Chapter Twelve: Adversary
"It's Lord of the Flies time."-Sawyer, Lost
Hermione walked toward the beach camp when the sun was high in the afternoon sky.
"Halt! Who goes there?" she recognized the rough voice of Crabbe, a spear pointed into her face.
"Would you be careful!" she scolded. "It's me, Hermione."
Crabbe narrowed his eyes and lifted his spear, motioning for her to continue on. She rolled her eyes and continued on to the beach. She began to hear the sounds of her classmates chattering away and Hermione could see that they were constructing their own fence.
"Terry," she called out in greeting as she approached him.
He was talking to a couple of Ravenclaw boys, giving them last minute instructions before taking their leave.
"Hello, Hermione," he said cheerfully.
"What is all this?" Hermione laughed, holding a hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun.
"Isn't it great?" he asked, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her forward. "We've been at it for a couple of weeks now."
Using the trees at the edge of the beach, Terry and the others had constructed what could best be described as tree houses.
"We're going to build bridges next, to connect them," Terry explained.
"Wow!" Hermione said, impressed.
"Come on. I'll give you a tour."
Terry went on to explain the rough details. They had found a way to keep themselves safe from the pigs that raided nearly every night by moving their campsites in the trees. Narrow, well placed trunks could be lashed together to make a decent but uncomfortable floor. They were also building a fence around the place, similar to the one they had by the rocks.
"You know, Crabbe nearly stabbed me as I walked in," she said dryly.
"He gets over-zealous about his guarding post. Always forgetting who's okay to let in," Terry explained.
Hermione looked at him. "What do you mean, who to let in? Everyone can come and go as they please, right?"
Terry frowned slightly and shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, of course. I just meant that he has to remember to watch out for pigs and tigers and who else knows what's out there."
Hermione gave him a scrutinizing look. "I just want to make sure that that fence is there for purposes of protection. NOT to keep people away."
"Of course, Hermione," Terry said soothingly. He put his arm around her. "I'm glad you came," he said quietly.
Hermione sighed and stepped away from him. "Terry…there's something…I need to be honest here…," she shook her head in frustration. "We need to talk."
Terry froze. That phrase coming from Hermione was usually followed by unpleasant news.
"Okay," he said. "But first we eat. Dinner will be coming up soon. We can talk after that."
Hermione chewed her lip in thought and looked back at the path to the camp by the rocks. She had told Ginny where she was going and that she might be awhile. There was a possibility that she would not return to the camp until the next morning. But she had to talk to Terry. It was important.
~*~
Draco sat by the fire watching Ginny across the way. Once in awhile they would look up and catch each others eyes. They hadn't gone back to the lagoon since the first time but the days had gone by with stolen kiss and hidden touches. She smiled slightly at him but it was quickly hidden as Harry approached her.
"Hey, have you seen Hermione?" he asked her and Draco looked up in interest.
Ginny shared a look with Luna who was next to her. "She's at the beach," Ginny said passively.
Draco watched Harry's expression darken and rolled his eyes. Potter could sometimes be too predictable.
"At the beach?" he asked. "This late? Did she take someone with her?"
"No…she went by herself. She said she needed to talk to Terry," Ginny said.
"Damn it. She knows better than to go walking through the jungle at night," Harry grumbled.
Ginny chose her words very carefully. "She wasn't planning on returning…tonight."
Harry tilted his head to the side, taking in her meaning. Draco smirked.
"I see," Harry said curtly and walked away.
Ginny sighed heavily and much to Draco's dismay, followed Harry.
"Harry, stop," she called after him. Harry reluctantly stopped and turned around.
"Yes?" he asked.
"It's not like that, Harry. She only went over to talk with him," Ginny explained.
"Talk?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"This late in the day? And planning to stay the night with him?"
Ginny shrugged. "Maybe it was a last minute thing? She told me just before she left."
Harry shook his head. "I'm not naïve, Ginny. He is her boyfriend." Harry turned and walked away and Ginny sighed heavily.
That night, Draco didn't sleep well. He stared up at the ceiling of the cave and listened to the soft snores of his fellow campers. A familiar feeling began seeping into him again. Jealousy of the Boy Who Lived. Why? He rolled on his stomach and looked over at Ginny who was sleeping soundly. He wondered if she still harbored some feelings for Potter. And with Granger seeming to take herself out of the picture, would Potter act on Ginny's feelings? He didn't like this thought. He never before had to compete for a girl's attention, it was always just so easy for him. But once again, he found himself a rival in Potter. He laughed to himself, some things really do never change no matter where you are.
