A/N: Sorry about this. -_- I've been lazy…and didn't post the chapter. Thanks to those who reminded me. I need to get on the ball with chapter 9… *dodges the tomatoes that fly at her when the readers find out that she's that far on it* Sheesh….. Fine…just read…I'll shut up.
Runaway
Chapter 4-Failure
By KZerina
The next morning started her Operation "Get Harry Back." She would do everything she could until the last fleeting moment before he kicked her out. She changed from the clothes she'd in which fallen asleep and put on fresh ones for a fresh start with Harry.
A strange boost of confidence expedited her journey to the kitchen where smells of greasy bacon and eggs drifted to her nostrils. Surely, if he wasn't there already, Harry would be there sooner or later, and she would be waiting for him.
As it turned out, Harry was already sitting at the table, reading the Daily Prophet. She pulled out a chair and sat down, determined to get him to at least look at her.
"Why did you leave?" she asked.
Harry pushed down the top of the paper and menacingly glared over it. "You told me to go away," he growled.
"But I never said-"
Harry cut her off by snapping the paper back into its original position in a finalizing way.
Hermione snorted and glared at the opposite side of the table at the opened newspaper with a mule-headed man on the other side.
While she was busy glaring at the back of the paper, Berry came by and slammed her plate of eggs and bacon onto the table in front of her. Hermione jumped, and Harry flipped down the paper to see what it was. After seeing it was only Berry, he put the paper back. This time she noticed the headline: "Harry Potter Sighted in the Bahamas!" Now, she knew that would never happen, even if she hadn't known that Harry was sitting right across from her.
Also, like the other newspapers she'd found in his closet, words were scribbled over the article-"I'm snowed in on a mountain in Wales" and some other this that were too small and scratchy for her to read.
Harry folded the paper neatly and set it on the table beside him as his House-Elf set his food in front of him. He nodded at her, and she filled two more plates.
Dobby appeared beside her and hissed in her ear, "If you can't be nice, then don't be here."
"Leave her be, Dobby," Harry ordered. "Just don't break the dishes."
"I can fix the broken dishes," Berry said somewhat snobbily and huffed off into the House-Elf section of the cabin to eat with Dobby.
Harry shook his head at Berry as she left and proceeded to eat his breakfast in silence. Hermione stared at him. If he knew, he showed no sign. She sighed and ate her eggs slowly, not sure of how to approach him next.
Talking to him directly didn't do anything. Unless…what if she asked the wrong questions or said the wrong things? What should she ask then?
"Harry, why here? The Bahamas are a nice place."
All he did was glare at her and clear his plate. With another glare he turned down the hall and disappeared. Hermione growled at his sullen disposition. She pounded her fist on the table in frustration. Harry was so…so…irking!!
She was about to take her plate to the sink to wash, but Berry whisked it away in the blink of an eye. Dobby was right. Berry was very agitated at her. Berry probably really cared for Harry and didn't want anything to happen to him-physically or emotionally.
Hermione knew Berry was one not to anger further, lest she become violent.
Hermione sighed and returned to Harry's bedroom. She dug through her knapsack and pulled out a roll of parchment, a slightly battered quill, and a small pot of black ink. She unfurled the crisp parchment and began to scribble.
She outlined ways she could get Harry to come back. First, she wrote "talk to him" with sub-points "hex him" and "silence him." That would at least make sure he listened to what she had to say. Next she scribbled, "Listen to what he has to say." Maybe she could get some information as to what his reasoning was as to why he felt he was in the right in leaving-see his point of view. That would be good, but again, she'd have to get him to stay in one place. Then, she scripted "pleasantries"-such as "good morning" or asking, "how are you?" Maybe small things would work.
She could think of only one more thing…. It would be only a last resort. "Seduce him," she wrote quickly and sloppily.
She didn't want to have to do that just to make him come back. She only wanted to do anything like that if he consented to it.
Hermione sighed and stared at her pathetic list. What were the chances they'd work, especially the last one? First, though, she had to find him. He'd disappeared in his own house! That was very frustrating. She'd just have to wait.
She then decided that she'd read until she heard noises outside the bedroom. She looked to the bedside table and picked up the book that lay there. She'd borrowed it from Harry earlier in her stay and had been in the process of reading it.
After a while, sounds of talking flowed from down the hall. Then Dobby came in carrying a tray with a sandwich and a banana.
"Here is your lunch," he said, handing her the food. "No luck with Harry yet?"
"No, Dobby. I have some plans, but they won't work if he's not here."
"I can't really help. I've done what I can, but that is not much. I am sorry I can't be more help."
"Do you know where he is?"
"He is one of two places, but he has shut Dobby and Berry out. He wants time to spend alone. He does not let us interfere."
