Disclaimer : I don't own anything.
A/N : I don't know... this plot just came to me... R/R please !
A newfound ability.
by SiriusWhite1
Harry couldn't sleep well these days. Everyday he had a headache and a very strange dream. Well, just like this night. He was twitching and tossing in his bed, his head was turning right and left, sweat was pouring down his forehead, his breath was quick. He dreamt that he appeared inside of his own head and saw there Snape, Voldemort and Umbridge. Each one had a hammer in their hands and they were destroying everything around them. Harry shouted : " No ! That's my brain, what are you doing ?!! " But it seemed that they didn't hear him. They continued to destroy his brain. And everytime they hit something with their hammer Harry shouted from pain. It was a neverending torturness. Then suddenly a deep and wide hole appeared under his feet and he started to fall. He was falling and falling somewhere deep... until he hit something and felt pain spreading through his body. Harry woke up. He was lying on the floor. His pillow was lying a few metres away from his bed. He was still breathing hard and just couldn't calm himself down. He looked around. The boy's dormitory was empty. " God... What an awful dream... " - he thought. He got up from the floor and tried to calm himself down. For a second he wondered where the hell are everybody but then he told himself that he'll find out this a bit later.
Harry took a quick shower and brushed his hair even though there was no need to do that 'cause his hair looked like he didn't use a hair brush at all. He was always proud of his hair because it made him look like his father James but honestly sometimes it was very annoying... Whatever he was doing his hair was as messy as usual. Well, you can't fight with nature, now can you ? :) He got dressed and walked out of the boy's dormitory with a strange feeling. His head was light as if it was completely empty. And there was also a feeling that someone was talking behind him. He stopped and turned around but there was no one behind him. " Ha-ha... I'm going crazy... Wonderful... " He continued walking down the stairs but those strange feeling remained.
Harry sat on his favorite armchair and looked at the small tea table which was standing right in front of the chimney. A few empty cups of coffee, heap of books, parchments....parchments... her quill... Harry took Hermione's quill and smiled from the memories that came to his mind. He remembered how he gave it to her on her birthday. That quill was very beautiful. It was long and blue. Also the saler told him that that quill never will be damaged it will serve his owner forever. She was so excited from his gift that she casually kissed him on the lips. Their lips touched each other only for a second but that was enough for Harry. He suddenly noticed that Hermione is not just his friend but that she's a girl. And a very beautiful girl to tell the truth. Some strange feelings appeared inside of him and he couldn't figure out what those feelings were. But every time he saw her he felt himself differently. As if for a few moments there were no Death Eaters, no Voldemort... there was nothing but her.
Harry came back down on earth and put the quill down on the table. " Where's everyone ? " - he thought once again. Today was Sunday so he doubt that all students were at the lessons... But then... where did they go ?
Harry walked through the portrait hole and strode in the direction of the Great Hall. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Hermione who was running in his direction with something in her hands.
" Harry ! "
" Hi, Hermione ! Where have you been ? "
" I went to the kitchen. You missed breakfast so I thought that you might be hungry. I brought you some sandwiches. "
" Thanks. "
" What's wrong with you ? You look so miserable... "
" Oh, I just didn't sleep well... "
" Nightmares again ? " 'Mione frowned.
Harry hesitated with the answer. He didn't want to tell her about his nightmares. He didn't want to make her worry about him. Everytime he felt guilty for this. He smiled and then said :
" Oh, no... I just couldn't sleep all night. I fell asleep only in the early morning. "
" Ah. I see. " - she answered with doubt in her voice. Still she must've believed him.
" Where's everyone ? Hogwarts is unusually quite... "
" Oh, everyone's outside. They're having a snow fight. "
The weather was really strange these days. It was November but the temperature was very low and snow was falling from the sky. But still there was no one who complained about this. A few days of winter - it's cool !
" And... Why are you here and not outside with Ron and everyone?"
Hermione bit her bottom lip, lowered her eyes and then looked at him again.
" You know that I can't stay with Ron for such a long time without you. "
" Oh... So... Now I'm with you... Maybe we'll get outside and join everyone ? What would you say to that ? "
Her face brightened and a wide smile appeared on her face.
