They're all enjoying breakfast in the privacy of the kitchens this morning, basking in both the sound of much quieter conversation than they'd hear in the Great Hall and the sound of house elves working all around them, when Harry asks, "Hey, Fleur? Would you mind helping me with something?"
Fleur doesn't hesitate for a second before answering, "Of course! What do you need, Harry?"
"It's a full moon tomorrow, and I was wondering if–"
"Do you have a furry little secret ve should know about?" Viktor asks with an almost perfectly deadpan expression. It's only the faint smile twitching at the corner of his lips that gives away the fact that he's joking.
"No," Harry snorts, pulling out his mandrake leaf with an eager gleam in his eyes. "I was wondering if you could use a Sticking Charm to stick this to the bottom of my tongue tomorrow night? That way I don't have to worry about messing it up."
Cedric's eyes widen as a smile lights up his face. "You're going to become an Animagus? That's a brilliant idea, Harry! Especially since we still have no idea what the next task is… It's something that has a chance of helping you, at the very least."
"Of course I can!" Fleur agrees with a delighted clap of her hands. "Zat really is a wonderful idea. I may just 'ave to start getting the materials togezzer myself… Zere's always ze next full moon, non? We may not get so much time between ze second and final tasks."
"The last task vill probably be close to the end of the year," Viktor murmurs with a contemplative hum. "Ve vouldn't be exempt from our tests, otherwise. Ve still have to do the homework."
"Not that it helps much when we still have to take our NEWTs," Cedric groans as he turns his gaze to the ceiling. "But you have a point. Still, that just gives us more chances to get it right if the conditions are off or if we mess up at any point."
"So… All in favor of becoming Animagi?" Fleur prompts as she raises her hand. Three more immediately join hers in the air. "Wonderful! Zis should be fun. 'As anyone got any further with zere eggs? All I've been able to confirm is zat zey are not veela."
Harry immediately shook his head. "Fred and George have been able to rule out harpies and banshees too, but they're still brainstorming about what else it could represent. It's been a bit slow going, but they're busy with personal projects too."
"They are the ones who make all the pranks, yes?" Viktor asks with a contemplative hum. "Very inspired. Ve don't see products like that in Bulgaria."
Cedric snorts at that. "The Weasley twins are one of a kind here too, so don't feel too left out."
"I'm sure they'd be very happy to send you whatever you want through owl order," Harry reassures Viktor with an amused grin, and he almost regrets it when he sees the glint of excitement in Viktor's eyes. He promptly decides that he doesn't want to know whatever he's up to. "... Do you guys know what you're going to do about the Yule Ball?"
"Cho and I are going together," Cedric answers with a beaming smile. "We've already coordinated our robes and everything."
"... I vas planning on asking one of the twins, actually." Harry blinks at the hint of shy hesitation in Viktor's voice. He doesn't sound like that often anymore, at least not around them. "... The quieter one? George? Any advice?"
"If you can tell them apart, then you've already got a lot going for you," he answers honestly. "Not many people can. I know Fred's going with Angelina, but as far as I know, George hasn't asked anyone yet. Just go for it." Viktor nods seriously, appearing deep in thought as he mulls that information over.
"I 'aven't asked anyone yet. And everyone zat 'as asked me 'asn't been able to look me in ze eye while doing it," Fleur huffs with a roll of her eyes. "Do you want to go as friends, Harry? Or 'ave you got someone else in mind?"
"... Do you promise not to tell anyone?" All three of his friends perk up as soon as the words come out of his mouth, and Harry tries not to laugh at the way a few house elves hover nearby too. "That goes for you guys as well," he addresses the house elves at large. "I could get into a lot of trouble if someone finds out about this before I can go through with it."
"We not be saying anything, Mr. Harry Potter," Winky promises as she refills their tea. "Because you be asking us not to, and we be good elves." She glances pointedly at Dobby before muttering, "And Dobby never be betraying your secrets anyway."
"Dumbledore be saying we can even call him a barmy old codger if we want!" Dobby exclaims with great excitement. Harry would pay good money to watch Dobby do that, honestly. "He not be demanding us to spill secrets. And Dobby not be telling even if he asks because Harry is being his friend."
"I'm not going." He flinches slightly at the sound of a shattering dish and a quiet gasp from one of the house elves, though the mess is cleaned up before he can even get a good look at it. "Mostly because McGonagall got all in my face about it and demanded that I do it as 'one of the champions', like that's something I asked for. I'm only obligated to do the tasks, and I feel like a lot of people are a bit too keen to forget that I've been dragged into this kicking and screaming. I'm going to remind them." Viktor snorts loudly, Fleur tries and fails to stifle her laughter behind her hand, and Cedric gapes at him in blatant shock. "Besides, I don't dance. Asking me to open for the ball is just asking for a disaster, and I'd like to spare myself the embarrassment."
