Heaven Normal Heaven 2 3292 2003-08-23T03:39:00Z 2003-08-23T03:39:00Z 1 3417 19478 162 45 22850 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
A/N: Well hello everyone! Long time no write, on this story at least. As you can all see, we haven't forgotten about this one, it just was a long time in the making. We'll try and make sure that updates come a bit more frequently, and besides that, this story is only going to be about 5-6 chapters long.
Thanks to ALL of you who wrote in and asked about this story, and to those of you who reviewed the second chapter. This one is dedicated to you guys! :)
Chapter 3: Caliadrien
Harry bit his lower lip as his cousin's fist once again came in contact with his shoulder.
"Does it hurt yet?" Dudley snickered. "Does it hurt yet?"
He knew if he cried out or retaliated that his aunt would find a way to turn it around and blame his injuries on him. Dudley continued to punch Harry as Petunia finally parked the car under a tree. He sighed with relief as his cousin hurled his two ton body up out of the seat, practically jumping from the car. He quickly removed Dudley's toys and the basket from the car, then grabbed his lunch and took off for the woods, hoping Hermione would be there already. Harry had been unable to think of anything other than the place they had discovered the Friday before, and he knew he wanted to go back in there.
As he entered the wood, he saw Hermione rushing towards him with a huge grin on her face. She seemed overly excited about something. He was concentrating on her and tripped over a rock, then was heading towards the ground at rapid speed.
"Harry!" Hermione cried as she watched him fall. His glasses flew off his face and onto the ground a few feet in front of him. She helped him back up and then grabbed his glasses, brushing dirt off them with her shirt. "Here you go."
Harry's face was bright red, 'I did not just do that.' He thought to himself. 'She probably thinks I'm a complete fool.' Harry looked up at her, expecting her to start laughing at him, as Dudley and his friends often did. "Uh thanks..." He took the glasses from her and put them back on. "So um... how was your uh… weekend?" Harry tried desperately to change the subject.
"It was fine." Hermione didn't seem to care that he had just fallen on his face. "Listen, Harry... I've been thinking a lot about that place over these past few days."
"I have too." Harry said, running his hand through his unruly black hair. "Do you... want to go back in?"
"Yes." Hermione replied immediately. "I wonder... I wonder why it was so different, there's got to be a logical explanation why it was so different than this." she gestured to the trees around her. "Why was it so cold in there but not out here?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. It was a little strange I suppose…"
"Strange, yes." Hermione bit her lower lip. "It was almost like... magic." Harry stared at her wordlessly for a moment and then she shrugged. "But that's silly, there's no such thing as magic right?"
"Right." Harry said, not really sounding too sure of himself. He often got in big trouble when ever he said the word magic at the Dursleys'. He really didn't know what to think.
They walked to the bushes in silence, and then looked at each other, both remembering the creepy feeling of being watched while in there. "Are you ready?" Hermione asked, pulling away at a few branches.
"I'm ready...uh wait... Are you sure its still going to be there? What if there's a huge hole now and we fall?" Harry asked.
"We'll just have to take it slow I suppose." Hermione said in a slightly nervous tone. She got down on all fours and began to crawl through the brush, making sure to watch what was ahead of her.
Harry was glad Hermione was going in front of him, since she had much better eyesight than he did. He continued to crawl after her, wondering if it was much further.
Hermione saw the opening on the other side of the bushes and smiled, she was sick of the pine needles clinging to her hands. Coming out of the brush, she stood up and squinted as Harry shuffled out behind her.
Harry stood up, brushing the dirt from his hands and trousers. "Well I'm glad we're out of there, those things are sharp." He plucked one sharp quill from his hand.
Both children did a double take at their surroundings. While the sky in the park had been dotted with clouds, it was a deep blue here with the sun shining brightly. Sticking together, they ventured in further and were astonished to discover that the broken bridge they encountered when they had been there Friday was now fixed, and the water in the pond crystal clear.
