Title: Trust and Betrayal
Author: Michelle
Rating: PG-13 (higher rating for abuse)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot. All characters are from the mind of JK Rowling. No money is being made from this and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be one of trust and betrayal. Who should he trust? Who will betray him? Doing the easy thing and doing the right thing aren't as easy to choose between as one might think.
Chapter Four
Harry sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. It was one of those things where your mind is racing but all you can really think is `What the hell just happened?' He laid down thinking that Hermione would probably never speak to him again. `What am I going to say to her?' Harry thought his eyes now scanning the room. `Is there anything I can say to her?' He thought after seeing blood on the carpet and the wall broken in where Hermione had been thrown against it. `Sorry, Hermione, some evil thing had control of my body. Sorry that I completely violated you.' Harry said to himself sarcastically.
His lip was still bleeding and hurt quite a bit. Harry looked down at his hands and realized with horror that Hermione's blood, from when she was slammed into the wall, was on his hands. Harry frantically rubbed them on his pants trying to get the blood off. He ran to Hermione's bathroom and scrubbed them off for hours. When he finally stopped his hands were red-raw. He backed away from the sink and ran into the wall. He slid down and sat with his back against the wall and put his now throbbing head in his hands which stung in response.
Harry's mind was overridden by guilt for something he didn't even do. But whoever was controlling him did that something to Hermione and he couldn't let it happen again. `She's not going to let me come near her. After all, she has no reason to believe that it's really me. How am I going to prove to her it's really me?' Harry thought frantically.
"Harry!" He heard Hermione's mom call from downstairs. He quickly stood up and cleaned himself off as much as he could.
`Did Hermione tell her? They're going to kill me. They won't believe that something possessed me and made me violate their daughter like that. After all, I'm a fifteen year old boy…what else would they think?' Harry thought depressingly.
He went down the stairs, trying to hide the shame on his face in case Hermione had not said anything. He went through the living room and entered the kitchen. Mrs. Granger looked up at him from the stove with a smile.
`Thank God.' Harry thought with a mental sigh of relief.
"Lunch is ready if you're hungry." She said brightly. Harry turned and saw that Hermione and Mr. Granger were already eating and that his plate was set up next to Hermione.
`Of course, her mom doesn't know. We are best friends. At lease I hope we are…' Harry trailed off in his mind and sat down next to Hermione, who didn't even look up at him, without a word.
"So Harry," Mr. Granger started. Hermione jumped slightly when he Mr. Granger had started talking. "'Mione here tells me that you saw a troll in your first year at Hogwarts. Nearly gave her mother a heart attack." He said, taking a bite of his sandwich.
`That's the understatement of the year… Hey! `Mione is my nickname for her!' Harry thought, annoyed, rolling his mental eyes. "Oh, yeah." Harry replied dully. He wasn't really in the mood for a chat with his potential murderer. Harry took a bite of his sandwich even though he was the furthest thing from hungry. It was actually quite good. He figured that if Mrs. Granger had nearly had a heart attack at them seeing a troll that Hermione probably didn't tell them much else.
Hermione didn't say anything all through the meal. She kept her eyes low and didn't seem to even acknowledge that he was there.
Harry stood up feeling very dizzy all of the sudden. He grabbed the closest thing near him which happened to be Hermione. The second he touched her she gasped and backed away quickly. Her parents looked at her, startled at her reaction. She took a deep breath. "Sorry, I - I tripped." She stuttered, lying through her teeth. Her parents looked skeptical.
"Honey, you seem jumpy this morning. Is there something you'd like to tell us?" Her mom asked putting down the towel she had been using. Her father had stood up and was looking at Hermione expectantly. Harry hoped that Hermione wouldn't say anything.
"No, it's okay. It's just that - there's been a lot going on lately and I'm just…" Hermione trailed off. Her mom smiled at her.
"I'm just going to leave you two to talk." She said with a smile. Mr. Granger didn't budge and was eyeing Harry suspiciously and making him quite uncomfortable. Hermione nearly choked when her mom had said this. Mrs. Granger had dragged her husband out of the room leaving Harry and Hermione alone.
There was a very awkward silence where Hermione shoved her plate away and Harry shifted his weight uneasily. "Hermione…" Harry trailed off, unsure of what to say. "It's me. Really me…Harry." He said moving towards her. She stood up and backed away from her chair. "Hermione, I know you're scared. But it's okay. It's really me…" He trailed off again and looked down at his feet.
Hermione looked at him skeptically. "How do I know if it's really you. How do I know it wasn't you all along?" Hermione asked putting her hand in her pocket, obviously getting a hold of her wand.
"Hermione, I'm really sorry for what happened. But I would never do anything like that to you." Harry said trying to get closer to her. Apparently this was the wrong thing to say and she had backed up more. "Hermione, really…" Harry said. He looked as if he'd just gotten an idea and spoke again. "Ask me anything. Ask me something only I would know." He said staying put. He didn't want Hermione to be scared of him. He looked into her eyes before looking back down at the floor.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed and ran towards him engulfing him in a hug that rivaled Mrs. Weasley's. "Oh, Harry, I'm so glad you're back!" She said hugging him tighter before recoiling.
"What is it?" Harry asked clearly concerned.
"Oh, it's nothing." She said touching her side tenderly. Harry stepped away from her.
"I'm so sorry. Oh, God, Hermione. I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it. It wouldn't let me and…Oh, God…" Harry trailed off. Hermione walked towards him and gave him another hug.
"It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault." She repeated over and over again into his ear.
When she pulled away there was a flutter of wings at the window. A large owl was carrying a letter that Hermione promptly removed it and paid the owl. It flew away and Hermione tore open the letter and scanned it quickly. "Who is it?" Harry asked trying to see over her shoulder.
"It's Dumbledore." She said darkly. "He's coming tonight for dinner. He says that there are some things that he needs to discuss with us." She said in the same voice she had used before. Harry had never heard Hermione get angry with a teacher before. Well, except for Snape and that one time with Trelawney in third year.
"So what happened?" Harry asked walking into the living room. Before Hermione answered they saw a note on the table.
Dear Harry and Hermione,
We've gone out to get some groceries. We'll be back before dinner. If you need anything, Hermione, you know how to get a hold of us. Also, feel free to do whatever you like this afternoon as long as you leave a note. Make sure you're back before 6:00.
Hermione set down the note and sat down on the couch. "What Harry?" She asked.
"I just wanted to know what happened. I mean, Snape was here and he gave me that potion. Maybe…" Harry let Hermione figure out what he meant.
"Perhaps…We'll talk to Professor Dumbledore tonight." She said with a sigh.
"Okay… But Hermione, I really am sorry… I didn't - " Hermione cut him off.
"Harry, it's okay. Stop worrying about me." She said with a forced smile. Harry sat down beside her and sighed loudly.
"So, what do you want to do until then?" He asked.
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