The Innocence of Youth
Disclaimer for all chapters: I am not J.K. Rowling. Anything you recognize I do not own.
Chapter Two
Hermione watched open mouthed, as her best friend sleepily rubbed his eyes with two small hands. He was wrapped in his oversized robes, but seemed to be shivering. Hermione shook herself out of her reverie.
"He's cold, Ron."
Ron looked down at Harry, and, noticing the shivering, wrapped the robes tighter around the toddler. However, the infant immediately started to cry.
Harry's wails echoed throughout the hospital wing, and Madame Pomfrey, hearing the cries of distress, came running.
"Oh my. What...Is that...Mr. Potter?"
Hermione and Ron nodded silently, and Madame Pomfrey took Harry into her arms, gently rocking him back and forth. She walked over to the nearest empty bed, and placed Harry on it. She then left the room, returning with a teddy bear. She caressed Harry's cheek, and tried to show him the toy. His cries did not subside, and he looked at the bear nervously, almost fearfully.
"Harry, dear, would you like the toy?"
Harry shook his head tearfully.
"N-no."
"Why not?"
"T-toys f-for D-dudy"
"Duddy? Dudley?"
The nurse's eyes widened slightly. Had Harry been denied toys, so that they could go to Dudley? What else had he been deprived of? Her thoughts immediately strayed to the times where she had been patching him up, after some injury or another, and had seen his bony arms and torso not hidden by his robes. Had the Dursleys gone so far as to deprive a child of food?
Ron silently watched his best friend sleep. He had opted to stay awake and watch Harry, while Hermione was asleep in the next bed. Harry was curled up into a protective ball, huddled underneath the covers. He noted that some habits are hard to get rid of, as Harry still slept curled up protectively. He never truly relaxed, even in slumber. Ron reached over and brushed back the hair from his friend's forehead. Harry immediately tensed and scrunched up his face. Ron was taken aback. Why did Harry draw away from the touch? Why didlook as ifin anticipation of...pain?Had Harry been... hit before? But no... that couldn't be true... sure, Harry's relatives were a bit harsh, but they were civil... sort of... And he was only two...Ron pushed the possibility of abuse from his mind, and drew his hand back from Harry's forehead.
It was strange seeing Harry like this. The Harry he knew was tough, resilient, and quiet. The Harry he knew masked his emotions well. He put up a facade of invincibility and strength. This Harry was even smaller than the Harry he knew. This Harry wasn't as tough, strong, or resilient. He didn't seem as invincible. He seemed rather vulnerable. It was odd for Ron to hold a best friend who had, in many ways, always stood in front of everybody else, shielding them from many horrors, taking the brunt of the force or attack. This Harry seemed so... innocent, and breakable. But was he really weaker, or less resilient than theteenaged Harry? Would any other child, having been placed in a room full of strangers, react the way Harry did? He had cried when he had awoken in the dungeons, but he hadn't cried very loudly. He hadn't bawled for his mother... Was his mother even alive at this point? He then realized that Harry's mother hadn't even been alive when Harry was two. Had Harry been able to say "mommy", when she had died? Had he ever learned to say, "Daddy, I want to go play outside,", or, "Mama, I want cookies,"?
Probably not.
Hermione watched Harry's pale face as it twitched and scrunched up in his sleep. It was startling to realize, that without his facade of strength and bravery, Harry was really just as scared as the rest of them. Seeing him as a baby revealed so many things. She knew that if the 16 year old Harry had been placed in a room full of strangers, he would have stunned and bound every single one of them, if he thought they posed a threat to him or his friends. Now however, Harry wouldn't be sacrificing anything to protect anybody. Now he needed protection. He wouldn't feel responsible when there were Death Eater attacks. He wouldn't try to rush to protect everyone. He would probably just sleep through it, unaware of anything going on out of the room. She decided to take it upon herself to protect Harry while she could, from the dangers and problems of the outside world.
Ron and Hermione were conversing quietly by Harry's bedside, when they heard a soft sniffle. They looked up to see large emerald eyes staring at them fearfully.
"Harry?" Hermione asked softly.
Harry's eyes welled up with tears as he looked up at the two strangers sitting by his beside.
"Who're you?"
Albus Dumbledore gently stroked Fawkes as he gazed into his pensive. Severus had come to him explaining the incident in 6th year potions. Harry was now 2 years old. He had always felt that something wasn't quite right with the boy. Would it be revealed now? Had the Dursleys been harsher than he had first believed? Every so often, he had gotten a very brief glimpse of what might have been a scar or bruise, sometimes on Harry's neck, sometimes on his arms... but it hadn't been long enough to know for sure if they really were injuries, or just a trick of the light or shadow. Harry had always been able to put up a mask for his emotions. Did he still wear that mask at the tender age of two?