Chapter Eighteen: The Quidditch Final
"Why is it that time speeds by, just when I need more of it and slows down only when there is nothing to do?" Harry asked Ginny the next day at breakfast. Ginny and Harry were both immersed in books as they ate, Ginny studying for her OWLs and Harry for his NEWT level DADA exam.
"You could use the time turner McGonagall gave you," Ginny suggested, "I could use an extra hour here myself!"
"Ugh! That thing nearly killed Hermione when she tried to use it in our third year. If anyone should be able to handle a time turner, it should have been her. I'll wait on that until I absolutely need it."
"Mmm," Ginny nodded, not looking up from the scroll she was writing on. "I suppose you're right. But I really could use some help with this, and there's just no more time! Pre-game Quidditch practice is about to start, and I still haven't finished this essay for Charms!"
"Let me see that," Harry said, looking over her shoulder and examining her work. "Oh, here you go, this is the problem. You've mixed up cheering charms with good cheer charms. You see?" He pointed to a spot on her scroll.
"What's the difference?" Ginny asked, looking up at him irritably.
"Good Cheer charms are the charitable ones; they can only be given to someone else, not to yourself. And they don't necessarily make you feel happy, but they give you something that is likely to cheer you up. Cheering charms make you feel happy, even if you aren't, and you can cast one on yourself."
"Oh," Ginny looked down at her parchment and sighed, "Are you sure I can't borrow that time turner? This is due on Monday, and we have the game tonight, and this isn't the only homework I'm behind on."
"I really don't think the time turner is a good idea, but I'll help you with it at lunch, if you like," Harry offered.
"Do you think if you cast a Good Cheer charm on me, it would write my essay for me? That would certainly make me happy!" Ginny teased, and Harry laughed.
"Come on, Gin, let's get going. We don't want to keep Ron waiting again." The two of them rose from the table that had long since been deserted by the rest of the Gryffindor students and made their way toward Gryffindor Tower to collect their quidditch gear and deposit their books. On their way through they waved to Hermione, who looked up from her book, nodded and smiled, and returned to her reading again. Harry grinned, "Some things never change, do they?"
Ginny chuckled, "Some things are best just the way they are!"
Harry and Ginny arrived at the pre-game practice out of breath, having run to get there on time. Ron eyed them suspiciously, but said nothing and got the team moving on their usual practice drills. He gave Ginny some time to practice seeking, "Just in case the Slytherins get nasty with Harry," and made everyone do extra laps before he let them go for lunch.
At lunch Harry kept his promise to help Ginny with her essay, and Hermione gushed for ten minutes about how great it was to see him being so studious for a change. After lunch they had about three hours to wait before the game. They couldn't fly to release their nerves, since Slytherin was now holding their own pre-game practice, so the four of them joined Neville and Luna under the old beach tree to enjoy the afternoon. Ginny studied Hermione's notes from last year and she and Luna quizzed each other on possible OWL test questions while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville mused about the coming game and their own NEWTs next year.
"Do you think it'll really be that much harder than the OWLs?" Ron asked. "I mean, it doesn't get much more difficult than that, does it?" Hermione snorted softly and rolled her eyes.
"At least we don't have to take a Divination NEWT," Harry pointed out.
"I've heard Potions is killer, though," Neville fidgeted as he spoke.
"Don't worry, Neville. You'll make it through if we have to take the test for you!" Harry said, "And we won't have to because when Snape's out of the picture, you don't have any problem with Potions, and Snape doesn't give the exam."
"Do you think Snape's OK?" Hermione asked. "Do any of you know what his injuries were?"
"I haven't a clue," Harry replied.
"But whatever it is," Ron added, "let him convalesce a while. We can use the time apart. I really think our relationship with him has improved considerably since he's been gone," he quipped, and they all laughed.
"If only Dumbledore could always teach Potions," Neville added. "I'd even prefer they traded and let Snape be the headmaster if it meant I didn't have to see him except at meals."
Time passed quickly and they soon found that it was time for the teams to assemble. Ron, Harry, and Ginny said goodbye to their friends and rushed off to the changing rooms to prepare for the game.
Ten minutes later the team was assembled around Ron. Harry smiled up at his blazen-haired friend and listened attentively as he started his speech.
"All right team," Ron began brashly, "Without a doubt, Gryffindor has the best quidditch team of all four houses. It's up to us to prove that today. We knocked Hufflepuff out of the sky with a ninety point lead before Harry caught the snitch. We gave Ravenclaw a fierce run for their money and let Chang know what a real seeker can do. And the game against Slytherin, well, if their beaters can figure out who to aim at today, that'll be a vast improvement over their last performance. How they skunked Ravenclaw last month is beyond me!"
