Theatmeowedagain,headingtowardsthedoor.
“No,youan’tgoout,”Draohukled.“You’lljustomebakallwetandbegrumpywithme.”
Harry’sheartlenhedathoweasilyDraoughed.Hehadneverseenhimthisatease.Draopushedhishairbakfromhisfaeagainandsatatthetable,whihhadremnantsofsomesortoftartesatonit.Draopikedatitdisiedly,pikingupabookandlookingthroughit.Hedidn’tseemtobereadingitreallysomuhasholdingit.Hesetitdowninhispforlongperiodsoftime,duringwhihhewouldsitandstareatthewindowsthatlookedintotheke,hewingathisthumb.
Harrywassobusywathingthemaninfrontofhimthathealmostfotthatmanwasn’tsupposedtobebreathing,letalonesittinganddaydreamingfifteenfeetawayfromhim.ThisiswhatMGonagallhadbeenhiding.Draohadbeenhereallalong,lokedinthedungeonsformostofit,ifhisomplexionwasanythingtogoby.
Theat,nowlosertothedoor,mewledagain,startlingbothDraoandHarryoutoftheirthoughts.
“Potter,youabsolutemenae,”Draosighed.
Harrytensedathisname.Draoknewhewasthere,somehow,hadsensedhi—
“Ialreadytoldyouyouan’tgoouttonight,Harriet,”Draosaid,walkingovertotheentrane.
Theathissed.
“Ok,youangoout,butifyougetsoaked,you’resleepinginthehalltonight,Potter,”Draowarned.“Idon’tneedmyroomsmellinglikeawetat.”
Draotappedthedoorandletouttheat,returningtothetable.
…DraonamedhisatPotter.
Draowasalive,hehadaatnamedPotter,and,Harryrealizednowthatrealityhadsetin,hekeptabookofalltheartileshehadeverbeenmentionedin.AndhemissedHarry.
ButhesaidthathemissedHarry,too,whihimpliedheknewthatHarrymissedhim.WhihmeantheprobablyheardHarrythatnight.Ofourse,hehadheardhimthatnight,hehadbeensobbingoutsideofhisroom.Theentirelowerhalfoftheastleprobablyknew.
Draowasstirringagain,standingupandrefasteninghisloak.Harryrawledarefullyoutfromunderthedesk,tryingtomakeaslittlenoiseaspossible.Hewasn’tlettingDraooutofhissight.HefollowedDraotothedoor,slippingoutjustseondsbeforeitbegantolose.Draolookedupanddownthehall,pulledhishoodup,andmutteredadisillusiospell.
HarryouldstillheartheslightsuffofMalfoy’sshoesagainstthestone,followingitasbestheould.Theyexitedtheastle.Therainhadletupsome,buttherewasstillalightdrizzle.Withinmoments,awhitewolfappearedonthegrasstwentypaesinfrontofHarry.Hestrethedhislegsbeforebeginningalighttrottowardsthewoods,seeminglyunawareofHarry.
HarrypulledofftheInvisibilityCloak,bunhingithaphazardlyandstuffingitintohispoket.
“Wait!”healledbeforeheouldstophimself.
Thewolf’sgaitfalteredasitturnedtolookbakatHarry.
“Ineedtotalktoyou,”heyelledhasingafterit.