Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling has nothing to fear from me.
Chapter 7
Low blows
Today was a day that Harry truly wished he was at St. Brutus' School for Hopelessly Criminal Boys. Then all he'd ever have to deal with would be learning how to hot wire stolen cars and trying not to get beaten to death every day by goons like Dudley. A shadow of a grin passed over his face. He had skived off History of Magic knowing Professor Binns would never notice. The out of doors called to him with a siren's song. It was a delicious fall day with clear skies and just a hint of coolness in the breeze. Perfect flying weather. Perfect Quidditch weather, too. The thought of Quidditch made his stomach knot up. He still hadn't decided if he was going to play Seeker again or not. Hermione's harshly flung words about his "sulking" had struck a nerve.
He couldn't believe he didn't get detention for breaking the windows. Professor McGonagall had shown up just after Hermione had bolted. The older woman merely pursed her lips at the destruction then charmed the glass back in place with a swishing "Reparo." Then she left just as suddenly as she had appeared. When the moment that held everyone in frozen place had passed the room emptied out like a ghost town. Only Ron and Harry had been left in the room staring at each other.
Harry had pushed himself out the picture hold without even stopping to hear what Ron was trying to say. He had to get out of there.
Three days had passed and Hermione wouldn't even look at him. Ron didn't look too pleased with Harry much either.
"Be a man, she says."
He was still wincing from that lashing. He'd been rounded before by his friend when he and Ron had put off revisions or teased a first year unmercifully. This was different. Hands shoved into pockets he walked stiffly toward the Quidditch pitch. Somehow since the last time he had seen her at the department of Mysteries she had changed.
Harry had seen Hermione off and on the past fortnight since term had begun, but it was more like a blur. Worried expressions and vague memories of pleading conversations rolled through his head.
Merlin, he missed Sirius! If it had been Ron, he could have thrown a few punches and gotten a black eye or busted lip for his anger. Everything would have been fine after that. Girls just didn't know how to fight.
But Hermione! He could barely believe the violence he felt towards her. He had been shaking with the need to push her down or to do anything just to shut her up. That was what scared him the most. That he could possible want to hurt one of the closest people in his life made him nauseous. Was he somehow like his Uncle Vernon after all? Was he so like the man who would punch little boys or throw a four year old in a closet?
He was still skinny. But age and Quidditch had broadened his shoulders and he had gained several inches over the summer despite the lack of nutrition. He could actually look his uncle in the eye now. In many ways Harry realized he had crossed a threshold between childhood and adulthood.
The Dursley's had packed up and said they were taking an extended stay on vacation. Harry had no idea where they went. All he knew was the house was empty and he had been blissfully alone. That was all he wanted anyway. They didn't leave him any food, but he wasn't that hungry, anyway. He had enough Muggle money taken from Dudley's stash that he pretty much had delivery pizza every few days and ate cold slices whenever the urge hit him.
On the day of the Hogwarts Express when Mr. Weasley showed up at the door and briskly herded Harry and all his belongings together and took him to the train; Harry had secretly hoped he could just miss the train and everyone would slowly forget about him. In a daze, Harry followed the kind fatherly man's directions and found himself pushing his trolley and his owl through the stone barrier.
The memories of the past two weeks blurred past his mind leaving him swirled in guilt and fog. He had been distancing himself from everyone who cared about him. It had seemed easier at the time. However, if he ended up in fights with all his friends like the one he just had with Hermione, then maybe he had better try to be more aware of what's going on!
Hermione.
"I need you." She had said. It was so forlorn and vulnerable. Knowing the strong-willed and self-sufficient girl had said such a thing made it so much more poignant. With Hermione and how emotional she was after their fight, he knew she had probably spent the rest of the evening crying her eyes out. His whole body cringed to know he had hurt her.
"I didn't ask for any of this!" He yelled aloud scuffing dirt with his feet as he walked.
"Whinging on again, Potter?" Malfoy drawled. The tall blond Slytherin had been leaning against the Broom shed watching several of his house team beat each other senseless with bludgers.
"Sod Off, Malfoy." Harry winced at being overheard talking to himself.
"Oh? Is the little Potty boy still sad?" Draco's eyes narrowed angrily. He pushed himself off from the wall and walked menacingly over to his green-eyed nemesis.
"You're meddling got my father sent to Askaban! My mother cried for a month! I can't stand that my father is gone and you show up here as if you own the place! With that stupid Dumble Dunce dancing to your every whim! Though I heard your little mudblood girlfriend roughed you up a little recently. I presume you have to take it where you can get it, right Potter? I guess maybe she'll put out for the boy-who-cried." He sneered.
