Warning: This chapter may contain descriptions about abuse. If you do not like to read about these topics, then don't read. Wow, that was simple.
Chapter 8- Nightmares
Ron had come upstairs after his conversation with Draco and changed into his pajamas. He climbed into bed and found himself thinking about Harry. He could hardly keep his emotions under control. So many things have happened to his best friend in his short life, and finding out that the Dursleys had abused him as well was just overwhelming. Had this been going on all along? Why didn't Harry ever tell anyone? What was going to become of him? Who will look after him now that Sirius is gone?
Ron was determined to protect Harry from his relatives and whatever happens in the future. His friend has had to face too many obstacles alone. Ron made himself a solemn oath that he would do whatever it takes to ensure Harry' safety no matter what happened. He still felt guilty about not being able to do more at the Department of Mysteries on that faithful night. He watched over Harry's sleeping form for quite a while until he was able to fall asleep himself.
Ron had only been asleep an hour when he was awoken by the sound of Harry's frantic voice screaming into the night. He must be having a nightmare again.
"SIRIUS….NO….IT'S NOT TOO LATE! WE CAN STILL SAVE HIM!"
He knew that his friend was reliving the death of his godfather. Harry was thrashing about the bed. The covers had long been kicked off of his small body. Ron crossed the room and gently tried to shake his friend awake.
"Harry, it's okay. Wake up," he tried.
"No…SIRIUS…I am so sorry… so sorry…all my fault…all my fault..." Harry was now sobbing with grief.
Ron knew that Harry was creating quite a commotion so he wasn't surprised when he saw Draco standing in the doorway. Oddly he was still fully clothed at this late hour. He looked at the blond haired boy with disinterest and resumed trying to wake his friend.
From experience, Ron knew that Harry was a heavy sleeper. His current tactics on rousing him were not working so well so he became a little more forceful.
"HARRY! WAKE UP NOW! IT'S OKAY!" He grabbed the boys shoulder and shook it roughly.
To Ron's utter surprise, his friend reacted very badly from being shaken like that. Harry jolted away from his unseen attacker, his eyes wild with terror. Not being able to see in the dimly lit room, he pushed himself away and fell between the bed and the wall. He scooted into the corner and cowered there his entire body shaking.
"I am so sorry Uncle Vernon…didn't mean to wake you …please don't…so sorry…" Harry pleaded.
Oh gods! He thinks that I am his uncle and that I am going to hit him for waking me. Ron knew that he had to get through to Harry quick. The boy was more terrified than he had ever seen him before. Ron came around the twin bed and kneeled before his friend.
"Harry…shhh…it's me Ron. I am not going to hurt you…shhh…"
"…so sorry…please don't hit me…I'll be good…"
"Harry, it's Ron…you've got to snap out of it…" He gently reached out and put his hand on his arm to calm him.
"Ron?"
"Yes. You had a nightmare, and I tried to wake you. I am sorry if I scared you. Are you okay?" asked Ron.
"I am sorry. That was so stupid of me to act that way," said Harry
"No it wasn't. It's okay to be scared. Do you want to talk about it?"
Harry had calmed down now. He looked past Ron and saw Draco standing over by the door way. "Why is he here?"
Ron thought that he meant why was he here in the room. He asked Draco to leave so that they could have some more privacy. The blond haired boy scowled and left the room haughtily. "Sorry about that."
"No, why is he here at the Burrow?"
"Oh, because he decided that he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps in becoming a death eater. It's kind of a long story. We have sort of made our peace with each other. He is not that bad of a guy once you get past his cold exterior," said Ron.
"Oh."
"Harry, you thought I was your uncle when I tried to wake you, didn't you?. You kept saying sorry. Did you think I was going to hurt you?" Ron asked carefully.
Harry nodded his head. "Sorry."
"Stop apologizing. There is nothing to be sorry about. Is your uncle the one who gave you all of these bruises?"
Harry nodded his head again. It wasn't much, but at least he is responding to his questions now. They were still sitting between the wall and the bed.
"What happened? I thought the order threatened to hex them if they hurt you."
Harry laughed darkly. "Uncle Vernon didn't like being told by the order what he could and could not do with his family. He thought that I had set them up to it so I was punished. He made sure that I couldn't write anyone for help by locking me in the cupboard. He even went so far as to intercept the owls and burn the letters so that I couldn't read them. He allowed me to write everyone occasionally so no one would get suspicious. "
Ron encouraged Harry to continue. "Go on, Harry. Tell me what happened."
