On Boxing Day, Draco went with Noctifer to the Headquarters, ostensibly so Noctifer could report in, mainly so Draco could see his friends. Harry was particularly happy to see him whereas Ron and Hermione seemed to be out to murder each other and barely noticed him.

'What's going on?' A bewildered Draco asked Harry.

'Here? Nothing much, or do you mean between.' His eyes darted first to Ron and then to Hermione.

'The latter.'

'I see. Fancy a drink, Draco? Let's head downstairs and get something.'

'What was that all about?' Draco blurted out as soon as the door had closed to behind them.

'Ron got a present from Lavender yesterday.'

'Well, what's wrong with that?'

'Ron was too enthusiastic about it.'

'Too enthusiastic?'

'Yeah, Hermione was next to him and, well, you must have noticed.'

'What, that they were getting close. Yeah, I noticed.' Draco said.

'Anyway, this present.'

'Go on.'

'As I said, Ron was rather enthusiastic about it. Hermione read that as meaning he preferred Lavender to her.'

'Well, does he?'

'What're you asking me for? Personally I'm not sure. He might, but then again he has basically dumped her for Hermione, even if he hasn't told her yet.'

'There's a But coming, isn't there?'

'But... Ron's stuck his foot in it a few too many times where Hermione's concerned this holiday. Hermione's reading it as if he still cares more about Lavender and they're back at each other's throats again. I've been trying to talk it through with them, but Ron just says I'm on Hermione's side and vice versa.'

'Sounds like you've got a plan.' Draco said. Harry smirked at that.

'You could say that. When you said you were coming, I booked two tickets for a train to London.'

'Why are you going to London?'

'I'm not. You are. I reckon if you take Hermione down to London and watch a show or something, then I can talk to Ron without Hermione overhearing, you can smooth things over by Hermione and then this evening I can have my friends back again.'

'And I thought you were being altruistic.' Draco scoffed. 'When's the train?'

'You've got half an hour to get to the station. It's about a forty minute walk, so I'd get a move on if I were you.'

'Does Hermione know about this?'

'No. I figured it would seem less like a set up that way.'

'Right I'll get on it then. See you later.' Draco headed back upstairs to interrupt Rona dn Hermione in the middle of a flaming row. He'd have to handle this carefully if Harry's plan for a bit of peace was going to work.

'Hermione? Can I have a word?' Draco said quickly, in a gap in the arguing. Draco took Hermione outside and as the door closed, Ron delivered one last parting shot.

'That's it. Run away the moment you aren't winning.'

Hermione was on the verge of tears as it was and within seconds she had tears streaming down her cheeks. Aware of the need to hurry, Draco put an arm around Hermione and carefully led her downstairs to the kitchen, where Noctifer and Dumbledore were indulging in a pot of tea.

'Noctifer?'

'Yeah, kiddo?'

'Any chance you can take me and Hermione to the station for the twenty-three past twelve train?'

'I suppose so, but why?'

'Oh, there was an idea of heading to London to see a show or something like that.' Draco said, sure that the grand plan was about to be scuppered.

'Well, I suppose I can.' Said Noctifer. Dumbledore nodded his approval and as soon as Hermione had changed into something a bit smarter and had wiped away her tears Noctifer apparated them to the nearby station. With Hermione's help, Draco managed to print out the tickets that Harry had booked from the machine which had replaced the ticket office and they walked out onto the sunny platform. Looking about, Draco noticed that no-one else was on the platform and when he listened the quiet rumble of traffic being drowned out by birdsong told him that no-one was about. Noctifer said goodbye and disappeared in a puff of nothing, leaving Draco alone on the platform with Hermione.

'Had a good Christmas?' Draco asked, trying to be friendly.

'Could have been worse. Ron's been a complete jerk, but you've seen that.'

'Get anything nice?'

'Nothing special. Thanks for the make-your-own wand kit. Where on earth did you find it? I've never seen one before.'

'Ah.' Said Draco tapping his nose. 'Trade secret.' Hermione wasn't impressed by that answer, so Draco quickly changed tack.

