Author's Note

I don't own Sherlock or Harry Potter in this universe

Chapter 21. Here Be Dragons

Hermione POV

The skies are so grey today;it seems they are even more in turmoil and are more dampened with sadness than usual today. I stare at them as they continue to clash in the sky. Mother had once told me a story about the gods being clouds and that's where thunder and lightning came from, the lightning being their shots and their thunder being their roars of rage. Looking at it now I can't help but agree, and it certainly doesn't help clear my mind or mood at all.

I don't know why I'm feeling like this, I should be happy. I mean I guess I am relieved that all the drama is over and that people are talking to me again. Still, I can't shake this melancholy feeling in me. It's not really all the time there, it's a residual feeling. I'm not exactly outright sad, nor am I angry, I just feel lost and down. Almost a numbness in me of nothingness, I only can describe it by the look of the clouds right now.

I continue sitting on the swings, breathing in slowly the cold air. I know I should be heading home soon, mom and pa will probably begin to worry, but I can't help but take a look and try to sort my head out. At least no one is here so I can really concentrate on everything. Even though it's nearly spring everything still has that cold and biting feeling to the bones and everything is still covered in ice. Everything in this earth is still sleeping, even me it feels at times. Anyways, that's when I notice the little flower.

I don't even notice it at first glance just because it's so tiny. I realise it's not healthy at all, the cold winds and lack of sunshine has taken it's toll on it, and it looks at me sadly and wilted. I take a deep breath, I have made a promise that I wouldn't do it, and I am hard set to keep that secret secret. After all these things that had happened to me, I didn't need more people against me. Seeing that little flower and it's sad torn leaves and wilted petals just made me sympathise with it. Maybe it was the air, or just my confused mind but I begin to use my gift.

Using my gift is a bit of a strange sensation that I can't really describe in words. The best way I guess I could describe it is natural. It's not one of those learned things like riding a bike or learning how to read, it was like I was born knowing already how to do it without even thinking. Other things that I'm good at like math or science require thinking, which is fine because I do like thinking a lot. My gift though doesn't require thinking, or at least in that way, it's more emotional driven, a sort of riding in me I always knew I had. I begin to feel the tingling in my fingertips, that's always the first time. Even now as I begin to use it I can already feel it flowing through me, getting ready to be used, practically eager to be used.

I then finally look down at the flower, satisfied at my own handiwork. The flower had its leaves now healed and the petals had color and were not wilted at all. At least now it had a better chance of surviving until spring, and that thought made me happy. "I knew it freak!" I turned to look at Charlotte, who had been hiding in the corner.

I turned quickly to face her, hiding my hands behind me. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I saw what you did to that flower!" Charlotte snarled.

"In fact." she says smiling evilly. "I have it right on camera," she says, pulling out a camera from her purse.

I begin to pale, "What do you want from me?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady but failing. I can already feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

"You know, it would be a shame if people found out about this. Your perfect little reputation would be gone in the blink of an eye? Who should I show it first to? Molly? Jim? Or even Sherlock?" I can't hold back the tears now, they're falling fast.

"Why do you want to do this to me?" She laughs coldly, and there's no humor to it.

"You're pathetic. You know exactly what I want and I'm going to get it." I weakly try to get the camera, but she dodges easily and shoves me into a mud puddle.

"Did you really think you could stop me this easily? I have all this and more on you, Hermione Granger. There's nothing stopping me now."

"Just don't show Sherlock." I say, my voice a barely a whisper. I'm too sad and afraid to say much else.

"You know, I used to respect you enough to give you the benefit of the doubt. You are really pathetic Hermione. Why would I listen to you, you freak!" She says, and with that then she leaves, the camera still in hand.

XXX

Sherlock POV

The next day at school Hermione was acting so weird to say the least. Even greg could tell that she was acting odd. I could tell the minute she walked into the classroom something was off, her usual confident smile and look were gone, she dragged her feet and her eyes seemed more lifeless. I began to deduce more about her. She had clearly not slept well last night, and her eyes were a bit watery, suggesting she had been crying in recent hours. She also kept crossing her legs and looking at the exit, an unconscious thing that she was clearly really uncomfortable here and wanted to leave, and that she also was hiding something. Her clothes were wrinkled and haphazardly put on, suggesting even more anxiety and rushing today. She never looked at the teacher once, keeping to herself and only answering questions when asked upon, not raising her hand even once, nor correcting people when they were blatantly wrong. The most peculiar thing though was that she for the whole morning wouldn't look me in the eye at all, suggesting that secret she was keeping was for me or about me. Actually, she did look at me, and I won't ever forget that look. Her eyes weren't angry or sad, they were remorseful. Yes, something was clearly off about her.

I tried walking over to her during lunch. We hadn't spoken a word to each other all morning, and now that we were out of the classroom she had no choice (or at least less of one) to blatantly ignore me. I might have been annoyed if I hadn't seen the look on her face. That look was the most feared look I had ever seen on the bravest girl I knew. Something really bad must have happened yesterday to shake her up this much, and I wanted to know the reason.

