I'm on a roll now - I hope you are enjoying this little tale soo far? I can promise a little a little bit of Action, Romance and lots more of Draco later, stay with me I promise you won't be disappointed (:¬)

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Chapter 4

The following morning Draco dressed and walked up the steps from the dungeons with Crabbe, Goyle flanking him and Zabini and Nott walking behind. They headed towards the great hall. Other students got out of their way as they walked. Draco smiled, he barged a first year out of his way as he walked into the hall.

Fearful eyes looked up at them as they walked down to the Slytherin table. The teachers were already at the tables. Snape, McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick and all the others. They watched as students milled around, chatting to friends and jostling for a seat.

Draco sat down; the others sat either side of him and Zabini and Nott in front. They laughed at a joke Zabini told, perhaps louder than they needed to. Frightened faces turned to look in their direction – Draco glared back at them daring someone to try something. Breakfast appeared at the tables and they all tucked in, chatting away as though nothing had happened – laughing at Gryffindor’s expense and wandering where Potter and his friends were and discussing what they’d do to them if they were the ones to catch them.

Slughorn walked down the Slytherin table handing out timetables. After an age Slughorn gave Draco his timetable. He looked down at the timetable and winced. The first lesson that morning was double transfiguration with McGonagall. ‘Great!’ He thought sneering, ‘what fun that is going to be.’ Draco stood up and left with Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco walked slowly from the Great Hall, Crabbe and Goyle had gone on ahead. He had sent them off – but now he began to feel eyes on him, he looked back into scared faces and smiled. Crowds of other pupils parted to let him pass.

He stalked through the corridors, shoulders back and head held high. Smiling at the effect his presence had on those around him. His confidence heightened, he strutted down the corridor, his swagger back. There was no Potter to spoil this for him, no one to take away his moment – this was Hogwarts, and he was determined to rule it.

Finally he reached the transfiguration corridor, walked in the open door, the room was full, and all eyes turned towards him and then as quickly back again. He was the last one in the class.

"Finally," McGonagall said. "Mr Malfoy – you’re late! Twenty points from Slytherin." Her sneer was obvious. Draco stared at her with loathing and sat.

The lesson had passed without further incident, Draco found transfiguration easy, talented as he was, his Aunt Bella had perfected his talent for conjuring things out of thin air. She was a good teacher if a little ‘demanding’. She had already taught him occumency in the previous year and over the summer she had brought him muggles to practice the Cruciatius and Imperious curses on.

The next lesson was Arithmancy, also a subject he had been good at, but never good enough to beat Granger, now she wasn’t here he was determined to excel and be at the top of the class – and make his father proud.
….

Lunchtime came and Draco met up with his Slytherin friends, they hung around the old tree and watched first years scuttle about. The first years ran past them wearily. Draco smiled as he spotted a lonely Ravenclaw third year sat close by with his head stuck in a book. He nodded towards the third year and the others smiled and nodded back. They pushed off from the tree they lent against and stalked over.

The third year spotted them when it was too late. Draco had taken out his wand and cast a spell. The third year screamed as he was pulled into the air by his ankle dropping his book to the ground. The Slytherin’s laughed as the third wriggled about in the air. Goyle called the book to him and laughed. He held it out to Draco, who took the book and looked down at it – it was a romance, Draco sneered at it and threw it at the third year who tried to catch it. The Slytherin’s laughed again and cheered.

“St-st-stop it Malfoy.” Came a voice from behind them.

Draco and the others turned. They all began to laugh again. The third year – forgotten – crashed down to the floor. “Well if it isn’t Longbottom!” Draco sneered his wand still raised. Longbottom had his wand raised too.

‘Expellimus!’ Draco thought and Longbottom’s wand flew from his hand and off into some bushes. Draco swaggered over to him and stood only inches away from him – Crabbe, Goyle and the others stood behind him. "You forget Longbottom…” he said quietly with unconcealed venom, so only Longbottom and the other Slytherin’s could hear him, “…that I was able to disarm even Dumbledore himself!”

He sent a spell at Longbottom who was unable to protect himself. Longbottom too flew up. He wriggled about in the air, trying to free himself. The Slytherins stood watching him as he struggled. They continued to laugh as Draco flew Longbottom from left to right and up and down, then whirled him around and around.

"That’s not very nice you know…?” said a dreamy female voice from their left.

Crabbe and Goyle were laughing so hard at Longbottom that they didn’t even draw their wands. Luna Lovegood walked over to them and looked up to Longbottom who dangled still in the air.

"Get lost Lovegood!” Draco sneered. He turned his attention back to Longbottom, smiling.

“I really think that you should let him down now.” Lovegood said.

"Hey, Longbottom!” Draco shouted at Longbottom as he whirled around in the air. "Your girlfriend’s here!”

"Leave her alone, she’s not my girlfriend!” Neville called as he whirled faster and faster.

"Ooooooh…" Draco called. Spinning Longbottom faster still.

"Let him go." Lovegood said.

Draco turned back to her. She had drawn her wand.

