***Nursie Note***- Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I am sorry it has taken me this long to update, but I tossed this part around in my head for several months now. I finally decided that this was the way I wanted to go with the fic and I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to follow my own ideas for the story and that Part 10 was indeed ready for readers. While Ron as well as other characters are somewhat out of cannon character, one thing that needs to be remembered here is that this is a fic set post OotP and is slightly if not totally AU. So.... now, after a rather long and interesting summer, filled with good as well as bad news, I hope to be able to get back the story after an unexpected hiatus. Please do bear with me here though... While I am not currently working, I am busy with preparing for the birth of my husband and I's first child as well as keeping track of my seven year old and forcing him to do all of his second grade homework. =P
Any comments are welcome. Feel free to email me at Nursie1126@hotmail,com. I will try to reply back in an orderly fashion. I adore emails. Again thank you for all the reviews. I am off to finish up Part 11.
Hugs
~Nursie
Part 10: Confrontations
Harry found himself alone once more, sitting on the same four-poster bed he always occupied while staying at Grimmauld Place. He sat on his bed inside the darkened room, made darker than need be by his own actions.
He had closed the heavy drapes to drown out the blinding sunlight coming in through the large window. His mood simply called for blackness, definitely not the blinding daylight casting off the snow, making everything look so cheery and bright. Harry growled low in his throat, mumbling at the beautiful day. Not just two days ago had it been stormy and unseasonably warm, but now Mother Nature had finally realized that it was mid-December . He rolled his eyes and smirked as he figured how long he'd hidden in his room all alone.
He cursed his body for the emptiness that decided to rumble through his stomach. He couldn't actually remember when he had last purposely sat down and attempted to vanquish the hungry feeling.
He was used to being hungry. He reasoned with his body, trying anything that would allow him to stay inside his room by himself for as long as he could. He knew eventually Mrs. Weasley would come get him, or send someone into fetch him. If nothing else, Ron would stumble in tired at some point during the evening.
He shrugged. He was becoming thirsty now too, damn it.
~What's the point? ~ He thought carelessly.
It wasn't like he aspired to live a long and healthy life. He was going to die and he knew it. It was just a matter of time. He stared blankly into the darkness of the room.
~Why had Luna come to Dumbledore's office? She didn't have to.
She came to warn Professor Dumbledore and ease your worry about Ginny… Stupid git.
Who's the stupid git? ~
He hadthe odd feeling that he was having a bout with what muggles called bipolar disorder.
~ She came to help you, but you don't appreciate any of it. She risked herself to inform Dumbledore and allow you to enjoy your holiday without feeling as if you were the one who had somehow hurt your best friend's sister. ~
His mind voiced an interesting concept. But the words it used to remind him of Luna's ever-present friendship made his gut clench and turn inside him.
~ Hurt? I did more than hurt Hermione. She was so clearly shaken by what happened to Ginny, that she needed someone to comfort her. I'm a thick-headed ignorant prat and I took advantage of that. How could I mistake shagging for love? She hasn't said one syllable to me since, and now she won't even look at me. ~
Harry threw himself backwards onto his bed disgusted with himself. Random bits of that early mornings outburst by Luna s trickled into his mind despite his current self-destructive topic of choice.
~ "It's not Harry, Dumbledore! He's there, my common room!" ~ He heard Luna's voice in his head.
~ Not me? Just someone that looks just like me. I suppose I have a twin now, and some sort of ESP to go along with it. ~
"You've seen this person? Who is it, Luna?? Who did you see? Did he try to hurt you? What happened?!"
~ SHE SAW HIM... Harry! Get your head out of your ass and listen to yourself. You've been tricked before with dreams and visions. ~
Harry jolted himself back into a sitting position. Memories from his fifth yearcame rushing into his thoughts, reminding him how Voldemort had used this exact tactic to lure Harry to the Ministry of Magic.
Harry seethed in anger, his fists balling so tight that his knuckles turned white. He tried to calm himself, taking several deep breaths and closing his eyes.
The memory behind his eyelids was not his own, but it enraged him worst of all. Just the thought of Voldemort hurting Hermione made Harry want to hunt him downand kill him.
"Bloody hell, what do you want from me!" Harry exclaimed suddenly into the room. Hejerked his head around to the door as it opened.
"Ugh… nothing." Ron arched his eyebrow giving Harry the impression that he was thinking that Harry had finally gone mental. "Mum says you need to come down for supper. I'm supposed to tell you. You don't want her to have to come up here to fetch you, do you? I know I wouldn't." Ron shrugged, pulling off his dust-covered jumper and replacing it with a fresh one. He sat down next to Harry, shaking his head.
