The Trouble With Harry

The Trouble With Harry

Chapter 4 : Predatory Nematodes

Ron stabbed the bit of meatloaf sitting on his plate. Harry glanced at him and turned away with a sigh for the sixth time in the past five minutes. Ron slammed his fork down and turned to his friend.

"What? What is it Harry?" he snapped.

Harry looked back hurt. "Nothing. You just seem quiet today. That's all. Are you mad at me for something? Because I don't recall doing anything for you to be."

"No."

Ron turned back to his food and began to angrily devour a forkful of potatoes. Harry's brow furrowed and a small frown crept onto his face as he watched Ron gorging himself. What now? Ron wasn't about to tell him what was wrong. And obviously something was for his friend to be acting like this.

Divination had been a blast with Ron refusing to talk to him. Trelawny had still to break from the habit of foreseeing Harry's untimely demise, even with the defeat of the Dark Lord, and predictions of his death in various curious manners were just not as tolerable without Ron's running side commentary. Laughing at the fact that he was supposed to die by a combination of impalement, drowning, and food poisoning was not so fun when Ron wasn't laughing with him. It made him nervous. They had grown closer over the years. Ron wasn't in the practice of getting mad at him for petty things. Not since fourth year. With Voldemort on the loose they could not afford to fight over things that didn't matter. They did not know what might happen to them from day to day. So it was especially worrisome that Ron was avoiding him. Whatever was troubling the boy, it had to be significant. And that was a source of great concern for Harry. If only Ron would just talk to him.

"So. Um. So where's Hermione got too?" Harry asked by way of casual conversation.

"I don't know."

"Oh."

Another ten minutes of silence passed between the two as they finished their lunch. The other Gryffindors chatted happily around them and Dean and Seamus tried to engage the boys in a discussion about last week's Quidditch match, but neither Ron nor Harry felt much like talking.

Harry stared at his empty plate with a deep sigh. Ron watched him from the corner of his eye.

'Does he even know what he does to me?' he wondered.

Did Harry know how much he hurt? How much it hurt to look at the raven-haired boy and not be able to do the things he wanted to do? It killed Ron every time Harry smiled at him. It killed him twice every time Harry looked in Malfoy's direction. Or worse, when Malfoy looked back.

Once, a while back, after a particularly heated bout with the Slytherin, Harry had tried to reassure Ron telling him, "Don't pay attention to him. He's just jealous because you have a nice family and lots of friends and you're tall and good looking." Ron had blushed at the last part and all in all felt better. But now he knew what Draco's problem really was.

'Yeah, he's jealous. Because Harry's chose me,' he thought with little satisfaction as the 'as a friend' of it hung over his head like a sword of Damocles.

But the truth be told, Ron was jealous too. He was jealous of the money Malfoy had and that perfect blond angelic appearance...he had to admit it complimented Harry much better than his own tall lanky looks did. And Harry always came to Draco's rescue...even if it was under the pretense of protecting Ron from getting in trouble.

He couldn't go on like this, wondering forever. Every thought he had about Harry seemed to contain some kind of footnote screaming the impossibility of it all. The ambiguity was driving him insane. He needed some clarity before he completely lost it. Ron looked over at Harry as the boy shuffled restlessly in his seat. He would simply ask him. That's what he's do. Simple. Just as Harry finally rose to leave the table, Ron grabbed his arm. Harry stared down at him with questioning eyes.

"Harry, can I ask you a question?"

"Um, yeah sure." He took his seat once again and waited.

Ron leaned in close to him.

"Er...how do you feel about Malfoy?" he asked in a low voice.

"What do you mean Ron?" Harry looked at him puzzled.

"I mean, what do you think of him? Uh, do you like him?"

"Why are you asking me this? I feel the same way about him I've always felt. What's up? Are you feeling alright?"

"Harry, just tell me, yes or no. Do. You. Like. Him?"

Harry looked at his friend as if he'd turned into a blast-ended skrewt.

"Ron, I haven't a clue what you're on about. Look it's time for Care of Magical Creatures. We'll be late. Come on let's go."

Harry got up from the table and, not waiting for the red head, walked towards the entrance hall before Ron could ask anymore strange questions.

***

Harry rushed to the lake with Ron tagging a few feet behind him. Hagrid had told them they were learning about Nematodes that day. Hagrid had pulled five of the boats out along the shoreline accommodate the class and was waiting for them on the pebbly beach. As everyone gathered around Hagrid began the class.

"We'll be studying Nematodes today. They're only third class magical creatures, but I thought we'd take a break before we move on to ther fifth class unit. You'll be catching 'em with buckets. They're attracted to light so if ye' use yer wands to do Lumos they'll come right up. Paddles 're in the boats. We'll meet in the middle of ther lake, so head out. Four to a boat."

Harry followed Ron to one of the boats and got in as Neville walked up to them.

"Hi. Can I go with you guys?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah sure."

Neville smiled back appreciatively and got in. "Where's Hermione?" he asked.

"I don't know," said Ron shortly.

They sat in silence for a second before Harry broke it.

"So Neville, are you feeling better?"

"Oh, yeah. It was nothing. Just a cold maybe. Hermione let me copy her notes. I guess Snape was pretty mad huh?"

"A bit. I think he was distracted by our fight with Malfoy."

"You fought with Malfoy?"

"Long story," mumbled Ron.

Neville nodded.

