Harry Potter and the Isle of Mists
Disclaimer: I can only hope to attain the creative brilliance of J. K Rowling.
AN: Please review. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so be kind.
AN2: This story is AU after OOTP.
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
Harry looked down stupidly at Hermione's exclamation. Warm, red blood pooled onto his arm that was resting on the table. It was streaming from his nose; he could taste it in his mouth.
"My nose…" he said dazedly. He felt like every limb was filled with lead. He felt like he had fallen off his broom…and hit every bleacher round the Quidditch pitch on his way down. He wiped at his nose, and the red of his blood looking jarring against his white sleeve.
"It's not stopping," Hermione said, watching him anxiously. "We should go to the hospital wing." She seemed to have recovered far more quickly, and stood to her feet in one lithe motion, holding out her hand for Harry to take.
He stood with effort, pushing himself up, his hands flat on the table. Once he was upright, he wavered on his feet. Blood continued to issue from both nostrils, unabated. The room spun around him as he tried to take a step.
"'Mione, I-can't…" he said, unable to even form complete sentences. Hermione sighed, pursing her lips together, her brow crinkling with concern.
"Mobilicorpus," she said briskly, waving her wand, and began levitating Harry to the Hospital wing.
Once there, he was laid gently on a bed, where Madame Pomfrey clucked her tongue over his state.
"Nothing's broken," she said, after examining his nose, while spooning a Coagulation potion into his mouth. It tasted like rotten bananas, and Harry grimaced involuntarily. "What have you done to yourself this time, Mr. Potter?"
"Nougat…" Harry said with effort, referring to the Weasley twins' Skiving Snackboxes.
Good show, Harry! Hermione thought, admiring the effortless lie. Harry's lips turned up in the approximation of a wan smile.
Madame Pomfrey looked at him reproachfully.
"Mr. Potter, I would have thought you would know better, by now. What were you trying to skive off of anyway? Term hasn't even started." Harry shook his head; it felt like swinging a hundred-kilo weight back and forth.
"Accident. Found an old one…thought it was a ordinary…sweet," he managed to say. Madame Pomfrey appeared to accept his explanation, though she clearly doubted his intelligence.
"Well, have some Pepper-Up potion," she said, giving him a small vial. His hand shook with the effort it took to hold up his arm, and Hermione quickly took the vial and held it to his lips. "You'll probably be fine after a rest. I'll be back with some Blood Replenisher. Stay here and sleep," the mediwitch was Scourgifying his clothes and the sheets while she was speaking, removing the bloodstains.
"Yes, ma'am," Harry was only too happy to comply. He had never been so exhausted in his life.
She exited the ward, and Harry looked at Hermione with wary expectation, which was satisfied as soon as the door shut.
"I told you that was a bad idea!" Hermione hissed at him, her eyes flashing.
Harry was affronted. "Why? It worked." Speaking was still an ordeal, so he kept his sentences short.
"It worked?" Hermione was clearly working herself up into one of her states. "It worked?! You nearly bled to death and you can hardly move."
Harry would have rolled his eyes if it had been possible. "I most certainly… did not...'nearly bleed to death'. And besides… we found out…"
"We may have found out what Malfoy is up to, but we still don't know why. We don't know why Voldemort wants to know… or why he didn't just ask Snape," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
Harry felt his head begin to clear somewhat, even though his skull was still pounding. He was thinking furiously. Something was niggling at the back of his head, and he couldn't quite figure out what it was.
"Voldemort was behind that attack at your house. We know that. I think it was for me…I mean, to get my attention. They were searching my mail…attacked Hedwig. He wanted me to come to you." Harry's eyes were far away, as he thought aloud. "I don't think Voldemort knows about this new telepathic thing," he concluded finally, looking at Hermione to see what she thought.
"Maybe not," she finally agreed, after musing quietly for a moment. "He didn't know he was passing on his Parseltongue abilities…he probably wouldn't know about the telepathy either. Although, you and he have been in other's heads enough…he should have guessed." Harry couldn't help but smile at the temerity of Hermione's criticism, when most people wouldn't say his name.
