Malfoy was tapping his foot when Harry exited the room. The other Slytherins were a long way down the corridor; apparently they did not want to be around the Gryffindor.

Malfoy scowled at Harry as the black-haired teen got closer. “Took you long enough,” he grumbled as he turned and headed for Potions. Harry did not bother replying, but sped up so that Malfoy was not ahead of him.

Harry held out one of the timetables to Malfoy without speaking. The blond glanced at it suspiciously before snatching it out of Harry’s hand. Any closer and he would have yanked my hand of my arm, Harry mentally grumbled.

“We have History next,” Harry said. “I can see that, Potter!” Malfoy snapped back and walked a bit faster. Harry fought against the urge to roll his eyes.

This is going to be a long day. Harry still had so many questions like, how long was this bond going to last? A few days, weeks, or a couple of months?

The teen shivered, the thought of spending an entire month with Malfoy was unbearable. They reached the door to the History classroom and entered to find everybody already there. Professor Binns was not there yet, so Harry knew that he was not late. This class was with the Slytherins and all of them turned around to glare at Harry. They always know how to make the new guy feel at home,  Harry thought sarcastically.

Harry stood there just inside the doorway feeling foolish and uncomfortable. Malfoy smirked at him before strutting over to sit with some of his friends. The Slytherins were still staring at Harry or whispering and giggling between themselves. The Gryffindor carefully walked a few steps into the room, watching carefully for any tripping hexes that the Slytherins might shoot at him.

“What’s the matter, Potty? Don’t you trust us?” one thin lipped male Slytherin asked innocently and they all broke into laughter.

“No farther then I can throw you,” Harry replied sweetly and the Slytherins stopped laughing to stare at him coldly.

Harry ignored them and looked for a place to sit. There was one seat unoccupied but one of the Slytherins jumped into it when she saw him looking. The rest of the students caught on quickly and within the next few seconds the Slytherins were spread out so that there was no desk left unoccupied.

Professor Binns floated through the wall and the Slytherins turned toward him, turning their backs on Harry. The professor started talking about goblin wars, not even noticing that one of his students was standing.

Harry sighed quietly and leaned against the wall. Later when he was more certain of the Slytherins and how far they would go, then he would be daring enough to sit with one.

He was not going to take a chance and try to sit next to one of the Slytherins now; he did not know what they would do. So for the lesson, in between glancing at the Slytherins every once in a while and changing his position, Harry took notes. He doubted that he would ever remember all the names Binns mentioned, but Hermione would be pleased to see that he tried anyway.

When the class was over Binns assigned homework to the half-asleep Slytherins as they packed up their supplies or woke up their friends.

Even Slytherins sleep in Binns class, Harry thought, barely able to keep his face straight.

The Slytherins left the classroom. Most of them had a glare ready to shoot at Harry. Others just ignored him. Harry preferred that to the sneers and glares.

When Malfoy was walking out the door Harry subtly followed and even managed to avoid being tripped by kicking the leg attached to a grinning Slytherin out of the way.

Harry ignored the Slytherin he had kicked and caught up with Malfoy. His friends were gathered around him and they stared coldly at Harry.

“You should know, Potter, that we’re going to make your life hell for this,” Blaise Zambini said with a thin smile.

 “I’ll remember that when Malfoy stays with me and the rest of the Gryffindors,” Harry said.

He looked away from Zambini, choosing to ignore any other comments the Slytherins sent towards him. It was dinnertime and they were going to the Great Hall. Harry would get to see Hermione and Ron again. It had only been about thirty minutes since he had seen them last, but he already missed them.

Harry hung back, away from the Slytherins, until he reached the Great Hall. Then he spun up some excitement at the prospect of being with people that were not going to snarl at him.

The noisy Great Hall was a happy sight. The inhabitants turned to look at him as he entered, everyone knew of his punishment and they wanted to see what effect it had on him.

Over at the Gryffindor table his friends were watching him with worried and gloomy expressions. The Slytherin table was separated from the Gryffindor table by Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

The farthest away Harry could get from Malfoy was ten feet. There was no way he could sit at Gryffindor table with Ron and Hermione.

Malfoy was already moving to sit at his table with a knowing smirk on his face that angered Harry. The git knows I can’t sit with Ron and Hermione, Harry thought while he clenched his fists in anger.

The something caught his eye and he turned his head, Luna was waving him over--and the Ravenclaw table sat right next to the Slytherin‘s.

Harry smiled in thanks to his friend and went to sit with Luna. As far as he knew there was no rule against sitting at another table, and there was no way he was sitting with the Slytherins. I’m not that crazy, Harry thought.