"I am not very good either," Viktor admits sheepishly. "I am… very clumsy off of a broom. But I still vant to go. You shouldn't if you don't vant to, though."
"I'll find someone else," Fleur reassures him with a smile. "Don't let zem get away with bullying you into going if you don't want to. You would just be miserable. Do you have a plan to avoid it?"
He glances at Cedric who just chuckles before saying, "I guess there's a reason you're in Gryffindor, huh?" This is really more of a petty Slytherin move, but he's not going to even try explaining that one. "I won't say anything, Harry. I can't blame you for being mad about it. I would be too; it's not fair."
"Dobby showed me a secret room," he starts hesitantly, smiling at the happy squeak that comes from his left. "I'm still figuring out the ins and outs of it, but I'll probably show you guys where it is before too much longer. I can make myself impossible to find in there, even if someone knows where the room is, or allow only a select few people entrance if I want. I figure that I'll hide out in there all night. Maybe we could hang out after you guys leave the Yule Ball? Have a sleepover or something?"
"Zat sounds like a wonderful idea," Fleur murmurs fondly. "I will look forward to it."
"Do you mind if I bring Cho along?" Cedric asks with a slight tilt of his head.
Harry immediately shakes his head. "That's fine! Just make sure she doesn't tell anyone about it."
"Of course! Thanks, Harry."
"I vill come," Viktor promises as well, a slight smile curling his lips at the thought of it. "It is bound to be… crazy. I don't vant to be stuck at the ball for too long anyvay."
"And Dobby is bringing hot chocolate and dinner and snacks!" Dobby promises with a beaming smile. "If that is being okay?"
"Of course, Dobby," Harry murmurs with a delighted smile. "You could come with nothing at all, and I'd just be happy that you were there." The overjoyed hug he receives from Dobby cements yet another memory that he's sure to use for his Patronus someday. Harry seems to be making an awful lot of those these days.
Harry quickly learns that it feels very strange to have a leaf stuck to the bottom of his tongue once Fleur spells it in place. He can still talk normally and avoid accidentally biting into it, though, so he's taking that as a win. He and Malfoy won't have a chance to talk until tomorrow, but a single nod from across the Great Hall tells him that they're both in the same boat right now. They just have to hope that the next full moon is visible so they can move on to the next step without delay.
'I wonder who did the charm for Malfoy? Or was he able to do it himself? I guess I can always ask him later…'
While the two of them are walking down to the Chamber of Secrets again, Harry finds himself asking, "Do you have any plans for the Yule Ball?"
"I'll have to make an appearance, of course. I've been attending these parties for far too long to get away with doing anything else. Besides, I absolutely cannot miss the looks on all of their faces when you don't show. Unless you changed your mind…?"
Harry shook his head, popping his lips as he said, "Nope!"
"That's what I figured. Why do you ask, then?"
Harry hesitates to answer, but only for a moment. He feels like he knows Malfoy well enough by now to trust him with information about the Room of Requirement. "Um, well, Viktor, Fleur, Cedric, and Cho were all going to come hang out with me and Dobby after they leave the ball. There's this hidden room, and it can keep out everyone that I don't want to find me. It's where I'm going to hide out during this whole mess. I was just wondering if… maybe you wanted to come over too? It really is a cool room."
"Hm… Pansy and I are just going as friends anyway, so I don't see why not. I can get a good laugh, do a few dances with her, and then slip out. Are you certain your friends will be able to keep a secret?" Malfoy asks with a quirked eyebrow.
"Yeah. Viktor hasn't even mentioned you to me once, and you're the one that keeps using him to pass along messages," Harry deadpans in response. "No one is going to say anything about us being friends."
"Oh, so we're friends now, are we, Potter?"
"Shut up, Malfoy," he grumbles as they get back to work, steadily breaking up the basilisk into parts in silence for several long, pointed moments. The look on Malfoy's face is strangely contemplative.
"... Draco." Harry blinks in shock, not quite sure that he's hearing this right. But Malfoy makes it abundantly clear that he had not, in fact, misheard him or suffered a temporary bout of insanity mere seconds later. "My friends call me Draco."
"Harry, then," he mumbles before devoting his focus to the giant corpse laying in front of them. It's easier to think about that than the heat in his cheeks and the weird, fluttering sensation in his stomach. That sensation only grows stronger as he continues to work alongside Draco, making the time pass by rather quickly. Some small part of Harry hates parting ways with the Slytherin after he escorts him down to the dungeons under cover of the Invisibility Cloak, but he's not really sure why. That troubled line of thought follows Harry into even his dreams that night.
It's strange to see so many students staying at Hogwarts for Christmas break this year. Harry knows that it's just because of the Yule Ball, but it's making his typical sneaking around quite difficult. Not that he really has to sneak into the library, per se, but it's more fun to do it this way. Besides, he really doesn't want anyone to see him researching Patronuses.
