Afterparties are the Best Parties

The voices, laughs, shrieks and cheers of the common room had washed over Ron and Harry as soon as they'd gone inside. Not because they'd been spotted with a foot still outside the door, but just because the feast was still going with the Gryffindors only, and they were having a bloody good time by the look of it.

Well, except Percy, who was stalking around the room like some sort of dementor on the hunt, as he sucked the joy out of any conversation he touched by grabbing them and probably asking them about homework or something else Percy-like. He mostly got brushed off, though, and everyone kept having fun. Well, except for by Fred and George, of all people, who actually started looking around a bit, with some queer expressions.

Weird.

Ron started to walk into the common room, when his collar tightened around his neck, and kept him rooted, as he let out a strangled yelp of surprise.

The pressure of someone, and pretty clearly it was Harry, grabbing the back of his collar disappeared quick enough, but he still turned to give his mate his best 'what the bloody hell was that for?' look.

And with five older brothers, and one sister who was at least as bad as Percy, and one pair of whom were Fred and George, it was a rather practiced look.

Harry gave him a sheepish smile as he muttered and apology, before he kept going with what was really what he wanted to talk about.

"So… what do we do?" Harry asked, his voice quiet but not a whisper, but Ron really wasn't sure what he meant - they were supposed to "do" something? Other than just… walk in, and get some of the pretty great food Ron had spotted?

Harry was apparently just as confused by Ron's confusion as Ron was by Harry's question, so he tried to elaborate.

"I mean, they've got to have noticed that we weren't there, your brothers are even looking for you right now"

Ron blinked at Harry in a bit of stunned silence, and turned to look back at his brothers and now that Harry had said it, then yeah, they probably were looking for him.

Bloody strange that was.

Because, well, they cared about him, he was sure, but it wasn't like they ever looked for him before, as long as he was around for chores and dinner back home, or here, now that he thought about it.

It wasn't as though they did it on purpose, it was just that he couldn't match Fred and George in… wanting to do the same things, or being funny like they were, and Percy was already in his fifth year. So, he mostly just did his own thing, except when Ginny didn't want to follow mum around anymore and he played with her instead.

Then again, he had missed dinner, and even though they didn't normally notice that sort of thing, and mum had to tell them to look for him, he reckoned that tonight was a bit of a weird evening, so maybe they happened to notice this time.

He turned back to Harry.

"Yeah, I s'pose you're right," Ron said, looking Harry in the eye, "What are we gonna do, though?"

Harry's face scrunched into confusion as he answered, saying "That's what I asked you!"

Ron's face flushed, but still spoke, "right, well, then why don't we just wait outside for Alexander?" Ron's expression hardened as he spoke the name, but there was a core of confusion in his eyes that he tried not to let show as he continued, "we wanted to talk to him anyway, about… all of that."

Harry's features took on a pained cast, and Ron was sure he had suddenly remembered what they would have to speak with Alexander about. Still though, they couldn't just ignore what he'd been doing, even if he looked bloody awesome fighting that troll.

They'd done too much ignoring already.

So, they backed out of the fat lady's portrait entrance, and settled down to wait for the other half of their troll fighting group.

It didn't take long for Hermione and Alexander to walk in to the hall of moving staircases from another corridor, and even if things were… weird, between them, Ron still felt a rush of relief seeing Alexander walking without a limp.

And a spark of laughter, that tried to bubble up in him, as he heard the other two get nearer, and Alexander's voice loudly arguing that the helmet he was holding out of an annoyed Hermione's reach was his by "right of battle".

Still, he swallowed it, as silence fell over the four of them, as he and Harry stood up, and looked down to them from the top of the staircase.

The portraits were quiet, for once. Just staring at the little confrontation.

Alexander was the first to break the silence

"You know, Harry, as much as appreciate the dramatics of you two having both the literal and moral high ground - and believe me, I know you have both - I think it'd be better if we avoided the stairs trying to be funny, and moving Granger and I in the middle of our… talk."

