by Deirdre Blair
Disclaimer: *sigh* I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter. *frowns* Forget the disclaimers for the rest of the story. I've already said it enough, don't you think? It's also getting pretty monotonous.
Summary: Hotaru's plan is working fine. Harry Potter is beginning to take a fancy to her. And then one more surprise comes for Hotaru, and now she's feeling the heat from all sides of the line in the sand.
Author's Note: Woohoo! Chapter five. I'm excited again. I love writing this story. It's...fun. I don't know why, but it is. Oh, I love reading your reviews, everyone! They keep me happy for the rest of the week. I didn't know if this was a good story or not, so your reviews have helped me up my confidence. Eh...but I'm not going to get too confident.... I don't have a big head. *nods* So, please continue to review while I try to update as often as possible. I love getting reviews more than anything. Feedback is just...heaven. And I'm rambling. So, I'll get back to the story.
(By the way, Chika Sakamoto has such a lovely voice. I could listen to Kaze no Uta and Perfect World all day!)
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Harry/Hotaru, Ron/Hermione, Draco/Blaise
Genre: Romance/Drama
Warning: Male/Male SLASH
by Deirdre Blair
Impressions
Previously on Tragic Angel:
~Hermione seemed as if her feathers were a bit ruffled. "She's working with Voldemort, I just know it. We just have to find some way to prove it. And insinuating that all you do with your time is save damsels in distress! Honestly, I never--!"~
~Hermione looked up at him, turning around. "He's out of our reach...he's lost to us. If only Sirius hadn't died...if only Cedric didn't die...if only he wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived!" Hermione threw herself into Ron's arms.~
~He was like their puppet. An instrument that was supposed to kill a menace to society. And he didn't want to be that anymore.
He wanted freedom.~
~The sight amazed him. A gigantic spider was tackling a young girl who looked very much like Hotaru Tomoe. "Tomoe?!"~
~Harry put his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay...we're safe."
Hotaru looked up at him, tears still falling from her eyes. "Y-you saved me."~
~Blaise immediately came to her rescue, lifting her up and placing her on the couch. She lay there, staring at the drab, almost sad grey ceiling above her. "What happened?"
Hotaru then looked at him. "I don't know. I just...I just felt weak. Anyway, my plan worked. He's every much the people-saver everyone makes him out to be."~
-
Hotaru began to realise, as the seconds passed, Care of Magical Creatures was a favourite of the Gryffindors. There were only a few Ravenclaws, a handful of Hufflepuffs, and a few Slytherins. She thought she knew the answer. Obviously, the teacher spoiled them silly. As the giant came into view, her breath caught in her throat. She recognised him from the boats when she first arrived.
She hadn't particularly cared for him then either.
She stood close to Draco, not really knowing anyone else. She thought about venturing over to Harry Potter and offering to hang out with him, but then she'd have to put up with his two friends staring suspiciously at her. She didn't like to be stared at.
Then she came to realise that they were right next to the Forbidden Forest. It stole her attention as Hagrid came out and introduced himself to the class. The darkness, the feeling of being alone...it all came rushing back to her. It felt familiar and it felt like home. It was like her room back home--filled with lamps she had collected--where she would lay on the bed and cry. The memories came back at her like a tidal wave.
She had pushed those memories to the farthest corner of her mind, knowing that to remember them was death--as Voldemort could see into her mind. But she couldn't stop them now. They were flooding her mind, her senses. All she could see, all she could hear, were the many nights spent wondering what was wrong with her. Tears began to surface.
"Tomoe? You there?"
Hotaru jerked back to reality, her tears still brimming the surface of her eyes. She met with a pair of curious grey eyes. She blinked several times. "Uh, yeah...just got caught up in the...the scenery." She looked back up at Hagrid, who was concerned. She gave him a reassuring smile (one she used to give a lot) and he continued calling role.
She looked around and caught a pair of emeralds staring at her with interest. She stared at him for a few seconds, and then let the teacher steal her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Harry do the same.
"The first creature we're going to study this year is going to be the pegasus. We just recently got a whole herd of 'em this past summer. There's gonna be enough for one per three people. So, get in yer groups and I'll bring 'em out."