The more he thinks about it, the more certain Harry becomes that he saw Prongs with wings, if only for a moment, and he wants to figure out what's happening there. Plus, even if he's pretty sure that Draco has already scoured every book in this library that so much as mentions Patronuses for any sign that they're used for messages, it doesn't hurt to double-check. It would be mortifying if they claimed to invent something that someone else already discovered.
Harry finds a book that looks quite promising shortly after making it to the library, pulling it off the shelves and skimming the text until he stumbles across a section that immediately draws his complete and undivided focus.
Corporeal Patronus Forms: Explained
Often, a Patronus represents a hidden element of the caster's personality, an element of themselves that was previously unknown until a time of great need brought it to the light. This typically results in Patronuses taking the form of animals that one may not expect to represent themselves.
It is rare that a witch or wizard's favorite animal is the one to represent them, and when it does, it is often an indication of a self-absorbed or obsessive nature. They are often unable to hide their core self in day-to-day life, even in situations where doing so is recommended. It is advised to give such witches and wizards your respect, and in some circumstances, your caution as well.
Harry jolts upright when he reads the next line, doubling back to reread it as the information sinks in.
Though rare, it is possible for a Patronus to change forms, but they will only ever do so once. If the caster goes through a significant emotional upheaval of some sort, regardless of the nature or outcome of said upheaval, then it is possible for their Patronus to become another animal entirely. There are very few records of such an event occurring, but those limited records prove that such a change can be something as simple as shifting from a Golden Retriever to a Doberman or something as drastically different as a bear becoming a finch.
Huh. That makes sense, actually. The Triwizard Tournament is very stressful, and if almost killing himself because of it doesn't count as major emotional upheaval, then Harry isn't sure what would. 'So is Prongs becoming some sort of bird? I guess that wouldn't be too bad. Or maybe there's just the chance of him becoming a bird if I spiral again, and he'll remain a stag otherwise. There really isn't any specific information on what causes a Patronus to change.'
Harry skims the rest of the book, but he neither finds any more information regarding that subject nor any hint that Patronuses have been used as messengers at any point in history. The fact that he might have made some sort of magical discovery by complete accident is genuinely baffling to him, but it's starting to look more likely by the minute.
"... Harry?" he jolts, snapping the book shut as Hermione hesitantly approaches his table from afar. "Can we, um… Can we talk for a moment?"
He really doesn't want to, but Harry just heaves out a sigh, puts the book back on the shelf, and says, "Sure. Want to go out to the lake?" It's a bit cold for that, but Hermione nods rapidly anyway, too relieved that he's agreeing at all to put up a protest about it.
"So…" Harry murmurs once they're out on the grounds and out of earshot of any potential eavesdroppers. "How're you doing?"
This whole situation is so painfully awkward. It only gets more so when Hermione sniffles, tears beading up in the corners of her eyes. Her face is red from either the cold, embarrassment, or both. "I've been better," she admits with a laugh that sounds more like a sob. "I just feel so stupid…!"
And regardless of their differences, Harry isn't going to let Hermione believe something so blatantly untrue about herself. "You're not stupid."
"But I handled the Ron situation terribly, and now I've lost both of my best friends for it!" Huh? That's news to him. "You were right," Hermione sniffles again as she rubs at her eyes, desperately trying to rid herself of the tears. "He's so upset about you being friends with the other champions, and he's been in such a sour mood lately… And he's so shallow, ugh! I overheard him talking with Seamus about how they needed to hurry up and ask a girl to the ball before they wound up being forced to go with trolls, and then he started making fun of Eloise. And even when I called him out on it, he wasn't ashamed at all! Then he had the nerve to ask me to go with him right after, but I already agreed to go with Neville. I just… I really messed up, didn't I, Harry? I'm so sorry."
"I accept your apology." He smiles as she continues to rub at her watery eyes with a relieved grin of her own. "I don't mind talking with you or anything. I just… It won't be the same as before. You have to know that."
"Yeah, I do," she murmurs with a slight nod. "I won't ask that of you. Just… You're not lonely, are you? I'm worried about you, especially after this year is over."
"I'm fine," he promises her with a shake of his head. "I've got the twins, and Cho will still be here next year too." And Draco, though he's certainly not mentioning him right now. "Though I will miss the rest of them... Are you? Lonely, that is."
"Neville's very nice," Hermione murmurs, and her cheeks seem to get a little bit redder than they already were. "And I've been spending a lot of time with Ginny lately. She's got a very strange friend in Ravenclaw, Luna, but she's not so bad either…"
"I'm glad." He really is. As much as it hurts to not be as close to Hermione as he once was, he doesn't want her to suffer either. "I should probably get going, but it was nice catching up with you."
"... Yeah. Be careful, Harry."
"I will be."
