Regarding Harry
by Tsujton
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable from the Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling et al. I make no profit (story of my life…).
Summary: Harry destroys the last Horcrux and defeats Voldemort – but in doing so, winds up back where he started the night he got his scar: with the mind of a fifteen month old – big baby!Harry. But the Death Eaters are out for revenge… Slightly slashy. Some abuse and violence, so rated: M
Chapter 6: Why-ever This?
As if there was nothing so unusual about what they had just witnessed, Ginny spoke. "That's enough 'nice-nice', Harry. You're not sleeping on the floor and you're certainly not sleeping next to Malfoy."
At this, Draco reddened and turned his head back to face the wall. Despite his situation, he found himself preposterously wishing for just that: sleeping with Harry Potter. When he had pulled his father off of Potter and looked into the boy's eyes, he'd felt…something. And he was now uncomfortably and unavoidably aware of two very bad things: firstly, that Potter was not wearing any pants under his robes, and secondly, that this close proximity was causing Draco to have some unwanted feelings in his nether regions.
Ginny made to go to Harry, but Ron stayed her arm. His expression was unreadable and Ginny wanted to give in to the urge to look away. Ron just leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing intently. His face looked very much like Mrs. Weasley's then, and it was unnerving. Ron was waiting – Ginny knew from experience with their mother – for an explanation.
Ginny opened her mouth but nothing came out. She found herself quite unable to speak, as if struck with Silencio, and she dearly wished that Hermione would wake up. She swallowed and tried again, but all she could do was shake her head mutely.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Ron demanded.
Ginny wavered. In this moment, she had to decide. Was she going to be able to handle this? Could she be strong enough for Harry and help him no matter what? Or was she going to fold up, playing at denial and thus relieve herself from this responsibility? And then she knew. The Sorting Hat had placed her in Gryffindor. And she loved Harry.
"Harry hurt himself badly to kill Tom. And right now – at least," she said, allowing herself a small glimmer of hope, "his mind is that of a baby's."
Now it was Ron who was speechless.
As he felt Potter's warmth against his back, Draco had begun to feel the stirrings of arousal grow. But if Potter is a child, then… Draco felt sick. He could hear Ginny approaching and swallowed back the bile that was rising in his throat.
"C'mon Harry. Back to bed now." Ginny gently patted Harry's shoulder. He made a nonverbal sound – sort of an annoyed grunt – and huddled closer to Draco's back. Ginny put a hand on each of Harry's shoulders to help him up and Harry reacted by clenching Draco's robes tighter in his fist and hunching his shoulders up.
"PeeBh," said Harry around his thumb.
"Up, Harry. Let's go," coaxed Ginny, pulling on him slightly. Then Harry suddenly snaked out his arm and grabbed onto Draco – who jolted at the unexpected touch and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.
"Pih-ee-Bo," said Harry sternly, glowering up at Ginny.
"Ron. Snap out of it and give me a hand," said Ginny with perhaps just a bit more force than was necessary.
"What!" At once, Hermione raised her head with a jerk and looked around, bleary-eyed. She propped herself up on her elbow to behold a very strange sight. "What's going on?" she asked. Ron went to her, sidestepping Ginny on the way.
"Alright there, 'Mione?" he asked, sitting beside her on the bed.
Hermione sat the rest of the way up and leaned against Ron, who put his arm around her shoulder. "I'll be fine – really," she added, when she saw that the look of worry didn't leave Ron's face. "Now tell me," and Ron released his hold as she sat up, straightening her robes, "First, what happened in the Forbidden Forest –"
Ron was reassured by Hermione's voice. It was steady now, and business-like – as though she was in 'study mode'. He mused at how that tone used to annoy him when they were younger. Now, Ron found it a bit more than endearing.
"– Then," she gestured to what looked very much like Harry spooning Draco Malfoy, "you can tell me about that," and here, she couldn't quite keep the revulsion from her voice.
Ginny's cheeks were hot and she was leveling a very cross gaze at Ron, waiting for him to help her extricate Harry. Ron got up and bent to take Harry under the arms, but Harry just clung to Draco more forcefully and said through his pursed lips, "No." This stopped Ron in his tracks and he stood up straight, dumbfounded.
