Ch: 8
Disclaimer: Not mine or else I would be rich and own a '87 Camero, V-8 with
t-tops.*Author mutters to herself and sighs. Noticing everyone staring at
her, she yanks back into reality with an embarrassed blush* Anyway, on with
the show!
(If it works) bold is flashbacks
Thirty minutes later, Harry was back in Dumbledore's office with all eyes fixed on him. Draco sat next to him like a thin beacon of hope. "I want answers. That is why Draco and I dragged you back to this office. If you want my help with Voldemort than you have to answer me. I deserve them, don't you think?" Harry's voice became brittle as his eyes darkened like the dead. Even if he didn't show it on the outside, Harry knew that he was slowly slipping away from humanity.
A brief pressure on his hand brought Harry back to reality. Glancing down, he was surprised to find Draco resting a warm, pale hand against his own, offering comfort. With a small smile of acknowledgement to Draco, Harry tightened his grip and turned back to the other three people in the room. 'Weasley doesn't seem to be comfortable around me anymore.' Harry stared at him and bared his teeth in a rather wolfish grin. The redheads face paled to the color of milk and he turned away in unease.
"You wanted answers Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry turned towards him and nodded. "Draco told me some of the things I wanted to know but he couldn't tell me why you," he tossed a meaningful look towards the 'happy couple' in the corner. "Willingly tossed me aside like yesterdays trash. I thought you were my friends." The couple glanced at each other before facing the music.
"I didn't want to believe it, Harry. But when you came back from summer vacation, you were different," started Ron. "Darker and more secretive. You were hanging out with your hated enemy and you disappeared at night. Then Fred and George came in one night and they were so upset and when I asked what they were mad about, they called you a traitor and a Death-Eater lover. And, it just sort of fit. I felt so betrayed when I saw you standing over them, Harry. I am so sorry." Ron glanced at Harry but he seemed to be lost in a distant memory.
Harry remembered that day. The day Fred and George called him a back stabbing liar. It hurt so much, thinking that his friends really thought he would betray him. Harry never lost that deadened look as calmly turned his gaze towards his audience. "Do want to know what happened?" The others slowly nodded and Harry felt Draco's hand wrap tighter around his.
It was a stormy day; the wind howled through the corridors and blew out torches. Many of the students had bundled themselves up and walked hurriedly through the halls in hopes to stay warm. Harry, in the meantime, was staring out a solitary window while he thought of his sadly torn life. He wasn't cold- the wind that came from the window blew through his hair but Harry never noticed.
He smiled. Suddenly a pale hand clasped him around his waist as a body buried itself in his back. A warm voice floated from his back and in a slightly annoyed voice said, "It's cold outside, Potter! Are you trying to catch your death? How many times have I told you that you can't die until I say you can?" Harry chuckled and leaned back into Malfoy's embrace. "That's typical of you, Malfoy. Always trying to act like God." Harry felt Malfoy smile on his neck. "Someone has to rule your life Potter. Otherwise you would have lost your way."
Harry closed the window and led Malfoy to a seat in the corner. They continued to talk comfortably until two angry voices broke into their conversation. "So this is why you quite Quidditch, Harry?" asked Fred as he materialized from the shadows. His twin, George, soon followed. "You quite because of this little snake?" Harry could feel the rage that slowly filtered through his friend. "No Fred. I quite because I can't handle the responsibility." George laughed harshly at this.
"Ooo, the Famous Harry Potter can't handle all his fame and popularity!" he taunted. "Is the fan club getting to be to much for you, Harry?" At this point, Malfoy bared his teeth and snarled, "Don't talk about what you don't know, Weasley!" Fred cocked and eyebrow. "Oh and like you do? It's all Harry's fault that we no longer have a good team! If we lose, it's all his fault!"
Harry didn't hear anything after that. He was thinking along the same lines except he was remembering Cedric and how he couldn't save him. With a mumbled, "All my fault" and tears threatening to fall from his green eyes, Harry fled from the room. Draco shouted something after him but he didn't listen. "Everyone dies because of me and I can't stop it! When will I ever find peace? When can I finally leave this tortured life behind and find peace? Is that to much to ask?"
"And that night I hid. I stayed in an abandoned room until I felt I could come back." Harry concluded. The whole room fell silent as they listened to Harry. No one move- they didn't want to. Finally, Hermione asked an overlooked question. "If that wasn't the twins blood on your hand, than whose was it?" Harry stared at her before he slowly removed his hand from Draco's. Staring at them silently, Harry slowly revealed his many and long concealed scars that riddled his wrists like melted wax. "It was mine."
Hermione gasped and stared in shock. Everyone was frozen while they tried to comprehend what they were seeing. "You were a cutter?" asked a forgotten Snape from the corner. Harry met no ones eyes as he nodded. "Why?" asked Draco in a strangled voice. He reached over and picked up Harry's wrist. Looked into Harry's eyes, he slowly traced each one with a long pale finger. "What made you want to do this?" Harry breathed heavily before a small answered filed through his lips. "Life. I don't want to talk about it. Can we go?" he pleaded. Draco stared at the smaller man in pity but shook his head and stood.
"We'll talk more tomorrow if Harry wishes." "No. I want to get to work." "You sure?" asked Dumbledore. Everyone was staring at Harry in a new light and for the first time, they finally saw the real Harry. A man who tried to hold the whole world on his shoulders with out complaint but failed. They saw a human being. "I am sure." "Than the necessary materials will be sent to your apartments tomorrow. Good luck Harry." With a last glance at the small rooms occupants, Harry and Draco left the room that had contained Harry's hell. He was home free.
