Theday,sheOwlshiminreply.Attheendofherletter,shewrites:
I’mnotreallysureaboutyouinvolvingyourselfwithMalfoyagain,butItrustyouasalways,Harry,andIamworriedabouthim.AndIhopethatit’sbeenhelpingyouopewitheverythingsomehow.Iknowyou’vebeentryingtoholeyourselfupinGrimmauldPetely.WearegoingtotalkaboutthatwhenIomebak.
HowisMalfoy?Sayhullotohimforme.
Fourdayster,Harryreturns,andissurprisedwhenheopensthedoorandDraoturnshisheadtolookstraightathim.
“You’rehere,”heomments,eyeswideandstartled.
Draoraisesaneyebrowathim.“Thisismyroom,Potter.”
“Iguess.Err.”Harrypausesbythedoor.“bsp;Iomein?”
“You’vebeenbarginginhereforthepasttwoweeks,orsomymothertellsme.Don’tletsomethingastrivialasthekofmypermissionstopyounow.”
Harryflushes,butenterstheroom,anyway.“Exuseme,then.”
Herossestheroom,onsiousofDrao’spieringgazeonhimthewholetime.Ashenears,hegnesatthetable.“Eggs?”
Draofollowshisgaze,towardsthetablewithtwosetsofbreakfast:Frenhtoast,runnyeggs,sliesoffruit,andaupofoffee.Hesighs.“Well,sitdown,Potter.There’snothingmuhIanobjettowhenevenmyhouseelf’smakingyoubreakfast.”
Harryshrugs,andthentakesthefoldednoteontopofthenapkinonhispte.It’sfromNarissa,withprettymuhthesamemessageasbefore.Hesitsdown,swallowingthesalivathat’spooledinhismouthatthesmellofthefood.“Yourmotheraskedmetoometoday.”
“Youanrefuseher,youknow.You’reertainlyundernoobligationtobabysitriminals.”
Harryfrownsatthat,butdoesn’triseuptothebait.“Iknow.Ijustwantto.I’mtheonewhooffered.”
Draostaresathim,andthereisgenuineuriosityinhisquestion.“Why?”
Harryshrugs.“Freefood.”Hestartstodiginintohisbreakfast.Draoontinuestostareathim.Heswallowsdownamouthfulofeggsandtoast.“Howareyoufeeling?”
Seemingtouandthathe’snotgoingtogetastraightanswer,Draolooksaway.“Dreadful.Mybakhurts.”
Harrytampsdowntheurgetosmile.AftersomanyvisitsofDraojustsittingtherelikeavegetable,it’srefreshingtohearhisusualsnark.“Hermionesayshi,bytheway.”
“Tellhershedoesn’thavetopretendtobeiviljustbeausethewar’sover.”
“She’snotpretending.She’sreallyworriedaboutyou.”