“Notthatbad!”Ronthrewhimselfbakdownontotheouh.“Yououldhavedied,mate.”
“Doyouknow,”Harrysaid,teethgritted,eyeslosed,maybebeauseofthepain,maybehopingforpatiene.“howmanytimesyou’vesaidthoseexatwordstome?”
“Butthistimeyououldhavediedbeauseofpurestubbornness!”Hermionesaid,andherhairwasflyingoutaroundherlikeithadbeeneletrified,shewassofrazzled.“Yououldhavedied,andallbeauseyouhadn’tbeenabletosleepandthenthoughtitwasagoodideatoometotraining!”Shekdownonthegroundinfrontofhim,tookhishandsinherown.“Iknowit’shardHarry.”Draowantedtolookaway,beausethiswassuhanobviouslyprivatemoment,amomentbetweenthisfamilyhewouldneverbeapartof.“We’reallhavingtroublewithit.Youan’texpettojustbefine.Noneofus,andImeannoneofus,arefine,Harry.Youneedtolearntoaskforhelp.”
“Ianaskforhelp!”Harryprotests,pullinghishandsoutofhers.“Draomakesmeasleepingpotioneverynight!”
Draohadthoughtthattheyellinghadbeenbadbefore,butit’snotuntilHarrymentionedthesleepingpotionthatallhellreallybrokeloose.
Draoanseethereasoningbehindit,holy.Sleepingpotionsareverygerousthingstopywith,normally,beausetheyanruinbothyourphysialandmentalhealth,makeyouompletelydepeonthemtofuntion,ruinanyhaneatanormalsleepingshedule.TherewouldbenomovingforwardifHarrywasturningtoasleepingpotioneverynight.Butthatonlyappliedtotheregurwaytomakeit,nottohowDraomakesit,whih,ifhewasright,wouldhavenoillsideeffetsatall,shortorlongterm.
Andhewasveryrarelywrongabouthispotions.
Notthatthatseemstomattertoanyofthem,hethinks,andthenhedoesn’treallythinkanythingatall,beauseRonwasonhisfeetandomingtowardshim,grabbingbythearmandhurlinghimbakwards,bakintothewall,wheretherewouldbenoesape.
“Youmakehimoneofthoseeverynight,huh?”Heasks,andthereissomethinggerouswaitinghere,inthesehandsandtheseeyes.DraohadneverquitemanagedtonotiehowbigRonwasbakatHogwarts,butthatwasbakwhenhehadCrabbeandGoyleguardinghimeveryhourofthedayandhisfather’sreputationtohidebehind.NowRonhadhimpinnedtothewall,toverhim,keepinghimtherewithaforearmarosshisthroat.Therewasnoonetoprotethimnow.(NoonebutHarry,anyways,andhewasn’tinanypositiontohelp.)“Tryingtobehelpful?”
“It’sadditive!”Hermioneshoutedout,andhervoiewasonthevergeoftearsagain.Shealwayshadbeenrathereasytomakery.Thensheturnedonhim,andshedidnotseemweakanymore,sheseemedterrifying.“Howouldyoulethimdothis?”
Afterallhe’sdoneforyou,Draoheard,andheknowsthenthatthat’sgoingtobethelinethatfollowshimaroundtherestofhislife,thisguiltthatomeswitheveryheartbeat,thedebtthatstaksupwitheahseondthathestayshere.HetriesnottolookatHarry,butthenhedoesandthesightmakeshimwanttosinktohiskneesandbegeveryonetotakehimaway,tosendhimtotheministry,tostikhiminAzkabanfortherestofhislifeifthat’swhatittakestoprotethim.BeauseDraowillruinhimeventually.Intheend,heruinseverything.
“It’snot,”Heroaksoutinstead,lookingpastthemallatGinny,beauseGinnywassafe,Ginnywasstrong.“NotthatwaythatImakeit.”