Chapter 13:
(For those trying to keep tabs on days: it is three days later so it is now June the 12th)
There was three sharp knocks on the door that interrupted Harry's reading.
"Come in." He called and marked his page by folding the corner over and closed the book, setting it down on the bed next to him as the door opened and revealed Draco Malfoy.
"Hello" Harry greeted. Wondering if the other boy really wanted to be here.
"Hi, how was your weekend?" Draco asked, closing the door behind him. If Harry didn't know any better, Malfoy would have come off as sounding sincere. Harry shrugged.
"Boring." He answered and added "They keep me shut up in this room as if to hide me from the world." Harry watched as Malfoy looked away and stared at the floor for a minute.
"I'm sure that's not why." He finally stated. Harry shrugged slightly in a dismissive gesture.
"So, what's there to do around here?" Draco asked, changing the subject.
"You're asking me?" I've been passing my time reading books."
"There has to be something." Malfoy concluded, and Harry looked at him skeptically.
"Know how to play chess?" He asked.
"You're asking the wrong person." Harry stated with a slight laugh.
"Err, sorry. I guess the appropriate question would be, do you want to find out if you know how to play chess?"
"Why not. I haven't seen any chess-"
"Oh, I brought my portable set." Draco answered. "I figured they probably didn't have one around here or you wouldn't know even if they did." Malfoy said and took a small, thick square out of his pocket and unfolded it to a full size chess board and pieces on the bed between the two.
"Cool." Harry said, looking impressed.
"Yeah" Malfoy said tiredly.
They set the board up and Malfoy quickly explained what each piece did and how it moved, and whatever else there was to know about how to play chess. Harry found he actually did know how to play chess and was ok at the game.
Hermione sat in the Potter's home, watching everyone around her. She was wearing her dress robes so she fit in with everyone else. She hadn't seen many of the people she knew yet; besides the adults who all offered their condolences to Lily and James and then stood around talking.
She sat on the sofa, lost in her thoughts. I know Harry's alive. He has to be. But if he was alive, how come he did not try and contact me, his parents, Ron, Sirius, Remus, anyone? Maybe he's hurt. She reasoned. Or maybe, he's really gone and you have to face that fact.
"Hey." Hermione looked up and saw her friend, Ronald Weasly standing there. His red hair was brushed neatly and he wore the same dress robes he always wore.
"Hi." Hermione greeted and Ron sat down next to her. "It's hard to believe we're sitting here, saying goodbye to a friend." She said, and looked down at the floor.
"Yeah." Ron said and looked over at her. "With all the things we've been thought, it seems…"
"Surreal?" Hermione finished, and Ron looked back at her puzzled momentarily.
"Yeah, I guess." He answered. They sat in silence for a moment. Almost everyone was there now; even the people that barely knew Harry. It made Hermione seethe in anger to no end. What right did they have to be here?
"They're going to start." Another voice said and Hermione looked up to see Mrs. Weasly standing there. She nodded, slightly wondering when she approached them and stood up from her seat, straightening and smoothing down her robes. Ron also stood up and they made their way through the home to the backyard where the memorial service will take place.