The reunion with the Gryffindors was...odd. It was wonderful to see Ron and Hermione again, of course, but I didn't enjoy the resultant party in the commonroom nearly as much as I ought to; something seemed missing, casting a shadow over the whole thing. I dealt with it for a couple of hours, becoming increasingly lonely and down despite the joyous chaos around me. Ron and Hermione noticed; Ron seemed to chalk it up to the lingering effects of the potion, but I could tell Hermione was really concerned. I'd not told any of them about the mind-thing with Malfoy, other than that he'd been similarly effected. Ron had, predictably, gloated; Hermione had just looked thoughtful.
Finally I couldn't take it anymore; I reached out to that area of my awareness that was Draco.
:Malfoy?:
He responded almost too quickly, like he'd been waiting.
:Yes, Potter?:
I didn't really have anything to say...I felt like a moron. :Nothing, really, just wanted to check and see if the link was still active.:
:I'd say so. ...Things going alright over there?: He felt like he was glad to re-open the channel between us. I wondered briefly whether he'd been as lonely without it as I had, these last couple of hours. I didn't allow myself to be alarmed by this thought just then.
:...Sure, well enough. I suppose.:
:You seem...well, morose. You sure things are okay, Potter?:
I'd not expected him to be able to sense that. I fumbled for a few moments, then said, :Just feeling a bit...low. I guess. It's probably just the damned potion.:
He seemed to hesitate, then replied, :Yeah, probably. ...I'm...feeling a bit down myself. It must be the after-effects.:
:Yeah, it must be.:
Neither of us said anything for several seconds.
:Well, then, I'll just go back to the party, shall I?: I felt awkward and uncomfortable; I was terrified that he'd pick up on how empty not having him around had left me. I hated to think of myself as vulnerable like that. It had to be the potion.
:Yes, I suppose...have fun.: He sounded as reluctant to close off the channel as I felt. I raked my mind for a way to suggest we keep in touch without sounding overeager.
:Let me know if anything really interesting happens over there, will you? I could use a good laugh, or even just a distraction.: I didn't think that sounded too bad. My dignity was intact.
:Sure. You do the same, alright? Things are usually pretty dull here, actually.: He meant that, I could tell.
:Sure. Things are ALWAYS crazy here.: Almost without meaning to, I opened my eyes and ears to him and showed him what going on around me. :See?:
:Dear gods. Nothing like that ever happens here.: I felt myself drawn into his awareness again, and saw through his eyes; the Slytherin commonroom was much as I'd seen the one time I'd ever been in there, everyone huddled around the fireplace and occasionally murmuring to each other, like no one trusted anyone else at all, like they were all keeping as much as they could to themselves in case it ended up being useful. It was about as far from the usual Gryffindor chaos as I could imagine. If I had to live in an atmosphere like that, I'd probably be in a bad mood all the time too. :I resent that! I'm not always in a bad mood.: I'd forgotten to keep my thoughts hidden! I knew he felt my embarrassment.
:Er...sorry, Malfoy. It DOES seem like you are, sometimes.: I still felt like an ass.
:Well, I'm not.:
:Then stop acting like it!: And I made myself laugh. I knew I'd done it both mentally and physically when Hermione turned and looked at me concernedly.
It was worth it, though, because Draco returned hotly, :Fine! But I think the problem's just that you're oversensitive, Harry!:
:...Er...Harry, is it now?: I responded.
:Sorry, talking to someone mind-to-mind for two days encourages a bit of familiarity in me.: He sounded disgusted with himself.
:'S okay...DRACO.: I couldn't help putting a bit of bite into it.
:Fine then, HARRY. —Did that first-year just LICK Longbottom's toad?!?:
:She did! And I've no idea why! Let me ask.: And, what with one thing and another, we forgot to continue our burgeoning argument.
* * *
Our dreams mingled again that night; we found ourselves transferring unexpectedly between each other's awareness throughout the dreams, which were chaotic and tended to change subject and setting often and without warning, as one or the other of us took over with a forceful thought. We found ourselves doing things we'd never do within the dreams, behaving in ways we never would even in dreams, going places and confronting things we'd never even imagined. Through it all, despite the confusion and constant displacement, we were unquestionably WE. This didn't seem alarming until we woke up.
* * *