Those eyes || Harry J. Potter

walks along the lake || XXII

Chapter twenty-two
"walks along the lake"
XII

☆:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✯☆:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✯☆:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✯☆

When Ara woke up on Sunday morning, it took her a moment to realize why she had gone to bed miserable. Then she remembered and went back to her miserableness.

Ara dressed and went down the spiral staircase into the common room. Harry seemed to have just gotten out of bed considering every one of the Gryffindors who had finished breakfast was applauding him.

Hermione had just entered the portrait hole, carrying two wrapped-up pieces of food. "Here," Hermione handed both of them a piece of toast. "saved this for you two. Breakfast is already over. I'm off to the library, you two want to join?"

"Good idea," said Harry gratefully.

The three walked to the library as Hermione caught the two up on what people were saying. When they walked in, almost the entire library was filled with Hufflepuffs, most of whom were glaring at Harry.

"Maybe I'll go on a walk." He paused.

Ara looked at Hermione. "I can stay if you want me to, Mione." But she shook her head. "Probably best if at least one of us goes with him. Plus, I'm just going to be reading." She shrugged.

Ara sighed, but went with Harry. She hated leaving Hermione alone, especially when she saw how often Ron and Harry did it.

They went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water.

It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Ara exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before.

"Have you seen Ron?" Harry interrupted when his story was over. "Not since last night, but he wasn't in the best mood." Ara shrugged.

"Why was he mad? He knows I would never put my name in." "Harry, isn't it obvious? He's jealous."

"Jealous?" Harry said incredulously. "Jealous of what? He wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he?"

"Look," said Ara patiently, "it's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. I know it's not your fault," she added quickly, seeing Harry open his mouth furiously. "I know you don't ask for it . . . but — well — you know, Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous — he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose this is just one time too many. . . ."

"Great," said Harry bitterly. "Really great. Tell him from me I'll swap any time he wants. Tell him from me he's welcome to it. . . . People gawping at my forehead everywhere I go. . . ."

"I'm not telling him anything," Ara said shortly. "Tell him yourself. It's the only way to sort this out."

"I'm not running around after him trying to make him grow up!" Harry said, so loudly that several owls in a nearby tree took flight in alarm. "Maybe he'll believe I'm not enjoying myself once I've got my neck broken or —"