AN: Here is the next chapter of this story. I hope you like it! If you do, feel free to let me know. Special thanks to my Beta, Dancing Horses.
Chapter Ten
The weekend came slowly, and Draco was rather worried that Weasley would somehow ruin everything with Potter. He knew it was silly and that Harry was smarter than that, but it didn't stop him from worrying.
He walked up to the entrance hall, where he was to meet Harry and his friends.
When he arrived, he saw Weasley and Granger with Harry. Harry saw him and smiled.
"Hi Harry. Weasley, Granger," Draco said by way of greeting.
"Hi Draco!" Harry said. "You ready to go to the village?"
Draco looked to Granger and Weasley, who were behind Potter and looking standoffish, then back to Potter, and said, "I am; it should be fun."
There was a very awkward silence as they started to walk, and Draco sighed. This was going to be painful, but Draco figured it would help. He stopped and turned around, looking to Granger and Weasley, and said, "I just wanted to apologize to you two, for my behavior during the last few years of school. I was a real git to you both and said many hurtful things."
He glanced at Harry, who was beaming at him. Weasley spoke up. "I think you should apologize to Harry, too."
Draco paused for a second, thinking back. Hadn't he not apologized? He said, "I really am a git. Harry..."
"Draco, it's OK. I've already forgiven you. You've more than made up for it."
"But I feel bad; I should have apologized. You know I'm sorry, right?"
"Don't worry about it, I know." Harry smiled. "Let's keep moving."
The silence was a little less awkward now, but only Harry and Draco were talking, and the conversation was a little stilted.
Draco really wanted this to work, because it would make Harry happy; so he said, "Did you see the score for the last Cannons game?"
Harry was about to answer when Weasley jumped it excitedly, "I did! Who knew they would beat the Wasps by 200 points! They're sure to take the league this year."
Draco wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. The Cannons had only won that one game this season. Out of five so far. He glanced at Harry who was grinning. "They still have a chance, of course, especially if Applebee keeps seeking as well as he did."
They talked about professional Quidditch for a few more minutes and the ice seemed to be broken with Weasley, but Granger was still quiet. How to get her to open up, Draco wondered.
Inspiration struck and Draco said, "Oh, Harry, I meant to tell you about that healing spell I found the other day."
"Oh? What does it do?" Granger asked excitedly.
"Anapneo. It clears the throat of someone who's choking," Draco said.
"Ohh, like the Heimlich!" Hermione said.
Draco was confused. "What about the German purebloods?"
Hermione waved her hand dismissively. "It's a Muggle thing. But a spell for that is fascinating. What are the wand motions?" she asked.
Both Harry and Hermione were proficient in the spell by the time they reached the village. Ron wasn't interested, saying, "When will someone be choking around me and you or Harry aren't around?"
Draco rolled his eyes at this, but didn't otherwise comment.
When they reached High Street, the group tried to decide where to go.
"Well, I'm hungry," Weasley said.
Granger tisked. "Ron, it's only ten! We just ate breakfast!"
"Oi, I'm a growing boy," Ron protested.
"You're going to be growing horizontal if you're not careful," Granger murmured. That caused Draco and Harry to laugh.
"Let's check out Dervish and Banges," Draco said. "They always have the most interesting things."
They group agreed and they headed off.
They looked at the Sneakoscopes and other dark detectors, and commented that most of them were in the Room of Requirement. Draco kept a keen eye on what Harry was looking at. It was never too early to do some Christmas shopping.
They headed to back to High Street and passed the local branch of Ollivanders as they headed to Tomes and Scrolls. Granger insisted, and Draco was not displeased. He was turning into something of a bookworm this year.
Draco ended up buying three books—one on Transfiguration, one on Concealment, and one on Defense. Harry made him promise to share the Defense one, which Draco was happy to do.
Hermione wanted to purchase eight or nine books, but she was talked down to just four.
Draco hated to admit it, but the Gryffindor's weren't that bad. He was having a surprisingly pleasant time.
After they paid for their books, they decided to go to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. Weasley's stomach had been annoying them all with its rumbling for a while.
They arrived and got a table. Draco said he would get the first round of drinks, and left for the bar. He ordered four butterbeers and waited while Madam Rosemerta poured them. He had picked them up and turned to go back to the table when he realized there was someone right in front of him.
"Father," Draco said, immediately calming up. "It is unexpected to see you here. How are you?"
"I am fine, son. I see you have your hands full. Allow me," He said, taking two of the tankards of Butterbeer. "You are here with young Mr. Potter, are you not?" Draco nodded at his father and he continued, "Perhaps you could re-introduce us. We did not... part on the best of terms, when last we met."
"I'm not sure that would be a good idea, father. He may begin to suspect. There are already rumors around school that I'm using him for a darker purpose," Draco said, panicking slightly.
"Be that as it may, it is necessary, my son. But I am proud of you for taking this initiative."
At one time, Draco would have swelled with pride at his father's praise, but now he felt dirty. It seemed obvious his father was using him to gain power from the Dark Lord.
"Of course. This way," Draco said as he led him to the table.
Harry had seen Draco approached by his father at the bar, so he wasn't surprised when he began to lead the man over. He warned Hermione and Ron to play along with Draco, hoping it would be enough.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is my father, Lucius Malfoy," Draco said. "Father, this is Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger." While Draco was introducing them, Lucius placed the two Butterbeers he was carrying in front of Ron and Harry. Draco was behind Lucius and his eyes widened. Did Lucius put something in the drink? He made eye contact with Harry and then looked at the drink. Harry got the message and didn't take a drink.
