Disclaimer: I don't own HP or any of these characters. That belongs to JKR, Scholastic Books, Warner Brothers, etc.
Chapter Thirty Six : Open The Door
Harry ached. He was sore and bruised in places he didn't know existed, and that wasn't in a good sense. Quidditch practice had been brutal as late, given that their next opponent was Puddlemere United, who wasn't known for losing games. Harry rather thought that he had more motivation than most to defeat that particular team.
He hadn't like the feeling of being rejected at all. And having the chance to prove to that team that they shouldn't have turned him away – well, Harry was bound and determined to catch the Snitch first. They would win, and he'd do almost anything to make that happen. His teammates felt much the same way, complaining loudly to him of how Puddlemere had lorded that last lost over them. Evidently, the other team wasn't known for being very gracious winners and no one wanted to have to deal with all that yet again. Though Harry did hope that the training practices became less strenuous right before the match. He didn't think it would be a good idea have to play Puddlemere while everyone was still sore and aching.
Sighing to himself, Harry shoved his things into his bag from his locker. He wished he could leave everything in there over night, instead of bringing them with him, but the first (and last) time he had done it, there had been several witches caught trying to break into the Arrows locker room. He blushed as he remembered that incident. Evidently a pair of his boxers would have been dearly loved by some of those witches. Thankfully, it hadn't hit the news, otherwise Hermione would have hit the roof. Which would have been awful considering she was already upset with him at the time. Ever since then, Harry had made a habit of bringing everything with him at night.
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise for them to move back to Hogwarts because of Hermione's job. Certainly, the wards on it were stronger than the wards on their flat, despite Harry's best efforts to make its security as strong as possible. He wouldn't have wanted to deal with unexpected visitors, if it ever got out where exactly he lived. He hoped that eventually it would all die down, as the Wizarding world moved on to its next hero.
Of course, the last time he had voiced that wish to Hermione she had rather caustically remarked that was unlikely to happen as long as he was setting witches' hearts afire with desire with the way he performed on the Quidditch pitch. He hated to admit it, but she was probably right. But then, Hermione was usually right.
Shrugging his bag on to his shoulder, Harry trotted towards the exit, nodding at other players as he passed them. A couple of them were going out again tonight, which once again had prompted jokes about how Harry was all but married, the way he went straight home every night. If he were completely honest, he did miss going out places with Hermione, but he didn't want to risk her in any possible way. It was bad enough the way she had insisted on going to the last game. He could hardly play for the distraction and worry she caused. But maybe she did need to get out more often. Harry knew that he'd be going mad if he was confined to Hogwarts. He thought about taking her out to see a movie later that night. If he held her hand the whole time, she couldn't go anywhere with out him – or so he hoped. It was something that he had latched on to after that conversation with Ron, and it might be time to put that notion to the test. Harry nodded to himself, deciding that he would ask Hermione if she would like to go out somewhere once he returned home.
"Looking bad as always, Potter," a male voice drawled out mockingly to his side as he exited. Harry didn't have to look to know who it was. It was, after all, a voice he had loathed and detested throughout his years at Hogwarts.
"Sod off, Malfoy," he replied and continued to walk on.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Potter, but I don't share your interests." Malfoy fell into step beside Harry, and he was tempted to start walking faster. But that would be childish and more to the point, it would make him look stupid. Malfoy, unfortunately, could keep up with him when it came to walking. The damn bastard was taller than him.
"You could have fooled me," Harry shot back. No matter what Malfoy said now, Harry knew that he had wanted Hermione. Not that he could blame the other wizard for wanting her, but he could blame the bastard for trying. "Did you just come here to prove what a sore loser you can be? Or was there some other reason?"
"Actually, I came to see what a loser who is so stupid he doesn't know that he's lost looks like," was the response.
Harry had no idea what Malfoy was going on about. They hadn't lost a single match yet, though everyone was betting on Puddlemere against them. Besides, at least he had a spot on a professional Quidditch team. And that was worth noting aloud. "At least, I got on a team, Malfoy. And in case you haven't noticed, we've not lost to any team—"
"Yet," Malfoy added sharply. "But I wasn't referring to that." He stopped in his tracks momentarily to regard Harry. "You really don't know, do you? What a pity. You should have known better, after the way she treated both of us."