"Okay, tell me what is going on," said Hermione in disbelief.
"I have no idea, but I don't much like it," snarled Ginny.
Ron, wisely fearing the temper of a Weasley woman, rushed to create a distraction by explaining to Hermione the details of his and Draco's trip to find Lucius' body and Draco's version of the events. Hermione listened without interruption, noting that Draco remained very still during Ron's recounting and that Harry's grip on Draco had relaxed. When Ron was finished, all she said was "Hm." And then she said "Hm," again, but with a bit more emphasis.
"What?" said Ginny, exasperated.
"If Mal-Draco," and here, Hermione decided it would be cruel to use Draco's surname, "is telling the truth, and he did try to help Harry, then he is the only person – at least in Harry's mind – who has treated him only with kindness."
"Please tell me you're not saying Harry has taken a shine to Draco Malfoy?" said Ginny, stiffly.
Ron was looking at her, gaping, and she saw that Draco was now staring at her too in alarm, his head twisting back to see over the nest of Harry's hair.
"Erm, more of a 'liking', really," said Hermione sheepishly. "He may view Draco as his protector," she added. As one, the trio of friends turned to the bizarre sight of Harry with his arm resting over Draco. Draco turned his head back to the wall and said nothing, but strangely he found that he liked the sound of being Harry's 'protector'. Harry shifted slightly and his head fell back. His eyes were closed and now they could hear him softly snoring.
Ron didn't need to be told twice. With a stony look from Ginny, he bent back down to Harry and lifted him up. Harry stirred and Ron froze – mid-lift – his mouth in an anxious frown. But Harry didn't fully wake. He just blinked at Ron through half-closed eyes and nuzzled into Ron's chest with a contented sigh. Ron looked down at his friend and felt an overwhelming desire to protect Harry from any and everything that might harm him. Ron straightened, and carried Harry back to Hagrid's bed, where he remained standing. Still overcome with emotion, Ron realized he didn't want to let Harry go. He wanted to hold him and keep him safe forever. A gentle hand on his shoulder startled him and Ron looked up to see Hermione smiling at him, quizzically.
"Let's get him settled, Ron," she said softly, so as not to wake Harry. Ron gently laid him on the bed and Hermione tucked the covers to Harry's chin. Harry's eyes half-opened for a moment and Hermione smiled warmly at him though she wasn't sure he even registered it in his drowsy state. He was just breathing softly now, gentle, soothing breaths. Maybe, mused Hermione, with a feeling of longing, maybe, if this is what it is, we can give him the happy childhood he was denied. And the unconditional love…
Ginny glared at Draco's back for a moment and then put her hand to her head, shaking it and exhaling noisily. Ron and Hermione finished tucking Harry in and turned to her in unison as she spoke. "Right. We can't just stay here. If Lucius, Greyback and Bellatrix are …gone," and her eyes shifted to Draco's still form, "then it's safe to go to the castle. We need to get Harry to Madam Pomfrey." Now Ginny was looking at Harry, who remained in peaceful slumber.
"It still might not be safe," said Hermione, taking note that Draco's wand hand appeared burnt, too. "Other Death Eaters may still be out there – wands or no they might be dangerous. How did they get onto the grounds, anyways?" The last was said mostly to herself, as Hermione pondered over that most disturbing puzzle.
"I don't care. I'm going to get help," said Ginny adamantly.
"What – with a kitchen knife?" asked Ron incredulously, his eyebrows disappearing under his bangs. "Against who-knows-what is out there – possibly with a wand?"
"It's not like it's been exactly safe here," began Ginny hotly, but she was cut off by Hermione's cry.
"LOOK!" Hermione pointed out the window and Ginny and Ron tensed. "No, it's alright. It's Hagrid!" she laughed, tears spilling from her eyes. His umbrella was resting on his great shoulder and Hermione could see that it sported scorch marks on the flowery cloth. As the two Weasleys peered out the window to see the lumbering form of the half-giant coming up the path to the cabin, Hermione ran to the front door and flung it open, calling "Hagrid!" relief evident in her voice.
