A/N:  It's been two months since I updated this story! I had a bad case of writer's block… but all better now, I guess. To Rellik- thanks for being such a loyal reviewer! Update your fics… please! To Draco Malfoy N Harry Potter – I appreciate to little e-mail you sent me bout a month and a half ago. And of course, to Mitie Mouse – I wrote the second half of this chapter thanks to your reprimand!

I apologize for my laziness! Here's chapter 8 – you know the disclaimer. Reference to Malaclaw found in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Chapter 8

Draco awoke a bit late the following morning. He had been serving his "detention" with Ginny until well past midnight (they hadn't managed to do anything more to the paintings and instead stayed in the kitchen).

Draco entered the Great Hall alone, just as the swarm of owls swooped in bearing the usual morning post.

" Good morning Harry. Where's Ron?" Hermione piped cheerfully as Draco seated himself beside her.

Draco shrugged and rolled his eyes when Hermione wasn't looking. To him, the presence of the mudblood alone was bad enough. He hated the fact that Ron seemed to always want to tag along wherever Harry went, and it occurred to Draco that he'd never seen Harry without him. How pathetic, he thought. Potter has a little crony.

Something dropped onto Hermione's lap. It was The Daily Prophet.

Just then, Ron seated himself across from them. " 'Morning you two." He grabbed a roll. " Anything new?" he asked Hermione, aggressively biting off a piece.

Hermione kept her eyes glued to the paper and said, " Six death eaters were caught in Romania."

There was a loud clatter when Draco dropped his fork on the floor. " What?"

Ron shot a quizzical glance at his friend.

" Does it say who?" asked Draco hurriedly.

With her mouth open, Hermione brought her attention back to the article. Fear began to clench Draco's stomach.

" Ah, here it is. 'The death eaters, who are currently residing in Azkaban awaiting their trial, are Richard Lestranges, Ernie Stebbins, Arthur Von Hoffmann, Samuel Ronts, William Rutherford, and'----," Hermione licked her finger and tried to unstuck the pages. " Hold on, it's continued on page 6."

Sick cold dread came over Draco and he felt like a dementor was hugging him. He sat, frozen in his seat, waiting for that sixth name. Was his father one of the six?

Hermione reached page six and scanned the article with her eyes. They stopped at the top and suddenly became huge. " Oh…" she whispered.

At that instant, Draco knew. He realized he had not been breathing the whole time and exhaled slowly.

Ron leaned across the table to have a look. He gasped. " Lucius Malfoy!"

Draco felt his chest tighten. The faces around him blurred oddly. He needed to get out.

" Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione asked as Draco stood up and walked out of the Great Hall.

He started up the marble staircase, not really thinking about where he would go.

Hermione and Ron appeared at the entrance of the Hall.

" Harry!" Ron called. They were running towards him.

Draco turned around and saw the two of them standing at the foot of the stairs. He was almost taken back by the expression on their faces. Never in his life had anybody looked at Draco that way; He almost felt their compassion and concern radiating from them.

" I just feel a little sick," he felt himself say, and added, " I'm gonna go lie down." He ascended the staircase again.

Draco strolled the corridors, not knowing what to do. His father had finally been caught and this changed a great deal of things. For one thing, his family's name and reputation went down the drain. People at Hogwarts, students and teachers alike, will treat him with less respect. What if I'm expelled from Hogwarts? Draco wondered.

" Good morning, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco, at first, didn't even look up. But then, he realized he was being addressed.

Dumbledore was standing only three feet away. One hand rested on a gargoyle statue. He was facing Draco with deep concern written on his face. There was no amusement in his eyes.

" Please step into my office. I'd like a word with you."

Draco suddenly felt enraged. Dumbledore was going to expel him based on his father's stupid actions, he thought. He was going to have to leave Hogwarts because of his father. Fury ran through his blood and he felt like screaming at the old man. Instead, he said evenly, " No."

Dumbledore did not seem surprised at all. His expression did not change at all and he said, " Mr. Malfoy. I won't cause you any harm. This is regarding yours and Mr. Potter's safety."

