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"You're lying!" Hermione whispered in a hiss at Harry, hands trembling as Ron stared at him, mouth agape. "That's not true!"
"I don't want it to be true either, Hermione! I know what I heard."
"Maxwell would never!" The girl was on the verge of tears as she shook her head vigorously. "He'd never!"
"He's changed!" Harry fired back with just as much disdain. "He hasn't been the same in years! Not since Voldemort and his mother came back during the tournament! Not since Sirius—" He shook his head sadly not being able to go on. "Something is wrong, you two. I'm telling you."
"I don't know, mate," Ron mumbled quietly, looking across the hall to his friend. "I don't think I have the heart to believe he could do such a thing."
The two friends followed Ron's gaze across the hall, to where Draco and Max sat together, hands interlinked as they shared furious whispers.
"Couldn't even do it for Malfoy, hm?" Harry offered the thought. "They've been inseparable since term began."
"They're in love!" Hermione tried to defend her cousin. "You know how Maxwell is—"
"It's more than that, Hermione. I'm trying to explain." Harry could see the distress tearing the girl apart, too many facts stacked up against her beloved cousin.
"I mean," Ron softly began, "do we really think he could do that? To us?"
The three remained silent, looking over at their friend who hadn't spoken to them in days. Even from so far away they could see the way Max's shoulders fell, the purple marks underneath his eyes standing out against his fair skin.
"Not without good reason," Hermione faintly whispered as the boys turned to her. "Not if it wasn't for love."
The three Gryffindors felt their hearts sink as they watched the once timid boy, terribly afraid they had just uncovered his dark secret. Terribly afraid that the boy they all loved so deeply had finally, finally snapped.
"No—" Ron suddenly back tracked, shaking his head profusely. "No, Max wouldn't." Neither Harry nor Hermione replied, both staring between their table and Maxwell Prince. "He couldn't. Not to us. Not to me."
Hermione could hear the heartbreak in Ron's voice, grasping his hand in her own to try to ease both of their pain.
"Nothing," Harry sighed deeply, "nothing has been proven yet. Let's all just take some time, keep an eye on him."
Harry's eyes fell to Max and Draco once again. Only this time Max was heading to the doors of the Great Hall, and Draco's cold eyes found Harry's. The Slytherin, seeming to panic, quickly turned on his heel and chased after his lover.
Harry, ever the savior, stood quickly following after. Giving no hint to Ron and Hermione where he was going, the two lost in their own deep conversation of the Prince boy.
