Recnac Transfaerso

32 - Lost Boys And O.W.Ls

Harry was in and out of sleep the rest of the day. Despite the potions he had been given, he still felt pretty miserable and weak. Neville, Ron, and Hermione stayed with him the whole day, embarrassing Harry to no end with taking care of him.

"Harry, don't be embarrassed. You're sick. You are allowed to be taken care of for once in your life," Hermione said as she cooled the washcloth on Harry's head again.

"I'm not embarrassed," he muttered.

"Then why does your face turn red each time we try to help you?" Neville piped in, with a raised eyebrow.

"Because I'm hot," he insisted.

"Ah, you're not that hot," teased Hermione, insinuating that Harry had been referring to his looks. Harry blushed even brighter while Ron and Neville just laughed.

"Can't I just take off some of these bloody blankets?" he whined.

"Only if your temperature gets too high. The heat is actually good for you though, Har. The reason your body's getting a temperature is because it's trying to reach a heat that any bug you might have gotten can't stand, so it will kill it off, and since your immune system is weak, you'll need all the help you can get," Ron explained. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"How do you know all that?" Neville asked.

Ron blushed a bit.

"Well, I've done a lot of medical research lately. I've read through those books so many times, I guess some of it sticks with you," he said with a shrug. "Besides, it's kind of interesting."

Harry couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for all the work his friends had gone to on his behalf. Luckily, Hermione quickly prevented the situation from becoming awkward and gasped in fake shock.

"No! Not you Ron Weasley. It can't be true. You? Finding something you read—in a book—interesting? It must be someone under a Polyjuice Potion, not my boyfriend!"

"Hey, why do you get to call me your boyfriend and I don't get to call you my girlfriend?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Because when I say it, I don't make you sound like a brainless object. No arguing," she said, putting up a hand to stop him.

"Girls," Ron sighed in exasperation. Neville and Harry nodded knowingly.

Later that night, Neville went off to study with Eloise and explain to her what had happened. Harry was still slightly feverish and, though temporarily awake, seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment. They had told their dormmates that the trio had all been slightly sick, and Neville had stayed behind to take care of them, since he insisted he was too bad at acting to pretend to be sick. Hermione and Ron had changed into their nightclothes before class had gotten out to make it more convincing. Everyone believed them, assuming that the trio had once again been sneaking around outside in the middle of the night on one of their adventures and had probably caught a cold.

At dinner, Ron went down to the kitchens to get some food for him and Hermione, and some chicken broth for Harry. The house elves, especially Dobby, were very obliging and Ron considered going down to the kitchens for dinner more often. Not only did he get anything he wanted, but Dobby praised him the whole time. Toward the end, it got slightly awkward though, and he grabbed the bundle of food and left swiftly.

He had just gotten through the portrait to the empty Gryffindor common room, when he heard his name being called. He turned around to see Fred and George scrambling through the portrait after him.

"Oy little brother, I heard you were skiving on classes today," said Fred.

"With Harry, Hermione, and Neville Longbottom," added George.