"You've lost your mind, haven't you? You've finally lost it. That's the only explanation. It was always bound to happen. Your marbles have been left elsewhere."

Harry sighed. In all honesty, he'd expected such a reaction, particularly from Matthew. It was one of the reasons why he'd waited until they were at the train platform to inform his friends about his latest idea, one he'd been mulling over for a number of days. With how significant and shocking a move it was, it needed the proper amount of consideration. And, even still, he was doubting whether he'd eventually come to the right decision.

The red and shiny Express was already waiting for them, though Matthew and Hermione now had more pertinent things to focus on. In truth, they should have been prioritising the fact that they'd made it to the Christmas holidays, which hadn't been certain for at least Harry and Matthew for large parts of the year. In a sense, it was why Harry felt bad, like he was throwing something needlessly at them when they were getting ready to celebrate.

"I'm of sound mind and judgement," Harry argued. "Before you start suggesting that I've been hexed."

"You must admit that this has come out of the blue," Hermione replied. "You'll forgive us for being shocked."

"You might have seen this coming, seeing as I've been trying to extend the olive branch."

"Yes, but there's a big difference between politely talking to Malfoy and inviting him over for the holidays."

Harry grimaced. When it was spelt out like that, he couldn't avoid how mental it sounded. Perhaps he had lost his mind and he was just the last to figure it out. Draco had certainly shown that he felt that way, judging from the expression he'd worn when Harry had first proposed the notion. But Draco, in turn, had agreed, which suggested that it wasn't as ludicrous a suggestion as Matthew was making it seem. Unless Harry and Draco were both still recovering from their stint at the manor.

"What made you come up with this plan?" Matthew asked.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I started thinking about all the people who'll be staying at Hogwarts for the next couple of weeks, and how family is so important right now with what's on the horizon. Naturally, Draco came to mind and I realised that, for the first time, he doesn't have anyone. I felt sorry for him, and I know he'd hate hearing that."

"I'm sure he's got plenty of Slytherins to hang out with."

"Most of them are going home. And he hasn't exactly been everyone's favourite person since he returned."

"No change there, I'm sure."

"I think it's a nice thing what Harry's doing," Hermione reasoned.

Harry bowed his head in her direction. "Thank you."

"I just don't know whether it's going to have brilliant results."

"Can I retract my gratitude?"

"You have to acknowledge that yourself and Malfoy haven't always been on the best of terms and, whilst things have improved, putting yourselves in close confines for such an extended amount of time is the perfect recipe for disaster."

Harry led the way as they boarded the train, a now familiar process for the trio. He'd made sure that they were relatively early to ensure that there was a free compartment, which would hopefully relieve the tension that Draco would no doubt have been feeling. As well as the tension that Harry was feeling. And his friends. Perhaps putting them all in a small space with no means of escape wasn't his greatest idea, but it was the one he was stuck with now.

Matthew fell onto the bench once they found a free cubicle. "Are you sure that Sirius agreed to this? Because it doesn't sound like the sort of thing he'd be onboard with."

"Well, I suppose he was just as surprised as the two of you are when I gave him the heads up about it. But I think he understands what I'm trying to accomplish."

"And that is…?"

"I want Draco to feel as if he's a part of this side of the war effort. If we don't support him, he could easily fall back onto old habits and be lured back into Voldemort's fold. If we show that we actually value the sacrifices he's made to be here, then maybe he'll open up too."

Matthew scoffed. "Sacrifices?"

"He's basically thrown away his claim to the Malfoy fortune. I'm sure his dad won't be handing over any money now that he's abandoned them in the lurch. And you've got to remember that money is the only thing Draco has been able to hold onto for years. It was the main thing that drove him, and now that's gone. He's got to find a new purpose, and that's where we can come in."

"And you're sure there's no one else who can look after him?"

"I think he's grown close to Daphne Greengrass, but there are plenty of Slytherin-associated houses who won't want to go near him. In a sense, he's tainted in their view and I'm largely responsible, seeing as I helped him escape."

"So you're guilty?"

"I…guess that's one way of putting it, yeah."

"Have you cottoned onto the fact that myself and Hermione aren't going to be at Grimmauld Place for the entire fortnight?"

Harry grimaced, regardless of the fact that he'd come to terms with that point already. For a change, the couple were planning on largely staying at Hermione's house over the festive season, and Harry couldn't begrudge them that. It was an important stage in their relationship, though he wasn't exactly an expert on that topic. It'd give them a chance to get more alone time (a point he was trying not to think about) and Harry and the others were invited over for Christmas Day itself, which felt like the most crucial part.