"I was only allowed out of the cupboard to do my chores in the house. When I didn't get them done in time, Uncle Vernon would beat me. Dudley is back on his stupid diet so you can imagine how much I have had to eat all summer. The only way he will stay on it is if my portions are smaller than his." Harry's voice was fairly even, but he was beginning to shake again and tears were now sliding slowly down his face.
"What happened to all of your things? You didn't bring much with you when you ran away. Is there any chance we can go get them?"
"No. He burned everything when we got back to Privet Drive. The only thing I have left are my wand, cloak, and my photo album that I had hid under my clothes when I left the train station. I was going to put the under the floorboards in my room in case he locked my trunk in the cupboard again. I didn't expect to be thrown into the cupboard myself," Harry said angrily.
"Oh, Harry. I am so sorry. We can try to replace everything."
"And then…then… he…oh gods! He told me that if I told anyone that he would kill me, and I know he would. I was so afraid to use my wand because I came so close to being expelled last year. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't return to Hogwarts. He forgot to lock the door to my cupboard when he came home drunk that night so I ran away."
Harry was sobbing uncontrollably now. Ron was somewhat taken aback because he had never really seen Harry cry before. At least not like this. Ron was suspicious that there was more to the story, but his friend was so distraught that he decided to let it go for now.
Ron pulled Harry into a hug and held on to him. He gently rocked him back and forth, and whispered things softly into his ear to calm him like his mum would. Harry's sobs got quieter until he finally pulled back and looked down again.
"Sorry."
"It's okay Harry. How long has this been going on? Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"They have beaten me ever since I can remember, but it never got this bad. I grew up with it so it seemed normal. I didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts because I had enough going on being the Boy-Who-Lived. I didn't want people to feel bad for me. I just wanted to be normal for once."
"I wish you would have told me about this sooner," said Ron.
"I didn't want to be a burden on anyone. With Voldemort being back, Dumbledore said that I would only be safe from him at the Dursleys. I have some kind of protection there because of a blood tie with my aunt. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt like Sirius and Cedric did. Oh gods…I miss Sirius so much…it hurts."
And with that last comment, Harry cried out with a heart breaking sob. Ron reached out to comfort his friend again. Ron was now crying openly as well. He began rubbing small circles on his back until he calmed down again.
"Listen, why don't you try to get some sleep now? In the morning, we will tell Bill or my father what has happened, and we will get you someone to heal you properly. Madame Pomfrey is sure to come once we tell Dumbledore. Your injuries are pretty serious," said Ron trying to comfort his friend.
"WHAT? I never said that I wanted anyone else to know. Do you realize what it took in order for me to tell you?" Harry was getting really agitated.
"But Harry, you are really hurt. You need help," said Ron.
"I don't care. I have lived with the pain before. Do you know what will happen if you tell Dumbledore that my uncle beats me? Someone is bound to find out, and when they do they will write all about in the papers. I couldn't bear it if anyone knew…..What would happened to me? I would probably get sent to an orphanage or a foster family, where I will only end up getting everyone hurt. I don't have any other family, and I don't have Sirius to turn to! I don't have anyone!" Harry yelled.
"Harry you have me and Hermione. And my parents adore you. We would take you in before we allow you to be sent to some orphanage. I doubt that Dumbledore would even allow that," said Ron reassuringly.
"Please, Ron. You can't tell anyone. I am begging you," he pleaded.
"Harry he needs to be punished for what he has done to you. He needs to go to Azkaban."
"No…please….," Harry said emotionally shaking his head back and forth..
"I am not going to stand by why you are suffering in pain and allow that bastard to walk around free!" Ron stated angrily.
"Some friend you are! I thought I could trust you. I hate you! Get away from me!"
"Harry, I…"
"NO! Leave me alone!" Harry pushed Ron away and gasped from the pain that it caused. He sat down on the bed crying again.
"Harry, listen you need help…"
"GO AWAY!"
Ron got up quietly and headed out of his room. How did things go from bad to worse? He hated the fact that Harry was so angry with him, but deep down he knew that he was doing the right thing. Harry needed to tell someone or he would only end up back at the Dursleys, and who knows what would happen then.
He made his way downstairs and fell upon the couch in the living room. This felt like the longest night in history. Not being able to sleep, he sat in the darkness waiting for Bill to wake up or for his father to come home. Either way he was going to tell someone that Harry was being abused and that he needed medical help.