"Ron! Harry! Look at this!"
"Shhh!" hissed Madam Pince as Hermione ran out from behind a bookshelf, an old battered book in her hands. She smiled apologetically at the librarian then hurried over to the table where Ron and Harry sat.
Hermione frowned when she saw Ron sprawled across his and what had been her seat. Across the table, Harry looked up from the book of Braille he'd been studying for the past hour and said, "He's been like that for ages. I think there's a chair over here."
He stretched out a hand and smiled when it touched wood.
"See? A chair."
Hermione laughed and moved around the table, sitting down next to him. She sat her book on the table and look at Harry's then up at his face.
"How are you coming?" she asked.
The dark-haired boy grimaced and reached out to close the book.
"Terrible," he said. "It's hard to remember which dot signifies which letters and sod it all, it's tiring."
He gave a shake of his head and looked in her general direction.
"And what was it you wanted us to look at?"
"Oh!" cried Hermione, reaching for the book. "This book. I found something."
Harry arched his eyebrows and said, "What?"
"A prophecy," replied the girl. "Let me find it and I'll read it to you."
Harry nodded and waited silently as Hermione flipped frantically through the book.
"Here it is!"
"Read," said Harry, leaning forward onto his elbows. He could hear excitement in Hermione's voice and he wanted to know what it was about.
Hermione gave a little cough then intoned:
"Two Daughters of Darkness joined as one
The elder will bring forth the Lion's son
Then pass on when the Serpent comes
Younger daughter will lead the son
Relying on the strength of the Serpent's son
Serpent's blood, Lion's heart
Bound together, never to part
The son will see what others cannot
But only when the Raven returns the sight he lost
The Serpent will fall when sky burns red
But only when the son and Raven are as one."
Hermione looked at Harry when she finished and said, "What do you think?"
Harry sat still for a moment then said, "Interesting."
"I know! I was reading the second and third lines and I thought they might apply to you."
"Me?"
"Yes," replied Hermione. "Or at least the third one. About the elder daughter passing on after the Serpent comes. I was thinking that could be about your mother and You-Know-Who."
Harry blinked behind his glasses then said, rubbing one hand over his chin, "Maybe. But I hope not."
Hermione looked surprised at his words and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"I'm tired of being pushed about, Mione. Everyone expects me to defeat Voldemort. Even blind. And I'm tired of it." He sighed and took off his sunglasses, placing them on the table then let his head fall into his hands. Then he continued, "I'm tired of being something I'm not."
Hermione sat still for a moment then reach out and touched his cheek. Harry lifted his head and looked at her with sightless eyes as her fingers ran over his cheek.
"You've never been something you're not," murmured the girl. "You've always been you. People just haven't seen you."
Harry snorted and scoffed, "I don't really think anyone has."
Hermione smiled and cupped her cheek in his palm.
"I just did."
Sightless eyes blinked in surprise and Harry breathed, "Mione…"
"Mmm?"
"What are you doing?"
Hermione opened eyes she did not know she had closed and found herself on the edge of her seat, her lips nearly touching Harry's. The expression on the boy's face was one of confusion and wonder. Hermione blinked, looked at where she was again, then gave a little chuckle.
"Honestly? I don't really know."
Harry smiled slightly and said softly, "It seems like you were about to kiss me. I can feel your breath."
"Do you want me to?" asked Hermione, her heart suddenly pounding against her ribs.
"Only if you want to."
Hermione pulled back slightly and stared into the green eyes that were looking at her but weren't.
"Harry…"
"No, not the spiders!" yelled Ron suddenly and threw himself out of the chairs and onto the floor. Hermione's hand dropped from Harry's cheek and she peered under the table.
"Ron?"
"Did he hurt himself?" asked Harry, looking rather perturbed as he groped for his sunglasses.
"Just my pride," groaned Ron as he pulled himself up into on of the chairs. "Here, mate," he said a second later, pushing the glasses into Harry's searching hand.
"Thanks," said the dark-haired boy. As he slipped the glasses back on, he asked, "Isn't it about lunchtime?"
"OH NO!" moaned Ron. "We can't have missed lunch!" He grabbed his scattered books and papers and ran out, leaving a trail of papers fluttering to the floor behind him.
Hermione shook her head and said, "Nut." Then, looking at Harry, added, "If you give me a minute, I'll get both of our things together."
"Alright. But I get to hit Ron for leaving us when we get to the Hall," said Harry with a grin.
Hermione laughed heartily at that.
~*~*~*~*~
"Ow," said Ron later as the Trio walked back towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Hush, you baby," scolded Hermione. "Harry didn't hit you that hard."
"He boxed my ear!"
"And said I was sorry," grumbled Harry as he shifted his grip on Hermione's shoulder. His fingers flicked nervously and tapped against the girl's neck.
"Harry that tickles," said Hermione, reaching up to still his hand.
