Connor had been the most stable presence during the work today, knowing of the endless protocols to which Draco couldn’t even begin to guess, and having enough knowledge about his subject to prove a valuable sparring partner when Buchannan wasn’t around.<br/>It still come as a surprise to him when she voiced her praise out loud, Draco having been able to see it in her body language and actions the entire day. The two of them were both slytherins to the core, something that Draco greatly appreciated after having worked with Harry for so long, which only served to confuse Draco even further about the praise being spoken out loud.<br/>“Thank you,” he said, the words as foreign on his tongue as the praise clearly had been to Connor, something that would have made him laugh in other situations, but in this mostly just set him slightly on edge. Connor didn’t seem to have any ulterior motives, but Draco was still curious as to what had prompted the praising. He knew that it had to be an opener for something else, but he honestly didn’t have the first clue as to what it could possibly be.<br/>“Couldn’t have done it without you,” he stated, the words sounding slightly hollow as they fell, even if they were true. However, they were clearly born from a need to return the compliment and not a sincere need to voice the thought. He knew that Connor already knew this and that her working with him had been highly appreciated.