Harry might have gotten Lana to talk, but that wasn't the only issue to work through. She might trust him, but the fact still was still that he was the only person she trusted, and it couldn't stay that way if she were to go to Hogwarts, which was only in one week. He told her this but everytime he did, she only nodded and looked scared. Harry didn't want her to be scared, but he also knew that she really needed to get over her fear and that Dumbledore wanted her to go to Hogwarts.
He walked to Lana's room and pushed open the door, knowing that he would have to try with Lana again, and he didn't want to. All he wanted to do was keep her there, in that room, letting her do whatever she wanted, and keep her content and happy. But he knew that would sound sort of strange, and also knew it couldn't happen. He couldn't protect Lana forever, and he couldn't just…treat her like a child.
He saw her on her bed, and he went and sat down on the window seat. She turned over and her eyes brightened. That was one thing Harry was always happy to see. Her eyes had been so empty only a few weeks ago and Harry was so grateful for that spark that showed whenever he saw her.
"Hey Lana." She didn't respond. She might talk, but she didn't always. She knew he didn't need an answer.
"Lana, we need to talk about Hogwarts. And you. I need to get you out of this room, and get you at least okay with being in crowds and…with other people. We want you to come to Hogwarts." He took a deep breath and looked at his hands. "I want you to come to Hogwarts. If you don't, you won't see me until…maybe Christmas if we're lucky. If not, than almost a-a year." Harry choked on his words, realizing that he didn't want to wait a year to see her. His need for her to open up became intensified.
"Please Lana. Just…how about I take you to meet Hermione, Ron and Ginny? We don't have to stay long. I just want you to meet them, and maybe talk to them. No, not even talk to them. I promise I won't leave your side. Though you might want to get close to Hermione, or at least semi-trust her, because I can't follow you up to your dorm room…"
He added the last part on quickly as an after thought.
Lana thought about it. She saw that Harry was almost in a panic to get her out of the room. She wondered how much he really cared about this. He looked sincere…
"Lana, what are you going to do if you don't come? Are you going to continue just lying in your room? You have to trust them at some point. Please Lana, please. I'm begging you." He was desperate now, not bothering to hide it anymore. Lana could see the desperation in his eyes, and it pained her. This black-haired boy was the only person she had ever trusted in her life, and she realized now that she wouldn't be able to live through almost a year without him.
She slowly nodded her head and it Harry let out a breath. He had been sweating bullets awaiting her response. He didn't want to go on for a year worrying about her, thinking what she was doing. He would always worry about her, but at least she would be there to check up on.
If this, of course, went well.
She stood up. She wore a pair of oversized, ratty jeans, held together by a large thick leather belt, though it hung low on her hips, and she rolled them up several times. A brown simple tank top showed several yellow bruises from almost a month before. Harry noticed several white scars placed in rows on her arm. He doubted these had occurred naturally. It saddened him and he resisted the temptation to take Lana in his arms and just protect her, never letting go. To make someone do that to themselves…He never wanted her to feel like she had to do that to herself again.
Suddenly, she seemed to sway, and fell. Harry's Quidditch reflexes went into action, catching Lana before she hit the ground. He was gentle, as if she was something that could break without any warning whatsoever. He didn't want her to break.
She shook her head, trying to stop the room from spinning. Her skin was ice cold under Harry's hands. She shivered, even though his touch was warm. She quickly stood.
"Sorry" She said in that American accent of hers. Harry loved that accent.
"To the balcony?" He asked. She gulped, but nodded. She knew that she had to go through with this.
The trek to the balcony was in truth only a few minutes away, but short walks can always seem like forever when it is passed in silence and you dread your destination, and you are forcing yourself to walk, instead of turning heel and heading in the other direction.
For Lana, the walk stretched for Eternity.
She saw red hair through the glass doors, and panicked. Harry glanced at her, hearing the catch in her breath.
She gave him a scared look, and they both pleaded with their eyes. Harry wanted to give in to that frightened look, but he knew they would both regret it. Lana seemed to know this for she gave a defeated sigh, and Harry opened the doors. Lana followed behind him, still hesitant.