Alexander wore a complex, slightly strained smile as he spoke. Like he was trying to smile, smirk and grin all at once, but couldn't pick. Ron was pretty sure it was the first time he'd seen the other boy like that. Unsure, about a conversation.

Then again, if what Harry said about Alexander's midnight practice sessions was true, then Alexander could be a far better lier than he knew.

But- but Ron didn't want to believe Alexander was that much of a snake. He didn't want to believe his friend was some cold, bastard of a person, and so he spoke.

"Yeah, come on up. We gotta talk, I reckon that much is clear, but no reason we can't be friends about it," Ron said, giving what he was sure was an equally weird grin back to Alexander, and only shrugging at Harry when the other boy gave him a look.

Alexander made his way up to them, before sitting down on one of the benches with something between a sigh and a groan, which Ron thought was pretty earned, given the whole leg thing, even if it was fixed up.

There was a bench, a stone thing that wasn't terribly comfortable, on each side of the Fat Lady's paining, in her little alcove, and only big enough for two people per bench. Maybe three, if they were all first or second years, given that noone'd gotten big yet then. They were mostly there as decoration, Ron was sure, given that it had to look somewhat like an alcove, rather than an entrance to their common room.

Hermione'd sat down next to Alexander, which got a slightly confused look from Harry, but Ron thought it sort of made sense. Trollfighting had to count for something. He was pretty sure Harry thought the same, given how he shrugged it off pretty easy, just that it'd count for a little less then what it clearly did to Hermione.

Ron Decided to lean against the outcrop that supported arch leading to their little meeting alcove.

Then it got quiet. Real awkwardly so, too. Harry was just sort of looking at Alexander, like Alexander did to them sometimes for fun, except instead of it being the punchline to a joke, it was bloody awkward, given how Alexander… well, he didn't fidget exactly, he was too good at all the social things for that, but he drummed his fingers against his thigh, and that was as nervous as Ron had ever seen the other boy during a conversation.

But that didn't mean they were getting anywhere, and Ron wanted to get things sorted before someone tried to leave the common room to go snog in a empty classroom, troll be damned, so he figured that if no one else would, then he'd say something. And there was something he should have said a while ago.

"Hey, Hermione?" He started, and the girl started at him speaking, after staring so long at Harry and Alexander. Which was fair. They were the staring ones. Even if it did make a bit of something ugly roil in his stomach, before he forced it down.

"Uh, yes?" She said, sounding a bit confused and wary, but also desperately hopeful, like Ginny sounded whenever Ron asked her to go practice quidditch, that had Ron wanting to kick himself even more for the same thing he was about to apologise for.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. For not doing anything about how Alexander bullied you. I- Well, I didn't join in, because it was wrong, but I reckon that if you know something a mate of yours is doing is wrong, then you oughta do something, not just try and ignore it. So… sorry," Ron said, feeling his face heat as he admitted that he knew he was being an arse and wasn't doing anything to help her, right to her face. He looked away after he finished, ashamed for… Everything, in the last month or so.

"I-" Hermione started, and Ron's gaze flicked down to meet hers, and saw her face conflicted, before it settled into a resolute expression as her eyebrows narrowed slightly.

"It's fine. You tried this evening, right? To 'stop' Alexander? That-" she drew in a deep breath "That's more than anyone else whose felt bad for me has ever done. You tried. And…" Her face reddened then, although Ron wasn't exactly sure why, "I really appreciate that."

Silence settled then, but it was a far more comfortable one after Harry also muttered that he felt the same way, and Hermione said that she again felt the same way, before it was quiet, for a moment.

Then Alexander spoke, his face settled in something that was far more grimace than grin.

"Well, that's as good a segway as any, I suppose. Because I appreciate the same thing. The trying to stop me, I mean, even if I'd already figured out that I was being beastly myself at that point. And I just want to say that…" Alexander's face twisted into something that was fully a grimace then, as he spoke with clear strain, "I'd really appreciate it if you told me sooner, in the future. I'm not blaming you, to be clear. That'd be stupid. Just-" The grimace fell away for a moment, and Ron saw something below that he wasn't really sure what was.

