The first two months went by pretty quickly. Draco was killing it. He was friends with the Boy Who Lived. He still managed to get Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle to do his bidding, without being associated with them. That wouldn't be good, what with Harry and his strong moral compass, or whatever.

He was doing well academically, not as well as that Granger muggle-born, but well enough. He has quickly become Snape's favorite student, despite his friendship with Harry, whom Snape seems to despise for some reason.

Draco woke up this morning, and was pretty excited! For today's not just another day, it's Halloween!

He wakes up, gets ready. "Are you excited for today?" Draco asks Harry, with whom he shares a bunk bed.

"Yeah…" Harry says, but not as enthusiastically as Draco expected. Draco turns to him and notices a slightly sad expression on his face. Oh shit! Today is…

"Oh right, I'm very sorry." Draco tries to comfort Harry.

"Ah it's okay." Harry dismisses. "Today is all about having fun!"

"Yes!" Draco agrees, and proceeds to his hair care morning routine.

The rest of the day goes by smoothly. Potions class is fun as always! Draco loves watching his favorite professor terrorizing Neville Longbottom. Followed by Herbology, where he has to share a table with Hermione Granger because Harry is friendly with her. On the one hand, he does feel sorry for her. She seems to be pretty lonely. But, she's a muggle-born. Personally, Draco thinks people like her should not be at Hogwarts, but he can't say that. Not to Harry, at least.

Afterwards, they go to transfiguration. He hates transfiguration. McGonagall seems to have something against him. Probably because he's a Malfoy. His father says it's both an honor and a responsibility to represent the Malfoy name. He pushes through transfiguration, and then, finally, lunch!

At lunch, he overhears Pansy Parkinson gossiping with Millicent Bulstrode about the Granger girl.

"Yeah, I heard she was being a know-it-all and the Patel girl…" Pansy was narrating with great interest.

"The Gryffindor one or the Ravenclaw one?" Bulstrode asks, very invested in the story.

"Who cares?" Pansy says in a squeaky tone. "I heard she locked herself in the girl's bathroom, crying." They both laugh. "And the Longbottom boy," Pansy goes on, "is outside the bathroom trying to talk to her."

"He likes her!" Bulstrode says, before Pancy and she giggle.

Draco looks towards the Ravenclaw table, and notices that she's not there. Harry must've done the same, because seconds later he turns to Draco and asks "You think she's okay?" He seems concerned.

Draco doesn't care for the muggle-born girl. Or does he? "Yeah, you shouldn't worry about her." Draco dismisses Harry, but he can't help but feel sorry for the girl.

The rest of the day goes by, and he soon forgets about Granger. It must've been some silly fight anyways. And, soon enough, it was time for the Halloween night feast! The school went all out on decoration. It was simply breath-taking. Not for a Malfoy though, obviously.

It seemed like Granger was still crying in the bathroom, because at some point during dinner Harry nudged him "Hermione's seat is still empty." He pointed towards the Ravenclaw.

"So what?" said Draco. Why is Harry so invested in this?

"Aren't you worried?"

"No. Are you?"

"Yes, she's my friend!" Harry frowned.

"You only talk during Herbology."

Harry seems to realize that, and he's about to respond when the Great Hall doors open, and Professor Quirrell barges in.

"Troll!" He screams, frightened. Everyone turns to look at him. "In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!" He reaches the faculty's table. He looks around. "Thought you ought to know." He faints.

A second of silence. Then chaos! Everyone is screaming, and running around. Not knowing what to do!

"Silence!" Dumbledore shouted, magnifying his voice magically. The hall falls to silence again. He gives instructions, and everyone follows. Students are instructed to follow their prefects, and so, Draco follows instructions.

"Wait!" Harry pulls him back.

"What?"

"Hermione doesn't know about the troll."

"So?"

"We need to find her!" Harry insists.

"Absolutely not! There's a troll on the loose." Draco says.

"She could be in danger!"

"Why is this our responsibility?" Draco objects.

Harry gives him a judging look. "What?" Draco says, feeling uncomfortable now.

"I'm going with or without you."

"Ughh fine!" Draco groans, and follows Harry. "But I swear, if I get killed, or worse, expelled for her…"

But Harry stops him, and shushes him. At the end of the corridor, they can see the faculty passing in the other direction. "If you don't wanna get expelled, you should be quieter."

"No, we should be going to our common room." Harry ignores him.

They make it all the way to the dungeon. Oh shit! The troll.

"It's not too late for us to turn away now." Draco notes. Harry ignores him, and makes a run for the girls bathroom between them and the troll. "Hermione!" He calls.

Draco watches as the troll notices Harry running, and chooses to follow him to the bathroom. Hermione screams. "Shit!" Draco reluctantly follows the troll into the bathroom.

By the time Draco gets to the bathroom, Hermione is under some sink. Clearly shocked and terrified, and Harry, somehow, climbed the troll, and was holding to his head.

"Draco! Do something!" Harry shouted.

"What am I supposed to do?"

The troll finally manages to get rid of Harry. And now was raising his club and turning around looking for him, while Harry ran around the bathroom.

"Anything!" Harry shouted back, avoiding the troll's throws at him.

Without knowing what he's doing, he points his wand at the troll's club, and "Wingardium Leviosa!" The club levitates above the troll's head, and then drops. Soon after, the troll drops on the ground.

Silence. "Is he…" Granger starts the question.

"I don't think so." Harry answers, eying the troll.

"You… you two saved me!" Hermione says, tearing up. Then, she springs towards them, and gives them a hug in turn.

Draco is so uncomfortable. He is not used to that… overly physical display of affection.

"There there." He pats her on the back. Exchanging looks with Harry.

That's when the faculty enters the bathroom.

"What on earth are you three doing here?" McGonagall asked horrified.

The two boys started talking at the same time. McGonagall couldn't catch much from what they were saying. She could hear Harry's "we had to help", Draco's "not my fault" and "please don't expel me", but not much other than that. Granger said nothing, and stared at the ground.

McGonagall raised her hand gesturing to the boys to shut up. "Miss Granger, care to explain?"

"It's my fault, professor," Hermione said. Both Harry and Draco turned to look at her. Hermione then perceived to tell a story which Draco doubted to be true. Somehow though, they managed to get away without detention, and he and Harry even managed to get points.

"That was insane!" said Harry, after McGonagall sent them to their dorms.

"Thank you for coming for me…" Granger said.

"I only came for Harry" Draco clarified, gaining a glare from Harry.

"And for Hermione, right?"

"It's alright" interrupted Hermione. "I still appreciate it."

They reached the stairs. Hermione was going up to the tower, the boys were headed to the dungeons.

"Wait, Hermione!" Harry called. She stopped, and looked back. "Would you like to go visit my friend Hagrid with me this weekend?" Harry offered, Draco did not like this.

"Sure!" she smiled at him. "Good night!" She ran up the stairs, clearly excited.

Draco still did not like her, but he also did not actively hate her.