A/N: My first story on ! Oh man...... This came to me a couple of nights ago, and be warned, I haven't written anything in like 3 years. Bah. Takes place 6th year. And I know the title is dumb.

Pass Along A Hug Day!

The morning started out the same as any other morning. Draco Malfoy got up, showered, brushed his teeth, did his hair, put on his uniform, and looking ready to finally make his appearance, he left his dorm and headed for the Great Hall for breakfast.

The students of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry we all milling about as they normally did, settling down at their assigned tables. Draco sat at his own house table and proceeded to continue reading his book, barely looking up to fix himself breakfast. It was a fanciful thing – his book. A tale of intrigue and mystery where the main character was a great detective, and Draco Malfoy was immersed. He had only stopped reading the night before when his eyes had finally decided they could not possibly stay open a moment longer.

Draco was hardly paying attention to anyone, that is, until Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, stood to make an announcement.

"Students of Hogwarts, good morning!" Dumbledore started. "As you are all well aware, over a week ago, the faculty presented a challenge for you to support Inter-House Unity. While house rivalry is all good and fun for Quidditch, the level of animosity between certain houses has become quite troublesome."

Dumbledore stopped and stared pointedly at the Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses.

"As you all will come to your time to leave this establishment, we feel tolerance is the most important lesson you can learn from this."

"Many of you presented your ideas, and while relay-races sound like a fascinating idea," Dumbledore gave a small smile to the Gryffindor table, "we felt competition, however friendly, did not support the type of unity of which we were searching. Thus, we have decided on an idea from Hufflepuff."

"Today shall be known as 'Pass Along A Hug Day!'"

Needless to say, that information was met with mixed emotions. Draco, expressionless, glanced along the Great Hall. Many of the Slytherins had looks of contempt. He knew hardly any of his own house were going to get hugs that day and that was alright by him. The Hufflepuffs were beaming with joy. Of course they would be, Draco thought. They always feel the need to spread their mirth. Draco, like many of the Slytherins, was unenthused.

"The guidelines are as follows:" Dumbledore started again. "The Hufflepuffs begin by choosing anyone they desire to hug, that person, in turn, hug another. Once you've been hugged, the small badge you can see on the Hufflepuff's robes will transfer to your own, and when you hug another, it shall, too, be transferred to them. You may not hug one of your own house or the badge will not transfer."

"That's all students. We hope you have a wonderful day!"

With those last words, Dumbledore sat back down, and the Great Hall erupted in a flurry of motion. Hufflepuffs of all years were swarming around and hugging the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws. Malfoy snorted in derision at his own prediction: no Slytherins were receiving hugs. Draco went back to reading his book.

After reading a few more lines, Malfoy noticde the hall had gone very quiet. Not wanting to miss a most likely very embarrassing moment for someone, he looked up, only to find the entire hall staring at him, or at least, behind him. Slowly turning around, Draco came face to face with a young Hufflebpuff.

Her name was Canary Blue. Why anyone would name their child "Canary" was beyond Draco, but she was a sweet first year that on her second day of school, she had gotten hopelessly lost in the dungeons. Draco, doing his prefect rounds, had come across her, curled in a ball, and crying profusely. He had no choice but to escort her back to her own dorm. They walked the back to the Potions classroom, and he told her to pay attention to where she's going, walking her through the halls back to the Great Hall. Once in the main thoroughfare, there was much hoopla over the girl since apparently she'd been missing since before dinner. During their walk, however, Canary became convinced that Malfoy was not as awful as everyone said and was actually rather nice. Draco was appalled but flattered nonetheless.

Canary had her arms stretched wide in anticipation of a hug. Draco, looking wary, shook his head slowly, and in return, Canary mimicked his movements, only nodding. Draco shook his head, more vigorously, and the Hufflepuff again, matched his pace with her nodding. Draco once more started shaking his head, not really caring that everyone saw he was now on the verge of panicking. How cruel could this Hufflepuff be?!? Malfoy's don't hug!

Canary launched herself around Draco's neck and held on for dear life. Draco sat frozen, not knowing what he was supposed to do. Cautiously, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and patted her back. Draco couldn't caution a look around the Great Hall, lest he die of embarrassment.

The Hufflepuff released her chokehold on Malfoy and gave him a mega-watt smile that melted his heart, slightly. Draco watched as the HUG badge vanished from her robes and appeared on his own.

"You have all day," the first year told him. "You only have to hug one person."