'There's a little shop in Hogsmeade that does these things, if you meet the entry requirements.'

'Entry requirements? For a shop?'

'Yeah, well, the owner's a raving lunatic when it comes to blood purity-he's cast a charm on the place that means you can't see it if you're not pureblood.'

'Really? You're having me on aren't you?'

'No, I'm not. It's next to the Hog's Head.'

'There's nothing there, just a fence round the beer garden.'

'So that's what you see is it? Well, if you reckon it's a beer garden, where's the door to get to it from inside the pub?' Draco suggested. Hermione couldn't think of anything and fell silent. Eventually the electric train pulled in, the electric doors slid open and Draco and Hermione jumped on board. The strangely upholstered seats were all empty – indeed apart from one man reading his newspaper, the Daily Herald in the next carriage, there was no-one else on board at all. Well, apart from the driver and guard, but they were each in their own compartments, so didn't really count. A beeping filled the carriage and the doors slid closed. Silently Draco was impressed - he hadn't seen anything like that before, for all of his experience of the muggle world since he had started living with his uncle. The train started slowly and silently. No great whooshes or billows of steam were to be seen or heard, just the ever increasing clickety-clack of the trains rolling over the joints in the track. Somehow, it just wasn't right. They were halfway to London before any more passengers boarded the train and as they sneaked through the silent suburbs, the train became really full. As the train filled, one question became more and more important. What were they going to do? It was hours until the theatres would be opening and Draco suspected that Hermione had done most of the major tourist attractions at some point. He thought he had. In the end, as they boarded the Circle line tube train to South Kensington. From there it was a short walk to the Science Museum. They walked in and started to look around. There were all sorts of things inside, from steam engines to spacecraft, and Draco spent a fascinated couple of hours looking at the exhibits and having them explained roughly by Hermione. Soon however it was dark, and being keen to catch the performance, they left the museum and hurried back to the tube station. Hurrying down the escalators they just managed to catch the train going in the right direction before it left, although only just as the doors nearly closed on Draco's coat. They made it with plenty of time to spare, and Draco forked over several notes to the man in the box office to pay for two seats in the dress circle. Looking at his watch Draco noticed that there wasn't much time to spare, so they headed in to take their seats. They had just sat down when the orchestra played a few notes to warm up and burst into the overture. Before long Draco's foot was tapping along to the beat of song after song, interspersed with some dialogue. It seemed Hermione had enjoyed it too, as it was merrily that she almost skipped back to the station. Before long they had negotiated the Underground and were on the last train of the day that stopped at the small country station they had left earlier that day. It winded its way back out through the well-lit suburbs and further out it picked up speed as it powered through the countryside. Hermione was humming some of the tunes from the show, and Draco was reflecting. The emperor's son had married who he wanted, then presented his wife to his father. How on earth had the muggles managed to get to be more civilised than the wizarding world? For in matters of the heart, it seemed to Draco that they were.

It was no good declaring this to Hermione though – the whole reason he was here was because Hermione was upset with Ron, and she wouldn't have been upset with Ron if she fancied Draco instead, now would she? There wasn't anyone Draco could really talk about it with, so he just added it to the ever-growing list of why he was fed up with being Draco Malfoy.

The train stopped at the dimly lit station and Draco and Hermione hopped off. No-one was there to collect them- hardly a surprise- so they headed out through the gate onto the dark and dingy road back to headquarters. On either side of the road the tall, looming trees made strange shapes against the pitch black skies. In the far distance, through tiny gaps in the branches, a faint afterglow of the nearest town could be seen. The night air was rapidly cooling and by the looks of things, Hermione was beginning to shiver. Certainly there were goosebumps all along her arms.

'Feeling cold.'

'A little.'

'Here, take this.' Said Draco, handing over his jacket.

'Thanks.'