" I'd love to. "
Hermione dressed into more warm clothes while Harry ate sandwiches that 'Mione brought him. Then after Harry was done they went outside where everyone were playing snowballs. Harry and Hermione slowly walked to Ron and Seamus who were throwing snowballs into Dean and Neville. When Ron saw who's coming he gave a sign to stop the fight and with a surprised expression on his face came to the couple.
" Hermione ? I thought you said you have a lot of homework to do..."
Hermione blushed a little and looked at Harry with a pleading eyes who immediately answered for her.
" I forced her to leave it for another day. "
With doubt in the eyes Ron looked first at Harry and then at Hermione, smiled and nodded.
" I see. Wanna join us ? "
" Of course. I'll be on Dean and Nevill's side" Hermione said with shining eyes.
" Then I'll be with Ron and Seamus. "
The fight continued. Everyone were throwing snowballs at each other. Harry was laughing and throwing snow at Hermione and others. He suddenly stopped. His eyes were locked on 'Mione and he couldn't look anywhere else. Her cheeks were a little red, her eyes were shining from excitement, there was a huge smile on her face and there was snow in her hair and on her clothes. He must've had an odd goofy smile on his face but he didn't care. A snowball in his hand began to melt but he didn't notice. Suddenly she looked at him too and Harry felt that his head was going in circles. And in the next moment a snowball hit him in the face. He fell backwards. Everything was covered with snow : his glasses, his cheeks, his forehead... Even in his mouth there was snow.
" Harry, mate, are you okay ? " He heard Ron's voice. He cleared his glasses from snow, spitted out the snow and smiled.
" Yeah, I'm fine. That was sudden... Who threw a snowball at me ?"
" It was Dean. Get up."
Ron helped him to get up and they continued. Harry was trying to concentrate on Dean in order to revenge him. And he succeeded. He did the same thing to Dean - threw a snowball into his face.
" Harry ! You're gonna regret this !! " He shouted after he cleared his face from snow. He was about to run for him but suddenly Ron saw no other then Draco Malfoy. He couldn't loose that perfect chance. With a loud scream he ran in Malfoy's direction with a snowball in his hand. Seamus and Dean followed his example. Harry was about to do the same when suddenly someone knocked him down. It was Hermione and she was lying on top of him smiling wildly.
" Oh no, Mr. Potter. You're not going anywhere. "
" Considering the fact that you're lying on top of me of course I won't. " Harry smiled too. When she heard those words she was a little embaraced. 'Mione lowered her eyes but only for a second.In the next moment they were looking into each other's eyes again. And it was a magical moment for Harry. But suddenly that terrible pain returned to him. He squeezed his eyes and issued a silent groan. Hermione got up quickly and bent down upon Harry.
" Harry, what's wrong ? Are you okay ? "
He slowly opened his eyes and smiled weakly.
" Yeah, I'm fine. I guess Dean's snowball hit me strong enough to give a headache. "
Harry got up and looked around in search of Ron and the others. It wasn't too hard to find them. Everywhere Malfoy's scream was audible :
" Weasel ! I'm gonna kill you !! Stop ! You're gonna regret that you were born !!! "
Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron were laughing hard and throwing snowballs at Malfoy and his "bodyguards" not giving them an opportunity to throw a snowball in return. It was a real war and Malfoy, Crabb and Goyl were loosing. They were all covered with snow and were almost lying on the ground. Harry and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Only during that moment Ron and his "army" stopped and went to the castle along with Harry and Hermione laughing hard.
That evening Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the common room in their favorite seats talking about the events of the day.
" Ha-ha ! I still can't believe that we managed to do that !! Oh... I'll never forget this... " Ron lifted his eyes dreamily. Harry and Hermione laughed.
" Yeah... that was awesome... "
" And what were you two doing ? I thought you would like to join us in such a fight !! "
" Ehh... we were having a snowfight too. " Hermione quickly answered before Harry was able to even open his mouth. She was unusually odd these days : she was blushing very often and seem to be very nervous for some reason, also she acted herself as if she was hiding something. But Harry decided that it's better not to ask what's happening to her. When it'll be the right time she'll tell him herself.
