Hermione comes to the rescue

Disclaimer:

I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. This is a non profit fan fiction.

Author's note:

Hi, this is my first english fanfic and it's not my mother tongue, so please bear with me if I do make mistakes. I hope you'll like the story nevertheless. I'll try to get a native english beta reader for future chapters, but don't count on it ;)

Summary:

Harry Potter's 5th year is over and the Dursleys are as bad as ever to Harry. Hermione, one of his two best friends comes to the rescue (hence the title). Every events up to the order of the phoenix are incorporated in this story, but it changes the events of book 6, the Half-Blood prince. It still follows the Half-Blood prince's main story though, so you should have read it because I'll not write down everything that happened in the Half-Blood prince since that would be quite illegal :) Instead I'll just mention some things that happened and should give the reader an idea of what's going on.

Chapter 1: The cupboard situation

"Stuck in this damn broom cupboard again", Harry muttered to himself. He leaned against the hard door of his wooden prison and tried to fall asleep.

After Moody, Lupin and Tonks had a talk to his uncle and aunt back at the train station to make the Dursleys take better care of him, Harry thought maybe they would really have listened and somehow would start to be a bit nicer to him over the summer. Fat chance, they didn't. Even worse, now he had to stay in this god forsaken broom cupboard again, which was by now really way to small for his now older self. He couldn't even lie down to sleep. He had to sit against the door. They gave him a thin blanket, but didn't even bother to give him a pillow, so his head started to ache after an hour of trying to get some rest.

How should he sleep? He just didn't know. "I shouldn't let them do this to me", Harry thought. But really, what options did he have? Dumbledore said it's necessary for him to stay here again, for the blood magic to work. Harry could understand that, even if it meant to be abused by the Dursleys. It was better than being killed by the deatheaters. Or was it? But Harry didn't really think he could sleep anyhow. He'd dream of Sirius falling behind the veil. And then he'd wake up, trying not to scream in anger and frustration. Then he'd feel the loss. His godfather. Dead. Hermione, nearly killed in the ministry's department of mystery. Ron, attacked by those brains. Then he'd try desperate not to cry. Every night. He didn't want to cry. Not because boys shouldn't, but because he thought he'd break if he would allow his feelings to overcome him.

After a long and rough night, Harry finally got to sleep in the early morning and slept past noon. Harry heard someone pounding on the door to his so called room and before he was able to react, the door opened and he fell out on his back. Petunia Dursley, his aunt, was standing over him, watching down on him with great distaste. "Lunch is ready", she said and left for the kitchen without another word.

Harry got up and went after her into the kitchen were his uncle and his cousin were already seated. He saw mashed potatoes, chips, even a few steaks. He sniffed and it smelled fantastic. When he sat down and tried to stick his fork into a quite delicious looking steak, Harry was interrupted by a yell from his Uncle.

"Don't you dare eat our steaks, boy", he yelled, spitting all over the table while at it.

Harry jumped in surprise. "I'm sorry", he mumbled in a low voice, he didn't want any more trouble than was absolutely necessary. Aunt Petunia came back with a tupperware box in her hand and dropped something indescribable onto Harrys plate from out of the box, that she just got out of the microwave. Harry looked at the mass on his plate suspiciously. "What on earth..", he thought to himself while trying to use his knife to cut the thing that stared at him from his plate into smaller, eatable pieces. "It looks somewhat like flesh, but I could be mistaken", he thought. "Maybe, some time ago.. A really long time ago, this was actually some kind of animal." He felt sick in his stomach. He really didn't want to eat whatever it was. But what could he do? If he said, he wasn't hungry anymore, his aunt and uncle would go rampage. He wouldn't get something to eat for a week. Or worse. Finally he decided to just dig in.

Back in his cupboard, he had a bad stomachache. "Maybe they are trying to poison me", he thought. He just spent nearly 5 minutes in the bathroom brushing his teeth to get the bad taste of his meal out of his mouth, though with the absence of any success. "A kingdom for a mint gum'", he whispered. His eyes wandered around the inside of his cupboard. His eyes rested on the wooden wall were he carved in a small line every day until he'd be able to go back to Hogwarts or the burrow. The Dursleys wouldn't see what he had done for the past days with their cupboard. They never came in here. They never cleaned. It smelled bad. Harry wished he'd have a window or something, but he hadn't. He just opened the cupboard door from time to time to get rid of the smell from living in such a small place. "At least Hedwig is okay", he thought. He had sent her with a note to Hermione asking her to take care of his owl, on the first day he got back to the Dursleys and they stuck him in this closet again. Hedwig couldn't live here with him, she'd have gotten sick and Harry would have, too. Owls are messy animals and he couldn't even had fed her. She wouldn't have eaten what little Harry had to eat. "Even my owl has more pride than me", Harry thought. When he thought on how good Hedwig was feeling at Hermione's, he felt a sick feeling creeping into him. He asked himself, why she or Ron haven't sent him any mail. It was already a week when he sent Hedwig to Hermione. But how should he get the mail, he was in the cupboard, though Hermione didn't know that. He didn't want her to feel bad for him. Somehow he wanted her to feel bad for him, but it wasn't right. So he just wrote that he was okay but the Dursleys would have told him to get rid of the owl or they'd get rid of him and he better not wanted to get into a row with them about this so he'd be glad if Hermione could care for her over the summer.

