Disclaimer: You guys know the drill.

James Milamber: Not of late I haven't seen it. Perhaps that is what inspired that scene… Of course, if it did, it did so unconsciously. I do so want to sketch out that scene because I love it.

Badassgothgirl: No, it doesn't really matter. Harry's just happy to have the truth out. And, no, the ending is not the end. I've got a sort sequel planned and still have the AU to write as well as a few back-story fics I've been planning to write – the one of Harry's childhood standing highest in regard. Then there's me fixing all the bloody plot holes in the first parts of NM. What with the plotline having changed every time a new part came up and all… Soooo I've got my work cut out for me.

Lunawolf: Doesn't matter.

Lord Elrond: Not just yet! I'm still trying to figure out if I should wait until the very last chapter or reveal it earlier. And I think I get it. Then again that could be the caffeine talking…

Homiedude: Goddess of fanfiction? I'm honored that you think so. Very much so.

Not Myself by Saerry Snape

Chapter 174 – Jokes Round Out the Night But Sorrow Comes On the 'Morrow

"Harry…"

"If you ask me again if it matters, I'm going to brain you with a fish."

Niamh blinked and stared open-mouthed at him for a moment. He blinked back at her then scowled and spat, "What?"

" 'Brain you with a fish?' "

"Do you have a problem being brained with a fish?"

"No, it's just…"

"Hmm?" said Harry, cocking his head to the side with one eyebrow arched inquiringly. A shadow over his face cast his eyes into darkness and if it weren't for the fact that she didn't know better, Niamh would have sworn his father was sitting in front of her.

"Why a fish?"

"Would you have preferred me to threaten to cut out your heart with a spoon?"

Niamh blinked again.

"But why a spoon?" she asked curiously.

"For Slytherin's sake!" exclaimed Harry, throwing his hands into the air. "Its simple!"

"Right."

Harry sighed, rolling his eyes and scowling.

"Because its dull," he growled.

"And?"

"And it'll hurt more."

"Oh."

"Have you taken a Wit-Dulling Potion today?" asked Harry as he peered at her, concern in his eyes.

"No. Need caffeine."

"Its five in the afternoon. Are you telling me you haven't been completely awake all day?"

Niamh nodded slowly and Harry sighed, "Woman, you are…Merlin, there's not a word for it."

"Pitiful?" asked Niamh as she flopped down in his lap.

Harry sighed as he wrapped his arms about her waist, pulling her back to lean against his chest, and tucked his chin into the hollow of her shoulder.

"You, Ni," he said seriously, "are far from pitiful."

"Mmm. Still need caffeine."

"Ugh," commented Harry, rolling his eyes. He then turned his head and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Love you."

"Love you too," mumbled Niamh, turning her head so their lips met in a short kiss.

A few minutes later she was lost in sleep and Harry wriggled himself out from under her weight then picked her up, carrying her over to the Hexer's Corner. He laid her out on the couch, tucking a pillow under her head and Summoned the coverlet from his own bed to tuck about her.

Brushing a few locks of hair that fell over her forehead behind her ear, he pulled a chair closer to the couch and settled down with his feet propped up on the coffee table. Summoning a book he'd bought during a Hogsmeade visit, he slouched further down in the chair and pulled up one knee to balance his book against as he read.

Niamh awoke in the morning, disoriented to find herself on the couch in the Corner, but feeling much better than she had the day before.

Sitting up, she saw Harry sitting two feet away, his long body very nearly falling out of the chair he'd fallen asleep in. His book was lying abandoned on his chest, rising gently with the motion of his breathing. One long leg was thrown across the coffee table whilst the other was on the floor and obviously the only thing keeping him in the chair.

She didn't know whether to scold him for falling asleep in such a position or laugh at him.

Shaking her head, she settled on simply smiling wryly at him. He did look ever so relaxed when he was asleep…

"Morning!" someone suddenly yawned from behind her and she turned to see Draco standing there. He was wearing a pair of baggy black pants and a rather tattered looking gray shirt that had a ragged rip near his navel. His blonde-white hair, which had grown shaggy, stuck up in several wild spikes.

