It's All About Harry

Harry made his way towards the Harpies\' locker room, dragging his

feet, feeling tired after his exhausting day at work. The bad weather

and thick fog added to his sour mood, and he hoped that a quiet

evening with his wife would improve his day.

In the past week, the subject of Draco Malfoy had not been raised and

Harry had hoped that things stayed that way. He should have realized

that he was asking for too much.

The fog cleared as Harry approached the entrance of the locker rooms

and he could clearly see two figures chatting animatedly in front of

the door. Ginny was still in her Quidditch gear, flushed and breathless

as she laughed. Draco Malfoy stood beside her, and was in the middle

of telling an apparently entertaining story while waving his hands and

smiling. It was odd seeing him like that — happy and carefree. Odd

and grating.

Grating because Ginny was much too amused. She and Harry were

doing well, all things considered, but Harry couldn\'t remember the

last time he’d made her laugh like that.

"... apparently he thinks it\'s all about connections." Malfoy\'s voice

floated over. "As if I have any these days. I suppose it\'s comforting

for him to pretend that he\'s in my league and he lost the position due

to my evil scheming."

Ginny shook her head. "I know him, Draco. You should be careful.

He\'s not the most stable person. But," Ginny smiled, "it\'s nice to see

that you’re still as modest as ever."

Harry couldn’t understand why Ginny said that with so much fondness

in her voice. As if the fact that Malfoy was a conceited git was

endearing.

"I just know what I deserved and what I have no business wanting."

Malfoy\'s tone became serious as his gaze roamed over Ginny\'s face.

Ginny had stopped laughing, but Malfoy continued in a lighter tone.

"Oh, well, Toby doesn\'t worry me. He\'s just an idiot. Speaking of

which ..." Malfoy\'s piercing gaze was suddenly fixed on Harry.

Ginny followed his line of sight and then jumped on the spot, looking

far too guilty upon seeing Harry moving towards them.

"Harry, I ..." Ginny looked around, as though it would help her find an

explanation of why she was alone with her ex. That wouldn\'t be such

a bad thing if Ginny didn\'t look so guilty, apparently feeling that there

was something to feel guilty about. It made Harry wonder whether

he’d arrived too late. Perhaps something had happened between them.

Harry pushed that thought out of his mind and approached Ginny.

Ignoring Malfoy, he focused on Ginny and forced a smile on his face.

"I came to pick you up. So we could go home together." Harry

encircled Ginny\'s waist, pulling her in for a kiss.

He kissed her passionately, in a way he would usually shy away from

in front of strangers. But this was Malfoy, who undoubtedly wanted to

do this to Ginny himself, so ... let him see.

Surprisingly, Ginny responded, even deepened the kiss, and for a

moment Harry lost himself, his anger evaporating. Perhaps that was

what Ginny wanted.

They parted, breathless, and Ginny opened her eyes and looked up at

him with a smile. It was probably silly and pathetic, but Harry couldn\'t

help feeling like he’d won again. There — he could make her

happy too.

Harry stepped behind her, his arms still wrapped around her waist,

and only then, looked at Malfoy with his eyebrows raised.

"Malfoy," he greeted, as though he’d only just spotted him. It seemed

much easier to talk to Malfoy in a reasonably polite tone while holding

Ginny in his arms.

Malfoy stared at Harry intently, but didn\'t say anything. Instead, he

diverted his gaze towards Ginny and gave her a tight smile. "I should

go now."

"Be careful," Ginny said, covering Harry\'s hands on her stomach with

hers, as though apologizing for her kind, worried tone.

Nodding, though appearing somewhat exasperated, Malfoy turned to

leave, but then something flickered in his eyes. Something that made

Harry\'s whole body stiffen, though he had no idea what Malfoy

planned to do.

As though in a trance, Harry watched, bewildered as Malfoy

approached them and leaned in, pressing his lips to Ginny\'s temple,

his gaze fixed on Harry, eyes twinkling with ... something indefinable.

Harry couldn\'t even react because he was rooted to the spot by pure

shock that Malfoy dared. He dared to kiss Harry\'s wife even

though she was pressed flush against Harry\'s chest. Malfoy\'s eyes

were much too close and much too focused on Harry.