Draco immediately looked at Hotaru, and Hotaru nodded. Pansy, feeling rather left out, paired up with Millicent. "Well, we'll take Crabbe and you can take Goyle then," Draco suggested with a tone of distaste.
Pansy sneered and looked at Goyle. Crabbe joined their group.
"Have you ever seen a pegasus? I've heard stories, but I've never actually seen one. Aren't they supposed to be anti-social?" asked Draco.
Crabbe blinked dully. Hotaru rolled her eyes. "They're supposed to be anti-social. It's rare that you get a whole herd, but it's not impossible. I've seen one...beautiful creature," she replied, referring to Helios.
And to her amazement, a pearl-white winged horse with a red jewel on it's forehead along with a golden crystal horn, walked out of the forest. It's red eyes were fixed on Hotaru.
"He-Helios?" Hotaru whispered.
Hagrid blinked. "Oh, would you like this one?" he asked. "Careful, though. He won't let no one touch him, not even me."
Draco muttered something about how he doesn't hesitate to give them the one that's probably going to murder them.
Helios walked up to them without the go ahead from Hagrid. Everyone watched this display. He let Hotaru hold his chin in her palm and then pet his nose with her other hand. Hagrid was astounded.
Hagrid passed around a pegasus to each group. When finished, he replied, "Now, in a couple of days, we'll see if we can get 'em to let you ride 'em. But you'll have ter study them a bit before that. Right now, I'd just like you to get acquainted with 'em."
Hotaru's gaze was fixed upon Helios. His gaze was fixed upon hers. Draco Malfoy thought the whole thing was utterly eerie. It was as if they were communicating on an entirely different level.
Well, Hotaru thought to Helios. I wasn't expecting you here.
That was the point.
Hotaru cocked her head to the side a bit, not paying any attention to the creeped out Draco. I thought you were protecting Chibiusa. Are you telling me everything is safe back home? If that's the case, I don't believe it.
The horse's eyes seemed to narrow. So you can feel it. Chibiusa didn't think you could, since you weren't there to rescue everyone.
Hotaru glared at him. I have my own new life here. But, she added with a little concern in her voice. Chibiusa is all right, isn't she?
Helios looked away. For the time being. But that remains to be seen. Hotaru, you can feel the destruction in Tokyo. But can you feel the reason you're needed there?
Hotaru crossed her arms, her lips a thin line. I don't quite know why I'm needed. All I know is I'm never going back, Helios. Never. Not even if the entire city blows up. I can't go back to a past that still haunts me to this day.
Then it's hopeless. Everyone will die. The senshi will die. Neo Queen Serenity will die. Chibiusa will die, he replied in sorrowful tones.
Hotaru looked back up at him. Don't you dare say that. Chibiusa has her own plan, Helios. You and I both know that. She's safe no matter what.
He blew from his nose noisely. That's assuming they don't kill me.
They haven't yet, she said. Now go back to Chibiusa. She needs you more than I.
Fine. But Trinity will be here in my absence. Helios called over Trinity, who happened to be Harry's group's pegasus. She came without hesitation.
"Hey! That's not fair," Ron cried, outraged. "Hagrid, they're stealing our pegasus!"
Hagrid turned around and saw the very same thing. "Trinity, now you get back there and stay. You're supposed to be assigned to one group only."
The beautiful black mare didn't even pause. She kept her azure eyes foreward.
Hotaru gazed upon the elegant pegasus. She knew that she had to be a pegasus like Helios. There were only a few in the entire solar system, but she knew Trinity was one of the ones who could change into a human. One who was a protector to a certain senshi.
Trinity was a black mare, with eyes as blue as sapphires. Hotaru thought this was strange. But then again, a pegasus wasn't an ordinary horse. Trinity had a glowing sapphire on her forehead, and also a silver crystal horn. She made her way over in just a few seconds.
This is Trinity. She has been my companion for nearly one hundred years, explained Helios. While I am gone, she will watch over you.
Hello, Hotaru, spoke an enchanting voice that came from Trinity.
Hotaru, being very respectful to such a mystical creature, nodded and bowed slightly. I don't mean any disrespect, but I already have enough people watching over me as it stands.
