Harry carefully eased himself back into the little used secret passage that Kevin had pointed him to. Things had been going rather well. He was doing well in his classes, Kevin had his back, he had Ron as a friend, he was...well, he was trying to make nice with Hermione, even if he had no idea how to go about making friends beyond sitting near her in classes and hoping something happened, and he hadn't had a confrontation with Malfoy - or anything similar from anyone else - since the duel. He'd actually felt like things were looking up for him for once.

He should have known better.

He knew he was famous as The Boy Who Lived. He had a feeling that would lead to headaches beyond just being the center of attention between classes, but he didn't expect it this soon. Then again, apparently the creation of new spells - especially potent ones like the Dematio apparently was - caught the attention of the Wizarding community. Add to that that he was the one to make it - someone already famous - and that he hadn't even finished his first month of magical education...well, he was now hiding from the reporters that somehow managed to get into Hogwarts seeking to interview him. He didn't know how they were getting in or why nothing stopped them, but it felt like he couldn't take more than a minute or two between classes to get to the next one without one pouncing on him to ask questions, whether in person, via a magical messenger, or a particularly persistent owl with quill and scroll in claws. He'd taken to hiding off the beaten path whenever he had a free period, and doing as much of his homework after supper and before bed as he could manage, the one time someone wasn't trying to badger him in the common room about the spell, even if they weren't reporters. He hoped this blew over soon.

Just as he was taking a breath to calm himself, Malfoy sauntered in from the other side of the secret passage, nodding to him as he leaned back against the opposite wall. "Taking a breather?" he asked calmly.

Harry was hesitant, but saw no reason not to respond. "Something like that."

"This is a good place for it," Draco allowed pleasantly. "Very few people know about it, and it doesn't go anywhere particularly useful so no one really looks for it."

Harry blinked a few times, somewhat confused about the blonde's almost pleasant manner. "Well..." he began uncertainly. "As long as I'll be out of sight for a while..."

"Having trouble with the reporters?" Draco asked with a smile that wasn't as superior as it normally was.

"You noticed," Harry responded dryly.

"Would you like some help?"

Harry blinked in surprise at the offer. "What sort of help?" he asked somewhat defensively.

"My father's rather influential, so I've had training in how to deal with the press for when what we get up to inevitably makes the news," Draco offered deprecatingly. "I could pass on a few pointers, see what can help you?"

Harry blinked in surprise. The offer seemed genuine - if unexpected - and there didn't seem to be any harm in it. "Alright," he allowed with a shrug. "Couldn't hurt."

Draco smiled softly. "The first and most important bit of advice is to never agree to let the reporter use a Quick Quotes Quill. Those don't just keep track of what's said, but also take some inference from the situation to add narration, and some add a charm or two to embellish somewhat. And once you actually agree to talk to a reporter, no one will believe you didn't say what they write that you said. An ordinary quill might take more time, but that just makes a point that they are taking up your time, which makes it easy to cut it short if you need to."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. He didn't know what a Quick Quotes Quill was, but it definitely sounded like something he shouldn't agree to if he agreed to interviews. Honestly, it was probably a good idea not to agree to the use of magic he didn't know about in that sort of situation anyway.

"Second," Draco continued, "if you're going to control the interview, you need to control yourself. Don't let your face or voice show anything you don't want being part of an article. Pick an expression you want to use when talking to the press, and practice it until you can tell every muscle in your face is doing exactly what you want it to without even feeling it." To demonstrate, he took a rather bland, neutral expression, his eyes having a bored look to them. It then shifted to a slightly interested look as he furrowed his brow ever so slightly, then a pleased smirk, and then an offended glower. "You want to be able to show the emotion that goes with your words whether or not you're actually feeling it, so you can be certain they take the words the right way."

Harry nodded at that again, this time with a smile. This seemed a more advanced trick at first glance, but he actually had some practice making sure he expressed himself a certain way even if he didn't feel that way. Things like that helped avoid some of the less desirable outcomes of interacting with his relatives at 4 Privet Drive, though he'd yet to feel the need for anything like that at Hogwarts. Noticing Draco's eyes dipping slightly, Harry realized the Slytherin probably had some idea what he was thinking about. Rather then dwell - or open up more than he was really ready for - he gestured for him to continue.

Nodding somewhat in relief, Draco continued. "The third thing to remember is that you have status," he pointed out firmly. "While you aren't a Pureblood, you are to inherit a seat on the Wizengamot when you reach your majority, not to mention whatever honorary honors the Ministry eventually settles on for your...defeat...of the Dark Lord." They shared a somewhat sardonic smirk at that. "As such, any reporter that comes to you is someone you outrank in the social hierarchy. This gives a way of dealing with 'surprise questions' that they like to try and spring. If a reporter asks you something that catches you off guard or that you don't want to discuss, don't act surprised or uncomfortable. Act disgusted." He demonstrated, lifted his head to look down his nose with a faint sneer as though he'd just been offered something particularly distasteful. "Don't say anything, though. Make it plain in silence that they have made a faux pas by even bringing the subject up, until they get uncomfortable enough that they change the subject. Once they do, simply continue as though it hadn't happened. They'll be glad of escaping your displeasure." He noticed Harry's frown. "I'm sure it sounds unpleasant to you to consider acting like this, but keep in mind that they make their living by being little more than professional gossips, and are eager for whatever story will get them the most attention whatever that does to you. There are good ones that care, but if you get a bad one it's important to remember that they came after you." He then shrugged. "And if disgusted isn't an attitude that works for you, find something else that makes it plain they made the mistake bringing it up, rather than giving the idea that they caught you out with the topic."

Harry nodded somewhat reluctantly. As Draco had deduced, he didn't really like thinking of things that way...but even so, he could take the advice in the spirit it was given. "Anything more specific?" he asked hopefully.

Smiling, Draco continued to explain a few more points that his father had taught him regarding talking to the press, answering any questions Harry had about it and discussing ways to apply the various techniques so that they could work for him. While a rather enlightening discussion, what really caught Harry off guard was that Draco seemed certain that Harry could make this work for him. It was a surprising but rather refreshing attitude.

Eventually, Draco glanced up through a distant window. "It's getting on," he allowed a tinge regretfully, "and we have places to be." He turned towards the way he'd came, but paused before he'd fully turned away. "We...got off on the wrong foot at our first meeting," he allowed uncertainly. "And...we see the world differently enough that...I doubt we'd ever manage being friends, there would just be too much friction. However..." He frowned somewhat pensively. "That...doesn't mean there needs to be hostility between us, does it?"

Harry blinked in surprise, realizing that Draco was trying - somewhat awkwardly - to extend an olive branch. He thought about it for a time...and as much as he wanted to just accept, something niggled in the back of his mind. Chasing down the thought, he realized what it was. If he accepted, that meant that he - and Draco - were backing down from each other, and that no longer sat well with him. But how to put it? "...I don't know," he finally allowed. "I think the hostility has been good for us in an odd way...and with how much we disagree on things - and being in rival houses - we're bound to butt heads every so often, wouldn't you say?"

Draco thought about that for a time...and finally nodded. "True enough," he allowed thoughtfully.

"But that doesn't mean it has to be malicious," Harry continued with a warm smile...one Draco finally returned with a nod. "And...thanks for the advice."

"Don't mention it," Draco allowed with a smile as he turned to go...only to pause. "However," Malfoy continued, "do remember it when we inherit our Wizengamot seats."

Harry couldn't help but laugh as the blonde left with his usual superior smirk...one that no longer seemed to hold the rancor it once did.