"We've met," Harry said, voice full of steel.
"Indeed, Mr. Potter, more than once, I recall," Lucius said smugly.
"Yes, you had a mask on at our last meeting," Harry responded.
Lucius didn't rise to the bait but just continued to look smug. "What an interesting story, Mr. Potter. Draco's letters home don't do you justice. You have fire in you, don't you?"
Harry looked ready to attack Lucius but restrained himself, looking at Draco.
Draco decided he would try to stop this whole thing before it blew up. "Father, I'm glad to see you, but could you please excuse us? I'd like to hang out with my friends."
Lucius looked amused. "Of course, son. I'm sure I will be seeing you soon. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. Mr. Potter, until next time," He said, and walked away.
As soon as Lucius was gone, Draco pulled out his wand and vanished all the Butterbeers.
"Hey!" Ron said.
"Ron, Mr. Malfoy walked that over to us, personally. Don't you find that a little odd? He could have put something in it," Harry said.
Draco nodded and said, "I'll be right back. I'll get us another round."
While he was gone, Draco could see the trio at the table talking in hushed whispers and occasionally casting glances over towards Draco.
When he returned, Weasley said, "So, are the rumors true? Are you using your friendship with Harry for You-Know-Who?"
"Ron!" Draco was shocked to see that Granger had spoken. "I'm sure there is an explanation for all of this."
"Well, I think my father is an idiot, if that helps?" Draco said, looking around.
Harry and Ron laughed and Hermione raised one of her eyebrows.
"I want to cast a privacy charm so no one can overhear us, alright?" Draco asked.
They all nodded and Draco cast a Muffliato. There was a slight buzzing noise in the area around them. Hermione looked really interested in the spell but held off.
"Look, I've said this all to Harry before. I've seen the Dark Lord. I know what he stands for, and I want nothing to do with him."
They both looked to Harry, who nodded, confirming that Draco had talked to him.
"You've both got to understand that if the wrong person knew I was really friends with Harry, I'd be dead. With the Death Eaters operating in secret, it would happen like that." Draco snapped his fingers and then continued, "So as far as my father or Slytherin knows, I'm using my relationship with Harry for the Dark Lord's purposes." Draco paused and looked right into Harry's eyes and said, "But that couldn't be further from the truth. I've really come to care for him. His friendship means a lot to me."
After Draco was done, he looked down, and Harry reached over to him and put his arm over his shoulder. Harry then said, "It's OK, Draco. I know you really like me. What was your dad trying to do, though? Wouldn't his little show hurt your plans?"
Draco paused and thought about it for a second. "I can see two possibilities. One is that he wanted to act as a foil for me so that I could talk about how bad my father is, and play on your Gryffindor sympathies. The other is that he wants to know for sure whether it's an act on my part by watching our reactions."
"You got both those ideas after only a second of thought?" Ron asked incredulously.
"I'm a Slytherin," Draco said, as if that explained it all.
They fell into a comfortable silence and ordered some food. The rest of the day was spent talking about nothing and everything.
Draco thought about his new friends; he still felt closest to Harry, but Weasley and Granger were slowly becoming Ron and Hermione. Draco was honestly surprised by how well they were all getting along.
He supposed that Harry had told them to try, and since they saw that Draco was tying, it all worked out. Before long, he might have more friends then he knew what do with.
As they were walking back to the school, Hermione said, "Draco, Harry told us about you fixing up his hand. Why do you know so much healing magic?"
"Well, my summers are pretty boring and so I usually pick up different subjects to practice at the manor."
"But you can't use magic over the holidays!" Hermione said.
Draco looked at her. "I think you may be annoyed at this, Hermione, but have you ever heard of the Trace?"
"The what?" Hermione said.
"It's the spell put on kids to make sure their magic can be detected by the Ministry," Ron supplied.
"Yes, but it's a really unreliable spell. Any magic around it also sets it off. So if your mom were to cast a Stinging Hex on you to punish you, the trace would alert the ministry. Magical parents are trusted to discipline their own kids, but for Mud— Muggleborns, since there are no adult wizards in the area, they assume the kid cast it."
"That's so unfair!" Hermione said.
At the same moment Ron shouted, "So I can use magic at home?"
Harry let out a small laugh at his friend's reactions.
"Yes, it is unfair, Granger, but it's also for safety and security reasons. What if magic was done in front of a Muggle and there was no one to Obliviate them? Or if a Muggleborn cast something that hurt themselves, how would they get to Saint Mungos?" Draco replied.
"I'm going to research it as soon as we get back to the castle," she said. Oh, and Draco, you called me Hermione a bit ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Draco said, looking down. He felt more stung then he thought he should.
"No! I mean, you can call me Hermione if you like. I really don't mind," She said.
Draco looked up and smiled. "You can call me Draco."
Hermione nudged Ron, who said, "Oi!"
Draco rolled his eyes and said, "If it's all the same to you, Weasley, I'd prefer we stick to surnames."
Weasley smiled and said, "Fine by me! See, Hermione, there was no need for violence."
Everyone just rolled their eyes at Ron as they made their way to the castle.