Punishment

Chapter 2 – The Start of a New Beginning

Part 2 – One Last Cry

What was that all about?! Malfoy thought, Harry heard. Harry thought, Malfoy heard. But why? He'll have to find out later. Right now, well, to say the least, it was the wrong time. he was in the middle of the Great Hall.

Standing.

With the whole Hall…

Looking at him…

And Malfoy…

Malfoy.

The one whose fault this was. If Malfoy hadn't told him that they'd be ending their newly-found friendship so soon, Harry wouldn't be standing now. But then he was. And, sad to say, there was nothing he could do about it.

"I guess we won't be ending it after all."

Harry put his foot out of the bench of his house table and excused himself quietly enough for only the Gryffindors to hear him. He went to the two tall old oak doors of the Great Hall and turned back. "Great."

***

It was the next morning and it was time to leave. Well, for Draco and Harry anyway.

When Harry woke up, his trunk had already disappeared and a set of clothes were waiting on his bedside table, neatly folded. He guessed the house-elves had already taken his trunk so he didn't mind. He stretch and looked by the window near his bed, knowing that this was probably the last time he'd ever see the scenery outside for a year and a half. He stood up and took his clothes to the bathroom to take a bath.

He was quite surprised to see that his roommates were all awake and weren't in the room anymore. He made his to the bathroom, his heels slapping against the maroon carpet of the dormitories.

"Morning, mate," it was Ron. He was smiling, but it wasn't the normal smile. It was smile that looked like it was forced.

"Morning," Harry replied, placing his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Bath?"

"Yup," Harry sighed, "for the last time." a sad smile appeared on his lips. He turned to Ron, he could see tears forming in his eyes. "Oh, Ron…" he trapped his best friend in a brotherly hug.

"Too early for this, Harry, we still have breakfast after all." Ron said, drying his eyes that were starting to water.

"True," Harry agreed as he continued his way to the bathroom, "see you, then."

He stopped as he placed his hand around the knob that led to the bathroom. Slowly he opened it and went inside, closing the door with a gentle click. He put his clothes on top of the toilet carefully as to not wrinkle them. He unbuttoned his pajama top, light from the bathroom window cascading all over his skin. Slowly he put his trousers down along with his underwear and stepped into the shower.

He turned the water on, his hand turning the tap. The water was warm, not too hot, not too cold. He raised his hand to glide it through his hair. He just stood there for a while, wanting to cherish the moment. He was, after all, not going to be able to experience this after a long time. He slowly turned the shower off with his left hand, his right one closing around the bar of soap. He soaped himself, smelling his pine fresh scent. He turned the shower on again as he rinsed himself clean. He watched as the soap suds went down the drain.

He closed the shower after a while again and this time his hand found the shampoo. It was colored silverish white and it smelled like one of those expensive perfumes. He gently massaged the shampoo on his scalp, letting the sensation sink in. He massaged it a bit more thoroughly after a while; his fingers motioned like little circles. He rinsed off and stepped out after getting his towel.

He dried himself and put on his clothes. A pair of Muggle cargo pants, a plain white tee-shirt, a navy blue vest and sneakers. He stepped out, feeling quite refreshed, that was the best bath he'd ever had.

And he last in the place he'd had it.

***

He made his way to the Common Room, quietly stepping down the stairs. He was surprised to see almost everyone was there, it looked quite crowded. Harry raised his eyebrows at them, a smile was dancing in his lips.

"To what do I owe the honor?" Harry asked, his feet going past the last step.

The whole Common Room eyed him with sadness. Some had clumped up tears in their eyes.

"Ron…Hermione…" Harry said warningly.

"We didn't do it. They figured it out for themselves." Hermione replied; her head bowed.

Harry looked around, everyone was there; no one was missing. He suddenly felt a sudden surge of love for all of them, they were always there for him, good times or bad and they didn't hesitate to help each other either.

"Harry," it was Ginny, "thanks. I didn't know that you were leaving until this morning. I will always be here for you and whatever happens, you'll always be in my heart. I can remember when I first saw you…when I wrote you that poem for Valentines back when I was in my very first year here…I can remember many things. I will always remember you and…just…" Ginny started sobbing. "Just…just stay the same and…and…" Flash back of things and events happened before Harry's own mind could stop it. "Don't ever change." She started crying and Dean hugged her.

"Bye, Harry. Thanks so much for everything, I know you'll make it. Heck, you escaped Voldemort, right? Why not this?" Dean smiled, tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Bye, Harry…" Fred was up. "We might not be able to win anymore games without you, though. I'm sure you'll do great in Muggle sports. Thanks for the money…" it looked weird, seeing the twins cry. The twins who always made things better, the twins who made the worst situation seem funny… the twins… "We'll never forget you… just don't change…don't ever change."

"Bye, Harry…" was all George could say before he started crying as well. He collapsed by Fred, both were shaking and all the Gryffindors followed suit.