He grinned at her then yawned, clasping his hands as he stretched his arms over his head. Gray eyes flicked to Harry as his arms came down and his grin widened.

"Cute."

Niamh smirked and said, "Another remark like that and people will think you've got a crush on him."

Draco snorted at that.

"You'd kill me if I did."

"Only if you tried anything. And I'd only seriously injure you. Promise."

"I'll hold you to it," said the blonde with a wink. He then nodded at Harry's sprawling body and asked, "Shouldn't we wake him before he actually does fall out of that chair?"

Niamh opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted as someone began to pound furiously on the wall outside. She and Draco jumped in surprise but Harry's reaction was even worse than theirs.

His eyes snapped open and he was on his feet with his wand in hand before Niamh could blink once. How he'd managed to get up without tripping over anything escaped her…

Emerald eyes flicked to her and she saw they were very alert. Like a predator almost.

Harry? she inquired nervously, sensing the adrenaline that was quite suddenly pumping through his body.

The eyes that were locked on hers relaxed slowly and Harry sheathed his wand quickly. His movements were quicker than ever because of the adrenaline in his system.

"What's banging?" he asked after a moment.

"No idea," replied Draco as he crossed the common room to where the entrance was. He ran his hand over the Slytherin emblem that opened the door from inside and was surprised to have a severely distraught Hermione fall sobbing into his arms.

"Mione?" he said softly, looking curiously down at her.

"Bring her in," said Harry, appearing suddenly behind Draco without making a sound. The blonde nodded and pulled Hermione to her feet, leading her over to the chair Harry had abandoned. She sank into it with a sob and as he tried to pull back, reached out to grab his hand. Hers were clammy.

"Drake…" she whimpered pitifully, looking up at him with eyes that were red and swollen. It was obvious that she had been crying for a while. And it had made her distraught enough that she hadn't though to change out of her nightgown before she'd gone racing through the cold Hogwarts corridors.

A green coverlet was suddenly thrust into his vision and Draco looked up at Niamh. He smiled and took it from her, gently wrapping Hermione in its folds. Then he settled on the arm of the chair with one arm looped about her shoulders as the other played with locks of her curly hair.

Harry walked back over to them and sat down on the coffee table, his elbows propped on his thighs so his hands dangled between his legs.

"Mione," he said softly.

Brown eyes lifted to look at him and he smiled tightly but in a reassuring way.

"What happened?" he asked.

That question brought sobs anew to the bushy-haired girl and Draco couldn't take it anymore. He enveloped her in a hug, burying his face in her hair as he tried to whisper soothing words. She sobbed pitifully in his embrace, clinging to him as if he were a lifeline.

Niamh shared a worried and surprised glance with Harry at this. He just looked calmly back at her, one eyebrow arched.

His girl? she asked curiously.

So I figure, came the stiff reply. Should've known…

Harry gave a little shake then looked at Draco, saying, "Drake…"

"I know," said Draco softly. He pulled back from Hermione and bent down so he could look into her eyes. "Mione-love, what happened?"

Niamh's eyebrows arched at the pet name but she said nothing of it. Harry's expression was like that of a man who was about to meet the gallows.

Almost like he knew what was coming.

"They…" began Hermione, only to break into fresh sobs. When she finally got under control, she cried, "They killed them. They killed my parents."

"Oh God," breathed Niamh as Harry bowed his head.

"Fuck."

"Did you know?" asked Draco, looking at the other wizard.

Harry lifted his head slowly, his face a mask of grief. His eyes were deep pools of sorrow as he nodded.

"I saw it in my dreams. Voldemort and his Death Eaters…they killed so many…"

Hermione's sobs rang anew and Harry looked at her.

"I'm so sorry, Mione," he said softly.