"Cheated, is my guess," Dearborn suggested, and everyone except Harry laughed. Harry remembered why Slytherin had won. It was quite simple. Malfoy, when not preoccupied with taunting Harry, was actually rather quick and fierce on his Nimbus 2001. With the old rivalry between them reduced to nothing more than their matched desires to win the Quidditch Cup, Harry was unsure just what kind of opponent he'd be facing today. Always before, it seemed, Malfoy had allowed Harry the win out of distraction. Now, there was no reason to expect the same.
"Don't underestimate them," Harry said, giving voice to his concern. "Don't let our record against them make you go easy on yourselves."
"Harry's right," Ron agreed. "Never let the enemy get the advantage by expecting less than their best performance. Still, we've got Harry, and Harry always catches the snitch, don't you Harry." Harry thought ruefully of the snitch he'd once lost to Cedric Diggory when the Dementors showed up on the field. First the snitch, then the game, then his broom, and finally he'd even lost Cedric as well. And then Sirius, and now Kingsley Shacklebolt was dead. 'Who else?' Harry thought, his mind now miles from the pre-game formalities. 'How many others will die?'
The team members were beginning to stand and Harry realized with a start that Ron must have finished his speech. Ron was giving him quizzical looks as he moved toward the door with the rest of the team, but Ginny was standing over him, scowling.
"Harry, this is not the time to be dwelling on…on…" her voice broke and her face shifted into a motherly, protective expression. "Come on, cheer up," she finished, "No one is going to die today. Let's go show the Slytherin team how quidditch was meant to be played, all right?"
"All right, Ginny," Harry said, offering her a small smile and a weak chuckle. "I'm coming." He stood up and shouldered his Firebolt as he always had, but it seemed heavier than before and his feet didn't seem to be enjoying the steps he was taking. As the team neared the doorway that led onto the pitch, a sudden wave of dread washed over Harry such as he had not felt since his very first Quidditch game. Ginny nudged him and he smiled wanly. 'Silly, I'm just being silly. There is no reason to be nervous. It is, after all, just a game.'
A game we're going to win!
Ginny's exuberance coursed through him like a healing salve, and his dread and fear diminished. Smiling down at her, he was almost surprised when she rewarded him with a quick good-luck kiss before the whistle blew and both teams streamed out onto the warm, sun dazzled grass. Harry spotted Malfoy, who seemed uncannily at ease, and then Crabbe and Goyle, who couldn't seem to decide whether to glare more at the Gryffindors or their own team captain, Malfoy. Crabbe caught Harry watching him and humored him with an angry growl as he let his beater bat drop menacingly into his left hand a couple of times, giving Harry a clear message about what he'd really like to use that bat for. Harry narrowed his eyes, fingered the wand in his left pocket (which he never relinquished these days, rules or no rules, and gave Crabbe a stony, unwavering look. The larger boy blanched even as he attempted to look "tough" and Harry turned his attention to Madame Hooch who was now bringing the chest of Quidditch balls onto the pitch.
The announcer's voice rang out over the stadium, "And the bludgers are out, the Snitch is released, and the captains are at the center," Ron and Malfoy shook hands rather more forcefully than was necessary, and Harry sighed, knowing that old habits die hard. "The players are up, and the quaffle is released. And it's Wenslet with the quaffle first for Slytherin. She's nearing the Gryffindor goal posts, takes a shot…and…IT'S KNOCKED AWAY BY WEASLEY!"
A grand chorus of the Gryffindor version of "Weasley is our King" rang out from the crowd, and the game was suddenly in full swing. Separating himself from the battle by a few meters more altitude, Harry began his laborious search for the ever elusive snitch. He glanced from time to time at Malfoy, who was soaring along, seemingly oblivious to the game as a whole as he too scanned the playing field for that flutter of gold that could secure him his first Cup holding win. A flash of sympathy for Malfoy stopped Harry in his tracks, and then, shaking his head in surprise of himself, his Gryffindor pride took over and he skimmed past Malfoy in a heated dive, hoping to catch him in one of his well practiced Wronski Feints.
It almost worked, as Malfoy dove after him almost instantly. But when Harry pulled up and away from the impending impact, so did Malfoy, and the blonde called out gleefully, "Gig's up Potter, I know that trick already!"
