Unmasked

Her What Now?

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Pansy, and Draco huddled at the Gryffindor table, talking quietly due to the volume of the hall. Hardly anyone was even awake yet, only a few students at each of the tables. Most of the Professors seemed to still be asleep as well, as only McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and Trelawny were at their table.

Harry glanced next to him at Draco, who had his head down. He held his arms close to his body, the sleeves of the shirt Harry had given him over his hands. He hadn't even put any food on his plate. Harry frowned, lifted the bowl of eggs towards him and scooped some onto Draco's plate, conversing with Ron across from him the entire time. When he looked back to his left, Draco was looking up at him out of the corner of his eye with a scowl. Harry looked between him and the plate. "Just try to eat a little of it."

Draco huffed, picking up his fork and stabbing a piece of egg a little too forcefully. Harry chuckled slightly, then leaned closer to him, placing a hand on his lower back. "Just eat what you can, okay? I know that it's hard for you sometimes." Draco's features softened at that and he nodded.

Harry was startled away from Draco at the screech of an owl. He watched as Hedwig swooped low over their table and dropped a letter in Hermione's oatmeal before landing on the table in front of him. He smiled at her, using the back of two of his fingers to stroke her feathers. She crooned and he fed her a piece of bacon, to her delight. Pansy was staring at her the way girls often stare at puppies, and Draco held a similar expression. Harry grinned. "Draco, Pansy, this is Hedwig."

"Can I pet her?" Pansy asked. When Harry nodded she beamed, reaching out to stroke Hedwig in the same way he had. The snowy owl brushed up against her hand, then searched her plate for food. "Sorry, Hedwig. I don't have anything for you."

Harry chuckled, then turned to Draco with a piece of bacon. He scowled and Harry scrunched his brows together, before he realized Draco thought he meant for him to eat it. "It's not for you! Do you want to give bits of it to Hedwig?"

"Oh," he laughed breathily. "Yeah." He took the bacon, broke off a piece of it, then held it out in front of him. "Hedwig... come get the bacon." The owl turned to him, quirking her head, then hopped forward and took it from his hand. He gave her another piece, and she rubbed against his hand, too. He smiled. "Good girl, Hedwig."

She turned back to Harry and hopped over to him. He gave her a look. "No more bacon. That's enough for now," he scolded, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Fine. One more piece... now go to sleep." She finished her bacon then promptly flew off. Harry turned to Hermione, who was still reading the letter Hedwig brought her. "What's it say?"

She looked up at him, glared at Ron for reading over her shoulder, then spoke. "It's from my parents. They must've been up late last night if they've already talked to my aunt and uncle... anyways. They say that they'd be willing to help us, but they want to talk about it in more detail to Dumbledore."

Harry sat up straight, opening his hands so that his palms faced up. "Well that's great." He looked at Draco. "Isn't that great?"

He twisted the ring on his finger. "Yeah."

Hermione leant towards him. "I know the thought of leaving scares you, but at least now we have a plan. I hope it doesn't come to it, but if your Father threatens you again, we will have to go."

"I know," he sighed, lifting his gaze to hers. "It's just... a lot."

She nodded. "I know. But we're all together in this, yeah?"

He dropped his gaze, shaking his head at his lap. "I'm sorry for bringing you all into this."

Pansy reached across to him and took his sleeve-covered hands. "Dray, don't you ever be sorry. I'm sorry for not noticing you were suffering." She rubbed her thumbs over his knuckles. "It's not a bother. We are all here by choice."