Chapter 9: It's Weasley and Granger

Harry was in the shower, washing shampoo out of his hair, when he heard Malfoy shout.

"Potter!" What could he possibly want now? Was a five minute shower too much to ask? "It's Weasley and Granger!"

Crap! He hadn't been expecting them back so soon.

Double crap! He hadn't told them about Malfoy yet.

Triple crap! Now he had shampoo in his eye.

Harry quickly got dressed and raced downstairs. He was having visions of Malfoy and Ron pointing their wands at each other, threatening curses, while poor Hermione tried to referee. He reached the bottom of the stairs and saw them standing just inside the front door. As it turned out his imagination had been pretty accurate. Ron and Malfoy were facing each other, wands drawn and Hermione was trying to talk them down. Harry was about to ask Ron to lower his wand when Malfoy spotted Harry.

"Potter," he drawled, "tell Weasley to lower his wand." Now Hermione looked at him, the relief clear on her face. Ron, however, didn't take his eyes off Malfoy. Shit, Ron would get angrier now if Harry asked him to drop his wand. He would see it as Harry taking Malfoy's side. But Harry knew he'd never get Malfoy to back down first for the simple reason that Malfoy wouldn't want to give Harry the satisfaction of doing what he had asked.

"It's okay Ron," Harry said, stepping in between them, giving his back to Malfoy. Ron scowled but dropped his wand at Harry's obvious trust that Malfoy wouldn't hex them.

"What is he doing here?" asked Ron.

"I, ah, well…" Harry stammered. It was a good question, what was Malfoy still doing here? Harry changed tactics, he needed to down the tension levels. "Cup of tea anyone?" he asked looking at them all in turn.

Hermione accepted with a slightly confused, slightly worried look on her face. Ron was disgusted and Malfoy smirked, clearly enjoying the strain between Harry and Ron.

xxx

So here they were. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy sitting down to tea and biscuits together. Hermione was telling Harry about the trip to Australia and the success she'd had with reversing the memory charms on her parents. Meanwhile Ron glared at Malfoy and Malfoy smirked at Ron causing Ron to glare even more. Harry had proceeded to tell Hermione that he and Malfoy had been over to Ron's place for dinner which set Ron off all together.

"You invited this slimy git to my house? What were you thinking Harry?" Before Harry could defend himself and tell Ron that he hadn't actually invited him, Malfoy piped up.

"And what a lovely house it is," the sarcasm more than evident.

"You have a problem with it?" Ron asked accusingly.

"No, I respect you're for parents for what they've managed. I'm not sure I could fit seven children in a shoebox."

Ron snapped. He pointed his wand at Malfoy and cast a spell Harry had never heard before. Apparently it wasn't a very good one, a slight breeze passed through Malfoy's hair and that was it. Malfoy found this very funny.

"Is that the best you can do Weasley?" he taunted. "Oh no, I think you almost messed up my hair."

Ron didn't say a word, he just grabbed Hermione's hand and stormed off dragging her behind him. She threw Harry an apologetic look as they left the room.

"Do you have to be such an ungrateful prick?" Harry said angrily, rounding on Malfoy once Ron and Hermione were gone.

"What?" Malfoy said, apparently unaware of any wrongdoing. Suppressing the urge to strangle Malfoy, Harry tried to get it through the other boys head what he had just done.

"Ron and Hermione are my best friends. Couldn't you at least try to show a little respect? If not for them for me, I've let you stay in my house haven't I? I don't want them to feel like they can't come here." Harry ranted at the Slytherin. Malfoy's face betrayed that several thoughts crossed his mind in the moments that followed but the one that won out was fuelled by his spoilt brat ego.

"Who cares? You don't need them when you've got me," Malfoy said with a grin and apparent sincerity. His words were perhaps the most unsettling thing Harry had ever heard. Did her really believe that he could replace Ron and Hermione?

xxx

Harry woke from a vivid dream the following morning to string of shouted curses coming from Malfoy. "That lousy, freckle-faced, carrot-top…." and so on. Maybe Ron's spell hadn't been as ineffective as it had appeared.

Harry got up and was met in the hallway by a furious and rapidly balding Malfoy. Huge chunks of his hair were missing and what was left was sticking out in all directions. Harry noticed that Malfoy was clutching fistfuls of hair. He shoved them towards Harry ranting on about how Weasley had better look out when he caught up with him. Malfoy however looked far too ridiculous for Harry to take the threat seriously and he burst in laughter.