Unfortunate Relations
Author's Note: Ok. Bring in the fluff. Yep, it's finally here, and to tell you the truth, I'm just a little bit scared to show it to you guys! I've NEVER written fluff before- this is my first take. If it sucked (or vacuumed, lol) please don't burn me with fire-ball flames of doom- constructive criticism is appreciated as always, however. Really Important: Okay, there is a time-lapse in this chapter, after the first break several months have passed. You can now OFFICIALLY consider the story post HBP. Alright…enjoy!
BregoBeauty: Eight months! That's…jacked. I think I finally overcame the writer's block- though I'm sure it's lurking in the nearby shadows somewhere, waiting for its chance to once again suck the creative expression out of me…
Knights of Ne: THANKS for agreeing with me. That's not the only reasons, but they help strengthen my position. Thanks again- hope you like this chapter! Yeah, I like Space Mountain, too…but it's been closed for such a long time (since I've gone)! Argh! lol
the-insufferable-know-it-all: Good question, but I have a few reasons why not. 1) Katie put a memory charm on them, they won't remember anything. 2) After that incredibly strange situation, all three just want to walk away from it... 3) Katie needs to leave fast, and if she had turned them in, Voldemort would have gotten wind of it quicker than my original plan. But thanks for your question, and I hope you like this chapter!
Irish Anor: YES! GUSHING HAPPINESS! I'm really glad you liked it. Please bear with my sad attempt at fluff for this chapter…the next one'll be better, I promise.
Chapter Six: Of Rows and Run-ins
"Done." Katie stated simply as the trio walked out of the cove.
"Splendid job, Katie!" Fred and George both gave her a friendly thump on the back; Katie smiled shakily. "But who's this R.A.B.?"
This time Katie really did smile- though the grin was a sly one. She shook her head. "Not now."
"But- why R.A.B.? Why not just Katie?"
"It was a game we used to play- oh, never mind; you wouldn't get it, anyway. Only Tom would get it." She turned around to see the twins' confused faces, and laughed. "And that's exactly my point."
XXX
"Let's try this again."
"Uhhhggg…" Ron and Hermione groaned with equal amounts of disgust and boredom. The rain beat ceaselessly outside of their muggle-tent (a possession, Ron was sure, his father would kill for). And it did more than just pour on the outside; it dripped on the inside.
The smell of three damp people in a wet, stuffy tent is enough to make anyone temporarily insane. "Harry." Ron tried to reason with his best mate. "We've had three false leads so far. Not just one. Not even two. THREE. And this one…is probably just like all the others." Hermione nodded her head fervently in agreement, even though Harry wasn't even facing them.
With a dramatic flourish, Harry turned around so he could see his two friends. It certainly wasn't one of his most handsome moments.
Hermione and Ron gave each other wary glances. 'He looks bad.' Their eyes read bluntly. And he did look bad (in fact, bad was a bit of an understatement); his unruly black hair was even messier than usual, and his sharp green eyes bloodshot. "Are you suggesting that we just give up?" he whispered dangerously.
Ron snorted. "Oh, right." he muttered sarcastically. "Your best friends- you know, the ones who abandoned school and their lives for you?- want to admit defeat."
"Fine. Leave if you want. Do you really think it would make a difference?"
"Grow up, will you? That's not what we want to do. All we're saying is maybe…oh, I dunno…PICK A MORE LOGICAL LEAD THIS TIME? I mean, it's not like you haven't botched the last THREE or anything…"
Quite suddenly, the pitter-patter of the rain seemed to grow faint, almost as if the thick, ominous silence was stronger than sound. "Harry…? Ron…?" Hermione pleaded into the moment of tension, though even her voice sounded muffled. She looked from one boiling face to another, from clenched fists to gritted teeth to flashing eyes.
Ron gave a low growl and stomped out of the tent. He paused for a moment, appearing to consider a particularly scathing parting remark. Then he stuck his face back inside. He would have actually looked rather ridiculous if it had been any other time- his steaming face almost matched his flame-colored hair, now plaster oddly onto his forehead. As it was, however, Hermione did not think he looked amusing at all. In fact, he looked almost…frightening. It was an odd feeling, to be scared of Ron.
"That's right." He barked loudly, though this time his accusing was directed at Hermione, not Harry. "Just stay in the bloody tent! Comfort your friend- you obviously don't give a snit about me!"
"Ron…WAIT!" Hermione took a step towards the tent flap where Ron's head had just been.
"Yeah, why don't you leave, Granger? I'll probably find the horcruxes better that way…without you two scrutinizing my every move…"
It took Hermione about a full ten seconds to realize it was Harry who had said those words. And when she did, she spun around, her shock written plainer and more evident that a hand mark left by a hard slap on the face. "Granger?" she whispered. That was Malfoy's- her arch nemesis's- nickname for her, not her best friend's. Not Harry's.
