The Bet

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Chapter X - Inexperienced Friendship

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The three were now sitting around a small table, Draco and Harry across from each other, and Raven at the end. It was a cosy little setting, in a mostly dark room, candlelight being the only illumination. They talked about little things, like classes, and their like or dislike of certain teachers, at the B.I. and Hogwarts. Harry sat hunched forward slightly, trying to hide his naked torso, wondering what on earth possessed him to follow Draco out of the changing room without putting on his shirt. Maybe it was that comment about his and Raven's good taste...Shaking the strange thought away, he dug into his plate of rosemary chicken and herb pasta.

"You're focusing on potions, right?" Harry asked, slipping a forkful of pasta in his mouth, and looking up at Draco, who was sitting across from him.

Draco swallowed his own mouthful and nodded. "Yes."

"Going to be the next Snape?" Harry joked, a gleam in his eye.

Draco made a face, but chuckled anyway, and Harry joined in while Raven smiled around her mouthful of food. Some darkened corner in Draco's mind recognised the pleasant feeling of laughing with the Gryffindor, rather than at. "No," he replied, "at least not unless I have nothing else going for me, and I'm old and senile."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you'd just live off of your family's money," he questioned.

Draco sat back and sighed, pulling a little on the high neck of his coal-grey sweater. "I don't have my family's money," he said.

Harry looked between Draco and Raven, who gave her twin a sort of uneasy look, before glancing quickly at Draco and then to her plate. Harry realised that he had touched some sort of nerve, and thought it was best to apologise.

"Mal-Draco, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a sensitive subject..." he started.

But Draco grimaced slightly and waved Harry off. "Potter, I don't do sensitive. I'm fine, really. I have my inheritance, but technically, I don't have it. The Ministry isn't finished with it yet."

"Finished with it?" Harry asked with confusion.

"The Ministry is using Draco's money to help pay reparations for the war," Raven put in.

Harry suddenly felt a little sad. He wasn't sure why, really. Maybe it was his newly formed friendship with Draco that made him feel that way. "Oh," was all he could think to say.

Draco picked up his fork. "Don't go feeling sorry for me, Potter. I'll still have plenty of money. But I will have to work at least a little to get my fortune up to its usual standards. The Ministry's actually finished using the money, but now they're auditing me. Making sure it and all of my family's possessions are legitimate, or some such rubbish. I got a letter the other day." He took a bite of chicken and swallowed quickly. "It makes no sense, of course. They should have audited it first, so that they could sell any family possessions and have even more money to give away. But I suppose they needed the money quicker than they felt taking the time to audit me would be."

Harry thought about this information, but before he could voice his next question, Raven asked it for him. "So what are you going to do with Malfoy Manor and your family's things?" She sat back and sipped on her conjured grape juice (provided begrudgingly by Draco).

Draco shrugged. "Probably go through it all, selling what I don't need, keeping the heirlooms, destroying anything else..." They all ate in silence for a few moments, becoming more comfortable as they grew accustomed to each other's presence. Suddenly, Draco looked up. "What are you focusing on, Potter?"

"Medicine. I was originally planning on training to be an Auror, but I'd rather not work for the Ministry anymore," was the easy reply.

Draco raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. He looked at Raven, who just grinned at her boyfriend's reaction. "You knew, didn't you?" he accused playfully, but still feeling slightly put out that Raven seemed to know so much about someone she hadn't even known as long as he.

Raven nodded and said flippantly, "I wouldn't be his own personal stalker, if I didn't."

Draco's mouth parted in slight surprise, before casting a look at Harry. Harry was gazing at Raven and the two of them were sharing a look of amusement, before chuckling together at the astonishment on Draco's face.

"I feel like I missed something," the blond muttered, gulping a mouthful of wine.

Harry just shook his head. "No, not really. We were just joking about Raven's fondness of watching me earlier."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, that hobby." Setting his wine glass down, he said, "So, you trying for the next Pomfrey?" throwing Harry's jibe back in his face, although in a soft manner.

Harry caught what Draco was trying to do though, and wasn't offended. "Maybe. Hogwarts was always like home to me. I miss it, actually." He looked down to his mostly-eaten plate and shrugged. "But I love Quidditch, too."

Now here was something that Draco could relate to. "Thinking of going pro?"

Harry sat back and rubbed his left arm a little, feeling another bout of self-consciousness. "Maybe. I think it'd be fun for a while, but I'd like to think of settling down sometime too."