A small commotion on the other side of the room caught his attention. Harry was moving restlessly in his sleep and muttering.
Ron was sleeping comfortably until Harry's stirrings and mutterings woke him.
"He's here…..He's alive," Harry was muttering in his sleep.
"Harry?" he asked but Harry still was asleep.
"No…no," he murmured. "Where are you? He's alive! He's alive!!!"
Harry sat up and screamed, clutching his forehead. Everyone shot up from their sleep, confused and scared at the commotion Harry was making. Ron pinned a wrestling Harry to the ground.
"Help me!" he shouted.
Neville, Dean and Seamus assisted Ron in controlling Harry. Ginny sat up, hands covering her mouth in horror.
"It can't be happening!" she said. "Not here!"
"Where's Hermione?" Ron shouted out. "Sorry, mate," he said to Harry then slapped him hard on the face to wake him up.
It had done the trick and Harry opened his eyes, his breathing was hard and fast. Sweat covered his forehead and his scar ached dully. One look at Ron and he knew what happened.
Ginny scooted forward and laid a gentle hand on his forehead. "It's okay now, Harry. You're okay."
Harry lay there at the brink of hyperventilation. No, everything was NOT okay. He struggled to get up and Ron helped him. With his help, Harry made his way past his classmates to sit outside by the fire. Ron stayed with him.
"Everything's okay, everyone," Neville said aloud. "Harry's just had a nightmare. We all have them, but he's fine. Everything's okay."
His classmates murmured and settled back down. Draco's heart was pounding in his chest. He heard Harry before they woke him up and that wasn't Harry's voice that was coming out of his mouth. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. The voice of Lord Voldemort.
Outside of the cave, Harry shivered despite the warmth of the fire. Ron looked at his friend worriedly.
"You alright, mate?" he asked, knowing it was dumb question.
"No," Harry muttered softly.
"Haven't had one of those in awhile, have you?" he asked and Harry looked up at him darkly. A moment of silence came over them until Harry decided to break it.
"I think I know what may have started them," he said quietly.
"You've had more than one?" Ron asked, raising his eyebrows.
Harry nodded and continued on. "I think it started when the shark…went after Hermione and…"
"I know," Ron cut him off. "I saw you when we hiked the mountain. You didn't even have to use a wand."
Harry looked at Ron surprised and a bit apologetic. "You knew?" Ron nodded. "Does anyone else know?"
"Hermione," he said softly. He heard Harry softly sigh. "We haven't told anyone. You're still our best mate."
Harry looked off into the jungle toward the beach. "Yeah, I know," he said softly.
Ron looked at his friend. "Since we're being so honest with each other…are you going to tell me what's going on between you and Hermione?"
Harry picked up a random pebble and began to play with it. "Nothing's going on between us," he said plainly. It was the truth. Nothing was going on between the two of them.
Ron scrutinized his friend. "I guess that's the problem?" he asked. Harry didn't answer. Ron sighed and leaned back on his elbows. "For being so brilliant in school, she isn't so smart when it comes to life sometimes. But she'll come to her senses, don't worry mate."
Harry didn't bother telling him that he had blown it big time when he let her walk out of his room. Ron was still talking and he forced himself to listen.
"I mean, I really don't see what she sees in him," he was saying. "There's just something about him…I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Can't remember still?" Harry asked. Ron had no memory of the blast that sunk their boat. But he had said that just before the explosion, Hermione had found him and Terry in the library beating the crap out of each other.
"It's so frustrating! It's out there, just beyond my reach but it's there," Ron said.
They stayed up and talked some more until Ron fell asleep outside with him. Harry had no intention of going back to sleep and he wasn't tired. He kept watch over the cave all night.
~*~
Hermione and Terry sat on the beach next to a fire. The conversation was difficult.
"Terry…I don't think we should see each other anymore. I mean, yes, we will see each other but…I don't think we should be…dating each other." It came out lame and pathetic but it was the best she could do right now.
Terry took in a deep breath. "Why?" he asked.
"Well for one thing, this really isn't the ideal setting to harbor any sort of those feelings," she said. It was a blatant lie. She was very capable of harboring lustful feelings, just not for her boyfriend. "But most important…I don't feel that way for you, anymore." That was hard to get out. It was difficult hurting someone you cared about.
Terry let out a small laugh. "You'd think a tropical island would be perfect for romance. But I guess if the feelings aren't there…"
"I'm sorry, Terry," she said softly. They sat in silence.
"I want you to tell me the truth, Hermione. No lies!" he said fiercely. "You can at least give me that."
