CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Just Friends
"Here you go, Miss Granger," said Madame Pomfrey, handing her a small beaker filled with a dull gray liquid. "You can tell Professor Snape that it would have kind of him to inform me that so many of his students would be needing my skin regenerative potion. I'm going to have to make another batch at this rate."
She hurried off to start checking on the few patients she had lying in the hospital wing without giving Hermione a chance to say thank you.
"Don't feel bad. At least you've given me something to do now," Ginny said brightly, who had been watching the exchange. "What do you need it for anyways?"
"Snape wants us to be able to take apart the potion molecule by molecule to determine what magical properties and ingredients are in it," Hermione answered her. "He says something similar will be on the NEWTS."
A loud groan sounded from several feet away followed by a pained voice saying, "I think my sight has been permanently damaged. Now what will I do with all those Quidditch prospects?"
"He's been doing that since yesterday," Ginny said in a hushed tone, staring down where the curtains were closed around a single bed. "There was so much blood and bruising that I could hardly even tell it was Malfoy. As soon as he regained consciousness he was demanding to speak to his father. I think he's going to press charges."
"He won't," Hermione said with a surge of confidence she didn't quite feel. "He won't want it to become public knowledge that Harry beat him within an inch of his life and he didn't get one swing in."
Ginny still wasn't convinced. "He was in pretty rough shape. Madame Pomfrey doesn't think they'll be any lasting damage but she wants to keep him here for a few extra days just to be sure."
Malfoy was still making the occasional moaning noise when he wasn't locked in conversation with whom Hermione suspected was Crabbe and Goyle. "I don't think Harry meant to go quite so far," she said in her friend's defense.
Ginny's expression darkened. "I think he did. I've never seen him so – so – "
"Out of control?"
"I was going to say crazy."
That was the only word she could think of that described Harry's behaviour. She had seen him angry many times, and she thought she had experienced the worst of his temper, but that obviously wasn't the case. And what had it accomplished anyways? Malfoy wasn't likely to change his views on her or her family even in death. Harry had just played right into his hand. Though she was sure Malfoy hadn't been expecting the severe beating he had gotten.
"He's not allowed contact with anyone for two weeks," Hermione told her, declining to comment on Ginny's last remark. "He came back to Gryffindor Tower to pack his things and then he was gone."
"A small part of me can't help but feel happy for what he did because he was defending me. That's sick, isn't it?"
"Harry's a lot of things but he's not a monster. He still cares for you a lot more then he would like, even if he won't say it."
"I appreciate what you're trying to do, Hermione, but I don't need any cheering up in the Harry department," Ginny said to her. "I should probably check with Madame Pomfrey and see if she wants me to get started on that skin regenerative potion."
She left for Madame Pomfrey's office, not wanting to give Hermione a chance to say any more. As far as she was concerned, Harry was an off-limit topic. It never got her anywhere discussing him, except for a loss of concentration and one gigantic headache.
There was no reason for Hermione to stay after that. She hadn't meant to chase Ginny away, but in her mind she and Harry were being beyond stupid. Harry would of course kill her if he knew what she had said, but the two of them were so deep in denial she felt she had to speak up. Ron would tell her not to get involved, largely because Ginny was his sister and didn't want to see her mixed up with Harry again, but she wasn't interfering, not really. There wasn't any harm in speaking a few truthful statements, was there?
On her way out of the hospital wing she had to pass by Malfoy's bed. She noticed then she hadn't heard him complain in awhile. In fact, there didn't seem to be any noise coming from behind the drawn curtains, but she knew Crabbe and Goyle still had to be there because she had not seen them leave.
She moved to the edge of the curtains and listened.
"Father will take care of Potter when he becomes Headmaster here, but that's not soon enough for me," Malfoy was saying in a voice barely above a whisper. "He'll pay for this."
"What are you going to do?" It sounded like Goyle asking.
"I haven't figured that out yet, but I'll make sure he suffers. I'm going to knock him off that high horse of his for good, now that Dumbledore's around to protect him anymore."
Hermione quickly drew away from the curtains at the sound of scraping chairs. She hurried out of the hospital wing before they could notice her presence. She had known Malfoy wouldn't stand idle and let Harry off the hook, but it sounded like it was a lot more then simple revenge he was planning. For Harry's sake, she was glad he was locked away somewhere safe in the castle.
On Harry's fourth day of isolation, McGonagall informed him during their one-on-one Transfiguration lesson that he would be allowed to attend Lupin's extra Defense class if he wished. With no outside contact, except with that of his professors and the house elf that brought him his meals, he had been craving human contact, and this was his chance. He thought McGonagall looked a bit sorry for him, but she started the Transfiguration lesson before he could be sure.
In the early evening, the Headmistress came by to escort him to the Great Hall. He found he was extremely nervous at the prospect of walking into a room full of people who had last seen him beating another student mercilessly almost to the point of unconsciousness.
He had been wondering what he would do if he saw Malfoy there, but along the way McGonagall had explained that the opportunity for extra Defense lessons was so popular that Lupin was having to do it two nights a week. On this night, he was seeing Gryffindor and Hufflepuff at seven o'clock, and the next night it would be Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Harry had a feeling the Gryffindors and Slytherins had been separated on purpose.