"You mean with kids and a wife and all that?" Draco scoffed in amusement, casting an unnoticed glance to Harry's uncovered span of skin.

"Draco, don't mock him! You might not get those things yourself if you're not careful," Raven admonished playfully.

Draco rolled his eyes, and gave Raven a winning smile. "You know you can't resist me, babe. Don't even think of denying it." He shot a look at Harry, who smiled back at their antics. They really were in love with each other...a fleeting thought about having at least someone to love him, at least once in his life was shoved quickly aside as the pull of maddening thoughts tugged at his mind. Harry looked once again at Draco, studying his ex-rival for a moment before voicing his thoughts out loud.

"You should smile more often, Malfoy. It becomes you." Harry thought he saw the telltale signs of a blush creeping up on the pale man's cheeks, but as soon as it was there, it was gone.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Potter."

"Oh, Draco, just take the bloody compliment, why don't you. You know it's true," Raven said, finishing off her plate.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mum," he jibed, and he caught her eyes, which were twinkling in some happy emotion. He gave her a little smile and continued to finish off his dinner as well.

Harry continued to smile at his company. Malfoy could be rather pleasant, when he wanted to, and his sense of humour wasn't too bad, either. Harry finished off his dinner and stood, wrapping his arms around his middle as if he was cold. "Ready to keep painting?" he said with a bit more enthusiasm than even he expected.

Draco and Raven looked up. "Sure," the Slytherin girl said, pushing away from the table. While Harry went to go change back into the robe, Raven looked back down at Draco and shared a look with him. Then she leaned down and kissed him quickly on the mouth. "You can stay, if you like. I feel bad that you haven't been involved before."

"Don't be. I'll get my turn, some day. But I'll only stay if Potter's okay with it. We want him to be comfortable, don't we?"

Raven nodded. "Yes. We do."

~~~~~

27 September 2003

Last night, Potter modelled nude for Raven.

I won't say that it didn't come as a shock when I found out about it. It did. Raven thought she had told me, but didn't, and so I learned it from Potter.

I suppose I should be calling him Harry now. I need to get used to it, after all, if we're going to be friends. Which is part of what happened last night. We had come to an interesting agreement, but I'll talk about that more later.

Potter-I mean, Harry and I were walking back from practice when he told me about the modelling. Which again, shocked me, I mean...why would Raven include Harry in her art and not me? But when I saw her, and Harry left to get ready, I asked her about it. And she spouted some strange drivel about learning muggle photography! I swear, if I didn't love her so much, I'd send her to St. Mungo's, and go straight to Potter-I mean, Harry, and never look back. That woman's mental I tell you.

And the next paradox in this whole thing, deals with Harry on a different level. I mentioned in my last entry that I was finding myself slightly attracted to Harry, because his appearance is similar to Raven's...and although I'm sure that's a definite factor, I don't think that's everything.

I visited the two while they were on a break; I had made them dinner. Which was two things on my part--thoughtfulness, and curiosity. I wanted to know if there was anything untoward going on. Not that I don't trust Harry, and I told him as much, but to be honest, I'm worried about what Raven hasn't been telling me about this whole 'bet' thing. Obviously she wants him. She's told me as much. But I don't know what this other thing is, dammit, and I want to figure it soon. Now, preferably. But I digress.

While I was there, Harry seemed nervous, like either he didn't want me there, or he felt odd about being naked in front of my girl. And I don't blame him. I'm sure I'd feel odd too, although I seriously doubt I'd pose nude for anyone other than Raven. Anyway, while Harry was changing back into his clothes for dinner, Raven suggested I go talk to him. And I did.

And Merlin, has adulthood been kind to him. I think it was more than obvious that he would look different than Raven in that respect, but I hadn't quite expected what I saw. It's not like I ever stick around after Quidditch practice, after all. And he's always dressing in such baggy clothing...it really doesn't do him justice. Don't get me wrong, I didn't see him naked...at least, not at first, but I did see him topless. Actually, he stayed that way throughout dinner, which was a pleasant affair. And now, I can only imagine what he looks like farther below.

And now we get to the question of my sexual orientation.

On any normal day, I'd say 'girls only,' without another thought. But Raven's opened my eyes to something else entirely. I haven't been going out of my way to see my dorm mates unclothed, but what puzzles me, is that when I have seen them, it's done nothing. But the second I saw Harry in the changing room...I felt like I couldn't breathe. So...am I gay? Or bi, at least?

I don't know. Harry and Raven are the only ones who seem to do it for me.

Which is interesting, really. I watched them, all last night, through dinner, and through the rest of the modelling session (which, surprisingly, both parties let me stay for, although I still didn't see anything...I was trying to be polite and not look. Ha! A Malfoy, polite!). But anyway, the two are so different, yet look so alike...and while Raven hasn't apparently shown her very Slytherin side to Harry, the side she is showing is only complementing their similarities to each other. At least to me.

I kept noticing the way Harry sat during dinner...all shy and blushing. But at the same time, comfortable. He seemed at ease, but whenever he sat back, his arms were immediately covering his torso, like he was shy that he'd been brave enough to venture out topless. Like he hadn't just been naked for a good hour or so. But that's a Gryffindor for you.

And Raven was so light and lilting. She was totally at ease as well, and seemed to be having the time of her life. I had caught her eye a few times, and they twinkled with happiness like I had never seen before. They almost seemed to say, 'thank you'. Which puzzles me, but perhaps I was reading too much into it.

And now I feel...rather blank. Like I'm an empty journal waiting to be filled up with the next adventure. I know that sounds odd, and completely unlike me, but Harry and I made a little more progress...we sort of re-introduced ourselves...like a fresh start from the beginning, in a way, regardless of the fact that we've known each other for twelve years. Wow. Twelve years. That's a long time to know someone yet not know them at all. But I think we're working on it. During the dinner, we all talked about ourselves...our likes and dislikes...simple trivial stuff that didn't cross into our fucked-up pasts...for the most part.

I learned that Harry wants to be a medi-wizard. He had originally wanted to be an Auror...but found that he really didn't fancy working for our sorry excuse for a ministry (regardless of it's new leadership) any time soon. And I told him of my plans of becoming a potions master. Although I hardly want to work at Hogwarts. Maybe some day, when I have nothing else going for me, I said. Harry told me that I was predictable, following in my old head-of-house's footsteps. And surprisingly, while I thought I was supposed to be offended, I found I couldn't be. So I laughed. And Harry laughed with me. I can honestly say it felt great.

So...now I guess we'll just wait and see how it plays out. I think...I really want to be friends with Harry now. Last night, I had hardly thought about the bet at all; about how I'm supposed to be seducing him, fucking him, and then leaving him. God, that sounds wrong. Probably because it is. Damn that conscience thing kicking in now. I'm not sure if I can do that to Harry anymore.

He intrigues me now. I want to get to know him better...but I want that body beneath my fingers too. Damn Raven and her bloody teasing. It's getting me all sexually riled up with nowhere to go.

Hopefully I'll figure out what Raven's been talking about soon. I have a feeling I'll want to know before I have sex with him.

~~~~~

"You mind if I sit here?"

Draco and Raven looked up to find Harry standing there, a questioning look on his face.

"No, of course not. Go ahead," Raven said, and Harry gave her a charming smile. It was early Monday evening, and the three were in the library, getting started on the homework they already had for the week. Their N.E.W.T.'s were finally coming up this year, and many of the students were starting to get re-familiar with the feelings they had had before their O.W.L.'s so many years ago. Stress and panic.

"Hey Malfoy," Harry said and sat down across from Draco.

"Draco."

"What?"

"You should call me Draco," the blond said, raising an eyebrow to hint at their agreement the night before.

"Oh...oh...Sorry. Hello, Draco," Harry said, trying the nearly foreign word on his tongue. It didn't have a bad taste.

"Hello, Harry," Draco replied, feeling the same about the other man's name.

"Did I miss something?" Raven asked.

Draco looked down to his essay. "No, Love. Potter and I-"

"Harry," The Gryffindor cut in, giving the Slytherin a reprimanding look.

Draco actually had the good grace to look sheepish. "Sorry, old habit."

"Likewise."

"Anyway..." Raven prompted.

Draco swallowed, and then re-started his explanation. "Harry and I sort of...re-introduced ourselves Friday night."

"A fresh start sort of thing?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Well, good for you two," she said, and then stood. "I'm going to return this book really quick. I'll be back in a second."

"Alright." And the two watched the girl saunter off. Draco noticed Harry's gaze linger for a just a second too long, but when the man turned around and caught Draco looking at him, he only said suspiciously,

"What?"

Draco shrugged. "So...how was your weekend?"

"Boring," the Gryffindor replied. "I'm getting ready for the N.E.W.T.'s this year, plus I have my medical classes to work on too. And I'm having a bit of trouble."

"Trouble? With what?"

Harry ducked his head. "Potions. As usual."

Draco chuckled. "Merlin, Potter, you're still having problems with potions?"

"Harry," the Gryffindor admonished.

"Sorry."

"And yes, I am. Sort of. I mean, it's a lot easier when I don't have Snape breathing down my neck, but...I'm just lacking the concentration and patience, I guess. You'd think that all my training for the war would have taken care of this shit." Harry frowned.

Draco frowned as well. "Well...no one can really help you with that sort of thing, Harry. That's something you have to learn on your own."

The dark-haired man sighed. "I know. It doesn't help that I've got so many different potions running around in my head, from a simple sleeping draught to the most complicated medicinal concoctions...and remembering all of the medicinal herbs...their uses and proper combinations, not only in potions, but in salves, teas and other practices is...daunting."

Draco mused for a moment, sitting back and chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully. At that moment, Raven came back over with another book and sat down next to him.

"Is everything ok? You guys look...depressed or something."

"Er, no," Draco said. "We're fine." He sat forward again. "Well, Harry...let me see your class notes. For both of your potions courses." Raven raised an eyebrow, but went back to reading the new book, leaning back in her chair and propping her knees up against the desk. Harry bent over and took out a messy stack of parchment from his bag. Draco raised both of his eyebrows, and took the stack cautiously. He barely had to glance at the top page to know that Harry was in trouble.

"Potter...I mean, Harry," he quickly corrected, "it's no wonder its all a jumbled mess in your head! You're notes are just as bad!"

Harry rolled his eyes, but he nodded. "Yeah, I know. I've always been horrible at taking good, organised notes."

"Merlin, it's almost as bad as your hair...although I don't think anything could be worse than that." Raven snorted in laughter as Harry sputtered indignantly.

"Hey! Lay off the hair, will you? I get enough of that crap from Hermione."

"Well, if you'd just do something with it...jeeze..." Draco mumbled.

Harry looked exasperated. "I've tried, alright? But it does what it wants to. I brush it every morning, and I can never make it look any different." Draco raised a brow, as if questioning the validity of the statement. "Besides," Harry said, with a mischievous grin, "I hear my messy hair's one of my more charming qualities."

Raven blushed slightly, and hid behind her book smiling, while Draco scoffed and said, "Vanity doesn't suit you, Gryffindor."

"And you take too much stock in it, Slytherin," Harry shot back, but playfully.

Draco chuckled. "Perhaps. But honestly, Harry, have you ever thought about using some of Sleekeasy's Hair Tonic, or cutting it or something?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't like putting things in my hair. I don't want to look like you did when I first met you, anyway," Harry smirked. Draco glared, and Raven laughed. "And I've never thought to cut my hair because the last time someone did, it grew back overnight."

Now both Raven and Draco looked shocked. "How? A spell?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head. "No. It was when I was seven or so. Before I knew I was a wizard. I didn't want my hair cut, so it grew back."

"Wow..." Draco and Raven exchanged impressed looks. "So you've never had to cut your hair?"

"Nope. It doesn't grow any longer, and I don't cut it. We have an arrangement," Harry said, smiling and running a hand through his fringe.

Draco snorted. "Apparently," he said, noticing the way Harry shaking his head made his hair all the more tousled, and it looked good.

"Maybe you should try better hair products, Harry," Raven said from behind her book.

"Why?"

"Well, take Draco's hair for example. He doesn't slick his hair back anymore, but his hair's still nice and soft, and does what he wants it too. It's because he uses the best hair care products galleons can buy." Harry looked to Draco's head, and the blond shot a sideways look at Raven. "If you don't believe me," she finished, "touch it for yourself."

Harry looked perplexed for a moment, before catching Draco's eye. "Can I?" he asked.

Draco rolled his eyes and said, "Sure. Fine. Do what ever you want." And he sat back, his arms crossed. Harry stood up and walked around the table, stopping just beside Draco, who felt a nervous twitter in his stomach. Hesitantly, Harry reached a hand out and fingered the fine blond strands, letting them run like water and silk through his fingers. Draco closed his eyes briefly at the touch, wondering if it was supposed to feel that good.

"It's so soft...I can barely feel it," Harry whispered.

"Isn't it nice?" Raven asked, and Harry nodded. He suddenly stopped what he was doing and sat down, running his hands through his own locks.