"Oh yeah, Malfoy," Harry called back, "Well, why don't you watch me pull a rabbit out of your hat, then eh?" The confused look on Malfoy's face was priceless, and Harry found he was suddenly having quite a lot of fun. He gave Malfoy a playful, "catch-me-if-you-can" grin, and Malfoy raised a quizzical eyebrow. An unspoken challenge hung in the air, and a new game suddenly ensued. Harry took off, racing along the surface of the pitch, like a lion bounding through the underbrush, chasing its prey. He snatched up a handful of grass and, bracing himself with his feet, transfigured them under his robes mid-flight. Malfoy tailed him, swiftly skimming the earth, inches above the grass, until Harry abruptly climbed upward, at which point Malfoy sped under him, like water under a bridge, taking the lead in their unmeasured race. Harry let out a roar of laughter when he saw what Malfoy had done, and quickly circled around, bringing himself face to face with his competitor. Neither slowed as they approached one another, and a head on collision seemed the most likely outcome until Harry flipped himself upside-down in a deliberate sloth-grip roll, swerved under the bewildered Slytherin, looped back over top of Draco's head, and dropped something surreptitiously into the hood of the blonde boy's cloak. Draco stopped cold in his tracks, a look of unbridled surprise on his face. Reaching a shaking hand over his back and into his hood, he pulled out a fluffy white rabbit which wriggled in his grasp and scratched at his arms.
Roars of laughter filled the stadium as Madame Hooch blew her whistle and the announcer called, "And the game is halted as the Slytherin Seeker pulls a rabbit from his own hat. How on earth did it get there?!" It seemed no one had any inclination to blame Harry, and he grinned guiltily at Malfoy's astonished expression as he hovered near the Gryffindor Goal posts and used the pause in the game to look around for the snitch.
"What in Merlin's name are you up to?" Ron asked Harry as Madame Hooch extracted the rabbit from Malfoy's grip and placed it on the ground. Harry watched it hop away and wondered if the Marauders had ever had this much fun at a prank.
"Just a spot of fun, Ron," Harry laughed, and Ron shook his head as he smiled.
"Funny as that was, Harry, it would be nice if you'd concentrate on finding that snitch at some point," Ron scolded him, and Harry grinned.
"As you wish, oh captain, my captain," he taunted lightly, and having just spotted a speck of gold fluttering over Crabbe's left shoulder, he anxiously awaited Madame Hooch's game-reinstating whistle and then launched himself at the unsuspecting beater, full force. Not to be out done, Malfoy gathered up his own speed, and, being at a shorter distance from Crabbe than Harry was, quickly had his arm out, prepared to close a gloved hand over the golden conquest. Seeing them both coming at him, Crabbe made a hasty attempt to remove himself from the ensuing fray, then seeming to sense that he would not be able to move fast enough, brought his bat protectively up over his head and flattened his body to his broom handle just in time for Harry and Malfoy to sail over him in a gust of emerald and scarlet wind. Neck and neck now, Harry flew beside Malfoy, both of their arms reaching out in front of them, and the snitch danced from side to side just out of their reach as though to taunt them. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Malfoy attempt an extra burst of speed, but it was clear the Nimbus 2001 was already topped out as Harry's Firebolt kept the pace. Harry steeled his nerves and flattened his torso out across his broom handle to reduce air resistance, and with one last burst of acceleration he nosed past Malfoy and launched his right arm forward. Just as his outstretched hand began to close around the snitch, something hard and metallic connected with the back of Harry's head and everything went black.
The first conscious thought that followed Harry's blackout was, 'Did I at least catch the snitch,' and feeling it struggling in his hand, the second thought was, 'How did I end up on the grass?' There was a dull ache pounding through his head centered around a spot at the back where his fingers found a large angry lump that was oozing slightly. When he pulled his hand away he found his fingers were stained a blurry red. Looking around now, he found himself surrounded in a sea of emerald and scarlet robes with little orbs of various sizes and shades floating above it.
"Has anyone got my glasses?" he asked, and someone placed them carefully in his hand. He jammed them onto his face and winced when the motion set off a renewed wave of pain, an array of tiny lights dancing in front of his eyes.
"Stay still, Potter, Pomfrey's coming," he heard a familiar voice behind him saying.
Harry groaned and closed his eyes again, dreading yet another visit to the hospital wing of Hogwarts. He thought to himself that the school should simply assign him a permanent bed so he could decorate the space around it to his liking.
Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey pushed their way through the crowd then and Madame Pomfrey crouched over Harry and muttered something as she waved her wand over Harry's face. "Nasty concussion, and we'll need to sterilize and close that wound," she finally announced, "It's a wonder he hasn't got any broken bones. How far did he fall, Madame Hooch?"
