GENESIS:

Trouble Brewing

By: Elmo.E.Kazi

Rating: T

Couplings: Harry/Hermione, Ron/Luna, Ginny/OC

Summary: (First out of four stories.) The world is dying…Harry might be also. Hermione puts him under house arrest whilst she attempts to sort out affairs, and save Harry and his failing sight. Meanwhile, Ron and Luna scour all of Britain and America searching for Snape and Malfoy…but could it be that, all the while, they were under all their noses?

•One•

•A Cold, Rainy Day in July•

West Crest Apartments

Bristol, England

1:35 AM

July 31

Hermione gritted her teeth against the freezing rain as she supported Harry up the stairs. Her hair was slicked against her forehead and cheeks while she made sure barely any of the rain came in contact with Harry's shaky, pale, nearly motionless body. She fumbled with the keys to her apartment; since they were in a Muggle inhabited area, she was not permitted to use her wand. When, finally, she managed to unlock and open the door, she dragged herself and Harry across the threshold.

She gently ushered him over to a couch and set him down, shutting all the curtains and blinds. She pulled her wand from her raincoat and dried his clothes before conjuring blankets and pillows from the linen closet. She set the multiple blankets on top of Harry's barely conscious form and raced into the kitchen to retrieve a bowl of warm water and a washcloth. When she returned he was staring blankly at the ceiling, his body shaking violently beneath the several heavy coverlets. Hermione could already feel the fresh tears welling up in her eyes. She brushed them away with a sweep of her hand and set the bowl on the coffee table before carefully transfiguring the couch into a bed. She had to be strong for both of them…but Harry seemed so fragile.

She sat on the edge of the bed and dipped the cloth gently into the warm water. She squeezed out the excess water and then laid the cloth very carefully on Harry's forehead. She could feel the tears coming against when she noticed how chilled his skin was as well as how pale it looked. A solitary tear dropped and splashed on Harry's face. She wiped her eyes again and moved to wipe the tear away but when her warm fingers landed on Harry's frozen skin, his hand reached up and cupped around her fingers. His blurry, emerald eyes focused ever so slightly on her face and a small smile graces his blue lips.

"'Mione…" he breathed. His voice was quiet that Hermione wasn't sure he had really said anything at all. "'Mione…" His words were a little stronger. "I can almost see you…" Hermione smiled a rather watery smile.

"Good…" she choked, trying to sound strong and self-assured but she could hear her voice was thick with sobs. "I'm so happy, Harry."

"Hermione…you…are you crying?" he asked her, his hand leaving hers to reach for her face. His fingers brushed over her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose, wiping a few stray tears away. "Why?"

Hermione took his hand and pulled it away from her face, still smiling sadly. She placed his hand gently on his stomach with the other one and then continued to tend to him.

"Hermione," he persisted. "Please, tell me." There was silence. "I have a right to know…"

"I know you do, Harry," she murmured. "But…not yet…"

Harry opened his mouth to say something but he heard the door open and three sets of feet shuffle into the room. He bolted upright, unused to his unusually blurry vision. He groped the coffee table for his glasses but Hermione took his wrist to halt him. His glasses weren't there.

"It's only Ron, Ginny, and Luna," she assured. Harry turned his head to the door and caught to blurry sets of red hair and a mane of dirty blonde before Hermione's hand pushed him back onto the couch-turned-bed.

"Harry!" gasped Ginny, taking in his general appearance. His ebony hair was a tangled mess, even more so than it usually was and his eyes were cloudier than she remembered. He had a dried gash above his eyebrow and his lips were icy blue. His skin was pale and his body occasional shook with poorly hidden shivers. "Oh, Harry!" She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and sobbed into his hair.

Hermione slowly stood up and smiled at Ron and Luna. "I'll be right back." She turned and stepped into her bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her before sliding down and sitting against the door. She brought her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead against them. The tears came willingly this time and she just let them drip down her cheeks and onto her shirt and pants. For the last six months, Hermione had been having episodes of depression.

Ginny loved Harry. Harry loved Ginny. There was no changing that. Secretly, Hermione wished there would be an epic fight and they would split up but it was unlikely and she always felt guilty for allowing herself that one thought. She kept her feelings bottled up and they came out in small bursts, tears mostly, but also times when she would blow up for no reason or have to excuse herself when she had company to let off some frustration or sadness. Sometimes she would hide in her room for hours just crying or staring off into space, thinking of all the could-be's and what-if's.

For now, though, she stood up, dusted herself off, cast a few glamour charms on her eyes and clothes to seem as if she had only gone to retrieve another blanket, which she also conjured. She regained her composure and took a deep breath before heading back out into the living room. She placed the new blanket over Harry, who was clutching Ginny's hand and speaking quietly to her. He gave Hermione a gratified smile before continuing his conversation with his girlfriend.

"Hermione?" questioned Luna, asking for the brunette's attention. Hermione looked at her and the blonde nudged her thumb toward the closed off kitchen area. The two women made their way to the kitchen, Ron close on their heels.

"How is he?" asked Luna once they were alone. Hermione bowed her head and Luna's face softened.

