The Halloween masquerade ball was approaching and Harry was full of ideas. McGonagall had impressed upon the eighth-year students that the upperclassmen were expected to participate in spite of their well-practiced teenage cynicism. Much time was spent discussing costume ideas, from the mundane to the spectacular sort that would require advanced magic.

And while discussing their options was fine, sharing their final decisions was not. There was a shared sense of secrecy around their costume selections, and everyone hoped to sweep into the Great Hall to the surprise and delight of the other attendees.

Harry knew what he wanted to do for his costume, but it was risky. It would take some magic, and it would take some acting. And he might not be able to pull it off. He kept his idea to himself, not even giving in when Hermione needled him for hints. She saw no need to conceal her costume idea from Ron and Harry, reminding them both that friends don't keep secrets. Harry refused to crack.

"The dress underneath is totally normal," Hermione explained as they sat near the fire in the common room. "Actually quite plain. But the illusion of the celestial sphere whirling around it with all of the planets and heavenly bodies in motion," her eyes took on a faraway glaze, imagining the spectacle. "Honestly, have you ever seen anyone dressed as the whole universe before? It will be grand."

"You'll look brilliant," Ron agreed, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head.

"Have you seen what Ron has worked up for his Hagrid costume?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"No," Harry shook his head at the absurd idea.

"It's not even magical," Ron said modestly. "Just a bushy black wig and a bushy black beard and some stilts."

"When he sees you he'll laugh hard enough to shake the rafters," Hermione insisted. "It's the voice that makes it. Ron has perfected his Hagrid imitation and he's going to do it all night."

"You'll be a hit," Harry agreed.

"You have to tell us what you're doing. I'll bet it's special," Hermione wheedled, trying once again to pry it out of him.

"It really doesn't make sense to keep it from us," Ron reminded him.

"Okay fine," Harry took a breath. "I'm going as Draco Malfoy."

His friends looked at him like he'd sprouted a second head. "Why would you do that?" Ron didn't try to conceal his dismay.

"It will be hilarious," Harry insisted. "I have a little sack of fake Galleons and I'm going to pay people around me to do my bidding."

"That's actually pretty funny," Hermione agreed. "Does he know?"

"No," Harry said nervously. "I think he'll think it's funny. But he might not."

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look. They didn't know the extent of Harry and Malfoy's interaction, but they knew the two boys had become somewhat friendly lately. Everyone knew. The infamous rivalry was dead, and no one really knew how to process the change.

"Let's hope he has a sense of humor about it," Hermione said. "Otherwise you might have to dodge a curse."

"Yeah, better wear running shoes," Ron said morosely.

Harry really wasn't sure it would go well. It seemed like a great idea. And since it had become so obvious to everyone that he and Malfoy were no longer enemies, it seemed like the right way to put it out in the open so no one felt like they had to whisper about it. If it went well, Malfoy would have a laugh and realize it was all in good fun,. If it went poorly, Malfoy might never speak to him again. But he had to believe it wouldn't go poorly.

The night of the ball Harry assembled his costume. He wore a black fitted shirt and black slacks. He slipped a black suit jacket over his shoulders and wrapped a green and gray scarf he'd found in Hogsmeade around his shoulders. Next he worked a series of spells to lighten his hair, a temporary set of charms that would be lifted the next day. When he'd managed to raise the color all the way to platinum blond he stopped. It wasn't a great color on him, but it was right on point for the costume.

Next he added sticky product to the wild mess and coaxed his hair into shape. He combed and combed, pushing it until it laid over to the side. He cast another charm to hold it into place. His hair wasn't used to being told what to do; it was the most time consuming part of the costume. Lastly he cast an invisibility spell on his glasses, which hid them from sight but still permitted him to see clearly.

It was a surprisingly good likeness.

He stepped up to the mirror and inspected himself head to toe. The colors and styles were correct, but he was missing something. He drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders. He furrowed his brow and affected a mildly disapproving gaze. He relaxed his body and shifted his weight languidly to one leg. There, that was better. The secret, he realized, was less about looking like Malfoy, which he certainly couldn't do convincingly enough, and more about striking the right attitude.

A flurry of taps at his door told him Hermione and Ron were ready. He unlocked it and cracked it open, making sure none of their housemates were outside. The underclassmen had long since cleared out, and were already gathered in the Great Hall, stuffing their faces with Halloween goodies and dancing to lively music.

