"Draco. Draco! Draco!" Pansy jerked his curtains back.

Draco opened his eyes just in time for Pansy to half blind him with a lumos right in his eyes, "AHH! Pansy! What the fuck?"

"What the fuck yourself!" Pansy smacked him, "You took dreamless sleep again didn't you!?"

Draco pulled his blankets up as a shield, trying to sit up and scrabble backwards all at the same time, "No, I-!"

"You promised me you wouldn't! You said you were done!" Pansy hit him again and again; her voice edged with tears.

"I didn't! I didn't!" Draco panted, his back pressed against the wall, "I promised I didn't!"

Pansy glared at him, "You always wake up before me, and you didn't wake up when I yelled at you-!"

"I didn't take dreamless sleep," Draco said, holding his hands up defensively, "I did take three drops from my fletus fern dilution."

Pansy crossed her arms over her chest, her mouth pressing into a thin line.

"I thought it would be just strong enough to help me sleep but not so strong it would leave me drowsy," Draco tried to explain, " I need to dilute it further, obviously."

Pansy's expression didn't flicker, "I don't like it."

"I only did it because I still have to brew for four more nights and knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without it."

"What happened?" Pansy asked, "And it better be good."

Draco slipped off the end of his bed and pulled open one of the four empty wardrobes he had stored his small personal pensive in, a silvery memory already pooled in the bottom, "Take a look for yourself."

Pansy glared at him again then pushed past him, tucking her hair behind her ears before leaning into the memory.

Draco took the opportunity to go back to his bed, pull off his pyjamas and put on fresh pants and undershirt. He was putting on his socks when Pansy pulled her head back up with a gasp.

Pansy spun around, "He kissed you!"

"And then fucked off, " Draco said, grabbing a clean uniform and quickly pulling it on.

"I can't believe he actually kissed you," Pansy repeated numbly, "I mean I know I said he might be bi, but I was being entirely full of shit."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"He comes off as very straight and I mean very straight. He has no sense of style or grooming and he's always scruffy-"

"Yes, thank you, Pansy," Draco said in a very clipped tone.

Pansy's eyes widened theatrically, "Merlin's. Saggy. Bollocks. Is he going to grow up into a bear? Is Potter a baby bear?"

"Pansy, if you don't stop, I'm going to put you in a full body bind and roll you under my bed for the rest of the day," Draco snapped.

"This means you've done step six!" Pansy said. She grabbed his bag and pulled out the battered list. "Here:

Step 6: Find out if he'd actually want to date another bloke."

Draco shook his head, finishing up the buttons on his shirt, "I don't care about the list, Pansy. It obviously doesn't matter now."

"Whatever," Pansy said dismissively, shoving the list back inside his bag.

Draco's brow furrowed, "Whatever?" he repeated.

Pansy ignored him, asking instead, "What are you going to do then?"

"I'm going to track him down, and he's going to explain himself, and if I don't like the explanation I'm going to break his stupid nose. Again," Draco said, pulling his bag over his shoulder and walking out of the room as quickly as he could without running.

Pansy grabbed hold of his arm, slowing him down so she didn't have to run to keep up, "Oh don't do that; presumably you like his face. You should break a rib or maybe... punch him in the kidneys."

Draco nodded in agreement, "I'll do both."

Pansy snorted, "You won't."

Draco shrugged. It was nice to think he might, and there was always the possibility that Potter would rile him up enough. No one else could make him as angry as Potter. Well, no one alive.

"Draco... don't give him your loyalty," Pansy said.

"Pans-"

"And don't say you already have," she said.

Draco sighed, "He pulled me from the fire, Pansy. He testified for me."

Pansy tightened her grip, "Trusting him with your life isn't the same as trusting him with your heart."

"I- yes. You're quite right," Draco said reluctantly.

"I know I am," Pansy said. "You should at least try to get a better kiss."

"I know," Draco muttered. They exited the dungeons and Draco looked up the stairs, "The Gryffindor tower is up there isn't it?"

"What? I don't know. Just wait for him to come down for breakfast." Pansy said.

Draco pulled his arm free, "Obviously I can't. I've already waited as long as I can stand."

"You're such a child," Pansy tsked.

Draco lifted his nose, "Well, you're a cow."

"moo," Pansy said, flipping him off.

Draco grabbed hold of the bannister, starting up the stairs.

Pansy called after him, "They have a portrait entrance, remember? A big lady in pink, I think."

Draco waved at her over his shoulder, running the rest of the way up.

  '~*~'  

Draco followed the trickle of Gryffindors through the halls and up another staircase, hoping he hadn't missed Potter entirely.

"-just don't see why you need to wear it? What happened?" Weasley's voice asked from just up ahead.

Draco hurried around the corner and saw Weasley and Granger walking down the hall, a person-sized gap between the two of them. Granger quickly stepped next to Weasley, her expression stiff.

"I need to speak to Potter." Draco said.

Weasley crossed his arms over his chest, "He isn't here so bugger off."

