Harry scanned the great hall. Breakfast was nearly over with most of the tables were already half empty, but he spotted Ron's red hair near the middle of the Gryffindor table and hurried over to them.

Ron waved when he caught sight of Harry, "You're late!"

"Yeah- I was busy-" Harry said haltingly as he reached them.

Ron grabbed his arm and pulled Harry into the seat next to him, pushing an empty plate in front of him, "You're looking rough, mate, did you sleep in those clothes?"

"Sort of," Harry said, he hesitated and then grabbed some toast and making a bacon and egg sandwich. A quick glance around Ron showed that Hermione was writing, her own food mostly forgotten on the plate. Harry doubted she had even noticed him arrive. "Morning, Hermione," he said.

Ron rolled his eyes as Hermione looked up in surprise.

"Harry! I didn't see you!" Hermione said.

"Just got here," Harry said.

Ron had a resigned expression on his face, "She has a new theory."

"I have a new theo-Hey!" Hermione elbowed Ron with a frown.

Ron just shrugged.

"Is it about the werewolf?" Harry asked.

"I think I know why the werewolf hasn't died yet," Hermione said, flipping through her notebook and holding up a page of cramped writing that Harry didn't even have time to read a single word of before she had it in front of herself again. "I was working out a progression of the illness based on what we know of the thestral's decline and estimated that the longest it could have survived would have been two weeks. The wolf was showing clear signs of decline when we encountered it and looked half transformed-"

Ron gave Harry a what can you do? look that was entirely too fond.

Harry was just glad he had gone to the kitchens and hospital wing first so he could return to the tower right after this.

"-but that was right before the full moon. My theory is that the werewolf's body was trying to change back, either because it was getting too weak to maintain the transformation or it was too far away from a full moon, or perhaps a combination the two.
"Lycanthropy, the disease, reacts to moonlight, growing stronger as the moon waxes- I think maybe lycanthropy is caused by some sort of virus that inserts a strand of RNA into the cells of the afflicted person, basically changing the DNA in all the person's cells as it spreads-"

"Getting in the weeds a bit," Ron said.

Hermione blinked and nodded, "Some other time. Where was I?"

"Your theory," Ron said.

"Theory! Right! So, basically, I think every time the wolf is exposed to the full moon, and it transforms again, it repairs at least some of the damage caused by the illness." Hermione frowned, "I have to assume that eventually, the transformations won't be enough to keep the illness at bay. But we can't know for certain how long the wolf has had it or have anywhere enough data to tell the rate of the werewolf's decline compared to the thestral."

"Are the auror's doing anything about it?" Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged, not nearly as interested in things outside the medical aspect.

Harry turned to Ron, "Have you heard anything?"

"I asked McGonagall first thing this morning," Ron said, "Apparently they're scouting the edge of the forest setting up proximity alarms along the boundary and that's all she knows. They told Hogsmeade and the school to stay closed up for now."

Harry nodded in relief, one less thing to worry about, at least for the moment. "Has Pomfrey figured out what the illness is?"

Hermione shook her head, curls bouncing against her cheeks, "No. I've sent a blood sample to- Well, I sent it to my parents, who are sending it to our veterinarian to be tested. Until then, there isn't much we can do."

"To a vet? You're sending it to a vet?" Harry said.

"Well, I don't know any doctors very well, but my parents have always had cats. And since the illness infected something like a horse and a sort-of-wolf as well as people, it's easier. I mean, provided the illness is one of the few that effects muggles as well as wizards." Hermione said. "Either way it will let us check off some possible illnesses."

"I guess so." Harry wrapped his sandwich in a napkin and stood up, "I need to get back. Malfoy's not feeling well, so I won't be in class."

"He's still- I thought he was finished, he seemed fairly done to me," Hermione said.

Ron gave her a confused look, "What is he a pie?"

"That's not what I meant," Hermione said.

"And I, uh, wanted to ask if there was anything else I could do to help him?" Harry asked.

"Like what?" Hermione asked.

