Wishmasters Chapter 10

The Competition looms.

No one really knew what to say about Ron's last statement. So, nothing was said. After a few more minutes of silence, the Headmaster stood up and quietly left the room. With a smile to everyone Ron left as well.

Hermione grabbed Vince's hand and with a small meaningful glance at him dragged him from the room to her room. Singing really did have an aphrodisiac effect on her. They spent the next few hours wrapped around each other, thinking only of each other, letting the rest of the world pass them by.

"I am worried about this, Vin." Hermione said after their bodies had cooled and their breathing had gotten back to normal.

"About what, love?" Vin said as he gathered her in his strong arms.

"Will this hurt us, tear us apart?"

"No, love, it will only make us stronger."

"I love you Vince."

"I love you too, Hermione."

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Harry was deep in thought and had not realized everyone else had left. He sighed and settled further into the chair he was sitting in and rested his head back. He didn't want to do that song. He knew it was their best, but still, it was so very personable. He wasn't sure he wanted to let the wizard world in on that side of him.

Draco sat quietly and watched Harry. He dearly wanted to go over there and return the hug Harry had given him earlier. But he didn't have that kind of courage. So, he sat there. He took in the tired but happy face that was rarely seen on the Gryffindor anymore. Draco was glad to have seen it as he was getting worried about the other boy.

Silently he got up and walked over to the piano that was still in the room. He sat down and stated to play his favorite piece, Our Farewell by Within Temptation. He let his uncertain feelings for the other boy flow from his fingers into the music.

Closing his eyes he put everything into the piece that he could. Unknown to him were the tears flowing from green eyes that had snapped open to stare at him at the first note.

Each boy let the music flow over them. One, trying to convey his feelings through his music. The other, hoping that what he was hearing was right.

Harry wanted to go to him and take him in his arms again but he could not. He just knew this was not the time or the place for it. Draco, though he may have some feelings for him, was still riding high from the songs played earlier. He stood as the last notes fell from the pale slim fingers and walked to the door.

Before leaving he turned and said quietly, "Thank you."

Draco watched as Harry left, angry because he had left, not understanding anything.

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The tension in the room was palpable. The entire population of Hogwarts was in the room. Each of the bands were standing along the side of the room in the order that they would play. The order was picked by the room as to the amount of audience applause and participation from the last performance. The little first year band didn't look too happy but they shrugged it off. Being first was okay.

Harry was sweating in the leather pants that Ron had insisted that they wear. He hated leather pants! Coming up to the first piece, every single performers stomach roiled, nausea overtook the shaking, and words and music fled from peoples heads. Suddenly, as they walked on stage, a strange euphoria flowed over them, nerves settling, and confidence returned, along with smiles, and in one spectacular case, flatulence.

One by one the bands were called on stage to do a second piece, after that the room would let everyone know who had won.

Wishmasters was not the last band to play and each of them was worried about that fact. Ron couldn't help but send harsh looks to his girlfriend standing quietly behind them. Her band, the Nightwishers, was the last band to play. Meaning they had gotten the most applause.

Albus called them close together so that they could confer. "I think Queen of the Sun, is our best bet to win."

All the others nodded but Harry who looked worried before he nodded once and turned away. Catching Albus' eye Draco stepped to stand close to Harry and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You're welcome."

Harry turned his head slightly, back now stiff, and whispered back harshly, "Don't!"

Still holding the Headmaster's gaze, Draco leaned down so that only Harry could hear what he was saying. He didn't know why he felt compelled to keep the old man's gaze but he just knew that if Dumbledore showed his disproval Harry would walk away from whatever this was between them. And that was something he didn't want to happen.

"They will know and finally understand Harry. You owe it to yourself to let them SEE." Draco breathed into Harry's ear, revelling in the shiver that could be seen running down the leather clad back.

"I-" Harry stuttered as he shook his head.

"Stop." Draco murmured harshly.

Harry finally turned to look into Draco's eyes and Draco finally saw the pain in those lovely green depths. He wanted to reach out and touch him but he knew if he did the tenuous control Harry had would shatter and Draco could not do that to him.

"It will be fine." Was all that he said before he offered up a small genuine smile.

Harry breathed in harshly and gave Draco a sharp nod. It was the only thing that he could do. Draco smiled again and turning from Harry met Ron's questioning look. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Ron nodded once and turned his attention back to the conversation he had been having with Vin. Draco ignored the looks from the rest of the band members as he turned his attention to the stage.

As the bands played the tension in the room rose to unimaginable heights. Soon the middle of the room had been turned into a mosh pit and things were being thrown at the bands on stage. Seeing this, Harry scowled and seconds later a barrier was up between the stage and the audience.

Soon it was their turn to sing and as they settled themselves on stage they each took a deep breath, looked at Harry for their cue, and watched as their friend became the Boy Who Lived on the stage, no longer the sweet Harry Potter but the hardened killer Boy Who Lived. It was the only way he could deal with it. With a nod they began.

The first notes of the song rang out of the speakers, and Harry felt a chill go through his soul, visions of the scenes he had drawn on to write this song running rampantly through his mind. He braced himself for the words, and knew it wouldn't be enough to cope...

Travelling through this land,
Hunter becomes the prey,
So much pointless suffering,
We hope for better days.

Harry closed his eyes as Ron's husky voice began to sing the words he had written.

Air strikes upon the hour,
Big machines from the wheels of power,
A Young mans dream of destiny,
War machine brings him to his knees.

Tears leaked from Harry's eyes, and he silently cursed the moment of madness when he had shared this song with the rest of the band.

The audience grew quiet as the words began to register with them.

Didn't know it could come to this,
The howl of crying and a flood of tears,
All the destruction through so many years,
The bastards sending missiles here.

