The Best, Worst Punishment Ever

Harry found himself humming as he almost skipped his way back to Gryffindor Tower. He really was looking forward to spending more time with his Slytherin rival, especially after they had been so friendly with each other that afternoon under the tree.

Harry found that he was almost giddy when he thought about Draco, and while that would normally have seemed very perturbing, Harry was currently too busy thinking about how he would tell Ron and Hermione the news to be worried by the direction his thoughts had taken regarding the blonde.

Harry knew that Ron would definitely be very unhappy with the new development, as would most of the other Gryffindors. With any luck, the ever-understanding Hermione might have a better reaction, so Harry thought that he might tell her about Draco first.

When he climbed through the opening behind the Fat Lady, the current password being 'Exploding Snap', Harry found that he was in luck. The common room was almost completely deserted, but Hermione was sitting alone on one of the sofas in a corner, doing some pleasure reading. At least, Harry assumed it was pleasure reading. Most of the books that Hermione took out of the library for that reason were slightly larger than the textbooks, and the one she was holding at the moment was the largest that he had seen her with in quite awhile.

Harry went over to his mousy haired friend and sat down, waiting for her to acknowledge him. After a few minutes she finished what she was reading, closed the book, and looked up at him.

"How did it go then?" she asked, barely containing her curiosity.

Harry tried to keep from grinning, "Well, as far as I can tell, Draco's not going to be expelled, but he is going to be punished. Dumbledore is making him move into Gryffindor Tower... He's going to be one of us in everything but name." Our joyful hero could no longer stop himself, and smiled. Not a huge smile, but one that told Hermione that he was obviously very pleased with the situation.

Harry noticed that Hermione was looking at him as though he had gone barmy. "What?" he asked her. He really had no idea that he was acting strangely.

"Are you aware that you just referred to Malfoy as 'Draco?' I know that you've been spending more time than normal with him because of the training thing, but I had no idea that you were so friendly with him. Also, did you know that you look like a little child that has just been given his favorite toy?" she asked him. Then, in her mind she made a few connections and her eyes widened, "Oh, my God. Oh dear oh dear oh dear..."

"What, Herm?" Harry asked a little worriedly.

Hermione realized that she was making connections between some things before Harry even knew they existed, and decided to say nothing about her new suspicions. "Nothing," she told him.

"Oh, okay then," Harry said a little apprehensively, "Um, I dunno about the whole 'Draco' thing; I've never called him that before. I guess we have been getting a little more friendly lately."

"Mm hmm," came Hermione. "You know, you seem quite happy about this new event. When I should think that you'd be furious. I know everyone else will be, especially with what he did to Seamus today. I really can't believe that Dumbledore would punish Draco in such a manner. Hogwarts, a History never mentioned anything like this ever having happened before."

"Well, I s'pose that I'm somewhat happy with the situation... Maybe if we can convince Malfoy that we're alright people he won't try to bother us anymore. He seems to be a decent person when he's not surrounded by all of his Slytherin lackeys. I'm sure that Dumbledore has his reasons for moving Draco in here." Of course, Harry knew those reasons, but he was told not to share them, so he wouldn't.

"Hmm... I suppose he must."

"Err, something else, Herm. Could you possibly tell Ron? I don't want to have to deal with his reaction when he finds out about there being a Slytherin living among the Gryffs," Harry asked a little sheepishly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and agreed to tell Ron later. Harry explained that Malfoy would be moving in after dinner, and when he said this, they realized that it was in fact, time to go down and eat. So, putting their things away, Harry and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall.

**

Harry noticed at dinner that Draco and the Headmaster were nowhere to be seen. He pointed this out to Hermione, who had already noticed this, and who then proceeded to inform Harry that neither Snape nor McGonagal was in attendance of the meal either. Ron then asked them 'what the hell they were talking about,' whereupon they abruptly stopped talking for the rest of the meal. Hermione planned to take Ron somewhere secluded after dinner to tell him about the situation. She wanted him to be as far away from everyone as possible so that he could have his tantrum in peace.

