The sun was beating down on Gilderoy as he walked up the steps of the hospital four days later. His talk with the doctor earlier that day had gone well, and he took the steps two at a time. He was humming slightly to himself.

He pushed the door open and made his way to the reception desk. The nurse there looked up, her eyes widening slightly. "You're back already?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yes, I…oh," Gilderoy said, slightly delayed in catching her meaning. "No. I'm here to visit someone."

"Who?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

The nurse stared at him, then turned and walked through a door behind the desk. A few minutes later she came through another door to Gilderoy's right. She gestured for him to follow her.

She led him into the main hall, the one he knew so well. The other patients had their visitors, but Lucius was nowhere to be seen.

"He'll be with you in a moment," she said, as though she were announcing a business meeting. It was appropriate, Gilderoy thought, as it was a business meeting of a sort.

Lucius came in soon after the nurse had left, escorted by Geoffrey. His hair was lank, but other than that, he looked well. Gilderoy smiled at him. Lucius ignored him entirely and went to his usual corner of the room. Gilderoy dragged a chair over to sit next to him.

"Hello, Lucius," he said brightly.

Lucius cleared his throat but said nothing.

"Still in confinement?" Gilderoy ventured.

Lucius glared at him. "Whatever –" He had to clear his throat again before continuing. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"You haven't talked to anyone in a while."

"Yes, well, it's not like there's anyone for me to talk to in there."

"I talked to your doctor here."

"Oh?"

"You're on involuntary, aren't you? Can't leave until someone comes for you?"

"I believe that's confidential information, Gilderoy, unless you're the one that's going to…" Lucius froze for a moment, then said, "I suddenly don't like the way this is going." He stood up. "It was a nice try, but I'm not interested."

Gilderoy reached up and grabbed Lucius' arm, jerking him back down into a sitting position. "Oh, come on, Lucius! It's not going to be that bad. What are your choices? Stay here?"

"If getting out means leaving with you, I'd rather stay in confinement." He started to stand up again, only to be dragged back down. "People are starting to stare, Gilderoy."

"Then sit down." Lucius gave him a dirty look, but remained where he was. "Will you at least listen now?" Gilderoy asked.

Lucius said nothing. Gilderoy took the silence as a "yes".

"All right, I already talked to your doctor, as I said. He told me you're on involuntary. I can get you out of involuntary and out of here if you want me to."

"What's the catch?"

"There is no -"

"I'm insulted. Do you really think I'm that moronic? The catch, Lockhart."

"I told you, no catch. Conditions." Lucius rolled his eyes, but didn't interrupt. "You continue to go to therapy. You don't pull any more of the self-mutilation things. You live with me, and you don't run away. You stay until you're summoned by your family, or if you have no family, someone that will make sure you won't hurt yourself again."

"And there's something in it for you, I'm assuming."

"Well -"

"Say it."

"You help me regain my knowledge of the magical world."

"Who would be paying for my therapy, you or myself?"

"I would, of course."

"You don't have that kind of money," Lucius sneered.

"Actually, I -"

"They let you keep it after you were exposed?"

"Well, who would testify against me?" Gilderoy said blankly. Lucius leaned forward and started coughing a bit. Gilderoy wasn't sure if that was because he was becoming ill, he was trying to cover another reaction, or if he just had something in his throat.

When Lucius regained his breath, he said "Now I want you to hear my conditions if this arrangement is going to work at all, which I doubt."

"You mean you're going to -"

"I didn't say anything yet, Lockhart. Curb your enthusiasm."

Lockhart fell silent.

"Better." Lucius shifted slightly, resettling himself in the chair. "First of all, you allow me to come and go as I please. Second, this will not turn into a courtship thing - "

"A courtship thing?"

"If you start trying to kiss me again, or if you start taking me on dates and showing me off, I will not be a happy person. I'll come straight back here if it comes to that."

"Of course I wouldn't do that!" Gilderoy said. "Showing you off…especially since you're still so much in denial…"

"…what?"

"Well, you're obviously still in the closet…"

"Like you're not?"

Gilderoy ignored that, saying "So you can come and go as you please, and I don't attempt to date you. Anything else before we leave?"

"There are other things, but I suppose they can wait."

"So you're coming."

"You never fail to amaze me, Lockhart."

"Thank you!" Gilderoy said, grinning. Lucius rolled his eyes, and this time Gilderoy didn't wonder, but knew there was something he wasn't getting.