Christmas is almost upon them before he knows it, and by extension, so is the Yule Ball. Harry finally finishes buying gifts for all of his friends on the Hogsmeade weekend before the ball, so now all that's left to do is wait. Both for the inevitable fallout of his little rebellion and for the next step in becoming an Animagus. The next full moon is only a few days after Christmas, and that knowledge is making him even giddier than he usually is about the holiday.
Hedwig returns with a letter from Sirius on the day before Christmas, puffed up proudly as she passes the letter over to him directly. "Thanks, girl," he coos softly. She very happily accepts a link of sausage as a treat before flying back to the Owlery for some well-deserved rest. "And thank you, Cedric, for that Color Change Charm."
"Of course! She is a bit distinctive, so I can understand why you'd want to hide her." Hedwig hadn't exactly been happy to have her brilliant, snow-white feathers charmed to be a muddy brown, but when he told her that it was either that or him using another owl, she took the letter without further protest. He's not willing to risk Sirius's safety for anything, and she knows it. "Though I'm sorry it didn't last the whole trip."
"That's fine," Harry murmurs with a reassuring smile. "If anything, it'll just make it harder for anyone to keep track of where she's going."
He doesn't get the chance to open his letter until he's curled up in his bed later that evening, curtains drawn shut tight around him as he decompresses from yet another long, stress-filled day of preparing for the next task in the limited ways that he still could without having any idea what it could possibly be yet.
Harry,
Congratulations on getting past the Horntail! Whoever put your name in that goblet shouldn't be feeling too happy right now. I was going to suggest a Conjunctivitis Curse since a dragon's eyes are its weakest point, but your method was way better. And way funnier. People are still throwing fits about it! I could not be any prouder of the chaos you're sowing, pup.
Don't let yourself get complacent, though, Harry. You've only completed one task, and whoever is trying to kill you still has plenty of opportunities to do so. Keep your eyes open, especially around Karkaroff. I don't care if you're friends with Krum, but Karakoff is bad news. Concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble! Or keeping yourself from getting caught, at least.
Keep in touch. I still want to hear about anything unusual.
Padfoot
Christmas dawns bright and early before he knows it, and Harry is pleasantly surprised by the pile of presents waiting for him at the end of his bed. It's a part of his new reality that he doesn't think he'll ever quite get used to. Dobby materializes next to him just after he puts on his glasses and finishes dragging all his gifts inside the barrier of his curtains, rocking back and forth with a smile as he says, "Dobby be wanting to wish his greatest friend Harry a Merry Christmas and bring him a present. And one from all the other house elves too! We is being enjoying your company very much."
"Thanks, Dobby," he whispers, not wanting to wake his still-snoring roommates. "I've got a gift for you too, actually." He knows that the other house elves would rebel against getting a present, though he's determined to wear them down eventually, but Harry would have to be blind to miss how much Dobby loves wearing socks in all sorts of different colors and patterns that clash horribly with the tea towel uniform that he now wears alongside all the other house elves. Dobby is positively delighted when he opens the small, wrapped package containing a pair of mismatched socks. One is a bright, neon green that hurts to even look at with tiny cauldrons that are in the process of bubbling over scattered across the fabric, and the other is bubblegum pink and covered in flowers that sway gently in an imaginary breeze.
"Dobby be loving them!" his friend squeaks with teary eyes as he passes over a pair of packages. "This one is being from Dobby, and the other is being from all the elves." Harry opens Dobby's present first, smiling fondly when it reveals a pair of mismatched socks as well. "Dobby is making them himself! He is buying the wool with his wages!" And oh. Now Harry's got tears in his eyes too. Even for something as small as socks, buying so many different colors of wool with a wage of only one galleon a week is… Dobby's been saving up for this for at least a month, if not longer. He immediately puts on the bright red sock with racing brooms stitched into the fabric and the equally bright green one with snitches all over it. They're delightfully warm and comfortable, and Harry loves them.
"Thank you, Dobby. These are brilliant!" Dobby wiggles in place, sniffling quietly as a tear slips down his face. He looks like he's about to shake out of his skin with excitement, so Harry chuckles fondly and opens the next present without much further ado. It's a badge, reminiscent of the 'Support Cedric Diggory' badge that has quickly become a permanent part of his wardrobe, charmed to say 'Elves' Best Helper'. Harry tilts his head in silent question, and Dobby immediately starts to explain.
"You is be saying that you miss cooking, so Dobby be talking to the other elves! They is being scandalized by the words, but they is being agreeing to let you help if you be wearing it into the kitchen."
"You are the best friend, Dobby," Harry says emphatically, bringing him in for a hug that has Dobby squeaking in surprise. The action still makes his skin crawl slightly, but he's so touched by the gesture that he forces the reaction down. Dobby doesn't deserve that. "Thank you."
"Of course! Dobby is being needing to go, we already be working on Christmas dinner, but Dobby be seeing you later! He be bringing dishes for Harry and his friends to the Come and Go room tonight. Do you be wanting Dobby to show them the way there?"
