The Halls of the Blind
Chapter Six
Understandings
A/N: Okay, I have to say this... Yes, this WILL BE SNARRY! (Translation: Snape & Harry. And I might throw some Drarry (Draco & Harry) in there for good measure.) I've had at least two people ask me if it will be and to please not make it so. I'm sorry to you two and anyone else who doesn't like this pairing, but I've had that planned since I started the second chapter. I'm not about to change that now, too much reworking to do that. None of us want me to go back to the second chapter and start over, do we? I like cliffies... I should do more of them. *Evil Smirk* OoC!Draco... at least, that's what I say. A few notes to some of my reviewers:
Love to Evelia!! You had a line in your review that I decided to use, you'll see. And thank you, I'll see if I can work those in again sometime, just for you. ;)
bluebutterfly9: Um... that possibility you mentioned... very, VERY, likely. *smiles*
The Goddess Artemis: I knew somebody would... I'll even put another one in the next chapter... just because you mentioned it. *wicked grin*
NightShade: I'm sorry, but I don't ever catch them, no matter how many times I go and re-read my chapters. I think it's just because I wrote the thing and it doesn't seem wrong to me...
SEP... you were my 100th reviewer... I'll write something for you... you just give me a pairing and genre...
Now, without further ado, the story:
***
If possible, the Great Hall was even quieter than it was before. Harry could hear Hermione take the hat off and make her way to the Slytherin table. When he heard her sit down across from him, he said lowly, "I thought you said Ravenclaw."
She responded, voice just as low. "I did. The Sorting Hat decided that I would do much better in Slytherin though. Something about deception."
"You and deception? I didn't know that was a possible combination."
She snorted. "I hang out with you. Seriously, though, just think about all the trouble we've escaped in our five years here. I'm sure it'll come in handy this year as well."
"A mudblood," said Draco, lacking any venom in his words, "in the snake's very den. (1)" He tsked and Harry felt him lean closer toward Hermione. Harry could hear the smirk in his next words. "You're not the first."
"I know, Pansy is one." Came Hermione's know-it-all voice.
Harry smiled. "Then there's me. The blind half-mudblood."
He heard Draco snort. "I'm also a half-mudblood."
There was a short silence before Hermione spoke again. "I thought you were a pure-blood. You were always preaching it like you were."
"Yes, well, I found out over the summer holidays that my mother had actually been adopted. She was an orphaned muggle born witch. So, therefore, I am a half mudblood."
"Your father knows?"
"He's the one that told me when he up and kicked me out. Disowned me at the same time, too."
Suddenly the Great Hall was filled with people's voice and the clanging of silverware as they began to eat. They had talked through Dumbledore's short speech. The main topic all around the Great Hall seemed to be how both he and Hermione were resorted into Slytherin.
"Harry, chops and roast potatoes?"
He smiled. "Sure, Hermione, that'd be great."
"Right then, potatoes on your left, chops on the right."
"Your pumpkin juice is at two o'clock," added Draco.
Harry snickered. "Never thought I'd be so glad to be able to tell time."
"So, Potter, how did you get here from your rooms without someone helping you?"
"I didn't. Hermione was with me."
"I meant during the last month or so."
"I just ate in my room."
"Fine. How are you going to get to your classes, now?"
Harry shrugged. "I haven't thought about it." He paused and turned his head toward Draco, smiling ever so slightly. "Are you offering to be my guide, Malfoy?"
"Why not? Got to find someway to make up for all the times I was an arrogant prick, don't I?"
Harry shrugged. "If you want, I don't mind. You said that McGonagall looked like she was going to cry when I was sorted into Slytherin. What about when 'Mione was?"
Draco snickered. "I thought it had given her a heart attack. She stood so bloody still."
"Well, did you expect anything less," asked Hermione, her voice colored with amusement. "Two of her best students have just been sorted into Slytherin, after all. That has to be one of the greatest shocks of her life."
***
Harry sighed and leaned back. It had been a long week. From when they got their schedules on Monday morning to the dinner that had just ended.
Hagrid hadn't really had the chance to talk to Harry during Care of Magical Creatures, and he didn't seem to comfortable talking to Harry now that he was blind, but he made an effort. The newest DADA teacher treated him like he was made of spun glass. He'd had double Transfiguration and double Potions today. Both of them with the Gryffindors. He no longer had Divination (he'd let out a whoop upon hearing that), or Astronomy.
All through Transfiguration, Ron and the others had made snide comments under their breaths, and normally when he was the only one within ear shot. They had tried doing the same thing in Potions, remembering how much Snape had hated Harry. It was just their bad luck that Snape had heard, Harry was now a Slytherin, and they were on good terms.
He chuckled. Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention for his old dorm mates.
God, he wished he could have seen the looks on their faces. There's no way Hermione and Draco's descriptions did it justice.
He sighed, unconsciously reaching up and rubbing at his eyes. He lets out a snort when he realizes what he'd done. The fact that he was blind was the exact thing his old dorm mates taunted him about.
Well, that and the fact that he was now in Slytherin. And that he was blind. And that he was a Parseltongue. And that he was blind.
It always seemed to come back to that. His classes had gotten harder. He knew they would, but he hadn't expected them to be as hard as they were. His classes were infinitely harder now. And that much more taxing.
He reached down to his bag and grabbed it. He dropped it as he felt the sharp tip of his hastily stuffed quill cut into the skin of his thumb, drawing blood.
As he brought his thumb up to his mouth, tears sprang to his eyes. They weren't tears of pain, but of frustration. He was constantly getting bruises and minor cuts. He can't remember a single day since he'd wished himself to Hogwarts (2) that he hadn't gotten a new bruise.
A sob escaped his throat, and then another, and another.
A dam had open and he couldn't shut it, so he rode the wave of sorrow, frustration, and desperation.
***
Severus entered without knocking and stopped short. Harry was sitting on the couch, rocking slowly back and forth, sobs echoing forth from his throat. Pelikara hissed softly from her portrait.
He walked forward, and he placed Harry's forgotten Potions book on the coffee table. He sat down on the couch next to Harry and wasn't surprised as the boy automatically reached out for him, seeking the comfort he seemed to get from being in the Potions Master's arms.
A/N: Damn writer's block. I hope this wasn't too terrible. I find it atrocious, but I'm supposed to be my hardest critic, so tell me honestly... What did you think of this chapter? Ryu and Shi left me high and dry for this whole damn chapter... but they've got part of the next chapter done for me... so that's good, right? You shouldn't have to wait as long for the next chapter, and I'm sorry about the delay for this one... So, yes, do tell me what you think, and if there's anything I might have to rework. Thanks you guys.
(1) Taken from evelia's review. Thanks so much for putting that line in your review!! I loved it.
(2) I think it was in the first book where it mentioned a time that Petunia had cut Harry's hair and he 'wished' it back... sorta, kinda the same thing here...