Utterly Broken

Chapter Two

As Harry stared up at the Hogwarts, the crowd parting around him, he sucked in his breath. He could do this, he could walk over the places where so many had died, and where he had lived. Hermione and Ron stood on either side of him, trying to support him, and failing miserly.

Ron put his warm hand on Harry's shoulder, causing Harry to turn around suddenly. "You okay?" he asked hesitantly. Ron had always been the emotional one, as much as he tried to deny it. Hermione looked at Harry, eyes soft with pity. 

Harry said nothing for a moment longer then acceptable, "I'm fine," he muttered. He was sick of those words. He was sick of everything. He stared back at the school, with its swirly towers and majestical feel. He remembered the original wonder and awe he had felt when he first saw the castle. He remembered how his first thought was, it's so much bigger then my cupboard, "bigger then my cupboard," he murmured out loud. 

"What?" questioned Hermione.

"Nothing," he replied ducking his head in embarrassment. "Come on," Harry forced himself to move forwards, he could do this. As he walked forwards, Ron and Hermione trailing behind him, his shoulders drooped more and more and he felt as if he was carrying a thousand bricks on his back. Why did he come back? Oh god, why?

"Harry?" He heard, "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," he snapped back to Hermione. In silence, the trio got into a carriage with Ginny and Luna, who waved hello.

Ron and Hermione stared at the threstrals at the front. "So that's what they look like," whispered Ron, staring at their leathery black skin and their hollow empty eyes. Ron looked back at him, as did Hermione, their eyes filled with something like horror. "I'm sorry we didn't believe you," he rasped, eyebrows pressed together. Ron's face was pale and almost no freckle in sight. Hermione nodded along with Ron.

Luna giggled, "Notice they don't apologise to me." Harry squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable. Luna always said the truth no one wanted to acknowledge. 

Ginny glared at her brother, until he muttered "Sorry," to Luna.

"It's fine," Luna replied, seemingly staring into Ron's soul, "Nobody apologises to me, expect Ginny and Draco," Harry jerked a little at Malfoy's first name, but Luna most interpreted as protest, so she added, "And you Harry-" 

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked for Harry. Ginny scowled at the name, but Luna smiled.

"Oh yes, Draco is ever so nice," Luna said dreamily, "He plays for me, you know, all sorts of things..."

"But why does he apologise to you?" Hermione interrupted. 

Luna looked down from the sky, which she had been staring at, "For not being to get me out of the prison, of course." Hermione fell into silence at the answer, a strange look on her face. 

Every time the carriage hit a bump in the road, Harry's back slammed into the the sharp edge of the carriage. The others had leaned forwards a tad to compensate, but Harry leaned back, relishing in the brief pain. As if summoned by the thought, Luna turned to look at him, eyes ghostly but free of judgement. She didn't say anything, but Harry could tell she was bothered, because she reached over and gripped Ginny's hand tightly.

The carriage fell into an uncomfortable silence, the two couples shifting closer to each other, leaving Harry staring at his hands. The rest of the carriage ride, Harry's mind with filled with thoughts of what Luna had said about Malfoy. What did he play? Sports? No, that didn't seem like it. Music? Harry couldn't think of snobby Malfoy playing an instrument. Actually he could, but only because Malfoy had been forced, Harry couldn't see the blond playing an instrument for fun.