Malfoy Child

Appearances

Only about a quarter of the students were in the Great Hall when Harry and Draco arrived. Crabbe and Goyle were already waiting for them at the Slytherin table and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Harry waved to Ron and Hermione as he went to sit down. They waved back but, unfortunately, the other students had quieted down their chatter and were watching Harry warily.

As the Great Hall quickly filled with students, Harry fixed plates for himself and Draco. Pansy and Millicent arrived and sat down across from them, but they seemed to have learned from that morning and they didn't say anything that would upset Draco. Instead, Pansy asked Draco questions about classes that morning. Blaise slipped in ten minutes later and he chatted with Draco about the exploring they'd done earlier in the afternoon.

No one in their group said anything to disturb Draco and the little boy was finally getting to eat a meal in peace. Harry, however, was very aware of all the stares directed at him and the whispering going on throughout the room. He should have been hungry but he didn't really have an appetite as he thought about all that had happened that afternoon.

There was just too much that had happened with no time to process it all. Right at the moment, he was sitting at the Slytherin table, of all places, eating dinner with a four-year-old Draco Malfoy. Somehow, he was getting along with Draco's friends and even Snape, for that matter. Being stared at and talked about wasn't unusual in itself, but the reasons for it were highly unusual. The displays of magic he'd performed in the two common rooms were likely to be talked about in the school for a long while.

The main reason for his lack of appetite, though, had to do with the fact that he was so upset about what had happened to Draco. Harry just couldn't believe that any father could do something like that to their child. He wondered what else the man had done to Draco over the years. He quickly diverted himself from those thoughts before he could work himself up again.

He sat there quietly, just picking at his food, as he tried to focus again on the conversation Draco was having with Pansy and Blaise.

"Are you not eating because they're all staring again?" Draco asked quietly.

Harry chuckled ruefully. "Not really. I was just thinking," he answered. He glanced around to all the staring students. "I'm afraid that I'm kind of used to being stared at. I've learned to just do my best to ignore it."

"Why are they staring?" Draco asked.

Harry ruffled Draco's hair. "They're just wondering how I got so lucky getting to be the one to take care of you," he said, smiling.

Draco eyed him suspiciously. "You're teasing me," he accused.

Harry grinned. "Maybe, but I still think I'm lucky. Finish eating, then maybe Blaise will help us gather up some of your things to take up to the tower."

"Sure I will," Blaise said cheerfully. He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially to Draco. "I already talked to the house elves and your sheets and blankets should already be on Harry's bed by now," he told the boy with a wink.

Draco's face lit up. "Thank you!"

Pansy looked at them questioningly, but didn't comment—whatever made Draco happy.

That was the same sentiment that Harry was going with—whatever made Draco happy. With that in mind, Harry made more of an effort to eat his dinner. He was rewarded when Draco gave him a big smile.

Aside from Harry's wayward thoughts and the constant stares and whispers, dinner went better than Harry ever thought it would. Afterwards, Harry and Draco headed back to the Slytherin dorms with Blaise.

Draco climbed up happily onto his old bed that now had regular sheets and blankets like the other beds in the dorm.

"So, let's take a look around here," Harry said. "What should we take upstairs with us?"