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19 - Lighter Obstacles

Harry was forced to stay bed-ridden in the Hospital Wing for the next few days, despite his protests. Hermione, of course, brought him his homework assignments and was more than happy to teach him everything that he had missed in class. When he wasn't reading, doing assignments, or entertaining visitors, he carved his initials into the wooden bedpost with a needle that had been left by his bed after his first night there. He carved them where Madam Pomfrey couldn't see them. She knew she'd probably have a fit if she knew he had vandalized her workplace in such a way, but didn't really feel guilty about it. He was always given this bed and had visited the Hospital Wing probably more than any other Hogwarts student. It was practically his bed anyways.

Of course his absence from class had not gone unnoticed and the tale of Snape carrying him to through the halls had spread throughout the school. (He winced with embarrassment each time he was asked about it.) Everyone who didn't know the truth had been fed a story that Snape had come up with. They said that Harry had tried drinking the Bruise-Healing Potion to get rid of some bruises from Quidditch, but that Harry had a bad reaction to it since he hadn't made it right. Harry wasn't too fond of this rumour since he knew that his potion had been perfect, but it was better than the truth.

The only other person Harry allowed to know the truth was Eloise, since Neville wanted to tell her. Harry let him under the condition that he keep Eloise away from the infirmary for a few days after telling her so she could have time to calm down. He didn't feel like dealing with another hysterical person.

By the time she was allowed to come and see Harry, she had definitely calmed down. Her eyes were slightly red and puffy. When he promised he'd be out in a few days to continue with their tutoring, she did start crying slightly, but it wasn't a hysterical outburst, much to Harry's relief.

A bunch of others, including all the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, came to see him. When they saw that he was looking fine, they laughed and lightly teased him for drinking anything Snape had told him to make.

There was always a slight look of suspicious worry in each pair of eyes that met his, because, if it was nothing serious, as Harry insisted, then why was he being kept in the Hospital Wing for so long? They always did their best to wipe away these thoughts, more content with the belief that Harry was fine than venturing into the frightening territory of wondering if maybe it was something more.

A week later, Harry walked into the Great Hall for breakfast to a bunch of excited chattering. As Harry walked to the Gryffindor table, he noticed that many of the girls were giggling and gossiping, while several of the guys looked sick. This included Ron.

On his way to the table, Cho Chang brushed by him.

"Hi Harry," she said with a flirtatious smile.

"Er...hey Cho."

"Remember, I'm single now." She waved by wiggling her fingers at him and walked off. Harry blanched at her words.

'Well, that was a little blunt. What was that all about?"

Many of the other girls in the Great Hall had also seemed to turn up the flirtation factor.

Harry slid into the seat beside Ron. "What's going on?"

"Another bloody dance. As if it wasn't stressful enough the first time!" he muttered.

"A dance?" he asked, glancing up at Cho who's friends were giggling and looking up at him. Cho herself was looking at Harry. When she caught his eye, she gave him a little wink that made Harry's eyebrows shoot up and her friends burst out in peels of giggles. He looked back to his friends.