"You're not going to ask how my engagement last night was, then?" Draco asks as soon as he walks into the regular room after the work day comes to a close. "I thought your manners were better than that."

"My manners are just fine," says Harry. "That's why it's not bloody freezing in this room."

"Warming Charm?"

"The best I had."

"Well done."

"And since I know you won't let up till I ask, how was last night for you?" Harry rolls his eyes as he's asking.

"It was just fine. Thanks for asking. My mother's doing reasonably well, though I imagine she'll be somewhere warmer by the end of the next week."

"Oh, you were with your mother?"

"Of course. Every Monday I am." Draco smirks. "If I'd had a date, you know I would've boasted about it as much as possible on Saturday."

"True."

"So, what are we doing today?"

Harry looks down at Hermione's notes. "Looks like she just wants us to review."

"That seems like a waste of time." Draco frowns. "Should we move on to the next one, then?"

"Oh, she put a note at the bottom." Harry scans it, looks up, and smiles. "I'm supposed to lead, she says. Just in case you ever wanted to give that up."

"I don't," Draco says flatly.

"Well, I suppose that's too bad, then." Harry turns on the dreaded song again and gets into position. Draco sighs heavily and allows himself to be led by Harry, however reluctantly.

"I suppose this isn't awful," says Draco a few seconds in. "Takes some of the pressure off. If we make any major mistakes, it's on your head."

"How do you figure that?"

"Well, you're the one in charge."

"In that case, I'll be more careful than usual," Harry says. "Don't want to get blamed for breaking or spraining or straining any part of a Malfoy. Or anyone, really."

"How compassionate of you. You know, I'm loath to admit it, but Hermione had a good idea with these lessons." Draco allows himself to be tugged gracefully across the room, and Harry, not for the first time, notes how well they seem to move together. Not out loud, of course. "I'm not going to be nearly as embarrassed at the next gala." He pauses. "Unless I have to dance with a woman. It's not going to be the same."

"Are you saying you prefer me as your partner?"

"Whatever you say, Potter." Draco's smiling. Harry smiles back and, as soon as he catches himself doing so, stares fixedly at the wall behind Draco's ear.

"You can smile at me, you know," says Draco. "The grinning at the wall, that's a bit eerie. I'd prefer your grin in my face to somewhere behind me."

"But then we both have to acknowledge that we're enjoying each other's company," Harry says. "And I don't know if I can handle that."

"If I can, then you certainly can."

"Will you lead again? I get the feeling I'm not as good at this as I could be."

"And disobey dear Hermione's instructions? I thought you'd never ask." Draco swiftly repositions his hands and Harry follows suit.

"There's another match this weekend," says Draco. "Catapults again, but they're playing the Cannons this time. The Cannons are a little closer to what you'd call your team, right?"

"How'd you know that?"

"I've been by your office before. You've got a poster."

Harry nods. Seems reasonable enough, although why Draco would be around his department, he's not sure. "Well, it's Ron's poster, but I've more or less adopted an alliance to them."

"Are you interested in going, then? Theo's going to be there too, and his cousin Ali."

"How'd you swing four tickets?" Harry asks.

Draco shrugs. "I can swing as many as I want at any time. If you really want to make things interesting, we could invite Ron and Hermione, see how that goes."

"Are you serious? I know you're alright with them now, but a social engagement, that seems a bit much."

"I'm already hanging about with you all the time lately. It feels only natural to bring your other halves along."

"How can one person have two more halves?"

"Do you want them to go or not?" Draco's tone is teasing but firm enough for Harry to know he wants an answer, and soon, perhaps to allow himself plenty of mental prep time.

"I'll ask and I'm sure as soon as he knows it's the Cannons, Ron will convince Hermione it's a good idea," says Harry. "And, hey, thanks. It'll ... I think it'll mean a lot to them." He pauses. "And to me. It's ... I like being friends with you."

"It's not the worst thing in the world, is it?"

"Far from it." The song ends again and Draco lets go of Harry's hand after a beat or two. "I'm meant to have dinner with Pansy and her new boyfriend tonight. She likes my approval, no matter how much she'd never admit it." Draco cocks his head to the side and seems to examine Harry before saying, "She's sorry, you know, about how she treated you when we were at school."

Harry rolls his eyes. "We were children. I wasn't particularly nice to her, either."

"So I should tell her it's OK, then?"

"Does she know we're friends?"

"She might have some idea." Draco looks at the floor and Harry wonders if he's seeing an embarrassed Draco Malfoy for the first time in either of their lives. It's endearing, really, more than Harry wants it to be.

"Tell her it's OK, then," says Harry. "If it's really still on her mind, then she should know that."

Draco throws his satchel over his shoulder and clasps Harry's shoulder. "You're a good man, Harry Potter," he says with a half smile before turning on his heel and walking away. Harry doesn't have to wonder why his shoulder feels a few degrees warmer all of a sudden.