When everyone had finished eating the trio got up and walked into the corridor. Harry headed back towards Gryffindor Tower, but Ron and Hermione headed outside towards the Quidditch pitch.

As Harry walked back towards the tower he barely recognized that Neville was talking to him. To do him justice, the resident boy wonder was busy trying to figure out how to approach Draco when he got to the dorms, and was completely oblivious to his friend that was standing next to him, spilling his heart about his relationship problems.

"Harry?" Neville said, pulling him out of his reverie, "Harry, you haven't heard a thing I just told you, have you?"

Harry had the decency to look guilty, "No, I'm sorry Neville, I wasn't listening. I must have zoned out. What was it again?" Harry hoped that Neville would quickly forgive him and get on with his story. He felt bad about being inattentive and disinterested, but he had more pressing matters on his mind at the moment, like why exactly he couldn't stop thinking about a certain blond Slytherin, and whether or not that same blond would let Harry befriend him.

Neville sighed, nodded, and continued, "My problem is that Ginny has been getting more and more distant lately. Most of the time she won't let me near her, and when she does, she's usually moody, and sometimes she can be downright rude. I wanted to know what you thought I should do about it."

Harry considered this. He had noticed a definite change in Ginny recently, but he hadn't thought enough of it to talk to someone about. If Neville had also noticed the change, though, Harry thought that perhaps the problem was worse than he thought. Harry filed this new information away in the back of his mind to be thought about later.

"I dunno, Neville," Harry replied eventually, "If it bothers you that much you should probably try to confront her about it, or maybe even talk to Hermione about it. I think she and Ginny are good friends..."

Neville was quiet for a little while, but when they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady he said, "Ok. Thanks for the advice, Harry," and climbed through the opening into the common room.

Harry was the last Gryffindor to arrive, and when he did he noticed Professor McGonagal standing at the front of the room. She made eye contact with him, and motioned for him to go ahead up the stairs while she talked to the rest of her house. Harry assumed he was to go talk to Draco and found he was quite willing to do so. Slipping behind a group of giggling third year girls Harry made his way to the stairs that led to the boy's dorms.

He trekked up the stairs, past the sixth and seventh year dorms, to the top of the stairway. At the very top of the tower was a door that had not been there before dinner. On this door was a little sign that read 'Draco Malfoy, Slytherin,' so Harry knew he had found the right place.

Nervously Harry raised his hand and knocked on the door lightly. After a few seconds he had still not gotten a response, so he knocked a little harder. Still nothing. Harry figured that if Draco was going to be stubborn and play his 'leave me alone' game, Harry would be just as stubborn and enter the room uninvited.

Harry opened the door slowly and stuck his head into the room. He didn't see anyone, so he entered all the way, turned around and closed the door. Then, Harry turned back around, to examine the room. It was somewhat smaller than the room in which Harry slept, but then Harry did share his room with several others. There was a green canopy bed to one side of the room, and a green rug on the floor. Actually, Harry noted to his amusement that most of the room that wasn't wood or stone was done in green, silver, and gold. In a few quick strides Harry crossed the room to reach the window directly opposite the door, and he peered out curiously to see just what kind of a view Draco had.

It was beautiful. The sun was just going down behind the forest, and the sky was amazing. Deep blues and violets, but also vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, and some colors that had no names; the kind of sight some people pay tons of money to see.

"Even if it isn't the dungeon, it does have a nice view, doesn't it?" Harry heard behind him. He spun around quickly, somewhat ashamed to be caught in Draco's room uninvited. Harry noticed that Draco had just entered the main room through another door that had been hidden from view by the wardrobe during Harry's initial inspection of the room. The other room was apparently a bathroom, as Draco appeared to be very wet and was wearing nothing but a towel, only a towel, which he was holding around his waist with one hand. Harry noted how casual he looked, leaning against the doorframe, with his legs crossed, watching him.

'I think I like this view better,' Harry thought, and he had to fight to keep a self-satisfied smirk off his face. 'Oh, NO NO NO! I did NOT just think that. BAD HARRY! BAD!' he berated himself and mentally started banging his head against the wall.

