Harry stumbled down the corridor, leaning heavily on Ethan for support, as they made their way down into the bowels of the castle. His head lolled from side to side and his skin beaded with sweat from the sudden onslaught of hot flashes as the Inflecto potion ran its course.
Ethan dragged him across the empty common room and kicked open his bedroom door, depositing his nearly unconscious burden unceremoniously onto the rug in front of the fireplace. Harry squeezed his eyes shut against the waves of nausea washing over him and curled up into a fetal position.
Ethan stood staring down at him with barely disguised anger for a few minutes, then strode off into his private washroom.
Harry warily cracked his eyes open and stared up at the ceiling. He took a deep, calming breath as the churning in his stomach came to a stop, leaving his body feeling completely drained after the events of the day.
Ethan walked back into the room, holding a tall glass of water, and crouched down over Harry's body.
"Here, drink this."
Harry propped himself up on his elbows and put his lips to the cool glass to drink.
"Thanks," he said gratefully as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Ethan didn't return the smile. He turned and walked over to a small, mahogany table beside his four poster bed and set the empty glass down.
"Is something wrong?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Of course there's something wrong!" Ethan snapped, facing the wall.
"What?" Harry asked, pushing himself up into a sitting position.
"You were talking with Draco Malfoy!" Ethan accused, spinning around to face him.
"No, I wasn't. He was talking to me, I never said a word to him," Harry answered truthfully, surprised to see the unfamiliar expression of anger on Ethan's normally gentle face.
"Harry, I don't understand you. I thought you didn't want anything to do with Draco Malfoy anymore. I'm afraid that you'd run back to him the moment he offered."
"I would not," Harry protested weakly.
Ethan sat down on the edge of his bed with a sigh. "Come here, Harry."
Harry scrambled to his feet and sat down next to the older boy.
"Harry, listen," Ethan said, taking his hand. "I want you to be happy, no matter who you're with, but I'm afraid all Malfoy is going to do is bring you more hurt and pain. Can you honestly say that you wouldn't go back to him if you had the chance?"
Harry bit his lip and looked away. "I..."
"The sooner you realize that he won't be asking you back again, the sooner you'll be able to move on with your life."
"I'm not as naïve as you think," Harry said quietly, after a pause. "I know that I need to get over Draco, and I am trying."
"Can you promise me something?" Ethan asked seriously.
"What?"
"That you'll stop talking to him? For good?"
"I..." Harry stammered.
"It's just that I've had some bad experiences in the past with unfaithful boyfriends. I fall in love with some one and then they turn around and stab me in the back. I guess I'm just afraid that the same thing will happen with you."
Harry squeezed his hand in understanding. "I promise I won't so much as look at Malfoy again."
"Thank-you," Ethan smiled.
"I know how that feels," Harry said. "To have the loved ones in your life suddenly leave you, it happens to me all the time. At least I know you won't break my heart."
"Never," Ethan assured him as he put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him to his side.
Harry yawned and rested his head on Ethan's shoulder.
"How have you been doing lately?" Ethan asked quietly. "I mean, with losing Remus and everything?"
"I'm okay," Harry shrugged. "Mostly, I just try not to think about it."
"You can always talk to me if you want," Ethan offered.
"I know, and Ron and Hermione, too."
"If they want to talk to you," Ethan pointed out with a smile.
"What?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Well, you did just yell at them for twenty minutes for breaking up you and Malfoy."
Harry lifted his head and his eyes widened in alarm.
"What? I did? I...don't remember. I remember being angry...for some reason..."
"You don't remember them confessing to you?"
"They...confessed?" Harry asked in shock. "I wasn't feeling well...I don't remember, I..."
"They confessed and you said that they weren't your friends anymore," Ethan explained.
"I can't believe..." Harry shook his head, trying to piece together the fragmented images of the day's events. "You were there, too?"
"Why don't you lie down and get some sleep? It'll help clear your head, and I'll just pop down to the Great Hall and bring us back some dinner."
"Yeah..." Harry agreed distractedly.
Ethan stood and helped him to remove his shoes and tuck him comfortably into his large bed. Harry laid his head back against the soft pillows and closed his eyes, falling fast asleep.
Ethan smiled down at him, then left his room for the Great Hall.
* * * * * * * *
"Ah, come in, Severus." Dumbledore looked up from his desk with a smile.
