Back at camp, Malfoy pulled Harry aside and into the tent. "Look," he began, "I may have been a bit of an arse to you lately."

Harry snorted at that. "A bit, yes," he said. "Practically infinitesimal. You've been an arse, no doubt about it, since I met you in Madam Malkin's before first year."

"True enough, I'm sure. But - well, look, I'm sorry about all that. I mean, apparently I'm going to be dead by morning. That sort of thing tends to make a fellow look back on his life." He half-smiled. "I'm sure you know what I mean. Anyway, look, you Gryffindors are supposed to be honorable and chivalrous and all that rot, so I expect you'll have the decency to honor a last wish or two. Make sure Ginny's out of here by tomorrow night, will you? She's safe tonight, I suppose, if they're focusing on me, but I don't want her hanging around here any longer than necessary." Malfoy hesitated. "And... well, just look after her. She picked you. That's fair. But if I find you're not taking care of her properly, I'll hang around haunting you so badly you won't be able to hear yourself think. And I assure you, I can be much more vexing than Peeves when I want to be."

Harry looked up sharply at that. "Do you think you'll be a ghost?" he asked. "I mean - sorry. I wouldn't want to talk about it, if I were in your shoes. But I asked Nearly Headless Nick about it, once, and he told me you have to choose it the moment you die, and then that's it forever, no second chances. Do you think you're going to?"

"Why would you Nearly Headless-" Malfoy shook his head and put up one hand as if in self-defense. "Don't answer that, please. I honestly am sorry for being such a prat all these years, but I don't want to actually be your friend."

"Oh, believe me, Malfoy, I wasn't harboring any illusions. Besides, if you were my friend, I'd have to actually like you."

"Exactly." Draco gave an amiable little nod. "Anyway, I think - oh, for Merlin's sake. He's standing thirty feet behind you and looking at me over your shoulder. Doesn't he have anything better to do?"

Harry blinked. "Sorry, who?"

"My father, idiot. Except that I suppose I ought to call him something else, since it's not really him." Malfoy sighed. "Anyway, never mind him. No, don't look, you won't be able to see anything and it'll only give him the satisfaction of knowing he's getting to me. What were we talking about?"

"Ghosts." Harry tried to glance inconspicuously over his shoulder. "Do you think they can even see people besides whoever they're after?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Probably. It's easier to find someone if you can find the people they spend time with. Anyway, the trouble with being a ghost is that you can't change your mind afterward. I'd hate to decide that was what I wanted and then not have anywhere to haunt - I'm sure the ghosts at the manor wouldn't have me, and it would just be horribly depressing to haunt the officers' barracks, so I'd be stuck lurking around corners at Hogwarts forever. Wretched way to spend eternity. I don't think I'll do it."

Harry nodded slowly. "I don't suppose you have a portrait somewhere?"

"There's one in the manor. There was, anyway. I don't know if it's still there. I wouldn't be surprised if they've started throwing darts at it over brandy in the evenings. Even if they haven't, it wouldn't be much use. Mum had it done when I was six. I expect spending eternity as a six-year-old is even worse than spending it in the company of that soppy Hufflepuff ghost." He yawned. "Anyway, I only came back here so I could feel I'd made my peace with everyone I ought to. If you don't mind, I'll be spending the night off in the woods somewhere. You and Granger have probably seen enough corpses for one week."

"Right. I appreciate it. Well... thanks. And apology accepted. And I guess I ought to apologize for my side of things as well."

"Oh, not at all."

"Shut up." Harry held out one hand, blushing fiercely. "I am sorry, you know. We've been on the same side for years now, and I've spent the whole time holding stupid schoolboy grudges. I should have grown up ages ago."

"We both should have." Malfoy put his hand out as well, also blushing, with an end result that might have been suitable for the Most Awkward Handshake world finals. "Well. Goodbye, then, Captain."

"Don't."

"Oh, for - well, what do you want me to call you now, then?"

Harry shrugged. "It's not as if we're great friends, but using names wouldn't be out of place."

"All right. Goodbye, then - ugh, you don't mean I have to call you Harry, do you?"

"Merlin, no. I'd have to call you Draco if you did, and I don't think I could stomach that. Potter will do."

"Right. Shall we try this again?"

"Goodbye, Malfoy." Harry reached out to shake his hand again, more surely this time. "For a complete prat, you're not a bad lieutenant."

"And you're not a bad captain." Malfoy smiled crookedly. "For a complete prat. Goodbye, Potter."