Without betraying any of his inner conflict (he hoped), Harry casually asked, "So you'll be staying with us for a while, eh?"

Draco shrugged gracefully, still holding his towel with one hand, "I suppose. I'm not at all happy about it- furious actually- but this is a sight better than expulsion. So, are you here to rant at me for hurting your precious Finnigan? At least let me get dressed first," With that, he promptly walked over to the dresser and began taking out some clothes.

"No, actually," Harry began, continuing when Draco turned around and raised an elegant eyebrow at him, "I know it wasn't your fault because I saw you trip. I'm the one that told Dumbledore that it was an accident on your behalf."

At this both of Draco's eyebrows shot up, "I wondered who it was that told the old coot that I didn't actually try to kill one of his precious little Gryffies. Ugh, though, I can't believe I actually tripped on something. So inappropriate to my station." Draco turned around, dropped the towel, and stepped into the pants that he had gotten out.

Harry nearly choked on his own saliva.

Draco turned back to Harry once more, this time leering suggestively at him. "Alright there, Potter?" he asked.

"Yes," Harry got out in between coughs, "But next time, warn me first, yeah? I was fully unprepared to see that."

Draco once more raised an eyebrow, "Next time, you say? And just when do you think that will be?"

Harry blushed, "Uh, I didn't really... Um, not that I mean... Er..."

"Very eloquent, as always. So what are you here for?" Draco asked, now buttoning up his top with one hand, and drying his hair with the towel with the other. Harry thought this quite efficient.

"Well," Harry began, but found himself at a loss for words... What HAD he come for? Oh, right. "I wanted to welcome you to Gryffindor, I suppose," he suppressed a glare at Draco's snort, "and I guess I wanted to tell you that... er, never mind." Harry had been going to say that he would be there if Draco ever needed someone to talk to, but decided last minute that it would be a very cheesy thing to do. Instead he said, "Well, I've got homework to do, and you probably do as well, so I had better go. See you tomorrow in class, I guess, now that you've got them with us. Oh, and we've got our extra lessons tomorrow too. See you then."

Draco simply replied with a "See you" and watched Harry exit the room.

"Wonder how he already knew that I had lessons with them?" he asked himself. Draco resolved to question Harry in the morning, and sat down to begin on his History of Magic essay, which was due the following day.

**

By the time that Harry had returned to the common room McGonagal had finished explaining the situation and had left. He found Hermione an extremely red Ron on the sofas in front of the fireplace. Harry sat down across from them in his favorite beaten up armchair and asked Hermione, "So, you've told him then?"

"Yes," she replied, and then with a stern look at Ron, who was still sulking, she continued, "but he's not taking it as well as I would have hoped. You should have seen him when I first explained things. I thought he might explode, he was so red."

Redder? Harry didn't think that Ron could be redder in the face than he was right now.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about me as though I wasn't right here," Ron growled from his place beside Hermione, "It's not everyday that one's worst enemy moves into their home."

"Oh relax," Hermione tried to soothe him, "I told you that Harry doesn't think Malfoy's guilty about the Seamus thing."

"Well, sometimes Harry is too nice for his own good," Ron snapped. Hermione looked shocked at this, and Harry felt a little hurt. At least Ron then looked guilty and mumbled a "Sorry."

Harry told Ron that it wasn't a big deal, and said that he was going up to the dorms to finish some homework.

**

When the trio was about ready to leave for breakfast the next morning, Harry decided to go and see if Draco wanted to walk with them. He doubted that the blond would, but he was supposed to be friendlier to the boy. He might as well ask.

Harry knocked several times, but like the night before he received no answer. Thinking that perhaps Draco had overslept, he opened the door and stuck his head inside. There was no one in the room, and Harry couldn't hear water running in the adjacent bathroom. Draco must have gotten up before anyone else to avoid the Gryffindors, and gone down to breakfast early. Harry went back downstairs to where Ron and Hermione were waiting for him, and they all walked down to the Great Hall.