Neville Longbottom - now forgotten - dropped heavily to the ground spinning as he went and landing with a crunch. Lovegood winced as he crashed to the floor.

“Well…” Draco laughed, “Look boys….Looney Lovegood thinks she can take me.”

Crabbe, Goyle and the others laughed. They all drew their wands and pointed them at Luna.

“Put them away,” Draco told them. “She’s mine!”

Draco threw a spell at Luna, she blocked it. Despite himself Draco was momentarily impressed. “Not bad Lovegood…” he said before launching another spell at her. She blocked that spell too. Angered Draco threw another one. She was too late to deflect that one and flew backwards and into a heap on the ground next to Longbottom.

“MALFOY!!!!” came a voice to the side. Little professor Flitwick came ambling over. “I saw that Mr Malfoy, Fifty points from Slytherin!!”

Draco laughed and turned his back on the tiny professor. He began to walk off. “Coming?” he called to the others who seemed rooted to the spot.

“Come back here, Mr Malfoy!!” Flitwick called after him, “I haven’t finished with you yet!”

Draco stopped and turned back. “I’M FINISHED WITH YOU!” he yelled. The little professor went red.

“Draco, I don’t think it’s wise to….” Zabini began to caution him. “That’s seventy points off already and it’s only the first day of term I don’t think…”

“I didn’t ask you to think Zabini...” He said suddenly, he mentally kicked himself as soon as he’d said it.

“Fine…” Zabini said and stalked off followed by two others leaving only Nott, Crabbe and Goyle.

Startled Draco watched them walk off without a second glance. He looked at Crabbe and Goyle in turn; they looked back at him carefully. Flitwick cleared his throat and Draco turned back to him. He looked down his nose at the tiny professor.

“Detention!! Mr Malfoy. My class this evening. Be there at seven sharp!!” with that the little professor walked off.

Draco put his wand back inside his robes with a flourish. He looked around, Luna and Neville looked at him with smiles on their faces. “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT???” he spat. He turned to Crabbe and Goyle, “You coming?” he asked them.

They nodded numbly and followed in Draco’s wake as he hurried away.

At lunch Zabini and the others ignored him and sat with their backs to him. They carried on their conversation in hushed whispers looking over at Draco and laughing. Draco shot them a hot look and turned to Crabbe and Goyle. Behind them sat the Gryffindor’s, they too looked over at Draco and laughed nervously, all attention otherwise on Longbottom and on Lovegood who had joined them. Draco recognised those sat together as members of Dumbledore’s army. Draco had been instrumental three years before in catching them in the room of requirement. Ironically, that was how he had learnt how to enter the room that held the lost things.

He sat and listened to Crabbe and Goyle as they chatted excitedly about that afternoon’s double lesson – how renamed ‘Dark Arts’.

They waited outside of Snape’s old Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. The Slytherins’ were nervous with excitement and the others just nervous. The door opened and a deep male voice that Draco recognised shouted, “ENTER” it was Amycus Carrow.

The Slytherin’s filed in and took seats at the front. Draco and Goyle on the front row with Crabbe and Nott behind. Carrow’s lesson centred on the many fine uses of the dark arts. Crabbe and Goyle’s hands raised into the air the whole lesson. Draco listened – not really taking much in – what could Amycus teach him that his Aunt Bella hadn’t already taught him during his training?

By the start of the second period a short knock sounded at the floor. “ENTER.” Carrow shouted. The door creaked open and a nervous looking Slytherin fifth year crept in cautiously clutching a note in her hand. She walked slowly up to Carrow and put the note in his hand, her hand shaking. Carrow closed his fist around the note and the fifth year fled out of the classroom. Carrow opened the note and turned his eyes towards Draco. “Malfoy, Professor Snape wants you in his office; take your things with you.” He sneered dropping the note on Draco’s desk.

The other students whispered to each other nervously as Draco packed his quill and parchments away, took hold of the note and stalked out of the class. He strode down the corridors towards the headmasters office. The corridors were quiet; the few portraits watched him, as he passed otherwise nothing stirred as he walked. He stopped a few moments later at the stone Gargoyle.

“Enter.” The Gargoyle said in Snape's voice. Draco stood on the steps and the staircase spiralled up towards the headmaster’s office.

At the top of the stairs Draco strolled into the headmaster’s office. Heart in his mouth. He looked around the office, at all the little whirling gizmos and the model of the heavens. He walked up the stone steps to Snape’s desk. He hadn’t been alone with Snape since the previous year in the corridor outside of Slughorn’s office.

“Come in Draco.” Snape said.

Draco walked up to the headmaster’s desk. Snape was bowed over the old wooden desk, writing. Behind him the portrait of Dumbledore – the painted figure sat in his chair, snoozing.

“Sit, Draco.” Snape said not looking up from his writing.

Draco kept his eyes on the portrait as he walked on and sat at the chair before the headmaster’s desk. He dropped his school bag on the floor and glared at the professor.

