“Howdoyounotknow?”
“We’redoingsomething,butwhetherit’sadateornotisstillupforgrabs.”
“Oh.”Hermioneseemedtothinkaboutthatforaminute.“WellthenIwishyoulukonwhateveritturnsouttobe.”
Harrygrinned.“HopefullyIwon’tneedit,right?”
ThatSaturdaydawnedwarmerthanithadallwinterandgringlybright.ThefeelingwasalmostiiousasstudentsthroughoutHogwartsdressedwarmlyforadayroamingthestreetsofHogsmeade.Harry,guessingthatRonwouldbebouningoffthewallsinnervoustension,leftforGryffindorTowerbeforebreakfast,leavingDraointheshower.
Harrywasright,Ronwasamess.TheotherboyshadlongsinestoppedtryingtoalmRondown.TheredheadpratiallyattakedHarrywhenheameintothedorm.
“Harry!WhatamIgoingtodo!Orwear!AndwhatifIatlikeajerkand—”
HarrysharedasufferinglookwiththeotherboyswhowereverygdnottobeinHarry’sshoesrightnow.
DraowasthinkingmuhalongthesamelinesasRon,butinamoredignifiedmanner.Andtheonlyonearoundtohearhismutteringswasamirror.ShehadwathedunimpressedasDraohadtakenmost,ifnotall,ofthelothesoutofhislosetandstrewnthemaroundtheroom.Andthenwathedasheproeededtopaebetweenthepilesthathadformed,disardingitemafteritemforbeing“notgoodenough”.
“Whydon’tyouloseyoureyes,pikashirt,andthenfindtrouserstomath?”Themirroraskedirritated.
Draofixedherwithagrethattranstedto“whatouldamirrorknow?”.
“Hun,I’vebeenhereforyears.I’vebeenineverydormpossibleandI’veseenthismessoverandover.Believeme,everyoneeventuallygetstothatpoint.Sowhydon’tyousaveyourselfawholelotoftrouble,paing,andwearingyourselfoutinworry?”
Draodidn’tomment,butsneeredatthemirror…andthenpikeduptheshirt.
BreakfastwasalreadyunderwaywhenDraowasfinallypleasedwithhowhelookedanddonnedthetraditionalSlytherinrobesoverhisoutfit.Perfet.
“Youlooklovelydarling.Nowwasn’tthateasier?”Themirrorasked.Draoshotanothergreatthemirrorandleft,mutteringaboutrefletivegssthatknewtoomuh.
Hogsmeadewasalwaysbustlingwithpeople,andtheleft-overoldfromtheheightofwinterdidnothingtodeterthem.SoitwaswithalittlediffiultythatHarrymadehiswaythroughtherowdedroomofThreeBroomstikstothebakwheretheprivateboothswere.MadamRosmertahadsmiledwarmlyathimandwavedhimtowardsthebooththatwastukedinthemostoutofthewayornerofthemallwitha,“He’swaitingforyou.”
TheboothsthemselvesweresomethingofastrokeofgeniustoHarry.Theywerepedaroundtheoutskirtsoftheroomwithonealing,silene,notie-me-not,andprivayharmsonthemthatwerekeyedtothepeoplethatwantedtousethem.Regurustomerswouldn’tevenknowtheywerethereandsoitwasperfetforhisandDrao’s…whatever-it-was.
Draohadalreadyorderedtwobutterbeersandwasloungingquiteomfortablyonhishair,lookingoutatthepatronswhoouldn’tseehimwathingthem.HarrynotiedthatheseemediedinonetableinpartiurasheslidintotheseatoppositeDrao.
“Iknowthatlook,”Harryobserved.