"Hermione? What're you doin' here?" As he stepped inside Hermione wrapped her arms about him, barely encircling his arm. He awkwardly patted her back in return. "There, there, Hermione. S'nice ter see yeh, too. An' you Ron, Ginny," he said, noticing and nodding to his other unexpected houseguests. "Strange goin's-on up at the castle," he went on. "Nearly los' my brelly, here," and he held out the singed umbrella to show them.
"Hagrid?" Hermione had released her hold on the man and had that 'I'm-figuring-something-out' look. "You've never exactly said, but, isn't there a bit of your old wand in that thing?"
"Oh. I shouldn'a said tha'. Well, er, I'd ruther not talk about it jus' now, Hermione, if yeh don' mind," and he hastily tried to change the subject. "Now what are you lot doin' here? Not that I'm not glad ter see yeh, an' all. An' where's Harry?" At this, the three teens looked over at Hagrid's bed and he followed their gaze to see Harry's sleeping form. "Oh! Sorry," he said lowering his voice. "Din' realize – he's alright, in'e?" and a look of worry crossed Hagrid's face.
"He doesn't know," Hermione half-laughed almost to herself. "Of course. No one knows!" Then she addressed the half-giant directly, "Hagrid. It's over. Harry did it! It's over!" Until this moment, the reality hadn't fullydawned on Hermione. She'd been so worried about Harry, about Ron – she hadn't really contemplated what it all meant. And still she didn't know. Was there a way for the Ministry to detect Voldemort's death? She doubted it. Her faith in the Ministry of Magic's capabilities had flagged considerably. And now her mind filled with more troubled thoughts: Would people believe her? She was the only…reliable witness. Was there some way to prove that Voldemort was gone for good? What would become of the remaining Death Eaters and other Dark Lord loyalists?
It took Hermione a moment for it to sink in that the others were talking animatedly around her, albeit in hushed tones. Ron and Ginny were beginning to fill Hagrid in on some of what had happened. He was dumbfounded– to say the least – and lowered himself into an armchair with a heavy thud that shook the cabin when they told him Voldemort was really dead. They had yet to tell him about Harry's condition, saying only how he'd used the basilisk tooth to destroy the Horcrux. From his seated position, Hagrid noticed someone was lying on the floor. "Who's tha'?" he asked, but Hermione, still wrapped up in her own thoughts, cut in as if he hadn't spoken.
"Hagrid? What strange things have been going on at the castle? And how did your, erm, umbrella get burned?"
"Well," Hagrid cleared his throat nervously, "I don' know abou' tha'. But there was terrible trouble a few hours ago. Madam Pomfrey had 'er hands full, thas fer sure. Seems like every wand in the castle got burnin' hot all've a sudden. Professors takin' whole classes up t'the hospital wing – it was a mad house!"
"And all the wands, were they destroyed?" asked Hermione pensively.
"Destroyed? Naw. Like I said, they jus got real hot. But Madam Pomfrey wasn't too eager to pick hers up again right off, so she was usin salve on the studen's' burns. Poor thin's – lot a'cryin, there. An' then she run out and asked Professor Slug'orn to brew up some more. But 'e wouldn't touch his wand either to stir the potions – fraid a' getting burned again. Made Poppy pretty mad that 'e wouldn' help her, so she jus took up 'er wand – she were in Gryffindor, ye know – an it was still hot. She was afraid t'use it on the burns, case it din' work right, so she Floo-called over t' St. Mungo's fer help."
"But Hagrid, weren't people worried about why that happened? What did Professor McGonagall say?"
"Dunno exac'ly," Hagrid replied. "She sent me off t'collect the wands an when I finished," he added a bit sheepishly, "I left to put my brelly away. I heard her send Professor Flitwick to Floo the Ministry, she was pretty upset an wanted the Aurors t'check the wards right away." The tone of his voice made it clear that Hagrid had wanted to avoid them while he was still in possession of his illegally modified umbrella.
Hermione stood so deeply in thought that she didn't realize she was being addressed until Ron waved his hands in front of her face. "Fill us in?" he prompted, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Oh. Sorry," she said. Then she explained about Harry's wand burning up and sending a wave of magic out destroying her own wand and, she had then suspected, other wands as well.
"Enough already," hissed Ginny impatiently. "We need to get Harry to a Healer. Let's just go!" and she stamped her foot in exasperation. "Hagrid, will you carry him?"
