Harry awoke feeling slightly better. He found that he could open his eyes, but not for very long as they would tear up at the light and become sticky again. His stomach reprimanded him for skipping supper the night before and he sat up, squinting at the food someone had placed at his bedside. The plate was piled high with crumpets and sliced peaches and fried eggs, which he proceeded to shove past his swollen lips at an alarming rate until his hunger was satisfied. Wiping his face, he looked around the room. It was deathly silent; only a couple beds besides his were filled, and the occupents were sound asleep, and there was little to do, but the scene was beautiful, with shafts of light pouring through windows high on the walls, and painting the stone floors gold. He almost wished he were a painter, so he could capture the simple beauty of the moment forever on paper and keep it for when life wasn't so beautiful. Upon thinking this, Harry's face burned, self-conscience of his own thoughts. Again, he silently questioned who he was. He could not be gay, he promised himself. He could not be.
Ron arrived during mid-morning break, and brought with him a whole load of Charms homework. As he sat down at the end of the cot, he dropped several heavy books on Harry's toe.
"OOW!" Harry yelled, clutching his foot. "Thanks for the warm greeting, FRIEND," he added, wiggling his toes and lying back down.
Ron blushed. He knew that he hadn't wanted the welcome to seem too warm...
Harry saw this, and turned away for half a second. He hated how things had changed. They both knew Harry was not gay, yet something had happened, and their relationship would never be the same.
"What're you looking at, mate?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," Harry replied. "Thought I.... saw something..." He took a breath. "Any news?"
"Actually, yeah," Ron said. "Nothing big, but, everyone's been acting weird and there's so many rumors out. It's... well, not everyone when Collin... you know, announced it, so not that many people remember his exact words..."
Harry groaned.
"Yeah, well, the story's sort of gotten a little skewed..." Ron continued. "Some people are saying... you and Neville..."
"Neville Longbottom!?" Harry choked. He closed his eyes. "I mean, I've nothing against him as a friend and all... but.... this is so awful."
Ron bit his lip. "And Cho, they say she's missed her first and second classes. Someone said she was hanging out with Myrtle in that bathroom, and they were crying together. She's all mad at you because she thinks you were like, lying to her, leading her on and stuff. And some kids have been speculating and stuff, like why 'you' did it. And they say you were under some spell, or something... I don't know really, everything they're saying, but really, it's all anyone's talking about today. Sure glad it's not me," he added, shrugging.
Harry had been sitting quietly, with his eyes glazed over. "Cho..." he said softly. A burning hate for Collin Creevey rose up in him. He had never known the boy as anything but a slight nuisance. But he had become something else, something inhuman. Who knew how much damage this could cause in Harry's whole life? He wondered more and more if Collin had known, really known, what he was doing. Known what he was getting into, and how badly this would hurt Harry. It seemed impossible that he hadn't known, but how could he have known and still done it? It occured to Harry that he might have been under some spell at the time, and not been in his right mind. Being muggle-raised, magical tampering was not always the first thing brought to mind in a situation like this. The possibility dawned slowly but was quickly swept away when Harry realized Collin had been working on this for more than a month. Most likely preparing, perfecting his plan. The downfall of Harry Potter, oh the glory. To ruin someone's whole reputation, especially someone who had saved your own life more that once. He simply could not understand it.
A bell rang, and Ron stood up. "I've gotta get to class," he muttered. "See you at lunch; Hermione'll come too." And he walked slowly out of the room.
Ron arrived during mid-morning break, and brought with him a whole load of Charms homework. As he sat down at the end of the cot, he dropped several heavy books on Harry's toe.
"OOW!" Harry yelled, clutching his foot. "Thanks for the warm greeting, FRIEND," he added, wiggling his toes and lying back down.
Ron blushed. He knew that he hadn't wanted the welcome to seem too warm...
Harry saw this, and turned away for half a second. He hated how things had changed. They both knew Harry was not gay, yet something had happened, and their relationship would never be the same.
"What're you looking at, mate?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," Harry replied. "Thought I.... saw something..." He took a breath. "Any news?"
"Actually, yeah," Ron said. "Nothing big, but, everyone's been acting weird and there's so many rumors out. It's... well, not everyone when Collin... you know, announced it, so not that many people remember his exact words..."
Harry groaned.
"Yeah, well, the story's sort of gotten a little skewed..." Ron continued. "Some people are saying... you and Neville..."
"Neville Longbottom!?" Harry choked. He closed his eyes. "I mean, I've nothing against him as a friend and all... but.... this is so awful."
Ron bit his lip. "And Cho, they say she's missed her first and second classes. Someone said she was hanging out with Myrtle in that bathroom, and they were crying together. She's all mad at you because she thinks you were like, lying to her, leading her on and stuff. And some kids have been speculating and stuff, like why 'you' did it. And they say you were under some spell, or something... I don't know really, everything they're saying, but really, it's all anyone's talking about today. Sure glad it's not me," he added, shrugging.
Harry had been sitting quietly, with his eyes glazed over. "Cho..." he said softly. A burning hate for Collin Creevey rose up in him. He had never known the boy as anything but a slight nuisance. But he had become something else, something inhuman. Who knew how much damage this could cause in Harry's whole life? He wondered more and more if Collin had known, really known, what he was doing. Known what he was getting into, and how badly this would hurt Harry. It seemed impossible that he hadn't known, but how could he have known and still done it? It occured to Harry that he might have been under some spell at the time, and not been in his right mind. Being muggle-raised, magical tampering was not always the first thing brought to mind in a situation like this. The possibility dawned slowly but was quickly swept away when Harry realized Collin had been working on this for more than a month. Most likely preparing, perfecting his plan. The downfall of Harry Potter, oh the glory. To ruin someone's whole reputation, especially someone who had saved your own life more that once. He simply could not understand it.
A bell rang, and Ron stood up. "I've gotta get to class," he muttered. "See you at lunch; Hermione'll come too." And he walked slowly out of the room.