Now that was a hint that Harry understood. He whirled around in anger. "Don't you dare talk about Hermione that way!"
"It looks like I've hit a nerve. And I'm only talking about the truth. Don't you like the truth? I thought all you bloody Gryffindors were obsessed with the truth, no matter how painful it is." He dropped his voice even lower. "And it is painful, isn't it?"
"Painful to look at you? Yes, it is. You never were easy on the eyes."
Malfoy scowled at him. "Honestly, Potter. One would think that your insults would improve as you got older and wiser. But that's right. You never do learn. That's one of your hallmarks."
"And one of your hallmarks is having nothing better to do with yourself than to bully others. Though I am used to seeing Crabbe and Goyle with you. Where are they? Did they decide to run off together, leaving poor little you alone?" Harry smiled maliciously. "That's it, isn't it? You're lonely. Sorry, Malfoy, but I'm not interested. I don't swing that way."
"Fuck you, Potter—"
"No thank you," Harry said quickly before Malfoy could continue. He started to walk off, determined to leave the arsehole behind him. Really, one would think that he'd find something better to do with his time than bug him. It was very pathetic, come to think of it. Maybe that was why Hermione had been nice to him. Harry and Ron had always thought that she was a bit too soft for her own good.
Harry could feel Malfoy stomping after him. "If I want your company, Potter," he spat out, "it would only be because misery loves company. How does it feel, Potter? To be dumped by that bitch?"
That was it. Harry dropped his bag and spun around, his fist swinging out as he did so. His fist met Malfoy's nose just as Malfoy caught up with him, sending the wanker to the ground. It was sweet.
Harry didn't have long to savor his victory, however, Malfoy quickly regained his senses, and kicked upwards, hitting Harry's leg. Harry stepped aside, to avoid being kicked in the groin, while sneering at Malfoy's miss. That was all Malfoy needed to get back on his feet, and before he knew what was happening, he was fending off blows from Malfoy. Harry fought back, with all the frustration he had felt during his school years feeding into his blows. He caught Malfoy right across the stomach, even as his glasses were knocked off, and he swung again to blacken the bastard's eye, and then again to—
"Stop that!" Suddenly Ron was in front of him, trying to separate the two of them. "There's a time and a place, Harry. Yeah, he's a bastard who needs a good beating, but not in public! What would Hermione say?"
Malfoy stood wheezing several feet away from them. He looked up as Ron mentioned Hermione. "She'd probably said," he gasped out, "that it was a good thing she dumped Potter for Krum."
"What?" Ron exclaimed. For a moment, Harry thought that Ron was going to go after Malfoy himself.
As for how Harry felt – it sucked out all the air from him and made him turn white. That blow was more effective than any of those landed by Malfoy before.
"It's true. Go to the Leaky Cauldron and ask that damn barkeep. She was there this afternoon with Krum. Very cozy, it was, the way they shared a booth together. And you should have seen how her eyes lit up when he greeted his Mione." He sneered at Harry. "I just wanted to be the one who told you. So I could see your face as you realize that she doesn't want you either!" With that said, Malfoy reached for his wand and Apparated away.
"It's a bloody lie, that's what it is," Ron muttered. "Here." He walked over and picked up Harry's glasses. "You can't see without these, can you?" Harry nodded silently. "Merlin! Don't tell me you believe that bloody arsehole! He's just trying to stir up trouble between you and Hermione. I'm almost sorry that I stopped you from beating his head in."
"Only almost?"
"Yeah. I don't want to be you when Hermione hears about this. And I don't want to be me if Hermione heard how I just watched you have it out with Malfoy. She can be scary when she puts her mind to it."
"Do you think it's true?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Of course not."
"But Malfoy said we could ask Tom and he'd confirm it as well."
Ron snorted. "Well, I do know that Krum is here to recuperate. So maybe they met, in passing, at the Leaky Cauldron—"
"But what would Hermione be doing there anyway?" Harry hated how his voice went up a pitch. "She's not supposed to leave Hogwarts like that!"