I scoffed at myself, was this what Mycroft called sentiment? This odd feeling of caring for others than yourself? This feeling, it was so odd, why did people want to feel this? It feels honestly awful, like a part of me was ripped out and given to her, why would anyone want to feel like that? It feels so alien, so wrong. It hurts to even think that someone might have hurt her. I know it's a disadvantage in the long run, but how can I get rid of it without feeling more pain?

"Hermione, what's wrong?" I asked. She didn't say anything, staring straight into the clock across from her.

I then reached over to tap her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Don't touch me." She said, her voice was so quiet I barely heard it. I took a step back, her voice wasn't rude or snarky or cold, it was just full of nothingness, not even a fierceness I had expected.

"Well then tell me what's wrong." I said.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Well clearly something is. You won't even look me in the face." I said, turning around and forcing her to look me into my eyes.

She turned away quickly. "Well what if there is something wrong. It doesn't matter, you can't change it." Her voice was breaking, and I knew she was on the verge of tears.

"I'm just trying to hel-" she then turned back to look me square in the face.

"You can't, you can't do everything Sherlock! So stop trying." She said, and she ran off, leaving me more broken and confused than ever.

XXX

Hermione POV

I ran out of there as fast as I could because I knew if I stayed any longer and saw that broken look on Sherlock's face I would immediately start crying. I didn't want Charlotte to see that, I wanted to at least look presentable enough. Once I was sure I was alone I began to cry, the tears falling hot down my face. I wiped them away quickly though, making sure no one saw me. I didn't want Charlotte to know I had been crying, I never wanted to give her that satisfaction. I didn't want to seem broken and weak, even though I felt like it on the inside. I knew I wouldn't win if I cried.

Still it was so hard to do this, to pretend that I was okay on the inside. I knew Charlotte was ruthless enough to do it, she wasn't the kind to bluff. Worst still I had nothing to fight back. I didn't want to play this game with her, I didn't want to get involved again. I didn't want any of this. I was in it though, and now I couldn't back out. All I could do was push on, and hope for the best. I knew in the endgame she didn't really want to destroy me, she didn't hate me completely at least. I knew this had to do with Sherlock, and his surge of popularity. She was just using me as a pawn in her game of chess, and now I was playing against a queen. I was being used to destroy my best friend. No, she could destroy me but I wouldn't let her destroy Sherlock. I wasn't going to break him like that.

I had to keep Sherlock out of this as much as I could though. I knew it would be hard on both of us, especially him. I knew I was taking a chance in ruining our friendship. The alternative though wasn't an option at all, and I knew that would really break our friendship. Well rather, I had three options. I could do what Charlotte wanted me to do, I could tell him, or I could just try to work this out on my own. I wouldn't do the first one, but I also couldn't get him involved in this. I knew at least to some degree Sherlock must care about me. I mean he punched Jim in the face and nearly broke his nose. If I told him what was really happening he would be off the wall livid. I didn't really want to see that side of him, it was scary for everyone. I was also afraid though that he would be furious to the point of irrationality, because I realised he can get like that if you push him hard enough. That was what scared me the most, and I knew he would destroy himself and me if he ever knew. That was the part Charlotte wanted to see and exploit, and I wouldn't let him show it if it was the last thing I ever did. Yes, it was decided I was all alone in this battle, and I would walk my own path.

XXX

John POV

When Sherlock came to my house after school I was surprised. Not only by the fact that he was alone again, but also just the way he looked. The last time he came alone he had been angry at her, but this time he wasn't at all. If anything, I'd say almost heartbroken. His whole body seemed to falling apart at the seams, and I had never seen him look just so dejected in his life. It was as if the weight of the world now rested on him.

"What happened?" He turned to look at me, on the verge of tears, the most remorseful look in his eyes.

"I don't know, John please can you do something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you make the pain stop?" He asked.

"Sherlock if you're hurt you can come inside, I can get the first aid-"

"No it's not a physical pain, but it hurts so much more. Why did that bloody girl ever have to come here? Why did I ever start become friends with her? Why do I care so much?" He said, his words were cold and biting as the wind blowing around us.

"Why do I hurt so much, do I really care for her?" He was screaming now, but I knew it wasn't at me. It was at the world. He began then to cry, I stood there frozen. I had seen many aspects of Sherlock, I had seen him happy, angry, and certainly sad. But only once had I truly seen him cry like this before.

"Sherlock, you do care for her, because you're human. And humans are the oddest, craziest creatures in the world. Caring is okay, please understand. There are dragons for everyone Sherlock, and there are always dragon slayers." I said, and together we stood on the front patio, time stopping for the eternity.

Author's Note

And this my friends is the real reason I put it under the drama category. I'm sorry if that made anyone emotionally sad, it made me sad too to write about. (and if you aren't sad then good for you). Hermione I know is trying to do the best, I honestly wondered how she and just in general her parents took her wizarding powers without any explanation, and I know she probably doesn't turn to them and is just stuck, hopeless. Sherlock on the other hand is dealing with emotions, the idea I had been toying with since day one. It's a lot more interesting for him to be learning about them, because while the BBC show does an excellent representation of Sherlock turning more human, it is I think more interesting to show him as a child, because your emotions then are so fragile and reckless. Both parties are stuck in hopeless situations, and it is sad and disheartening to see. Anyways, thank you for reading it and please review!