"Sorry. Its just a little unnerving to not…" He trailed off.
"To not what?" asked Ron.
"To not be able to see," finished Harry with a sigh.
"What's why we're here," said Hermione, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
Harry smiled and said, "I know. But I can't rely on you two to lead me everywhere. You've got lives of your own."
"Which we will put on hold for you. Right, Ron?"
Ron blinked then said, "Er…yeah. Right."
Hermione glared at him as Harry smiled and said, "Thanks."
"Welcome, mate."
"C'mon," said Hermione. "We've got to finish those papers for Charms."
"Lead on," said Harry.
"No," commanded a voice. "Stay where you are."
"Sod off, Malfoy," snapped Ron.
"I'll sod off when I want to sod off, Weasel," sneered Malfoy, jumping down from an alcove. "This has nothing to do with you anyway. I want words with Potter."
"Then talk," said Harry stonily.
Malfoy sneered at Ron then said, "There was no way you could have hit me."
"That's what this is about?" growled Harry. "Malfoy, just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I'm harmless."
"You couldn't have hit me!"
"Just keep telling yourself that, Malfoy. I already explained my reasons and if you didn't get those, well…you're just sunk."
"You still couldn't have hit me," sulked Malfoy.
Harry sighed and grumbled, "Oh, get off it, Malfoy. I can hit you, I did hit you, and I'll do it again."
"You won't be able to find me."
"Malfoy, you're standing about five feet away. I know where you are. If you want, I could lunge across that distance and break your jaw again."
Malfoy took a step back and Harry chuckled.
"No? And here I thought you were begging for a fight."
The blond just glared at Harry for a moment then growled, "I'll be seeing you later, Potter. When your little guards aren't around."
"Don't expect that to happen!" snapped Hermione.
"Oh congratulations, Scarface. The Mudblood likes you."
Ron lunged at Malfoy at the same time Harry did. The ginger-haired boy tackled the blond at the same moment Harry brought his left fist up and slammed it into Malfoy's jaw. Malfoy grabbed Harry's leg as he went down, dragging the blind boy down onto the ground with him. Harry kicked out with his other foot as Ron punched Malfoy, who released the leg. Hermione then rushed forward and dragged a fighting Harry back. She then began to yell at Ron to stop when she heard footsteps running down the corridor towards them.
"Ron, stop it!"
"Ron!" cried Harry loudly, trying to push himself to his feet.
"You two!" yelled a woman's voice suddenly. "Break it up!"
"Aunt Petunia?" queried Harry as Hermione helped him up off the floor.
"Hello, Harry. Break. It. Up! Or I'll use force!"
Ron punched Malfoy again as the blond clawed at his face and Petunia pointed a finger at them.
"That's it! You, there! And you, over there!"
Harry blinked as there were two dull thumps, one behind him and the other in front, and reached for Hermione's arm. He must have touched something else because she jumped back and grabbed his hand.
"Sorry," mumbled Harry, cheeks flushed.
Hermione clutched his hand and said, "Its alright." She then said in a softer voice, "That was amazing! Your aunt threw Ron and Malfoy up against the walls with even using her wand! Amazing!"
Petunia heard that and smiled over her shoulder at Hermione, inwardly grimacing. Lovely, Tuna, she thought. Reveal to your nephew the Evans family secret that Lily and James swore he would never know.
"Now," she said, planting her fists on her hips and glared at the two boys. "What is going on here?"
"They attacked me!" cried Malfoy. "Both Weasley and Potter…"
"You threatened Harry!" bellowed Ron.
Petunia's eyes hardened and she turned to look at Hermione and Harry.
"Is this true?"
Hermione nodded and Petunia stalked over to Malfoy, grabbing his ear and jerking him off the wall. At the same time Ron was released and stared at Petunia dragged the blonde Slytherin down the corridor by his ear, her voice carrying back to them.
"Threatening students, Mister Malfoy? Blind students? We shall see Professor Snape about this!"
"My father…" began Malfoy.
"Lucius Malfoy has no power here, young man!"
"You're not a professor!"
"No," snapped Petunia, "but I am my nephew's legal guardian and I will not allow him to be harmed again!"
"She thinks all this is her fault?" breathed Harry after Petunia had dragged Malfoy around the corner.
Hermione gently squeezed Harry's arm and murmured, "Neither of you were to blame, Harry. It was all your uncle's doing, not yours or your aunt's."
"I know," whispered Harry, dropping his chin so it rested against his chest. Then he looked up, a cheeky grin on his face, and said, "Wouldn't it be marvelous if Dudley turned out to be a wizard?"
Hermione smiled and patted his shoulder whilst Ron chuckled. The ginger-haired boy clapped Harry on the back and said, "Y'know what, mate? You might just have something there."
Harry's only response was to laugh.
Shmophecy = SHA-MOF-EH-C