The Harmony bond, chapter eleven.
Disclaimer:-
To anyone who has been on another planet since 1997, this is to let you know that Harry Potter belongs to J., her various publishers and Warner Brothers. This story and any new characters belong to me.
In the previous chapter...
Harry asked of they could break the bond and Hermione confronted her parents about what they said about Harry. Harry and Hermione have been sedated to allow their magical energy to recover.
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Hermione was panicking. Her head hurt. She could vaguely remember hitting a wall. Her lip was sore too and she could taste the salty blood. It was pitch dark and she had no idea where she was. She was so tired, but felt like if she went to sleep, she'd never wake up again. The sudden thought that that might not be so bad shocked her.
Very slowly, her eyes became adjusted to the dark. This place. It was familiar and yet not familiar. She sat up and promptly banged her head again. The strange shape of the ceiling told her she was under some stairs. Why was she here? She found the door handle and tried to open it. It didn't budge. Why would her parents lock her in a cupboard?
She banged on the door, but there was no response. How long had she been in here? Not long judging by the fact that her lip was still bleeding a little. How long were they going to keep her here? After another futile session of banging on the door, she abandoned the attempt. She really was so tired. Her whole body ached. She could feel blisters on her hands. Sleep. She needed sleep.
"GET HARRY AND GET OUT!" The sudden shout awakened her. She was somewhere else, looking up at a ceiling. She heard the crash of the front door. She didn't know how she knew it was the front door, but she did. A woman she didn't recognise was running towards her. Her face was ashen and she knew that something terrible was happening.
It was dark again as she awoke. She needed the toilet badly. She banged on the door yet again but there was still no reply other than a muffled shouted from somewhere else in the house to shut up if she knew what was good for her.
She couldn't wait any longer. She had to go. Even though she was alone, the embarrassment was worse than the smell, though that was bad enough to make her feel sick.
She was running, had to get away before they got her. Her chest hurt from the running, the sharp pain of a stitch in her side, but she'd got away this time. As she rounded the corner of the building, they were there again. They'd cut her off. She felt the pain of a punch in her stomach and promptly threw up. She earned her being pushed to the ground and kicked. A well aimed shoe hit her in the face and she knew no more.
The burn on her hand hurt terribly. "Finish my dinner, boy, or you'll get nothing for yourself." It wouldn't be the first time. But it was finished and she took the plates to the table. She went to sit down, but the food in front of her was removed. "Take this." A woman handed her some slices of bread.
"But I made..."
"YOU made? I bought all this," the man yelled. "Get back in your cupboard. Bread's good enough for freaks."
She ran to her cupboard before the boy next to her could volunteer to help take her back. The door slammed behind her and she heard bolts slide into place. The smell was unbearable and she lost interest in the bread. "FREAK!" she heard, followed by laughter.
"No! Not Harry! Please. Not HA..." The scream was silenced.
A face appeared above her. She'd never seen it before but she knew it was a cruel face. It smiled. And suddenly there was a green light and nothing more.
Someone was opening her mouth, something with a nasty taste. She was still shaking from the green light, but somehow it didn't seem so threatening any more.
For a few moments she was confused, but somehow she was in a park. It was deserted. This she recognised. It was the park where they had found Harry. There was nobody else around right now, so she was safe. She could sleep for a while.
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Madam Pompfrey had gone. Mrs. Granger had sat by her daughter for some time after the two children calmed down in their sleep. She heard a voice from the doorway.
"Come on, darling. They'll be okay."
"How can you be so calm?"
"I'm not. But I think Madam Pomfrey knows what she's doing."
"No child should have to go through this."
"No. But look at her now. Tell me. Have you ever seen Hermione looking so peaceful?"
"It's just the drugs she gave them."
"I'm not so sure. It was the same when Harry was here for a month before, It's the first time I've ever seen Hermione excited about anything apart from learning something."
Mrs. Granger allowed her husband to lead her downstairs. "How could I have said those awful things?" she asked.
"Like Professor McGonagall said, you were scared, that's all."
"Hermione looked like she hated me," his wife sobbed.
"She doesn't hate you. She'll understand. They both will."
"I hope so."
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This time the potion did as Madam Pomfrey intended. The two children slept, more or less peacefully, for over twenty four hours.
Mr. Granger was able to return to work as normal, while Mrs. Granger stayed home.
"Harry?" asked Hermione, when they finally woke up. "What's the green light?"
"What green light?"
"When the woman is screaming Not Harry."
"You saw?"
Hermione nodded.
"How?"
"I don't know. I think it's something to do with the bond."
Harry looked uncomfortable.
"You don't have to be embarrassed," Hermione assured him.
"You shouldn't have to see all that," Harry complained.
"Me? How dare they treat you like that?"
Harry was silent for a while. Then he said, "Voldemort."
"Huh?"
"The green light. I think it was when Voldemort tried to kill me."
"Oh, yes. Professor Dumbledore said that, didn't he?"
When they went downstairs, Mrs. Granger had then call Madam Pomfrey. "She wanted to check you over when you woke up."
Madam Pomfrey arrived half an hour later and cast her wand over the two children.
