(A/N: Again thanks to Shanel for her suggestions.)

Chapter 10

Hermione stumbled into the common room. She collapsed on a couch. McGonagall was a hard task master. She wondered if Harry had finished yet, and if they were on speaking terms.

George's interruption came in the nick of time. Harry walked away without another word. The set of his shoulders told her the anger was not quenched. She couldn't shake the feeling he'd been disappointed in her. Well, she was disappointed in him. Irrational outbursts were not going to help.

Her feet hit the floor. She paced turning it this way and that. Had it been irrational? Perhaps not. But that still did not give him cart blanche to treat her like that. It was fifth year all over again. Oh, how she'd wanted to rage at him. She held back. Somewhat. This was not her fault. She hadn't asked the room of requirement to bring them here. No, he wished for more time. More time with those he loved. To get to know them.

Harry had suffered. They had suffered. He had issues. She had issues. George had issues. None of them were okay. Today illustrated that. They were not okay.

But he could not take it out on her. She was the only one to stand unwaveringly by his side. Through everything. From their first adventure to now.

Anger formed in small bubbles. She deserved better. Bubbles transformed into orbs. This was not her fault. Orbs grew into globes. He would not snap at her, because he couldn't deal with his emotions. She rubbed her neck. Tension coiled. Knots kinked her back. She flopped onto the couch.

Bellatrix LeStrange. She was to blame. A stupid photograph. Her encounter with the witch caused her to be sloppy in detention. A photograph. Merlin help them if they came face to face with her. Hermione would not be able to stop Harry. She wouldn't be able to stop herself. And she wouldn't want to. If she could spare him an ounce of pain she would. She didn't know what to do.

"Here." James offered her a butterbeer. He witnessed her arrival, the slump, the pacing, the sigh, and the collapse. He determined it safe to approach. "I've been on the receiving end of McGonagall's worst detentions." He sat the bottle on the table in front of her.

"Thanks." Her mind still caught on Harry she barely registered the kindness.

"Couldn't have been that bad," he commiserated.

"What?" This was a horrible situation. There were no clear cut answers, no way not to be torn to shreds. Wait. Harry was not in front of her. It was James. And James did not know about time travel. "Oh, no. The detention was all right. I was thinking about something else."

"Harry." James said knowingly.

"That obvious?" she asked. He nodded. "We had words." The anger deflated. She shuddered. Malfoy Manor came crashing in. The horror, the terror, the pain. All of it because she'd befriended someone who saved her from a troll.

"Hey," James said. "It'll be okay."

"No," she said. "Harry's right. It won't be okay. It'll never be okay." A fizz of hysterical laughter escaped. "So many things gone wrong. What's the point?" An echo of hopeless defeat.

James recognized a fraught situation. He'd blundered right into this one. No words came to him. She wasn't making sense. Slowly, so as not to startle her, he moved closer. He theorized a comforting embrace would suffice for his absence of words. Awkwardly he wrapped her in a hug. Nothing. No stiffening. No relaxing. He might as well not have been there.

#

Lily retreated. She dozed waiting for Hermione to return. Waking to the empty bed, and seeing the late hour she became worried. She slipped downstairs in time to hear James offer the drink. The friendly gesture halted her steps. Curious she stayed in the shadows. He was willing to talk, but more importantly he was willing to listen. He was being kind to the person he'd humiliated earlier. Lily considered this new side of James Potter.

#

"Disgusting, isn't it?" Professor Caprise taunted. "Mr. Potter, Miss Shinde, your assignment is to clean this room without using magic." She indicated a cleaning cart. It held an assortment of bottles, brooms, and mops. A steaming bucket of water sat next to it. "The door will be locked until I return."

The door closed. The lock clicked. The sharp taps of her footsteps faded.

"She cannot be serious?" the Ravenclaw protested. "This is… This is…" she spluttered.

"Exactly," Harry agreed. "There are no words to describe it."

"Barbaric, unscrupulous, revolting, deplorable, disgusting."

"Yeah, I suppose those cover it," Harry said. He sorted through the items in the cart. "Mop, or broom?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Neither. There must be a mistake. She cannot expect us to clean this."

"She does, so we might as well get to it." He had no excess energy to complain with. Professor Caprise exhibited a vindictive streak. In the history of his detentions, he'd never had such a dirty job. Not even Snape had devised an atrocity like this.

