Chapter Five: The Plan

Harry woke up the next morning and didn't feel at all rested. He looked around his room. He felt groggy and tired. He went down to breakfast, and was shunned and avoided by the students and staff. Harry didn't care. He didn't go to his classes at all, but no teachers inquired about him. At last he went up to his room.

Harry stared out his window for hours, watching the clouds go by overhead, casting shadows on the grounds. He watched the owls flying in and out of Hogwarts. He hadn't seen Hedwig for weeks, but wasn't worried. She was a resourceful bird. Harry sank deeper and deeper into despair. His scar hurt on occasion, but it was nothing like the old burning sensation. Now it just throbbed all the time like it had been hit with a hammer. He continued to stare out of his window, thinking of Hermione.

Days became weeks. Weeks became almost two months. Harry rarely went to class. He almost never ate. He spent time in the library and his room. No one bothered him. Even the staff was wary of him.

Night came to Hogwarts, and Harry left his room for the common room. The few students who remained there quickly packed up their books and ran off to their rooms, carefully avoiding eye contact with him. The common room was empty again. He drank some of leftover pumpkin juice that one of the students had just opened before Harry appeared. It was cold. Like his heart.

Harry turned around to go back to his room. He practically fell over when he saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Hello, Harry."

Harry mouthed one word: "Hermione." Harry ran to her, but stopped himself a foot away. "What are you doing here, Hermione?"

She didn't say anything, but looked at him with strange seductiveness in her eyes.

"I found your Pensieve. I watched you kill those people," Harry said.

Hermione strolled around the common room. She ran her hand along the table as if looking for dust. She finally plopped down in one the large chairs that was facing the fire. Harry came and sat down in the chair opposite.

"So, Harry, how is being alone?" Hermione asked.

Harry didn't say anything, but looked down at the fire.

"I know you miss me," Hermione said. "I can feel you crying at night."

"I hate you for what you've done to me!" Harry snapped.

"But you can't stop thinking about me. You can't stop wanting me to be near you," Hermione said wryly. "I have to go now, Harry."

"You can't leave me again. I won't let you!"

"But you won't stop me either, will you," she said coyly. Hermione got up from the chair and walked up the staircase. She opened the window.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked from his chair.

"Good bye, Harry."

Hermione flung herself through the window.

"Hermione!" He ran to the window. Harry shone his wand down to the ground, but saw nothing. She had vanished.

Harry went back to his room to salvage what was left of the night for some sleep. He dreamed of Hermione and Ron and Cho.

After another day of wasting away in smoldering depression, Harry decided that he would have to do something about his need for Hermione. He was going to have to set off after her.

This was, of course, easier said than done. It was one thing for a student to skip classes everyday, but for someone to actually leave Hogwarts grounds… It would get him in some serious trouble and probably expelled. He'd already been in enough trouble at Hogwarts as it was.

Harry spent the next few days in quiet solitude in the library looking for ways to get to the Malfoys' estate. As far as he knew, there was no way to get there. Floo powder wouldn't work because they had closed off their house to floo travelers. There was no Portkey going to the Malfoys' and he didn't have a broom anymore. Even if he did, he didn't even know where their house was. Then, one night he had a startling revelation. He rushed out of the library down to the lower levels of Hogwarts castle—down to the kitchen.

The house elves of Hogwarts were still very nice to Harry. They offered him all sort of treats and candies and pastries. He was gracious towards them and they loved giving him things to eat. After eating his fill of sweets, he asked one of them if he could see Dobby.

Of all the people in Hogwarts, who better to ask for help than the ex-house elf of the Malfoys? Dobby must surely be an expert on the Malfoys and Harry was sure he would help get him to their house.

"Hello, Dobby," Harry said when the bat-eared elf appeared.

"Harry Potter! How is Harry Potter?" Dobby exclaimed. "Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter!"

"Dobby, I need your help."

"Dobby knows what Harry Potter wants. Dobby does not want Harry Potter to go to the old master's house. They did bad things to Dobby. Dobby is scared for Harry Potter."

"I have to get there, Dobby. Will you please help me?" Harry pleaded.

"It will not be easy to get Harry Potter there…. But Dobby wants to help Harry Potter get his friends back." Dobby paused, looking torn. "If Harry Potter wants to get there, he must meet Dobby at the edge of the forest tomorrow night. Dobby can get Harry Potter there. Harry Potter must wait in the darkest dark at the edge of the forest for no one to see. Especially the old master. Dobby has seen him at Hogwarts at night."

"Alright, Dobby, so tomorrow night then. Thank you so much."

"Harry Potter must be careful though. All is not safe at Hogwarts anymore."

Harry waved goodbye to Dobby and the other house elves who were more than happy to stuff his pockets full of Whamo Kablamos, Fizzing Whizzbees, truffles, chocolate frogs, pastries, Foof Goops, cakes and anything they could give him. Harry thanked them most heartily and made his way back to his room.

When he woke up the next morning, he felt great. He felt like today was going to be a really important day. He was going bring Hermione back and make her pay for destroying his life. Even breakfast was better for him, despite receiving the same silent treatment from the students and faculty. He even went to some of his classes.

Later that day during lunch, Harry watched the owls pour in through the open windows in the Great Hall. Students all around him were opening their packages and reading posts from family and friends. Harry was eating his food when from out of nowhere, Hedwig, his owl, landed right in front of him.

"Hedwig?" he said. "Where did you come from? And what is this?"

Harry began removing the post from Hedwig's leg, after which she flew back out the window. The post was from Hermione.

My dear Harry:

You think you can rescue me? Do you think I want to be rescued? Is that what you are planning? Don't be confused, dear boy; you can never have me. Do you understand? You will never have me, but you will love me till the day you die.

Hermione

Harry was seething with anger. His scar wanted to tear itself off his forehead. He could feel his blood boiling. He knew she was right. He did love her, but she would not return his affection. She mocked his anguish. It felt like his whole body was on fire. Looking down at Hermione's letter, he could see that his fingertips were actually burning holes in the paper with green fire. He looked at his fingertips. They appeared to be smoldering ashes, yet he felt no pain. He touched his tongue to them, very quickly at first, but then slowly, he put his whole fingertip on the tip of his tongue. It wasn't hot at all! He wanted to examine this more closely, but the bell signifying that class was ready to start. He looked back down at his fingers and they had returned to normal.

Throughout the course of the day, Harry's mind wandered in and out of focus. He thought of Hermione. He thought of his life before he met her. He thought of their adventures together. He wondered what was happening to him. He began to focus on his hate. He was confused. He didn't understand what was happening to his emotions. He did know this though: he was going to watch her burn.

A/N: Sorry for the long delays, but I hope this was worth it. Stick around for big shockers in Chapter Six!