"It's better," she said. "The bond is a little stronger. I think I'll ask Albus if he can send Professor Flitwick tomorrow to be sure."
"Why don't you just call him direct?" asked Mr. Granger.
"To protect Harry and Hermione, only four of us know he is here," Madam Pomfrey replied a little sternly.
"Can I have some potion to give them tonight?" Mrs. Granger asked, quickly changing the subject.
"I'm afraid it's not a good idea to give it too often, but call me if you need me."
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To the great relief of both of Hermione's parents, the two children slept peacefully the following night. There had been some awkwardness at bedtime, as both felt embarrassed at sleeping in the same bed.
When Mrs. Granger told her that Madam Pomfrey had said that there was less chance of nightmares that way, or that they would probably at least be less intense, and it would only be necessary for a while, the children decided that they didn't object so much after all.
After putting the children to bed, Mr. And Mrs. Granger went downstairs. Mr Granger was laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"I don't know whether to laugh or cry."
"Why?"
"I just never imagined that I'd be encouraging our daughter to go to bed with someone."
"No," his wife couldn't resist a giggle.
"Especially not at eight years old," Mr. Granger finished.
"Nearly nine, thank you," said Mrs. Granger, in the best imitation of her daughter's voice she could manage.
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The next afternoon Professor Dumbledore flooed in with a tiny man beside him. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Granger. May I present Professor Filius Flitwick, our resident charms expert. I have brought him to answer any questions you may have on bonds."
Mrs. Granger looked openly suspicious, but went to get the two children, while Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick sat down. When Harry entered the room, Professor Flitwick nearly fell off of his seat in excitement.
"It's not? It can't be?" he almost squeaked. He looked across to Professor Dumbledore for confirmation.
"Yes, my old friend. This is Harry Potter and this is his bond-mate, Hermione Granger."
"Bond-mate?" asked Mrs. Granger.
"It is what we call partners linked by a bond," explained Professor Flitwick.
"As I explained to your mother," said Professor Dumbledore, "I have brought our resident expert on charms to answer your questions on bonds." He noted Hermione's suspicious look. "Before you ask it, you can trust Professor Flitwick. The staff at Hogwarts are selected for their expertise, not because they will say what I tell them to say, as I think you have seen with Madam Pomfrey. In fact, Filius here has just finished telling me what a fool I was to separate you both."
Professor Flitwick looked embarrassed. "I didn't quite put it that way. But you treated a soul bond as if it were simply a marriage bond and it isn't. It forms much more rapidly and is far more precarious in the early stages, though far stronger later. But only an expert on bonds would know that."
"In other words, I should have asked your advice," said Professor Dumbledore.
"Yes," the younger man agreed, "you should."
The older man nodded. "Professor Flitwick is being diplomatic as always. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall were far less restrained with their opinions on my actions regarding you both, especially for leaving you, Harry, so long without checking on you. Now, when Mr. Weasley arrives, please send him outside as I am going to teach him how to make the strongest protective wards possible. That will leave you in peace to ask whatever you wish to ask."
"I've made a list of questions," began Hermione, before Professor Dumbledore was even out of the room. Mrs. Granger smiled at that. In some ways her daughter was so predictable.
"Yes, my dear?"
"Why did we become bonded?" She quickly turned to Harry and added, "I don't mean I don't want to be, I just want to understand why."
Harry grinned. He hadn't taken her question the wrong way. In the month he'd spent with her, he'd learned all about her insatiable curiosity.
"Sadly, your first question I cannot answer," replied the professor. "Nobody knows. Soul bonds are too rare for any really meaningful research."
"Oh," replied Hermione, obviously disappointed.
"On the bright side," the professor pointed out, "it means you two have something incredibly rare and precious." He grinned, which looked slightly odd on him. "Next question?"
"What spell has a green light?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Harry dreams about it a lot. We know it has something to do with Voldemort killing his parents, but that's all."
Professor Flitwick had looked startled at the mention of Voldemort's name, but recovered quickly. "I'm not sure it's really my place to tell you, but it is the Avada Kedavra spell, the killing spell. It kills instantly and cannot be stopped. There is no defence or counter-curse."
"Then how...?"
"...Did Harry survive?"
Hermione nodded.
"Nobody really knows for sure. Professor Dumbledore believes that Harry's mother's sacrifice gave him a protection against Voldemort. But he knows much more about Old Magic than I do."
"Harry," said Hermione. "If it is instant, at least it means your parents didn't suffer."
Harry brightened visibly at the thought.
"Why do I seem to be able to share Harry's dreams, but not the other way round?"
"Interesting. Harry, you've been resisting the bond, haven't you?"
Before Harry could answer a young man appeared from the floo. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt." He looked over at Harry. "Professor Dumbledore wasn't joking. It really is Harry..."
Professor Flitwick coughed.
"Sorry, Professor. Pleased to meet you, Harry, and you must be Hermione. I'm Bill Weasley. And nice to see you again, Mrs. Granger. Don't worry, Harry, your secret's safe with me. He's outside, I assume?" Without waiting for a reply, Bill walked outside.