" Ah... " Ron nodded. Harry looked at Hermione a little surprised. Why would she be so nervous ? What she's hiding ?
And then in the next moment that strange feeling returned to him. He felt that someone was talking behind his back. And again he turned around to look who it might be. But there were no one behind him. More than that they were alone in the common room. So... what are those strange voices ?
" Am I loosing my mind ? " Harry thought.
" Harry ! What is it ? " He heard Hermione's voice. He shuddered and turned to look at her. Fear was visible in her eyes.
" What did you say ? "
" I asked what's wrong with you. You're acting yourself very strange these days... and I wanna know what's happening to you. I'm tired of your false excuses. Tell us what's wrong. "
" I agree with 'Mione, mate. "
Harry rose one eyebrow and giggled.
" You agree with her ? That's really amazing. "
" Stop laughing. It's serious. In the morning I can't wake you up, you're tossing and screaming in your sleep, you're turning around all the time as if someone is watching you. What's happening, for heaven's sake ?? "
Harry sighed and lowered his head.
" Sometimes it seems that someone's watching me indeed. " He confessed. He couldn't tell them that sometimes he can hear strange voices behind him 'cause he didn't want them to worry about him even more. It was a bit like with the voice of Basilisk which only he could hear. He could swear that his friends thought that he went crazy...
" That's all ? And you don't have nightmares or anything like that ? " Hermione asked, her eyebrows moved together. Harry hated moments like this when his friends were looking at him in THAT way and waiting for a sincere answer.
" No, I don't have any nightmares. And I'm very tired that's why Ron couldn't wake me up. And that's all. " Harry lied trying to sound convincingly.
" You're lying again. You're always lying to me... Can't you tell the truth just once ? For me... You're always lying... ' He suddenly heard Hermione's voice.
" That's not true ! " Harry shouted.
Hermione almost fell off the couch in amazement. Ron just sat there goggling at Harry. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.
" What's " not true " ? " Ron asked silently.
" You said yourself that... " Harry started angrily looking straight into Hermione's eyes.
" Harry I didn't say anything. " Hermione interupted him before he could finish the sentence.
" But I heard.... " He looked at Ron looking for support but he just nodded.
" She was silent, mate. What did you hear her say ? "
" It doesn't matter. "
" Are you sure you're okay ? " Hemione asked and sat closer to him. She took his left palm but he snatched it from her hands and stood up.
" Okay, goodnight everyone. I'm gonna go to bed. I'm very tired. "
Harry stormed up to the boys dormitory, fell on the bed and pulled the covers around his bed. " What's wrong with me ? What are those voices in my head ? I'm sure I heard her say that I'm a liar... Could it be her thoughts ? No... Stop it, Harry. You're going crazy..." He thought and drifted into sleep.
The next day Harry woke up earlier then anybody else. Everyone were still asleep. He took a shower, got dressed, took his textbooks, quill and ink and walked downstairs into the common room. As he expected it was empty. But there were still Hermione's textbooks, parchments, her quill and there was ink spilled all over the table. " That's strange... Hermione is usually very accurate. " He thought.
Harry walked through the portrait hole and straight to the Great Hall. There were some professors at the teachers table and some students at the Ravenclaw table but that was all. Harry took his seat beside the Gryffindore table. He took some bacon and eggs and poured some pumpkin juice into his goblet. He started to eat not even feeling food in his mouth. Harry looked at the professor's table. There sat Dumbldore who were looking at him in a very strange way....as if he knew about his nightmares and about those strange feelings he had these days. Honestly he was scaring him sometimes. It's awful when somebody knows everything about you and you have no idea how. That was very grisly. Harry turned away from Dumbldore and concentrated on his breakfast.But he couldn't think about anything but about what happened yesterday in the common room. Had he heard Hermione's thoughts ? But how ?
" Good morning, Harry. Did you sleep well ? " He heard Hermione's voice.
