Harry looked up from his homework as the door to the library opened and closed with a dull thud. Hermione entered and deposited an armload of books on the return cart. Then as part of her apprenticeship she drew her wand and began directing the books back to the shelves. She had chosen a career path in historical research, a goal well suited for her voracious appetite for learning. The library was her new home now, and Madam Pince seemed to approve highly of her new assistant. It was the only thing Madam Pince had ever seemed to approve highly of, Harry thought.

He was having a hard time concentrating on his herbology homework. He'd never enjoyed the subject much, and today his head was swimming with fumes from the ingredient preparation work Slughorn had tasked him with. Grinding lizards and seed pods all afternoon had left his hands sore and his sense of smell singed. He sat at one of the clustered tables near the genealogy stacks, gazing out of the window across the angled roofline of the school.

The library door opened and closed with another dull thud. Draco Malfoy entered and surveyed the library with his usual haughty gaze. His eyes paused on Harry before moving on to the rest of the room. He approached stiffly, holding his left arm awkwardly and rigidly at his side. He carried two heavy tomes in his right arm, and clearly could have used the assistance of his left hand to distribute the burden. He paused at Harry's table and looked down, the groove between his eyebrows betraying his reticence.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked finally.

"Sure," Harry shrugged casually, as though to indicate that he didn't claim ownership of any of the chairs. There was no one else in this section of the library, no reason to crowd in unless Malfoy just wanted the company. Harry made himself promise not to be unjustifiably suspicious.

Malfoy sat stiffly in a chair diagonally across the table from Harry. He flipped open the top book and began leafing through the table of contents. Harry tried to see what he was reading without gawking.

"Nosy?" Malfoy quirked an eyebrow disapprovingly.

"A little," Harry said honestly.

"Healing spells," Malfoy held up the book to give Harry a full view. The sleeve of his robe folded back, revealing an uneven wind of gauze around his left arm. The gauze showed red splotches, as though a wound were bleeding through.

"What happened to your arm?" Harry gasped, reaching out without thinking.

"Nothing," Malfoy withdrew, hiding his arm in his lap beneath the table. He stared pointedly at his book as though he could stop further questions through the power of reading.

Harry furrowed his brow. Malfoy was hiding something, but then again maybe he was actually hoping Harry would notice. Why else would he have sat over here, why else would he have exposed the bandage?

"It doesn't look wrapped well," Harry said quietly, glancing around to make sure Hermione wasn't around to overhear.

"It's hard to do one-handed." Draco said dryly.

"Would you like some help?" Harry offered.

"I'm fine," Draco's voice softened.

"Really, it's no bother," Harry stood and shrunk his books down to pocket size. "It will heal better if it's wrapped properly."

Draco looked up, then down at his arm in his lap. "Okay."

They exited the library, crossed through the breezeway, and descended towards the dungeons. Harry waited in the hall outside while Malfoy entered Slytherin house to retrieve a fresh roll of bandages. He emerged a few moments later with a pocketful of supplies.

With an unspoken agreement they found privacy in a rarely used restroom near one of the wings that was still under reconstruction.

Malfoy set a row of small items on the mirror ledge: bandages, a small pot of healing ointment, and a vial of numbing potion. He hesitated for a moment, then shed his robe and hung it on a hook near the door. he pushed back the sleeve on his green crewneck pullover to expose the bandaged area below his elbow. With a flick of his wand he released the free edge of the bandage and unrolled it gingerly.

Harry gasped when he saw the wound. Deep, angry grooves crawled in rivulets from his elbow to his wrist. It was red and fluid looking, like a lava flow. It was deep, too, carving into muscle with a sickening, oozing redness. Between the gouges the Dark Mark stood out bold and black against his pale skin.

"How did this happen?" Harry asked, although he felt with a sick certainty that he knew how. "Is this from the salamander potion?"

"It didn't work the way I intended," Malfoy said dryly in the understatement of the century.

"You put it on your own skin?" Harry moved quickly, taking a piece of gauze and soaking it in the numbing potion. He held it gently against the tortured wound, scared to apply pressure. Draco's right hand swept in, taking over and pressing the pain reliever firmly against his arm. He didn't answer Harry's question.

"Are you trying to remove the dark mark?" Harry asked stupidly. Of course that was what he was doing, it was obvious.

"Normal healing spells haven't lifted it," Malfoy held the numbing potion in place, slowly clenching and unclenching his left hand as the pain lessened. "I've been looking for other things that might work."

"If you're going to put a salamander potion on your own skin, you might as well just chop off your arm," Harry snapped, horrified that Malfoy had disfigured himself this way. If he had only asked for help- but no, that's not how Malfoy did anything.

"I've thought about it," Malfoy said, looking up seriously. "But sometimes I like to wank left-handed. Would be a shame to lose that."

Harry stared at him dumbly for a moment. A smile broke over Malfoy's face. Not a sneer, not a smirk, but an actual smile. He'd made a joke. He'd made a joke to Harry. Harry couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.

He reached over for the healing ointment and Malfoy removed the cloth with the numbing potion. Harry found himself unable to touch the wounds, and couldn't apply the cream. Malfoy understood and simply had him hold the pot while he applied it himself. He grimaced as he worked, clearly not enjoying the sensation. When he finished he nodded to the gauze and Harry finally felt useful.

"The day after tomorrow Madam Pomfrey will be able to start healing it up," Malfoy said through gritted teeth as Harry wound the gauze around his arm. "I just need to keep it wrapped until then."

"I'll help, if you need it," Harry worked slowly, uncoiling the bandage as he rolled it on.

"I might need help tomorrow morning, after my shower," Malfoy said as though it were a question. "And then again tomorrow afternoon. And maybe again in the morning before I go back for Pomfrey's examination."

"Just send a beacon charm when you need me," Harry worked the last bit of gauze twice around Malfoy's wrist to hold it in place. "Just a spark to get my attention. I'll meet you here." He retrieved his wand and flicked once to hold the gauze in place. "That should do it."

Malfoy flexed his fingers and carefully rotated his wrist. He nodded approvingly and slid his green sleeve down. He slipped back into his robe and pocketed his supplies. They exited the bathroom and turned to depart in separate directions. Malfoy paused, his eyes searching but his voice silent. Finally he spoke.

"I appreciate your assistance," he said with cold formality.

"Anytime," Harry smiled warmly. Then he turned and departed, heading for Gryffindor house.