"You know Harry, you are taking this blame yourself thing way too literally. So you've had a bit of rotten luck in your life so far, what makes you so sure you don't have control over what is going to happen down the line?"Ron scratched his head and glanced towards the door. "You don't eat. You've missed both breakfast and lunch today. You don't sleep." He paused and flashed Harry a skeptical look, knowing Harry would argue with him on that. The look he gave Harry did its job and Harry crossed his arms, giving Ron a look back as if to say he was waiting for him to speak.
"Don't try to tell me you do, because not only did I find you yesterday morning but Lupin said you didn't sleep last night very well either. But lastly Harry, and this is what bothers me the most. You don't talk to us anymore. Sure, you've had loads on your mind, but you've always been able to talk to Hermione and me. It's like you're trying to push us away." Ron ventured a look at Harry's reaction and relaxed his posture when it softened.
Harry now hung his head, resting his chin on his chest. He stared straight at the ground, afraid to blink as the stinging sensation behind his eyes threatened angry tears. "Did Hermione talk to you today?" Harry murmured. Ron turned his head back towards Harry, after looking around trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness.
He caught Harry's eye with the light from the hallway coming through the partially open door.
"Do you need to talk about it?" Ron ventured but did not wait for an answer. He felt if he just started asking Harry various questions, he wouldn't be able to protest. "What exactly did happen between you two?"
"I told you." Harry shrugged, his voice almost inaudible.
"You told me things got a bit out of hand. You didn't tell me what happened," Ron corrected him, trying to sound empathetic.
"I told you what happened. Just not in so much detail," Harry argued. "You don't get to know everything, Ron. That was very amazing and private." Harry sighed loudly. "Doesn't matter anyhow. She couldn't possibly be interested in me. Not after what I did that night and what happened to Ginny. She was vulnerable and I took advantage of it. I crossed a line. We both know that. Besides, with everything going on at Hogwarts... I don't want to hurt Hermione any more than I already have."
"What makes you so sure that's how she feels?" Ron arched an eyebrow at Harry. "Damn Harry, you sure have it dark in here. Lumos." The lights came on instantly and he turned back to Harry, watching his friend wince as the light invaded his pupils. "Listen to me for a change." He looked up at Harry pursing his lips. "I mean it Harry, I'm being serious here."
Harry nodded, turning towards Ron.
"First I need you to know that I believe you didn't do anything to my sister. We're friends Harry, you would never purposely do anything like that to any girl. You wouldn't have to." He caught Harry look at him skeptically and he smiled. "Just telling you what I heard," he offered casually. "I know you, Hermione knows you. Only lately you've shut us out."
"And your point being?" Harry replied.
"My point? Bloody Hell Harry! You are so thick sometimes. You aren't dead you know. How many times has that fruit-cake Trelawney predicted your death, and now you're willing to throw in the towel because someone else told you that you won't make it past our graduation?" Ron cried, wanting to shake Harry but deciding against it. "You should think about joining the world of the living, it's loads more fun than shuffling around feeling sorry for yourself. Go ask Myrtle, I'm sure she'd tell you."
Harry and Ron eyed each other for a moment, both too shocked to speak. Harry hadn't thought Ron had it in him to say all of those things, but apparently he did. Harry thought of Ron as family but for some reason, he was just now realizing how much he did take Ron for granted.
~ Myrtle. ~
Suddenly Ron remembered what he had come up to tell Harry. Seeing his friend so clearly upset had knocked him off his train of thought, but now that he remembered, maybe he could cheer Harry up. He cleared his throat.
"Harry." He paused, making sure he had the dark haired young wizard's attention. When Harry blinked and looked back at him, Ron smiled softly and began to speak. "Professor Dumbledore was here a bit ago speaking with Luna and a bunch of the Order members."
"What did he want?" Harry asked finding himself quite curious about Dumbledore's visit.
"Seems Luna was right about someone being in her common room. He left in a right big hurry too. They found a single piece of parchment that he must have dropped. Dumbledore thinks that it may be how he's been getting into the castle."
Harry's heart was racing. "So Luna identified this person? Is he a student? Is he working with Voldemort?" He fired off his questions before Ron could form a coherent sentence to answer. "Parchment? Why on earth would someone leave parchment?"
"Hang on Harry, that's not all either, that's not even half of it. Nearly Headless Nick called a meeting with the Hogwart's ghosts and Moaning Myrtle told Professor Dumbledore some very interesting information."
"What did he say to the Order about it?" Harry asked despite himself.
Ron shrugged a bit. "I'm not sure, Luna told me what they asked her about and then she was excused. Ginny broke out an old pair of extendible ears but the reception was dreadful." Ron blinked and looked Harry in the face.
"So what did Luna say to you? I assume you talked with her.'
Ron rolled his eyes. "I couldn't get her to stop talking. Especially when Mum paired us together to start cleaning the den again. I swear Professor Lupin doesn't know how to do a simple cleaning charm. There are still doxies in the tapestries. "
"Thank you." Harry gave Ron a genuine smile.
