A/N: Wow… I went so long without posting… hell… without writing anything. Hope you all missed me as much as I missed you. I'm still enjoying all of the reviews and suggestions.
HARD TRUTH
Leaning his head back onto the cushions of the couch, Harry tried to let some of the tension that had the muscles in his neck so stiff melt away. He'd tried a hot shower, the dampness of his hair betraying how short a time ago it was, but nothing was really working… nothing at all. Closing his easy, he tried to enjoy the fact that he had skipped going into Hogsmeade today, allowing for him to be left alone now in the Gryffindor common room with some peace and quiet… all of the first and second years giving his a wide berth.
Sighing, his mind refused to cooperate and images flashed through his head; some good, some bad… all non conducive to him relaxing. Harry gritted his teeth as he shifted positions on the couch, trying to get comfortable, to enjoy the fire in the hearth… sure, he could have gone up to his bedroom and stretched out on the feather mattress or even just to the Head common room that he shared with Hermione, but both required movement and that was not in the description of being lazy.
He wanted Tonks, Harry admitted to himself. Needed her, actually. He needed to hear her laugh and to feel her hand holding his. Throwing his arm over his eyes, wishing for a quilt to pull over him, Harry realized that he hated Hogwarts now… all of the reasons for his being here were gone or now over. The broken relationships and hurt feelings, all of it. Even Tonks was missing now, off on some mission for the Order. And he had the horocrux.
What was keeping him here?
Giggles and whispered conversations from near the stairwell up to the girls' dormitory interrupted his unsuccessful attempt to nap… dinner was still over and hour away and the students off to Hogsmeade were still not due to return for another good thirty minutes or so. Sitting up, Harry mock scowled at the three second year girls that were involved in looking at some magazine. He smiled watching all three of them blush at his attention, then run up the stairs to their rooms, safe from his gaze.
Sighing aloud, he stood and stretched, the bones along his shoulders and lower back cracking in obvious relief from trying to be cramped onto the small couch… though it was perfect for his younger school days, he had grown too tall to fit. It was a sobering thought, getting bigger… growing older. New images flooded into his awareness, memories of brighter, happier school days with Ron and Hermione… of learning new spells… being forced to study, wishing rather pointedly that they were playing Quidditch rather than pouring over old text books.
It was in the quiet moments such as these that he could admit to himself that there was a hole inside of him, a pain that all of the love Tonks offered him could not completely fill (no matter how hard she might try)… a space that had been reserved for his two best friends. Grimacing, Harry lifted the leather bag that held the fifth horocrux, not letting it out of his sight for a moment, and attempted to banish any more memories from interfering with his current life and choices.
Harry took a last look over the common room, his thoughts suddenly were of leaving. Maybe for good. It would be easier on so many people, the ones that loved and cared for him, if he left… no more painful reminders of what had been and what was lost. He could quickly grab Draco from his date with Hannah… something Harry still did not understand nor approve of… then a quick jaunt to Professor McGonagall's office regarding the discovery of the jewel that had been in Dumbledore's things. He could even be magnanimous and allow their help in destroying this last one before the nearing confrontation with Tom.
He moved towards the portrait of the Fat Lady, the longtime guardian of the Gryffindor tower, when he had to quickly move out of the way as it came open. Dancing to the side, he was ignored as several students… two third year boys and one fourth year girl that he didn't recall immediately upon sight, as they started yelling out his name.
"Harry!"
"Has anyone seen Harry Potter?"
"We need the Head Boy!"
Rolling his eyes, Harry moved over behind where the three were frantically searching for him. "Guy? What's up?"
All three turned immediately at hearing his voice. Harry started to actually worry that this wasn't just another incident of Peeves tormenting the younger students at the apparent relief on all three youngsters faces. In the pit of his stomach, it was like a chunk of ice had suddenly materialized.
"What's wrong?"
"You're needed downstairs." One of the boys answered out of breath. "There's a fight or something going on."
"What?" Harry scrunched his forehead. "Why not just get one of the professors? I'm sure that…"
"The headmistress specifically asked for you… she said that you might help explain what was going on." This from the girl.
