I woke up the next morning, exhausted but feeling better than I had in a few days. Fighting with my father always seemed to make me exhausted beyond belief and sad beyond belief. Add on top of that everything else that was happening in my life, and it was bound to happen that I would be feeling pretty nasty.
I looked at her clock beside me and realized I could still make my classes if I tried.
I walked out to the living area and Severus was already up and making breakfast, "Morning Dad."
"Morning Jessica," he replied looking a bit stunned that I was up, and I didn't blame him.
"I think I'm going to try to make classes, so I'll take breakfast and go get changed then get to classes. I think just laying around here for an entire day would be worse for me than having something to take my mind off of everything."
He nodded, "Very well, I figured you would believe that to be your best choice. You may go. I want you to start taking these days easy. School is not your top priority right now, and your classes should be easy enough that you can focus on something else. I need you to be working on both your Dark Arts a little more, as well as your Draca powers and you need to start helping Draco. He is refusing to let me help as I told you before, but I was hoping the two of you are closer than we are and you can convince him he needs some help."
I nodded, "I will of course. I don't think he deserves to be hurt by any of this either. You need to take things easier too though, I don't like seeing you like this either."
"I promise I will try to be more pleasant, and worry you less."
I threw my hands up, "That's not what I mean at all. I don't mind worrying about you at all, haven't I told you that enough. Just please try to take on less responsibility and stop making stupid decisions that end up with your life on the line."
His demeanor soften a touch, "Of course Jessica, I can do that too."
My morning classes went smoothly. No one bothered talking about anything of any any importance because it was getting close to Christmas and we didn't want to burden ourselves with any of that just yet. Harry brought up his Draco is a death eater theory once in passing but the rest of us ignored him and let is go by.
At lunch Hermione mentioned, "Slughorn is having a Christmas party this weekend. Since we leave the next weekend for break he figures this will be a good time to have it I suppose."
My eyebrows shot up, "i haven't gotten that invitation yet."
She replied, "He hasn't sent them out yet. He's going to today. He was just talking to me about it today in the hallways."
Ron said bitterly, "I'm sure you all will have a great time. How have those meetings been going anyways? I know Harry's missed a few already since they're so dreadful."
"Well they're alright I guess," Hermione said, "Mostly he fawns over Cormac since his parents area so well connected. He also seems to really like Ginny, and whenever Harry isn't there he asks about what he's doing a lot too. Jessica you've missed a couple too and he tends to be pretty upset about that too, I think he likes you too. I Think he's finally gotten word about how amazing you are and the fact that you seem to have some nice connections at the Ministry too."
I groaned, "Great, just what I need. Well I suppose we have to go to this party then. The game is on Saturday, not Sunday so I'm sure sure that's why the party in on the Sunday. I'm sure he somehow knew that. I'm sure he wants Harry there no matter what."
"Yeah I'm sure he'd be super upset if his most prized student couldn't be there," Ron spat, "Aside from Cormac it seems like he's the most important person in this school. Well you can go with him and then you can tell Slughorn you guys are hooking up and maybe he'll make sure you guys are voted SLug Club King and Queen."
"Well we were allowed to bring guests, and I was going to ask you if you wanted to attend it with me, but since you're so set on me going with McLaggen perhaps I should. God knows he's the only boy that's been decent to me since Viktor-"
She stopped talking and a tear ran down her face before she could finish that sentence. I knew she was going to say, died but there was no way she wanted to think about that right now. The fact that Ron was being extra annoying was breaking her heart even more. I had talked to her about it once and she was upset because he kept giving her mixed signals, and pushing her towards McLaggen, and on top of all that she was upset with herself for moving on from Viktor so soon after he had died.
"You were going to take me?" Ron asked in a smaller, more cautious voice I had ever heard him use.
"Yes I was planning on it before but since you seem so keen on me going with Cormac, and seem to hate the SLug Club so much, I suppose I could just go with him. Perhaps I should just hook up with McLaggen, since that's what you want so much."
"No I dont," Ron said in an even smaller voice than before, looking down at the table.
She ran out of the hall and I gave an apologetic look at Ron before dashing off after her. It's not that I thought ROn didn't need me. I knew he did, he was as confused about Hermione as she was about him. I just knew he had Harry there to help him, and Hermione really needed me right now.
