Harry moved aside as the fire lit where he had been standing. He quickly regained footing and flicked his wand again. "Stupefy!!"

(sorry it's short...)

And then there was blackness.

((xD))

Draco woke up to see the sun shining down on him, and his familars unfamiliar. "Huh?" he said groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. White everywhere. And then he realised...the Hospital Wing.

"Dammit!" he yelled angrily, pounding his fist on the edge of the bed he was on. His head throbbed, but he could still remember what had happened last night. The Welcoming Feast...a duel...Potter Stupefying him.

"Mr Malfoy! Please do not damage the school's property," Madam Pomfrey said, walking briskly in his direction. "How's your head?"

Draco scowled at the plump woman. "Fine," he lied. "What happened?"

"Well-"

"That's what I'd like to know, Mr Malfoy," came the voice of Minerva McGonagall, from his other side. He turned to see her there looking grave. "Not even the first day of classes, and already in the Hospital Wing! What happened?"

"It was Potter's fault," Draco said automatically. "He attacked me."

"Do not lie to me, Mr Malfoy. I'll ask again. What happened?"

Draco didn't answer.

"I'll retrieve Mr Zabini, Potter and Weasley to answer my questions then," McGonagall said shortly. "You will stay here until I come back." 

"Like I could move," Draco growled under his breath. He waited for her to come back, batting away Pomfrey's fussing hands. 

Harry was being led into teh Hospital wing by Mrs McGonagall. He had Ron with him as well. They walked in and were led up to Draco.

Harry looked at him adn then to the Professor. "Professor.. What exactly did you want me and Ron here for.. Blaise as well.." He looked at Blaise, already sorry he had actually taken Draco up on the second duel.

Ron looked at Draco. He wanted to laugh but controlled himself. "You wanted us in here for what reaosn Professor McGonagall??"

(Poor draco. XD)

Harry, being the choosen one, already felt like he was obligated to tell her what happened. "Well... Malfoy followed me and Ron out of the Great Hall. He stopped us and asked me for a duel. I had already rejected him when he pulled his own wand out and held it up, ready to duel.. i took my own out and tried to back down but he cast a spell already."

Ron nodded. "Harry had to move... Breaking that statue... And the rest is pretty much childsplay.. Stupifying and such.."

"He's lying, Professor!" Draco growled. "He was the one who followed me out!"

McGonagall looked at them each, eyeing them impassively. "Clashing stories...what say you, Mr Zabini?"

Draco shot a glare in Blaise's direction, warning him. He obviously got the message, because he said, "Draco's right, Weasley followed Draco out." Draco noticed he didn't say that Harry had been the one following him, and a dark look crossed his face. 

Harry shot Blaise a look of gratitude. He was thankful Blaise hadn't said him, but it was kind of mean to say Ron did. He looked at Draco. "I was not lying! YOu clearly wanted to just duel me!" he looked at Ron, a look of hurt on his face. "ron.."

Ron looked at Harry and his eyes widened to say: See, he is a bad guy. Ron looked at Draco. "We weren't the ones who started it!"

"Well, obviously, someone had to have started it," McGonagall barked. "If no one will tell me, you each shall lose 50 House points, and have detention for a week. That ought to loosen your tongues." She glared at them all, and then turned on her heel and left. 

"Well, go on to class, the three of you," Madam Pomfrey said loudly, coming up behind them. She gestured to Ron, Harry and Blaise.

"We'll see you after classes, mate," Blaise said to Draco. "Pansy, Goyle, Crabbe and I."

Draco nodded. "Bye." He ignored the two imbeciles standing near his bed, and turned on his side to think. 

((Yeah. Isn't Draco a bastard? :P))

Draco sighed when they were gone. He realised that even the smallest thing was setting him off, but really, who could blame him? He had this stupid thing on his arm... Lifting his left arm up, he rolled up his long sleeves and stared at the ugly mark marring his pale skin. Voldemort's mark. He was owned by Voldemort now.

Angrily, he punched his pillow. Why did he have to be a Death Eater?  

The next day, Draco joined his classes, flanked by Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle. He had been thinking, and had decided that making a spectacle of himself would be a sure fire way to get him revealed. Something that Voldemort didn't want happening. So for the rest of the year, he would try and ignore Potter, Weasley and the Mudblood as much as possible. It was easier said than done.

Seeing Granger in the Great Hall acting like a miserable little know-it-all made it all the harder. It was tough not being able to strut up to her and rub her Muggle heritage in her face. And it was tough not being able to get Weasley and Potter angry, especially in front of Snape, which he often liked to do since he could get away with it all the time. 

Standing in front of the dungeons, waiting for Snape to arrive, even Draco knew he looked paler than usual and frightening. He had dark bags under his eyes, and his eyes looked dead. The only sign of life was when they flared momentarily with the idea of tormenting Potter as he arrived, but the idea was immediately quashed. All he could do was watch Crabbe and Goyle have the fun.

"Oi, Potter!" Crabbe grunted. "You're such a skinny runt I could snap you in half with one hand!"

Really? Was that the best he could do? Malfoy watched for Potter's reaction. 

Harry looked at Crabbe. "And your too big to even catch me if you tried.." He looked at draco. "Is that the best you have? i mean... Your nothing compared to the Malfoy brat.." He smiled and looked at Crabbe. "And why can't you leave me alone? I mean... Draco's father can't protect you guys forever.." He turned and looked at Ron adn Hermione.

Ron snickered slightly and looekd at Hermione who was giggling all teh same. "Harry.. Your bold lately... Is it because we are in out fourht year?"

((i forgot what year they were in....))

((Sixth. xD))

"We don't need protecting, do we, Crabbe?" Goyle grunted. "We could knock you all out with our bare fists!"

"Yeah, and if we wanted, Draco's dad could teach us some useful spells, right Draco?"

There was no answer.

"Draco?" Crabbe growled.

"What?" Draco asked. He had been staring at the wall opposite him, thinking, and hadn't been paying attention. "What do you want Crabbe?"

"Your dad could teach us spells to kick Potter's arse, right?"

"Oh...yeah." Draco turned away from them.

"You're drawing suspicion, I think, Drake," Blaise whispered to his friend. "'Cause you aren't being a brat or anything." 

((whoops. XD Ron: Because we are in out 6th year. *fixed" XD))

Harry was shocked. No comeback from Draco. He backed into Ron and Hermione.

"D-Do you guys see what i just saw.. I mean.. Malfoy.." He shook his head and looked at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Or I can just do it now.. I mean... You guys don't know as many spells as I do.."

He looked at Draco. He looked kind of... off today. He looked at Blaise and nodded toward Draco. Wanting to ask what was wrong. He kind of wanted to go over and ask.