Dusty Lee Vaughn Normal Dusty Lee Vaughn 7 1419 2003-07-01T19:20:00Z 2003-07-07T22:14:00Z 8 3705 16657 457 146 20345 9.2720
Chapter 4: Rage of a Broken Heart
"Hermione's going to be fine," said Ginny, who was sitting across from a sulking Harry.
"What made you think I was thinking about her?" Harry asked not bothering to look up.
"Oh come off it, Harry," Ginny laughed.
"Ginny," Harry said, finally looking up, "Out of the gang that attacked her, four of them are dead, and the rest are badly injured."
"At least it didn't killed them all this time," Ginny said giving him a weak smile.
"That's the problem …" He said looking down shamefully, "For once, I kind of wanted him to."
"Harry … that's a little scary," Ginny said concern covering her face.
"Not that I like him killing," Harry explained, "But they hurt her … they were going to kill her probably …" He said breaking off trembling slightly in anger.
"Whoa, calm down," Ginny said softly rubbing his hand slightly, "Don't need the great hall redecorated, do we?"
Harry looked up, and Ginny winced at his glare, but then Harry began to chuckle then finally laugh, "Merlin this sucks!" He said before slamming his head to the table.
"Harry, haven't you heard?" Ginny asked, "It didn't lay a stray finger on Hermione, in fact the Hulk was seen carrying her cradled like a baby. Don't you see, your uh … heroness carries over to it."
"Is that a word? Heroness?" Harry asked, looking up at her dully.
"That's not the point, dimwit," She scolded as Harry brought a finger to his lip to silence her.
"Good morning," Ron said coming up to sit next to his sister, "Heard about Hermione?"
"Is she ok? Nothing else has happened?" Harry asked nervously.
Ron blinked in confusion for a moment, "She's doing much better, though I cannot say the same for her attackers. All I can say is Luna was right; the Hulk does exist. Why haven't you gone to see Hermione, Harry? She was asking for you this morning when she came to."
"I … I can't face her right now," Harry said, and it was funny how Ron and Ginny can understand exactly what Harry was saying but think two totally different reasons.
"It wasn't your fault, Harry," Ginny whispered, giving him a sad look.
"So you do like her," Ron smiled, "I knew it!" He laughed triumphantly.
"I do not!" Harry snapped turning away to try to hide the blush.
"She likes you though," Ginny pointed out with a wink, "Or else why did she drive Krum insane with 'Harry this' and 'Harry that'? Or why did she get so jealous and hurt when she thought we were together, hmm, Harry?"
"Well … I … uh …" He stuttered, growing red.
"And am I not mistaken," Ron piped in, "Didn't Cho get frustrated from hearing about 'Darling Hermione'?"
"Well …" Harry squeaked, and then mentally scolded himself for it.
"Personally I think you two would make a fancy couple," Ginny nodded, "You don't have to marry her, you know, just ask her out on a date to Hogsmeade or something. Or if you are sure enough, and all evidence we've seen that you should be, ask her to be your girlfriend along with your best friend, but … it's your life. Do as you wish." She said turning away from the gawking boys.
"I think … I think …" Harry said back stepping slowly, "I think I'll go see Hermione."
"Good day, Harry!" Ginny waved, and then turned to her brother, "You're up to no good."
"What?" Ron said in surprise, "I am most certainly am not!"
"Whatever, I'm your sister, Ronald," Ginny pointed out stabbing a potato in her plate, "Do not do anything stupid."
Don't worry, sis," Ron laughed, patting her shoulder as he walked away, leaving her to watch him worriedly.
--
Harry slowly walked into the medical wing, glancing at the boys covered in bruises and casts thanks to the green behemoth known as the Hulk. Then he spotted her, Madam Pomfrey has done yet another miracle, the only marks left on her was a light bruise on her right cheek and her right eye was slightly swollen.
Harry pulled up a chair and sat at her bedside, "Hey," He said softly, causing her eyes to open wide.
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked sitting up to quickly and falling backwards.
"Am I alright?" Harry asked in disbelief, "I'm not the one attacked by a bunch of thugs and a … and a freak."
"I'm alright, Harry," Hermione said eyeing him worriedly, "And the only freaks that attacked me were those boys. If you are referring to that Hulk creature, you are mistaken. He is not a freak and he didn't attack me. He saved me." Hermione stated, "But you, Harry, Ron said you didn't come back to your dorm room. After what happened to me, I was really worried about you."
"I'm fine, I was just … busy last night, that's all," Harry said, looking down, not seeing Hermione's warm smile turning into a scowl.
"With Ginny?" Hermione asked, her voice almost sounding like a growl.
"Hermione …" Harry sighed looking up at her.
