Wot In The Harri Potter?

36 - The Reliable House-Elf

I don't watch Fred and George's grand exit. I'm in no mood for fireworks and definitely in no mood to see the boy I love fly away from me.

Instead, I go down to the dungeons and cry into my pillow. I cry until I have nothing left in me.

And then, when I'm done, I splash my face with cold water and go up for dinner, vowing no more tears.

The Slytherins all watch me in silence as I pile my plate high with food.

I try to pretend like I don't know what they're thinking.

Eventually, Pansy starts to speak. "Harri-"

"Can you pass the gravy, please?" I interrupt.

Hesitantly, she does so.

Next, Blaise has a try. "So, your boyfriend put on quite the show earlier."

"He's not my boyfriend. Salt, please."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Draco look up abruptly. "What do you mean? This morning you couldn't keep your hands off of each other - as per usual."

"He dumped me for a joke shop. Pepper, anyone?"

A joke shop he wouldn't even bloody have if it wasn't for me.

"He dumped you?!" Daphne spluttered. "Merlin, I always thought it would be the other way round."

"Well, according to him, he is 'freeing' me. Says he wants me to sleep around."

"And how do you feel about that?" Goyle asks.

"HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL?!"

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I'm fine." I lie. "Besides, it's probably for the best. I don't need any distractions whilst I take my OWLs. I need to get decent grades if I intend to become an Auror."

"I didn't know you wanted to be an Auror," Draco says, frowning.

"Well, chasing bad guys is clearly my forte," I shrug, biting into a potato.

And chasing away guys in general, I guess. I feel a tightness in my chest as I recall the red haired Gryffindor walking away from me, leaving me alone in the classroom, crying.

Nope. Don't think about him.

Ron is waiting for me in the Entrance Hall after dinner, looking almost sheepish about something.

"Hey, Harri," he mumbles, going pink as he rubs the back of his neck. "Can I have a word?"

"Whatever," I shrug. The last time someone wanted a word, they trampled over my heart instead.

"I'm sorry about you and Fred," he says quickly. "I was really surprised when he told me he was going to finish things between you."

"Going to finish it?" I splutter, feeling furious and humiliated. "So he had little discussions about it with people first did he?"

"No! No he only told me because he had a request. He asked me to look after you."

"I can look after myself, thanks. Or did you and Fred forget that I faced Voldemort only last year?"

Ron flinched as I said the name no one likes to hear. "He's really cut up about it. I thought he was going to cry. I really think he believes he's doing the right thing by you."

My chest is tight and I can hear the blood beginning to rush in my ears. I didn't want to be here talking to Ron about this. I didn't want to talk about this to anyone.

"Well thanks," I mutter, "but as I said, I don't need looking after. I wish Fred all the best, I really do. Both him and George."

"We're still friends aren't we?" Ron asks, "only I know it might be difficult because of you and Fred-"