Chapter 7

The Truth

There was a tapping at Vanessa's window; the young girl went to look for the source of the tap. When she opened her window there were two great golden eyes staring at her. The owl dropped a rolled up piece of parchment onto the sill and flew away. Vanessa delicately unrolled the parchment as red rose petals fell from it.

Vanessa,

Stay away from Harry Potter. If not, the world will know your secret.

Anonymous

Vanessa sat, frightened. She didn't know what she'd do if people knew about her past, her family. A chill swept through her body as she thought of what Harry's reaction would be. Dreary, foreboding light filled the room with dread. She walked down to the common room and had a start when she saw Harry; she lifted her pale hand to cover her brown eyes.

"Vanessa!" called Harry beckoning her towards him and his kind, green eyes.

Vanessa dropped her hand giving him a weak smile in return, holding back her tears. She walked towards him tentatively.

"Where've you been? I haven't talked to you since… since, actually Saturday. When I woke you up." His emerald, caring eyes bore into her. "Are you alright?"

Vanessa fought the pain of her secret as she gave a solemn nod.

"Are you sure?" He placed his hand delicately upon her shoulder.

Oh no, she thought. Do I…? I can't, it'd never work. She sighed and nodded again before walking away, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Vanessa?" continued Harry as his hand dropped from where her shoulder had been. Tears began to trickle down the first year's face.

Harry leaned into the stonewall, perplexed at Vanessa's silence as she walked from his view. Ginny came into sight from the doorway of the girls' dormitory and drifted into Harry's arms.

"Harry, what's up?" questioned Ginny noting his troubled eyes.

Harry sighed. "Ah, Vanessa, she's upset about something and I don't know what."

Footsteps resounded from the stairwell of the boys' dormitory; red hair came into sight. Ginny jumped away from Harry and fussed with her hair to avoid suspicion.

Ron's freckled face appeared from the stairwell and gave a friendly, sleepy smile. "Morning Ginny, Harry." He wiped the sleep from his eyes.

Harry gave a nervous smile in return. Ginny, however, was utterly calm about the situation. "Morning Ron," she replied, twirling her hair, looking completely innocent.

Hermione descended into the common room and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck, which was in fact, about a foot above her head. Their lips met in a pure and simple kiss that lifted the morning weariness. "Good morning Ronald."

Ron nestled his head upon Hermione's thick brown hair. He was thankful for that moment when all fear was forgotten, when sorrows faded away for a brief second, when the only thing in front of him was Hermione.

Throughout the day, Vanessa found petals everywhere she went, warning her of the coming end of it all if she were to speak with Harry again.

She walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, greeted with the typical cold smile of her uncle, Lucius Malfoy. She sat down at her seat without looking at it first, she was startled to find that she had sat on a rose and thankfully missed the thorns.

"Ooooh," taunted Peter Thlangly, a Gryffindor, "Somebody's got a crush on Vanessa!"

"Do not!" retorted a voice from the back. Vanessa was startled, she thought Peter had been talking about the rose. When she turned back to see who had shouted, she saw the face of the Slytherin boy, Carter Locke. Carter's normally pale face was a violent shade of red. He clearly did have a crush on Vanessa, and in his nervousness, let out his secret. She half-smiled at the boy's large, worried grin. "So what if I do?" said the boy to Peter.

Peter scoffed and mumbled something under his breath.

"I've been waiting so long to get the truth out Vanessa…" confessed Carter.

Vanessa looked at him with gentle, dark, loving eyes and was about to reply when Lucius tapped on his disk. "That will be quite enough," interrupted Lucius, "this is not a social class." He began with the day's lesson.

As Vanessa turned to page three hundred forty-two in her a book, a chill settled in her when she found five rose petals hidden between pages three hundred forty-two and three hundred forty-three. She shuddered and rolled the stem of the rose she had found on her seat between her fingers. A sharp pain arose in her index finger; she had pricked herself. Blood began to seep from the prick. A sudden feeling of pain swept throughout her entire body.

