a buck tooth and a ferret

chapter 7.

HERMIONE POV

"HOW DARE HE INSULT YOU LIKE THAT! I SWEAR TO MERLIN-" Draco lashed out, and I was surprised to see him so riled up. Ron was insulting me, his sworn nemesis. He should've been happy, or even added a snarky comment or two of his own. Why did he look so angry?

Agreed, we had silently established the fact that there was mutual respect for each other, yet...

I put my hand on his shoulder and slightly pressed down, a gesture to calm him a little. He took quick shallow breaths, and his face regained that usual mask of indifference and arrogance, but his eyes seemed to narrate a different story.

Harry, meanwhile, was another story. He was rooted to his spot, and his face was crumpled up with hurt, bewilderment but most of all, rage. I doubt he even listened to Draco's angry tantrum. His steely gaze seemed to be fixated on the spot where Ron had disapparated, as if he could somehow erase the point off the sphere of existence.

I knew from personal experience the deep swirl of emotions flowing inside him would be too intense for him to handle alone.

I looked briefly at Draco, as if to say that I wanted to be alone with him for some time. He understood the gesture and walked away, but somehow, call it intuition; I knew he wouldn't just leave. He'd probably be slithering around like the Bloody Baron.

I approached Harry gently, saying, "Hey-"

But before I could even say anything to comfort him, he enveloped me into a giant hug, and we just stayed like that for a few moments. He seemed to be apologizing for something, but I couldn't make out as his words were muffled by my bushy hair. At this point, my mind was so confused; the night had been a rollercoaster ride and who knew what else would be awaiting me.

Harry pulled back, adjusted his glasses, and in the most sincere and gentle of voices said, "Hermione, I am so sorry for bringing Ron here. I had no idea that the git would hurt you so much. I intended for him to apologize for everything he did to you-"

"Hold on, what are you talking about?"

"Look 'Mione, I know you have a big heart, but whatever that sodding buffoon has done is beyond excusable. The way he just dumped you-"

"Wait a minute. How did you know about that? It happened only a couple hours ago, and practically no one knows. After that whole fiasco, I did try contacting you, but you were busy at the time."

He looked sheepish, "Yes, I know, and I feel incredibly contrite and so as soon as I was done, I planned to surprise you with a midnight visit. I apparated to Ron's residence, knowing you'd be there, spending your 'quality time' or whatever. But then-" He seemed hesitant to continue, but I narrowed my eyes asking him to continue otherwise there'd be disastrous consequences. He just gulped and continued, "I saw Ron and Lavender sprawled over the couch snogging and-"

"Don't complete that sentence; I think I get the idea. I have been scarred enough today; I do not need to relive that moment."

Harry seemed grateful for my intervention, because he would have been so embarrassed to actually describe the scene in explicit detail. "It took me by shock, and I yelped out so loudly, that they jumped off each other in a jiffy. Ron was appalled at my appearance but then I demanded a full explanation, so he told me that you had left him for Corner, and he spoke with such conviction; but don't worry 'Mione, I didn't believe him for a second. I knew you were completely devoted to him, and you would never do something like that. I threatened to hex the living hell out of him, so he complied with me. Being an Auror does have its perks, after all!"

I was impressed. Seriously. Harry didn't have violent tendencies, and Ron wasn't a complete scaredy cat. Harry's expression must've been one of incredible resentment for Ron to tell him the whole scoop. Merlin, I wish I was there.