“Thanks.”ItwastheonlythingDraoouldthinktosay.
“Wemadethosebeforethewar.Kindoftakynow.”Geepiksoneupandthrowsitbakintothebin.“Maybeitwasthen.Shouldgetridofthem.”
DraopituredGeedraggingthisbaktoalley,dumpingthemalloutintoadumpster.Itwasasadthought.“Whatdotheytastelike?”
Geeblinks.“Grape.Sometimesblueberry.”
Draorummagesinhispoketandomesoutwithagalleon,beausehewantsandy,damnit.“I’lltakethree.”
That’showtheyendupinthebakwithandyersspreadoutaroundthem,tonguesstainedbk.“Gottoadmit,”Geesaid,likingthestoftheandyoffofaer.“Muhbetterideathanthrowingthemallout.”
“Nokidding.”Draoreahedoutforanotherone,histwelfth.“I’mgoingtobesik.”
“Youan’t.”Geeproppedhimselfonanelbowandlookedoverathim.“Wepromisedtoeatthewholething.”
“Thiswasstupid.”
“Itwasfun.”
“Stupidly,”
“Stupidly,”
“Fun.”theyfinishedthestwordtogetherandughed,andDraoouldn’tgetoverthesurrealnessoftheoion,howthetwoofthemweresittinginthesteroomofaWeasley’sshop,wtheirwaythroughandydarkmarks.
“Ididn’twanttoomebakhere,youknow.”Geesaid,suddenlysober.“ButHermionesatmedownandsaidthatIwasgoingtohavetofaeuptoit,soonerorter,sohereIam.”
“Granger’ssomething.”Draodidn’twanttoadmithowmuhheowedtoher,howmuhherinstantfivenesshadhelpedhim.there’ssomethingtoit,mendingthebrokenbridgesofyourpast.“Alwaysseemstoberight.”
“She’sannoyinglikethat.”Geeranahandalongthesideofhishead,theonewiththemissingear.He’dbeenarefultokeepitfaingawayfromDrao,butDraohadstillseenit,thetwistedskinandredsartissueomingtoairurbumpatthesideofhishead,sosmallyouneverwouldhaveguesseditusedtobeanear.“ButwhatI’mtryingtogetat,isthatithelps,fyourselftodonormalthings.”
Normally,Draowouldhavegottenangrywhensomeonetriestogivehimadvie.ButthiswasomingfromGee,whowasaskingforalmingdroughtsfromDraooneaweekbeausehishandsshaketoobadlytohandleaknife,andwholearlyhaddonehisfairshareofhiding.MaybeitwastimeforDraotoomeoutintotheopenagain.
“Mynormalsortofgotsmashedtopiees.Wouldn’tknowwheretostart.”
“Starthere.Withme,hidinginthebak.”Itwasargeleaptomakeinoneafternoon,butGeeseemedserious.“It’lldousbothsomegood.”
“I’llthinkaboutit,”Draosaid,buttheybothknewtheanswerwasprobablygoingtobeno.