[a/n]Back to the Shack after these messages.
Harry Does Different DXXII
Malfoys Don't Kneel
To say Harry was in a rotten mood was an understatement. He had been since the combination of Cedric Diggory's funeral and the other schools' departure. Typical teen behavior abounded, mostly, despite the tragedy. The morning before the Express trip home he was uniquely crabby, actually counting the seconds until is reunion with the Dursleys. Mixing of the Houses in the Great Hall wasn't uncommon, now the year was over, but through a few coincidences, in particular red hair at the Slytherin table AND mention of his name he focused on Susan Bones talking with Draco Malfoy.
"Cute, but I don't think much of Hufflepuff anymore." Harry muttered contemptuously.
But that quick, he only caught a few of her words. "status …gamot … House …bow."
"Stupid girl!" the blond wizard lashed out at his guest in fury, slapping her. Then went on to protest, loudly "Malfoys Don't Kneel! Nor would I even think of kneeling to saint Potter!"
The Great Hall was only lightly populated at the moment and devoid of adult supervision. The conflict drew full attention of those present who gasped at the sudden violence. A First-Year did run out in search of a professor, but other than that no one moved.
"Alright there, Bones?" except for Harry, who hopped his table to assist. He was more sympathetic to her now, than a minute ago. Helping the redhead back into a seat, he taunted his nemesis "Not the way I seen it, Draco. Daddy's master ordered him to his knees and stick his face in the dirt."
The Slytherin screamed incoherently and charged. In quick succession, he caught Harry with a punch in the stomach, another to the face and then went for a kick. Victim already bent over, he found his foot intercepted and twisted. Draco howled in agony as the pressure increased.
"You will release him at once, Potter!" the Head of Slytherin arrived quite timely.
Susan had shaken off the assault by then and snarled "Go on, Harry! Break it!"
"Put up your wand, Severus!" Professor McGonagall was next on the scene "Now, Potter, release Mr. Malfoy and explain yourself!"
Several witnesses offered conflicting stories. While the Hufflepuff girl reported, concisely, though editing somewhat "Malfoy assaulted me during a simple discussion, and Harry rushed to my aid. For which I thank him."
"Lying bitch!" Draco snapped, then appealed to his Head "Professor, Potter slandered my father, then assaulted ME when I called him a liar."
Snape immediately declared "You will be expelled for this, boy! And long past time."
"I would contest that, professors." Susan was making some effort to right her tshirt, then used a spell to straighten her hair "I got this black eye from Malfoy after explaining that Wizengamot custom would require him to show obeisance to Harry as a senior family."
Draco protested "You saw him! All that Muggle violence. Could have killed me."
"Minerva, I must insist. The only remedy here is expulsion." Demanded Snape.
She shook her head "I see a multitude of stories, Severus. You will escort Mr. Malfoy to the dungeons, while I will conduct Miss Bones to Madam Pomfrey, which conveniently, is en route to Gryffindor Tower. Certainly, suspensions would be warranted for both combatants here, were class still in session. As it is- -"
"I DEMAND an apology for my father!" the Slytherin boy fought against his Head's restraint.
Most gentlemanly, Harry offered a supportive arm and said "I only told Draco how his father bowed and scraped to Voldemort. Though in deference to Susan, here, I'll not repeat what else snakeface ordered him to do. Too bad he decided I was more important than Lucy. Guess it really must be true. What you said. Tell me more about it?"
"So noble." She giggled, then sobered.
McGonagall was frowning "Do not make a bad situation worse, Mr. Potter."
"Yes, professor." The boy's reply did not really have any remorse in it. And he was completely NOT bothered by the angry sneers from both Slytherins. The professors and respective charges, went their separate ways.