I Can't Make You Love Me

by Zadia Grey

Loneliness

It took a while for Harry to finally fall asleep. All he could think about were possibilities of why his friend had completely spurned him in the common room. When he followed him up the stairs, Ron refused to say a word. It was as if Harry wasn't even there. He felt like a ghost. . .

When he did fall asleep he found himself in the same candle-lit room that had haunted his dreams since the moment he found out about his feelings for Ron. It gave him some hope in its own way. . .

He turned over to see Ron asleep next to him. Harry gave a gentle smile and ran a hand over the other's red locks. The touch caused Ron to stir and slowly open his eyes. The moment his blue eyes fell on Harry his face went cold and expressionless. Ron sat up in his place and turned over on his other side. To Harry's horror, Ron disappeared before his eyes and every candle was blown out by an in visible source.

Harry opened his eyes and looked around the dark dorm-room. His heart fell. Harry got up from his bed and quietly left the room to sit down in the common room by himself. He pointed his want at the long-dead fire and said a few choice words to bring the fire back to life and warm up the freezing room.

"Would Harry Potter like something?" came a voice at Harry's elbow.

He jumped, but then saw that it was Dobby the house-elf. "Oh, no, Dobby. I don't deserve anything," he sighed and placed his head in his hands.

"Nonsense! Nothing is too good for Harry Potter!" Dobby snapped his fingers and a blanket appeared, nicely folded, next to Harry.

"Thanks," he said while pulling the blanket around himself to block out the cold.

"Dobby is always glad to help, especially when it is Harry Potter!"

Harry laughed.

"Is something wrong, Harry Potter sir?"

"Yeah. . . I'd tell you if I knew what it was."

"Is something wrong with your Weezy again?"

Harry couldn't help but laugh at Dobby's pronunciation of Ron's name. "Yes, it's my Weezy. He just. . . blew me off today and I don't know why."

"Perhaps Harry Potter should go to sleep. Maybe everything will make since in the morning."

Harry nodded. "Of course."

Sadly, Dobby was wrong about that. Ron refused to speak to Harry and Hermione the next day. He sat with them, but didn't look at them. Ron wouldn't walk with them in the halls either, in fact, he was walking with Malfoy a good bit of the time. This made Harry's blood boil.

"I can't believe it. Malfoy of all people!" growled Hermione.

"I think I have a hunch what's going on. . ."

"Enlighten me."

"His with Malfoy now."

"I can see that!"

"No, I mean: with Malfoy. He must have gotten to him somehow, turned him against me—"

"Ahem!"

"Sorry, I mean us."

"But why?"

"You could tell I liked Ron, but couldn't tell Malfoy liked him too? Not up to your usual standards, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes went wide in shock. "I always wondered. . . But he always. . . Malfoy?"

Harry nodded.

It seamed his fears had come true since the moment Malfoy told him about his intentions for Ron. . .

A/N: Short 1, I know. Next should be longer. As a teaser, I'll say that it involves a fist fight.