"He was a good fifty feet up when it happened, Madame Pomfrey, but he only fell a few feet before Mr. Malfoy caught him."
"Mr. Malfoy?" Madame Pomfrey sounded confused, "You stopped Potter's fall?"
"Yes Ma'am," the same voice from behind Harry responded, and Harry turned his head in that direction. The blonde boy was kneeling in the grass next to him, and Harry realized his head was being propped up by Malfoy's knee. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Harry tried to rise, but Madame Pomfrey placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back down.
"Lay still, Potter," she scolded him, then turned her attention back to Malfoy. "What happened?" she asked simply.
"My beater threw his bat at Potter's head because he was about to catch the snitch. Potter passed out and fell off, and I had to catch him so he wouldn't break his neck." Malfoy seemed to be attempting his best derisive tone, but was not entirely successful. The Malfoy Harry had known a year ago would have left Harry to fall and stolen the snitch from his hand!
"We deserved to lose that match!" he declared. "I told you guys, no cheating! Every last one of you did it anyway, and you!" He pointed his finger at Crabbe, "I don't want any players on my team that would risk another player's life just for the win. You're out, Vince. Get out of my sight!" The vehemence in Malfoy's voice was startling, and Harry turned his head slightly to survey Malfoy's angry face. This was something more than fulfilling a loyalty oath, Harry could see. Malfoy looked like he was thoroughly disgusted with Crabbe, someone who'd stuck by Malfoy for years.
"What's happened to you?" Crabbe voiced more than one listener's question. "Why are you suddenly all friendly with Potter? You hate Potter!"
"I used to hate Potter," Malfoy said, and he shifted under Harry's head as though he'd like to rise, but he didn't. "He's been a better friend to me in the last few months than all of Slytherin house ever was in six years. You two buffoons wouldn't know friendship if it landed on top of you! Weasley, come here and keep his head up so he doesn't bleed to death, will you?" Now Malfoy did rise, carefully allowing Harry's head to rest on the grass before he moved away, and the spot of his own blood on the front of Malfoy's robes did not escape Harry's notice. Ron came around immediately and sat where Malfoy had been, carefully resting Harry's head on his knee as Malfoy had done. Ginny knelt down beside her brother and took up Harry's hand. Malfoy walked right up to Crabbe and stood nose to nose with him.
"Go and tell your daddy for me that I won't play anymore," Malfoy nearly whispered. "I will not be their eyes, and I will not let them hurt him. You tell them that for me, Vince, and make sure they tell my father." Malfoy pushed his way past a stunned and frightened looking Vincent Crabbe, scowled at an equally stunned Goyle, and walked away from the crowd.
Harry looked up at Ron's bewildered face, and Ron looked down at him and shrugged. "I guess he finally found something worth standing up for," Ron said.
"We had better get him to the infirmary," Madame Pomfrey said. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, you may accompany him, no one else." She magicked a stretcher and levitated Harry onto it.
"Hang on a second," Malfoy called, pushing his way back through the crowd, "I'm going too."
"Mr. Malfoy…" Madame Pomfrey started to object but Malfoy set his jaw, stooped down, and took hold of the head end of the stretcher.
"And I'll carry him there myself! Weasley, take the other end!" Ron stepped to the foot end of the stretcher and the two of them lifted it up and began to walk. Ginny walked beside Harry, still holding onto his hand.
"Well, I never…" Madame Pomfrey said, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice. She made no further objection, but followed along behind the odd procession.
Hermione caught up with their little group as they were exiting the stadium and Madame Pomfrey rolled her eyes and said, "I suppose you want to join them. Very well, but only for a few minutes, then you will all have to leave. He'll need to rest." Hermione nodded happily and walked beside the stretcher opposite Ginny.
Back in the hospital wing, Harry sighed as Ron and Malfoy helped him onto the hospital bed. After sending the four visitors out of the room to wait, Madame Pomfrey dabbed the wound with some kind of thick purple potion, and then she healed it up with her wand. The dull throb was reduced to a slight ache, and Harry thought it was quite the overkill when Madame Pomfrey announced he'd need to stay through the night and be roused every two hours to be sure the concussion didn't cause any problems. That would mean he couldn't even attend the post game party. He sighed again, annoyed at being cooped up here for the thousandth time, but then his thoughts wandered to the events that had brought him to this particular end. Something Malfoy had said kept running through Harry's mind. "…He's been a better friend to me in the last few months than all of Slytherin House ever was in six years…" Malfoy had called Harry a friend, and not just any friend, but a better friend than all of his housemates. A better compliment from Malfoy, Harry could not imagine. Having finished her work on Harry, Madame Pomfrey returned to the waiting area outside the infirmary and invited Harry's friends to come in.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Hermione asked and Harry smiled.