"Is this the same place?" Hermione voiced both of their thoughts.
"I think so." Harry scratched his head in confusion and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "That's the same bridge over there… but it's not broken anymore. And the trees… they've got leaves on them too…"
"This is so strange…" Hermione muttered, more to herself than to Harry. "It was so… dark on Friday and now…" the two of them looked at each other. "Are you getting that creepy feeling again?"
"No." Harry replied.
Hermione glanced around, still feeling a bit nervous, "What are you thinking then?"
"I'm not sure." Harry felt the tugging in his stomach start to evaporate as they continued to look around. "It seems safe enough… whatever it was that day must be gone."
"All right then." Hermione said, a tiny smile coming to her face. She pulled her bag off her back and set it down, taking out several gardening tools that Harry recognized from his times of weeding his aunt's endless plants in the backyard. "I thought maybe we could try and fix it up." Hermione looked up at him.
"Um," Harry didn't want to be rude but he didn't want to work. "How about we just rest for a little bit first?" he tried to stall.
"All right." Hermione replied, and sat down next to Harry on a soft patch of grass. They laid together in silence for a moment or two, before he spoke up again.
Harry looked around, "I wonder if there were flowers here before?"
"Probably." Hermione answered, her eyes half closed. "This place is probably really pretty when it's in bloom."
"What do you think this place would look like, when it's like that?" Harry asked, turning his head slightly to look at her.
"Well…" Hermione closed her eyes. "I think probably there would be flowers nearly everywhere you step, and the sun would always be shining. The water in that pond over there would be good enough to drink straight from it, and there would be berry bushes we could eat off of…" she opened her eyes and turned to look at Harry, who had a shocked and surprised look on his face. "What is it?" she asked.
Harry was wide eyed as he looked around and then back at Hermione. "Well I'm not sure if it's just me but… this place now looks like how you said."
Hermione turned and looked as well, her jaw dropping. "I... I can't believe this..." the two of them got up and walked over to the pond. "If what I thought was real then..." she leaned over and scooped a handful of the crystal clear water into her hand, bringing it to her mouth. "Harry it's good!" she exclaimed.
Harry wiped his hands on his too large trousers and crouched down next to her. Hermione was busy taking another scoop full of the water; he figured it must be good then. He wouldn't be so hesitant but one time when he was four, Dudley had forced him to drink river water in front of Piers Polkiss, and ever since then he had shuddered when he saw people drink from the ground. Harry cupped his hand hesitantly and took a scoop, bringing it slowly to his mouth.
"It tastes like this has lemon in it." Hermione said as his eyes widened with the flavour. "I don't know how, but it does."
She was right, he realised. It was the best water he'd ever tasted; nothing had ever been sweeter or crisper than this. He wiped off the back of his mouth with his hand. "Hermione," he said slowly. "If you made the water this way… then do you suppose there are berry bushes nearby?" his stomach growled softly at the thought of food.
Hermione giggled a bit. "How come boys always think of meals?" She turned and smiled at him so he would know she was joking around.
He smiled back but was ashamed to tell her about his measly breakfast that morning. The lunch that Aunt Petunia had made would do nothing to ease his hunger, but he forgot all about it when they saw juicy, large red berries the size of golf balls hanging from the leaves of the bushes in front of them. Harry looked at Hermione with disbelief before they both suddenly laughed and ran forward.
"These are wonderful!" Hermione cried as she delicately plucked the stems off and popped them in her mouth one at a time. Harry was not so picky; he grabbed handfuls of the berries at once and stuffed them down.
"Harry!" Hermione was laughing at his red stained face. "Didn't you eat breakfast this morning?"
"Um…" Harry wiped his face with his sleeve. "Not really, I was more excited about getting here." He covered hastily.
"Oh," Hermione's face turned a slight shade of pink. She had been worried all weekend that Harry wouldn't come back to the park again. It pleased her to think he had been looking forward to it as much as she had been.
