Harry shook his head.
'To do what you did — to expend that much magic in one burst -
well, that energy has to come from somewhere. That's part of what a wand is for; most wizards don't have enough magic in themselves to perform spells without some kind of aid. Wands also help you focus your energy. What you did was just pour magic out of yourself, and without even a wand to channel it, it just flooded out of you -
drained your energy. If you'd gone on, you could have knocked yourself out, or killed yourself. You have to be careful, Harry.'
Harry looked down, scuffling his hands together nervously.
'And you have to teach my son to be careful, too,' she added, in a slightly less even tone.
Harry glanced up quickly, looking astonished. 'Malfoy?' he said, and checked himself. 'I mean — he's already very careful. He's one of the most… careful people I've ever met.'
'You don't like him,' she said.
'Sure I do,' said Harry, weakly. 'I think he's…'
'A smug git,' said Narcissa evenly. 'That's all right. Sometimes he is.'
She smiled at Harry, who stared at her, openmouthed.
'There's someone besides me who's been waiting for you to wake up,' she went on, dropping her voice.
Harry looked as if he immediately knew exactly who she meant: Hermione, of course. He closed his mouth, and pressed it into a thin line. 'I don't want to see her.'
Narcissa looked at Harry, who raised his chin defiantly. And in that moment, she thought, he actually did, in some way, resemble Draco.
In his stubbornness, if nothing else. 'Not even for a minute?'
'No.'
'You're going to have to see her eventually-'
'Not alone.'
'She loves you.'
Harry now looked terribly uncomfortable. 'I don't think-'
'Of course not, how could you?'
Harry blinked, feeling wretchedly confused and somewhat beleaguered. 'How could I what?'
'Think. How could you think of anything, except how horrible this situation is, how utterly awful for both of you?'
'Er,' said Harry. 'Is this advice? Because I don't really think that…'
'You don't think I know what I'm talking about,' said Narcissa, firmly. 'Because I don't know you. And in a way, you're right. I don't know you very well, Harry. And the grown-up in me wants to tell you that you're sixteen and you'll get over Hermione and to move on and not to worry. But as a person who has seen you two together, all I can tell you is that in my life, I have never seen anyone look at anyone else the way she looks at you. Unless it's the way you look at her. I wouldn't throw that away if I were you.'
Harry, who had gone alternatingly red and white during this speech, stared at Narcissa with wide eyes as she stood up, laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it lightly. 'Keep it in mind,' she said, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
'Why me?' Draco asked, as Fleur started to take off his jacket.
She paused and looked at him. 'Why not you?'
'Well, you're very beautiful you know, and you could pretty much have anyone. And I'm younger than you. I mean, admittedly I'm fabulously attractive and also very rich, as well as being charming and posh and clever and all-around magnificent and hang on, all that is starting to sound very convincing. No wonder you like me.'
'It's because you're a Magid,' said Fleur, hooked her foot behind his ankle, and yanked. He fell over backward and landed on the ground, looking up at her. 'And I do like you.' She frowned at him. 'But you are beginning to irritate me.' She knelt down next to him, gracefully settling her robes around herself as she did so. 'Do you know what happens to those who break a sacred vow they have made to a veela?'
He propped himself up on his elbows, which sank into the wet earth, and shook his head. 'If you think that by threatening me you can get me to do whatever you want,' he said, and paused, '-well, that's where you're right. But — and I am not saying this because I don't like you — there are plenty of other Magids back at school; I'm hardly the only one.'
Fleur put her hands on her hips. 'Like who?'
'Well,' he said, 'What about Harry?'
Fleur looked surprised. 'Harry?'
'Why not Harry?' said Draco, who couldn't believe he was saying this. 'I mean, there's nothing wrong with him really. I'm not about to rush out and buy the Harry Potter Swimsuit Calendar, but you know, he's tall, and he's got dark hair, and green eyes and girls like that, and — are you unlacing my boots?'
'Well, you can't keep them on, can you?' she said reasonably, yanking off one shoe. 'Oh, look you have ducks on your socks! That is so cute. And yes, Harry is also very attractive. But he is far too in love with his girlfriend.'
'So am I,' Draco pointed out.
