Not Just an Empty Emotion

Chapter 30- Hogsmeade's First

"You coming to Hogsmeade, Harry?" Ginny asked casually.

"When?"

"It's next weekend."

Harry sensed Hermione staring at then in a disapproving way. He turned to face her. "What now?"

"Well, I'd have thought that that would be obvious!"

"Well it isn't so you'd better explain, hadn't you?"

"Harry! Voldemort is out there, he's not just looking for people to get on his side, he's looking for people to kill and that means you above all! Do you have any idea how hard it was to arrange this Hogsmeade trip? They've put much more extra security around the village for us, and for you. I don't think you should be playing right into Voldemort's hands like this!"

"Hermione," Harry said, frowning, "you've just told me they've put extra security there so I can go."

"Oh come on, Harry," she snapped back. "Do you really think a few extra wizards and a few more spells will stop Voldemort?"

"Hermione, I can't just stop living, you know!"

She sighed in a well-don't-blame-me-if-it-all-goes-wrong kind of way and returned to her knitting.

Harry raised his eyes at Ginny. He knew Hermione was only thinking of him, but it didn't stop him feeling pissed off at her interference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was trying to make his frequent glances across at the Gryffindor table subtle, but he knew he wasn't being very successful. It wouldn't matter anyway, the rest of the Slytherins were too involved in discussing the events of that morning- due to the strength of Ginny's spell, Foster, it transpired, seemed to have forgotten where his bedroom was and had gone to sleep in the middle of the boy's staircase, and a third year had nearly broken his neck tripping over him at 5am. She caught his eye across the Great Hall and knew by the roguish grin she flashed at him that it was not entirely accidental.

Occasionally he caught Harry looking over at him and their eyes would lock for a second, only for them to look away innocently at once. Draco grinned to himself and stood up, he was fed up of being surrounded by Slytherins, only able to see Harry in the distance. He left the hall calmly, though when he passed the Gryffindor's table his heart was beating madly and he deliberately avoided looking at Harry.

He climbed the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room, along the route he knew Harry usually took. At the entrance to the Fat Lady's corridor, he saw a space between a statue of a wrinkled old Warlock and a large black stone vase, which was just big enough for him to squeeze into. He ducked between them not a moment too soon: the second he had pulled his robes behind him he heard footsteps and saw from behind the statue Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan walking towards their common room. He held his breath as they went past- he'd sent too many hexes in the way of Thomas and Finnegan, and they'd returned them, too, especially since Finnegan's sister had been killed. He didn't feel like facing a showdown right now.

He watched many more people pass his hiding place, oblivious to the fact that he was there. He was looking out for Harry, his heart beating nervously in case he missed him, or there were too many people around. A voice he recognised was approaching. He looked up quickly and saw Granger talking to Ginny and Ron Weasley as they returned to the tower. Surely Harry must be on his way? More footsteps...more people...second years...fourth years...first years...but no Harry.

He slid down the wall into a sitting position, massaging his leg where he could feel the beginnings of cramp threatening.

"What the hell are you doing down there?"

He jumped, making his shoulder collide with the stone warlock's sword. "Fuck!" he yelled, trying to stand He looked up and saw Harry fighting back laughter as he looked down at him.

"It's not funny," Draco moaned as he stepped into the now deserted corridor, "I think I've broken something."

"Don't be stupid!" Harry said, laughing. "Anyway, if you have, then I'll kiss it better for you..."

Draco smiled. "Really?" he said softly. "Well, I think I might be getting a few more injuries before long..."

"Good." Harry leant forwards and gave Draco a soft kiss. "So what were you doing down there?"

"Looking for you."

"Behind a statue?"

"No. I wanted to find you to ask if...if...well, it's stupid anyway, you'd probably rather go with Granger or Weasley or someone..."

"Well you'll never find out unless you tell me what you're on about."

"OK. Well, do you want to come with me into Hogsmeade, next weekend?"

"I'd love to," Harry said. "But-"

"It's OK. I knew you'd rather go with Granger, I just thought I'd-"

"No! No, Draco, it's not that...it's just, we can't be seen together can we?"

"Oh," said Draco, his face falling. "No...I don't suppose we can be. Unless...how many people can easily fit under your invisibility cloak?"

