Author's Note: So, I know everyone hates Seamus, but he's going to be here for the next few chapters, and he'll probably be getting a bit more action from Harry. But don't worry, so will Draco. ::sigh:: Anyway, I'm so sorry about the delay, I'm getting a new computer next month, and I'll be writing more often too. I'm leaving for three weeks on Wed. But I'll try to update again before that. Thanks everyone!
p.s. Some shameless self-advertising here: check out my new fic, Forever, and tell me what you think.
After the last class, Draco ran into his rooms, looking hassled. Spotting Harry on the couch, talking with the Snargons near the fire, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin you're here, now go out there."
Harry looked at him, startled. "What's going on?"
"Granger, Weasel, and your bloody boyfriend think I've killed you or something. They've been following me around, and if you don't tell them right now that you're not dead, I will hex them into next week!"
With a quiet laugh, Harry walked out, immediately seeing his best friends and boyfriend. They appeared to have been pounding on the wall, and he realized Draco's rooms must have Silencing Charms around them.
"Harry!" Hermione cried. "Are you all right? What did he do to you?"
"What makes you so sure he did something to me?" Harry demanded, instantly annoyed.
"Let's go back to Gryffindor and discuss this," Ron suggested, looking around the hall, where Slytherins were beginning to watch them.
"No, Ron, I want to discuss it here," Harry replied evenly.
Seamus walked over, gently but firmly grabbing his shoulder in an attempt to steer him out of the dungeons.
"No!" Harry cried, pulling away. They were gaining an audience, younger Slytherins stopping to see what was going on.
Hermione stepped over, saying under her breath, "Harry, don't be unreasonable. Let's go back to Gryffindor and we can talk about it there."
Harry looked at her, hurt and betrayal obvious in his eyes. "Mione, I'm not being unreasonable."
Again Seamus stepped in, trying to direct Harry towards Gryffindor. Hermione put a hand on his other arm, aiding Seamus's effort.
Ron started to step in, obviously not sure which side to be on. He wanted to help Harry, but did that mean bringing him back to Gryffindor or getting Seamus and Hermione to leave him alone?
On the other side of the door, the Snargons were hissing wildly. Draco looked at them worriedly, they seemed to be about to throw themselves against the wall. He stood and let them out, stepping into the hall himself.
Immediately the Snargons flew to Seamus and Hermione, looking as though they were trying to spit flames at the two. As they were still too young, all they managed was a bit of steam.
Draco was seeing red. They were supposed to be Harry's friends, and here they were, dragging him around. Harry's eyes were slightly wide, a bit panicked, and no wonder, with what he'd been through. "Get off of him!" Draco shouted.
All of them turned, startled. Draco didn't give them a chance to react as he stormed over, tearing Seamus's hand off of Harry, only slightly gentler with Hermione.
"Wha-" Seamus began but was immediately cut off as Draco rounded on Ron. "And you, Weasel, he's your best mate!"
"Mind your own business, Malfoy," Hermione snapped.
"Shut up, Mudblood!" Draco shouted furiously. Hermione's eyes widened at the name, he hadn't called her that for nearly a year.
"Ferret-face, leave her alone," Ron hollered. By now most of Slytherin was staring at them, having given up all pretense of doing anything else.
Hermione stopped him with a hand on his arm. Her eyes burned, but she refused to cry, especially here. "No, Ron," she said quietly, not quite trusting her voice. "If he would rather be among the snakes than his best friends, we'll not stop him. Come on." Without meeting Harry's eyes, she left, Ron trailing after, glancing back every so often, as though torn.
Seamus looked at Draco resentfully, not sure what to do. Harry turned to him, saying softly, "It's all right Seamus; I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Hurt mixed with the anger in his eyes as he muttered, "You know Harry, I'm beginning to think he's more your boyfriend than I am."
With a sigh, Harry looked at Draco, then back at Seamus. "I'll come with you, let me just grab my things from Draco's room, all right?"
Seamus nodded, and Harry walked back into Draco's rooms, Draco, Quentin and Miri following behind.
"You could just stay here, you know," Draco offered, his eyes still bright with anger.
"He's my boyfriend, Draco, and he has a point. I have to go," Harry gave him an apologetic smile as he picked up his books. "Thanks though. I'll see you tonight."
Nodding, the Slytherin was once again thankful for his skill in keeping a blank face. He hated seeing Harry walk away, hand discreetly tucked into the Irish git's as they made their way to Gryffindor. Waiting until they disappeared from sight, the hall already clearing of interested bystanders, Draco walked back into his rooms, the Snargons following him. Tonight.
"Look-" Both Harry and Seamus began. After an awkward pause and a quick smile, Harry said, "You can go first."
"I'm sorry, Harry. We were worried, you weren't in any classes, and no one had seen you since Potions. Malfoy left just after you, and when he finally came back, at lunch, we couldn't find you." Seamus looked at him, sweetly innocent.
"No, it's okay Seam, I should have left a note or something. It's been a rough few days, and well, the thing is," Harry studied him for a moment, wondering how much he should reveal. "Draco found me Thursday night, nearly dead, and he-well, he saved my life." It sounded so melodramatic, but he needed Seamus to understand.
