‘Harry?’ Hermione’s voice was shrill and confused. Draco and Harry exchanged a brief aghast look before the blond rose hurriedly.

‘See you later, Potter,’ he said, mockingly, ‘if you don’t find another way to land yourself in the hospital wing. The huge scar would be enough for us mere mortals you know. But the great Harry Potter needs more attention than that …’ Draco rushed out, knocking into Ron as he left.

‘Prat,’ Harry muttered weakly.

‘What were you doing?’ Ron demanded.

‘I was lying peacefully in bed and Malfoy came to give me his usual line in insults.’

‘First you run off without telling us what’s going on. Then McGonagall tells us you’re fine, but in the hospital wing after a run-in with Dementors. And now we find you exchanging pleasantries with Malfoy of all people?’

‘I wasn’t “exchanging pleasantries”. We were arguing.’

‘That’s not how it looked, Harry,’ Hermione pointed out softly.

‘What do you mean?’

‘We were standing at the door. You looked pretty friendly.’

‘Or as friendly as the ferret gets,’ Ron muttered.

‘Not the time, Ron,’ Hermione hissed.

‘It’s …’ Harry began, ‘do you trust me?’

‘Of course we do, Harry,’ Hermione reassured him, ‘but we don’t trust him.’

‘Remember I said that if there was anything you needed to know, I would tell you?’

‘Yes.’

‘This isn’t one of those times.’

‘Harry …’ Hermione pleaded.

‘I can’t tell you. But it’s not putting me in any danger. Or you.’

‘You’re playing nice with Malfoy and no one’s in danger?’ Ron said incredulously.

‘Right.’

‘What is going on here?’ Madam Pomfrey bustled in, regarding Ron and Hermione with horror. ‘Visiting hours are long over. Mr Potter needs his rest. Now shoo!’

Hermione and Ron left the Hospital Wing reluctantly, with a last entreating look at Harry. He didn’t meet their eyes.

************

Outside Defence against the Dark Arts Hermione and Ron were still trying to pry information out of Harry. He was always stubborn, but it was normally about doing something, not about keeping secrets from them.

‘You’ve been trying to get me to tell you for the whole of this class, plus all the classes today, plus every minute since you saw him. What makes you think I’ll have changed my mind now?’ Harry asked in exasperation.

‘We’re persistent,’ Ron answered, only half-smiling.

‘Look, Snape knows, does that help?’

‘So, what you’re saying is, you trust Snape, and bloody Malfoy, and not us? He could be telling you that he was a hippogriff and you’d believe him!’ As Ron was speaking, Draco walked past. He stilled and turned.

‘Secrets aren’t really your strong-point are they, Potter?’ he hissed.

‘I didn’t …’ Harry tried to explain without drawing the attention of his classmates.

‘Save it.’ After that last comment, Draco rushed on.

‘See?’ Ron exclaimed. ‘You can’t trust them.’

Harry looked at Ron in disbelief. Turning to Hermione and seeing no encouragement there, he stormed off. Hermione and Ron looked at each other in confusion.

***********

‘Draco?’ Severus put a hand out to stop him crashing into a wall. ‘Are you quite alright?’

‘I’m fine, sir’

‘Strange, because you look like the Magpies just lost the cup to Weasley’s Cannons.’

‘Weasley’s a Cannons fan? How appropriate.’

‘Draco…’

‘How do you know anyway?’

‘He doodles on his notes. That’s not the point…’

‘And you remember?’

‘One of many things you are going to learn from me before he calls is how to pay attention to detail. An activity I am engaging in now. What is wrong?’

‘Potter told his sidekicks.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘What do you mean, am I sure? I heard them talking.’

‘Did he mention something specific? Or are you drawing conclusions based on the fact that you’re not sure whether to trust him or not? Instincts are all well and good, Draco, but sometimes we need evidence. Another point you have yet to master.’

‘I thought you were helping.’

‘Now when did I say that? I asked what was wrong. At no point did I indicate that I was going to be sympathetic.’

Draco laughed softly at that.‘Sympathy is something you have yet to master.’

‘I find empathy is much less patronising. Harry is reckless, naïve, and almost unfailingly idiotic, but he is also ridiculously loyal. You’re right to be cautious, Draco, but if you trust no-one you will end up in difficulties.’

‘Is that speaking from experience, sir?’

‘I always speak from experience. And don’t pry.’

‘Sorry.’

‘You’re forgiven. Now go and sort out whatever it is. I deal with quite enough teenage angst without you two adding to it.’

‘Yes, sir. Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’ Snape turned to leave.

‘Sir?’

‘Yes?’ he sighed.

‘Was it Dumbledore?’

‘Yes, now go.’

‘Yes, sir.’

************

‘He’s off his bloody rocker!’ Ron said loudly.

‘Ssssh!’ Madam Pince called disapprovingly.

‘I’m telling you, he needs help.’ Ron was ignoring her.

‘Ron! Ssssh!’ Hermione whispered.

‘We should tell someone.’

‘Who? Snape knows.’

‘Snape doesn’t care.’

