Draco Malfoy went to sleep early that night with a smile on his lips.
Meanwhile, Curt Finn was finally reaching the Hufflepuff common room. It wasn't empty - in fact, it was nearly full - and all conversation had died as he set foot inside the door. Means that they were all talking about me, I suppose. Should be used to it by now, he thought hatefully, Figured without the scar, I'd be done with all that.
A small second year (he thought, he vaguely remembered seeing her sorted over a year ago. The blond braids were distinctive) looked at him with big eyes, "Are you really friends with Draco Malfoy?"
Great, another thing to "thank" Malfoy for. First day, and already the entire house is staring at me. Still, it's Hufflepuff. So at least they don't hate me, yet. Curt leaned forward, pitching his voice low as he said to the younger girl, "Seems so, now, doesn't it?"
A thin, lanky second year (how was he taller than Cedric, even? That was totally not fair) spoke up, "You shouldn't be friends with him. Last year, he threw me in the lake with my clothes on."
"Really?" Curt Finn asked, a smile tugging at his lips.
"It was December, and I walked back the whole way in wet clothes." The boy continued. "Missed the next week of class too, sick abed."
Shite, Curt thought, that was serious. Harry took a deep breath, and said loudly, "Anyone else concerned with my friendship with Malfoy?" The eyes trained on him from around the room meant that nobody needed to really say a word. Though, Curt Finn hoped that Malfoy hadn't been tussling with the seventh years. Even a Hufflepuff was dangerous if he was that far advanced over you.
"I choose to come here, to House Hufflepuff. The house of friendship." Curt Finn slowly spun his head around the room, meeting people's eyes at random, and hoping he was doing this right. "So, no, I'm not going to spurn his friendship."
A low rumbling started around the room, and the looks turned decidedly unfriendly. "As a member of this house, I will make certain that My Friend Malfoy doesn't touch a hair on any Hufflepuff's head, be they big or small."
"Easy for you to say," Sue Bones said, challengingly. "Lotta talk for being new around here."
"Proof's in the Pudding," Harry responded calmly, his insides churning, "So you let me know if Malfoy steps out of line."
A fourth year whom Harry Potter vaguely recognized spoke up from the side of the room, "Make him apologize, that's the least you could do, friend."
Curt Finn paused for a moment, closing his eyes and breathing in, and then out. He spun, his sharp eyes meeting the fourth year's, as Curt said, "Two weeks. He'll apologize in two weeks, or I'm no Hufflepuff." Or, he's not my friend, Harry Potter thought, grim determination fighting with glee. Presenting Malfoy with a forked path was akin to giving Malfoy a chance to break it off.
[a/n: That last bit - in case it's not clear - Harry knows he's supposed to be helping bring people together, but It's Malfoy, and Ron Will Hate Me, are both getting in the way of "What I Should Do".
And yes, about two people saw him. Even Hufflepuff loves to gossip.
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