Author's note. I know it's been a while since I posted the last chapter, and I'm sorry for the long wait. Shit has hit the fan in a lot of different ways, all in a short amount of time. I'm working through things, but it makes writing time and motivation to write difficult. But that's enough reading about me, so I'll let you (hopefully) enjoy the chapter.

Draco was asked to give me a tour of the manor after putting away his broom. "Thanks for inviting me to stay here. This place is amazing." I said once I was sure we wouldn't be overheard.

Still walking ahead of me, Draco shrugged his shoulders. "It was my mum's idea." His voice was meek, a stark contrast to the air of confidence I'm used to seeing from him.

Why can't boys just admit that they did something nice for someone just to do something nice? I grabbed his shoulder to get him to stop which also made him turn around. "Draco, I know that it was your idea." I gave him a hug before he could turn back around. "It's okay to do something nice for a person. I really appreciate it. Thank you."

Talk about an awkward hug. It was almost all one-sided, Draco not knowing where to put his hands. "Well, I didn't want you to have to stay at Hogwarts over the summer. That would be…" his voice trailed off a bit.

"Horrible?" I asked, completing his unfinished sentence.

"Yeah. And I'd've done the same for anyone else in Slytherin."

I rolled my eyes. He was so close to being open. Now I really get what pansy is complaining about all the time. I decided to teach him a lesson, even if I doubt he'll even realise it. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and then released the hug. "Well, thanks again. Now lead on Macduff."

I really need to stop using muggle expressions as for the second time today I my phrasing was met with confusion and I had to once again explain the euphemism. It did at least allow for something other than a silent walk through the house. I was just about done explaining the plot of Macbeth when we got to my room, which was right next to his. Talk about luxury, the room was about twice the size of my room at the Abbott's, with a large bay window overlooking the courtyard in front of the Manor. There was a full en suite bathroom with a large tub and separate shower, and a full walk-in closet that was half the size of the main room. Then there was the bed. A giant four post canopy with silk sheets and silk lace curtains. The desk wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but it was built into a full potions workbench that made the one in Professor Snape's office look like it belonged to an ametuer.

With my belongings already having been removed from their cases and put away, there wasn't much to do other than continue the tour. After showing me his bedroom, which was very much like mine save for all the personal touches like some quidditch posters on the walls and a few pictures scattered through the room, he showed me his parents' room which was almost like a self contained apartment within the house. There was a main room larger than our bedrooms, with a small library, a kitchenette and two large desks that both showed signs of active use. The bedroom door was closed, so I could only imagine how large it was.

We went back downstairs where I was shown the kitchen, the floo, the two other sitting rooms, and a better look at the library. While I was wanting to take a look at the books, I knew there would be plenty of time for that later and I didn't want to be rude. After the library it was outside to the backyard where there was a rather large veranda, a small greenhouse and a quidditch pitch.

"Wow. When your mum said you were practicing quidditch, I didn't think you'd have a whole pitch on the property."

"Yeah. It's regulation size, too. Dad had it put in a few years ago."

"That's ace."

"Yeah. Maybe you'll practice with me over the summer? I think you'd make a good beater."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe. Who do you usually practice with?"

"Crabbe and Goyle mostly. But I want to be a seeker, so usually it's just flying after the snitch."

We moved back inside and on to what Draco called the guest wing where most of our classmates will be staying for the party. While its disuse was evident by a thin layer of dust, that did nothing to detract from the fact that it was just as nicely, and expensively, decorated as the rest of the house. Following Draco, it took me a while before I noticed that we were following a trail that was cutting through the dust on the floor. There were footprints that we were following that led to a dead end.

"You'll enjoy this room." Draco said with a smirk as he tapped his wand to one of the sconces on the wall to reveal a hidden passage.

"Where are we going?" I asked, as he started his descent down a case of stairs.

"You'll just have to follow me to find out." Draco had his usual air of arrogance that I'm used to hearing from him, the first time I've heard it since leaving Hogwarts.

The staircase was shorter than I was expecting, but the sight that I held at the bottom of the stairs was impressive indeed. The walls were lined with suits of armor and weapons, some of which were dating back the ancient Roman days, and there were collections from several continents. In the center of the room was a dueling platform made of black marble. The platform was topped with a layer of solid obsidian about an inch thick. Stairs were carved on each end of the platform, which was a good thing because the entire platform stood taller than me.

Draco was soon leading me up the stairs to the top of the platform. When did he start holding my hand? "Are you ready?" He asked.

"Ready?" My brain was still taking in my surroundings, so I was oblivious to what I was being asked.

"Just a friendly duel. I thought you could use the practice."

"But we can't use magic outside Hogwarts. Right?"

Draco chuckled. "So you haven't used ANY magic outside of Hogwarts?"

"No. Well… we used a levitation charm on Easter." Draco raised his eyebrows at me, as if that was all the confirmation that I needed. "But Amelia Bones was there. I thought she put in a notice or something."

Draco was now laughing, harder than I had ever heard him laugh. "A notice or something? That's…"

He stopped laughing when he looked up at me. I didn't think I was that angry with him, but the fact that his face turned almost as white as his hair told me that I had my angry face on. After an obviously intentional gulp he changed his tune a bit. "You don't know how the trace works, do you? I mean how it really works." I didn't say anything but I narrowed my eyes a little bit more. "My dad told me how it works. The trace is only monitored in muggle areas, and anywhere that has at least halfway decent scrying wards the trace doesn't work at all."

"So we can do magic." My words came out as a whisper and somewhere between a statement and a question.

Draco nodded in confirmation. "Yep. All we want."

Before he could react I had closed the short distance between us and gave him a hug. "We are going to have so much fun this summer."

"So?" Draco asked after I released him, holding up his wand in salute.

I grinned as I returned the salute. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."