Harry and Ron trudged towards the dungeons for first lesson, both dreading the upcoming fifty minutes. Even despite Snape, the class could have been interesting if the seating plan wasn't what it was. But unfortunately, Harry was forced to endure Malfoy while Ron bore the precocious Hermione. In fact, not one person in the class seemed happy with the arrangements, and the result was a pissed off mess. Add that to the fact that Draco used his gift with potions to make Harry feel utterly useless, and the result was torture. There were few places Harry hated more than the dungeons.

The lesson passed slowly. Malfoy, as usual, used Harry as a servant while they brewed the Anti-Acne Potion, and forced him to do only the boringly simple menial tasks while he got to actually make the potion. They talked very little, apart from the occasional jibe from Malfoy outlining something Harry had done wrong. By the time the lesson had finally finished, the potion was perfect and Harry was in a mood. He only grunted at Ron as they made their way to their second lesson: Charms.

0o0oDraco0o0o

Draco watched Weasley and Potter make their way to Hagrid's hut after school, and set off after them as soon as they were inside. He got there in about ten minutes, and quietly stood next to the open window, listening intently.

"But I just can't bear for him to be all on his own! What if the other dragons are mean to 'im?"

Idiotic buffoon, thought Draco. As if dragons had feelings like humans did.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Hagrid," came Weasley's voice through the window. "Charlie's really good with dragons, he'll look after him. He's even given us a date for collecting him, it's all sorted out. Harry and I'll meet him at the astronomy tower at midnight next Saturday, and Charlie can fly him back with his friends."

"It's for the best, Hagrid." Said Potter. "I mean, what could you do once Norbert gets really big, huh? You might get fired, and Norbert might be killed."

So they were sending him away. Draco was surprised to hear Hagrid's sobs through the window. Really, who cared that much about a dragon? Hagrid spoke between sobs;

"You're sure 'e'll be okay? They'll... they'll look after 'im?"

"Yeah, they will Hagrid. We promise."

At this point, Draco sensed that the conversation was drawing to a close. He began to retreat towards the castle, a plan already forming in his mind.

0o0oHarry0o0o

"Just what do you think you're doing, Malfoy?!"

The angry voice of Professor McGonagall cut through the dark air. Harry and Ron froze in an alcove, hiding in the shadows, willing Norbert to stay still in his case. Darkness pressed in on them as they held their breath and listened.

"You don't understand Professor," Came Malfoy's voice, sounding panicked. "Harry Potter's coming, he's got a dragon-"

"I've never heard such nonsense! Twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around out of hours, telling blatant lies! You, boy, are coming with me. We'll see what Professor Snape makes of this."

McGonagall sounded severely pissed off and practically dragged Malfoy down the corridor. Harry was relieved that it was Malfoy on the receiving end, not him. The boys only moved from their hiding place when they could no longer hear McGonagall and Malfoy.

"Hah!" laughed Ron "I can't believe Malfoy's in detention over us!"

"Shh," hushed Harry, though he was grinning too. "We can still get caught."

The boys managed to make it up the spiral staircase to astronomy tower, sighing as they put Norbert down and shaking out their stiff arms. Star littered the night sky outside, and the two boys sat on the windowsill of one of the arched windows, talking quietly while they looked out for Charlie and his friends. After what seemed like an oddly long time - though it could only have been about twenty minutes - the shapes of about ten people became discernible in the night. they grew gradually larger, and the boys opened the window to allow them space to enter. Charlie's friends were a lively bunch, and showed the boys an interesting harness they had rigged up to carry Norbert back to Romania. The boys managed to get Norbert, in his case, fastened to the harness and attached to the brooms. The whole thing took about half an hour, and soon they were watching Norbert retreat into the night.

The boys slowly made their way back down the spiral staircase, not being as careful about keeping their voices now because of the triumph they were already feeling. A weight had disappeared from their shoulders, and they were feeling unstoppable. At least, they were until a malicious voice came from the shadows.

"Well, Well, Well, we are in trouble,"

It was Filch.

0o0oDraco0o0o

Draco watched with disdain as Professor McGonagall tore into Potter and Weasley. The two boys sat staring at the floor in the same place Malfoy had found himself a few minutes earlier. They said little, and looked scared. Neville sat crying in the corner, having been found out of bed as well. Apparently, he had set out to warn the boys about the Draco's plan to catch them, but instead had been caught himself. McGonagall paused for breath, considering forms of punishment, before stating, still sounding furious:

"All four of you shall be given detention, and I'm taking fifty points off. Fifty points each! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

The night lasted forever. After what felt like an incredibly long time, all four boys were allowed back to their dormitories with instructions to meet Filch in the entrance hall at nine pm tomorrow evening for detention. However, if it was bad for Draco, it was worse for the Gryffindor boys. Draco didn't feel kindly towards any of them, especially now, but still. It must feel terrible to lose one hundred and fifty points for your house in one night. He shuddered to think what would happen to him if he was in their shoes.

Draco silently made his way to his dorm in the dungeons, changed, and got into bed feeling pissed off with the world. His fellow Slytherins were sure to be angry with him, but once he twisted it to make it look like he lost Gryffindor one hundred and fifty points, they would probably feel much more sympathetic. Still, he wasn't looking forward to detention. He wondered what kind of sadistic task they would be forced to carry out, and dreaded having to spend more time with Potter and Weasley than was necessary. Some part of Draco still felt a little sad that he couldn't be friends with the two boys, who he'd had such a good time with on the train. But he tried not to think about his feelings. He was a Slytherin and a Malfoy; therefore duty came first, then society. Feelings came about tenth on the list. That was just the way it was. Unfortunately, that didn't stop him from feeling lonely.

Draco had thought that school would be an escape from the constant guardedness he had to maintain at home, but here, as it turned out, it was just as bad. He didn't know how it was in the other houses, but Slytherin was even more cutthroat than he had thought. It was wearing him out: the constant front he had to put up, the way he pretended to be. He thought back to the sorting, when the hat had briefly pondered making Malfoy a Ravenclaw before shouting Slytherin! into the hall. Ravenclaw might have been nice - they seemed to get along with each other pretty genuinely... But that didn't matter. He was here, in Slytherin, and he was doing fine. Better than that, he was doing excellently. He was in control, he had status, he was respected. That was what mattered.