Once I calmed her down, I told her we could go dress shopping for the party on Saturday since it wouldn't be until Sunday. Right after my match we were going to go down to Hogsmeade, and pick out some nice party dresses for the Christmas party.
Over the next few days, Ron and Hermione were on edge with each other, and it was bringing the whole group down. At Quidditch practice Ron was continually messing up and seemed to snap at everyone, to the point where the whole team seemed to hate him something awful. He was underperforming as well. To make matters worse Katie was still at Mungos, and we needed a new Chaser. Harry had chosen to put Dean on the team, and the two of them were at ends a bit over Ginny. Ti was no secret that Dean had went out with Ginny last year, and it hadn't ended super well.
Ron's behavior got so bad that Harry took him aside to talk to him. I wasn't sure what he said but it must've been really bad, because Ron came out of the conversation looking awful, and Harry looked upset.
I pulled Harry aside that evening in the common room, "Harry what's up with Ron? What did you tell him?"
"I told im that he needed to change his behavior and start playing better or I was going to have to kick him off the team and find a replacement. After I said that he just told me he was a disgrace to the team anyways and that he probably shouldn't' play anymore. He said that if we lose this next game, which I'm sure we will, that he was going to resign from the team himself. I think he's all messed up by this Hermione stuff. DId you hear that she did actually invite McLaggen to go with her. As much as I don't like the guy, maybe he will be better for her than Ron. This way at least it won't ruin a perfectly good friendship if they were to break up at some point."
I shrugged, "I guess that's always something to consider, but I think if they both want it and it'll make both of them happy they should go for it."
"Yeah," Harry replied softly, "Can I tell you something Jessica? I know we don't really tend to talk, but I can't talk to Ron or Hermione about thi."
I smiled softly at him and put a hand on his shoulder, "OF course you can. I"m always here for you Harry. What's up?"
"I know it sounds bad but I just really don't want them to get together. I want them to be happy and all, since I"m so happy with Ginny, but I know that if they got together then they would edge me out of the group. What if they start hanging out without me, and start having inside jokes without me. What if they just don't need me anymore once they have each other?"
"Harry think about it this way. Do you still need them even though you have Ginny?"
He nodded, "But that's different."
"I don't think it is. Maybe they'll have each other in a romantic way, but they'll always need your friendship. We all will need your friendship and anytime you feel that they're being too coupley, I'll be there for you too."
He shrugged, "Yeah, but you'll be with Neville or Blake soon. I don't know why you and Neville aren't getting together, since you just flirt all the time but I guess that's up to you. And then you and Blake, god who knows what's happening there. I just know that you have been flirting around each other since I met the two of you as well."
I blushed deep red, "I think we are getting off track here. I am sure that Blake and I are just very close friends, and as for Neville, well right now just doesn't seem like the right time for any of this I guess."
Harry nodded, "I completely get that. I'm not sure I want to burden Ginny with all that I'm going to have to go through either, but i guess that for now I might as well be happy."
Man, how I wished I could afford myself that same luxury. I knew that my time to do something that Neville couldn't be a part of was coming sooner than Harry's time for something would come. Mine would very welcome in a few weeks or months.
Harry was right, he and I don't normally talk like this. I would often talk with hermione about serious things, or Neville, or Blake and sometimes even Severus, but it was rare that I would got to Harry or ROn for advice on something. I found that Harry was really easy to talk to, and down to earth. He didn't seem to judge any of my decisions, but rather he was just asking me questions to help me better understand myself. I was sure he had nothing to worry about, I knew Hermione and Ron would always need him. And I was lying to him, I knew I wasn't always going to be there for him.
I realized I had been lost in my thoughts for a few moments so I said, "That's true. I am really happy the two of you are so happy. I think having someone for you to lean on is super important especially right now. I agree that Ron and Hermione have to get over their differences, and at least see if this is meant to be. With a friendship as close as theirs is, I doubt something as small as a breakup could ruin it so I wouldn't worry about that."
He nodded, "Okay, I'm glad you agree with me. I think they both already want to be over this, I'll work on Ron and you work on Hermione and we can try to get them to be good for tomorrow. I don't want this weighing on his mind on top of the game."
That night I talked to Hermione who agreed to give Ron another chance. I just hoped that they would stop flitting around the fact that they are meant to be and just get together. I could some damn happiness in everyone's lives right about now, especially if I wasn't allowed to have any of my own.