A/N: Ok, I posted this a long time ago (like last July) on the Challenges forum ( http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=2110&st=0 ) from a post started by Lover. Suddenly, I felt like posting it here as well after some tweaking.
I can't remember if I wrote this before OotP came out, so there's a character in here that shouldn't be, but I can never kill him. Oh, and he's free somehow…just go with it.
Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing Harry Potter related.
***
"Wow, Malfoy, this is really evil, even for you," Crabbe marveled after hearing Draco's newest plan to make Harry's life hell.
"I know. Professor Snape mentioned that we're doing hearing enhancement potions today. One extra ingredient in Potter's potion and we'll show that baby. Heh, 'baby.' I made a funny. Laugh, dammit!" Malfoy yelled as the three cohorts left the Slytherin Common Room and headed to Potions.
"Harry, I'm just asking you to be careful. You know the Slytherins will do anything to get Gryffindor's best Seeker out of the way," Hermione said as she, Harry and Ron walked to Potions.
"Mione, you worry too much. You know that, right?" Harry replied.
"It's not without justification!" she defended.
"And since when do you care so much about Quidditch?" Harry asked with a huge smile on his face.
"It's not the Quidditch! It's you I'm … worried …about," she stammered. It was getting harder and harder to hide her crush. "It's just that you can't trust those … those … snakes!" she hurriedly added.
"Hermione, it's not much of an insult if you call them what their mascot is," Ron laughed. "That's like someone saying 'Hermione's … well, she's just a lion!'"
"Thank you, Ron. I realize that. I just meant that they're sneaky and vicious," Hermione snapped.
"So, anyone know what's for dinner tonight?" Harry asked as he took his usual place as peacekeeper between Hermione and Ron. Food usually diverted Ron's mind away from fights.
"I don't know," Ron answered. "But as long as there's lots of it, I'll be fine."
"I hope there's pumpkin pie for desert, though," Hermione added as they entered the dark and dank room that was the Potions classroom. "I'm just really in the mood for pumpkin pie."
Just as they sat down, Malfoy and his cronies walked in. They smirked at Hermione, Harry and Ron and took their seats as well.
"All right, class. Today we will be mixing hearing enhancing potions. But I want you to be careful, all of you! One wrong measurement and you could be hearing everything in the castle. Or worse, a wrong ingredient could have disastrous results. So, Longbottom, please do be extra careful today!" Snape said with his usual contempt-filled voice.
Snape wrote the needed ingredients and such on the board and left the class to make their potions. After about 20 minutes, Malfoy's evil plan began. Goyle walked passed Hermione's almost finished project and knocked over her cauldron. Harry and Ron attempted to see what could be salvaged and to calm her down.
"Miss Granger! I hope this teaches you to not keep your cauldron so close to the edge of your desk. What would have happened if Mr. Goyle got hurt?"
"He'd have got what he deserved?" Ron muttered.
"Mr. Weasley! I'll not have that kind of talk in my classroom! Five points from Gryffindor!" Snape yelled.
Ron opened his mouth to snap back, but after figuring Snape had used some enhanced hearing potion on himself, thought better of it and closed his mouth.
Meanwhile, in all the confusion, Goyle made his way to Harry's cauldron and slipped in one extra ingredient.
"Class! I want you all to test your potions now. Take a sip and see if your hearing increases. And for Merlin's sake, just take a sip!" Snape barked.
Harry and Ron returned to their seats to test their potions. Ron drank his, but he took more than just a sip. Suddenly it sounded like everyone was screaming at him.
Harry took his sip, but something strange happened. Instead of having improved hearing, he felt himself shrinking. Hermione gasped as she watched 16-year-old Harry change into 3-year-old Harry. She ran over to him and wrapped him in his completely over-sized robes. She picked him up and held him, hoping to calm the screaming toddler.
"Hermione! Make him stop! My ears are going to bleed!" Ron pleaded as the cries were amplified to him.
"I'm trying!" she replied.
"Well, Miss Granger, since your potion is ruined anyway, take Mr. Potter to Professor Dumbledore," Snape ordered.
Hermione gathered up Harry's belongings and left them with Ron, whispering that he should just take the stuff to Harry's dorm. She got her own books and bag and ran out of the room carrying a screaming Harry, much to the delight of the howling Slytherins.
"Oh Harry. What mess did we get ourselves into now?" she asked as she stopped in the hallway to shift her bag.
"My-nee? What's going on?" little Harry asked quietly.
"I wish I knew, Harry. I wish I knew. For now, we're going to go see Dumbledore and get this fixed!"
"Dummadore!"
"Yes, Dumbledore. The headmaster. Oh, Harry, do you remember him?
"I think so."
"Do you remember anyone else?"
"I 'member you, my-nee. I'm scared!" Harry said as he began to cry again.
