Chapter Two – Networking
Hermione and Ron took one look at Harry when he slipped into Charms bearing the note from Snape and knew something was up. They both glanced at each other, with the same thought, 'please don't let it be bad Order business'. Despite what their parents wanted, for them to stay safely in the background, both had become loosely affiliated with the Order of the Phoenix simply because of being best friends with Harry. It was either that or remain in the dark all the time. Already, there had been more than one time that their loose ties had assisted the organization greatly. More often then than not, it was simply to reveal visions that Harry had suffered through his scar that he did not wish to share with the Order. But there were times it was more to report where Harry was and how he was behaving. After all, Snape had known that Harry was almost sorted into Slytherin and knew the young man had some dark characteristics. Not that he had revealed this to anyone else.
They kept an eye on Harry during class and began to feel a bit more at ease. Each of them had become rather proficient in reading Harry's expressions and movements. If anything Harry seemed to be amused by something. So they let it go until the end of class, which also heralded lunch time.
When class ended Hermione waited for Harry and Ron at the door. Then she pulled Harry off to one side. "Harry, I can't believe Snape gave you a note! What's going on?" Even though Snape was now the Headmaster, they couldn't seem to say it out loud. Not even Hermione.
Ron nodded. "Yeah mate, what's up?"
"Malfoy wanted to ask me about the Dursleys," Harry shrugged.
His two friends gasped, gaped at each other and then turned back to Harry. "He what?" they asked in unison.
"You heard me." Harry shook his head and started down the hall. "Merlin, I'm hungry."
"Wait up!" Hermione yelled and charged after him, Ron at her side. "You can't just tell us that you had a normal conversation with Malfoy and just walk away like that."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Look, he just overheard something - that's all and wanted to clear the air."
Ron frowned. "What did he overhear?"
"Just a comment I made comparing the Dursleys to St. Mungo's. You remember that right?" Harry continued on quickening his pace. Hermione was practically jogging to keep up to the two long legged Gryffindors.
"Harry, doesn't it bother you that he was eavesdropping on us?" Hermione asked with concern.
"No. Not really. If he was trying to hide the fact that he found out, then he wouldn't have asked about it, would he?" Harry shot back looking a bit miffed.
They remained quiet until they entered the Great Hall. A swarm of students went by as they entered at the same time and one of them was Malfoy. "Harry."
"Draco." Harry gave a slight nod and headed toward the Gryffindor table, not seeming to even notice that his two friends had stopped short and were staring at each other in confusion. They ran over to sit next to Harry.
They whispered furiously over Harry's head while Harry was bent over tucking into his food. Ron gulped and broke the silence. "Why are you and Malfoy suddenly on a first name basis?"
"Buried the hatchet," Harry shrugged shoveling some more food into his mouth.
Hermione blinked as Ron stared. "You what?" Hermione whispered.
Harry stopped eating and glared at them both, power radiating off of him and making them both sit back. "Look, we talked and cleared the air a bit. We shook on it, to make a new start. Just leave off about it, alright?"
Ron was about to go into a tirade, judging by the sudden red that filled his face. But Hermione cut him off with a sharp look. "Harry, do you really think he means it?"
To their shock Harry smiled. "Yes." Harry finished up while his two friends were a bit too shocked to eat, still sitting rigidly while trying to process this change. Once Harry left the hall, Hermione and Ron slid together on the bench.
"Bloody hell," Ron commented.
"For once Ron I quite agree." Hermione bit her lip. "You don't suppose Harry likes him do you?"
Ron squirmed in his seat remembering the conversation that they'd had where Harry had admitted to them both he was gay. "Oh Merlin, I don't feel so good."
Neville leaned over, "What's wrong guys?"
"Harry and Malfoy made up," Hermione said as if saying it aloud would make it sink in better. Ron groaned putting his head into his hands.
Seamus pushed past Neville. "Err, did I just hear you say that Harry and Malfoy are friends?" Lavender and Ginny started to laugh at the very idea.
Hermione pursed her lips. "Yes, they've buried the hatchet. And we better go along with it or Harry's likely to be very put out."
Seamus, Neville, Lavender and Ginny fell over themselves laughing. Nobody believed them. Ron shot to his feet, his hands balled up in fists. "Just shut up the lot of you! We aren't kidding! And if we want to stay Harry's friends we have to stop fighting with that git - bloody hell," he ran his fingers through his hair as he pointed to the Slytherin table, "probably the whole lot of them, since Malfoy is their leader!"
"You're serious?" Seamus asked choking back his laughter.
"He is," Ginny gasped in sudden horror.
"You can't be!" Lavender yelled. "They're horrible to us and they deserve everything they get!"
Oliver Wood suddenly rushed over to their table. He'd been acting as Head of Gryffindor House since McGonagall retired. But to them he was still one of the gang. It was just too weird, but Oliver seemed happy about it since life on the road was tiring him out. And it allowed him to coach Quidditch at Hogwarts, when he wasn't teaching Transfiguration.
"Hey now! What's going on over here!?" Professor Wood asked with concern trying to get them to sit down and putting a hand on Ron to get him to settle.
"Harry and Malfoy have buried the hatchet," Ginny and Hermione said in unison.
"Bloody hell," Oliver practically fell onto the bench, students scattering quickly out of his way as he sat with a thump. "When did this happen?"
"Today. I think Snape might have had something to do with it," Hermione added thoughtfully.
"Well it would help with, um, the cleanup effort for the war," Oliver added after a moments hesitation. Though most people knew about the Order these days, it didn't do to flaunt one's membership in it. They all nodded in quiet shock as the word of the truce swept through the Great Hall.
Seal of Sincerity by Keikokin [ - ]
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