Chapter Text
***
[Day 1]
The portkey only took Harry part of the distance. He then apparated to an outlying observation station. From there, Harry had to take a broom to fly over the dense forest. The cabin was easily spotted: it stood in a rare open clearing.
The ground was grassy and soft where Harry landed. He shrunk down the broom and headed towards the front door. In contrast to the deepening gloom of the surrounding forest, the wooden cabin was a lighter colour that caught the remaining light well.
Harry squared his shoulders and knocked briskly on the cabin door. But no one answered. Shoulders tensing, Harry tugged at the door handle.
It swung open. Harry glanced over his shoulder at the forest, before he entered the cabin, closing the door behind him.
The cabin was neat, with the slight disorderedness of occupancy. It had two bedrooms, one of which was particularly messy, a bathroom, and a combined kitchen-dining-living area with a small fireplace.
Harry frowned. There was no Draco Malfoy in sight.
The slightest creak of the front door had Harry drawing his wand in a flash. Harry stared, despite himself, at the person framed in the doorway.
“M-Malfoy!” Harry hurried to tuck his wand away and went for a casual friendly smile.
Malfoy held a basket overflowing with green things. His eyes widened briefly, then his face settled into a scowl. “Potter,” he said with barely a movement in his lips. He turned his head to the side and pulled the door shut behind him, latching the inside bolt.
Harry eased in his stance. “Malfoy,” he replied evenly. “I will be your presiding Auror for the next month.”
Malfoy didn’t reply. He temporarily placed the basket on the ground, tugged off his boots and put on some kind of indoor footwear. When Malfoy straightened, he gave Harry a disapproving look. He walked towards Harry; Harry tensed up.
“Take off your boots, please,” Malfoy said. He bypassed Harry in the little hallway and entered the kitchen.
Harry spun around, glaring at Malfoy’s back. “Why?” Harry said sharply.
Malfoy glanced over his shoulder. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
Harry scowled harder at Malfoy’s posh tone. “Fine, then.” He drew his wand.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes and turned towards him—
Harry shot Malfoy a smirk as he raised his wand and cast the strongest cleaning spell he could on the floors. The dirt instantly disappeared, and the wooden floors looked even cleaner now then when Harry had arrived. Harry crossed his arms. “Happy?”
Malfoy clenched his teeth. “Yes, Auror Potter,” he said forcefully. Without another word, his arms tightened around his basket of greenery and he disappeared fully into the kitchen.
“Malfoy!” Harry started forward and entered the kitchen. Malfoy was lighting the stove with an old fashioned flint. “Where am I supposed to sleep?
Malfoy’s look was as flat as his tone. “The Auror’s bedroom is at the front of the cabin.”
“The messy one?” Harry blurted out.
“Is it my business how Aurors live?” Malfoy’s voice took a sharper, almost bitter edge. “And with that magic wand of yours, I’m sure you’ll be able to make it to your liking within a few seconds.”
Harry flushed angrily. “Fine.”
Malfoy’s mouth turned downward. He turned back to his task, whatever it was.
Harry stood at the doorway of the kitchen a moment longer. He decisively cast a monitoring spell along the hallway and headed to his room for the month.
*
It was fully dark outside his window when Harry smelt something wonderful—and his stomach rumbled. Eyes brightening, Harry headed out of his room and into the kitchen. His eyes immediately landed on the pot on the stove top.
“Dinner?” Harry asked. He took a few steps closer, watching as Malfoy ladled himself some stew into a bowl. “Where do you keep the bowls?”
“I thought Aurors had their own provisions,” Malfoy said tightly.
Harry shrugged—he went for a smile, and spoke casually, "Yeah, but that smells good. Can I have some?"
Malfoy’s mouth twitched and he presented the bowl in his hand to Harry. “Of course,” he drawled.
Harry took it, waiting patiently for Malfoy to retrieve a spoon for him. “Thanks, Malfoy,” Harry continued brightly.
Malfoy muttered something, but Harry didn’t catch it above the sound of his own footsteps as he walked towards the small square table. The table was set a bit away from the cooking area and its lamp, so Harry took out his wand and filled the room with light.
