231 Ron's awake - 3

"Have you been trying to clear your head at night?" Hermione asked, frowning.

Harry clenched his teeth. "I've done everything they've asked of me, Hermione. I can't do

Occlumency. I told them I'd try again, but if I thought it was still pointless I'd end it. It's not working."

Hermione opened her mouth as if to argue when Ginny interrupted. "Professor Dumbledore didn't think it was imperative for you to learn, anyway. He said so last year. I can't imagine it's pleasant having Malfoy in your head and sneering about your childhood memories," she said, rubbing Harry's arm.

"No. The tosser can get really shirty about it, actually," Harry said.

"I don't know how you can stand even being civil to him," Ginny said.

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. When I watched how Lucius treated him when we were at Azkaban, I felt kind of bad for him. It didn't last long – he went right back to his normal git of a self quickly enough, but still…I don't understand how a father can treat his son that way. I mean, I don't like him, either, but he's not related to me."

"So, you're not planning on getting the sod a Christmas gift, then?" Ginny asked, smirking.

Hermione huffed at the language, although Harry noticed her lip twitching as if she was fighting a grin.

"Heh, it'd be worth getting Malfoy a present just to see the expression on Ron's face," Harry said, envisioning the scene. "What are you supposed to get for a walking, talking ferret, though?"

"How about a lead?" Hermione said, snorting. "We could get a pink one with a little rhinestone collar and Pansy could parade him around like a show dog."

"That's not what she does already?" Ginny asked, and both girls shrieked with laughter.

Harry shook his head, grinning. He was still thinking about Draco's and Lucius's row, and it led him back to thoughts of his own so-called family. "D'you suppose that Cheering Charm is still working on Dudley?" he asked.

Hermione shifted her eyes to stare at the window. The snow had begun to pile against the glass.

"You did do one, right?" he asked, watching her closely.

"I did," Hermione said, nodding.

Harry knew there was something she still wasn't saying, but didn't feel he needed to press the issue. If she and Ron had done something to torment the Dursleys after they'd all left, well, it couldn't be more than they deserved. Harry's thoughts often turned to Dudley, however. He wondered if Dudley had been thinking about his suppressed magical ability, and if he were at all curious. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia might have succeeded in making the idea so abhorrent to Dudley that he truly didn't want to know any more. If it were Harry, though – he'd be curious.

He decided he was going to send Dudley a Christmas present this year. He still has his copy of First Year Spells. Dudley might just toss it in the bin, but he might be curious…

At the moment, there were more pressing matters, however.

"Where in England did Ravenclaw come from?" he asked.

"Canterbury," Ginny answered promptly.

Both Harry and Hermione stared at her, surprised.

"How'd you know that?" Harry asked.

"What? I read, too, Harry," Ginny said with a straight face. When Harry cocked his eyebrow, she giggled and said, "Well, Canterbury isn't too far from Ottery St. Catchpole, is it? Some of my ancestors were around back then, too. In fact, Auntie Muriel's tiara – the one Fleur wore at her wedding – is a replica of one Rowena Ravenclaw wore."