Snape nodded in greeting and sat down in one of the chairs opposite the headmaster.
"Is this a social call or is there something on your mind?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.
"I'm here to talk about Ethan Fiori."
"Is there a problem with him?"
Snape shifted in his chair and leaned back against the red cushion. "He dropped my advanced potions class."
"I hardly think that that is grounds for punishment," Dumbledore smiled. "Seventh year students change their minds all the time about which classes to take, finding that they either want to pursue other interests or that they don't have an affinity for it after all."
"This one is different, Albus," Snape spoke firmly. "He showed an incredible talent for potion making on his first day, then all of a sudden he started sitting at the back of the room and missing classes all together."
"And you want me to urge him to return to your class?" Dumbledore asked.
"I think he is avoiding me...on purpose."
"Avoiding you? For what reason?"
"I'm not sure," Snape sighed with a shake of his head. "But I've seen him turn around and head the other way when he sees me coming in the corridors."
"Are you sure you're not being paranoid?"
"No," Snape leaned forward. "There is something strange about that boy. The more I watch him, the more I think there is something...familiar about him."
"Familiar?"
Snape nodded.
"Do you think he is somehow connected to Voldemort?"
"Again, I'm not sure."
Dumbledore looked sceptical.
"I started to think that I was over reacting as well, but now I see that he has developed a friendship with, Potter. I do not think that it's a coincidence."
The headmaster rested his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers together as he thought.
"I've only ever seen him be extremely kind to Harry, or anyone else, for that matter," he said aloud.
"I just think we should keep an eye on him," Snape said with a frown.
"Hmm..." Dumbledore stood and walked over to the window to gaze out.
Professor Snape watched the headmaster patiently as the old man thought in silence, the setting sun casting an orange hue over his thin frame.
"Alright." Dumbledore turned. "I would like you to keep an eye on his actions, just to be on the safe side."
"Good."
Snape rose from his chair and nodded in farewell before sweeping out.
Dumbledore retrieved Ethan's records from his files and sat down with a weary sigh. Fawkes came to rest on his knee and he stroked him absently as he reviewed the boy's history again.
* * * * * * * * *
Harry slowly opened his eyes and gazed blearily up at the green drapes surrounding him before giving a big yawn and stretching beneath the warm layer of blankets on Ethan's bed. He sat up with a smile when he realized that he felt completely back to normal again.
He pushed open the bed hangings and reached for his glasses on the bedside table. The dim room came into focus and he suddenly noticed that he was wearing black, silk pyjamas. He smiled as he fingered the smooth material, wondering where Ethan was and cursing the dungeons for not having any windows to judge the time of day by.
He slipped out of bed and spied a tray of food sitting on a table by the cooling hearth.
"Harry, you're awake."
Harry turned and grinned as Ethan entered his room from the outside hallway.
"Have something to eat," he offered, as he shut the door behind him.
Harry flopped into one of the cozy armchairs and picked up the steaming bowl of shepherd's pie, digging into it greedily.
Ethan sat in the opposite chair and watched him.
"What time is it?" Harry asked around a mouthful of potato.
Ethan wrinkled his nose with a smile. "It's nearly nine-thirty."
"Wow," Harry swallowed. "I've been asleep for almost four hours."
"Feel better?"
"Much," Harry smiled.
Harry continued to polish off his dinner as Ethan flipped through one of his school books.
"I had a dream about you while I was sleeping," Harry said later, as he put down his empty bowl and took a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Really?" Ethan looked up in amusement. "What was it about?"
"It was very short and boring. You were talking to someone through the fireplace, I couldn't see who, but the weird part was you were speaking in French and I don't know any French at all."
"That is weird," Ethan said as he glanced back at his book.
"Maybe it means I want you to speak French more often," Harry smiled.
"Vous excite-t-il, Harry?"
"What does that mean?"
"Just answer yes or no," Ethan smiled.
"Er, yes?"
Ethan laughed.
"What did I just say yes to?" Harry demanded with a grin.
"Never mind," Ethan smirked.
Harry shook his head and placed his empty glass back onto the tray. "I guess I'd better be getting back to my dorm," he said reluctantly.
"Do you want some company?" Ethan asked, rising to follow Harry as he walked to the door.
"No, I'll be fine. I'll return your pyjamas to you tomorrow."
"No, keep them. They look better on you anyway."