But I'm here for Chibiusa. She cares more than you know, Trinity replied.
Hotaru shook her head, not daring to say "You're wrong, I do know." Fine, but don't expect me to come out every night and explain my every move to you.
"Tomoe!"
Hotaru was snapped from her telepathic link with the two horses. She jerked her head up, and met with Ron Weasley's eyes. "Hm?"
"What are you doing with our pegasus? You have your own!"
Hotaru glared scornfully. "A pegasus belongs to no one! I don't ever want to here you claim ownership to them again! That is not only terribly wrong, but it's disrespectful." Hotaru was now only inches from Ron's face. "They are a creature to be honoured and respected. Not to be domesticated like a cat or dog."
Ron's gaze wavered somewhat, clearly not having enough willpower to stand up to her. She had become practised in this very art. Nobody could stand up to her. Hotaru looked over at Harry. "Once again," Hotaru spat. "You're choice in friends seems to be lacking."
Ron had already joined Harry's side. "And you better be glad you're a girl, or I'd pummel you into the dirt!"
Hotaru crouched into a fighting position. "Oh? You think just because I'm a girl, that I don't know a few moves? You think brute strength is the only factor that decides the outcome of the game?"
"Now, Tomoe," Hagrid said with a tinge of uncertainty in his voice. "I don't want any trouble now. You best cool off for a minute."
Hotaru looked up at Hagrid, her gaze still unwavering. "Maybe you're right. Getting into a fight in front of a teacher is just asking for detention." Hotaru then glared back at Ron. "So you had better watch you're back. Remember what house I represent. You insult me, you insult the entire house."
With that, Hotaru turned and went back to Helios. Tell Chibiusa not to worry. I'm doing fine.
Yes, I can see that, Helios replied dryly. Without another word, he took off. Not even the spells designed to keep this from happening stopped him as he became a speck in the sky.
The bell rang, signalling the end of class. As the entire class walked off, talking about what had just happened, Trinity talked to Hotaru.
You're getting yourself into a lot of trouble, Hotaru.
Hotaru didn't look at her. That may be. But it's all for a reason. She walked off, knowing that reason, and leaving Trinity bewildered. Now that she had clearly upsetted Ron Weasley, his best friend would come to his rescue and try to talk Hotaru out of sentencing him to death. Yes, it was working nicely.
-
"You know, Tomoe, I'm beginning to think you're taking my job away from me," announced Draco as they settled into lunch. He carelessly helped himself to a scoop of mashed potatoes.
Hotaru looked at him, a bit baffled. "Taking you're job away from you? No, I'm trying to provoke Potter."
Blaise chuckled. He did that a lot, Hotaru came to realise. Blaise always chuckled, but it was in such a cynical and dark way that Hotaru didn't quite find it amusing. "Yeah, trying to provoke Potter is Draco's job though."
Draco glared. "Oh sod off, Zabini," he snapped, clearly taking offence to that.
Hotaru smirked and shrugged. "Well, I'm doing it for a reason. Not just because I get off on tormenting people."
Draco glared at her too. "I don't get off on it. I find it fun, though. Fun, however, is something you probably wouldn't understand."
Hotaru became stone-faced, her lips a thin line, and her grip on her spoon almost too tight.
Draco smirked. "Oh, did I strike a nerve?"
Hotaru glared up at him. "No. I was just thinking of how all you do is play, play, play, when everyone else has to work. All play and no work makes Draco a spoiled brat." With that, she got up and walked out of the Great Hall. Draco Malfoy had struck a nerve. She realised, as she neared the tall tree close to the lake, that she never had fun anymore. She couldn't once think of a time when she was actually having fun for her. That was something she missed.
At least in Tokyo, she could go with Chibiusa to the amusement park or something... No! She wasn't going to think about that life. This was what she wanted to do. She desired for this life. If she turned her back now, there would be terrible consequences. While she knew she could probably kill Voldemort with the snap of two fingers, she also knew Destiny. It was Harry Potter's destiny to fight with Voldemort, and in the end, one would fall. And Hotaru didn't want to piss off Destiny. She had already done it, she supposed, by not becoming a senshi again.
Or maybe, this was her destiny all along.