"Merlin, look at you!" Ron ducked his head to clear the doorway and stepped in on his stilts. He looked absolutely absurd, all height and fake hair, none of the mass that truly identified Hagrid in a crowd.

"Your hair!" Hermione squealed, entering behind Ron, her dress a whirling incandescent riot of stars and planetary objects.

"How do I look? Can I pull it off?" Harry affected the Malfoy posture again and sneered at them disdainfully.

"I can't believe you're going through with it," Ron looked down at him in amazement. "He's going to murder you."

"No he won't," Hermione stepped around Harry to get a view from all angles. As she moved comets sparked off of her dress, spiraling and fizzling like tiny fireworks. "Actually, he might."

"Let's hope not," Harry's stomach turned flips. He suddenly thought this wasn't such a good idea. He wondered if he should call it off.

"Don't you dare change your mind," Ron recognized the look on his face. He seized Harry's shoulder and propelled him out of the room. "Let's go."

They made their way carefully down from the tower, slower than usual due to Ron's relative inexperience with stilts. Hermione's dress was mesmerizing, and a couple of ghosts actually stumbled through walls while hypnotized by the undulating whirl of stars. They could hear the ball before reaching the doors, full of laughter and music and student voices.

The doors swung open and Ron entered, sending up a cheer of delight as the crowd recognized his costume. He growled out a few thickly accented phrases, kicking off a flurry of laughter. Hagrid himself came down from the head table and grabbed Ron up in a bear hug. He thumped his back until he nearly toppled over. He posed with his costumed doppelganger and beamed proudly.

Hermione entered next, and the girls in the hall all breathed a sigh of envy as she twirled to show off the multicolored spin of solar systems and binary stars. A small smattering of applause showed appreciation for the skill, but to be honest Ron's costume was a hard act to follow.

It was Harry's turn. He conjured a quick mirror spell and checked his appearance. He was spot on. He dissolved the mirror and stowed his wand away, lifted his chin and checked his pockets for the fake galleon coins. Taking a breath he strode through the doors and raised an eyebrow, gazing disdainfully around at the crowd. The students fell silent, gobsmacked over the sight.

"Well now," Harry spoke loudly, in his best impression of Malfoy's accent and tone. "Someone fetch me a drink before I buy out this whole party." He dug into his pocket and tossed a few of the false coins into the crowd.

The silence shattered in an explosion of applause and laughter. The students hooted and hollered, rushing forward and bracing him further into the hall. Shining faces surrounded him, ecstatic over the playful impression and all wanting him to say more in Malfoy's voice. If he were to judge the success of the costume by crowd reaction alone, he would say he'd done a smashingly good job.

Just then the Great Hall doors smashed open with an enormous clatter. Everyone jumped and hushed, startled into silence. A voice pealed across the open space.

"Where's the snitch?" the voice shouted with an edge of hysteria. "I've got it!" A boy with dark messy hair, glasses, and dressed head to toe in red and gold Gryffindor quidditch gear bolted into the hall. He skidded to a halt in the middle of the crowd and swung a large butterfly net with a large, oversized golden snitch snared inside the interlocking twine. He held it aloft triumphantly, his face beaming. A large red lightning bolt zig-zagged across his forehead, now visible to everyone. The torches that lined the hall glinted off of his glasses, setting off sparkles in his gray eyes.

Once again the crowd burst into cheers. Harry's mouth dropped open at the sight, too stunned to join the celebration that thundered throughout the room. The students surged again, this time surrounding the boy in the Harry Potter costume, grasping his arms and gushing with appreciation.

"He outdid you," Ron said above Harry's head.

"You have to hand to Malfoy," Hermione agreed. "He knows how to make an entrance."

Sensing the opportunity for a confrontation, the students bore Malfoy-Potter towards Potter-Malfoy. The two boys stared at each other, mouths twisted as they both tried to hold back their laughter. Harry slipped his wand out of his holster and struck a comically exaggerated attack pose. Malfoy immediately did the same, one arm held awkwardly above his head as though for balance. They pointed and jabbed and cast harmless gibberish spells in a ridiculous duel.

The crowd cheered again, loving the mock standoff. After a moment Harry and Malfoy broke the pose and thanked the crowd, bowing as though the whole thing had been planned. They each stowed their wands and approached each other as the throng dispersed. The two boys smirked at each other in a blend of amusement and disbelief.