Nodding, Harry took a moment to carefully shrink the leather bag and jewel to be safely put into his pocket, before he motioned for the three to escort him to where the situation was apparently happening. As was his usual routine, as Harry walked behind the three students, trying to ignore the strange looks they kept shooting back at him, he checked to make sure that his wand was loose in its wrist holster and that his glasses were clear… even taking a moment to wipe them off on his shirt (mostly clean. Honest).
One floor down from the tower, Harry began to hear the sounds of something going on… the noise being similar to that of many people all taking at once. As he considered that something apparently big was going on, louder shouts, obviously in anger, broke through the other mass of voices.
The ice in his stomach suddenly was a glacier. There was a fight going on… something loud and public and in danger of quickly becoming a situation. Fighting back his own rising emotions, realization that there were only a select few students that McGonagall would have called him for, he quickly picked up the pace. Harry passed his guides, their destination obvious, as he stormed down the stairs and moved down the second floor corridor.
Students were everywhere, all clamoring for a good view of the excitement. At first, Harry tried to be polite, to ask people to move… but that didn't work, everyone was too jealous of how much they could see, not wanting to give up even the tiniest of room to anyone that was late in witnessing the coming event.
Deciding that enough was enough, Harry began forcing people to move. In a way, his actions could have been something of an attraction for the students, all looking for excitement and gossip, but everyone was too busy watching what was in front to pay attention to what was happening behind. His heart racing and emotions flaring, Harry decided to forgo even the appearance of using his wand and simply flicked his hands to the side, the magic forcing people out of the way.
Ignoring the cries of protest, Harry cleared a path for him to easily navigate. Even as people started moving voluntarily for him, there was still some difficulty getting through the throngs of students, many of them still egging on whatever confrontation seemed to be looming.
Once near the center, Harry was brought up short to find several professors and teachers trying to restore order, not the least of which were the three Heads of each House, as well as the headmistress (still acting as Gryffindor's Head), although much to no avail. Catching Minerva's eye, Harry met her gaze with his own, a silent question passing between them, before a slight movement of her head directed his vision to what was waiting.
How he had initially missed it was beyond him. Standing several feet away were those people that had made up his world, his whole of existence, before July… though if he'd been told back then that he would be confronted with a situation such as this now, he'd have laughed… nothing could ever bring he and his friends to such a point.
How wrong he'd been.
Ginny was on the floor, her left cheek already starting to swell, most likely from a hit, and her nose and lip were bleeding. Standing over her protectively were both her brother, Ron, as well as several girls including Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. On the other side of things, Hermione was being forcibly held back, her eyes wild, by several of her friends, not the least of which were Lavender Brown and the Patil twins.
Directly across was Draco Malfoy still under the Jay Flemming disguise that Tonks had helped him put together. Of course he'd be here… excluding that he had been out with Hannah earlier, fate just had to dictate that Mlafoy would be here. Harry grimaced at the smirk on the former Slytherin's face, his presence an unwanted distraction… especially if he was going to just stand there.
Harry ignored the screams and yelling. With students all around crying out their desire for the fight (as it apparently was) between the two girls, the professors all calling for the children to leave… excluding those few teachers that were vainly trying to interfere with the conflict. Then there was Hermione, her ravings at it "all being Ginny's fault" or something along those lines, as well as the young redhead's adamant pleas that "it was not."
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath and ignoring the chaos, the room fell silent to his ears as he centered himself, allowing for his magic to find life… a snake of pure energy that lived inside of him, its sweet whispering to just let go and become a true part of the universe always beckoning. Calling at the power that was his by birth and by destiny, Harry opened his eyes and stepped into the fray.
Not counting Draco, it was Ron that first noticed that something had changed. Though hard-pressed by his little sister to hold her back and keep himself somehow between her and Hermione, his gaze swiveled around the room until they settled upon Harry Potter… and Ron knew that everything was either about to get a lot better or a whole lot worse. As if Ron's gaze was the signal, everyone that had not already realized that Harry
Hermione paused at her struggle to get out from being held back, her gaze still seeing red though it was slowly fading, as she watched Ron and then Susan and then so many others all pausing, their gaze moving off to the left. Unsure if it was a trick or not, Hermione took a chance and moved her eyes to the side… to find Harry standing there, his face furious and his whole body radiating power.
