Heartbreak Warfare

Chapter 15

Draco's break was awful. He kept getting letters from his mother about a progress report. He knew that she was only doing this because the Dark Lord was making her, but it didn't make things any better. He had been working nonstop on the Vanishing Cabinet and he wasn't even close to being done. Not only that, but his nightmares were coming back twofold and he was getting even less sleep. He wished that Harry was around because he was the only thing that kept the nightmares away.

So, when people started showing up from home, Draco felt hopeful. He was going to fix this and they would be able to get back to how they were. He didn't realize how much he had been relying on Harry's company to make him feel better until he was gone.

Draco was wandering the corridors, looking for Harry. He didn't know if he'd be able to see him today or if he'd have to wait until classes started up again. He could sneak into the Gryffindors' common room (he knows someone who keeps him informed on the password every year) but that seemed a bit excessive. Draco didn't have an invisibility cloak and he wouldn't know how to explain what he was doing there if he got caught.

Though, he didn't have to think about that for long. Draco saw Harry in the courtyard. Draco was about to walk up to him but stopped when he saw that he wasn't alone. He was with Weaslette. He should have just turned around and left but he was frozen in place. They were sitting so close that their legs were flush against each other's and her hand was on his knee. They were talking about something he couldn't hear but Harry was smiling. They looked like the couple that everyone expected from Harry. She looked up at him and their faces were so close together that Draco turned away. The last thing he wanted to see was Harry kissing someone else. He walked away with his heart in his stomach, wondering how he could be so stupid.

****

Harry followed Ginny out in the courtyard. She had said that she wanted to talk to him and he was afraid of what she was going to say. He had heard that she had broken up with Dean before the break and he'd been getting a sense that she had been flirting with him during the break. She went out of her way to sit next to him and talk to him. They were friends but this had felt different.

He sat down on the edge of the fountain and she sat next to him, so close that their legs were touching. He felt a little uncomfortable but he didn't want to scoot away and hurt her feelings.

"So, what's up?" Harry asked.

"I honestly wanted to get away from Ron and Hermione," Ginny said. "The tension is extremely uncomfortable and I'm sure you feel the same."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I'm sure it'll pass. Ron's already talking about dumping Lavender."

"That's good. My brother's dense but he comes to his senses eventually."

They were silent for a few moments before Ginny put her hand on his knee and spoke again, "so, Dean and I broke up."

"I heard. How're you holding up?"

She shrugged. "It was for the best. We weren't compatible." Ginny looked up and Harry was startled by their proximity. "Plus, I fancy someone else."