Harry lifted his hand to his forehead as it seared with immense pain. Ron turned from his transfiguration work and looked at Harry. "You alright mate?"

Harry shook his head while he rubbed his forehead, hoping the fiery pain would disappear.

Vanessa started to fan herself with her assignment. The pain in her body was making her sweat terribly. Peter turned to her. "Vanessa, you look… awful," he whispered. She gulped in reply, her eyes had begun to water. "Vanessa, are you okay?" questioned Peter.

"Uncle… Professor Malfoy…" began Vanessa weakly. The professor turned around, annoyed with the interruption. She stood but feeling sick fell back into her seat.

"Vanessa," began Lucius, "If you'll be kind enough to not interrupt my class again…"

"But Professor!" shouted Peter.

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" exclaimed Lucius.

"Harry, you're sweating…" came Hermione's voice, seeming distant in his head.

"It's my scar," replied Harry, "something's happening, something important."

Vanessa tried to stand again and almost fell once more but Peter and Carter came to her aid. Her eyes went in and out of focus and the world began to spin, she blacked-out.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry wandered to their Charm's lesson, slowly, seeing as how Harry's suffering was lessening their speed. He couldn't walk one more step. Every time a foot hit the ground he felt as if his head would explode.

"Harry," said Hermione, "We need to get you to the Hospital Wing, this isn't normal, even for you."

Harry nodded as his friends changed course. He closed his eyes as he was led away, the bright light of the Hospital Wing causing him to open them again. Madame Pomfrey began to examine him, but the instant he hit the pillow of one of the stark white beds everything went black.

Hermione was pacing the common room, her head hung low. Ron sat in the armchair, leaning on the cushiony arm; his eyes were out of focus. He was thinking as he watched Hermione walk to and fro in the light of the dull afternoon sun. She began to fiddle with her wand; the fear of an unknown, larger uprising filled her mind. Ron's thoughts settled on house elves as one waltzed in to clean Gryffindor tower. He pulled a S.P.E.W. pin out of his right pocket and began to turn it in his hands, thoughtlessly.

Hermione paused in front of the fireplace, the warm glow was stifled by the gloom in the students' hearts. "Something's terribly wrong." Ron nodded. Hermione continued, "Harry's scar hasn't hurt this bad in a long time." She leaned against the fireplace. "Oh Harry…"

Carter paced around Vanessa's Hospital Wing bed, hoping for Vanessa's health. Her looks were feverish and pale. Beads of sweat were forming at her hairline. Her lips were nearly light enough to look apart of her pallid cheeks. Her hair was spread messily across her white pillow, a strand hung across her face, covering her eyes. Carter went to her side and brushed the strand off and it fell back with the rest of her untidy hair. Her dark lashes were wet from her eyes watering. Carter watched as she breathed weakly, he could see the struggle she went through with each breath. Her expression was set in a fearful state. Carter wanted to help, but he didn't know how. His hand was shaking as he lifted it to his head of brown hair. He began to stroke her hair with his other hand; it coursed through the silky strands, the fine highlights and the dark shadows. Carter let his hand fall to his side, silent tears rolled down his jaw. A sort of groan sigh escaped Vanessa's still lips. Her damp eyelashes fluttered, she was beginning to wake from the pain.

Harry sat up in the hospital wing bed, pain streaked down his forehead and to the back of his neck. He felt as if his head was splitting in two. The pain was spreading to his eyes; he squinted from the ache radiating from his scar. The hurt was so much that he fell back onto the simple colorless pillows, his eyes closed, but as he was falling back into his slumber he saw Vanessa lying on a nearby bed.

Draco waited in the now moonlit corridor; every one of his features could be seen in the bright light. Hermione looked from a hidden part of the hallway and quickly retreated when she saw blond hair, glinting in the light of the moon. The treacherous light that never willed enough of its power until now. The moon had deceived the eyes within it's crescent stages, but now as it's full light was revealed, Hermione's world came crashing down on her. It hadn't been Ron all those nights. She turned and ran back down the corridor, not caring about the noise reverberating off the walls. Draco backed into a shadow when he heard the clicking of her heels, hastily leaving the area.