"Oh. We just have to wait until he comes back then, I guess," sighed Hermione, gloomily. "Thanks, Dobby."
Dobby nodded and left Hermione to her sandwich, which she had to admit, was quite good. Dobby timely reappeared as she put the last bit of banana in her mouth. He carried the tray and peeled out of the room and did not return.
She hadn't heard anything but Dobby and Berry, meaning Harry had not yet returned from where ever he was. He needed to come back soon. He should be hungry for lunch.
He did not come back, however. He stayed where he was, doing whatever he was doing. Hermione was becoming slightly impatient. She proceeded to hope she could hold her tongue when she was finally able to talk to Harry. She would just continue to read until it was possible for a conversation.
That time didn't come until dinner. She would try after they ate, but that didn't happen since he ate and disappeared again. This was becoming quite exasperating. There was always a scowl on his face. He never talked to her, except maybe a few words, and he would always disappear when she wanted to say something.
Hermione took deep breaths to calm herself, so she didn't attack something. Finally she went back to the bedroom and read until darkness fell through the bedroom window. She changed for bed and crawled under the covers and fell into a deep slumber.
The next couple of days were the same as the previous. Harry didn't have lunch and left after dinner.
Later in the week though, Harry showed her something she'd never seen before.
She was on her way out to dinner early. Berry was complaining loudly about Hermione without realizing she could be heard. Berry shocked Hermione with what she had to say-so much so that Hermione slid to the to floor and leaned against that wall, staring. No one had ever berated her so much at one time, not even Draco Malfoy.
Suddenly a butcher knife flew across the room straight at Dobby's face. Dobby recoiled and clenched his eyes tight waiting to accept the hit, but the blade stopped just inches in front of his face.
"Berry, be careful where you fling the cutlery. You may be able to fix plates, but you cannot fix Dobby's head."
It was Harry. His hand was outstretched and aimed at the knife. He twisted his hand slightly, and the knife hovered lightly back to Berry.
Harry stepped over Hermione and into the kitchen as though nothing unusual had happened. He had just done highly controlled wandless magic, and he treated it like nothing.
That day after dinner, Hermione was in too much shock at what Harry had done that she couldn't get herself to even distract him from his vanishing ways.
That night was occupied by reflection on what had happened-Harry's new ability. Where had it come from? How did he control it so well? Was it gradual? Did he mess up when he was learning? Multitudes of questions hit her and eventually depleted her energy supply, forcing her to go to sleep.
The next day found her exploring the white realms out the window. The snowfall had lessened, and the snow was packing itself. She knew she would be leaving soon. She had a couple of days at the most.
This suspicion was confirmed that night at dinner.
"Pack up tonight," Harry ordered. "You leave tomorrow after lunch. I'll take you to the village, but you have to find your own way after that."
Hermione let that sink in a bit before replying.
"Fine, but tonight you have to talk," she rejoined stubbornly. "You don't talk; I don't pack."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Ah, but I argue the opposite. We have much to discuss Harry, and if you don't do it tonight, we don't leave as early as you want tomorrow, because I'm not leaving until we have our discussion."
"Fine."
Hermione nodded once, and after they finished eating, Harry cleared the table and went to the sitting room. He gestured to a chair and flopped on the couch.
"Talk."
"I don't quite understand. What are the exact reasons you left?"
"Everyone was using me or pretending to care because of someone else. Sirius was the only one who really cared," he explained. "That and you basically told me to go away."
"But I didn't mean any of it! I don't know what happened…."
"…and I wouldn't be happier if I never see you again."
She remembered her last words before storming out of the dormitory that night five years ago. She knew she didn't mean it. She didn't know what she meant, but it wasn't that.
"Okay, fine. I guess I did tell you to go away," she conceded. "Now this is more for you to talk, not me, so go."
"Well, you asked 'why here?' It's secluded. No one in that town has ever heard of 'The Boy Who Lived.' They appreciate me and what I do for them. No one back there really cared, except Sirius, Mum, and Dad, but they're all dead.
"No one was supposed to be able to find me here." He shot a furious glare her way.
"Now, this isn't going anywhere. What was its point?"
Hermione stood up and sat on the floor by Harry's feet. Harry scowled at her when she touched his knee.
"Harry, don't you understand? I'm trying to fix what I did." Tears started to form around her eyes, blurring her vision. "I want you back. We all do."
Harry stood up as fast as she'd ever seen him move, wrenching his knee from her grasp.
"Well, I'm sorry," he said stiffly. "I like my life here, and I don't want to go back."
"But Harry-"
"No." Hermione was silent. Her mouth had suddenly gone very dry. "Oh look-Hermione Ganger at a loss for words. Normally you're very verbose. Now, we aren't going to discuss this anymore. Good. Night."
