Reformation (Book 4 of The Corruption Sequence)

Chapter 9. The Story Is Told

Harry thought that maybe he could actually feel the change in atmosphere in the school when the late edition of the Prophet arrived. Dobby brought him a copy as soon as it arrived and he had read the front page article and the two other pages that went with it. He hated to admit it, but Rita had done a good job reporting the facts as well as giving a romantic edge to it; he was almost beginning to like the woman.

They had decided that for appearances sake, mostly for the Slytherins' benefit, Draco would make an appearance at dinner in the Great Hall. Harry didn't really like it, but Hermione and Ron had promised to keep an eye on him, so he had finally agreed. Given the information about Harry's premonition no one was getting on to school grounds without the headmaster knowing about it, so letting Draco out of his sight was only slightly traumatising.

At one point he was sure he had felt shock coming from Draco, but it was quickly followed by amusement, so he hadn't reacted. However, he was still on his feet and checking Draco over the moment his lover and his friends returned from dinner.

"Did you eat anything at all?" Draco asked, looking at the dishes that were still on Harry's table.

"No," Harry replied simply; he had been far more worried about other things to have been bothered with food.

Draco rolled his eyes, grabbed Harry's wand from Harry's back pocket and summoned Dobby.

"What can I be doing for you Master Draco, Sir?" Dobby asked cheerfully, as ever, delighted to be useful.

"I'm sorry, Dobby," Draco said to the house elf, "but Harry was too preoccupied to eat his meal, do you think you could find him a new helping of something please so that it's hot?"

"Of course, Master Draco, Sir," Dobby replied with a huge smile, and then vanished along with Harry's ignored dinner plates.

Harry narrowed his eyes at his lover, which it appeared, amused Hermione, Ron and Neville no end.

"I'm not hungry," Harry said in a pointed tone.

"Yes you are," Draco replied and gave him back his wand, "and you need the calories; Snape says your metabolism is still adjusting, which takes fuel, Harry."

Somehow he felt as if he had just been patted fondly on the head, although Draco did not lower himself to such displays.

"Sit, eat," Draco told him and pecked him on the cheek, "and we'll tell you what happened in the Great Hall."

"Oh, it was brilliant, Harry," Ron said enthusiastically and before he could object, Harry found himself being swept over to the table and seats and ensconced next to Draco on one of the sofas.

Sometimes Ron's version of brilliant left something to be desired, so Harry looked at Hermione and Draco for confirmation.

"It was demonstrative," was Draco's opinion on the matter and Hermione just smiled.

"Well someone tell me," he said, just a little exasperated.

"Pansy slapped Draco right across the face," Neville said and Harry lost whatever sense of humour he might have had.

"She what?" Harry all but growled, but Draco placed a hand on his leg and stopped him reacting any further.

Pansy had dared lay a hand on his Draco; he was very, very unhappy.

"She hits like the silly little girl she is," Draco told him calmly and patted his leg gently; "it didn't hurt and it was useful."

Harry was not overly mollified, in fact his hind brain was beginning to plan several possible nasty fates for Pugface Parkinson.