"Its n-not your f-fault," she stammered, trying to smile at him. It looked more like a grimace but the attempt lifted what guilt Harry felt about not being able to do anything from his shoulders. At least some of it.

"Oh, Mione…" whispered Draco, hugging her again. "This should never have happened…"

"No, it shouldn't have," agreed Harry. He turned his head as he heard someone stirring in the dormitories and drew his wand, casting a charm about them.

Niamh felt the magic slide across her skin and she shivered as it raised gooseflesh on her bare arms.

"What was that?"

"It'll keep them from really noticing us," said Harry. "They'll see us but they won't really notice us. Kind of like the charms on Hogwarts to keep the Muggles away."

"Oh. Oh!"

Niamh jumped as a letter fell into her lap and looked up to see an owl flying out through the holes in the ceiling that were there for such a purpose. Across from her, Harry stiffened and rage flashed across his face. His eyes smoldered with it and she saw the dark shadows she'd learned to recognize as the Tethdaìr lingered at the edge of his irises.

"What is it?" she asked, picking up the letter. Then she flipped it over and dropped it when she was the impression in the wax seal on the back.

It was the Dark Mark.

"Oh God…"

Harry bent and picked up the letter, offering it back to her. Their eyes met and he softly said, "Open it."

Niamh, her heart in her throat with fear, took the letter in shaking hands and opened it. She pulled out the letter and read the first line before she began to sob.

Harry took the letter from her and slowly read it, his expression getting angrier by the minute. When he looked up, his eyes were flooded black and his rage was so fierce that his long hair was starting to bristle like that of a dog's.

"That damn bastard," he snarled, letting the letter fall to the floor. "He'll pay for this. I swear to you, Ni, he'll pay for this."

"I know," sobbed Niamh. She reached out towards him and Harry moved from his seat, dropping to his knees in front of her. He curled his arms about her waist as she flung her own about his neck and sobbed into his chest.

Draco, fearing he knew what had happened, leaned down slightly to read the letter.


My dear Mudblood,

It seems that your family has met an unfortunate end. Your dear father begged for his life at my feet before I tortured him to death. And your mother…ah, my Death Eater's had such fun with her before they killed her.

As to your aunt, she too has taken a leave of absence from life. I daresay she was hard to break for a Muggle but I broke her. Such spirit.

Will you have such spirit when I break you before your lover?

Lord Voldemort

"That bastard," breathed Draco, hugging Hermione closer to him. Her sobbing had ceased but Niamh's had just gotten worse. She was clutching at Harry like he was the only thing she had left in the world.

And he might very well be.

Harry, Draco noted, was shaking. Not from fear, he knew, but from anger – pure, undiluted anger at what happened to his friend and to the girl he loved.

Now, more than ever, the Boy-Who-Lived would be determined to kill the creature that had hounded him his entire life.

Especially since that he had now begun to hound those that he loved.

And if there was one thing Draco knew Harry hated more than anything, it was hurt coming to those he loved.

Blood was definitely going to be spilled when the final confrontation came.

Harry was surely going to make sure of that.

Author's Note

Quick, name me the reference for the fish slapping and the spoon! Two hundred points if you get both right! A hundred if you get at least one. ;D

And a truckload of Chocolate Frog's to anyone who figured out Drake's girl was Mione. Good show, you lot. I actually wasn't going to give that away till the end but I was reading an SS/Hr fic where her parents are killed and I just couldn't resist.

Atra: Its cause you love character torture.

Bryv: I prefer her torturing you, personally.

Atra: glares Sadist.

Bryv: smirks Git.

Saer: grabs a bucket of popcorn and sits down to watch the confrontation

Mel: rolls eyes Sometimes I just don't understand you people…

Atra: Hellspawn!

Bryv: Slimeball!

Hey, stop it, both of you. I'm starting to get a headache from lack of sleep.

Atra: Well, go to bed, you stupid wench. Serves you right staying up to all hours.

Bryv: You sound like her dad.

Atra: Oh, bugger off, you trite bastard.

sigh I give up.