Chapter Ten - Unexpected

Finally, Harry woke up well rested. Or, well, at least as well rested as one can be when not having slept more than 4 hours the week before. Today he felt good, and damn everyone if they would not allow him to feel this way.

It was like this Harry found himself actually eating his breakfast in the Great Hall and enjoying listening in on the bickering of Ron and Hermione, a heavy feeling weighing on his stomach when he realised how his friends did not even ask his opinion. The lonely feeling started to creep in again and- no, no, no. Not today. Today is going to be a good day. Why could his brain not just give him an hour of peace?

"Harry!", Ron stumped him the arm, grabbing his attention once more. "Mate, you have to help me out here! Hermione is trying to make me belief that this amount of bacon is actually not good for breakfast. She says I'm getting fat, like hell I am!" Sweeping his arms through the air. Harry grinned, relief sweeping through him, "Better start flying more if you don't want to lay off on that bacon Ron."

A victory screech could be heard across the table from Hermione. Ron looked quite put out. But when they left after breakfast and Ron had actually not taken a second plate of bacon (a rare happening), Hermione was clever enough not to comment on it.

Unfortunately for her, her victory smirk was not so easily covered. For once, the useless bickering actually felt like good old times, and the idea of going flying was not such a bad idea at all! He wondered whether Malfoy had come up with the idea of flying as a remedy, but that thought was quickly stilled when he turned a corner and was just on time to see Malfoy pointing his wand at a second year Hufflepuff.

He reacted instantly, checking to see if his wand was tucked away underneath his sleeve as he shouted "What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy?" Malfoy quickly turned and had looked quite shocked to see Harry talking to him, or perhaps just anyone talking to him. Was Malfoy already this pale when Harry had turned the corner?

"Of course he is sneaking up in dark hallways attacking children two year younger than he is, you death-eater." Ron pushed Harry to the side while storming forwards, wand at the ready. "What, no defence, we finally silenced the oh so great Slytherin king?"

"Ron, stop this nonsense, put down your wand, you can't just hex him and steep down to his level!"

Harry silently huffed at Hermione's wisdom, as if that would safe anyone out in the real world. It wouldn't have saved Cedric. It wouldn't have saved his parents it wouldn't have- he could feel his breath quickening and tried to focus. Nobody could notice. Nobody.

How he had fallen… not even being able to stand up to Malfoy but actually linger in the back while his friends stood up for the second year. Hermione had already shoved Ron's wand down when she had noticed Malfoy had lowered his wand at the first sight of spotting Harry. If looks could kill however, Malfoy would not have survived the glare Ron was sending him.

Malfoy did not seem to notice, eyes glazed as he was staring at the second year Hufflepuff.

For a moment, everyone seemed to stay in position, contemplating what was happening, silence covering the hallway as people started staring at the unfolding situation. To everyone's surprise the girl, who was close to tears now, actually started talking to Hermione, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Sniffling away tears, "it was my fault! Me and my friends have just been wondering about whether what Dumbledore is saying is true. We thought perhaps Draco Malfoy would know more about the return of You-Know-Who, you know. We heard some Ravenclaws say that his father is on the board and in the Wizengamot. And well, we couldn't just go and step up to Harry Potter now, could we?! But he did not respond like we hoped he would, shouting something about the role his father has. I am sorry, so sorry!" Without waiting for reaction, she ran away as fast as she could, crying hysterically.

Harry had watched the scene with half focused eyes, still trying to keeping his breath from escalating. The pressure in his chest had tightened the moment Voldemort was mentioned. He looked up and saw Malfoy staring at him. Harry noticed he did not look like he seemed to fare much better than himself.

Hermione, ever the brightest, was shaken out of the shock first, coughing she turned around and grabbed Ron by his arm. Dragging him away from his dagger stares to Malfoy. Harry stayed there for a moment longer, and then, without thinking, he walked past Malfoy, away from Ron and Hermione, straight out onto the grounds, to the lake, to the tree, to silence.

His panic subdued only a little and thoughts were swirling around his head. While it was a warm day, he felt cold. It was only when he was suddenly enveloped in a warm soothing bubble that he realised Malfoy had come to sit next to him and cast a warming charm on him.

The silence stretched only for a minute longer when Malfoy suddenly said "Sometimes I wonder whether you realise you're a wizard Potter." Harry felt almost too perplexed to react. Malfoy's voice was so calm and almost soothing.

"I… I mean…. Yeah. I guess I don't sometimes," he stumbled.

"Curious."

Silence again. Harry felt the need to break through the silence, to keep the conversation alive, to distract him from his thoughts. "Thanks anyways."

"You're welcome."