Besides the fact that it meant he was going to be alone with Draco.

"It might be for the best."

"How so?"

"You're not exactly the most easy going when it comes to him."

"Oh, so I'm the problem?"

"Yes."

Matthew snorted in laughter. "Yeah, you might be right about that. And I respect the honesty."

"Having the two of you in the same living space sounds like my nightmare, so I might have dodged a bullet."

"Although getting to hex him on Christmas morning would have been the greatest present you could have ever given me."

"And you would have undone all the hard work Harry's been going through," Hermione argued.

"Doesn't take away how fun it would have been."

"Honestly, it could have done you some good if we'd been staying with Sirius this time around. You need to get over whatever animosity you still hold towards Draco. Harry's managed to be the bigger person, and I never thought I'd be saying that."

It took Harry a couple of seconds to process the thinly veiled insult. "Hey!"

Matthew shook his head before leaning his arm against the window. "I feel as if we've forgotten what he's done in the past. Yes, I understand the need for forgiveness and all that nonsense, but there's a line. Has he apologised for his behaviour? The last time I checked, that wasn't the case. Just think about the way he used to speak to you, Hermione. That's something I can't ignore."

"I seem to remember you blasting him through the air on one particular occasion, so maybe he's already suffered enough of the consequences."

"For insulting you? There isn't a punishment strong enough."

She patted him on the arm. "And I appreciate your protectiveness, even though it's not necessary. I can look out for myself, as you well know."

"He was also responsible for me nearly getting expelled after that incident."

"Yes, and then you managed to get yourself expelled after that, anyway. Some might say that you were careless."

"Are we going to ignore the elephant in the room, though? Enola gave Harry a warning that there's every chance that Voldemort has someone working for him on the inside. And now Malfoy, someone who has just been living under his banner, is being invited into your home, Harry. What if he's trying to ingratiate himself with you? Luring you into a false sense of security? You're giving him the secrets to your life outside of Hogwarts on a silver platter. And it'll be much easier for Voldemort to reach you when you're not in the castle, no matter what tricks Sirius has up his sleeve or what defences Grimmauld Place has been fortified with."

"And I've already told you that I don't think Draco would do that," Harry sighed, having already been through this conversation. "I thought you might have at least considered trusting my instincts."

"Don't play that card."

"It looks like I just did. I think my gut feelings have steered us well in the past."

"You thought Snape was the one hunting down the Philosopher's Stone, when it was actually Quirrell."

"You never thought it'd be him, either!"

"You chased after Sirius, on your own, when you thought he was a mass murderer."

"I was technically chasing after Crookshanks at the time."

"If you want to give Malfoy the benefit of the doubt, then that's up to you. I doubt I'm going to be able to change your mind because you're a stubborn bugger."

"We all are."

Hermione scoffed. "Don't bring me into this!"

Harry smirked before turning back to Matthew. "I think you're approaching it from the wrong angle. I mean, you don't have to forgive Malfoy for what he's done to us. You might even hate his guts. But if you can bear to be in his presence and not punch him in the face, then that's progress. People will see that as you getting along, and that'd send a pretty big message to Gryffindors and Slytherins alike."

"Do I have to be an example for everyone else?" Matthew groaned. "Why can't I be a warning to other people? A fable? 'This is what you're not supposed to do'?"

"Because I'm asking you nicely."

Another groan. "Fine. But I hope you know that I'm not going to enjoy one second of it."

"I'd expect nothing less. It's just for one train ride."

Matthew frowned. "What do you mean? What train ride?"

"Did I…not bring it up?"

"Harry James Potter…you better choose your next words wisely."

"Well…I obviously knew that you and Hermione weren't going to be at Grimmauld Place, which meant I had to find another way of forcing you all together. I'm trying to build bridges, and that'll be a great deal easier if you're right next to each other."

"This is why you wanted us to take the train! I thought it was strange that we've got a Tardis laying around and we're not putting it to good use."

"I also think we should make the most of having the Express before we're not allowed to ride it. We'll miss it once it's gone."

"When were you going to tell us about this?"

"I was hoping to leave it right up until he walked through that door."

"Has Malfoy agreed to this? Because he hates me just as much as I hate him and, no matter how much he's changed, he wouldn't be stupid enough to go along with this. He's smart, I'll give him that."

"He certainly didn't say no."

