Runaway
Chapter 6: Going Back?
By KZerina
When Hermione woke up, she was very warm and a pair of large, dark eyes was staring her in the face. She jerked her head back and hit something quite solid. A loud clunk and painful groan followed soon after. She looked behind her, and Harry was clutching his nose and the back of his head. She figured out two things: why she was warm and what she hit.
"What hit me?" Harry groaned. "Who hit me?" He looked straight at her. "What are you doing in my bed? Last night you insisted on sleeping on the couch."
"You don't remember? I came in last night. I couldn't get to sleep, so I came in here. You fell back asleep when I asked if it was all right, so I stayed."
With one hand gently massaging the back of his head and the other making sure his nose wasn't bleeding, Harry looked at her with a confused look. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Really?" Hermione tried to keep from laughing. "Nothing?"
Harry shook his head slightly and grimaced, clutching the back of his head once more. Hermione frowned at him and moved in to take a look at his head, but he flinched back when she touched it.
"Oh don't be such a baby," she scolded.
"Well, then let me slam my head into your face and then into that wall," Harry retorted. "Then see if you still call me a baby."
Hermione sat back where she'd woken up. She leaned forward and kissed his nose then the lump on his head. "Sorry," she whispered and kissed his lips. She pulled him backward until her head hit something hard. She jerked forward and held her head.
"Now we're even," Harry murmured in her ear just before kissing her lightly on the cheek. Then he shifted her so they were lying as they had before they had been so rudely awakened.
Harry's breath ran down her neck and caused a delightful shiver to roll down her spine. She shifted so she could go back to sleep instead of shivering at every breath.
Harry drifted away before she did, but she followed his path soon after, though she never did quite get to sleep.
Suddenly, at the sound of a loud bark, two large "poles" landed on her body, knocking the wind form her lungs. Harry had been hit too, judging by the sound he made as he pulled away from her.
"Kosse, get out!!" he yelled, slightly hoarse. "Dumb dog…. What is this beat up on Harry day?"
Harry groaned and reached over her shoulder, groping for something on the nightstand. His elbow was prodding the same pace on her arm, so she rolled on her back and his arm moved with her, landing across her chest instead. She was pretty sure he didn't realize what he was doing-not that it was a problem.
It was then that she noticed yet another surprise from Harry. There was something strange on his upper arm. It was dark with red and yellow fill.
"Wand," Harry said as the object flew to his hand. "Wait, I don't need this…. What was I thinking?" He pointed his hand at the door and was about to close it when Dobby stepped through it.
"What do you want, Dobby?"
"Dob-I was just coming to remind you that there are animals that need to be taken care of outside. If you want, sir, Dobby can do it if he borrows one of Harry Potter's cloaks and scarves."
"What about your feet, Dobby?" Harry asked.
"Dob-I have many socks. I will wear them."
"Then they would be all wet and dirty," Hermione added. "That would defeat the purpose of wearing them, in the first place."
"Just go cook, Dobby. I'll be up in a few minutes."
"All right. Um…what did Kosse do?"
"Something stupid," grumbled Harry.
Dobby took that as an answer and left. Now she could inquire about the strange image on Harry's arm. She turned to him and examined his arm. It was some sort of phoenix.
"What's this?" she asked, running her finger across some of the black lines.
"A phoenix," he replied simply.
Hermione sighed. "I meant in a more general aspect. I figured out it was a phoenix."
"Oh, in that case it's a tattoo. I've got a griffin on my left shoulder."
He flipped to his stomach and showed her. It was certainly a griffin in the same place on his other arm. She'd never expected this. Harry? Get tattoos?
"They're magical, so it's not ink in my skin by injection. They're safer and more easily removed if necessary."
Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek before climbing out of bed. She grabbed her knapsack from the corner of the room and went to the door.
"I'll let you have privacy to change. I'm going to change in the bathroom," she said.
Harry nodded, smiling, and Hermione left to do so.
She returned to the room, and the door was open. Harry was donning thick boots and a heavy cloak. He stood up and met her with a hug that she returned.
"You're going out to take care of the animals, right?"
Harry nodded. "Why?"
"I'd like to help," she replied. "If I'm going to be living here for a while, then I might as well learn how to work the place, correct?"
Harry shrugged and tossed her cloak to her.
He led her out into the barn and took her to the tack room. He dug out a bunch of bowls from cabinets and set them on the counter. "Here on the wall is what each dog gets. The food is underneath, and everything is marked. They'll wait patiently until you're done. Just put then outside the door. They know what to do, and they're good at it," he smirked. "Come get me when you're done."
Hermione nodded and Harry left. She examined the list tacked to the wall. Each dog got a different mixture of foods. Harry must have known exactly what each dog needed for the job he or she did. She doled out the food into each bowl and set them on the floor outside the tack room door. The dogs were sitting by their pen, waiting for something.
"You have to whistle for them," came Harry's voice from somewhere, so she whistled and the dogs still sat there.
"No," Harry said, standing up in Sleipnir's stall. "Like this." He put his thumb and index finger into the sides of his mouth and a loud whistle sounded through the barn. The dogs charged and began to eat with unbelievable speed.