"Quidditch tryouts this weekend, right Harry?" Ron asked as they went.

"Yes, on Saturday. You and I are going to have to build a whole new team. I really do wish that everyone hadn't graduated or left the team last year," Harry replied. The twins, Angelina and Alicia had all graduated the previous year, and Katie Bell had decided not to come back and instead spend the extra time studying for her NEWTs. None of the previous year's players has decided to come back either, which left Harry and Ron to rebuild the whole team.

"Yea, tough luck I guess." Ron took Hermione's hand and they fell a few feet behind.

Harry entered the Great Hall first, looking for a familiar silvery blond head. Draco was sitting at the very end of the Gryffindor table, and there were about ten seats between him and everyone else that was already there. The boy was quietly reading a copy of the Daily Prophet, and was sipping on a cup of coffee.

Harry led the other two over to where Draco was sitting, not noticing the odd looks and whispers this unprecedented move was attracting. Hermione followed calmly, but the closer they got to the Slytherin, the redder Ron's face got and the heavier his steps became.

"Shouldn't believe everything you read in there, you know," Harry said as he sat down across from Draco at the far end of the table.

Draco looked up, fairly surprised that anyone had willingly sat near him. When he saw who it was, though, he rolled his eyes, and replied, "I of all people should know that, Potter; I just read it for laughs nowadays. It's immensely funny to find an article about myself being a Death Eater, or something like that."

Draco sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but Harry could tell that he didn't find articles like that funny at all.

"I know what you mean," Harry told him in a very sarcastic voice, "I so enjoyed reading those articles that Rita Skeeter printed on me back in fourth year." He shot Draco a very pointed look at this, but didn't elaborate.

"Um, yes, sorry about that," Draco said to him, abashed. Now it was Harry's turn to be surprised. An apology was certainly the last thing that he had expected. Well, actually, the last thing he had expected was for Snape to suddenly declare his undying love for Mrs. Norris and announce their impending marriage, and that Voldemort was to be the man of honor. Right, second-last thing he had expected, then. This apparently startled Ron and Hermione too, who had been quite during the whole conversation. Ron almost choked on the pumpkin juice he was drinking, and Hermione looked at Draco with eyes wide and eyebrows up almost to her hairline.

Draco stared confusedly at the three of them. "What in blazes are you looking at?" he asked. Then, realizing that he had indeed apologized to Harry in public, scowled, threw his napkin onto the table, and stormed out of the hall.

"That went well," Hermione said once Draco was out of the room.

Harry could only shake his head and continue his meal.

**

Late that night, Harry was lying in bed pondering the events of the day. After breakfast he, Ron, and Hermione had headed to Charms class, where Harry had fully intended to try to talk to Draco again. Sadly, the blond was already sitting in between two Hufflepuffs when they arrived and had totally ignored Harry's attempts to get his attention. Later Hermione had insisted that they spend their lunchtime in the library working on their Potions projects, and then in History of Magic they had had a pop quiz on the fourth Goblin Rebellion, so Harry had been unable to speak with Draco then. He had immediately resolved to get Draco to talk to him at dinner if it was the last thing he ever did, but Draco didn't attend the meal, and when Harry tried to get into the Slytherin's room afterwards, he found it locked, and was unable to get into the room.

They had had their Charms lesson with Lupin that evening, and while Draco had attended, he'd spoken only when he had to, and what he said was short and to the point. He used no pleasantries.

Harry wondered if he would ever get the chance to talk to the boy again.

**

The next day Harry had similar luck in speaking with Draco. In both Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration they had assignments that required their full attention, and during meals Harry received no response from the boy at all. The whole situation was, to say the least, quite frustrating.

Harry's bad luck in getting Draco to talk to him continued until Thursday morning. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were in Potions class, and Harry and Draco had been once again paired up for the assignment.

"So," Harry began, "How do you like staying in Gryffindor Tower so far?"

Surprisingly, Draco sighed and answered, "It's fine. You really won't leave me alone, will you?"

