Chapter 4: Draco Malfoy
"Croaking toads," Harry muttered to the Fat Lady, before slipping inside the warm common room. He quickly glanced around for any sight of Hermione, though he knew it was in vain. Granted, he wanted to see her very badly, because she was, after all, one of his best friends. But he knew Ron was really the upset one. He seemed to be thinking the worse, whereas Harry just figured she got delayed. "Heya, Harry!" exclaimed Neville Longbottom, as Harry joined him on a sofa by the fire. "Hi," said Harry. "What's the matter? Poison pumpkin juice at supper? Those ghosts get a laugh out of everything, eh?" Neville asked, struggling to keep his pet toad in his hands. "Nah. It's nothing like that," answered Harry, with a sigh. "Well, I won't tell. I swear!" Neville, being the forgetful boy that he was, could probably be trusted with this oath, as he most likely wouldn't remember what Harry was going to tell him in the first place. "It's not a secret. It's just that Hermione hasn't returned yet. Nothing big." "Oh. Well, how come you look so down? I would expect Ron to be the worried one." "Well, she's my friend, too. He's upset, but don't I have a right to be as well?" "Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... well... you know. They're just so... close, I suppose." Neville shrugged. "Well, I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow." "Yeah, see you," answered Harry, as Neville stood up and disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Harry stretched out on the sofa and stared at the fire until only its ashes remained. He reckoned thinking so much was probably unhealthy, but he convinced himself it was only to pass the time. He was actually only waiting for Ron to come up. He sat up and glanced at his watch. Midnight, and still no Ron. Had he missed him too? He decided to use his trusty Invisibility Cloak to find Ron, because he wasn't sure his best friend was in his right mind at the moment. In fact, he was getting quite worried about Ron's non-existent return. He hurried up to the dormitory and brought his dad's old Invisibility Cloak back down to the common room. Slipping it over his head and proceeding into the corridor (after a nasty "Hey! Who's there?!" from the Fat Lady), Harry set off to find his friend. He figured Ron probably wasn't by the Great Hall again, due to the fact that he would've gotten caught outside the dormitories at this time of night. Instead, he headed off toward the Astronomy Tower. Ron and Hermione loved to go there often, so Harry was pretty proud of his logic. Why hadn't he come back to the common room? Was he unconscious? Delusional? Had he run away? Was he trying to avoid everyone? Harry's mind raced with possibilities. Ron wasn't the type to just take off and not come back for hours without telling anyone. That was Harry's job. Anticipation grew in his mind as he thought of everything that could have happened to Ron. Was he hurt? Was he in trouble? Suddenly, a dark figure smashed into him and knocked his glasses off. "Ooof!" Harry muttered, as he lost his balance. "Sorry," came another voice in front of him. Harry rubbed his head, replaced his glasses upon his nose, and removed the Invisibility Cloak. "Who's there?" he asked the darkness. "It depends. Who are you?" came an awfully familiar voice. "Malfoy??" "What's it to you?" said Malfoy, lighting his wand and standing up. "What are you doing out of bed at this time of night?" Harry asked, joining him on his feet. "The same could be asked of you, Potter." "Well... I'll tell you if you tell me." "Oh please. I was looking for that so-called Prefects' bathroom. I heard it was the place to be. Care to join me?" Malfoy answered sarcastically. "Prefects' bathroom?" "I was kidding..." "Oh. Well, I was looking for my friend, Ron. You'd be some nice company, would you mind coming with me?" Harry was alarmed that these words had actually been spoken. Was he even thinking that? Malfoy joining him to look for Ron? Where on earth did that come from? "You're joking, right?" Malfoy replied. "Er..."
"Croaking toads," Harry muttered to the Fat Lady, before slipping inside the warm common room. He quickly glanced around for any sight of Hermione, though he knew it was in vain. Granted, he wanted to see her very badly, because she was, after all, one of his best friends. But he knew Ron was really the upset one. He seemed to be thinking the worse, whereas Harry just figured she got delayed. "Heya, Harry!" exclaimed Neville Longbottom, as Harry joined him on a sofa by the fire. "Hi," said Harry. "What's the matter? Poison pumpkin juice at supper? Those ghosts get a laugh out of everything, eh?" Neville asked, struggling to keep his pet toad in his hands. "Nah. It's nothing like that," answered Harry, with a sigh. "Well, I won't tell. I swear!" Neville, being the forgetful boy that he was, could probably be trusted with this oath, as he most likely wouldn't remember what Harry was going to tell him in the first place. "It's not a secret. It's just that Hermione hasn't returned yet. Nothing big." "Oh. Well, how come you look so down? I would expect Ron to be the worried one." "Well, she's my friend, too. He's upset, but don't I have a right to be as well?" "Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... well... you know. They're just so... close, I suppose." Neville shrugged. "Well, I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow." "Yeah, see you," answered Harry, as Neville stood up and disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Harry stretched out on the sofa and stared at the fire until only its ashes remained. He reckoned thinking so much was probably unhealthy, but he convinced himself it was only to pass the time. He was actually only waiting for Ron to come up. He sat up and glanced at his watch. Midnight, and still no Ron. Had he missed him too? He decided to use his trusty Invisibility Cloak to find Ron, because he wasn't sure his best friend was in his right mind at the moment. In fact, he was getting quite worried about Ron's non-existent return. He hurried up to the dormitory and brought his dad's old Invisibility Cloak back down to the common room. Slipping it over his head and proceeding into the corridor (after a nasty "Hey! Who's there?!" from the Fat Lady), Harry set off to find his friend. He figured Ron probably wasn't by the Great Hall again, due to the fact that he would've gotten caught outside the dormitories at this time of night. Instead, he headed off toward the Astronomy Tower. Ron and Hermione loved to go there often, so Harry was pretty proud of his logic. Why hadn't he come back to the common room? Was he unconscious? Delusional? Had he run away? Was he trying to avoid everyone? Harry's mind raced with possibilities. Ron wasn't the type to just take off and not come back for hours without telling anyone. That was Harry's job. Anticipation grew in his mind as he thought of everything that could have happened to Ron. Was he hurt? Was he in trouble? Suddenly, a dark figure smashed into him and knocked his glasses off. "Ooof!" Harry muttered, as he lost his balance. "Sorry," came another voice in front of him. Harry rubbed his head, replaced his glasses upon his nose, and removed the Invisibility Cloak. "Who's there?" he asked the darkness. "It depends. Who are you?" came an awfully familiar voice. "Malfoy??" "What's it to you?" said Malfoy, lighting his wand and standing up. "What are you doing out of bed at this time of night?" Harry asked, joining him on his feet. "The same could be asked of you, Potter." "Well... I'll tell you if you tell me." "Oh please. I was looking for that so-called Prefects' bathroom. I heard it was the place to be. Care to join me?" Malfoy answered sarcastically. "Prefects' bathroom?" "I was kidding..." "Oh. Well, I was looking for my friend, Ron. You'd be some nice company, would you mind coming with me?" Harry was alarmed that these words had actually been spoken. Was he even thinking that? Malfoy joining him to look for Ron? Where on earth did that come from? "You're joking, right?" Malfoy replied. "Er..."