Unspoken

Ron stared at Hermione in horror upon hearing her declare that Harry and Malfoy had become...friends.

"True friendship," she had whispered, matter-of-factly, "comes when silence between two people is comfortable." She covered Ron's mouth with her hand before he could say a word, and indicated the pair sitting comfortably together in the Quidditch stands, gazing off into the sky.

Ron didn't spare Malfoy a glance, but Harry, he realized, looked peaceful. If he didn't know better, Ron would go so far as to say Harry looked content. But this was Malfoy.

He made a face behind Hermione's hand, but she simply gave him a withering look, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him away from the Quidditch pitch.

As Ron grumbled softly to himself, Hermione glanced over her shoulder, a puzzled expression on her face. Secretly, she felt that perhaps Harry and Malfoy were a bit closer than friends.

***

Hermione was in the middle of scolding Ron for eating her entire Sugarquill when, at last, Harry burst through the portrait hole. His cheeks were rosy, no doubt from having just come in from the pitch, and there was a fire in his eyes. He really did look quite happy.

Hermione frowned. Something she hoped would escape Ron's scrutiny of their friend was the fact that Harry's shirt was not buttoned properly.

Harry said a cheery hello to everyone, and waved extravagantly to Hermione and Ron, before making his way towards the staircase leading to the sixth-year boys' dormitory.

Hermione rose so quickly that the large, leather-bound book that had been resting in her lap dropped to the floor--specifically onto Ron's foot--with a loud thunk. She ignored Ron's cry of pain in her haste to intercept Harry before he got far up the stairs. He turned at her call.

"Love is blind, and thinks that others don't see, either," she said softly. Harry chewed his lower lip between his teeth, considering Hermione. He then nodded, as if it all made sense to him, as though it were all perfectly clear, before resuming his flight up the stairs.

Hermione sighed, head bowed, watching him go.

***

Hermione cornered him after Potions. She felt slightly guilty; in order for her to be able to leave the class unaccompanied by Ron or Harry she had to make their potion explode, but it would be worth it, as long as she got what she wanted from Malfoy.

Malfoy was giving her a calculating look, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the cold stone of the dungeon walls. He looked as though he were in perfect control of the situation. Hermione wondered if that was true.

"Obedience keeps to the rules," Hermione said, and knew she did not have to explain herself to Malfoy. He shifted slightly, pulling his arms tighter across his chest, his chin jutting out at a bit more of a defensive angle. She was going to say more. She had planned out precisely what she would say to Malfoy during History of Magic. She was prepared. However, laughter behind her alerted her to the fact that Harry and Ron had escaped into the corridor.

Hermione turned to judge how far away they were. They had not seen her. They had assumed she left them, and they were walking in the opposite direction, the direction that would lead them back to halls where warmth wasn't sucked out of every living thing. Once they were a safe distance away, she turned back around and let out a small cry of surprise.

Malfoy was standing directly in front of her, one hand on the wall near her head, bracing himself as he leaned in close.

"Love knows when to break them," he said, and though his voice was quiet, it was steel. Before she could respond, Malfoy had pushed back from the wall and turned away, disappearing down the dark corridor.

***

With Hermione popping out of nowhere constantly these days, Harry had to resort to using his Invisibility Cloak. He shrugged the nagging feeling of guilt away as he made his way through Hogwarts, ducking behind a suit of armor to unlock a secret passage that led to the dungeons directly.

Draco was leaning against the barrier into the Slytherin common room, looking rather bored. Harry felt a rush of excitement, and his heart skipped several beats. He knew Draco was waiting for him. Harry tapped Draco on the shoulder, and Draco, who had known Harry was there the moment he arrived, turned to say the password.

Harry followed Draco into his unpleasant common room, then down the narrow hall that lead to Draco's room. Once inside, and after all the precautionary spells had been put into place, Harry revealed himself, grinning.

Draco was on him in an instant, kissing any place he could reach. Harry chuckled, and pried him off, then frowned. Draco had an odd expression on his face.

After being prompted several times, and then finally being hit with a pillow, Draco conceded to telling Harry just what was on his mind.

"You know, some people never say those words: 'I love you'; they just can't." Comprehension dawned on Harry, and he couldn't help the smile from spreading across his face. So that's what Hermione's been on about all this time. She wanted to make sure Draco wasn't using him for some dark purpose, that Harry wasn't setting himself up for a devastating heartbreak.

Harry sat down on the bed next to Draco and pulled him into his chest, nuzzling his neck. He kissed Draco there, then his temple, and against his lips, he murmured:

"Real love is when you don't have to tell each other."