Hotaru shook her head. She had to stop thinking about that. Besides, she didn't even want to kill Voldemort. He had raised her, almost cared for her. And she was loyal to him for a reason she couldn't even begin to recognise. But it was there. She wouldn't ever get past Reborn in Death Reborn Revolution. The same with Lucius Malfoy. And to kill Voldemort was to kill Lucius. She didn't even know why.
Of course, Hotaru had always felt a sense of loyalty to all who raised her. But then again, she turned her back on that life. She forced herself to not even remember Haruka's face while they were working on her bike. Or Michiru's face as she taught Hotaru to play the violen. Or even Setsuna's face as she told her all about the world around her--the history of it.
And it was because of those history lessons that Hotaru was here to begin with.
The story of Voldemort and the Boy-Who-Lived intrigued her beyond her own reasoning. She wanted to go there, meet the people, and live that sort of life. But that was when she was young. Then she grew up, and became resentful of everyone around her. She became paranoid that they were going to use her for something horrible.
And she had been right. They wanted to do that now.
But she was gone, long gone. They were never going to get her back.
"-you listening to me?"
Hotaru snapped out of her reverie to come face to face with Harry Potter. Hotaru blinked, having lost herself in thought. She hated when she did that. It always made room for Voldemort to read her mind. "Um, what?"
Harry didn't roll his eyes, as Hotaru thought he would. He just remained staring at her. "I need to talk to you."
Hotaru stealed herself. "About?"
"About you insulting my friends all the time. It's getting infuriating and Ron's about ready to kill you with his bare hands."
Hotaru shrugged. "And this is my problem, how?"
"Did you not hear the part about Ron wanting to kill you? I consider that a problem," Harry replied.
Hotaru glared at him, her fists clenching a bit. "I can handle a mere boy," she said in a dead tone.
"He's not a mere boy. He's very strong."
Hotaru shook her head, a small smirk making its way onto her face. "What didn't you understand when I said that brute strength doesn't decide the outcome of a fight? I don't fight dirty, but I have a lot of experience. Anyone who goes up against me is asking for it."
"You've got quite an ego, there. Slytherin is definitely the house for you."
Hotaru threw her hands up, exasperated. "There you go again, attacking my house. Why don't you leave the other Slytherins out of this?" She looked at him. "We don't have as big an ego as you'd like to think we have. We have to be self-assured, self-confident. But we're not overly confident. With ambition comes confidence, or you fail. Besides, attacking my house is a bit low, don't you think? After all, they are not here to defend themselves."
Harry just stared at her. "Well, they haven't given me much reason to like them, have they?"
"Neither have you. What have you done for them that would ever make them like you? Being the Boy-Who-Lived ensures instant popularity, but that doesn't mean it's good popularity. Why do you think everyone wants to be your friend?"
"Draco Malfoy seemed pretty keen to be my friend."
Hotaru sighed. "Yeah, before he got to know what a big git you are. He offered you his friendship in your first year. But you turned him down in a very humiliating way. You were against him the moment you saw him."
"He insulted Ron!" he cried, trying to defend himself.
"So? Maybe he has a history with Weasley that you don't know about. For all you knew at the time, Weasley could have tormented Draco."
Harry crossed his arms. "But I was right, wasn't I?"
"Yes, but that's not the point," she replied quickly. "The point is that you passed judgement before you got to even know him. You didn't know all of the facts before you humiliated him."
"What, do you want me to run up to him, apologise, and then try to become friends?" he asked, frustrated. He came here to talk about Ron, not bloody Draco Malfoy. "Because if that's what you're trying to get me to do, you're wasting your breath!"
Hotaru shook her head. "No, I wouldn't dream of it. But I am asking you to get all of the facts before you become ready to make that other person your enemy or friend. Some people have layers of a fake personality covering the real one. And while you may not like that fake personality very much, you may turn out liking the real one."
"Why would someone do that?" he asked, now in a very low, serious tone. It was as if he was thinking that person was Hotaru. Maybe he was smarter than Hotaru gave him credit for. "Why would someone hide their true self beneath layers of someone else?"
Hotaru leaned against the tree, not swaying him from his guess--which was a right one. "Because sometimes, that's the way it has to be. Sometimes, that's the only way that person can survive."