Draco calmed down a bit. What was Dumbledore on about? Curious, he followed the headmaster up the winding staircase and into his circular office. Draco took no notice of beautiful Fawkes perched near the door, the glistening pensieve placed on Dumbledore's desk, or the old headmasters snoozing in their frames. His mind was too preoccupied with other matters.

" Mr. Malfoy. I need to let you know that from now on, you will be kept under close supervision."

Draco felt the fury come back. "Why?" he spat. " 'fraid I'll Avada Kedavra someone in the corridors?"

Dumbledore shot a rebuking look toward Draco over his spectacles. " Surely you are wanting security now that you are Harry Potter and Voldemort wants to kill you."

Draco shut his mouth. So that was what this was about.

" I have already had a talk with Harry, and now I must tell you something." Dumbledore glanced around the room, as if somebody was nearby and he didn't want them to hear it. " The information I'm about to give you is strictly confidential. And given the circumstances…" Dumbledore suddenly pointed to The Daily Prophet that lay on his desk, " I must ask that you keep this information enclosed for your safety and for others'."

Draco's eyes did not leave the newspaper that lay on Dumbledore's desk. He was suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation. " What is it?" he asked seriously.

" Voldemort has become animagi."

Dumbledore let this utterly ridiculous statement sink into Draco's mind before continuing. When his face showed some sort of comprehension, the headmaster continued.

" Obviously, this gives him a major advantage in coming after the one thing he has wanted for 16 years now."

Draco's green eyes widened in fear. " Harry," he sputtered.

" That's right, Mr. Malfoy. And because it is more than likely Voldemort does not know about the effects of the Devejuice Potion ---,"

Draco interrupted the headmaster by getting to his feet and heading for the door. This kind of news was simply too much to handle for him.

" Mr. Malfoy, please wait. This is extremely important!"

Draco whirled around, his anger now unsuppressed. " Switch me back!" he shouted before he knew what he was saying.

Dumbledore let out the most inconspicuous sigh and gave Draco a look of deep concern. " Mr. Malfoy, you know perfectly well I can't just yet," he said, shaking his head.

" SWITCH ME BACK!" Draco was now shaking. He hadn't heard a word Dumbledore had said. All he could do was dart his eyes from the newspaper on the desk to the mirror that hung next to the door, showing the reflection of an angry teenage boy with black hair and a lightening bolt scar. Incensed, Draco yelled, " Get me out of this bloody body! Get me out!" He began to tear at his hair, as if that would do anything.

Dumbledore looked so calm. He approached Draco and with surprising strength, brought down his hands. " Please be logical. I cannot have you like this right now. There is nothing I, or anybody, can do to switch you back at this moment. I am working on the potion as much as I can and it will be ready as soon as possible. For now, you will have to live Harry's life. I understand this is a situation both of you were forced into. The best we can do is deal with it."

The sage man's words seemed to help Draco. He swallowed hard and looked back at the mirror on the wall. This was Harry's life. This was what The Boy Who Lived had been going through. He felt this strong realization process and felt the way he did when he saw Harry's photo album the other night.

" Alright, I'll cooperate," said Draco, turning back to the Headmaster.

* * * * *

That afternoon, the Slytherins and Gryffindors assembled outside of Hagrid's cabin for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry was skeptic about facing Draco, but at least he could keep a good eye on him lest he do something to Ron or Hermione.

" So," started Hagrid, clapping his massive hands together jovially, " I've got a surprise for yeh!"

Harry's stomach knotted. Everybody in the class glanced at each other apprehensively. Hagrid's "surprises" often ended in burns, cuts, and severe trauma. (Neville Longbottom still cowered at the thought of Hagrid's "dranticore, half-dragon, half-manticore" from their 5th year).

Hagrid reached into the crate and pulled out a disgustingly gray lobster-like creature with deep green spots. It looked miniscule within Hagrid's massive arms, but it was probably a whole foot long.

" Malaclaw," Hagrid said, smiling. " Went to the coastline meself to catch this bugger. Does anybody know what a Malaclaw does?"

Hermione's hand barely twitched before Hagrid turned to her. "Yes, Hermione?"