Malfoy did not join him at the table, but rather ate standing up, leaning against the kitchen bench. Harry opened his mouth, but shut it again when Malfoy gave him a dark look. Harry snorted to himself.
They ate silently. Malfoy finished first: he dropped his utensils in the sink and left. Harry was about to follow suit. After a moment of hesitation though, he did the dishes, chest a little tight with a guilt he couldn’t place.
***
[Day 2]
Malfoy woke up much too early.
Harry was groggy when his monitoring spell went off. The sky was just starting to lighten, and none of the sunlight reached the cabin, really—only the dull reflected glow. His body was a tad sore from his trip, and he shivered despite the blankets. He could hear Malfoy walking around the cabin, and so Harry dragged himself out of bed and got himself dressed.
Harry neatened his Auror robes as he opened his door. Malfoy was almost exactly right there. Harry frowned.
Malfoy glared back. “You can’t stop me from going outside.”
The front door was just a few steps from Harry’s door. Malfoy very deliberately turned his back on Harry and pulled on his boots. He roughly opened the bolt and stepped outside, closing the door firmly behind him.
Harry grounded his teeth. “Clearly being polite is beyond you,” he muttered. He quickly went to the bathroom and produced an apple from his provisions. He put on his own boots and cast a strong warming charm before he stepped outside too.
With a Point Me, it was easy for Harry to track Malfoy down through the cold, dense forest.
What Malfoy was doing, though, took Harry aback and made him stand a fair distance away from Malfoy.
Malfoy wielded a Muggle axe, and he brought it down in swinging, decisive arcs that bit and broke the branches. Then, he bundled the shortened, straightened branches together with rope and heft the entire thing over one shoulder.
Harry kept quiet as he followed Malfoy back to the clearing of the cabin. There, Malfoy spread out the branches near the fire pit. More than once, Harry opened his mouth, but he quickly closed it, shaking his head. It looked mostly harmless, at least.
Malfoy went back inside and Harry took off his boots after Malfoy gave him a disapproving look. In the kitchen, Malfoy started measuring out flour and cooking—and Harry recognised what he was doing.
“Pancakes?”
Malfoy curled his lip, but gave Harry a plate nonetheless. From the pantry, he took out a jar of jam.
It wasn’t any jam Harry had had before—it wasn’t supermarket jam, nor Hogwarts jam. “No cream, Malfoy?”
“Do you see any cows out here, Auror Potter?” Malfoy said flatly. “Even if there where, I don’t have a clue how to turn milk into cream for your pancakes.”
Harry blinked. “Don’t they give you—”
“They who?” Malfoy smiled sharply. “Did you bring anything for me?”
“I meant, if they gave you food supplies like milk or cream,” Harry said defensively. “I’m just here to watch you.”
Malfoy’s smile turned sardonic. “I receive supplies twice a year. I do not get milk or cream.”
“Right.” Harry looked down at his plate.
Malfoy ended up taking the last pancake; he washed his own dishes only. Then, whilst Harry washing his own dishes, Malfoy grabbed a knife and a familiar basket. Harry hurried to follow Malfoy back out into the woods.
Malfoy ambled a bit, his path jagged and circular. When Malfoy finally stopped, it was by some mediocre forest bush. He started to cut leaves off it.
“What’s that?” Harry asked.
Malfoy didn’t reply.
“Malfoy?” Harry leant in closer to study the leaves.
“Perhaps you should read a book,” Malfoy said, straightening.
“Be like that, then.” Harry gripped the wand in his robes.
Malfoy’s gaze slid past him. “I will.”
Harry kept silent after that, watching as blankly as he could as Malfoy collected various leaves and plants.
A small squeaking sound drew Harry’s attention, when Malfoy kneeled down onto the ground. Harry looked closer: it was a rabbit, injured in some hole, leg tangled up.
“Oh, Malfoy,” Harry started, a coo in his voice—
Malfoy took his knife and slit the rabbit’s throat. Harry watched in horror as Malfoy wrapped the creature up in a cloth. When Malfoy shifted sticks and rocks around the place of the rabbit’s death, Harry jerked back as he realised—
It was an animal trap.