"If he doesn't know about the telepathy, then at least we have that advantage," Harry said slowly. "He's got to be up to something… what was he trying to accomplish when he had Hedwig attacked, or sent that Fantasma? Dumbledore sent for Snape, but Malfoy came with him." He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "I don't trust either of them."
"Honestly, Harry! Malfoy's a nasty little bugger, but he's just a student like we are. It's not like he's a Death Eater." she said, emphatically.
"His father is a …" Harry trailed off, as the thing that had been bothering him since his invasion of Draco's mind finally burst into his consciousness. "His father! Hermione, in Malfoy's memory, Lucius was at Malfoy manor….what was he doing there? He's supposed to be in Azkaban!"
Hermione's eyes widened, as she realized what Harry was saying. "But-but why hasn't it been in the Prophet? Sirius made headlines with his breakout…why didn't we know he was out?"
"He didn't escape. He was let go. Somebody was bought," Harry concluded grimly. "Maybe even Fudge himself. I think it's a safe bet that not a lot of people know about it."
"What about what Malfoy said…about `his father having connections'?" Hermione wondered darkly.
"Malfoy is such a bloody idiot," Harry said in some amazement. "He practically announced that his father was out of Azkaban. Giving away that kind of information, just to threaten you!" His tone was incredulous, but his face was worried. "It makes me wonder how valid the threat is, then."
"Snape must know," Hermione said thoughtfully. "I wonder if Dumbledore knows?" Harry said nothing, but gave a snort that indicated just how little he thought of Snape's loyalty.
"Harry, Dumbledore trusts Snape, you know that," Hermione lectured.
Harry did not look convinced. "Just wait until a round of Occlumency with him," he predicted darkly.
Hermione's eyes grew wide. "We have a lesson with him this afternoon!"
Harry closed his eyes in exasperation, and swore under his breath. Hermione looked at him reprovingly.
Harry James Potter, you ought to be ashamed. Harry thought a few more impolite words, and grinned as her face flushed a dull red. With a huff, she got up, and turned toward the door of the ward.
"Hermione," Harry said, trying to quell the laughter in his voice, "Hermione, wait! I was only kidding." She turned to look at him, lancing him with a look, and he grew serious. "I was kidding," he repeated, holding out his hand. "Come here."
She took his hand, and stepped back to his side. Harry brought her hand up to his lips, and kissed it softly. She felt a smile tug unwillingly at her mouth. But then Madame Pomfrey bustled back in with the Blood Replenisher, and the two teens stepped quickly away from each other.
"We're supposed to meet with Professor Snape this afternoon," Harry began.
"That's fine dear," Madame Pomfrey said. "Give this potion a half-hour or so to start working, and you should be fine," she gave him a reproving look. "I should not eat any more creations of the Weasley twins if I were you."
Harry managed to look properly repentant. "Yes, ma'am," he said meekly.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
The arrival time for their Occlumency lesson came much too quickly, and soon Harry and Hermione found themselves approaching Snape's dungeon offices with a certain amount of trepidation.
Snape was at his desk, quill flying across parchment, when they entered the dank and gloomy room. He did not acknowledge their presence, but continued writing, the only sound in the room being the scratch of his quill. They sat there for what seemed like an incredible amount of time, occasionally shifting, whispering, or coughing, but none of this elicited any reaction whatsoever from Snape.
At long last, he laid down his quill, and looked up at them.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter," he said, as if he'd only just realized they were there.
"Sir," Hermione replied politely. Harry said nothing.
"Sit," Snape directed tersely. They both did. "Now, Miss Granger, I assume that you are fully versed in what Occlumency is?" He said this in a long-suffering way, as if preparing for a long definition from Hermione.
"Yes, sir, I've read about it," Hermione said quietly.
"Then you know that the key to Occlumency is a strong mind and, above all, emotional control?" He cast a withering look at Harry as he said this.
"Yes, sir." Harry looked sidewise at Hermione, wondering why she was being so meek about all of this.