His tone was so quiet it was terrifying. The tears now trailed down her face. She couldn't make herself follow him and make him talk. He was never going to go with her. That was final. Harry made it so.
He'd disappeared again. She doubted he'd come back tonight unless he knew she was asleep, ad even then it was highly unlikely that he'd do that for fear of waking her up.
In this case, she'd better do as she was told and pack to go in the morning. That was the only thing she could do now. She had done her best, and Harry had out-stubborned her. She'd hoped that her stubbornness would be greater than his, but she was unfortunately wrong. He'd be here and happy for the rest of his life.
So, with that, she accepted the defeat she felt more than she ever thought she would. It was heavy. Everyone was counting on her to bring him back, and she'd failed them all. How could she go back and face them?
She'd think about that on her way out of town before she Apparated back to the Burrow. She'd figure out what she'd tell them then. She couldn't think about it now. It hurt too much, adding to what she had already.
She stood up and stumbled to the bedroom, oblivious to anything around her as she went. She barely remembered putting anything in her knapsack or climbing into bed where she tossed and turned, finally falling asleep after several hours of restlessness.
When she woke up, she didn't feel like she'd gotten any sleep at all. She was tired and could hardly walk straight as she traversed to the kitchen where Harry set breakfast in front of her. He didn't look at her. His gaze merely passed over her when they could possibly come to rest on her.
When he ate, he looked only at his food. He then stood up and disappeared down the hall. She still hadn't figured out where he went, but that didn't matter anymore. She was leaving, never to see the one she loved again.
After a few minutes, Harry returned. He made sure she was packed, but that was all he said to her until it was time to leave, and he still hadn't looked at her. It was the least he could do before she left.
When she cleared her dishes, she returned to the bedroom and packed the remaining things, such as her nightgown and toothbrush. Sighing, she put her bag by the door between the kitchen and living room to be taken with them when they left.
Harry met her in the living room and led her out to his stable. Inside she saw a coop of chickens a few empty pens and three horse stalls, only one of which was used. An Aethonian stood in full tack, waiting to be led out and mounted for riding into town.
Harry opened the stall door and took his horse by the reins, leading him out of his stall. The horse nudged his long muzzle against Harry's face affectionately, making Hermione feel more dejected as she watched.
Harry took Hermione's pack and carefully balanced it over the horse's flanks. Then he led the horse outside where he mounted and helped Hermione climb up after him.
Clicking his tongue, Harry informed the horse to move forward. So their journey down the mountain started. Harry had placed her in front of himself and pulled her backwards as they went down hill to help the horse's decent.
They only sound heard on the trip down was the sound of the Aethonian's hooves in the snow, and soon enough their silent trip came to an end as they approached the village.
Hermione sighed and leaned back against Harry. She could feel his hot breath on her face. He hadn't moved away form her. At least he let her revel in what she could before he released her.
The townspeople gathered on the side of the road and in the windows of the buildings. Just great, now there were more people to see her dumped in the street. Maybe it would put a damper on what they thought about their precious "Andrew Coleman."
Harry held out his hand to help her off the winged horse. When she was firmly on the ground, he handed her the pack from behind him.
Tears now rimmed her eyes as she turned from Harry. A cold wind chilled her face. She couldn't believe she was leaving him behind.
Harry hadn't moved his horse when she looked back over her shoulder for one last look. He wasn't scowling. He actually looked contemplative, like he wasn't quite sure what to do now that she was gone.
She turned back before it became even more difficult, and just as she reached the end of the flat terrain she heard something quite unexpected.
"'Mi, wait!"
She stopped dead in her tracks. He'd just called her by the nickname he'd used when they were still at school and dating. She swallowed hard and turned around slowly. Harry's face was red, though she wasn't quite sure if he was embarrassed or just, cold, windblown, and chafed.
He urged his mount into a trot. She watched him apprehensively as he came toward her. She wasn't quite sure exactly what he was doing.
He stopped beside her and looked down, a small smile softening his face.
"Would you like a lift?" he asked nonchalantly.
She turned her face up to him more as her eyes grew wide, but she remained silent. He apparently took that for a 'yes' since he reached down and lifted her to the horse's back.
Then, not to her disappointment, he leaned down and oh so delicately pressed his lips to hers. It was like nothing she'd felt before. The only thing that even came close was the first kiss they'd shared back in sixth year.
When they parted, the warm cloud from his breath surrounded her face, and she looked up into his eyes. They were no longer filled with anger, but with affection.
Her senses returned, and she could hear cheering and clapping around her. The people were glad for them.
"That's what you wanted wasn't it?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded.
He kissed her again and said, "Come on, let's go."
He helped her swing her leg over the horse's shoulders and, as she melted back into him, encouraged it to move back towards the cabin.