Just like Brothers

Chapter 72

Harry and Hermione went to Care of Magical Creatures as Ginny went to Transfiguration.

"Draco's going to be a pain in my arse about this," Harry groaned as they crossed the grounds to Hagrid's hut.

"Good luck with that," Hermione snorted.

They stopped with the group of fourth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins, just on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest.

"I'm going to go check on Ron," Hermione said, "go talk to Malfoy."

"Ok," Harry nodded, "I'll see you in a bit."

The blond boy wasn't hard to spot. He stood with his arms crossed, steel eyes burning holes in Harry.

"What the fuck, Potter!"

Harry cringed.

"You couldn't let us have a single normal year! You just had to go and get your name stuck in the Goblet of fucking Fire!"

"It's not my fault!" Harry protested.

"It's not my fault," Draco mocked, "it's never your fault, dimwit, you just have a tendency to almost be killed. Is it like an annual thing for you? Because it sure seems like it!"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Draco you're making a scene."

"I'm making a scene!" Draco scoffed, "what was last night? You made the biggest scene in the history of scenes."

"But that wasn't my fault," Harry argued, "I didn't know my name was going to come out of the Goblet!"

"Merlin, Potter," Draco groaned, cradling his head in his hands, "you're a mess."

Harry started laughing and it wasn't long before Draco was shaking in laughter as well.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Draco tried to be serious through the giggles.

"I have no clue," Harry gasped.

"Harry!" Hagrid came over to the two boys, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright, Hagrid," Harry said.

"Are you gonna compete?" Hagrid asked in a low tone.

The boys instantly went solemn.

"We don't know yet," Harry admitted, "Severus is fighting to get me out of it but the Goblet of Fire is supposedly binding."

"Snape'll find a way," Hagrid said confidently, "he's a Slytherin, it's what they do."

"Let's hope," Harry said unconvinced.

>•<

"Ron!" Harry jogged to catch up with the taller boy. He had been avoiding Harry the entire period they had Care of Magical Creatures, "Ron! Wait up!"

Finally falling in step with the ginger, Harry took a second to regain his breath before speaking.

"Why're you being weird?" Harry said, raising an eyebrow.

Ron just huffed and sped up.

"Ron?" Harry tried to keep up, "what's wrong?"

Ron stopped in his tracks, "how'd you do it?"

"Do what?" Harry looked at him in confusion.

"Enter the tournament," Ron spat bitterly, "how'd you get around the age line."

Harry was taken aback, "I didn't."

"Come on, Harry, I'm your best friend," Ron drawled sarcastically, "you can tell me."

"Ron," Harry said, an appalled expression on his face, "why would I put my name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"I don't know," Ron said, "how else would you have been entered?"

"Because someone's out to kill me," Harry said bitterly, "you think I want to compete in this tournament? Are you mad?"

Ron didn't say anything, his nose twitched and a frown pulled on the corner of his thin lips.

Brimming with fury, Harry stomped away from his best friend.

The entire way back to his dormitory, Harry's mind swarmed with rage. How dare he. How dare Ron think he put his name in the Goblet. How dare he not believe Harry when he said he didn't do it.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, frantically running at him, waving her arms for him to stop, "Harry!"

"What, Hermione," Harry said shortly, not in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment.

"What," she gasped, her hands on her knees, trying to regain her breath, "what happened?"

"Ron's a git," Harry's green eyes flashed dangerously. Severus had told him several times, he'd inherited his mother's temper. Something his therapist had worked with him was controlling said temper and learning how to deal with it.

Harry took a deep breath and started reciting Quidditch positions and plays in his mind.

"Harry?"

Harry held up a hand to keep Hermione quiet for a moment.

Feeling much better than before, Harry opened his eyes and ran a hand through his untidy, loose curls.

"Ron thinks I put my name in the Goblet of Fire," Harry said calmly, "and for some reason, he's mad."

"Ah," Hermione nodded, an understanding look washing away her perplexion.

"I don't understand why he's upset," Harry threw his hands up in the air in exasperation, "he doesn't have to risk his neck for a stupid competition."

"He's jealous, Harry," Hermione placed a soothing hand on Harry's arm, "you're always the center of attention—"

"That's not my fault!" Harry interrupted.

"I'm not saying it is," Hermione soothed, "just Ron often feels lost in the shadows. If it's not you, it's his brothers. And it's not your fault, nobody's saying it is, I think he wanted to be the center of attention for once."

"That still doesn't explain why he thinks I entered myself," Harry huffed.

"Just give it some time," Hermione said, "he'll come around sooner or later. This is a stupid argument."

"Tell me about it," Harry said, "it's not like I asked for this! I didn't ask to be targeted every single day of my life! I didn't asked for my parents to be murdered! Ron has it easy, he has a family, he's never felt what it's like to be completely alone... to hit rock bottom. He's never had a reason to give up, Hermione!"

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione sobbed, throwing her arms around the boy, "you don't deserve any of this. I wish you'd share you past with us."

Harry froze in her hold. This was the first time she'd asked about his past since he'd told her he wasn't ready to share.

"Not yet," Harry said softly, returning her embrace, "maybe I'll tell you one day, I'm just not ready yet."

"One day is all I'm asking for," Hermione whispered into his sweater, "I love you so much, Harry. Everyone does."

Harry tightened his hold on her. Without Hermione he would definitely be dead by now. Hermione was the sister he'd never had. He would be completely lost if he didn't have her by his side.

>•<

Snape kept Harry back when his potions lesson had ended.

"I'm sorry," Severus looked pained as he shook his head, "I couldn't do it, I let you down, I'm sorry."

The little hope Harry had left extinguished as if it was a candle blown out with a large gust of wind.

He would be the fourth champion of the Triwizard Tournament.