Shaking her head, Hermione could not pull her gaze from him, afraid of his anger… it was suddenly so much more than she could remember seeing ever before… and after July, that was saying a lot.
Lavender and Padma seemed to realize that their friend was no longer struggling and took the opportunity to move between her and Ginny. Although they released their tight hold, neither of them or Pavarti were stupid enough be caught unaware if Hermione decided to follow through with her earlier threats.
"Finally." Headmistress McGonagall stated into the harsh quiet that filled the hallway, especially after the level of noise that had seemed to be there only moments before. "All students are to report to their dormitories immediately."
As everyone slowly started moving away, Harry's voice cut through the mutterings. "Except for you eight."
No one needed to look back to know whom he was talking about, his eyes were alive with green fire, the glow enough to burn you to ash. There were several sympathetic looks that were shot all around, many falling on Harry himself, though to anyone else's sight, he ignored it all. Several teachers also looked to try and stay, though they too were eventually ordered away… the headmistress not wanting any more to be around than absolutely necessary.
"Harry, I…"
"Quiet!" Harry roared, his magic seeming to back that single word, and Ron fell silent.
Looking around, Harry glanced at McGonagall. In response, she simply arched her left eyebrow, her mouth in a thin line. Taking that as it was his show… especially since she'd called him to deal with it, Harry nodded once in acknowledgement and then faced those that had been his friends… his allies… and his support since the first day of school.
Harry looked over at Ginny. "Do you need to go to the infirmary?"
At the shake of her head, his gaze traveled to Hermione. "And you?"
"No, Harry."
"Good."
Moving his hands behind his back (primarily to hide the shaking, but also to prevent them from killing everyone where they stood), Harry sighed and looked over the group. At seeing Draco still standing there, leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes.
"You were not told to stay."
"And I'm supposed to follow you why?"
Harry grinned evilly. "I could say that I'm Head Boy…" At the look on Jay/Draco's face, Harry nodded. "Or I could talk."
Ignoring the strange looks that were passing between everyone else, excluding Jay/Draco and Harry and the headmistress, Harry shrugged. "It's your call."
"Do you two know each other?" Susan asked, confusion clearly written across her face.
"No." Harry and Jay/Draco said at the same time, their eyes locked. The hallway was quiet as the two stared each other down, the battle of wills one that very few in attendance understood… until finally the pretend Ravenclaw dropped his gaze.
Nodding, Harry smiled. "I'll send Hannah to the library to find you once we're done." The quick flash of indignation was barely noticeable before Jay/Draco nodded and moved away.
Hermione carefully watched as the young man shuffled towards the stairs. Even beaten, his gait was arrogant. Self-assured. She shook her head as she remembered no one with such audacity except for Draco Malfoy when he was…
Draco!
Hermione wanted to mentally kick herself for not realizing that Jay Flemming was, in fact, Draco Malfoy. It all fit… Harry's unusual alliance with the Slytherin. And alter, the sudden decision to return back to Hogwarts… but with only Tonks in tow. Of course, Harry would have never left Draco alone… not with the only two truly light wizards left in the hunt being stuck in the school. They needed a way to watch him.
The rest of the room seemed to remain clueless, although Harry watched the calculating look that ran along Hermione's eyes. He knew how she thought… her mind just one of the many things that he loved about… No. Used to love about her. In that moment as Draco walked away, Harry knew that Hermione had finally figured it out.
Sighing, Harry turned to look at Hannah. "Sorry about that, but he didn't look like he was involved and I want this taken care of. I'll get you to your boyfriend just as soon as I can."
Her cheeks slightly flushed, she nodded. "Okay."
"So… who's first?"
No one answered. Everyone was suddenly very quiet, auspiciously avoiding his gaze. Harry rubbed at his forehead.
