"HARRY!" George yelled, thwacking Draco hard on the back. "Heard you had a go at Malfoy in Potions, good work."

"Heś been asking for a nice hard thumping for years," agreed Fred.

"Pity you didn´t kill him is all," said George.

Draco felt his face working, and, knowing it´d be a dead giveaway he pulled out his wand and cursed Fred and George with boils, he took a few deep, calming breaths instead. Then he felt a small hand wrap around his arm and he saw Hermione next to him, looking up at him with concern.

"Are you all right, Harry? You sound like you can´t breathe," she said.

"Head…hurts," said Draco with difficulty, and sat down hard in a chair.

"Not your scar?" said Ron, looking green. "Your scar doesn´t hurt?"

"No, idiot," said Draco, through his teeth, "just my head where that fool Harry -

where Draco banged it against the floor."

"So why did Draco attack you like that, Harry?" asked Hermione, brown eyes wide.

"Because heś a rotten little snake, why else?" said Ron.

Draco bristled. "I insulted his mother," he said shortly. "So he punched me."

"Harry!" said Hermione.

"Good on you," said Ron, 'for punching him back."

"There's no point insulting Malfoy," Hermione went on. "I think you should try to feel sorry for him, Harry — " "Sorry for him!" Draco yelped. "Why? Heś rich, his familyś powerful, heś good-looking and the ladies love him-" "Heś got that terrible father," said Hermione severely. "And heś obviously very jealous of you, Harry, you´re such a good Quidditch player, and so brave, and he isn´t, remember that time in the Forbidden Forest when he ran away from Quirrell?"

Draco made a strangled noise.

"And he isn´t any better-looking than you, Harry," said Hermione, avoiding his eyes.