Choices

Chapter 15

Some of the past chapters, I feel, are extremely cringy. I apologize and will try to write better in the future. Also, I think I'd be better if I wrote in third person limited. -DP

Harry POV

"Another week, another Ministry party, and yet another speech. You'd think that after 19 years the wizarding world of the UK would have gotten over the whole Boy-Who-Lived-Twice thing, but that's where you're wrong. So, here I am. In this giant decorated room, telling you all my complaints." Hermione stops reading Harry's speech out loud and gives him that look. "Harry, we've been over this. You can't complain to the Wizignamot, they'll send it to the Daily Prophet and who knows what Skeeter will do to it."

He sighs. "Yeah, I know." 

They're sitting on Harry's living room couch- Ron, Hermoine and him-discussing his upcoming speech at what the Daily Prophet calls 'The Ball Of The Century'. He has no idea why they call it that, because it's going to be just like every other one that's ever happened. Where Harry is the center of attention, he gives a speech, and people pretend to care. Harry really wished something interesting were to happen for once.

Ron sighs as well. "Mate, look. You've got it backwards. People don't not care, they just want something to look up to. A role model. You to them is like.....er....."

Hermione butts in. "The Avengers to muggles. Or Superman, Batman, etc."

Ron nods vigorously. "Yeh, them." He whispers quietly to Harry so Hermione can't hear, "I have no idea who those people are." Harry chuckles.

Hermione smiles. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing" Ron and him say at the exact same time.

Now they both laugh properly, and Hermione joins in. Sometimes it's nice when it's just the three of them. Ginny's out for the evening and Albus is at Andromeda's, so that leaves the house for the trio to do what they want.

Hermione stops laughing suddenly, so Harry and Ron stop. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

She gives Harry a strange look, one she's never given anyone before. "Ah, it's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I, er....."

Hermione's never stumbled over her words like that...she must know something I don't, Harry thought. "Come on Mione, I know you know something."

She winces. "Alright, but...don't freak out."

"Why would I?"

"Well, you see.....er.....Malfoy......." She blushes and trails off. Harry looks at Ron, who's just as clueless as  him. He shrugs, so he turns back to Hermione. "What about him?"

"Well....he....sort-of......likes you?"

He mulls over this. He....likes him? As a friend? "You mean he wants to be my friend?"

"Oh Harry, it's the sweetest thing! You'd never believe what he has in his trunk, I found out the other day when I went to his house for help with Ron and it was the only thing that could save him from his love-potion trance that Daphne put him under--"

"Hermione! The point?"

"Oh right. He doesn't just like you, he's in love with you! Judging by the things he had in there, he must have been since, well, third year I think." 

Harry blinks, confused. He...what? "Excuse me?"

Hermione glances at Ron, who turns to Harry. "Er...well....it makes sense, if you think about it. He's always following you around, probably picking on you just to get attention. Now that I think about it," He pauses and rests his chin on his hand, "You might fancy him as well."

Harry opened his mouth and was about to deny such a ridiculous notion when something clicked. He closed it and thought about it. He had been following Malfoy on the Marauder's Map in sixth year, a habit he never broke out of. He never really knew why, and had just brushed it off as watching for suspicious activity. Maybe there was something more to it...

Did he find Malfoy attractive? he closed his eyes and imagined what Malfoy looked like last time he saw him. Platinum blonde hair; silvery-grey eyes with blue flecks in them that sparkled sharply when he was angry; his toned and muscular frame of a quiditch player hidden beneath expensive yet tasteful clothes; pink, full lips; sharp features mixed with soft ones....Harry would say yes, he did find Dr-Malfoy....well, quite easy on the eye. But that was then, what would he look like now? Harry tried to imagine an older Draco: stubble, hair un-gelled, taller, his body lithe and muscled from his quiditch years...Harry's cheeks went pink and his eyes snapped open. Stop stop stop  he told himself. Do NOT go there.

What about Ginny? He was married to her after all, so he must find her attractive. Right? She's pretty enough, he supposed, with her long flowing red hair and freckles across the ridge of her nose. Now that he thought about it really, it seemed more like she had somewhat forced herself upon him. She was the one who suggested getting married, dropping not-so-subtle hints at every opportunity. And before that, he recalled, she went out with Dean just to make him jealous. Jealous of what though? The fact that he didn't have a relationship, or the fact that he didn't have Ginny? 

A thought occurred to him then: He didn't truly love Ginny. He was shocked at this revelation. It was ridiculous! Yet at the same time, it rang true in his heart.

He looked up at his friends to see two different expressions: Ron looked expectant while Hermione looked apprehensive. They glanced at each other.

Ron spoke up first. "So...what do you think?"

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs."Honestly Ronald!" she muttered not-so-quietly.

"Ow! Hey, I was just trying to help."

Hermione rolled her eyes and asked Harry the same thing a different way. "Harry, we'll support you no matter what you choose. Even if you pick Malfoy." Ron cringed. "Yeh....even that."

"Wait, I have to choose now? I don't even know how I feel about my wife anymore really, and now you're telling me to pick between her, my wife, and Malfoy, my bully, whom I haven't seen in ten years?" 

"No! Harry, that's not what I meant!"

"Well, it's what you said. Usually that's the truth, unless this is some big joke and you're lying to me. Which would make me think I can't trust you because you turned my life upside down to get one over on me. Haha, very funny."

He said the words 'very funny' with a bit more venom than he had intended, and Ron turned defensive. "I know we're all friends, but don't you dare talk to my wife that way." He stood and got close to Harry's face.

"Boys! Stop, there's no need for this fighting!" Hermione says, desperately trying to relieve the tension between the two men.

Harry ignores her. "You  know what? Why don't you leave if you don't like the way I talk to my  friend."

Ron turns right around to Hermione, but still speaks to Harry. "Fine. You want to be that way? Then we will leave. Come on Mione."

Hermione doesn't move. "I said, come on, we're leaving."

Hermione jumps up from the couch because of Ron's tone and gives Harry an apologetic look. They walk to the fireplace and floo to the Burrow, leaving Harry alone and sadder than when he had wanted their company.

He put his head in his hands and sighed. Once again, Malfoy had completely ruined his life.