"Yes, please. And if you see him slip away from the crowd… Will you show Draco the room too?"
Dobby blinks in shock, nodding hesitantly after a few beats of stunned silence. "You is being friends with Ex-Master Draco…?"
"Yeah," Harry murmurs, suddenly feeling quite nervous. Maybe he should've asked Winky to do this, given Dobby's history with the Malfoys. "I am."
But to Harry's relief, Dobby doesn't seem upset about that at all. "Good," Dobby says with a nod of his head. "I can be doing that. Ex-Master Draco has always been much nicer to Dobby than his cruel, nasty father. Dobby be glad that you is being friends." Dobby disappears with an inaudible pop, and Harry gently runs his finger over his new badge one more time before he begins tearing into his other presents.
Sirius's gift is a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot, and Harry silently vows that he'll always keep it close. Hagrid sends him a massive box of all of Harry's favorite sweets, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans; Chocolate Frogs; Drooble's Best Blowing Gum; and Fizzing Whizbees, that he couldn't hope to eat all by himself if he tried. He's definitely bringing those with him to the Room of Requirement tonight. Harry can share them with the others. Mrs. Weasley sent her usual package as well, and that soothes a knot of anxiety that had firmly settled in Harry's chest without him even realizing it. His sweater is an emerald green again this year, but this one has a dragon stitched into its center. He slips it on immediately. Fred and George give him several Canary Creams and Ton-Tongue Toffees, "To prank your cousin with even if we don't get the chance to", and a free pass for them to prank Ron into oblivion, no questions asked. He can't help snickering at the thought.
And then he gets to the presents from his new friends. Viktor gifts him an autographed Quidditch robe for the national Bulgarian team, it's one of his old sets and that realization has Harry's eyes widening in shock, with a note promising to take him up on a Seeker's Match at some point in the near future to see if Harry is as good as the rumors claim. He's absolutely thrilled about it. Fleur's present is a hand-carved runic necklace. The pendant is engraved with a rune that looks eerily like his scar, Sowilo; Uruz; and Thurisaz, and together, they should shield him from most minor jinxes and hexes, reflecting them back on the caster without any effort on his part. Fleur is awesome and also a bit terrifying. Harry puts the necklace on immediately, and he intends to always wear it. He can always tuck it beneath his tie while wearing his school robes.
Cedric gifts him a wand polishing kit, reminding Harry that it's very important to keep his wand in the best condition possible both in general and for the tasks to come, and, to Harry's surprise, Cho sends him a broom servicing kit too. He'll have to get her something later and apologize; they aren't especially close, so he hadn't expected anything from her at all. Then he gets to the final present. It's clearly from Draco. The quality of the wrapping paper alone is proof enough of that, never mind the silver and green coloration. He carefully unwraps the gift, gently folding the nice wrapping paper and setting it to the side for now. He blinks in shock at what he sees within the box: dozens, if not hundreds, of individually charmed buttons that say 'Support Harry Potter, the Fourth Champion'.
He taps one of the badges, trying and failing to ignore the lump that forms in his throat when the golden text shifts into a gentle, glowing silver that declares, 'Strength in Unity.' He suddenly feels like an annotated, secondhand copy of an advanced Charms book with several theories and experiments written down in its margins was not a nearly good enough gift for Draco. It's hard to think of a gift for someone who can buy anything he wants, and the extra theories do seem interesting but… Well, it was better than anything else Harry could come up with on such short notice. He'll have to do better next year.
Harry,
Feel free to distribute these as you please, though no one can know that I made them, obviously. I know that you weren't bothered by the original badges either way, but… Regardless. I do hope you like them.
Blessed Yule,
Draco
The castle is positively buzzing with energy all day. Harry enjoys lunch with the other champions and Cho, who he thanks profusely for the gift and apologizes to for not sending one in return, but she waves him off with a smile. "Don't worry about it, Harry. It's the least I can do after you let Cedric borrow your broom for the first task. I quite like him in one piece, you know?" And, well, that's that, it would seem. He's just relieved that she isn't angry.
Harry gets brought into a snowball fight with the Weasley twins and a solid chunk of the school that evening, but George ends up stepping out of the game at about half past six. "He's nervous," Fred confides in him as he effortlessly redirects a snowball that almost pelts Harry in the face. He's pretty sure that Fred didn't even use a wand for that. "He wasn't expecting Viktor to ask him to the ball, but he's been pretty pleased about it."
The rest of the boys start heading back to their dorms about an hour before the ball begins, and after a moment of careful consideration, Harry does the same and goes to put on the dress robes that Mrs. Weasley got for him. He blinks in shock at the sight of himself in the mirror once he was as dressed up and neat as he would ever get with his hair having a mind of its own. 'Huh. Mrs. Weasley was right. Emerald green really does bring out my eyes.'
