Invisible

Clueless

Break came crawling along rather quickly and soon the castle was empty, disregarding the few that remained such as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Christmas was just around the corner, but there was a grim feeling nagging at Harry’s gut that he couldn’t push aside. They all sat in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione trying to catch up on schoolwork she had yet to complete before break was over and Ron merely sitting there watching his older twin brothers goof around with things they’d gotten from Zonko’s joke shop the last time they’d gone to Hogsmeade. Harry watched both of them with mild amusement, but the feeling pulled his thoughts away from them. He must have been making a strange face expression because Ron turned toward him.

 

“Harry?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Something wrong?” Hermione looked up from her book now.

 

“No”, Harry lied and shrugged. “Hungry.” Ron, hearing this, broke into a smile.

 

“Me too. What’d you think we’re eating today”, he asked rhetorically, looking back toward his brothers. Hermione remained where she was, eyeing Harry suspiciously. She finally turned back toward her book and Harry sighed quietly.

“Hey”, Harry spoke a short while later. By that time, both Fred and George had wandered off to do their own things, growing tired of the silence that spread through the common room.

 

“Yeah”, Ron asked. Hermione put her book down once more.

 

“I told Malfoy he could hang with us...I doubt he’s going to.” Ron looked aghast.

 

“Who are you and what did you do to Harry”, he stammered and Hermione looked equally shocked.

 

“Harry, are you sure that’s a good idea”, she worried. Harry brushed their concern off.

 

“I said, I doubt he’s going to come. Come on guys, he was lonely. He doesn’t have anyone and I thought...he might actually be nicer if he had nice friends”, Harry remarked.

 

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks and then looked toward Harry.

 

“What”, he asked, growing somewhat annoyed.

 

“Well, it’s just”, Hermione started.

 

“We don’t like him”, Ron finished and Hermione nodded with that statement.

 

“...yeah. You think I’m buddy-buddy with him, Ron? I’m just trying to be nice. He’s not exactly raised by the best people, you know”, Harry shot back and his friends fell silent, wondering silently why Harry was defending Draco.

He didn’t know the answer to that himself.