Well worn and ragged, she felt like a rope in a tug-o-war, this time with he best friends at both ends. And this hadn't been the first fight she had gotten wrapped up in.
Hermione didn't know whether to cry or to sit down or to scream at Harry, so she did a little of all three- hot tears streamed down her face, and her breath came out in short, humiliated sobs.
Well, you've gone and done it now, Harry… There. It had finally happened. After attempting insanely for months to keep it on, Harry's head had blown off in less than five minutes.
"Hermione…" Harry, who by now was fully aware of what he had just said and how awful it was, put a hand on her shaking shoulder- he hadn't really meant to hurt her…but all this searching and no finding was wearing everyone a little thin. "Hermione, I didn't- I didn't mean it, honest-"
She quickly tore away. "What happened to 'Granger?'" Hermione screeched broken, trying desperately to wipe away her shining tears as more fell to take their place. "I'M SO SICK OF THIS, HARRY! I JUST WANT- oh, never mind!"
"'Mione, wait!" But she was gone, her cries drowned out by the howling of the wind.
XXX
Hermione ran. She ran as fast and as far as she possibly could, not just to escape all the problems and complications and hurts in her life. She wanted to forget. Everything. Which, of course, is much harder than it sounds.
After only a few moments of running, she collapsed, not caring whether it was under a tree to escape the rain or not.
And that's where Ron found her.
"Hermione?" Ron asked quietly, his voice laced with disbelief. All this time, and Hermione had held up wonderfully. Ron was ashamed that he had never realized just how wonderfully until now.
He cautiously sat beside her, not knowing if she would yell at him or not. Most girls proved unpredictable, and Hermione was no exception. He knew that from personal experience.
But all she did was turn away from him (which surprisingly hurt him more than her yelling). "Go away, Ron!" Hermione moaned half-heartedly. 'Stop crying.' she commanded herself fiercely. 'You can't, not in front of Ron!' Hermione tried biting her lip- an old habit that had always seemed to stem her tears in the past- but it didn't work; she only cried harder.
There was a long pause. 'Did he leave, I wonder?' she asked herself with a mixture of relief and sadness. Then a rough hand gripped hers; it was warm, despite the rain.
"Please don't cry, 'Mione." Ron murmured, near enough to Hermione for her to feel his hot breath in her ear.
Her heart skipped a beat when she felt how close he was to her… 'This would have been romantic, if you weren't such a crybaby.' she thought miserably, attempting to somehow push the resistant butterflies from her stomach. "Mmmphf." she mumbled aloud (half to herself) and softly tried to push him away.
Ron, however, had plans- none of which included him leaving. In all his years of knowing her, he had never seen Hermione cry like this. And it bothered him; much more than anyone else would be bothered by it- that at least he knew positively. "I'm not leaving till you stop crying." he announced softly. He meant it; Hermione could tell.
"But…I can't." She whispered between sobs. Then Ron did something that he hadn't anticipated, that he had never really planned (though he had imagined it happening often enough). Ron carefully tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes, now glistening with tears that ran down her cheeks to mingle with raindrops.
"Let me help you, then." Delicately cupping his hands to frame her face, he brushed away her tears with his thumbs.
Hermione closed her eyes; the butterflies were back. Why had she never felt this way with Krum? She didn't know. But at least, the tears were gone now.
The rain and Ron had taken care of that- and for the first time in a long time, Hermione was happy. Happy, safe, and warm. She would have laughed. She would have danced in the storm.
But she couldn't, because, right at that moment, something much more important had come up.
And Hermione Granger greatly preferred kissing Ronald Weasley to dancing in the rain any day.
XXX
The moon shone brightly, reflecting brilliantly in Harry's eyes. He and Ron had given up the luxury of the tent for Hermione's sake, and therefore had to brave the dismal weather without any covering; at least the rain had stopped.
Of course, everyone had shaken hands and made up (or, in the case of Ron and Hermione, snogged and made up) after the argument. Hermione had taken his apology incredibly well, considering the circumstances and the terrible things he'd said- but then again, she would have taken anything well after Ron's 'apologies,' he thought fondly. 'Ron and 'Mione…' he mused. The pairing was so perfect that he almost wanted to laugh. Or maybe, clench his fists.
While he was happy for his friends, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of them as well. Ron and Hermione had something that he couldn't afford, something he had given up months ago.
Something, for him, that came in the form of Ginny Weasley.
Harry missed Ginny desperately; even he couldn't deny the fact. And worse, he couldn't seem to get his mind off her, which wasn't allowed- how could he concentrate on destroying Voldemort if he couldn't stop thinking about a certain red-headed someone?
"Harry." he recalled Ron chiding him earlier that day. "Let's face it. You need a girl, mate."