Matthew sighed in relief. "Well, there we go. We don't have to worry about anything. I'm telling you now that he'll be sitting with his fellow snakes, rather than putting up with us. There's a greater chance of Merlin himself coming back from the dead than Draco Malfoy walking through that…"

The compartment door slid open a few seconds after a flash of blonde hair moved past the glass. It usually took a lot to make Matthew stop in the middle of one of his patented tirades, but his face was definitely a picture as he looked at the other boy standing in front of them. So much so that Harry wished that Colin Creevey was nearby, just so that he could deploy that camera he was always lugging around to create a permanent memento of the occasion.

"...door," Matthew lamely finished.

Draco arched an eyebrow. "Were you talking about me?"

Matthew turned to his girlfriend. "I'm pretty sure he's been waiting out there for the perfect opportunity to show me up."

Hermione gave him a soft smile in return. "I doubt he'd be that petty."

"No, I would be," Draco countered, still standing in the doorway. "That's definitely something I'd do."

"So you admit it?" Matthew fired at him.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Harry, I can't do this. One of us is going to end up being tossed out that window and, at this stage, I'm perfectly willing to volunteer."

"This is obviously a mistake."

Harry stood up. "Wait! Both of you, sit down. No one's leaving. No one's jumping out of the window of a moving train. We can be mature about this."

It felt like a traditional stand-off from one of those classic Western movies, the way Draco and Matthew were glaring at one another. They didn't look to be itching for their wands, but wasn't the point to be subtle in one of those confrontations? Draco was yet to cross over the threshold of the compartment, as if he believed the corridor beyond offered safer sanctuary. Harry knew that Matthew wasn't going to do anything drastic, at least because Hermione was gripping his arm like a vice, but he could still understand the reticence.

He was grateful, then, that Draco eventually took the option to bite the bullet. He wisely chose the bench that Harry had taken as his own, which also meant that he wasn't directly facing Matthew. Hermione had that honour, whilst her boyfriend practically clung to the corner of the cubicle. To say that you could cut the tension in the air with a knife was an understatement, but no one was firing hexes at someone else, so that had to be seen as a win. All Harry had to do was make sure that that continued for the couple of hours it'd take to get back to London.

Piece of cake.

"I should say that we were talking about you," Harry admitted. "I was trying to give them fair warning before you arrived."

"Smart. Did it work?"

"As you can tell by their expressions…not really, no."

"I'm still not sure why I'm doing this."

"I've already run through the reasons as to why this is a good idea."

"But that doesn't explain why I agreed. You should have seen the reaction when I told some of my housemates. Daphne almost fainted."

"I'm sure it was exactly the same as these two responded."

Hermione sported an uneasy smile. "I'll own up to the fact that I wasn't expecting this."

"I was taken by surprise when Potter suggested it," Draco replied.

"But you're still here."

"Maybe I was curious about whether he was being genuine. Maybe I was curious about how this is going to unfold. And…I'm ashamed to say that it's not as if I've got any better options. I would have been alright with staying at Hogwarts…"

"...but it would have been one hell of a culture shock," Harry finished for him. "I've experienced what that's like and it is great, but I at least had people with me to enjoy it with. Waking up on Christmas Day with no one to properly share it with…I didn't want that for you, especially after what you've been through over the past few years."

"And I've told you that I don't need looking after! I don't want to be mollycoddled. It's bad enough that you saved my life and I have that hanging over me now."

"How about you try to look at it as if it's something other than me protecting you? It's called being friendly."

"We're not friends. Is that what you're trying to accomplish?"

"I really don't know."

"Was I supposed to have brought you a present? Because I haven't. I don't really have access to a lot of funds at the moment."

"If it makes you feel any better, I haven't got you a gift either."

"It does, actually. I was starting to get paranoid about where this was leading."

"As I mentioned when I first brought this up with you, it'll largely be just the two of us for Christmas, besides Sirius and Remus, obviously."

"Thank Merlin. Because this is already torturous enough and we've only just left the station."

"Feel free to leave at any moment," Matthew remarked. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Or do. I don't care either way."

He made sure to give the Slytherin a sickly sweet grin, like he was trying to antagonise the other boy. Harry was certain that it was working, judging by the way Dracos' sallow face was growing paler. The affronted look he was wearing was one they'd all witnessed plenty of times over the years, and it typically preceded a barrage of insults. If that was to come, then Harry would be the one to throw himself off the train.

"If it's irritating you so much, then I think I'll stay."

"Because that's the true goal of what Harry's trying to create here," Matthew replied sarcastically.

"It doesn't matter to me what he's wanting out of this. It's been ages since I've had a bit of fun and, if that comes at your expense, Mormont, that's even better in my eyes."