"Oh, don't cry, sweetie. Dumbledore will have an answer. But first, let's get you properly dressed." She performed a shrinking charm on Harry's clothes so they fit him again and then hurried to Dumbledore for answers.
Hermione reached the entrance to Dumbledore's office before realizing that she didn't know the password. She began to sniffle and cry at the whole situation.
"My-nee? Don't cry," Harry said, hugging her.
'Hmm, even as a three year old he's looking out for me,' she thought.
Just then, Professor McGonagall walked by.
"Miss Granger, what are you doing out of class?" Then she noticed baby Harry. "Great Merlin, is that Mr. Potter?"
"I'm afraid so, Professor. Something went wrong in Potions. We've got to change him back!"
"Take him straight to Professor Dumbledore! Pumpkin pasties!" McGonagall yelled to the gargoyle.
Hermione carried the baby up the staircase and into the Headmaster's office.
"Miss Granger! Is this Mr. Potter?" the Headmaster asked.
Harry hid behind Hermione at the sight of the extremely powerful man.
"Harry, don't hide from Professor Dumbledore. He's your friend," Hermione said, kneeling to Harry's height.
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Why, yes, Harry. Come here and let Uncle Dumbledore see you properly," the headmaster said softly, also kneeling.
Harry looked to Hermione for permission.
"It's ok," she said.
"Miss Granger, what on earth happened?" Dumbledore questioned while looking deeply into Harry's eyes.
"Something in Potions class. I think it had something to do with Malfoy or his gang or something. We need to get this taken care of. Can you change him back?"
"What potion were you supposed to make?"
"Hearing enhancing potions."
"Ah, I see. I believe that someone must have added powdered toadstool to Mr. Potter's potion. Making it instead into an age-decreasing potion. It's a mistake I had hoped no one would make. I had warned Severus to watch the students carefully!"
"So, how do we fix it? There's got to be something we can do to get Harry back!"
"I'm afraid there is no antidote for this. The spell must run its course, Miss Granger."
"Well, how long does that take, Professor?"
"I'm afraid it usually takes around 4 days."
"Four days?! But, how will he function like this?"
Hermione was trying to determine just when everything would occur. If it was Tuesday, then that meant that Harry wouldn't be normal again until … Friday?
"Well, he'll certainly need someone to care for him. Can I assume that that person will be you, Miss Granger?"
"Of course. What about classes?"
"I'm positive that you will be able to help Mr. Potter catch up in his lessons."
"But what about the Quidditch final? It's in five days! Harry won't be able to practice," Hermione realized.
"I'm sure Harry doesn't need the practice. In the meantime, try to keep Harry away from too many people. It will only serve to frighten him more," Dumbledore said, glancing down at the three-year-old playing with some of his instruments.
"Uncle Dummadore? What's this?" little Harry asked, pointing to a piece of telescope he broke.
"Oh, that old thing? Never liked it anyway. It's better now that you … rearranged it," Dumbledore replied. "Hermione? Will you take young Harry here back to Gryffindor Tower? I have arranged a separate room for you so that Mr. Potter won't disturb your fellow housemates. Professor McGonagall will show you to that room. Bye-bye, Harry!"
"Bye-bye Uncle Dummadore!" Harry called as Hermione carried him back to the tower.
When they reached their new room, Hermione sat young Harry on his bed and kneeled down to face him.
"How are you holding up, kiddo?" she asked.
"I'm really scared, My-nee. What's going on?"
"Well, Harry, I'm not entirely sure. But I know that we're going to fix it. And until then, I'm going to take care of you."
"Thanks, My-nee. You're pretty," Harry said with a slight blush, even for a 3 year old.
"Oh, Harry. Of course you would have to be a three year old to tell me that," Hermione muttered.
"My-nee?...will you mawwy me when I'll be oldew?" asked little Harry.
"Ok, ask me that again in a few years and we'll talk. As for now, I think it's time for some little boys to take a nap."
"Aww, do I have to?"
"Yes, you have to. Now crawl under the covers here and I'll be here when you wake up, ok?"
"Ok. Mione? I'm so happy you get to take care of me," Harry said as he began to drift off.
"Yeah, Harry, so am I," Hermione replied, impressed that he was starting to pronounce her name better. 'Maybe the spell is beginning to wear off,' she thought.
She looked down and really studied the toddler. 'He's such an adorable kid. He must have been a great baby.' Hermione brushed the hair away from his forehead and glanced at his scar. 'So much pain and it still keeps coming. My poor little Harry.'
"Harry, I promise that I'm going to take care of you. I am going to keep you safe and make sure even this week of childhood is better than your first one," she said as she continued to brush his hair back.
She walked over to the desk to begin her Arithmancy homework while Harry napped. After about an hour, Harry began to cry in his sleep.
