Love, Lies & Loneliness

Chapter 18
(Consequential Evidence)

Harry threw up yet again his retching echoing around the girl’s deserted lavatory. Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the system in front of him, watching with sick delight at the boy’s self inflicted illness.

“Harry? Are you alright?” Ron’s concerned voice came from the other side of the cubical door as Harry slumped down onto the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.

“Yeah, I will be in a bit.” Harry flushed the toilet for the fifth time that morning and reached up to unlock the toilet cubical door. Still sitting on the floor Harry let the door swing open to reveal his two friends looking in at him in concern.

“I can’t believe you did that Harry.” Hermione folded her arms haughtily across her chest as she began pacing back and forth past the cubical entrance again. Ron fetched Harry another glass of water from the sink and knelt sympathetically next to his best friend as Hermione continued. “You do realise that Marijuana is just as illegal in the magical world as it is in the muggle world. No one knows what effects it has on a wizards body.”

“I think Harry knows its effects.” Ron smirked cheekily at Harry who managed a weak smile at his friend’s joke, before Ron looked sheepishly up at Hermione who looked none too amused by the joke.

“Ron this is serious. Harry broke at least fifty school rules last night, not to mention at least ten Ministry of Magic laws.” Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione and turned back to Harry a smirk twitching at the corners of his lips.

“Yeah and right under Snape’s nose might I add.” Harry managed to laugh at this as did Ron but Hermione’s growl of frustration made them quickly hold their giggles.

Harry had told his friends the most important aspects of his night with the Slytherin’s, but kept the more intimate details to himself. It hadn’t helped that having woken up feeling thoroughly ill in Draco’s bed Harry had then had to have Draco and Blaise Zabini escort him to breakfast at the great hall, his unsteady body supported between the two boys. The Slytherin’s had dumped him unceremoniously at the Gryfindor table and returned to their own table much to the shocked stares of many of the people at Harry’s unhealthy looking state. Harry had lasted a grand total of five minutes at the table, long enough for him to catch the professors staring at him suspiciously and long enough for the food to arrive. That was, in the end, what had done him, and with his hand clutched over his mouth Harry had staggered from the hall and straight into the closest bathroom he came across, which just happened to be the second floor girl’s bathroom.

Luckily however it had been a Sunday and with no classes Harry could be left in peace to recover that was if Hermione didn’t continue to lecture him as she was doing now.

“I should report you Harry for your own good.” Hermione finally stopped pacing and came to a stand still in front of the two boys sitting on the floor of the bathroom, her arms folded neatly across her chest.

“Hermione will you just shut up, you sound like my mum.” Ron looked up sternly at Hermione who instantly lowered her arms and looked rather ashamed of herself, of sounding like Mrs Weasley. “Now help me get Harry up and we’ll take him up to the Gryfindor common room. We’ve got Quidditch practice this afternoon and he’s going to be no good unless he gets some rest.” Harry groaned inwardly at Ron’s reminder about practice. Harry had completely forgotten about Quidditch on Sunday afternoon and he winced as he thought about whizzing around on a broom with his stomach still feeling queasy. Obediently Hermione helped Ron get Harry to his feet and although more stable that earlier Harry still leant heavily against his friends as they began walking him up the stairs towards the Gryfindor portrait.

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By the time Quidditch practice rolled around that afternoon Harry was feeling far superior to what he had in the morning. Despite a lingering headache he was feeling fine enough to practice with the Gryfindor Quidditch team. Having retrieved his uniform and broom from his rooms down in the dungeons and met the rest of the team on the playing field. It was windy out and the banners of the empty stands were flapping about wildly over the pitch. Ideally it wasn’t perfect Quidditch weather but Harry had flown in worse than a little wind.

With a practice strategy devised on the ground the team kicked off into the air with the captains whistle. Flying drills were first and then a quick game of dodge the bludger with compliments from the weasley twins. Finally Harry was left to his own devices with the snitch, while the other members of the team practiced their own specific skills. Having caught and released the snitch several times Harry tucked the little golden ball into his Quidditch robes and merely began swooping and diving around the pitch.

Harry enjoyed flying and as he swirled around in the wind he took deep calming breaths and enjoyed the view from high above the ground. It was while he was circling the stands however that Harry became aware of someone sitting alone in the stands watching them practice. The familiar black hair and the prominent pointed nose a dead give away to whom it was. Snape. The professor had never taken an interest in Quidditch accept to come and watch when Slytherin’s team played on match day and Harry found it strange the professor would come and watch Gryfindor practice. Circling the stands again Harry stared at the Professor trying to make out what Snape was actually doing but as Harry came around for a third circle it suddenly hit him that Snape was watching him!

Before Harry could register Snape’s interest in Harry’s Quidditch practice the captains whistle blew down below him signalling the end of practice. Harry glanced back at the stands as he slowly descended to join his teammates on the ground but Snape had disappeared as suddenly as he’d appeared. Harry made a note to mention Snape’s appearance at practice to Ron and Hermione at dinner, before slowly following his teammates to the locker rooms for a shower.


TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A/N If you\'ve read some of my other works you know that I often mention \'Monumental\' warnings. This of course means that the following chapter is one of those not to be missed if you\'ve got any hope of figuring out the plot of this story. So like I\'ve just mentioned \'This is a Monumental Warning\'. The next chapter is really a hinging point on this plot and it\'s got heaps of little tid bits to working out the plot.

To answer a few questions \'Yes\' there is reasoning behind Malfoy\'s attempts at \'Be friending Harry\'. No they won\'t ever be friends like that and Yes I promise some \'Snarry\' loving so enough....

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this little update, and thanks again for the reviews. I admit I update quickly mainly cause I average three or four chapters written a day inbetween work and the like, so if you want the next four chapters you better start handing out copious amounts of chocolate frogs and butter beer to my muse.