Pink with embarrassment, Hermione cleared her throat. " Its proper name is Mackled Malaclaw. It gives those who eat it a high fever and green rash. If one is ever bitten by a Malaclaw, they become very unlucky for a short period of time."

Hagrid chuckled. " That's right, Hermione. I was unlucky enough ter be bitten in me youth. Lost all me bets fer a week, I did!"

Most of the students were disgusted at the sight of the Malaclaw. Others seemed scared it would bite them too. Only Hagrid seemed to be having a good time. He was comfortably holding the creature as if it were a teddy bear.

" I've got more fer yeh. Lemme just put this bugger down here and get them…"

As sensible a man Hagrid was, he was dense enough set the Malaclaw on the ground and bend over the crate to get more. The Malaclaw, sensing its freedom, scuttled across the grass towards the students. Some screamed.

" Don't yeh worry, it won't hurt yeh. C'mere little feller."

The creature did not listen. It scuttled away even faster and was heading straight towards Hermione. Harry watched as it drew nearer to her. Before he knew what he was doing, he wove through the students towards the Malaclaw, wand in hand.

" Stupefy!"

Two voices shouted and two beams of light sprung from different directions at the Malaclaw. It stopped dead in its tracks immediately. The light beams ricocheted off of each other and Harry felt one nearly miss his right arm. He yelped in pain as it skidded across, burning him.

Harry looked up to see where the other beam came from. He knew he didn't even have to. It was Ron, and he looked pissed.

Almost everyone in the class was staring dubiously at Harry as Hagrid rushed over and scooped the stupefied creature into his arms. Draco stood behind Hermione. His head was drooped down but his green eyes pierced Harry's. He looked disturbed and angry.

" Hagrid, may I go to the infirmary?" Hermione squeaked. " The spell almost hit my arm and I got burned."

" Me too," said Harry.

" All righ', go." Hagrid looked distracted. He was busy nursing the Malaclaw back to health.

Hermione started her way up the grounds and Harry followed. He didn't dare say a word until they were out of sight from the rest of the class.

" Hermione," he started, not sure what to say.

Hermione frowned and turned around. She had an odd expression on her face, one that was a mix between anger and confusion.

" Hermione, I'm not…"

Hermione looked more confused than ever now. She definitely didn't recognize the compassion in his tone.

" I'm not Draco, Hermione. It's me, Harry."

Hermione's mouth twitched a little, but her face remained apathetic. Her eyes darted around before she fixed them back onto Harry. " What?"

" C'mon. Let me explain." Harry opened the massive door of the castle and let her go in first. They entered the cool and empty entrance hall. " Do you remember the Devejuice potion we took last Friday?"

Hermione slowly nodded. She didn't take her eyes off of Harry as they slowly began ascending the marble staircase.

" Well, remember how we had to take the antidote one by one at the end of class?"

Comprehension began to replace the confusion on Hermione's face. " Are you saying…"

Harry held up his hand and silenced her. " Malfoy and I were the last ones on the list. It turned out there wasn't any antidote left by then."

Hermione blinked. " How do I know you aren't lying?" she asked slowly.

Harry uncovered the burnt spot on his arm. " Only Ron and I would do that for you."

Hermione opened her mouth and stared at the burn. " Harry…" she gasped.

Harry nodded. Hermione chewed her lip and broke her gaze. " So, if you're Harry, then – then Draco is…." Hermione gasped again and turned to Harry. " Oh my goodness! That's Draco out there!"

Harry nodded, his gray eyes wide. Hermione furrowed her brows. She looked so confused and worried, Harry felt bad for her. They walked in silence along the corridors, Hermione trying her hardest to process everything by talking nonstop.

" This can't be! This just can't be! Ron and I thought he was you the whole time! Oh, I thought something was wrong. He, I mean you, no, he was acting so strangely since Friday. And you! You saved me from that Malaclaw, just like Ron…  and he didn't do anything to help…"

Hermione rambled on, frazzled by the news, and Harry, not having talked to her since last Friday, was very happy to hear her.

