Harry found that he couldn't move his legs, and he guessed that Ron couldn't either as they stood, frozen to the spot. Draco however, turned away from their sight as he scrambled with his robe to wipe any trace of tears.
Harry spoke suddenly, "Dr-Draco, are you alright?" Harry felt stupid asking this as he cared little, but he didn't want Mr. Weasley to walk in and think they had been harassing the boy.
Draco didn't bother turning around as he shouted, "Shove off, Potter!"
"You shut up Malfoy!" Ron retorted quickly.
Draco did not respond, and Harry could tell that he was breathing more steadily, trying to rid himself of the embarrassing tears. Harry knew why he was feeling so bad. He also didn't want to let it go just yet and so he asked, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
Ron looked suspiciously at Harry, but returned his glance towards Malfoy, who had turned around.
"I told you to mind your own business, Potter! Must you try and solve every problem?"
Ron had a response slipping through his lips when Harry stopped him. Harry could feel a deep rooted feeling of joy at having found Malfoy crying, perhaps wanting always to see this boy, the one who made life so miserable, in pain. But then Harry thought about what Dumbledore said before he left, ("I trust you will all get along, as it is in these times that we are most in need of friends.") and those wisened blue eyes of his seemed to be watching over the scene at hand; Harry would not directly disobey a request from Dumbledore. Harry had a shorter amount of patience, but he kept his calm voice when suggesting, "It's cause you feel you haven't got anyone around, right?"
Draco was still, and for a wild moment, Harry thought Draco was going to agree, but Draco sneered and said, "Shut up!"
Harry continued, "I know it is, because I've felt that way too. I don't remember my parents, I've always felt lost! My godfather is gone…" Harry stumbled a bit. "I know how all that feels! I know because I've lived it!" Harry looked at Draco closely and added, "I still do."
Draco said nothing. He bit his lower lip and eyed the floor.
Ron gave Harry a hurt look because he had said that he was still lonely. Harry looked at Ron, but Ron pretended to have been looking at the Chuddley Cannons poster on the wall behind him.
Harry blinked rapidly, shaking his head in disgust. Did he really just offer comfort to Draco? Did he really just claim out loud that he had something in common with the silvery haired teen in front of him? A quick surge of anger and regret pumped through Harry's veins and he was about to yell something, anything at Draco to let him know how much he hated him. Harry opened his mouth, but a swift and cool breeze fluttered through the open window and brushed Harry's face and Harry found that he suddenly didn't want to say anything.
Draco seemed to have been thinking really hard about something and he suddenly started pacing swiftly by the window. "I woke up and noticed I was alone! No one, not one person anywhere!"
Harry and Ron followed Draco with their eyes, back and forth. They didn't say a word as Draco spoke, more to himself than anyone else.
Draco continued, "My mother vanishing without so much as a strip of parchment! Just leaving! And father locked up in Azkaban, sending me post asking why I haven't become like him yet, a Death Eater, and always putting me down…"
Draco stopped. Harry was suspiciously wondering whether Draco would have mentioned abuse, but Draco looked up at Harry as if he had just noticed him standing there; he knew he had said too much. Harry and Ron were both looking at him, a hint of sorrow in their eyes. Draco said what first came to mind, "And to finish the agony, now I'm stuck with Potty and Weasel."
Ron's eyelids tightened and he said, "Shut it, crybaby!"
Draco laughed heartily, saying that they were entertaining anyways. He swept over to his trunk, opening it with an unconcerned look as if he wasn't in the same room as his enemy.
Harry moved towards the cabinet by the door to get his pajamas and Ron walked past Malfoy, glaring at him as he headed towards his wardrobe across the room. Malfoy didn't notice this as he was pulling his shirt over his head.
Harry noticed that Draco was skinny, not as skinny as himself, but thin. However, Draco had muscles that Harry lacked, and Harry found that he was a bit jealous. Ron was dressing on the other side of the room, and soon all three were in Pajamas.
Harry didn't know about Draco, but he could see that Ron had chosen his nicest pajamas: black and white patterned ones that he wore under a long, lavish black robe. Harry himself had on his favorite blue ones, the top and bottoms smooth and cool. He was not surprised to see that Draco was wearing silken green ones with his name delicately embroidered on the top of the front pocket.
"Listen," Draco said, buttoning the topmost button on his shirt. "I'm not going to pretend that I even want to be breathing the same air as you two morons..." Ron sighed loudly but Draco continued. "But as I'm stuck in this..." he seemed to have no insult prepared. "...place, I think we should have a temporary truce."
Ron gave Harry a look that reminded him forcefully of Goyle's or perhaps Crabbe's confused expression.
Draco put out his hand to shake, and Harry eyed him suspiciously. Why was Draco acting suddenly as if he wanted to be on good terms with him? Was he sincere, or was he playing at something much bigger than he could imagine? Harry watched Draco's hand for a moment and he shook it, his own hand gripping Malfoy's. A quick shake and then they released.
Ron simply gave Malfoy a loathing look, saying, "We'll see how long this lasts."
