Good Intentions

Chapter 11: Preparations

Just about that time, a shrill scream pierced through the air from the direction of the Slytherin table, and all was left quiet in the Great Hall.

Draco turned around in his seat to see who had made the noise. It was Blaise Zabini and she had just fainted. He slowly turned around in his seat to look suspiciously at Harry. Harry though, looked unconcerned and unsurprised as he continued to munch on his piece of bacon.

"Harry," Draco started. "What did you do?", while absently noticing that a few of the professors had rushed over to the Slytherin table to see what had happened.

"Who said I did anything?" Harry asked innocently.

Draco looked pointedly at him. "Harry, I know you... what did you do to her?"

"She deserved it," Harry said, his voice turning hard. "Every damn bit of it."

Draco looked pensively at Harry for a moment before a thought stuck him. "Does this have anything to do with what happened the other day in Potions?"

Draco was inwardly surprised... he hadn't thought that Harry was seriously going to carry out the threat he had made. Draco would never admit it to anyone, but just the fact that Harry had stood up for him in front of everyone in the class gave him chills up his spine; he had been secretly pleased.

"It could," Harry replied, going back to his nonchalant state.

"So, what did you do to her exactly?" Draco asked, an evil grin forming on his lips.

"Nothing that a week in the hospital wing couldn't heal... but you see, there is a problem with that."

Draco raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Madame Pomfrey doesn't know the cure... nor does any other staff member at this school. Only one other student besides me knows the counter curse, and she's the one who invented it." Harry smirked evilly to himself for a moment. "Only time will heal this."

Draco made a mental note to himself to never make Harry mad.

***

The gossip about Blaise's mysterious injury spread around school like wild fire.

"Did you hear what happened to Blaise?"

"I heard one of the curses from the letter went wrong and her face is so horribly disfigured that she's too ashamed to show it in public. She'll be in St. Mungo's for a month before they can get that writing off her face."

"Well I heard that she just found out her father has betrothed her to Goyle. You know she had still been holding out for Draco in private. Can you imagine? Goyle!"

"Really? That's nothing. Here's what I heard..."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake!" Hermione said exasperatedly. She pushed through the hordes of people milling about in the hall on her way to the library.

She had owled Harry and asked him to meet her there. He was sitting across from Draco, copying notes from a very old looking book when she arrived. Neither boy seemed to notice her presence as she stood next to their table waiting expectantly.

She cleared her throat, trying to break one of them out of their trance. Harry looked up from his notes, his face splitting into a grin when he saw who it was.

"Hey 'Mione. Have a seat," he gestured casually.

"Actually Harry, I was hoping to have a few words with just you. No offense Draco," she added. Draco shrugged and went back to reading his book.

Harry coughed uncomfortably. "Uh, Hermione, you know we can't... remember the whole two feet restriction thing?" His eyes darted over to where Draco was purposely ignoring him, and then back to Hermione.

"Oh give it up Harry. I know you and Draco aren't under a charm anymore."

"What?" Harry asked, wide eyed. "How did you know? Dumbledore, curse him. I bet he told you."

"Oh don't be stupid. It's quite obvious actually... to me anyways. Just a few little things here and there where you two slipped up with your façade; it's still quite convincing, I promise."

"You always were observant Granger," Draco commented dryly before continuing his reading.

"Oh, and don't worry," Hermione said before Harry could ask. "Ron doesn't know."

"Weasley," Draco seethed, looking up from his book once more and slamming it shut. "He's not here with you is he?"

"No, I came alone."

"Good," Draco said, calmly reopening his book as if nothing had happened.

Hermione then pulled Harry in between two dusty looking bookshelves. "Tell me Harry, what exactly did you do to Blaise?"

"You should know," Harry said grinning widely. "You're the one who gave me the idea."

"How?" Hermione asked puzzled.

"Remember back in fourth year when you and I were supposedly in love and you broke my heart?"

Hermione thought back. "Bubotuber pus?"

"Exactly, a double dose...plus, a personal howler."

