Harry had a hard time concentrating on his Defense Against the Dark
Arts assignment. Between feeling increasingly ill and his standard worrying
over an upcoming Quiditch match, Harry could hardly concentrate at all. It
was no wonder that he couldn't manage the spell they were working on. The
spell would allow a wizard to sense a nearby spell. A good way to know if
someone had set a trap on a room you were about to walk into.
Unfortunately Harry was having a lot of trouble with this; Sirius blamed Renata for it. "Harry, could you bring me one of your spare quills I seem to have lost mine?" When Harry reached his desk Sirius whispered, "Harry, I don't think you're concentrating hard enough on your work."
"Well, I am having trouble concentrating. It's that-"
"I think it's because you're paying too much attention to Renata. Now may not be the best time for you to have girlfriend. After all, finals are really just around the corner and you've been busy with Quiditch practice and.work with Hermione today in class. I think it's better that way so you'll be less likely distracted and she should be able to help with your work. Go back to your seat, er, Ron's seat." He raised his voice back to normal sound level. "Ron, trade places with Harry."
Looking a little disgruntled Ron stood and went to go sit by Renata. Hermione worked with him the whole rest of class but Harry still couldn't manage the spell. At the end of class Harry packed up his things and Sirius asked him to wait.
"Yes, Professor Black?"
"Harry, I don't think it's wise for you to keep dating Renata. Not right now. Wait 'til this summer. She'll still be there. Your other teachers have told me you're slipping in their classes too."
"Sirius, Renata has very little to do with any of that. I've been up late because of Quiditch and increasingly large loads of homework. The team asked for more practices and the teachers always assign more work at the end of the year. And to top it off I've been feeling sick the last few days. I'm just getting a cold or something but it's miserable but I'm not chancing Madam Pomfrey keeping me out of that game. We are going to beat the Slytherins tomorrow."
Sirius sighed. "Between Quiditch and homework you aren't getting enough rest. But don't give up the homework! For a while there you were turning in the best work I'd ever seen from you and now you're back to driving your self too hard and in too many directions. The quality of your work is suffering. And if you don't get enough rest tonight your game will suffer tomorrow."
Harry asked, "Is that all? I'm hungry."
"Yeah, Harry. That's all. Go to lunch."
Harry noticed that Sirius looked as tired as he felt. He was obviously working himself too hard. Harry didn't have to be told to know that Sirius still worked for the Order of the Phoenix in any way that he could. Harry also knew that Sirius disappeared sometimes with no explanation and that he was at meetings for the Order or carrying out some form of business for it. Harry seen notes and messages Sirius got telling him to spy on one teacher or student even if the word "spy" wasn't exactly used. But Sirius didn't bring it up and neither did Harry. He just walked away.
*****************************************
That night Harry came down to the common room to pace. He had begun up in his dormitory but after an hour Seamus had told him that just because he wasn't going to get any rest didn't mean the rest of them should have to suffer too. So here he was. Pacing back and forward in front of the dying fire. Ten paces, then turn and pace in the other direction.
Suddenly he turned and found himself face to face with Renata.
"How did you.?"
"You forget how well I know your mind. I'm the only one who can truly comprehend your cognitive functions. You haven't gotten much rest lately and with a big game tomorrow where else would you be but down here worrying about it? Heaven forbid you actually do the sensible thing and go upstairs and get some rest." She rolled her eyes.
"Oh."
"Go. Now. March."
He sneezed.
"Now. You're sick and if unless you want to be worth more than dead fish tomorrow you'll go upstairs now."
"Alright, alright," he muttered.
"And I mean it. I want you to sleep. Not pace or lying in bed worrying about the match."
Harry went upstairs and as he crawled under the covers. His last thought before sleep claimed him was, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry.
************************************************
Harry stood on the edge of the Quiditch field. He'd given the team their pre-game talk to encourage them and truth be told they felt less nervous than he did. Harry was ready to lose what little breakfast he had managed to choke down. They had to beat Slytherin. They just had to.
One moment Harry found himself shaking hands with Malfoy and glaring at him and after that things passed by in a blur. Harry had to dodge Bludgers more times than he could count, despite the efforts of Daphne and Claire to keep all Gryffindors free of Bludgers; he found at lost sight of the Snitch 3 times; and barely heard when Colin announced that Gryffindor was in the lead by a hundred and ten points and the Slytherins had only scored once. Harry hardly noticed. He kept his eyes peeled for the Snitch, all the while gripping his stomach where Malfoy had taken the club from one of the Beaters and beat Harry with it. He'd come up from behind otherwise Harry would have seen him.
