Title: More than Mrs. Potter

Author: Joy

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. It helps believe me.

5.The break down

Harry immediately found Ginny that night and told her that Hope and Draco had a falling out. "What do you mean a falling out?" Gin asked.

"They had a fight over something that Hope hadn't told you or Draco about yet. He felt betrayed and acted on it," Harry stated with a sigh. "Look, I wouldn't have even brought it up, except that I hugged Hope to comfort her."

"I know you don't hug people that often but that's not a big deal Harry," she commented.

"I know that and you know that but apparently when Draco saw it he felt that I was somehow turning Hope against him... He also seemed to think this was so grand thing he could tell you about to stick it to me. I don't get that guy...but that's not the point. I just didn't want you to be surprised tomorrow and I didn't want Draco to make it sound like I was having an affair with Hope."

"Okay...I'll talk to Hope tomorrow. Thanks for being there for her Harry."

"No problem Gin."

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Ginny could see something had changed between Draco and Hope the next time she saw them. Draco was no longer taking meals with Hope...in fact he was back to his player ways. Gin shook her head at his behavior but for the time being said nothing. It pained her to see him deliberately hurt Hope but she couldn't approach Draco alone about it without violating Harry's trust...so she was at a loss. Draco's behavior toward Hope just seemed to piss Harry off royally.

Hope told Ginny exactly what had happened between her and Draco to explain the change in demeanor. Ginny completely understood Hope's reticence to share her 'gift' with others and told her the same thing as Harry...Draco would come around. Still the situation made Harry uncomfortable.

Despite the drama, Dumbledore's trio still had work to completely, which was done in an old mystical classroom set aside for especially for them to work in. They each had the charmed books like Ginny had over the summer. There was a storage shelving-unit to house the special texts. Harry didn't like the fact he still had no idea what Ginny was working towards and he liked it less that Dumbledore was behind it...in particularly since Draco seemed to have reverted back to his old ways. Except when he was actually with Ginny.

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One evening that feeling of hesitance was compounded when Dumbledore came to him before quidditch practice. "Harry, Ronald," he called.

"Yes headmaster," Ron said.

Dumbledore initially addressed Ron; "Your sister is in the midst of very important research tonight. She may be on the verge of a major discovery. I need her to remain working, therefore she will be missing quidditch practice...Harry I am having Dobby prepare a separate dinner for the three so they won't have to stop. If they are still at it at nine this evening, you can come pick up your girlfriend. You know the room."

"Yes sir," Harry sighed.

Dumbledore eyed him thoughtfully, "Is there something concerning you, Harry?"

"I am just having a hard time trusting Malfoy...in particularly with him reverting back to some of his old ways...and the way he has been treating Hope," the young man explained.

The headmaster motioned for Ron to go on ahead in to the locker room before he would address Harry's concerns. Ron nodded and didn't anticipate seeing Harry for the rest of the evening.

"Harry," Dumbledore said with a tired sigh, "Sometimes when you were hurting you would take it out on the people around you, correct?"

The young man set his jaw, "Yes."

"Now, I would imagine to the outside observer may have doubted you based on what they saw. You were yelling at your best friends..."

"Professor this isn't a situation where someone is acting out...this is a situation that for a few days a mean kid behaved nicely then reverted to form."

"Once you form a habit, is it not hard to break?" Dumbledore said in his maddening way.

"So I am being ridiculous?" Harry snapped.

"No Harry. I am just asking you to entertain the possibility that Draco's behavior isn't as nefarious as you make it out to be... I don't fool myself enough to believe that Mr. Malfoy won't slip up and badly. But he has an important role to play in the war Harry. Whether you like it or not he will be your ally. You need to begin to trust him... even if he proves that he shouldn't be trusted."

Harry got the distinct feeling Dumbledore knew something he wasn't sharing.

During practice Ron watched Harry chasing the snitch around the field despite the fact he could have caught it several times. Harry seemed to need to blow off some steam. Unfortunately he hadn't blown off enough steam by the time nine p.m. rolled around.

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Harry listened as Ginny and Draco laughed together with Hope just beyond the door. It grated at him that he could never make Ginny that happy...that carefree. A general feeling of possessiveness and proprietorship took hold of him, especially he saw Draco flirtatiously tickle his girlfriend. He knocked lightly at the door bringing all attention to him. Ironically enough Hope looked the happiest to see him.

"Harry," she called practically leaping into his arms. He did his best to clear his mind and embrace Hope with brotherly affection.

"Hey there Hope," he murmured as he hugged her making sure that she hugged him to the side so he could wrap one arm around her body ending with his palm holding the nape of her neck.

Whatever had happened in that study room in the last few hours had been too intense for Hope to fight off. Harry himself could feel an almost oppressive force radiating off of Draco. He could only imagine what mental blocks Hope must have used to withstand it. Then again maybe Malfoy was doing it on purpose to see how far he could push her before she broke. Hope was at her breaking point. It annoyed Harry to no end that not only did Ginny not seem to notice, but she didn't seem to care either.

Harry just held Hope tight as she burrowed into his chest letting her shields fall in order to feel what she knew Harry would be offering...once again she began to cry. It was only then that Ginny noticed something was severely off.

"Hope," she asked. "What's wrong?"