Hermione put the coat on and they carried on walking. Before long they were back at Headquarters, a couple of lights were on in some of the bedrooms on the second floor and a faint shadow of someone moving past, causing the light to flicker, could be seen. Gently pushing the vast cast iron gates open, they entered the grounds and carried on walking to the vast house that served as headquarters. By the time they had walked up the long drive, they had long since heard the doleful chimes of the church clock striking twelve. Tapping his wand three times on the door like that, Draco opened the way into headquarters and bid Hermione goodnight. She hurried up the stairs, not even looking back over her shoulder once. Draco, realising that he'd not arranged getting home with Noctifer went off to sleep an uncomfortable night on a sofa in the drawing room. As he entered the lounge the cold air hit him. Outside the wind was picking up and the noise was carrying down the chimney, out through the vast marble fire surround and filled the room, preventing Draco from falling asleep. Eventually he got used to it and nodded off. No sooner had this happened though, Draco felt that he was being woken up by an annoyingly awake and cheerful Harry.

'Morning Draco!'

'Already?'

'Yes.'

'Had a good night's sleep?'

'Yes, you?'

'It was awful.' Draco said, rubbing his bleary eyes. He slowly sat up and swung his legs round.

'Ow!'

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing important. I've just got a stiff neck, that's all. Slept awkwardly.'

'I'm not surprised. That's sofa's ridiculously short. Heck. I don't think that Kreacher'd be able to lay flat out on it. Well, maybe he would...'

'Who's Kreacher?'

'Oh. Kreacher's Sirius' house elf.'

'What's he like?'

'Oh, not too bad in his way. Absolute pure blood maniac though. I think that's why he doesn't like me.'

'Might be. Is anyone else up yet?'

'Don't think so. Ron's not exactly a morning person.

'You can say that again.

'And Hermione's still in bed. Must be that late night. And talking of late nights, how did it go?'

'Well, we spent time in London and then came home. Nothing special really, though it was pretty fun.'

'Glad you two had a good time. I didn't make much progress with Ron, but I think he sees why Hermione's annoyed with him now.'

'That's something at least.'

'Yeah, it is. Now it's up to him to decide what he wants.'

'You mean all this time and he hasn't decided?'

'I'm not sure he was aware he had to.'

'You're joking.'

'No, really.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

'Blimey.' Draco said, slightly surprised.

'Well, I'll let you get yourself together –then if you fancy breakfast I'm doing us sausage and eggs for breakfast.'

'You don't have to, you know.'

'Don't worry- I'd have done it anyway even if you weren't here. It isn't any trouble. Well. See you in a bit.' And with that Harry walked out, presumably to start making breakfast. Yawning, Draco rolled his arms over and burst into a great big stretch. That was better, now, time to put his shoes back on. Anything else to do? Nope, didn't look like it. Hang on, yes perhaps a few more buttons on his shirt wouldn't hurt. There, a nice smart-casual look. Time to head out for breakfast with harry. Actually, better flatten his hair a bit first. Draco licked his palms and ran them over his hair, desperately willing his unruly bed hair to lie flat. It was soon done and Draco meandered his way to breakfast though the many twist and turns that were the corridors of the magnificent building in which he had passed the night.

In the kitchen Draco found Harry frying the sausages and scrambling the eggs.

'Need a hand with anything?'

'No thanks, Draco. I've got everything under control. Although, come to think of it, if you want a drink or anything, you could make that.'

'Sure thing. You fancy anything yourself?'

'A pumpkin juice'd be grand, if you don't mind.'

'Not at all, you're doing me breakfast after all. It's the least I can do.'

'Thanks Draco.'

'Not at all.'

Before long Ron and Hermione had turned up downstairs, still in their pyjamas, even if they did have a dressing gown thrown over them.

'Had a good night, Hermione?' Draco asked.

'Not bad thanks, you?'

'Yeah, it wasn't too bad.'

'Where'd you sleep though, I guess you haven't been home.'

'Yeah, I haven't- I was on the couch in the drawing room.'

'That old thing!' I'm amazed you got any sleep at all.'

'So am I.' Draco said, to general amusement. Breakfast was soon ready and soon they had finished. Draco sent an owl to Noctifer to get picked up and before he knew it he was saying goodbye to his friends, who he would not see again until he boarded the Hogwarts express to return to school.