"I mean any other tips that you might have forgotten?" Harry asked.

"No?" Hermione said, "I'd have to see him and talk to him to be any more help." She brightened up, "I could come up and see him!"

"Err..." Harry hesitated.

"Malfoy and I got along fine last time we talked, it will be fine," Hermione said, "I'll come up after lunch. Send a patronus if he'd rather me not visit."

"Alright," Harry said. He gave them a wave and headed back to the tower, eating as he went.

-

-

Harry washed the crumbs of his sandwich off his hands and grabbed a clean cloth, running it under cold water and then thoroughly ringing it out. He cast a cooling charm on the damp cloth as he went back over to Malfoy's bed and carefully placed it on Malfoy's forehead.

Malfoy's eyes fluttered, and he reached up, touching the cloth before dropping his hand back to the bed with a wince. He opened his eyes just enough to see Harry.

"S'this another dream?" Malfoy said.

"No. I'm back," Harry said, "Sorry, I forgot the cloth before."

"Mmm," Malfoy said.

"Uh, how do you feel?" Harry asked.

"Hot," Malfoy said.

Harry smiled faintly, "Yeah, that's how fevers tend to work."

"Hotter than usual," Malfoy said.

"Oh."

"Arse," Malfoy muttered, closing his eyes again.

Malfoy's skin did seem almost an angry red rather than the normal flushed pink. There didn't seem to be as much sweat either.

"Do you want anything to drink? Or eat?" Harry asked.

"Water," Malfoy said.

Harry helped him sit up and held the glass for him as he took a few sips and then pulled back. Harry eased him back down and picked up the cold cloth setting it back in place.

"Hermione wants to come check on you, if that's alright," Harry said, "She said she can't really help without seeing you."

"...fine," Malfoy said faintly.

"Do you need-"

"It's enough. You've done enough," Malfoy said.

"I just want to help," Harry said.

Malfoy slid his hand across the sheets, "Then hold this."

Harry loosely placing his hand over Malfoy's, giving it a quick squeeze.

"You're cold..." Malfoy said.

Malfoy's palm was almost uncomfortably warm.

-

-

Harry slowly brushed his thumb back and forth across Malfoy's knuckles, his hand loose with sleep on the crumpled sheets. His skin was so red. His breathing heavy like his body was running a marathon even when it was still.

Harry pushed his free hand through his hair, catching on the tangles and curls and let out a frustrated sigh. Sometimes he almost hated it. But... after the war it seemed like everything went back to normal, or tried. He did too, even without realising it. Old clothes worn thin from camping got thrown out, wounds healed, scars faded and were hidden from sight. Even his body went back to something like normal, going back to a healthy weight, his skin tanning from its strange camping pallor. All that was left was his hair.

He felt changed. He was changed by the war, by everything. It didn't feel right to cut it off.

And his hair actually hadn't been bothering him as much lately, not when Malfoy would comb through it. He got the tangles out and it felt really nice. Harry wondered if he'd do other things, like when Ginny or Luna would braid it or put it in a bun. Over the summer, Luna had gotten into a habit of braiding flowers into Ginny's hair, daisies and dandelions and tiny delicate flowers in blue and white, that Harry could imagine in Malfoy's clever fingers...

"Someone's here," Malfoy said faintly.

Harry sat up with a start, "O-Oh, that must be Hermione. You still okay to see her?"

Malfoy nodded. He held onto Harry's hand for a moment, "That expression you had, you have to tell me about it later."

Harry felt an instant flare of embarrassment, "Oh, uh, it was nothing."

Malfoy grinned, "No, it wasn't. Promise you'll tell me."

Harry shook his head, "It really was-"

"I'm sick, you can't say no," Malfoy said, adding a melodramatic whine to his voice, "Promise."

Harry hesitated, "...I'll promise if you promise not to give me shit about it."

"Deal," Malfoy said without hesitation, "I promise."

Harry sighed, "Fine, I'll tell you later."

"Promise?" Malfoy insisted.

