SANCTUARY
Chapter 14: Power From the Heart
"You are an incredibly powerful wizard, Harry, you just need to focus," Mr. Lovegood said, brandishing his wand, "again, nice and clearly. Stupefy!"
Hermione watched quietly from a crooked stool at the table as Harry once again tried his stunner, only to have it blocked with much ease by Mr. Lovegood, "you still aren't focusing. Think less about spell and more about the movement,"
Harry clenched his jaw and once again lunged forward. His Stupefy was a bit stronger, but it still did little to move from his place on the opposite side of the living room. Glancing up as Luna placed down a tray of fresh biscuits, the dazed girl frowned slightly and pushed some whitish hair from her face, plopping down onto a stool beside Hermione,
"Are they still practicing?"
"Mmm," Hermione nodded and sipped at the teacup in her hand, "Harry is getting better at it, but he's not focusing enough. I think your dad is just trying to draw out his inner power,"
Luna took up her own cup as she nodded with a little noise of agreement, balancing three or four biscuits in her hand at once as she used them to stir her tea mindlessly,
"Yes, daddy has worked with many wizards on their spells before. Harry is in the best hands. Perhaps it's the Nargles doing?"
Hermione chuckled with a slightly arched brow and turned back to her friends practice with an intent gaze. Harry's power was increasing by the day, and he easily surpassed her own ability for intense spells. But his lack of control was hindering him. After a few more sets, Mr. Lovegood shook his head and held up a tired hand,
"Let's take a break now, Harry. I think I need a cup of tea,"
Turning and leaving the room slowly, Luna turned and followed her father out of the room and into the kitchen. On Hermione's right, Harry plopped down with a ferocious grunt of frustration. His face was beet red with tiredness, and some of his black hair was standing on end from the backfire of the stunner,
"I just can't get it!" He exclaimed, biting into a biscuit and chewing wildly, "I know the wand movement and the spell, but it's not working because I can't focus,"
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Harry," Hermione chided lightly, though her brows knitted as Harry grumbled something inaudible and laid his head on his folded arms, "you're a great wizard, you know that," Hermione insisted, rubbing small circles on her friends back as he lost tension and looked away from her sadly,
"I'm not as good as you,"
"Me?" Hermione chuckled and played with some of Harry's dark hair, sticking it up and smoothing it out with two fingers as she shook her head, "there's more to magic then books and cleverness,"
"But you know everything!" Harry exclaimed, "I just don't know why its so hard,"
"It's hard because you aren't looking in the right place for your magic," Hermione insisted, eyes intently taking in every curve of Harry's face. He suddenly looked so much older, his tight jaw set and his eyes dark and bleary. Biting down on a lip, Hermione ran the pad of her thumb across Harry's scar, "my magic comes from my head," she continued after a long silence, "It's where my focus is. But you, Harry Potter, your focus isn't up here," Hermione tapped the top of Harry's scalp with a finger, causing him to laugh and sit up to look at her. Smiling shyly, Hermione pointed to Harry's chest, "your focus is here. You have more heart then anyone I've ever met, Harry. Use it to your advantage. This," Hermione gently knocked the side of Harry's head as he laughed, "isn't going to do you any good,"
"Maybe you're right, Hermione,"
"I'm always right, Harry,"
Giggling together, both friends turned as Mr. Lovegood returned to the room, a peaceful look on his face as he sipped his tea before handing it to Luna,
"Alright, let us try again, shall we Harry?"
Glancing at Hermione, she nodded happily and urged Harry on as he picked up his wand and shoved one last biscuit into his mouth, padding to the place where he had been standing before. Mr. Lovegood took place opposite him, "nice and clear, just as we were doing before,"
Leaning forward in her seat, Hermione clutched the sides of her stool with white knuckles as Harry glanced at her for only a brief second before yelling out a perfect stupefy. There was a cry from Mr. Lovegood as he was thrown backwards across the floor. Jumping up to assist him as the man laughed happily, Luna helped her father back up to his feet as he brushed off his robes, "well done, Harry. Yes, well done indeed,"
Glancing at his wand, Harry smiled broadly towards Hermione as she relaxed and gave him a thumbs up, continuing to watch their practicing until it was time for dinner. That same night, as the sun fell close to the horizon, Hermione stood outside in the grasses near the Lovegood house. In her arms, Crookshank's happily purred away, orange tail flicking back and forth as the breeze pulled at the loose ringlets which escaped from her bun. Preoccupied, Hermione barely looked up as Harry hauled himself up to stand beside her. Soon though, his arm was wrapped around her waist as they looked out at the endless horizon together, watching the sun as it slowly began to vanish. Near Harry's feet, Snuffles sat loyally, and above, Hedwig flew out to hunt for the night,
"Thanks for today, Hermione," Harry said softly, drawing the girls attention as she opened her eyes to stare at her friend. His hair was still slightly damp from the shower he had taken, revealing his scar. But here, standing together in the delicate wind and staring at one another, he looked so happy,
"You just think to much, Mr. Potter," Hermione answered happily, turning back to the waving grasses. Her eyebrows knitted though as a black shape rose from the field some distance from them, "Harry, do you see that over there?"
