Two Houses (HarryxDraco)

Chapter 27

For anyone who didn't know them, the best indicator for when Harry and Ron were quarrelling was if there was any disruption to their morning routine. Every day, without fail, they would accompany each other to breakfast. But if they were angry with each other, then they would go to the Great Hall separately and sit at opposite ends of the Gryffindor table. Depending on the nature of the dispute, Hermione would have the unenviable choice of who to sit with during mealtimes until the dispute was resolved. While Ron's reaction the previous evening had been better than Harry had anticipated, he was still half-expecting to find his best friend's bed empty when he got up. So when he threw open the curtains around his four-poster, he was pleasantly surprised to find Ron still there, pulling on his school robes with immense effort. He looked up at Harry with a grumpy expression, his eyes pink and puffy from lack of sleep.

"Tell me again why I came back to Hogwarts?" he sighed.

"Because you wanted a year to doss about before getting a proper job," Harry reminded him.

"Oh yeah," he mumbled, wiping sleep from his eyes. "Next time I get any smart ideas, just tell me to shut up, will you?"

Harry smiled and assured him that he would. "It's Sunday, by the way."

"It is?" Ron sighed in relief and tore off his school robes. "Oh, thank Merlin for that. I couldn't be arsed with classes today anyway."

When the two of them entered the Great Hall, they found Hermione already sitting at breakfast poring over a large book that she had propped up against one of the silver milk jugs. Taking their usual seats next to her, Harry scanned the half-empty room before pouring himself and Ron large goblets of coffee.

"It's quiet this morning," he noted. "It's usually packed by now."

"A lot of students are still waiting to be seen by Madam Pomfrey," Hermione explained without looking up from her book. "I think everyone else is just trying to keep a low profile."

Just then, Draco entered the Great Hall. As he stepped further into the room, he slowed to a halt and looked between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, clearly unsure as to where he should sit this morning. When he saw Harry wave him over and nod to the empty space on the bench next to him, relief momentarily flickered across his face before he made his way over to join them. Taking his usual seat next to Harry, he politely wished the others good morning without looking in Ron and Hermione's direction.

"Morning!" Hermione replied in an unusually high pitch while Ron merely grunted like a troll. The atmosphere was tense at the breakfast table, but Ron and Draco both managed to refrain from slinging insults at one another, which was really the best that Harry could hope for. When Hermione had finished her meal, she informed the group that she was headed for the library.

"I'll come with you," said Ron, rising to his feet.

Hermione's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? Not that I'm complaining, but you don't usually like to accompany me to the library."

"Yeah, well..." He glanced in Draco's direction and frowned. "I've got nothing better to do today."

Evidently, Ron was keen to put as much distance between himself and Draco as possible. As Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall, Draco waited until they were out of earshot before saying to Harry, "I take that Weasley isn't happy about us."

"I think it would have been weirder if he was," Harry quipped.

"I imagine he put up quite the fight."

Harry shrugged. "Not really. We both knew that he wouldn't be happy about it, but he'll get over it. Eventually...hopefully."

"And Granger?"