"Yes-"

"Harry, are you here?" he heard Hermione call from downstairs.

"-I promise," Harry said over his shoulder, going down the stairs.

Hermione was leaning against the wall, looking a bit winded, "Those stairs are horrible."

"You get used to them," Harry said.

"How's he doing?" Hermione asked.

"Trying to sleep mostly," Harry said, "He... uh, hasn't been eating or drinking much, at least compared to last time."

Hermione nodded and headed upstairs, Harry right behind her, and sat on the edge of the chair, "Hello, Malfoy, how are you?"

"Brilliant," Malfoy joked weakly.

"Try again," Hermione said, "I don't have a lot of time, you know. I'm the one taking notes for all of us, it's not very useful if I'm not in class to take them."

"Yes, fine..." Malfoy swallowed hard, closing his eyes as he spoke, "The changes, they started from the inside and worked their way out."

Hermione blinked, leaning forward with a lot more interest.

"My magic was first, then muscles, then my bones," Malfoy said. "Now, it's my skin."

Hermione nodded along, "That makes sense, it improves your chances of survival in a hostile environment and then to allows you to fly and then the last, pure vanity."

Malfoy's eyes snapped open, "I don't want it. I wouldn't have chosen this- any of it."

Hermione sat back a bit, "Oh. Right. I didn't- I meant more like a birds plumage, for courtship or camouflage-"

Harry could tell Hermione wasn't helping her case and leaned between them to cut things off, taking the damp cloth from Malfoy's forehead, which had almost completely dried out, to the sink. When he came back out Hermione was casting some sort of spell over Malfoy that showed a blanket of reds and oranges over his body with only a few touches of yellow. It was like a heat map Harry had seen somewhere, maybe a school book or on the tv.

Harry stood behind the chair, trying to see what she was seeing. It mostly looked red, and Harry was fairly certain that wasn't a good thing. Hermione tilted her head and then twisted her wand like turning a nob, the colours shifting, narrowing and drawing closer to Malfoy, the reds mostly turning to yellows.

"It really is just your skin..." Hermione said, "Your body is doing a good job of keeping your internal temperature at- at a somewhat healthier level. The skin replaces itself fairly regularly, but over weeks, not in a day-"

"More like a day and a half, maybe two," Harry said.

"It's the largest organ in our body, did you know?-" Hermione started.

"Hermione, Is there anything we can do?" Harry interrupted before she could get too distracted. He carefully put the damp cloth on Malfoy's forehead before taking a step back.

Hermione blinked, giving him a brief frown before she got on with it, "This isn't a true fever, the sort caused by an illness, so you don't have to worry about it cooking your organs, your magic should keep your temperature within a survivable limit."

Despite her non-nonchalance, Harry felt somehow more worried about the fact that that might have even been a possibility.

"Your skin is basically regrowing itself, which mean a lot of cells dying and being replaced all at once. Your skin will be very irritated and tender, like a sunburn, and you're going to need a lot of calories, a lot of energy to keep up with the changes."

Harry hurried back to the bathroom, grabbing Malfoy's bottles of nutrient and strengthening potion. Hermione took them from Harry before he could set them back on the table.

"These are good. How much are you taking?" Hermione asked.

Malfoy winced and didn't answer.

"About a swallow," Harry said.

Hermione's disapproving frown told them that that was the wrong answer. She vanished Malfoy's unfinished juice and transfigured the glass down to the size of a biggish shot glass and held it up to both of them, her tone stern, "This much of each potion, twice a day, twelve hours apart. Understand?"

Harry nodded.

Malfoy pushed his lip out in a pout.

"Other than that, the most important thing is to get enough fluids. You lose a lot of liquids during a fever, and people don't tend to drink enough when they don't feel well," Hermione said.

Harry felt a sinking disappointment in his gut. He had been hoping to do something more, but Hermione hadn't told them anything more than they had known before.

Hermione stood up, "I ought to get going, so I don't miss class."

"...Yeah, thanks for having a look," Harry said.