"Harry suggested that you'd changed since leaving Hogwarts, so it's almost reassuring to find out that he was mistaken."

"It's a good thing that he was the one who found me during the attack. If it had been you, you would have left me to the wolves and then I…I…"

Draco's face fell, suggesting that he was reliving that particularly dark time in his life. He looked distinctly embarrassed about the fact that he was having an emotional reaction in front of the very last people he'd want to appear weak in front of. Harry didn't really know what to do. Was he supposed to pat him for reassurance? Was he meant to offer up a hug? The idea was a mortifying one, and he presumed Draco would have been just as resistant to the suggestion.

"I…wouldn't have left you behind," Matthew said.

They all looked at him with similar levels of surprise. Harry wanted to see it as the first step on the path to progress. Hermione was no doubt planning on rewarding him for the show of good behaviour. Draco, meanwhile, was slowly recovering from his glimpse of the past, only to be struggling with a notion that was sure to be baffling him just as much - the Gryffindor almost being nice to him.

"At least because Hermione would have cursed me to kingdom come if she found out," Matthew continued, as if he had to cover his bases. "But…Harry's painted a certain picture of what your life was like and…you might be an arse, but you don't deserve that fate."

"...thank you."

"I will add that you played a role in whatever happened, which means you're not completely blameless, but it's been a long time since I experienced what it's like to have a family. So I won't properly understand how difficult it is to stand against your parents."

"It was mainly my father. I get the sense that mother wanted me to remain at Hogwarts, sprouting the usual position that my education was more vital than anything else. But father…he believed that we were going to rule the world and he wanted me to be on the front line of that. I don't think he envisaged the end result we got, with what things were like back at home once…he…moved in, but father continued to play along, whilst I grew ever more disillusioned."

"Do you…want to talk about what happened?" Hermione suggested.

Harry was close to asking one of them to pinch him. He must have been dreaming. They weren't necessarily getting along, but it was as close to that as he could have ever imagined. They were being gentile, that was the word, and surprisingly pleasant. Yes, there was every chance that they'd go off the proverbial cliff at any moment, but couldn't he just enjoy it while it lasted? He'd done this. He'd basically locked them in a room and allowed them to hash things out.

"No," Malfoy answered after a few moments of contemplation. "I think that'd be taking things too far."

"The offer's there for whenever you need it."

"It's probably best if we just focus on not ripping one another's heads off for the time being. Then we can consider unloading about our personal turmoil at a point in the distant future. If we make it that far."

"Baby steps."

"Can I ask…why are you being so understanding? After everything I've done…"

"We're not the monsters you see us as."

"I hope you're starting to see that goes for me as well. I'm not who I was a few years ago. I can accept that I was…difficult."

"You were a bully," Matthew interjected, holding up a hand to stop Harry's complaints before they escaped his lips. "There's no other way of putting it. You were a bully and you enjoyed having that role."

"Matthew," Hermione hissed carefully.

"No, he's right," Draco said. "It was a position that was expected of me, one my father taught me to take on, but that's no excuse. I…I did some pretty horrendous things, and not just to the three of you."

Matthew folded his arms. "Well, I guess it's big of you to own up to that."

"And, it might not be worth anything, but I am sorry. Granger…the names I called you…I don't think any sort of apology is going to cut it, but you have this one I'm offering."

"It might make things easier if you call me by my actual name," she pointed out.

"I'm sorry…Hermione."

"You can still call me Mormont," Matthew piped up. "Things are already getting too weird for my liking."

"Good. And, just so you know, I'm up for a rematch in that duel we once had. You caught me unawares last time and so I hope we can use this new found impasse to rectify that."

"I gave you every chance to prepare yourself, thank you very much. But if you're still holding a grudge after all this time, then I can't turn down an opportunity to embarrass you again."

Somehow, they'd settled into what could be seen as relaxed conversation. Harry shared a bemused look with Hermione as the other two talked, though they weren't going to make a comment lest they ruined the moment. Harry simply leant back against the cushioned seat, wondering if it would have been big-headed of him to pat himself on the back.

xxxxxxxxxx

"It wasn't a complete and utter disaster."

Draco sounded just as surprised as Harry was feeling. And, as he led them through the park towards Grimmauld Place, Sirius was wearing an equally shocked expression as he listened to their accounts of the train journey. He'd picked them up at King's Cross, perhaps stunned that his godson was following through with his hairbrained scheme, though Harry was sure there was an element of pride on Sirius' face.

