Chapter 3 : An Escape From Azkaban
Harry woke the next morning, way before the sun crept over the mountain. He had tried endlessly to get back to sleep but had had to give up, so he crept slowly down to the common room and perched himself on the sofa. At that second, Dobby the house elf appeared in front of him.
"Would Harry Potter like some hot chocolate, sir?" asked Dobby.
"Yes please, Dobby," Harry replied in the middle of a long yawn. He heard footsteps coming from behind him, turned around quickly, and saw Hermione stagger down the stairs. "Dobby, make that two, please."
Harry was startled at the sight of his friend coming down the stairs at that hour. "Hermione, what are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep," she said.
"You too huh? Come and sit down." Hermione sat down next to Harry and laid her head on his shoulder. "So, any reason why you couldn't sleep?" he asked her.
"I had a few things on my mind. I got a letter off Viktor earlier; he says we are officially broken up."
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry couldn't help feel a little happy about the news; he never really took to Viktor.
Hermione looked up thoughtfully at Harry. "Harry, do you think I'm pretty?" she asked. Harry almost choked on his own breath; the only word he managed to choke out was "Huh?"
"Well, Viktor said I wasn't pretty enough for him; that's why he broke up with me."
"Really? Well…um…I'm sorry." Harry stuttered under the pressure of the question. He quickly faked a yawn. "I think I'm going to have to go to bed Hermione, I'm suddenly a little tired." He walked quickly back towards his dormitory almost tripping up the stairs when Hermione called out.
"Harry, what about the question?"
Harry looked into Hermione's puffy eyes. "Errm…you're cool, Hermione … yeah…cool." Harry turned and hurried up to the dormitory. He lay in his bed thinking about the event that he had just witnessed. I can't believe I said she was 'cool.' I made such an idiot of myself. Hermione is way more than cool. She's beautiful, intelligent and sensitive. She's…the perfect girl. But what am I saying, she's my best friend, I can't say that to her. Harry rolled over in his bed with these thoughts spinning through his head for the rest of the night. Eventually he finaly got a couple of hours sleep.
*
"Harry wake up," was the first thing Harry heard as he opened his eyes feeling rather stressed as usual. He peered through his glasses and noticed that it was Ron who was staring over him.
"Ron what is it?"
"It's time for breakfast," he said.
"Oh, right." Harry pulled himself up and gave his eyes a huge rub under his glasses.
"Well mate, I have to hand it to you. You were right about Hermione. I don't know how you got her out of that room. Did you threaten to snog her or something?" asked Ron.
Harry stomach did a somersault at Ron's suggestion. "No, what makes you say that?" snapped Harry.
Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry. "Calm down mate it was only a joke."
Harry sighed deeply and decided he had been too snappy with Ron. "Sorry Ron, I'm just tired. Come on, let's go."
*
When they got down for breakfast, Harry stared around the room, anxiously looking for Hermione. Oh no! What if I've upset her and she's locked herself up again or something? "Ron can you see Hermione?"
"She's over there in the corner," said Ron pointing to the corner furthest away from anyone else. Hermione had her face in a book and her eyes were red; Harry knew that she had been crying. "Go on mate, work your magic like before. You can get her to come and sit with us."
"I don't know, she looks really upset again," Harry answered quickly. He couldn't deny that Hermione looked upset, but the worst of it was that he was the reason. If only he had told her that she was beautiful. Although, if he did that, he knew he would ruin the friendship. "I'll leave her alone for a bit." He sat down with Ron and piled bacon, eggs and toast on his plate as Hedwig came flying over his head, dropping the Daily Prophet on his lap. He looked at the front and saw a headline that made his rage with anger. "Lucius Malfoy escapes from Azkaban." Harry moved down the page and read the article.
"Lucius Malfoy, father of Draco and husband of Narcissa, has today escaped from Azkaban prison. It is thought that he was helped out by an unknown source."
The Ministry have sent out Aurors to search for Mr. Malfoy as our dementors have parted from us.
"We ensure you that Lucius Malfoy will be caught and we insist that our Magic Community remain calm." Announced Minister Of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
"Isn't this great," said Harry bluntly, looking at Ron.
"I knew this would happen. That Malfoy always gets out of everything." Ron spat on the ground, disgusted.
"That's right Weasley." Draco Malfoy appeared behind him with the usual smug look stretched across his face. "Father will be back by his master's side soon. And then he'll watch Potter and all the mudbloods die." Malfoy turned away and slid back down at the Slytherin table. Ron turned to Harry and noticed the concerned look on his face.
"You're not worried about Malfoy are you mate?" he asked.
Harry shook his head and looked directly at Ron. "No, Ron I'm just concerned. You know how sneaky that snake Malfoy is, he could be anywhere, ready to hit me with the Avada Kedavra curse." Ron looked back at him and patted him on the back.
"I wouldn't worry about it, how could Malfoy possibly get into the school ?"
"I don't know Ron, but I'm not going to put my guard down around the school." Harry and Ron ate their breakfast quickly and Ron turned to Harry.
"Are you coming?" he asked as he saw Harry staring at Hermione who was in tears. "Hermione will be fine in a few weeks mate, I think she just needs some time alone." Harry turned around sharply.
"Ron for the last time, when your parents die, that last thing you want is to be alone. I just don't know what to say to her at the minute. I'll talk to her again soon, but first we have to go to double potions." Harry got to the doors of the Great Hall and turned for one last look at Hermione. But she was gone.