, Draco.'

Draco turned to leave.

'Oh, and do try and make it up with Miss Granger, will you?'

How had he known?

'Yes, Sir.'

How had the old man known? Had Hermione told on him? No - surely not. Surely she'd learnt her lesson on that at any rate, not to mention that Dumbledore would have been a lot less, well, smiley, if she'd told him.

Sunday was another quiet day, where Draco saw neither hide nor hair of Hermione. He didn't see much of anyone to be honest, with Harry spending nearly all day on the quidditch pitch for first team training and Ron busy cobbling two essays together for Flitwick and Sprout. He spent most of the day in a sort of blue funk, with no-one to talk to and nothing to do. Oh well, may as well try and get ahead on work- he'd done all of his homework, but he could guess what was coming up next in Defense against the Dark Arts. The next chapter in the book was on Hinkypunks. Draco was well into the chapter entitled Hinkypunks, how not to get bogged down, when Lee Jordan walked in.

'Draco! How you doing?'

'Not bad thanks Lee. What's up?'

'Nothing bad. McGonagall's made me cricket captain and I'm trying to put the team together. You up for it?'

'What, you want me for the team?'

'Yeah, I think you'd make a great number 6 bat. After all, you're damn near impossible to get out and when it comes to bowling you can normally hold up an end for a while.'

'Course I'm in. When do we start nets?'

'Next week- if I can persuade Hagrid to get some up. You get on well with him don't you? You couldn't give us a hand with that?'

'Sure.'

'Good. When can you do it?'

'Well, I'm free now, if that's any good to you.'

'Great, get your shoes on and let's go.'

The pair walked down to Hagrid's hut, discussing cricket all the way.

'So, did you see any matches over the summer?'

'My uncle took me to a game at The Oval.'

'Great. Who was playing?'

'England - Australia. It was a one-day game.'

'Not sure I care for them as much as the longer forms.'

'Yeah, they are less exciting, but still. What cricket... One of the Aussies jumped up to catch a ball, he was standing right on the boundary, he fell over backwards with the ball in his hands, so it went for six.'

'Really? Bet you laughed at that.'

'Not to much- I was sitting near some Aussies in the crowd. Mind you, they probably had to avoid laughing as well when the England spinner bowled straight to third man.'

'Third Man? That's so wide. What went wrong?'

'Probably came out of his grip at the wrong time. To be honest, I haven't been inducted into the black art of spin bowling.' Draco said, grinning.

'Who has? That wasn't rhetorical by the way; I still need to find a spinner.'

'What about. No, not him. Or. Yes he'd do.'

'Who?'

'Ken Towler.'

'Yeah- I'd forgotten about that spell he'd put in last year before he broke his arm batting. Got a five-for didn't he?'

'Yeah. And he bowled me out in the nets a couple of times.'

'Wow. So, he managed to beat the immovable object?'

'Immovable object- who's that?'

'You, dimwit!' Lee Jordan said friendlily.

'Oi! Mind it!' Draco joked back.

When they got to the hut, Draco knocked on the door. Hagrid answered it.

'Hello, Draco. Just the person I've been wanting to have a word with. And Lee too. Well, come in.'

'Hi Hagrid.' Said Draco cheerfully. He spotted Hermione in the corner. So this is where she'd been.

'Hi Hermione.' Said Draco, trying to sound as if yesterday had never happened, after all, Dumbledore's imperative was not to be ignored.

'Draco.' Hermione nodded coldly as she spoke. Oh dear.

'How are you doing? I haven't seen you in ages.'

'Is that all you've got to say?'

Clearly Draco was going to have to try harder if he and Hermione were going to go back to being bosom buddies.

'So, Lee, what did yeh come down fer?' asked Hagrid, trying to break the awkward silence that had filled the room as #draco's mind tried desperately to think of the right thing to say.

'Well, I was wondering if it would be possible to get some cricket nets set up a bit earlier than usual this year.'

'Should be. Yeh'll have to ask Dumbledore for permission, but I'm willin' ter do it if yeh've asked.'

'Right. Thanks Hagrid.' Lee said cheerily, turning his back and scudding off to find Dumbledore.

'Now he's gone I want a word with you, Draco. What've you done to our Hermione, eh?'