Hermione took Harry's arm nervously, only to find that he had tensed up, and his eyes were glancing all about them. Following his example, Hermione looked around too, startled to find that many more figures in black clothing had appeared. "Harry, we have to warn Luna and Mr. Lovegood-"
Before she could even finish with the thought, Hermione gasped as the breath was stolen from her, and there was a bright streak of purple light which crossed her vision. Letting out a little 'oh', Hermione felt Harry's arms around her as she crumbled to the earth, staring up into his startled green eyes as she gasped in pain, unable to hear what her best friend was saying. As Harry leaned over her, shaking her shoulders rapidly as her eyelids fluttered, there was a vicious tugging in her gut before everything faded into black.
'The ocean was raging ferociously. Hermione stood in the cold wake, shivering with cold as her loose brown curls pulled against the back of her scalp. The white sundress she wore was nothing to combat the angry wind and rain which pelted her skin, nor the pain which was slowly spreading across her chest in a diagonal fashion. Somewhere in the far distance, a wolf howled along with the storm as Hermione kneeled and shivered again, holding her hands closely to her chest as water streamed down her face like tears.
'Hermione!'
Harry's distant voice was nearly stolen away by the wind as Hermione looked towards the far away shore, seeing a figure wading out towards her. Harry was missing his glasses, and was covered in blood and dirt as he held up a hand to shield his eyes,
"H-Harry!" Hermione shivered again and groaned painfully as the diagonal streak of pain flowered in her chest, and her knees collapsed from under her,
'Hermione, don't worry! I'm here,'
Harry fell down beside her, breathing haggardly as he pulled her to his broad chest, and supported her head with a hand. Reaching up to caress his scar, Hermione hiccupped on her breath,
'P-please don't leave me,' she rasped, groaning again with pain as Harry pulled her close, 'I'm s-scared,'
'I'll never leave you Hermione, I promise. But you have to wake up,' Harry pressed his forehead against Hermione's, a single tear leaking from the corner of his eye, 'Please wake up,'
Hermione's eyes flicked open rapidly, causing her mind to spin as she winced painfully. Her entire body was aching as a small whimper escaped her lips, causing the slumbering figure beside the bed to shoot up. Immediately, Harry's green eyes were visible as Snuffles (who was lounging across her legs), looked up with a snort,
"H-Hermione, are you ok? Please tell me you're ok,"
"My body hurts," Hermione groaned weakly, "what happened?"
"I don't really know," Harry admitted, "We were surrounded by those people one minute, and then someone grabbed me from behind and we were somewhere else the next,"
"What?" Hermione shifted slightly, realizing she was laying in an unfamiliar bed, "where are we?"
"My house,"
The voice who spoke wasn't Harry as a tall, unhealthy looking man entered the bedroom holding a tray of vials and a plate of food, "glad to see you awake again,"
"Hermione, this is Remus Lupin," Harry stated, "he knew my Godfather,"
"It's good to finally meet you, Hermione. Harry has told me so much about you," Remus said, setting down his tray with a weak smile, "that was some spell you took back there. Luckily it wasn't as strong as it should have been. But you still suffered quite a bit of damage," Remus looked at some of the vials and uncorked them, "I need you to drink these, and then you need to eat,"
Glancing at Harry, the boy nodded slightly as Hermione took the vials and drank them one by one. By the time she was finished, she was happy to take a bite of the bread Remus offered her as the sickly man watched her with calculating eyes before nodding, "I'll leave you to rest. I'll come back with explanations a little later,"
Smiling weakly at Remus as he left the room, Hermione turned to Harry as he squeezed her hand. And then, with no warning, Hermione felt his lips brush against her cheek,
"What was that for, Harry?" The phrase was more of a rasp as Harry squeezed her hand even tighter, glowering at the sheets,
"It's been three days, Hermione. I thought I was going to lose you," He croaked, actual tears seeping from under his glasses, "I'm so, so sorry,"
Hermione was unable to say anything. Three days. She had been asleep for three days? Swallowing thickly, Hermione reached to Harry and pulled him to her, burying her face in his shoulder as his body quivered. I'll never leave him, Hermione thought, tightening her grip on her best friend as she felt the place where he had kissed her. No...never again.
