It's OK To Not Be Ok...Right?

19. With A Little Help From My Friends

The rest of the train journey was spent with Sloane and Hermione chatting about classes and fitting in time for their new roles. The only good thing is that, unlike Prefects, they were not expected to patrol the castle at night or at the weekends. In fact the more Harry thought about it the more he loved the idea. He wouldn't have to deal with so many people in the common room. He wasn't going to lie, sometimes they wouldn't find a seat in the dorm and would have to head to the library to work, which would have been fine if not for Madame Pince who loved to shush you, even when you were not talking. 

By the time the train pulled into the station, even Draco had to admit that this separated dorm was a good idea. At least he wouldn't have to take turns guarding the door to make sure Pansy didn't try to sneak in. Bloody girl was a menace and had once sneaked into the dorm and climbed into bed with him while he was sleeping. She even tried to convince him the next day that they had hooked up. But he knew they hadn't. He wasn't stupid. After that, he slept with one eye open. She tried it with Blaise about a week later. In fact, she tried it with Theo too only he actually did wake up and end up shagging her. At least she wouldn't get to him in his own dorm—where she would NEVER be told the password. He would make that a rule. He could at least try to get to sleep without worrying about others hearing him scream in his nightmares. 

Sloane couldn't believe her luck that she was getting not only a dorm room but her own bedroom where she didn't have to share with about sixty other students. She could sleep knowing that she was safe. That Goose was safe. Not that anything ever happened to her in her old school, but she heard the banging almost every night when some guy would try to get over the barrier between sinks. She hoped they were all trying to visit girlfriends, but she knew better. Bloody horny creeps. 

Hermione was just glad to be next to the library and was thinking about those precious few extra minutes before curfew when everyone else would have to leave, and she could wait until the very last second before darting off to her room. It meant the world to her.  

The four of them stepped off the train and headed towards the carriages. Goose was perched on Draco's shoulder. It was the oddest sight for many of the students who thought Draco and Harry hated each other. They weren't exactly wrong in their assumption but now to see them walking with two girls was a bit of a shock. They all knew that there were people looking at them, watching them. Oddly enough Harry was used to the stares and whispers and found that they no longer bothered him. Draco, too had become used to stares and whispers over the last few months. But they definitely bothered him. "Oh great, everyone is looking at the four weirdos walking together."

"Aw really? And here I was thinking they just all fancied me. Raging!" Sloane teased making Harry and Hermione chuckle. 

"Are you always so annoying?" Draco moaned.

"No," she smiled. "Sometimes I sleep."

"Harry, Hermione where have you—why are you with Malfoy?" Ron asked as his whole face grew dark. 

"You afraid I am going to turn them to the dark side Weasel?" Draco scoffed.

"As if... I just wouldn't want them to catch the vile that you spread around. You are like a disease that we just can't seem to get rid of. I see you have already infected some of the new students. Pity, I thought she had potential." Ron looked to Sloane. "Hermione, I hope you weren't trying to make friends with the strays. Even you are not that pathetic!"

Sloane was pissed. Goose hopped onto her shoulder as if to protect her and looked to be steaming he was so mad. "Listen, I have no idea what your problem is with me, but you speak to her or him like that again and I will personally see to it that you have a tail for the rest of the year. You wanna see if I am bluffing?" Sloane snapped. Goose stuck his tongue out at Ron.