'I'm so sorry,' thought Harry, as he saw friends fall in battle, lost to the magical mortar shells that Voldemort had been using in that last terrible battle.

All in all the dead mans song,
His love another one gone,
Still Searching to find the one,
Still searching for the queen,
The queen of the sun...
Marching on and on,
The queen of the sun,
The war still goes on...
The queen of the sun,
Marching on and on,
The queen of the sun,
The queen of the sun...

At the break in the singing Hermione, Vin, and Harry stepped up to the middle of the stage as Ron stepped back. Harry was in the middle with Hermione on his left and Vin on his right.

The stage went black. Suddenly a soft spotlight was seen over the trio on the stage. Harry had his eyes closed again, not wanting to see the audience. Right before they were done Hermione and Vin shared a glance and stepped back leaving Harry alone in the middle of the stage. As their break ended Harry opened his eyes and stepped back to his spot.

Tracking them through this land
To escape this misery,
We have no choice in this,
Just pawns in the endless Game,

Harry remembered how he had chased Voldemort through the forest, tracking him down, and killing him, finally, as a pawn in the prophecy.

Ron stepped back in and instead of singing what was next he spoke it softly. The emotion in his voice brought gasps and Harry could just feel the eyes on him.

Fighting to survive,
Murders all through this barren land,
Is there a god in which to believe?
War machine brought him to his knees.

Suddenly Ron's powerful voice rang out and it sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room.

Can't help my family,
All I know is that they need me,
Just a prison that this hell brings,
Just a slave to the killing machine.

All in all the dead mans song,
His love another one gone,
Still Searching to find the one,
Still searching for the queen,

The queen of the sun...
Marching on and on,
The queen of the sun,
The war still goes on...
The queen of the sun,
Marching on and on,
The queen of the sun,
The queen of the sun...

As the last note faded the one's on stage where worried that there was no clapping or shouting of any kind from the audience. Seconds passed in complete silence before a quiet roar started and before the next breath it was so loud that you could not hear yourself think. The yelling, screaming, crying, and just plain mayhem went on for 20 minutes as the band stood there in shock.

Finally, McGonagall stepped on stage and with a whispered 'sonorous' tried to get them to be quiet.

Silently and slowly the members of Wishmasters walked from the stage, Harry leading the way. As he stepped from the stage a path appeared in front of him. Not looking to either side he walked from the room, the others following him. As they stepped into the hall and the door closed behind them, they could still hear the commotion from inside the room.

Harry walked away from the others, too caught up in his memories, to even care if they followed him. Ron went to go after Harry but a hand stopped him. Hermione shook her head no. Ron sighed and nodded his head in agreement.

"Aren't you going to go after him?" Draco demanded.

"No." Was all that Hermione would reply. Ron muttered that he was going to go back in and watch Hannah perform. No one acknowledge him.

"Why the bloody hell not?" Came the cold, old, Malfoy tone.

"He will want to be alone now. Look Draco, we have been doing this for years. He will come back when he is ready." Hermione said sadly as she felt Vin's arms go around her.

"You're kidding right?" Draco said with surprise. "You just let him walk away, knowing he is hurting. And you stand there and say he wants to be alone!"

"Draco...please understand-" Albus began to say.

"You people amaze me. Did it ever occur to you that he just MIGHT want you to find him? That he DOES NOT want to be alone. You are the ones that pushed that on him. Now he deals with it because he thinks that is what YOU want." Draco snarled one more time and then turning hurried down the hall in search of Harry.

"Albus," Came Hermione's shaky voice from where she stood wrapped in Vin's arms, "is he right?"

"I honestly don't know child, I don't know." Albus Dumbledore was worried that he had let the boy down.

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Harry had only gone around the corner before he stopped and pulled the invisibility cloak from his pocket and wrapped it around him. He was about to move on when he heard the shouting behind him. He walked back around the corner and heard the argument.

He was surprised at the stricken look on Hermione's face when she realized that maybe Draco was right.

She honestly didn't know, was all that Harry could think. He felt some of his anger at his friends melt at that. He watched as Draco hurried by, obviously going after him. He heard Albus' last statement but with a tightening of his lips he turned and walked away. The Boy who lived, killer of the darkest of the dark lords was having trouble slipping back to being just Harry, the boy who did his homework, who scraped through exams, who didn't understand what his heart told him since his one love had been lost in the last battle... his queen would see the sun no more, and he hardened his will again, wishing that he could understand.

He followed Draco around Hogwarts all the time wondering why the other boy was so intent to find him. He was amused at the mutterings and foul words that fell from Draco's lips as he searched everywhere for Harry. Finally Draco made his way back to the Room of Requirement.

Harry stepped in so close behind him that he could smell him. Draco stomped over to the other band members but with a cool look said nothing. Harry stood in the shadows with his band, not wanting to reveal himself. He knew he was being petty but he didn't care. He had not wanted to let everyone hear that song. Any of his other's would have been fine but that song, he had written it in one of his worst moods after the battle.

Harry sighed and let the cloak slip from his shoulders. He folded it, shrunk it, and put it into his pocket. He didn't let the other's know he was there.

His attention was drawn to the stage where McGonagall was standing. He noticed the screen behind her where the name of the winning band would be shown.

Clearing her throat she got the attention of everyone and she waited until it was quiet before she spoke. "The tally is in and the winner is..."

Minerva McGonagall was confused, the room seemed to have two voices, and she frowned...

"Rather, the winners are..."

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Well here it is. I hope that you like it.

Authors Note – This chapter was entirely produced by Leah – an ardent H/D shipper, and I just added a few lyrics in, where appropriate. I figured that maybe I shouldn't bother, but she left a note in for me to do it, and who am I to refuse a genius? Sorry about the delay, its not down to Leah, its down to me again, and I make no excuses.