Chapter Nineteen

'Oh my God, Draco Malfoy just kissed me.'

I shot up out of the bed; there was no trace of fog left in my brain at that point I can assure you.

'He was drunk.' I tried to rationalize it.

I knew I had to get out of the bedroom, and I retreated to the main sitting room, looking back at the desk with the two emptied tumblers. I smelled the bottoms of the glasses, and then the bottle, tested them with a spell for potions and poisons; nope, nothing but regular alcohol therein. I could find no other sinister culprit.

'Draco Malfoy got drunk and then kissed me.'

I had to get that thought out of my head. I cleaned the glasses with another spell, re-corked the decanter, and hid them all back away in the desk.

'It had to be because he was drunk.'

I continued the conversation with myself in my head, probably because of the shock of the whole thing.

'Why the hell would he kiss me?'

I looked back at him sleeping on the bed and thought of another problem.

'I have to get him out of here without anybody seeing us.'

I checked my watch, dinner would be starting in just a few moments, the dorms would be deserted, and that might be my only hope. But I couldn't just levitate him out into the halls, I didn't have my invisibility cloak with me, who'd thought I'd need it today, besides, I didn't know the Slytherin password to get him back to his own bed. I couldn't just sit there and watch him until he woke up, I had to stop looking at him or the rapid voices in my head weren't going to stop.

'Draco Malfoy kissed me.'

Bloody Hell, I finally cursed out loud. I wondered if I shouldn't just retrieve that bottle and have another drink to calm my own nerves. I thought better of that fairly quickly.

'I need help, but someone who won't ask me any questions.' That let out Ron and Hermione for sure, they might have done a lot of strange things at my behest in the past, but there was no way they were going to let this one go. Professor Sinistra? Nope, another bad one there, she'd have to report Draco for being drunk, and he had enough problems as it was, and I just couldn't do that to him.

'Kreacher?' Yes, that could work. I waited a few more minutes, till I was certain that the dinner tables would be full, and not quite knowing if it would work or not, spoke his name, and a quiet plea out loud.

"Kreacher, I need your help, please."

Now don't ask me how it happened, I still know very little about house elves even to this day, but with a tiny little pop, there he was in front of me. House elf magic apparently transcended the no apparating spells around the castle grounds.

"Master needs help?"

"Oh thank God Kreacher." His little face beamed, as much as a house elf can beam, at the obvious relief in my voice. "Kreacher, my friend Draco has had too much to drink and I need to get him back to his own bed without anyone seeing us, I don't want him to get into trouble. Can you help me?"

"Of course Harry Potter, Kreacher knows many passages around the castle, and has many elves to help him. No one will see, I promise master that Kreacher will make Draco Malfoy safe."

"It's just really important that no one sees him like this."

"Master Harry Potter mustn't worry, Draco Malfoy is friend of Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy will be safe with Kreacher."

"Thank you so much Kreacher." I had no doubt of the little house elf's words or his spirit. He shooed me off to my dinner so that I would not find my own trouble and promptly took charge of Draco.

The Great Hall was still set up in rounds and I found Ron and Hermione, as well as Neville and Luna just ready to tuck into their dinners. Ginny was at another table with some of her girl friends, and Dean and a few other boys, I was really not interested in who they were and I got myself settled with my friends, apologizing for my tardiness.

Another house elf appeared with a wink, which I supposed was a message from Kreacher, and handed me a clean plate and set of silverware. I helped myself to the dishes spread out on the table, and took a long drink of juice. I hadn't realized how dry the glass of port had left my mouth, or perhaps it was the panic. I wanted to forget for a while, but unknowingly my friends made that difficult.

"So where's Draco then?" Hermione asked, as if she had expected him to join us. I realized that I did like that sentiment on her part.

"He was headed back to his dorm first, I'm sure he's around somewhere." I lied, but I didn't feel bad about it, his drinking had been a good part my fault, it was me that had discovered his secret, and had forced him back into those memories.

"He probably wants to sit with some of the Slytherin anyways." Ron added as he helped himself to another ladle-full of stew. "He can't spend all his time with you Harry, people will talk."

I laughed nervously, and took a bite of my own dinner, trying not to choke.

"Any plans for the evening then?" Ron continued. "Going back to work on Snape's room?"

"No, I think I'll leave that be till tomorrow."

"Excellent, then a game of wizard's chess?"

Ron was an excellent chess player, and the game was just what I needed to distract me right then. I agreed happily, anything to take my mind off of Draco. It's not that I wasn't concerned about him, I was, but I didn't want to think back to that kiss, because every time I did I got this uncomfortable fluttering in my chest. Ron beat me, of course, I never did have much luck beating him at chess, and that was okay with me. It was like being back to our first years at Hogwarts, mostly carefree; except that large-scale version we'd had to play, but I didn't want to think about that either. Hermione was tucked up in a chair behind Ron reading another book, the fireplace in the common room was crackling merrily, and it was so blissfully benign for a while.

I even felt good heading up to my bed, I can't explain the calm, but it was nice. I had pulled off my shirt when I heard a familiar 'pop' behind me and turned to find Kreacher.

"Master's friend Draco is still sleeping, all safe. Kreacher will check on him again in a few hours."

"Thank you Kreacher." He held his hand out for my shirt.

"Give to Kreacher, I will take care of it for Master."

"Kreacher?"

"Yes Master?"

"I want to ask you something."

"Of course, another task? Kreacher is happy to help Master Harry Potter."

"No, not a task Kreacher; something for you to think about. I wonder, when school is over, if you would consider coming back to the house with me?"

"If Master orders Kreacher he will come."

"I don't want to order you Kreacher. I want to invite you. I need you. I can't cook, or look after myself very well. And, well, I don't want to be alone there. I really would like to have a friend at home."

"Kreacher will always look after Harry Potter."

"If it's what you want Kreacher, I know you like it here at Hogwarts, and you have lots of friends here, and I have made a lot of renovations to the place, so you might not recognize it. I can't offer you much except me as a companion. Oh, and your own room, and we'll buy you nice furniture, and I'll even give you a wage for everything." I noticed I was still talking rapidly, as my brain had been doing to me earlier. I now recognize it as nervousness on my part.

"A room, furniture, wages?" Kreacher didn't seem to understand what I was offering initially.

"Yes, Kreacher, so it will be your home too? And you'll have money to buy things for yourself, things you like."

"Kreacher likes shinny, pretty things."

"Will you think about it?"

"Already have, Kreacher will be honored to live with and look after Master Harry Potter. And Harry Potter will not be alone, Harry Potter will have many friends come to visit; Hermione and Ron and Draco friends, and Kreacher will make wonderful food for all to share, and everyone will be happy."

I wanted to cry at that, I think I was just so overwhelmed with everything that had been going on, that I didn't have the energy left to hold them back. And besides, Kreacher didn't care if a few tears leaked down my cheeks anyways.

"Have a look at these catalogues and pick out whatever you want for your room Kreacher and we'll order it." I held out the furniture catalogue to him.

He took the booklet from me hesitantly; though once I had let go of it he clutched it to his chest as if it was the most precious thing he had ever seen.

"My room?"

"Your room Kreacher."

I had never seen Kreacher smile so wide before, it practically swallowed his whole face and it was so genuine and beautiful to me. He scurried off with a little bow and I crawled into bed, closed my eyes and willed sleep to take me.

It didn't; at least not right away.