Whelp

from under the bed. 'Good thing you were in play clothes.' Father lightly brushed at some of the dust that clung to Harry's shirt.

'Yes, sir,' Harry said, staring at his shoes.

'Harry,' Father murmured, and Harry chanced a look at him, to see sadness and hurt in his eyes.

'Sorry, sir. I mean, sorry . . . Father.'

'You have nothing to be sorry for. Remember what I said about not apologizing for things that aren't your fault?'

Harry nodded and rubbed at his itchy eyes again, and startled when Father's long, slender fingers tucked under his chin and lifted his head. He tried to look away, but Father just waited until Harry, lip still firmly in his teeth, met his gaze. Father raised one eyebrow, and Harry mumbled, 'Yes, si -- Father. I remember.'

'Good. Now. You had a question for me?'

'Yes, Father.' He wasn't sure he wanted to ask now, but Father was waiting. His words came out in a rush, 'CanmeandDracogodowntoseeHagridagain?'

'Slower, and more distinctly.'

'Sorry, sir. Can me and Draco go see Hagrid today?'

'You and Draco may go visit Hagrid, yes. But only with supervision, such as myself, or Nelli. I don't want you running about outside with that hand. Understood?'

'Yes, sir! Thank you!'

Father let go of his chin and put a hand on his shoulder instead, and his face was very serious. 'And if you have any trouble . . . any trouble at all, with Draco or your hand, or anything else, you come right back here and I will sort it out.'

'I will. Thank you, Father.' He bit his lip again, and Father gently tugged it out from between his teeth with the tips of his fingers, making Harry flush with embarrassment. 'Can you take us to Hagrid's?'

'Alas, I am busy this afternoon. But you may enquire as to whether Nelli is available.' He looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he patted Harry on the shoulder and steered him toward the door. 'Let's go out and say good bye to Mr. Malfoy now, like good hosts.'

'Y-y-yes, F-father.'

'Straighten up, Harry,' Father said, and there was a warning in his eyes. 'Don't let him see you afraid. Be brave.'

Harry swallowed and nodded, straightened his shoulders and brought his chin up like Draco did. He was still afraid, but his father was with him, now, and Father would keep him safe. He'd promised.

'Good boy. Come on, then.'

Despite his attempt to be brave, his steps slowed as they neared the sitting room, where Draco was standing next to the chair Mr. Malfoy was in, but Father's hand was on his shoulder again. Mr. Malfoy rose as they came in, and Harry held his gaze, though he really, really didn't want to. They moved further into the room. 'Thank you for bringing Draco, sir,' he said, and his voice only wavered a little. 'It w-was nice to see you again.'

Harry's father squeezed his shoulder, even as Mr. Malfoy smiled tightly. 'Likewise. Severus.' He nodded to Father, then shot Draco a hard look. 'Do let me know if you have any trouble.'

'Of course.' Father nodded, too, and in the next minute, Mr. Malfoy was gone, and the air suddenly seemed lighter, making it easier to breathe.

As Father moved past them toward his study, Harry turned to Draco. 'We have to ask Nelli if she'll take us.' Draco gave him a blank look, so he reminded his friend, 'To Hagrid's. You know, the giant.'

'Oh. Who's Nelli?'

'Our House Elf!'

---

Though mindful of his father's instructions, Harry had to run down the hill towards Hagrid's hut, so he could keep up with Draco. His friend's legs were longer and he seemed keen on showing how fast he could run without falling.

Nelli trotted alongside Harry, half covering her face with her hands and moaning, 'Youse going to be in trouble, Master Harry. Youse better not hurt your hand again!'

'I won't,' he tried telling her, but she didn't really listen, and then they came over the last rise, and a barking dark blur ran at them like a stirred up nest of fur and gangly limbs and drool. 'Fang!' Harry cried happily, and held out his arms. Fang diverted from careening into Draco – barely – and hurtled the last few feet to Harry, bowling him over once again.

Fang snuffled his face and drooled on his head and lapped at his cheeks and ears until Harry was giggling madly and trying to shove the dog away. And then Hagrid was there, shouting a command, and Fang loped away, though he trailed drool after him in a line that stretched from Harry's shirt to his jaws.

'Good ter see ye, Harry!'

Wrinkling his nose as he wiped his face, Harry said, 'Hello, Hagrid, sir. This is Draco. He's my friend.' He gestured to Draco, who was staring, with wide eyes, at Fang, and then at Hagrid, and back to Fang, seeming to not know which was the bigger threat. 'S'okay, Draco,' Harry assured him. 'Father says Hagrid's genie-all. Means he's kind.'

'Nice ter meet ye, Draco . . . you wouldn't be Draco Malfoy, now, would ye?' Hagrid loomed over the boys and though he was smiling, his eyes went a bit narrow.

'Y-yes, sir?'