Title: Trust and Betrayal
Author: Michelle
Rating: PG-13
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 infringements 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.
A/N: Well, guys, I'm back from Texas. My parents surprised me with a trip for my birthday. I wrote this whole chapter in the car so maybe it seems a little shaky. *rim shot* Anyway, thanks for tuning in and I hope you like it.
Chapter Five
Hermione shrugged. "We could go to a movie or we could just watch one here." She suggested. "I don't have any money on me right now but we could stop at the bank if you wanted to go out to a movie." She said with a smile.
"We can watch one here. I haven't had time to watch many movies so you most likely have something I haven't seen." Harry forced a smile. Seeing Hermione getting… He couldn't bear it; couldn't bear the thought that his hands were the ones that did it to her. To his best friend. Hermione.
Hermione got up and walked to the entertainment center. Harry couldn't look at her without feeling a sharp pang of guilt. She opened a door and a whole rack of movies was revealed. Harry stood up and walked over to her and bent down next to her, putting his hand on her back for balance. Hermione swayed away from him slightly when Harry touched her. "Sorry…" Harry said guiltily and backed up.
"Harry, honestly, it's okay. Stop it." She said turning her gaze back to the movies. "How about this one?" Hermione asked holding up a tape.
Harry nodded even though he wasn't quite sure what she was holding up. He walked over to Hermione. "Here, let me." He said took the movie and started putting it into the VCR. Hermione sighed and sat down on the couch making herself comfy. Harry sat down next to her. Hermione looked up and the light and squinted. She started to get up before Harry stopped her. "Here, let me." He said getting up and flipping the light off.
"Harry, why are you doing this?" She asked, noticing his actions. She turned around on the couch as the previews for movies played behind her.
"I just feel…guilty." He confessed but couldn't look at her. "I didn't know what to do and I did bad things to you and I almost killed you!" Harry said shaking with guilt and anger at himself.
"Harry, it wasn't you. I know you didn't do it. I'm okay." She said trying her best to convince him. Harry didn't look very convinced. "Harry, look at me." She said soothingly. Harry made an odd sound that sounded between a gulp and a sob. "Harry, look at me." Hermione said a little more forcefully.
"I can't." Harry choked out and looked down at the floor. Before Hermione could respond he ran upstairs into his guest bedroom. He pulled the bed in front of the door and cast a locking charm on the handle. With tears rolling down his face he slid down the wall in the corner. He wiped his eyes forcefully not wanting to be a baby. He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.
He didn't know how long he sat there but he was sure that at some point he had heard Hermione banging on the door. He must have been there for a long time because he heard a door shut downstairs. Hermione's parents must be home. He heard some voices and it sounded like Dumbledore had come too. Harry shook trying to hold his tears inside of him. He heard the voices getting louder and heard someone crying in the background. He shut his eyes tightly and hoped they'd go away. There was nothing anyone could do. For all he knew Voldemort could take control of him again anytime.
He heard someone speaking outside the door but the voice sounded muffled and drained together with everything else. The door handle jiggled and he saw a white light outside the door. He couldn't let anything happen to Hermione again. Before they could get in he opened the window letting a cool breeze brush his face. He stepped over the window sill and onto the roof. He carefully made his way across the roof and climbed down a tree that was next to the house. He heard someone call his name out the window but ran down the street and through a dark alley.
Harry walked for a little while not noticing that there were dark clouds forming in the sky. After walking aimlessly for a little while more he found himself in a park. He felt a raindrop plop on his cheek and saw a small fort on the far side of the swings. He walked over and climbed inside. It had a strangely soothing feel to it. He shook his head knowing it was because it felt like his cupboard. He soon heard heavy raindrops pounding on the tin roof of the small fort and leaned his head against the wall. He let the tears fall and choked back a sob or two.
Harry never knew exactly how long he was in that fort. He heard voices out in the rain calling for him. At once he knew that it was Hermione and her parents. Dumbledore was probably with the too. He was too tired to run anymore. He climbed out desperate that they not find him but was immediately spotted. He saw Hermione run towards him and he could tell that the stains on her cheeks weren't from the rain. She flung her arms around him and breathed heavily into his neck. Harry was nearly knocked over by the force of her hug. "Oh, my God, Harry." Hermione sobbed on his shoulder. Harry trembled at her touch, memories flashing through his head. "Don't ever do that again. We'll work through this." Hermione repeated this a few times before her parents and Dumbledore approached them.
They had all gotten back to the house and Harry and Hermione were snuggled under a blanket on the couch after being threatened by Mrs. Granger if they didn't. Neither of them felt the need to tell her that it was summer and there was no way they'd catch ammonia. Hermione leaned into him and Harry jerked away; plagued by the memories of what had happened. "Hermione…" Harry trailed off and quickly got up from the couch. He ran up the stairs and into the guest bedroom. After casting a few locking spells on the door he retreated to his corner of the room. Before he could ever block out any sound Hermione was outside the door.
"Harry?" She asked. She sounded scared Harry noted without replying. He heard her try the door and try again. He heard her sigh. "Harry, we can't help you if you're locked up in there. What happened this morning... I'm over it. I know it wasn't you…" She trailed off. "Just, Harry, please…" He heard her footsteps fade away as she went down the stairs.
After what seemed like hours another set of footsteps sounded outside the door. "Harry." Dumbledore said. Harry didn't reply. He saw the door handle move before muttering could be heard outside. After a couple of minutes Dumbledore walked into the room. "Lemon drop?" He asked popping one into his mouth. Harry didn't reply. "Sometimes we do stupid things and never get blamed, Harry. Other times we get blamed when we did nothing wrong; and sometimes we blame ourselves. We all do stupid things sometimes." Dumbledore said looking blankly at the wall.
Harry looked over to him to explain but Dumbledore held up a hand. "I'm not talking about you, though I would like to hear an explanation on all of this. I should have kept you in Occlumency. It was Voldemort am I right?" He asked somewhat rhetorically. Harry nodded. "Now, would you care to explain?" He said looking a Harry expectantly. Harry took a deep breath and nodded again.
"It's been a very long day, sir. Can I just sleep?" Harry asked his eyelids feeling like ten pound weights. Dumbledore nodded and waved goodnight to him. He turned off the light and shut his door on the way out; leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.
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