Draco made his way begrudgingly to potions for his first lesson, feeling the weight of Manimi in his bag as he shifted the satchel from shoulder to shoulder. He was dreading having to sit next to Harry after the argument they'd had on the train - Harry was understanding, but there was only so much abuse towards his friends that he could take without a fight. Gryffindors weren't exactly the types to allow insults towards their friends.

"Draco," Acknowledged Harry sleepily, as he slid into the seat next to Draco's, early to class for once.

"Harry," Draco began nervously, "Hey, I was- well, I wanted to say, about the train, you know I didn't really have a-"

"A choice?" Interrupted Harry. "You never do, do you?" He sighed, making a show of getting his potions equipment out of his bag. "Look, Draco. I don't want to get off on the wrong foot but I can't do anything about it if you're mean to my friends. It was difficult enough last year, and I can't really be bothered to argue with you again. I know there's some things you can't help, but I can't let you do whatever you want."

"I don't want to do any of it! I can't convince my friends not to do this stuff."

"But I think you can," Said Harry, turning his green eyes upon him. "You can tell them that your father wants you to stop or something - that seemed to work before. Look, forget about it. Let's just get on with potions, okay?"

During the awkward moments that followed, Draco pulled his bag onto his lap and opened it to get out his things for the upcoming lesson. Manimi, who had been resting at the bottom of the bag, uncoiled and raised her head out of the bag, tongue tasting the air.

"Manimi! I haven't spoken to her in ages!" Harry sat up and peered into the bag, seeming to momentarily forget that he was annoyed with Draco as he hissed softly at the snake. As always, at the sound of parseltongue, the hairs on Draco's back stood on end. He forced himself not to feel jealous of Harry's ability to talk to Manimi.

"What's she saying?" he asked, curiosity eventually getting the better of him.

"Just asking how I am, telling me about her summer, you know. Normal catching up stuff." Harry paused. "She says you had a nightmare last night. Are you okay?"

Draco felt his face go red. "I'm fine, Harry. Manimi?" The snake looked up at him, "I told you not to tell anyone about the nightmares or... You know you're not supposed to tell."

"She's worried about you, Draco. She thinks-"

"I don't care, she's wrong. I'm fine. Manimi, please don't tell Harry those things. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go away now." Draco closed the bag again, having removed all he would need for the lesson, and put it behind his chair. Manimi would probably just fall asleep. Harry, however, was looking at him worriedly and Draco's insides seemed to twist a little, though he didn't know why. He went even redder and broke eye contact with Harry.

"Draco-" Harry began, but was interrupted by the classroom door banging open.

Snape billowed into the class and rapped his wand on one of the desks. "Silence." He said, before striding back to the blackboard. "Now that you have been here a week, I think it is time to give you all your first assignment. As you all know, your O.W.L.s will take place next year, and during the theory exam you may well be asked to give a detailed account of the Polyjuice Potion." Snape paused to survey the class, most of whom were half asleep. "Polyjuice potion takes a week at least to prepare, and another month to brew, and as I would prefer not to lose an entire month of lessons on one potion I have decided that this will be brewed as homework." Groans emitted from around the room. "You will each work with the person you sit next to at your desks to create the Polyjuice Potion outside of class, with the end goal being to transform one of you into the other. You will have two months to complete the potion: one for preparation and one for brewing.

"It is up to you to find out how to make this potion. You will receive no help from me, except permission to visit the restricted section. You must research and make this potion on by yourselves. The pair who makes the best potion will receive thirty points each to their respective houses. Any questions? Good. Now, let us begin the lesson."

The boys didn't talk much for the rest of the lesson, instead choosing to listen to Snape's lecture on the properties of Bicorn Horn. Draco had read a lot about Polyjuice Potion, and as with most common potions, knew most of the ingredients already. He had never made the potion before, though, because it took so long and he hadn't felt the need to spend so much time on it. He concentrated on taking notes on the Bicorn Horn, knowing it was a component of Polyjuice, and ignored the scared feeling that had settled in his stomach when Harry had turned those worried eyes on him, of a rabbit trapped in the headlights.

