The Hogwarts Poets' Society

-- The more things change, the more they remain...insane.

Michael Fry and T. Lewis, Over the Hedge, 05-09-04

"Look, I'm sorry," Draco mumbled again. Harry looked him over. He did look sorry, in a way. Well, he didn't look as though he was getting a lot of pleasure getting a rise out of Harry. He looked a little upset. Sort of. I mean, if you get past that look of humiliation at apologizing. Malfoy's do not apologize.

"Yeah, sure," Harry mumbled. It was all very awkward and strange. They were not supposed to be apologizing. They were supposed to be throwing jinxes and curses and death threats. But things change, despite what you want to happen.

They went into the kitchens and Harry got some food. Then they left the kitchens.

"Well, that wasn't the adventure you made it out to be," Draco said. "I mean, all we did is ask the stupid house elves for some food. Then they gave it to us. Big deal! You made it sound like some brave act of chivalry or something, going to nick food from the kitchens."

"That's not the point!" Harry said huffily. "The point is, you've never done it because you can get other people to do things for you!"

"What's wrong with getting other people to do things for you?" Draco asked. They turned down the corridor where the Room of Requirement could be found. Harry began walking past the wall three times in silence. He was concentrating: he had to get the room just right. Finally, the door appeared and they continued their, ahem, discussion, as they went inside.

Harry sputtered a bit. "It's not that getting help is wrong," he admitted. "But, being self-sufficient is so much more useful. You'll never survive on your own." He took a bite of treacle tart.

"Survive on my own? Are you serious?" Draco laughed. "I'm a Malfoy! I've been raised to be married off. Pansy has been raised to be married to me, help me serve the Dark Lord, and keep me happy. And we have money! We don't need to do things for ourselves!"

Harry didn't quite know what to say to this. True, you didn't really have to do anything for yourself when you had money, but that wasn't the point.

"True, you don't really have to do anything for yourself when you have money, but that's not the point," he said finally. "Anyway, I'm getting sick of discussing this with you! NEW TOPIC!"

"CLEAN CUP!" Draco shouted in response. They both stood up and ran to another spot at the table before sitting back down again, as serious as ever.

"Right, new topic," Harry repeated. They both thought for a moment.

"What are we supposed to talk about?" Draco finally asked seriously. "I mean, we aren't supposed to talk at all, save trying to publicly humiliate each other at every available opportunity."

"Fair enough," Harry said. "But, we're changing that, right?"

"I don't know, do you want to change that? We could make this a one-time thing. We could eat together and discuss neutral topics before we go off to our common rooms. Then tomorrow we could just go back to being enemies again," Draco said. "Nobody would suspect anything."

"Yeah, but I don't think Dumbledore would let it go that easily," Harry said.

"What does Dumbledore have to do with any of this?" Draco said, slightly irritated at the illogic of his midnight snack partner.

"He locked us in a closet together. There has to be something going on," Harry said. A look of sudden comprehension lit up Draco's face, followed by a shadow of fear.

"True," Draco said. "Snape's theory of the Plan of Imminent Doom pretty much covers that area."

Harry, meanwhile, was feeling slightly irritated at Draco's obscurity.

"I'm really confused," Harry replied. "Are you saying that Snape has actually figured out Dumbledore's Plan of Imminent Doom?"

"Well, he thinks he has," Draco replied. "Why weren't you at the meeting tonight?"

"I didn't want to go," Harry shrugged.

"Right, and I'm the spoiled brat," Draco said sarcastically. "Aren't you worried about Dumbledore is up to?"

"Not really."

"We have a decision to make, anyway," Draco said, refocusing. "Are we going to move on past our idiotic, childish rivalry or are we going to put things back to normal."

"That's a really difficult question," Harry said. "On one hand, we could make a very good team."

"With your chivalry and sense of duty and my cunning and lack of morals, we could take over this school," Draco said, holding his fork like sword and speaking in a mock-serious voice.

"It's true, though," Harry said in response.

"On the other hand, it would be suspicious and a pain in the ass," Draco said. "We would have to convince our houses that we have moved past our differences and they should do the same."

"Ugh, the diplomacy of it all," Harry grumbled. "I don't want to be the leader of Gryffindor house, especially in the pursuit of killing a centuries old tradition. I have enough things to deal with, like Evil Things. Evil Things take up a lot more time than you think they would."

"But going back to being enemies would be such a waste!" Draco said vehemently. Harry chewed in thoughtful silence for a moment. It was almost adventurous, though not at all up to his usual standards of adventure.

"We could meet in secret," Harry suggested. "And we wouldn't be openly hostile or friendly in public. That might work."

"True enough," Draco admitted. "But, I was thinking this was more of an all or nothing sort of thing."

"Ah, that's a problem, yes?"

"Yes."

More thoughtful chewing ensued.

"Why did you kiss me?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Why did you push me away?"

"Because I was pissed at you!" Harry said angrily. "You were being such a jerk, and I had thought that we had moved past all of that because of the closet!"

"You know, this is all very girly, the way we're talking things out like this."

"Yeah, in a way, I suppose, it is kind of girly," Harry replied. "I mean, talking about feelings and things. Hermione would be proud."

"Ew!" Draco said.

They both sighed in unison.