DISCLAIMER: The usual, it's all JK's minus the storyline, of course. You
know what isn't.
A/N: Hope you all enjoy this chapter-sorry I didn't have it up earlier, I was thinking I had already loaded it! As always, read and review.. Chapter 8 coming soon!!! --Kjirstyn
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX CHAPTER SEVEN: BACK TO THE WIZARDING WORLD
About eight o'clock the next evening, Harry walked out of number 4 Privet Drive.
Three blocks later, He pulled out his wand and held it out. With a loud BANG the Knight Bus appeared out of nowhere, nearly knocking Harry over. He recovered his balance just in time to catch a glimpse of a familiar, acne-filled face.
"Knight Bus, travels anywhere, excepting underwater and aerial travel-Oi, Harry Potter! 'Ow ya doin', Neville?!" Stan Shunpike jumped down the steps to welcome Harry, winking conspiratorially as he did so.
"How ya been lately Harry? Here, let me get your trunk- Jump up, pay your bill- price still the same." Stan prattled on to no one as he disappeared down the aisle, lugging Harry's trunk behind him.
"Eleven sickles?" Harry asked Ernie Prang, the driver. Ernie nodded curtly.
"Where to?" he barked.
"Er. as close to Diagon Alley as you can get me."
"Right," Ernie jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Stan coming up behind him. "Pull up a bed and siddown." Harry followed Stan down the aisle, trying to tune out his constant talking.
"Ri' here," Stan pointed to a bed enthusiastically. Harry sat down, nodding his thanks. Stan continued on down the aisle.
"Leaky Cauldron!" Stan called out a while later. Harry got up, groggy from sleep. Stan picked up Harry's trunk again and carried it off the bus as Harry followed.
"G'bye, Harry!" Stan waved from the bus.
"Bye Stan," Harry said over his shoulder. The bus popped out of sight and Harry walked into the pub and over to the counter where Tom was idly wiping the counter with a crusty rag.
"One room please- until September first," he requested. Tom nodded.
"Sure boy." He fumbled under the counter. "Room thirteen," he said, handing Harry his key. "Have a nice stay.
"Thanks, Tom," Harry said, heading up to his room.
Dumping his large load at the foot of the bed, Harry sighed contentedly.
"Another home away from home," he said, grinning blearily at the mirror. "Agh-to heck with waking up. G'night." Harry kicked off his shoes, fell onto the bed, and was out like a light.
~*~
Harry awoke early the next morning. Strictly speaking, he didn't have any choice, as Hedwig was hooting indignantly and ruffling her feathers with little- or quite possibly no- respect for Harry's fast-disappearing dreams. Harry looked up at Hedwig blearily.
"Agh. Shut it, you," he said disgustedly, shooting a death glare at the owl, who was sitting quite innocently on a post of Harry's bed, staring off into the distance. She turned her head and gave a soft hoot, as if to say, "Who, me?" Harry groaned and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. Hedwig hooted loudly again. Harry covered his head with his pillow and grunted. There was silence for a minute, and then:
"Whoooo! Hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo! HOO!"
"Oh, shut up, Hedwig, let me sleep!" Harry hollered at the bird. Hedwig clicked her beak. The look on her face strongly reminded Harry of Hermione and he cracked a smile.
"All right, you great fat feathery fraud." He paused. "Or feathery excuse for an alarm clock. I'm not sure which. Anyway. I'm getting up," he directed at her. "Are you happy?" Hedwig hooted again and flew out the window. Harry watched until she was out of sight and then dove back under the covers.
"Up, you lazy boy!" the mirror called. "The day's a-wasting!"
"G'way," Harry grumbled.
"A physical impossibility," the mirror snapped back smartly. "You, however, are perfectly capable of achieving what I cannot. Now move it!"
Grumbling about the inconvenience of all things magic, Harry reluctantly got up and took a shower, which helped wake him up somewhat. Humming a nameless tune, Harry pulled on some robes and headed down to grab some breakfast.
Half an hour later he headed for Diagon Alley. He walked slowly, taking in all the sights. Even though he had been coming here for five years Harry still marveled at all the interesting things there were to see. He looked up the street and saw his destination--the magnificent, if somewhat lopsided, building that was Gringotts bank.
