Erin sat at the Gryffindor Table holding her pounding head. "Hermione, if I ever, ever do anything this stupid again, please, curse me...I would prefer it to this."
"Trust me, you needn't ask." Hermione said in an almost motherly tone. The kind one takes when she is just slightly disappointed by a child. Nose in the air and everything. She had been so dreadfully worried, although Ron having stayed had helped very much. "If you ever do anything like that again I'll certainly do something to you!" She warned her friend.
Ron grinned. "Erin, don't worry, you're safe in our hands." The way he said it was almost threatening.
Erin gave him a look. "Where's Harry, by the way? He doesn't know does he?"
"I don't think so. I haven't seen him anyway." Hermione said, cautiously glancing around. "I think he needed to be alone."
"Probably." Erin said groaning. "If this is all I can expect for a few brief hours of release then I will never do this again..."
Ron snorted. "You'd better bloody well not do it again! You have people that care about you! You don't need to go off and do something like this!"
"I promise." Erin said laying her head down on the table. Then she heard the one voice she really did not want to hear at the moment.
"Promise what?" Harry asked as he approached the Gryffindor table that morning, for the most part not looking very well, eyes were a bit red and he looked tired.
"Nothing." Hermione chimed in. "How are you this morning Harry?" She asked trying to change the subject.
Harry looked at Erin's bowed head on the table before he took a seat. "I've been better... I'll be okay though..." He said, apparently not much for talking, but he was trying.
Erin looked up and remembered too late what she looked like with the deep circles under her blood shot eyes and her skin looking a bit pale and pasty.
Ron shoved the coffee pot over towards Erin. "Have some coffee, Erin."
Erin nodded and hastily poured herself another glass not looking at Harry.
"Ron..." Hermione began.
But Harry was staring at Erin. "What in the bloody hell happened to you?" He asked, slight worry showing up on his face now.
"It's nothing really, she just had a bad night." Hermione put in.
"Nothing involves coffee? How many thirteen year olds do you know who drink coffee?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Erin does." Hermione replied, trying to look innocent. "It wakes her up."
"Don't worry, Harry, I'm-fine." Erin held her head again as she felt dizzy. "Just fine..."
"You don't look fine to me." Harry remarked, staring at her. "Why doesn't someone just fess up and tell me the truth? What's going on?" He asked. Hermione glanced at Ron before she looked hesitantly back at Harry.
"It's nothing Harry... Erin's just getting over a little sickness from last night, but she'll be okay."
Harry glanced back at Erin. "Sick from what?"
Erin looked around at the others. "Harry, nothing really, I just got something that didn't agree with me..."
"Yeah, at all." Ron said under his breath.
It was obvious Harry didn't believe, especially with the addition of Ron's mumbling. But he decided to leave it alone for now, but if she didn't look better by midday he was going to start asking questions again.
Fred and George came in. "Hello, hello. Erin, how are you feeling? Hey, Harry, you must have been pretty worried about Erin an' all."
Ron waved his arms frantically behind Harry's back mouthing. 'No! NO!'
Hermione gave them both an evil eye, so evil that well... anyone who got it should fear for their mortal lives. 'Don't.' She mouthed at them when she was sure Harry wasn't looking.
"I must've been? I still am." He said, looking at the twins strangely.
Fred glanced at Ron and Hermione strangely. "What's wrong with you two? You're acting like Harry doesn't know about Erin getting-OW!" Ron had stomped on Fred's foot. "Ron, what did you do that for?" Fred sat down to examine his injured foot.
"Doesn't know about what?" Harry asked quickly. "What is the big bloody secret with Erin?" He demanded, looking slightly agitated. It seemed his temper was still questionable since yesterday, but especially because everyone was trying to lie about whatever was wrong with Erin and that made him a twinge angry.
Erin sighed. "Harry, I was-upset yesterday. Very upset...so I just had something to drink."
Ron looked at Erin flabbergasted. "Yeah, Erin, coffee! Lots of coffee, right?"
"I'm not a complete idiot, Ron. I know coffee doesn't exactly do this to a person." Harry said, having already known what she was getting at. "Look... and I'm sorry." Harry said, looking at Erin, his tone softening, losing its bite. "If what I said yesterday hurt you. I don't want you to hurt, but I can't take back what I said and I don't intend to." Harry said seriously. He sounded more grieved then angry now. "He is responsible for what happened to my parents. Knowing that... I can't just leave it alone. He's coming for me anyway and from the sound of it it's either him... or me. And sorry if it's selfish but I choose me." He said pretty much ignoring the fact that Fred and George were there. With that said though, he got up to leave. He needed to see Professor Lupin.
"Harry!" Erin said getting up. "Stop!"
Harry stopped halfway to the door, but didn't turn around, though he gave her time to catch up to him.
Erin caught up to him. "Look, Harry, yes, I got drunk last night. I couldn't face my problems so I got drunk." She paused trying to control herself. "But you know what? It didn't help one bit. I got drunk because I am in one of the worst positions someone can be in. Either my father is going to kill you or you will kill him. I don't really want either to happen. I can say it Harry I love you. And if it came down to it, yes, I would choose you over him. I don't want to make that decision, Harry. But it seems I have no choice. You are the most important person in my life, Harry, I don't think you know that, or if you do you don't care to know it." She shook her head and then hurried out of the castle.