Allstar

Harry trudged, scowling, behind his best friends.

"...I just can't wait to try that new charm Professor Flitwick showed us, can you, Ron? I'll have to do some background reading when we get back to the school. I wonder if I'll need a note for the restricted section..."

Hermione's chatter faded in and out of Harry's ears and he groaned. Normally he didn't mind listening to her, but he'd had a long day and was very short on patience. He stumbled over a protruding root in the dim light and bit back a curse.

"...And you know, I was talking to Professor Dumbledore this morning and he reckons we should speed up our training if we can. So I got a whole pack of books from Professor McGonagall!"

Harry couldn't see Hermione's face, but he could picture her delighted expression in absolute clarity. He growled.

"So then I--Harry, was that you?" Hermione turned around and peered closely at Harry. "Are you all right? You look a bit peaked."

"No, I am not all right!" he burst out. "I've had a horrible day and the last thing I need is to listen to you two prattling on. Er--sorry, Ron," he added, noticing his friend's indignant expression. "But really--oh never mind. I just need some time to myself is all."

"But Harry, we have practice! You can't just leave!"

"At least let us in on what's up, Harry. You know you can trust us." Harry sighed.

"It's not...I mean...oh, fine. Ginny--" he stopped. He hadn't realised it would be so difficult to say out loud, after having repeated it in his head all day. He took a deep breath. "Ginny broke up with me this morning." Ron and Hermione immediately looked contrite. Hermione laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Harry...I didn't realise."

"Yeah...Er...tough luck, eh, Harry." Harry looked suspiciously at his red-headed friend.

"You don't seem very sorry, Ron."

"Yeah, well," Ron looked sheepish. "it was always weird, you know? Ginny...my sister. And you. My friend." He shook his head. "I am sorry, Harry. Really."

"Yes," Hermione chimed in, "you know, it's always difficult to lose someone. But you'll get through it, Harry. Ron and I will always be here for you." Harry looked askance at her.

"You sound like you rehearsed that." He started to roll his eyes, but stopped as something occurred to him. "You weren't...expecting this, were you?" Hermione coloured slightly.

"No, of course not. Well...not exactly. Not right now, anyhow. Or..." Ron elbowed her.

"Quit while you're ahead," he advised. She nodded.

"Um...are you angry, Harry?" Harry opened his mouth, then paused.

"Did everyone know about this before I did?"

"No!" Hermione cried, a bit too quickly. "Well...that is...I was talking to Ginny, you know. But she didn't say anything like that! She just...well...I got the idea that--" Ron elbowed her again and she fell silent.

"I didn't know anything about it until just now," Ron asserted. "I was just expecting it, I suppose. Did she...er...give you a reason, Harry?"

"Yeah," the thin boy replied bitterly, "she did. She said she wasn't a part of our group, and that she couldn't stay home and not be a part of things...If you'd just let her come to practice the other day, none of this would have happened!" Hermione bit her lip.

"But Harry, you know we promised Professor Dumbledore we wouldn't tell anyone..." She trailed off.

"But we could have talked to Professor Dumbledore! She could train too!" Ron cleared his throat.

"You know, Harry, I don't think Ginny really wants to be an Auror."

"Was it really fair to Ginny," Hermione interjected softly, "to be splitting your time between her and training? Not to mention Quidditch and homework." She took hold of his hand, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Harry, I think Ginny did the best thing she could for her own wellbeing. She needs to live her own life." Harry twisted away, fighting back tears.

"What about my life?" he railed. "It always about the rest of the world, you know? Quidditch for the glory of the house, Auror training to save the bloody world, secrets messing up my personal life! Why can't I just have a normal childhood?" He broke off, panting harshly and an awkward silence fell upon the group. Ron finally broke it with hesitant camaraderie.

"Look, let's head back to the common room." He shushed Hermione, who looked about to protest. "We can skip practice for one night...I don't think any of us are at our best right now and there's no point otherwise. We'll make up for it tomorrow." Hermione nodded consent and they fell into step back down the path. Harry was silent all the way back to the tower.

* * *

Draco paced through his empty dormitory. He had lit a candle against the half-light, preferring its flickering light to the harshness of a lumos spell. This, the hour after dinner, was when he liked to think over his day: what had happened, why, what he could gain from it...that sort of thing. His housemates were used to his habit and had learned to leave him alone. He found himself particularly grateful for this, as he had quite a bit to think over. Ginny broke up with Potter...she didn't say why, though. I might think she finally realised how much better she could do, but she's a Gryffindor. She probably doesn't think there is anything better. He snarled to himself at that thought. She seemed pretty sure of their relationship that day in the library, anyhow. So why the sudden change? I don't suppose it was really him dumping her? No, he could never face her crying. And she wouldn't lie about it.

Draco stretched, catlike. Ahh, what do I care? It's nothing to me, unless I can hurt Potter with it. I bet he's crying his eyes out right now, begging her to take him back. The image, pleasant as it was, failed to relieve one persistent idea nagging at the back of his mind. There was no reason for me to give her that chocolate this morning. Yes, that was it. The way he'd been treating the Weasley girl...Entirely too nice, he thought, grimacing at the thought. I don't like how she affects me. What if someone had seen us this morning? They'd probably owl my father, looking for favour, and then where would I be? He growled. Well, the course is obvious. I have to start treating her as she deserves. Muggle-loving trash. Draco frowned, wondering if that last thought had been as emphatic as it should. Probably he just needed some practice. Weasleys. Poor, shabby, lowering themselves with mudbloods. Rubbish, all of them. All that fly-away red hair. Bright blue eyes. Cute little freckles. Draco stopped, appalled. He had not just thought that. He simply hadn't. Perhaps he needed another strategy, though. He felt a migraine beginning behind his eyes. Avoidance seemed like a good tactic. As long as he never saw her, he'd be able to stop thinking about her. And then he'd return to normal.

Sighing, Draco lit another candle. He had a pile of Arithmancy homework to finish before lights-out.