It may be a bit silly to dress up if he's not going to the ball, but it's better if no one catches on to his plan before it's too late for them to do anything about it. Rumors have already been flying about his mystery partner since he's refused to name any names, simply saying that he already has a date any time someone asks him if they can go with him. Besides, it feels like a shame to never wear something so nice, and he is hoping that he'll outgrow his current robes within a year or two…
Harry slips out of his dormitory just before everyone begins heading for the Great Hall, ducking out of sight and beneath his Invisibility Cloak as soon as he's out of their sights. He keeps a close eye on the map as he walks up to the seventh floor, but almost everyone is either in their common rooms or gathered by the Great Hall. Once he finds himself standing in front of the tapestry, he paces back and forth, thinking 'I need a place for me and my friends to relax and have fun. Somewhere that only we can find and that we can spend the night in if we want. No one but me, Dobby, Fleur, Viktor, Cedric, Cho, and Draco should have access to the room. No one else should be able to find us.'
The house elves had warned him to be very careful with the wording of his request for the Come and Go Room today, knowing that they could be ordered to find him if a professor thought of doing so. It's the only reason that he isn't letting any other house elf but Dobby have access to the room tonight.
He's never seen the Room of Requirement look so beautiful. Twinkling, crystalline icicles dangle from the ceiling, reflecting tiny rainbows as they glimmer in the candlelight. A gentle melody plays in the background, soothing and slow, with words that he is unfamiliar with but finds himself enraptured by nonetheless. The fireplace crackles with dancing flames. A comforting warmth fills the room, chasing out the cold of winter and the lingering chill of melted snow that still clings to his skin. There's an empty banquet table against the far wall, just waiting for Dobby to fill it with dishes and snacks once he gets the chance to join him. There are a few other, smaller tables for them to sit and eat at, and chairs that look more like giant, plush pillows than like any chairs Harry has ever seen before. There are also several mattresses propped against a far corner and a veritable mountain of blankets to match. It's absolutely perfect.
"Thank you," he whispers, settling onto one of the cushions with a fond smile. It's surprisingly comfortable.
He hopes that the others are having a good time too.
-
There's a restless, anxious energy in the air that's only increasing the closer it gets to eight o'clock, and Draco has to force himself to remain outwardly composed. Everyone is starting to realize that they have not seen Harry in quite some time, and Professor McGonagall has a pinched expression on her face as she calls out, "Champions over here, please!"
Delacour looks as elegant and graceful as ever, adorned in robes of silvery-gray that should diminish her coloration but somehow enhance it instead. He'll have to ask her for any advice she can give there. It drives him mad that silver washes him out. Despite the air of grace to her, there's an edge of ferality that she can never quite completely mask, so it comes as no real surprise at all to see Blaise hanging off of her arm. Draco knows full well that she only accepted his offer because he actually looked her in the eye when he asked her, but Blaise has been unbearably smug about it nonetheless.
Diggory and Chang are no surprise. Everyone knows that they're utterly gone on each other, and there have been talks of a bonding contract for quite some time now. Chang is in a stunning, navy cheongsam decorated with a floral pattern, the yellow chrysanthemums are a nice touch, that matches the yellow accents on Diggory's robes. They manage to make something that should look quite gaudy look endearing instead, somehow.
Viktor and Weasley, on the other hand, are definitely a surprise. He hadn't known that the two even knew each other before this, but they're speaking comfortably and seem quite pleased with each other's company. Weasley has cleaned up nicely, and Krum notices if the way his eyes linger on his frame are any indication.
"Careful, Draco dear," Pansy teases with a delicate laugh. "I might start getting jealous."
He rolls his eyes, redirecting his attention back to Professor McGonagall with a barely repressed smirk. She's starting to look genuinely worried now. "Mr. Potter!" she barks. There is no response. "Has anyone seen Mr. Potter? His date?" He barely stifles a snicker at the way the professor's voice cracks, ever-so-slightly, in her panic.
Pansy quirks an eyebrow at him, seeing his mischievous, pleased grin for what it is even if she can't identify the reason for it. "You didn't leave him stunned in a closet or something, did you?" she murmurs lowly.
"No, no, this has nothing to do with me," Draco reassures her with a faint chuckle. "I just… know what he's up to, is all." His friends understand the meaning of discretion, and really, it's about time he told them about his and Harry's secret training sessions anyway. There's simply no chance of him doing so with so many potential eavesdroppers around. "I'll explain later."
"You'd better," Pansy mutters under her breath. "You know that I hate being left out of the loop."
"Mr. Potter!!"
"Um, Professor…?" Granger hedges uncertainly. He's surprised to see her hanging off of Longbottom's arm, and he's even more surprised to see that she actually cleans up nicely when she puts in the effort. First a Weasley and now Granger… What is this world coming to? "I can't remember seeing Harry any time recently."
