Chapter Twenty-One:

Tension Relieved – Stress Increased

The next morning Draco descended the marble staircase as usual, a smile on his face and his robes in place. For some strange reason, which he couldn't figure out, he was unusually happy to go to breakfast. The group of ghosts passed by and he gave each of them a warm good-morning. The Great Hall was filled with students this morning and he passed right by the Slytherin table towards where Ron sat.

Ron was looking down as usual and he pushed his cold breakfast around his plate. Draco slid into the empty spot on the bench beside him and started forking pancakes onto his empty plate.

"G'morning, Ron." he said cheerily, trying to lighten the mood. When this didn't happen, he dropped his attitude to look over at Ron. "Ron – what's the matter today? Potter still mad at you?"

"No," Ron said glumly, pointing towards the Slytherins sitting across from them.

"Oh..." Draco muttered softly to himself as he too found himself glum. "Ron, I'm –"

But he was interrupted by the sound of Pansy Parkinson's high-pitched voice.

"Hey Malfoy!"

Draco looked up to see her and a small group of Slytherins snickering. It felt weird to be on the receiving end of his classmates.

"What do you want, Pansy?" he asked as politely as he could.

Pansy chuckled. "Why're you sitting over there?"

Draco rolled his eyes, hoping they hadn't seen. "In case you haven't noticed," he started loudly so everyone at both the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables could hear him, "I'm sitting with Ron over here. He's been eating alone for the past few days now."

Pansy snickered "Ron? Since when were you two on first-name bases with each other?"

"I think now that Potter's moved out, Malfoy's moved in," said one Slytherin. But Draco wasn't going to be mocked.

"Yeah," he started loudly. "That's it. Ron and I are a couple now. And I'll add that we're quite happy, thanks."

Ron was laughing now and grinned at Draco who gave him five. The group of Slytherins sitting before them all looked at each other stupidly as if trying to decide if Draco was kidding or not

"So," Draco said, still grinning. "Where's Hermione? I haven't seen her in a day. What's she doing – hiding?"

Ron shrugged with a smile.

"I don't know. Ever since Harry's scar hurt him –"

"His scar hurt him?" Draco asked suddenly and Ron lost his smile.

"Yeah...the other night."

Draco hadn't known this. So that was why Hermione was always somewhere... He'd looked around the night before. The most he got was a few weird looks as if to say, 'Why're you looking for her?' and no leads.

"Oh...because I have to talk to her about our project. We're almost done it."

"Oh shoot!" Ron said to himself as he slammed his fist on the table. "I still haven't finished mine! Parvati still has the textbook we're using..."

But Ron didn't have long to dwell on this because suddenly Dumbledore's voice broke through the buzzing students' and they all turned to look up at him. He was standing up at the large podium that had made its way onto the teachers' stage that week.

"Students – if I may have your attention, please." he began. The room immediately quieted. "Thank-you. I believe there has been much stress here these past few weeks with the winter break just a few more classes away."

There was some grumbling in the crowd, and then Dumbledore went on.

"I would like to say it's about time we had some more fun around here, so I'm pleased to announce Hogwarts will be hosing a dance this Friday."

There was a silence throughout the whole hall as the students took this in. Draco found himself skeptical though he knew he should be pleased instead. Why would Dumbledore suddenly announce an out of the blue dance? On second thought, he thought to himself, is that even like Dumbledore?

"Well, I shall leave it at that." Dumbledore said with his usual smile.

The hall immediately erupted into buzzing talk that was almost painful to hear. Phrases like, "A dance?" and, "All of a sudden – I don't like it..." were heard throughout the entire student body. Draco glanced over at Ron just as Pansy's voice came over the roar.

"So – you two are going then?"

Draco watched Ron go red in the ears even though it looked as though no one but them had heard. With a stern look on his face he got up from his seat and put a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Sure," he said loudly, directing it towards Pansy. "Consider it a date. Save me a dance, Ron"

And with that he exited the Hall, chin up and eyes front. The Slytherins just laughed, pointing at Ron as he got to his feet as well.

He couldn't just sit there as they laughed at him. He had a hard time deciding whether Draco had made things better or worse. Either way, this made him a ridicule. He'd probably be laughed at now, so what was the point in thinking of a real date to the dance?

A hand stopped him as he was about to exit the Hall and he almost turned around to tell whoever it was to bug off, but he was surprised to find the face was not that of a Slytherin but the face of Oliver Wood.

A mixture of shock and surprise came over him as the anger quickly subsided. He hoped he was smiling because the hurt feelings he had felt earlier were gone.

"Wood!" he said as he turned to face the now taller and darker former classmate. "Well – this is kind of a...surprise."

Wood grinned the way he usually did and nodded.

"Hello to you too, Ron," he said as he looked behind him at the chatting tables. They were mostly watching the two of them because Wood had left the teachers' table to follow Ron. "Ron – I was wondering if I could have a word with you alone."

Ron had to let this process through his brain for a moment, still watching the Slytherin students talking about him, then nodded quickly.

"Sure," he said as they started out of the Great Hall. "Why not?"

Wood nodded. "Good man."

After walking for a few minutes in silence – Ron wondering when Wood was going to start talking to him – Wood stopped at an empty classroom and opened the door. Making sure it was completely empty, he nodded to it.

"Let's talk in here."

They both went in and Wood shut the door. It was faintly light in the room, which spooked Ron a little. But Wood began talking which took his attention fast.

"Were those Slytherins bothering you?" he asked unexpectedly.

Ron blinked. "Wha – oh, no. Don't worry about it."

Wood looked into his eyes as though trying to weed out the lie in that haphazard statement then went on. "I know that Malfoy kid was talking to you. I hope he wasn't taunting you or anything because I have the power to make it stop."

Ron chuckled and shook his head. "Believe me, Wood, Draco's the last person you should be worrying about right now."

Wood gave him the look that was like asking; 'First name bases?' but shook it off.

"Right," he said as he avoided Ron's eyes. "Anyway... You know the Quidditch Finals are coming up soon?"

"In about a week, right?"

Wood nodded.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've been speaking with Dumbledore the past few days and he's agreed to letting me be the official Quidditch trainer for the Gryffindor Team." Ron looked speechless, but Wood chuckled. "I know – a little late in the game, right?"

"But still! You've got a real job working with Quidditch! Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Wood nodded with a smile.

"I'm glad someone's enthusiastic about it. Lucius Malfoy certainly wasn't. I don't even know how he found out... But, anyway. I've been watching you play – and I'll admit you've got some talent. But it could still use a bit of tweaking, if you know what I mean."

Ron nodded.

"So – what're you going to do? Train me or something?"

"For the big game." Wood finished. "I've set up a time for tomorrow evening when I can work with out. You don't have anything planned?"

Ron thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Nope. Not a thing."

"Good," Wood replied. "I want to see you tomorrow at six on the Pitch. Don't let anyone know you've got training. It's sort of a secret – okay?"

Ron grinned. He'd like to see the look on the Slytherin's faces now.

"Sure. I'll be there. Under wraps. Got it."

Before they left the classroom, Ron turned to Wood and sighed. "Thanks, Wood. That's just what I needed."

Wood smiled

"No problem, Ron."

And with that, they headed towards the Entrance Hall.