0o0oHarry0o0o

"So, where should we meet?"

"Huh?"

"To make the potion? Do you know any good places?" Harry wondered if Draco was feeling okay. He had been distracted since the beginning of class, and when Harry had asked him if he was okay he had looked almost scared. He, on the other hand, was just feeling frustrated. Why should he have to spend more time with Draco (or should he be Malfoy now?) than was absolutely necessary? and for two whole months? He groaned inwardly.

"Uh, actually I did have an idea." Draco broke through Harry's thoughts. "See, there are these spare rooms near the dungeons, mainly used for Slytherin family visits and things like that. Obviously, there's a Malfoy room, and we could make the potion there? Or somewhere else, if you want." He added quickly.

Harry tried to smile, "That sounds fine. When should we start the potion?"

"Tomorrow? We could meet after classes, before dinner, to plan how we're going to get all the stuff we need and things like that?"

"Sure. Meet you there?"

0o0oDraco0o0o

That evening, down in the Slytherin common room, many kids sat on armchairs and sofas and chatted long into the night as was a custom in Slytherin House. The meagre light emanating from the windows cast green shadows into the fourth year dorm, waterweeds twisting towards the barely-visible moon. At first, it had felt disconcerting to be sleeping under the lake, but now Draco found the weeds, the fish, and the occasional tentacles almost homely. He lay in his four-poster, Manimi's head resting on his chest, and talked quietly to her as usual. He knew he wouldn't get to sleep until the other Slytherins went to bed because they were too noisy, which could be anytime from midnight to two in the morning, but he had excused himself early for the simple pleasure of being alone. A spot had appeared on his forehead, seemingly unfazed by the anti-acne potions Draco often made for himself, and he was in a bad mood from it. He rubbed it absently and then tried to relax. It was a shame silencing spells didn't block outward noise, and only stopped the people outside from hearing you.

Draco's mind wandered, as it always did, back to the place it frequented so often these days: the question of what was wrong with him. Draco had first noticed it earlier this year when he and Blaise had been discussing girls. Blaise, Draco knew, had had a crush on Pansy since their second year. Blaise talked about it with Draco often, and today was no different. But, as it turned out, something was different. Blaise had been discussing Pansy's legs – which he usually did, he was obsessed with them – when Draco had begun to look at Blaise - really looked - and, for the first time, began to notice him. Blaise was the sort of guy who had it easy with girls (apart from Pansy, it seemed), with his humor and his jawline, and his charmingly aloof nature. But suddenly, it wasn't just the girls. Draco didn't have a crush on Blaise, but something changed on that day. He noticed things about guys that he hadn't before: Theodore Nott's back when he was getting changed; Blaise's jawline; and most disturbing of all, Harry. Not Harry's anything, just... Harry.

It scared Draco. It terrified him. He tried not to think of what his father would do to him if he found out, and as for the Slytherin boys, they would most likely make his life a complete misery too. Draco didn't know why he was different, or what made him like that. He knew that there were two Gryffindor boys who everyone thought were together, and he knew that they had been bullied for it last year. But Draco didn't know what it was that made people different, that made him different. He was sure it was something bad. There must be something wrong in his mind – maybe he was going mad?

But anyway, it didn't matter who he liked; he would probably have an arranged marriage with some other pureblood girl when it came down to it. The idea of having to marry some girl he had never met made him angry, indignant at the lack of choice he had in his life. He wanted to do something he loved, to marry someone he loved - if anyone could ever find in themselves to love him, which he doubted they would. But he couldn't: his life had been planned for him since the day he was born, he hadn't any choice in what would happen. Not that anyone cared.

As he finished talking, Manimi raised her head and pushed it gently against his. It was her way of saying that she was there, and that she, at least, was listening. That comforted him somewhat. Someone cared, and Draco was sure that whatever happened, she would never leave him.