Harry had to admit, it was a little bit amusing.
"Well, I think Snape's a fine dad!" Hermione said in a robust tone. "Honestly, I do. Anyone can see--"
"Oh, crap!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. "I can see again, just fine out of both eyes! I meant to ask Severus to take me up to Pomfrey for an exam so she could clear me to leave off my glasses."
"That's marvellous, Harry!" Hermione stopped walking and enfolded him in a warm hug. When she stepped back it was to urge, "Ask him tonight, then. Oh, I remember thinking you look so dashing without glasses! Not that you don't look good regardless, but--"
"Oh, great! Now you're after Harry as well!"
"I'm just happy for him! What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing!" snapped Ron, looking as though he regretted what he'd just said. He drew in a deep breath, obviously trying to get past it. "Well, come on then, off with your glasses. You can have Pomfrey check you after the fact."
Harry grinned and slipped his glasses into a jacket pocket.
Hermione smiled brightly. "Besides, you may as well see how it goes without glasses first, right? If you get another headache or something you'll know you aren't quite there yet."
"Good thinking."
"Yeah, Hermione's good at that."
"Well someone has to be, Ronald."
Harry bit back a sharp retort and thanked God they were entering the village by then. Maybe visiting the shops would distract Ron and Hermione from their constant bickering. "So, where to first?"
"I could do with a few books--"
"Hermione, there's a whole library full of books where we just came from! You remember it, right? You only live in there--"
"Draco needs some chocolate frogs," Harry interrupted.
"Oh, Draco--"
"Why doesn't he owl-order whatever he wants?"
Harry thought fast. He didn't like lying to his friends, but neither could he tell them his brother's personal business. "I didn't ask. But you know, after the whole Owlery thing? I'd be a little averse, too."
Hermione's lips turned down. "Hmm, I suppose so. I'm sorry I thought he must have killed Pansy, Harry. I've thought about it a lot and it seems to me that if someone memory-charmed Erik and Bella to lie, then there must have been a plot to incriminate your er... brother. Which can only mean that he's innocent."
"Draco Malfoy, innocent," scoffed Ron. When Harry turned a glare on him, he held his hands up. "Oh, he might not have killed Parkinson but the one thing he's not is innocent."
Harry steered his friends towards Honeydukes, but that didn't stop the sniping.
"Draco's a right prat but at least he's trying to be more polite these days. That's more than I can say about you, Ronald."
"You're the one who goes on for hours about how much smarter you are than me! How polite is that?"
"You're the one who keeps calling Harry's brother Malfoy when you know how much it bothers Harry!"
"Shut up, both of you!" Harry finally hissed, one hand on the door of the sweet shop. "Just give it a rest! I haven't been to Hogsmeade in forever and I'd like to enjoy myself!"
Ron and Hermione both glared at each other. They did stop squabbling, though. That had to be worth something.
Harry browsed a bit, checking out the new sweets on offer, though he couldn't help but make a face when he passed a display of garishly iced fairy cakes. He finally settled on some Jelly Slugs for himself and of course the chocolate frogs for his brother. A whole bagful, which cost about half of Draco's allowance. Harry really didn't want to lug around two entire bags of the things. Besides, he couldn't believe Draco truly wanted that many.
"So, a cuppa next?" suggested Hermione when they emerged. Her tone grew teasing. "Or perhaps hot chocolate for you, Harry?"
"I told you all these were for Draco," said Harry, laughing.
"Can we have three sentences in a row which don't involve Malfoy?" asked Ron, clearly exasperated.
"Sure we can," Harry quickly agreed, ignoring the whole name thing. He didn't want to fight about it. Not then, and not ever. "Right, Hermione?"
"Oh, certainly." She waltzed through the door to the Three Broomsticks as Harry held it open, and primly took a seat by the front windows. "So, what are you summer plans, Harry?"
Harry folded his hands on the table. "You know, it's the first time I can remember looking forward to a summer. I think we're going to stay in the castle for a week or two past the end of term, so Severus can take care of some things he never has time for when students are around. And then we'll all go to... well, I can't say but you've been there, right? I have to keep working on my spell lexicon, though it's not half-bad now. Severus says he'll take us all to London to see a play or two."
"Oh, that'll be grand!"
"Yeah. And I'll make some time to visit with Dudley and see how he's doing."
"Three cups of tea," said Ron when a plump young waitress came by for their order.
"Three cups of tea," mocked Hermione when the girl had left. "Honestly, Ronald. You were staring at her like you'd like to drink her straight down."
"Well, she's not bad looking, is she--"
Harry almost kicked Ron under the table.
Hermione blinked quickly and started staring out the window.
Harry sighed and tried to get Hermione to discuss her summer plans, but soon gave it up and talked Quidditch with Ron, instead. It was a relief when the tea came and relieved him of the burden of trying to make his friends get along. They all sipped in silence for a little while as they watched other students go past the window. Nott walked by with Zabini and Greengrass. Harry almost wished he was out there with the Slytherins instead of trapped between two people determined to stay at odds with one another.
"So, what next?" he asked when they were heading back out into the street.
Hermione suddenly whirled to face Ron. "You left that waitress an awfully big tip, don't you think?"
"I think it was about right."
"Thirty-four percent, Ronald?"
"Yeah, trust you to have figured that out."
"I think I know how you figured it, thank you very much--"
"That's it," Harry announced, completely fed up with both of them. He more or less herded them down a long alleyway, not stopping until they were a fair distance from the main street of Hogsmeade. "Listen, both of you, because I'm only saying this once. You're driving the whole Tower 'round the bend! Either kiss and make up and get back together or just forget the whole thing, all right?"
"Oh, very persuasive, Harry," said Hermione scornfully. "Well, forget the whole thing suits me just fine. What do you say, Ronald?"
"It's Ron! And yeah, I say forget it!"
"The both of you are being arses!" Harry shouted. "You don't want to forget it. If you did, you wouldn't be at each other's throats twelve times a day. Hermione, for God's sake just tell him you don't have a thing for Draco! And Ron, apologise for trying to get back by staring at the waitress, all right?"
"Only a complete dunderhead could think I have a thing for Draco!" exclaimed Hermione. "Is that why you've been in such a snit, Ron? Because you actually think I-- Oh, I can imagine how well that would go over. Mum, Dad, I'd like you to meet my new boyfriend, except you can't because he hates your very existence? What sort of person do you think I am?"
Ron had the grace to look shamefaced, though he protested, "But you go on and on about him and how he said you were clever--"
"Because a year ago he'd have never admitted a Muggle-born could have a single redeeming trait! Harry's been good for him, that's all I meant. Honestly, Ron!"
"Well, he's rich as Croesus, isn't he--"