At last, Harry saw it again. The Snitch. Malfoy was flirting with the only girl on the Slytherin team, not paying the least bit of attention to Harry or his surroundings. Harry went into a steep dive after the Snitch. Nearly there.fingers nearly there.he's fingers clasped themselves firmly around the walnut-sized Golden Snitch. He had it. "Game! Game over! We have it!" He pulled out of his dive at a sharp angle and rose into the air. He was assaulted by the other Gryffindors on brooms all coming toward him. The seven of them sank to the ground in a massive group hug.
The stadium exploded with cheers (except from the Slytherins). Ginny roared, "Party in the Common Room! Gryffindors! Party in the Common Room!"
***************************************
Harry didn't wake up until nearly noon on Sunday, and when he did he felt miserable. Ginny's little party in the Common Room had been even more extravagant than some of the ones Fred and George had thrown. The Butterbeer, sweets, and all around junk food were there in mass quantities with loud music. Apparently a group of fourth years that had a band; two of the boys played guitar, there was a girl on drums, and another girl singing. A seventh year named Amanda even conjured a stage for them. Most of the Gryffindors sat and ate, drank Butterbeer, and some even got up the nerve to dance.
Harry stayed, enjoying the festivities until about one in the morning; when he left a fair number of people were still down there. Somebody put a charm on the portrait hole door to keep noise from the party from spreading out into the hall but nobody had bothered to put the spell on the doors to the dormitories and Harry could hear the noise still as he tried to fall asleep. It was nearing four when the festivities finally wound down.
Harry rubbed his eyes groggily; he didn't want to get up at all. He felt sick. "Accio trashcan!" he moaned. He had just grasped the trashcan and brought his face over it when he retched.
Half an hour later Ron came upstairs. "Harry, are you alright?" He saw him. "Harry! You look like death!"
Harry groaned. His ears were ringing.
"That's it, Harry. I'm taking you to the nurse. You're going to infect everybody." Ron took Harry's hand and helped him downstairs.
Harry felt weak, and overall ill.
Hermione and Renata were downstairs. Oh, no. He thought. Why does Renata have to see me like this?
"Come on, girls. We're going to be helping Harry to visit Madam Pomfrey before the rest of us end up like him."
They led him to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey took one look at him and condemned him to three days minimum in the hospital wing and medication every three hours. Harry wasn't sure he was going to be able to stand another minute. As he swayed dangerously on his feet, Madam Pomfrey and the others eased him down on one of the beds. "Did he eat anything recently to make him sick like this?"
"No, I don't think so."
"It's just work overload and stress, Madam Pomfrey. He's been really busy with Quiditch and schoolwork. He's just having a difficult time taking care of it all and still managing to get proper rest. I guess it all just became too much and now he's crashed and gotten sick."
"Well I'll be keeping a closer eye on him from now on."
Harry watched Ron and Hermione walk away but Renata remained behind. Madam Pomfrey made Harry swallow a steaming goblet of some vile tasting potion. He was very sleepy again. He could feel Renata holding his hand as he fell asleep and he knew she wasn't in the chair beside his bed.
When he woke up he had a feeling it was quite a bit later than when he'd come in. He felt rather better. Renata was still there.
"Harry, I've got something to say."
"Yeah? It's been so great having you here the last three days. It's meant a lot."
"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, Harry. I don't think it's a good idea for us to keep dating. Not right now. Sirius was right. I'm a distraction. Beside you've got enough on your plate with schoolwork and Quiditch. Maybe we can try dating some other time, maybe next year. But right now you've got to concentrate on your work."
"But."
"I'm sorry, Harry. It's over." She kissed him on the cheek and walked away.
Harry was miserable. He was more distracted not dating her than he'd been when he was dating her.
Sirius came up to him after class one day. "Harry, I really think you should break up with Renata. I won't deny that she's a great girl and everything but I already warned you once and no you seem to be having an even worse time getting your work done. Really. You don't want to fail your final exams. And I just think-"
"It's too late. She already dumped me."
"What?"
"She broke up with."
"When?"
"Two weeks ago."
"And you're still moping?"
"Yes."
"Harry, you've got learn to be friends with her again. You're going to be in the same classes with her, the same common room, and on the same Quiditch team. You've got to learn how to get over this."
"But I miss her."
"Then you've got to figure out how you're going to see her without hurting yourself like this. I don't like seeing you in pain."
"Maybe you're right. Got any advice? I could use some right about now."
"Okay. Pretend it's last year. Last year you weren't dating her but you were really good friends. Just try to go back to that."
"It's hard though. Last year Ron and Hermione weren't dating too. Last year I had somebody to hang out with."
"Well there are going to be other girls, Harry. You'll just have to deal with this."