"His sight is deteriorating rapidly," Hermione murmured, staring dazedly at the kitchen door. "Everything is blurry to him now…and…" She stopped when her voice cracked and looked at her damp shoes.

"And?" pushed Ron, his brow furrowed and his eyes eager and etched with worry.

"I don't know if he'll live…or how much longer he has…his sickness is…erratic," she breathed, turning away and folding her arms over her chest. "Sometimes he does so great and I think he might be able to overcome it…but them it drops dramatically…and there are times when I don't know if he'll even make it through the night…" She closed her eyes to block the constantly arising tears.

"Hermione…" Ron said, making toward the brunette but Luna took his arm.

"Ronald," she said and he knew she meant business, "I need to talk to Hermione about something. Would you mind leaving for a few minutes?"

"What are you going to talk about?" Ron asked, feeling slightly offended.

"Girl stuff," she replied tersely before shooing him out of the kitchen and sound proofing the door. When she was sure that Ron, or any other eavesdropping ears, could hear them, she turned to Hermione and her face softened, though her pale blue eyes remained as large and surprised as usual.

"Hermione…" she breathed but couldn't get another word out as Hermione fell to her knees on the kitchen floor and began to sob loudly. Luna dropped down onto the floor as well and pulled the older girl into her arms for comfort. "It's alright…everything will be fine in the end. Shhh…" She stroked Hermione's hair comfortingly and listened as Hermione let out long incomprehensible sentences.

It was a long time before Hermione quieted herself and regained her calm. She pulled her head off of Luna's shoulder and wiped her eyes. She cleared her throat and got to her feet casting a few more glamour charms.

"Thanks," said Hermione, offering a small, sad smile. "I feel better now." Luna managed her mystifying smile and then checked her watch.

"Well, we must be going. Molly is expecting us," Luna replied. "An order meeting. Are you sure you can't make it to this one?"

"I'm sure," Hermione assured, nodding slightly. "I have to stay and watch over Harry. He can't manage himself in his current state."

Luna nodded. "Don't let your emotions rule over your thoughts, Hermione," she warned. "In the end, it could kill you."

"So you do know then?" asked Hermione, her smile wavering slightly. "I knew you must…you are the only one who seems to know everything that's on my mind right now." Luna smiled again and then turned toward the door.

When she opened it, Ron and Ginny fell forward onto the kitchen floor. Luna looked down at them and then looked up just as Harry's raspy laughter filled the apartment. Hermione stepped over them into the living room and gave Harry a reprimanding glare. She pointed from him to the bed beneath him and he gave her a sheepish smile before sinking into the pillows and pulling the covers tightly over his body.

"Well, see you later, 'Mione," called Ron as he, Luna, and Ginny all slid out the front door, each of them waving at her before disappearing out into the rainy July day.

Hermione made to sit to the coffee table but Harry patted a spot on the edge of the bed and she gently sat there instead. She looked at him for a moment before pointing her wand toward the gash on his forehead. He pushed it away and gave her the most serious look she had ever seen him give. Her brow furrowed and she set her wand on the table.

"What do you want to talk about, Harry?" she asked him, folding her shaky hands in her lap.

"Hermione…" his voice, though serious and quiet, was serious. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" Hermione started and then turned her watery eyes to look at his blurry vision. "Or go blind? Please, don't lie to me."

Hermione took a shuddering breath and then stood from the bed. "Harry…I…I don't know what to say…"

"The truth is a good option," he answered for her, his own brow furrowing. "I can tell by the tone in your voice…I'm going to die."

"No!" Hermione blurted before she could stop herself. "I-I mean…Harry, I really don't know right now." She let out a long breath and then returned to sitting on the bed's edge. She let her hand rest on his. "B-both…are possibilities at the moment, Harry. You could die…but if you don't, there is a very good chance you'll go blind…It's not supposed to be this way! I'm a horrible mediwitch! I'm sorry, Harry…"

"Hermione…" Harry whispered, squeezing her hand gently and comfortingly. "Don't blame yourself…It isn't your fault. I always did go looking for trouble, remember? If it weren't for your brains and Ron's strategy, maybe I wouldn't have made it this far. But, then again, I have always been a…what was it you called me again…a stubborn prick?"

"A stubborn prat!" Hermione corrected, looking slightly aghast that he would accuse her of calling him such a vile word. "And I stand by my word. Now, for the final time, lie down and HEAL!" He smiled at her slightly affectionately and then reclined into the pillows. Hermione conjured a cup of steaming liquid and handed it to him. "And drink this. It will quicken the healing of your cut."

Harry took the cup from her and drank the liquid as well and as fast as he could. When it was empty, he felt his eyelids begin to droop. He turned an accusing eye to her and cocked an eyebrow. "A sleeping solution?" he asked. "How very deceptive of you." He smirked slightly and then drifted off into sleep.

Hermione gave a gentle, warm smile and then took the cup from Harry's limp hand. She set it on the table and stood up. She pulled the covers snuggly around his body, fluffed his pillows as good as she could, and then turned out the lights.

"There are a lot of things I'm deceiving you about, Harry," she whispered. "If you looked a little closer…" She stopped, closed her eyes, and then retreated into her own bedroom.