"Two. Easily," Harry replied, his smile growing.

"Right. That's sorted then," Draco said. "I'll be at the Shrieking Shack at 12 o'clock then. See you there."

"You will do."

Draco pulled Harry into another kiss. "I can't wait."

Harry nodded. "Er...what made you think I'd rather go with Hermione, anyway? I don't think you trust me, Draco Malfoy."

"Don't you?"

"No, I don't."

"Well then, we'll have to do something about that, won't we?"

"Something like what, exactly?"

"Something like-"

The Fat Lady opened and a first year appeared. Harry and Draco stopped, dead, staring at the portrait. The first year looked back into the common room, and they heard someone shouting at her.

"What?" she called.

More muffled shouting.

"Oh. Alright then." And she stepped back into the hole, and disappeared. Harry and Draco looked at each other, eyes wide, and faces pale. They burst out laughing.

"That was so close!" Draco said.

"I know," Harry said. He leant forwards and whispered into Draco's ear. "And it turns me on..."

Draco laughed again. "I'm glad. Because, you see, I like it when you get turned on." He kissed Harry once more and walked away down the corridor, around the corner, and out of sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So far spring had brought nothing but drizzly rain and miserable days, and today was the first to show any improvement. Weak sunlight had shone upon the castle and the grounds, and had finally given way to a cool and pleasant evening. It was wam in the common room and, despite the fine weather, everyone seemed rather irritable and snappy. Ron was talking to Hermione in low tones as Harry attempted to do his Potions homework.

Healing and Medical draughts must be stirred three times anti-clockwise to activate the effects of the Salamander Scales. If not-

"-least I don't come swanning back into my dormitory at half past one in the morning." The phrase drifted across the room to Harry. He could tell at once that Ron had not troubled to keep his voice low when he said it. He threw his quill down, and stood up.

"Well you shouldn't have waited up for me then, should you?" he spat at Ron. He turned and stormed out of the dormitory. He was already on the second floor before he paused to think where the hell he was going. He looked across at the grounds through a long dusty window. He could see Hagrid's hut in the distance, the light in the windows from the torches bouncing off the darkening grass outside. He hadn't seen Hagrid much all year.

Before he knew it he was off again, treading the once familiar path to Hagrid's. He knocked on the door and it was opened instantly.

"'Arry!" Hagrid boomed, beaming at him.

"Hi Hagrid. Are you open to visitors?"

"As ever. Not seen yeh fer ages, Harry!"

"I know," Harry said, feeling a pang of guilt. "I've been a bit...busy."

"Aaah, right, 'busy' is it..." Hagrid said, his eyes twinkling knowingly. "Well, I can't say I blame yer, ter be honest. So much's goin' on an' that. How are yeh?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure? Yeh can't be properly fine, not with the situation you're in. But yer strong Harry. Yeh can deal with it. You show 'em."
Harry smiled at him.

"Not been dwellin' on it to much, though, eh?" Hagrid asked. "Been concentratin' on...other things...school an' that."

"Yeah," Harry said. "I didn't think NEWTs would be this tough but...they are. And Snape's not helping. Seems to have taken it as a personal insult that I didn't give up Potions when I had the chance so he seems to want to make my lessons with him as bad as possible."

Hagrid chuckled. "I know he's not yer favourite teacher...not mine, come ter that, but he's on our side Harry. We've all gotta pull together."

"Suppose," Harry said distantly.

"Is there anythin' else I should know?"

"What?" Harry said sharply. "No. No, why should there be?"

"Just guessin'..." Hagrid said vaguely.

"What are you guessing, exactly?"

"Well, I might be wrong but...have you got a er...romantic interest at all?"

"What gives you that idea?"

"Just the way yeh've been, that's all. An' from some things Hermione an' Ginny have let slip." He was trying to hide a grin now.

"Oh no," Harry said, turning red.

"Don't worry, yeh secret's safe with me. An' I won't go nosin' neither! Unless er...yeh wanna tell me who yeh seein'?"

"Absolutely not," Harry said, grinning.

"Ahh, it was worth a try, anyway," Hagrid said, feigning disappoinment.

