Why won't I calm down? Because they're a bunch of insufferable Gryffindor cunts, is why!"
Draco shoved through the door to the boy's dormitory, making it crash noisily against the stone wall behind it. Pansy Parkinson dashed in after him, looking affronted and annoyed, Theo Nott was just behind her, and Blaise Zabini sauntered in afterwards, looking as bored as ever.
"Draco!" Pansy said, her voice shrill. His head jerked irritably but he didn't answer as he stalked across the room and flung himself onto his bed, kicking a book off of the edge with a scowl. It hit the floor with a thud, pages creased.
"Shut up, Pansy," he said, shutting his eyes. "My head hurts."
"I'd say that's more down to Potter dropping you on your head than Pansy," Blaise said dryly, strolling over and also sitting on Draco's bed, leaning up against the headboard and stretching his legs out. He looked around indolently and then picked up Draco's copy of Flying First magazine from the nightstand, starting to flick idly through the pages.
Draco's scowl deepened and he scrambled to sit up, leaning over and snatching the magazine away from Blaise. "Oh har har; and give me that- I've not even read it yet."
Blaise held his hands up defensively as Draco scooted away, sitting against the footboard with the magazine clutched to his chest. "So I'm not allowed to read your magazine but the moment I get Artefacts Weekly, it's yours?"
Draco sat perfectly still for a moment and then tossed the magazine back to Blaise with a small sigh.
"I can't believe Weasley's nerve," Pansy said, sniffing. She sat down at the top of Draco's bed next to Blaise, and Theo walked around to sit cross legged next to Draco at the bottom. "I was this close to hexing her-"
"Well then, why didn't you?" Draco asked irritably, sitting up so there was more room for the others, pulling his long legs in and crossing them. "Before she shouted at me in front of everyone-"
"Well, I didn't want to get you into any more trouble-" Pansy began.
"Oh whatever, you just didn't want to give them any excuse to pick a fight with you-"
"Enough," Theo said mildly, cutting across the bickering. "We don't need you two fighting as well."
"Tell her then, she won't listen when I say shut up," Draco snapped.
"Draco."
Draco flushed and looked down at the stern hint in Theo's voice. "Sorry," he muttered, twisting his fingers together in his lap. "I'm just angry."
"You know you could work with Potter-"
"No!" Draco flared up again. "I won't."
"You were ready to kiss his shoes when we got back this year," Blaise interjected.
"Blaise, you're not helping," Theo said softly before Draco could throw anything in the other boy's direction. Blaise rolled his eyes but didn't say anything more, maybe due to Theo's reprimand, but more likely because of the mutinous look on Draco's face.
"Potter is being a twat," Draco said forcefully.
"You've not exactly been helpful though, have you?" Theo asked him.
"I don't fucking well want to be," Draco replied shortly, pulling agitatedly at the hem of his trousers.
"Draco's right," Pansy chipped in forcefully. "We don't want to be friends with Potter."
"This isn't anything to do with you," Theo reminded her. "I doubt you and Potter will ever be friends, what with what happened."
Pansy flushed. "Draco was worse to him than I was-" she began.