Revulsion, maybe. But more than that, and less at the same time.

"I learned a lot from people I don't like, and who I don't want to have learned from. So I'll always be thankful if you tell me I'm being horrid, even if not in the moment. Please, keep my request in mind, even if you aren't interested I hanging out after all of… this," Alexander said, gesturing at the four of them vaguely, a sad, melancholic smile adorning his lips. Like he was already sure of the answer. Ron was pretty sure he'd be surprised.

There was more silence for a time, as Harry looked at Alexander, tilting his head from side to side, conflict warring across his features, like he was seeing something other than Alexander there at the same time.

But eventually, he broke down with a sigh, like Ron was pretty sure he would.

"It's… fine. We won't be right back where we left off, and we'll probably have to get used to hanging with Hermione too, but… you aren't that bad," Harry said, offering Alexander a weak grin.

Alexander's grin, meanwhile, widened into a mischievous, devilish thing before he spoke.

"Well, good. I figure our absence has been noticed by now, and it would be very awkward if we weren't friends after I've just sung the explanatory ballad I've been working on while walking back here."

"The what?" was largely the consensus of that statement, Harry especially looking like he was both dreading the attention, and looking forwards to the clearly joking performance.

"And so troll strode, from dark gloom,

But I had learned from Snape to loom.

And on I climbed the bathroom stall,

To jump from there, to it's ball"

Alexander sung, voice light and… and like he was just at the edge of breaking in to howls of laughter, which was strangely charming, and sounded great somehow. Well, that, or it was just his sheer confidence as he stood on a table, guitar in his arms, and performed in front of… well, everyone.

The song itself wasn't great or amazing, clearly made up in a hurry, but the way he sung it and the music which accompanied it made up for it.

And by god, he really could play.

Hermione wasn't sure she had ever seen a better musician in person, as his left hand danced up and down the neck of the instrument, each grip flowing naturally into the next in a way that almost looked easy, in a staggering performance of changing thrums, even as his right hand shifted between strumming the strings at the base in different patterns - each rhythm of play practically hopping and skipping into the next - and sometimes using his fingers, all at once, to pick at individual strings, and finally tapping at slapping the wood of his guitar like a drum, especially to finish things off before a musical only segment.

And it all came together into a light, nearly dancing melody of fun and… and chipperness, and a thirst for adventure even as the words were sung, and filled the common room with cheer and smiles as people danced and laughed.

And he made it seem so easy. To become the centre of the room. To be what brought the life and laughter. Hermione wasn't sure she had ever been so jealous before in her life.

She didn't even hear Alexander as he continued to sing, until a tap on her shoulder brought her out of her consideration, and let her hear the next part.

"Now Harry was not near a broom

But he could still bring doom and gloom

So into knee, he stabbed a piece

of the sink, it was a breeze"

Hermione turned to find Harry there, behind her. He was glaring sourly at Alexander, clearly not eager for the extra attention as people near him clapped him on the back and cheered, but as Alexander spotted him, he winked at Harry and made a mocking, weepy face at him, and Harry's lips twitched into a small smile, even though they weren't on great terms already. How did he do it?

But Harry turned his attention back to her, and she did the same, because maybe they could be friends, and she wouldn't hurt that chance just to think about Alexander. They were already friends, after all.

… Well, she was pretty sure they were.

"So I just wanted to make sure that you weren't just saying yes because Alexander was right there, and, well, you might have been concerned that he would start things up again, even after what he said?" Harry asked, standing rather awkwardly as other Griffendors moved around them, towards the buffet table - where Ron was still eating and rolling his eyes at Percy, who was probably scolding him if Ron's sour face was an indication - or to wherever else they were going.

Hermione felt warmth bloom within her as she realised that it wasn't only that Harry thought what Alexander did was wrong, and wanted to show that, but that he cared! Cared about her!