"How's things with Ron? Lupin told me yeh'd had a disagreement."

"No, Ron's had a disagreement. He's being a pathetic prat."

"Ah, right. So er...no improvement, then?"

"No."

"Right. Why's he bein' like that then?"

"Because he's a small minded idiot."

"Oh. Nothin' to do with anyone you're seein' then, eh?"

"Something like that."

"I see," Hagrid said wisely, and left it at that.

Harry spent the rest of a thoroughly enjoying evening playing (giant) exploding snap with Hagrid, and discussing the sheer pointlessness of NEWTs. Apart from anything, it was nice to talk about something as normal and trivial as school for once.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Saturday of the Hogsmeade visit dawned bright and crisp, and Harry rose especially early and made sure he was looking as good as possible for Draco. He attempted to comb his hair flat, but no matter how hard he tried it would not work.

"Fuck it," he muttered, and messed it up even more (not realising how like his father that simple movement was). He didn't appreciate that the messy look made him look all the more sexy to Draco...and a lot of other people besides.

He was nervous as he lined up in the Entrance Hall next to Hermione, Ginny, and a resentful Ron, but not as nervous as he used to feel when meeting Draco. He was more excited, than anything.

He spent the morning walking around the various shops of the village, becoming increasingly more jittery as the morning progressed. Every time he opened his bag to get out his money-bag.

Finally, it was time.

"Good Luck!" Ginny whispered, hugging him tightly. Ron had dragged Hermione away as soon as they reached the village, but he passed them on the way up to the Shrieking Shack and she gave him a nod and an encouraging smile.
He caught sight of Draco leaning casually against the fence, ignoring the gawping third years. Draco saw him, smiled and bit his lip seductively.

Harry grinned and shook his head ironically. He continued walking up the hill until he could no longer see the rest of the village. He put down his bag, leaned against the stone wall and attempted to straighten his robes.

"You needn't bother you know," Draco said, as he emerged at the top of the hill, making Harry jump. "You can't make yourself look bad anyway..."

Harry blushed. "Complimenting me will get you nowhere, you know."

"I know. But I thought it was worth a try."

They threw the invisibility cloak over themselves; it covered them easily. They were able to walk back into the village and have whispered conversations about whatever they pleased. It was the first time they had ever had a proper, relaxed conversation about ordinary topics.

"Why don't we go and have a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?" Draco said mugh later as it began to rain quite heavily.

"Great idea but...er...how?" Harry asked.

"Easy. Just follow me."

Slightly dubiously Harry followed Draco under the cloak as he ducked through the door of the pub after a large group of seventh years. He went into the toilets and took off the cloak.

"OK, Harry," he said, "You just have to follow me. I'll get the drinks in then I'll get a table. You join me, OK? If I just walk out of the toilet now no one will ever know I wasn't outside."

"Er, yeah, but what about how stupid you'll look sitting at a table alone?"

"I've done it plenty of times before."

"And ordering two drinks?"

"Done that before, too," he said with a mischievous grin. Harry rolled his eyes, made sure he was covered with the cloak, and then followed Draco into the pub.

You had to hand it to him, he thought as he watched Draco flirting with Madam Rosmerta while he ordered two pints of Butterbeer. They sat at a table, Draco slipped Harry his drink under the cloak, and then said, "And that, Harry, is how to win a girl over. Now the only problem I am facing, is how to win a guy over."

Harry laughed.

Crash! A table had been knocked over in the middle of the room and drinks were sent flying. Two tall men dressed in black stood up, as though angry.

"Someone's not happy..." Draco muttered. "It was probably only over a stolen cauldron or something." Harry laughed. The two men seemed to have lowered their wands and stopped fighting. They were having a muttered conversation.

But then suddenly-

"Avada Kedavra!" They screeched it simultaneously. The jets of green light shot over their opposite's shoulder, one flying straight past Draco's face and hitting a man behind him, who fell to the floor, dead, in an instant. At the same time the other jet hit a fourth year Ravenclaw girl, who had time to scream before her life was taken.

Harry realised at once that this was not two men arguing- they had planned this. They had made targets and met them. These were Death Eaters.

