Disclaimer: I own nothing, of course, nor do I claim to be JKR. Sue all you'd like; you'd just waste everyone's time.

A/N – This was just a random thought that popped into my head one day. I was looking for inspiration. This was started before OotP, so there are some contradictions (actually, one big one).

Short Summary: Harry, terrified of hurting his friends and facing off against Voldemort, runs away. These are his thoughts.

JUST A NORMAL BOY

By: Hopeful Writer

I never wanted to hurt anybody, you know. It just got to be too much. I mean, what do you do when the fate of the world rests on your shoulders? Oh, has that never happened? Of course not. Because you aren't the famous Harry Potter.

But neither am I anymore.

You can't call me cowardly. I had to run away. People, my friends, were getting hurt because of me. If I wasn't there, Vol—sorry, You-Know-Who wouldn't hurt my friends to get at me.

Besides, somebody else can kill him. Everyone just naturally assumes it's my responsibility to beat him, just because I was a little lucky as a baby.

Does that make any sense?

Nope, not to me either.

I know it's going to hurt at first. I know Ron and Hermione might be upset. And Ginny, sweet, caring Ginny, she'll be heartbroken. But time heals all wounds, to quote some Muggle. They'll get over it. Eventually they'll even realize that it was for the best. Maybe Vol—er, You-Know-Who will even leave them alone and set his sights on someone else. Because none of them will have any connection to me.

Maybe Ron will kill him in the end. That would be great. Ron's always wanted to stand out from his brothers. If he defeated the world's most evil wizard, that'd be something else.

And when it's all over, I'll go back. I'll explain to everyone why I did what I did, and they'll accept that.

On second thought, maybe I'll stay away. I wouldn't want to reopen old wounds.

But for now, I'm disappearing. I'm not Harry Potter, not the Boy Who Lived, not Scar-Head, or anything else. Just a normal 17-year-old boy.

A normal 17-year-old boy with a lightening bolt scar, horrible nightmares, and a whole lot of guilt.

A/N – Real short. Just something I thought was a little interesting. Who know? It has possible sequel potential. §--HW--§