So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 3 The Letter

Harry then without a backward glance at her and Ron then stood up with the letter still clasped in his hand. Harry then walked out of the Great Hall leaving his barely touched breakfast at the Gryffindor table where Ron, Hermione and a few of their other friends were busy gaping after Harry Potter who was acting so distinctly odd. Hermione had no idea what was going on with Harry and as she didn't know she somehow doubted that Ron had suddenly wised up and knew exactly what was going on! Hermione had always known that the raven haired boy could be very secretive and didn't like even telling her and Ron things but never to this extent.

Ron proving Hermione's theory that he had no clue what was going on the turned to her. 'What the bloody hell was all that about?' demanded Ron with a puzzled expression on his face.

Hermione didn't like the fact that she knew about as much as Ron Weasley did but still answered her friend truthfully. 'I don't know,' frowned Hermione. 'I just don't know. But he's been acting very odd recently.'

'You can say that again,' Ron said.

Hermione Granger prided herself on being smart and she hated situations where she didn't know things. Situations like this! Hermione hated not understanding anything whether a piece of sixth year transfigurations or how someone was behaving. But Hermione Granger not understanding things didn't happen often. But this was one of those very few and very far between times where Hermione was stumped. Of course, it would be Harry Potter wouldn't it. That boy was quite simply strange to put it mildly.

Not that Hermione would ever tell Harry that as poor boy so desperately longer to be normal that he couldn't see how abnormal he was. Hermione didn't respond to her friends about her lost within her own thoughts on what was going on with Harry. She looked over towards the large, oak doors of the Great Hall where Harry had disappeared through several times. But it was clear that Harry James Potter was long gone. Hermione wondered where Harry had disappeared to and hoped he wasn't doing anything stupid. Hermione hoped that Harry would soon talk to her about what was going on even if that was a long shot; Harry never confided in anyone!

Whilst all this was going through Harry's friend head Harry had gone out to get some air and was currently sitting by the frozen lake where he had first performed the Patronus Charm less than a year ago. It was cold and he'd left his winter cloak inside but it was very peaceful and quiet. An excellent place to think Harry had always felt! Harry still was clutching the letter in his right hand trying to figure out what he should do. And wishing more than ever he had someone who would understand what it was like to want the wrong person.

But Harry couldn't think of anyone who could help him with his latest problem. If it had been any other girl or guy he would have gone to Hermione. If it had been a Voldemort related issue he would have gone to Dumbledore. If it had been something else he had to get off his chest he would have gone to Ron. But this was none of these things. This was something Harry was desperate to keep a secret for as long as he physically could. At least he didn't think Malfoy would go around talking about.

In everything he had seen and felt about Lucius bloody Malfoy it was that the Malfoy Lord was a very private man in all respects. Well that made two of them. People assumed that because he was unwillingly famous that meant he loved the attention and had no care in the world for privacy. But really the opposite of that was true. Harry would sometimes kill for a bit of privacy. He sometimes thought that might be the only way to get people to leave him alone if he was rotting in Azkaban. But these distracting thoughts didn't help him on what he should do next about these sexual relations that he had with Lucius damnably sexy Malfoy.