All Hell broke loose as stunned students leapt up and ran to the door, screaming. But their way was barred by more Death Eaters rising from tables, and what looked like a whole army of them outside in the street. There were no teachers around to help inside the pub, though Harry saw McGonagall and Snape running to the scene down the rain-soaked cobbled street outside. Spells from Death Eaters were firing all over the place, mixed with those from the bar staff, the residents of Hogsmeade and the students who filled the pub. Harry could only see a few members of the DA present.

He stood up and pulled the cloak off him, wand raised.

"Sit down!" Draco cried, trying to pull him down again.

"NO Draco! I've got to help!"

"No, you've got to sit down. You're in more danger than anyone! Listen to me! They can sort this without you!"

"No, Draco!"

"Yes! Please, Harry. Just cover yourself up with the cloak and we can get into the street. We're less enclosed there and we'll be more likely to escape. You can fight them from there-please"

"No, Draco I"

"Fucking Hell, Harry!! This is serious!" Draco yelled, though no one heard him above the noise of the fighting and panic. He grabbed the cloak, forced it over Harry and himself, and squeezed his way through the struggling crowds. It took them a while but they finally reached the door- just as a yellow beam hit Draco's chest. He screamed and doubled up.

"Draco! Are you ok!"

"Yeah..." Draco panted. "I'm OK...just sore...keep going!" Finally they were out in the street, where the scene was no better. Hogsmeaders, teachers, students and Death Eaters were all fighting for their lives in the pouring rain. Harry and Draco headed down a side street where they took off the cloak. "We have to stay. Fight," Harry said desparately.

Draco nodded, looking ill. "I know. But stay here, don't move. We can aim from here, alright?"

"Yes."

They fired spells at any Death Eater that passed, though it didn't seem to do much good. For every Death Eater that was brought down another two seemed to apparate. Students were trying to run back into school but were being brought back by Death Eaters, though they didn't seem to be able to pass through the gates of Hogwarts, or penetrate them with their curses. At last the Aurors, the extra protection, arrived and began to fight, along with some from the Order too.

The only thing they had to be thankful for was that Voldemort himself had not appeared.

Wrong.

No sooner had Harry thought this than the hideous form of Voldemort appeared only ten feet away, flanked by five Death Eaters. Draco threw the cloak over himself and Harry at once, where they waited.

Voldemort glared around. "Ahhh...chaos," he whispered. "My best friend!" He threw his head back and laughed. As Harry had seen him do once before he took a great sniff of air as though trying to catch the scent of something on the air. "And...Harry Potter is here. A public fall. Perfect. Find him. Bring him to me." He ordered. Then he stepped out into the crowd and fired green jets of light in all directions.

Harry was shaking under the cloak.

"Oh shit," he muttered, "oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!"

"We're not staying," Draco said firmly. "We're going back up to the castle, we'll be OK, we've got the cloak. There's nothing you can do! Come on!"

Harry only resisted feebly as Draco dragged him towards the huge gates of Hogwarts which seemed to far away.

"Dumbledore!" Harry said looking up and pointing. The towering and furious form of Albus Dumbledore had just burst through the school gates and was charging with remarkable speed towards the main lane of Hogsmeade.

"See, it'll be OK now. Come on."
But the cloak had slipped and Harry's face and the right side of his body were revealed. A Death Eater had seen.

"It's Potter! Potter!" he yelled. Every Death Eater within earshot turned and looked. They had started running and firing spells before Draco had even managed to cover Harry with the cloak again.

"Shit!" Draco cried. "I'm going to get you out of here, Harry."

"How?"

But the question was answered when Malfoy muttered something under his breath, the world around them dissolved and then reformed almost instantly. Only it was different. Through the dark Harry recognised the eastern wall of the castle, where they had travelled with Snape to the first Death Eater's raid.

"Malfoy, what-?"

"I had to move you Harry, I'm sorry. I couldn't get you into the castle itself because I didn't want to risk using the Corden- it's too dark with all those Death Eaters and Voldemort around. This is as far away from Hogsmeade, and as close to Hogwarts I can get, without actually being inside the Castle grounds."
Harry frowned for a moment; he didn't understand. But then it came to him-

Draco had apparated.