...Alone Together?
I barely slept last night.
I couldn't stop my mind from thinking about how much things have changed in just two short weeks.
Before then, I would never have thought that I would be making friends with Slytherins and meeting with them in secret rooms. But, then again, I would have never thought all of my former friends would abandon me because they thought I joined a competition.
The anticipation of seeing the secret room was gnawing at the back of my mind. My thoughts never stayed on the topic of where it could possibly be for more than five minutes, but that didn't stop me from searching the Marauders Map for it on occasion.
The other thing that kept me awake was my room mates. Ron has decided that he's going to find every possible way to bother me. He told me so when I came back from dinner last night. I think the only thing stopping him before was Hermione, but I guess she wouldn't care what happens to me now.
He hasn't done anything to me yet, but I can't help being paranoid.
I wonder if he'll actually do something, or if he just said it because he knew I would get like this. I don't really think he's smart enough to think of that, but Hermione could have helped him.
I cast a quick tempus charm and when it tells me that it's just after six o'clock, I decide to get up.
I enter the shower and turn on the water. I make sure it's extra hot so that I can escape my thoughts.
When I finish, I brush my teeth and get dressed, heading down for breakfast before any of my house mates even wake.
When I reach the Great Hall, there is two other people already eating. One I recognize as one of Ginny's friends, a blond haired Ravenclaw; The other is Theo. He waves when he realizes that I am there and to my surprise makes his way over to my recently obtained position at Gryffindor table.
"Good morning, Potter," he says, in way too chipper a tone to not be a morning person.
"Theo," I greet in return.
He takes the seat next to me and we sit in an awkward silence as we both fill our plates with food.
The silent awkwardness continues all throughout our breakfast and I am quite surprised when he finally speaks up.
"Hey, Harry?" he asks. I turn my head towards him in acknowledgement. "Would you like to see the room now?"
I can't lie, as he says this I become very excited to see it, but for some reason I feel like I have be as calm as he was when he asked me.
"Sure," I say, "But, I thought we were going to wait until after Supper, and for Draco."
"Draco can wait to see it. Besides me and you are going to need bonding time if we're going to be friends."
I have a sneaking suspicion that Draco won't think in the same was as Theo, but I am bloody excited to see this room and maybe Draco will never know that we went without him.
He leads me all the way up to the seventh floor before stopping at a blank wall across from the tapestry with Barnabas the Barmy on it. He starts pacing in front of it and I am about to suggest that he might be the barmy one, when a door materializes right in front of my eyes.
"This," he says, pointing to the door as if it is a game show prize, "Is the room of requirement."
He pushed the door open revealing a large circular room, it was completely empty except for a small red suede love seat and a large fireplace.
"It's big," I say, for a lack of a complement.
"Actually, It can look however you want. You just have to think about the appearance that you desire before pacing in front of the wall." he explains, thoroughly confusing me.
"If you can make it look any way you want, then why is it so... empty?"
"Well, it's just you and me. And it's not as if we're staying here long, we've only got an hour and a half before classes."
I guess that makes sense. I probably would have made it less red, it somehow makes it feel like I am supposed to be on some sort of date, instead of hanging out with a would be friend.
We sit down on the too small sofa he's chosen for the room and he begins staring at me expectantly, but I can't really fathom what he expects me to do, so I ask him.
"What do you want to do?"
"Just talk," he replies, his dark blue eyes still transfixed on me. I break the gaze unable to hold it any longer and stare into the fire instead.
"What about?" I ask, unable to think of a topic offhand.
"You can start with how this whole Malfoy friendship started, and then let me know what I've gotten myself into."
"Well," I begin, "I dunno. Malfoy sort of offered to help me with the tournament and I eventually agreed."
"But, he said you guys were friends."
"He said he wanted to be my friend at some point. I don't have any friends so I said yes."
"So you're not really his friend then?"
"No, we are. Like I said, we had a talk."
"A talk? What was this talk about?"
"I don't know if Draco would want me to tell you."
"Do you ever think that maybe he's trying to play you?" The way he says it makes me feel like he knows something I don't.
"No. Should I?" Our conversation is quickly picking up pace, and I fear it'll be a full blown argument if we keep going at it.
"I am just saying, Malfoy isn't the most sincere person."
"And I am supposed to just believe you? I barely even know you."
"You barely know Malfoy." It's the truth... but, the difference is I've always seen Draco around, he's always sort of been there.
"Well, Draco's different."
"What did he say to you to gain your trust so quickly?"
He said he was trying to protect me, but even in my head that sounds like something any Slytherin could have come up with. I hate it that this virtual stranger can get in my head so easily. He quirks his eyebrow at my hesitation to answer and it only serves to piss me off even more.
"Thanks for the showing me the room," I say standing up and heading for the door, completely ignoring his question. "Feel free to not come to the meeting after dinner."
"I'll see you there Potter." He shout as I slam the door.
I really wish he wouldn't.
A/N:
Another chapter complete. I'm not really sure how much I like this one though.
I guess I'll have to hurry and right a new chapter to make up for it :D
Special thanks to Nova-Carta, rnl1993, Vaypouria for the Reviews on the last chapter.
Nova-Carta: We'll have to wait and see about the victory party, but I totally agree about the forgiving scene because there was no reason for Ron to be mad in the first place, the jealous prat.