That is when the murmuring starts. The whispers between friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers as they try to figure out when anyone last saw the Boy-Who-Lived steadily grow louder. Delacour's voice cuts through them all with all the surgical precision of a good Severing Charm. "'E's not coming."
A single sentence has Professor McGonagall looking like she's about to have a stroke. It's absolutely delightful. "Pardon?"
"'E's not coming," Delacour repeats, quirking an eyebrow as if to imply that she believes their professor is quite slow. "You all seem quite content to forget zat 'e did not ask for zis. Harry is only required to participate in the tasks, so 'e is not coming."
"And you knew about this, Miss Delacour?" Hogwarts professors aren't allowed to give detentions to foreign students, only their headmasters have that privilege, but Professor McGonagall looks like she sorely wishes that she could right about now.
"Ve all did," Viktor mutters under his breath with a roll of his eyes. "Vat is the big deal? This is the Triwizard Tournament. There have always been three champions opening the dance." It's the most that Draco has ever heard Viktor say. He usually just grunts and nods when he agrees to take something to Harry. He wonders how talkative Viktor is when he isn't standing under the scrutiny of a whole crowd of people that still make him shift uncomfortably, despite his celebrity status in Bulgaria.
"Isn't it almost eight?" Diggory asks with wide, innocent, too innocent to be genuine, eyes. "We should probably head out there before long. I don't want anyone to get antsy…" Chang stifles a giggle behind her hand, looking entirely too pleased with herself and the situation to give off any impression of true innocence either.
Professor McGonagall is subtly twitching with rage now. This is, quite possibly, the best thing that Draco has ever had the pleasure of bearing witness to. "I cannot believethat you would–!"
"We French are quite fond of our protests," Delacour cuts off with a smirk. "I don't know why zis is a surprise to you. We will support Harry, even when none of you will."
'Strength in unity indeed…'
Professor McGonagall doesn't get the chance to argue any further. It's time for the ball to begin, and the last thing she wants is to be running behind in addition to being down a champion. The opening dance is something to behold, regardless of the professor's fury and flustered panic leading up to it. Blaise and Delacour spin around elegantly on the dance floor, looking for all the world as if they were born to do so. Diggory and Chang are utterly, sickeningly enamored with one another, hardly looking away from each other's eyes for a single moment. They dance with the ease of people who know every possible move and reaction from their partner, and he suspects that they'll continue doing so for many years to come. Viktor and Weasley are both clumsy, though he's surprised to note that Weasley is slightly less so, but they're both smiling from ear to ear and seem to be having a genuinely good time.
Cheers ring out once the first dance concludes, and several pairs make their way to the dance floor immediately after, himself and Pansy included. They flit around this way and that, far too used to such events to hesitate for a single step, swapping partners and taking the opportunity to network in a more relaxed environment. A ball like this is one of the few events that can ease the tensions between houses, if only for a single night, and it feels like a terrible waste to neglect that opportunity. Even still, Draco finds himself antsy barely more than an hour into the ball, and he locks eyes with Pansy who nods and gestures for him to go ahead.
She likely suspects that his previous arrangements for tonight have something to do with Harry now. He's going to be grilled for details later, but he can't much bring himself to care about that. It's not particularly difficult to avoid the gazes of the professors chaperoning the event, but he doeshave years of practice tailing after Harry while avoiding detection. It's far easier to melt into a crowd than it is to remain unseen in a dark, still castle.
He's only just left the Great Hall when a familiar face appears before him, wringing his ears anxiously. "Dobby be taking Ex-Master Draco to the Come and Go room," his once personal house elf murmurs anxiously. "If that is being okay?"
Draco holds out his hand with a small grin tugging at his lips. "That's just fine, Dobby. And… I'm glad to see that you're doing well." Dobby beams. He never thought that he'd say this, but freedom seems to suit the house elf.
-
Harry blinks in surprise when Dobby suddenly pops into the room with Draco in tow. He hasn't been here that long, has he? He wasn't expecting anyone to start showing up until nearly midnight…
Draco's shoulders are shaking with repressed laughter, and a snort escapes him before it gives way to outright laughter. "Oh, that was beautiful," he murmurs as he wipes a tear from his eye. "I never thought that I'd see Professor McGonagall look so enraged in my life. I certainly didn't expect the other champions to tell her, outright, that you weren't showing up…!"
"They what?" Harry leans forward, eyes glittering with intrigue, as he waits for Draco to tell the whole story.
"Delacour stared her in the eye and said you weren't showing up! And Viktor and Diggory both backed her; it was wonderful. A memory for my Patronus, for sure." Draco shook his head slightly, recomposing himself as he says, "But for now, I do believe I said that I'd teach you how to dance."
"I really don't know how. Like, at all!" Harry protests with an embarrassed flush to his cheeks. He knows that his effort is futile, but he still has to try to convince Draco that this is a horrible idea.