"I'm fine Hermione, we won. You guys should go back to the Tower, I'm sure they've got a party waiting."
"We actually wanted to talk to you about that," Ron said. "We just thought, since you're stuck here and all, maybe we'd…have the party tomorrow instead?"
"No, that's ok, Ron, go and have some fun," Harry looked at Malfoy as he spoke. "Maybe I'll sneak up later if I can get past Pomfrey." Malfoy smirked.
"Harry, you really should stay here," Hermione scolded him lightly.
But Ginny said, "I'll bring down your cloak as soon as I can." And Harry smiled. "But we'll only stay a little while. You do need your rest, Harry. Concussions are a serious business, even for a wizard like you."
"All right, fine with me," Harry said, and he leaned back on his pillow. His three Gryffindor friends left, but Malfoy lingered behind. "Something on your mind, Malfoy?" Harry asked him.
"You said the offer still stands," Malfoy said quietly. Harry smiled and briefly contemplated what a summer with Draco Malfoy was going to be like.
"Yes, it does, if you're willing."
"First tell me where we'll be going."
"My house," Harry said, "I inherited it last summer. I can't really tell you where it is…"
"But I thought you said Dumbledore…"
"He approved you coming, but I don't think it's a good idea for you to know where it is."
"Why?"
"Don't get me wrong, Malfoy, I don't believe you'll give me away or anything, I trust you, but…Voldemort," Malfoy cringed, "has ways of getting the information he wants whether or not a wizard means to tell him. I just don't want any of his 'friends' showing up on my doorstep."
"Yes, I guess that makes sense. How will I get there then?"
"The same way I do. You'll just have to come with me, and trust me."
Neither spoke for some time. Harry got the distinct impression that some kind of internal struggle was going on inside of Malfoy's head.
"I do trust you. I'm just…concerned…my parents, you know, will be waiting for me at Kings Cross. After what I said to Vince tonight, Father will want to escort me home personally. He'll probably try anything from memory charms to the imperious on me if he gets ahold of me, that is if he lets me live at all."
"I expect the Order will be there to protect us. They've been guarding and tailing me for two years now."
"The Order?" Malfoy said bewilderedly.
"You don't know about the Order of the Phoenix?" Harry said disbelievingly. "Surely your father has spoken about Dumbledore's resistance movement against Voldemort!"
"Father has said things that I accidentally overheard, but he always referred to them as the fool and his followers. Is that what they call themselves then, The Order of the Phoenix?"
"Yeah, you know, for Dumbledore's bird? Well, anyway, they've been trying to keep me alive all this time. If you're with me, they'll be protecting you as well."
Malfoy nodded and fell quiet for a moment. Just when the silence was beginning to become uncomfortable for Harry, Malfoy suddenly reached inside the collar of his shirt and pulled out a small pendant on a silver chain. Harry watched him gaze at it longingly, then remove it carefully from his neck. Malfoy picked up Harry's hand, placed the pendant in his palm, and pressed down on Harry's fingers to close Harry's hand around it.
Withdrawing his hand from Harry's he finally said in a choked, guarded voice, "You keep this for me until the end of term. It'll protect you from surprise attacks. Its eyes glow green when an enemy approaches and it produces a magical shield that blocks any unfriendly spells that may be fired at you when you're not expecting them. My mother gave it to me when I started school. She said one of her cousins gave it to her for her birthday when they were children."
Harry realized with some measure of alarm that Malfoy was holding back tears for some reason and thought the amulet, whatever it was, must mean a lot to the other boy. Casting about for something off hand to say to ease the tenseness of the situation, Harry finally asked quietly, "Which cousin?"
"Sirius Black," Malfoy answered bluntly. Harry's jaw dropped open. He looked down at the pendant in his hand and examined it carefully. It was in the form of a snake coiled up on itself. Its jeweled eyes were of the deepest emerald and its tongue was the pointed cut of a ruby. A small hole was drilled into the snake's topmost silver coil and the chain was looped through this. Harry ran a finger across the silver body of the snake and felt the smooth scales that he could not see in the dim light. He looked back up at Malfoy, a single tear slipping unabashedly from his eye and, and saw the pale boy's face was streaked with tears now.
"It just seems right that you should have it," Malfoy murmured. "But don't lose it. It's the only heirloom I'll have to speak of once father disowns me."