Twenty minutes and two wild rides later, Harry stepped into the sunlight, clutching a bag full of wizard money. He shaded his eyes from the sun, which was blinding in comparison to the dreary building he had just come from. He stumbled, and knocked into somebody.
"Well well, if it isn't the oh-so-famous Harry Potter," a familiar voice drawled. Harry looked up, hoping it wasn't him- but it was.
"Malfoy," he said with no emotion. Draco smirked.
"How very sweet of you, to learn my name. But watch it, Potter- Don't go saying it too often. You might wear it out. We can't have that, now can we?" The words sounded like the Draco Harry knew, but the eyes were different- what was going on?
Draco's eyes weren't icy like they always were. They were still gray and still cold, but the shutters holding back any display of emotion were spontaneously going up, and quick flashes of what was apparently the real Draco Malfoy could be seen.
It wasn't hostility Harry saw there, in the brief instant he looked. It was pain, pain that couldn't be described in words, and wistfulness. Wistfulness? Harry wondered distractedly. Without realizing, Harry unconsciously decided right then that he would try to make life a little better for Draco Malfoy.
"You alive, Potter?" Draco inquired. It was the same tone he'd always used, Harry noted, but somehow it didn't seem as cold and heartless as usual.
Am I insane? Harry thought. Trusting, wanting to be nice to Draco Malfoy? He shook himself.
"Yes, I'm fine. Look, Malfoy. I'm alone here for a month or so and I've got nobody to pass time with."
"Family dump you off?" Draco sneered. Harry fought to stay calm.
"No. It was my decision. Anyway, could we put aside our differences for awhile and maybe even get along?"
A sneer started to show on Draco's face. "Malfoys don't call truces, Potter." Harry eyed him warily.
"I didn't say 'truce,' Malfoy. I said 'get along.' Truce is temporary. I'm talking possibly long term. It's stupid to fight all the time." The sneer began to show again on Draco's face, but it fell before it fully developed this time. He nodded.
"All right. We get along. What's in it for you?"
"Nothing!" Harry was getting exasperated. "I don't do everything just to benefit me!" Draco looked a little surprised, but didn't comment.
"Well," he said a little awkwardly. "What were you- uh."
"Planning to do today?" Harry supplied for him. Draco nodded, looking relieved.
"Well, frankly- I hadn't decided yet," Harry said, grinning. "Thought I'd wander around and see what kind of trouble I could get into."
"Trouble?" Draco brightened. "What kind of trouble?" Harry rolled his eyes. Honestly, these Slytherins.
"I'm thinking the kind of trouble that includes a large dish of ice cream at Florean Fortescue's. My treat," he added, lifting up his full moneybag.
Draco looked deflated. "Some trouble," he said disgustedly.
"Listen, you selfish, egotistical-"
"Now now," Draco said in his maddeningly calm voice, holding up his hands as though to ward off the insults. "No fights in the streets."
"You-" Harry spluttered.
"After all," Draco continued, ignoring Harry, "we wouldn't want to mess up my hair, would we?" He smiled angelically.
"Sometimes I could happily kill you, Malfoy," Harry said disdainfully. Draco shrugged.
"But you won't, you know that. You're too noble," he said, a smirk once again reappearing on his face.
"Don't use that against me, Malfoy," Harry said warningly. "I can't help who I am any more then you can help who you are."
"I am who I am by popular demand," Draco said snootily.
"Oh, humble and perfect," Harry shot back. "What a nice combination!"
"One the world should not be deprived of. Especially not when it's wrapped in a package like this," Draco answered, gesturing in general to his body. "Besides, I'm proud of my humility." Harry coughed.
"I can't win, can I?" he asked. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"No. Did you really think you would? I haven't lost yet and I don't intend to," Draco finished with a flourish.
"Now, I believe you said something about a large dish of ice cream?" Harry shook his head.
"You're impossible," he informed the other boy. Draco smiled.
"Thank you. I work hard at it." He started walking towards the ice cream shop. Harry stared in surprise at the other boy's back for a minute, mouth open. Draco turned.
"Ogling me, Potter?" he asked laconically. "I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but I just don't swing that way." Harry turned red.
"Of course I wasn't-- never mind. Come on, you insufferable git."
"I resemble that remark," Draco said thoughtfully, following Harry down the street.
