Hey peps!
So, what did you think? Too angsty? Oh well, deal with it! =) Though I generally steer clear of anything Angst-driven, i simply couldn't resist. For all the good it did it, apparently. Since NO ONE REVIEWED ..::fumes:: But since I'm such a giving fellow, I'll add another chapter.
Harry hadn't spoken to his brother in over a week . Granted, it was usually necessary for either one of them to grunt a word or two to ask where the extra parchment was or to pass the butter at dinner. But other than that, Harry never said more to his twin. Now, Harry knew he was being ridiculous and that it was as much his own fault for the fight as Jimmy's. His pride seemed to be blurring all rational thought since he refused, by any insisting made on Ron or Malfoy's part, to apologize to Jimmy. He'd apologize when Jimmy did, not a second before. It was Jimmy who started it after all.
How was Harry supposed to know Jimmy was especially taken with Ginny? Its not like the kid ever let it on that he liked her...Or else, Harry never paid attention. They WERE pretty chummy during Quidditch practices and Jimmy HAD always seemed extra nutty when she was around. Harry shook his head and continued to walk down the barren corridor, adjusting the Invisibility Cloak ontop of him.
A visit to Hagrid would clear his head nicely. A little tea, some advice and he'd know how to deal with this whole Jimmy-Ginny mess. A slight motion from the edge of the lake brought his attention that way, making him stop. Squinting his eyes then adjusting his glasses, Harry started to walk again once he realized who it was. Jimmy had himself perched on the thick roots of an oak that was near the lake, skipping stones across its glassy surface.
Harry was tempted to run over and kick him in the bottom as he bent over to search for more flat rocks, but he resisted and continued on, hoping his brother didn't turn when he would get to Hagrid's door and see him enter. But just as he was about to turn, another source of movement came round a tree and started to make its way towards Jimmy.
With a sigh, Jimmy threw the last stone into the water, ignoring its unpleasant BLOP! ," I don't want to talk to you, Harry."
"Glad I'm not Harry then."
Jimmy jerked his head around to see a raven-haired girl with eyes that looked as if they were bleeding. She stood perfectly still, her crimson eyes locked on him, her hands folded behind her bottom, and her long, wavy black hair cascading down her chest and shoulders. The bright moon that was out that night only added to the eerie pale glow of her skin.
"Who are you?"
The girl smiled slightly and took a place besides him on the oak's roots, " I'm surprised your brother hasn't mentioned me..."
"My brother doesn't tell me anything lately," Jimmy mumbled, unable to tear his eyes away from this girl.
"So I've noticed...I'm Skye," The girl said, wrapping her cloak more closely against her long, slender legs.
"Jimmy. But I suppose you knew that already."
The girl, Skye, smiled again," Who doesn't know the mysterious brother of famous Harry Potter?"
Jimmy finally tore his gaze away and looked out at the water," Yeah...just the copy..."
"Nothing wrong with copies. They're usually clearer than the originals. You see more in a copy than you would with an original." Skye replied, wandering her gaze over the boy.
"There's nothing to see here," Jimmy mumbled, picking at a loose thread in his sweatshirt sleeve.
"I highly doubt that...You have more to offer than you think, Jimmy Potter. What was your original name by the way?" Skye inquired, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Moon," Jimmy answered with a pang of nostalgia.
"Mmmm, Moon. As different from the sun as you can get, but still in the same world." Skye leaned in closer, her shoulder brushing with Jimmy's." The sun can blind you if you stare too long, burning bright scars on your eyes...But the moon...No...You can never tear your eyes away from the moon...You can stare and stare and stare and it'll only keep on getting more and more beautiful the longer you look..."
Jimmy looked over, his eyes immediately locking onto hers," You make it sound wonderful being the moon."
"Because it is...No worse than the sun, but so much better... in different ways..." Skye replied. She gingerly reached up and her fingers danced down his cheek." You are the moon, Jimmy... You'll shine brighter than anyone when the time comes."
Jimmy leaned into her touch, in a state of disbelief that this complete stranger could be saying these kinds of things about him," When?"
"Soon enough...They will all open their sleepy eyes and see you shining...You will be brighter than any light Harry could give..." She mumbled, eyeing his rather full lips.
Jimmy looked her face over, desperately wanting to believe what she was saying. He could see apprehension in her eyes, a slight hint of guilt..Of fear...Why would she fear him?
Like the sweetest fruit breaking its taste on his tongue, Skye kissed him. A soft, fragile kiss that made all thought stray from his mind.
Jimmy reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, indulging in the softness like he'd been aching to do since he first saw her. This couldn't be real, it just couldn't be.
Just as unexpectedly as it began, it was over and Jimmy was left bewildered. He stared at Skye's flowing hair and billowing cloak as she raced across the yard and inside the castle. Jimmy reached up and tentatively touched his lips still tingling from the kiss.Harry set his jaw firmly and spun on his heel, heading straight for Hagrid's hut in a huff. If he was lucky, Hagrid would let him spend the night.