Hope only stared at Draco for a moment, eyes blue and icy, drilling holes in her not in anger but more scientific consideration. She turned back to Harry and held on tighter. "Get me out of here...Please get me out of here. Get me away from him," she whispered to Harry.

All sorts of protective feelings rose up inside of Harry as Hope held him close. "Push," was all he said to her as they started for the door. Suddenly, Harry reached out and grabbed Draco's wrist using Hope's hand. Draco tried to remove the grip but their combined force was too strong. "Feel that?" Harry asked the blonde Slytherin boy. "That is what I will do to you if you ever pull a stunt like this again."
"Why does it matter? You are both just freaks anyway," Malfoy said with malice.

Ginny stepped up to him, "What the hell is the matter with you? What did you do to her?"

Draco smirked his maddening smirk at her, "Why nothing Ginevra? How could I? You were right here with me. What could I have possibly done without your notice?" He moved a little closer in her personal space, "Or maybe you were just too distracted to notice?"

Ginny's eyes flashed with hurt and confusion. The three left the study room letting Malfoy churn in his own thoughts.

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Ginny was so confused it was palpable. "We should take her to the nurse."

"Are you kidding? They don't know what she can do and which among them is able to conger enough heartfelt emotion to provide for her," Harry snapped at his girlfriend.

"Why are you angry at me? What did I do?"

"Not a bleeding thing...and that's the point. You were so busy with your project and flirting with Malfoy you didn't notice what state Hope was in or the fact there was a dark force in that room that was coming from Malfoy!" Harry yelled at her. "I have been patient and nice and bleeding understanding, but the fact that you would turn a blind eye because you don't want to see that something is seriously wrong with that guy is beyond me... You let this happen. I had to walk in the room to make it stop. I felt it moment one and you were just sitting in it like there was nothing wrong."

Ginny swallowed, "I'm sorry but I don't know what you expected me to do!"

"I expected you to notice one of your best friends was curling into the fetal position. I expected you to feel what I felt. I expected you to be able to take the blinders off for a few minutes... Now I am going to take Hope to my room. She's gonna sleep on the sofa in there where I know he can't get to her. If you have a problem with that then you need to ask yourself if it would have been necessary if you had been paying attention!" Harry said leading Hope away.

Ginny stood in shock. Why didn't I notice that there was something wrong? Why was Draco able to get to me like that? What happened in that room that I couldn't see...couldn't feel?

Draco watched the exchange from the hallway. The Gryffindor couple would be busted up soon enough.

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Harry let Hope lay down on the couch in his room but she refused to let him go. "Hope, Hope, he can't get to you here," Harry assured her as she shook.

"You don't understand Harry," she murmured.

"Then explain it to me."

Hope sighed, "It wasn't like anything I have ever experienced... It's not that I think he can get to me here, its what he was showing me there."

"Talk to me. Tell me," Harry whispered.

She cast her wide blue eyes at him. "Draco was open to me for the first time in a while. He touched my hand and I felt warmth toward me from him. I was so happy...but then his emotions increased. It became this intense almost obsessive feeling. He let all his lust out in a solid wall of emotion. I started to hold him off and he just kept piling on the feelings. Eventually I was getting images of huge snakes, people dying, and physical pain."

"What was Ginny doing?" Harry asked.

"Most of the time she was working but when I started to get the really strong images it was like she was out of it...acting younger...or something."

"Acting younger? Like six or eleven or fifteen? How much younger?" he prodded.

"Umm...I don't know. Not really childlike so probably eleven or twelve," Hope stated. "What are you getting at Harry?"

"He knows...I don't know how he knows but he does. Damn him!"

"What's wrong?" Hope asked suddenly.

"We need to talk to Dumbledore when you're ready," he encouraged.

"Why?" she whispered in confusion.

Harry sighed, "Because if I'm right, Draco somehow hacked Ginny's head."

Hope looked startled by the accusation and digested it a moment. Finally she turned and said, "I'm ready...We can go."

"Okay."

"Hold it," an authoritative female voice stated from the side.

"What was that?" Hope asked quickly.

"My mum," Harry stated and pointed to a picture. "What is it mum?" he asked cheekily.

"Who is this? And why is she in your room? Where is Ginny? Hmmm!" Lily snipped with her hands on her hips.

Harry had to laugh a bit, "I guess you didn't actually hear our conversation, did you mum?"

"No...I did not. I realized you were very upset so I tuned in and low and behold my 17-year-old son has a blond Slytherin in his room without his girlfriend. Now I want an explanation mister."

Harry's shoulders began to shake with laughter, "Its really nice having you around mum... but I bet dad and Sirius are going to rib you good once you find out that your son was honorable taking care of his friend Hope who had been...assaulted in a way... And Ginny knows she is here mum. I promise."

Lily straightened up a bit, "Oh...well..." She squared her shoulders, "I was just concerned. You are still James' son after all. And while I did a remarkable job in helping him mature...he did behave badly before me. I was worried that your recent sexual activity might have gone to your head...at least your smaller head."

"MUM!" Harry fussed at the same time as he heard Sirius and James yell, "LILY!"

By now Hope was on the floor laughing so hard tears were coming down her cheeks.

"You are embarrassing the boy," his father scolded.

"Better embarrassed now than impregnating later," his mother contended.

Harry squinted his eyes shut as he heard a new gale of laughter come from Hope. His life was never gonna be normal.

TBC...

A/N: I know very angst ridden so I gave you a light ending.

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