Anger Burning Bright
Hermione pushed open the doors to the Hospital Wing. She didn't see Madam Pomfrey anywhere, just the rows of clean beds, and one in the far end, blocked off by screens. She walked across the quiet room, a feeling of nervousness filling her. Why should she be nervous? She shook her head, making her strides more determined.
"Harry?" she asked, pausing outside of the curtains. There was no response. Hermione looked around and then parted the curtains.
She nearly gasped. Harry lay there, his hair disheveled and sweat plastered to his face, his eyes bloodshot, his skin pasty and pale, and his gaze staring unblinkingly at something. The day before he had looked fine, peacefully sleeping. Now it seemed as if he'd gone through a lot within a day.
"Harry?" Hermione whispered, lightly touching his arm.
His eyes snapped to her, nearly making her flinch with all the pain and the anger that seemed to fill them. "What are you doing here?' He asked, his voice a low hoarse whisper.
Hermione took a deep breath, smiling slightly. "I came to see how you are doing." She said, sitting upon a chair placed beside his bed.
Harry just looked at her and then looked away. He eyes locked upon the ceiling. "What's it to you how I feel?"
"I...I'm your friend, Harry. It matters a lot to me how you feel." Hermione said.
Harry laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right. You're just here to gawk and laugh at me like the rest of them."
"Gawk? Who came here to laugh at you?" Hermione demanded.
Harry sighed heavily, turning over in the bed. "Leave please. Even if you mean the best, just leave. Leave me alone. I can't stand to see anyone now." His voice was low.
Hermione nodded her head. She stood up and watched him for a moment. "I care for you Harry, I know you're going through a lot now, but if you need me I'll be there for you. If you need someone to talk or just to be around, I'll be there for you Harry." She touched his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.
Harry suddenly turned around knocking her hand away. "Didn't you hear what I said? Get out of here. I don't want to see you! I don't want to hear your blubbering words and inane platitudes." Harry roared, suddenly jumping to his feet.
Hermione staggered back, from the anger and rage in his voice. She stared at him in shock, never before had she seen such rage in a person's eyes. For the first time in the years that she knew him, she was afraid of Harry.
"I just want to help." Hermione said.
"Help? What can you do?" Harry sneered. "What do you know of what I'm going through, what I'm feeling?"
Hermione looked away from that terrible gaze. "I just-"
"Get out!" Harry roared. "I'm sick of everyone coming in here and saying all it needs is talking out. Like that'll fix anything. You want to help? Then get the hell out of here and don't come back!" Harry stabbed a finger toward the door.
Hermione stared at him. His eyes were wild with rage, sweat covered his skin, and his arm was shaking violently. This wasn't Harry, she thought. He wasn't himself.
"I'll leave then." Hermione said, walking stiffly through the curtains. Her steps here heavy and slow, a sense of rage, sadness, and grief filled her. From behind the curtains she heard soft sobbing. She stopped and turned around, but didn't go back. His angry words still rang in her ears and she didn't know if she could face it again. She clenched her eyes tightly and continued out of the Hospital Wing.
Pomfrey came hurrying in. "I heard yelling." She said.
Hermione nodded and continued walking, ignoring Pomfrey's questions. It wasn't until she was halfway toward the dorms did she break down and start crying.
Hermione pushed open the doors to the Hospital Wing. She didn't see Madam Pomfrey anywhere, just the rows of clean beds, and one in the far end, blocked off by screens. She walked across the quiet room, a feeling of nervousness filling her. Why should she be nervous? She shook her head, making her strides more determined.
"Harry?" she asked, pausing outside of the curtains. There was no response. Hermione looked around and then parted the curtains.
She nearly gasped. Harry lay there, his hair disheveled and sweat plastered to his face, his eyes bloodshot, his skin pasty and pale, and his gaze staring unblinkingly at something. The day before he had looked fine, peacefully sleeping. Now it seemed as if he'd gone through a lot within a day.
"Harry?" Hermione whispered, lightly touching his arm.
His eyes snapped to her, nearly making her flinch with all the pain and the anger that seemed to fill them. "What are you doing here?' He asked, his voice a low hoarse whisper.
Hermione took a deep breath, smiling slightly. "I came to see how you are doing." She said, sitting upon a chair placed beside his bed.
Harry just looked at her and then looked away. He eyes locked upon the ceiling. "What's it to you how I feel?"
"I...I'm your friend, Harry. It matters a lot to me how you feel." Hermione said.
Harry laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right. You're just here to gawk and laugh at me like the rest of them."
"Gawk? Who came here to laugh at you?" Hermione demanded.
Harry sighed heavily, turning over in the bed. "Leave please. Even if you mean the best, just leave. Leave me alone. I can't stand to see anyone now." His voice was low.
Hermione nodded her head. She stood up and watched him for a moment. "I care for you Harry, I know you're going through a lot now, but if you need me I'll be there for you. If you need someone to talk or just to be around, I'll be there for you Harry." She touched his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.
Harry suddenly turned around knocking her hand away. "Didn't you hear what I said? Get out of here. I don't want to see you! I don't want to hear your blubbering words and inane platitudes." Harry roared, suddenly jumping to his feet.
Hermione staggered back, from the anger and rage in his voice. She stared at him in shock, never before had she seen such rage in a person's eyes. For the first time in the years that she knew him, she was afraid of Harry.
"I just want to help." Hermione said.
"Help? What can you do?" Harry sneered. "What do you know of what I'm going through, what I'm feeling?"
Hermione looked away from that terrible gaze. "I just-"
"Get out!" Harry roared. "I'm sick of everyone coming in here and saying all it needs is talking out. Like that'll fix anything. You want to help? Then get the hell out of here and don't come back!" Harry stabbed a finger toward the door.
Hermione stared at him. His eyes were wild with rage, sweat covered his skin, and his arm was shaking violently. This wasn't Harry, she thought. He wasn't himself.
"I'll leave then." Hermione said, walking stiffly through the curtains. Her steps here heavy and slow, a sense of rage, sadness, and grief filled her. From behind the curtains she heard soft sobbing. She stopped and turned around, but didn't go back. His angry words still rang in her ears and she didn't know if she could face it again. She clenched her eyes tightly and continued out of the Hospital Wing.
Pomfrey came hurrying in. "I heard yelling." She said.
Hermione nodded and continued walking, ignoring Pomfrey's questions. It wasn't until she was halfway toward the dorms did she break down and start crying.