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“I’m serious you guys, go on without me.” Mischievous green eyes sparkled under ink black hair. It seemed that, as the years went by, Harry’s hair became more and more unreasonable. Standing up every direction, refusing to lay still for a moment. The teachers all tutted and smiled when they saw the familiar mop. It was like the Weasley’s and their brilliant red hair. They all knew that trouble was approaching. However, this Christmas break it would be different. Hogwarts would be safe from the pranks and jokes of the twins, from the purposeful strides of the Perfect Percy, and from the accidental misdeeds of Ron and Ginny. There wouldn’t even be a strand of curly hair as Hermione, number three in the familiar trio, would also be disappearing for the break. Her parents had finally demanded that they finish up their skiing trip and, as much as Hermione scoffed, both Harry and Ron knew that she missed them terribly. The witch in question was already gone off to the mountains and wouldn’t be back until after the break.Brown eyes looked him over, uncertainty clouding them. Ron was hesitating. “I shouldn’t go. I can’t leave you here alone. Especially not with your scar beginning to prickle again. That is just asking for trouble.”Harry shook his head. “Come on, Ron. You and I both know that your mum would kill you if you even so much as attempted to avoid your aunt’s wedding. And, as much as your family loves you, they would help her hide the body. Even Percy wasn’t looking forward to the celebration.”There was a forlorn sigh. Ron knew that Harry was right. “If it wasn’t my Aunt’s wedding, you know that Mum would have you over in a heartbeat. She already had the jumper knitted and half the fest planned when it was announced. She even tried to invite you over but the aunt has such a fear of… of him that…”“I get it,” Harry said, one hand touching the lightning bolt out of habit. “Best not to tempt the snake with waiting flesh.”“How can you even joke about that?” Ron asked, more than a little off put by the morbid joke. “My aunt is afraid of Him and his Death Eaters, yet you laugh in their faces like it’s a challenge!”A secret smile spread across his face. “Ron, with as many times as we have faced the Death Eaters, not once have they managed to kill me. I’m the scorn of their existence, the symbol of their fall. It is as Fred and George always say….”Ron shook his head. “I get it… still.” There was a screech of a nearby owl causing Ron to give a loud sigh. “That’s my cue. I’ll be back as soon as the wedding is done, you hear me?”In the twirl of a cape, he was gone. Harry watched him disappear. His aunt and uncle had the occasional displeasure of going to the odd wedding long before Harry had attended Hogwarts. Dudley had once dug into the wedding cake before it was cut and the bride and groom did not see the same ‘humour’ as Aunt Petunia did. They had never attended another since. Not that Harry much minded. From what he could recall of the ceremony they were a rather stuffy affair. Too many people crowded together in one place, and everyone in their finest ware, each trying to outdo the other in one form or another.Beginning to wander back to his quarters, Harry wondered how the Twins would liven up the whole affair. Fireworks? Releasing a hoard of Chocolate Frogs? Or perhaps a potion in the punch….“Potter.”Harry didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. There was only one person whose voice could contain that much smugness, that amount of self-entitlement. “Hello, Malfoy.” He said.The thin blonde man came up to him, a familiar sneer on his face. “Looks like your little pose left you all alone for Christmas this year,” he noted, gesturing to the empty hall. “Even your red shadow is gone. Did you finally get kicked out of the family hovel?”Harry’s fists clenched at his sides until he noticed the sly glint in Draco’s eyes. He was looking for that kind of reaction. Harry decided that he wouldn’t give him that kind of satisfaction. Just like with his relatives back home. He took a deep breath, steeling himself and releasing his hands. “Not yet,” he said, “Ron’s family is just to busy to have me this year. Family celebrations.”“And they didn’t take you? Now that just can’t be right. With how close you and the rest of them are, I’m surprised that you haven’t been adopted yet. Perhaps they can’t afford the paper to make it?”“If it was just Ron’s immediate family, I would have been fine. But there is some sort of tale that, if you invite the Boy-Who-Lived, everyone else ends up dead.”Malfoy let out a bark of laughter. “And what of the girl? I’ve heard that the others don’t have the same superstitions as us.”It didn’t escape Harry’s notice that Draco avoided using the term MudBlood to describe Hermione. “Look, why are you so interested in this? It’s not like we have the most stellar conversations at the best of times. And why are you still here? I would have guessed that Mommy and Daddy would have pulled you the first day of Winter Break. Don’t you guys have a yacht or something that needs regular visiting” He turned away, intending to head up the stairs. Maybe he’ll hit up the library and get started on one of the essays that had been assigned for classes.To his surprise, Draco followed him. His lips and eyes were narrowed but he did not react otherwise to Harry’s snip. “Crabbe and Goyle had plans that didn’t involve following me about like a shadow for the week. As for my own vacation, not that you would have heard but Mother and Father have had to cut back on some of our expenses. My grandfather is very ill.”Despite the foul history between them, Harry couldn’t stop the rush of sympathy that rose inside of him. “I’m… I’m sorry to hear that,” he said finally, choosing his words carefully. “I hope that he gets well soon.”“Of course he will. Mother and Father will only purchase the best care that they can. The highest quality potions and technologies will be at his disposal.” Draco said firmly. To anyone else, it would have sounded like the Slytherin was showing off his immense wealth and power that his family held over the wizarding community. But Harry swore that he heard a slight waver.Draco was scared of losing him. Perhaps this was the first time experiencing this loss. It made him almost appear human. He was out of control of something for the first time in his life. He couldn’t control what was going on with his grandfather, his best friends (if you could call them that) were gone, parents busy, and he was all alone.That was probably why he was following Harry around. Here was someone or something that he recognized, perhaps not as a friend or even remotely friendly, but as a familiar.And wasn’t that all that mattered in the end?He glanced at him sidewise. Draco was avoiding looking at him, mouth and eyes pinched sour. “So, what are your plans for the week now that you don’t have your bodyguards with you? Surely the castle is full of traps and ghosts who are just itching to get their filthy hands on that collar of yours. Especially Peeves. I’m almost positive that Fred and George must have put him up to something to keep you in line while they were gone.”Dark eyes scanned the ceiling in worry. “By Dumbledore’s beard, do not say that name. He has hearing better than any owl.”Harry chuckled, deciding to have a little fun with the Slytherin. “Maybe we should call him He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and watch everyone get confused?”There was a confused blink before Draco turned to look at him. The corners of his mouth were twitching upwards. Wasn’t quite a smile, but it was close. “Oh yes, I can see it now. ‘He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named throw wet toilet paper on the ceiling today as Myrtle had her meltdown.’ Excellent Potter, let’s piss off the rest of the Wizarding Community while we are at it.”“Well I would, but I actually have an appointment with Hagrid for tea and biscuits,” Harry said, checking his watch quickly. He would soon be running late. But he couldn’t just leave Malfoy alone… “Do you want to come with me? I’m sure that he would be more than willing to pull up another chair for you and tell you all about Fluffy.”Malfoy paused at that, just for a moment. He seemed to debate with himself as Harry walked away, trying to make up his mind of what was most important to him. His picture-perfect outside, or the familiarity that he had already followed halfway through Hogwarts. There was the smart tapping of shoes as he cut up to Harry. “Who in the bloody hell is Fluffy?”“He’s his baby.”“Well I daresay that that raises more questions than answers, doesn’t it?”* * * * *“Harry! I am so glad to see you!” A head of wild curls hugged him tight, bright brown eyes glimmering under the mess of hair. “I am so sorry that you couldn’t come with us. I asked my parents, begged them even, but they refused. Told me that it was high time for a family vacation where we can all be, and I quote, ‘Muggles’ again.” she said with a roll of her eyes.Ron clasped his shoulders, handing him a large package. Seems like his mom had indeed sent him a large care kit as promised. “Harry is part muggle, did you mention that?”“Oh, believe me, Ron, I did. And it still didn’t make a bloody-”“POTTER!”The other two spun around just in time to see Draco rush to him. He skidded to a stop right in front of him. “My Mother and Father just sent me half the sweets house for missing out on Winter Break. As if that could possibly make up for it. But look what they sent with it.” he held up a bright pink box of chocolates. The box itself was huge, about as big as Malfoy’s outstretched arms. And the chocolates… “Giant-sized chocolate in the shape of mythical creatures. Legendary chocolates.” He read, scoffing at the pun. “Whoever came up with the design should be fired and seek employment elsewhere immediately. Complete and utter trash. But I think that they will go well with our next tea with Hagrid, what do you think?”Harry laughed. “Oh, he’ll absolutely adore them.” he said, “are you going to give them to him now?”“If I don’t Crabbe and Goyle will find them and eat them all. You know how the disgusting pigs are. Anything that isn’t nailed down gets stuffed in that hole that they call a mouth.” Draco said already making his way past the small group. “See you in the dining hall!”Ron and Hermione stared as Draco left the Main Doors. They were utterly gobsmacked, mouths agape as they watched the Slytherin walk out the doors and head to the little cabin where Hagrid lived.“Ok…. What potion did you force feed him?” Ron demanded, looking back at Harry.“Or a behavioural spell?” the witch asked. “Malfoy… he was… pleasant? But how?”Harry just smiled rubbing at his scar. It hadn’t burned once since his friends were gone. “Let’s just say that Hagrid’s tea making skills rivials Snape’s potion mastery.”