He's at your window.
The day after, Harry groggily wakes up to ron pushing him awake, urging him to get up so they can go to breakfast together.
Instinctively, Harry reaches for his glasses, but finds they are already on his head.
Ah, right, he hasn't changed his clothes since-
All color drains from his face, and although Ron seems to be Calling his name, it feels as if he was hearing it underwater.
his breaths come in heavy gasps, his chest tightening against his will.
Ron didn't seem to know what to do aside from shake him a few more times to get him to "snap out" of whatever was happening.
Eventually, Harry came to, and Ron began to ask questions, concern clear on his voice.
"Mate, that wasn't.. normal, was it? Are you okay? Should I bring some food from the great hall to down here?"
Ron seemed unusually anxious, and Harry realized it was probably because the taller boy looked up to him.
Although Ron didn't say much of anything about it, he certainly looked up to Harry, so, seeing him in that position of utter panic probably wasnt the best of feelings.
And.. if that were the case, he couldn't afford to tell Ron about what q-his defense teacher had done the day prior.
So, with a deep sigh, Harry mustered a smile, placing his hand on rons shoulder.
"No-no, I'm fine, I'll come with you and 'mione, promise." He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes.
Once Ron nodded and began to walk out of the dorms, his smile dropped, as did his stomach.
Quirell would likely be there.
Blimey, he even had him for class later in the day.
Thankfully, he didn't have him the day after.
Trying to push the thoughts aside, he rushed aside ron as they began to make it to the great hall, other students still making their ways there themselves.
-----
Once they had arrived, Harry took his usual seat, Ron and Hermione close by him.
It wasn't a rare sight to see.
Usually, Harry was piling many portions on his food, as if he hasn't eaten for days, but this time, he felt too anxious to eat much of anything.
Noticing Harry's odd lack of food on his plate, Hermione gave him a look, causing Harry to go a bit stiff.
He wasn't sure how to explain, but simply shook his head, trying to get her not to say anything about it.
She looked ready to argue, but relented.
Harry sighed a breath of relief, then, against his better judgement, looked to see if quirell was there.
He wasn't surprised to see him there, but he still felt his eyes widen a bit, and he suddenly started feeling sick.
They made eye contact for a few moments across the hall, and quirell had that look in his eyes again, that made Harry break the contact as soon as he recognized it.
Ron didn't seem to notice the odd interaction, but Hermione seemed to, eying him with confusion.
She didn't ask about it, though.
That made Harrys shoulders lose their tenseness gained from seeing his.. teacher again.
To avoid more of hermoines suspicions, Harry began to put some food onto his plate.
As he began to slowly eat it, he lost himself in thoughts.
Was It a good idea to tell anyone what the professor had done?
In his experience out of school, not many tended to help, even if the signs should've been quite obvious.
But, some of the adults were pretty nice.
Aside from his potions professor, not to mention... Well, finch was a good contender, but he wasn't the worst on the list now.
He held in a dry chuckle at that.
Whilst lost in his thoughts, Ron nudged his shoulder, telling Harry that breakfast was over with.
Ron seemed disappointed because of that fact, making Harry chuckle despite himself.
Atleast he wouldn't have him for a while, right? And he wouldn't dare do anything in class, he presumed.
As he walked to his charms class, he for some reason began to remember the feeling of hands cascading across his body, feeling him out like he was a map.
Something going inside, slimy, hurting.
Hands raking down arms, leaving marks that broke skin.
He shook his head , he didn't want to think about that.
His classes up until defense were a blur, he and Ron partnered together, but Ron had to nudge him back to the real world a couple times.
Once they were at defense, Harry felt himself involuntary stop abruptly at the door.
He didn't want to go in.
He didn't want to think about how he'd see the table, and remember what happened the other day.
Before Harry could spiral further, Ron put a hand on his shoulder, causing Harry to flinch.
"Sorry, mate." Ron got out quickly.
"Are you okay, Harry? Youve been out of it today." He inquired, looking at Harry with concern and some vary of pity.
"I just uh-" Harry rattled his brain for a excuse.
"Didn't sleep so well last night, I uh, dunno why."
Ron looked at him with confusion.
"You.. slept pretty long, Harry."
Shoot.
"Uh, I mean.. I didn't have the best of dreams."
Ron seemed to accept that as a answer, and he and Ron walked into the defense classroom.
Usually, Harry sat fairly close to the front, but today he wanted to sit at the back.
Unfortunately for him, they were occupied.
Quirell seemed to notice the arrival of the two, and quickly called them out on their absence, stutter back into place. Though, he mainly had his eyes on Harry, making the aforementioned boy uncomfortable.
He deducted some points, but him and Ron got to their usual seats.
During the lesson, quirells eyes kept on drifting towards Harry, and whenever Harry met his, quirells eyes had that awful look in them again.
Once the class was over, Harry was about to walk out, when quirell stopped him, asking him to stay after class.
Ron and Hermione were waiting for him at the door, and they didn't like how much quirell seemed to be getting Harry into trouble lately.
"Want m- us- to stay behind for you?" Ron asked, causing Harry to shake his head.
Quirell was likely to do something odd, and he didn't want them seeing that.
Ron seemed reluctant, but nodded, as did hermoine.
Harry waved at them, then quirell went over and shut the door.
"Harry." Quirell appeared in front of him, causing the boy to startle a bit.
His mouth felt dry suddenly, and he couldn't get out any response.
Quirell suddenly grasped his chin tightly, making Harry look into his eyes.
"Hm, I assumed you liked me enough to dignify me with a response, but I suppose not. And now your fighting me, whatever will I do with you?"
Quirell said, acting like he was scolding his own child.
Harry squirmed in his grasp, the only thing he could think being escape.
"I'll give you another chance, I suppose." Quirell sighed, letting go of his grip on Harry.
The boy began to gently rub the nail marks left.
"Well?" The older man inquired, causing Harry to startle, bolting upright.
"I-yes, professor?" He asked, trying his best to keep the anxiousness out of his voice.
"Id hope you still enjoy my company, Harry."
Harry wasn't sure If he should say something to that, but quirell continued.
"If you don't, I'll have to give someone else the same affections I give you, but I assume you wouldn't like that?"
Harry stilled at the implication.
Did he seriously mean hed do the same to someone else?
Harry shook his head, which quirell found as a seficent answer.
"Good. Here, I'll write you a slip to hand to your professor, he's that ghost, correct?" Quirell inquired, surprising Harry for a moment.
Slowly, Harry nodded, taking the slip from the older man as he finished it.
As he did, his professor seemed to intentionally brush his hands against Harrys own.
His turban wearing professor bid him farewell, and reminded him that he could come down after the school day was done.
No, had to, he had specified, almost as if he wanted to make Harry anxious on purpose.