Hermione patted his arm with a smile, "I might have a few other things that might help, but I have to send a few owls first."

"That'd be great," Harry said, not getting his hopes up.

Hermione turned back to Malfoy, "I hope this is a short fever for your sake Malfoy. I look forward to seeing you back in class. We could study together since we have the same classes."

Malfoy nodded.

Harry walked Hermione back down to the stairs before returning to Malfoy.

-

-

"You promised," Malfoy said before Harry had even got up the stairs.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed, "Do you want any water? You should take the potions too."

"No," Malfoy said, opening his eyes, "I want to know, and you promised."

"I will. ...Drink some water and your potions, and I'll tell you," Harry said.

"If I don't know, I'll die," Malfoy said.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Hermione was just here. I know you're not going to die."

Malfoy glared at him and then begrudgingly allowed himself to be helped up, wincing at every movement, with a grumbled, "I'm the one in slytherin, not you."

Harry waited until Malfoy drank everything down, making faces the whole time, then helped him back down. Harry's hand slipped over his side, pulling the fabric as he moved, eliciting a hiss of pain from Malfoy.

"Sorry," Harry said, quickly pulling back.

"It doesn't matter," Malfoy said.

"It does-"

"Everything hurts, the sheets, my clothes, my fucking hair hurts," Malfoy said, "I just don't want to think about it. Tell me, so I can think about something else."

Harry nodded. If Malfoy had told him that first, he probably wouldn't have held out on the water but he knew better than to let Malfoy know that, he'd almost certainly use it to his advantage whenever possible.

"I was thinking about how I like it when you comb out my hair and that maybe you might braid it or put it into a bun for me the way Luna does sometimes," Harry said.

"I've never braided hair before," Malfoy said, "I sort of know how to braid, Greg showed me once with grass, and I would braid it all the time when we were outside, and I was bored."

Harry frowned, "Never hair? Like Pansy's? Or, both your mother and father have long hair, you never braided any of them?"

Malfoy's eyes widened at the thought and let out a laugh that made him wince.

"What?" Harry said.

"I wouldn't- I could never- It's so- so personal. There are all sorts of charms for that sort of thing," Malfoy said.

"Girls do it all the time," Harry said.

"Not in Slytherin," Malfoy said.

Malfoy's sudden apology for touching Harry's hair that first time made a lot more sense now.

"I want to try," Malfoy said.

"What?" Harry said.

"I want to braid your hair. Help me onto my side and move the chair closer," Malfoy said.

Harry almost missed back when Malfoy didn't ask for anything. Almost. Or not really much at all.

Harry helped Malfoy roll onto his side, even as he flinched from the pain, and pushed the chair closer. Harry folded his arms on the mattress and rested his cheek on them. Malfoy picked out a small lock of hair, more careful than usual, his fingers trembling as he slowing wove Harry's hair together in a loose messy little braid.

-

-

Draco slowly finished braiding a thin little braid, twisting the hair together between his fingertips. It held together remarkably well, perhaps because of Potter's natural curl.

Potter himself had dozed off. His glasses were half pushed up his forehead, and it looked like he was drooling into his own sleeve. It seemed fairly horrid that Draco found that endearing.

Draco unconsciously tried to move his arm because it hurt and had to bite his tongue on the jolt of pain that came with it. Everywhere his skin was pressing into the sheets felt as if he were laying on sandpaper with a sunburn except it was worse than any sunburn he had ever had. Maybe. He certainly got sunburns, his skin always burned very easily, but he had had creams and potions to fix the pain almost as soon as it had made itself known. He had no tolerance for pain, and it was something he was really starting to resent in himself.

His eyes hurt. It felt like when he was exhausted, and there was an aching line of pain ran along his eyelids, except in those cases closing them made the pain go away. He knew better than to try to rub them. His own skin felt rough against itself and his eyelashes hurt when they were so much as jostled.

Draco blinked, trying to focus on what was in front of him rather than the pain.