" Yeah. " He answered not even looking at her. He was ashamed for his behaviour yesterday's evening. It was clear that Hermione didn't say that he's a liar. He looked askance at Hermione and said:
" I'm sorry... for... what happened yesterday in the common room..."
" That's okay. But you scared me and Ron a lot. "
" I know. I'm sorry. "
She put her palm on his shoulder and began to eat too.
" Why Dumbldore always looks like he knows everything ? " Harry suddenly asked looking at the professors table again. With each minute there were more and more people in the Great Hall. Students and professors began to wake up.
" Because it's true. He knows almost everything. I mean he's a Headmaster, right ? He had to know everything. "
" What happened to your ink by the way ? It's spilled all over the table. "
She hesitated with the answer. Her eyes were moving in different directions and her cheeks turned red.
" Oh, I just turned over the bottle with ink casually. "
Harry nodded assent even though he didn't believe her. Her answer was too quick and her face was telling him that she was lying. And Hermione knew that he didn't believe her but they said nothing and continued to eat their breakfast.
Days passed and it seemed that everything came back to normal condition. Harry slept well without any nightmares, those voices he was hearing disappeared. Also the weather was great too. The temperature raised and was very much like normal, autumn temperature. Snow was melting and very soon disappeared leaving only big pools of water. Instead of snow it was raining almost everyday. Just like today... Even in the dungeons, in a Potions classroom the sound of rain was audible. Snape was absent for now and everyone were sitting and talking. Harry sat next to Hermione. These days he subconsciously was trying to be near 'Mione all the time. When he was near her he felt himself wonderful... There was warmth in his chest as if there was a small fireplace inside of him, his heart was hammering inside of him as if he ran a few miles. He felt himself incredible. And he didn't want those feelings to disappear.
The door suddenly swung open and professor Snape came in with that stone-like face he had everyday. His eyes moved around the room and stopped on Harry for a minute. Harry always felt cold when Snape was looking at him and everytime he wished his eyes to moved away from him. It seemed that Snape knew his thoughts and he stubbornly looked straight into his eyes.
The classroom was silent as usual. On Snape's lessons everyone were unusually quite. And no wonder ! Nobody wanted to get his house into trouble.
" You're gonna work in pairs. Today we're gonna make a fire potion. Ingredients are on the board. Oh, and one more thing. Be careful. Try not to spill any of it on your skin. Now, begin. "
Another potion. Harry was so tired of them. You always need to check everything : the amount of ingredients, the temperature and so on... " It's boring.... " Harry thought and looked at Hermione again. She seemed to be bored too. Everyone knows that her favorite subjects were Ancient Runes and Transfiguration. And that she's the smartest girl ever. " And she's wonderful... Why didn't I notice that before ? Why I was so blind ? " He thought watching her puting some ingredients into the boiling water.
" Harry, are you going to do anything ? I can't do anything on my own. " Hermione reminded him. Harry came back to earth and started to help Hermione with the potion.
He looked at Snape for a minute who was also looking at him and suddenly a terrible pain appeared in his head again. He heard a cold voice which belonged to Snape :
" Potter, Potter... So much responsibility is lying on your shoulders... Defeat the Dark Lord... Must be really hard to be the only hope of the world... "
Harry stood up, holding his head with his hands. The cauldron with unfinished potion turned over and it spilled on the desk, on the floor and on his left hand. The last thing he saw was Hermione's face filled with fear. And then everything faded.
He woke up in the infirmary. Slowly he opened his eyes feeling annoying pain in his left hand. He looked around and saw madam Pomfrey who was standing near his bed. She was looking at him in a very strange way as if he had killed Snape during the lesson.
" Mr. Potter... At last you're awake... "
" What happened ? "
" You fainted. "
" Why ? "
" Well, it seems that you're just exhausted. You need to rest sometimes you know. " - she made a pause. - " I'll a give you a potion and you can go. But no lessons today. Do you understand ?"
Harry nodded. He looked at his left hand and found that it was bandaged. He tried to remember what happened during the Potions but the only thing he could remember was Snape's voice in his head :
" Defeat the Dark Lord... The only hope of the world... "
" What happened to my arm ? "
" You spilled fire potion on it. Don't worry it'll be as good as new pretty soon. Now drink the potion, Potter. "
Harry drank the potion and carefully stood up from the bed. His head was aching a bit but other than that he felt himself fine.