"But is that really surviving? Living a lie?"
Hotaru sneered. "Surviving is staying alive. Living a lie is still living."
Harry got a rather small, funny smile on his face at that moment. "That has to be tough, though. One slip, and you're ruined. You have to be on your guard at all times. And to let one person in is to ensure your untimely death."
Hotaru blinked, understanding him. He knew. The bastard knew she was working for Voldemort. How? Well, being a Slytherin made everyone think that. Maybe because she was hanging out with Draco Malfoy? Or maybe...just maybe he had a knack for spotting Death Eaters and she wasn't aware of that. But if he knew, then why wasn't he blabbering to Dumbledore about it? That would surely make the front papers of the Daily Prophet. "Infamous Death Eater, Behind the Death of Thousands, Captured by Harry Potter". What a headline that would be.
"That's true. So you see this person's dilemma? They wouldn't readily show you their true personality then, would they?"
Harry sighed. "No, I don't think they would." Then, realising something, Harry blinked. "You're one to talk, though."
Hotaru smirked.
"You passed judgement on Hermione and Ron before you even got to know them," Harry told her in an annoyed voice.
Hotaru chuckled. Didn't he see yet that it was all a mere ploy to get him to meet her without her dragging him everywhere?
"What's so funny?"
Hotaru slowly stopped laughing. "Oh, nothing. But maybe I'm giving you too much credit for intelligence, if you can't figure that one out."
"What?"
"I'll give you a clue, Potter," Hotaru said with a smirk. "It all has something to do with pulling pigtails, with the roles reversed."
It took a little time to register, but then it dawned on Harry. "You like me?" he asked in a surprised voice.
Hotaru grimaced and shook her head. "Not to quite that extent. I don't like you as a girlfriend would like her boyfriend. Honestly, I don't really even like you as a friend."
"Then why the analogy?"
Hotaru shrugged. "Think about it for a while. When you do, come and see me."
As Hotaru walked off, Harry stood there, staring after her.
If she didn't like him in the least, then why the analogy? Maybe he should ask Hermione. She would know. She was a girl after all, and very smart.
-
"She said what?"
Harry rolled his eyes at Hermione. "You heard me." He had just finished recounting the tale of what happened. He would rather like Hermione's advice more than a lecture. "Now, what do you think of it? I can't make it out."
Hermione sighed. "Why are you even bothering? She's nothing but trouble."
"Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. But I don't honestly think she's that bad," he argued.
"Not that bad? She's like a female Draco Malfoy! She's always insulting us!"
Harry was relieved that Ron wasn't in the room. He didn't think his best mate would be able to take the fact that he actually, sort of, liked Hotaru Tomoe. It would be just like him telling Ron he was going off to get married to Draco Malfoy. It'd kill him.
"Yeah, but I think she does it to get to me," he argued again. He didn't want to sound as if his ego was inflated, but that's what Hotaru was implying when she said all of those things. "So, I need your advice, Hermione. As a nuetral friend, not an anti-Hotaru Tomoe person."
Once again, she sighed. "All right, fine. You're right, she does it just to get to you. She probably wants to spend time with you, but she doesn't really like you as a friend yet. That's my honest, neutral opinion. Now, can I just say how much I really dislike her?"
Harry ignored that last part. "So what do I do now?"
Hermione looked at the entrance to the common room before looking back down at her book. "Talk to her. She obviously wants to get to know you. She's doing it the only way she knows how."
Harry's face brightened considerably. "Thanks, 'Mione," he replied after running through the portrait hole. Advanced Potions wasn't for another forty-five minutes. Good, that was ample time to talk to her.
He skidded to a stop in the middle of an four-way intersection. But...where was she?
-
"So you think you're finally going to get him to like you enough to trust you soon?"
Hotaru looked at Blaise as they walked to the library. "Um, yeah. He's really gullible. I almost feel sorry for the poor bloke."
Draco grimaced. "Feel sorry for him? While I'm in the middle of a crisis? How heartless!"
Hotaru's eyes widened. She knew she wasn't going to get anything from Draco, so she looked at Blaise again.