He looked over the three small braids he had managed. The first was loose and sloppy and had already come undone about a third of the way up. Draco took it in his fingers and began combing the braid out so he could try again.

-

-

"Potter."

"Unhh?" Harry muttered incoherently.

"Someone's coming up the tower," Malfoy said, "Maybe Weasley."

Harry sat up abruptly, "Ron? Really, Ron?"

"As opposed to someone else who just happens to have nearly the exact same magic signature?" Malfoy said irritably.

Harry nodded. "Okay... Uh... I'll go check what he wants."

Malfoy just closed his eyes.

Harry shuffled down the stairs as Ron came up the last few.

"Hey! How's it going?" Ron said with an easy grin. He hooked an arm around Harry's neck and gave him a hug before Harry could even think to say anything.

"H-hey," Harry said, "What-"

"Nice braids," Ron said, "Bill puts beads 'n feathers in his. It's pretty cool, but that's Bill for you."

Harry turned his head, catching sight of a few small braids near his temple. He grabbed one and ran it through his fingers. It looked perfect to him.

Ron cleared his throat, "I brought you some things."

Harry blinked, refocusing on Ron.

Ron turned around, grabbing a basket that had been placidly floating in air behind him. He carried it to the table, still half taken up with Malfoy's untouched lunch. The preservation charms would keep it perfect for days so it probably wouldn't be replaced until Malfoy either ate it or didn't need it. There was a fresh dinner tray for Harry, though, and his stomach growled loudly at the reminder of food.

Ron laughed, "Bit peckish?"

"Didn't eat much for lunch," Harry said, "I was distracted."

"Distracted by Malfoy being an arse or by Malfoy's arse?" Ron teased.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Ha. Ha."

Ron laughed again, flipping the top open on the basket and fishing around inside, "First, there's this." He handed Harry a jar of dark greenish goo.

Harry turned it in his hands, reading the label, "...Bitterroot balm?"

"And the instructions," Ron said, handing him a folded piece of paper, "Hermione said you have to read that first before the lid will even come off."

"Of course," Harry said, "Very... Hermione of her."

Ron nodded. He reached into the basket with both hands, "And now, a chef Ron Weasley first," he lifted out a glass bowl filled with brightly coloured shapes in blue, red, yellow, and orange that caught the light and jiggled as Ron moved.

"Jellies?" Harry said in confusion.

"Yeah, called jello, or that was what was on the boxes. Hermione said her dad would make it for her when she was sick as a kid. Said it's a good way to sneak hydration to sick kids without them knowing." Ron set the bowl of the table with a proud grin. "I asked to take care of it. Mostly cause Hermione's busy enough as it is, but I figured it was as good a place as any to start learning how to cook. The elves talked me through it, but I did it all myself."

Harry smiled hugely, he couldn't have stopped himself if he wanted to, "Looks great."

"Super sweet, but tasty," Ron went on, "My favourite's the blue, I'm not sure what a blue raspberry's meant to be, but it tastes really good. Must be a muggle thing- What?" he stopped, looking perplexed at Harry's expression.

"Thanks for helping."

Ron beamed and pulled him into another one-armed hug, squeezing a little too hard, so Harry had to laugh and shove him off.

"Thanks for letting us help," Ron said, he shoved his hands in pockets, looking off the side, a bit embarrassed, "We're all best friends, us three, we've got to stick together. Look out for one another."

Harry nodded, "Yeah... yeah, we do."

"And don't you forget or we'll have to bug you all over again until you remember," Ron said, trying to sound stern.

Harry laughed, "I won't."

"I better get back before Hermione pulls out the flashcards," Ron said, heading towards the stairs. He flashed Harry a cheeky grin before heading down, "Have fun playing nursemaid!"

Harry rolled his eyes and shouted after him, "Have fun studying!" He grinned at the groan of dismay echoing up the stairs.

-

-

Harry quickly ate dinner and took the bowl upstairs. Malfoy still had his eyes closed but the pinch between his eyes said he wasn't asleep.

