Disclaimer: We do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in this fic. They all belong to Ms. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers, and Scholastic. We don't get paid to write, we're doing it for fun and enjoyment.

AN: This story will ship H/H, have torture, abuse, severe angst, and other emotionally disturbing things. If this might bother you, it might be best to find another fic to read. You have been warned...

Harry watched the scenery as the train got nearer and nearer to Kings Cross. It always seemed to go faster on the way home, and he idly wondered if was him or if the conductor wanted to be rid of the noisy teenagers.

"Alright there, mate?" Ron asked, looking up from a chess game with Hermione.

"Yeah, just watching you win," Harry grinned, pretending to be mortally wounded when Hermione graced him with a Death Glare.

As Ron and Hermione went back to their game, Harry sat back, and thought back to the last day of classes, when he'd approached Dumbledore yet again.

"Headmaster, I..erm...I was wondering if I could stay with Ron this summer? His mum's invited me and..." Harry began, trying not to appear as desperate as he was. "It's just, the Dursleys, they're going to be mad, still about..."

"Harry," Dumbledore began, offering his student a Lemon Drop, "It is more important now that Voldemort has returned that you remain with your relatives. The blood wards will protect you better than any other wards we can come up with."

Declining the sweet, Harry opened his mouth to try again.

"No, Harry, now run along."

"Harry! Harry, we're here. It's time to get off!" Hermione said, grabbing the handle of her trunk and Crookshank's carrier.

Harry sighed deeply; he really dreaded seeing his uncle again. He knew that Uncle Vernon hadn't forgotten about that incident with the Ton Tongue Toffee, nor the fireplace being blown apart by the Weasley's when the had flooed over to get him. He shivered suddenly, which was noticed by his best friend, Ron.

"All right there, mate?" Ron asked, as he looked at the drawn and pale face of his friend.

"Yea, I guess so. I suppose I'm just a little tired. Ready?" Harry tried to put a smile on his face, which must have worked, because Ron nodded his affirmative and off they went, dragging their trunks behind them.

They jumped off the train, and it was then that Harry saw Arthur and Molly there to greet their children. He watched with a twinge of sadness as Ginny ran into her mother's arms, and Ron, Fred and George were greeted with a fatherly hug and handshake from Arthur. He then noticed that Hermione was with her parents, their arms wrapped around each other in a warm greeting. Harry sighed again...this was going to be a long, difficult summer. The guilt he felt from seeing Cedric die in front of him was still fresh on his mind.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of soft arms wrap around his waist, and it startled him from his dark thoughts.

"Harry! What's wrong? Why are you still standing here? Are you ok?" Hermione asked softly. She could see that her best friend didn't want to go through that portal, and she knew what was bothering him, but she wanted him to talk about it.

Harry put on a smile for her. "I'm ok, Mione. I just wish...well...you know..." he left his sentence unfinished.

"Let's go through," Hermione suggested and took his hand and walked him though the portal. Once on the other side, Harry looked around and quickly found his uncle standing near a vending machine, his face huge, purple, and angry looking. Harry visibly paled and stiffened, but no one noticed. He then felt Hermione place her hands on his face and give him a quick kiss on his cheek. He blushed, but gave her a hug back in response.

"Thanks, Hermione. Thanks for being there for me," he choked out. "Um, if I don't write much this summer, try to remember that my uncle might not let me..." he tried to get across to her.

"Don't worry Harry, I'll write you and you can send something back then," she replied.

"Thanks, Mi." Harry offered her a little grin. It was at that moment that Mrs. Weasley came over and wrapped Harry in a hug that could almost rival Hagrid's. Harry was sure that his eyes were about to pop out of the sockets.

"Oh, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, trying to smooth down his hair. "You take it easy this summer, alright? I'll see if I can get the Headmaster to let you come over soon," she soothed, briefly wondering how it was that the Headmaster had so much control over Harry's comings and goings. Certainly it should've been his Aunt and Uncle's decision.

Harry nodded his head, getting his wind back. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley."

"I guess I ought to go now, best not to keep Uncle Vernon waiting," Harry said, trying his best to think strong, brave, Gryffindorish thoughts. Waving to everybody, he dragged his trunk and Hedwig's cage over to where Uncle Vernon was impatiently waiting for him.

"Hullo, Uncle Vernon," Harry said, looking up at his Uncle, doing his best to keep his face absolutely neutral.

Vernon looked down at his wife's nephew disdainfully. Now the boy wasn't just abnormal, he was a murderer to boot!

"Get to the car, boy!" he snarled, pushing the teen harshly towards the auto. "And be quick about it!"

Harry nodded his head, and murmured a quiet "Yes, Uncle Vernon," and set about to dragging his trunk over to the car as quickly as he could, while not jostling Hedwig any more than he could help it.

Vernon watched as Harry struggled to lift the heavy trunk into the boot of the car. He didn't suppose that the boy looked like a murderer, but looks could be deceiving, oh yes. Very deceiving. Gleefully he thought of how much more the boy deserved his punishments.

Oh, yes, Vernon knew his wife's nephew was a good for nothing whelp. He'd seen the letter from that Headmaster Dumbledork or what ever he was. He heard about how this runt had coerced another boy into a trap. How the boy had died because of...Potter. Well, he might have to house the little criminal, but he wasn't letting him anywhere near his Dudders. No, it was back to the cupboard for Potter.

A/N: Hello everyone, this is Crystal and Nita. We are writing this story together and it's our first attempt at a joint adventure! We both sincerely hope that you enjoy reading this. It will be a manipulative Dumbledore, Friendly and Mentor Snape, Harry and Hermione ship, and lots of other things that we just like and will put into the fic. No flames please, but we'll take all the ideas and constructive criticism we can