Third Place - Angst

On their way back up the street to The Three Broomsticks, Harry caught sight of his friends. They were just coming out of Zonko's across the street. They saw him at about the same time and waved frantically and started across. Harry waved back and smiled, happy to see them. He stopped to wait for them to catch up.

"I refuse to waste anymore time on those idiots. I expect you at the Broomsticks in fifteen minutes. Do not make me wait." With that warning, Draco continued on his way. Harry was once again struck by Draco's behavior.

"Hey, Harry," Hermione came up to him, looking at the retreating blonde down the road. "What's going on?"

"I just have to meet him in fifteen minutes for lunch."

"Who cares about him," Ron threw a look towards the distant Draco. He turned back to Harry, his eyes lit in excitement. "You'll never guess what happened, Harry! I've got a line of credit at Honeydukes! Ten Galleons!"

Harry smiled. "What did you get?"

"What didn't I get!" Ron started counting off on his fingers. "I got about fifty Chocolate Frogs and enough Ton-Tongue Toffee to last a year. Some Canary Cr�mes and about five pounds of treacle fudge."

"Yes, and let's not forget the sixteen Pumpkin pasties you stuffed in your mouth before we even left the shop," Hermione said. She gave Harry a sharp eye. "You knew about this before, didn't you?"

"That Ron can eat sixteen pumpkin pasties?" Harry joked but Hermione wasn't having it.

"You know who gave Ron the credit, don't you?"

Ron's brow furrowed. "It wasn't you, was it, Harry? Cause if it was-,"

"No, no it wasn't me." Harry held up his hands to stop his friend's train of thought.

"Then who, Harry? A bloke's got a right to know who's giving him free stuff."

Harry looked between his friends and scuffed his toe into the dirt. "Alright, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to freak out or tell him I told you."

"It was Malfoy, wasn't it?" Hermione asked knowingly.

"What?" Ron cried.

"Yeah, it was him. It was our very first stop. He said he wanted it confidential but he didn't specifically tell me that, so... just keep it under your hat, alright?"

Ron was turning red. "What did he do that for? I already ate a lot of it! I can't give it back!"

"Ron, stop it," Hermione ordered. "Harry, did he say why he did it?"

Harry shook his head. "No, he just shrugged it off and said it was less than his shampoo or something."

"Hmm," Hermione put her finger to her chin and frowned in concentration. "What were you doing or saying right before he did it?"

Harry thought back. "Uh, well, we really didn't talk on the way here. I asked him why he liked to walk to Hogsmeade and he said that he just did." Harry shrugged.

"Well, did you bring up Ron at all?"

"Yeah. He saw the mark on my face and wanted to know who did it. And sense he was angry, I ended up telling him about the fight. He asked if I won and I said that I didn't have the chance because Ron got between us too fast."

"Ah," Hermione said.

"What the bloody hell does 'ah' mean?" Ron was turning a strange shade of red. "Malfoy probably had me poisoned and your sounding like a ruddy professor!"

"Oh Ronald, stop it," Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance. "Malfoy wasn't out to get you. He was thanking you."

"Thanking me?" Ron looked like he was just hit with a Stupify. Harry's eyes lit up with comprehension.

"Oh, yeah, that does make sense, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. Would one of you tell me what is going on?" Ron growled.

"You stepped in between Harry and Duncan," Hermione began. "Duncan had hurt Harry and you got in between them and started to fight with Duncan instead. You protected Harry."

"That's what best mates do for each other," Ron said in his defense.

"Of course," Hermione soothed. "But, Draco took it personally. As a Supero it would be his job to defend Harry. Since he wasn't there and you were, he is thanking you by giving you food. It would be an appropriate gift if he were a Dagodine in the wild."

"Oh," Ron narrowed his eyes in thought. "So, cause I protected Harry, he gave me all the sweets I could ever eat?"

"Did you want dead lizards?" Harry quipped. Ron punched him in the shoulder.

"Ugh, don't make me sick or you'll see all sixteen pasties again."

The friends laughed. Hermione put her hand on Harry's arm. "Come on, Harry. We'll walk with you to the Broomsticks and you can tell us where you got those clothes that you weren't wearing when you left this morning."

"Hey, yeah!" Ron exclaimed as they started down the road. "Those are some pretty fancy duds you got there, Harry."

