How Are You, Really? (Drarry)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Hagrids Hut

Draco and Blaise stomped through the mud that led the way to Hagrid's hut.

"Remember when we tormented Hagrid mercilessly?" Blaise reminisced. Draco couldn't tell if it was fondly or not.

"Don't remind me," Draco winced. He couldn't help but look back in shame at his past behavior when it came to Hagrid. His younger self made him physically ill sometimes.

Blaise nodded, understanding. "But he was a god awful teacher, regardless of what type of – errr- person he is."

Draco laughed, remembering almost fondly the blast ended skrewts. Almost. "You have me there. But he's grown on me."

"That's why you got him the kumiho that's been keeping him so busy! I've never seen the man run as fast as he does chasing that thing!" Blaise smiled fondly. Draco knew that although Blaise tended to pick out the half giant's flaws, he enjoyed his company as much as Draco did. "Now, if only this mud would go away!" Draco grunted in agreement. Today was the first time the rain had let up this week, leaving behind thick sticky mud.

Smoke was billowing from the hut as they approached. Standing on the front steps, he rapped three times, loud and precise, the way he'd been taught. Some things never go away.

Blaise whispered, "I think I heard people talking in there."

They both stood back, waiting and listening. If Blaise had heard voices before, there were none now. After a moment, they heard loud footsteps and then the door was wrenched open. "Draco! Blaise!" Hagrid greeted them, ushering them inside. Draco froze when he crossed the door frame resulting in Blaise running into him. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting at the enormous table, looking like dolls. They all started at the newcomers.

"Maybe we should come back later, Hagrid. It looks like you already have company," Blaise said, backing out of the door.

"' Course not!" Harris said, patting Blaise on the shoulder and nearly knocking the man down. "There's plenty 'o room! Hermione, can you whip up some chairs?"

Utterly confused, she withdrew her wand and flicked it, making two chairs appear out of nowhere. Blaise and Draco hesitantly sat in them. All the students stared at each other warily.

"What are you two doing here?" Ron finally asked. After their chess match, Ron had become less hostile towards Draco, but it was clear Ron still didn't like him.

Before Draco could answer, Hagrid boomed, "To see me o' course. Blaise and Draco come down more oftener than you lot do nowadays!"

The Gryffindors gawked openly at the two Slytherins. "But why?" Hermione asked.

Draco felt himself blush.

Luckily Blaise answered for him. "Because we like Hagrid, I thought that'd be obvious."

Harry coughed. Ron piped up, "Umm, that's the opposite of obvious. Never would have guessed those words would ever come out of your mouth."

Blaise looked offended.

"You have to admit that that sounds like a lie, " Hermione whispered.

Draco tugged on Blaise's sleeve. "Let's go."

"No!" boomed Hagrid, clasping Blaise and Draco on their shoulders. "You three, be nice!"

"But-," Ron started.

"Draco apologized to Hagrid on the first day of school. We've been visiting ever since," Blaise said stiffly.

"Is that true?" Harry asked, speaking for the first time. Draco felt the other man's eyes on him, but he stared firmly at the table.

"' Course it's true! Draco here is who brought me my kumiho!" Hagrid gestured to the fox curled up in the corner of the room.

"A kumiho!" Hermione gasped. "Hagrid, those are so rare! Draco, how did you find one?"

Draco glanced up at Hermione, who looked genuinely interested. "I have business connections in Korea who knew I was looking for something special. So when an injured one turned up, they knew who to give it to."

"And then he entrusted it to me!" Hagrid positively beamed.

Draco smiled faintly. "There wasn't someone better suited to look after her."

An awkward silence descended on the group. Hagrid seemed to be completely oblivious, too busy putting together a plate of something unidentifiable and gelatinous.

Blaise finally broke the silence by telling Hagrid, "Draco's new deal went through, Hagrid."

"Did it!" Hagrid beamed, turning to look at Draco, who nodded.

"Exactly as we'd hoped," Draco added.

"What deal?" Ron butted in, looking curious despite himself.

Blaise snorted. "I doubt you all know, but Draco is busy running all his family's companies at the moment, all their investments, and everything else while still matching Granger for top of the class. And he looks fabulous doing it, might I add!"

Draco closed his eyes as soon as Blaise started talking, embarrassed. "I have a solicitor, Blaise."

"Who does nothing more or less than exactly what you say," Blaise pointed out.

"Are you really doing all that? How many companies do you own?" Draco looked up to meet Harry's emerald eyes and felt a jolt go through him.

He swallowed. "We have three - a potion's store, a nightclub, and a law firm. Not to mention all our various investments."

Hermione's eyebrows rose. "I had no idea. Why are you running all of them while you're in school?"

Draco felt the color drain from his face and dropped his head to stare at the table again. Blaise cleared his throat loudly. Hagrid stopped shuffling about. "Oh, Hermione," Hagrid muttered.

"There's no one else to run the family businesses," Blaise informed the room. "Draco's father has received the kiss from the dementors already, and his mother is too ill. With the fines the family incurred from the ministry for their involvement in the war, someone has to run the businesses; otherwise, they'd be destitute."

The room was silent as they all digested this information. "Is that true?" Harry finally asked.

Draco nodded, glancing up at the man. He saw nothing but concern on Harry's face.

"I'm so sorry about your dad," Hermione whispered.

"Why it's not like he was a good man," Ron snorted.

Draco twitched. He had loved his father more than anything and had always tried to be the son he wanted, even though he had never been good enough. But now that man was gone.

"No one deserves that fate," Harry said firmly. "No one."

"Thank you, Harry," Draco managed to get out.

"Enough talk like this! Hermione here, what were you saying about a student setting water on fire for the third time?"

Hermione glanced at Blaise and muttered something under her breath as he exclaimed, "Hey! Were you talking about me? Hagrid, don't listen to her; the water was almost on fire anyways!"

Draco sat silently for the duration of the visit, content to just listen, his thoughts on his father. He didn't notice Harry's constant glances of the small frown on his face.