“Hey Harry,” Terry Boot said from next to Luna. “We heard about Malfoy. Tough luck, mate,” he said with a wince.

Harry nodded and sat. “I know it’s horrible isn’t it?” he said with feeling, and the Ravenclaws surrounding him nodded and sighed in agreement.

“Well, you can sit here anytime you want,” Terry said graciously and Harry smiled at him and started fixing his plate.

“Did Dumbledore say how long the punishment will last?” a Ravenclaw asked. “Oh, I’m Pete Summers, by the way,” he finished with a smile.

Harry and Pete shook hands. “Nice to meet you. No, Dumbledore did not say.”

“That’s sad,” Luna said as she gazed at the ceiling twirling her food with her fork. Harry quickly glanced up at the ceiling to see if Luna was talking about something she saw. There was not anything there so Harry assumed she was talking about Dumbledore and he nodded before he started eating.

“Well at least now Malfoy won’t be able to play Quidditch,” Anthony Goldstein said with a chuckle.

Harry grinned eagerly. “I hadn’t thought about that,” he said before he started laughing.

“He probably hasn’t thought about that either,” Luna said. “The Slytherins are watching you,” she finished dreamily.

Harry did not know how Luna knew that because she was not looking in their direction, but when Harry glanced around, sure enough, the Slytherins were watching him.

“They’re wondering why I’m laughing and not sobbing,” he said dryly and Terry laughed.

Some of the other Ravenclaws were talking to each other, but they stopped to turn to Harry. “You can ask Ron and Hermione if they want to eat here. We won’t mind,” a girl with a mole on her cheek said to him.

“Really?” Harry asked surprised when they nodded and smiling the black-haired teen looked over at Gryffindor table.

Hermione and Ron were watching him when he looked up and smiled at them. They both looked surprised but smiled back anyway. Harry waved at them, telling them to come over. A minute later, Ron and Hermione were both making their way over with their food.

“Hey,” Ron said and he collapsed down in the seat next to Harry comfortably. Hermione came up right behind him and Luna scooted over so that she could sit down.

“Thanks for letting us sit here with Harry,” Hermione said appreciatively to the surrounding Ravenclaws.

Ron laughed through a mouth full of food before swallowing. “You should of seen Malfoy’s face when we started coming over here. He didn’t look too happy.” Ron sang the last part gleefully.

Harry and Terry laughed while Hermione smirked at her plate. Ron suddenly snapped his finger.

“I almost forgot. We passed Dumbledore on our way here Harry,” the redhead said.

Harry leaned forward curiously. “What did he say?”

Hermione cut in before Ron could say anything. “He wants you and Malfoy to come to his office after dinner,” she said excitedly. “I can’t believe we almost forgot to tell you!”

Harry was not listening anymore. What does Dumbledore want with me now? he wondered anxiously.

Dinner seemed to pass after that and Harry did not talk much for the rest of the meal. When he could not wait any longer, Harry stood up after bidding Ron and Hermione goodnight. His friends smiled at him. “Be careful around them Harry,” Hermione said quietly and Harry nodded as he took in her advise.

Harry made his way over the Slythering table. Malfoy smirked when he saw him. “Well look, everyone, it’s scarhead! He finally plucked up enough Gryffindor bravery to face us.”

The Slytherins burst into laughter and Harry watched them with an uncaring expression. So you want to play hardball, eh? He thought as a plan unfolded in his mind.

“Dumbledore wants to see us, ferret-face,” he said with an evil grin and before Malfoy could respond Harry turned and strode away. A few people were watching, some not even being subtle about it.

Malfoy did not have time to stand before Harry walked over the ten feet limit. Malfoy lunged forward and his eyes widened comically before he was dragged off his seat to land hard on the floor.

“P-potter stop!” Malfoy yelled hysterically as he was dragged on his rear towards the Great Hall doors. The inhabitants of the Great Hall screamed with laughter as they watched the Slythering Prince trying to stand up only to fall back down again.

Even the Professors were enjoying the show. McGonagall was laughing into her napkin and Flitwick had fallen of his seat in his excitement.

And although he would deny it later, more then one student swore that Professor Snape smiled. Only Umbridge was not smiling. Instead, she was gaping at the scene. She had no idea what was happening, unlike the rest of the Great Hall.

Harry smiled broadly at the Great Hall doors before he turned to bow in a grand sweeping motion. Most of the room clapped and whistled as Malfoy stood up dizzily right before Harry turned once again and left the room.

Malfoy was not taking any chances, and he ran after Harry with a red face and rumpled hair.