When Harry awoke the next morning, he heard a snickering laugh from outside his cupboard. He tried to listen closely and looked with one eye through a small crack in the cupboard door. It was his cousin, Dudley. He was holding something, a letter maybe. He was reading from it and mumbling to himself, laughing from time to time. He couldn't hear him clearly, but he heard it when he said "don't know how he got himself a girlfriend, he's eery and she's too for writing him that much" .

Who did Dudley mean? Him? Harry? "I dont have a girlfriend... Wait. Does that mean this letter is for me? And there are more than this one letter? This creepy bastard steals my mail", Harry thought, anger rising inside him, wanting to get out. Harry pushed the door to his cupboard open. He didn't think of the consequences. He just wanted that letter, now.

Dudley stared at him, before he fell to the floor. Harry half jumped, half runned out of his cupboard and straight into his cousins legs, throwing him down hard onto the floor. Dudley winced, his head hurt. Harry scanned the floor briefly and found the letter. He took it and ran. Dudley started screaming. "He's trying to run away! He attacked me!" Dudley shouted. Harry heard heavy footsteps as he passed the living room. The door opened and his uncle came out of it, but Harry was already nearing the front door, opening it, running through and slamming it shut behind him.

Harry wasn't to leave his relatives house, it would be too dangerous, he knew. But in that moment, he just didn't care. He couldn't. They'd kill him for what he had done. Maybe they'd not really kill him. But they'd do something. Maybe beat him. He ran and ran, passing people on his way who shot him suspicious glances when they saw him running as if someone would be trying to catch him. He stopped panting heavy when he reached the small park and hid behind a tree. He sunk down and leaned back on the trunk of the big oak.

"What have I done?" he thought to himself. "All because of this stupid letter, what was I thinking?" He unfolded the letter and started reading it, sobbing.

---

Dear Harry,

I'm starting to get really worried about you not answering my letters. I thought Muggle mail would be okay since Hedwig is here with me, but maybe you just can't get your hands on any post stamps. At least, that is what I keep saying to myself. I know it sounds silly, but I keep thinking that your relatives somehow... I can't even write it down. I need you to give me a sign, that you are still alive, Harry. Please. I can't stop thinking about you and I really, really need to know that you are okay. I just can't wait anymore. Call me. If you forgot my number, it's 555-43764663.

Love,

Hermione

---

Harry's innermost parts seemed to be pulled together. Hermione was going crazy with fear about him being not okay. He had to do something to make her feel better. He had to call her. But how? He didn't have any muggle money on him. He could take the night bus to Diagon Alley. He still had his wand with him, because he had it in the back pocket of his throuthers every time. Moody once warned him not to, because he could loose a buttock, but Harry didn't really think that his butt would be capable of doing accidental magic. He was glad he didn't, because then he'd have nothing to protect himself and death eaters could be here any minute, if they were watching his house. He didn't know if they were, but why shouldn't they? Everyone knows where I'm living. They know, too. Maybe the order saw what happened, too. And they already are on the lookout for me. "They can't find me", he thought and jumped up. "If the order finds me, they bring me back to the Dursleys and I'm a dead man. I can't stay here either, because when the deatheaters find me, I'm a dead man, too."

How should he call the knight bus? It was early morning and he was in a muggle town, he couldn't just pull out his wand in broad daylight. Would it be okay if he went to a small side lane? Would it still work? He decided it was better to try, than not to. He started running again and when he was out of the park, he looked for some place deserted. He found a place good enough and looked if really no one was there who could see him. He took out his wand and held it out, high into the air. Nothing happened. "Damn it, I knew it. I've got to be near a street for it to work", he thought frustrated. He went a few steps towards the street, not leaving the protection of the small side lane. He tried again and waited. No loud crack was to be heard. No big, red double-decker bus was appearing on the street in front of him. "Maybe it just works at night.. Or I need to get even closer, but I can't. I'd get into even more trouble when someone sees me", he thought with a sinking feeling.