"I am doing this under protest." She came up beside him. She selected a random bottle, read the label, and replaced it. She repeated this four times. On the fifth she measured the prescribed amount, and added it to the water. She picked a sturdy mop. "Right then. I'm Priya, by the way."

"Harry."

"I know." She dunked the mop.

Harry stopped the sloshing momentum she built with a hand on her arm. "Sweep first," he advised.

Her tight-lipped smile returned. They worked in silence. The swishing bristles created a rhythmic melody.

"Eeww!" she screeched. Harry spun to see her jump aside. A pile of filth hit the floor next to her. "How are we supposed to get it clean?"

"No clue," Harry said. Walking into the Owlery on a normal errand posed a risk. Cleaning it in the Muggle fashion courted disaster. Vindictive toad. His transgressions did not warrant this abuse. It was Hermione who cast the spell, not him. The flame of rage rekindled. He smothered it. He couldn't think about her. His concentration wouldn't allow him to control his fury, and do this detention. It was too much. He was drowning.

"AH!" Priya shrieked. The clatter of her broom slapping the bare stone floor echoed in time with the thud of her body.

Harry rushed to her. "Are you all right?" She managed to land in the portion of the floor she'd cleared. An owl perched above Harry ruffled its feathers. Priya shirked from the extended hand. She grimaced as the droppings made contact. Harry stood transfixed. That did not just happen.

Priya gaped. His lips thinned to a tight line. He again offered help. She tilted her head to look up. A barn owl stretched its neck up and forward. Its beak opened. Priya scooted out of range. The regurgitated pellet struck Harry. He closed his eyes. He inhaled a long breath. A muscle twitched in his jaw. Being a gentleman, he once again tried to help her to her feet. He slipped. His bottom half rested on the clean floor; the top half wasn't so lucky. Dirty straw poked him through his robe. Tiny bones pricked his exposed skin.

"Are you okay?" Priya asked.

"Sure. Yeah. I'm great." Would Professor Caprise settle for his excrement coated body if he stayed where he was? Would that satisfy her? He pressed his palms into the straw. Something squished and crunched. Could this day end? Please.

"Move!"

Harry rolled, and avoided the falling missiles. The shout caused several owls to hoot reproachfully.

"Get over it," Harry barked. The owls took flight.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Let's get back to work."

Priya bit her lip. He could tell she was curious. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with it. He wiped his hands. He grabbed his broom. Questions were not invited.

Sensing his sullenness Priya tried to hold her tongue. Curiosity overwhelmed politeness. "I have to ask." His sigh did not deter her. "What did you do to the marauders?"

He could feign ignorance, or intentionally misunderstand. He chose neither. "How did you know?"

"That they were responsible? One of them followed you around all day threatening anyone who talked to you."

That explained why people avoided a one-on-one encounter. The marauders were good.

"What did you do?" she pressed.

"It's kind of a long story." That usually discouraged people.

"And?" She spread her arms as far as her broom allowed. "We're not going anywhere."

"True." But apparently not her. Persistent.

"You talk and sweep. I'll mop and listen."

He relented. "Deal." Talking would pass the time. He told her the pertinent details.

"Are you insane?" she blurted. "Participating in a prank war with the marauders?" a trace of awe colored her words.

"I suppose. Why are they called that? The marauders?" This was an opportunity to get unbiased information. What did other students think about his dad? About Sirius and Remus?

"That's what they do. Marauders roam from place-to-place causing trouble. Instead of robbing people they humiliate them. It's vexing, because they can be charming." She softened. A dreamy expression flitted across her face. Harry coughed.

She snapped out of it. "I mean people like them. They're popular. Even when you end up on the wrong end of their wands it's all in good fun. And they're smart. Like really smart." She scrubbed a tricky spot on the floor. Her brow furrowed. She laughed. "Some girls call them the heart throbs of Hogwarts."

"What?" No one had told him that. Which one did she fancy?

"Girls want to date them. Guys want to be them. Qualifies them as heart throbs."

"Peter?" he asked disbelievingly.

"I wouldn't say he's a heart throb per say. He gets respect for being their friend. He's not as cute, or smart. But that makes the other three more impressive."

"How so?" he encouraged.

"James, Sirius, and Remus don't have to be friends with Peter. Not everyone in a dorm situation develops that kind of bond. They accepted him into their group, and forged this great friendship. They stick together. It's admirable considering their backgrounds."

