Pieces Coming Together
Chapter 1- Hard Times
In a small room on Privet Drive, a boy almost sixteen sat. He looked so depressed, like he had nothing to live for. His usual bright and shiny emerald eyes looked sad and lost. On his forehead one could see a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt. He had wild, untamed brown hair. He actually was quite handsome. What is troubling this young man? How can anyone look so lost?
*******
"If you don't get Harry out of there right now I will go get him on my own!" Hermione, one of Harry Potter's best friends, said as she paced the floor of the Headmaster's office. "He doesn't deserve this! He just lost his godfather, and you are going to send him to people that hate him? How could you?!?"
"Hermione, calm down. You know Harry has to stay there for the-" Dumbledore started to reply, but got cut off.
"Blood protection! Screw the blood protection! Harry will die if you keep him there any longer! He hasn't responded to any of my letters or anyone elses. For all I know he has died and gone to heaven!"
"Hermione, I'm sorry, but Harry has to stay at Privet Drive until his birthday. You know that. Harry is still alive Ms. Granger. There are Order members on duty to watch him. You should know that by now."
"I know that Professor, but I'm really worried about him. He needs a friend and I intend on going to see him tomorrow." And this was when Dumbledore knew that Hermione was</I> going to see Harry tomorrow whether he agreed to it or not.
"Very well, Ms. Granger. I will get his relatives out so you can do some damage control on Harry. They will be gone for a week. If it is alright with your parents, you can stay with Harry until they come back. I think he needs some help right now dealing with the…..death of Sirius." Dumbledore quickly recovered from saying prophecy in which he had told Harry about only a few weeks prior.
"Oh thank you Professor! My parents won't care at all, they understand. How will I get there?"
"I'll give you a portkey that will leave at 9 AM sharp."
"Ok, but just what exactly are you planning on doing to get the Dursley to leave?"
With the professor's usual twinkle apparent in his eyes, he said, "Oh, I think it best you just leave me to my own plans." He replied with a smirk.
******
Harry Potter was sitting on the edge of his bed, trying not to fall asleep. Every time he tried to sleep horrible dreams would come. His hair was a wild mess, and he had sweat sticking to him. First he would see Ron being attacked by brain looking things, Hermione get hit by a purple spell, Sirius falling through the veil. He would wake up drenched in sweat from the events that had occurred only a few weeks before at the Ministry of Magic. Harry felt guilty for everything. So many people had died because of him. First his parents, Cedric, and now his godfather, Sirius.
Harry started to drift to sleep, but heard a knock on his door. It was his Aunt Petunia. "Harry, we are going out of town for a week. We will be leaving tomorrow morning." She added. "When I saw we, I mean Vernon, Dudders, and myself."
Harry tried hard not to roll his eyes at this comment. Of course he wasn't going with them. It wasn't like he wanted to go with them anyways. He replied with a very dull, "Yes, Aunt Petunia."
"I expect you to keep the house clean while I'm gone. Don't destroy it."
"Of course, Aunt Petunia." With that answer Petunia left Harry to himself. Something wasn't right with that kid anymore, but she didn't really care so she just let it go.
Harry was left looking out at the moonlight. Then, he saw an owl flying toward him. It was Hedwig, Harry's owl that Hagrid had given to him when he was going to Hogwarts. Harry took the letter from Hedwig and realized it was from Hermione. He threw the letter in his 'little stack' he had created for all his letters he received this summer. He loved Hermione, man did he, but he had to protect her. If he wasn't friends with her, she couldn't get hurt, right? If only that prophecy never existed, he would still have parents, a godfather, and he would be able to keep his friends. He would be able to keep Hermione.
Harry laid down and thought some more about Hermione. Before he even realized it, he had fallen asleep, dreaming of Hermione. The dream started off simple enough. Hermione and Harry were going to Diagon Alley. Then, some Death Eaters came and suddenly the scene shifted to the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries. Now, Hermione and him were running from some Death Eaters.
All of a sudden, Hermione tripped and she started to scream, "Help me Harry! Don't let me die! Help me Ha-" One of the Death Eaters hit Hermione with a purple flame curse. She fell to floor immediately.
Harry cried out, "Hermione!"
"Aww, is poor baby Harry scared for his beloved girlfriend?" Bellatrix Lestrange, a Death Eater, cooed. "She's going to die Harry! You can't save her! She'll die because of you!"
"No! She's not going die! Hermione, I need you! I love you!" Harry awoke with a start all of a sudden. He was drenched in sweat. His scar burned, but that was nothing unusual. He was thinking about the dream and tears came to his eyes. He hated to sleep anymore. Sleeping wasn't worth the pain he would feel when he awoke.
For the first time since summer break, Harry had to write to Hermione. He had to know she was still safe. Voldemort knew that Hermione was his friend now. The Death Eaters saw her. She was also target just because she was friends with him. How fair is that? Right now, it didn't matter that he couldn't be friends with her or the fact that in his dream he confessed he loved Hermione. Even though it was just a dream, he knew it to be true. No, he had to know if she was okay.
Dear Hermione,
Hi, how are you? I'm doing fine, so don't worry! I just had a nightmare, and wanted to check and see if you were okay.
Talk to you soon,
Harry
Harry was glad that Hedwig was back from hunting already. The sun was just starting to rise, and Hedwig was not very happy when she was awoken.
"Please Hedwig. Please take this to Hermione. Then, you can rest." Harry begged with Hedwig. She reluctantly held her leg out for Harry to put the letter on. Within minutes, she was off to deliver the letter to Hermione.