Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the other characters
It was another summer day were Harry Potter was forced to stay with his forever unloving family, the Dursley's.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were gone shopping for Dudley's upcoming birthday. Harry, who would normally have been locked in his room, was finishing his chores, which were to be done before his Aunt and Uncle came back – No excuses.
Harry was wiping down the coffee table while Dudley strolled into the living room, smoking a cigarette. Harry instantly noticed the foul stench and turned around just as Dudley sat casually on the sofa.
"What are you doing!?" Harry asked, astonished.
"What does it look like freak? I'm smoking."
"Since when do you smoke?"
"None of your business", Dudley answered, snobbishly, propping his heavy feet on the recently polished coffee table.
"You're not old enough to smoke."
"I'm old enough to do whatever I want", Dudley answered between puffs.
"There gonna' smell that you know", Harry warned.
Dudley took an extra long puff, emphasizing that he didn't care in the least. "That's what air fresheners for stupid."
Harry rolled his eyes, irritated with both the boldness and stupidity of his spoiled cousin.
Suddenly, to both their surprise, they heard the front door unlocking. Dudley panicked, not knowing what to do. He didn't have time to dispose of the cigarette, and he didn't have enough time to run upstairs. So the instant they stepped through the door, he did what any spoiled, nasty rotten brat would do. He put the cigarette in Harry's hand and pointed, accusingly.
"Mom, Dad! Harry's smoking!"
Vernon and Petunia both dropped their shopping bags, simultaneously. Harry stood in shock. How could he have gotten into a heap of trouble so quickly?
"Harry!" Petunia shouted.
"Boy!" Vernon bellowed.
Harry cowered back as Vernon stomped over. He grabbed Harry by his raven locks and pulled his head back. "What do you think you are doing, smoking in my house!?"
"I tried to stop him daddy. He wouldn't listen", Dudley lied.
"No. Uncle Vernon. I swear it's not mine. It was Dudley's", Harry tried desperately to defend himself.
"He's lying Daddy."
"Don't you lie to me boy. We caught you red handed."
Dudley sneakily reached in his pocket and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. "I found these in his room Dad", he said, handing over the pack to Vernon.
Vernon crushed the pack in his meaty hands. "Where did you even get the money for these? You stealing from us!?"
"No. I swear there not mine, ah!" Harry winced as Vernon pulled on his hair even more.
"You better quit your lying boy, or you'll be in even more trouble then you're already in", he warned, dragging Harry into the kitchen. "Sit!" He ordered, throwing Harry into a chair.
Vernon sat down next to him and threw the pack on the table. "So, you wanna' smoke do you?" Vernon grumbled dangerously. Harry shook his head no. "Don't you shake your head no at me", he whispered venomously. "Take it", he ordered, sliding the pack over to Harry.
"Uncle Vernon…" Harry tried his last attempt to explain things. But Vernon wouldn't have it. He was too blind sighted to ever believe that his only son would ever do anything wrong or immoral.
Vernon grabbed the pack and tipped it upside down, letting all the cigarettes fall out. The pack was practically full, save for maybe two or three. Vernon pushed the pile over to where Harry sat. "Start smoking."
"What!" Harry looked at the massive pile in disbelief.
"You deaf boy? I said start smoking", Vernon ordered once more. "You aren't gonna' get so much as a breadcrumb to eat, until I see a heaping pile of ashes.
Harry let out a deep sigh. He couldn't even stand the smell of smoke. However, he supposed the punishment could have been worse.
"Well what are you waiting for?! You better hurry up with those. I'm not going to bed until you finish. And if I'm tired in the morning, it'll be your fault! And then I'll have to think of another punishment for you."
Harry picked one up and twiddled it in his fingers. "I don't have a lighter."
"Sure you do Potter", Dudley walked in the kitchen and laid his lighter on the table.
"Thank you Dudley."
"No problem Dad", Dudley smirked at Harry. Harry glared back at his treacherous cousin.
"Now!" Vernon ordered, getting impatient.
Harry sighed in defeat and attempted to light the cigarette.
"Wrong way stupid", Dudley remarked.
"Do it right", Vernon hissed. "I've had enough of this stalling.
Harry quickly turned it around and lit the other end. He squinted his nose at the foul stench, but managed to take a puff. Surprisingly, he didn't choke or gag. 'Hmm', he thought. 'Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Sure is better then getting hit with a rolling pin or being starved.'
"What the hell was that?" Vernon growled.
"Huh?" Harry looked up, confused.
"Be a man, and inhale it.
"Yeah Potter, be a man", Dudley chuckled.
"Out." Vernon pointed his son out of the room.
"Oh Dad", he complained.
"Now."
"Humph", he grumbled, walking out.
"Inhale it", Vernon ordered again, once they were in private.
Taking a few deep breaths, Harry prepared himself then sucked the cancerous air into his lungs.
He coughed violently as he choked on the thick smoke. He looked to his Uncle for pity, hoping that maybe he would only have to smoke a few, but Vernon just looked at him impatiently.