AN: I am going to pick up the paces soon and probably have a time jump in the next chapter. Its time for Voldemort to rear his ugly head with a new vision, don't you think? Thank you for all the reviews! ~Ta-ta
(If it works) bold is flashbacks
Thirty minutes later, Harry was back in Dumbledore's office with all eyes fixed on him. Draco sat next to him like a thin beacon of hope. "I want answers. That is why Draco and I dragged you back to this office. If you want my help with Voldemort than you have to answer me. I deserve them, don't you think?" Harry's voice became brittle as his eyes darkened like the dead. Even if he didn't show it on the outside, Harry knew that he was slowly slipping away from humanity.
A brief pressure on his hand brought Harry back to reality. Glancing down, he was surprised to find Draco resting a warm, pale hand against his own, offering comfort. With a small smile of acknowledgement to Draco, Harry tightened his grip and turned back to the other three people in the room. 'Weasley doesn't seem to be comfortable around me anymore.' Harry stared at him and bared his teeth in a rather wolfish grin. The redheads face paled to the color of milk and he turned away in unease.
"You wanted answers Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry turned towards him and nodded. "Draco told me some of the things I wanted to know but he couldn't tell me why you," he tossed a meaningful look towards the 'happy couple' in the corner. "Willingly tossed me aside like yesterdays trash. I thought you were my friends." The couple glanced at each other before facing the music.
"I didn't want to believe it, Harry. But when you came back from summer vacation, you were different," started Ron. "Darker and more secretive. You were hanging out with your hated enemy and you disappeared at night. Then Fred and George came in one night and they were so upset and when I asked what they were mad about, they called you a traitor and a Death-Eater lover. And, it just sort of fit. I felt so betrayed when I saw you standing over them, Harry. I am so sorry." Ron glanced at Harry but he seemed to be lost in a distant memory.
Harry remembered that day. The day Fred and George called him a back stabbing liar. It hurt so much, thinking that his friends really thought he would betray him. Harry never lost that deadened look as calmly turned his gaze towards his audience. "Do want to know what happened?" The others slowly nodded and Harry felt Draco's hand wrap tighter around his.
It was a stormy day; the wind howled through the corridors and blew out torches. Many of the students had bundled themselves up and walked hurriedly through the halls in hopes to stay warm. Harry, in the meantime, was staring out a solitary window while he thought of his sadly torn life. He wasn't cold- the wind that came from the window blew through his hair but Harry never noticed.
He smiled. Suddenly a pale hand clasped him around his waist as a body buried itself in his back. A warm voice floated from his back and in a slightly annoyed voice said, "It's cold outside, Potter! Are you trying to catch your death? How many times have I told you that you can't die until I say you can?" Harry chuckled and leaned back into Malfoy's embrace. "That's typical of you, Malfoy. Always trying to act like God." Harry felt Malfoy smile on his neck. "Someone has to rule your life Potter. Otherwise you would have lost your way."
Harry closed the window and led Malfoy to a seat in the corner. They continued to talk comfortably until two angry voices broke into their conversation. "So this is why you quite Quidditch, Harry?" asked Fred as he materialized from the shadows. His twin, George, soon followed. "You quite because of this little snake?" Harry could feel the rage that slowly filtered through his friend. "No Fred. I quite because I can't handle the responsibility." George laughed harshly at this.
"Ooo, the Famous Harry Potter can't handle all his fame and popularity!" he taunted. "Is the fan club getting to be to much for you, Harry?" At this point, Malfoy bared his teeth and snarled, "Don't talk about what you don't know, Weasley!" Fred cocked and eyebrow. "Oh and like you do? It's all Harry's fault that we no longer have a good team! If we lose, it's all his fault!"
Harry didn't hear anything after that. He was thinking along the same lines except he was remembering Cedric and how he couldn't save him. With a mumbled, "All my fault" and tears threatening to fall from his green eyes, Harry fled from the room. Draco shouted something after him but he didn't listen. "Everyone dies because of me and I can't stop it! When will I ever find peace? When can I finally leave this tortured life behind and find peace? Is that to much to ask?"
"And that night I hid. I stayed in an abandoned room until I felt I could come back." Harry concluded. The whole room fell silent as they listened to Harry. No one move- they didn't want to. Finally, Hermione asked an overlooked question. "If that wasn't the twins blood on your hand, than whose was it?" Harry stared at her before he slowly removed his hand from Draco's. Staring at them silently, Harry slowly revealed his many and long concealed scars that riddled his wrists like melted wax. "It was mine."
Hermione gasped and stared in shock. Everyone was frozen while they tried to comprehend what they were seeing. "You were a cutter?" asked a forgotten Snape from the corner. Harry met no ones eyes as he nodded. "Why?" asked Draco in a strangled voice. He reached over and picked up Harry's wrist. Looked into Harry's eyes, he slowly traced each one with a long pale finger. "What made you want to do this?" Harry breathed heavily before a small answered filed through his lips. "Life. I don't want to talk about it. Can we go?" he pleaded. Draco stared at the smaller man in pity but shook his head and stood.
"We'll talk more tomorrow if Harry wishes." "No. I want to get to work." "You sure?" asked Dumbledore. Everyone was staring at Harry in a new light and for the first time, they finally saw the real Harry. A man who tried to hold the whole world on his shoulders with out complaint but failed. They saw a human being. "I am sure." "Than the necessary materials will be sent to your apartments tomorrow. Good luck Harry." With a last glance at the small rooms occupants, Harry and Draco left the room that had contained Harry's hell. He was home free.
AN: I am going to pick up the paces soon and probably have a time jump in the next chapter. Its time for Voldemort to rear his ugly head with a new vision, don't you think? Thank you for all the reviews! ~Ta-ta