"You know… there are important things going on. Terrible things. I had hoped that those that were aware of what is happening would try to make my life a little easier…" At his words, several students looked up, puzzlement clearly read in their eyes. Harry smiled. "But that is neither here nor there… so… Lavender."
At her name, the blonde looked up, her gaze wary. "Yes?"
"What's going on?"
"Well… I …" As the attractive Gryffindor glanced guiltily at Hermione, Harry mentally made a note of her actions.
"Yes?" He prompted.
"There was a… well… argument going on. I was trying to stop it."
"An argument?" Harry split his gaze between Ginny and Hermione, both of whom looked like they'd been at each other's throats. "What started this… argument?"
"I don't know." She wouldn't meet his eyes.
Harry nodded. "One week detention."
Her response was immediate as she looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What! Wait…"
He pointed over to the wall. "Stand over there."
Hanging her head, Harry rolled his shoulders. "Susan?" She met his gaze. "What started this… argument?"
It was only for a second, but Harry watched as her eyes flickered over to Ginny before she looked at the floor. "I don't know."
"Two weeks detention."
Everyone started at that, even McGonagall, as Harry stood there, an oak… well, an oak radiating so much anger and magical power that no one was sure they dared argue.
After Susan walked over to sit quietly next to Lavender, the two girls refusing to look at one another, Harry moved his eyes onto Hannah. "Are you going to tell me?"
Hannah squeaked as she looked at Harry, her eyes wide. "If I don't answer?"
Harry shrugged. "Detention."
Looking between Hermione and Ginny, her gaze then turning to the two girls already having been punished with detention, she took a breath. "I'm sorry. I don't know what started the fight."
Everyone winced. Harry refused to smile. "Fight?"
Hannah Abbott waited. Harry didn't make her wait long. "Detention. Three weeks."
"Harry…" As Hermione spoke, Harry's green eyes met her brown ones. "I started the fight. Stop punishing everyone. Blame me."
"What was the fight about?"
Silence. Harry watched his ex-girlfriend carefully, but she sat there, her eyes watching him.
Nodding, Harry looked at Padma. "I didn't ask who. I asked what." The Indian girl looked suddenly very, very nervous. "What started the fight?"
"I don't know."
Well, if he was going to give them one thing, it was that no one was willing to break. "Fine. Four weeks detention."
After she had joined the others along the wall, Harry turned to Ron. "What was the cause of the fight?"
Ron crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze dark. "Don't know."
Harry smiled sadly. "Five weeks detention. That includes Quidditch."
At the pronouncement, even McGonagall seemed flabbergasted. Ron looked completely gobsmacked, his eyes suddenly wide open and his mouth working, although no sound would come out.
Harry simply raised his eyebrows. "Changed your mind?"
Ginny had watched it all dispassionately, her heart just not believing what she was seeing. There was so much anger… such… disappointment in his eyes. Ginny knew that her face was blushing in shame, her face lowered to the ground as Harry took her brother's passion away from him… his only outlet since everything had fallen apart…
Because of her.
"Harry?"
At her words, she felt the room go still. She finally looked up, almost fearful of what she would find. Harry stood there above her, though she was sure he never moved from where it all had begun. Nervously wiping again at the blood that refused to stop trickling out of her nose, she sat up and moved to stand.
Her brother was there instantly, his arm around her back as he helped her stand. Ginny chose to ignore the pain in her ribs…
"I'm what started the fight."
"Gin…"
"No, Ron. You don't know what's going on…" She smiled at her brother's concern, though she was terrified of what he'd be like once the truth came out. Ginny watched as he glared at Harry before moving back. She turned back to face Harry. "It's my fault."
"Miss Weasley." The headmistress' voice was clearly disappointed, but everyone seemed to almost ignore her.
"You caused the fight?"
She nodded at his question.
"And?"
"And what, Harry?" She asked innocently.
Tell him!" Hermione's voce brought her back to reality, to the moment, as she moved her gaze away from Harry and looked at her former best friend… the woman whose life she probably destroyed.
Ginny frowned. "I think… no. I'm pretty sure that I'm the reason… my love for you… that those cookies got left in your room at the Burrow because I wanted to break you guys up. You and Hermione."
