At breakfast the next morning, I couldn't see Pansy anywhere. Usually by now, she would have slunk up between my friends and sat herself on my lap, trying desperately to talk to me or kiss me or both. I was glad she wasn't anywhere to be seen, but there was something in my gut that missed her deeply. I shook myself and downed my pumpkin juice, hoping that feeling was just residue from the love potion.

"Oi, Draco!" I looked up. Ginny Weasley was coming towards me, dressed in Quidditch uniform. It was a Saturday, and that meant Quidditch. I longed to be back on the pitch again in my green and silver robes, but I wished they were red and green instead. I hated my house, and I hated my father, and what he'd made me do. I wanted nothing to do with it any more. And that meant no Quidditch.

"Good luck," I grinned. She stared at me, open-mouthed.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, in mock-surprise. "Did Draco Malfoy just wish a team that isn't Slytherin good luck?"

"Yes, and you'd better believe it," I said, punching her in the arm. "Come on, did you really think I'd support evil snake house after the war? Gryffindor for the win!" 

Ginny just stared at me and walked off, grinning all over her freckled face. I smiled to myself at her astonishment and heard footsteps approaching behind me. I looked around and saw my best friend Blaise Zabini approaching.

"Going to the match?" He asked me. I nodded.

"Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff," he mused. "Bit of an obvious one, isn't it?"

I grinned. "Unless Ginny Weasley breaks her leg and falls to her doom, I don't think Hufflepuff are going to win this one."

"Ginny Weasley? Is that who you were just getting friendly with?" He asked, looking interested.

"We were not getting friendly," I corrected him at once. "We're just friends." Under usual circumstances, I would have said, 'Hermione is my girlfriend,' but I didn't, for two reasons. Firstly, because I didn't know if she actually was, and she seemed to either hate me or love me recently. And secondly, because even if she was, I didn't know if I could trust Blaise.

"In that case, I'll have to chat her up," smirked Blaise. I laughed louder than I'd meant to, and he almost looked hurt.

"I'm sorry," I sniggered, punching his arm, "But seriously? You? Chat up Ginny Weasley? She'd break your arm first!"

"I know," Blaise grimaced. "I'll just have to try harder than normal then, won't I?"

"She's got a boyfriend, mate," I winced, patting him on the back. "She's a lost cause, that one."

"What, that Hufflepuff kid who looks about five years old?" Blaise snorted. I had to agree with him there. The Hufflepuff didn't look like a match for her. Not that Blaise did, anyway.

"Even so..." I mumbled. "Seriously, mate, if you don't want your eyes hexed out, stay away from her. I mean, everybody wants to date her. Everybody. What makes you think you can try?"

Blaise shrugged. "Dunno," he said. "But I'll have to try, won't I?"

"You've never even spoken to her," I sighed, throwing my hands up into the air in disbelief.

"You'd never spoken to Hermione Granger, yet I notice you're spending a lot of time with her." Blaise smirked as my cheeks reddened.

"Okay, first of all, not true," I said quickly, glaring at him. "And second of all, she's the one who started talking to me!"

Blaise laughed. "She started talking to you?" He shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. I think Draco Malfoy's in love."

"Shut up, Blaise," I snapped, though not unkindly. "At least I'm not trying to get my eyes hexed into my --"

"Shut up, Draco," returned Blaise, as we found our place in the stands next to Hermione, who was wearing her Gryffindor scarf and hat.

"Hey, Hermione," I smiled.

"Hi!" She grinned, talking louder than usual over the howling wind. Ginny flew past a couple of times during the team's pre-match warm-up, and I noticed Blaise watching her intently. I nudged Hermione.

"Blaise over here thinks he's got a chance with Ginny. I told him he was being crazy."

Hermione started to laugh, then stopped herself. "Well, I think it's very...very good of him to try. But Ginny's got a boyfriend. Did you tell him that?"

"Yep," I said smugly. "He still wouldn't listen to me. Says he'll just have to try harder than normal, in his words."

"Oh, dear," sighed Hermione. "You really have to talk him out of it. He's going to get his eyes hexed into his --"

"Yes, yes, I told him that too," I interrupted her impatiently. "But like I said, he wouldn't listen."

Hermione laughed. As I watched Ginny racing up the pitch with the Quaffle in hand, I wondered what Blaise saw in her all of a sudden.