The bastard knew that Harry couldn\'t do anything. Not with Ginny

between them. Not without risking her ire.

"I\'ll see you around," Malfoy whispered in Ginny\'s ear, making her

shudder in Harry\'s embrace.

Still in shock, Harry stared at Malfoy\'s back as the blond moved away,

limping slightly. Ginny turned around, facing Harry, her eyes wide and

dark.

"You should go and change," Harry said quietly, amazed that he

managed to say something at all. The nerve of Malfoy.

Kissing his wife while ...

"Okay." Ginny nodded, clearly uncomfortable, and moved away

quickly, disappearing behind the locker room door.

Left alone, Harry stared blankly ahead, his mind filled with senseless

thoughts. He didn\'t know how long he would have stood there in

shock if he hadn\'t heard loud voices coming from his left, near the

main entrance. He knew that Malfoy was the one who’d shouted in the

distance — Harry could recognize that sneering voice anywhere. It

would be silly to go and see what was happening, but then again,

perhaps Malfoy was causing trouble. Perhaps, Harry would have to

arrest him.

Emboldened, feeling almost giddy at the thought of capturing Malfoy

and dragging him to the Ministry, Harry moved towards the noise. He

reached a corner behind which Malfoy was fighting with someone, and

Harry paused, listening.

"That\'s hardly my concern," Malfoy scoffed.

"Really?" A man, whose voice Harry didn\'t recognise, sneered in

return. "I remember you from St Mungo\'s. A measly mediwizard,

nothing more. They sacked you for a good reason."

"You are woefully uninformed," Malfoy said tightly. "Now, stop

pestering me. What exactly do you expect me to do? Refuse the

position?"

"I held this job for five years!"

"And you did a fine job. No one ever remained permanently damaged

due to your shoddy skills. Oh, wait."

"I did what I could for you knee," the man said quietly, sounding

dangerous now. Harry\'s hand flew to his wand automatically. "I did

more than you deserved."

"One has to deserve medical treatment?" Malfoy\'s voice had lowered

as well, and Harry looked around the corner carefully.

Malfoy\'s hand was twitching — he was clearly eager to take out his

wand as he glared at the man Harry vaguely recognised. He had seen

him around Quidditch Matches, in healer garb.

The man was a bit shorter than Malfoy, but bulkier; his face was red

and his moustache large, and it was currently twitching, making the

man resemble Uncle Vernon at his worst.

"You don\'t deserve anything. You had that coming. I know all about

you, Malfoy. You\'re nothing but filthy Death Eater scum," the

man spat.

Two pink patches appeared on Malfoy\'s cheeks. "Oh that\'s rich. I\'m

being insulted by a dirty mu —"

It happened in an instant. One moment Malfoy was talking and in the

other a scream tore out of his throat and he fell down, clutching his

leg. An awful crunching sound made Harry realize that the man had

hit Malfoy right in his injured knee. He could hardly believe that a

healer had hit a man, in such a vicious way, aiming for the weak,

busted knee.

The man swung his leg again while Malfoy lay, still panting, on the

ground. Harry went blind with fury and reacted instantly.

A jet of red light shot out of his wand and hit the man square in the

chest, sending him flying yards away, where he fell into a heap and

did not stir again.

After taking a moment to feel satisfaction at seeing the idiot collapsed

listlessly on the ground, Harry turned to Malfoy.

Malfoy was half-conscious with his leg at an odd angle, which made

Harry realize that it was broken or that his knee had been dislocated.

Harry didn\'t know that Malfoy\'s knee was in such a bad, delicate state.

Quickly and worriedly, he bent down, reaching tentatively to touch

Malfoy\'s shoulder. "It\'s okay. I\'ll get you to St Mungo\'s," he said

soothingly.

Malfoy\'s eyelashes fluttered and grey eyes, dulled with pain, focused

on Harry with difficulty. A strange expression crossed Malfoy\'s face. It

almost looked like Malfoy tried to smile. "Figures," he breathed.

Before Harry managed to ask what Malfoy meant, a loud cry of

Harry made him look up.

Ginny stood a little away, her eyes wide and expression horrified.

"Harry, what did you do?"