*****
Harry closed the book he had been attempting to read. Four times over the same paragraph and he didn't remember a word of it. He glanced over to where Hermione usually sat in the common room doing her homework. The space was empty, and he reasoned it would stay empty until she was released from the hospital wing.
He covered his ink bottle and put his quill away. He wasn't going to get much homework done tonight, that much was certain. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He needed a distraction.
Replacing his glasses, he checked the time. It was almost time for dinner to be served in the Great Hall. He supposed he could go grab a quick bite, then meet up with the rest of the team for Quidditch practice. He wasn't up to chasing the small golden ball all over the pitch, but maybe it would take his mind off Hermione.
He carried his books and supplies back up to the dormitory and placed them inside his trunk at the end of his four poster bed. The room was empty except for Neville, who greeted him with a small wave of one hand.
Harry waved back. "Hi, Neville."
"How's Hermione?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't been told anything yet."
"Well, if you see her, send her my regards. It really was sick of Malfoy to do what he did."
Harry couldn't have agreed more. "If I ever catch that slime ball…" He shook his head and pantomimed zapping him with his wand. "Zap, instant Draco frog."
Neville chuckled. "Are you sure you want to do that? I think making him into a rat works better for him."
Harry shrugged and had to sigh wearily. "Either one is too good for him."
"When can you see her?"
"Madame Pomfrey isn't allowing her any visitors right now, I asked before I came up here to study." He indicated his books that he had just put away. "Fat lot of good that does, I can't concentrate."
Both boys were interrupted by Ron sticking his head into the room. "Hey guys."
Neville smiled. "Hey Ron."
Harry nodded. "You going down to dinner?"
Ron carried his own load of books over to his bed where he dropped them haphazardly onto the covers. "I'm not really hungry, but I think I should take a bite or two before practice."
"That might be a smart idea." Harry agreed. "I'm not really up to practice, but Madame Pomfrey won't let me in to see Hermione. Says she is resting right now."
"Yeah, I know."
"You tried too?"
Ron nodded. "Of course I did."
Neville was drawing the coverings of his bed closed. "I'm going down now guys."
"Wait up, we'll join you." Ron hastily drew his curtains and Harry just left his open.
They made their way into the common room and out the portrait hole. Just as they were coming down the main staircase they ran into the one person Harry did not want to deal with tonight.
Draco sneered at them. "Lookie what we have here, the two musketeers and their faithful mascot."
"Pipe down, Malfoy." Harry said as he tried to push past the other boy.
"Awww, you all sad cause that mudblood isn't here with you? I bet that potion is giving her a lot of much needed exercise. Merlin knows she can't get any without it." He laughed and turned away to enter the Hall.
Harry felt his face redden and his hands automatically clenched into fists. "Well at least she doesn't have to pay people for that privilege."
Malfoy stopped in his tracks. He turned back to face the group of three. Two of them were now holding Harry back. "Yeah, no one wants to pay the 3 knuts she's worth."
Harry bit his lip. "That's two more than you are worth yourself."
Draco's eyes grew wide. "How dare you!" A small group of students were now gathering around the entrance to the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall stepped out to see what all the fuss was about.
"Break it up now, boys. There is no need for this shouting match." She took Draco by the arm and led him back into the Great Hall.
Ron and Neville finally released Harry. He smoothed down his robes which had wrinkled up. "Thanks, guys. If you hadn't stopped me, he would be sharing a bed next to her in that hospital wing with a few of his bones broken."
Ron glanced towards the Hall. "I think I've lost my appetite."
Harry had no desire to eat either. "Me too." They turned to Neville. "We are going to go wait by the pitch."
He nodded his farewell. "I'll go keep an eye on him for you."
"You do that." Ron said as he led Harry away. "And if he tries anything, remember, Trevor could always use a mate."
*****
Harry closed the book he had been attempting to read. Four times over the same paragraph and he didn't remember a word of it. He glanced over to where Hermione usually sat in the common room doing her homework. The space was empty, and he reasoned it would stay empty until she was released from the hospital wing.
He covered his ink bottle and put his quill away. He wasn't going to get much homework done tonight, that much was certain. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He needed a distraction.
Replacing his glasses, he checked the time. It was almost time for dinner to be served in the Great Hall. He supposed he could go grab a quick bite, then meet up with the rest of the team for Quidditch practice. He wasn't up to chasing the small golden ball all over the pitch, but maybe it would take his mind off Hermione.
He carried his books and supplies back up to the dormitory and placed them inside his trunk at the end of his four poster bed. The room was empty except for Neville, who greeted him with a small wave of one hand.
Harry waved back. "Hi, Neville."
"How's Hermione?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't been told anything yet."
"Well, if you see her, send her my regards. It really was sick of Malfoy to do what he did."
Harry couldn't have agreed more. "If I ever catch that slime ball…" He shook his head and pantomimed zapping him with his wand. "Zap, instant Draco frog."
Neville chuckled. "Are you sure you want to do that? I think making him into a rat works better for him."
Harry shrugged and had to sigh wearily. "Either one is too good for him."
"When can you see her?"
"Madame Pomfrey isn't allowing her any visitors right now, I asked before I came up here to study." He indicated his books that he had just put away. "Fat lot of good that does, I can't concentrate."
Both boys were interrupted by Ron sticking his head into the room. "Hey guys."
Neville smiled. "Hey Ron."
Harry nodded. "You going down to dinner?"
Ron carried his own load of books over to his bed where he dropped them haphazardly onto the covers. "I'm not really hungry, but I think I should take a bite or two before practice."
"That might be a smart idea." Harry agreed. "I'm not really up to practice, but Madame Pomfrey won't let me in to see Hermione. Says she is resting right now."
"Yeah, I know."
"You tried too?"
Ron nodded. "Of course I did."
Neville was drawing the coverings of his bed closed. "I'm going down now guys."
"Wait up, we'll join you." Ron hastily drew his curtains and Harry just left his open.
They made their way into the common room and out the portrait hole. Just as they were coming down the main staircase they ran into the one person Harry did not want to deal with tonight.
Draco sneered at them. "Lookie what we have here, the two musketeers and their faithful mascot."
"Pipe down, Malfoy." Harry said as he tried to push past the other boy.
"Awww, you all sad cause that mudblood isn't here with you? I bet that potion is giving her a lot of much needed exercise. Merlin knows she can't get any without it." He laughed and turned away to enter the Hall.
Harry felt his face redden and his hands automatically clenched into fists. "Well at least she doesn't have to pay people for that privilege."
Malfoy stopped in his tracks. He turned back to face the group of three. Two of them were now holding Harry back. "Yeah, no one wants to pay the 3 knuts she's worth."
Harry bit his lip. "That's two more than you are worth yourself."
Draco's eyes grew wide. "How dare you!" A small group of students were now gathering around the entrance to the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall stepped out to see what all the fuss was about.
"Break it up now, boys. There is no need for this shouting match." She took Draco by the arm and led him back into the Great Hall.
Ron and Neville finally released Harry. He smoothed down his robes which had wrinkled up. "Thanks, guys. If you hadn't stopped me, he would be sharing a bed next to her in that hospital wing with a few of his bones broken."
Ron glanced towards the Hall. "I think I've lost my appetite."
Harry had no desire to eat either. "Me too." They turned to Neville. "We are going to go wait by the pitch."
He nodded his farewell. "I'll go keep an eye on him for you."
"You do that." Ron said as he led Harry away. "And if he tries anything, remember, Trevor could always use a mate."
*****