Harry Potter gets smart and takes control - The Goblet

Taking Malfoy Down a Peg or Two. Aka the Git deserved it.

A short one but a good one. 

Harry forced himself not to jump and look to see who it was that had just entered the Slytherin common room. Professor Snape was out, and he was allowed to be here, he reminded himself. He'd be fine. But he was still relieved it was just an awkward-looking Goyle and a shifty-looking Pansy. Harry wondered briefly how they managed to get away from Malfoy's clutches, and on a Hogsmeade weekend too.

Instead, he waited for them to join them and asked her, "so do you want to tell me what's going on with you two and Malfoy? And what that was about in potions yesterday?"

They look shifty. Harry looked at them closely, sensing carefully, then flicked up a Muffliato spell to stop anyone overhearing them.

"He has something on you, doesn't he. Malfoy. I know you don't actually like him. But you have to play his game. You have to be 'friends' with him, whether you want to or not." he said as he worked it out, "That's what that was about. You did your best to warn me, as my friend. But you framed it in a sneer, in a way that Malfoy wouldn't have a go at you for being nice to me. You both reeked of guilt."

"Excuse me," Pansy said primly "I have a flawless mask."

"Yep," Harry said, "you both have the Slytherin pureblood mask down pat. Doesn't mean I don't know you felt guilty though; feel guilty whenever Malfoy is a prat, and you go along with it. You hang around him, acting like you like and support him when he irritates the shit out of you. Both of you. You're both careful never to be seen with me when he's around. So, what gives?"

Pansy's eyes widened a moment then she sighed.

"Da basically works for Malfoy Senior," Goyle said after a pause.

"Well, that must suck for you. So you are expected to follow his footsteps." Harry said.

He nodded, and Pansy said, "they're our parents," as if to say 'well of cause we do.'

"I get it," he said soothingly.

But he didn't. Not really.

He did however, understand having to do what you were told because it was safer; because it was the better option, even if you hated it.

They looked uncomfortable. This was the closest they ever really got to talking about the coming war and different sides.

"I'm betrothed to him," Pansy said glumly, "they made the contract before we were born, Dad had land Malfoy wanted, and Malfoy had money. So I have to make nice with him."

Harry winced, "my sympathetic congratulations?" He said hesitantly, half-joking, half-serious.

But it got a smile out of her and a snort out of Theo, "nice, sympathetic congratulations, I'm keeping that one Hadrian." He said with a laugh.

They were still laughing when Malfoy came in from Hogsmead flanked by Crabb, Davis and a miserable looking Milly, who made a beeline for them, elbowing Daphne, with a murmured, "you ditched me and didn't tell me we were kidnapping him today!"

Before Harry could ask, Malfoy noticed him, "what are you doing here Potter, you shouldn't even know where our common room is."

"Says the bloke who originally showed me where it was," Harry quipped back without a moment's hesitation, thoroughly sick of the little prick.

"You know where our common room was?" Pansy said sounding horrified.

"Yep," Harry said casual, "he showed me."

"I did not! You don't belong, get lost Potty." Malfoy hissed.

"You were there last night," An older Prefect cut in his voice cool, "you heard the verdict," he said sternly.