He gestured for her to go on.

"Keep sweeping," she admonished. He stopped to listen. She continued when he did. "James is from a pureblood family who loves and supports him. He's confident, but not arrogant. Sirius also comes from a pureblood family, but the dynamics are different. His family are old fashioned in their beliefs, values, and prejudices. He defied his family to be more. Remus grew up in a good family without the finer things. Then there's Peter. Coddled his whole life. He gets here, and he struggled. But he finds these three guys who take him under their wing. They would do anything for him. They protect, and defend him."

A sharp pang hit Harry. Peter's betrayal must have been devastating. It was akin to Ron, or Hermione betraying him. He couldn't fathom the depth of pain Sirius, and Remus experienced. The closest he came was Ron's leaving during the horcrux hunt.

Priya kept talking sharing her wealth of knowledge. It was extensive. "Remus is studious, and humble. He treats everyone fairly whether they deserve it or not. And James is determined. He goes after what he wants. With each failure he hides his disappointment, and tries harder. Which is why I think Lily is either going to date him, or disfigure him." She chortled. "James doesn't flit from girl to girl while he pines for her. He remains steadfast and true."

Did she fancy his dad? That would be awkward. Her next words dispelled the conclusion, and revealed the true culprit.

"Unlike Sirius who chases one girl after another. And they're all wrong for him. One bad decision after another. He wouldn't know the right kind of girl until she knocked him flat on his arse. Even then, he'd mess it up."

Harry chuckled. Her dander must be up because she continued her tirade unprompted.

"I'd like to see that. I'd love to see him in a real relationship, but that's never going to happen. He's unbelievably arrogant, and cocky. He struts around the castle showing off. He enjoys having girls fawn over him, they practically fall at his feet. It's disgusting."

Harry listened. In the pensieve he witnessed the adoration girls harbored for Sirius. He'd seen it here. His godfather tended to attract a lot of attention. And Sirius liked it. A little too much.

Priya reigned in her wayward rant. Harry was Sirius's roommate, and possibly his friend. She changed directions. "Peter. He's extremely shy on his own. He hides behind James, and Sirius. He's on the sidelines, but also a part of the group. It stymies most people. He doesn't have their self-esteem. He isn't athletic, or popular. But they include him. It's remarkable."

Priya's idle chatter carried them through their duties. The floor was swept, and mopped to the best of their abilities. They were spreading fresh hay when she stopped talking. Harry looked up at the silence. He met Priya's gaze.

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I was listening."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She narrowed her eyes. Wary of what she had revealed she added, "They can be huge gits. They've gotten better, but that's because of Lily's influence."

Professor Caprise entered. Her face fell. She expected to find them slacking, but they'd done an excellent job. "I am convinced you will be better behaved in my class. Dismissed."

They carefully, but hastily escaped the Owlery. Harry wouldn't put it past the professor to discover a problem requiring them to spend another detention cleaning.

"We smell horrible," Priya said. She displayed the filth on her robes.

"Why did you get detention?"

"I talked out of turn. My friend asked me what page we were on. I told her. Professor Caprise claimed I interrupted her lecture. I tried to explain after class, but she wouldn't listen."

"I don't think either of us deserved that." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

"We better hurry," Priya said. "If Filch catches us he'll give us another detention."

"I doubt Caprise would intervene."

Harry parted company with Priya outside a corridor to the west wing of the castle. He trudged on. Exhaustion slowed him. The events of the day settled in his chest. It wasn't over. His connection to Hermione lay dormant, but he expected her to be waiting in the common room.

"Phoenix feathers," he said as the Fat Lady pinched her nose.

"Gah, what's that smell?" James asked.

"Me," Harry said.

James approached Harry reluctantly. His face scrunched at the stench. "Scourgify." Not perfect, but tolerable. "Talk to her."

Hermione sat curled on the couch. James left.

"Hermione," Harry whispered.

"Are you speaking to me?" A hint of acid. Indecision tore at her. Did she yell at him, talk to him, or let it go? Her resolve hardened. No, she deserved better.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I am a selfish, insensitive git." Her lips twitched at the corners as she stared at him. "What else can I say? I didn't stop to think about your feelings, or your trauma." Her screams still haunted him. He fell to his knees in front of her. "I am sorry."

Her nose wrinkled. "You stink."

"Thanks." Sarcasm dripped.

"Go shower." She pushed his shoulders.

