Honestly, that was what he was most concerned about. Harry had survived years of living in the shadows with small talk. Now, he wasn't sure what he would say to people, even if they didn't ask about... what had happened. Joel actually scripted out several ideas for conversation topics and made him run through them. At first, it was embarrassing to practice talking, but Harry found that it did help. Joel said that speech anxiety often has to do with fear of the unknown, and practicing his words will help alleviate much of his stuttering.
Harry could talk easier about topics he knew well, but he would lock up when the conservation turned. Joel brought up several ways to steer the conversation away from bad topics and had Harry run through those redirections several times, so Harry didn't mumble through them as badly. When he had gotten them down, Joel had Hermione and Ron practice with him. They would handle the conversation if he got too nervous. He just had to look at either one, and they would take over. They practiced that too.
Harry thanked them for being so... helpful, and it made him feel that he could get through this party without running for the door. He had managed to get through the trial after all, and he was being actively attacked there. A party shouldn't be that bad? he tried to tell himself. He could get through it, and maybe the media would cool it. Ron told him that he shouldn't give one damn about the papers, though. Harry didn't use to worry about it... but now everyone knew what had happened five years ago.
Harry hated that everyone was now gossiping about the mystery. "Who conquered the Chosen One?" was an actual headline. Fucking Rita. But Hermione took his hand and told him that she was always fighting with the media about her jobs and status from the war. Hermione said she had to fight to prove she was competent and hold her head high whenever she walked by the gossipmongers at the Ministry. Ron was often a target of cries of nepotism, too. She said that it was horrible sometimes, but they had to take the high road and not let those bastards cower him.
He could handle it, he was sure. He survived the trial, but that left the other big concern he had. What was he going to say to Draco? He never voiced that fear aloud. It plagued his thoughts ever since he finally agreed to go. He just wanted to see Draco and make sure that he was alright, though Harry had seen him in the paper. Twice, Draco had made the front page when he went to a couple of Ministry parties. There were other stories about him meeting with the Minister and rehashing of the Azkaban trials and the revelations about him during McGrath's.
Harry had looked at Draco's articles every night for the last two weeks, trying to analyze how Draco was doing. There was a whole spread about Draco on the front page as he had shown up as Hogwarts Professor Blaise Zabini's +1 at Griselda Marchbanks's 100th birthday celebration. Draco was standing in the photo, and he didn't have a wheelchair or his walker but a hooked maroon cane. His robes and hair were perfect, and Blaise, Neville and Theodore Nott were with him.
He appeared to be talking to them about some unknown topic, but occasionally his photo turned to look forward... at the camera. The Prophet was beyond astounded that Draco had returned so publicly after the revelations that he, Harry, had confirmed during McGrath's trial. Harry felt undoubtedly guilty for outing what had happened to Draco in Azkaban, even though Draco had given him permission. He hated re-reading what he had said in Court and what had been admitted into evidence.
However, in that article, there were a few paragraphs that Harry continued to agonize over every night.
When asked about his relationship with Harry Potter, Mr. Malfoy is quoted as saying, 'I owe my health and well-being to Healer Potter. Through his skill and kindness, I was able to recover from my injuries. He did a tremendous favor for me when he testified at the Wizengamot.' Mr. Malfoy also confirmed that he left Healer Potter's service, adding that he was moved to in-home care. Mr. Malfoy refused to discuss Azkaban or the infamous Azkaban Trials but stated that his solicitors were handling things.