The Battle Inside {Completed}

Chapter 18

[recap]

"Are you sure you're alright, Neville?" I asked, searching his face for traces of fear or worry. He weakly smiled at me, but said nothing.

We sat like that for what seemed like hours before he came in.

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-Ron-

Ernie Macmillan strolled in, an expression of deep concern on his face.

"What happened?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side and kneeling next to Ginny.

"She's fine, we already had her looked at." Harry piped up in what seemed like a defensive manner as Ernie tried to hold her hand for a pulse.

"Oh," he simply replied. He didn't seem to have anything else to say, but powerfully slapped me on the back saying, "It might have happened one of these days,"

Is he being serious? This is his idea of comfort? Yeah, Hufflepuff...

I gave him a look to show that it mattered, but he didn't seem to notice. I glanced at all of them, trying to read their emotions.

Luna was the pacifist, calmly looking around at the world as if it were a rainbow.

Neville had that abandoned chipmunk sort of boyish look, but he had grown out of it slightly. He seemed worried, biting at his fingernails like his life depended on it.

Harry looked like his best friend was dying, which was sort of offensive to me, firstly because she wasn't even close to dying, and secondly because I was his best friend who was in perfectly good health.

Hermione no longer showed any emotion, and a book had appeared randomly for her to read. Of course, it was 'Hogwarts, A History'.

And as for Ernie, he seemed completely nonchalant and carefree.

It was then that I noticed another figure here, besides Ernie.

Malfoy was lurking in the corner of the room, casually looking around and at the ceiling, making no noise and showing no emotion.

I was enraged. Malfoy had no right to show up and just stand there like some fat cow while my only sister was in danger. It was probably him, too, and he probably came here just to gloat.

And I wouldn't stand for it.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy? Get away from my sister!" I sneered indignantly. Malfoy shot me a look, and Hermione's gaze jolted up from her book. She looked alarmed as Malfoy was the one to saunter over to me.

"Is there a problem, Weasel? I thought we were room buddies." he replied, clearly not shaken by me.

"It's not my fault your hearing bloody voices all the time." I muttered under my breath, making sure he heard.

Ernie left quietly.

"As far as I'm concerned, all of us are." Malfoy said coldly. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked quite bored. Harry gave me a shut-up-and-duel-him look.