“Malfoy!” Harry finally found his words. “You—you killed it!”
Malfoy spoke without turning. “Are you a vegetarian, Auror Potter?”
Harry spluttered. “Well, no, but that was—”
“Then how do you expect meat on the table? Someone has to kill it.” Malfoy strode swiftly through the forest.
“Yeah, but—but there are more humane ways of going about it!” Harry said after him. “That—that rabbit was in pain! It’s not like that back home—you, Malfoy—you could at least stun them first, or—or kill them instantly instead of letting it bleed out in your trap!”
Malfoy didn’t respond one bit, and Harry yet again had to hurry to follow him.
Back in the cabin kitchen, Malfoy placed the rabbit on the sink top and started to gut it.
Harry turned a little green. Whenever he prepared meat, it came in nicely packaged and neatly cut cubes or slabs.
Malfoy looked at Harry and smirked even whilst his hands were busy. “It’s going to be dinner. Care to join me?”
Harry shook his head and rallied himself. “No,” he said in a firm, practised, tone. “I have a report to write.”
Malfoy inclined his head. “As you wish.” He turned his eyes down to the mutilated rabbit, his knife now lifting the skin and fur off the flesh.
Harry gulped, his stomach churned. He returned to his room and did not join Malfoy for dinner.
In his two-day report, Harry had to conclude that there was no suspicious behaviour.
No, Malfoy may not have been the sick and frail and weak as Harry had expected, given that Malfoy had been away from civilisation for six years. However, he was still vindictive and cruel as ever. Harry’s stomach turned at the memory of Malfoy callously killed the poor rabbit...and at the memory of the stew he had on the first night.
That had definitely contained meat.
Harry ate from his own provisions that night, and he did his best to avoid any meat.
***
[Day 3]
On the next day, Harry was up when Malfoy was up. He already had breakfast, from his own provisions, was dressed and had been to the bathroom.
When Malfoy left the cabin, Harry was right behind him.
Harry followed Malfoy in silence. He watched Malfoy chop wood and stack wood and collect plants and berries—food—from the forest. He ate his own meals in the privacy of his room.
I can do this, Harry repeated more than once to himself. This was just another Auror mission. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t done observation before. It wasn’t as though Harry hadn’t been alone in a task before. It wasn’t as though Harry was stuck here for nearly as long as Malfoy.
***
[Day 4]
On the next day—the fourth, Harry kept excruciating track of the days—Malfoy stopped suddenly in the forest.
Harry wasn’t on alert, until Malfoy turned a full 180 towards Harry. Harry drew his wand and peered into the forest. But it was dim and dappled, tree trunks and greenery as usual. He cast a revealing spell for good measure, but nothing peculiar came up. The forest was supposed to be home to muggle and wizarding creatures, but the area around the cabin was spelled to discourage the predatory ones.
“I decided I want fish,” Malfoy said bluntly.
Harry’s lips twisted. “Right,” he muttered. Nonetheless, he followed Malfoy back to the cabin, and then to a creek.
Malfoy set up his fishing gear, which was mainly a line of twisted string with a worm tied at one end, and he lounged near the bank, looking outwardly relaxed.
But Harry had experience observing Malfoy. Malfoy’s broad shoulders were tense. Harry’s eyes couldn’t stop looking behind them and around them. He cast another quick detection spell, but nothing again. With a quick glance at Malfoy, who hadn’t moved, Harry stepped back into the tree line.
Harry investigated, casting detection spell after detection spell. His wand hand tensed when the hairs on the back of his neck tingled.
Something dark flashed at the edge of his vision.
Harry twisted around, wand raised. “Lumos!” Bright light threw the forest into sharp relief. But there was nothing.
As his Lumos faded, he cast another detection spell. He firmed his jaw when it found nothing.
Suddenly, Harry’s robes billowed in a gust of chilling, cold wind. Harry sucked in a sharp breath, and on instinct, snapped out his stag patronus.
The creature, whatever it was, jerked back. Its silhouette and features were misty and see-through. The creature opened it mouth.
