𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐨

𝐗𝐋𝐈𝐕

"Ophiuchus. Why not?"

Almost every ounce of happiness I had leftover from Draco and I's victory had faded by now. I could only hang onto the hope that whatever Ophiuchus was going to tell me wasn't something that bad.

Not Voldemort bad, anyways.

"Well... Harry... I don't know what happened really, or why it's so bad... but there seems to be some...well..."

"Some what Ophiuchus? Speak up!" I was becoming more urgent by the second.

"Some... rumours..."

"Rumours? Rumours about what. exactly?"

"Look, Harry. Personally, I don't see what all the commotion's about. It's really not that big a deal–" I cut her off.

"Ophiuchus, if you don't tell me what's going on in the next three seconds, I swear I will sectumsempra your canvas to shreds!"

A look of worry and hurt mixed themselves on Ophiuchus' innocent face.

"I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely, "It's just that everyone seems so angry, and I don't want you to get angry."

I exhaled, trying to calm myself down, even a little.

"Listen. I'll be far less angry if you just tell me now and get it over with. I'm not sure how much you know about last year's events, but I've been through a lot of shit, so how bad can it be?"

That seemed to ease Ophiuchus to the point of erasing the hurt from her face. The worry remained.

"Harry, somebody told the everyone that you're gay for Draco Malfoy."

***

"Draco!" I yelled, racing down the hall to our dorm faster than I ever had before. "Draco!"

I slammed the door open to see Draco bottling up the rest of our potion.

"Harry? What's the matter?"

"Draco," I panted, "They know."

"About what?" He swerved around the table and came closer to me, looking worried at my frantic eyes.

"They know about us! The whole school, Draco!" I exclaimed.

I watched all of the colour leave Draco's face. It looked almost exactly as it did when we failed our first potion. Quicker than that, actually.

He blinked, there was so much anger in his eyes that I wondered for a split second if he would hit something.

If he would hit me.

"Fucking Goyle," he hushed.

"I know," I said.

"That son-of-a-bitch!"

"I know."

"But we were gonna tell Luna first!"

"I know."

There was a pause. Draco looked deep into my eyes, far deeper than anyone had ever before.

Every single trace of anger was gone, only leaving an overwhelming worry and betrayal and complete and utter fright.