It’sjustRon,hetellshimself.Heandhisbestfriendfaeeahotherarossthegapbetweentheirbeds.Ronexhaleshard,makinghisbrightredfringe—whihisinseriousneedofatrim—flopoutofhiseyes.

“Igetthatyou’retryingtohelpMalfoy,”Ronsays,“butyou’retooiedinthis.”

“Tooiedinsavingsomeone’slife?”Harrysays,astonished.

“That’sthething.It’snotamatterofsavinghim.It’slikesayingyouwanttosavesomeonefrom…what’sthatMugglediseaseHermionetoldusabout?”

“er,”Harrysighs.

“Right.It’snotsomethingyouanfight.”

“So,what?Igiveuponhim?Weallsitbakandlethimwasteawaytonothing?”

“No,butyoujustgotdonefightingawar,Harry.Doyoureallyneedmoregriefandsufferinginyourlife?”Ronrunsahandthroughhishair,mussingit.“Itwouldbeonethingifyourhelpouldmakeadifferene.ButHanahaki,it’s…trustme,I’veseenwhatitando.Youan’tstopit.Nooneanstopit,really.”

Harryletsthosewordssinkin,thewayRonwants.Heallowsthemtohaveimpat,totakeupspaeinhismind.Heturnsthemoverandoverandexaminesthemfromeveryangle.

Nooneanstopit,Ronsays.Butthat’snotentirelytrue.

Onepersonan,Harrythinks.

Theday,afterss,hefindsDraoattheirusualspotbytheke.Thesudyesthewatergold,andtheastle’srefletionjutsdarklythroughitsmoltenshine.

Draoliesonhisstomah,abookproppedopeninfrontofhimashesrawlsnotesonapieeofparhmentlinedfrombeingfoldedandrefoldedendlessly.That’sthesheetDraouseswhenhefindssomethingpromising;somethingthatouldreallyhelphim,ormaybeevenleadhimtoaure.Mostofwhat’sonthelisthasalreadybeensrathedout,andtoday,Harryan’tbringhimselftobelieveDraoisbrilliantenoughtoturnoneofthesesliversofhopeintoasolution.Ron’swordsareringinginhishead.

HedropsdownontothegrassbesideDrao,wholooksupwithasmirk,thekindthatusedtorileHarryupbutwasundeniablyhandsome.Notanymore,oneitherount.Itlosesitsimpatwhenhisfaeissogaunt.Lyingdownmakestheloosehangofhisrobeslessobvious,buthe’slostafrighteningamountofweight.HarrywondersifDraomightnotstarvetodeathbeforethediseaseevergetsaroundtokillinghim.

“What’swrong,Potter?Didn’tgettosignanyautographstoday?”Draosnipes,withoutheat.

“Iheardyou’rethinkingofgoingthroughwithit,”Harrysays.“Theoperation,Imean.”

ThenewshadbeenallovertheGreatHall;Harryouldn’tmissit,notevenwithhisfriendsdoingtheirbesttomaintainaMalfoy-freebubbleontheirendoftheGryffindortable.

SomethinginhistonemustmakeitleartoDraohowlittleHarrywouldbeabletohandleasarastiresponserightnow.Draositsup,gingerly,tofaehim.

“Onlyasastresort,”Draosays.“Potter,lookatme.I’mdyinganyway.I’dratherdietryingtolivethanwaitforthediseasetofinishitswork.”

“Careful.That’sgerouslylosetoaGryffindorse,”Harrysaysweakly.

“eoffit.”AhintofasmiletugsatDrao’slips.Harryan’tbringhimselftosmilebak.

“Butit’spratiallysuiide,”Harrysays.“TheHealers—Imean,that’swhateveryonesaystheHealerstoldyou.”

“There’snootherway.”Draodropshisquillindisgustontotheground.“We’vebeentryingfordays,andthere’snothing.”

“Thereisanotherway,”Harrysays.

Draofrownsathim.

“What?HasGrangerfoundsomething?”

“No,”saysHarry.“Thepersonyou’reinlovewith.Youhavetotellthem.”

Drao’sfaehangesompletely.TheopennessHarryhadbeomeaustomedto,withoutevenrealizing,vanishes.DraobeomesMalfoyagain,hisfaeallhardangles,hiseyesmoresteelthansilver.

“Yourignoraneastoundsme,Potter,”hesays,enuniatingeahwordverylearly.“Iamlooking,inaseyou’vefotten,forasolution,notawaytodiefaster.”

“Ifyouonfess,atleastyou’llknowforsure.Maybetheyloveyoubak,ormaybethey’reatleastwillingtotry,”Harrysays,desperately.“Ifnot—Iknowtherejetionwillmakeyousiker,butthenyouangoaheadwiththeoperationlikeyoupnned.You’dbenoworseoffthanbefore.”

“Oh,it’sthateasy,isit?”Draosnaps,faereddeningdramatially.“I’malreadyinpain,sowhat’salittlemore?”

“That’snotwhatI—”

Draoutshimoff.Hisexpressionhastransformedintowide-eyedhorror;somethingnewandawfulhasevidentlyourredtohim.

“Didsomeonesaysomethingtoyou?”Draodemands.

“What?”Harryasks,bewildered.

“Isthatwhyyou’retellingmeto—?”Draoutshimselfoff.“Beauseyouknowwhoitisandyougetsomesortofsikpleasureoutofwathingmeembarrassmyself—”

“Howanyouthinkthat?”Harryasks,tryingtosoundrighteouslyangrybutknowinghejustsoundswounded.Beausethat’showhefeels.“I’vebeentryingtohelpyou.I’vespentallthistime—”

“Oh,yes,heavensforbidwewastePotter’spreioustime,”Draosneers.“Ididn’taskyoutodothis.Ididn’taskforyourhelp.You’rethestpersonIeverwouldhavegoneto.”

Harrygrabsblindlyatthestrapofhisbagandshootstohisfeet.

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