Harry waited for the others to notice his presence. "The others. How strange is that."
Hermione noticed them first. "Harry! And…you must be Lana!" She jumped up and held out a hand. Lana looked at Harry. He already knew what the problem was. He walked to Hermione and whispered in her ear, "Lana doesn't like being touched." She made a look that clearly said she though it was weird but put her hand down anyway.
"Well, umm, sit down, how are you?" Hermione said, trying to make conversation. Harry sat down, and urged Lana to sit next to him. She moved in close to him, trying to get away from Ron, who was staring at her with a strange look on his face. Harry instinctively put his arm around her, replacing her want to not be touched with his protective instincts. She tensed under his touch, but eventually seemed to at least half relax, knowing that he wouldn't hurt her.
About 30 minutes later, Harry brought her back to her room, where he came in and sat down beside her on the bed instead of the usual spot on the window seat. Lana was almost surprised, and the smallest wave of fright passed through her, but she beat it down quickly, reminding herself that Harry wasn't Uncle Benivan. He wouldn't hurt her.
"Well." Harry began simply.
"I thought it went quite well." Lana smirked. "In other words, it went horribly"
Harry looked abashed. "No, not at all! You did wonderful! It was better than 'quite well'; it was brilliant! You didn't panic and you stayed for a full 30 minutes! Yo-you were perfect."
Lana was surprised how Harry had reacted, as if he was afraid of hurting her feelings. "Harry, I was joking." He stopped abruptly, realizing he was babbling.
"So…Hogwarts?" Lana's face darkened at this. Crowds, crowds of kids, people her age. If the kids were anything like her school-mates…Could she handle it? What would happen to her? Would Harry protect her like he said? Could he?
"I can…do it." Harry sighed, letting out a breath he didn't even notice he had been holding.
Silence overtook them once more. Harry had a question in mind, but he didn't want to destroy the newfound…comfort of sorts that had formed between him and Lana.
"Lana did you ever…cry?" He asked tentavily. He couldn't identify the expressions on her face. Sad, angry, frightened, remorseful?
"When?" She asked finally.
"Anytime. Before we came and got you." Harry didn't know why, but he felt the need to know.
"When I was little, they didn't beat me. Much. More neglect than anything. No proper clothing. No lunch money. I learned to cook and clean by the time I was 6. I never cried because I thought it was normal. Other children complained about chores, and I just assumed they were chores like mine."
"The beatings started slowly, disguised as accidents. I once was doing laundry when I was 7, and requested my usual stool so I could reach the top of the washer. My Aunt got mad, and 'accidentally' dropped the iron on my upper arm." At this, Harry made a funny jerking movement, the movement someone does when sitting on a pool edge, and someone goes and tries to shove them in, but the person catches themselves. Lana glared at him to calm down, and he automatically stilled.
"It went like that for the next year or so. 'Accidentally' closing doors on my hands, 'accidentally' forgetting to pick me up from school, 'accidentally' putting his hands…" She stopped then, choking on her words. Harry didn't prod her to go on, wasn't sure if he wanted her to go on. He suddenly had the compulsion to find a way back to that house, and use every hex he knew on them. He realized he never had a feeling like that, not even for Voldemort. It was probably because the ones Voldemort tortured, Harry never knew personally. Sirius wasn't tortured, and…it didn't totally make since. Harry wondered if this was what parents went through when losing a child.
"Anyway, it eventually wasn't hidden that they hated me. I had always sort of known it, but it was never really voiced. On my eighth birthday was my first…beating. Real beating. And then…It just went like that for the rest of my life. I cried at first, but I was just punished more for that. Eventually it stopped hurting so much. It just became…numb I guess. If I didn't think about it, it didn't hurt. If I didn't care, it couldn't hurt." Lana finished her story, and Harry wondered if he could hug her now. Or something. Comfort her, at the very least, though he wasn't really sure if anything he said would comfort her.
He finally decided just to put his arm around her. It would have to do. Lana leaned into him, surprised but pleased at the gesture. No one had ever cared for her like that.
And they just sat there, enveloped by darkness.