Blaise wasn't curious at all. "A letter came for him at lunch while you were out flirting with Potter. A love letter, to be exact."
Hotaru blinked and she saw Draco's face redden. "Well, I know it must be a rather humiliating one, otherwise you wouldn't look so embarrassed. Was it a singing Valentine from Ginny Weasley, perhaps?"
Draco went redder. "No, for your information. Worse."
Blaise looked on the edge of bursting into laughter.
"Well?"
"Guess," Blaise told her.
Hotaru tried to think of possible suspects. "Would I know her?"
"And who said it was a her?" Draco grumbled.
Hotaru giggled. "A guy sent you a love letter? Oh, that is embarrassing. Now let's see. Would I know him?"
Blaise nodded fervently.
A whole list of guys ran through Hotaru's mind. There was a problem with those guys, however. "Well, that wouldn't be right. The guy in question obviously goes to this school. Besides, Draco's his son."
Draco gave a face that was a cross between gagging and fainting. Blaise thought it was the most hilarious display of being sickened ever.
"Um, handsome or not?"
"Not. Most definitely not."
"Crabbe."
"No. And don't guess Goyle either. They don't have the mental capacity to send a love letter."
Hotaru agreed that Draco had a point. The two were about as bright as a 3-watt bulb. "You need to narrow it down. Give me the house. And tell me whether or not I'd know them from away from Hogwarts."
Blaise answered immediately, before Draco could shut him up. "Ravenclaw and yes."
"What year?"
"Ours."
"Terry Boot?"
"No. Did we establish that the suspect is horrifying? Terry Boot is rather handsome," Blaise replied. Hotaru gave him a surprised look, and Blaise quickly covered it up. "What? Don't girls look at other girls and say, 'Oh, she's pretty. No wonder that guy's going out with her.'?"
"Uh-huh." Hotaru was beginning to suspect that Blaise wasn't as straight as she thought.
"I'm surprised you haven't gotten it yet. I thought you knew everything," Draco drawled with little enthusiasm.
Hotaru smiled wickedly. "Well, I could always read your mind. But what fun would there be in that?" she asked sweetly.
"Yeah, don't read my mind," Draco demanded.
"Mine either," Blaise chimed in.
Hotaru sighed. "You two act like you have some sort of deep, dark secret. Well, it's going to come out of the closet one of these days."
Blaise reddened considerably. Draco laughed at him.
"Um, excuse me?" asked a voice.
Hotaru, Blaise, and Draco all stood erect, scowls taking place immediately on their faces. Hotaru wondered for a moment if that was why people always thought they were laughing cruelly at someone else's expence.
"What do you want, Potter?" asked Draco, in a cruel drawl.
Or maybe, that was why. They went from levity to immediate hatred in mere seconds.
Harry glared at Draco, but looked at Hotaru. "I was wondering if I could talk to you, Tomoe."
Hotaru sighed. "No, you can't. I was on my way to a study group. We're making sure everything is all right for our next class." Then a thought occured to her. "Unless, you'd like to join us."
Harry took once glance at Blaise and Draco's scowling faces and nearly blew up with rage. "No, I think I'll pass. Thanks for the offer though. I'll see you around." With that, he walked at a leisurely pace down the corridor, eager to hear any comments they may make about his idiotic display.
"Can you believe that stupid Gryffindor? Thinking he could just talk to you out of the blue?" Draco asked, incredulously.
In fact, he'd follow them. He wanted to hear this. He didn't like people talking about him behind his back. And this way, he'd at least be able to defend himself if they said something particularly nasty.
Hotaru sighed. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk to much, Draco?" she asked in a bored tone.
"All the time," came Blaise's reply. "But does he listen? Never. People tell him that his ego's too big, he's too cruel to others, and that he's a snobbish little prat. But the only thing he get's angry about is 'You're looking mighty hideous today, Draco' and 'Even Harry Potter can do that, you idiot'."
Hotaru giggled. "Is that so?"
Draco blushed. "Oh shut up, you two. I don't find this teasing funny. You are permanently scarring me." They laughed even harder. "You'll see. I'll grow up to be some paranoid schizophrenic psychopath. And I'll go on a bloody killing spree every time someone teases me."
