hliketheydidforhermione,buthewashavingfun,stukbetweengeeandluna,listeningthemtothemarryonwiththeiroffkeyrenditionsofcelestinawarbeksongs.hefeelslikeheispartofthegroup,andforone,draofeelslikeheisfinallyatapewhereheiswillingtoputthepastbehindthem.

andthenrongetsangry.

draohadnotiedthathewasabarelyontainedtimebomb,readytofightattheslightestprovoation,butitstillstung,beauseallhehaddonewasmakethemistakeoftakinghisguarddown,oftryingtobelong.draomadeajoke,andhermionewasughing,andthendraowasleaningoverher,abouttostartastorythatbeganwithrememberwhenaboutoneoftheirraregoodmomentsfromhogwarts,butthenronwasbetweenthem,shovinghimawayfromhermione,spittinginhisfae.

theroomgetsquiet,anddraodoesnotmove,juststaresdownatthewaythatron’shandwasfistedinhisshirt,wwhyhekeepsfindinghimselfinthisposition.thisiswhatitfeltlike,hethought,inadull,detahedsortofway.allthosepeoplewhoyoupushedaround,thisiswhatitfeltlike.

behindhim,geemakesamovetogettohisfeet,butginnyholdshimbakwithjustatouhtothearm.maybetheythoughtthatthiswassomethingtheyshouldn’tgetinthemiddleof.

draoreallydisagreed.hewantedanyone,evenifitwassomehatwouldneverspeaktohimagain,torisetotheirfeetandstandupforhim,beausethisisnotfair,thisisnotright,hedidnotdoanythingwrongthistime.he’strying,damnit.

“we’renotfriends,”ronspits,andthewordsareworsethanifhehadpunhedthem.hisvoieisquiet,aterriblyontrolledsilene,buteveryoneouldhear.“lookaroundyou.noneofthesepeopleareyourfriends.”