Harry Potter's horse's hooves went clip and then clop. Over and over again. Inside, however, Harry didn't even hear them. Didn't notice the dog racing beside them, occasionally cavorting up for a brush against one of them or the other. There was one question circling around his thoughts, and it felt like it was eating his mind, making it thrum with the question, a pulsating drumbeat of a tune.

Harry couldn't take it, he looked over at Draco and asked, point blank into the silence, "Why didn't they just give your dog away?"

Draco smirked, and then laughed, saying soberly into the cutting wind, "They're my father's dogs. Malfoy dogs - everyone would know them on sight. And, if Goyle was selling one, they'd assume he stole it. Besides, it'd be a bit of an insult to my father, to sell his gift..."

Harry Potter's face darkened, and he growled, "Your father's a git."

"Maybe so," Draco Malfoy said, "Not that I really realized it at the time." He sat three beats of the horses' walking pace, and then said suddenly, "You know, I could have asked for the pup back?"

Harry Potter looked over at Draco, his mouth dropping open.

"Yeah, I didn't think of it either." Draco Malfoy said wryly. "Just the type of idiot I am, really."

As the silence stretched into infinity again, Harry Potter couldn't help but think about exactly how true that was; and how odd it was to hear Draco Malfoy being modest. Hell, before this, Harry would have been surprised to see Malfoy manage accurate. Perhaps there was something truly to be said about him... being different out here.

"I was supposed to go to Diagon Alley with the Weasleys." Harry said, "But, being the general sort of idiot that I am," his eyes sparkled greenly with humor at mimicking Draco's comment, "I managed to get into Knockturn Alley instead."

Draco Malfoy shot Harry a look that said only you.

"Mumbledygibbish." Harry Potter said by way of explanation. "So, there I am, in a dark shop filled with all manner of Shadow Masks (not that I even knew what they were, and they still gave me nightmares). And, being the idiot that I generally am, a part of me wanted to explore, poke around and see what I can find." Harry smiled, the grimness fading briefly, "I'm not that much of an idiot, though. I found a nice nook and hid."

Draco smirked approval.

"You and your father walked in," Harry said, and Draco started - he'd been there? . Oblivious, Potter continued, "I think I'd never been so glad to see you in my life."

"I heard you complaining about Hermione." Harry said, straight and to the point as usual.

"Obnoxious termagant bitch." Draco Malfoy said, his face flushing only slightly at the curse, as if he wasn't used to swearing. That wasn't all that Potter heard...

Harry Potter had to swallow a sudden question that wanted to pour out. That much anger - it wasn't natural. Or, at least, it wasn't pure competitiveness. Harry'd shared that with Draco, Quidditch rivals the year before. Draco'd been more than decent, a challenge even. But he had never, ever sounded like he did talking about Hermione.

"How'd you get out?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Hagrid found me" Harry said, even the name of the groundskeeper drawing a sincere smile from his face.

"Of course." Draco responded.

[a/n: Harry's telling his story. Not the Rowling story, his story. So what he's done is important, and things like Arthur and Lucius in a fistfight really aren't.

*Sigh* because I am a softie, there's a True Story of what happened to Gage. I'd better type faster, only Lucius knows it!]