***
"So," Harry said conversationally through a mouth full of ice cream. "Why are you in Diagon Alley?" Draco stiffened. "Bad question?" Harry asked, confused.
"No, Potter," Draco said sarcastically. "It's a fine question. Except- I don't want to answer it."
"Oh- okay." Harry said, unsure of what else there was to say. "So." Draco looked at Harry for a minute, then sighed exasperatedly.
"All right Potter, you want the story? My father brought me here and left me with enough money to survive and get back to school. End of story, all you need to know."
"But why." Harry started to ask. Draco looked up, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Er. never mind," Harry said hastily. Draco looked down again.
"Listen Potter," he said so softly that Harry had to lean in to hear him. "My life is not up for discussion. Ever. Understand?" Harry looked at Draco thoughtfully for a second and then nodded.
"Good," Draco said coldly. He pushed back his chair and looked down at his dish of melted ice cream, then up at Harry. His mouth worked for a minute.
"Potter." he said slowly. "Uh- thanks." Harry nodded. He and Draco both knew that there was more than just the ice cream included in Draco's words.
"No problem Malfoy," he answered. Draco stood up.
"I'm going back to my room," he said, walking towards the Leaky Cauldron. Harry looked down at his ice cream and took another bite. He swallowed, and stood up, going over to pay the tab.
"Thanks!" he called as he left a few minutes later.
"Have a nice day!" came the answer.
Harry walked quickly down the street toward the Leaky Cauldron. He walked in and over to Tom behind the bar.
"Tom," he said politely. "Could you tell me which room Draco Malfoy is in?" Tom looked up.
"Ah." he said thoughtfully. "The pale blonde boy?" Harry nodded. "Mmm. He's in room number fifteen."
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully, heading towards the stairs. He walked upstairs and down the hallway, then knocked on a door. "Malfoy!" he called. "Open the door." There was no answer. "Come out, Malfoy," he ordered. A door cracked open behind him, but he took no notice of it. He pounded on the door again.
"Draco Malfoy, if you don't come out, I'll-"
"Really, Potter, wouldn't it make a bit more sense to knock on my door?" a voice from behind him asked. Harry spun around.
"What are you doing over there?" he asked, voice rising angrily. "You're supposed to be over here!"
Draco smirked at Harry. "Oh am I?" he said coolly. "Why, if I may be so impertinent to ask?"
"Tom said you were in room fifteen," Harry said.
"Last I looked that's exactly where I was," Draco said dryly. "Perhaps you should apologize to the lady behind you. She seems to be a bit confused as to why you're knocking on her door instead of mine."
"What?" Harry said disconcertedly. Draco nodded in the direction of the door in front of which Harry was standing. Harry turned around and flushed.
"I'm sorry," he said to the older lady standing there. "I was looking for a different door." He flushed darker, realizing how stupid that sounded.
"My name is Alexandra, Harry Potter," she said slowly. "Remember that. Thank you for your apology." Before Harry could answer she shut the door. Alexandra? Harry thought. Okay. He turned around to look at Draco again.
"Brilliant move, Potter," he said, amused. "Maybe next time you'll look at the door you're pounding on."
"Stuff it, Malfoy," Harry said coldly, still feeling like an idiot for knocking on the wrong door. Draco shrugged.
"As you wish," he said. "What do you want?" Harry stepped forward, calming down.
"I just wanted to see-" He paused. Somehow he didn't think he should tell Malfoy he was checking up on him to see if he was all right. "-to see if you had done your homework yet," he finished lamely. Draco looked at him oddly for a minute.
"No," he said finally. "I still have my Potions homework. And-" he hesitated. "-and my Transfiguration homework. I'm-not so great at Transfiguration."
"Well-" Harry said, not sure if he should. "If you want- I could help you with your Transfiguration if you'll help me with my Potions."
"Help?" Draco spat out the word. "Malfoys don't need help. Especially from Potters!" He moved to shut the door but Harry stopped him.
"Everyone needs help from someone, sometime. You're human, Malfoy."
"Oh, well spotted," Draco said acidly. Harry looked at him thoughtfully.
"Well-sometimes I wonder about the truth of that remark," he said. A smile tugged at the corners of Draco's mouth.
"Good one Potter. That was almost funny. Except it wasn't." He paused. "I win again," he said, a full smile showing on his face at last.