Draco, as is to be expected, immediately rolls his eyes with a scoff. "And you won't be able to get away with that forever. It's only me and you here, Harry. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've seen you do far worse than stumble or step on my toes."
"... Well, when you put it like that."
Draco is a really, really good dancer. He leads Harry around the room as easy as breathing, and he doesn't flinch at all the few times that Harry really does step on his toes. "There you are," Draco murmurs once Harry finally finds his footing and starts to actually have a bit of fun with this whole dancing thing. "See? You're not half bad at this. Certainly more graceful than Viktor, at any rate."
Harry snorts at that. "He's that bad, huh? He did say as much."
"At least he's aware." Draco's smile makes that strange, fluttering feeling come back again. Is it… warm in here? Maybe he should ask Dobby to put out the fireplace. "So… How does this room work, exactly?" Harry explains the ins and outs of the room as they continue to dance around it, and that glittering, eager light returns to Draco's eyes. That strange, fluttering feeling becomes even harder to ignore than it was before. "And you were willing to tell me about it? Thank you, Harry."
"Thank Dobby," he deflects, feeling strangely shy all of a sudden. "He's the one that showed me."
Draco hums at that. "You know what? I will." They continue spinning around the room in step with one another, and it's as if the whole world around them has disappeared. There is no Room of Requirement, there is no castle full of students, there is no Triwizard Tournament, and there is no Voldemort. It's just him and Draco. "Today was a wonderful day," Draco murmurs with a smile that makes Harry's heart leap straight into his throat. "I quite liked that book. The previous owner was a spellcrafter, did you know? There are some original spells in there, or at least the theory for them. I look forward to seeing if they're viable."
"I'm glad you like it…" Harry can barely manage more than a whisper as he forces those words out, but there's no denying how much he means them. His voice positively shakes with it, really. "The badges were… really sweet, Draco. Thank you. It means a lot to me."
"Of course. It's the least you deserve." The two of them slowly, reluctantly step apart as the music shifts into something faster. Harry is not up to dancing to such a fast waltz yet, and they both know it. Draco idly twirls his wand in his hand, repeating, "Today was a wonderful day." His wand loops in a perfect circle before he says, "Expecto Patronum!"
A glowing, blue lamb leaps out of Draco's wand. There are tiny horns curling behind its ears, the beginning of something that will grow much larger with time, and its wool seems oddly curly, almost unruly, even for a sheep.
"A ram…!" Draco cries out, eyes absolutely glowing with excitement. "I did it, Harry! I did it! Come on, let's see if our Patronuses can interact with each other. That's the first step to finding out if we can make them solid enough to deliver things! We can…"
A smile stretches across Harry's lips as Draco rambles on and on in joy, making his Patronus glow even brighter. He finds that he's not thinking of much of anything at all when he whispers, "Expecto Patronum."
Prongs is not what comes from his wand. A gigantic, brilliant dragon fills the space between them, flapping its wings as it soars around the room. He and Draco both watch, utterly awestruck, as it lands behind him, curling its tail around Harry's legs as its head hovers over his shoulder. The magic is still pleasantly warm to the touch, but it feels more smooth than it did with Prongs, more like a river caressing his skin than a field of grass brushing against it.
"It… It changed," Draco whispers with wide eyes. "Do you realize how rare that is, Harry? And magical creatures are exceptionally rare Patronus forms too…! An Antipodean Opaleye. Has to be, with that head shape and size. They're the only dragons that get even larger than Horntails."
"They're beautiful…" The question is, why now? Things have been tentatively looking up regarding the tournament, so why would his Patronus change if it was the stress of it all causing the change?
"I know a lot about dragons." Wait. "If the caster goes through a significant emotional upheaval of some sort, regardless of the nature or outcome of said upheaval, then it is possible for their Patronus to become another animal entirely." Hold on a moment.
'I… I didn't think of a memory when I cast. I was just looking at…' Draco.
Oh. Oh.
"They really are…!" Draco steps forward with a grin that stretches from ear to ear, the most unrestrained that he's ever seen from him, as he reaches forward to brush his hand against the glowing dragon. Harry's new Patronus leans into his touch. Draco's lamb, on the other hand, happily brushes against Harry's leg, tail flicking happily as he reaches down to pat the top of its head. The magic that makes it up feels like sunshine and warmth, rolling pastures and contentment, and the buzzing of said magic eases the shock of his sudden realization somewhat.
Prongs was his dad. His new Patronus is Draco.
Harry's face burns a bright red, and he's immensely relieved that Draco is too caught up in admiring Harry's Patronus and basking in the pride of producing his own to notice it. He, himself, is so caught up in watching the blatant joy of the boy he fell in love with without even realizing it that he doesn't notice when Dobby rejoins them with the rest of Harry's friends.
They all gape at the scene before them, looking between themselves in stunned silence before deciding that it's really none of their business as they start to grab refreshments and settle in for the night.