As the cigarette slowly got smaller, he took one last long puff and put it out, feeling slightly relieved that he was done. But he wasn't done. Vernon flicked another one his way, looking at him sternly.Harry sighed in defeat, and started again.
They remained in the kitchen until late at night. At this point, Harry was feeling sick to his stomache, and had a massive headache. "I don't feel so good." Harry explained. Hoping that his Uncle would decide that he was punished enough.
"You're gonna' feel even worse if you don't finish those", Vernon threatened.
Harry knew his Uncle would say something like that. Whenever he dealt out a punishment, he always made sure it was followed through. Unless it was Dudley being punished ofcourse.
Harry continued to smoke, and continued to feel more nausious with every second that passed.
"Are you two still down here!" Petunia questioned as she entered the kitchen. She looked at the plate of heaping ashes on the table then at her nephew who looking almost green. "I't smells like a bar down here", she complained. "Come to bed."
"We're not through", Vernon explained. "He's got to learn his lesson."
As soon as Vernon finished his sentence, Harry sprinted to the trashcan and heaved.
Petunia sighed. This was rediculous, and she knew it. "He's learned his lesson. He's done. Now get to bed, before the walls turn yellow." She then headed back upstairs.
Harry wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he was finished. He felt less sick, now knowing that he didn't have to smoke anymore.
Without even saying anything to his Uncle, or taking care of the ashes, Harry went to leave the kitchen.
"Boy, get back here."
Harry stiffened. He wanted so badly just to go to bed. But he knew if he didn't listen to his Uncle, there would be hell to pay. He walked back without saying a word. And stood infront of his beafy Uncle who looked extremely displeased. Harry knew he hated it when Petunia came between him and his disciplining.
Vernon held the cigarette that Harry had been smoking before he got sick. He twiddled it in his fingers, staring into the red hot filter. "You learn your lesson?"
"Yes sir", he lied. At this point he saw no need to defend his side of the story.
"Good then get to bed", he ordered.
Harry was surprised that that was the end of it. He counted his blessings and attempted to leave again. But Vernon grabbed his arm quickly and pulled him back. Harry shut his eyes tight, expecting to be hit. But instead Vernon pressed the smolering end of the cigarette into his nephews flesh.
"Ah!" Harry screamed in both shock and pain, pulling his arm away protectively.
"Now you've learned your lesson", Vernon explained with little emotion. "Now get to bed."
Harry rushed out of the kitchen, sniffling and holding his arm. Once he got upstairs, Aunt Petunia had gotten out of bed. "What are you screaming about!" She hissed. "You want to wake up the whole-. She stopped when she saw Harry's arm. It was obvious what had happened.
"I'm sorry Aunt Petunia", Harry sniffled.
"Tsk", she sighed, looking at his arm. Go in the bathroom and put a cold cloth on it. Ok?" She spoke in a caring voice. "But be quiet."
Harry nodded his head and went in the bathroom, closing the door gently behind him.
As Vernon made his way upstairs, Petunia went back to their bedroom. "He in bed?" He asked once he entered.
"Yes", she lied.
"Good. Now we can get some sleep", he said, getting into bed.
"Oh, I forgot my laundry downstairs", Petunia lied again,
"Laundry? At this time of night?"
"Yes, well I'll just be a minute", she said, getting out of bed.
Before she even left the room, Vernon was snoring.
She walked quietly to the bathroom and opened the door a creak. "Harry?"
"Huh?"
She opened the door the rest of the way, seeing her nephew sit on the toilet with a damp cloth on his arm.
Harry was a little surprised to see her. At first he thought she wanted to use the bathroom. But then he saw her rumaging through the cupboards and pulling out some sort of cream and some bandages.
Harry was overwhelmed when his Aunt actually cleaned, treated and bandaged his arm for him. "Thank you."
"Shh", she lifted a finger to her lips. "Now get to bed ok?"
"Ok."
He went back into his room, smiling as he looked at his bandage. He ran a finger over the cloth, surprised at how much better it felt.
Looking at the clock, he was surprised to see how late it was. He got into bed and pulled the tattered covers up, just before hearing a small tap at his door. He panicked slightly, thinking it was his Uncle.
"Yes", he answered quietly, but not too quietly.
The door opened slowly, and he saw Petunia standing with a glass in her hand. She walked over to him and handed over the glass. "Here", she offered. "This will help get rid of that nasty taste.
Harry took the cup, witch turned out to be orange juice. "Thank you", he replied, expressing his extreme gratitude.
"Goodnight", she said, ruffling his soft dark locks. Then exited the room.
Harry drank every drop of his Orange juice. He usually only got water, so the citrusy drink was a treat. When he was done, he cuddled back into bed feeling blissful and happy, a feeling he had not felt in a long time.
THE END.
AN: I just felt like writing a one shot. Also I wanted to write something seemingly normal. Something that could actually happen. So I chose not to go the whole 'Harry getting beaten' to death by his Uncle' route. Not that I won't write that later. :) Please let me know if you liked it.