But it was fine for Ron to say something like that. Simply splendid. For Harry, however, it was quite another matter. The Dark Lord didn't want Ron. He wanted Harry.
And that one tiny detail made an entire world- no, a vast universe- of difference. An abrupt snore from Ron quickly brought Harry back to reality. Turning his head away from the brilliant gem that lighted the entire sky in an ethereal halo, Harry closed his eyes. He willing let sleep take him where it willed.
Ginny would just have to wait.
XXX
A soft chuckle broke George's sly grin. He had just been having the most lovely dream…it was that familiar one, of hexing Umbridge and Percy into oblivion simultaneously…ah, if only! "Mmmm…what?" he murmured sleepily, turning to face Katie, who had her back against a tree.
"It's just that…it's kind of funny, I guess…kind of sad- how long it's been since I've had a normal life." Her eyes reflected stars as her head tilted skywards. It was strange to look into those dark eyes, George thought groggily, everything seemed so…dark. And grey. Katie blinked, startling George out of his reverie. "And then I think, 'Have I ever had a normal life? Or was it all just an illusion?'" Katie's clear voice cut through the cool stillness sharper than any knife.
"Ah, Katie. Didn't you know that it's a customary part of everyone's life to go out on dangerous escapades, all in the name of saving the world?" he joked good-naturedly. "Anyway- is that all you woke me up for? Because if so, it really wasn't worth my time. Goodnight, again." George turned around once more; Katie snorted.
"Not my fault you're a light sleeper." she muttered, desperately squirming to resettle herself against the gnarled back of a tree. But it wasn't uncomfortable sleeping conditions that kept her awake. "George…?" she called tentatively into the silvery darkness.
"Wazat!" He quickly bolted upright, cursing as his head knocked against an overhanging branch. "Katie," he groaned, "We've been through this-" George stopped when he saw the strange look on her face.
Though Katie's shining black hair had blown over her features, her friend could still see the look of consternation, the glistening eyes that lay behind it. "I- I watched him die, George." She didn't say who; she didn't need to. For George it was hard not to know who she was referring to. "I saw his face- heard the Death Eaters' laughter…but what's worse- worse than even doing nothing- is that…part of me wanted to hurt him, too…"
Her voice didn't ring out so clearly anymore; it barely reached George's ears in more than a whisper. He knew he had to mask the fear that wanted so badly to surface (How can I feel afraid of a friend?), because her grey eyes were madly piercing his own, searching for some answer other than terror and reproof.
"You know no one blames you- how could we? Who knows- Fred and I might very well have done the same thing- you were in shock, Ka-"
"But would you have wanted to kill him?"
This time, George could not hide the fear that shone behind his own eyes. "No." he said flatly, and he couldn't help but for a tone of accusation to creep into his voice.
His friend inclined her head in a slow nod, but soon gave up all appearances of formality and buried her head in her hands. Silently, Katie's slender frame shook- and it was George's turn to feel guilty.
In a moment he was beside her, firmly grasping her shoulders.
"How- how can you even be my friend?" she whispered, "I'm no better than Voldemort-"
"Yes you are." George murmured so fiercely in her ear that she jumped. "You may have felt as though you wanted to kill that man, Katie, but you didn't. And that's what separates you from your uncle: despite what you think, you are brave- brave enough to, even past all hopes, try and stop whatever evil you're a part of."
Katie's eyes were wide as she looked up at him, and her voice was small, still shocked at his initial sternness. "Oh." she muttered, taking his hands off of her shoulders and holding them in her own. "I guess I'd forgotten that."
"Well, try not to." George muttered softly in response, a small grin flickering on his face again. For a second he could only gaze down at her, still wondering at how lovely the stars looked in her own eyes…
But all at once, the two became quite awkward. "Well." They both said at once, dropping the other's hands as if they had become hot bricks.
"Goodnight, Katie."
"Goodnight, George."
Neither noticed Fred's beaming smile and barely open, prying eye glinting mischievously in the tell-tale moonlight. Katie watched as George closed his own eyelids and, in a matter of minutes, fell asleep.
Katie tried to do the same, but each time she tried her eyes snapped right back open.
Voldemort plagued her thoughts…lurked in the darkest corners of her mind- and every time her eyelids grew heavy, she was reminded of never-ending nightmares…
'You will turn, Katie. Eventually, you'll be here, at my right side. Where you belong.' She cringed at those chilling words. Those true words. Even George's reminder had faded from her mind now; she couldn't even tell the difference from her uncle's voice and the voice of her innermost thoughts anymore…It was awful. Katie knew he was waiting- lurking- until that moment when she was gently lulled to sleep by the whisper of the wind and the creaking of the trees. It all seemed so innocent. But behind that thin veil of beauty, a snake lay- waiting to strike. She couldn't fight it forever.