"A what?"

"A personal howler. It's just like a normal howler, but instead of telling it what to say, it taps into the receiver's emotions and tells that person's darkest secrets and desires. Only there is a catch, no one else has any idea and can't hear a thing. Of course the recipient doesn't know that."

"That's brilliant, Harry," Hermione admitted. "I didn't know there was such a thing."

"It's new... courtesy of the Weasley brothers. It hasn't even been on the market yet."

"Oh, back to the bubotuber pus... I jut thought of something. Won't Madame Pomfrey just put the antidote on her sores and be done with it?"

"Well, of course she could," Harry said mildly. "If someone hadn't broken into her stores one night and 'borrowed' it all."

"Harry," Hermione chided playfully. "Who knew you could be so cunning?"

Harry smiled cheekily back at her.

***

"You know I've been thinking," Harry said later on that day, when he and Draco were in their room.

"About what?" Draco asked curiously, looking up from his book.

"Me and you."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"Don't worry, it's good," Harry said reassuringly. He went over to Draco's armchair and curled up in his lap, laying his head on Draco's chest. "There isn't much left of the school year, you know."

"Thank God," Draco said cheerily. "I can't wait to graduate."

"Really? I'm scared of graduating... I don't know what I'm going to do once I leave here. Have you decided?"

"Well I'll work in the ministry of course. Maybe the Department of Mysteries, it's always appealed to me."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Now that would be cool. Any suggestions for me?"

Draco tilted Harry's chin up and studied him for a moment. "I don't think you'll have any difficulties getting a job when you find out what you want to do. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

Harry smiled, but inside he was still nervous. What he was really wondering was what he and Draco were going to do once school ended. Would Draco still want to be with him? Would he tire of Harry and move on to someone better? Some pretty girl perhaps, so he could start a family?

Draco leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Harry's lips. "What's really bothering you?"

"It's nothing." Draco looked at him suspiciously, but let the issue drop for now.

***

"Granger."

Hermione wheeled around to see Draco leaning up against the wall.

"Yes?" Hermione asked curiously, taking a few steps towards Draco.

"I need to talk to you about something," Draco admitted.

"What would that be? Want to copy my homework like everyone else?" she asked, jokingly.

"Like I would lower myself to that level," Draco retorted, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It's about Harry."

Hermione studied him for a second, but didn't ask any more questions. She looked up and down the deserted hall before stepping into a classroom. "Come in here."

***

Harry had been asleep when he heard someone knock on his door. He thought about ignoring it, he was so comfortable laying on the couch. Draco must have moved him and headed off somewhere. He had covered him with the same blanket he had used to warm Harry that night things had gone so wrong...

"Harry, it's me. Open up."

Ron. What the hell was he doing there? They still hadn't spoken since Harry had been honest with him. "Hold on." He stood up, wrapping the quilt tightly around his shoulders for warmth, and opened the portrait to find an anxious looking Ron Weasley staring at him.

"Hey," Ron said simply.

"Hi," Harry greeted coldly. "What do you want?"

Ron looked taken a back. "I..I just wanted to t-talk to you. It's been so long."

"And you're blaming me for that?"

"No!" Ron said defensively. "Of course not. Look... I came here to apologize and you're not making this any easier."

"It shouldn't be easy," Harry said, his face a hard mask.

"Where's Draco? How are you two not--?"

"We haven't been rebonded for a long time now. If you would have been around more often, you would know that." Harry's tone was still cold.

This didn't make Ron happy. "For God's sake Harry. Stop trying to make me leave, because it isn't going to work. I came here to apologize for the way I've been acting. I don't like Malfoy, I never will, but I know I'm going to have to accept him." He took a deep breath. Harry's face still hadn't changed, he was starting to worry. "You may not forgive me, but I'll make you. I know I hurt you... we're best friends. Can't you just give me another chance?"