"I hate to break it to you, but you're already a paranoid schizophrenic psychopath," Blaise teased.
"I'm not schizophrenic!" Draco shouted.
"Okay, okay. Quiet your voices down a bit. We're in a library. That sort of thing is forbidden, remember?" Hotaru asked, trying to fight the tremors of laughter coursing throughout her body.
Harry stared at this scene with astonishment. They were Slytherins...but they weren't acting like complete bastards either. That didn't quite fit. It had to be some sort of cover. It had to be. They were acting almost like...normal teenagers. Was a Slytherin capable of that? Weren't they all Death Eaters bent on destroying Harry Potter?
"So, let me see your notes, Blaise. I know I'm forgetting something," said Hotaru as she grabbed Zabini's notes without his permission.
Draco and Blaise were sharing their notes because Blaise's were in Hotaru's grasp. Hotaru was chewing on the top of her pen, scanning the sheet. "Blaise, you idiot, you don't mix wolfsbane and beetle eyes."
Blaise blinked and moved over to Hotaru. "Where did I write that?"
Hotaru pointed. "There. I think you got it confused with this potion," she said, going to point to another, "here."
Blaise looked at the two and let out a short 'ha!'. "What do you know? Well, it was nearly two in the morning when I wrote this. And Draco was distracting me."
Draco's head popped up and he glared. "I was bored. And you were boring me with your studying."
Hotaru giggled again. "It wouldn't hurt you to study once in a while."
Draco leaned back his chair and looked over his paper. "I do study for your information. But I have a photographic memory and I don't need to look over things but maybe three or four times before I memorise them."
Hotaru and Blaise shook their heads simultaneously. "Whatever." Hotaru gave Blaise his notes back. "Half of an hour before Potions. Maybe we should exchange notes? I'll take Draco's. I've already seen Blaise's."
Draco nodded, and gave Hotaru his paper. Hotaru gave her paper to Blaise and Blaise gave his to Draco. They each read silently. They each had the same calm, analytical expression on their face.
Harry blinked back surprise. This was the oddest moment of his life. He had never really seen the Slytherins, let alone Draco Malfoy, act without malice. There was teasing, but it wasn't intentionally malevolent.
And then, when Harry tried to get a closer look, he placed his hand on an opened book. It snapped shut, ferocious jaws clamping down on it. He let out a shout of surprise and pain and tried to get the book off of his hand. There was already blood.
Hotaru, Blaise, and Draco looked up. Madam Pince was already on her way over. Hotaru ran over to him. "Potter! What are you doing here?" she cried, outraged.
Harry looked up at her, tears in the corners of his eyes from trying to suppress the pain in his hand. The book was about to cut off his hand. He needed it off--he didn't need a lecture on eavesdropping.
Hotaru looked at his hand that was attached to the book. "Well, I suppose that's enough to get you back for eavesdropping. Hotaru took the book and pet the spine. It trembled, stopped biting, and let go of Harry's hand. At that point, it looked very much like a regular book.
As Harry looked at the book, he realised it was the same book that Hagrid issued to his third year class, his first year of teaching. But then the excessive bleeding in his right hand needed more attention. He grabbed it after Hotaru saw it.
"Well, that's some bite, isn't it?" she asked with morbid curiosity.
"Oh, my goodness!" cried Madam Pince as she got to him. "We must get you to the hospital wing immediately."
"Relax, Madam Pince. I'll take him," Hotaru offered pleasently.
Draco and Blaise's eyebrows raised, but they said nothing. In fact, they went back to reading their notes. Harry was a bit shocked that they didn't shoot out any insults.
Hotaru practically pulled Harry out of that library.
After a minute or so, the scenery began to look out of place. In fact, it looked as if they were on their way to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Um...maybe you're lost? This isn't the way to the hospital wing."
Hotaru, her eyes narrowed, spoke in a hollow tone. "I know that. We aren't going to the hospital wing. Follow me and keep that trap of yours shut."
Harry was about to protest, but really didn't feel he had enough energy to. So, he obeyed. He followed her into the dark corridor past the Gryffindor Common Room. He followed her past an area he rarely went in. And he followed her into the abandoned classroom that he never knew was there (how did she?). But, damn it, she better have a good reason.