"And I was worried you'd be cross with me," Harry laughed, throwing his arms up in surrender.

"I wasn't worried," Malfoy shrugged, his languid posture breaking the Potter-esque illusion. "Although I thought you might not like the scar."

"You wouldn't be me without it," Harry grinned at the absurdity of his statement.

The crowd surged again and the two boys were drawn further into the hall, forced by their coincidental costumes to remain paired up as student after student approached to have their picture taken with the reversed duo. As the event reached its peak Headmistress McGonagall stood up from the head table and announced awards for the array of costumed students in attendance. She awarded house points for most creative, most skilled, funniest, scariest, and most colorful.

"Lastly," her voice rang out clearly as the celebrations over house points spread throughout the assembly, "the award for best overall costume is a tie. Fifty points for Gryffindor and fifty points to Slytherin for the outstanding Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy costumes." More cheers and more house celebrations followed, as the crowd summarily agreed with her decision.

Hugs, handshakes, and more photography followed as everyone wanted a chance to tell Harry and Malfoy how much they enjoyed their efforts. Harry handed out fake galleons to anyone who responded with appropriate deference to his commanding tone. Malfoy ranted like a madman, pretending to hallucinate golden snitches behind every partygoer. It was more exhausting than Harry had anticipated.

As the celebration wound down Malfoy plucked his sleeve and nodded in the direction of the exit. They slipped out of the Great Hall and through the enormous front gate. They dashed across the courtyard to the steps that led down to the lake. Malfoy dodged to the left, tucking behind the courtyard wall and finding a seat along the low brick steps.

"I couldn't take another minute of that," Malfoy slumped over with exhaustion. He went to rub his eyes and bumped his large round glasses.

"It was fun, though," Harry's cheeks were sore from smiling so much.

"Blond looks terrible on you," Malfoy shook his head in mock disgust. "How did you manage to get that bird's nest you call hair to stay put all night?"

"Lots of magic," Harry admitted.

"I'll bet," Malfoy nodded, resting his elbows on his knees. "I guess my reputation is well and truly ruined now. Everyone will think they can joke around with me."

"You could say I hexed you and you didn't know what you were doing," Harry teased.

"I might just do that," Malfoy smiled. He removed the glasses from his face and tucked them into his pocket.

"Where did you get the quidditch kit?" Harry asked.

"Broke into the equipment shed," Malfoy said as though it should be obvious.

"I had to buy all of this," Harry tugged at his ensemble.

"Black goes with anything," Malfoy said dismissively. "You needed something respectable in your wardrobe."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, gazing at the glinting surface of the lake in the distance.

"I guess people will figure we're friends now," Harry said quietly.

"I guess so," Malfoy looked down at his clasped hands. His long, slender fingers were tightly intertwined, pale skin luminescent in the moonlight.

"Your next appointment is coming up."

"Next Wednesday," Malfoy nodded.

"Do you need me to come?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Not if you don't want to," Malfoy sat up, his face doubtful.

"I don't mind."

"Then you should come," Malfoy said quickly. "I have no idea how to get there."

"It's easy," Harry smiled. "But I was hoping you'd want me to come. There's a Caribbean restaurant near there that I've heard is smashing. Their jerk chicken is supposed to be the best around."

"What in bloody blazes is jerk chicken?" Malfoy looked so offended by the name that Harry c couldn't help but laugh. "Honestly, Potter. Jerk Chicken?"

"It's like a bunch of spices," Harry explained,using his hands. "it's a dry rubbed meat."

"Dry rubbed meat," Malfoy repeated, his mouth twitching and his eyebrows raising suggestively. "I can think of better ways to do it."

Harry's face flushed beet red as he caught the double entendre. Malfoy tossed his head back and laughed uproariously, the loudest and longest laugh Harry had ever heard from his former rival. He ducked and scratched his head self-consciously, unable to think of a way to correct his words without making it worse. Malfoy laughed until he c couldn't breathe, rocking back and forth on the brick steps. Finally he gasped and caught his breath, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Okay we can go for your wanky chicken if you want to," Malfoy laughed again.

Harry's cheeks burned deeply. "Laugh all you want but I'll bet you end up liking my wanky chicken."

Malfoy practically screamed with laughter. Harry buried his face in his hands.