Draco looked up and flipped around, startled by the sound of his name. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"We were going to ask you the same thing," Harry retorted.

"I-Well-I was-"

"Spit it out."

"I wanted to apologize to the elves since I'll never get to apologize to Dobby."

Hermione burst into tears again and ran forward to hug Draco.

"Wha-?" he yelped. He looked to Harry, Ron, and Neville for help, then down at Hermione. He put his hand on her shoulder to sort of hug her back.

Hermione let him go as Harry stepped forward. He put his hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Thanks," Harry said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yeah," Draco said. "Sure."

"What about your parents?" Neville asked Draco suddenly.

"What about them?" Draco questioned him, confused.

"Are they on your side? Do they agree with you?"

"Yes, I think. My father regrets the choices he made regarding-" he hesitated. "-Voldemort, the war, and even your sister, Weasley."

Ron grimaced. "Look Malfoy, I'm definitely not saying I forgive you, but we all appreciate your decision to try for some remorse."

Harry flinched at the word. Remorse. Just hours ago, he had been trying to convince Voldemort to attempt the same.

QUOTE

"Harry?" Hermione kneeled next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What? Oh." His vision came back to him as he realized he had dropped to his knees. He was sweating.

As he stood up, Hermione suggested, "Come on, Harry, let's get you some food. I bet you're starving."

Harry nodded slowly and she helped him over to Kreacher, who already had a piping hot bowl of soup ready for him to wolf down.

He let the hot, seasoned liquid chase the beans and potatoes down his throat, taking in the wonderful, long-awaited warmth, and relishing the full feeling in his stomach once he was finished.

"Thanks a heap, Kreacher."

"Yes, Master Potter," Kreacher grinned at both Harry and Ron. He even managed a weak, crooked smile at Hermione, much to her surprise and delight.

"Will Master Potter require anything else?" Kreacher asked.

"No, that's alright, Kreacher. You've done brilliantly. Thanks again," Harry answered. He looked at Malfoy. "Where are your parents?"

"They're still in the Great Hall with everyone else. Why?"

"I need to speak with Lucius."

Draco took Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville to the Great Hall, but before they could go inside, they were stopped by Luna Lovegood.

"Oh, hello you... five," she said wearily, counting each of them. "Draco, I don't remember you being one of our friends," she told him, puzzled by his presence.

"Er, well, I'm trying to make up for my mistakes. I see now that my father and aunt were fighting a losing battle," he answered, once again staring awkwardly at the stone floor.

Luna stepped closer to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek, Neville's face secretly but brightly reddening behind everyone. "I'm proud of you, Draco."

"I'm still glad I punched the two-faced bastard..." Ron muttered before Harry elbowed him in the stomach. "Ow!"

"Thanks, guys," Draco said as he beckoned them into the Great Hall.

The doors flew open, and Harry's eyes scanned the room for the Malfoys.

There. Sitting at the Slytherin table as if they hadn't moved since Harry saw them the first time.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry called his name loudly.

Lucius jumped. "What?" He saw his son with Harry Potter, the blood-traitor, the mudblood, the daughter of that oddity Lovegood, and the one that had killed Nagini. "Well, Mr. Potter. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I hear you agree with your son's newfound alliance with us. Is this true?"

"Yes, Potter," Malfoy spat at him. "I'm willing to repent for my actions. I'm on your side now, although I'm not sure there are sides now that the Dark Lord is dead."

"Voldemort's followers..." Harry put quite a lot of emphasis on You-Know-Who's name, causing Lucius to flinch. "Where do they stand?"

"That is undetermined at the moment. There is always the possibility that some will meet to continue plotting not only your death, Potter, but also the destruction of the entire muggle population."

"Well, we're just going to have to make sure that doesn't happen," Neville interjected.

Harry looked at him and nodded. Luna took his hand. "You're very brave, you know."

Neville's cheeks grew even redder than before. "Th-thanks, Luna."

"Yes, yes, this is all very touching," Lucius grumbled. "But would you children mind leaving my wife and I to ourselves?"

"Yes, father," Draco obliged. "Er, shall we go into Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, that's a splendid idea!" Luna agreed rather loudly. She hooked her arm in Neville's, whose eyes widened to at least twice their normal size.

Harry took one last look at Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys, and followed the group outside.

Author's note:

Should my chapters be longer?