What is Normal?

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Harry laid on his side, facing his two best friends. Ron had finally awakened. When he learned of Harry's return from the dead, he had fainted dead away. Hermione shook her head, pulled her wand, enervating him.

Ron had taken a seat next to Hermione at Harry's bedside. Both boys looked at each other. The red head's eyes widened when he saw the little fangs.

"Think before you say anything, Ronald!" Hermione hissed as she elbowed him in the side.

"Don't worry, Mione.. I'm just a freak. Just like I've always been."

Ron glared. "You. Are. Not. A. Freak!"

"Well I'm not normal!"

"Normal is overrated!"

Harry glared at his best friend.

"Being normal is not fun. Look at Hermione, she's smart. She's probably read more books than all the Ravenclaws put together. You're powerful in your own right, Harry. I just live in the shadows. Nothing special about me."

"Ron," Hermione began, "You have a strong analytical mind. Just look at the way you play chess. You're a great strategist. You see the whole picture. And you're a loyal friend."

"I'm not a loyal friend, Mione. I doubted Harry when I thought he put his name in the Goblet of Fire."

"Where are you now, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Here."

"All friendships go through stages. Rough patches. It won't be the first time we'll fight. Or will it be the last. Right?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah."

"Mione?"

"Harry?"

"Would you enlarge the bed? So we can cuddle? I don't feel good."

"Do you want me to get Madam Poppy?"

"No.. just a cuddle. I want something....."

"Want to feel safe?" Ron finished.

"Yeah."

)~(

Severus watched and listened from the other side of the infirmary where they had set up the parchment for the family tree spell. He sat there ready and waiting to intervene if the Weasley boy had opened his mouth again to hurt Potter... Harry. He noticed that Albus was also watching, as was Black and Lupin.

But it seemed that all was fine. Even though Severus was still upset with Ablus for keeping silent concerning the truth about Harry's life. The lies they had heard over the years did nothing but add to his heightened persona that all witches and wizards were expecting.

Severus had been berating himself for not noticing the signs. Things he'd watched for in his own Slytherins.

He almost smiled when Granger enlarged the bed then she and Weasley crawled in, on either side of Harry, lying down and cuddling their friend between them, providing just what he needed; a sense of safety.

Safety in a world spiraling out of control all around them.