Draco Malfoy ambled slowly into the Great Hall, flanked by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, desperate for some sustenance, but taking his own sweet time as usual, of course. He wasn't hurrying for food like some common peasant - like some muggle-loving Weasley!

It wasn't until he was about halfway into his seat that our favourite Death Eater in training noticed a distinct lack of red-headed brats at breakfast. They were probably all off worshipping Patronus Potter somewhere - so why was the bushy-haired mudblood sitting with normal people?

"Well as normal as you can get in Gryffindor." He added, chuckling to himself.

His stomach interrupted his imaginings about what disasters could have been met by the worst of all Gryffindors by rumbling rather loudly, and he thought nothing more of it. Food was waiting. It wasn't until Care of Magical Creatures with the dumb half-breed oaf that they were made noticeable by their absence again.

He called over to the mudblood plebe quite loudly - partly because he wanted to make sure everyone noticed that they weren't there, and partly because he wanted them all to look at and pay attention to him.

"Oi Granger, where's Scarhead and The Weasel King?"

As luck would have it, Hermione Granger (predictably) ignored him but Hagrid didn't.

"Never yeh mind! 'S'Got nothing to do with yeh where other students are."

"Oh I hope something seriously bad has happened to both of them." Draco whispered to Crabbe and Goyle as Hagrid resumed telling the class all about what to revise over Christmas. They grunted. Neither of them were capable of putting two and two together resulting in anything other than a headache. Nor could they disguise it very well. They completely missed the fact that Hagrid had inadvertently told them something worthwhile, i.e. they obviously weren't at school and it was supposed to be a secret. Draco considered explaining it to them but realised there were so many other (better) things he could be doing with his time and energy. Shouting abuse at first-years for example.

As soon as the bell rang, Draco Malfoy went straight to Professor Umbridge's office.