IN THE OWLERY
The opportunity to talk to Malfoy is offered to Harry just a few days after Ron suggested it. Harry has been giving it a lot of thought, and although he hasn't admitted it in front of his friends, he is aware that the possibility of him and Malfoy going to the ball together is something he has considered, albeit jokingly. Or dreamlike, he's not quite clear on the dividing line.
Ginny, who also seemed unhappy with the outcome of her siblings' experimental concoction, has tried to introduce him to some of her classmates who would be happy to go to the ball and would pay to go with Harry Potter, but he has declined the offer as politely as he can. Only Fred and George, who are brewing more concoction after what they have deemed a positive result despite Hermione's reprimand about ethical considerations, are celebrating the outcome of the experiment; though Harry suspects, given their dislike of Slytherins in general, that they are just being practical and it is their way of not picking at the wound.
It's the weekend and Harry has gone up to the Owlery to find an animal that can carry a letter to Sirius. He hasn't dared to tell him what happened with the experimental concoction, because his godfather is more occupied with the news from the Ministry and the network of former Death Eaters uncovered by the arrest of the fake Moody than with the sentimental gossip of a school ball, although he has said several times that he would have liked to have been at the castle at that time.
Malfoy is standing next to a Giant Eagle Owl, flapping its wings, pleased by the strips of dried meat the boy is feeding it as he speaks kindly to it. At the sight of him, Harry stops and looks around, making sure that the two of them are alone. Malfoy hasn't seen him arrive, so Harry takes the opportunity to watch him at his leisure. As always when he is alone, the Malfoy's face is relaxed and free of the disdainful expression he always seems to give everyone, and especially Harry. The smile with which he looks at the owl is sincere and the tone in which he speaks to him is affectionate. Not for the first time, Harry thinks that Fred and George are wrong and that Malfoy, if he smiles, is as cute a boy as any of those who have been pointed out to him as an alternative.
With a throat clearing, Harry politely tries to get Malfoy's attention. He turns to face him and, for a moment, his smile widens before fading into a serious look of suspicion.
"What are you doing here, Potter?"
"Hello to you too," says Harry, annoyed by the boy's defensive tone. Malfoy doesn't flinch and raises an eyebrow, insisting on a answer. "I was coming to feed the owls, but I guess I'll settle for sending a letter."
"You have your own owl," Malfoy points out, turning to the Giant Eagle Owl again.
Harry bites his lip, trying to improvise an excuse. "She just got back from a long trip and I don't want to tire her out, so I thought—"
"You are in demand." Harry blinks. He doesn't quite know how to take his words. There's clearly a taunt in the subtext, but it doesn't feel like it violates the truce they haven't spoken, just an equal exchange of barbs and sarcasm. Malfoy hands the owl a huge envelope, ignoring Harry, and speaks to him in a low voice. "Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. Straight to Dad, all right?"
"Is it yours?" Harry asks as the bird flies out of one of the tower's embrasures. Malfoy walks up to it, not leaning against the droppings-strewn wall, to watch the owl fly away. Harry, crumpled letter to Sirius in his hand, mimics him. It's one of the tallest towers in the castle, but he doesn't feel a hint of vertigo, used as he is to flying on a broomstick.
"No." Malfoy finally replies, when Harry thought he wasn't going to. "But Wiltshire is a long way from Scotland, and if he's rested, I'd rather he made the journey than one of the smaller owls, so— Let's just say he's an old acquaintance."
"That's good," says Harry, feeling stupid for doing so, especially when Malfoy looks sideways at him with a raised eyebrow.
The feeling of talking civilly to Malfoy dissipates instantly, as the blond guy doesn't add anything else and Harry doesn't know what else to say. He wants, as Ron and Hermione said, to ask him about what happened at the Quidditch World Cup, about his father, about whether he still thinks of Hermione as a Mudblood even though he no longer uses the term, but any possible conversation started in this way is more likely to end in a fight than a reasonable answer. So, he stays by his side, silent, feeling the autumn air and enjoying the view from the castle. And, though they are silent for longer than might be comfortable between two people, Harry doesn't feel it, and regrets it when Malfoy breaks away from the embrasure and, with a nod of his head, bids Harry farewell to leave the Owlery with graceful steps.
"Malfoy!" says Harry, trying to stop him, though he still hasn't thought about what he wants to say to him. Malfoy stands in the doorway and looks at him with a spark of interest in his grey eyes. Harry walks over to him, dodging the poles on which the owls rest and avoiding a couple of annoying pecks.
"Are you going to ask me again if I want to go to the ball with you?" asks Malfoy, seeing that Harry is standing in front of him, not adding anything more, in a suspicious tone.
"No! Just—" Harry licks his lips, trying to think how to address the issue.
"Obviously not, Potter," says Malfoy, rolling his eyes. Harry curses silently, for not getting the joke.
"It's— I— Thank you." Malfoy's eyebrow rises in disbelief to his thin, blonde hairline, distracting Harry for a second. "For the Quidditch World Cup. For warning us to go the other way. It couldn't have been easy, knowing you could probably get in trouble with your dad and— Anyway, thanks for the warning."
Malfoy's face transforms as he hears his words. Suddenly, he is expressionless, though his eyes betray the emotions he is feeling inside. Harry doesn't know what Malfoy is thinking, or if his awkward thank you will be enough to get the answer he wants, but he senses, or as Hermione would say, wishes to sense, that the way Malfoy's silver irises have clouded with emotion is a good sign. Malfoy says nothing, however, just nods again and turns to go downstairs. Harry, disconcerted by the abrupt end to the conversation, follows him down a couple of steps.
"Weren't you supposed to send a letter, Potter?" says Malfoy, stopping when he notices Harry following him.
"I— Yes? Yes!" Harry nods, scrunching up the parchment on which he has written Padfoot's name so as not to give Sirius away. Annoyed at having to end his conversation with Malfoy now that he has dared to bring up one of his dilemmas, he retreats back to the Owlery. Malfoy continues down the tower steps, but before he gets too far away, he speaks one last time, without looking back.
"I'm glad you picked up on it, Potter. I had my suspicions that it might have been too subtle for you."
It still takes Harry several more minutes to react, and by the time he does, there is no sign of Malfoy on the stairs. He descends several steps, again, before remembering the letter for Sirius in his hand and returning to the Owlery once more to post it. Before sending it, he rummages in his pockets for an enchanted quill with ink to add a postscript to Sirius, this time telling him what has happened between him and Malfoy over the past few weeks. Distracted, still thinking about Malfoy's words, he takes several pecks from the grumpy tawny owl of his choice on this occasion for not paying proper attention, but, oddly enough, he doesn't mind enough to stop smiling.
When, the next day, he catches a glimpse of Malfoy at breakfast, Harry's usual gruff nod of the head is spiced with a smile, which Malfoy reciprocates for a few milliseconds, before turning to Parkinson and whispering something in her ear.
Final notes: It was frustrating to translate the names of the owls. In English they are all 'name+owl'. In Spanish, however, we speak of 'búhos' and 'lechuzas' as two different animals. The bird that carries Sirius' letter here is called 'cárabo'. We call the Eagle Owl used by Malfoy in this chapter an 'búho real', while Hedwig is a 'búho nival'. Errol is an 'lechuza' and Pidwidgeon is a 'autillo europeo'.
