And Then There Were Three

Chapter 7

Harry paced back and forth across his room as he waited for Ron to get there. Snape had talked to Mrs. Weasley right after Harry mentioned it the day before and she'd said that Ron could come for one week, provided that he didn't get into any trouble while he was there.

Harry wasn't entirely sure that was a promise that he would be able to keep, especially now that Harry was forming a plan to sneak out that very evening to save Draco. Though, if Ron didn't want to risk it, he'd never hold it against him.

But Harry had to. He had to at least try and get Draco away from there. He couldn't explain the feeling he had when Draco said his parents were ignoring him, but it felt all too familiar with being locked in the cupboard and Harry couldn't leave him there to deal with it alone.

Of course, the logical solution would be to tell Snape. Harry knew that. And when Draco was there the next morning and Snape asked how, he would have to come clean, but he couldn't risk Snape tell him 'no.' Not when it came to this.

And so, Harry paced. And he waited, and then paced some more, until finally Jenka popped into the room and said, "Master Harry's friend is here!"

Harry grinned. He hadn't yet convinced Jenka to only call him 'Harry,' but at least he wasn't 'Master Harry Potter, sir' anymore.

"Thanks, Jenka," Harry said before turning and sprinting out of his bedroom and downstairs to greet Ron. Rook, who only a moment ago had been fast asleep on the bed Harry and Snape had gotten him on that first day, sprang to his feet and sprinted after him.

Snape and Ron were standing awkwardly in the living room beside the fireplace, where Harry assumed Ron had come through, and when Harry walked in sight, Ron grinned widely.

"Hey, Ron."

Ron held his hand up in a wave before walking towards Harry, but before he could say anything, Harry spoke again, "We'll be upstairs."

Snape shook his head. "Harry, wait," he said, calling him back. "I've got to floo over to Remus's for a few moments. You'll be okay til I get back?"

"What are you going to see Remus for?" Harry asked, ignoring Snape's original question.

"We've just got to work out a small matter. It won't take long."

Reluctantly, Harry nodded. He watched Snape step into the floo and when he had disappeared in the swirling flames, he turned back to Ron. "Come on," he said, leading him up the stairs. "We'll put your stuff in my room."

"I can't believe you live here," Ron said in awe as he looked around Harry's bedroom a moment later. Rook was currently sitting beside him, basking in the attention that Ron was giving him as he scratched behind his ears.

Snape had transfigured Harry's bed into two small ones, just like he'd done the year before during that disastrous first summer when Draco stayed. Only this time Harry had been completely for the idea. Though he did ask Snape why Ron couldn't just have the extra bedroom that was down the hall, but Snape had only said that the fourth bedroom was off limits and that Harry would stay out of it.

Ron put his backpack down on the bed closest to the door as he continued to take in the room.

It suddenly made Harry feel uncomfortable. Ron had very little in his life and he would never want him to think that he was flaunting what he had here with Snape. It wasn't like that for him, and he hoped that Ron knew that.

"It's really not anything special," Harry said softly from his place on his bed on the far wall. "Except that it's mine. It's the first room that I've ever really had that was all mine."