"Of course," Hermione said.
"Is it because of him?" he asked.
"Who?" she asked, knowing full well who he was talking about.
Terry scoffed. "Don't mock me, Hermione."
"No," she answered. It was the truth. This had nothing to do with Harry, this was between her and Terry. But she doubted he would believe her anyway.
Terry looked out at the sea thinking back on a conversation he had with Harry.
"Do you love her?" he asked Harry. Harry closed his eyes and sighed. "I love her, too," Terry sighed. "I would do anything for her. Does that sound crazy?"
"No…no, it doesn't," Harry answered.
"Did…did you ever fool around with him while we were dating?" he asked and Hermione looked at him. "Be honest."
Hermione looked back at the sea, it seemed like it happened so long ago.
"Yes," she answered quietly and she heard Terry exhale sharply. "But he made it very clear afterward that he wanted only to be friends."
Terry wondered how clear he had made that to Hermione considering he told him that he loved her. Terry was afraid to ask the next question but he did it anyway.
"Did you sleep with him?" he asked softly.
Hermione closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered.
It was more than he could bear and he stood up. "Damn you, Hermione," he said then marched back to his tree.
Hermione stayed behind, covering her mouth with her hands and letting the tears fall. It had hurt her more than Terry could possibly know to admit to what she and Harry had done. Kept between the two of them, she could almost pretend it didn't happen. That it had been a weird dream that she and Harry had shared. But now admitting it to someone on the outside made it a reality.
She didn't want to stay on the beach anymore but it was dark and the path back to the rocks was obscured. But she headed that way anyway, tears blurring her vision, sadness muddling her thoughts. What if she ran into the pigs on the way back? She didn't care. And the tiger? Maybe his killing would be swift. She doubted she would feel a thing she was so numb with pain.
She could hear the distant sounds of the waterfall and headed in that direction. She came upon its mouth and looking down she could see the moon sparkling off the top of the choppy waters. She slumped down on one of the rocks and sobbed. What she really needed was a good cry.
She cried for her and Harry and what they had lost. She didn't have time to cry for it before with all that had happened but maybe after this she would be able to move on. A sound behind her caught her attention and she turned.
It stared at her, its eyes glowing. She stood and faced it.
"If you're going to kill me," she said. "Do it now."
The tiger bared its teeth and let out a low growl. Hermione met its eyes. "Do it!" she demanded, crazy with adrenaline.
The tiger lunged forward and Hermione realized at the last second that maybe this was a horrible idea after all. He swatted at her carelessly and she was thrown to the ground, surprised at the sheer power of it. He was playing with her like a cat with a mouse. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the nearest thing to her, a long branch. She held it out in front of her. The tiger hissed and growled at her and swatted. Its paw tearing the branch from her hands. Hermione swallowed and looked at the dangerous cat. She felt a warm wetness on her head, she must have hit it and cut it. It paced in front of her and she walked calmly in front of it. The cat stared at her then ran at a full sprint at her. She was going to die, she knew it. But at the last second and idea came to her and she ran into the river. The tiger leapt at her, claws out and jaws wide and Hermione ducked. The tiger realized his mistake and snarled in disapproval. She had stood at the head of the waterfall and it tumbled over the edge. But it barely missed her, its hind paws hit her shoulder, its claw scratching and the force of it knocked Hermione over the edge with him.
Down, down they went until they splashed into the cool pool below. Her lungs compacted and she scrambled to the surface for air. The water was cold and choppy and her shoulder ached but she managed to swim to the slippery rocks on the side. She hauled her body out of the water, grateful to be alive. She lay on her back exhausted but fear gripped her and she turned to see the fate of the tiger.
It had surfaced and was splashing in the middle of the pool. Hermione realized that the tiger had no idea where to get out. It swam to a side and tried its grip on the rocks but its claws scraped helplessly on their stony surfaces and it slid back into the water. Hermione met its eyes and recognized the look in its eyes. The panic of death. The same look she had when the shark had come at her. She could watch it die. She could. It would be one less predator on this island.
But she couldn't.
She looked around her and luckily found a dead tree trunk lying nearby. She ran to it but it was too heavy to lift. But she could roll it. She got down on the ground and pushed on it, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, ignoring the splinters she would have in her hands. But the trunk miraculously gave and slowly she rolled it to the edge of the pool.
The tiger was still alive and swam to Hermione.
"You've got to be quick," she called out to it, breathless.