Draco wondered if all Gryffindors were this bad at lying. Maybe it was why they were all put into the same house, like some sort of mutually shared disability.

"Harry wasn't feeling well," Granger tried.

"I said, I need to talk with Potter," Draco said.

Weasley bristled like an angry boar, "Why don't you tell us what's so bloody important and then I'll decide whether to hex your bollocks off of not."

"Fine. Tell Potter, next time he kisses me-" Draco ignored Weasley's weird choking noise, "-I'd like it to last at least five seconds and to be warned beforehand so I can enjoy it properly."

"He kissed you?" Granger said faintly.

"There's no fucking way Harry did anything like- like that," Weasley said.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Oh, you were there, were you?"

"Without warning?" Granger frowned and sighed, "Harry you can't just go and-"

"He- Wait, what?" Weasley said in disbelief.

Granger gave Weasley an impatient look, "Cho she was crying and he kissed Ginny completely without warning in front of everyone. Don't get me wrong, it can be romantic, but there's nothing wrong with asking. Especially if you don't know for sure if the other party wants to be kissed."

"I had no complaints about that part. It was when he ran off afterwards that rather pissed me off," Draco said.

"Yeah, well I'd run off too. You're not exactly anyone's first choice," Weasley said.

"As opposed to you? You're the living embodiment of a carrot," Draco sniffed, "one of the thin knobbly ones."

"I couldn't care less what you think of me," Weasley said, his face slowly turning bright red with anger.

"That's good because I don't think of you. I prefer not to throw up in my mouth," Draco said.

"That's enough," Granger said firmly, grabbing Weasley's forearm and stepping between them.

Weasley slowly lowered the hand he had lifted to deck Draco.

Draco took a step back, unwilling to cross Granger.

"Look, Malfoy, I can talk to Harry," Granger said as if she regretted it already, "But if this is all going where I think it is, I'm going to need an apology from you."

Draco pursed his lips, feeling terribly put upon. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it before, he just would have preferred more time to collect his thoughts, "...I am sorry about all the things I called you in reference to your birth or looks." He paused trying to put it all into words properly, "I was jealous of you, but that's no excuse for cruelty or prejudice, and I am truly sorry."

Granger relaxed, "I suppose that will do. I accept your apology."

"Excellent," Draco said, "Now about Potter-"

"Wait! What about me?" Weasley said pointing to himself.

"I'm not going to apologise to you. You gave as good as you got." Draco said dismissively.

Weasley narrowed his eyes, "What about all the shit you said about my family?"

"That they're poor?" Draco said, "Well they are. It's not my fault you take it so personally."

Weasley's hands curled into fists.

"Besides, you call me ferret. So I'd say we're even on that front," Draco said.

"How is that even close-! It was only a couple minutes, a little embarrassment-"

"That," Draco said coldly, "Was the most painful and terrifying thing I ever endured, at least before, well-" he grimaced thinking of the faded mark on his forearm.

"Yeah right," Weasley said dismissively.

Draco huffed, "I suppose I wouldn't expect you to know, but ferrets have very fragile bones, they don't bounce, they break." He shuddered but went on, perversely enjoying Weasley's discomfort, "It's quite fortunate our Headmistress is the foremost transfiguration expert in europe or I might have died if she hadn't changed me back to exactly as I was. But yes, it was just a few minutes, Weasley."

Weasley glanced away guilty, which made recalling the incident entirely worthwhile.

"Then you can both apologise to one another for that," Granger said.

Draco met Weasley's eyes and found himself completely agreeing with the sentiment he saw there, there was absolutely no way he was ever going to apologise, but some accord was probably necessary. "Let's strike a truce, Weasley. I will no longer insult your family if you will no longer bring up the transfiguration incident."

Granger breathed a sigh of relief, "That's a good start."

"Start? No, that's it," Draco said, "I absolutely couldn't tolerate not calling Weasley a useless ginger tosser, or some variation thereof."

Weasley hesitated then grinned, "Yeah, It'd be a shame not to be able to call you a stuck up pointy ponce."

Weasley's tone was unexpectedly game and Draco found himself smirking in return, "Truce?"

Weasley nodded, "Yeah, alright, truce."

They both shifted as if to shake hands on it and both changed their minds.

Granger rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll talk to Harry about sorting this all out."

Draco frowned, "By tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Weasley said.

Granger crossed her arms over he chest, "I don't really think-"

"I've waited for ages already," Draco said petulantly. "I don't see why I should have to wait at all. Tomorrow is being rather generous if I do say so myself."

"Spoiled brat," Weasley muttered.

"Oh. And I suppose you'd be as patient as a saint if it were you in the same position," Draco said.

Weasley scoffed, "Dunno. Hermione isn't the type to kiss and run off. Besides, even if she were, I'd still be me and not some whiny little brat who only escaped prison by the skin of his teeth."

"Ron!" Granger chastened.

