Gold Tinted Spectacles (Hecatemus Book #1)

Chapter 21 - "I always knew there were people who didn't like me"

Professor McGonagall didn't want him to go, but had stopped short of forbidding him; Ron and Hermione were both nervous about him going anywhere out of school grounds and Draco was silently anxious about the whole idea, but wanted to go as much as he did. Hence, as everyone else in the third year and above prepared for the last trip to Hogsmeade before Christmas, so did Harry.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ron asked for the third time as Harry riffled around in his trunk looking for his money pouch.

Ron was sat on the bed, Hermione was hovering next to him and Draco was leaning against the wall looking pensive. The overriding emotion in the room was anxiety and Harry was trying to ignore it. He would be lying if he told them that the idea of leaving Hogwarts did not make him a little jumpy, but it was the same as leaving the hospital wing had been: something he had to do sooner or later. At least this time no one was trying to pretend anything and he and Draco would undoubtedly stick together like glue.

"We're going," Harry said evenly, "I have Christmas shopping to do and I'm not doing it by owl."

"But what if..." Ron began, but Harry stopped him with a look.

"If I lived my life by what ifs I'd never get out of bed in the morning," he said.

He looked over to Draco for a little support and his lover raised an eyebrow at him. Draco didn't exactly disapprove of the whole trip, but this was obviously Harry's fight.

"A lifetime's learning in just over two months," Hermione said slowly, "Harry, you exceeded my expectations."

Harry sighed and pulled his money pouch out from where he had just spotted it. Hermione was obviously learning bad habits from Draco, or possibly she had been that way all the time and Harry's soulmate was just bringing it out more by being there.

"I'm not trying to prove anything," Harry said honestly, "I just want to go. If anything odd happens we'll come back, I promise."

Both Hermione and Ron looked at him in a very appraising manner. Harry had little choice but to accept their scrutiny in good spirits.

"I haven't had a breakdown in three weeks," he pointed out hopefully.

He really wanted to go on this trip, but he did not want to upset his friends. They had been there for him ever since his "change" and they were rather high on his list of priorities these days.

"You're impossible," Hermione said pointedly and Harry grinned; he knew he'd won.

"If you go mental in Zonko's I am not bailing you out," Ron said with a half smile.

So that was it: they went shopping.

* * *

Harry might have been seventeen and he might have been a Hecatemus, but neither of these facts had reduced his fondness for sweets. In fact his increased need for high-energy food was rather encouraging the habit. Draco, whose sweet tooth was legendary in the school, did not object either when Harry dragged them into the sweet shop towards the end of their shopping spree.

There was only one problem: a large number of the rest of the school had decided to do the same thing. They had already been to visit Ron's brothers in Zonko's; wandered around several other shops; and had lunch in a bid to avoid the rush, but it seemed that a large number of the rest of the pupils from Hogwarts had put off their visit to the sweet shop as well.

Harry was having such a good time being out of Hogwarts that he found it amusing when Hermione, Ron and Draco formed up around him like a protective barrier. He would be the first to admit he was still not good in crowds, but the way his friends and his lover put themselves between Harry and the rest of the people in the shop made him smile.