Hermione threw herself onto her four-poster bed, tears creating a puddle of misery beneath her. She felt betrayed; how could Malfoy do that? She thought even he couldn't be so awful. She gripped her scarlet sheets, anger filling every corner of her soul. The question "why?" continued to echo in her mind. Her nails were digging into her own palm; she tried hard not to scream in agony. The hurt was so much deeper than that of which her dreams induced upon her. It was real.

Draco paced, he was alone in the glowing light of the deceitful moon. Waiting. Just waiting. When the morning hours moved by, a cold rush of loneliness seeped through his body. Where was his beloved mystery girl? He thought it better not to dwell on her absence. Figuring she would return tomorrow, he returned to his bed.

Ron reached out, screaming for Hermione. He was a blur in her tear-filled eyes. The red highlights of his hair flashed in some unknown light. Tears were flowing down his face. "Hermione!" he yelped.

Hermione blinked awake, she was on her bed and Ginny was shaking her furiously. "Hermione!" The brunette girl grunted, wiping the sleep from her eyes. It was about two hours before lessons would start.

Ginny looked panicked as she grabbed a brush for Hermione. "We have to get downstairs! Something unthinkable has happened!"

Hermione leapt up. "What? What happened Ginny? Did someone die?" She quickly tried to brush her unruly hair. She reached for her robes, but found she was still in them from crying herself to sleep.

The two girls hurried down the stairs, Hermione was anxious for the news. Forgotten pages from the Daily Prophet fluttered about the common room. Pages of entertainment, news of little importance, and the latest broomstick models flew through the air. The real news was on the cover and in the Quibbler, nearly every student held a copy. Flames flashed upon the newspapers and magazines. Muggles ran from fires in some horrifying pictures and in others, wizards flew from the awful scenes.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" screeched Hermione above the excited chatter of the Gryffindor students.

"Read for yourself," said Seamus, shoving a copy of the Quibbler in Hermione's face. The sixth year boy fell into a mahogany chair, nearly too stunned to speak. "I hope my mum and dad are fine," mumbled Seamus to himself, staring out the window.

Hermione surveyed pictures of muggle and wizard homes alike, burning to the ground. Another photograph held a member of the Ministry holding one of the strange saw tooth swords. She began to read.

'OVER 20 BUILDINGS BROUGHT TO RUIN
Suspected Arson

London, England – Over 20 homes have gone up in smoke last evening, causing 5 deaths. 3 muggles and 2 wizards. The Ministry of Magic is working to find a suspect for these crimes. Thomas Bloke, a survivor offers his opinion: "It's those no good rotten teenagers." Yet many find it hard to believe that young adults could cause so much damage. At 12 locations, Ministry officials have found strange weapons. Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, addressed many of the questions asked by wary wizards and witches this morning at a press conference. When asked what type of group could be the cause of such widespread damages, he replied, "The Ministry is working overtime trying to find the attackers and the reasons why they attacked." Clearly, the wizarding officials are just as baffled as civilians. If you have any news concerning these attacks, send a letter to the Quibbler through owl post.'

Hermione turned the page and to her terror she saw the worst sight she could have imagined. Fear gripped her heart in a chilling moment as she surveyed the hideous photograph. The one of her home, in flames, the one with her mother out by the curb. Tears poured down Hermione's face, much like her mother's tears within the photograph. Hermione wailed. Her life was going downhill, and all she could do was cry.

Ron dropped the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler when he saw Hermione gazing into the common room fire. Her tear streaked face told him that she had read everything. Including the caption below the picture of her burning home. 'GRANGER IS LEFT WIDOWED WITH HER DAUGHTER STILL IN SCHOOL.' He slowly approached her. "Hermione?"

She looked up, showing her glistening eyes. Hate rose in her when she thought of last night, of the dark mystery revealed. She couldn't bear to face Ron after what she had done.

"Hermione?" continued Ron.

