Dear Mr. Potter

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The Three Broomsticks was crowded with the inundation of the Hogwarts student body. It looked to Harry as if every student from third year on up was trying to squeeze into the establishment. No wonder Draco had smirked as he walked away with his friends. He must have known what it would have been like. Harry had seen it crowded before but this was insane. As he made his way through the crush towards his friends who had secured a table in the back, Harry deduced that it must be the weather forcing everyone in here. The clouds had built up as Draco and Harry had walked to town and the snow started falling before they even reached Honeydukes.

"Oi! Harry!" Harry looked up at the greeting and was promptly knocked sideways by a large patron trying to escape the invasion of Hogwarts. Finally, Harry grabbed hold of the table and helpful hands pulled him in and onto a chair.

"Didn't think I was going to make it, there," Harry said breathlessly. The faces ringing the table all smiled.

"We didn't think so either. Where's Malfoy?" Seamus said, looking around. "I'd have thought they'd have parted the sea for him."

"He was smart enough not to come in here, the git." Harry unwound his scarf and placed it in his lap. "He's off with the Slytherin pack doing Merlin knows what. But I'm sure a screaming bunch of third years will let us know soon," Harry laughed.

"You two seem to be getting along lately," Dean observed. Harry nodded.

"He's still a jerk, but we're getting on."

"You mean getting it on."

The entire table stopped and turned to cast surprised looks at the speaker of those words.

"Um, wasn't that funny?" Neville asked with a blush rising. "I just, uh, thought..."

"No no, Nev, it was hilarious," Harry assured. Then he smiled and patted his shy friend on the shoulder. "Just didn't expect locker room humor out of you."

"Yeah, good one, Nev."

"That was funny, mate."

Neville looked around at the encouraging smiles and managed to blush a deeper shade of red. Harry laughed.

"Well, hello, Master Potter," Madame Rosmerta greeted as she appeared out of the crowd. "And how are we doing these days. No longer dying at a woman's doorstep, I hope?"

"No, ma'am, just dying to have some of her good food," he said with a wink. Madame Rosmerta playfully tapped him on the shoulder.

"Such cheekiness. Well then, what will the lot of you have? I must move on and feed the masses."

The group ordered and then set about gossiping and grousing. There was big news still from the spectacle at the Halloween feast two weeks before. Two Ravenclaws had spiked the punch. Ravenclaws! And there had been much funny business that night.

"Yeah, well, I heard Pomfrey had to order an emergency supply of hangover medicine flown in from St. Mungos. Dumbledore wasn't happy about the extra expenses," Ron said.

"Did the Ravenclaws get expelled?" Neville asked.

"No, just suspended," Hermione answered. "In fact, Harry, your attackers should be coming back soon from there own suspensions in just enough time to take the finals before Hols. All except Duncan, of course. He still has a possible Azkaban term."

"They're going to send him to Azkaban?" Harry asked in shock.

"He was trying to kill you!" Ron exclaimed. "He outta get the Kiss for it!"

"That is what Malfoy is pushing for," Hermione said.

"Draco wants him to get the Kiss?" Harry asked in horror. Draco hadn't even mentioned that!