Picking up the Pieces of Our Lives -Drarry

Chapter 17

Harry

"So did you ask Slughorn about the--HE BLOODY WHAT?" Came a shout from the common room. Harry looked up from his potions essay to see Ron fussing over a shaken looking Hermione. He quickly got up to what the commotion was all about.

"Hey, what's going on?" Harry asked, wondering what one earth could've happened in the ten minutes Hermione was gone.

"THE PRICK! HE DID IT AGAIN!" Roared Ron. Now, the few students in the common room were all staring.

"L-Let's go somewhere else, I'll t-tell you there Harry." Hermione said, stuttering slightly.

He wanted to ask what Ron meant by 'He did it again' but decided against it and waited until they were in his shared dorm. The ginger had been supporting the brunette the entire walk up the stairs and helped her sit down on the bed, never leaving her side. Before Harry could ask what happened, Hermione started explaining.

"I went down to Professor Slughorn's classroom, to ask him about the essay, but h-he wasn't there. Instead, it was M-Malfoy who was in the room. I saw him drink something and then he fell to the floor. H-he tried to kill himself again, and it almost worked, but I found the b-bezoar and now he's in the hospital wind." 

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Ron asked taking her chin into his hand, his face etched with concern. 

"I-I'm fine, just a bit shaken. My adrenaline is going down a bit now. I was just s-so--freaked out--that I wouldn't fine something in time." Hermione said, as Ron pulled her into a hug, she started visibly relaxing. She gave him a kiss on the cheek when the hug broke. Harry then spoke:

"I think we should try to make friends with Malfoy or something, or else he might be successful one day." he said grimly. The two others nodded. Silence envelope the group as each fell deep into thought.

"Hey, do you want to go to Hogsmeade? Right now, I mean, so we could, um, not have to worry about this right now. Just for a little break." Ron said awkwardly, trying to break the tension.

"Yeah, I reckon that would be a great distraction." Harry replied.

---

The three were soon out roaming the streets of Hogsmeade. Ron and Hermione had interlaced hands as Harry walked beside them, wearing the invisibility cloak as to not be swamped by numerous reporters. The friends made their ways through countless gift shops and stores, purchasing gifts for friends and family. They were mostly undisturbed except for a few people who asked for a photograph or autograph. Things were going great and it served for an excellent distraction, and soon they were at the Hog's Head, ordering some butterbeer.

"So how much do you want to bet that we'd have at least twenty more people trying to talk to us right now if they knew you were here, Harry?" Ron jokingly asked.

"I bet my entire Gringott's vault that everyone would go mad if they knew I was right here. Bloody hell, the way they treat me, you would think I'm some sort of god." Harry snorted "It gets frustrating sometimes, ya'know?"

"Yeah, we get it, mate, you just did what you had to do. We all did. It's not really some huge achievement." 

"I know, Harry" Hermione said soothingly "Things have been hard on you, but it will get better, everyone only wants to thank you for defeating the one person thought to be immortal." 

"I suppose you're right."

"Well 'Mione's always right." 

The trio then spent the rest of the night drinking butterbeer and talking mindlessly about random things. When they left, Ron had drank a bit too much, so Harry helped him back to the castle.