"No! I don't want to go back to the cupboard. It's too dark in there!" he screamed as he tossed and turned.
Hermione ran over to him. "Harry! Harry, sweetie, wake up!"
Harry slowly opened his eyes. "Mione?"
"Yeah, it's me, kiddo. It was just a dream. No more cupboards, I promise," she said as she pulled him into a hug. "Did you get bigger? Harry, how old are you now?"
"Four. Why?"
"I don't even know how to measure how quickly you'll grow. Though, I think by tomorrow, you should be about 9."
Harry looked at her with a strange look on his face.
"And you will hardly know what's going on. Great," she sighed.
"Mione, what is going on?"
"Harry, I wish I had an answer for you. I barely understand it myself. Tell you what, though," she said as she turned around and conjured up a toy train. "Why don't you play here for a while, and let me finish my homework and then I'll get us some food. Ok?"
"Ok!" little Harry said as he began playing with the train.
Just as Hermione sat down to do more homework, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," she called.
Ron Weasley walked in. "Bloody hell! He's still like that?"
"Yeah, he'll be like this for 3 more days. He'll hopefully be back to his old self just in time for the Quidditch final," Hermione replied.
Ron's face displayed pure terror. "he's got to be back by the final! We're playing Slytherin! He's got to be able to play Quidditch!"
"What's kidditch?" Harry asked.
"Quidditch, sweetie. And don't worry about it just now," Hermione explained. "Ron, he'll be ready, so don't worry about it. It's other things I'm concerned with. I don't know if he knows about magic or not. I don't want to scare him. So I might have to wait until Thursday to do any magic around him."
"Thursday?" Ron questioned.
"Yeah, that's when by my calculations he'll be 11. He'll gain roughly 3 years a day."
"Oh." Just then, Ron noticed Harry staring at him. "So, Harry, I'm Ron. How are you, mate?"
"I'm ok. Mione's takin' care of me!" Harry replied.
"I see that. Are you guys having fun?"
"Yeah! She gave me a train to play with!"
"Wicked train. Have fun with that," Ron said, turning to Hermione. "Funny, I didn't think you guys would have a room to yourselves until after we graduated!"
Hermione smacked his arm. "Shut up, Ron! Just because you figured out my crush, does not mean that you are allowed to rub it in my face."
"Ok, geez, a little testy, huh?"
"Look, this is really rough. I'm worried about him."
"How's he going to take care of himself when you're at class?"
"I think I have classes off. I'll have to get my work from the professors while he's sleeping or something."
"That's cool. Well, I have to get going. Time for dinner. I'll save you some ok? Then I'll check on you guys tomorrow. Good night, Harry!"
"G'night, Ron!"
A few minutes after Ron left, Harry got a strange look again.
"Harry? Is everything ok?" Hermione asked.
"Mione? I have to go potty," Harry whimpered.
Hermione sighed. This was going to get a lot more difficult.
"Oh, Harry. I cannot handle this. I never thought of these kinds of things. How do I get through this?"
Harry began doing the "I gotta go" dance, when there was another knock at the door.
"Yes?" Hermione called as she picked up Harry.
Dumbledore walked through the door.
"Oh, Professor! Thank Merlin, you're here! I hate to ask, but I need you to take Harry to the potty. Please, Professor!"
"Of course, Miss Granger. Harry, why don't you follow me and we'll go to the potty," the headmaster said, taking Harry's hand.
"Ok, Uncle Dummadore," Harry said.
"We'll be back soon," Dumbledore called from the doorway.
Hermione decided that she would take this opportunity to go get food. Along the way, she came across Dobby.
"Hermione Granger! So good to see you!" he said.
"Hi there, Dobby. How are you today?" Hermione asked.
"Dobby is good. Dobby hears that Hermione Granger has problems with Harry Potter right now."
"Yeah. He's a great kid, but it's so frustrating."
"Does Hermione Granger need Dobby's help? I can watch baby Harry while Hermione Granger goes to class."
"Oh, Dobby, that would be great! I was really nervous about missing all those classes. Are you sure you don't mind?"
"No! No, no, no. Dobby would be honored to baby-sit little Harry Potter."
"Great. I will get you 10 pairs of socks for this, Dobby," Hermione said.
"Socks not necessary, Hermione Granger. But Dobby will accept them anyway!"
"Ok, well, can you stop by later and introduce yourself? I want him to get to know you first."
"Of course, Hermione Granger. Not a problem. Dobby will be up as soon as possible."
"Brilliant! Thanks again, Dobby!" Hermione called as she ran to the Great Hall to snag some food for Harry and herself.
Ron had already stockpiled some food for them. She grabbed the plate, quickly explained the situation going on and ran back to Gryffindor Tower.
When she got there, she found Harry and Dumbledore talking. But they stopped abruptly when she entered.