Harry’s heart thudded in his chest, and he gasped when his stag charged it. It fled, and the air around him warmed noticeably.
“What the—” Harry held his wand out and turned in a slow circle. But it was properly forest-bright again and the sound of hidden animals filled his ears.
Harry lowered his wand arm shakily. Trying to breathe steadily, Harry started back. The crunch of dried leaves and sticks immediately made his heart thud. Harry’s wand was in his hand in an instant—
“Ah, Auror Potter,” was Malfoy’s dry voice. He had his basket in arm, the shine of fish inside.
“I was just looking around,” Harry said defensively.
Malfoy’s right eyebrow slowly lifted. “I am returning to the cabin now.”
“Do whatever you want.”
Whatever expression that was playing on Malfoy’s lips disappeared as his expression flattened to blankness. He simply turned around and walked away in silence.
Harry was stumped, angry at himself, and at Malfoy, for not understanding Malfoy’s behaviour. Clenching his fists, Harry raced after him.
“Malfoy!”
Malfoy ignored him.
“You know there was a dementor nearby, didn’t you?!” Harry had finally caught up with him.
Malfoy remained tight lipped, eyes looking straight ahead.
“How did you know?” Harry pressed. “And did any of the other Aurors know?”
Malfoy still didn’t talk.
Harry reached out and grabbed Malfoy’s shoulder, twisted him around. “Malfoy! A dementor, here!”
Malfoy met Harry’s gaze almost lazily. “A dementor, here?” he drawled.
“What do you know about it?” Harry’s eyes narrowed, searching Malfoy’s face.
“Would you trust my words?” Malfoy said, tone absently curious.
“We have to live together for a whole month, Malfoy.” Harry pushed himself into Malfoy’s personal space. “Is it too hard for you be civil?”
“I am being perfectly civil,” Malfoy said coldly.
Harry leaned back, smiling darkly. “Hiding something? This just makes you look even more suspicious.”
Malfoy’s eyes sparked and suddenly it was Harry pushed up against the tree. “This must be so great for you,” Malfoy’s mouth twisted. “Having a Ministry mandate to stalk me, like you did in sixth year.” Malfoy regarded Harry, eyebrow lifted. “Well, tell me what evil I’m supposed to be doing. Tell me what nefarious plot I’m up to, Auror Potter.”
Harry squirmed, but Malfoy’s press was relentless. “I was right in sixth year,” he spat back.
“You were.” Malfoy’s lips curved into a humourless smile. “You’re here to watch me. You’re not here to talk to me or to trust my words.”
“What if I want to talk to you?” Harry freed an arm and jabbed Malfoy in the side.
Malfoy winced and stepped back. His eyes flashed. “And have you ever thought that I might not want to talk to you? You want my words? Then listen,” Malfoy hissed. “You are the one being high and mighty, judging me for all the things I do to live. Eating my food, using my firewood without even a thanks!”
“I—”
“And you still track dirt and mud into the cabin.” Malfoy pressed a finger into Harry’s chest. “You’re no different from any other Auror who’s been here.” With that tone of finality, Malfoy turned away.
Harry’s chest tightened. “You’re just as arrogant as always, Malfoy. Did living here teach you nothing of humility or being nice to people?” Harry breathed heavily, fisted his robes. “No wonder your friends deserted you! No wonder your family don’t care about you!”
Malfoy did not turn around and he did not reply. He walked away and was swallowed up behind the trees.
For a few moments, Harry stared blankly. Then, his legs gave way and Harry slid down the tree, horrified at his own words.
*
Malfoy made a campfire that night.
Harry watched from the crack in the curtains of his front window. The words they had exchanged rolled around ceaselessly in Harry’s head. Malfoy sat by the fire with his back to the cabin.
After walking back and forth in his room, Harry forced himself out of the cabin, bearing marshmallows from his provisions.
Malfoy immediately stood up and banked the flames. He brushed past Harry to get inside the cabin.
And Harry...he was left standing alone in the darkness, wondering whether or not he had seen Malfoy’s eyes emptier than usual.