“What the hell was that, Potter!” Malfoy yelled at Harry as he caught up to him. Harry took one look at the disheveled blond and he started laughing.

Malfoy’s nostrils flared angrily and his hands curled into fists as Harry laughed at him. Harry stumbled a few steps and had to lean against the wall to keep himself standing. “Yo-your face!” he exclaimed admist laughter and Malfoy snarled at him before stalking off towards Dumbledore’s office.

Harry wiped away the tears from his eyes with a smile on his face and he followed Malfoy jovially. “You gotta admit it was hilarious, Malfoy,” Harry said.

“I’ll do no such thing,” the blond said forcefully and he stared straight ahead with his head held high.

Harry rolled his eyes. “You’re no fun,” he grumbled almost to himself and Malfoy glanced at him incredulously before blinking fast and looking away.

They reached the Headmaster’s office without speaking another word. Harry was surprised that Malfoy had not threatened him, but he did not speak his mind.

Harry had just realized that he did not know the password, but Malfoy did know it and he spoke it quickly. They climbed onto the staircase and rode it up to the office door without speaking.

Harry knocked on the door and waited for the soft ‘enter’ before he opened the door. Inside the room stood Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall beside a sitting Dumbledore.

“Come in Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy,” Dumbledore said with a smile as he gestured to the same seats they had sat in earlier that day.

Warily Harry entered, wondering what the headmaster was going to tell him. His day surely could not get any worse. After Malfoy had sat down Dumbledore started talking. “Now, I meant to explain the bond to you both in more detail earlier.” Here he smiled in good humor at Malfoy. The blond scowled back. “But since that did not work out well I’m going to explain it now.”

“Because you can not get far from each other without the bond reacting, I’m afraid there is no possible way Mr. Malfoy can play Quidditch--” Dumbledore started before Malfor interrupted him.

“What!” the Slytherin exclaimed as he sat forward in his seat with wide eyes. “You can’t do that to me,” he hissed.

“Mr. Malfoy,” Snape drawled warningly and to Harry’s slight surprise Malfoy shut up and leaned back in his seat with a frown.

Dumbledore continued. “You will switch back and forth between houses. Tonight you will sleep in the Slytherin dormitories and tomorrow you will sleep in the Gryffindor dormitories.”

Harry bit his lip at the thought of being stuck in a dormitory with Slytherins. He would never get to sleep.

“Vita vinculum is the name of the bonding spell and it translates to life bond in our English language. It does not mean that the bond lasts your entire life but that your life is in each others hands.” Dumbledore said and Harry listened earnestly.

“If one of you were to die while under the bond; depending on the circumstances the other person may be hurt as well depending on how the bond judges that person. If the cause of the death was murder by the other person in the bond…that person would die as well.”

“A long time ago when the Vita vinculum was first invented two men were placed under the bond. They hated each other so much that one murdered the other even though he knew the cost would be his own death,” the professor sighed lightly.

“I’m sure that your dislike towards each other is not that strong?” Dumbledore asked and Harry shook his head but glanced at Malfoy top make sure he was doing the same, he was.

“Good. The bond also applies to secrecy, for example if Harry were to find out a secret about Draco he would not be able to tell anyone the secret unless Draco allowed it. This works in the same way for Harry; the secret law applies to both big and small secrets, it cannot be broken until the bond is broken. The bond can only be broken by the caster or if you both die, which I don‘t think will happen until many, many years after this bond is taken off,” he finished with a smile.

Harry could see the wheels in Malfoy’s head turning already, Probably wondering if he could write my secrets down and show them instead,  Harry thought.

“Now, I expect you to comport yourselves like proper young wizards, as you have not been in all of your previous entanglement,” The professor said as he looked into both Harry’s and Malfoy’s eyes. “I don’t want to hear any complaints from your teachers. This punishment is supposed to teach both of you a lesson and I expect both of you to accept it with a mature attitude.”

After a pause Harry spoke. “Yes sir,” he said solemnly and Malfoy nodded reluctantly.

Dumbledore smiled. “Good. Professor Snape will escort you to your dorm, boys. Good night.”

Harry got up. “Night Professor,” he said and headed to the door with Malfoy a few steps behind.

Snape intercepted Harry and moved in front of him so that he would walk out first. Harry was glad that the professor could not see him roll his eyes. Malfoy and Snape led the way to the dungeons while Harry hung in the back.

The last thing he wanted to do was enter the Slytherins territory. He would have no one to trust down there in the dungeons.

Harry took a deep breath and hoped he would make it to see tomorrow before entering the dungeons behind Snape and Malfoy.