Draco sat on the train, staring out the window and watching the countryside roll past. Every now and again, he noticed absently, they passed a Muggle village. Ordinarily he might have waited to catch another glimpse of one of these towns, but then again, ordinarily he would be chatting with his fellow Slytherins or trying to torment the Gryffindors of Hufflepuffs.

Instead, Draco allowed his thoughts to dart forward to what the new term would be like. His father had not mentioned following Potter around since he had first asked why his son had come home for Christmas alone. Draco supposed that that meant that the task was over, but it seemed unlike his father not to determine that there was some fault and berate him for it. To just let the whole thing drop this way seemed somehow…ominous.

Draco gave a small shudder but then mentally pulled himself back. Ominous, honestly he was starting to sound like a Hufflepuff. Actually, he was glad to be rid of Potter. No more hanging about pretending to like the freak. He could go back to being his normal self. Boss Crabbe and Goyle around. Tease Granger. Rile Weasley.

This is going to be great, he told himself, ruthlessly suppressing the small voice that pointed out that he would no longer be flying on Saturdays with someone who could keep up and didn’t worry too much about the proper number of times to let him win. When he thought of it that way, it almost made his life seem…lonely. Draco spent half a second examining that thought before pushing it utterly and thoroughly away.

Clearly sitting here looking out the window was only encouraging him to think melancholy and utterly untrue thoughts. Resolutely, Draco stood up and strode from the compartment. He had some Gryffindors to torment.

---

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all sat in the same compartment. Hermione looked around at them and wished that Harry could be here as well. And Luna. Hermione wasn’t sure where the young Ravenclaw was, but it seemed positively unusual not to have her sitting there with her nose buried in The Quibbler. Strange as she was, Luna now seemed to belong to their little group.

“He hasn’t written to you either?” Ron asked Neville.

“No. I got a gift from Harry, but that was it.”

“What about you Hermione?”

“I haven’t heard from him, no. You didn’t either?”

Ron shook his head, causing Hermione to frown.

Ginny said, “I just hope the prat didn’t have some stupid reason like not intruding on our family holiday.”

Hermione’s frown deepened. That would be exactly like Harry, to assume that he wasn’t wanted. “Well, if that was his reason, we’re just going to have to set him straight.”

“I’ll set him straight,” Ginny grumbled.

“No, Ginny, I don’t think hexing him into oblivion, or even just the Hospital Wing will work.” Hermione’s smile was gentle, but the look in her eye said she wouldn’t mind trying it herself.

“I think,” Neville said somewhat nervously, “that we should just point out to him that we are his friends, and then we shouldn’t let him forget it.”

“How do you mean, don’t let him forget it?” Ron asked. “Harry knows we’re his friends.”

“I mean make sure he knows we’re willing to talk to him. Don’t let him keep secrets all the time unless he has to. Has anyone talked to him about what happened in the Ministry?”

The others glanced at each other. “He hasn’t brought it up either,” Ron said defensively.

“Of course he hasn’t, Harry wouldn’t. That doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t want to talk, though. Sometimes it’s easier when you have.” Neville frowned a little. “Has anyone got any idea what was going on with him last term? He was acting a little oddly.”

“I know a bit,” Hermione offered. “But it doesn’t really answer any questions and I was afraid to push too much. I’m not sure how much I should say without Harry’s permission…” she trailed off with a deeply apologetic look.

Ron looked like he might have pushed the issue, but Ginny spoke first. “I guess we need to sit down with Harry and have a chat.”

“I guess we do,” Ron agreed. They all nodded to seal the deal.

Just then, the compartment door opened. “Hello, Draco,” Hermione greeted the blonde.

Draco sneered. “Have a good holiday, Granger?”

“I did, thanks. Did you?”

Her response caught him off guard. Could she be sincerely asking? Was it a trap? Long experience had taught him to regard all unexpected actions with wariness if not outright suspicion. “I guess you didn’t see much of Weasley, then.”

“We were able to spend a few days together, actually.” Hermione replied serenely, oblivious to the incredulous glances and out and out gaping that everyone else was giving her. “Is your mother well?”

Draco blinked hard. This was not at all the way this little interview should have gone. “She is well,” he answered shortly.

“Good.” Hermione nodded and smiled at him. Draco just nodded slightly and turned away, closing the door behind him. The second it had shut completely the three Gryffindors leaned toward Hermione.

“What was that?” Ginny asked softly. She was clearly impressed.

“Delaying tactic,” Hermione shrugged.

“What?” Ron exclaimed.

