Chapter 25: Nervous Breakdowns Among Young Famous Wizards

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In the Great Hall, students had been slowly trickling out for the past half hour.

By now all the professors had retired to the staff lounge or their respective rooms. Only a handful of students remained in the vast hall.

A few Hufflepuffs were still chattering amiably over dessert in one corner of their table. The Ravenclaw table was devoid of its students; all that was left were empty plates and crumbs. Two second year Gryffindors were seated close together at their table, giggling and exchanging bashful glances.

And at the Slytherin table, Crabbe and Goyle were still too enamored by tonight's servings of chocolate cream puffs to leave just yet.

Next to them, sat a sullen looking blonde boy, who stayed behind because he simply had nothing else better to do just yet.

He had spent most of dinnertime accepting congratulatory pats on the backs from the Slytherins and putting up with accusing glances and hateful stares from the Gryffindor table.

Apparently word had spread over his latest prank.

It never used to bother him before.

In fact, he remembered a time when he would positively eat up the hate- filled, resentful stares of some lesser breed of wizards.

But today had felt different. With each accusatory glance, his own damning guilt was mirrored back to him.

He really did *not* enjoy dinner.

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"Harry!"

He stopped and turned around in mid-stride as a figure ran up to him from behind.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed as he was thrown into a big bear hug by the bushy haired girl.

"*What* are you doing out of bed? I went by the Infirmary earlier and Pomfrey said that you were still passed out."

"I woke up." he said wryly, as he pushed her slowly off him.

"Well, are you sure you should be out -".

"I'm fine, Hermione." he cut her off quickly.

He didn't really feel like being coddled by her right now.

She looked a bit taken aback by his quick tone but continued nevertheless, "Let's get you back to the Common Room at least..." and she touched him on his arm.

He sighed deeply. She was beginning to sound like Dumbledore.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I'm going to the Great Hall first. I haven't eaten a thing since breakfast this morning." he said and started to walk away from her.

"I'll see you later, Hermione." he added as an afterthought, a little more amiably.

He had no idea why he's been feeling so incredibly moody ever since he got up.

"Oh. But Harry!" she ran a few steps up to him, "I think Malfoy's still in there..."

*Right. That's why.*

He gritted his teeth.

"Do you want me to get you something from the kitchen, instead? I could get the kitchen elves to-"

"No!" he shouted, "I'm fine! I'm not going to change every-single-thing just because Draco Malfoy's around!"

Shocked silence.

"Harry... That's *not* what I meant," she blinked, "I just thought you might not want to see him after this- this morning, that's all."

He softened a little at her hurt expression.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." He looked up at the ceiling and took in a deep breath as he ran both his hands through his messy locks.

*He doesn't look fine at all! He looks like he's on a brink of a nervous breakdown...* she noted worriedly as she took in his agitated stance. His eyes were bloodshot, and a crusty scab had formed over the deep cut on his lip. The scratches on his face contrasted starkly with his weak pallor.

"It's okay, Harry." she said instead, quelling her secret fears, "I'm just feeling a little over-protective of you. We really thought you were hurt this morning."

Now he *really* felt bad.

"I - err thank you, Herm. I'm just feeling a little jumpy that's all." he managed a weak smile as he gave her arm a reassuring squeeze, "But, don't worry, please...I'll be back to normal after a good nights' sleep, I expect." he said, only half-believing his own words.

"Whatever you say, Harry." she said to herself softly, as she watched his retreating back.

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Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, Draco had just about enough of listening to the sounds of Crabbe and Goyle's seemingly endless munching.

He mumbled a quick excuse at them and stood up to leave. He checked himself out of habit and frowned in distaste.

Crumbs now littered his robes; courtesy of the Crabbe and Goyle's enthusiastic face-stuffing.

Biting back a scathing comment, he angrily brushed them off him as he walked briskly out of the Great Hall.

And headlong into Harry Potter.

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