//--------
He couldn't stand it. It was like a river of lava had burst through a dam inside him and was now replacing his blood with anger. All day Harry could think of nothing but the kiss Jimmy had shared with Skye. Skye...There was something about her and Harry couldn't place it. Sure, Skye was an obnoxious twit that taunted him every chance she got, but still. Why did Jimmy have to kiss her?
And why was this bothering him so badly? Skye wasn't his, just like Ginny wasn't Jimmy's. Those girls were a part of HIS life and Jimmy came along and wrecked havoc on it. Was it not Skye who had kissed him just before Christmas break? So why was she kissing his brother now? What about him? Did the kiss mean nothing to her? Was she just playing with him? With Jimmy? Why was he worrying? Why did she worry him?
All the questions whisking through his mind left him dizzy and even more frustrated because he didn't know the answers. He needed to know. What did Jimmy say to Skye last night that had moved her to kiss him? From his spot quite a ways off, he hadn't been able to make out a single word they'd said to eachother. It was tormenting him.
"Geez, Harry. You better relax or you're going to burst a blood vessel," Dean commented as he shuffled through rolls of parchment on the table.
Ron sunk deep into the armchair as Neville poked at the fire of the Common Room to ignite bigger flames.
"Seriously, Harry. You need to calm down," Ron added in, his eyes following Pigwidgeon as he zipped above his head. " And you too you nutty bird!"
Harry's body turned rigid as he saw Jimmy climb through the portrait hole, laden down with books. Harry had to find out. He had to get answers to his questions. He HAD to make sure Jimmy knew Skye was off limits. So, like a lightning bolt, Harry leapt from his seat, crossed the room and upturned the armful of books Jimmy had been balancing.
The books thudded all over the floor, causing the common room to fall silent with the last thump.
"What the hell was that for!?" Jimmy exclaimed, looking very much put off.
"THAT was for trying so hard," Harry spat, ignoring the fact that he was never really clever when he was angry.
"Whatever dipstick," Jimmy mumbled, bending down to recover his books.
Harry viciously kicked the book from Jimmy's outstretched fingers, glaring intently down at him.
"Stop! Madam Pince will slaughter me if they get scuffed!"
" What do I care? If I damage them enough maybe you'll get expelled!" Harry shouted, knowing very well he was out of line.
"Thats what you want, is it? Thats been it all along...You want me gone. Can't handle a little competition?" Jimmy cooed, straightening up.
" This is MY life, I shouldn't have to compete just to exist in MY LIFE!"
"Well, its my life too, Harry! You can't just drag me away from the only home I've ever known than realize you don't want me around!" Jimmy screamed back, his fingers starting to tremble.
"Stop taking everything away from me and maybe I won't want you gone!" Harry shouted in reply, ignoring all the intently watching faces.
"I haven't taken SHIT from you!"
"Yes you have!"
"No I haven't!"
"You act like you don't realize you're more like Dad than I am! You ARE, Jimmy! You even have his bloody name!"
"Its not MY fault he was an egotistical bastard! Incase I'm not mistaken, you have his name as well, so don't give me that crap," Jimmy clenched his fists, getting thoroughly impatient with Harry's stupidity.
"I don't care! You're more like him than I am or ever WILL be and its that fact that makes me hate you!" Harry blinked at this revelation, shocked he'd discovered what had been really irking him the past two months.
Jimmy, on the other hand, was anything but thrilled. His eyes narrowed to avoid people seeing the tears welling there. His body could no longer contain all the fury and hurt building up beneath his flesh. In an instant, his fist swung forward and collided with Harry's gut. The boy gasped and stumbled back. Seconds later they were in the midst of their second fight. Both boys thudded to the ground in a fury of fists, grunts and cries.
Fortunately, the fight didn't last long before Ron, Dean and Seamus hauled Jimmy off of Harry. Sometimes, having a muscular Chaser for a brother WASN'T a good thing.
Harry rolled over and wobbled onto all fours, fighting down a coughing fit. Jimmy watched his brother with a cold gaze. Snapping his body from the boys' grasps, he strode past the spectators and grabbed his wand from the ground next to Harry. Spitting a mouthful of blood out, he turned and exited the stunned room, announcing that that night he'd stay with Draco.
"This is ridiculous! Thats the second time you've fought. Whats going on, Harry?" Ginny asked as Ron helped him to his feet.
"Nothing," Harry muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
"Sure doesn't look like nothing," Ginny went on.
"If I say its nothing, then its nothing!" Harry snapped.
Ginny blinked, then ran from the room.
"Look, yelling at Ginny isn't going to help any. You got some serious issues to sort out here, mate...Maybe you should talk to someone," Ron spoke, handing Harry a handkerchief from his pocket.
"I need ...I need to talk to Hermione," Harry murmured, sinking deeply into an armchair.
Ron exchanged a look with the others, then turned back to Harry with a saddened expression," Me too..."
Harry hung his head and buried his aching face in his hands. "What am I doing? What's happening to me?"
Ron gently patted his friend's back and sighed.