"Dinner's here, do you want anything?" Harry asked.

Malfoy started to shake his head, then stopped himself, "No."

"What about some water?" Harry said.

"I don't want to move," Malfoy said.

"You need to-"

"Not for food, not for water, nothing," Malfoy muttered.

He sounded angry. Harry supposed that made sense, being powerless felt that way sometimes. Even if it wasn't entirely true, Malfoy had moved for him.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed, placing the bowl of jello between them, "What about for something new? How would you know you don't want to move for it if you've never had it before?"

Malfoy sighed and begrudgingly opened his eyes, then blinked, studying the bowl, "What sort of cursed rainbow vomit concoction is that?"

"Have you ever had jelly? My aunt would make rose and violet flavoured ones," Harry said, "Once she made one filled with fruit. They looked nice, but they always tasted a bit shit."

"Mother liked to have them at dinner parties, they looked pretty, but no one ever ate them, not when there was cake," Malfoy said.

"This is like them but actually good," Harry said. He hadn't actually tried one, but he trusted Ron when it came to food. He picked up an orange piece that had been cut into a circle and popped it into his mouth. It was very sweet and tasted strongly of what oranges wished they tasted like. "Guess I'll have to eat them all myself."

Malfoy rolled his eyes, "That's not going to work, I'm not five."

"Alright," Harry said. He had to wonder if the shapes were Ron's idea or the house elves. He tried a blue one next, cut into a square.

"Why in the world is it blue?" Malfoy asked.

Harry shrugged.

"Blue isn't a flavour," Malfoy said.

Harry gave him a blank look.

Malfoy frowned at him and then held out a hand, which Harry took, holding still as Malfoy leveraged himself up into a sitting position. They sat side by side, as close as two people could without actually touching.

"Arsehole," Malfoy said under his breath.

"Which do you want to try first?" Harry asked.

"Am I meant to eat it with my fingers?" Malfoy said with a frown somewhere between haughty and pouty.

"It's easier that way," Harry said.

"I said, I don't want to touch anything," Malfoy said, shifting entirely to pouting.

Harry hesitated and then picked up a red heart and held it out. He imagined from Malfoy's expression that he would be blushing if it were possible for him to be any redder. He didn't actually expect Malfoy to lean forward take it from him with his mouth, almost dropping it and slurping it up loudly and awkwardly, and quickly turning away in embarrassment.

Harry snorted and did his best to hide it in a cough.

"It's strawberry," Malfoy said.

"It- I- What?" Harry said.

Malfoy turned back to look at him, "It tastes of-" he took a breath, his face twitching for what had to be a hundred suppressed expressions that burst into tiny, helpless little giggles, as Malfoy tried to keep from laughing too hard.

Harry had to laugh too, not because of the jello, but because Malfoy was strange and adorable, and there was something about his laugh in that moment that made Harry want to remember it forever.

"S-so stupid-" Malfoy said between giggles.

"A bit," Harry said fondly.

Malfoy took a few breaths, at first interrupted by bubbles of laughter, then managed to calm himself down. He looked at Harry, his expression relaxing as he studied Harry's face, "Not now..." Malfoy said in exasperation, "You have the worst timing."

"What?" Harry said.

"Of all the times to want to kiss, now is without a doubt the worst one," Malfoy said

Harry's mouth fell open, his cheeks feeling hot, "I- Do I?"

Malfoy frowned at him, "The way you were looking-" he glanced away, embarrassed again, "It just looked like- maybe..."

"Oh," Harry said, "I suppose it might. ...It's just, I've wanted to kiss you before, I didn't think it showed."

Malfoy's expression went very still and then he sighed hugely.

"What?"

Malfoy gave him a look, "Blushing stings, you know."

Harry shook his head, "Sorry."

"First the confession, now this," Malfoy went on, "Why do you always insist on picking the worst times for everything."

"I've always had rotten luck," Harry said, "I mean, look at my life."

