A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 33

Translations:
[English text] Rebenok = [Russian text] Ребенок = Child

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Harry poked at his eggs, eating a small bite every few seconds, as his head lay tiredly in his hand. He was exhausted, his nights filled with nightmares and his days filled with absurdly busy classes. His Quidditch practice had also grown in intensity with the first match scheduled for next Saturday. His evenings were filled with detention, Occlumency, and studying or playing chess with Malfoy, though they now also spent time planning their new study group-Duelling Club idea. Most of his free study periods were taken up by training with Alexei which he had begun to fail miserably at, just like Occlumency, since last Thursday's Occlumency lesson and fight with Sirius. He'd been distracted and ill since, and he knew, not only was it affecting his work, but also people were noticing something was wrong. He knew it wouldn't be long before Alexei or Snape really started pushing for answers.

He dropped his fork for a moment to rub his eyes under his glasses. When he opened them, he'd been joined by Ron and Hermione, making him sigh. It had been a couple of weeks since their fight in the library and his declaration that Malfoy was his friend. The blonde hadn't said anything about it, but had seemed to relax a bit more, as though comforted by the declaration of friendship. He had said it in the moment, out of frustration, but he quickly realized he'd meant it. He did think of Malfoy as a friend. He enjoyed spending time with the Slytherin and it felt like they grew closer every time they hung out. It was such that he'd considered actually telling the other boy about everything bothering him, a part of him wanting to confide in someone, but not knowing how.

He picked his fork back up and took a bite of his eggs, looking at Ron and Hermione pointedly.

"We need to talk, mate," Ron said and Harry's eyes narrowed.

"About what?" Harry said guardedly.

"About all your secrets, Harry, and why you won't talk to us anymore," Hermione said.

"Yeah, well, it's hard to talk to people that don't trust a thing I say and keep prying into my life," Harry snapped.

"It's like we don't even know you, mate," Ron said and Harry winced at the jolt of pain in his chest with the near repetition of Sirius' comment.

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" Harry said, using the pain to fuel his anger to hide just how unstable he felt.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said with an annoyed eye roll. "You've been like a completely different person this summer and since we've been back at school."

"I've told you—"

"What Ron's trying to say is that you seem... distant," Hermione said. "You obviously went through something, but you're not letting us in anymore, and we just want to help."

"I told you what happened," Harry said, feeling himself growing tense.

"You did," Hermione agreed, "but we can tell you're not telling us everything. We're worried."

"About what exactly?"

"That someone's done something to you," Ron jumped in almost angrily. "Someone's hurt you, I can tell, and you're afraid to tell us."

"What?" Harry said, looking at them with huge eyes. "No one's done anything to me."

Hermione reached across the table to rest a hand on his. "Harry, you can tell us. It's all just very strange, your magic and the men and you defending Malfoy. You seem so angry and sad."