“Look, I’ve been thinking about this a lot actually. If Malfoy wants to be polite, we should encourage that. And if he doesn’t want to, we need to make sure that it’s clear that he’s the one at fault. I’ve seen Mum do it loads of time at the office. Besides, he thinks we’re all dumb Gryffindors, right? So he’d never expect it.”

Ron, Ginny, and Neville stared at her another moment. “I’m not sure if that’s brilliant, or completely starkers,” Ron breathed. “Sometimes, you scare me.”

“Well, I just thought, I mean, if you think it’s a bad idea,” Hermione began.

“No! It’s a great idea!” Ginny exclaimed.

“What?” Neville turned sharply to face the red-headed witch. He couldn’t help feeling somewhat bewildered at this turn of events. Draco Malfoy being polite? What was next? Was Snape going to show up and award him points for Gryffindor for his magical prowess and potions skills?

“Yes, definitely,” Ginny smirked. “We’ll kill him with kindness. He’ll never know what hit him.”

“I’d rather just kill him,” Ron muttered, only to be slapped lightly by Hermione and favored with an admonishing look.

“Do we have to be nice to him all the time?” Neville asked, resignation beginning to show on his face.

“Well, we don’t need to seek him out or anything. Only when he comes up to us,” Hermione replied.

“You can’t be serious,” Ron protested. “We’re actually going to be nice to Malfoy? The ferret that’s made our lives miserable for years?”

“Yes, Ron,” Ginny said before Hermione could answer. “We’ll keep him confused that way and maybe he’ll stay away from us.”

“Well, I’m not going to go out of my way to be nice to him,” Ron huffed, crossing his arms and slouching in his chair.

“So don’t. But you know what Mum says. If you can’t say anything nice, you’d best not say anything at all.” Somehow the way Ginny smiled when she said that made it sound less like an adage and more like a threat.

---

Draco had leant briefly against the wall beside the door he had just exited. That was distinctly disturbing, he decided. He took a deep breath and pushed himself upright. He needed Hufflepuff therapy. There had to be some runty firsties from Helga’s house about somewhere. He doubted more than three people had stayed at school this year.

“Good morning, Draco.” Luna Lovegood stood before him. Perfect.

“It’s afternoon, Lovegood,” he drawled.

“It’s morning somewhere,” she replied calmly. “Have you seen Ginny? I want to tell her about my prank.”

“Your prank? You pranked someone?” The incredulous note in his voice was decidedly unflattering.

“Yes.” The Ravenclaw seemed entirely unconcerned. “Have you seen her?”

Draco just sneered and brushed past her. This was shaping up to be a thoroughly miserable train ride.

---

Harry landed impatiently in the gathering gloom. Any minute now his friends should arrive. It would be good to see them again. He was still of two minds as to whether he ought to tell them about everything or not. He supposed he would just wait until it came up and then make it up as he went along. He gave a small shrug and trudged back up to the tower. He might as well get cleaned up for dinner.

Several minutes later, Harry was sitting in the Great Hall. The smaller table had disappeared again and was replaced by the four house tables and the staff table on the raised dais. Harry watched with bored eyes as the teachers filtered in. He had not seen several of them since before break began, and he mostly ignored them. He simply couldn’t be bothered just then.

“The train should be here any moment.” The kind words of his head of house jolted him from his apathetic reverie. McGonagall smiled at him. “You don’t have much longer to wait,” she assured him.

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said at last.

“Mr. Potter,” she paused. “Harry. I, I do hope you know that you can come to me for anything that you might need. Whether you are having a problem in class or you just want to talk to someone. I am aware that I may have seemed…somewhat stand-offish in the past, but I…You seemed to have everything sorted at the beginning of the year, and nearly always in the past. I thought perhaps you didn’t need, didn’t want…well.” She broke off again and Harry could see her gathering her resolve and coherency. “I just wanted you to know, that I am here for you.”

Harry could only blink at her. “Thank you, professor,” he mumbled at last, looking away from her searching, black eyes.

“You are entirely welcome, Harry. And I do mean it.”

Harry nodded again, unable to meet her eyes. She gave him another smile and strode briskly to her place at the staff table.

---

“Coddling the boy, Minerva?” Severus sneered as she passed.

“Well, someone has to look after him,” she replied with a sniff. “He’s been positively out of sorts this holiday.”

“Aye,” Severus breathed inaudibly as she seated herself. He tried not to blame her for being able to approach Harry while he could not. He tried not to blame himself for the fact that he couldn’t.