"Fair point," Malfoy conceded. He gingerly reached into the bowl and picked out a yellow star, holding it with just two fingers even as it threatened to slip from his grasp. He nodded as he ate, "I quite like that one."

Harry found another yellow and tried it. It was lemon.

"I like sweets with a bit of tartness," Malfoy said, his voice having grown softer. "Raspberries and green apples and lemons..."

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

Malfoy nodded, "I think I used up too much energy." he gave one of the blue shapes a suspicious look before he tried it, "...that's just raspberry, isn't it?"

Harry shrugged but after eating one himself he had to agree.

"Why is it blue? I was hoping for something strange, not raspberry," Malfoy said.

"You said you liked raspberry," Harry said.

"Well, yes, but it's blue. It ought to be something different, or be blueberry, seeing as that's actually blue," Malfoy said.

"I think they look purple, especially after they've been cooked," Harry said.

"I suppose if you insist on being an exasperating contrarian about things," Malfoy said.

"Might as well. It's more fun," Harry said.

Malfoy's expression did not agree.

Harry ate a few more of the fruity shapes but was happy to let Malfoy have the rest.

"Why didn't you? If you wanted to before...kiss me," Malfoy said haltingly.

"Because you're sick and it's just me here... I don't want to stockholm syndrome you-"

"What? What does the capital of Sweden have to do with this?" Malfoy said.

Harry hesitated, "It's like... you're kind of alone and vulnerable and I don't want to take advantage of that."

"How noble of you," Malfoy said flatly.

"And I don't want to do anything you wouldn't like, so I thought it would be best to let you do- what you wanted," Harry said, hoping he had covered everything.

"So what you're saying is... I'm in charge of this relationship," Malfoy said slowly.

"Uhh, sort of? Until you're better and not stuck here, at least," Harry said.

"That is a terrible idea. I am not the brave one here," Malfoy said, pointing between them.

"You've been a bit brave a couple times. I was there. I saw it," Harry said.

Malfoy grimaced, "Yes, but I also thought I was going to die slowly and horribly at the hands of a madman. I don't have that level of motivation any more, thank merlin."

"Yeah well... you are a bit selfish, that's sort of similar," Harry said.

Malfoy glared at him, "I'd hit you it wouldn't hurt me more than you. Selfish isn't a compliment."

"I don't know. Not being selfish can be bad too, you end up doing things for other people that maybe you shouldn't-"

"And being too self-sacrificing," Malfoy said, "I see your point." He peeled the last orange circle sticking to the side of the bowl and held it out to Harry.

"You can have it-" Harry started to protest.

"This is revenge," Malfoy said matter-of-factly.

Harry rolled his eyes and obligingly leaned forward. Malfoy let go of the jello almost immediately, and Harry had to suck it up quickly to keep it from falling out of his mouth, making a horrible slurping noise in the process.

"You looked so stupid," Malfoy said with a delighted smile.

"Thanks so much," Harry said sarcastically, setting the bowl into the chair.

Malfoy fought down a yawn, "...I suppose I should sleep... I just, I don't know if I can."

"What about a dreamless sleep potion?" Harry said.

Malfoy nodded, "Tried it. I could only sleep three or four hours before it wore off-" he trailed off.

"That's better than nothing-"

"...but that was before you were here," Malfoy said, "It might work now, with you. You can't leave though."

"I won't," Harry said, "promise."

"I should still have one or two in my potions cabinet,"

"Alright, let's try it then," Harry said, getting to his feet to help Malfoy get ready for bed.

-

-

Harry watched Malfoy sleep, his face finally relaxed for the first time that day. Shivers would occasionally race over his body, his fingers twitched with discomfort, but the potion would make sure he didn't feel it, hopefully for the whole night.

Harry sat back in the chair beside the bed. He pulled his blanket from downstairs around his shoulders as he looked at the jar of balm and instructions Hermione had sent. He unfolded the paper, reading over it several times to make sure he understood it before setting them on the bedside table.

At least it gave him an idea of what to do tomorrow. And by the end of the day, this would be over with.

-