Harry's fist connected with Malfoy's nose before Draco could even blink. The dark haired boy launched himself and knocked the Slytherin roughly to the ground. Draco spluttered in anger spitting blood and epithets equally. Grunts and sounds of pain came from both boys as they shoved and threw punches landing on each other's face and body. Malfoy growled low in his throat and rolled Harry off with a well practiced move. Laughing maliciously, Draco carelessly wiped blood off his chin and whipped out his wand.
They circled each other warily as they tried to sense a break in which to attack. Malfoy's grey eyes narrowed and he attacked with a move that Harry didn't even see coming. Draco whirled around quickly knocking Harry's legs out from under him. With a grunt, the Gryffindor rolled away just missing a vicious kick intended for his face. Malfoy wasn't pulling any punches. Harry could see the anger and malice in Draco Malfoy's eyes and he knew this was going to get nasty. Harry had seen this wild look in Vernon Dursley's eyes many times before. This time, however, Harry was sure he could fight back. Something inside him was joyous in the idea of hurting someone he hated and his mouth turned up slightly as he threw himself full force into the boy in front of him.
Harry spun just in time to miss a curse by inches. He swung his arm in a broad arc and knocked the boy back to the ground. Harry threw another punch that connected hard with Malfoy's nose making a sickeningly wet and crunching sound. This time it was Harry who smiled maliciously.
Draco hissed in pain and angrily grabbed his wand up from the ground where he had dropped it. The Gryffindor turned to get out of the way of any shot from Malfoy's wand and ended up being viciously low kicked in the groin by the furious boy. He was going to have to remember that Draco has practiced martial arts, he thought to himself through the blinding pain that sent him crashing to the ground. A very important thing to remember.
The Slytherin had the wand nearly poking into his eye as Draco started to incant a curse before a voice behind him made him pause mid-word.
"You should see Madame Pomfrey about your face, Mr. Malfoy. I am sure that," Professor Snape indicated the rapidly swelling and bloody nose, "is not the look you would prefer to show your housemates during dinner."
Draco's eyes narrowed painfully as he took in the presence of his teacher then refocused on his enemy. Blood dripped slowly from a cut just above his eyebrow.
"This isn't finished, Potter. You have much to answer for." He stalked away in a rush of black robes and muttered threats. Harry dragged himself off the ground with a groan to force himself to look the professor in the eye.
Snape leaned forward malevolently almost nose to nose with Harry Potter. The greasy-haired professor stared into the boys already slowly bruising eyes. Harry was amused to realize he was almost as tall as Snape. He had always thought of the man as towering and formidable. That thought would have made him smile if the pain in his groin and face didn't hurt so much.
"Detention for two weeks, Mr. Potter and fifty points from Gryffindor." The professor smoothly declared.
Harry stared back at the Professor with dislike. He didn't care that Snape was with the Order. He still always took the Slytherin's side. The dark man's eyes glittered and he pursed his lips in a nasty grin. He held contact with the boy's eyes for a moment more as if daring the boy to protest then swept back into the castle.
Harry waited until the last of the black robes disappeared into the stone fortress before dropping back down in a grunt and grimace. Just like Malfoy to aim low, Harry thought. He shifted uncomfortably but couldn't find a position that would lessen the harsh throbbing pain. He fingered his left eye noting its swelling. His glasses were resting on the ground snapped in half.
Harry sighed and just gave up. He leaned his back gingerly against the broom shed and realized he actually felt better. "Well," he thought optimistically, "at least I got to hit Malfoy."
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Harry didn't know how long he sat there. It just seemed pleasant to lean back against the wooden wall and let the sun warm his ever tightening and swelling face. He hadn't been cut much, so what blood there was had dried thick and was starting to flake off. His fist ached throbbing where it had connected with Malfoy's bony nose. Skin was split and knuckles stung as the breeze brushed against the open wounds. Harry's face split into a twisted grin and he could feel the busted lip burn, but the release of such pent-up emotions had felt great. He had been itching to shove that prat's nose down his throat for years. Hermione was the only one who had ever gotten a clean shot in.
Harry's grin faded a little with the thought of his friend. Good thing she hadn't heard Malfoy's accusations. She would have kept Harry from beating on the little ferret and it had felt too good. No, it had felt Wonderful.
"Oclular Reparo." The spell floated past his hands and his broken spectacles reformed into place. He looked up to see Hermione Granger leaning over him to cast her charm. Harry squinted myopically at her and could vaguely tell something was different about her. Maybe it was his black eye, but she didn't look quite as bushy as usual.
