"But I do," said Harry. "Hermione, Draco's not ashamed of being with Rhiannon. But Dad argued him out of telling anyone about her, and for good reason. Draco's my brother. He's shared a room with me, he knows all sorts of things about me. Don't you think Voldemort might try to get to him? And what better way than through the girl he loves?"
"Oh, my God." Hermione's hand flew up to cover her mouth. In the next instant, she was rounding on Draco. "Why didn't you tell me you were worried for her safety?"
"I tried," said Draco dryly. "You wouldn't listen."
"Sorry," murmured Hermione. "I thought you were . . . well, regressing."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Hermione lifted her chin, reminding Harry a little bit of Draco when he got his dander up. "You wouldn't be the first young man in the world to have second thoughts about a girl."
"When I love, Granger, it's for keeps."
Harry swallowed, not liking the sound of that. If Pansy hadn't died, would Draco still be stuck on her? Even knowing that she'd betrayed him? That she'd wanted him dead?
Of course, knowing the way Draco's mind worked, maybe he was saying that on purpose, in front of Harry, to get some other point across. Maybe he was talking about loving Harry and Snape?
Harry wasn't sure that was Draco's point, though it dismayed him to think that Draco would think Harry needed reassurance on that score.
"All right then, fine," Hermione was saying, her voice a little bit waspish. "You can tell people she's a witch and I won't say a word to refute you."
"I'm not going to tell people about her at all." Leaning down a little, Draco looked Hermione in the eyes. "She's safer that way. The Dark Lord isn't going to send his minions looking for her if he's no idea she exists."
"Right," snapped Hermione, clearly annoyed. Personally, Harry thought she didn't like the fact that Draco had thought of that before she had. "What about owls, then? Are you not using my parents, after all?"
"No, I have that covered." Draco explained his plan, the one that involved Rhiannon's letters to him being disguised as correspondence from wizarding shops, and explained how his own letters to her would be safe from prying eyes, enclosed inside Hermione's letters to her parents. "I just haven't had a chance to work the details out with your mother and father, but school doesn't start for a month, yet." Draco shrugged.
Hermione put a hand on Draco's arm, then, her voice much softer than before. "You've thought it all through. You really do love her."
Draco looked down at Hermione's fingers, white against the black fabric of his sleeve. "Yes. I thought you knew that already."
Hermione swallowed, something obviously occurring to her. "It's a good thing you talked to me. A really good thing. I might have said something . . . er, immoderate, when you opened the present I bought you."
Draco's eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe. "You bought me a present?"
"Of course." Hermione sounded indignant, then. "This is your birthday party, isn't it?"
"It's really Harry's. I'm just . . . an afterthought."
That had Hermione practically sputtering. "How dare you! I've been planning this for weeks, I'll have you know, and it was always, always intended as a joint party for the both of you. I even tried to invite Rhiannon, but when I rang her she said she had a performance tonight. And I would have invited Greg here, if it wasn't for the fact that his parents really shouldn't know where Harry's going to be on a particular night. Is it my fault you don't have many friends we can trust?"
"I think you mean any," drawled Draco. "I didn't mean to offend you. It's news to me that you planned the party."
"Well, I did. Ron and I both," she retorted. "Snape was hardly going to be able to plan it out in that tiny cottage and still manage to keep the whole thing a secret--"
Draco gave Harry a slanting look. "She's forgotten he's Head of Slytherin, apparently."
"Oh, shut up," said Hermione crossly. "I don't doubt his stealth, but I haven't forgotten where the hat put you. It shouted 'Slytherin!' before it even touched your head."
"I didn't know you were watching so closely," said Draco, one eyebrow raised.
"Why wouldn't I? I was out of my element, as you've taken such pains to remind me in the years since. I was eager to learn all I possibly could." Hermione's nostrils flared. "And as for the party, I'm sorry it's come too late for your revised birthday, but that's what you get for messing about with--"
"Thank you," interrupted Draco.
That stopped Hermione cold. "What did you say?"
"Thank you." Draco was smiling as he repeated it, and not in any sarcastic way. "Thank you for arranging the party."
"Well . . . you're welcome."
Harry hadn't said much for a while, since he didn't think he should have to referee his friends all the time, but he couldn't stop himself from exclaiming something, then. "Hermione? Are you blushing?"
"It's the punch," she said, glaring at him. "God only knows what Ron's brothers put in it. Come on, we'd better be getting back."
"In a moment," said Draco. "You don't still feel out of your element, do you? You did tell me you were a Muggle at heart."
"Oh . . ." Hermione lifted her shoulders. "Well, that's true, but it doesn't mean I feel out of place at Hogwarts these days. That was only right at first. I quickly came to understand that I'm both."
Draco considered that for a moment, then gave a sharp nod. "Like Harry's both."
"Actually, I don't feel like a Muggle at heart," said Harry, wondering how Draco could have leapt to that conclusion, knowing what he did about the Dursleys.
But Draco hadn't, as it turned out. "I meant Slytherin and Gryffindor. Harry really is both, you know. It's not just a quirk of the school charter."
Hermione nodded too, smiling easily. The idea didn't disturb her now, apparently, and that gave Harry a warm feeling. Or it did until she spoke, at least. "Well, that would explain his great love of sneaking about and keeping secrets--"
"Hey!"
"Time to get back, you said?" inquired Draco smoothly as he waved an arm in the direction they'd come.
They were half-way to the house when Snape found them. "I've been looking for you. It's time to open your presents," he said, frowning. "I wouldn't think I'd need to tell you, Draco, that this party is an opportunity to make yourself better known to people you want to see you as an ally."
"Oh, never fear. I made the rounds. Had quite a nice chat with Kingsley, and then a somewhat more abbreviated one with my dear cousin Nymphadora."
Snape nodded, his dark eyes glittering in the moonlight. Harry had a feeling that the man wanted to ask why the three of them were out here, all alone. He didn't, though. Maybe he was remembering that both his sons were adults, now.
"Presents it is," added Draco, beginning to walk again. "I can't wait to see what Hermione thought I needed. Apparently it's something Mugglish?"
"Did I say that?" Hermione laughed.
Harry wasn't laughing, though. "I don't have a present for Draco," he said, angry now that he thought about it. "Surprise parties have some drawbacks! How was I to know I'd need his present so soon? I was waiting for his, you know, regular birthday--"
"If you think I need a present from you, you're sadly mistaken," said Draco, moving alongside Harry as they walked. "Though I wouldn't refuse one, certainly. Or three, as the case may be. But Harry . . . Merlin, I hardly even know what to say to you. Don't you know how much you've already given me?"
He wasn't talking about Number Twelve or the vault, Harry knew. "Well, you're still getting three. For the past, present, future thing. But I'll need to go shopping."
Draco flashed him a grin. "I like diamonds and emeralds. Oh, and racing brooms."
Harry almost rolled his eyes, until it occurred to him that Draco had actually got him all three of those things for his own birthday gifts. Well, sort of. The service certificate wasn't exactly a broom, and Harry's pin definitely had gemstones on it, though he couldn't say for sure what kinds.