"I could ask someone in a shop if I could use their phone", Harry thought and went out onto the street with his wand hidden back in his pocket. He looked around and saw a small bookshop just across the street. "Yeah, it would be a perfect match to call Hermione from a bookshop. Maybe she'd sense it somehow and be really happy about it", he joked to himself to lighten his dark mood a bit.

Harry crossed the street and went into the bookshop, asking the clerk if he could use the phone. The middle-aged man seemed about to protest, but when he saw the desperate look in Harry's eyes, he seemed to think it over again and handed Harry a cordless phone from behind the counter. "No international calls please and make it quick", he said to Harry.

"Thanks, I won't and I will make it as quick as possible. That's really nice from you, thanks again", Harry said gratefully and went a bit back into the store so he would have some privacy. He took the letter from Hermione out of his pocket and unfoldet it again, scanning the lines for her phone number. "I hope she's home. Don't know what to say to her parents...", Harry thought and dialed the number. The phone made really funny noised but then the connection was made and after a few beeps, a man answered the phone.

"Dr. Granger here", the man on the phone said and Harry asked himself for a moment if he was calling the right number, but remembered then that Hermione's parents were dentists.

"Yes, hello. My name is Harry, Harry Potter, sir. Is.. Is Hermione there?", Harry asked, feeling quite a bit uncomfortable. He talked to Hermione's parents only once, that was back then before his second year at Hogwarts, when he and the Weasleys met the Granger's while shopping for School stuff in Diagon Alley.

"Oh, Harry. Nice to hear from you again, Hermione's been quite a bit nervous about your well being this summer, she kept talking about you and.. Wait a minute, I'll get her for you", Mr. Granger said.

Harry was a bit ashamed about being telled by Hermione's father that she talked so much about him and even more that he made her feel so bad. After a few seconds he heard a shrill shriek, resembling something along the line of "Harry? Is it really?".

Just a moment later, he heard someone grabbing the telephone. "HARRY! How are you? I was so afraid something would have happened to you!", he heard Hermione blabbering into the phone. Harry's mouth twitched and a small smile appeared on his face. "I'm okay, Hermione. I think. I'm really sorry about me worrying you so much. My cousin stole your letters before I could see them. I just.. Received... Your last letter today", Harry said.

"Oh, I knew something like that would have been the problem. I'm really glad you are okay. You.. You are okay, aren't you Harry? You sound a bit.. I don't know how to say it..", Hermione said questioningly.

Harry winced. "Yeah, yeah I'm really fine, Hermione", he lied, he didn't want to upset her any more. He should have known better though. You can't lie to Hermione Granger. You just... Can't.

"Harry?" she asked suspiciously. "Harry, are you really telling the truth? Tell me what happened, please..", she asked.

Harry couldn't bear her pleading voice. "Oh, alright. But please, don't start worrying again, I'm okay. It's just.. I awoke in the cupboard this morning and then I heard Dudley and - ", Harry began but was interrupted by Hermione.

"In the cupboard you say? Don't tell me they put you back there. They didn't..." she said with anger starting to rise in her voice.

"Yeah, they did. Anyhow, I heard Dudley mumbling about this letters from someone's girlfriend... And then I realized, he meant letters for me and I.. I just got so angry that he stole my mail, you know? I stormed out of the cupboard and pushed him down to the floor", Harry said and waited a moment for Hermione to say something, but continued when she didn't. "I took the letter and.. I ran away. I just stormed out of the house and then, then I read your letter and had to call you, which I'm doing right now", Harry said and waited for Hermiones reaction.

It came fast. "Oh - my - god. Please Harry, please tell me you are not alone, out there somewhere, with deatheaters maybe already on your tracks. Please tell me that isn't true" she said, whispering the last part.

Harry didn't know what to say instead of "Yes. I am. Sorry..", not wanting to be in his own shoes right now.

He heard Hermione gasp. "But Harry! It's way too dangerous for you to be out there, you have to go back!" she said frantically.

Harry sighed. "I can't, Hermione. I - ", Harry said but was interrupted by Hermione again.

"But Harry, really, you must - ", she said but this time it was she who was interrupted.

"No, you don't understand, Hermione. They will kill me for sure, I can't go back there, they'll.. They'll.. I just can't, okay?" Harry said, earning a suspicious look from the clerk. He'd better end the call soon, or the clerk would maybe call the officials because Harry ran away from home, fearing his relatives would kill him if he went back. "I've got to hang up now, I'm calling from a bookshop and - ", Harry said and lowered his voice a bit, "I think the shopkeeper is about to call the police, he may have heard me talking about running away from home."