"Please…don't do this…you're making me cry as well."

"Bye, Harry, I'll be sure to make Ron learn spells. I'll be here if you need any help and I can never ever tell you how grateful and honored I am to be your bestfriend." Hermione was obviously fighting back tears, "You're the best, Harry." She was shaking and then she finally broke loose, tears were streaming down her cheeks and her eyes turned red. "It won't be the last goodbye, Harry! Not the last goodbye!" She was punching she sofa.

"Bye, mate, I'll miss you." Ron said, he was probably the most emotionally touched among them all. "No more wizard chess with you, no more making weird predictions in Divination, no more snipping about Snape," Ron was also visibly shaking, tears were shining in his eyes, "no more sarcasm with Trelawney…no more…no more you. I love you, Harry… I really do and I'll miss you and I'll be waiting for you." Ron cried and Harry hugged him, "I'll miss you, Harry, I really will!" Ron was crying so hard. He wasn't stopping and that's when Harry cried as well.

"I love you all…and I won't be able to be here but I'll write and I'll Floo sometimes, okay? Please don't cry." He was stroking Ron's back.

"Group hug!" Seamus cried. Everyone laughed. They still had tears in their eyes, though.

"This won't be the last time. I'll come visit. I promise."

***

Harry appeared in the Great Hall, followed by the mob of crying Gryffindors. Well, actually Harry was crying, too, but not as hard as the Gryffindors. There was Fred, Ron George, Ginny, Hermione, Dean, Neville, Seamus, Parvati, Lavender, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Euan (Abercrombie- see book 5), Colin, Dennis and many more.

They reached their appropriate table to their appropriate seats with everyone staring at them.

Dumbledore stood up, "Before we start, I would like to remind Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy to go up to my office after breakfast."

The feast started and Harry ate, he, along with the other Gryffindors prayed that their tears won't get in their food.

Not knowing that across the Hall, someone was observing his every move.

***

/Now?/

/Okay./

Harry and Draco stood up and went out together, the eyes of the students on their backs.

***

"Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy, nice to see you again." Dumbledore said, chin resting on his hands.

Harry and Draco gave no sign of acknowledgement except for sitting down quietly and nodding.

There were few moments of silence wherein Dumbledore just observed them. Harry looked up.

"Professor," he started. Draco turned his bowed head toward Harry, "what school are we to be in?"

"Ah," Dumbledore smile as a twinkle went passed his eye, "Smeltings." Draco snorted. "I am sure you're familiar with it? Am I right?"

"Oh no…" Harry said as he put his head in his hands. "That's where Dudley studies."

"Dudley?" Malfoy said, finally talking. "Who's that?"

"My cousin." Came Harry's muffled groan.

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Mister Potter," Dumbledore said, an unmistakable twinkle still in his eye, "I assure you, now that Mister Malfoy's going to be with you, it will certainly be different. And Mister Malfoy, do try to be nice. Smeltings is an exclusive school."

"Doesn't sound like one," Draco chuckled.

"Anyway, you shall go there in a few hours, I suggest you say goodbye to your friends. Though you will be here for the next, next school year."

"I've already said goodbye." Harry smiled sadly.

"Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore said.

"No one to say goodbye to, Professor. I doubt they'll give two wits on it."

***

Harry walked silently to the Gryffindor Common Room to get his stuff. Dumbledore had talked to Malfoy and Harry went on ahead. He knew he'd be greeted with tears but he had to get his stuff.

He looked up as he went in. Ginny came in, holding a letter 'G', Oliver came in, holding two letter 'O's, Dennis Creevey came with a letter 'D' and it was quite amusing since they all had the first letter of their first names on the card board. Out of nowhere (Harry supposed anyway) came Bill Weasley, holing a big 'B', Angelina Johnson came out with a 'Y' and said, "Sorry, we didn't have a housemate with the first name starting with 'Y',"

Fred Weasley came out with an 'E', saying, "The letter before the first one of my name." Katie Bell came out with George Weasley, both holding a black piece of cardboard. Hermione came down with red eyes (as in really red eyes) with an 'H', Alicia Spinnette came with an 'A', as Ron came with two 'R's. And, finally, Seamus came with a 'Y', "No people with 'Y's as Angelina said." Lastly, Lavender, Parvati, Dean, Euan and all the other Gryffindors came down and held one big banner saying 'We Love You!! ˆ.

Harry smiled, obvious tears in his eyes, Why'd they have to make him cry now? They hugged and Harry conjured his stuff.

"Bye," he said, with one last glance.

Draco was waiting.

***

One last cry

Before I leave it all behind
I've gotta put you out of my mind for the very last time
Been living a lie
I guess I'm down
I guess I'm down
To my last cry...

***

A/N: Yes, first time to A/N for Punishment. Sorta like a Songfic. Leave it be. Had a hard time writing this. Thanks to all who reviewed!