"Good," Snape enunciated, baring his teeth in a mirthless approximation of a smile. There was a moment of tense silence. Then Snape drew his wand in one smooth, startlingly quick motion. "LEGILIMENS!" His voice rang out loudly.
Hermione flinched, her eyes wide at the unexpected onslaught. She closed her eyes, and Harry could feel her furiously trying to concentrate. He felt caught up in the riptide of her memories, swirling around; he was going to drown in them.
Hermione was standing by herself on a playground, pressing herself against the chain-link fence. Two pretty little girls whispered and giggled behind their hands.
An owl circled in through an open kitchen window, dropping a sealed envelope in front of Hermione. Her mother and father were reading the letter, exchanging baffled glances. "Hermione, what does this mean?"
Hermione was flinching, as Draco Malfoy leaned threateningly in her face. "Mudblood," he spat.
Hermione and Viktor Krum were walking around the grounds at Hogwart's. "I'm sorry, Viktor," Hermione murmured in a low voice, "I'm in love with someone else."
Harry seized onto this memory, like it was a life preserver. He grabbed onto it with all the force his mind possessed, and visualized pushing Snape out of Hermione's mind, slamming and locking it shut behind him.
Snape actually took a couple of steps back, and looked at Harry in surprise. Harry's green eyes blazed with fury, as he took in the white strain of Hermione's face.
"Well, well, well," Snape said, in that tone that contrived to make even a compliment sound backhanded. "I'm surprised at you, Mr. Potter…seeing as how you could not shut me out of your own mind."
"What happened?" Hermione asked, looking bewildered.
"Mr. Potter came to your aid, assisting you in forcing me from your mind," Snape said in his characteristic drawl. "This…ability…of yours could be useful. The combined forces of two people trained as Occlumensi could be…formidable." Harry was dumbfounded. Was Snape being complimentary? Judging from the constipated look on his face, Harry thought, the answer was yes. Harry tried to bite back a grin, and Snape must have seen the flicker of it in his eyes, because the trademark glower had returned.
"Miss Granger, I want you to try and assist Mr. Potter," Snape ordered, and said quickly, "Legilimens!"
Harry was sitting bewildered on top of the school roof, as a teacher reprimanded him below. The boys who had been chasing him were nowhere to be seen.
Harry sat in his cupboard under the stairs. Dust sifted down onto his head, as Dudley threw some kind of temper tantrum because he had scratched the paint on his new racing bike.
Harry watched with a pang, as the white queen smashed Ron's knight to bits, sending him hurtling across the room.
Harry felt the dead weight of Cedric in his arms, as he struggled to reach the TriWizard Cup. Stinging tears of rage and grief were pricking at his eyes.
Bellatrix Lestrange aimed her wand at Sirius…he fell through the veil, slowly, a look of surprise on his face.
Hermione wasn't moving, and Harry knelt beside her, panic etched in every feature.
Harry felt the sudden warmth of Hermione's presence, and her additional strength helped him shut Snape out.
Snape's lips twitched in a kind of sneer. Clearly, Hermione's first attempt at Occlumency had been impressive, but Snape would rather die than say so. Harry felt a thrumming heat in his arm, and realized that he and Hermione were holding hands again. He dropped her hand like a hot coal, not appreciating the mocking gleam in Snape's eyes; it made him self-conscious and irritated.
Snape looked as if he were contemplating some comment, but said only, "Again," leveling his wand at Harry.
He was at the bottom of the lake with the merpeople. He looked anxiously over his shoulder, wondering about the others, still in enchanted sleep. Was anyone else coming?
He scrawled "I must not tell lies," on the parchment. His hand burned, as the words etched into his skin.
There was a flash of sparks in the Department of Mysteries. Hermione wasn't moving. Tonks had fallen. And Sirius plummeted through the fluttering veil.
Hermione and Harry were riding in the starry night on the back of Buckbeak the hippogriff. The shrillness of her scream blended and echoed with the sound of Harry's laughter.
And they were out again. Even more quickly this time. Hermione looked quietly triumphant.