McGonagall left him at the entrance to the Great Hall, telling him that Professor Lupin would escort him back to his room at the end of the lesson. Harry almost wished it could have been Snape escorting him back. He could tell during his private Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons that Lupin was severely disappointed in him. He never mentioned the incident, but Harry could read the disappointment in his eyes clearly. Lupin was the only person who made him feel guilty about what he had done, and he wished now he could go back and stop himself from giving in to Malfoy's taunts so easily.
It wasn't the first time that he walked into a room causing almost a hushed silence to fall. He ignored the stares and whispering behind hands as best he could. He tried not to make it too obvious that he was heading over to Ron and Hermione, who were already partnered up.
"All right, I want everyone to think of this as a review class," Lupin began, calling them all to order. "With your partners, I want you to start working on anything you're having trouble with. I'll come around to each pair in turn and offer any assistance."
"How you doing, mate?" Ron asked, as equally surprised as the rest to see him.
"All right," Harry lied. He saw Lupin was watching them, and decided he better move on and find a partner.
He was moving off when Hermione jammed a folded piece of parchment into his hand. She mouthed don't read it here before turning back to Ron. More than a little puzzled, Harry obliged and slid the paper into his trouser pocket.
Harry was one of the few people still without a partner, but he was sure the students without one would have gladly worked alone then with him. He felt like he was back in second year when no one wanted to go near him because they had all thought he was the Heir of Slytherin.
He was scanned the room looking for Neville or any other yet un-partnered person from Gryffindor, and found himself stumbling into the person crossing in front of his path. Before he could stammer out an apology, Ginny was already moving on.
"Need a partner?" He asked, moving quickly to stop her.
She looked at him hesitantly and he was sure she was going to say 'no', when she gave a quick nod of her head. Together they moved to a spot in the room where there was ample space to practice in.
"Malfoy was released today," she said, taking out her wand.
Harry took out his own wand, but was silent because he wasn't sure what she expected him to say to that.
"You must be pretty pleased with yourself. Half of Gryffindor thinks you're a hero."
"Why are you attacking me? I never said I was proud of what I did."
Ginny didn't have an answer for him. She honestly had no idea why she was attacking him. Maybe it was because she had gotten so used to their conversations ending badly that she wanted to get the upper hand for once. Strangely enough, it didn't seem like he wanted to fight with her.
"I want to show you something," he said, dropping his voice so no one would overhear. "I meant to do it earlier but, well, things happened."
"Harry, we can't just walk out of here," she said, slightly exasperated at what he was suggesting. "Someone will notice us."
"I don't think they will," he said, looking around. Everyone seemed to be so engrossed in what they were doing to even pay them any attention. "We'll be back before anyone notices we're gone," he promised.
He gave her one last pleading look and she gave in.
They used the students as a cover to sneak out of the Great Hall unnoticed by Professor Lupin. She wanted to ask where they were going, but decided against it in case their voices carried. Harry was already in enough trouble as it was without someone finding out he sneaking around the castle with her.
When he opened the door to a broom closet and told her to get inside, she couldn't suppress her curiousity any longer. When she heard the door click shut behind them, she said, "Harry, this is closet. Can you tell me what we're doing here?"
He chose not to answer her. She watched as he reached around some cleaning supplies to pull out a loose brick from the wall. He tapped it twice with his wand before putting it back. She was clueless as to what he had just done, when a doorway made out of the same bricks on the wall appeared and swung open. Her mouth fell open and she stood there completely stunned.
"Come on," he urged, leading the way through the narrow tunnel.
When they reached the comfortably decorated common room, Ginny was still staring around in awe.
"Lupin showed us this place," he said, watching her. "He used to come here when he was at Hogwarts, and he thought we could use it."
She interpreted 'us' to be him, Ron, and Hermione. "It's so cozy," she said looking at the roaring fire. "But why did you bring me here?"
Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "You've been helping with the research. You have as much a right to use it as I do. And it looks like I won't be using it for awhile."
She was speechless. She hadn't been expecting this kindness from him, but she promised herself not to read too much into it.
Scratching the back of his head, Harry indicated back towards the way they had come. "We should probably get back."
She followed him through the tunnel again and back to the broom closet. When they were in the close confinements of the closet, she leaned close to his ear and said, "thanks."
Before she could stop herself, she leaned forwards and kissed his cheek. Feeling encouraged when he didn't look repulsed or shove her away, she leaned forward again, this time kissing him on the mouth. Harry's reaction was instantaneous. He claimed her lips in response, reaching behind her back to pull her closer and sending shockwaves of electricity through both their bodies. But just as quickly as it had started it was over. The second Harry realized what he was doing, he gently grabbed her arms and pushed her away.
Clearing his throat he said, "you should go first. If someone asks where you were just say in the loo." He wouldn't look at her, but with the dim lighting in the closet from their wands she could see his cheeks were flushed. She had a feeling her face was in a similar condition.
Ginny opened the door and walked back out into the corridor. No matter how bad she wanted to she forced herself not to look back at Harry. How was it that being alone with him for ten minutes could cause her to lose all sense of reasoning? Even knowing it was a mistake she could not afford to let happen again, she was finding it hard not to think that maybe Hermione was right. She tried reasoning that even if Hermione was right, she would be able to handle simply being Harry's friend – and nothing more.