Harry was at a complete loss for words now, and was inexpressibly grateful when he heard the infirmary door open and close. Any distraction would be a good thing just now. Madame Pomfrey came over to Harry's bed and made a fussed over him, checking his eyes for dilation and asking how the headache was coming along. Harry gave her passive, one-word answers to assure her he was fine, and she left again. All the while Malfoy continued to stand to the right of Harry's bed, just out of the way, but resolutely immobile. To Harry's surprise, Madame Pomfrey didn't even seem to notice he was there. She finished up her examination by waving her wand over the back of Harry's head and she pulled the hangings shut around Harry's bed. The door opened and closed again, and Harry assumed the healer was gone. But the sound of footsteps approaching made him look up. There was a soft rustling and then parting of the bed hangings and a second later Ginny and Colin Creevey came out from under Harry's invisibility cloak.
"I imagine we have two hours before she comes back to check on your concussion again, Harry. Shall we go?"
Harry grinned mischievously and began to rise from his bed. "Hello Colin, what have you come for?"
"I get to be you for two hours," Colin said with a smile that seemed to spread from ear to ear on his face.
"What? How?" Harry stammered.
"Morphus Draft," Ginny announced as if this explained everything. She reached up, pulled a hair from Harry's head, ("Ow, hey, I already have a headache, Gin,") and dropped it into a small crystal phial. She pulled one of Colin's hairs as well and dropped this in too. She handed him the phial and said, "Drink half of it. The rest is for Colin."
Harry glanced from Ginny to Colin to Malfoy and back to Ginny again. Ginny was grinning, Colin was smiling brightly still, and Malfoy was smirking. Malfoy nodded at the phial and said, "A brilliant idea, if you want my opinion."
"All right then," Harry said, "I'll do this on one condition."
"What condition?" Ginny asked looking hurt and confused. Harry opened his mind to her and she suddenly smiled as broadly as Colin and looked over at Malfoy.
"On the condition that Malfoy comes along," Harry said. Harry wasn't sure whether Colin Creevey or Draco Malfoy looked more surprised. Each looked like you could knock him down with a feather.
Five minutes later three students stood huddled under an invisibility cloak in front of the fat lady's portrait. Ginny said, "Milbourne Mandrakes" and the portrait swung aside, and they clambered through, jostling each other as they went. When they pulled the cloak off, several pairs of eyes settled on them and then grew wide. Gasps sounded around the room and silence gradually overtook the fervor of the celebration.
"Ginny, I thought Colin was staying in hospital for Harry," Dennis Creevey finally broke the silence, "And why is he here?"
With a meager amount of mental exertion, Harry commanded the potion in his body to return him to his normal form, and the gasps resounded through the room again. Ginny was grinning broadly, but Malfoy was hanging back slightly.
"He is here on my invitation," Harry informed them.
"And mine as well," Ginny added. "If not for Malfoy, Harry might have been a great deal more injured today. This is the second time he's saved Harry's life. He deserves our gratitude and our friendship."
The silence continued and the tension grew as the Gryffindor students looked from Harry to Ginny to Malfoy. Finally, Ron and Hermione pushed their way through the crowd. Hermione caught hold of Parvati's hand and pulled her along as well. They came to a stop in front of Malfoy and Ron stuck out his right hand. Malfoy tenuously took it and they shook.
"Welcome to Gryffindor tower," Ron said.
"There's someone here who's been anxious to see you." Hermione added, and she pulled on Parvati's arm, propelling her forward. Parvati grinned sheepishly at Malfoy, and he stepped forward and picked up the hand that Hermione had dropped.
"I've been anxious to see you again, too," Malfoy said, and he pecked her cheek affectionately. Parvati frowned, and Harry was concerned that Hermione had gotten into the middle of something bad. But then Parvati placed her free hand at the back of Malfoy's neck pulled him forward and planted a kiss right on his lips. Malfoy's eyes flew open in surprise, but he kissed her back, and Harry and his friends laughed and hooted.
When the lovebirds quit their kissing, Harry and Ginny steered them over to the Gryffindor fire and sat them down on the couch they usually occupied themselves. "You two stay here and enjoy yourselves. We'll bring you some food," Harry commanded. Then he took out his wand and waved it at the food table and six plates laden with sweets and snacks and six butterbeers flew over and hovered in front of him. He directed each one to one of his friends and then he sat down with Ginny on the sofa to Malfoy and Parvati's left and Ron and Hermione claimed the one to the right when Neville vacated it mumbling something of which Harry caught the words "Luna" and "back in a bit."