Draco sighed, saying a bit quieter than he intended, "I'm quite aware of that." He scanned the empty air around Weasley and Granger and took a guess at where Potter might be lurking. He told the blank space between the two, "I'll see you tomorrow."

  '~*~'  

The next morning, Draco watched Castor and Pollux carrying their burden through the dim dawn light alone. He rested his arms on the stone arch and shivered faintly as a cold breeze stung his cheeks. He scrubbed his eyes wearily and yawned, wishing he could just do what Severus had and increase the dosage of wolfsbane as the potency faded. Then again, Draco was fairly certain Severus had done it that way because he enjoyed watching Professor Lupin choke down more and more of the awful potion every day leading up the full moon. It seemed unethical to say the least, but Severus wasn't exactly a nice man.

The sound of brisk footsteps made Draco turn his head, "Good evening, Headmistress."

"I believe it's technically morning now, Mr Malfoy," McGonagall said briskly as she walked over to stand beside him, "Still having 'nightmares'?"

Draco nodded, "Yes, they still crop up quite regularly."

"I hadn't seen you recently. I was starting to think you'd been given a reprieve?"

"I..." Draco nudged his sleep-addled mind to try and put this cleverly in a; we're not talking about me brewing wolfsbane every month except we are, sort of way, "the dreams weren't quite as bad for a few days."

McGonagall nodded.

Draco was just tired enough to ask something he'd always wanted to know, "Why are you up this late, Headmistress?"

McGonagall glanced over at him, "It's my duty to make sure the castle is safe and secure, it's just as well to do it when I'm feeling restless."

Draco looked down at his hands with a grimace.

"We've all done things we've regretted. I believe it's what we do afterwards that is most telling of our character," McGonagall said.

"Some have a lot more to regret than others," Draco said with a bitter, humourless smile.

McGonagall squeezed his shoulder briefly, "You're doing well, Mr Malfoy. I've been very pleased to see your progress." She turned back towards the stairs, "Now, back to bed with you or you'll end up dozing off during lessons."

"Yes, Headmistress," Draco said, nodding to her in thanks and heading back to the dungeons.

  '~*~'  

"You know how I promised we'd go together to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Pansy said with utterly unconvincing nonchalance as they slowly walked out of the common room to go to breakfast.

"You mean the one in a few days? The last weekend before the winter hols? When we were going to finish our shopping and enjoy getting out of this merlin-forsaken castle? That promised Hogsmeade weekend?" Draco said.

Pansy frowned at him, her cheeks puffing out slightly in indignation, "Yes."

"Go on then," Draco said generously.

"Melanie and Jenna asked me to come along with them," Pansy said.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Um," Pansy smoothed her immaculate hair nervously, "They're seventh-year Hufflepuffs, a year below us."

Draco bit down on his automatic desire to mock them and nodded for her to go on.

"During sixth year, you were so distant, and everyone was so tense, and sometimes I'd see Mel and Jen in the loo, and we'd talk about make-up and nail polish, that sort of thing. They got sent to america for our seventh year, so they missed worst of it. We started sitting together in advanced charms theory..." she trailed off, tugging a lock of hair, "They're nice and they've never invited me along with them before."

"First off," Draco said, "you owe me-"

Pansy rolled her eyes but smiled faintly in relief.

"Second, you'll take my emergency portkey with you."

"What?" Pansy froze.

Draco took a few steps before realising she had stopped and turned back, "As a precaution."

"I can't take that," Pansy said.

"Pansy."

Pansy stomped up to him. "I just can't," she hissed, "You're not supposed to have it. If I use it they might throw you in- I can't."

Draco said, "They're Hufflepuffs, so I doubt you'd have to-"

"I'll have my wand-"

"Wands are not reliable," Draco said, unable to keep the undercurrent of anger out of his voice, "They break, they get lost, they're easily stolen and then what will you do?"

Pansy eyes widened.

Draco took a step back, forcing the swell of sudden emotions down. "Sorry, Pans," he said faintly, hurrying down the hallway.

Pansy ran to catch back up, grabbing hold of his arm to slow him down, "Fine. I'll take the portkey, but I won't use it unless I absolutely have to... and do I owe you one."

"Perfect, I'll be taking that favour now," Draco said as they came into the great hall.

"You'll what?" Pansy said, following his gaze and dropping his arm like it was toxic, "I don't know what you're planning, but I want nothing to do with it."

"Too late, you agreed," Draco said, taking a deep breath to fortify himself. He grabbed Pansy by the wrist before she could escape and pulled her to the Gryffindor table.

Potter had Weasley and Granger on one side of him, Longbottom on the other and most of the bench across from him was entirely unoccupied.

Draco sat opposite Potter, holding onto Pansy's wrist in a death grip until she stiffly sat down next to him, hissing in his ear, "You're dead to me." Whilst the entire table looked at them with a mixture of disbelief and growing anger which Draco did his best to ignore.

Draco put on a cheerful smile he did not feel in the least and said, "Good morning, Potter."