Harry turned his head around quickly so she wouldn't notice he'd been fighting. However, he couldn't help wincing as he replaced his glasses on his nose. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do to Madame Pomfrey. Too bad Malfoy had gotten there first. His version would color him blacker than was really fair. Actually, maybe not. He HAD jumped the git.
"I'm still mad at you." The girl spoke lightly. "But anyone who punches that hard on that evil little ferret gets at least a little appreciation."
Hermione had heard Malfoy yelling in the hallway about how Potter had attacked him. She wanted to make sure Harry didn't look as bad as Malfoy. Draco's left black eye was blooming into blues and greens with a harsh cut above the other eye. It looked like the Slytherin gave as well as he received, however. Harry's eyes were both swelling and a grinning busted lip looked painful.
She closed her eyes and leaned back on her elbows to let her face enjoy the warmth of the fading summer sun. She pulled off her over robes and stretched out in her summer things that she had changed into once classes were over for the day.
Harry smiled slightly at how she didn't even mention their past disagreement. Maybe that was how she wanted it. If it had been Ron and Hermione they would still have been throwing things at each other. He hurt too much right now to care so he leaned back as well and settled with a groan. Harry pulled off his glasses to clean off a smudge of dirt then replaced them onto his nose.
"I really should remember that charm to fix my glasses by now." He smiled slightly remembering all the times she had fixed them before.
"Oh, I've got to be useful for something." She chuckled lightly.
His face finally cracked into a full grin as he turned to look at his friend. He couldn't help but blink when he realized how different she looked. Hermione had chucked off her robes and had changed from her school uniform venturing outside in a mid-driff baring summer halter top and shorts that revealed a well-planned tan and newly shapely figure.
His mouth dropped in open appreciation.
"What?" she questioned with one eye cracking open when he paused too long.
"Umm. Nothing. No..thing." His voice cracked high making him want to crawl under the nearby stadium seats.
"I was wondering when you'd notice, Harry." That seemed to startle the boy almost as much as her new looks.
"I was tired of all the bushy hair. Padma has this great charm that straightens it completely flat. Does it look too strange?" She peered up at him expectantly.
"What?! Your hair?" He looked confused. He really hadn't been focusing on her hair.
She blushed when she realized he had been appreciating something completely different than her new coiffure.
"I guess we've all grown up a little this summer." Harry grinned appreciatively at the red-faced girl.
"Harry Potter! You've barely looked me in the eye for two weeks!" she paused pursing her lips.
"And you're still not!"
She crossed her arms across her chest causing his wide green eyes to revert back up to her face leaving him embarrassed and red-faced as well.
He gave a short low chuckle when she actually stood up and stamped her foot in anger. He knew he would be wondering if she was wearing that outfit under her robes for the rest of term.
Wait. He thought. This is HERMIONE. Know-it-all best friend-homework-obsessed Hermione. He shook his head to stop thinking that way. Forget about the tan. Great tan. No lines at all. I guess that meant when she was sunbathing she had to take off…. His face blanched and then turned even redder than before.
They just stood there for several minutes and stared at each other. Neither was willing to make the next move. She blinked owlishly up at him and cocked her head to the side as a soft smile slowly grew on her face. He could barely breathe with the thought that that smile was for him.
Creating an enormous amount of noise, Ron barreled around the corner yelling for Harry.
"Harry you great brilliant git, where are you? The Ferret had the most beautiful bloody nose and he blamed you for all of it! How could you do it?! You didn't let me in on the brawl! What I'd give to flatten Malfoy…" Ron sounded euphoric and dismayed all at the same time.
Hermione started at the sound like a frightened deer. Harry could tell she was unsure of what Ron would think or say about her new look, too. She grabbed her robes and bunched them into a ball as she almost ran away from the two boys.
"Harry Potter, my hero, you broke the ugly wanker's nose! You-ARE-BRILLIANT!" His voice rose higher and higher as he did a victory dance in slow motion around his friend.
"You don't look that great, yourself, though, Mate." Ron peered closely at Harry's newly blooming shiners.
Ron's head pivoted as he caught sight of Hermione leaving the Quidditch Pitch.
"Who was that?" Ron stopped and whistled appreciatively.
"That…" Harry pointed raising his hand slowly toward the girl and speaking in amazement, "is HERMIONE!"
Harry couldn't help it when his voice cracked again and he cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment.
Ron blinked and stared back at his mate. "No bloody way." He whispered slowly.
"I wonder if she will be wearing that under her robes again…"
Harry couldn't help but appreciate how alike they thought. He turned his head and followed the retreating figure back to the castle.
"Exactly." Harry said simply.
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