"For what?" Ron asked with a bit of laughter in his voice.
"You actually talked to Luna so that you could help me."
"Yeah, well. You owe me, mate." Ron smirked "Seriously though, she's not that bad to talk to. Not unless she's going on about that Crumple-horned Snorkack. Believe me, it wasn't easy. She nearly talked my head off until Dumbledore arrived. I finally thought I was going to get a break until I figured I could ask her what he said."
"You aren't as thick as you act sometimes, are you?" Harry smiled lightly.
"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or compliment." Ron chuckled.
"Did they mention anything about the attacks? There's been three now."
Ron ran his hand over his forehead pushing his hair from his face. "Yes, there was some information on that. Even though they didn't catch the guy. What I understand from all of it is that Ginny was the exception. The person that attacked her did so out of complete malice and hate. She wasn't meant to survive." Ron felt a tear slide down his check and Harry placed a friendly arm around his shoulders.
"She didn't deserve that. When I saw her, Ron... It was the most horrifying thing I ever saw. Who would want to do that to Ginny?" Harry paused. "Then there was Lavendar, and an attempted attack on Luna. It doesn't make sense."
"I'll tell you what doesn't make sense." Ron wiped his eye with the back of his hand and continuing what he had started to explain. "When Madame Pomphrey finally got through analyzing Lavendar's body, she found something pretty important."
"How's that?" Harry looked at him intently.
"Lavendar wasn't raped, Harry." Ron shook his head.
"What?" Harry cried bewildered.
"He just snapped her neck. From the way Luna explained how he approaches his victims, he lets them find him by either being casually in the right place and time, or he sneaks behind them. That is the current speculation that the Order has on how Lavendar died. They don't think Luna is safe now, so she is going to be protected like they do to us. His methods are not random by any means. Luna even said something that sounded so ridiculous, even for her."
"What did she say?"
"When Luna asked him what she had ever done to the bastard." Ron laughed sarcastically. "He told her that it wasn't what she had done, it was what she was going to do."
Harry went rigid. His body felt frozen to it's spot and his fist clenched the nearest pillow, wrenching it in his grip.
Ron noticed his change of stature. "Whoa, Harry. Hang on. Was it something I said?"
Harry remained quiet, looking at the pillow twisting in both of his hands.
"What is it?! Did something I said mean something to you? Does it help you with figuring out what's going on?"
Suddenly Harry threw the pillow across the roomwith all his strength. It soared past a lamp, knocking it over and into the wall. Itlanded on the ground with a thud.
Ron stood from his seat next to Harry. "I'm going to go get some help in here. Right now, I haven't seen you this angry with anyone since Dumbledore after Sirius' death."
Harry finally looked up at Ron. "Don't go yet. It was just... something you said that made me think. Not to mention how Lavendar died. It's more of a blessing that she wasn't violated like that, if that's any consolation for her family, but what about Ginny? Why would someone hurt Ginny like that?"
"What are you trying to say Harry? Somebody had a major issue with my sister? Ginny wouldn't hurt a fly."
"I am far from having all the answers." Harry shook his head. "And I know that. Ginny wouldn't hurt anyone, at least not up until the attack." Harry paused as he bit the inside of his cheek in thought.
"What are you thinking, Harry? You think Ginny could hurt someone now?"
"I don't know," Harry said with a sigh.
Ron put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Hey. Well get to the bottom of this somehow. We, or I should say, you always do."
Harry looked up at Ron as he stood in front of him, and then out into the well lit hallway. He thought about that for a few moments, taking it all in. It didn't take him long to come to a conclusion. "You're right." He sighed. "Trouble does have a certain way of finding me. I doubt we've heard the last of this rubbish, but I'll at least try to be more cheerful."
"Why don't I believe you?" Ron said, eyeing him cynically.He once again took his seat on the bed next to Harry.
Harry felt his insides growl at him again.
"You know Harry, you really should try to talk to Hermione. She doesn't look very happy. When I saw her at lunch she looked pale and her eyes were all red."
"She could come talk to me. She was the one that walked away from me," Harry replied in an even tone.
"You're being stubborn. How many times did she try to patch up arguments between you and I?" Ron inquired, looking at Harry sternly. "More than I can count."
"I just can't face her Ron. Don't you see? It's not up to me anymore. It's something I'll have to live with. Even if she does think I'm a selfish bastard."
"Why would she think that?" Ron rolled his eyes.
"Your favorite Professor. The one you seem to think can do no wrong." Harry's anger started growing.
"Professor Warren?What does our spell composition professor have to do with any of this?" Ron questioned, confused.
Harry gave a frightful chuckle and Ron could hear the animosity in it. "What hasn't she done? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she had something to do with what happened to Ginny."
"That's cold Harry. You know that Dumbledore trusts her."