"Mine feels...horrible," Harry said dejectedly, feeling rather inadequate all of a sudden about something so trivial. Raven cocked her head at him and Draco reached out across the table and knocked Harry's hand aside, sliding his fingers through the dark mass of hair, tugging gently at it. He was surprised at how thick it was, considering he was so used to his own, which was much finer.

"It's a little coarse, but nothing a good hair treatment can't fix. Just use Sleekeasy's shampoo and conditioner line for normal hair, and it'll be like mine in no time," Draco said and sat back, satisfied with his critique and solution.

Harry looked rather bewildered for a moment. "You're scary, Draco, you know that?"

Draco shot him a devilish grin and said, "I know. Now, back to your abysmal potions notes. I think all you need to do is a little reorganising." He looked down to the top page on the stack. "You seem to have most of the information, and with just a little tweaking, we can add the missing information in, chart it all out, and you'll have yourself a perfect studying tool for your N.E.W.T.'s and medi-wizard testing."

"Really? You'll...you'll help me?"

Draco tilted his chin up. "Yes. Besides, it'll be good practice for me as well. I am trying to become a potions master here. I have to know this stuff like it's my second skin."

Harry beamed. "Okay. So...do you want to start now, or..."

"Well...we have to go to practice in a half-hour...how about we hold off until after practice tomorrow night?"

"Sounds good to me," Harry replied, and the two ex-rivals smiled genuinely at each other.

Secretly, Raven grinned behind her book. Perfect.

~~~~~

Hermione and Ginny had just walked into the library when Ginny suddenly jerked on the other girl's robe, getting her attention.

"Hermione!" Ginny whispered fiercely, a shocked look in her blue eyes.

The bushy-haired girl, who had been studying a stack of notes in her hand, turned to her study companion. "What?"

"Look!" The redhead pointed over to a table down the row. Hermione followed her gaze and found Harry, her best friend, standing next to a petulant looking Malfoy, and running his fingers through the blonde's hair. Raven was sitting next to Malfoy, her eyes glued to a book.

"What on earth...?" Hermione breathed, just as shocked as Ginny, who knew next to nothing about the situation involving Harry, Raven and Malfoy.

Then Harry dropped his hand, running it through his own hair, and sat down as if he were defeated. Hermione and Ginny watched, almost petrified to the spot, as Malfoy reached forward and ran his own hand through Harry's hair, before sitting back and saying something. They watched as Harry seemed to say something back (they didn't know for sure, since his back was facing them), and then Malfoy grinned, talked some more, and then grinned again, before going back to whatever the stack of papers in front of him had in store.

Hermione and Ginny shared a look before the younger Gryffindor said, "Have I...missed something? I mean, Seamus told me that Malfoy went over to Number One to talk to Harry a few weeks ago, and Ron mentioned once something about Raven and Malfoy wanting to become friends with Harry...that's what going on, right, Hermione? I mean...didn't that seem just a bit...strange to you? Especially between those two?"

Hermione glanced back over at the mismatched trio. "I...yes. It did seem a bit odd. And yes, I do think that it has something to do with the friendship thing. But...Ron, Neville and I have promised to let it all be. Harry doesn't need any of us interjecting in his life right now. Let's let him make his own decisions about Malfoy. And Raven." Ginny frowned slightly, but nodded.

"Okay. But I still feel like I'm missing out on something. Has there been anything else?"

Hermione frowned in thought, moving over to the nearest empty table and setting her bag down. "Sort of. The fact is, that Raven likes Harry. In a romantic way."

"She what?"

"I said-"

"No, I heard you, but...wow. I wasn't expecting that," the youngest Weasley said, setting her own stuff down and sitting across from Hermione; she could see the back of Harry's head from where she was. "So she really likes Harry? It's not just a trick?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, she really likes him. So much so that she's willing to be whatever Harry needs her to be."

"What does that mean?"

Hermione paused, trying to find the best way to put it. "Basically, we've all been so caught up in rebuilding our own lives and educations to realise that Harry's still hurting from the war. It seemed like he moved on, and we believed him, but in actuality, he just became a really good liar."

Ginny's face fell. "Gosh, now I feel like an utter cow. Harry's practically family! In fact, he's been an honorary Weasley for years! How could we not make sure he's happier than anyone else on earth? He deserves all that and more."

"I know," Hermione replied solemnly.

"So...how does Raven play in, then?"

"Raven's basically offered herself to Harry." At Ginny's almost disgusted look, Hermione quickly amended, "No, not that way. Well, sort of that way."

"Hermione, this is one of the only times you've never made an ounce of sense. To me at least," she said, thinking of her brother's and Harry's inability to grasp the mind that was Hermione Granger sometimes.

"Sorry. What I mean is that, Raven likes Harry, and told him as much. But she's also in love with Malfoy, and they are in...agreement about helping Harry. Raven told me that whatever Harry needs her for, be it friend or...lover," she faltered, "that she's willing to give it to him."

"And Malfoy agrees with this?" Ginny said, cocking an eyebrow and looking altogether unconvinced.

"Surprisingly, yes. I haven't talked to him before but..." the older girl trailed off, looking over her shoulder at the male Slytherin, "but seeing that, today, well, let's just say that I think we're all going to have to get used to the idea that at least those two particular Slytherins will be a part of Harry's life from now on."

Ginny took this information in and assimilated it. And realised that Hermione was right. There wasn't really anything they could do to make Malfoy and Raven stay away from Harry, not to mention the fact that all of Harry's close friends, had, indeed, moved on without the lovely young man. It hurt to think that she had been so involved with moving on, and her budding relationship with Seamus, that she had ignored the one person who had always held a little piece of her heart, whether it be romantically or familial. Ginny still wasn't sure of Malfoy's involvement in the whole thing-it seemed too odd that he'd become involved with Harry as a friend, just because a fellow Slytherin said so. Especially if the other Slytherin liked Harry enough to offer to be his lover. But she was willing to trust Harry's judgement; after all, most of them wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for him. Finally, she sighed.

"Okay. I agree with you. I'm still sceptic about the whole Malfoy thing...but I trust Harry. I trust him with my life, and I'll trust him with his. I just hope he's not just giving them his heart on a silver platter."

Hermione chuckled. "I'm sure he's being careful. And as for Malfoy...Raven had also mentioned that she and Malfoy were in an 'open relationship' so I really don't think we have anything to be afraid of. If Malfoy really didn't want to form some type of civility with Harry, he'd be acting more than a little miffed about Harry spending time with Raven." And they most definitely wouldn't be touching each other's hair was the unspoken words between the two Gryffindors.

Ginny took out her homework and was just about to start working on it when movement from the other side of the room caught her eye. She looked up to see Malfoy and Harry standing up, putting their books and papers away. Raven looked up from where she sat and said something, and Malfoy leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Harry waved her good-bye, and the two men turned around and started heading out of the library, smiling and talking quietly. Since Hermione and Ginny were at a table near the door, Harry, as he was walking by, said, "Hi Hermione, Ginny." Hermione looked up from her notes, startled slightly.

But what really startled her, as well as Ginny, was when Malfoy said, "Granger. Weasley." And with a cordial nod and a smile shared, the two ex-rivals were out the door.

Hermione and Ginny shared a bewildered look. Finally, Ginny spoke.

"N.E.W.T.'s are coming up. Why does the world have to end now?"

