I hope the developers of Semagic figure out how to get the tags feature working for InsaneJournal and soon.

Title: Né dans l'Isolement (Born in Isolation)
Author: Lady B
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Summary: "I have had it with the two of you fighting in the hallways like a bunch of back alley hooligans! Now march!" McGonagall glared at the two seventh year students before her.
Rating: ?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Just a bunny I've been playing with. Set between OotP and DH. Disregards most/all of each. This is based on the Isolation Cabin scene in Walt Disney's "The Parent Trap" (both versions).

- - -

"Pound him into the ground, Harry!" Ron shouted.

"Harry, stop it!" Hermione retorted angrily.

"Beat his arse blue, Draco!" shouted Pansy from the opposite side of the fighting.

"Show him how a Pureblood does it!" Blaise encouraged.

The two combatants continued rolling around on the ground, slinging epitaphs and fists, both designed to hurt, the latter designed to leave lasting bruises.

No one knew how the fight started. One minute the two Seekers were hovering above the Quidditch pitch, one holding the snitch in his hand, and in the next, both brooms were laying on the ground, forgotten as the two began throwing punches.

- - -

It had started out as a friendly competition. With the support of the full staff, Madame Hooch had organized a 'friendly' inter house Quidditch game scheduled to take place just after the New Year. Gryffindor and Slytherin versus Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

The Quidditch Pitch had been magically expanded to fit all four teams and the game had been a treat and a success.

It was after the game ended that things went pear-shaped.

- - -

"Impedimenta!" shouted McGonagall as she finally reached the two warring students. Both young men were instantly pulled apart and bound by ropes, McGonagall standing between them, looking every inch the angry feline her Animagus to be.

"In all my years as an educator of this school, I have NEVER been subjected to such shenanigans!" she hissed. The student on her left looked down, ashamed of his behavior. The one on her right sneered.

"Mr Malfoy, this was supposed to be a friendly game. What would cause you to revert to the actions better served in a seedy drinking establishment?" she asked.

"He bloody started it!" Draco growled, blood running down his chin from his split lip and broken nose. Harry looked up, one of his eyes swollen shut and rapidly bruising, his lips (also split) pressed into a tight line. McGonagall turned her angry blue eyes on him.

"Mr Potter? Care to explain?"

"Malfoy's just upset because even with us on the same teams, I still beat him to the snitch. He's a sore loser, and a lousy Seeker, is what he is." Harry replied with a low growl.

"I'll kill you, Potter!" Draco shouted, his magic exploding outwards and breaking McGonagall's spell. He launched himself at Harry, who had freed himself just in time to meet Draco's fist to his face. Blazing pain lanced across his cheek as Malfoy's ring dug a deep furrow in his skin. He felt fresh blood well up and trickle down into his shirt as Malfoy punched him again. His glasses flew off and fell to the ground with a loud crunching sound and Harry saw red. He went on the offensive, punching everywhere he could reach while teachers pleas to halt were drowned out by the encouraging shouts of all four houses.

It was worse than the bloodbath of the final battle.

And McGonagall had quite enough of that.

Casting a Sonorous, she immediately shouted for silence. Shocked beyond belief that the Headmistress of Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor would raise her voice in such a way, everyone stopped moving at once. It was so silent, you could hear the Giant Squid splashing its tentacles in Black Lake.

"I have had it with the two of you fighting in the hallways like a bunch of back alley hooligans! Now march!" McGonagall glared at the two seventh year students before her. Angry, sullen, bloodied and bruised, both young men gained their feet and limped their way back to the school.

"The rest of you, back to your common rooms!" she demanded. No one tried to argue with her and followed the two boys into the school.

While everyone else headed back to their common rooms, both young men found themselves in chairs opposite McGonagall's desk, her Deputy, Snape, standing over her left shoulder. She had called Madame Pomfrey down to fix them up, but even Madame Pomfrey had grown tired of fixing them and had politely refused.

Harry, feeling all the guilt in the world for disappointing one of his favorite people, stared down at his shoes, his eye and cheek throbbing painfully. He and Remus had done a lot of talking before school had resumed. Remus made Harry promise to get along better with the other Slytherins, including Draco and now Harry felt like he'd let Remus down. He could almost picture the Howler he'd get once Remus heard about this latest fiasco.

Beside him, Draco was also feeling guilty. In all the years they'd known each other, Draco had never seen his Head of House look at him with so much disappointment. And it served to remind him of the promise he had made to himself before school started that he would try to get along with Harry and his friends. He was tired of the fighting, tired of the bruises. The war had taught him so much, had opened his eyes to new possibilities. And he had let himself get upset over once again losing the Snitch. He had gone on gut reaction and attacked a fellow schoolmate, and now he was feeling all kinds of stupid for it.

