CHAPTER TWELVE
A/N - Hope you enjoy this chapter, it's been in the back of my mind ever since I first came up with the idea for this story…
"Found anything?" Harry asked.
"You're getting almost as bad as Ron," Hermione said, over the thick, leather-bound book she was scanning through.
"What's that?" Harry said, confused.
"Never mind," Hermione said absently, blowing out a breath as she sought to keep her patience. This was going nowhere…
"I guess it's a bit of a long shot," Harry said absently, resting his head on his crossed arms on the library desk, "I don't suppose many people would keep a record of cups and goblets that some Death Eater might have nicked."
Hermione shot him a dirty look, "Then why did you ask me to look?"
"You never know," Harry said, shrugging.
"I give up," Hermione said, pushing the book away and standing up, starting towards the library entrance.
Harry got up and followed her, smirking, "Sorry, what was that?"
"Shut up," She said irritably, "I say we let the next Death Eater sighting lead us to it."
As they walked down the long hallway, Harry noticed how dark it was outside. They must have been in the library longer than he thought.
"Do you know what we're doing tomorrow?" Harry asked, to break the silence that he now found awkward.
"I'm not sure, but it's not going to be too difficult this time." Hermione said.
"Why's that?"
"Didn't you hear? There's some people from the Ministry coming tomorrow; they're giving some of David's fighting methods an official appraisal." Hermione stated matter-of-factly.
"No, didn't hear about that," Harry said.
"Anyway, the Great Hall's off-limits from after breakfast tomorrow."
"Got it," Harry said.
The conversation drifted back into silence…must say something…
"You think there's something going on with Ron and Luna?"
"Why the sudden interest?" Hermione asked, turning her face to look at Harry's as they walked.
Harry shrugged, "I don't know…Ron just seems to be acting a bit weird whenever I bring it up, and Luna's…well, just weird anyway."
"Well, who knows," Hermione said dismissively, looking away. Was she blushing?
"See, I'd always thought…"
"Thought what?" Hermione asked, way too quickly and too snappishly to appear natural.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks, sensing he may have strayed a little over the line, "Nothing,"
"Okay," Hermione said, starting to walk again. Harry caught a look at the side of her face, and could have sworn she looked a bit flustered.
A minute or so later, in silence, they approached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, the portrait of the Fat Lady. Harry stopped as they approached; Hermione noticed this, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Harry said, not sounding at all sure, "Listen, I'm gonna go see Hagrid for a bit, it's not that late yet. I'll catch up with you later."
"Would you like me to come with?" Hermione asked.
"No, it's okay," Harry said quickly, "Got some things I wanted to ask him about, ya know."
"Alright," Hermione nodded, relenting, "Don't stay out too late, okay?"
"Sure," Harry said, turning to leave, "Catch ya later."
He headed back down the hallway, leaving Hermione looking on in a mix of confusion and concern.
* * * * *
As it turned out, Harry stayed at Hagrid's hut far later than he'd intended. Hagrid loved the opportunity for some company, but all the same took it upon himself to personally escort Harry back to the common room when he finally left, at about one in the morning. Having had a few Butterbeers and a couple of shots of firewhiskey inside him, Harry felt…well, he couldn't handle his drink, clearly, which Hagrid had had a good chuckle at.
Harry slept right on through the night, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The next thing he knew, he was being roughly shaken awake by Ron in the morning. The sun hit his eyes painfully, and being in no fit state to possibly get through a training session, Ron decided after a few minutes to go without him. As Harry groggily fell back asleep, he knew he was going to be in trouble with Professor McGonagall for this, but felt worse for Hagrid, and the kind of hot water he might find himself in.
It was still just as light the next time Harry jarred himself back into consciousness, but this time his head felt clearer. He stumbled out of bed and showered, trying to wash off the guilt he was feeling more than anything. Hermione was going to kill him…
He dressed, in jeans and a long-sleeved dark green top, and left the Gryffindor common room, which was ominously empty. The time by now was about half-past-twelve; that whole Ministry demonstration thing had just started. No doubt David would be getting some more pats on the back from the higher-ups at the Ministry…
Why do I keep doing that? Harry asked himself subconsciously as he walked. He couldn't put his finger on it, but despite how helpful David had been, how much he genuinely wanted to stop Voldemort and do his job as an Auror, Harry still didn't completely trust David…or even like him that much, for that matter. What was it? Resentment? Jealousy?
