Paul watched as Potter reached for Malfoy, a gesture into thin air that never made contact with Malfoy’s arm before Potter had already taken half a step away from them.<br/>“We’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Potter promised, eyes flickering to Paul, too, though he couldn’t help but notice how Potter’s attention had still seemed on Malfoy before he left downhill.<br/>Paul watched him go, only turning to Malfoy when he was certain Potter was out of earshot.<br/>“I’m glad you could make it,” Paul encouraged with a quiet, professional distance, unable not to take notice of the fact that Malfoy seemed tense. It had been weeks since he had heard Malfoy speak on his work, and months since Paul had last seen it in person, and he had genuinely been looking forward to seeing Malfoy in the field.<br/>In an unspoken invitation, Paul himself stepped towards the burgundy tent erected as a workspace, pulling the flap aside. “How have you been?”