"No, it isn't any of my business, anyway," Hermione said looking away, "after all I am only the best friend, nothing more, hopefully nothing less."
"Hermione, I just needed to talk to someone and …" Harry started but Hermione cut him off.
"So I guess it is less, isn't it?" She said her voice breaking slightly, "even if I did misunderstand the situation, why didn't you come to me, am I not your best friend? You used to trust me, why not now? Why don't you trust me?"
"I do trust you, Hermione … I really do …" Harry said trying to find the right words, "I just … I don't want to be a burden to anyone, especially you. I know you're going to make Head Girl and I don't want to be the cause for you possibly not making it because you were worrying about me."
Hermione patted the side of her bed for him to sit by her, "Harry, you have never once been a burden to me," She said sitting up with Harry's help. "I want to help you and worry about you. There is nothing you can tell me that could ever make me turn my back on you or freak me out, Harry. When it comes to you, … a-and Ron of course, nothing is more important, not even school or becoming Head Girl."
"I wouldn't be so sure about not being freaked out," Harry said under his breath, "I'm sorry, Hermione, this is something I have to get through on my own. I'll be all right though. I promise."
"I'm there for you if you need me, Harry, I always will be," She said placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. " So … you and Ginny … are just … friends, right?"
"Thought you said it wasn't any of your business?" Harry asked turning toward her, giving her a mischievous smile.
"Well … I … uh … um …" She stammered, neither noticed their faces being unconsciously being drawn together.
"Why am I not surprised the Lapdog will be by his Mudblood master's side?" came a muffled voice, causing the two teens to jump apart.
"Malfoy? You survived?" Harry asked a bit surprised.
"Yes of course," Draco said triumphantly, though he was in a full body cast, "You think a overgrown primitive beast can terribly wound a wizard of my caliber?"
"You wasn't involved in Hermione's attack," Harry asked standing up, "Were you?"
"Ha! Do you think I would waist my time on your little Mudblood whore?" Draco laughed, but groaned in pain from his injuries shortly after.
"Do not EVER call Hermione that in my presence again," Harry said, anger growing rapidly, "Or else history could repeat itself …"
"Well Potter, think about it," Malfoy smiled showing at least five absent teeth, "She's a Mudblood, what else good is she?"
"I wish you wouldn't speak of me as if I was not present," Hermione said looking at both the bed ridden Draco and the trembling with anger Harry, "Both of you."
"Sorry Hermione," Harry grunted, almost sounding like he was in pain.
"Harry … are you alright?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Yes … I … I'm fine," Harry said trembling slightly, "I have to go, I'll talk to you later, Hermione …" He then ran out of the ward leaving a confused Draco and Hermione.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, a sinking feeling developing in her stomach.
Harry ran through the hallway, finally getting to an unpopulated area that led to the outside. Not a moment to soon, either, as the change began to overtake him.
--
Harry jumped up, and found himself in his bed in his dorm room, once again only baggy pants, and his glasses resting on his chest. "Please tell me I didn't kill …" He prayed as he climbed out of bed.
Harry noticed it was morning and the others were probably already up and at breakfast. He walked down the stairs and found the commons room not as abandoned as he expected, "Good morning, Ron, Ginny?"
"Have a seat," Ginny said coolly and Ron just shrugged. Harry did as told, and had a strange feeling of imminent danger.
"You love Hermione," Ginny stated, causing Harry to tumble out of his chair.
"WHAT???" Harry said in a squeaky voice.
"I said you, Harry Potter, are in love with Hermione Granger," Ginny said taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"But, but, but, I don't, what?" Harry stammered climbing back into the chair.
"Let us look upon the evidence at hand," Ginny said nodding with her eyes closed, looking strikingly a lot like Hermione in her 'bookworm' mode. "Exhibit A: Do you recall last year, at the Department of Mystery, we all took injury, but you seemed unaffected and capable of carrying on up until the time Ms. Granger took a injury which drove you to lose all brain function that went against getting her to safety."
"But I …" Harry started but Ginny cut him off.
"Exhibit B:" Ginny continued, "I can hardly blame Ms. Chang for being angry with you, seeing as most of your conversations revolved around Ms. Granger. Am I correct, Mr. Potter, in stating that all you seemed to want to talk about and seemingly thought about was Ms. Granger?"
"I uh I uh …"
"Exhibit C:" Ginny smiled broadly, which frightened Harry, "You often cry out Hermione's name at night, and not as if your having a nightmare …"
"How did you … RON!!! How could you tell her … I mean …" Harry cut himself off quickly with a blush, "I mean, I don't know what you are referring to …"
"Exhibit D: … Hermione," Ginny said then paused for a reaction, "You see, Mr. Weasley, a faint blush and a twinkle in his eye at the mere mention of the name."