"All right, sit there."
Harry blinked at the command. He sat down on the desk and faced her. "Tomoe, what are we doing in here?"
"Relax. Anyone who saw us will think we've ran away to snog in peace."
"What?! Tomoe, I--."
Hotaru sighed and walked up to him after locking the door. "You're so paranoid. Give me your hand."
Harry gave her his left hand, the unharmed one.
"The injured one, you idiot."
He felt a little stupid at this point. Of course! Why didn't he trust her intentions to begin with? She wasn't going to try anything. They've only known each other for a little over two days!
Hotaru examined in carefully. "Yeah, this would've taken a while to heal if Madam Pomfrey got a hold of you. And, you would've had to deal with the old bat's constant yammering about your health." Hotaru clicked her tongue and smiled up at Harry. "You're lucky I'm here, kid."
Harry was about to object being called 'kid', but then the most amazing thing happened.
Hotaru hovered her hand over the wounded area.
"Tomoe, what are you--?"
"Sh," she hushed. "I need to concentrate." She wasn't lying. In the millions of years she had lived, she never mastered healing. It was something she had to concentrate to do. It wasn't like the powers of death that she had. It was probably because taking life and harming was far easier and took less self control, and healing was something that you had to put your mind to.
Perspiration began to form on her head and slowly, the familiar purple light spilled from her palm. She let out the breath she didn't even know she had been holding, and let the light heal Harry.
As Harry stared at the purple light, he began to panic. Was she trying to kill him with smoldering purple light? Was that even possible? But the smoldering purple light wasn't even hot at all. In fact, it sent shivers through his body, especially on the gashes on his hand. And to his amazement, they slowly began to disappear.
When Hotaru pulled her hand away, she was breathing hard and sweating profusely. She leaned against the desk behind her.
Harry stared incredulously. "What did you just do?" he asked in a slow voice.
Hotaru tried to regulate her breathing, but with no luck. Any second now... she thought to herself. Meanwhile, she tried to answer him. "I healed you. Another...one of my...many...talents..." she replied, short of breath.
Harry ran a few fingers over the non-existant wounds. "Healed me," he repeated. "With a strange purple light? What's going on? How did you do that?"
Hotaru met Harry's eyes. "It's like...Parseltongue...some people...are born with...it..." Why wasn't her breathing normal yet? Maybe it was because she had to use extra energy to heal someone else's wounds.
"You were born with the ability to speak Parseltongue and heal people with purple light? I don't believe it. What's going on?" he asked. "And are Zabini and Malfoy aware of this 'talent'?"
"No, they know nothing of it." She didn't bother with the first question.
"And...why not? Did you just feel compelled to show me for no reason?"
Hotaru grabbed his hand, running her fingers over it lightly. Now that she was breathing normally again, she could transfer all of the blood lost into his body. A shimmering purple light began to seep into his pores and run through his veins. It was an icy chill.
He wrenched his hand from her grasp. "Enough! Tell me what's going on!"
Hotaru stood, using the desk for a bit of support. "I can't. We have Potions in less than ten minutes. Come on, or we'll be late."
As Hotaru exited, Harry re-examined his hand. His eyes were narrowed, set in a glare. He turned his hand over and over, feeling somewhat better--as if a gallon of blood hadn't spilled from his hand earlier.
Just what in all things holy was going on?
TBC...
Author's Note: Well? What do you think of it? Maybe I revealed one of her secrets too soon? Hm...maybe I did. Nah. She has plenty more. Sorry to those of you who wanted to see Hagrid freaked out (sickos...), but I just didn't think it would fit this chapter. What with Helios and Trinity making their appearances. Helios won't be a major character in this story, but he does make an appearance in the next chapter, so don't worry. And Trinity becomes a more important character later on as well. I think, maybe, Setsuna will be making an appearance in the next chapter as well. Oh! And can you believe it's only day two in the Hogwarts world? Man, and we're already on chapter five. This is insane. Time has to pass somewhere.... Um, yeah. Okay, so please review! Matchbox Twenty rocks! And so does orange chicken and lo mein from Panda Express. Mata ne!
-Deirdre Blair