Chapter 4: Extra Homework
Harry woke up panting. He looked at his watch and saw it was 5:45 PM. He had to get to the dorm to grab his potions stuff! He jumped up and sprinted down to the portrait hole and hurriedly said "Periwinkle!" As he rushed in he saw Ron and Hermione sitting on the armchairs talking.
"Harry mate, where have you been!" Ron exclaimed as Harry rushed past him.
"Can't talk; late for Malfoy and potions!" Harry said as he tried to grab everything. He looked at his watch and saw it was 5:53! Harry ran out of the portrait hole and ran to the empty classroom. Malfoy was sitting there, legs crossed and looking sour.
"Someone finally decided to show up, didn't he?"
Harry looked down at his watch and it was only 6:01!!! "I'm 1-minute late MALFOY!" He said, exasperated with Malfoy.
"I don't care Pottah, you should have been here earlier!"Harry decided to ignore that comment and get the things he brought out. Malfoy looked confused as to why Harry didn't have a snarky comeback, he always did. Malfoy looked away as he was deciding whether or not to say something. He decided to say, "Why don't you answer me Pottah, are you scared." Harry once again ignored him. Malfoy knew something was wrong if Pottah wasn't going to give him a witty comeback.
"Potter talk to me when I speak to you!" Harry once again ignored him, not wanting to say anything, knowing every foul thing would come out of his mouth like a waterfall.
Malfoy looked at Harry, and Harry was turned away. Malfoy was getting fed up now.
"Potter! We need to get this bloody assignment done and if you don't help me I will tell Snape!!!" Harry, still looking away, took a deep breath and said, "Okay."
"That's it? That's all you're going to say Pottah? 'Ok?' Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners??" Malfoy sneered happily with his quick-witted comment.
Harry was still facing away. Malfoy turned his back and started on the potion.
"You're doing the written work Pottah."
Harry once again said nothing but grabbed the stuff. As he was writing he had to stifle a sob as Malfoy's comment was still ringing in his head. Malfoy, oblivious to what was happening, kept making the potion.
2 hours later Harry was still writing and Malfoy was still stirring. Harry shook his hand as he started getting a hand cramp and went back to writing. Malfoy, who had to let the potion simmer for 30 minutes without stirring, looked over at Harry. Then down at his hands writing. He noticed something etched into Harry's hand. It looked like words.
"What's that Potter?" Harry looked up and turned to Malfoy.
"What, this? The thing I'm using to write is called a quill." Harry said sarcastically as he went back to writing.
"No you idiot, on your hand!"
Harry's face got drained of all color but he kept writing almost determinedly now. Malfoy wanted to know what was on Harry's hand, so he grabbed Harry's hand. When he did so Harry flinched.
"MALFOY WHAT THE BLOODY H*** DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, LET GO OF ME!!!!!" Harry yelled as he was trying to pull his hand out of Malfoy's grasp.
But Malfoy held on tight and he read out loud in confusion "'I must not tell lies?" Since Malfoy was caught unawares Harry stomped on Malfoys foot and Malfoy instantly let go.
"Why is that scratched in your hand Potter?!" he said as he held his foot.
"It's none of your business Malfoy," Harry said as he started fidgeting.
"Is your moral code so high you have to sketch it into your skin?" sneered Malfoy.
Harry turned sheet white as he looked at his hand. Malfoy, not looking down, said "Scared, Pottah?" Then Malfoy looked down at Harry's hand and saw it bleeding a lot.
"Dang it Malfoy, you opened the wound! Ughh!" Harry walked over to a medical cabinet and put a bandage around it. He walked back over and sat down next to Malfoy. "Don't you DARE tell anyone about my hand, Malfoy!!!" Harry said threateningly.
"I'm not scared of you Pottah but I won't tell anyone because I don't care about you. Unlike what you think, not everything is about you Pottah, you and your great little life!"
Harry was over it.