"Potter, move over there," Snape said tersely, gesturing across the room with his wand. Harry looked at him questioningly. Snape indicated their joined hands, with a look of disgust on his face. Hermione flushed red, and let go of his hand. "Let's see how you perform without the … contact," their professor spat the last word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Looking askance at Hermione, Harry moved to the spot to which Snape had pointed.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Over an hour later, Harry and Hermione trudged back toward Gryffindor Tower from the dungeons, exhausted.
"You look tired," Harry observed, taking her hand in his, without even really noticing.
"I never realized what a toll this kind of thing could take on you," Hermione replied. "And you had to go to these lessons all the time, plus the nightmares…." Respect for him tinged her voice. "I think I was a little too hard on you."
"Wait! Can you write that down? And sign it? What time is it? I need to make note of this!" Harry said, teasing her. She narrowed her eyes at him, even as a smile tugged at her lips.
"Shut up, Harry," she said companionably. They meandered in friendly silence for awhile.
Malfoy can't know you're taking Occlumency, Harry said suddenly, as if the thought had just occurred to him.
You certainly weren't concerned about keeping it a secret earlier, Hermione said, referring to his revelation to the Weasleys.
That was different, Harry answered. We've seen Malfoy's memory now. Voldemort wants to know why Snape is back. He probably already knows I'm taking Occlumency…he certainly knows I can sense his thoughts sometimes. If Malfoy tells his father that you're taking Occlumency, Voldemort will want to know why. He doesn't need to find out why.
What are we going to say? Hermione asked, skeptically. You were right before. Nobody would believe that I need Remedial Potions.
Maybe you could be tutoring me…be Snape's teaching assistant or something.
Hermione laughed aloud at this.
I'm sure Professor Snape would just adore that!
Harry allowed himself a moment to enjoy the mental image of Snape's mouth pursing in disgust, as he had to admit that little know-it-all Granger was assisting him.
Hey! Hermione protested.
His words, not mine! Harry said, raising his hand up in a gesture of innocence.
There was another moment of silence, in which Hermione could feel a delicious warmth flowing from Harry. He was sneaking sidewise looks at her, she could tell without looking, and she flushed slightly.
Hermione? He said hesitantly, his voice low in her head.
"What?" she said out loud, stopping suddenly and looking him square in the face. He backed up a few steps, and looked at a loss. "I want you to say whatever it is you want to say out loud."
"It's so much easier to do it the… the other way," Harry admitted. Hermione smiled, but didn't bite. "What I said earlier, when you were outside the portrait hole… I meant it."
"Meant what?" she asked, her smile teasing, but her voice soft.
"I love you, Hermione," he murmured, and Hermione's face glowed with happiness. She bit her lip.
"I love you too," she replied. He leaned down and kissed her then, a gentle soft kiss, which quickly deepened into more, as she opened her mouth slightly. Hermione felt like she couldn't breathe, like she'd never want to breathe again. Neither of them seemed to realize or care that they were kissing in the middle of a corridor.
"Harry! We've been looking for you! I -" came a cheerful voice that caused Harry and Hermione to jerk apart quickly. Ron came into full view an instant later, and took in Harry and Hermione standing very close together, looking flushed and rumpled and guilty.
"Ron!" Harry said, trying to sound normal, while moving away from Hermione as subtly as possible.
"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed, looking stunned.
Why do people keep saying that? Harry asked in exasperation. Hermione was still anxiously watching Ron, who was looking at them like he expected them to sprout another head or spontaneously combust.
Should we tell him? Hermione asked.
I think he knows already, Harry answered with chagrin. How upset d'you think he is?
I didn't mean about us…well, not just about us…about the telepathy, Hermione was insistent.
Yeah, guess now is as good a time as any, Harry said, a little reluctantly. He'd rather liked sharing this secret with Hermione.
We'll have loads of other secrets, Hermione said, with a gleam in her eyes.
Harry grinned, as Hermione stepped forward and cleared her throat,
"Ronald, there's something we've been meaning to discuss with you."
TBC
Thanks for the reviews so far. Keep `em coming!
Next chapter: Ron finds out everything. Draco harasses the Trio. And a trip to Diagon Alley.
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