𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄

Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Breakup, Stay Numb, Whip Play

"House of cards?" Dean asked. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"I have no idea," Ron said. "He says shit like that sometimes."

"House of cards," Draco said quietly thinking of what it could mean.

"Well, let's think about it. Why would anyone build a house of cards?" Hermione asked.

"To just build it," Dean said. "Then knock it down and watch it fall."

"Exactly," Draco reasoned. "Harry has been built with one skill at a time into something grand and then he'll fall and crumble after his duty is done."

"Good analogy," Ron said.

"I never knew he felt like that," Neville said.

"Harry feels taken advantage of, I think," Ginny said. "He's been honed to be a fighting machine and used to kill. Then after that, he believes he'll be tossed away."

"His duty will have been served and he won't be needed," Dean said. "I can see where he'd feel that way."

"But that's not true," Ron said.

"Isn't it?" Hermione asked. "That's exactly how the Ministry sees Harry. They'll use him and then try to do away with him. They're already laying the plans to apprehend Harry with today's article. They've already printed in the Prophet how unstable Harry may be and people will believe it. After Harry kills Voldemort, I'm sure the story will state Harry's complete insanity after the incident making it seem like the Ministry is protecting the citizens by holding or taking Harry's life."

"This is terrible," Neville said. "Everyone that really knows Harry knows that he's not like that."

"But how many really know Harry?" Draco asked. "We do, but...we've been with him for years. The general public only knows what they've read."

"Maybe you could get something published, Herm," Ron said. "You could write the truth and let people know about Harry."

"And tell them what, Ron? I can't very well tell about Harry's abilities, his skills or any of that. Wizard kind would be terrified of him giving them just cause to back up the Ministry in trying to kill Harry out of their fear of him," Hermione said.

"What about something to do with Harry personally? His personality. Harry's a nice guy," Dean said.

"I can't just have something published saying 'Harry Potter is a nice guy,' Dean," Hermione said. "Anyway the Prophet wouldn't publish anything I sent in. They know that Ron and I are personal friends with Harry and that my article would be biased based on that friendship."

"What if I did it?" Draco asked. "Everyone seems to know that we're enemies. I could give the Prophet an interview and make it sound believable that Harry wasn't so bad."

"But why would the Prophet interview you? You've done nothing notable," Ron said.

"What if I did something notable?" Draco asked.