PushingtherestofhisdessertinCrabbe’sdiretion,DraostoodupfromtheSlytherintableandfollowedHarry.
Harrywalkeddowntotheke,ompletelyunawareoftheVeriaefollowinghimatadistane.HewastornbetweenseveralemotionswhihwerebattlingforontrolangeratRonassumingthathisewithDraowasn’treal,worrybeausemaybeRonwasright,fearthatRonwasright,self-loathingforbeingupsetatRonbeausetherewasnowayRonouldhaveknownHarry’sfeelingsaboutthee.Itwasn’tasifHarryhadtoldhim.Buthowouldhe?Fromhisreationthatafternoon,itwasobviousthatRonwasnotreadytouandhowhisfeelingsforDraohadhanged.Ronhadn’tgonethroughwhatHarryhad,soofourseheouldn’tuandthisshiftofemotion.
Harrysighed,shiveringagainsttheoldnightair.Andwhatwouldhedo?Whatouldhedo?Heknewthatifhewaitedanddidn’ttellRonitwouldjustmakethingsworseter.RonwouldfindoutfromsomeoneelseorinsomeotherwayandthenhewouldfeelthatHarryhadnottrustedhim,orworsebetrayedhim.
AndthenwhatifRonwasright?Draohadseemedserious.Veryserious.Andbeforethat,whenhe’dbroughtuptheoptionofethefirsttime,Draowouldn’teventhinkofitbeausehedidn’twanttohaveafakee.But…Draohadneveratuallysaidtheyweretrulygettingmarried.Theyhadn’ttalkedaboutitatallinfat.
“Youknow,I’malmostpositivethatit’sbeenproventhatstandingaroundoutsidewithoutwarmlothingleadstoproblemswithyourhealth.ButIouldbewrong,”avoiedrawledfrombehindhimandHarrylookeduptoseeDraowathinghimlookingbemused.
“Ineededtothinkaboutsomething,”Harrymutteredturningbaktolookattheke.
“Doesyourmindnotworkunlessit’sbelowfreezing?etothinkofit,thatwouldexpinalot.”
InspiteofhimselfHarrygrinnedatDrao’sommentastheblondmovedtostandbesidehim.
“Sowhatdidtheydothistime?”Draoaskedafteramoment.
“What?”
Draosighed.“It’sobviousthatsomethinghappenedeitherbeforeorduringdinnertomakeyouthisway,andyouwereupintheGryffindorTowerbeforethat.Sowhatdidtheydo?”Heexpinedasifhewerespeakingtosomeonewhodoesnotthinkveryfast.
“Ron…saidsomething.”
“Ah,Weasel.Ishouldhaveguessed.”
“Don’tallhimthat.”
“Whenhe’smakingyouupsetI’llallhimwhatIwant.”
“I’mnotupset.”
“Ofourse,andthat’swhyyou’restandingouthereattemptingtofreezeyourself.”
“Hereallydidn’tsayanything…muh.Hejustsawtheeringandaskedmeatwhatdateweweregoingtobreakitoff.”
Draogredatthesnowonthegroundasifitwereoffendinghim.“Howunouth.”
Harrylookeddownatthesnowaswell.“We’re…notgoingtobreakitoffthough,right?”