“Iknow.Butyoudidn’t…haveto.”
“Iwantedto.Here,ath.”HethrowsthehootefrogandisnotsurprisedwhenDraoathesiteasily.Hegrins.“Rontoldmetogiveittoyou.”
Draoisstillstaring,butnowit’stowardsthefrog.“Why?”
“Foryoutoeatit,ofourse.”Harryresiststheurgetorollhiseyes.He’sstartingtothinkthatallofDrao’sbravadoisjustaploytohidehowtrulybashfulheis.BashfulandDraoMalfoy.Nowthat’ssomethingthatdoesn’tgotogether.“Ialsoswipedsometrealetartfromthekithen.”
“Youwhat?”
Hetakesaminiature,balledpieeoflothfromhispoket,putsitarefullyonDrao’sdesk,andspellsitbaktoitsinalsize.Heuntiestheknotoftheloth,andimmediately,asentoflemonfillstheroom.
“Trealetart.It’smyfavourite,”hesaid,rummagingthroughhispoketyetagain.Heproduestwoforks,andoffersonetoDrao.“Thoughyou’veprobablyalreadyguessed.”
Draoeyestheforksuspiiously,buthetakesitanyway.“It’sratherhardtomiss.”
“Igotsomeextraforyou.”
“Extra?Youstoleawholetart.”
“Stoleisaverystrongword.”
Draoshakeshisheadindisbelief.He’sstillstaringatHarryandthetartlikethey’regoingtojumpathim.“Youandyoursweettoothwillonedaybethedeathofyou,Potter.”
Harrygrins.Hemissedthis—thislight,easybanter.HepullsupDrao’shairandsitshimselfdownomfortably.Helikestalkingaboutyou,Astoriahadsaid.Helooksatthetrealetart,andthinksthatit’stimeforastory.
“Ineverhadanysweetsasahild.ThemostI’veeatenwastherumbsofhooteakeIswipedoffmyousin’sptewhileIwaswashingit.ThatprobablyexpinswhyI’msuhagluttonforitnow.”
Itworks.ThesuspiionisstillonDrao’sfae,likehe’swwhyHarry’ssuddenlysotalkative,butit’smixedwithasuddenuriosity.“Isthatwhyyoufeeltheneedtoburyyourfaeinhootefrogsaftereverymeal?”
“Exatly.You’reathingon.”
“Thatalsoexpinswhyeverythingyouworehungoffyouwhenwewerefirstyears.”
Harrysnorts,tearingoffahunkoftartwithhisfork.“Anybodywhoselotheshangoffhimnowisn’tallowedtotalkbig.”HeshovesthetarttowardsDrao’smouth,fullyexpetinghimtoturnaway.Tohissurprise,Draotakesthefork,leansitfreeoftart,andgivesitbaktoHarry.
Harrydoesn’tevenbothertohidehisgrin.
Draorollshiseyesandsitsdownontheedgeofhisbed.Hepullstheptelosertowardshim.“Distratingmewithhildhoodstoriesinabidtomakemefat,areyou?”