A/N: Hope you all enjoy this chapter-sorry I didn't have it up earlier, I was thinking I had already loaded it! As always, read and review.. Chapter 8 coming soon!!! --Kjirstyn
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX CHAPTER SEVEN: BACK TO THE WIZARDING WORLD
About eight o'clock the next evening, Harry walked out of number 4 Privet Drive.
Three blocks later, He pulled out his wand and held it out. With a loud BANG the Knight Bus appeared out of nowhere, nearly knocking Harry over. He recovered his balance just in time to catch a glimpse of a familiar, acne-filled face.
"Knight Bus, travels anywhere, excepting underwater and aerial travel-Oi, Harry Potter! 'Ow ya doin', Neville?!" Stan Shunpike jumped down the steps to welcome Harry, winking conspiratorially as he did so.
"How ya been lately Harry? Here, let me get your trunk- Jump up, pay your bill- price still the same." Stan prattled on to no one as he disappeared down the aisle, lugging Harry's trunk behind him.
"Eleven sickles?" Harry asked Ernie Prang, the driver. Ernie nodded curtly.
"Where to?" he barked.
"Er. as close to Diagon Alley as you can get me."
"Right," Ernie jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Stan coming up behind him. "Pull up a bed and siddown." Harry followed Stan down the aisle, trying to tune out his constant talking.
"Ri' here," Stan pointed to a bed enthusiastically. Harry sat down, nodding his thanks. Stan continued on down the aisle.
"Leaky Cauldron!" Stan called out a while later. Harry got up, groggy from sleep. Stan picked up Harry's trunk again and carried it off the bus as Harry followed.
"G'bye, Harry!" Stan waved from the bus.
"Bye Stan," Harry said over his shoulder. The bus popped out of sight and Harry walked into the pub and over to the counter where Tom was idly wiping the counter with a crusty rag.
"One room please- until September first," he requested. Tom nodded.
"Sure boy." He fumbled under the counter. "Room thirteen," he said, handing Harry his key. "Have a nice stay.
"Thanks, Tom," Harry said, heading up to his room.
Dumping his large load at the foot of the bed, Harry sighed contentedly.
"Another home away from home," he said, grinning blearily at the mirror. "Agh-to heck with waking up. G'night." Harry kicked off his shoes, fell onto the bed, and was out like a light.
~*~
Harry awoke early the next morning. Strictly speaking, he didn't have any choice, as Hedwig was hooting indignantly and ruffling her feathers with little- or quite possibly no- respect for Harry's fast-disappearing dreams. Harry looked up at Hedwig blearily.
"Agh. Shut it, you," he said disgustedly, shooting a death glare at the owl, who was sitting quite innocently on a post of Harry's bed, staring off into the distance. She turned her head and gave a soft hoot, as if to say, "Who, me?" Harry groaned and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. Hedwig hooted loudly again. Harry covered his head with his pillow and grunted. There was silence for a minute, and then:
"Whoooo! Hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo! HOO!"
"Oh, shut up, Hedwig, let me sleep!" Harry hollered at the bird. Hedwig clicked her beak. The look on her face strongly reminded Harry of Hermione and he cracked a smile.
"All right, you great fat feathery fraud." He paused. "Or feathery excuse for an alarm clock. I'm not sure which. Anyway. I'm getting up," he directed at her. "Are you happy?" Hedwig hooted again and flew out the window. Harry watched until she was out of sight and then dove back under the covers.
"Up, you lazy boy!" the mirror called. "The day's a-wasting!"
"G'way," Harry grumbled.
"A physical impossibility," the mirror snapped back smartly. "You, however, are perfectly capable of achieving what I cannot. Now move it!"
Grumbling about the inconvenience of all things magic, Harry reluctantly got up and took a shower, which helped wake him up somewhat. Humming a nameless tune, Harry pulled on some robes and headed down to grab some breakfast.
Half an hour later he headed for Diagon Alley. He walked slowly, taking in all the sights. Even though he had been coming here for five years Harry still marveled at all the interesting things there were to see. He looked up the street and saw his destination--the magnificent, if somewhat lopsided, building that was Gringotts bank.