He's everything I am…except he gets the respect and the acclaim…what do I get?
Harry forced that thought from his mind; that wasn't going to be helpful…no matter how much he thought it might be true.
He wandered aimlessly for another few minutes, finding himself along a fourth floor corridor that he had never had much cause to go down, when running footsteps from far off behind him made him turn around. It was Dean, running towards Harry with a frenzied look on his face.
"Dean," Harry said as he approached, "Are you okay?"
"It's Hermione, mate," Dean said breathlessly, fighting the urge to double cover to try and catch his breath.
An icy shock overtook Harry; his face froze, the pit of his stomach felt as if it were turning to ice, "What happened?"
"Class was…odd-numbered…she was with David and Nev…," Dean struggled through, still breathless, "It was an accident…he caught her with…"
"With what, Dean?" Harry snapped.
"Full-Body Bind," Dean replied.
Before he'd uttered the `Bind', Harry was racing off down the corridor.
* * * * *
"Will she be alright?" Ron asked urgently, standing stock-still at the foot of Hermione's bed in the Hospital Wing, his arms crossed over his chest, glancing over at Madam Pomfrey with concern. Luna stood a few paces beside and behind him, looking equally crestfallen. The way her eyes kept on Ron, it seemed the object of her sorrow was different.
Madam Pomfrey carried a stainless steel tray of medical implements over to Hermione's bed-side, "For the fourth time, she'll be fine." She said impatiently, "Right now she's sedated under there, but she'll wake up in a while as if she's been asleep."
Hermione lay flat on top of the bed; she was as straight as an arrow, arms and legs down by her sides, but frozen solid. Her face was held in a suspended look of shock. Not one part of her moved; nothing. Ron had been assured that she was breathing under there, but the force of the spell had paralyzed her diaphragm. Whereas before he had been stir crazy, for now Ron was a lot calmer. Apparently, she'd been through the worst of it by now.
Ron had caught the whole thing out the corner of his eye; David cast the spell at Hermione out the corner of his eye as he squared up to Neville. It was only to stop Hermione from launching a spell of her own; her hand movement suggested one was imminent. She was inches away from catching it with a Shield Charm, but her forearm was out of position. She instantly froze up and fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Ron instantly grabbed her, and with the help of Seamus and Dean rushed her to the Hospital Wing. It took the three of them; it was like running with a battering ram. If it hadn't been so serious, it would have almost been funny.
Harry's gonna go crazy when he sees this…
Ron heard the running footsteps before anyone, and before Harry dashed into the Hospital Wing Ron was moving towards him, hands open and outstretched as if to stop his momentum. Sure enough, Harry bound right into him, "Harry mate, stop! Relax!"
"What the HELL HAPPENED?" Harry shouted back, struggling against Ron's grip.
"She's fine mate, she just…"
Ron stopped as Harry instantly stopped struggling; he caught a glimpse of Hermione's perfectly still form. Carefully, Ron released his best friend.
Harry inched closer to his other best friend, his mouth hung open in shock. He stopped by her side, looking down on her, focusing on her face.
God, she looks horrified…
Tears welled up in his eyes. He put his hand to his mouth, desperately trying to choke back the sobs that he knew were coming.
Ron was standing beside him all of a sudden, talking quietly, "Mate, believe me it was an accident. He thought she had it covered…"
"She doesn't look like she's breathing," Harry said unevenly, his throat beginning to close up.
"I know," Ron said, "Her…whatever it is, was paralyzed. She's just asleep under there, she'll be fine in a bit. She's meant to wake up anytime soon."
"If I'd been there," Harry said distantly, "If I hadn't…"
"Don't blame yourself, Harry," Luna said, speaking for the first time in hours, "What's happened has happened."
Harry angrily wiped the tears away from his eyes, privately amazed at how empathic Luna could be when she felt like it.
If she's in pain after this, I'm gonna…
Wait…he did this…
That son of a bitch…
Harry's mouth curled into a scowl; his eyes narrowed and seethed. In a second, grief had turned to anger. A surge of which he had never felt before…
"He's mine," Harry whispered to himself.
"What was that, mate?" Ron asked, confused.
"He's mine," Harry growled.
"Harry, come on, don't…"
Before Ron could even move, Harry drew his wand and burst away to the door, running back down the corridor.
-->