" Can I go ? "
" Of course. " Madam Pomfrey said.
" Poor boy... too much responsibility is lying on his shoulders... no wonder he's exhausted... " Harry heard.
He stopped right in front of the door and turned around. Madam Pomfrey was checking the other patient and seem to forgot about him. Harry felt a wave of fear wash over him. Now there was no doubt that he could read other people's thoughts. There's no way that madam Pomfrey could say something like that behind his back knowing that he's still here. He walked out of the hospital wing and found Hermione sitting on the floor near the wall. When she saw him she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. She couldn't even say anything she was just clinging to him.
" Hermione, I'm okay, don't worry. "
" You have no idea how scary it was to see you in a condition like that ! " She almost screamed. Harry patted her back warmly trying to calm her.
" Shhh... it's okay. I'm fine, see ? Madam Pomfrey said that I was just exhausted. She gave me a potion and told me to go and rest."
Hermione parted from him and looked into his eyes with a sad smile.
" Harry... you scared me to death ! Don't you know that my life isn't worth living without you ? " He heard her say even though her lips were motionless.
Harry frowned. He suddenly had only one desire - to ran away from her and from everyone. He could read other people minds and he felt himself as if he's reading personal letters or doing something low like this. He couldn't be near Hermione because he know her thoughts... He needed to get away from her...
" Ehh... you don't mind if I'll go for a walk around the lake, do you ? Alone, you know... I need to think... "
" No, not at all. Ehh... see you later then... ? "
" Of course. "
As soon as he was far from Hermione's ear shot he began to run. He was running until he was near the lake. It was raining. Cold drops of water were falling from the sky making his clothes, hair... everything wet. Harry couldn't stand it. He couldn't be around other people with the knowledge that he can read their minds. It was awful. He felt himself a traitor, a dirty jerk who's trying to find out everything about his best friend's personal life. He couldn't be around them. Even though he read their minds casually he felt that he did it on purpose.
Harry came into the waters of lake and stood there with outstreched arms for a few hours feeling cold water fall from the sky on him. He stood there until he heard a very familiar voice behind him.
" Harry, don't. "
He turned around and saw Hermione. She stood a few metres away from him and there was an expression of fear on her face.
" Harry, don't. " She repited.
" What do you mean ? " He asked a bit confused.
" I know what you wanted to do but that's foolishness. "
" You thought that I was going to kill myself ? " Harry asked with a slight surprise. Hermione didn't answer. He walked out of the water onto the shore and came closer to Hermione. He put his left hand on her shoulder.
" No... I wasn't trying to kill myself. What forced you to believe that I was going to kill myself ? "
" I saw that in your eyes... You looked like... Oh, I don't know... I'm so worried about you... So, what were you doing standing in the water ? "
" Don't worry, I was just thinking."
" About what ? "
Harry hesitated with the answer. At first he didn't want to tell Hermione about everything.... that he can read other people's thoughts and so on.... But then he decided that it will be better to tell the truth.
" Remember you asked me why I was acting myself so strange these days ? "
She nodded.
" I can read other people's mind. That's why I can't be near you... Everytime I see you I can hear your thoughts in my head and I feel as if I'm doing it on purpose... It's awful... I... I have to leave... And not only because of that. Everyday Voldemort is stronger and you're in more danger. I must leave than you'll be out of danger when I'll be gone..."
" Harry... " She put her left hand on his cheek.
" Listen to me. You don't have to leave. I won't let you. And you know why ? Read my mind now. "
" But Hermione... I.... "
" Read my mind , Harry. "
Harry looked into her eyes and suddenly he heard her voice even though her lips were motionless :
" I love you. Remember that, Harry. I love you no matter what. That's the only thing that matters."
" I love you too. " He said.
He smiled wildely and suddenly kissed her. They were standing in the rain and in their heads only one phrase was audible : " I love you... " - that was the only thing that mattered,
THE END.