"That's not fair!" Harry blushed.
"Exhibit E:" Ginny started but Harry cut her off.
"OK! OK! THAT'S ENOUGH! I ADMIT IT! I admit it …" Harry sighed.
"Admit what?" Ginny asked innocently.
"Ilikehermione," Harry said quickly.
"What was that?'
I like Hermione …" He said a little louder,
"I'm dreadfully sorry, Harry dear, but I still can't hear you."
"I SAID I LIKE HERMIONE, DAMN IT!" Harry said in frustrated.
"So you like Hermione," Ginny asked, "So what are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing," Harry sighed.
"Ron, would you excuse us for a moment," Ginny said grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him to the corner of the Commons room.
"Harry, don't you get it, this could help you keep from changing!" She whispered.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"What do you think I mean," Ginny asked, "You change when you become extremely angry, and as things have gone for you, you have every right to be angry constantly, but Harry think about it. She's nutters about you, you're nutters about her, get you two together and what have you got to be angry about?"
"Well …"
"Think about it, Harry," Ginny continued, "you like Hermione, so my advice is tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel and tell her about your other self. You can do it, and it'll be one last frustration on your mind. In your current situation, frustration could lead to property damage."
"That's kind of mean, you know …"
"C'mon Harry," Ginny smiled, "Ron and I will help you."
Ginny then led Harry back over where Ron was waiting. "Alight Harry, you need to come up with something really special to say to her. Or else she'll think you are only joking with her."
"Um ok," Harry said blinking at the serious look on Ginny's face and the mischievous smile on Ron's, "So what am I supposed to say?"
Ron rolled his eyes, and Ginny let out a loud sigh, "This is going to be a lot of work," She groaned, "Ok then tell us about Hermione."
"Um …"
"Ok then," Ginny sighed, "Imagine Hermione is sitting beside you, tell her exactly how you fill, ignoring the fact Ron and myself are right here."
Harry gulped, but closed his eyes, "Alright, here goes … Hermione, Merlin, I feel silly," Harry sighed before taking a deep breath, "we've been together since first year, and if there was one thing I could count on it was your friendship. You are the most dependable, loyal, and trustworthy friend I have ever had the pleasure of having. What I want to ask is, Hermione Granger, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Harry …" Ginny sighed, "That was great…"
"Yeah, mate," Ron smiled, "There is no way you can go wrong with that!"
"You really think so?" Harry said blushing madly.
"Yes, of course," Ginny beamed, "I just wish a guy would say that to me …"
"You'd probably marry the guy who says that to you," Ron said with a wink at Harry, "After all any guy who winks at you, you go after like a horny rabbit."
"RON!" Ginny yelled, shoving him off the couch. "Anyway, Harry," She said turning to him, "Hermione gets out of the hospital wing tonight and we're throwing her a welcome back party in the commons room. That will be your chance!"
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Harry asked looking at the Weasley siblings questionably.
"Trust me, Harry," Ginny smiled, "I know for a fact she will not turn you down."
"Really?" Harry asked, not able to make eye contact, "Does this have anything to do with the conversation between you and Mione that you won't tell me about?"
"Maybe," Ginny smirked.
Harry shook his head, still feeling very uneasy on the subject, "I think I'll go get some breakfast, then take a walk around the lake before the Quidditch game today. Talk to you two later,"
"Bye Harry," Ron and Ginny both said.
Ginny watched him leave then sighed, "They'll be a marvelous couple."
"I'm sure we will." Ron smirked.
Ginny's head snapped up, and she gazed on him with a worried expression, "Ron, please don't …"
"Don't worry, Ginny," Ron smiled brightly, "Harry's my best mate, He's got enough on him with Voldemort and Deatheaters and such, I'm sure he won't mind me taking worrying about Hermione off his shoulders. After all, if Hermione became Harry's girlfriend, she'll be a target. This way, everyone will be happy."
"Ron don't …" Ginny warned, "You really don't want to upset Harry … you really don't …"
"Don't worry, Gin," Ron said slapping her shoulder, "Everything will work out!" he said as he walked off.
"I honestly hope so …" She said uncertainly, slouching down into the couch, "oh dear …"
--
Later that evening, Harry walked into the commons room. He looked around the crowded chamber and spotted whom he wanted to talk to. Hermione sat beside Ron chatting cheerfully with Ginny. Harry took a deep breath, 'today's the day,' said Harry shaking the nervousness down. After what happened last year, Harry understood that life is too short, and it could end for him or any of his friends at anytime, and the term 'now or never' has never meant more to him then now.