“Draco, Professor Flitwick tells me that you’ve earned a detention.” Snape said slowly, his attention still on his writing and not looking up at him.

“Yes.” Draco replied. Looking around the office.

Snape looked up at him finally, the once friendly face twisted in disappointment. Snape stood and pushed back his chair. He walked around his desk and stood behind Draco. “Are you trying to get yourself expelled, Draco?” he drawled.

“No.” Draco replied quickly glaring up at Snape.

Snape was suddenly in Draco’s face, his face twisted and a lop-sided snare on his face. “Really? You do surprise me Draco.” Snape said. “Want to re-join the Dark Lord so soon?” His eyes flicked up into Draco’s quickly before looking away again.

Snape walked around the chair and back to his desk, he sat back down, looking away from Draco and back at the parchment he was writing on.

Draco remained silent. He looked down at his hands and twisted the Slytherin house ring around his finger nervously.

“Draco, you must be careful.” Snape said. “I know you do not…enjoy…doing the Dark Lords bidding.”

Draco froze and glared at him. The hatred he felt at the man who had taken his glory raising its head. At that moment he wanted so much to kill Snape.

Snape just smiled. “You may have learnt Occumency from your Auntie Bella, Draco." Snape sneered. "But still, I have known you long enough to know when you are afraid.”

“I’M NOT AFRAID!” Draco shouted standing suddenly, pushing the chair away as he rose. He tried to reach for his wand but somehow Snape had stopped him.

“Yes you are!” Snape replied angrily, quickly raising from his seat and slamming his fist into the desk. “Your mother sent you here for safety. The Dark Lord cannot enter Hogwarts and you know it!”

Draco gulped and stepped back in fear. He felt a warm flush at his pale cheeks as they darkened with colour.

“Sit down Draco.” Snape drawled. Draco took his time and sat back in the chair. He slid back and readied himself.

Snape picked up the parchment and folded it; he sat back down and looked the younger man in the eye.

“Draco," he said. "There are teachers and students here at Hogwarts who would like to see….”. He picked up his seal and warmed a wax brick on a candle. “…Harm befall the Death Eaters at this school….” He sealed the parchment and stood. He walked around the desk and stood behind Draco, “…do not give them an excuse to try something, do not duel with other students…and…DO NOT-“ he paused a moment, “-allow yourself to be alone with McGonagall, she has….Implied that we are not welcome here.”

Draco took Snape’s words in for a moment. “Why are you telling me all this now?” he asked, “why not before term started?”

“Draco, you have been avoiding me since last spring – this is my first opportunity to speak with you.” Snape said quietly. “I may no longer be bound by the un-breakable vow but I like you Draco. And I want to help you.”

Draco looked up. He stared into Snape’s eyes for a moment. He reached up to his wand – resting his hand there for a moment, he tried Legilimens but Snape was blocking him.

“Nice try Draco.” Snape said genuine praise in his voice – he grabbed the back of Draco’s chair and lent down to whisper into his ear. “Now, really I must warn you. Certain teachers of this school were trying to get me to agree to them practicing the Cruciatius curse on those who have earned a detention….”

Draco looked up at Snape in horror.

“…. If I allow it - Dumbledore’s supporters may find excuses to send you for a detention with the Carrow’s - they can to make your life here … unbearable, I can only protect you so far –"

Draco turned slightly into Snape’s face. He looked briefly into his eyes, they were sad and glistened slightly in the dull light from the surrounding candles and he glanced away again. Confusion filled him, once he had wanted to kill Snape, and now he…what did he want? Snape had been almost like a father to him once, a confidant, the betrayal when he had killed Dumbledore still burned. Draco closed his eyes and willed his thoughts to stop for a moment.

“Take care Draco, if you are expelled, you must leave the sanctuary of Hogwarts.”

“Is that why you’re here?” Draco asked abruptly unable to disguise the venom in his voice. He stood and faced Snape. “Is this your sanctuary from the Dark Lord??” he spat.

“As you know well Draco.” Snape drawled without emotion. “The Dark Lord arranged for me to be made headmaster of this school. It is my job to do his bidding. But!” Snape paused. “You must stay here…keep your head down Draco. Do not give me a reason to expel you –”

“Have you finished Professor?” Draco spat.

“For now.” Snape told him. “There is a fifth year waiting outside,” He held out the parchment, “take this and tell her to give this note to Professor Flitwick...” He told him, “You may go.”

Draco stood and took the note from Snape, he collected his school bag and without a word he walked out of the headmaster’s office and down the stairs. The same scared looking fifth year waited at the bottom of the stairs, he gave the student the note and he strode off down the corridor and towards the dungeons and the Slytherin common room.

He spent a few minutes alone in the dim room; he took an apple from the table at his side and took a bite on it. Soon the common room would be full of noisy Slytherins. He revelled in the silence for a few more minutes until the first few pupils came in, most spotted him and smiled. The same scared looking fifth year walked in soon after and approached Draco, she held out a parchment note to him. He took it and opened it. He read the note and smiled. Flitwick had cancelled the detention.
…