And with that, Canary ambled back to her own house table.

Draco couldn't wait to be free of the gawking and staring from the Great Hall, but they didn't end there. No matter where he went, students of all houses and years kept glancing to see if he'd hugged anyone yet. He'd never felt more on display in his life. However, despite being uncomfortable by all the looks, he didn't want to frivolously give the hug away to anyone who might be standing closest. He felt that anyone who would have the honor of receiving a hug from Draco Malfoy, should very much deserve a hug, or at least, someone who would possibly need one as much as he wanted to give it, and that was a lot.

Draco stopped what he was doing. Did he actually think that? He wanted to give a hug? No, of course not, he told himself, I just want to get rid of this horrendous badge and be free of this ridiculous task of hugging.

But who deserved or needed a hug was the real question. Everywhere he looked, people were being hugged, and no one seemed to need it. His answer finally came in potions.

Harry Potter sat at his usual table with the Weasel by his side, and Granger at the table in front of them. The three were chit-chatting about the day's events.

"So Harry," Ron began. "How many hugs have you gotten?" Ron waggled his eyebrows in suggestion.

Harry remained stoic.

"None."

Ron was taken aback.

"None?!" he cried. "What do you mean 'none'?!"

Draco's ears perked at the outcry. Harry Potter, the golden boy himself, the savior of the wizarding world many times over, hadn't received one hug? Even the Ice Prince himself had gotten one!!

"That's preposterous, Harry, of course you've gotten at least one," Granger coaxed.

Harry's eyes darkened.

"No, 'Mione, none. No one has offered. They look like they want to, but they don't. Not Cho, not Luna, not anyone."

"Merlin, Harry," Ron chimed. "Even bloody Malfoy has one."

"Yeah, Ron, thanks for that reminder."

"Well, maybe they're all too nervous," Hermione surmised. "You're famous. Girl's get shy and quiet around you. I'm sure someone will give you a hug."

A dejected looking Harry merely replied, "Maybe."

And that's when Malfoy made up his mind. Potter's friends weren't even offering up pity hugs. He may be hexed into the next millennium, but no matter what, he would wrap his arms around Harry Potter and squeeze by the end of day.

Deciding to do something and actually having the balls to do it are completely different, Draco found. He may have made up his mind, but even attempting to hug his rival made his stomach all wonky and thoughts of projectile vomiting danced around his brain.

He could've done it right then and there, in front of the entire Potions class, but his pulse started to race and he began sweating, and he thought better of it.

After Potions, Potter passed him to get to his next class. Another missed opportunity. All he had to do was go up to him and wrap his arms around the Scarhead's neck, so why was it so hard? Oh yeah, because it was Scarhead.

Draco sighed in frustration. He really only had one chance left, and that was right before dinner, outside the Great Hall. It would be crowded as all hell, but it was his only shot. The Slytherin knew he had to take the Gryffindor by surprise and hug him before he could react. Draco, then, would make a swift retreat and never show his face in public again.

The mouth to the Great Hall was packed with students ready to fill their empty bellies with dinner. Draco made his way through the crowd trying to spy the raven hair he so desperately wanted to find. Finally, he found Potter with his back turned away from him, standing next to his two best friends.

Draco stalked up behind Harry, trying not to be noticed by the Weasel and Granger. When he was within arm's reach, he outstretched his arm and grabbed Harry's wrist, forcefully pulling him backwards and turning him around. The force of the tug spun Harry straight into Draco's arms.

Draco enveloped Harry in his arms. Ghosting his lips over Harry's ear, he whispered, "Everyone needs a hug once in a while," and placed a barely-there kiss on the shell of Harry's ear.

Draco thought he would surely drop dead the moment he realized what he did, and hastily released Potter, and made a swift retreat down to the dungeon's, not looking back.

Harry Potter stood shocked. It was like all time had stopped. Nobody moved. His arms were half-raised, almost like he was about to hug someone, and he was frozen. Harry looked down at his arms and couldn't even do anything. All that was running through is head was, What the fuck. Malfoy just hugged me? What? Wait-what? What? What? What do I—what just—what? And that was it. Eloquent, to say the least.

The crowd started to move. Whispers started spreading. Ron started yelling. Hermione tried to keep Ron from chasing after Malfoy, and Harry just stood there looking at Hermione asking her silently what the hell just happened. Harry looked down to his own robes and noticed the HUG badge had, indeed, appeared on his own robes.

Fin.