"Yeah. Right." Harry made his way glumly back to the common room.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please don't hate me! This story has a sequel and.okay I guess I have no good excuse. Although I guess anybody who hated Renata is very happy right about now.
Unfortunately Harry was having a lot of trouble with this; Sirius blamed Renata for it. "Harry, could you bring me one of your spare quills I seem to have lost mine?" When Harry reached his desk Sirius whispered, "Harry, I don't think you're concentrating hard enough on your work."
"Well, I am having trouble concentrating. It's that-"
"I think it's because you're paying too much attention to Renata. Now may not be the best time for you to have girlfriend. After all, finals are really just around the corner and you've been busy with Quiditch practice and.work with Hermione today in class. I think it's better that way so you'll be less likely distracted and she should be able to help with your work. Go back to your seat, er, Ron's seat." He raised his voice back to normal sound level. "Ron, trade places with Harry."
Looking a little disgruntled Ron stood and went to go sit by Renata. Hermione worked with him the whole rest of class but Harry still couldn't manage the spell. At the end of class Harry packed up his things and Sirius asked him to wait.
"Yes, Professor Black?"
"Harry, I don't think it's wise for you to keep dating Renata. Not right now. Wait 'til this summer. She'll still be there. Your other teachers have told me you're slipping in their classes too."
"Sirius, Renata has very little to do with any of that. I've been up late because of Quiditch and increasingly large loads of homework. The team asked for more practices and the teachers always assign more work at the end of the year. And to top it off I've been feeling sick the last few days. I'm just getting a cold or something but it's miserable but I'm not chancing Madam Pomfrey keeping me out of that game. We are going to beat the Slytherins tomorrow."
Sirius sighed. "Between Quiditch and homework you aren't getting enough rest. But don't give up the homework! For a while there you were turning in the best work I'd ever seen from you and now you're back to driving your self too hard and in too many directions. The quality of your work is suffering. And if you don't get enough rest tonight your game will suffer tomorrow."
Harry asked, "Is that all? I'm hungry."
"Yeah, Harry. That's all. Go to lunch."
Harry noticed that Sirius looked as tired as he felt. He was obviously working himself too hard. Harry didn't have to be told to know that Sirius still worked for the Order of the Phoenix in any way that he could. Harry also knew that Sirius disappeared sometimes with no explanation and that he was at meetings for the Order or carrying out some form of business for it. Harry seen notes and messages Sirius got telling him to spy on one teacher or student even if the word "spy" wasn't exactly used. But Sirius didn't bring it up and neither did Harry. He just walked away.
*****************************************
That night Harry came down to the common room to pace. He had begun up in his dormitory but after an hour Seamus had told him that just because he wasn't going to get any rest didn't mean the rest of them should have to suffer too. So here he was. Pacing back and forward in front of the dying fire. Ten paces, then turn and pace in the other direction.
Suddenly he turned and found himself face to face with Renata.
"How did you.?"
"You forget how well I know your mind. I'm the only one who can truly comprehend your cognitive functions. You haven't gotten much rest lately and with a big game tomorrow where else would you be but down here worrying about it? Heaven forbid you actually do the sensible thing and go upstairs and get some rest." She rolled her eyes.
"Oh."
"Go. Now. March."
He sneezed.
"Now. You're sick and if unless you want to be worth more than dead fish tomorrow you'll go upstairs now."
"Alright, alright," he muttered.
"And I mean it. I want you to sleep. Not pace or lying in bed worrying about the match."
Harry went upstairs and as he crawled under the covers. His last thought before sleep claimed him was, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry.
************************************************
Harry stood on the edge of the Quiditch field. He'd given the team their pre-game talk to encourage them and truth be told they felt less nervous than he did. Harry was ready to lose what little breakfast he had managed to choke down. They had to beat Slytherin. They just had to.
One moment Harry found himself shaking hands with Malfoy and glaring at him and after that things passed by in a blur. Harry had to dodge Bludgers more times than he could count, despite the efforts of Daphne and Claire to keep all Gryffindors free of Bludgers; he found at lost sight of the Snitch 3 times; and barely heard when Colin announced that Gryffindor was in the lead by a hundred and ten points and the Slytherins had only scored once. Harry hardly noticed. He kept his eyes peeled for the Snitch, all the while gripping his stomach where Malfoy had taken the club from one of the Beaters and beat Harry with it. He'd come up from behind otherwise Harry would have seen him.