She could roll the log to the edge of the pool, teetering it like a see saw. She could give the tiger a chance. She wasn't sure how deep the pool was, but the trunk had to be long enough to give the tiger something to grip on, if only for a split second, to jump out of the water.
With a grunt of exhaustion, she gave one final push on the log. It began to tilt and with one final shove it slid into the water. It was all the tiger needed. Hermione stumbled and tripped on the stone landing on her stomach but not before she saw the massive shape spring out of the water and over her.
She rolled onto her back. Her stomach sick with excitement but she was too tired to move. If the tiger came after her, she had no energy to run. But she heard it, it was nearby and she could hear its panting. The soft pads were nearly silent as he made his way to her. Hermione braced herself for the bite but instead she felt him nuzzle her hand. Tears sprang to her eyes when she heard a loud rumble and realized that it was him, purring. He lay his massive body down next to hers and Hermione buried her hands in his thick fur. She closed her eyes in exhaustion.
~*~
The sky was purple with dawn when she made her way back to the rocks.
"Hermione!" Ron called out when she emerged from the jungle.
Harry stood up as well. His expression had been blank and detached. She looked terrible, her eyes were puffy, her hair looked a mess and was that blood on her? Ron jumped down to greet her and Harry followed.
"What happened to you?" he asked, looking at her head where dried blood had matted some of her hair and was crusted to her face.
"Oh Ron!" Hermione sobbed, wrapping her arms around him.
Bewildered, he looked back at Harry. Normally, this was his job. Hermione hissed when Ron's arms went around her and he quickly stepped away from her, holding her at arms length. He turned Hermione around and saw her shirt ripped and stained dark with blood. Harry's face etched with concern when he met Ron's gaze.
"Hermione?" Ron asked, hastily unbuttoning her shirt. He turned her around and pulled the shirt down her shoulder revealing the tiger's shallow claw marks. Harry's eyes widened.
Harry briskly walked up to her. "Hermione," he whispered softly. He held a hand up to trace the cut but his fingers stopped a breadth away from her skin. He slowly drew his hand back. He didn't dare touch her bare skin again.
By this time, Ginny and Luna had awoken and had made their way out of the cave.
"Hermione!" they shouted.
At seeing her friends, Hermione burst out into tears.
"Oh, Hermione! What happened?" Ginny asked fretfully. Hermione collapsed in their arms, sobbing as they took her away.
"We'll take care of her," Luna said to the two young men.
Harry sat silently with Ron and Dean, chewing slowly on a piece of fruit, deep in thought. Hermione was damn lucky to get out of whatever scrape she had gotten into with the tiger. That tiger was dangerous and something needed to be done before it started to pick them off one by one. He wondered if he could pull something similar to the Avada Kedavra out of his sleeve. But, no, he was afraid to do magic right now. Every time he did it, he felt as if he was strengthening the channel between him and Voldemort and he didn't want it to get any stronger than it was.
The arrival of Ginny and Luna yanked him out of his thoughts.
"How is she?" he asked. Ginny and Luna shared a brief glance at each other.
"She's fine. She's asleep right now," Ginny answered.
Harry's jaw tightened. He recognized the way Ginny and Luna had looked at each other. It was the way people had looked at him at Hogwarts whenever a news article was printed out about him. They way people would look at him when they knew something about him that he didn't know himself yet. Dumbledore looked at him like that a lot.
A sharp nudge from Ron ripped Harry's attention away from the secretive girls and to the jungle. Terry was storming toward their camp, anger flashing in his eyes. Harry's gaze flickered over to Ginny and Luna who were deliberately not looking at him as if they had already seen this coming. Harry rose to his feet.
"Terry," Harry said politely, "is everything-"
CRACK!!
Harry had not been expecting him to storm over and punch him in the face. It was a hard punch to his jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground. Harry immediately knew what happened. Terry loomed over him, his face red and he could see just a hint of tears in his eyes. Ron and Dean made a move for Terry but Harry held up a hand, motioning for them to stay back.
"She told me!" Terry's voice was hoarse with anger and anguish. "She told me everything!" Harry slowly got to his feet. "Do you deny it?"
Harry rubbed his jaw that would surely bruise. "If you're looking for an apology, you're not going to get it."
Terry moved in close to Harry, his eyes glaring with hate. "She was mine," he said so quietly that no one else heard.
Harry's eyes blazed with anger and he matched his hateful gaze. "Was she?" he hissed back.
Terry's jaw clenched in anger and he turned wordlessly and stormed back to the beach. Harry felt everyone's eyes on him, wondering what in the hell that was about. Harry didn't feel like explaining anything so he left without saying anything into the jungle.
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