A week before the end of term, snow misted in the air and dissolved on contact with the muddy ground. Harry sat on the edge of an empty fountain and watched the fine flakes swirl. In the otherwise empty courtyard, he was aware of Hermione from the time she stepped out the door, but he waited until she was beside him to acknowledge her.

"Hi."

"Hello, Harry. Enjoying the weather?"

He turned his head toward her, finally, and smiled. "Yes."

Her cheeks dimpled as she smiled in return. "Good. I like the first snow too." She hoisted herself up onto the fountain's edge. "I talked to Ron."

"Mm?"

"He said you were walking back from breakfast today, and you ran into Malfoy -- and that you went on your knees to apologize."

Harry looked away to hide a smile. The leaden sky was darkening with the approach of night. "And?"

"Well ...." Hermione hesitated. "This sounds rather odd, I'm sure, but congratulations."

"Thanks." Harry bit his lip. "It was hard. I think it was hard for him, too, because he turned pink and pulled me to my feet almost right away."

"Ron said he wanted a more explicit apology, but the two of you went off and talked, and he dropped it."

"I persuaded him that admitting what I had done would be politically damaging to me, which would, in turn, diminish my usefulness to him."

Hermione made a face. Harry waved the matter off. "Anyway, we're going to try to be friends again. I think it will take a while to get back to feeling comfortable, but I'm hopeful, now. We've both missed each other. He says I may sit with him in Potions, next time we have a class."

"How kind."

"I've missed his airs, actually. How is Ron taking it?"

"Better, now that I've said it was a good thing."

"Thank you, then."

Hermione smiled again. "You're welcome."

Harry cocked his head at her. "And where were you?"

Hermione sighed. She picked a pebble out of the dry fountain and let it roll off her gloved fingers. "Studying with Lydia."

"Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?"

"I've been trying to think of a polite way to tell her I'm utterly bored."

"Really?"

"Look, I know I study a lot, and I do think it's worthwhile, but I'm used to being with people who don't. I think -- as much as I hate to admit it -- maybe I need someone who makes me do something else."

"Hm." Harry visibly considered the matter. "Draco's available."

"No. No, no, no, no --"

"Okay, Hermione! I get the idea!"

She shifted closer, warming his side. "Is taking up with Malfoy again really a good idea? People still seem a little tense around you."

Harry shrugged. "Some of them. The D.A., mostly, are all right, and the people in my classes are all right."

"Except for last session, when Colin had his little screaming fit about how you've become an utter arsehole since Snape's blood took hold."

"Yes, well, he's never really forgiven me about the camera." Harry tensed. "And I've never really forgiven him for nearly getting both of them killed. Still, I try to be fair."

"For the most part, you are." Hermione shrugged. "As fair as you ever were; possibly better."

"Dad's better too, I think." Harry grinned. "Though he still favors Draco -- but I'm glad about that, now. And he's so much better to me that it's hard to tell what it's like for other people."

"Oh, he's better." She giggled. "Of course, Padma, just last week, was saying that it must be because he's, um, 'getting some.'"

Harry snorted. "From what I've managed to catch, they haven't got that far yet, though I hope they will -- and farther." He grinned. "I think Remus would make a wonderful stepfather."

Hermione choked. "Better not mention that to Snape!"

"Oh, I won't. I'm learning when to keep my mouth shut."

She nodded. "Which has a lot to do with why there's only mild distrust of you."

"Well, that and turning up pink, or with glowing feathers, after hitting another one of his ambushes."

"But you take it in good humor. If you were stomping around in a strop, that would only make it worse."

"I suppose so."

"Harry, honestly -- I think you are doing a wonderful job handling things, this year."

"Thanks." He brushed his cheek against her hair. "Your opinion means a lot to me."

The light snow had almost stopped. Harry looked up. "The owls."

The nocturnal birds were swirling out of the tower like a new flurry of snowflakes. Hermione nodded. "Going out to hunt."

For a minute, they sat in silence and watched the birds glide lower. They dispersed as they descended, until Harry could not watch all of them. Keeping his eye on a white one that might be Hedwig, he shifted, then hesitantly reached an arm around the girl at his side.

"Harry? I don't think--"

"Friends," he said firmly, gripping her far shoulder. "Just-- No, not 'just' anything. Completely friends. Always."

"Friends." She leaned into the embrace. "Always."