Reformation (Book 4 of The Corruption Sequence)

Chapter 2. Arrangements

So far it was probably the most polite conversation Ron and Draco had ever had. Not that two words really implied a conversation, but it was better than nothing. It was a bit like watching two cats circle around each other not quite sure whether to be friends or not. Hermione didn't seem to be suffering from the same issues, however, as she stepped forward.

"Hi, Harry," she said cheerfully, "you're looking recovered. Everything okay?"

Then she gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"Much better," Harry replied, beginning to relax already, but not willing to say everything was fine.

"Draco," Hermione continued in just as friendly a manner, "today must have been awful for you too, not being able to come to the Ministry and everything. How are you holding up?"

A momentary expression of shock flicked across Draco's face so fast that, had he not been paying close attention, Harry would have missed it, and was then replaced by a pleasant smile.

"I'm fine, thank you, Hermione," Draco replied, assuming a manner to match Hermione's, "now that I have Harry back in one piece that is."

"You should have seen him," Neville chimed in, "Harry really put Fudge in his place."

"So I heard," Draco said, giving Harry a sideways look and a small smirk.

"He's lucky I didn't rip his bloody head off," Harry responded in a most unrepentant manner.

The only thing Draco was likely to object to about his approach was the direct manner in which he had done it; not sneaky enough for a Slytherin's liking.

"Not subtle," Draco observed with a raised eyebrow, "but effective, I suppose. The sooner that man is forced to retire, the better. Maybe you could turn him into a squib; then he wouldn't qualify as Minister anymore."

Harry would have loved nothing more, except he wasn't sure that if he did it once he'd ever be able to stop.

"I'm just glad that part of me is not hungry," he said, his thoughts turning a little dark.

"Speaking of which," Hermione said with a smile that almost hid her nervousness, "how did you want to do this?"

It was a really good effort, almost Slytherin in its execution, but Harry could still tell that his friend was anxious about what was going to happen. Harry decided that the least he could do was be as strong as she was being and put on a smile.

"The sofa would be the best place," he said, trying to sound nonchalant and managing cheerful, but a little jittery instead; "we probably want to be sitting down for this."

They were both completely aware of the false bravado, no matter what Draco said, Gryffindors were not completely oblivious, but it helped a little.

The fact that Hermione had offered to be his first deliberate donor after Draco had both terrified and pleased him. Even though he tended to treat her just like any other friend, he was very aware she was a girl and that made this seem more troublesome somehow. He was sleeping with Draco, which made that situation entirely different and he could write off Ron's comments as mates horsing around, but Hermione was in another bracket in his head. Potential danger aside, he just hoped this wasn't too embarrassing for either of them.

Sitting next to each other on the sofa, Hermione carefully rolled up her sleeve and graciously offered him her wrist. For a few moments he just sat there as his higher brain attempted to rebel, but he just about managed to force his body to cooperate and reached out to gently hold the offered limb.

"It'll hurt at first," he said, even though he knew Hermione knew all this, "but only for a moment."

Hermione nodded; she probably knew more about vampire bites than he did by now. Undoubtedly she would have been in the library learning everything there was to learn.