Minerva looked at the two of them over the top of her half-moon glasses and sighed. She had thought long and hard about what she'd do if something like this occurred again and it was beginning to look like she was going to have to put her plan into action. Dumbledore caught her gaze from his portrait and nodded at her with a small smile.

"I must say that I am deeply disappointed in the both of you, you most of all Harry."

"I'm sorry, Professor." Harry said, his voice sounding small and tired.

"That may be, but I cannot let this behavior continue. You, both of you, as Seventh Year students and de-facto leaders of your respective houses, are supposed to be setting an example for the younger generation. Is this how you want them to learn, from your example, how to be Gryffindors and Slytherins?"

"No, Professor." both of them stated.

"As such, I have decided on your punishment. And these terms are non-negotiable."

"Yes, Professor."

"As of now, you're both suspended from Quidditch for two months." Draco looked up sharply, prepared to protest but a single look from Snape had him biting his tongue. He nodded instead. "The both of you will be partners in whatever classes you have together. A note has been sent to your Professors about this. You both will be isolated at a table during all meals. And you both will be sharing a dorm room of my choosing until the end of term. You can visit with your friends during free periods, but they will not be allowed to visit you, either during meals or in your new rooms. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor, but-."

"But what, Mr Potter?" Snape spoke for the first time. Harry gulped but continued on.

"Will we still be allowed to use the pitch. Just for flying?"

"I know how much you enjoy it, it helps you think." McGonagall began. He nodded. "I suppose I can let you have that. But under teacher supervision and only at times that I will set. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." Harry replied, accepting this punishment. She looked at Draco.

"Mr Malfoy, are these terms acceptable to you?"

"I-" Draco began, but Snape interrupted him.

"I'd think long and hard about this, Mr Malfoy." Snape scowled. Draco gulped and looked at Professor McGonagall.

"That is acceptable." he mumbled.

"Good. Now, please follow Professor Snape. Since Madame Pomfrey refuses to heal your wounds, he has offered to do so. Then I want you both back outside my office with your things right after. No dawdling or there will be severe consequences."

"Yes, Professor." both agreed, painfully getting to their feet. Professor Snape stalked from the room, both young men following as fast as their aches and pains would let them.

- - -

Harry eased his way into the Gryffindor common room just before lunch to find the whole house waiting for him. The cheers and applause served to make him feel ill and he exploded.

"What the hell is the matter with all of you?" he shouted.

"Harry, you finally trounced that poncey git into the ground. You should be proud of yourself." Ron stated. Harry stalked over to the redhead and pushed him against the wall.

"And it was the wrong thing to do! Wars have started for much worse than someone catching a Snitch. Malfoy and I both were wrong and we're taking our punishment as we should." Harry backed off and ran his fingers through his hair. "As of right now, Malfoy and I are both suspended from Quidditch for the next two months." The protests began immediately, Ron's voice the loudest.

"That's not fair, it was all Malfoy's fault!"

"And mine as well, Ron! Get that through your thick head!" Harry shouted angrily, his magic rattling the portraits hanging from the walls. The rest of the students fell silent. He sighed and looked at his watch. He needed to get going.

"Dobby?" he called softly. The hyper-active house elf popped into the room at his master's call.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"

"I need you to pack all my things please."

"Dobby do this." Dobby nodded, heading upstairs. Hermione moved to Harry's side.

"Are you being expelled?" she asked.

"No. Professor McGonagall is putting us in isolation for the remainder of the year."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginny demanded, seeing her chance of getting back with Harry slowly disappearing.

"It means what it means. Malfoy and I are sharing a room the remainder of the year. We will be partners in all classes we share. We will be sharing meals."

"We can come visit you in your rooms, then." Ginny smiled.

"No, Gin. The only time we're allowed to be around our friends is during free periods. No visitors allowed in our rooms or during meals or we face punishment from Snape. I'd rather not deal with that."

"That's not fair!" she exclaimed.

"It is fair, and I've accepted it." he replied.

"You're an idiot." she scowled.

"So be it." he shrugged as Dobby came down with his trunk. Harry shrunk it and put it in his pocket before looking at his friends. Ron and Ginny were faced away from him. He could care less. He looked at Hermione instead.

"I'll see you in the library after dinner?" he asked.

"I'll be there." she smiled. He gave her a hug before leaving the room as quietly as he entered it.


To be continued...