Harry saw her blush and looked down as he used his sleeve to wipe at his mouth some more. He wanted to say that he had just said that as an excuse, but then he realised that he really had looked forward to spending time with her. Sending a shy smile her way, he resumed eating berries.
The two children spent the rest of the day sitting alternately by the pond and the berry bushes. It was one of the happiest afternoons of Harry's life as they sat and did nothing but talk. He waved goodbye to her as they left the woods to go home, and walked towards his aunt's car with a slight bounce in his step.
However, that bounce faded as he came to the parking lot and saw his aunt and cousin already in the car. Aunt Petunia had a furious look on her face and Harry knew he was in trouble as he quietly opened the door and got in. Not a word was said as she put the car in reverse and began to drive away.
"We will not wait for you next time, boy." Aunt Petunia said as they were turning down Privet Drive.
"Yeah, you made me late for my dinner." Dudley jeered at him but put an innocent face on for his mother. "Mummy I'm starving!"
Petunia cooed at her son. "Don't worry Duddikins; Mummy will fix you up whatever you like when we get inside."
Dudley sneered at him and lurched his big frame up off the seat. As Harry opened the car door to get out, he heard a cry and turned to watch Dudley fall face first onto the pavement.
"Mummy!!!" Dudley was wailing. Petunia screamed and rushed back down to help her son up.
"What happened Duddiepoo?" Petunia wiped his chubby cheeks.
"He tripped me!" Big fat alligator tears were streaming down Dudley's face as he pointed to Harry.
Harry's jaw fell open. "I did not!" he said in his own defence.
"Yes you did you came over here and tripped me then ran over there so it wouldn't look like it was you!" Dudley said, still crying. Petunia glared at him, then stabbed her finger at the house.
"How dare you act as if you didn't do this? You go right to your cupboard for the rest of the night! No dinner for you either!" Harry opened his mouth to protest further, but closed it as he realised it would get him nowhere.
He shut his cupboard door behind him and lay flat on his back. Looking up at the stairs above his head, he reflected back on the day he'd had.
Harry had always had a sneaking suspicion that there was something different about him as far as strange occurrences went, but this was beyond anything he could have dreamed up. A secret land, one that only he and Hermione knew about it seemed. A smile crossed his lips as he thought about her. His friend, his first ever friend.
Harry wasn't at all concerned about dinner that evening, for the berries he had eaten all afternoon had more than filled him up. He turned on his side and looked at the cracked mirror hanging next to the door. His green eyes were unusually bright, and his pale face had grown somewhat browner in the sun.
Perhaps things were finally looking up for him.
Hermione was awake the next morning bright and early. She was more than excited to get back to the park and spend time with Harry in their secret place. It was hard not telling her mother about it, especially when she asked where she disappeared to every day.
"Just in the back of the woods, Mummy," Hermione answered with what she hoped was an innocent tone. She loved her mother, but knew she wouldn't understand about what had occurred beyond those bushes.
Now she snuck quietly into her father's study and grabbed the thick, heavy book off his desk. He had been reading this to her chapter by chapter each night, and last night it had given her several ideas. Putting it into her knapsack, she went into the kitchen and tried to pretend that she hadn't just done anything.
"Hermione, have you made your lunch?" Mrs. Granger was asking.
"Yes Mummy," Hermione answered. She had made it the night before with the intention of sneaking in extra food for Harry. She had seen yesterday how he had crammed the berries into his mouth, and she wanted to share what she had with her friend. Her friend, her first ever friend.
Hermione was smiling as she followed her mother out of the house. They were just arriving at the park when she saw Harry climbing out of a car a few spaces down. "Mum, that's Harry right there!" she pointed.
"All right dear," Mrs. Granger smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm. Hermione got out of the car and raced to where Harry was setting down his cousin's toys.
"Hi Harry!" she said.
"Hi Hermione," Harry smiled back at her. He looked up and saw a woman that looked like an older version of his friend approaching.
"Harry this is my mum," Hermione gestured.