"Just trying to be friendly. I know that your Slytherin comrades are shunning you now, and I figured that you might want someone to talk to," Harry replied a little stiffly. He had spent the last few days trying to be nice to Draco, so why couldn't he just accept Harry's kindness?

Draco stiffened, "Look, Potter, I don't want your pity. It's none of your business whom I do and don't talk to, and I would appreciate it if you would stop stalking me."

What??? Stalking him? Where did that come from?

Harry was greatly affronted. "Look, Malfoy, I don't know why you've got your little knickers in such a twist, but I've just been trying to be friendly! You Slytherins wouldn't know an honest offer of friendship if it slapped you in the face!" Harry said, trying valiantly not to raise his voice and attract Snape's attention.

This had apparently been the wrong thing to say. "I beg your pardon!" Draco cried, "An offer of friendship? An offer of friendship? I tried that once with you, Potter, and you blew it. You can take your 'offer of friendship' and stuff it up your ass!" With that Draco lunged at Harry and knocked him over backwards. Harry was unprepared for the attack but soon started fighting back just as hard as Draco was. The fight didn't last long, however, because Snape was soon hauling the irate pair apart.

"Ten points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin, and detention for the both of you," he sneered, "Everyone get back to work."

The rest of the class passed quickly with no more attempted conversation between Draco and Harry, and no further incidents.

**

That night Harry and Draco once again had their additional Defense Against the Dark Arts training, and Harry arrived about ten minutes early. He saw that Draco had already arrived, which surprised him, seeing as he hadn't noticed the blond leave the Tower before he had. Harry sat down beside Draco and once again attempted a conversation, which was possibly a dangerous idea. He really didn't truly like fighting with the other boy - he never really had.

"Hullo," Harry said cautiously. It wasn't much, but it was about as benign as one could get, considering the circumstances and it was a start.

"Hey," Draco replied.

"Look, can I ask you something?" Harry questioned. He was unsure of whether of not this was a good idea, but he knew he had to try.

"If you want," came the slow reply

"You see," Harry started, "I've never really liked fighting with you. In fact, I much prefer being friendly. So you see, I'd like to know if we could maybe abandon all this animosity that we have between us because of something that happened so long ago, and perhaps start afresh."

Draco looked intently at Harry for few moments before replying. It was a bit unnerving. "You mean, like, a truce of sorts?"

Harry nodded. "This morning in Potions, I meant what I said, I would very much like to be your friend."

Draco remained quiet so Harry thought that perhaps he needed more convincing, "Actually, I lied when I said that I don't like fighting with you... I'm not too fond of the actual fighting part, but it's always seemed to give me an adrenaline rush. Lately though, we've been less hostile towards each other, and you still give me that feeling. I'd really like to see if being amiable towards each other has the same effect as the aggression. You know what I mean?"

Draco was looking at Harry oddly, but nodded, "Yes, I know what you mean. I am glad it's not just me though... Imagine, getting a high off of a fistfight with your worst enemy! Who would believe it but us?"

Harry was strangely gratified by the thought that he was Draco's worst enemy, as though that was an honor that Draco had reserved especially for him. Out loud, though, Harry replied only with, "Yeah. So, you'd be willing to give this a shot?"

This time Draco's reply was almost immediate, "Sure, why the hell not. I've really got nothing to lose." He grinned as he said the last part.

Harry stood up and grinned just as widely. He extended his hand for Draco who took it and stood up as well. After brushing themselves off Harry stuck out his hand once again and said, "Friends?"

Draco took his hand and said determinedly, "Friends."

They shook. When they were done neither of them seemed to want to release the other's hand, so they stood in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, hands clasped, looking (No, Harry's mind whispered mutinously- gazing) at each other until they heard brisk footsteps coming towards them.

"Hello, Professor Lupin," Harry said, as he reluctantly let go of Draco's warm, pale hand. He stepped back to let the older man unlock the door to the classroom, and followed him in, unaware that the werewolf had, once again, heard the entire exchange between the two.