Twenty minutes and two wild rides later, Harry stepped into the sunlight, clutching a bag full of wizard money. He shaded his eyes from the sun, which was blinding in comparison to the dreary building he had just come from. He stumbled, and knocked into somebody.
"Well well, if it isn't the oh-so-famous Harry Potter," a familiar voice drawled. Harry looked up, hoping it wasn't him- but it was.
"Malfoy," he said with no emotion. Draco smirked.
"How very sweet of you, to learn my name. But watch it, Potter- Don't go saying it too often. You might wear it out. We can't have that, now can we?" The words sounded like the Draco Harry knew, but the eyes were different- what was going on?
Draco's eyes weren't icy like they always were. They were still gray and still cold, but the shutters holding back any display of emotion were spontaneously going up, and quick flashes of what was apparently the real Draco Malfoy could be seen.
It wasn't hostility Harry saw there, in the brief instant he looked. It was pain, pain that couldn't be described in words, and wistfulness. Wistfulness? Harry wondered distractedly. Without realizing, Harry unconsciously decided right then that he would try to make life a little better for Draco Malfoy.
"You alive, Potter?" Draco inquired. It was the same tone he'd always used, Harry noted, but somehow it didn't seem as cold and heartless as usual.
Am I insane? Harry thought. Trusting, wanting to be nice to Draco Malfoy? He shook himself.
"Yes, I'm fine. Look, Malfoy. I'm alone here for a month or so and I've got nobody to pass time with."
"Family dump you off?" Draco sneered. Harry fought to stay calm.
"No. It was my decision. Anyway, could we put aside our differences for awhile and maybe even get along?"
A sneer started to show on Draco's face. "Malfoys don't call truces, Potter." Harry eyed him warily.
"I didn't say 'truce,' Malfoy. I said 'get along.' Truce is temporary. I'm talking possibly long term. It's stupid to fight all the time." The sneer began to show again on Draco's face, but it fell before it fully developed this time. He nodded.
"All right. We get along. What's in it for you?"
"Nothing!" Harry was getting exasperated. "I don't do everything just to benefit me!" Draco looked a little surprised, but didn't comment.
"Well," he said a little awkwardly. "What were you- uh."
"Planning to do today?" Harry supplied for him. Draco nodded, looking relieved.
"Well, frankly- I hadn't decided yet," Harry said, grinning. "Thought I'd wander around and see what kind of trouble I could get into."
"Trouble?" Draco brightened. "What kind of trouble?" Harry rolled his eyes. Honestly, these Slytherins.
"I'm thinking the kind of trouble that includes a large dish of ice cream at Florean Fortescue's. My treat," he added, lifting up his full moneybag.
Draco looked deflated. "Some trouble," he said disgustedly.
"Listen, you selfish, egotistical-"
"Now now," Draco said in his maddeningly calm voice, holding up his hands as though to ward off the insults. "No fights in the streets."
"You-" Harry spluttered.
"After all," Draco continued, ignoring Harry, "we wouldn't want to mess up my hair, would we?" He smiled angelically.
"Sometimes I could happily kill you, Malfoy," Harry said disdainfully. Draco shrugged.
"But you won't, you know that. You're too noble," he said, a smirk once again reappearing on his face.
"Don't use that against me, Malfoy," Harry said warningly. "I can't help who I am any more then you can help who you are."
"I am who I am by popular demand," Draco said snootily.
"Oh, humble and perfect," Harry shot back. "What a nice combination!"
"One the world should not be deprived of. Especially not when it's wrapped in a package like this," Draco answered, gesturing in general to his body. "Besides, I'm proud of my humility." Harry coughed.
"I can't win, can I?" he asked. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"No. Did you really think you would? I haven't lost yet and I don't intend to," Draco finished with a flourish.
"Now, I believe you said something about a large dish of ice cream?" Harry shook his head.
"You're impossible," he informed the other boy. Draco smiled.
"Thank you. I work hard at it." He started walking towards the ice cream shop. Harry stared in surprise at the other boy's back for a minute, mouth open. Draco turned.
"Ogling me, Potter?" he asked laconically. "I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but I just don't swing that way." Harry turned red.
"Of course I wasn't-- never mind. Come on, you insufferable git."
"I resemble that remark," Draco said thoughtfully, following Harry down the street.