"Hey there, kiddo. Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Yay! The food is here!" Harry yelled as he grabbed his portion and quickly ran to the corner with it. He seemed to be guarding it with his life - a fact that Hermione noticed. Bloody Dursleys.
"Sorry that took so long, Professor. I found Dobby along the way. He's going to watch Harry while I'm at class."
"Excellent plan, Miss Granger. Harry really is a delightful child. He was just telling me all about you. You know, from what he was telling me, I think our young Mr. Potter just might fancy you," Dumbledore said with a hushed tone.
"I think I've noticed that," Hermione replied, a bit shocked that the headmaster was telling her this.
"Hermione, I'm glad Harry has someone through this childhood. He was very alone the first time around."
"I know. He's told me. That's why I want to be here for him now. Will he remember any of this?"
"Yes, I believe he will. He doesn't remember the class disaster now, but I think it'll all come back to him when he reaches the correct age. Which is going quite well. He seems older already."
"Yeah," Hermione confirmed. "He should be closing in on 5 soon."
Dumbledore smiled. Amazing how this 16-year-old girl could have such compassion in her heart. Taking care of the young man that she was so obviously in love with as a child. It would test the nerves of any grown woman. But Hermione Granger was handling it as well as anyone could ever ask. He could only hope that Harry would see what she did for him and finally open his eyes to the love standing before him. They both deserved each other.
"Well, I am off to dinner. I'm late already and I see that you only have enough pumpkin pie for the two of you. Good night, Miss Granger. Good night, Harry!"
"G'night, Uncle Dummadore!" Harry called, his face already covered with dinner.
"Thanks, Professor," Hermione said as the headmaster left. "Well, Harry. Now that you're wearing dinner. I guess it's time to clean up." Hermione stopped. If she had to bathe Harry, wouldn't that involve seeing him naked? But this was child Harry, so it wasn't the same. Was it? Hermione felt sick to her stomach.
"Ok, Harry. We've now gone into strange territory. No one is left but you and I and it's time for a bath."
"A bath? Do I have to, Mione?" Harry whined.
"Oh yeah, look at that face! You're a mess! So now, I have to find that Gryffindor courage to give you a bath."
"Mione, I think I can do that myself," Harry said, sounding quite grown up. Maybe older Harry would be able to fight through every now and then.
"Well, that's fine. And quite relieving," she mumbled. "Ok, I'll walk you to the bathroom and I'll wait outside for you."
"Ok, Mione," Harry replied.
Hermione looked through the drawers and found some pajamas for Harry and shrunk them.
She stared at the clothing for a second and realized that if Harry were constantly aging, his clothes wouldn't fit right for long. She quickly remembered a spell that would make Harry's clothing grow along with him and charmed a few outfits.
Quite pleased with herself, she walked him to the bathroom and waited until he was finished. She began to cry again when she thought of the situation. Just then, the door opened and a freshly washed Harry emerged.
"Mione? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm just tired. That's all."
"Don't worry, Mione. We'll get through this," he said as he hugged her, proving once again that old Harry was making a brief appearance.
'Why do all my problems go away when Harry hugs me?' Hermione thought.
"All right, mister. Time for bed," Hermione said, shuffling the five year old back to the room.
When they got there, they found Dobby jumping on the bed.
"Oh! So sorry, Hermione Granger!" he said as he jumped to the floor (and fell).
"That's ok, Dobby. Have fun! Harry, this is Dobby. He's going to sit with you while I go to class, ok?"
"What is he?" Harry asked, obviously thrilled with the strange looking creature.
"Dobby is a house elf, Harry Potter. Dobby is lots of fun! Do not worry!" Dobby replied.
Harry accepted this as an answer and showed Dobby his new train. Hermione decided to get lots of toys for tomorrow so Harry's second childhood would be better than his first.
"Ok, Harry. Bed time!" she called.
"Awww, but Mione! I was showing Dobby my train!" he protested.
"You can play with it tomorrow. Time for bed," she repeated.
"Oh, ok. See ya tomorrow, Dobby," Harry said as he crawled under the covers.
"Good night, Harry Potter," Dobby said.
Hermione walked to Harry's bed and kissed him on his scar. "I'll see you tomorrow, kiddo. Good night."
"Good night, Mione. I love you," Harry mumbled as he fell asleep.
Hermione sighed. "I love you, too, Harry."
"Dobby will be here at 7 so Hermione Granger has time to get ready for class," Dobby said.
"That'll be wonderful Dobby. Thank you so much!" Hermione said, bending down to hug the house elf.
"Hermione Granger is very welcome. Good night!" Dobby said before disappearing.
'Hmm, now I know why people wait until after school to have kids,' Hermione thought as she climbed onto her own bed and pulled the curtains so she could change for bed. Then she promptly fell asleep, hoping tomorrow would be easier with 6-9 Harry.