"They are good at it, aren't they?" Hermione said as she walked over to Harry and the horse. "What now?"
"Over there, by the door, is a chicken coop. Get eggs from under the chickens. Just stick your hand underneath and get it. They don't usually care any."
She nodded. Chickens were very docile birds, especially when used for their eggs like Harry's were, so she went to the coop and found a couple of baskets hanging on the wall. She picked one and began gathering the eggs.
At first, putting her hand underneath the chicken was quite awkward, but then after a few times, she was able to do so without hesitation.
After she'd finally gotten he hang of removing eggs from under the birds, one of them decided to bite her. She almost dropped the eggs she'd already gathered and squeaked. A few seconds later, Harry appeared in the doorway.
"What happened?"
"That chicken bit me," she replied slightly angered.
Harry went over and picked up that particular chicken. It snapped at him, and he flicked its beak and took it out of the coop, muttering angry words at it. He disappeared into the house with it and returned without it, going back to the goats without another word.
She turned back and picked up the rest of the eggs and carried them inside. When she returned, Harry was waiting for her just inside the door.
"Would you like to help feed the kids?"
Hermione stopped. "You've got kids?"
Harry looked confused and nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me?" This was the last thing she expected-Harry to have kids.
A look of realization crossed Harry's face, and he started laughing. "I think you have the wrong idea. Ki-ki-ki-ki," he called in a strange tone and in quick succession.
Suddenly, tiny bleats erupted from a fenced area near the goat pen. Harry motioned her forward toward the pen. She looked over the wooden rails, and there were little baby goats trotting about inside.
She hugged Harry's arm. "They're so cute!"
"Told you that you had the wrong idea," he smiled. "I'll be back in a second. I'm getting their food."
He went to the tack, and apparently feed, room and returned floating several bottles of milk behind him, each with a name on it. He handed one to her and slipped carefully inside the pen with the animals, keeping them inside while Hermione followed suit.
"There's the one you want." Harry pointed at a small tawny goat, which trotted over to her. Harry grabbed a black one and held the bottle up so it could eat. Harry took the last bottle in his other hand and began feeding the gray goat and soon the bottles of milk were completely drained of their contents.
Harry stood up and took her bottle before helping her to her feet. "That's it. I've got all the rest of it completed," stated Harry. "Let's take these inside and warm up. Dobby and Berry should have breakfast ready by now."
Hermione nodded and allowed Harry to lead her back into the house. He took his cloak off and hung it on a hook just inside the portal; then he did the same with hers.
After walking to the kitchen and setting the bottles down, Harry sat down at the table where breakfast sat, sizzling away. Hermione sat next to him, and both ate the food.
She broke the silence of the meal by asking a question. "So, when are we going back?"
Harry swallowed the forkful of egg he'd just put in his mouth. "Going back?" His voice had a tinge of resentment. "Who said I was going back?"
"You brought me back here, and I thought-"
"Never assume, 'Mi," he said, turning back to his breakfast.
"But what about Voldemort? What about the prophecy, you need to fulfill? Harry, you're the only one who can defeat Voldemort. Doesn't that mean anything to you anymore?"
Harry only shrugged. "I have this life now. I have things to take care of here."
Then a squeaky voice broke in. "You should go."
They both whipped their heads toward the sound. Berry stood there, small tears in the corners of her eyes with Dobby standing behind her for comfort.
"She said you were the only one who could defeat You-Know-Who. He should not be out there, and if you are the only one who can defeat him, then you should go."
Harry seemed taken aback by her statement. "Where is this coming from?"
"Berry's family was killed by You-Know-Who," she explained. "Berry was out running errands when You-Know-Who attacked. Berry found the house in ruins. Every witch, wizard, and elf was killed. You must go back."
Harry's eyes were wide. It was apparent she'd never told him this story before, and it hit him a bit hard. He looked up at Dobby.
"You know what I think."
Harry nodded and cleared his plate, still with food, and left the room. Kosse, who was lying on a rug near the door, followed him out.
"What? Are you going to make it four to one?" Hermione heard him mumble down the hall. Then she heard cabinets and drawers being opened and closed. She wanted to see what he was doing, but with the way he left the table, she wasn't sure that he would really want company at the moment, so she finished eating and cleared her plate. Berry rushed over to wash the dishes.
Hermione followed Harry to his room. There she found him lying on his back with his arm over his eyes. He seemed so calm in appearance, but she could tell that he wasn't relaxed at all.
She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. He lifted his arm for a moment, but placed it back down after a glance.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"No. I'm the one who should be sorry. You're right, all of you. I've been a stupid, selfish prat." He sighed. "This damn war should be over by now."
Harry sat up and leaned on one knee, rubbing one temple gently. "I guess I was just sick of it, so I convinced myself that everyone was just using me somehow."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing for now."
Hermione's jaw dropped a little as she glared at Harry. After what he just said he was going to do nothing?
Harry laughed a bit. "Andrew Coleman, however, will appear in the wizarding world. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for an onslaught of people thundering my way. As Drew, no one will know the difference unless I tell them."
Harry placed two fingers under her chin and kissed her gently. "Make sure you're packed tonight," he whispered. "We leave after breakfast tomorrow, bright and early in the morning."