She smiled, and for once, she forgot about her stupid large front teeth, or her bushy hair, or anything, as she knew, just- just knew that she had made not just her first friend, but her first group of friends, who all cared.

Hermione barely registered the stunned look on Harry's face before she hugged him, and spoke into his ear.

"I meant it, Harry. I really did. And… I can't wait to be friends?" She said, pulling back, and giving him a now tentative, fragile smile, feeling her heart practically quiver in fear that she was wrong, and that he might say no.

But Harry simply smiled, and said, "Likewise," and she finally knew it with certainty, as her smile widened into a beaming thing that almost hurt her cheeks, and the two of them languished in the moment of happiness.

At least until Hermione was brought out of it, hearing her name in Alexander's song.

"But Hermione is a scary one, and she would shred it's knee

So she brought her wand, to the shard, and cast reparo three

The sink o'gathered, around the limb, and blood there was to see

So take my word, heed my guidance, and live in fear oh thee"

Hermione felt her face burned as - for the first time in his performance - Alexander stopped playing, pointed to her, raised his hands in the air and backed away to the very edge of the table he was standing on, with a foe fearful expression on his face, even as laughter clearly gleamed in his eyes and the quirk of his lips.

It wasn't long before he continued, though Hermione could barely tell, as she was overwhelmed both with embarrassment and the people patting her back and laughing with her, as they gave her impressed looks, and complimented her creativity.

She could, in the end, only utter a weak, petulant mutter of "I didn't cast it thrice, only once!"

To which Harry grumbled from beside her, that "Yeah? Well I don't bring doom and gloom either."

"Maybe not," Ron said, as his arms came over each of their shoulders, causing both of them to startle, even as Ron continued, "But maybe you are? I mean, Harry, let's be honest here, you did stab the thing with a piece of rock, right mate? You have to admit that's pretty doom-y gloom-y" Ron said, grinning at Harry as the other boy rolled his eyes.

Hermione snorted in laughter at the two of them, before breaking into a short burst of giggles, only noticing Ron and Harry looking at her with a peculiar cast to their features when she stopped, and feeling herself flush and anxiety pool in her stomach at their looks.

"What?"

The two glanced to each other, before smiling, and Harry spoke, a gentle happiness in his voice. "Nothing, really. Nothing at all."

Hermione looked at her friends, and whatever fear there was within her seemed to melt away, draining out of her as she shared in their smiles. Only for Ron to continue, clearly saying what Harry considered 'the quiet part' out loud, if the way he smacked Ron a moment later was any indication.

"Yeah, we just aren't used to you smiling or laughing, you know?" he said, before muttering a quiet, indignant 'what?' at Harry after his smack.

Hermione, even though she knew she probably shouldn't, couldn't help but flush in shame at her own lack of friends before then, beginning to stammer out an explanation she really didn't want to give.

At least until she was interrupted by Alexander continuing his 'ballad'.

"Then Ron he came, and said it's name, and gaze indeed he drew.

But he had a plan, and it was a ram, as club indeed he threw

He hit it's head, it was not dead, but happy was it neither

So he tried again, now it was the end, and troll lay sleeping bitter"

Now it was Ron's turn to flush, Hermione thought with a bit of schadenfreude, but while he did indeed flush, he also grinned brightly as people, and his brothers especially, cheered for him.

The evening continued from then on, as Alexander played his magically amplified guitar - sitting now, and mostly without song as simple instrumental ambiance to the party - and she, Harry and Ron joined him, with others rotating in and out of their little cluster of upholstered chairs and sofas, as they continued to enjoy themselves deep into the evening. Eventually, she Harry and Ron went to sleep, and Alexander waved goodbye to them, as he continued to speak with however many people he knew.

And as Hermione lay in bed that night, slumber coming easily and swiftly with all the exhaustion and the sheer volume of things that had happened that day, she could not help but think, as sleep took her, and she only had one happy thought left before she dreamed, that finally, finally, she may have just found a home away from home, and friends to enjoy it with.