The warmth of his voice filled her, it made her remember why she loved him. She sat in silence as the Quibbler fell from her shaky hands. Why her parents? Why Draco? 'Why' is what filled her head. She ran her fingers through her hair, wanting nothing else but to rip it all out in frustration.

Ron gave up trying to get her to talk. He wrapped his arm around her. The warmth that normally surrounded her was gone and he shivered at the sight of her face. Stone cold, that of a statue, caught in one moment for its lifetime.

The two sat, their presence comforting one another in the dim reaches of their minds.

Vanessa woke; a rose lay in her cold hands, a note attached to it with a silver ribbon. She quickly put the rose in a drawer next to the bed and hurriedly opened the note.

This is your last warning. Stay away from Harry Potter.

Anonymous

She looked around in dismay, and to her unpleasant surprise, Harry was sleeping in the bed next to her. What? What's going on? A cackle resonated inside her brain as the sun was shielded by the clouds, she was alone in the darkness, save for Harry. The voice echoed through the room. Tears roamed down her face. "Not again," she sobbed.

"This secret cannot rest," resounded the voice, hard and cruel. It crowed in delight. "So now you'll never get out." The words echoed off of every stone in the walls.

Vanessa cried tears of rage and sadness. The sun leisurely made its way in front of the gloomy clouds, mocking her hurt soul.

Harry stirred, pain issued from his scar as he opened his eyes. "Vanessa?" questioned Harry.

Vanessa did not reply, but intently stared at the note as she crumpled it in her weak palm. Her body still ached from the prick of the rose.

Harry persisted, "Are you alright?"

Still no reply. She blinked and a silent tear fell down her features and onto the sheets, already soaked with salty tears.

The pain in Harry's forehead began to recede as benevolent thoughts filled his head. He wanted to protect Vanessa from whatever was making her so resigned.

Carter burst through the doors. "Vanessa!"

Vanessa shook out of her stillness and nearly choked on her voice. "Carter?" she coughed.

"Yeah," he walked up to Vanessa. "Something terrible has happened." He saw Harry and fell dead silent.

"Carter?" quietly inquired Vanessa.

Carter blinked. He hadn't known Harry Potter of all people didn't know the news yet. He bent his head low and offered Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet, and one to Vanessa.

Harry dropped the paper. Something terrible had indeed happened. But the most horrible of it was seeing Privet Drive engulfed in flames. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley sat crying on the street, holding their lump of a son. They looked so weak, and frightened more than they were of magic. Mrs. Figg stroked her cats in a sort of far off state. He didn't care how much he hated his Aunt and Uncle. Someone had crossed the line. His thoughts settled on one answer. Voldemort.

Vanessa's eyes rested on the picture's caption. 'THE HOME OF MR. HARRY POTTER AND OTHERS ALONG PRIVET DRIVE WERE DESTROYED IN THE HORRIFIC ACTS OF VIOLENCE.' "I'm so sorry Harry."

"Me too," replied the boy who lived as he rested his head on his pillow, contemplating the matter. He drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Tears floated down Ginny's hot cheeks. She was surround by torrents of disgustingly bright flames. Harry called out to her, but when she tried to reply, nothing came from her mouth. She was choking on the hazy smoke. The fire grew, inching closer to Ginny's crouched and coughing body until she was engulfed in the red orange fury. Harry scrambled to help her but her dry shrieks dwindled to an end before he could make it to her dying body. He was too late. Nothing could save her.

Harry thought back on why this all happened. It had been his fault. All his. He began to tear grass up from the ground in rage as the flames spread to encircle him. Now it was too late for him. No one would dare save him. No one would dare save the person who lit the match for these fires. No one would dare save a murderer. As he prepared to choke on the smoke, a hand extended through the fire. Brighter than the flames, brighter than the moon. But the dazzling glow was not sickening as the one the fire produced, it was friendly. A fresh breeze in the intense heat. Harry spluttered as blackness left his lungs. The sight of that hand, impervious to the flames, intrigued him. He reached for it and missed.

