“Still.”They’retimeintheubilewaswindingdown,whentheywouldbeforedtohandintheirreportswithoutanythingtoshowforit.ItwastimeslikethesewhereHarrymissesHermionethemost,whenhehastodohomeworkonhisown.“Istillthinkyou’velostyourmind.War’sfinallymadeyourak,mate.”
It’sajoke,butitisn’twrong.He’daughtDraoathistenightobsessions,butthat’sonlybeauseHarryhashisownroutine,wherehewandersthroughthehousewithhiswandstrethedoutinfrontofhim,pokingintoeahroomandorner,hekingtheloksoneverdoorandwindow.WithDraothere,hesleepsalittleeasier,andtheweightonhishestwhenhe’saughtoffguardbysomethingthatremindshimofthewarisalittleless.Hethinksitisimprovement,eveniftheybarelyseemtobeabletotalktoeahother,andeveniftheywereoneonsideredtobemortalenemiestoeahother.
(Itisamarkofgrowingup,hethinks,thatthetwoofthemanlookbakandseehowpurewhattheyhadreallywas,anseethesimpliitythatamefromthatonedimensionalhatred,wheretherewerenoonsequenestotheations.Ifthingswerebetter,theywouldhavegrownupandgottenoveritintheirowntime,beenabletofeabondoffriendship,butVoldemortwashedthehanetothataway.)
(Tom.TomRiddle.That’swhathekeepstryingtoallhiminhishead,toremindhimthathewasonlyaman,afterallofit.It’snotathingon.)
“Ireallydon’tmindhim.It’skindofnie,atually.”HewouldnotbetellingRonaboutthosembreakfasts,orthenightsspentaroundthetelevision,orhowDraomanagestomaketheteajusthowHarrylikesit.HedoesnottellhimhowitisonlyaweekbutthatDraoalreadyhasbeomeapermafixtureinhislife,somethingthatisnotexatlygoodbutalsonotbad,either,andhethinkshemightbesadiftheourtwouldsuddenlywaveawayhisprobationandturnDraoloose.
“Tellingyou,mate.”Ronhashisopinionsonthis,everyonedoes,buthemostlykeepsthemquiet.“Bonkers.”
Drao
Friends.
That’swhathehearsHarryallhim,whenheisonthephonewithsomeonenamedDudley.Atually,heallsthemmates,asin,sorryDudley,butIan’ttalktoyouforlongtonight,mymateMalfoyhasomeover.
AndDraoknowsthatthatwasprobablyjustanexusetohanguponsomeonewhotalkstoomuh.Heknowsthatitprobablydidn’tmeananything,athrowawayommentthatHarryusedbeauseheouldn’tthinkofanythingtoreallyexpinthiswholesituation.Heknowsthis,butthenhethinksofhowtheyworkedtogethertoookdinnerstnight,andhowHarrybroughthomeanewDVDseriesalledSherlokjustbeausehethoughtDraowouldlikeit,andhowheknowsexatlyhowmuhmilktoputinhistea.Andsuddenlyitdoesn’tseemtoofar-fethedtothinkthathewasfriendswiththegreatHarryPotter.
(Hisfatherwouldbedevastated.)
(What’sitmatter?Hisfatherisrottinginajailell.)
(Shutup.)
“Whyareyoustaringatmelikethat?”Harryhungthetelephonebakonitspeonthewall.Ithadaurlywirethatkeptyoustandingrightbyit.Harrysaidthatphonesweren’talllikethat,now,butthathedeidedtogetanoldfashionedonebeausehethoughtthathewouldloseit,otherwise.“DoIhavesomethingonmyfae?”