Draco gave Hagrid a blank look. He'd not done anything. She'd just told him she didn't want him as a friend and when he'd taken offense at that he'd gone away. What was wrong with her?

'Don' look at meh like that yeh daft dimbat! Yeh can see how upset Hermione is. All she's said to me is that yeh not being her friend no more!'

'Well, she did tell me she didn't want me as her friend anymore.' Said Draco, calmly and boldly facing up to the annoyed Hagrid.

'You told me you didn't like me first.' Hermione started. Hagrid sat down and watched as the relationship began to heal itself in a mass of irate communication.

'You told me I was silly.'

'You told me that you didn't want me to be your friend.'

'You said it would be easier for you if you weren't.'

'But I didn't say that I didn't want to be your friend, did I?'

Hermione couldn't think of a retort to that. In the end she just blushed, ran over to him and gave him a hug.

'Let's not do this again.'

'Alright.'

Hagrid let out a huff of amusement from his chair in the corner.

After a warm and wet cup of tea, Draco and Hermione headed back to Gryffindor tower, if not as firm friends as they had been the previous week, then at least getting on. In Gryffindor tower however, were two people who were not friends with Hermione and hadn't been for weeks. Harry and Ron. They had been carefully avoiding Hermione as she always seemed to win the arguments, even if she did break down into tears afterwards, but Draco they couldn't have avoided if they'd wanted too. Harry was naturally annoyed about having had his present taken from him but tried not to show it too much. Ron on the other hand, who was by far the least injured of any party in this matter, was taking it as if it was an offense against him directly. It was Ron who berated Draco about being friends with Hermione, Ron who was casually but deliberately making his life less than pleasant. Draco did his best to ignore it, hoping that everything would be forgotten when the Firebolt was returned. That it might not be was a thought that Draco couldn't bring himself to think.

Perhaps Draco had upset Ron more than he thought, because that night his broomstick went missing and whilst no-one could have the blame pinned on them, it was Ron he suspected most.

Draco was heart-broken. It had been bad enough seeing Harry's broken, but now his own was gone. It was gone and it left an empty place in his heart, an empty hole that he desperately wanted to avoid filling with anger. But how could he? The school's official investigation revealed that it had just disappeared, and with the loose magic flying about Hogwarts that sort of thing was known to just happen. The school therefore paid Draco 150 galleons as reparation and advised him to get a new broom.

Where from though? To get a Firebolt would be to copy Harry and that would never do, particularly since his might arrive before Harry got his own broom back, and that would just be rubbing Harry's face in it. No, that wouldn't do. Another Waxwing would be impossible to get hold of. Cattell had stopped making them and its replacement was still not yet on the market as far as Draco knew. It was with real interest therefore that Draco picked up the monthly copy of Which Broom? That was circulating the dormitory.

The front pages were full of a special article on family brooms- absolutely no good for quidditch, but brilliant if you had a family of four to transport across half the world and didn't like Floo powder or apparating. The next section was the usual comparison of bottom of the market brooms for beginner flyers and those with a non-existent budget. A letter from Uncle Noctifer, in reply to his own explaining the situation, had told him to break the bank- get anything he wanted.

Ah. Here were the new top-end brooms. Nice, there was the Firebolt. Rating 9.9/10. That was impressive and as for its acceleration. Beyond belief. The next page caught his eye. That was an elegant broom on it, lovely sleeked tail that split into a fivefold tip. That was unusual. What was it called? The Gadwall? What was this then? Draco scanned the article and spotted the name Cattell, this was going to be a good one, probably. Nice stats and what pace! That acceleration may not be that of the Firebolt, but. What did the review say? Draco settled down and read.

It is with great pleasure and anticipation that we hear of any new broom made by John Cattell, despite being a maverick and without a large company infrastructure Cattell produces some of the most pleasurable brooms to test. In the Gadwall, he has surpassed himself. Its unique polyfinialled tail gives the rider enhanced resistance to buffeting whilst providing the instability necessary for quick turns and rapid dives. This broom compares favourably to many of the stunt brooms that have been produced in the past in terms of handling, yet it does not belong in this category. Why? Because it has too great a top speed and acceleration. This Broom can easily outpace all mass-produced broomsticks with a particularly powerful motive spell. Nor is this broom without its creature comforts, there may be no cup holders or padded saddles that come with this broom, but there needn't be- it is a broom sans pareil in the realm of individual sports and racing brooms. Whilst it may not have the pace of other brooms recently placed on the open market, it makes up for this by being in a noticeably lower price bracket. For the same price as a second hand Nimbus 2000, it is unquestionably good value.