* * * * *   (A/N: that was the first part. Two months later, I wrote the part below…)

Draco was more likely to hand-feed a dragon than admit to himself he actually enjoyed Ginny's company.

So he didn't understand just why he didn't feel so apprehensive about detention, but was actually looking forward to it.

He arrived at the Great Hall a bit early and was greeted by a very unpleasant Filch. Mrs. Norris mewed at his feet, her cold yellow eyes fixed on Draco as though she saw right through him. Filch seemed better in health, yet his skin was paler than ever. He looked livid. Draco figured that perhaps this was because he and Ginny had not done a very thorough job with their cleaning the other night. He anticipated the reprimand.

" Think you're done with your detention, are you?" he spat bitterly, " Well, you lot got a whole lot more coming. You'd better not think you're special because you've cleaned the whole corridor last night. You've got a whole lot more to do… yes, a whole lot more…"

In sheer bewilderment, Draco's eyebrows shot up. They hadn't cleaned the whole corridor last night, so why was Filch saying they had?

The sound of worn out sneakers on the marble floor signaled Ginny's approach. She was right on time.

" You're late," Filch growled. " The both of you will be cleaning the bathroom today. The girl's one the second floor corridor."

" Not Moaning Myrtle's!" Ginny exclaimed, looking horrified.

" That's the one. Off you get now." The caretaker's eyes widened and his mouth twisted in a fashion of sickening glee. " And don't you think playing around will go unpunished. I still got the chains in my office. Yes, yes I do…"

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Draco and took his arm, and to his content, pulled him away from Filch.

Mrs. Norris followed them as they walked up the marble stairs and halfway down the corridor. Ginny stopped in front the bathroom door (still with a sign that read OUT OF ORDER), and glared angrily at the nosy cat, which stalked away almost immediately.

" C'mon Harry. Let's just get this over with. And watch out for Myrtle, she's very… disturbed."

Draco followed Ginny past the door and into the stale smelling bathroom. It was obvious that the place had not been used. It was dark and dreary, as the only light source was a very small window at the far end of the room. Two buckets sat on the grimy tile floor.

" How does he expect us to clean this mess?" Draco demanded. A loud sorrowful moan interrupted his thoughts. Through the wooden door of the last stall, a ghost glided out to greet them.

She was short with stubby legs and wore very old-fashioned glasses. Her transparent face was splotched with silvery tears. "You!" she exclaimed, pointing her pudgy finger at Draco. " I was wondering when you'd visit me."

" You know him?" Ginny asked in disbelief, staring at the ghost.

A complacent expression crossed Myrtle's face. " Of course I know him. He used to come visit me. And then there was that time in the prefect's bathroom…"

" Er, what?" Ginny was half smiling now. She faced Draco. " You visit her?"

Draco opened his mouth, but Myrtle interrupted. Her tone was sorrowful again. " Oh, that's right. Poor Myrtle can't have any friends, and it's impossible for any handsome boys to know me…" Silver tears glided down her chubby cheeks, staining her robes. Draco glared in utter disbelief. He thought Potter was stupid to associate with Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid alone. But yesterday, he had found out that a house-elf knew him by name, and today, the distressed ghost who haunts the girl's bathroom claimed he visited her.

" No, I didn't mean…" started Ginny, trying her best to sound sympathetic. But Myrtles loud cries covered her voice. " I'm sorry!" she yelled, but the ghost had glided back into her stall.

Ginny looked at Draco, who shrugged. They picked up their sponges, wrung them, and set to work. Ginny scrubbed the grime around the sink, and Draco ran his sponge across the cracked mirror.

Ginny spoke up after a few seconds. " Well, really now, Harry. Tell me about your encounter with Myrtle. And what's all this about the prefect's bathroom?"

Draco genuinely wished he could say he had no idea, but was a bit apprehensive about doing so because the prospect of Myrtle bursting into tears because he 'forgot' was very likely.

A voice in the last stall suddenly spoke up. There was a difference in her tone, though it was not a dramatic change. " It was two years ago, I think. You see, I sometimes go visit the prefect's bathroom… I mean, it's much nicer up there." Draco doubted that was the reason she went there. At that moment, Myrtle glided to their side of the stall. Ginny was still scrubbing, but eyeing Myrtle through the mirror.