Harry bit his lip in self-consciousness. "I think those pheromones are really working, Hermione. We've spent all morning together and we have gotten into two arguments and he hasn't lost it on me yet. And instead bought me these clothes and a new inkwell. And I think a pound of fudge."

"You don't need that ponce making you into some dandy," Ron groused.

"Well, I think they fit you quite well," Hermione stated. "Very handsome. And its past time that you got some new clothes."

"Thanks, Hermione. It's just the one outfit." Harry hoped. He didn't know what he would do if Draco actually put paid to the threat of burning his clothes.

"And two arguments, Harry? What were they about?"

"Well, the first one was when the press got hold of us. He didn't want me to say anything at all."

"Stupid jerk," Ron muttered.

"But I argued and said I didn't want to look like a slave. He wasn't happy about it, but I still won." Harry didn't stop the self-satisfied smile creep up on his lips. Hermione returned it.

"And the second?" she asked.

"When he bought the inkpot. I told him I could buy my own things but," Harry paused and glanced at Ron. "But he said that he wanted me to look good enough to hang with him and not embarrass him."

"Ha, I think you should put holes in those new clothes and walk around in them picking your nose," Ron suggested.

Laughing, Harry shook his head. "I said embarrass him, not me."

A soft thump and a bit of dust kicking up at their feet stopped the trio. In the next second, Harry felt a pinch and burning in his lower back on the left side. Hermione and Ron spun drawing their wands, but Harry started feeling a bit sluggish and was able to just turn around, swaying slightly.

A few yards away stood Duncan, Sam and a couple of younger Ravenclaws all with their wands out as well. Harry blinked a few times as his vision swam.

"Move aside, we're putting this beast out of its pitiful misery."

"You will leave him alone, Duncan Ferguson. All of you go away and desist. You are acting like cretins with no brains," Hermione yelled.

"You're the one with no brain," Sam called out. "And if you were any friend at all, you would help us. Do you really like seeing him like this? Our hero on his knees to anyone?"

"It has nothing to do with him being a hero or not. This is who Harry is."

"You mean what he is! He's an animal. A sex crazed animal. Obviously he was touched by too much dark while fighting You-Know-Who and it would be kinder to put him down," Duncan said in an oily voice. Harry thought that Draco's voice was better though. He knew how to use it and it carried a lot more weight. Harry felt the earth tip alarmingly and was a bit concerned about that.

"I think they actually believe what they are saying!" Ron said in a shocked voice.

Harry heard Hermione's voice call out again but couldn't make out the words. He was trying to concentrate but it was getting harder. All of a sudden something hit his face. He tried to turn to see what it was but discovered that it was the ground that had jumped up and hit him.

"Harry!"

Harry thought that he heard Hermione calling him and he tried to sit up and talk to her, but something must have caught around him because he couldn't seem to get his arms and legs to work.

"What's going on out here?"

"Madame Rosmerta, please, we need help. Harry's hurt!"

Harry felt hands on him, and he tried to tell them that he was all right, but his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"It's best if he goes like this! Then he can't embarrass himself further!"

"You bastards! What did you do?"

"Ron, stop, we have to help-"

"Malfoy!"

"Mr. Malfoy!"

"Draco, stop!"

Harry thought he heard screaming and the ground under him was shaking. The Hogwarts Express must have come in to take them home for the Holidays. No, it was too early for that, wasn't it? Maybe it ran at other times, he wasn't sure right now. He should ask Hermione.

"You'll kill them!"

"Sweet Circe!"

"Malfoy, you have to stop! Harry needs help!"

"I've got the dart out! The poison should stop pumping now!"

"Use the floo to get back. Get out of the way!"

Harry felt hands on him, moving him. His back hurt, his face hurt, his head hurt and he was no longer happy. He could barely open his eyes and when he did all he saw was gray clouds covering blue sky. He really hoped it didn't rain. He wasn't sure if it would ruin his new clothes or not. Did the house-elves use large magic run washing machines?

"Draco, don't, their helping him."

"Move back, get back."

The hands left him and Harry wasn't sure if he liked that better or not. But then Harry felt happy, calm. He knew Draco was near. Draco would make everything better. Draco would make everything safe. Draco would bring him food and warmth and protect him. Harry tried to hold out his arms to Draco. They didn't work, but he knew Draco would know he wanted him.

Strong arms wrapped around him and Harry felt so much better. He knew he was safe now. Draco would never let anything happen to him. Harry happily went into the blackness.

Indago - Chapter 23

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