For a moment, it was silent as Hermione stared. Then she smiled and held out her hand as Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's nice to meet you, Alana." The young girl grinned.
"Nice to meet you too, Hermione," she replied as she placed her smaller hand in Hermione's.
"I'm sorry, Potter." Hermione looked at the Slytherin in shock. Draco Malfoy had just apologized? What the hell had been going on since she'd been gone? "Lana just wanted to say thank you for yesterday morning." Harry didn't respond. Hermione looked at him and then where he was staring. Ron was standing in the entrance of the Great Hall, flanked by Dean and Seamus, glaring at Harry.
"Lana, we better go eat," Malfoy said as he quickly helped Alana to her feet. Hermione tore her eyes from Ron and realized why Malfoy was taking his sister. Harry's face was white and he was shaking.
"Harry, are you…" She was interrupted by Ron sitting next to her.
"Hermione, it's good to have you back." Ron's eyes never left Harry as he spoke. Hermione studied Harry's face, which was getting paler by the second, for a few more minutes before forcing a bright smile and turning to the red-head.
"It's great to be back." She turned back to Harry, but the raven-haired boy was gone. She frowned but continued eating, not sure if she should follow Harry or if her best friend would even welcome her company.
At the Slytherin Table, Alana was unusually quiet. Considering her normal sunny and cheerful disposition, it was a little disconcerting to see her look so solemn. In addition, she was pushing her food around her plate with a fork instead of eating. Gently, he placed his hand on hers, stopping her movement and as he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"Alana, are you alright?" His little sister sighed and looked up Draco, her eyes a little watery.
"Something's wrong with Harry, isn't there?" Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise at Alana's perceptiveness. Just when he was really starting to question her placement in Slytherin, she did or said something that assured him she was in the right house. After all, his sister hadn't known Harry very long and had only been in the presence of the other teen a total of two times. Draco had also observed that something was different with Potter, but then again, why wouldn't he? He'd spent the past six years watching Harry's every movement.
"I'm not sure," he said slowly, "but I believe you might be correct." Alana nodded and pushed her uneaten plate away.
"I think it's because of Weasley." Draco just stared at her, shocked. Potter and Weasley had been friends since they first met on the train in first year. Weasley had a temper, Draco knew that first hand, but he would never hurt Potter, would he? "When Harry stepped in front of me yesterday, he was shaking even as he told Weasley to leave me alone," Alana went on, unaware of Draco's inner musings. "Then, just now, when he saw Weasley enter, he got real quiet and he was trembling. I could feel it."
Draco stayed quiet as he thought over her words. It was true. That was why he'd taken Alana back to the Slytherin Table. Potter had been shaking so much he was worried she'd fall off his lap. When he'd followed the raven-haired boy's gaze, he'd been very surprised to see that he was staring at Weasley. Maybe Alana was onto something here.
"We'll keep an eye on him, Lana," Draco said quietly. "If things get worse, we will tell Uncle Severus." Alana nodded, appeased for now, and dragged her plate back in front of her, finally eating her dinner.
Author's Note:
Sorry the chapter was so short! I honestly couldn't think of any more to add to this, but hopefully the next chapter will be up soon and longer. What did you think?