"One of my best students," said Professor Flitwick, "but always has time to help those who are less bright than himself. Nice family too. Hmm. Must have a word..." The professor seemed to be thinking to himself for a moment. "Anyhow. Before we were interrupted," he said, "I was asking you if you've been resisting the bond, wasn't I Harry? And have you?"
"I don't know, really."
"May I examine you?"
Nervously, not knowing what to expect, Harry nodded.
Professor Flitwick did as Madam Pomfrey had done, simply flicked his wand over both Harry and Hermione, but his examination took much longer. At the end of the examination, he was frowning. "I don't know anything about your upbringing, Harry, but at a guess I'd say it wasn't a happy one."
"They hated him, locked him in a cupboard a lot of the time and let their overgrown lump of a son beat him up," spat Mrs. Granger, with a venom she didn't know she had.
The professor looked shocked. "I... I had no idea. Don't they know who you are? You're a hero."
"No," said Harry. "I'm not. I don't even think I did anything."
"They wouldn't care anyway," Hermione added. "They hate magic and think we are all freaks."
"Harry, my examination tells me that your upbringing has left you with a real problem with trusting anyone..."
"I wonder why," interrupted Mrs. Granger.
"Quite. The problem is that a soul bond requires absolute trust. Anything less and gradually your whole magical and life energy, instead of feeding the bond, fights the bond, until it is drained away. As I know you already know, it is very dangerous."
"It would kill us," said Hermione simply.
The professor was more shocked by the calm way in which Hermione made the statement, than the statement itself.
"Yes," he admitted.
Hermione immediately saw Harry looking miserable. "Harry, it's not your fault."
"No, Harry," said the professor. "It certainly isn't. I wish I had known earlier. This does give me part of the answer to your question though, Hermione. But you, Hermione, have very strong mental control, not to mention an unusually high level of curiosity."
Mrs. Granger couldn't help a slight laugh at that.
Professor Flitwick smiled. "Ah, you'd noticed that, had you?"
"It's difficult not to."
"I imagine. Well, this means two things. Your mind, finding itself bonded, whenever you are relaxed enough, is exploring the bond. However your mental control is actually preventing Harry from doing the same if he wanted to. I would guess that you've been hurt a lot by friends you allowed close, am I right."
Hermione nodded. "So it's my fault, not Harry's?"
"I wouldn't say fault. And actually it is the way you are both reacting that is causing this. While your mind wants to explore, but also shuts itself off in case it is hurt, Harry's mind is so hurt that it doesn't even try to defend itself, and he lacks your curiosity, I'm guessing because being curious was not encouraged in his upbringing."
"He was told not to ask questions or he'd be locked in his cupboard," said Hermione, wondering how she knew that.
Deciding it was time he contributed to the conversation, Harry said, "If I got better marks than Dudley at school, I was punished for it."
"Then it is hardly surprising that Harry lacks the mental curiosity to explore your link."
"But what can we do about it?" asked Harry, sounding desperate.
"Oh, quite a lot," said the professor cheerfully. He looked at his watch. "Yes, we've plenty of time. Mrs. Granger, may I have your permission to take these two to Diagon Alley to get their wands."
"Wands?" squealed Hermione. "I thought we didn't get them until we are eleven."
"Normally you wouldn't. But for the training I have in mind, you will need them, if your mother doesn't mind."
Her mother shook her head.
"But Professor Dumbledore said that Harry couldn't go as he'd be recognised."
"Good point, let's see now." he seemed deep in thought for a moment and then waved his wand at Harry. "That should do it. It'll only last a short while, so we must hurry."
"What will last a short while?" asked Harry, unaware that anything had happened.
"Go and look at yourself in a mirror," instructed Hermione. "It's amazing. You've just got to teach me how to do that, Professor."
"All in good time. That comes much later."
Harry's voice in the bathroom could be heard throughout the house. "Wow!"
The professor had transformed his face enough to make him unrecognisable and changed his hair colour and style. He'd even made his scar invisible, something Harry had wanted to do every time someone at school had called him "scar face".
"Are we ready then?" asked the Professor, a little smugly.
"Yes," said Harry and Hermione together.
"Right, you know how to floo. Next stop, Diagon Alley."
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Author's note...
A catalogue of corrections. Thanks to Mike for spotting that the marriage spell mentioned in chapter 9 should have UNITED the couple, not UNTIED them. There were also minor errors in chapter three and six. Hermione and Harry met in early July, so Harry would have been seven, not eight, if Hermione was eight at that time (as stated in chapter one). We also know that Dudley is only a little older than Harry, so he would have been eight, not nine as stated in chapter six.
More importantly, the timing of Harry's return to the Dursleys in chapter 6 and the events afterwards in chapters 7-10 would have taken the events in those chapters past Hermione's birthday, which is Monday the 19th of September. Many minor changes in wording were required to correct this.
All these errors have now been corrected, so, anyone who wants to download corrected chapters should now re-download chapters 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 as well as the previous chapter to this one, chapter 10, as usual.
My thanks again to my new beta, Nachoman1, a.k.a. Ignacio RamÃrez, for his work on this chapter.
Please review.
Brian