All I Ever Wanted Was the World

chapter 39

"...and I'm currently still alive. I don't- I know why but I truly don't know how." Harry finished lamely, avoiding the subject about how he'd seen Sirius and Dumbledore again. He was feeling very flustered with the various eyes that lingered on him.
It seemed the entire hall had gone quiet once he'd gotten to the part about escaping Voldemort yet again, and he'd knew then that they were tuning into his words. Mrs. Weasley had cast a silencing charm then, leaving only their table to hear his words.
He was feeling suffocated in the silence of his own table.
Harry cleared his throat and felt Tom's hand move soothingly on his back. He'd forgotten that even Tom hadn't heard some of what he was sharing.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione whispered, her eyes shining.
Her shaking hand covered her mouth and Ron could only openly stare at Harry as if he'd grown another head.
"I'd prefer if you stayed like alive...." Ron said, giving him a grim smile while Harry cracked.
"I guess." He replied, a small grin appearing.

"Blimey...you died." Fred spoke, his voice uncharacteristically quiet.
"We are glad you made it, don't know what we would've done if you didn't." George finished off.
Harry said a soft thank you.
He could practically feel the relief that emanated from everyone's bodies, including that of Tom.

"So you mean to tell me that this was all because of..." she trailed off, and her eyes were now fixated on Draco.

The blond was looking down at the table and, though he was pale, he now looked as if he himself had died.
"Yes." He said quietly, his voice shaking, "it's all because of me. It's all my fault you had to do this alone. I was so upset that-"
A loud slap that only their table could hear echoed.
Despite that, people were looking at their table to see what had happened.

Hermione was on her feet and breathing hard, her face enraged. She looked at Draco as if he was nothing more than a bug she wanted to squash.
"You," she started, her nostrils flaring, "you knew ALL THIS TIME and even after I confided in you, you still didn't say anything!"
She shouted at him, her face turning a very deep shade of purple. Mrs. Weasley was wiping her tears and Ginny looked much like Hermione, though she was clearly fighting to stay in her own seat as Luna struggled to keep her seated, her normally vacant features full of desperation. The twins were looking deadly and Harry knew if he didn't say anything, it would not end well.
"Listen," Harry said and he was quick to stand and push Hermione back into her seat from across the table. He nearly spilled his goblet of pumpkin juice when doing so but managed to catch it just in time.
He succeeded and she sat down heavily, still breathing just as hard as before.
"I know that you're really upset, but I also wondered out of the common room. That was my mistake. Draco wouldn't have succeeded if I hadn't been stupid enough to follow them. He also didn't know just how serious this would be...and can you blame him?" Harry paused, watching as Hermione became conflicted but still very upset. Ron was there to console her. An arm was around her shoulders and he was murmuring words into her bushy hair. Ron met his eyes and gave a small nod of acknowledgement, though his brows were clearly furrowed in anger and he wasn't looking at Draco at all.
Harry knew it was bad when Ron was comforting Hermione, and it never used to happen before. Not when he was here.
Perhaps he had though too soon, because pretty soon Ron had thrown himself across the table and Hermione was the one clutching at him, pulling hard at his shirt.
"You bloody git!" He bellowed, his fist connecting with the pointed noise belonging to Draco.

"Stop! Ron!" Harry was shouting and shoving Ron back into his seat. Draco was holding his nose which was bleeding profusely, his eyes wide and unseeing. Blood seeped through his fingers and Harry looked at Hermione, who was desperately trying to keep Ron in his seat and was telling him to calm down.
Tom murmured from his side and Draco was no longer bleeding or with a broken nose.
He said a small thanks and sat still, his hands shaking as he put them back into his lap.
"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley looked tense and her wand was out. The ginger boy glanced in her direction.
"God- please! Just listen to me." Harry said angrily, glaring at both Hermione and Ron.
"Fine!" Ron let out a loud grunt of anger and sat down, his arms crossed firmly across his chest as Hermione let out a breath.
He could still see the patches of color that remained from her anger.