"Lovely to meet you, Harry." Mrs. Granger smiled, and was pleased when the boy reached out and shook her hand politely.
"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Granger." Harry replied.
"Hermione has talked so much about you," Mrs. Granger continued, oblivious to the red flush in her daughter's face. "Where have you two been playing?"
"Oh um…" Harry didn't know if she had said anything to her mother about their place. One look at Hermione shaking her head made him realise. "Just… just back in the woods where it's quiet," he said.
"That sounds quite lovely," Mrs. Granger replied. She could see they looked eager to go and she wouldn't hold them up any longer. With a wave, she watched them start to walk off, talking between themselves.
"Sorry," Hermione apologized as they set out towards the trees. "My mum wanted to meet you before but you were always in the woods or I would get here before you and I know she asks a lot of questions…" she trailed off when Harry started laughing.
"It's all right, I don't mind," he answered shyly, pushing back at his unruly hair. They stood together in silence for a moment when Harry suddenly noticed Dudley approaching. "Oh no…" he grabbed Hermione's hand without thinking and began to pull her along. "Dudley's coming, let's run!"
Hermione nodded and they both began to run to the woods. They could hear Dudley and Piers crashing through the brush as they approached the bushes that would lead them into their place.
"Go!" Harry pushed her in and then crawled in after her. He stayed near the entrance but was completely out of sight from his cousin.
"Where did they go?" Dudley's fat pig-like legs were directly in front of the gaping hole in the bushes where Harry and Hermione currently hid. "They were just here!"
"I don't know," Piers sounded equally as disappointed. "Maybe we can find them later."
"Yeah…" Dudley sounded somewhat cheered up at that prospect, and Harry thanked his lucky stars that his cousin was too dumb to look in the hole. The two boys began to walk away and Harry and Hermione let out breaths.
"I didn't want him finding our place," Harry said as they began to crawl through. "He'd ruin it, that's what Dudley does."
"He'd eat all the berries too," Hermione replied as they stood up on the other side. The sun was still warm on their faces much like it had been the day before. They walked over to the edge of the pond and sat down as Hermione pulled her bag next to her.
"I was thinking, last night," Hermione began as she began to unpack her things. "We need a name for this place, and we should set up some rules."
"Rules?" Harry asked, bemused. "Why do we need rules?"
"Because… this is our place, it's like a whole other world that no one but us knows about." Hermione fixed him with a stare. "We can't let it go to ruin."
"I guess," Harry replied. She beamed as he conceded and began to flip through a very thick book.
"Well for names…" she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and began to page through the book. "What about Lothlorien?"
"What?" Harry asked. "What book is that?"
"It's called 'The Lord of the Rings.'" Hermione replied eagerly. "My dad has been reading it to me each night and they have some wonderful names in it." She began to thumb through it again. "Well, if you don't like that one, how about Mirkwood?"
Harry shook his head. "Those both sound…"
"Not right," Hermione finished. "Okay… Gondor? No… Rivendell?" she named off several but none were quite right.
After awhile, Hermione had lapsed into silence and Harry plucked at a few blades of grass; both deep in thought. Suddenly, they looked at one another.
"Caliadrien." They said together. Harry's jaw hung open and Hermione's eyes grew so wide they looked like they would pop out.
"How did you know that?" they spoke in unison again.
"It just popped into my head," Harry tried to explain. Hermione nodded wordlessly.
"Same with me…" The two children sat in contemplative silence for a few moments before Hermione spoke up again. "Well I guess that's it then, Caliadrien."
"I like it," Harry said thoughtfully.
"Me too," Hermione grinned. She looked back down at her book as if she was trying to decide whether or not to say what she had on her mind next.
"What are you thinking?" Harry asked, seeing as she had something she wanted to say.
"Well…" Hermione began slowly, hoping Harry wouldn't find her next idea silly. "I think… I think we should declare ourselves King and Queen."