Harry listened to Ron's pleading without changing expressions. He was inwardly very surprised that Ron had actually admitted all of that and was so adamant about wanting to be friends again. He wanted to forgive Ron, but was afraid of doing so and then Ron do something else to hurt him again.

"What makes you think you deserve another chance after the way you hurt me? You really did Ron, more than you can imagine. I knew you wouldn't like it when I told you, but I had hoped we were good enough friends for you to accept Draco. He means the world to me Ron, do you understand that much?" Harry said passively.

"Yes, of course I do now Harry. Like I said, it just took me a little while longer than it should have to realize how awful I had acted." He paused and looked at Harry. "That's all I had to say. If you can't forgive me, then I guess we weren't as good of friends as I thought we were either." He turned and started to leave.

"Wait." Ron turned and waited for Harry to say something else. "Draco should be back soon, you owe him an apology."

Ron started to say that he didn't owe Draco Malfoy a damn thing, but thought better of it. It definitely wouldn't help the situation now to say anything of the sort. "I'll wait."

***

"You and Harry are still good friends right?"

"We always will be," Hermione said stubbornly. "What do you want Draco? Just come out and ask, whatever we talk about will stay just between us, so you don't have to worry."

"Has Harry mentioned anything to you about what he wants to do after he graduates? What type of job he wants to have or where he's going to live or anything?" Draco was starting to fidget. It just seemed weird talking to someone else about Harry.

"Well, he used to want to be an Auror, but I think that was just because he couldn't think of anything better to do. Quidditch has always been an option, obviously... but no, he's never decided on one true thing."

"Ah," Draco commented. Well that didn't help him at all... but he would have to think later, Granger was talking again.

"As for where he'll live, Ron and I always assumed if he didn't live with the Weasleys for a while, he would buy a house or rent an apartment somewhere in London. Money isn't a problem with him, so he has endless possibilities.

"Just me being nosy, but why are you asking me all of this?" Hermione asked curiously.

Draco thought for a minute whether or not he should tell her the truth. "I don't know why Granger, but I trust you in a way. You ever tell anyone that and I'll deny it." Draco looked her in the eye before continuing. "Honestly, Harry and I were talking this morning, and we skirted around the issue of where we're going to work after school. That made me think about what Harry and I will do once school is over... as a couple I mean."

"Maybe you should just talk to him about it," Hermione pointed out.

"What do you think?" Draco asked her skeptically.

"If you don't know the answer to that question already, then you need to figure it out." She stood up and headed for the door. "If you need to talk about things again, I'm just an owl away."

Then she was gone. Draco slumped in a desk. That conversation had just succeeded in confusing him more.

***

When Draco finally reached the sanctuary of his room, he met a very unexpected sight: Harry and Ron playing chess. He walked cautiously up to the two who apparently hadn't heard him enter, so he cleared his throat. He hated not being the center of attention... especially where Harry was concerned.

Harry's face lit up when he saw Draco. "Darling."

Draco's face scrunched in distaste at the name. "Hello to you too... what do we have here?"

"What we have," said Ron speaking up, "Is an apology; from me to you. Will you accept it?"

Draco glanced at Harry whose eyes were pleading with him. How could he resist those eyes? Draco nodded in acknowledgement, not trusting himself to open his mouth. He did look pointedly at Harry though, before going into their bedroom.

"Well I guess I should leave. I've stayed long enough and Hermione will think you've murdered me or something." Ron grinned at Harry.

"Alright, I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Draco and I probably won't come down for dinner."

Ron nodded and left as Harry went into the bedroom to see what Draco was up to.

"So you and Weasley are all buddy buddy again I presume?" Draco drawled. He was laying on the bed, his face smushed into the pillow, so his words were somewhat muffled.

"We talked about things while you were out. Where were you? You didn't leave a note or anything..."

"I had some stuff I had to take care of," Draco said evasively. "So why did you tell Weasley we weren't going to dinner tonight?"

Harry grinned mischievously. He came around to where Draco was laying and started to rub his back. "I have other plans for tonight."

Draco smiled into the pillow. Like he was going to disagree.

***