Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell is JK Rowling's

Chapter 35: To find a friend in the unlikely

I turned and walked to the pub we had left a few hours ago. The old bar keep was shouting at a drunken Malfoy.

"It's OK. I'll help him to the castle."

The old man looked down at me, his blue eyes eerily familiar. Must be all those times I caught him staring at me. Creep.

I didn't wait for an answer and grabbed Malfoy and tugged him further down the road.

"Lemme go Thornton. Lemme go. Where you taking me? You taking me for sex?"

I didn't respond to that, more interested in dragging him away from the main street. I knew there was a deserted clearing off the road...but where? I found a path that led off the street and followed it through a bush and found the clearing, inhabited solely by a centralised stump.

"Sit." I pointed at the stump.

"For sex?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, of course."

He staggered forward, just managing to sit on the stump, almost missing it completely.

"aqua eructo"

He sputtered and fell off the stump at the force of the spell. I continued for a few seconds longer. I stopped when I thought that it must have done the trick. I looked down at him, he was completely drenched, sitting on the floor, glaring up at me. I'm sure he was a little more sober now. He looked a little less ridiculous.

"aqua eructo"

I got hit for the first second and then side stepped the rest. Well, he was definitely sobering up now that he could use his magic. I dried my face and my shirt and dropped to the floor. I leaned against the stump on the other side, facing away from him.

"Why did you go to the Hog's head? I know I call you an idiot, I didn't think you really were one. Why would he serve someone underage?''

"I was out of Danahagh, I was desperate."

"Desperate enough to drink the everyday man's poison?"

"Desperate enough to drink the poor man's poison. That place is filth epitomised."

"Getting wasted isn't going to solve any problems."

"It does a pretty good job of hiding them though."

I sighed, tilting my head skyward. It was a dullish day, like the sun and clouds were fighting for prevalence. "Draco, I know what you're going through. Don't ask how, just know that I do. And believe me; I know how easy it is to succumb to something that dulls that constant ache."

He was quiet; I thought maybe he dozed off. A gust of wind ravaged the clearing, sending all the fallen leaves in an uproar. I loved this feeling though. The air graced my scalp, it was like flying without stepping off the ground.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. Someone physically pushed the thing out of my hand, pushed me to the floor and made me confront all my inner demons."

"I don't need your pity."

"Mi never did that for me because she pitied me Draco. She did that for me because she gave a damn."

"Is this you giving a damn?"

"Draco, the very fact that I never beat the crap out of you yesterday when you stormed into my lab meant that I gave a damn."

He was quiet for a while. "Why?"

"I figured whether we like it or not, we're going to be in each other's face for a while, I guess it's up to us to decide which side we'll be facing."

"I think you know…"

"The only thing I know Draco, is that I don't know a damn thing."

Silence descended on us again, but it buzzed with invisible thoughts. "What are the Beatles?"

That was so strange, out of nowhere. Oh wait, I looked down at my shirt, "They are a rock band."

"A muggle one."

"That doesn't make a difference. Music is music."

He scoffed. I rearranged the placement of my butt, feeling a numbness settle in.

"I didn't know you and Teddy were so close?"

He scoffed again, "Just because we all don't hold hands and skip around like you hotheads, doesn't mean we're not…close…in our own ways."

The stump vibrated behind me, "Do you mind hitting your head somewhere that doesn't disrupt my head rest?"

He was quiet, probably lost in thought about Teddy. "So how old were you when you met Zabini?"

"Seven. At another Ball. They stopped being all that boring though because Theo was around. Mrs Zabini had just married her third husband, her first English one, and my mother was actually throwing a welcoming ball for them."

"Instant friendship?"

"Fuck no, we hated each other from the get-go. Theo has to play mediator right up to now."

"So, you don't like Zabini?"

"That's such a childish notion Thornton. To like someone? I don't hate him; I understand the need for him to be in my life if that's what you want to know." I remember Zabini telling me something similar just last year. I remained silent, imagining existing in a world so…aseptic. So clearly defined by lines of politeness and necessity.

"To be seven again…"

I didn't agree with him, when I was seven, I was all alone, we had just moved to Massachusetts.

"Did you see Teddy today?" I didn't get a response, "You know if you nod your head I won't see."

"I got drunk, didn't I?"

So, he gets wasted when Teddy's around. At least we know the trigger. "And when you see Pansy?"

"Pansy is Pansy. I didn't…hurt her the way I did Theo. It helps that there's no scar for a reminder."

I told the little snot my balm would work. "Draco?"

"Yes?"

I looked down at my shoes, understanding what Mi had to go through. If I felt this bad about Malfoy, imagine how she must have felt about me, someone she cared deeply for. What do I tell him? What can I tell him? What should I tell him?

"I don't want you drinking like this again."

It was worth a try. Maybe he just needed someone to tell him not to. I know I needed Mi to do that, it helped.

"I don't like me sober Thornton."

"I don't like you drunk Draco."

"Since when did you like me at all?"

"About the same time your cowardly little arse ran into an acromantula nest to save me."

"For the last time, I didn't know it was their nest. I just thought I was going to help you untie the kid."

"Well, you saved me. That kind of decreased the concentration of my dislike."

"It was not my intention to be a hero. I just didn't want to get in trouble."

"That's OK Draco." I stood and walked around, knowing that he was speaking the truth. I held my hand out for him, he looked at me from between a few strands of his usually slicked back hair. "I don't care what your intentions were. I care that you saved me, that you helped me, even if it was just to prevent trouble. I'm standing here unscathed because of you, maybe you should think about that the next time you reach for the bottle."

He was silent for a few moments, and then I felt an unusually warm hand wrap around my own and I hoisted him up. I was expecting it to be cold. I chuckled to myself as I let go of his hand and we made our way to the main street and the castle.

I said goodbye to Malfoy in the entrance hall. I was in no mood to sit through a dinner in the presence of Perfect Pang, I decided I should make potions. That was like my motto in life, when life gives you lemons, make potions.

I smiled, making a note to tell Mi that one. It was kind of funny. I wonder where she was. I hope she didn't leave the trip early to make more of those infernal hats she's been knitting, I must speak to Kinky about that. I muttered the password and pushed the door open, taking in the smell of…nothing.

Success! The Veritaserum must be working; I skipped to the cauldron and looked in. It was making good progress, and its properties were a day earlier than described in the book. I covered the cauldron again and turned to get more ingredients for the next step. I stopped in my tracks, just noticing the figure that sat in my armchair...

A/N: I cut the chapter here because the next one will be a long one. I kind of like the unusual acquaintanceship that Draco and Ky have...what do you guys think? Drop a review on the way out please

Hope you guys are enjoying this story! I know I am consumed with happiness in writing it for you guys,

Thanks for reading

Kalina