"What happened Thursday?" his boyfriend asked softly, his voice hesitant, as though he wasn't sure he should be asking.
"Someone cast a spell on me, and Draco brought me to Snape." Sufficiently vague, but no lies. Good. It was best not to lie; he always managed to trap himself. "I've been seeing him in a bit of a different light."
Seamus nodded in understanding, though he wasn't sure he understood. He was beginning to realize what he'd gotten himself into dating the Boy-Who-Lived. True, he'd known Harry for seven years, but they hadn't gotten close, and the Quidditch playing teen seemed separate from the wizarding world's hero. Oh, it became more obvious in classes and such, but . . .
Once inside the Gryffindor common room, Seamus kissed Harry softly. Harry pulled back quickly, saying, "Ron, and Mione."
"Yeah," Seamus agreed, but Harry could see the disappointment in his eyes.
Instead of going to Hermione's Head Girl rooms, Harry trudged up to the dorm. He didn't want to deal with people right now, even though he'd just spent the day alone. But sleeping doesn't count, he decided.
3 wasted scrolls later, he had some semblance of a beginning to his Transfiguration essay, due Friday. Gods only knew what Snape had assigned, and Professor Sprout. He'd been so busy ignoring Seamus in Binns' class that he hadn't heard a word. Probably didn't matter though.
Finally, he threw down his quill. Screw N.E.W.T.s, he could always go be a professional Quidditch player or something. Thinking of Quidditch made him long for his broom. To be flying, free from everything . . .
He was about to grab a cloak when Ron walked in, looking guilty. "I'm sorry, mate."
"It's all right." Harry couldn't really expect his best friend to go against his girlfriend, and at least he hadn't helped. That counted for something, right?
"Where are you going?" the red-head asked, motioning towards his cloak.
"Flying," Harry answered, checking the skies again. Perhaps something a bit warmer . . .
"First you're eating dinner," Ron said firmly. When Harry looked ready to protest, he continued, "I know you haven't eaten anything today, and Mione isn't here to nag you," a small grin, "so I will. Come down to the Great Hall with us."
Harry couldn't stand the thought of food, not with his visit to Dumbledore looming ever closer. "I-" he started, but was quickly cut off.
Ron's smile faded, his expression showing worry and hopelessness. "Please, if you won't tell me what's wrong, at least let me do this much. You have to eat, Harry."
With a sigh, he agreed, following Ron out into the common room, where he was met by Seamus, Dean, and Neville. "Hi guys," he greeted, hoping his nervousness wasn't too obvious.
After a few minutes of random chatter, none of which registered in Harry's mind, they left, Dean and Lavender, Harry and Seamus, Ron and . . . "Where's Hermione?"
"She's not speaking to me," Ron answered, pretending to be unaffected. But Harry could read the anger, hurt, and bitterness in his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it."
There was a slight pause in the conversation, and then Dean jumped in with something about the Quidditch cup, and soon everyone was talking animatedly.
Harry picked at his food, sick with nerves. What if they hated him after this? What if they couldn't stand to look at him? At least he was never going back. If he saw Vernon again, while he couldn't be kicked out of Hogwarts, well . . . a single Avada Kedavra might be worth the subsequent stay in Azkaban.
He looked up, surprised to see the Great Hall half empty. Dinner was over already? Hermione hadn't even shown up, how was he supposed to tell her about the meeting with Dumbledore? Maybe he could use her absence as an excuse to delay the conversation…forever…
"Come on, mate, let's go back to Gryffindor. I'll let you beat me at wizard's chess," Ron offered.
Harry laughed as he stood, though it sounded fake even to his own ears. "Sure. Let's go."
As they were walking out of the Great Hall, Millicent Bulstrode shoved past, spilling something that looked like pumpkin juice down the front of Harry's robes. "Watch it Potter," she snarled.
"You watch it, you big oaf," Ron complained, but she was already gone. "Bloody Slytherins."
Harry nodded vaguely, wondering when the hall had started spinning. Something was wrong, he had promised to tell Miri if something was wrong hadn't he? Miri, he hissed, not noticing Ron looking at him strangely.
"Mate, are you okay? Your fire-lizard is still with Malfoy, remember?" the red head looked worriedly over at Harry, not liking the sickly pallor his skin had taken, or the dilated pupils. "Harry?"
Harry looked towards the hazy blur talking to him. It was red at the top, red-hair… "Ron?" he whispered.
"Harry? Harry what's going on?" Ron's voice was frantic, attracting the attention of the few others in the hall. Harry didn't seem to notice, though, he'd stopped and was swaying a bit, as though he couldn't keep his balance.
"Something's wrong," he tried to say, before collapsing to the ground.
Hermione, who'd been one of the onlookers, rushed forward. "We've got to get him to Madame Pomfrey!"
Ron nodded, whatever fight they'd had disappearing in an instant. He lifted Harry, wondering when his friend had lost so much weight. "Come on!"
Author's Note: So, what will Draco's reaction be? What's actually wrong? Will the meeting with Dumbledore ever take place? Where the bloody hell was Seamus during all of this? I don't actually know, so review! (ok, so I do know, but ideas are still welcome)