TREES, by James.
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Warning:
Implications of abuse.
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Disclaimer:
I do not own anything you recognize.
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Hal is four and being chased by one of Aunt Marge's dogs. She scrambles six branches up a tree, hands catching on rough bark, and her breath comes out heavy. The dog growls at the base, claws scratching the bark as it jumps up.
"Please leave," she pleads quietly to the dog, too quiet to be heard, and that's when she notices something move ahead of her. Her breath catches and she stills, biting the fabric of her sleeve to muffle any noises.
The dog turns to growl at the obscured movement, and she hugs her knees tightly to her chest.
"Kid?" a voice calls, slow and deep. "Is this your dog?" The figure comes into view. It's a man, tall, with his palms held out for her to see, but she doesn't know why.
She recognises the words. They're written on her wrist in a dark scrawl, and she pulls her sleeve further down at the thought.
Aunt Petunia tells Dudley that his words will be from his soulmate, who will love him and care for him and never hurt him.
Aunt Petunia tells her that her soulmate will be disappointed, and angry.
While Hal is thinking, Aunt Marge's dog charges for the man, but the barks turn to whines when the man's own, considerably larger dog comes forward, chest rumbling with a low growl. Aunt Marge's dog runs back to the house, tail between his legs, but the man keeps his eyes on her.
"Are you okay?" the man asks, and Hal thinks of Aunt Petunia, telling Dudley to not talk to strangers, so she doesn't say anything.
"Do you think you can come down? I don't want you to get hurt," he says, and she remembers what happens when she disobeys Vernon, and so she trembles as she climbs down, palms scratched raw by the time she reaches the bottom.
"There we go," the man encourages, and he squats in front of her. She doesn't think he looks angry, but sometimes Vernon tries to trick her, tells her she can eat with them when he really makes her watch Dudley refuse to eat his veg and they throw it away, so she stays quiet.
"Do you live here?" he asks, gesturing to Vernon and Petunia's house, and Hal doesn't know what he wants, but she doesn't want him to get angry, so she nods jerkily. The lights in the front room are on, and she can see Aunt Petunia laughing through the window, and Uncle Vernon's face is blotchy and red. Aunt Marge has her dog held tightly under one arm, and Hal looks away quickly.
Something in the man's expression changes, and his brows furrow. "Do they know you're out here?" he asks.
After a moment, Hal nods again.
The man looks angry suddenly, and Hal's breath hitches loudly. His eyes turn back to her, and he tries to soften his frown. "What's your name?"
She doesn't know which name he wants - the teachers at school call her Hal, or Potter, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia call her 'girl' and 'freak'. Except Uncle Vernon would be angry if she tried to tell him to call her Hal, and so she says, "Freak," voice trembling. She hopes desperately that's what the man wants, and flinches when the man looks extraordinarily angry again.
"What else are you called?" he asks, voice stilted.
"Girl?" she tries, but he doesn't look happy, and she flinches back again. "Hal?" she says instead. "Potter?"
The man looks calmer, but also sad. "Hal Potter?" he checks, and she nods jerkily, wisps of hair falling past her glasses. She's breathing heavily now, and presses her sleeve against her mouth.
"Could you come closer please, Miss Hal?" the man asks, and Hal knows Vernon never says 'please' when he tells her to do things, but the man might be trying to trick her again.
She shuffles forward slowly, keeping her eyes on the man's dog, but it is sat calmly now, watching her curiously.
"Can you tell me who gave you that bruise?" the man tries, gesturing to her face, and she flinches back at the sudden movement. He looks apologetic, and moves his hand away.
Vernon tells her to never tell anybody about the bruises and burns he and Aunt Petunia give her, says she's a freak who deserves them, so she doesn't say anything.
"Was it them?" he asks, nodding over to the window, and she flushes. "Right," the man mutters, seemingly to himself, and he glances down at his dog before turning to her. "Would you like to come with me, Miss Hal? There will be no dogs that chase you up trees, I promise," he bargains.
Hal thinks that sounds nice.
"It's because I'm bad," she says instead, voice small, and the man looks sad, now.
"I don't think you're bad," he says quietly to her, and then, "Do you know what your mark means, Miss Hal?"
She shakes her head, because she doesn't know what he expects her to say.
"It means we are good for each other," he says slowly. "It means I won't ever hurt you. It means I'll protect you."
"Aunt Petunia says my soulmate hates me," she mentions quietly.
"I don't hate you," he says deeply. "I want to take care of you. I want you to be safe."
Hal frowns, and hugs herself tighter. "But Aunt Petunia…" she trails.
"Aunt Petunia has never met me," he says, meeting her eyes. "I want you to be cared for," he repeats, "and happy."
"With you?" Hal tries, because that seems to be what he wants.
"Yes," he says, looking relieved. "I want you to come with me, so I can make sure you're happy."
"Why?" she asks, confused.
He's quiet for a moment. "Because you deserve it."
Hal looks back to Number 4, Privet Drive, to Aunt Petunia smiling and Uncle Vernon chortling with a drink in hand, Aunt Marge speaking loudly and ruffling Dudley's hair, and thinks that she doesn't fit.
Maybe she'll fit with the man.
"Okay," she whispers, and the man smiles at her.
"Good," he says, and stands straight. He towers over her now, and holds out a hand for her to take.
Aunt Petunia holds Dudley's hand when they're outside, but she doesn't like to touch Hal, had slapped her away the one time she'd tried.
This man wants to hold her hand, though, and so Hal puts her smaller one in his. He encloses it gently and grins down at her, before leading her away.
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon don't even notice.