~~~~~

"That was another good practice," Harry said, as he and Draco walked across the field to the locker rooms.

Draco scrunched up his nose. "Yeah, I suppose."

"What's wrong, Draco? You did great out there tonight. It's almost as if you haven't been benched at all," Harry said, looking at his companion curiously.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought I sucked. I'm way slower than I used to be."

"So what? Just a little more practice, and you'll be playing in next week's game."

"What?" Draco turned to Harry in shock. They were stopped just outside the locker rooms, where everyone else was showering and getting ready to go home.

Harry shrugged. "I think you should play in next week's game."

"But why? Do you want us to lose?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Draco, we're not going to lose, just because you're Seeker." He shook his head. "You may not know this, but you were really my only competition at Hogwarts. I could never really play against Cho properly, and Cedric-" Harry's sentence cut off abruptly, as his mind was suddenly flung back into unpleasant thoughts of years past.

Draco noticed the ex-Gryffindor's sudden change into himself, even in the fading light of dusk. "Harry?" he asked cautiously.

Harry's mouth turned into a grim line, and he looked back up at Draco. "I'll see you later, Draco. I need to get home and finish up my homework." And with that, the ebony-haired Seeker turned away and walked into the locker room.

Draco just stood there in confusion at Harry's abrupt departure, frowning, but realised that trying to confront Harry in the locker room would probably end badly, so he decided to try later that night to see if the other man wanted to talk about whatever it was that was bothering him. Sighing, he headed back to his own room; quite ready to rid himself of his sticky Quidditch robes and take a shower.