As if he had somehow known they were talking about him, Draco suddenly appeared next to their boat. As all three Gryffindors threw him glares he quickly hopped in the boat and sat down on the plank next to Harry.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" asked Harry suspiciously.

"All the other boats are full. I got here late."

Ron glared at him looking ready to pounce. Draco sneered back.

"Malfoy I'm sure there's a space open somewhere. Why don't you go find it."

"I just did, Potter. Besides, everyone's left shore already." He pointed out to the water.

Harry looked out over the lake and sure enough the rest of the boats were headed out towards the depths. Harry scowled.

"Fine."

Ron surprisingly didn't say a word but only glared at both Draco and Harry. Harry picked up an oar to push away from the shore, making little progress as the boat resisted against the beach.

"Ron some help?" he asked annoyed.

Ron didn't respond.

"Er, I'll do it."

Neville grabbed the other oar and along with Harry got the boat off of the sandbank and into the shallows. They paddled in silence to where the other boats were congregated.

"Now yeh will use yer wands to catch the worms. They're big an' heavy, so cooperate when yer hauling 'em up. And watch out. They leave welts if you come in contact with them. And there's a lot of them in this area."

Harry took out his wand and held it over the water as it glowed with the luminous spell. The boys waited patiently for one of the creatures to come up. Surprisingly even Draco remained quiet. His attention was focused only on Harry as he leaned slightly over the boat's edge with his wand. As Draco watched Harry, Ron watched Draco, a frown firmly in place on his face.

"There's one!" cried Harry drawing up suddenly. He quickly grabbed the large washbasin sized bucket and dipped it into the water.

"I got it!" He braced himself against the side of the boat as he tried to haul the bucket up, but found it to heavy with water, and the monstrosity of a worm swimming inside. "Whoa. It is heavy. Hagrid wasn't kidding. Can I get some help here?"

He looked to Ron imploringly, but to no avail as Ron merely crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him impassively.

Draco on the other hand took the opportunity and went to Harry's aid. Harry glanced sideways at the boy suspiciously but didn't object. Surprisingly, Draco was helping him. The blond's arm slid over Harry's as they both grasped the handle of the heavy bucket. Their shoulders pushed together hard as they leaned against each other in their effort.

Ron looked on perturbed. 'That could have been you Ron. If you hadn't been such a jerk. If you'd stopped pouting and gone to help Harry first.' Ron closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Draco smiled to himself looking down at the bucket. Harry was making quite an effort, breathing heavily as he pulled with all his might. Draco on the other hand was barely trying. He rather liked the position they were in and staying that way for the longest time possible suited him just fine.

"Malfoy, this isn't working," said Harry in between pants.

"Here maybe if I get a better grip."

Draco reached one arm around Harry's middle so he was grabbing the handle from both sides. This forced the two even closer as Harry's back pressed into the left side of Draco's chest. This little contact alone was enough to drive Draco out of his mind. But as Harry leaned back into it more as he pulled against the bucket, Draco thought he could have passed out with the exhilaration.

"Pull!" ordered Harry with a grunt.

This time Draco complied. They pulled, and finally the bucket came up into the boat as Harry and Draco fell back into the bottom of the craft. On top of each other. And this was the sight that met Ron as he finally opened his eyes.

Draco gasped and grasped onto Harry's arm as he lay on top of him. This was nice. He could feel all of Harry's weight on his chest and stomach as he lay there. He couldn't breath, whether from the excitement or from having the breath knocked from him, he didn't know. But it was indeed very nice.

Ron shot up from his seat as he watched Draco clinging to Harry there on the floor of the boat. Harry rolled off of the other boy and sat up to look at his friend.

"Ron! Sit down, you'll make us tip!"

Ron paid little attention to Neville as he grabbed Draco off of the floor and held him by the front of his robes.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"Ron! Are you crazy!" cried Harry.

"Weasley, you're rocking the boat," said Malfoy, "Are you daft? You're going to capsize us."

The boat was rocking dangerously. Draco struggled in Ron's grasp only causing it to toss about more.

"Ron..." said Harry shakily as he too stood and reached out a hand to try to calm his friend. This of course only translated into the boat rocking even more.

"Oi, Harry. Ron, sit down! Yer goin' ter tip!" shouted Hagrid paddling in their direction.

Draco decided to take matters into his own hands. He kneed Ron with all his strength in the thigh causing the boy to loose his balance and sending him over the edge, into the water. Draco might have been happy but for the fact that Ron had failed to let go of him and he followed the red head overboard.

"Ron!' cried Harry.

Miraculously the jumping of ship didn't tip the boat, and the two remaining boys watched in horror as the other two bobbed in the water two meters away, still grappling with each other.

Draco was dismayed to find that while sending them overboard, his almighty kick had done nothing to slow down his Gryffindor nemesis. Ron still had a tight hold of him and was trying to get him into an awkward kind of headlock as they treaded water. The bigger boy was about to dunk him as two huge hands reached down and grabbed both of the boys by the scruffs of their robes hauling them out of the water.

"What do ye' two think yer doin'?" said Hagrid loudly. "Yeh could 'ave drowned! Yeh shouldn't 'ave done that Ron. An' you Malfoy, I know yeh did something to provoke 'im. I'll take you two ter shore now and you can get out o' yer wet robes. Then you can come see me about yer detentions. I'm sorry to do this Ron, but you know the rules about fighting."

They both sat scowling with their arms folded, shivering in the cool spring breeze as Hagrid paddled towards the shore. Harry threw Ron a sympathetic look as they passed his boat, and sighed.