𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐓𝐀 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀

Chapter 9

Jag såg en stjärna falla,

det var inatt när alla sov.

Jag tror jag önskade

att du var nära.

För en minut sen brann den

för en sekund sen försvann den,

var det bara jag som såg?

. . .

I saw a star fall,

it was tonight when every body slept.

I think I wished;

that you where close.

For a minute then it burned,

for a second then it disappeared,

was it only me that saw it?

"Tänd et ljus" ("Lighten a candle"), Triad

Harry didn't know how long they sat there, but after a while he noticed that it was no longer dark around them. Instead the torches burned again like they should and his Patronus was gone. Yet Malfoy was still trembling in his arms.

"Malfoy," he mumbled softly, "I think it's okay now." Malfoy's head flew up from where it had been resting, and he looked into Harry's eyes with a gaze that was unreadable.

"Right" he said and pulled away. Harry regretfully let him go, not quite understanding why he didn't want to. Malfoy was on his feet in the matter of seconds, and after some thought he held out his hand to help Harry up. Harry took it, and he was pulled up with such force that his and Malfoy's chests were slammed together when he stumbled forward. For a moment their eyes met, before Malfoy stepped away.

"I want to get going." Malfoy's façade back in place, his voice stern.

"Of course" Harry answered.

They walked in silence, Harry gazing at Malfoy from time to time, just to make sure that he was okay of course. His face was blank, unreadable every time Harry looked, and he gazed steadfastly straight ahead. Harry was itching to ask what exactly had happened, but it was clear that Malfoy was uncomfortable with the whole thing, so he didn't. And yet, he couldn't help but feel somewhat hurt when Malfoy had stepped away, even though it was the natural thing to do. It was probably his own guilt, he decided. Because he somehow hoped that Malfoy wouldn't hate him for letting this happen. Even though, Harry thought, he already hated him, so what did it matter?

Harry opened the door to the choir room and Malfoy pushed past him to get in first, even though Harry was going to let him anyway. The whole room turned towards them as they entered and for a second, Harry hesitated.

"Sorry we're late, Professor, but we got, ah, distracted."

"Oh, I understand. I trust everything is well?" Flitwick asked and Harry was taken aback that there was no detention or punishment for such a late arrival. But then again, he thought, it was probably because they were Lucia and Staffan, and the two of them coming late to class was taken as a sign that something had happened.

"Fantastic." Malfoy snapped and stalked across the room to stand beside his friends, leaving Harry awkwardly in the doorway. But he also walked to stand beside his friends, deciding that it was for the best.