"YOU THINK I HAVE IT SO GREAT DON'T YOU?! DESPITE WHAT YOU THINK MY LIFE HAS ONLY HAD SHINING MOMENTS THAT'S IT!!" Harry took a breath and continued; "FIRST MY PARENTS DIED THEN I HAD AND STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DURSLEYS WHO STUCK ME IN A BROOM CLOSET TO SLEEP UNTIL I WAS 11!!" He took another deep breath as he continued. "WHEN HAGRID TOLD ME I WAS A WIZARD MY LIFE CHANGED, I DIDN'T KNOW SUCH A THING EXISTED UNTIL HE TOLD ME, AND WHEN LIFE WAS FINALLY GETTING BETTER, VOLDEMORT ALMOST KILLED ME AGAIN!" Harry was red in the face and panting but continued anyway. "IN THE SECOND YEAR EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS THE HEIR OF SLYTHERIN AND I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO FIGHT VOLDEMORT AND I ALMOST DIED AGAIN!!" Harry took a couple of breaths then went on. "IN THE THIRD YEAR I THOUGHT SIRIUS BLACK KILLED MY PARENTS ONLY TO DISCOVER HE DIDN'T AND THEN I FOUND PETTIGREW WAS THE ONE THAT DID, PETTIGREW GOT AWAY AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT THAT HE DID!!" His expression had changed from anger to something closer to sadness. Harry looked at the floor and said quietly this time: "And I got entered into the Triwizard tournament, where everyone was with Cedric and I was left in the dust, Ron was mad at me, Ron and Hermione were mad at each other, and then the maze happened when Cedric died because I didn't just grab the cup, Voldemort came back because I wasn't quick enough and now I'm just left here with all this anger that I don't know what to do with." Harry finished weakly as he slumped down into his seat.
Malfoy didn't respond. All Malfoy could do was sit there and regain his composure as he carried on with the project.
"I need to use the bathroom Malfoy, I'll be right back."
It had been about 45 minutes, and Harry still wasn't back yet. Malfoy didn't want to do the project alone so he went to the restroom to find him on the floor crying. Malfoy didn't know what to do. He had never seen Potter cry before. Not even when he made fun of his parents and now Potter was sobbing in the bathroom like a little baby! Malfoy didn't know what to do. He could completely ignore the situation and pretend like it didn't happen. Tell everyone or go in and confront him and then tell a couple of people because gossip spreads quickly in Hogwarts. He wanted to see Potter's reaction so he decided to go in and only tell a couple of people. Malfoy quietly entered the room without Harry noticing. The scene Malfoy saw was a sad one. Harry was sitting with his back against the wall and his arms covering his face and shivering from the night's cold. He sat there shivering and slowly he started to try and calm himself so he could go back and finish the homework as he had been in the "Bathroom" a long time now. As Harry slowly sat up he did not see Malfoy still in a corner near the door. He went over to the sink and splashed cold water on his face. Harry stared down in the sink as he was trying not to cry again. From Malfoy's view, it was quite a pitiful sight. Harry bent over the sink weak-kneed and hair messier than usual. Harry stood up straight and looked into the mirror. He grabbed a nearby hand towel and wiped his face and dried off the tips of his hairs that were still wet. Harry looked at himself in the mirror. He saw that he had puffy eyes and tear marks on his face and clothing. How did I let myself break down like that! He thought as he was trying to fix his appearance so Malfoy didn't know he was crying. He still had to go back out and do the extra work!
Malfoy regretted his decision to come in as he saw Harry trying to straighten his appearance. Malfoy wanted to go back and continue working on the potion so as quietly as he could he slowly started walking to the door. BANG, Malfoy tripped on a stone floorboard that was too high and fell onto the door closing it. Harry turned around quickly to see Malfoy clutching his wrist and on the ground.
"Malfoy!?" Harry said as he was confused. "How long have you been here?"Malfoy stayed silent but was still looking at Harry. "How much did you see?" Harry asked timidly. "Enough Pottah, to know that you are completely mental" Malfoy sneered, hiding his shock at Harry's predicament.