"No!" Hermione said quite loud and Harry sighed again. "No Harry, stay where you are, I'll come and get you, just tell me where you are" she said.

"No, I don't want that Hermione, I'ts okay, really. I'll go now, greet Ron and Ginny from me when you hear from them. Bye" he said and hung up before Hermione could say anymore. He gulped and went up to the counter, handing the phone back to the clerk. "Thanks again for letting me use your phone, I've got to go now" Harry said, already turning to leave.

"Everything alright there, young man?" the clerk asked and Harry practically ran out of the shop while shouting "Yeah, thanks, goodbye".

The problem with running out of the store was, that he didn't know where to run. Maybe he should have stayed there and waited for Hermione like she wanted him to, but he really didn't want to cause trouble for her and he also really had to leave before the man in the bookshop got even more suspicious. "Maybe I'll just live from eating rats, like Sirius did when he was on the run", Harry thought, painfully thinking about his godfather again. "No, I'll never do that.. But maybe I'd get lucky and eat Peter Pettigrew while at it."

Harry ran back into the park and hid behind the oak tree, again. He could spent some time here before having to decide on a place to sleep. He felt sad, alone and just bad. He could sleep in a Muggle bank, he thought. He heard his uncle talking about seeing some teenagers once when he had to make a night visit to the bank to get some money, because he would have had no time to do it the next morning. The front room of banks were opened all night, so you could get to the cash machines even if it was already past midnight and there you'd have it warm and comfortable unless someone finds you.

Maybe he should have run to another town, somewhere more distant from possible order members and the deatheaters on the lookout for him, but he just didn't feel like it and really, would that make any difference? They could get him there as well as here, so he just tried not to think about what could happen and tried to take a nap. It was much more comfortable lying there against the tree, than back at the Dursleys in his cupboard, so he fell asleep pretty fast. He didn't sleep long before a rustling of wings waked him up and an owl started to pick on his arm.

He opened his eyes and saw a snowy white owl, standing on his legs. "Hedwig", Harry said surprised. "What are you doing here? How..?" He said and then noticed a note tied to Hedwig's leg. He petted his owl and untied the note, unfolding the small parchment and reading it.

---

HARRY JAMES POTTER, STAY WHERE YOU ARE OR I WILL CURSE YOU INTO OBLIVION!

Hermione

---

Harry gulped. He stand up and put the letter in his pocket, where the other letter from Hermione already was. "Bloody hell" he cursed, turned and wanted to start running again, but was hugged in a bone crushing embrace before he even knew what happened. His vision was taken by long, brown, curly hair and the scent of lavender coming from it in waves creeped into his nostrils. The sadness and all the dark feelings were blown away like leaves in the wind and his heart started to make high jumps as if he'd run miles and miles on end. "You found me", Harry pointed out the obvious.

"Hedwig did. I followed her", Hermione said when she released Harry from the embrace. "Don't ever hang up on me again, Harry. That was NOT nice. I can't imagine how I'd feel if something happened to you", she said, her eyes moist and slightly swollen. She seemed to have been crying all the way from the phone call to when she found Harry there standing behind the tree.

Harry couldn't look her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry Hermione. I really am", he said taken aback by her strong feelings.

"It's okay, Harry. It's all okay now. My parents are waiting in the car, we'll take you with us and then - ", she said but Harry shook his head.

"No, no I won't. I don't want you to get into any trouble, I can't just go to your parents home, they'll hate me and.. No, I won't come with you", Harry said, still shaking his head in disbelief about her even mentioning that as a possibility.

Hermione glared at him. "You will. Don't be silly Harry, my parents don't hate you. You need help and we will help you, okay? You can't stay here, you need to come with me", she said.

"Dumbledore will find out, he'll send me back to the Dursleys for sure and I - CAN'T - GO - BACK - THERE", he nearly shouted the last words.

Hermione took his arm and shook it. "Harry, look at me", she said. But he didn't. "Look at me, for gods sake!", she said again and Harry looked her in the eyes. He saw fierce determination in them. "You won't be sent back to the Dursleys. I won't let you go back there. I won't let anyone, not even Dumbledore, send you back there. But you need to come with me now", she said and Harry believed her. He didn't know why. All he saw was her brown eyes and they told nothing but the bare naked truth.

He looked back down and saw that she was holding out her hand to him. He took it and then she walked him to her parent's car that was parked near the entrance to the park.

A/N 2:

So, tell me what you think and if my english is good enough to continue this story. Thanks for reading!