"You going to be here when I'm done?"

"Maybe."

His body protested each step. His muscles cramped. His bones ached. He was so tired.

"You reek." His roommates were still awake.

"What did she make you do?" Remus asked. He frowned at the splotches on Harry's robes.

"Clean the Owlery."

"You're not serious," George asked appalled. His eyes widened in dismay.

"He's not, I am," drawled Sirius.

"Not now, Padfoot," warned James. "You had to clean the Owlery? It shouldn't have taken this long?" He glanced at his watch. It was after midnight.

"No magic." He grabbed clothes, and a towel. He disappeared into the bathroom.

"Bloody hell," Sirius said. "We must not piss off Caprise." The others agreed whole heartedly.

"Does anyone have any food?" Harry shouted. "I'm starving."

Significant looks were exchanged. A request from the opposing side. For some unexplainable reason James went to his trunk. He searched for an item to aid in this bout of rule breaking.

"Is Hermione still up?" James called to Harry.

A garbled reply muffled by water. George seized the opportunity. James had no intention of sharing the existence of his invisibility cloak.

"I'll check," George said.

James stuffed the cloak under his shirt. "You coming, Padfoot?"

The mutt smacked Prongs upside the head. Dumb question. He pulled on his shoes.

"Should you?" Peter squeaked. He glanced at the bathroom door.

"Why not?" Remus asked.

"They're not our friends," the rat said.

Remus motioned the other two out. He'd deal with Peter.

"What makes you say that?"

"We're in the middle of a prank war with them." The watery eyes flinched under the intense inspection.

"We are, but that doesn't mean we can't be civil."

"Sneaking into the kitchens after curfew is above and beyond civility."

"It's called being nice. They aren't sworn enemies. They aren't Slytherins. It's a friendly tit for tat, Pete." Remus explained examining Peter. The boy fidgeted, not meeting his eyes. Odd.

"Where is everyone?" Harry asked. He rubbed a towel over his hair before tossing it back into the bathroom.

"Prongs, and Padfoot went to get food. George went to see if Hermione wanted anything."

"What's with the nicknames?"

An unreadable expression crossed Remus's countenance. "Nothing really. We've been friends for so long that we've made nicknames for one another."

"Kind of strange names. What do they mean?" quizzed Harry. He suppressed the urge to ask Remus not to lie. He understood their need to keep secrets. He asked questions, because he figured if he were a new student thrown into the same room, he'd be curious.

"Not really." Remus shrugged.

Harry nodded absently. He yawned. This day was never ending. He hoped he'd gotten through to Hermione. He left their room forgetting the pointless conversation about nicknames.

Peter shot Remus a look. See what I mean?

"If we use them, they're going to ask," Remus said.

Peter sulkily got into bed. He closed his curtains with more force than necessary.

#

"You know how he is," George said.

"It doesn't give him the right." Hermione's anger ebbed and flowed. One minute it was gone, the next it was raging.

"Harry," George said relieved. He clapped Harry on the back. "Good luck," he whispered. Louder he said, "Night, Granger."

"I apologized," Harry said. He waited. No response. "I didn't expect to see her. I didn't handle it well. You deserve better, Hermione." He unknowingly echoed her thoughts. "I know that. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Finished?"

"If you want me to be."

"Listen to me, Harry James Potter." His full name. Not good. "I will not put up with it. Learn to control your temper. I understand this is an impossible situation. We will figure it out, but only if you talk to me, not scream, but talk."

He nodded.

"I mean it, Harry. We're here, because of you. Cherish the time you have."

"You're right. I get this amazing opportunity and I throw a tantrum. I'll do better." He kissed her cheek as the food raiders came in.

James coughed. "Food."

"Thanks." Harry grinned. He missed the glower from Sirius.

"G'night then," muttered Sirius. He left his scavenged goods and sprinted up the stairs. A confused James waved and followed.

"I'm too tired to eat," Hermione declared.

"Nonsense." Harry passed Hermione a biscuit. He slowly chewed his own. There was something about Sirius's behavior. Was that a glimmer of jealousy?

"Today was horrid." Hermione broke his train of thought.

"And long." He yawned again. "Ready for bed?"

"Could we stay here?" She inched closer to him.

"Come on." He pulled her up. He escorted her opening doors, and curtains. He turned down the covers. She crawled into his bed. He tucked her into his side. If the nightmares intruded, they would fight them together.


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