He had failed, that's all he could think about. All he could think about was not reaching the hand. The failure allured him into a world of no optimism, but the hand beckoned him, urging him to try harder. Harry feebly went to grasp the friendly hand with all the might her could conjure. The hand filled him with such cool warmth he felt like everything was fine. The touch was calmer than the frigid air sweeping above the fires, and less fierce than the towering inferno. It was both sensations at once. The hand heaved him off the ground and out of his nightmare.

The wind rushed though the windows in the Hospital Wing bringing a chill over his burning body. He had woken, sweating, reliving his nightmare. It was evening; Vanessa was lying next to him. In the dim light of a candle, Harry could just make out the pained expression on her sleeping face.

The young boy Vanessa had earlier identified to be Carter sat next to her bed in a particularly uncomfortable looking chair. He was just watching her. Her soft complexion, her dark hair, her black lashes, and her pale lips. He swept a strand of her hair out of her face mere seconds after it had fallen.

Harry watched Carter with his caring, green eyes. He could tell how much Carter loved Vanessa. Harry took off his glasses, which he had fallen asleep in earlier that day. They fell to the floor with a small clatter. Harry winced at the sound as Carter looked up.

A raw blush flew across the Slytherin boy's face. "I was---I---She's just---." He fell silent trying to choose a worthwhile excuse for staying here.

Harry smiled and retrieved his fallen glasses and decided on putting them back on. He was in the mood for a conversation. "It's all right, I get it. You love her, don't you… Carter? Right?"

The color in Carter's cheeks gained a new fury. He stared at his hands as he nodded. He began to talk about how much she enchanted him. How her eyes could somehow see into every mysterious corner of his soul. How her smile lightened even his worst days. How the thought of her made him squirm with excitement.

Harry was amazed at how trusting Carter was. He hardly knew him, yet the boy was pouring his heart out. Harry felt guilty; he was going to have to hold in more secrets. At the thought of secrets, his mind focused on Ginny, and on her choking on the smoke he had created. She had been choking on him. She had died because of him in his dream. He stared at the candle as Carter gazed at Vanessa, once more engaged by her beauty.

Hermione couldn't decide whom she loved more: Ronald or the mystery of Draco. She would go to her door many times, then retreat thinking about Ron.

Draco paced the corridor. Waiting for the second night in a row. It wasn't normal for her to be late. Had she abandoned him? Was she sitting in someone else's arms? A jealous tear fought its way from his cool, gray eyes. He curled his hands into a fist, trying to control the hurt.

A girl sauntered into the dark corridor, her features concealed by the cloud-covered moon. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I've been sick…" It made her ill lying to him. "Draco…" she began, but closed her mouth before she finished.

"What?" Curiosity rose in him at the strange tone of her voice.

"D-d-d-do you know who I-I-I am?" she asked, stuttering, hoping for a 'no' to show he wasn't really all that terrible.

Draco was stunned by this question. She had never spoken about it before. He wondered if he was going to find out. "No." He tried to put the longing in his heart into his voice. "But I want to."

She gulped as she leaned toward his ear. "Tomorrow."

A wide grin crept across his face. He could hardly contain the enthusiasm. He pulled her tight against him and planted his lips upon hers.

Hermione fell into a whirlwind of emotions. Should she really tell him it was her? After all, this was not Ron kissing her as she had long thought. It was Draco. It still didn't seem right in her mind. How such an evil could be so perfect. Very much like a rose. The beauty of it is so deceptive, but when your hand reaches in wanting of the silky petals, it is met by thorns. But if you can fight the thorns, you win a lovely prize. A prize beyond any trophy. A prize showing how you overcame the darkness within. How you found true beauty.

An owl pecked furiously at the Hospital Wing window. Vanessa quickly opened it. She had been staring blankly at a wall for the past hour.

Harry moaned at the sound. He had once again fallen asleep in his glasses and they left red indents near his temples and on his nose. "What is it?" groaned the Gryffindor boy as he sat up in bed.

"I don't know… the owl won't give it to me." She tried to pull it away from it's talons, but it pecked at her.