"That was quite the hover charm, Potter," Malfoy commented as he picked up a treacle tart. "You wouldn't happen to have any chocolate éclairs over there, would you?"
"I'm sure Dobby would be happy to bring some from the kitchen," Harry said.
"Dobby?" Malfoy looked up in surprise, "Not…not Father's Dobby, surely?"
"Well, he was your father's once," Harry said, "until I freed him."
"You freed him?!" Malfoy's jaw was on the floor. "Father said…Oh never mind what father said. Tell me, is Dobby here then, at Hogwarts?"
"Yeah, Dumbledore gave him a job in the kitchens. Shall I call him?"
"Yes, please do," Malfoy almost whispered.
"Dobby," Harry called out clearly, and Dobby appeared in the center of the semi-circle of sofas with a little pop.
"Did master Harry Potter call for Dobby?" the little elf said with a gracious bow, and Malfoy stood up and then knelt down behind Dobby.
"Dobby? Is it really you?" Malfoy asked and Dobby turned around to face the ashen faced boy.
"Master Draco? What is bringing Master Draco into Master Harry Potter's common room?" Dobby took a few steps back and glanced nervously at Harry, a look of pure surprise on his little face.
"Draco is here because I invited him, Dobby," Harry said and Malfoy's eye caught Harry's when Harry used his first name. "He's my friend," he continued, "Dobby would you bring Draco some chocolate éclairs, please?"
"Of course, Harry Potter, sir…" Dobby began, but before he could apparate away Malfoy scooped the little elf up in a bone crushing embrace.
"Father said you were dead," Malfoy whispered, tears welling up in his eyes again. He dropped the elf and backed away, an embarrassed blush sweeping his cheeks, and a wide eyed Dobby popped out of the room and came back again with a tray full of a dozen chocolate éclairs. Malfoy smiled, took one, and sat down next to Parvati again. Dobby swept into a deep bow and apparated out of the room again.
Harry cleared his throat and watched Malfoy, hoping for some sort of explanation. The blonde boy glanced at him quickly and then looked down at the éclair in his lap. "When I was growing up, Dobby used to sneak snacks up to me when I was sent to my room without dinner. And he would bring me things from around the castle when I asked for them. He…he was…the only friend I had, really, unless you want to count the goons my father insisted I entertain when they came around." The silence in the group was palpable.
"Dobby has been a good friend to me as well," Harry said. "He's saved my neck a time or two, for sure."
"How…how did you free him?" Malfoy asked, suddenly looking confused. "Father said he died, that he'd punished himself to death for betraying the family."
"I suppose that was after our second year?" Harry asked knowingly, and Malfoy nodded. "You'll remember that was the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened, right? Well…" Harry launched into the tale and along the way, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron all added their voices to the telling. When Harry got to the part about going down into the Chamber to find Ginny, Malfoy blanched and fidgeted.
"What was it?" the Slytherin asked. "What was the monster?"
"Turns out it was a basilisk," Harry said and Malfoy's jaw hit the floor again. "But I killed it," Harry continued, "with the Sword of Gryffindor."
"How on earth did you get hold of the Sword of Gryffindor? Isn't it locked up in the Headmaster's office?" Malfoy asked.
"I guess you could say Fawkes brought it to me, wrapped up in the sorting hat. I pulled it out of the hat and fought off the snake with it and put it through the top of the snake's head. Of course, got a fang stuck in my arm while I was at it. But Fawkes healed me with his phoenix tears and then I put the fang through the diary to get rid of Tom Riddle."
"Tom Riddle? Who's he? Wait…he was a Slytherin, a head boy, wasn't he?"
"Yes he was," Harry answered, "and he was the heir of Slytherin. Tom Riddle eventually became Lord Voldemort." Harry watched the effect this information had on Malfoy.
"You have to be joking," Malfoy shook his head and peered at Harry from the corner of his eye.
"Not at all," Harry said. Malfoy swallowed hard, blinked a few extra times, and looked down at his hands.
"Ok, so, what does all this have to do with Dobby?" he asked as though hoping to move past the subject of Lord Voldemort's original identity.
"Well, after I put the fang through the diary, Riddle's memory exploded or something, and Ginny woke up. We went back to where Ron was waiting and Fawkes carried the three of us and Professor Lockhart up the pipe. We went to Dumbledore's office and told him the whole thing and that's when your father showed up with Dobby. He kept kicking Dobby around and smacking him with his walking stick. So when he'd left I asked Dumbledore for the diary back. I caught up with your father and Dobby and told him I had something of his. I gave the diary to your father, and he handed it to Dobby and my sock was inside of it."