"Hermione?" asked Harry walking toward the couch where his two best friends were seated, "Hermione, is there anyway I may speak to you alone for a moment? It's important."
"Of course, Harry," Hermione beamed happily, "But Ron asked first, as soon as he's finished I'm all yours."
"I hope so anyway," Harry said under his breath taking a seat in an unoccupied chair to wait. He then went over what he was going to say.
Ron had said there was no way he could go wrong with that, so now it was time to lay down his hand.
'Hermione,' Harry began running through his speech through his mind one last time, 'we've been together since first year, and if there was one thing I could count on it was your friendship. You are the most dependable, loyal, and trustworthy friend I have ever had the pleasure of having. What I want to ask is, Hermione Granger, will you be my girlfriend?'
"Hermione?" Ron said clearing his throat, "we've been together since first year, and if there was one thing I could count on it was your friendship."
'Ron? No, I had planned to say that! How could you?' Harry thought angrily staring at Ron looking into Hermione as if every word he was saying was from his heart.
"You are the most dependable, loyal, and trustworthy friend I have ever had the pleasure of having. What I want to ask is," Ron said getting down on one knee for dramatic effect, "Hermione Granger, will you be my girlfriend?"
'Please say no, please say no,' Harry prayed, but then his heart sunk when he saw the gleaming tears in Hermione's eyes.
"Ron, that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me," Hermione whimpered, "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Ron," she said pulling him up into a simple kiss. Ron broke it after a short time and gave Harry an almost friendly smile that made Harry's blood begin to boil.
Harry had to get out of there. He stormed toward the dormitories, shoving Neville out of the way. He stomped into his and Ron's dorm, and sat down hard on the bed. The more he thought about what he just witnessed, the angrier he got. He took the picture on his night table of himself, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny taken last year, and gripped it till his knuckles began to turn white, his eyes boring into the laughing picture of Ron. Then he felt it coming.
He could hear the saying now, the Gryffindor Prefect couple. Made him sick, Ron could have Prefect, he could have Quidditch, he could even have Head Boy next year, but Harry drew the line with Hermione and Ron had just crossed it. "I thought you were my best friend …" Harry growled angrily as his white Knuckles began to take a greenish tint and his robes and clothing began to get tighter.
--
Ron and Hermione laughed and accepted congratulations from their piers, everyone seemed happy for them; everyone but Ginny who was giving Ron a death glare and Luna who looked completely broken hearted. "Ron, where's Harry?" Hermione asked looking around the commons room, "he said he wanted to talk to me of something, where could he of gone?"
"I'm sure he just stepped out for a moment, Hermione," Ron said wrapping his arms around her, so just don't worry about him …" He started to move in for another kiss, but pulled her out of the way as a bed along with broken bricks flew through the wall from what looked like the sixth year boys' dormitory.
"What the bloody hell is that?" Ron asked as Ginny, Luna, and Hermione cowered behind him as a massive hulking behemoth leapt down to the to the floor of the Commons room. It looked like a man, but stood over nine foot tall, and his green skin rippled in gigantic muscles, if not for the shaggy green hair one would of seen a lightening bolt scar on his forehead. The legs of his 'shorts' ripped and gave way as he stomped into the room flexing his muscles angrily.
"Harry!" Hermione gasped as she realized where the Hulk came from, "Harry was in there!"
"Stupefy!" Ron yelled, casting a spell on the monster. It roared angrily, but showed no sign of it having any effect but making him angrier. Its emerald eyes, shimmering with anger, locked with Ron's, and the monster unleashed a tremendous roar.
"What is going on in here?" Professor McGonagall yelled, running in along with Professor Dumbledore and Snape, "Oh good heavens!" She gasped as she saw the hulking monstrosity.
The beast turned and caught site of Professor Snape, and cried angrily again, and dashed forward before anyone could make a breath. "HULK SMASH!!!" It screamed as it grabbed Snape by the face and threw him hard through the hard wooden door of the Gryffindor girls' lavatory across the commons room.
The Hulk then turned back to the four remaining Gryffindor who had not run, but stopped dead in its tracks at the sight of Hermione trembling fiercely and, her eyes filled with tears and fear as she looked up at it. "Hermione … no … be afraid …" it grunted in a voice almost like Harry's, "I … no hurt … Hermione …"
Hermione showed no signs of relaxation. The beast's face went from angry to an almost hurt expression, before it dove toward the opposite wall and on threw it.
Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall quickly moved to the large hole it made, and looked out to the grounds of Hogwarts, where the beast was running toward the Forbidden Forest, "Harry … what has happened … what has he done to you?" Professor Dumbledore whispered sadly, as he watched it disappear into the forest.
To Be Continued …
Next chapter: Umbridge's Hulkbusters