At last, Harry saw it again. The Snitch. Malfoy was flirting with the only girl on the Slytherin team, not paying the least bit of attention to Harry or his surroundings. Harry went into a steep dive after the Snitch. Nearly there.fingers nearly there.he's fingers clasped themselves firmly around the walnut-sized Golden Snitch. He had it. "Game! Game over! We have it!" He pulled out of his dive at a sharp angle and rose into the air. He was assaulted by the other Gryffindors on brooms all coming toward him. The seven of them sank to the ground in a massive group hug.
The stadium exploded with cheers (except from the Slytherins). Ginny roared, "Party in the Common Room! Gryffindors! Party in the Common Room!"
***************************************
Harry didn't wake up until nearly noon on Sunday, and when he did he felt miserable. Ginny's little party in the Common Room had been even more extravagant than some of the ones Fred and George had thrown. The Butterbeer, sweets, and all around junk food were there in mass quantities with loud music. Apparently a group of fourth years that had a band; two of the boys played guitar, there was a girl on drums, and another girl singing. A seventh year named Amanda even conjured a stage for them. Most of the Gryffindors sat and ate, drank Butterbeer, and some even got up the nerve to dance.
Harry stayed, enjoying the festivities until about one in the morning; when he left a fair number of people were still down there. Somebody put a charm on the portrait hole door to keep noise from the party from spreading out into the hall but nobody had bothered to put the spell on the doors to the dormitories and Harry could hear the noise still as he tried to fall asleep. It was nearing four when the festivities finally wound down.
Harry rubbed his eyes groggily; he didn't want to get up at all. He felt sick. "Accio trashcan!" he moaned. He had just grasped the trashcan and brought his face over it when he retched.
Half an hour later Ron came upstairs. "Harry, are you alright?" He saw him. "Harry! You look like death!"
Harry groaned. His ears were ringing.
"That's it, Harry. I'm taking you to the nurse. You're going to infect everybody." Ron took Harry's hand and helped him downstairs.
Harry felt weak, and overall ill.
Hermione and Renata were downstairs. Oh, no. He thought. Why does Renata have to see me like this?
"Come on, girls. We're going to be helping Harry to visit Madam Pomfrey before the rest of us end up like him."
They led him to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey took one look at him and condemned him to three days minimum in the hospital wing and medication every three hours. Harry wasn't sure he was going to be able to stand another minute. As he swayed dangerously on his feet, Madam Pomfrey and the others eased him down on one of the beds. "Did he eat anything recently to make him sick like this?"
"No, I don't think so."
"It's just work overload and stress, Madam Pomfrey. He's been really busy with Quiditch and schoolwork. He's just having a difficult time taking care of it all and still managing to get proper rest. I guess it all just became too much and now he's crashed and gotten sick."
"Well I'll be keeping a closer eye on him from now on."
Harry watched Ron and Hermione walk away but Renata remained behind. Madam Pomfrey made Harry swallow a steaming goblet of some vile tasting potion. He was very sleepy again. He could feel Renata holding his hand as he fell asleep and he knew she wasn't in the chair beside his bed.
When he woke up he had a feeling it was quite a bit later than when he'd come in. He felt rather better. Renata was still there.
"Harry, I've got something to say."
"Yeah? It's been so great having you here the last three days. It's meant a lot."
"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, Harry. I don't think it's a good idea for us to keep dating. Not right now. Sirius was right. I'm a distraction. Beside you've got enough on your plate with schoolwork and Quiditch. Maybe we can try dating some other time, maybe next year. But right now you've got to concentrate on your work."
"But."
"I'm sorry, Harry. It's over." She kissed him on the cheek and walked away.
Harry was miserable. He was more distracted not dating her than he'd been when he was dating her.
Sirius came up to him after class one day. "Harry, I really think you should break up with Renata. I won't deny that she's a great girl and everything but I already warned you once and no you seem to be having an even worse time getting your work done. Really. You don't want to fail your final exams. And I just think-"
"It's too late. She already dumped me."
"What?"
"She broke up with."
"When?"
"Two weeks ago."
"And you're still moping?"
"Yes."
"Harry, you've got learn to be friends with her again. You're going to be in the same classes with her, the same common room, and on the same Quiditch team. You've got to learn how to get over this."
"But I miss her."
"Then you've got to figure out how you're going to see her without hurting yourself like this. I don't like seeing you in pain."
"Maybe you're right. Got any advice? I could use some right about now."
"Okay. Pretend it's last year. Last year you weren't dating her but you were really good friends. Just try to go back to that."
"It's hard though. Last year Ron and Hermione weren't dating too. Last year I had somebody to hang out with."
"Well there are going to be other girls, Harry. You'll just have to deal with this."
"Yeah. Right." Harry made his way glumly back to the common room.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please don't hate me! This story has a sequel and.okay I guess I have no good excuse. Although I guess anybody who hated Renata is very happy right about now.