"I mustn't sleep, I mustn't sleep, I mustn't…sleep…I…mustn't…"
So with a sigh, Katie reluctantly gave herself to the night and whatever horrors or wonders it chose to present.
XXX
Memories flooded Katie's dreamless sleep—memories that, if she had been awake, wouldn't have been hers. Her head spun with the effort of keeping up with the images flashing through her mind.
It was almost as if she were passing all recollections of the world, and could have looked into anyone's if she had had the power. Instead, she closed her eyes- darkness was better than blurry images. With a jolt Katie was brought to a painful halt- she could have sworn she heard her neck cracking and feel her palms slap the cold floor; blood dripped from her nose, sopping her jeans.
If you have ever hit the ground hard and simultaneously broken your nose, you will know what the exclamation Katie made sounded like. I can't describe it- it was a mix between 'ugh!' and 'ouch!'.
Two people had been arguing near Katie's now throbbing head, and sharply looked around when they heard the strange noise. 'That's a bit odd…' Katie thought excitedly, 'They can hear me, but they can't see me.' She had never been in a dream where she lay hidden to its occupants- and it was…cool.
"Anyway…" a small girl shook blond curls out of a rosy face after a last look around, "Could you please give it back, Tom? I need it for an…assignment."
Katie had to bite back a gasp as she looked straight into the face of none other than her uncle…but in the dream, he looked somewhere around her age.
He grinned slyly. "An…assignment? Oh, I think we both know it's much more than that… 'Oh, if only my English teacher weren't such a toad!'" Tom flipped idly through the book's pages; it was clearly a diary of some sort.
The girl, his younger by only a few years, reached hopelessly for it with a fierce look on her face. "GIVE IT BACK, TOM!"
"'Isn't it odd, diary?' " Tom read mockingly, his grin widening as he mimicker her in a high pitched voice, "'I think I'm in love with Seth…'" He laughed coldly and nonchalantly sat on his bed, criss-crossing his legs, promptly holding the journal above his dark, curly-haired head. "Come, come now, Lucy…I knew you were a desperate girl…but Seth? I mean, really…"
Lucy tapped her toe impatiently on the painfully clean and swept wooden floor. She looked angry and flustered, but, to a pair of shrewd eyes (which both Katie and her uncle possessed) it was easy to see small tears forming at the corners of each eye and her lips curving into an unhappy frown. "Please give it back." was all she could force out without crying.
"Why not me?" Tom purred. To Katie, it seemed as though her uncle were a cat, toying with its latest victim. He stood up and sauntered lazily over to a cupboard. 'This is one story he failed to tell me when I was little…' and she knew it was only one of many he had conveniently left out of his childhood escapades.
"You know I'd make a better boyfriend than Seth…I'm much better-looking. And you're…not so bad yourself." the teenager smirked. 'How conceited.' Katie thought. It wasn't just what he had said; it was what he was doing- looking in a mirror, of course. He turned to look at Lucy, as if admiring her features.
But, to Katie, it was obvious that it was all just some horrible game to Tom; he had never- could never- love…only pretend to.
Lucy involuntarily blushed (no one can really blame her- Tom had a way with words, with making people believe in him…) but the blush quickly turned to flaming red cheeks. With an ashamed "Oh!" and a look as though she might slap him, Lucy turned and walked quickly from the room.
Tom smirked again and reached for the knob of his cabinet. Katie, who by now was incredibly intrigued with where the dream was going and why it was more like a memory than anything else, leaned forward to take a closer look.
Inside the cabinet was a motley collection of this and this (quite literally: a marble set, several other diary-like books, old faded photos of others' loved ones, and lots more). With much flourish, Tom ceremoniously set the book beside the others, but not before reading a few more pages. He laughed-harshly and loudly so that Lucy would hear- then finally put the journal down and closed the door.
As Katie leaned forward even more, intensely curious with what might happen next, she slipped on something sticky and hit the ground again. Katie cursed as she straightened herself- and suddenly became still when she noticed Tom looking right at her. 'It's alright…he can't see me…' But he could; or at least see some shadow flickering elusively on the floor. Katie groaned-
She had slipped in her own blood.
"What in the-" He took a wary step forward, and his eyes widened in angry surprise. "SPYING ON MY MEMORIES, YOU-"
"Katie!"
"YOU WILL PAY! I WILL FIND YOU-"
"Katie? Katie! BLOODY HELL, KATIE- WAKE UP!"
XXX
(dun dun dun!)Wow- there was a lot of stuff in that chapter…hmm. Please- I'd really love to hear your comments on this one- just to let you guys know- that flashback was really fun! Anywho...in this chapter, two lines from songs (accidentally, not on purpose) were used. See if you can find them just for the heck of it. (Hint: one's near the beginning, one's when Katie's talking to George, and they're both spoken by Katie). Bye, guys! I just want to apologize in advance or any typos or otherwise crappy writing.