‘Ron, that’s not fair.’

‘Just because he’s given you unlimited access to the library you’re suddenly a fan.’

‘Ron? Remember the part of this year where we decided not to give in to prejudices about Slytherins?’

‘It’s not Slytherins, it’s him.’

‘And Professor Snape.’

‘And him. We should tell Dumbledore.’

‘Dumbledore already knows, Weasley.’ Draco appeared behind Ron.

‘Do you always listen in on conversations that don’t concern you?’

‘How exactly does a conversation about me, not concern me?’

‘It was private.’

‘Fine. Where’s Potter?’

‘Why?’

‘Because I can’t find him, Weasley, why else?’

‘Why are you looking for him?’ Hermione asked, pointedly.

‘Because we had a misunderstanding. Possibly. You, Granger, could actually resolve it for me.’

‘Oh?’

‘What did Harry tell you about me talking to him?’

‘Not a bloody thing,’ Ron answered, ‘why else d’you think we keep asking him?’

‘Ron, I swear, if you say bloody one more time …’ Hermione threatened.

‘He didn’t tell you anything?’ Draco broke in.

‘No.’ Hermione answered sharply. ‘But he says you’re not a threat to his safety, or ours. Given that Professors Snape and Dumbledore know, I choose to believe him. This doesn’t mean I’m not concerned. He ran off after you said, whatever you said, outside Defence. Why would that be?’ Not for the first time, Draco was a little scared of Hermione Granger.

‘I thought he had said something to you. Clearly he hasn’t. And I can’t find him, I thought he would be with you.’

‘We had a slight misunderstanding too,’ Hermione admitted reluctantly.

‘Maybe he went for a walk?’ Ron suggested.

‘Or a fly.’ Draco realised. Ron nodded agreement before he realised what he was doing. Draco left the library, Ron and Hermione following.

***********

They reached the Quidditch field to find it empty.

‘I never should have taught him that charm,’ Hermione murmured.

‘The Obscure Sagit?’ Draco asked.

‘Yes,’ she answered suspiciously. Draco ignored her and concentrated on the sky above him. Hermione and Ron copied his actions and Harry flickered suddenly into view. He was flying tight circles around the hoops, at a speed that would cause damage if he were to hit one. Unexpectedly he went into a steep dive. Draco put a hand over Hermione’s mouth.

‘If you scream, he’ll fall.’

Harry turned corkscrews as he fell, gaining speed. At the last minute he pulled up, soaring to the upper reaches again. He practiced turns and somersaults, each time looking as if he should fall, then pulling it off with an ease that made them wonder why they had been concerned.

‘I always forget how good he is,’ Draco whispered. It was mostly to himself, but both Hermione and Ron nodded.

‘He looks as if he doesn’t notice anything but what he’s doing,’ Hermione said.

‘Maybe that’s why he’s doing it,’ Ron pointed out. Draco was about to make a snide remark about wisdom from a Weasley, but he stopped the reflexive action. For Harry’s sake he had been civil and, truthfully, Ron had a point.

‘Should we get him down?’ Hermione asked.

‘Well you shouldn’t, you haven’t flown since first year.’ Ron pointed out. Hermione glared indignantly.

‘If both of us fly up, one of us should manage to catch him if he falls,’ Draco said, looking at Ron.

‘Yeah.’ Ron agreed. The boys went to find their brooms. Harry continued to fly, oblivious of the people below him. Draco and Ron returned and took to the air, careful to fly in front of Harry. He pulled out his wand quickly, and then relaxed.

‘Harry?’ Ron asked, ‘Do you want to come down?’

‘Not particularly.’

‘You need to come down, mate. Hermione’s worried, and we can’t have a conversation in mid-air, you know what she’s like on a broom.’

‘Harry?’ Draco tried. ‘I know you didn’t tell them. I was looking for you, but you were pretty well hidden’ Harry knew that Draco meant his mind, not just his person, but he was still annoyed.

‘Are you going to apologise?’ he asked.

‘No?’

‘Then I’m not coming down.’

‘God, Harry, what age are you, five? Fine. I’m sorry. Happy now?’

In response Harry looked at Ron.

‘We’re sorry too. Now will you stop trying to kill yourself and come down?’ The three boys flew down together. When Harry dismounted, Hermione threw her arms around him.

‘I’m sorry we didn’t leave it alone.’ She pulled back and looked at him anxiously. He smiled cautiously at her in forgiveness. She scared him a little when she got emotional like that.

‘Better get to the Common Room, if Filch catches us he’ll kill us.’ Harry observed.

‘If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I’ll kill you. Disappearing off into the middle of the night, nearly crashing that stick I don’t know how many times …’

‘You sound just like mum.’ Ron grinned, ‘One minute crying, the next yelling.’ Hermione turned the full force of her glare on him and walked towards the school.

‘She can be a little scary when she does that,’ Ron said. Harry and Draco both nodded adamantly. Hermione gestured at them to hurry, still muttering about ‘boys’ in despair, they followed her, silently sharing their point of agreement. It was a small one, but it was a start.