" Yeah, and?" she asked.

The complacent expression returned to Myrtle's face, as she rarely received any sort of attention. " Well, he came in. I stayed hidden in the faucet, of course. I, er, didn't want to surprise and scare him. He looked quite preoccupied about something. He was holding an egg with him too."

" An egg?" asked Ginny dubiously. " An egg…" she repeated, looking away from Myrtle and thinking hard.

" Triwizard clue," muttered Draco, stringing two and two together. Two years ago, he remembered Potter carrying it after the first task and telling Ron what it was.

" Well, I saw him taking off his pajamas…"

Ginny's eyes snapped back up at Myrtle's reflection with rapt attention, and then she realized she did so and turned scarlet. Draco felt himself turn red at seeing this.

Myrtle paid no attention to the color of her audience's faces. She continued, " It was, well, so unexpected when he did this and I didn't seem to have time to shut my eyes. But I remember he dove into the tub straight away so I didn't get to see his ---,"

" Myrtle," said Draco, a little too loudly. " Stop. Now." Ginny seemed to be turning a little too red, and Draco did not know what to think of this.

" Well, now, you remember the rest. I came out to talk to you! Oh, the look on your face when you saw me…"

Draco couldn't imagine what he'd do if someone like Moaning Myrtle had appeared while he was taking a bath.

" Isn't that a bit rude, Myrtle?" said Ginny. She was still very pink.

A sly smile crept on her face. " I'd expect you to do the same… someone like him." She nodded her ghostly face towards Draco, and then glided away and back into her stall.

Draco didn't know whether to feel pity for Potter or be disgusted. He saw his reflection in the mirror, and once again saw the dark haired boy staring back at him.

" Well, I certainly wouldn't take advantage of that kind of situation," said Ginny. She was concentrating awfully hard on the sponge in her hand. " Would you?"

Draco raised his eyebrows. That was an unexpected question. If he were a ghost and saw a beautiful girl in a bath, what would he have done? Well, Draco was a 16-year-old boy, and certainly, he would have taken advantage.

" 'guess not…" said Draco nonchalantly. He suddenly realized he didn't know why he was lying. It wasn't like it would have been out of place to say yes, but something had made him tell Ginny what she wanted to hear.

Ginny smiled and turned to Draco. " Of course not," she laughed. " You would never…"

Harry Potter would never, Draco thought bitterly. He resumed his scrubbing and snuck furtive glances at Ginny, who he thought looked awfully cute with soapsuds clinging to her curls.

* * * * *

Harry, meanwhile, was busy training his team. He found that the only time being Draco was tolerable was when he was up in the air, playing Quidditch. The final was a little more than a week away, and he was pressing the Slytherins to work hard. Crabbe and Goyle, by the end of the session, were exhausted. They nearly collapsed the second they hit the ground.

The other Slytherins dragged themselves into the locker room, but Harry remained in the air. He didn't expect the rest of the team to stay any longer, but Harry just wasn't ready to hit the ground and resume Draco's life.

Dusk had fallen upon the grounds in almost an instant, and stars were actually beginning to sprout throughout the sky. Harry floated nonchalantly over the stadium, staring at the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. The Whomping Willow still swayed dangerously, and beneath it, Harry saw Crookshanks lurking through its whip-like branches. The cat's yellow eyes beamed in Harry direction for a moment, before they turned away.

At the sight of Crookshanks, Harry suddenly remembered that he had promised to meet Hermione later that evening. He was planning to tell her about what Dumbledore had told him the other day, for the idea that Voldemort was now animagi had been bothering Harry to no end and he was eager to get it off of his chest and tell someone.

Harry lowered himself to the ground, grabbed the trunk with the Quidditch balls (that none of the other teammates had bothered to bring in for him), and made his way back to the castle. He was glad the day was just about over, for it meant he was another day closer to being himself again. That was a bright spot on Harry's bleak horizon.

A/N: well, that took long enough to write… only two months. And hmm … who cleaned the corridor for Draco and Ginny??