Disclaimer: All places and characters belong to JK Rowling and the WB and various publishers. No money is being made off this piece of fiction
Harry took a deep breath. He stared out his barred window, 'only a few more hours' he thought desperately as he turned away. All summer he had been locked away in his room, and in the last week alone had only eaten twice. Soft tears fell down his cheeks as he sunk onto his bed, sadness and anger rising within him. "Its not fair!" he yelled and threw the thing closest to him against the wall. Wincing when it hit the wall with a loud bang.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs and at that moment Harry knew he was in trouble. It took only seconds before his Uncle Vernon was opening the deadbolt on his door and slamming the door open. Harry jumped off the bed and backed away from him. Vernon stormed over to him and grabbed him by his hair, yanking his head back so he could glare into Harry's eyes. "What did i tell you boy!" he yelled angrily "Not a PEEP from this room or you would NOT be returning to Hogwarts this year." he growled
"You cant do that!" Harry protested as he tried to break away from his uncles grip.
Vernon growled at him "you stupid boy!" he yanked harder making harry cry out in pain.
"Let me go!" he shrieked
Vernon slammed him into the wall and hit him, leaving a big purple mark on Harrys face before letting him fall to the ground. retreating he turned to face Harry "You will not be going" and with that he left, slamming the door behind him.
Harry sat there crippled and broken, he felt tears threaten to over power him. He wouldn't cry. He never cried and he wasn't about to start now. He slowly pushed himself off the ground and back over to the window. It was against the rules to use magic under the age of seventeen , but Harry had to do something. Getting his wand from his trunk he slowly walked back over to the window. Gripping his wand tightly in his hand "Reducto" he whispered pointing his wand at the bars. The bars went flying off the window to Harrys satisfaction. He grabbed his trunk and brought it over to the window, he had been packed for months. Smiling he breathed in the fresh air as a gust of wind came through the window. "I'm almost free" he whispered. "Wingardium Leviosa" he said with a flick of his wrist he transported both his trunk and Hedwig's cage out the window. Taking a final look around the room he would never be returning to, he himself jumped out the window.
As Harry started walking down the street he could hear his Uncle yelling at him from his bedroom window "Get back here Potter!" but Harry just kept going. Had to get as much distance between him and his Uncle as possible before he did something he regretted. Taking several deep breaths he tried to calm himself down. What would Ron say when he found out Harry wasn't at the Dursley's? Harry sighed he would probably freak out and then tell Hermione and the Molly would be upset, and no doubt everyone would start searching for him. But what if he didn't want to be found...He could probably disappear, and after a while people wouldn't miss him much. Frowning Harry shook the thought from his head. This was going to be his fifth year at Hogwarts, and Hogwarts was his home. Still sometimes he wished he could just disappear.
Sitting down on the bench in the park with a depressing sigh he tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't go to the burrow, it was to early yet and he didn't want to be a nuisance. But yet, he couldn't just sit here on the bench it was getting dark out. Noticing the dilemma Harry pulled his knees up to his chest, it was starting to get chilly out and all he had was a tattered t-shirt, a pair of jeans and old running shoes. He yawned and laid down on the bench, completely oblivious to the pair of eyes that watched him from the shadows as he drifted off to sleep
Hours later Harry found himself screaming as he jolted awake. His breath came quickly as his lungs tried to catch up. He glanced around quickly at his surroundings as he remembered where he was. 'Still in the park' he thought wondering what time it was. The moon was shining brightly in the dark sky now, and was Harry's only source of light. He decided that he might as well just go to the train station and wait for Ron and Hermione to show up as they were supposed to be leaving in the morning. Getting up off the bench he started off, pulling his trunk and Hedwigs cage behind him.
It was almost daylight when Harry finally got to the train station and by that time he was exhausted, knowing that soon he would be reconnected with his friends was the only thing that was keeping him going.
Harry waited in his normal spot on the train and pressed his forehead to the cold glass of the window. He closed his eyes as a sigh escaped his lips. To many harsh memories were rummaging through his brain. Unconsciously he was digging his nails into his wrist.
It wasnt long before he heard someone else enter the compartment.
"Harry" Ron said, his voice wavering with uncertainty
Slowly Harry lifted his head to look over at his best friend. He said nothing.
Ron sat down next to him, not sure what to say as his eyes flicked over to Harry's wrist. "You ok mate?"
Harry instantly looked down and pulled his sleeve over his wrist and swiftly stood up. "I'm fine" he said instantly and left the compartment. Leaving Ron staring after him with a worried expression.
When Harry got into the bathroom he stared at himself in horror. The big bruise on his face had gotten worse and he had dark bags under his eyes.
Blood stained his sleeve now. Taking several deep breaths Harry tried to calm himself and clean the wound as much as possible. What was wrong with him? He had never acted like this before. 'That's not true' he thought. He had cut himself before, trying to make the sorrow and the hurt go away by causing himself pain. He liked the pain. Harry's eyes widened at this realization. What the hell was he trying to do?
Reluctantly he started back to the compartment
He slowed his walking when e heard hushed whispered, carefully he stood by the door so he wasnt seen.
"What are we going to do Ron" Hermiones voice sounded
"I don't know...he's going to drive himself mad"
"We need the whole story first we can't just assume-"
Ron cut her off sharply "you didn't see his wrist!"
Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "We will have to tell the Headmaster when we arrive" she said reluctantly
Draco Malfoy walked quietly up behind Harry so he wasn't noticed. "Well, Well Potter, spying on your own friends are we? That seems a bit below you" a dark chuckle came from his lips.
Harry jumped in surprise causing him to fall to the ground. He turned to face Malfoy with an evil glare as he slowly rose to his feet. He had no reply for Malfoy. His whole body shook with anger as he watched the sneer on Malfoy's face get wider.
Before Harry could do anything though Ron opened the door and grasped Harry's arm, yanking him back inside the cabin before closing the door
"What the hell is wrong with you! Starting a fight with Malfoy!" Ron said
"I didn't start it" Harry said calmly "he did"
"Harry Hermione and-"
Hermione cut him off quickly "why didn't you come to the Burrow Harry" she asked.
Harry shrugged but gave no answer. He didn't feel like talking about this. He had to look away when Hermione gave him a pointed look. "Harry" she said and put a hand on his shoulder. When Harry winced she instantly pulled her hand away. Carefully Ron reached over and pulled the shirt away from Harry's shoulder, much to Harry's disapproval.
Both Hermione an Ron gasped rather loudly. There, hidden under the fabric of the tattered shirt, was a huge bruise that was a deep purple, worse than the one that was on Harry's cheek.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed
"Bloody hell Harry!" Ron said "what the hell happened!"
Harry seemed indifferent as he re covered the mark "it's nothing" he said
"THAT is not nothing" Hermione protested. Looking extremely worried. "You have to do something about this"
"Hermione!" Harry yelled "let it go!"
Ron frowned "he's right Harry...you need to talk to someone"
"UGH!" Harry exclaimed and stood up "leave it alone!" And with that he left the cabin. Hermione and Ron exchanged glances
"Ok Ron. Now can we do something?"
Ron sighed "yes. We will have to talk to Dumbledore now"
Hermione nodded in satisfaction. She was always right