Disclaimer: Not one tiny shred of the basic plot/characters/etc. is mine. OK? Are you happy now?
(Note: Bits in italics are dreams, *asterisks are thoughts* and #hashes are song lyrics, singing, etc.#)
(I was listening to Coldplay's "Trouble" whilst doing this, so it's really depressing…)
Chapter 10: Blender-Mixed Emotions
Manic laughter mingled with manic sobbing floated through Hogwart's thronging corridors. It was coming from Harry. Watching the back fog rise off McGonagall's body, knowing she would on no account come back again, was a release and a great sorrow. He had killed her soul – and that was irreparable.
The school heard his frenzied cries and door after door opened. Potions class was the first to find Harry Potter at the scene. He was crouching over the body slapping her face. Her eyes opened and she stood up. Harry looked into her eyes and saw nothing. No sign of life. She went back to her desk and started to mark the work she was in the middle of. She was on autopilot, basically. The potions class watched in awe as Harry got up and sauntered past them, showing no signs of guilt, or grief.
Unless his tears were a giveaway.
Hermione was stunned. Too stunned to even grab his arm. She just stared after him as he woozily made his way back to the Gryffindor common room.
When he got back, he sat by the fire, doing his Transfiguration work, unaware of the bustle around him. The bustle being the whole of Gryffindor looking at him and speaking in quiet whispers about his little remaining sanity. Hermione sat next to him in the worn leather chair, studying his face intently.
Trying to figure out the mind of a psychopath.
Dumbledore hadn't heard of his lover's exodus. He was trying to teach Fawkes to swear.
"Bastard, Fawkes. Say 'bastard' for papa!"
"Bog off."
"Well, at least you've learnt something." He sighed and sat back down. He gazed at the brochure longingly. It was pink and had the title "Magical Memories Wedding Venues" inscribed across it. He opened it at the "5-Wand Luxury Wedding Hall" and sighed contentedly. She'd love it. He could do it up in tartan, and have bagpipes instead of organ pipes; the list was endless. His lovely thoughts were interrupted by a loud rendition of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" by a warbling Snape as he moseyed on to Dumbledore's office. (He'd escaped from hospital and no one could be bothered to send him back. Besides, Potions was starting to be fun when he went into a 'mood'.) He banged the door open and grinned madly.
"Your wifey-to-be is dead, sir."
"Sorry?"
"Well. Her soul is anyway." Dumbledore paled and then turned an interesting shade of green.
"Show me," he said hoarsely. Snape drooled in response and led the way to her office. When they got there, Dumbledore pushed round the crowd of still-stunned students and went up to the desk at which she sat. He looked into her eyes and wept a little…
"Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. BREATHE YOUR LAST!" he yelled like a war cry and he apparated to the Common Room. Harry glanced up from his work and smiled sweetly. "Hello, sir."
"Harry Potter."
"Yes?" There was a slight pause. The tension was mounting…
"Harry Potter – did you just destroy Professor McGonagall's soul?"
"Yeah. I mean, it had to be done."
Dumbledore just stared aghast. "It did?"
"Yeah. You see, I was in love with her, which you already knew. So Hermione found this spell, and it said if I killed her soul, then I would be out of love. And it worked!" he finished triumphantly. He grinned, and then stopped when he saw Dumbledore's sadness. "Sir – are you upset?" he asked gently.
"OF COURSE I AM!!!" he yelled, then swept out back towards his love. He picked her up and took her to his office, where he sat day and night trying to find a cure. He searched every single book the school boasted. He asked every single teacher. No one knew how to solve it. It seemed as if she was gone forever.
A week later. The school was holding a memorial service for the late (sort of) professor McGonagall in the Great Hall. Harry however, wasn't there.
Harry was in the common room, alone. Finally feeling the guilt at last. He realized what he had done. He realized how many lives he'd ruined (2).
He wasn't totally alone though. Hermione had hung back, and unbeknown to Harry was under the Invisibility cloak. She was watching him with narrowed eyes... and her ears pricked up (well, not exactly) when he started a monologue... "Why? Why did I do this?" He buried his head in his hands as Hermione crept closer. "I can't believe I was so stupid – I've ruined so many lives – McGonagall's, Dumbledore's, most importantly my own... someone has been giving me something – I can't have done this in my right mind...!" Suddenly, Hermione knew what was going on. She stifled a gasp with her hand. Harry's head shot up. He ignored it and carried on, pacing around the common room. "I mean, someone must have given me a potion or charm... yes... but who? Who did this? Has to be a Gryffindor... has to be a girl... obviously fancies me like mad. Or something like that. Yes – Gryffindor, female... maybe Ginny? Yeah, I bet it was Ginny. Or Cho. No, wait – can't be. Or... Lavender? Nah. Ron? Oh wait – he isn't female. I forgot. Or... oh my God. What if it's Hermione?"
Hermione sighed irritably and removed the Invisibility Cloak. "Hi," she said.
"GAAH! YOU!"
"Yes. Me. Anyway. Harry, I know who did it."
"Did what?"
"Did this to you."
His face visibly brightened. "You do?" he squeaked. He stood up and shook Hermione's shoulders. "Who, who, who?" he asked frantically.
"Stop shaking me and maybe I'll tell you."
He promptly sat down.
"It was Neville."
"Neville? Why?"
"Harry – Neville's in love with you."
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R&R if u want to find out why!!!