"Liar," Harry smiled.
Ethan handed Harry his bundle of clothes, then touched his hand to his cheek affectionately. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Harry Potter. You're very good looking."
Harry blushed, pleased.
"In fact, you're irresistible."
Ethan leaned down and gently brushed Harry's lips with his own.
"Good-night," he whispered.
"Good-night," Harry breathed, opening his eyes again.
Harry opened the door and walked out, a silly smile still on his face. He dropped his shoes to the ground and slipped them on before continuing up the hall, passing a few shocked Slytherins along the way.
He emerged into a thankfully empty common room and proceeded out the portrait hole. He passed a few more Slytherins heading into the dungeons as he made his way up towards the Entrance Hall. Just at the end of the last corridor, he spotted the platinum, blond head of Draco walking towards him in the opposite direction. He was flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle, who were still stuffing their faces with extra cookies from dinner.
Harry tightened his arms around his bundle of clothes, lifted his chin, and walked by without so much as a glance in his direction.
Draco studied Harry out of the corner of his eye as he passed by, and almost stopped dead to stare after him in shock. His gray eyes swept over the black, silken pyjamas, flushed face, and messy hair, and he felt a sudden stab in his heart. He knew Harry had gone to the Slytherin dorms with Ethan, but that had been hours ago. Then he emerges looking...well, looking like someone who had definitely gotten over their last boyfriend.
Draco frowned sadly and followed his friends on towards the Slytherin dorms.
Harry continued his journey to Gryffindor Tower and gave the password to the Fat Lady, he stepped inside and was met by an icy silence from the few students still congregated in the warm room.
He ignored them and quickly climbed the stairs to his dorm, hoping to find Ron so he could talk to him about what had happened earlier and maybe help fill in the gaps of his memory. There had to be some other explanation for...
He paused outside the boy's sixth year door, hearing loud voices within. He heard his name and quickly pressed his ear to the wood to listen.
"...want revenge on, Harry?"
Hermione's voice.
"Because he dated, Malfoy-"
Ron.
"But why-"
"Hermione, he slept with a Slytherin! What other reason do you need?"
Harry jumped at the sudden shout.
"Ron, calm down."
"I'm sorry, it's just that he makes me so angry."
"I know, I'm so disgusted with the whole thing."
Tears began to obscure his vision as Harry listened to his friends on the other side of the door.
"What are we going to do?" Ron asked.
"I don't know how yet, but the first thing we have to do is separate Harry from Ethan."
"Agreed."
"It won't be as easy as it was with, Malfoy. Ethan doesn't seem to care at all if everyone knows about their relationship."
"Which is going to make it all the harder for us to convince Harry that he's bad for him, even with all of Gryffindor..."
Harry strained to hear as their voices became suddenly lower, as if they were walking further away.
"...potion to affect his judgment."
Harry gasped quietly.
"Do you think Dumbledore knows?"
"I'm not sure. Hopefully he doesn't find out or else..."
"...we could get him expelled."
Harry gritted his teeth together in betrayed anger and pressed closer. The door creaked loudly as he pushed against it.
"What was that?" Hermione asked from inside.
Harry turned and bolted down the stairs, rushing past other Gryffindors, and pushing through the portrait hole.
Ron opened the door and glanced out into the deserted hallway.
"No one's there," he proclaimed, closing the door again.
He crossed the room and sat back down on the window ledge, facing Hermione who was sitting cross-legged on his trunk.
"Do you really think we could get Ethan expelled?" Ron asked.
"If we can get some evidence to prove that he's manipulating Harry, then yes I think it's possible," Hermione answered matter-of-factly.
"I just hope we're right..."
"Ron, you know what he called me. I know there's something going on."
Ron nodded and glanced at his bedside clock. "It's getting late, we should get some sleep."
Hermione stood and yawned as if in agreement.
"I wonder where Harry is?" Ron asked anxiously.
"I hope he's okay."
* * * * * * * * *
Harry sat huddled under the sinks in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, tears streaming down his face.
"Ethan was right all along," he choked. "I can't believe they'd do this to me..."
Harry buried his face in his arms and cried over the end of the famous Gryffindor Trio, of the friends he thought he'd known so well, and who he'd thought would always be there for him no matter what.
The clouds parted and washed the girl's lavatory in moonlight, where Harry remained for hours until finally falling asleep on the tiled floor.