Just like before, I do not own the pretty peoples.

Draco awakes late in the morning, missing breakfast and his first class. He hardly cares and just brushes it off. He takes his time dressing in his robes. He locks his teddy in his trunk and doesn't bother with his mop of hair. He slowly walks down the halls, to his second class of the day: herbology. Neville eyes him as he walks in. The teacher immediately asks for a reason for tardiness. Draco shrugs apathetically.

"Alarm broke."

The teacher takes a mark down. Two more equals detention. Draco's assigned partner is Zabini, but they don't talk. Draco's only focus seems to be on the plants. A long two hours later, the lunch bell rings. Draco sits at his usual spot and sepnds his time mindlessly staring at the food. He stares at his food for a good thirty minutes then gets up and walks out of the Great Hall. He walks outside and just stands, staring at nothingness in front of him.

Zabini had followed him and became easily frustrated. In his mind, he knows Draco has something up his sleeve, something hidden. Yet, he can't seem to figure out what. As the bell tolls, Draco is off to his next classes. He does this the next few days and Pansy notices he is getting paler than normal. When the weekend comes, Draco stays in bed. He gets up to go to the bathroom and stares at the food Pansy brings into the common room for him. He inhales the steam the walks back to his room and stays in bed more.

Monday morning, a very pale Draco is walking down the halls. He has rings under his eyes. His robes are becoming loose on him. He sleepily inches down the hall when someone runs into him. Both boys sprawl across the floor but the redhead jumps up first, holding out his wand. He doesn't notice a small crowd gathering, because he is only ready for a Malfoy fight. Instead, Draco leisurely collects his items and looks up at the Weasley with a blank expression.

"It's alright, Ron. That was my fault. I'm sorry."

Malfoy quietly continues his walk, leaving the Gryffindor dumbstruck. A couples minutes later, the rest of the trio find him standing in shock in the middle of a nearly deserted hallway. Hermione rushes to his side while Harry only steares around. He is first to speak.

"Are you alright, mate?"

"Malfoy." He utters in a strangely calm manner. "I bumped into him and-"

"What did the slimy git do?" Harry demands.

Ron shakes his head. "He said it was his fault. He said he was sorry. And… he called me Ron."

"He called you Ron?" Hermione is flabbergasted. "That is, odd."

Later in the day, Draco is paired with Hermione in Potions. He works with her in silence on a potion to make chocolate newts. As they are clearing the lab, Draco begins to make a comment.

"You didn't do so bad for a-"

"Here comes the mudblood." Hermione grumbles under her breath.

"Dentists' daughter."

"What?" She asks confused.

"Your parents are dentists and you made excellent junk food. Not bad, Hermione."

Draco gives her a faint smile before leaving the classroom. Granger sits there, with a shocked look on her face… much like Ron's earlier expression. Hary walks over, studying the look.

"He called you Hermione, didn't he?"

She nods, regaining her functions. "He said I didn't do bad for a dentist's daughter."

"A what?" Ron scratches his head. "He didn't call you a, you know?"

She shakes her head. "He sort of smiled at me when he called me by name. I think something's wrong with him."

After supper that night, Draco finds Dumbledore in his quarters after saying 'pocky' to unlock the door. He accepts the treat then informs the headmaster of his recent insomnia. Much to Draco's unseen delight, he is given a pass to wander the halls at night. Years ago, Lucius had stolen an invisibility cloak from some hierarchy, which Draco had stolen from him when the manor was infiltrated.

The blond takes his teddy, his wand and his pass under the cloak. He leaves for the night. At some point in the night, he had begun to feel dizzy and faint. He threw up outside the Gryffindor common room. He threw up pocky and blood. When he awoke the next morning, he found himself in the kitchen. He was being forced to drink some sort of soup by the house elves.

"What is, happening?" He asks in a hushed tone.

His old elf, Dobby, is the first to speak. "Dobby and the other elves were doing nightly sweeps of the common halls and… Dobby saw Mister Malfoy. Mister Malfoy needs to be fed."

"Dobby…" He winces sharply, causing the elves to inch back. "Call me Draco."

"Is Mist—Is Draco sure?"

"Yes." He nods with a slight smile. "This soup is delivcious. What is it?"

"Carrot root, Draco."

"My favorite. Dobby remembered."

"Dobby did." He nods happily.

Harry had been the first one out of the common room, slipping on the vomit and blood. Hermione had walked out, around it.

"This is that candy Dumbledore likes. We should ask him. Who's with me?"

Harry, Ron and Neville follow her. The rest of the Gryffindors race to the Great Hall for breakfast. Draco is at his regular spot, poking at his food and smelling the aroma. Blaise, Greg and Pansy watch him eagerly. Dumbledore stands as the trio plus Neville show up at the table.

"Sir," Hermione asks gently. "Were you helping any students by chance last night after supper?"

"Indeed I was, Miss Granger. Why do you four ask?"

"That candy you've always got." Neville speaks up. "What's it called?"

"You must mean the pocky."

"That's it." Ron exclaims. "Did you give any pocky to any students last night after supper?"

"Indeed." Dumbledore now sounds very cautious and worrisome. "Why do you ask?"

"Someone got sick in our halls last night." Harry supplies. "There's sick, and pocky… and blood."

Dumbldore whisks his head around to catch the oily-haired professor fixing to take his first bite of breakfast. "Severus?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Please fetch Mister Malfoy."

"Yes, Sir."

Snape stalks to the Slytherin table and directs Draco to the teachers' table. He sits down beside Neville but only looks up to the headmaster, puzzling Snape.

"Draco," His eyes twinkle. "Did you eat all the pocky I gave you last night?"

"No, Sir. I left some for Pansy. She loves sweets."

"I see. Sweets for your sweetheart."

"No, Sir. I don't like her that way. But I did leave her some sweets before I began my walk around."

"Your walk?" Neville interrupts. He then apologizes, catching Dumbledore's glint.

"Did you get sick last night, Draco?"

"I'm not sure, Sir."

"Not sure?"

"May I be excused?"

"Yes, go eat, Draco."

"I already did."

Draco excuses himself then goes for a walk outside. The Gryffindors walk back to their table, more confused than ever. Snape turns to his boss.

"He hasn't touched his food."

"I'm aware." Dumbledore replies, thinking hard.

(::) (::) (::) yummy, don't they look G(::)(::)D? Review, and maybe there'll be more!