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When Draco left Snape's office, he noticed that Neville had been waiting for him, jumping from one leg to the other, wringing his hands. "Well done, Neville," he said, patting him on the back.

"I think that was the most Gryffindor thing I've ever done," replied a very pale Neville, laughing nervously.

Draco chuckled, "I'm sure Snape'll grow on you... Eventually."

Neville threw him a skeptical look, but did not further comment on Draco's assessment. "I'm just happy we are both still alive... Do you have it?"

"Have what?" Draco asked, smiling innocently.

"Draco!"

"Just puling your leg," Draco laughed. "Of course I have the recipe for Snape's very own Cruciatus potion. Also have a couple of handy books about inventing potions and spells."

"Wow," Neville sounded astonished, "I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it," Draco mumbled. What a weird feeling this was, first helping a Gryffindor and then being thanked by one.

"Hey guys," Draco greeted as he entered the Slytherin common room.

"Hi, Draco. Where are you going?" Pansy asked.

"I wanted to go read a little," he showed them the books he was carrying.

"Ever since we came back from the hols you've been a real swot," she complained.

"Yeah, you never spend any time with us anymore," Goyle added.

Draco did not know what to say. He hadn't anticipated anyone actually missing him. They were, of course, right. During his time at school he had always been surrounded by others. They had not been particularly close, and as an adult Draco would not call their relationship friendship, but as a child everything of course looked differently. And he knew how dependent Crabbe and Goyle and sometimes even Pansy used to be of him. He also remembered his plan to at least try to befriend them, really befriend them, while he was on the train.

"I guess you are right guys," he conceded, putting his books on a table and walking towards them. "I'm sorry."

"Come sit with us for a while," Pansy invited. "My mum sent biscuits."

Only now did he notice that they were all sitting around Pansy, everyone having a biscuit in hand. They were all looking at him expectantly.

"Sure, why not." He sat down next to them and grabbed a biscuit. "Delicious," he said to Pansy who started giggling.

"What have you been up to?" Daphne asked, eyeing his books curiously.

"Snape invited me for tea," Draco half-lied.

"I saw Longbottom in front of his office. You know what he wanted?" Zabini asked, an unusual occurrence for the quiet boy.

"I think I heard him apologizing for the boggart," Draco laughed, and the others joined in. Coming up with a cover story on the spot was easier than he had expected. "Looked like he was about to cry." That was mean, although probably not too far from the truth.

"Guess the wrath of a scorned snake was too much for him," Daphne chuckled.

"Wish I'd seen that," Crabbe mused.

"I didn't think he had it in him," Pansy finally said. "I always thought the fat, little crybaby only ended up in the lion's den because he wouldn't fit in anywhere else. But he seems to have some of that Gryffindor foolishness in him."

"Must have if he's friends with that Potter brat," Goyle mumbled.

The others agreed.

"How did Snape react?" Pansy wanted to know.

"No idea," Draco shrugged.

"I hope he will be in a better mood from now on," she muttered.

"He has been in a bad mood?" Goyle asked.

"Of course you haven't noticed. You are as thick as a brick," she complained. "Ever since that half-blood Lupin started teaching here he has been quite on edge."

"My mum says Lupin hasn't had a real job in his life. Not that I couldn't have told by the way he looks, but I wonder why that is?" Daphne added.

Draco was getting annoyed by all the bickering. Was that really how he had spent his youth? Badmouthing others? And how dense had he been that he never figured out there was something wrong with their professor? Snape's lecture on werewolves when Lupin was missing right after a full moon and his inability to find a job even though he obviously wasn't stupid should have really given Draco enough clues to figure it out even as a teenager. But he really did not want to discuss it further. "Hey Daphne, how is your sister doing? It's her first year, right?"

Daphne blushed a little as everyone's attention settled on her. "Yeah. Astoria's doing fine, I guess. Our parents are upset she was not sorted into Slytherin."

"It's a shame, really. She would have been a great Slytherin," Pansy chimed in.

"I don't know. She's always been more interested in books than anything else. I'm honestly not surprised she ended up there and I don't know why our parents are," Daphne mused. "But I think the Ravenclaws are not talking to her much because of her connection to our house."

"That's ridiculous," Pansy huffed. "We are wonderful people. They should be happy to be allowed to attend the same school as us."

"We could start hanging out outside our common room more, then Astoria could join us if she wants to," Draco offered. And I could spend some time with her, his mind added.

"What a wonderful idea," Daphne was delighted.

"Maybe that will show others that we don't eat people from other houses," Pansy said.

"As long as they are not Gryffindors..." mused Zabini and everyone started laughing.

Draco spent the rest of the day in the Slytherin common room, socializing with his peers. He talked about Quidditch with Nott, Crabbe and Goyle, and played a round of Exploding Snap with Zabini and the girls.

TBC

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