tick-tock | a drarry tale

III.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to the Great Hall the next morning, they could tell the whole school seemed to hear about Harry's incident. The stares and whispers were 10 times worse today as they were yesterday. It seemed as if the whole school was staring at Harry wherever he went.

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"You can get through this, Harry," she whispered. "Ignore them."

"I know," Harry's voice cracked, and they continued walking down the corridor.

As they were nearing the entrance of the Great Hall, a particular group of Slytherins stepped in their way.

"Potter!" Harry heard Malfoy's voice, and he looked up from his feet. "What happened last night? I heard whispers all over the school, but I wanted information from the source."

He smirked.

"Leave it alone, Malfoy," Hermione spat, and tugged Harry and they walked a couple steps forward. But Malfoy slid in their way.

"How dare you, you filthy Mudblood, speak to me? And I don't remember addressing you," he sneered, earning snickers from his friends.

Harry clenched his jaw.

"Leave her alone, Malfoy" - Draco smirked - "You want to hear the story? I had a panic attack," he half lied, "and woke up pretty much the whole House. Now, if you excuse us." He grabbed both of his friend's arms and plowed through Malfoy. Draco scattered to the side and glared at them as they entered the Great Hall.

"A panic attack?" Pansy sneered. "Over what?"

No one answered her, Crabbe and Goyle staring at Draco, while Draco was staring at the place where he last saw Potter.

Why did he give in so easily? I thought for sure that he would fight back.

__________

"Why did you give in so easily?" Ron asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. Harry ignored him as he scooped some scrambled eggs and placed them on his plate. "Harry."

"He called you a Mudblood, Hermione," he glanced at her. "And I just wanted to get away from him."

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione smiled. Harry's lips quirked up, and he went back to his food, shoving a forkful of eggs in his mouth.

"Schedules! Schedules!" Professor McGonagall announced, walking up and down the table, handing out pieces of parchment to every student. "Harry," she said softly, handing him the parchment.

"Thank you," Harry responded timidly, not meeting her eyes.

"Weasley," she handed Ron his, "Granger," and handed Hermione hers, then stalked off.

Harry glanced at his schedule. Same, same. Great, Double-Potions with Slytherin, and Defense Against the Dark Arts... swell.

Harry turned his attention back to his breakfast, trying to ignore the stares of his fellow Gryffindors. It seemed as though he'll never be out of the spotlight. The trio finished their breakfast hastily and hurried to their first class: Double-Potions.

They hurried down the stairs to the dungeons.

Harry's fellow classmates and a handful of Slytherins were already in the room as the trio entered. Snape didn't spare them a glance as they hurried over to their desks, they were already late on the first day.

"Polyjuice Potion," Snape clearly stated, waved his wand, and a lot, a lot, of instructions and notes appeared on the chalk board behind the professor. Harry glanced sideways at Ron, he too looking back at Harry.