DraowasughingathiminthewayhedoeswhenhethinksHarryisbeingsilly,hismouthtwistingupintoasmirk.Harrydoesn’tknowhowtoexpintherealproblemwithbeingtheenterofattention—thathowsometimesitwindsyoudown,piksoffpieesofyou,takesawayallyouredgesuntilyouhavenothingtoprotetyourselfandthereisnotoughskintohidebehind,onlyyouandtheuglytruthofthepubliopinion.Andthere’salsotheotherpart,abouthowgoingthereandsmilingandaeptingtheirthankswouldseemlikehewasmoreimportantthantheotherswhohadriskedlifeandlimbtofightbesidehim,tofightforhim,andheouldn’tstomahit,notwhentheonlythingHarryanreallythinkheisbeingongratutedonisthefatthathehadbeenlukyenoughtostayalive,eventhoughhehadtriedtodie.
(Here’sthething,thelittlethoughtinhisheadthatheisn’ttellinganyone,ertainlynotHermione:Heshouldhaveprotetedthemall.That’swhathewastryingtodo,bywalkingintothatforest.Heshouldhaveprotetedthem,orheshouldhavediedwiththem,andhedidn’tquitemanagetodoeither,sowhatkindofaherodoesthatmakehim?”
“TheywanttoknowifIhaveaplusone.”Harryreadsovertheletterforthethirdtime,alreadyrippingoffapieeofparhmenttosendaRSVP.“WhodotheythinkI’mtaking?EveryoneknowsthatGinnyandIbrokeup.”
Theydid.Itwasfrontpagenewsassoonasithappened.EventheQuibbleroveredit,whihwassortofendearingmorethanannoying,beauseLunahadwrittenitinherHERE’SWHATMYFRIENDSHAVEBEENDOINGLATELYolumn,andHarrydidn’thaveitinhimtobemadather.
“Yououldtakeme.”There’sforedasualnessinhisvoie,andeventhoughthey’vegottenpastthepointwheretheypretendaroundeahother,DraoisavoidingHarry’seyes.“I’dbeabletohelp.”
Likethat’sthereasonthatHarrywouldwanttotakehim.Beausehe’dbeabletohelp.
“Yeah.”Harryhadtolearhisthroattwiebeforeheouldgetthewordout,beausethisisraisingmorequestionsthanitisanswers,likeifit’sadateandwhetherDraowantedittobeadate,ifthiswaspartoftheirattempttokeepmovingforward,ifHarryshouldbeexpetingthingstohangeiftheygopublilikethis.“Yeah,I’dlikethatalot.”
Draosmiles,eventhoughhestillisnotlookinghisway.“Youwould?”
Harrydoesn’tknowwhattodowithhimwhenheislikethis,sohejustsmiles,too,andgoestotheupboardtomakehisownbowlofereal,wwhatintheworldhewasgoingtowear.
Hemakesituntilthirtyminutesbeforethepartybeforehestartstofreakout.