Time Heals All Wounds?

Chapter 6

Harry was wrapped up in his favourite blanket when he heard a tap at the window of his dorm room. With a heavy sigh, he got up and made his way over to the window with the blanket still wrapped tightly around him. He was surprised to find the regal looking owl with a letter attached to its leg. After he let the bird in, Harry carefully removed the letter while gently stroking the owl's head. Once the letter was free, Harry was even more surprised to see that the letter was for him. Harry ever got post. Why would someone want to send something to a useless freak like him? The bird pecked his finger affectionately before it flew out the window again. Readjusting the blanket, Harry closed the window over slightly and made his way over to his bed. The writing on the front was a beautiful green and neat. Smiling, he opened out the parchment to find a short letter from Draco expressing how much he had enjoyed their afternoon together, but that Draco had something to ask him. Unfortunately, that they had parted before he could ask.

Shifting through the pile of homework scattered across his bed, Harry searched for a scrap of parchment to replay to Draco. Once he found it, he scribbled his reply to Draco and then attached the letter to Hedwig, who swiftly exited the room. Draco liked spending time with Harry and wanted to do it again. No one had ever said that to him before. He knew that Hermione liked to spend time with him, but that was different. Hermione was a girl and basically his sister. She was the first one he had told when he realised that he was gay and she always had his back no matter what. Harry knew he didn't deserve such a friend, but was grateful that he did have her. Still smiling, Harry descended the stairs to see if Hermione was in the Common Room. As luck would have it, she was. He raced over to her, nearly falling over his blanket in the process.

_ _ _ _ _ _

"'Mione! G-guess what, guess w-what!" Hermione looked up from the book she was reading to see Harry vibrating with joy as he tried to make his way over. She chuckled how excited he was, even as he kept getting caught up in his blanket. It had been a Christmas gift from Hermione during their first year and Harry never went far without it. That was the first thing that he asked for when they met up after the holidays, because Harry always insisted that Hermione take it over the Summer, no matter how much she tried to protest.

Finally, the boy had reached him and was jumping up and down in front of the girl. Hermione had never seen Harry this happy.

"Hello Harry. What has put you in such a good mood?" Harry smiled brightly in response and shook his head.

"No, I c-can't tell you s-sil-silly. You have to guess!" Harry said as if that were obvious. Hermione chuckled, but played along.

"Hmmm..." she pretended to be deep in thought "did you finish your homework?" Hermione knew that wasn't the right answer even before Harry shook his head.

"Nope," emphasising the p "I can do that t-tom-tomorrow. As long as you don't mind helping me." Harry's voice grew softer at the end and some of the joy left his face. It pulled at Hermione's heart. Poor Harry was picked on so much during most lessons that he didn't get to take many notes.

"Of course, Harry! You know I would help you with anything." Hermione was relieved to see Harry relax and smile again.

"Th-thank you" he said shyly and then began to jump again "come on 'Mione, guess!"

"Okay, okay! Could I have a clue? Otherwise, I think we may be here a while." Hermione nearly awed at Harry when he scrunched his face up adorably as he thought. Finally, he nodded his head.

"Silver." To anyone else, that one word wouldn't have meant anything, but Hermione immediately understood. Her eyes went wide in shock. Harry had fancied Draco for a year and a half, but was too afraid to act on it. As far as Hermione was aware, she was the only friend he had come out to. Hermione was immediately supportive, but knew that his relatives had not been. Harry had never said, but she was confident that they were unkind about his sexuality when he was home. She knew that they had never been the kindest of people when it came to Harry, especially after what he had told her recently, but she suspected that him coming out had made it worse. Shaking her head slightly, she focused on Harry again.