Disclaimer: this story does not belong to me. the story belongs to Tara Gilesbie. Harry potter stuff belongs to JKR. Ebony belongs to Tara.
Thanks to Artemeisia for the excellent beta-ing. Thanks to everyone for reading this. Double thanks for reviewing it.
Chapter 6 - Dark Tidings
The sun beat down on the back of Harry's neck, his body casting a long
shadow in the afternoon sun.
"Look at this one!" Ebony called over to him. Harry followed her into the
darkness cast by a rather beat-up shop, kept cool from the sun by the closed
curtains and open windows. A refreshing breeze embraced their faces,
relieving them of the heat.
Harry looked around. The shop was filled with the kinds of clothes that were
all black frills, lace and bows, one pieces, maid's uniforms, and Gothic
Lolita fashion.
The shop somehow made Harry uncomfortable.
"What do you think of this one?"
"Err.. What?" Harry had slipped into a sort of wakeful doze, blissfully
unaware of anything Ebony had said.
"I said do you like this one," Ebony indicated a rather tight fitting maid's
one piece, "Or this one?" an equally small muggle school girl uniform.
Harry looked from one to the other, "I that one would suit you more"
indicating the "school girl" suit.
"Sweet." She said, taking the other one to the counter to purchase, leaving
Harry to put the school uniform back.
Harry filed his way through to the other end of the shop, his mind drumming
a dull beat in the back of his brain. As much as he liked Ebony, she had
rather dull taste in shops.
Just as he was putting the dress back on the rack, a high pitched shriek sounded
from outside.
Harry dropped everything and ran to Ebony's aid. Dementor after dementor was
swooping down on the inhabitants of the small island, causing the utmost
terror. In the midst of it all, Ebony lay sprawled on the ground, a dementor
lowering it's head to deliver the eternally fatal "kiss".
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silver stag sprinted it's way over to the lifeless
body of Ebony, hooking the dementor around the middle, and launching the figure
out into the distance. The patronus turned itself around, working it's way
over into the thick of the shadowy creatures. The dementor raid party quickly gave
up, Harry's advanced defense against the dark arts magic skills had won.
Satisfied that the action was over, Harry rushed over to Ebony, hauling her
up into his arms. She still hadn't recovered. Harry felt for her pulse. And realized he couldn't find one.
He panicked, was he too late?
Two hours later, Ebony lay in a bed in the hospital wing, Harry at her side.
"It's my heart," Ebony said. She looked on the verge of tears, "My heart's
always been too weak!"
"Calm down, you're only going to make it worse," Harry said, stroking her
hair.
With the aid of Madam Pomfrey, Ebony had made it through the ordeal fine, but her heart
was still recovering. Ebony's heart, she had explained, had been weak since
birth. Her panic, coupled with the effect of the dementors, had brought on a
heart attack.
The doors of the hospital wing swung open, through them came a frightened-looking Ron and
Hermione.
"We heard about the Dementor attack. Thank God you're okay, Harry!" Hermione
looked as though she had refused to breath until she saw her friend was
alright.
"Ebony had a heart attack, but other than that, we're fine" Said Harry.
Hermione looked genuinely concerned for her rival.
Ebony was really crying this time, salty tears running down her cheeks, "My
heart is too weak. I have to find a cure." Throughout her entire life, she
had been unable to participate in anything overly dangerous or exciting.
She had never been allowed to do anything that would "over-exert" her. She
had to train herself to be able to pull Weasley-esque pranks without putting
herself into a coma.
At the sight of tears running down Ebony's cheeks, Madam Pomfrey promptly
swooped upon the three of them.
"What do you three think your doing? She needs rest and relaxation!" Shooing
Ron, Hermione and Harry out the doors of the hospital wing, and deftly locking
them in one simple motion.
---------
Since it was late, the trio made their way back to Gryffindor tower, taking
their usual seats around the fire. Harry had skipped tea. He was regretting
it now.
"So, what's the deal with you two?" Ron said, "Are you going out or what?"
Harry laughed, "I'm interested, but she only wants to be friends."
Hermione listened to the boys chat, her eyes looked tired and worn out.
Everything went quiet; the boys had ended their chat.
"Harry, why are you interested in that girl?" Hermione said, "She's a
Slytherin"
Harry gave a frustrated sigh.
"Hermione, I've given up caring what house people are in." Harry explained,
"If you're a jerk, you're a jerk. Just because she's a Slytherin doesn't
mean that she's a bad person."
"You know what I mean, Harry!" Hermione snapped, looking agitated.
Harry gazed into the fire, his eyes slipping into a daydream.
What was it that attracted him to her?
He had never really contemplated this before. Why did he suddenly recognise
Ebony as a pretty young woman, when before he had never noticed she existed?