Weighed & Measured {HP}

4. holly & yew

Professor Snape opened the door as Harry, Malfoy, and Narcissa arrived, allowing them to enter before him. As soon as he was inside, Harry's gaze was drawn to the titles lining the wall. There must have been hundreds of books in Flourish and Blotts, and as he glanced down at his list, he wondered how he was meant to find the ones he wanted.

"Lucius is late," he heard Professor Snape comment to Cissa. He looked back, and saw her shake her head slightly.

"He went to Knockturn," she muttered. Harry had the feeling he hadn't been meant to hear that, and turned back around quickly.

Harry followed Malfoy through the bookshelves. The other boy seemed to know where he was going, and Harry was content to let him lead.

"Look," he said, pointing at a shelf in the back. "Here's the Defense books. What do we need, again?"

"The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble," Harry read from the list, and Malfoy started scanning the titles.

"Ah, here it is!" he exclaimed. Harry was about to comment that there was only one copy - where was he supposed to get his? - when Draco pulled the book off the shelf. Immediately, another copy slid out from behind it.

"Wicked," Harry muttered, taking his own book and holding it in the crook of his arm. "Do you come here often?" he asked Malfoy as they left the section and moved up towards the second floor.

"Sometimes," he said with a shrug. "We have a library at home, but I still like to look around when we come to Diagon. There's usually something new to read."

"I don't get the chance to read, much," Harry said as he pulled a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them off the shelf. "But I think I'd like to."

Malfoy gave him an odd sort of look.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Um, I was usually too busy to read, and besides, there aren't many books at my relative's house," he said, thinking that maybe he shouldn't have said anything.

"Busy with what?" Malfoy pressed, as if he couldn't imagine being too busy to read.

"Er, chores and stuff," he said.

Malfoy made a face.

"You have to do chores?" he asked incredulously. "But you're the Boy-Who-Lived!"

"I didn't even know that before today!" Harry snapped back, irritated. "My aunt and uncle told me my parents died in a car crash."

"Oh," Malfoy said quietly, obviously stunned. "Sorry."

"Sorry I yelled," Harry replied immediately. "I just... I don't think I like to talk about it."

"It's okay. But things will be different now, won't they?"

"I hope so."

But Harry didn't think they would be.

The two boys finished collecting their books, with Harry picking up a couple of extra titles on the Malfoy's and Professor Snape's recommendation. Harry was particularly pleased with the extra potions book, because as the potions professor, Snape knew exactly what would be needed in class.

Just as they were about to pay, the door of Flourish and Blotts opened to reveal a man with long blond in black robes. He headed straight for them, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Narcissa," he greeted, leaning to kiss her on the cheek. He placed his hand on Draco's shoulder, and glanced down at Harry curiously before looking to Professor Snape.