Harry bit his lower lip as he thought about what she had just proposed. King and Queen? He was hardly fit to play the role of a King.
"We don't have to if you think it's a stupid idea," Hermione replied softly as she looked down at her feet.
"It's not that," Harry replied. "I'm just…" he scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really a King type of person."
"Well I'm not much of a Queen person," Hermione replied. "But since this is magic…"
Harry looked up at her, a slight smile blossoming across his lips. "You're right," he agreed.
A full on grin broke across her face and she almost rushed over and hugged him. "Great!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Then… I guess we need to proclaim our titles and invent a secret handshake that only we know."
"Okay," Harry agreed eagerly. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of being a King and having a secret handshake.
Hermione sat down next to him. "Okay," she said. "Um, I guess…. Put your pinkie finger out." She stuck hers and he linked it with his. "And then… I think…" for some reason her face turned bright red.
"What?" Harry asked, noticing her colour.
"Perhaps we should… do the whole 'seal it with a kiss'." Hermione was blushing furiously.
Harry didn't really know what to say, he liked Hermione very much but he didn't want to kiss her. She must have seen his indecision for she spoke again.
"Well no, no… not on the… mouth," her face was still red. "Our fists, while our fingers are connected."
"Oh!" Harry was relieved. "That's fine."
Hermione smiled again. "Now we need crowns." She looked around. "We could use some flowers…"
Harry shook his head. "I'm not wearing flowers."
Hermione looked like she was fighting back a grin. "Okay," she agreed, knowing he wouldn't budge. "Vines?"
"That would be okay, I guess," Harry answered. "Better than flowers."
Hermione giggled and pulled her pinkie out of Harry's. They both gathered what they needed for their respective crowns and Hermione showed him how to weave everything together.
After they finished weaving, they paused, not sure what to do next. Harry looked expectedly at Hermione, sure that she must have had tons of exposure to this kind of thing in books. "What do we do next?" he asked after several minutes of silence.
"Well… we put on our crowns," Hermione placed hers on her head and Harry followed suit. "And then… we stand up and wave to all our subjects!" she took Harry's hand and pulled him up. She began to wave.
Harry looked from her to the empty space in front of him and shrugged. "What do I have to lose?" he wondered as he began to imitate Hermione.
"And now," Hermione said. "I proclaim you, Harry… what's your middle name?" she stopped and giggled.
"James." Harry replied, grinning back.
"I proclaim you, Harry James Potter, King of Caliadrien!" she made one large swoop with her arm and they both started laughing. "Your turn!"
"Okay- I, Harry James Potter, King of Caliadrien, proclaim you, Hermione…" he paused.
"Eliana," she whispered.
"I, Harry James Potter, King of Caliadrien, proclaim you, Hermione Eliana Granger, to be my Queen of Caliadrien!" Harry made the same swooping motion with his arm and they both laughed again, then hooked pinkies and sealed their titles with a kiss. He looked at her sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks. "She's pretty…." He didn't voice that thought, as it was startling to him, but he hid it well as Hermione began to move towards the pond.
"King Harry, we need to make our palace." She was saying. For the first time, they crossed over the bridge and onto the tiny island in the middle of the pond.
Harry looked around. "How about those branches?" he pointed to some on the other side of the pond.
"Brilliant!" Hermione replied. They crossed over and each took an armful and dragged them back to the island.
They worked far into the afternoon and were able to put together half their 'castle'. Hermione sat back and looked at it with satisfaction.
"I think we can finish the rest tomorrow, don't you?" she asked.
"Yeah," Harry agreed reluctantly. He was sorry that the afternoon was coming to an end. They took off their crowns and set them inside their half built castle. As Harry began to follow Hermione out through the bushes, something made him stop and turn around.
"Hermione!" he called out as his eyes grew wide at the sight in front of him.
"What?" Hermione poked her head back out.
Harry didn't respond, only pointed directly in front of them. Hermione followed his finger and gasped.
A ghost stood on the path in front of them.