Written In The Stars VI -[Harry Potter xF!Oc]

Chapter Nineteen: The Wounded Trio.

Erick was still out of it by the time it was Ron's birthday, although he would speak in his sleep. Pomfrey told her that sometimes people just fell into a deep unconscious state after a grave traumatic experience. He was almost ready to leave the hospital wing, but he was keeping himself senseless. 

Mel tried really hard not to resent him. She wanted the conscious part of him to remember he had someone in the real world he could rely on, that she was still waiting for him and that he had to fight, at least to be able to speak about what had been going on that year.

Gifts would appear on his nightstand daily: notes of encouragement, sweets, all anonymous. She knew they had to come from Slytherins who weren't ready to step into the spotlight, Mel was happy with the support they were showing anyway.

Daphne would visit only when no one was paying attention, both girls had thought that his rivalry with Faustus and Griffin was nothing to worry about, but Lucas Darcy, one of the few Slytherins that attended the D.A. meetings, told Daphne that Griffin and Faustus were doing everything to keep Erick miserable and scared, but he'd been impossible to intimidate, and they had gotten tired. 

Mel didn't understand why he'd hid this from her, she thought that Erick trusted her, that after their talk in Grimmauld Place he was determined to be more open about his problems... Apparently, she'd been wrong. 

She had to keep going, if not for herself, at least for her mother, who would send her letters with Reggie's pictures as a way to cheer her up. Harry was a great help during those days too, keeping her busy with Occlumency and his lessons to ground himself. Hermione and Ron were still fighting and Ron was almost always snogging Lavender, it almost felt like the old days, Harry wouldn't nag her with questions about Erick, or even ask her to speak, and in return, she let him read his potions book as much as he pleased, as well as the Marauders' Map.

Harry knew it was completely selfish of him to enjoy his time with Mel. He knew it was wrong, that Mel was miserable—Erick was her boyfriend, not him! He could claim that he was mad on her behalf, but he knew he was angry at the fact that he couldn't express out loud what he was thinking: If it weren't for Erick, right now they'd be strolling around the castle hand in hand... but that wasn't true either. They couldn't be together if they wanted to keep the lifeline, and keeping it was far more important than his feelings.

That morning though, Harry's mind was miles away from her. They ran into each other as she was walking down the stairs.

"Morning," He said gravely. "We have a problem."

"What now?" Mel groaned. 

Harry signed towards Ron, who quickly caught up with them with a weird expression on his face.

"Hi!" He beamed. "Harry's going to introduce me to Romilda Vane!"

Mel stared at the boys. "What?"

"I forgot I still had the chocolate cauldrons Romilda gave me—I was looking for the map and I threw them out of my trunk, Ron must've thought they had fallen from his pile of presents..."

"Oh," Mel looked back at her friend and her expression grew worried. "Oh, no..."

"Now he wants to marry Romilda," Harry wasn't smiling, but his eyes were bright with amusement.

"And, er... where are you taking him?"

"Stop talking and walk!" Ron whined. 

Harry obliged, but seized Mel by the arm gently so she would walk with them.

"I'm taking him to meet Romilda," He explained. "She's with Slughorn, taking extra lessons..."

"Right!" Mel looked ahead, her voice trembling. "You should fix your hair, Won-Won, you don't want to meet her looking like a madman."