Harry stepped to the owl. "It wants to be paid for it's service, it's from the owl post office." He fished in his pockets and put 5 sickles in the pouch attached to the owl. The brown bird dropped the package and flew off into the night.

Vanessa and Harry carefully unrolled the thin parchment. The paper lining revealed a blood red rose. A tear began to form in Vanessa's eye. She turned the note that was attached to the rose by a silver ribbon so she could read it. She nearly forgot Harry leaning over her shoulder until she read the note.

I warned you, but you did not listen. Now suffer the consequences Vanessa Lestrange.

Anonymous

Vanessa dropped the rose to the floor as she sank to her knees. Tears pouring from her marred soul.

Harry stood speechless for a moment. Time slowed down as he thought of the secret Vanessa had been keeping from everyone. From him. He finally broke the silence. "Shit."

Vanessa sobbed loudly when she heard Harry curse.

"Damn it Vanessa!" he shouted, releasing all the anger that had built up since Sirius' death. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Vanessa curled up tightly and buried her face in her knees. Harry's cursing was frightening enough. But Harry cursing at her made her body go numb. The hurt from his words overtook her thought. She never thought anything could hurt this bad. Anything but…

"Vanessa! You are fucking related to my godfather and you never told me!" Hot, salty tears of hate burned his skin. He didn't know why he was yelling at Vanessa, but what he did know was that he hated her family.

The tears never stopped no matter how much she willed them to. "Harry…" she whispered, wanting nothing more than the yelling to stop. The pain grew worse with each of his words.

"D-d-do you- DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOUR PARENTS DID?"

"No," wept Vanessa, "Dumbledore only said that they did something terrible…" She trailed off. "Harry please stop!" she cried.

"Your parents killed people Vanessa! THEY VOLUNTEERED TO MURDER PEOPLE!" Pain shot through his heart. Sirius.

Vanessa gasped. "No, no… no" she silently mouthed. Chills burst down her spine. "No," she whimpered.

Harry turned away from her, trying to calm himself down to no avail. He flung back around, his fists clenched. "THEY TRIED TO KILL ME VANESSA!" screamed Harry.

Vanessa wanted to shut out everything Harry had said. She wanted to go on believing her parents were just part of some burglary ring with a few casualties left in their wake as she had led herself to accept as truth. But she couldn't. She had to believe Harry. Even though she didn't know why.

"Damn it Vanessa! Your mom killed my godfather! SHE FUCKING KILLED THE ONLY FAMILY I HAD LEFT!" He wove his hand through his jet-black hair. His words stung his mouth as he spoke them.

It was at that moment that Vanessa knew why she had to believe Harry. The moment she looked at his fierce eyes. The eyes that told her he was sorry as he continued to scream at her. She loved him. Not necessarily in love, like the crush she had developed earlier in the year. He felt like what family should feel like. A feeling she had never experienced until this year.

"Shit!" yelled Harry. Agony hung in his voice. He had been holding in his rage at Sirius' death all this time and it was finally coming out. All the pain of reliving the memory time and time again came out in swift blows. "And Vanessa?" You know what the really fucked up part is? You're mom killed her own cousin when she killed my godfather! HER COUSIN!" His voice was hoarse from shouting. He fell to his knees and leaned to the floor bawling.

"Harry?" Vanessa tentatively touched his shoulder to try and console him.

Harry reduced his voice to a weak and struggling whisper. "She killed him, she fucking killed him…" He cradled himself as tears of resentment rolled off his jaw.

Vanessa raised her hand to her face to wipe the tears away. She was shaking.

"Shit, shit, shit…" sniveled Harry trying to gain control of himself.

Vanessa looked into his green eyes. Full of fear, anger, sorrow, hate. She wanted to pull the horrible thoughts from his head.

When he noticed her staring at him, he turned away. He couldn't bear to look in her eyes. He couldn't look at her at all. It was too startling to realize how much she resembled Sirius. He rose and laid in his Hospital Wing bed, pulling the covers tight over his head. But the white sheets supplied no heat for his cold mind.