Harry felt as if he had signed some sort of contract and he watched malfoy snicker and pull out a pocket watch and examine the time.
Draco walked towards his bed and stood still for a moment, before turning around and saying, "Well mates (he said this with sarcastic air) I'll also require that you never mention what you saw tonight to anyone if you want to keep your lives."
Ron snickered loudly, "Yeah we'll see how long that lasts as well."
Draco nearly shrugged his shoulders and turned around.
They all sat at their beds, not knowing what to do next. It couldn't have been a minute after 9:30p.m., so it was much too early to even pretend sleep. Harry suddenly had an idea, for a second thinking he shouldn't because it would seem so dumb and Draco probably wouldn't participate, but he opened the end table by his bed anyway. He pulled out a small package and jumped back on his bed. He would test out this truce of Draco's and perhaps even humiliate him in the process.
Ron looked at him, recognizing the bag, and he raised an eyebrow. Draco eyed them both trying to figure out what was going on. Harry looked at Draco with a wily glint in his eye and he asked, "Want a game of Droobles Truth or dare?"
Draco didn't know what the game was and looked at the bag suspiciously. Harry explained, "It's just like truth or dare, but your choice is determined by blowing the gum, which will say either, T for truth or, D for dare. Oh," he added with a laugh, "And your bound by magic in this game…"
Draco seemed intrigued by the sweets and he nodded, saying, "Alright Potter, let's have a go." He looked at Ron with a laugh, "Gonna sit this one out Weasley?"
Ron laughed defiantly and put his hand out to catch the gum ball that Harry tossed at him. Draco caught one as well and together they put the gumballs in their mouth.
Harry was determined to not appear a fool in front of Malfoy, but he realized that it would be impossible when playing this game. He said, "I'll go first, then Ron and then you, Draco."
Ron nodded, chewing his gum as did Malfoy. Harry wrapped the rubbery gum around his tongue and blew a large red bubble that had a large yellow, T on it, which Ron told him before he let the bubble pop.
Draco's eyebrows coiled as he chuckled to himself, apparently knowing exactly what to ask Harry. He asked, "Do I intimidate you, Potter?"
Harry could feel the truth coming up through his throat and there was nothing to stop him from saying robotically, "Yes, you always seem to get your way, you are strong and lots of people like you."
Draco laughed triumphantly and Ron looked, sighing at Harry for starting the game in the first place. Harry felt his face grow hot and he simply shook his head, pointing at Ron to go next. Ron looked positively terrified at what the bubble would say. It ended up saying, D.
Harry laughed and said quickly, "I dare you to moon the girls through your fireplace!"
Draco and Harry looked at each other and laughed as Ron sprang up from his bed and walked automatically towards his fireplace, which he lit and threw some floo powder at, saying, "Ginny." The flames turned green and Ron, making a grimace and what looked like an attempt at stopping the dare, pulled the back of his pants down and a white half circle disappeared behind the green flames. Harry and Draco were laughing uncontrollably now and Ron started to blush madly, a smile being fought. There were girlish screams coming through the fireplace and soon Ron was thrown to the floor, Hermione's foot disappearing through the flames as Ron had obviously been kicked.
The flames died down and Ron got up, no longer spellbound and he sat down, beet red and trying to suppress a smile. He looked at Harry and Draco who were facing each other at the end of their beds, laughing.
Draco tried to stop laughing in order to blow his gum, but he ended up spitting it out on his leg, which caused Ron and Harry to laugh harder. After another minute, Draco had blown his gum and it bared the letter, T.
Harry snickered, (Oooh) and asked, "What Gryffindor girl do you think is attractive?"
Before Draco could think about what was asked of him, he felt the gum answering for him, "That jumped up mudblood, why is she so hott??"
Ron and Harry stared at each other, speechless. Draco quickly said, "It could be any Gryffindor! And anyways, if she wasn't pretty, I wouldn't glance twice, the mudblood!"
Harry scolded Draco, "Don't say that word!" He took a deep breath and blew another bubble, which pronounced, T.
Ron, still blushed from having just mooned three girls, shot at Harry the question all young wizards ask each other when playing this game. Harry found himself lifting his hands and showing them a size. Ron and Draco turned to each other and pressed their lips together, trying not to laugh. As soon as Harry felt in control of his own limbs, he put his hands down and urged Ron to go. As soon as Ron stopped laughing and apologizing for it, he blew a T.
Harry shot back at Ron with the same question and Ron lifted his hands to show. This time there was no laughing and Draco even muttered, "Jeeze."
Ron, feeling much more proud, waited for Draco to blow a bubble, and when he did, it said, D.
Harry yelled, "I dare you to perform for us, 'Newt in my slipper' by the weird sisters!"
Draco shot up from his bed and began dancing wildly around his bed, singing lyrics from the song. Harry and Ron began laughing so hard that Ron actually rolled off his bed. Harry took off his glasses to wipe his eyes which were filled with tears from laughing. Draco jumped on the bed, belting out a long note and when he was done with it he yelled, "Potter I am going to kill you!"