Only Ash Remains

Chapter 17

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting on the floor of the library a  few weeks later, surrounded by books and parchment. Hermione was making  the three of them study schedules. Ron was staring morosely into the  distance over her shoulder, pretending to listen as Hermione rattled off  the things they "needed to know" for their N.E.W.T.s.

Harry was enjoying the pleasant familiarity of the three of them in  roles they'd occupied a million times before. He wasn't really taking in  any of the facts Hermione was spouting, but he liked listening to the  rise and fall of her voice as it washed over him. He felt himself  settling into a daze, surrounded by a warm golden haze. These were his  best friends, who had stood by him through everything. His family.

Only, now that word brought to mind three more faces. The Malfoys were his family now, too.

He lost track of the thread of Hermione's argument entirely as the realisation clobbered him.

Narcissa was family. Lucius was family. Against all odds, even Malfoy was family.

Before the thought had a chance to really sink in, Narcissa peered around the doorframe, interrupting his thoughts.

"Harry," Narcissa said apologetically, poking her head into the  library where Hermione had them all surrounded with books, "I apologise  for interrupting, but my wand is having trouble with Scourgify today.  It's not powerful enough for what I need. Would you be willing to help  me?"

Harry moved to stand up, reaching hastily to grab the stack of  parchment cascading down beside him that he'd knocked with his knee.

"Ron is good at cleaning charms," Hermione said absently, scratching the side of her nose with the tip of her quill.

Ron jumped to his feet while Harry was still trying to figure out how  to extricate himself. "I am," he said enthusiastically. "Mum even  invented her own variation on Scourgify. I could show you, if you want."

"That would be lovely Mr. Weasley, thank you," Narcissa said warmly.

Ron followed her from the room, looking relieved to have got out of studying for the moment.

Hermione scowled after him, muttering "I didn't mean he should go now." Then she turned back to Harry, rolling her eyes as she righted the parchment stack with a quick flick of her wand.

Before Ron and Narcissa's steps had faded, Harry found his thoughts snapping back to Malfoy.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, in the tone she reserved especially for  him, for when he'd wandered off in his mind and she'd already called his  name several times.

"Yeah, 'Mione?" he said, trying, with minimal success, to shove his thoughts of Malfoy to the back of his mind.

She breathed out heavily through her nose. "What's gotten into you? You've been preoccupied since we got back."

He hesitated. He wasn't sure he was ready to get into that beyond what he'd already told her.

"When you're ready, Harry, I'm here," she said, voice softer. "You know you can trust us, right?"

"Of course," he said automatically. It wasn't a matter of trust,  exactly. He just wasn't sure yet what it was. He had to get it straight  in his own mind before trying to explain it to anyone. And before that he needed to talk to Malfoy. He just had to find him first.

Hermione looked searchingly into his eyes for a few seconds, then nodded, turning businesslike once more.

"Now. Why don't you tell me how much revision you've done for History of Magic?"