分卷阅读31（1 / 2）

DracowaslaughingathiminthewayhedoeswhenhethinksHarryisbeingsilly,hismouthtwistingupintoasmirk.Harrydoesn’tknowhowtoexplaintherealproblemwithbeingthecenterofattention—thathowsometimesitwindsyoudown,picksoffpiecesofyou,takesawayallyouredgesuntilyouhavenothingtoprotectyourselfandthereisnotoughskintohidebehind,onlyyouandtheuglytruthofthepublicopinion.Andthere’salsotheotherpart,abouthowgoingthereandsmilingandacceptingtheirthankswouldseemlikehewasmoreimportantthantheotherswhohadriskedlifeandlimbtofightbesidehim,tofightforhim,andhecouldn’tstomachit,notwhentheonlythingHarrycanreallythinkheisbeingcongratulatedonisthefactthathehadbeenluckyenoughtostayalive,eventhoughhehadtriedtodie.

(Here’sthething,thelittlethoughtinhisheadthatheisn’ttellinganyone,certainlynotHermione:Heshouldhaveprotectedthemall.That’swhathewastryingtodo,bywalkingintothatforest.Heshouldhaveprotectedthem,orheshouldhavediedwiththem,andhedidn’tquitemanagetodoeither,sowhatkindofaherodoesthatmakehim?”

“TheywanttoknowifIhaveaplusone.”Harryreadsovertheletterforthethirdtime,alreadyrippingoffapieceofparchmenttosendaRSVP.“WhodotheythinkI’mtaking?EveryoneknowsthatGinnyandIbrokeup.”

Theydid.Itwasfrontpagenewsassoonasithappened.EventheQuibblercoveredit,whichwassortofendearingmorethanannoying,becauseLunahadwrittenitinherHERE’SWHATMYFRIENDSHAVEBEENDOINGLATELYcolumn,andHarrydidn’thaveitinhimtobemadather.

“Youcouldtakeme.”There’sforcedcasualnessinhisvoice,andeventhoughthey’vegottenpastthepointwheretheypretendaroundeachother,DracoisavoidingHarry’seyes.“I’dbeabletohelp.”

Likethat’sthereasonthatHarrywouldwanttotakehim.Becausehe’dbeabletohelp.

“Yeah.”Harryhadtoclearhisthroattwicebeforehecouldgetthewordout,becausethisisraisingmorequestionsthanitisanswers,likeifit’sadateandwhetherDracowantedittobeadate,ifthiswaspartoftheirattempttokeepmovingforward,ifHarryshouldbeexpectingthingstochangeiftheygopubliclikethis.“Yeah,I’dlikethatalot.”

Dracosmiles,eventhoughhestillisnotlookinghisway.“Youwould?”

Harrydoesn’tknowwhattodowithhimwhenheislikethis,sohejustsmiles,too,andgoestothecupboardtomakehisownbowlofcereal,wonderingwhatintheworldhewasgoingtowear.

Hemakesituntilthirtyminutesbeforethepartybeforehestartstofreakout.

Harry’swearinganoldsuitofDraco’s,becauseapparentlyit’sinfashiontowearmuggleformalweartothingsnow(oratleast,ifit’snotinfashion,itwillbeaftertheyseethetwoofuswearingit,andit’llbeeasiertotakeyoushoppingatamuggleplace,anyways)anditfeelslikethecollarisstranglinghim.Hetugsatit,hearingHermione’svoiceinhisheadtellinghimtoleaveitalone,andlooksathisreflectionintheglasswarecupboard,nervouslytryingtoflattenhishair,eventhoughGinnyhadreassuredhimatthispointinhislife,itkeepshimfromlookinglesslikehe’stryingtoohardandmorebadboychic.

Hedoesn’tknowwhatthatmeans,butifGinnysayshelooksfinethanheprobablydoes,sohespendstherestofthetimepacingthelivingroomfloor,andit’sonlythethoughtofhowexcitedthishadmadeDracothatkeepshimfromgoingtothebottomofthestepsandcancellingonhim,sayingscrewitandlockingthedoorandthrowinghimselfdownonthecouch,andhewon’tevermakethemistakeofgivingintothepressureagain,eveniftheysendsomanyowlsthelettersfillupthewholehouse.

“Draco?”Heswingshimselfaroundonthebannister,eventhoughthewoodwascreakinginprotest.Harryspendshalfhistimeseeinghowfarhecangobeforethisoldhousebreaks,justsohehasanexcusetofixitup.Sofar,noluck.Wizardsmakethingsforkeeps,apparently.“Youalmostready?We’regoingtobelate.”

Notreally,butHermionewantedpictures,andshealsowantedDraco’sopiniononherdressbeforeshethrowsherselfatthemercyofthemob.Ron’swrittenandsaidthatshehadspentalldaygettingready,withthathairsleekingpotionanddoinghernails.Itseemsthatchildhoodtauntshadmadeherunwillingtogoifshelookedanythinglessthanperfect.

“We’renotgoingtobelate,”Dracosays,andthere’screakingofthestepsbehindhim.HarryknowswithoutturningaroundthatDracoisrollinghiseyesandputtingthefinishingtouchesonhishairatthesametime,likethere’sastringtwistingthetwoofthemtogethersoHarryknowsexactlywhat’shappeningwithhimatalltimes.“Youcan’trushbeauty.”

Harry’salreadyformingaresponse,thewordsrightonthetipofhistongue,butthenheturnsaroundandforgetsanythinghemighthavesaid,becauseeventhoughheknewthathefoundDracoattractive,thiswasthefirsttimethathewascaughtoffguardenoughtoallowhimselftolookwithoutfeelingguilty.

“Youlook…”He’sinanewsuit,too,thisonegrey.He’sinincrediblymutedcolors,withhispaleskinandlighthairandthedarkgreyofhissuit,likehewantedtomeltintothebackgroundwhilegivingHarryalltheroomtoshine,buttherewasnothingthatwouldlethimfalloutofsightwhenhe’swalkingaroundlookinglikethis.“Amazing.”

“Thanks.”Dracoscratchesathiscollar,butotherthanthat,there’snosignthathewasflusteredatall.“Youdotoo.”Hedidn’t.Harrydidn’tlookbad,buthedidn’tlookgreat,notthewayDracodid,likehewasgoingtobetheonlythingintheroomworthlookingat.“Exceptforthetie,you…”