Chapter Text
Prologue
"It's all your fault, Malfoy!" Ron bellowed from his bed on one side of the room, his voice sharp with anger.
"Really, Weasel? Now it’s my fault? Do you honestly think I wanted something like this to happen?" Draco sneered, leaning back against the headboard of the bed opposite on other end like Ron, his posture sharp and defensive.
"Could you two tone it down a bit? I’m trying to sleep, you know," Blaise muttered, dragging the blanket off his head just long enough to glare before flopping back down on the bed next to Draco’s.
"Would you like me to keep the Wrackspurts away from you Ry?" Luna asked dreamily, her pale eyes wide and curious as she peered over from her bed next to Blaise’s.
Harry, lying silently on the bed between Luna and Hermione, shook his head with a faint, tired smile. "Not the time, Moonlight. Maybe next time," he murmured softly, his voice edged with exhaustion.
Luna nodded serenely, satisfied with his answer, and curled back into her blanket without another word.
"Did you find anything, Hermione?" Harry asked after a long moment, his voice low, almost hopeful.
Hermione, sitting cross-legged on her bed—wedged between Ron and Harry—with books scattered all around her, looked up from the pages she had been scanning. Her shoulders slumped as she shook her head. "No, Harry. No such luck."
Harry let out a heavy sigh, dragging a hand over his face. He closed his eyes, trying—and failing—to tune out Ron and Malfoy’s constant bickering that filled the room like background noise he couldn’t escape.