"I told you before, mate. Cabin fever. Maybe she figured that a quick trip to Diagon Alley wouldn't hurt."
"But she knows better than that! And maybe she did go there to see Krum," said Harry.
"Okay. Stop right there. This is Hermione we're talking about. You know, the brilliant witch who is more likely to leave you for the library than another man. She's not like that. She wouldn't do that to you. And Malfoy's an idiot. She didn't leave him for you as she was never with him, no matter how much he might wish it otherwise."
"Yeah, I know." Harry took in a deep breath. That was probably it. She probably did just nip out quickly to pick up something in Diagon Alley and had bumped into Krum. And she couldn't have let him call her by any sort of nickname, as she had told Harry that she hated them. There was no extended conversation in a private booth, like Malfoy had implied. Besides, if it were a private booth, how could Malfoy see that they had been very cozy together? That was the whole point of having private booths, so people couldn't see what you were doing or listen in to what you were talking about. Besides, he should ask Hermione whether she had talked to Krum before taking Malfoy's word for it. That still left the fact that Hermione had left Hogwarts without telling him – she was her own person and all, but Harry wished she wouldn't do that. He probably should have taken her out, holding on to her hand the whole time, before this. Well, he could remedy that as soon as he got home.
"I suppose I should get going," said Harry. "I was going to ask Hermione if she wanted to go out to see a movie tonight."
Ron looked over Harry and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, Harry. You're not going home looking like that. Hermione will be able to tell that you got into some sort of trouble just by looking at you. She isn't stupid."
"I know that!"
"Then it's back into the locker room with you." Ron smiled. "Besides, you can get me a pair of tickets for the Puddlemere game on your way back in. That is what I originally came for."
"I should've known it," said Harry wryly.
"Hey! You've nothing to complain about! I did help you out."
"I was in no danger of Malfoy beating me."
"Ha! Of course not. I'd be disappointed in you if you were. I was referring to Hermione, you idiot."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh. So about those tickets?"
"Fine, fine. I'll get them for you. Let's go," said Harry,
leading the way back in.
Author's note: And I'll leave it there for this week. The next chapter will be up either next Friday or Saturday once again. I hope you enjoyed this one, and I would really love to hear from you in a review. Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Shawn Pickett, danielerin, Gia, ali (no, there won't be), jade, l-xFaTaLx-l, lee74, Mergincia Phoenix, ExalibursZone, Joeh, liongirrl4eva (if they want to, they will Am glad you like it there), EuphoniumGurl0, gaps, Gamali Howell (Unexpected should be updated sometime this weekend--I've just had no time lately as it is already finished), xxbabysparklesxx, HyPPerBuBBleGum143, Brieana, bishtawiman (I know, but I saw no reason to make him mean and vicious when all he had was a crush on Hermione, though it might have been more than that), Leah6 (I have no clue what you think Viktor is saying, when all he is trying to do is reassure Hermione), ray1, sweetevangeline, Rayne Evans, hermionefan, TheGreatFox2000 (again, I'm clueless as to what you're referring to), myman-harry526, templar1112002 (cough Are you sure about the ending? As some suspense would be good, methinks ), Dani, ViperXIV, malu (yeah, Hermione would be just as upset but trying not to show it if the situation were reversed), otaku-dragon (no, because no counter existed. Besides, I don't think JKR meant for the room to be the answer to everything. Using your reasoning, Harry could just go to RoR to find the solution written out neatly on parchment on how to defeat Voldemort), JohnnyIsMine, juliet's rose, Bulma Queen of Saiya-jin, aliceinwonderville, Zuzuanni, TheSusanturpin (he will show up again, but I shan't say how much), hermione'sboyfriend, Esmerald Tears (lots of people don't, so you don't have to be sorry, especially when you reviewed the last chapter ), Jabba1, Orlando's Gurl, cuttiepie17172, Coldfire, wyndnfyr, Tywyn, and sunne1 (of course he'll find out. It wouldn't be fun if he didn't).