"Your sock…but father handed it to him…so…Merlin, Potter, Father must have been livid!"
"Yeah, but then Dobby knocked him on his arse!" Harry laughed. "He left with some vague threat about ending up like my parents," Harry shrugged. "But you know, Dobby's been quite a help to me since then. Fourth year he got me through the Triwizard tournament by bringing me Gillyweed for the second task. Then last year he was the one who showed me where the Room of Requirement was so we could start the D.A. So I guess you could say that were it not for Dobby, there would not have been a D.A., and then you would never have joined it…"
"To Dobby, then," Malfoy lifted his butterbeer bottle, and Harry smiled.
"To Dobby," they all echoed, and they drank.
The evening passed with comfortable conversation after that, and before they knew it, the two hour time limit was up. Harry and Malfoy each kissed their girlfriends goodnight, Harry morphed back into the image of Colin Creevey, and he and Malfoy left through the portrait hole under the invisibility cloak. Back at the infirmary, Harry and Colin exchanged visages again, and Colin snuck spiritedly out into the corridor to return to Gryffindor Tower. Harry had meant to give him the cloak for cover, but Colin had left too quickly.
"Hope he doesn't get caught," Harry sighed. "He's a prefect this year. It wouldn't look good on his record."
"I'm sure he'll be fine," Malfoy responded. "Thanks, by the way. It was nice to see Parvati tonight, and Dobby too."
"Sure," Harry shrugged, "Thanks for the amulet."
"Keep it safe," Malfoy urged again.
"I will, I swear," Harry said sincerely. "It belonged to Sirius once."
"And to my mother," Malfoy added.
"Here," Harry shoved the cloak into Malfoy's hand. "You keep this for me. We'll trade at the end of the term. Consider it insurance on the amulet."
"Wherever did you manage to come by an invisibility cloak, Potter? These are rather rare, you know."
"It was my father's," Harry said barely above a whisper. "Keep it as safe as you expect me to keep this," Harry said, pulling the amulet from within his robes. He draped the long chain around his neck and let the snake pendant rest against the outside of his robes. He could feel Malfoy's grey eyes watching him intently as he did this.
"You're sure about this, Harry?" Malfoy said, and Harry's head popped up at the use of his given name.
"I'm sure, Draco," Harry responded. He smiled reassuringly, then climbed up on the bed just in time to hear Madame Pomfrey to come bustling in through the infirmary door. "She'll think neither of us ever left," Harry grinned. He leaned back on his pillow and Malfoy returned to the spot just to the right of Harry's headstand where he'd been the last time the healer had come in.
The hangings were pulled back and Madame Pomfrey swept in. "I see you're awake, Mr. Potter. How's the headache?"
"It's fine, much better actually. Can I go back to my dorm then?" It was a long shot, but worth a try.
"Certainly not, you'll stay right here where I can keep an eye on you," the healer retorted. "How you managed to fool me the last time is beyond me, but I hear you ended up sleeping through your afternoon classes, and I'm quite sure you should have stayed. This time you will." Draco chuckled softly and Harry wondered how far the rumors had spread and what people were saying about that by now.
"As for you, Mr. Malfoy, I believe you've stood sentinel long enough. No one is going to be throwing beater bats at Mr. Potter while he's in here."
"If it's all the same to you, Madame Pomfrey, I'd rather stay," Malfoy responded without hesitating. "Beater bats aren't the only thing some of my housemates would like to throw at Potter, and they're quite good at sneaking around the castle undetected. They won't dare do anything, though, with a Slytherin prefect on the watch."
Madame Pomfrey seemed to consider this carefully, and she looked as though she would object. But as she studied Malfoy's face, her expression softened and she replied, "Very well, then. Suit yourself. But don't come crawling in here looking for a Sleeplessness Draft when you can't stay awake tomorrow. At least there are no classes tomorrow, it being Sunday." She finished examining Harry and bustled back out again, and Harry looked over at Malfoy.
"If you're staying, you might's well pull a bed over and relax. You wouldn't have a chessboard on you, would you?"
"I don't generally plan on carrying one through quidditch games, no," Malfoy smirked, "But I could probably transfigure one. Hold on," he pulled a wand from his robes, walked over to a supply shelf, pulled down some clean empty bottles, and changed them into an elegant looking chess board, green and silver squares on one side, red and gold on the other with crystal figures arranged into their proper places. He waved his wand again and a bed scooted over and stopped a foot away from Harry's. Harry smiled, placed a hover charm on the board so it would float between the beds, and Malfoy sat down on the new bed and moved a pawn to start the game.