"Dumbledore trusted Mad Eye Moody too, in fourth year, and he was an imposter," Harry cried.
"You don't like her do you?" Ron replied, trying to ease his friend's temper.
"She's a basket case. You won't believe any of the things she's said to me."
Ron arched his eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"She's the one that said I'll die before graduation." Harry chuckled menacingly. "She claims to be my daughter or something from the future, sent here to save my sorry ass."
"Whoa." Ron eyed his friend. "Do you believe her?" He shook his head, berating himself for the thoughts he'd had about her.
"I don't know. I wish she'd just leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with her!" Harry demanded.
Ron shut his mouth. He looked at Harry, more than a little worried about his best friend. "You miss her don't you?" He said after a moment of listening to Harry breathe.
"Miss who?" Harry snapped.
"Hermione." Ron answered. "You need to talk to her."
Harry said nothing. He closed his eyes. Ron had hit a nerve when he said her name. It had felt like an arrow straight through his heart. "How am I supposed to do that?" he muttered after a bit.
"I don't know. You'll think of something. She needs to know how you feel because, from the looks of it, it's turning you both inside out." Ron rose from his seat on the bed. "I'm going to supper. What do you want me to tell Mum."
"I don't care." Harry said, shaking his head. "I don't feel much like eating now anyway."
"I'll try and bring you up a sandwich or something," Ron offered, walking towards the door. He saw Harry nod then left the room.
Harry waited for what seemed like ages before he hastily flung his body up off the bed. He secured his wand in his pocket and placed his glasses on his nose before exiting the dark room.
The light in the hall was a bit blinding to him, having spent much of the day in darkness. He closed his eyes hard trying to adjust them to the light. Heopened them only to see several lingering spots. He decided to ignore them as he found his way down the stair case and stepped towards the kitchen.
His mind was racing along with his pulse. He wanted to corner Hermione and somehow make her talk to him. He really didn't care at this point what she said, but damn it she was going to listen. He made it to the kitchen doorway unseen, rested his back against the wall next to the door and listened for any conversation.
He heard Mrs. Weasley say something to Ron and then turn to Lupin. Hermione wasn't saying much if she was even there. He ventured a quick peak into the room, scanning the area and finding her seated between Ron and Ginny, pushing her fork around the plate. He was startled when Mrs. Weasley's booming voice interrupted his thoughts as he stared at Hermione.
"So Harry and Professor Warren aren't coming down for supper?" Mrs. Weasley directed towards Lupin and Ron.
"Harry's got some sort of headache Mum. He was laying down when I saw him."
"So he's resting?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sounding relieved. "Well, I guess that's all right. From what Remus has said he hasn't gotten much sleep lately. Poor dear." She shook her head. "What about Miss Warren, Remus? You were the last to speak with her." She eyed him in her way, and Lupin shifted uncomfortably.
"She said she wasn't hungry and that she had some lesson planning to do for next term. I'm sure she'll come down when she's hungry."
Molly put her hands on her hips. "She's becoming awfully antisocial, don't you think Remus?"
Remus just shrugged his shoulders.
Harry threw an angry glance up towards the second floor. Of course she was being antisocial. He wondered about what sort of planning she was actually doing. His thoughts were invaded by Hermione's low voice as she spoke in almost a whisper.
"I'm going to take a bath," Hermione said barely loud enough for Harry to hear.
Molly looked at her plate and then at her face. "Hermione, dear, aren't you going to eat anything?"
"No ma'am. I'm really not that hungry," Hermione replied, standing.
Molly gave her a small smile then returned to picking up the dishes. "I'm going to stop cooking if everyone keeps deciding not to eat," she said simply, andturned towards the sink.
Hermione pushed in her chair slowly. Harry heard the chair scoot against the floor away from the table, and heducked behind a large armchair positioned on the other side of the hall.
Hermione walked slowly out of the kitchen. She stopped on the first step, looking around. Shetook a deep breath, then proceeded to climb the staircase to the second floor.
Harry watched her go. His heart beat hard in his chest as he watched her, remembering the last time he was actually near her. He hugged his chest, watching her finally make it to the top. She went straight and he figured she was gathering her things to go in to the bathroom.
He waited just a bit longer until he heard her walk across the hall and shut the door to the bathroom the girls had chosen for their own. He hastily made his way up the stairs and stopped just outside the bathroom.
Harry didn't think about what he was about to do. If he did, he knew he wouldn't go through with it. It was one thing to corner Hermione, but another thing entirely to corner her in a bathroom, where she might be undressed. He ran his hand over his face, pushing hormonal thoughts from his mind, grabbed his wand and pointed it at the door knob.
"Alohomora." he whispered, hearing the lock click over and the handle turn. The door creaked open about an inch and Harry grabbed it gently with his hand to stop the noise. He took a deep breath then stepped inside.
To Be Continued...
Part 11: