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chapter twenty four | kisses all around
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Ron was released from the hospital a few days later and things seemed to settle down. The Weasley was out of his relationship with Lavender and the four friends were back to being a group again. Ron still didn't have a clue how his break up went down, but he didn't seem bothered by it.
The four friends sat in the Great Hall during lunch hour. Hermione, reading her copy of the Daily Prophet as usual, sat next to Ron who was waving his wand carelessly around. On the other side of the bench, Stella Mason and Harry Potter sat together.
Stella turned her attention away from her novel, which she felt as if she never got the chance to read anymore, and looked up as snow hit her face.
"Stop it, Ron," Hermione spoke gently, redirecting his wand away from the sky, "you're making it snow."
After the snow had settled, Ron turned the conversation topic, "tell me how I broke up with Lavender again."
Hermione blinked, sparing looks to her friends opposite her, "um, well, she came to visit you in the hospital. And you talked. I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm bloody thrilled to be shot of her," Ron admitted, "it's just she seemed a bit put out."
They all glanced to the table where Lavender sat, and to say the least, she looked dreadful. Her under eyes were clad with bags, her hair was frizzy and unkept, and she continually stabbed her food with her fork as she glared heavily towards the table the four were sitting at. Stella couldn't help but feel bad for the girl. Even though she was very possessive of her friend and was a part of the problem that almost ruined Hermione and Ron's friendship, the girl deserved a better break up then a mumble of another girls' name, even though Stella took humor in the situation.
"Yes, she does, doesn't she," Hermione hummed, taking her eyes off the girl, "you say you don't remember anything from that night? Anything at all?"
"There is something," the boy furrowed his brow, missing the way the girl next to him hitched her breath, "but it can't be. I was completely boggled, wasn't I?"
The Granger deflated in her seat, turning her eyes to her paper, "right. Boggled."
Stella watched on and gave her best friend a sympathetic glance as something caught her eye. A group of seventh years entered the hall, a familiar face appearing for the first time in months.
"Harry," she called quietly to the boy next to her, "that's Katie. Katie Bell."
Harry quickly got up from his seat to talk to the girl, but not before taking his potions book with him. She watched as he caught up to Katie and talked to her, not being able to hear anything. After a minute or so, their conversation ended as something, or someone caught Harry's attention. Stella turned her head to the entrance and saw Draco Malfoy standing there. His face almost matched the paleness of his hair. Without thought, Harry followed Malfoy out of the hall, not sparing a look at his friends.
