All the wrong choices

The Green Jacket

Harry stood staring after Malfoy long after his silhouette had disappeared. He wondered whether he would return after a walk or whether he was leaving the grounds to disapparate. He felt his nerves dance through and over his innards like a colony of ants. He felt so confused as he ran over the conversation in his mind. His mind kept returning to a single phrase. No doubt a throwaway comment of no importance but Harry just couldn't dismiss it. Harry drove Malfoy crazy. For some reason, that comment brought a rush of heat to his face and a wave of adrenaline through his veins. He turned to re-enter the castle, pushing the large doors with a groan. How he'd not heard it when Malfoy had snuck up on him he didn't know.

He found Ron had returned with the drinks, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. He looked down at the three fire whiskeys sitting in a cluster and looked back at Ron quizzically. Ron smiled sheepishly in return.

"I've heard divorce is a bitch" he patted Harry on the arm as Harry collapsed into the chair.

"What?" Asked Harry nervously.

"Come on mate!" he smiled "Mione may be the smartest witch of our age but she's a rubbish liar when you know her, these days the only time she and Ginny talk is when there is trouble. And they've been talking an awful lot!" He snorted "Plus, I still have one of Fred and Georges extendable ears. Are you alright?" Harry sat dumbstruck.

"How – How long have you known?"

"Me and Mione have known for a while that there's been trouble but all relationships go through rough patches, I didn't know about the other bloody bloke until tonight, I'm going to bloody kill her!" His face was serious and grim with anger.

"Thanks, but don't bother, what's done is done. She hasn't been happy for a while so it's my fault anyway." Harry said as he sipped one of his new whiskeys. "I'm surprised it took this long for her to find someone else"

"Well, I can guarantee that Mum won't be knitting him a Christmas jumper in the near future!" They both laughed. "But seriously, are you alright?" Harry nodded, not really knowing how to explain his ambivalence toward the split.

"So where's Hermione disappeared to?" Asked Harry changing the subject. Ron rolled his eyes with a smile.

"Her and Luna have gone to 'powder their noses' what does that even mean?" Harry smiled weakly but shrugged. He took another sip of his whisky and caught sight of what he could only describe as a walking, lime-green pompom. He choked on his whiskey, causing Ron to turn. How had he not seen her in the hall sooner? There were more frills on her dress than Ron had on his old hand-me-down dress robes.

"Hello Harry," She said, her floaty, lilting voice crooned as she arrived at the table, Hermione close behind her.

"Hi Luna, I like your dress, its... very green" Harry smiled trying to be nice.

"Thank you, I like your jacket, it's very green too" She smiled and tilted her head. "It's not yours is it?"

Harry jumped as he realised what he was still wearing. He felt his cheeks begin to burn as he looked down at the dark dress blazer that adorned his shoulders. The intoxicating scent filled his nostrils, spicy and sweet adding fuel to the fire.

"Whose jacket are you wearing, Harry?" asked Hermione as she sat next to Ron.

"It's Harry's," said Ron, then as if not sure himself as he appraised it "isn't it?"

"No, Ron, it's green, Harry is wearing black" Three sets of eyes looked at him waiting for an answer. He shrugged out of it reluctantly as he felt the warmth leave with it.