"A'course I will!" He bent to lift Harry and easily cradled him in his arms. Ginny's eyes threatened to tear up again as she thought of how very much like a baby Harry looked, nestled against Hagrid's great chest.
"What about other Death Eaters?" asked Hermione, worriedly.
"I'll snap ther necks like twigs if they s'much as look at Harry," growled Hagrid.
Hagrid carried the sleeping youth down the path followed closely by Ginny and Hermione. Ron brought up the rear with Draco in front of him. Occasionally Draco stumbled and Ron had to steady him by his arm, but Draco was in a daze and didn't seem aware of any of this. As the group turned up the hills toward the castle, Hagrid shook his head and murmured, "Poor Harry. Look at 'is scar. Hope it don' hurt too bad." No one spoke in answer, they just continued on in glum silence.
They were in view of the main doors of their old school when Harry woke. He rubbed his nose where Hagrid's long beard was tickling against it and opened his eyes. "Ahgi," he said softly, his eyes bright with recognition.
"Harry," said Hagrid cheerily, stopping. "Glad to see yeh awake." But Hagrid's cheer was soon dashed: Harry was looking up at him brow furrowed and lower lip quivering. Then he began to cry.
"A-A-Ahgi, A-Ahgi…" he repeated through spasms of tears, his fists clenched in Hagrid's thick beard.
"Harry! Wha's wrong? Am I hurtin yeh?" Hagrid was beside himself. He couldn't stand to see Harry so distraught and felt mortified to think he might be the cause.
"It's alright, Hagrid," Hermione reassured him, reaching on tiptoes to pat the man's huge shoulder. "Just, er, maybe…rock him."
"Harry? Harry? Alright there, Harry. S'alright now," said Hagrid, instinctively joggling Harry and patting his back. "Wha's wrong with 'im?" he asked Hermione, his voice rising frantically. He was at a complete loss as to what to do.
"Calm down, Hagrid. You'll only make it worse –" Hermione stopped immediately, regretting her words as Hagrid shot her a look of abject despair. "No – I mean – Oh, Hagrid. He's just overcome. He's glad to see you. Really," Hermione insisted.
"S'got a funny way a'showin it," said Hagrid nervously, as Harry's tears started to abate. "A simple 'Glad ter see yeh, Hagrid' would do."
"See, Hagrid? He knows you – Uh, a little less rocking, perhaps?" said Hermione, watching the tension slowly drain from Harry's jiggling face.
"Well a'course 'e knows me!" He slowed his movements and Harry let go of the beard with one hand and reached up to touch Hagrid's face.
Ginny and Ron had stopped as well – Ron needing to grab Draco by the sleeve (which ripped slightly) to stop him walking into Ginny. The two siblings watched the exchange and both were quietly glad for Hermione. Neither wanted to be the one to tell Hagrid what was wrong with Harry. Neither, still, wanted to believe it.
"Hagrid? How well did you know Harry when he was a baby?"
"Well tha's a silly question, Hermione," said Hagrid, still a bit stung by her earlier comment. "Who d'yeh think watched over him durin Order meetin's? Rubeus Hagrid – tha's who." By this point, Harry had stopped his snuffling and was patting Hagrid's mustache and tugging on it lightly. "He was such a wee lad," reminisced the half-giant looking down at his charge. "Was jus learnin t'walk an talk. Called me –" Hagrid froze.
"Ahgi?" provided Hermione, chewing her pinky nail apprehensively.
"Wha's goin on 'ere? Wha's Happened?"
As Hermione explained about the damage from the basilisk tooth to Harry's mind Hagrid shook his head in denial.
"No. No. Tha' can't be." He looked down and met Harry's shining emerald eyes. Now it was Hagrid who was overcome. Not Harry. Not poor Harry, he thought. Then Harry reached up to hug Hagrid around the neck and Hagrid shifted him up easily in an embrace.
"Let's go," said Ginny not unkindly. The party set off again toward the great wooden doors of Hogwarts castle, and Harry made little happy sounds as he bounced in Hagrid's arms.
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Next time, Chapter 7: BACK TO HOGWARTS
(Reviews would be helpful and appreciated! 8)