It is also a very good performer in our test, as well as on paper, with handling being a notable exception- here it did not only pass our tests but it destroyed them. This may be the first broom that can turn within its own length without hovering and made the test course seem like a straight line.

Certainly, this broom will have its detractors, with a lack of standard comforts that can be found in a run-of-the-mill family broom that some may find disappointing in a sports broom such as this. Indeed, it is not the fastest broom on the market, by what can now be considered a considerable margin, it is certainly the best handling one, thanks to its revolutionary new design that will undoubtedly be replicated in all sports brooms to come.

Which? Gives this broom a rating of 9.8/10.

That was it. That broom would do perfectly. Draco immediately scribbled a letter off to his uncle asking for the Gadwall. A letter came in reply saying that it had been ordered, and should be delivered to Hogwarts as soon as possible.

The next Saturday morning, two large owls swept down on Draco at breakfast with the morning post. For him, it consisted of a large parcel. A long, large parcel. The Gadwall.

'Wow, that's a seriously nice broom.' Said Ron.

'Yeah, can I have a go?' asked Harry.

'Only if I can have a go on yours when you get it back.' Draco replied.

'Course.' Harry smiled.

Another two parcels arrived at Gryffindor table at that moment, a school owl for Draco and a hand delivered item for Harry.

'Here, Potter, you can have it back. It's been checked and we can't find anything wrong with it.'

'I can have it back, Professor, I can really have it back?'

'Yes, oh, and Potter. Do try and win won't you? Professor Snape will be unbearable if you don't, he's already reminding everyone about how Gryffindor haven't won the cup since Charlie Weasley left.'

Ron seemed thoughtful at the news.

'I suppose we ought to make it up to Hermione really, I mean, she was acting for the best.'

'Yeah.' Harry agreed.

Finally, how long had it taken to get those two to realise that?

Draco's package was quite different; it was another two books, seemingly from the same series as that from which his Christmas present in first year had come, one entitled Arithmancy, the other The Study of Ancient Runes. It came with a note, which simply read:

I am glad you have taken my advice.

Advice about what? Who had given him advice? Then it struck him- Dumbledore. This was a reward for making it up with Hermione- as if the act hadn't been its own reward. Draco turned his head towards the high table and nodded at the man sitting in the central chair, who nodded back. So, it was Dumbledore then. No wonder the books were so good.

Draco's train of thought was soon interrupted by Harry, who wanted to go outside and try the brooms out. First each mounted their own brooms and had a race around the goalposts. As everyone predicted the Firebolt had a much greater straight line speed, but every time the two flyers rounded the goalposts, Draco would overtake Harry, who would then retake the lead in the straight. Who would win? In the end Harry did, so they landed and swapped brooms. The Firebolt was impressive, turning at what Draco felt to be the slightest thought. It wasn't as responsive as the Gadwall though. Draco was going to win this time, he was sure of it- after all, he had the faster broom.

It was not to be however, Draco may, or may not, have had the better broom, but Harry was definitely the better flyer, and a far bolder one at that. This time Harry could keep pace with Draco in the straights, and easily overtook him in the corners. Perhaps weight made a big difference. Draco didn't know, but he did know that Harry, with the help of Draco's own broom, had just humiliated him. Never mind, at least his broom was good.

'So, Harry, how did you find it?'

'Handling was amazing. I'd thought the Firebolt was good when I first rode it, but this is even better. Not as fast as mine though.' Harry concluded.

'Yeah, I thought pretty much the same, but I must confess, whilst the Firebolt responded well, it took forever to turn in comparison.'

'True. Want another race?'

'No way- you just handed me my arse on a plate. Ron! Do you fancy a go?'

Ron was keen and took up the Gadwall, against Harry's Firebolt. He was impressed. Even Hermione had a go, although she barely left the ground and spent most of the time screaming her lungs out. She really didn't like flying, did she?

When the boys had finally stopped laughing, they headed in, all four of them much firmer friends than when they had gone to breakfast.