Having learned more about the Marauders animosity with Snape, Harry viewed the path he was taking as an alternative route to what his dad had used. For so many years, he'd done his best to follow in his parents' footsteps, so it was strange to be going in a different direction for once. He just knew that he didn't want that sort of relationship hanging over him, since he'd witnessed what it had done to Snape over the years and how it had transformed him into the rather miserable man he was in the present day. In a sense, those revelations had inspired him to come up with his Christmas plot.

There'd been a slight sense of awkwardness once they were free from the Express. Harry was forced to accept that he was going to be on his own with Draco, a state of affairs he'd never experienced before and one he'd never envisaged of championing. The Grangers had collected Hermione and Matthew and Draco had resolutely kept his mouth shut around them, at times looking at the Muggles as if they were exhibits at a zoo. Which proved that there was still plenty of work to do, particularly before Christmas Day arrived.

"When you told me what was going on, I was sure the Express would arrive in London ablaze," Sirius said. "It was still intact, so things are already going better than planned."

"It was a close run thing at times," Harry replied. "I tried offering to buy Draco something from the trolley, but he was too proud to accept the act of charity."

"I just didn't want anything sweet!" Draco argued. "I actually care about the state of my body."

"You were eyeing up those pumpkin pasties like a man spotting an oasis in the desert."

"Are you going to be like this for the whole two weeks?"
"I've been like this for my entire life so why would I change now?"

"Is it too late to go back?"

"Yes," Sirius replied, though Harry was sure that Draco was being purposefully dramatic. "You're under my care now, which means you're my responsibility. At least for a fortnight. Then you can do whatever you want."

Harry was slightly taken aback by the response. In truth, he'd been surprised straight away by the fact that Sirius had quickly agreed to Draco staying with them. The Malfoys and Blacks weren't exactly fierce friends, so Harry had expected some sort of push back, perhaps of the same variety that Matthew had provided. But his godfather was acting more like an adult than usual. Maybe he'd been influenced by their conversation about Snape just as much as Harry had been.

"I should say thank you for letting me come, Mister Black. Although it wasn't my idea to begin with."

"There's no need. And call me Sirius, for Merlin's sake. Harry wanted you here for whatever reason and I'm basically under his thumb."

"Still…you mustn't have expected a Malfoy to be coming into your home anytime soon."

"Your mother's a Black. That doesn't change, regardless of which idiot she ended up marrying. No offence."

"None taken."

"I get the impression that she'd want me to look after you now that I have the opportunity to do so, and now that she doesn't."

"She'd appreciate that more than you can imagine."

"You must understand that I don't have the fondest memories of my family, so there's sure to be some teething issues whilst I…get used to this."

"I think the same can be said for me."

"But Harry's told me a little about what you've experienced, and so I feel as if it's my job to make sure you have a great Christmas. We could all do with a heavy dose of festive cheer in my opinion."

"I…I'd like that. Even before I was taken from Hogwarts, it wasn't something that I got to experience a great deal."

"I can imagine that. Old Lucius doesn't strike me as the sort of person to get dressed up in a big, red coat and deliver presents."

"Are you?" Harry asked.

"I think I've still got one lying around the wardrobe somewhere."

Sirius stopped in his tracks as they reached the gate. The ordinary street greeted them, just as Harry had been expecting. Draco, however, looked confused about the location, presumably thinking that a house as ancient and as noble as Black would have been residing in a more…magical spot. If he was feeling any disappointment or displeasure, he kept those comments to himself. Again, that had to be seen as improvement, and maybe even growth, on his part.

"A word of warning though," Sirius said. "Before we head inside. My priorities still lie with Harry. I love him with all my heart. So if I see you doing anything to harm him or hurt him or even insult him, I won't be held accountable for my actions. I'm sure there'd be a long line of people behind me also wishing to make you pay, but I'll just give you my warning for now. And remember, I might not have been convicted as a murderer, but I did my fair share of killing as a Hit Wizard. Bear that in mind before making any poor decisions."

Draco gulped loudly. "Yes, sir."

"It's Sirius."

With that, he discreetly took out his wand just in case there were any pesky Muggles in the vicinity and waved it precisely. In response, the block of terraced housing before them began to shift accordingly. Harry, having seen the spectacle in the past, instead watched Dracos' reaction to the change. His eyes lit up for what might have been the first time Harry had personally witnessed, showing a side to his character that had been left under wraps in public.

Draco hesitated as Sirius walked towards their home. "I don't know whether to be scared or impressed."

Harry could easily resonate with that feeling. "That never really goes away."