***
"So," Harry said conversationally through a mouth full of ice cream. "Why are you in Diagon Alley?" Draco stiffened. "Bad question?" Harry asked, confused.
"No, Potter," Draco said sarcastically. "It's a fine question. Except- I don't want to answer it."
"Oh- okay." Harry said, unsure of what else there was to say. "So." Draco looked at Harry for a minute, then sighed exasperatedly.
"All right Potter, you want the story? My father brought me here and left me with enough money to survive and get back to school. End of story, all you need to know."
"But why." Harry started to ask. Draco looked up, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Er. never mind," Harry said hastily. Draco looked down again.
"Listen Potter," he said so softly that Harry had to lean in to hear him. "My life is not up for discussion. Ever. Understand?" Harry looked at Draco thoughtfully for a second and then nodded.
"Good," Draco said coldly. He pushed back his chair and looked down at his dish of melted ice cream, then up at Harry. His mouth worked for a minute.
"Potter." he said slowly. "Uh- thanks." Harry nodded. He and Draco both knew that there was more than just the ice cream included in Draco's words.
"No problem Malfoy," he answered. Draco stood up.
"I'm going back to my room," he said, walking towards the Leaky Cauldron. Harry looked down at his ice cream and took another bite. He swallowed, and stood up, going over to pay the tab.
"Thanks!" he called as he left a few minutes later.
"Have a nice day!" came the answer.
Harry walked quickly down the street toward the Leaky Cauldron. He walked in and over to Tom behind the bar.
"Tom," he said politely. "Could you tell me which room Draco Malfoy is in?" Tom looked up.
"Ah." he said thoughtfully. "The pale blonde boy?" Harry nodded. "Mmm. He's in room number fifteen."
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully, heading towards the stairs. He walked upstairs and down the hallway, then knocked on a door. "Malfoy!" he called. "Open the door." There was no answer. "Come out, Malfoy," he ordered. A door cracked open behind him, but he took no notice of it. He pounded on the door again.
"Draco Malfoy, if you don't come out, I'll-"
"Really, Potter, wouldn't it make a bit more sense to knock on my door?" a voice from behind him asked. Harry spun around.
"What are you doing over there?" he asked, voice rising angrily. "You're supposed to be over here!"
Draco smirked at Harry. "Oh am I?" he said coolly. "Why, if I may be so impertinent to ask?"
"Tom said you were in room fifteen," Harry said.
"Last I looked that's exactly where I was," Draco said dryly. "Perhaps you should apologize to the lady behind you. She seems to be a bit confused as to why you're knocking on her door instead of mine."
"What?" Harry said disconcertedly. Draco nodded in the direction of the door in front of which Harry was standing. Harry turned around and flushed.
"I'm sorry," he said to the older lady standing there. "I was looking for a different door." He flushed darker, realizing how stupid that sounded.
"My name is Alexandra, Harry Potter," she said slowly. "Remember that. Thank you for your apology." Before Harry could answer she shut the door. Alexandra? Harry thought. Okay. He turned around to look at Draco again.
"Brilliant move, Potter," he said, amused. "Maybe next time you'll look at the door you're pounding on."
"Stuff it, Malfoy," Harry said coldly, still feeling like an idiot for knocking on the wrong door. Draco shrugged.
"As you wish," he said. "What do you want?" Harry stepped forward, calming down.
"I just wanted to see-" He paused. Somehow he didn't think he should tell Malfoy he was checking up on him to see if he was all right. "-to see if you had done your homework yet," he finished lamely. Draco looked at him oddly for a minute.
"No," he said finally. "I still have my Potions homework. And-" he hesitated. "-and my Transfiguration homework. I'm-not so great at Transfiguration."
"Well-" Harry said, not sure if he should. "If you want- I could help you with your Transfiguration if you'll help me with my Potions."
"Help?" Draco spat out the word. "Malfoys don't need help. Especially from Potters!" He moved to shut the door but Harry stopped him.
"Everyone needs help from someone, sometime. You're human, Malfoy."
"Oh, well spotted," Draco said acidly. Harry looked at him thoughtfully.
"Well-sometimes I wonder about the truth of that remark," he said. A smile tugged at the corners of Draco's mouth.
"Good one Potter. That was almost funny. Except it wasn't." He paused. "I win again," he said, a full smile showing on his face at last.