Ron watched Harry reel from the verbal blow… the sudden pain of it hitting The-Boy-Who-Lived full force. It was enough that Ron remembered why he and Harry had lost their friendship… that his sister had destroyed everything. He finally closed his eyes… his sister had broken that thing that he had treasured most.
"You put them there?" Harry finally asked, his voice quiet.
Ginny shook her head. "No. Not like that. I didn't want to drug you, Harry… some love spell that would fade with time."
Hermione was standing, her gaze accusatory. Ron suddenly felt bad for helping fend her off from Ginny… once again, choosing the wrong side.
"You little bit…" Harry held his hand up and Hermione stopped in mid word, although there was no doubt as to what she was going to say.
"You wanted to break me up with Hermione?"
Ginny felt the tears start to fall down her face. "Yes."
"But you didn't actually put the cookies in the room?"
"No."
"But you know who did?"
Ginny took a deep breath. "I think so."
"You think so?"
At her nod, Harry looked at everyone who was standing around him. "And you told this to Hermione?"
"Yes."
"And that started the fight?"
Pavarti looked like she might say something, but held off at his look. Ginny's eyes were pleading, the wetness of the tears falling across her stained and bloodied face. Harry steeled his resolve. "Well?"
"No… see…" She gulped back a sob. "It wasn't like that… it's… it's hard to explain."
"Try." Ginny looked up to see Ron now standing there, his own face having to fight off the anger that was filling him up as his sister's words continued to go on. "You meant to force me and Hermione together so you could have Harry?"
Ginny broke down then. "No… not then… see… it was…
No one moved while Ginny brokenly and disjointedly told her story. Harry stood there, his features cold and his frame unmoving as the sister of his once best mate… the sister of his heart, spilled her guts and secrets to the assembled group. He never knew when the tears began to fall; only that he involuntarily wiped at his cheeks and realized that they were wet.
Everyone was silent, the insanity that a stupid bet over a childhood crush could tear apart so many lives… could break apart friendships and so much more. The silence was deafening when she had finally finished, her petite body wracked with sobs as she knelt on the floor.
"I'm so sorry… Harry, please… I-I-I'm so… so… s-sorry."
Harry ignored the girl on the floor, his eyes raking across everyone until they fell upon Hermione. Whatever anger she'd felt earlier, it seemed to have dissipated with the youngest Weasley's confession. Wiping at her face, she turned and faced the love of her life.
"Harry…" "Hermione…" The both stopped and looked at one another, their lips tugging upwards.
"You first."
Harry nodded. "I'm sorry that I hurt you over all of this. It's not that I hate you… that I can't stand to be around you."
"Really?"
Nodding, he hated how much her hopeful smile meant to him. "I never had any clue as to what was going on…I don't think anyone did." Ron shook his head at Harry's look. "So, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."
"Oh, Harry…" Hermione brightened. "I'm sorry, too. For everything. For all that you've had to go through… for everything…."
"I have the last one." Harry said suddenly. Everyone looked confused for a moment, when suddenly Ron and Hermione both looked up in surprise, their eyes wide. Headmistress McGonagall missed the admission as she was over with Ginny. "This all almost over…"
"Harry…" They both spoke at once, their voices desperate.
He smiled sadly then, his eyes not hard any longer, although the pain of the three of them standing together still created a tightness in his chest that was too much to ignore. He fought through it, forcing himself to strong, as he shook his head.
"We've got it. It's good."
Hermione glanced nervously around at where everyone was in relation to the three of them, her face growing frantic. "They're dangerous, Harry. You need help… you need me… us, I mean… you need us… especially with Tonks not here."
Meeting her gaze for a moment, Harry finally turned away. "Well… considering I have all of the facts, now." Everyone turned to look at him. "I think I will turn over Ginny's punishment or lack thereof to the headmistress.
"As for everyone else… one week of detention to everybody." He pointedly looked at Lavender and the others as he said this. "Starting tomorrow."
"Harry?"
He glanced back over his shoulder at Hermione. "No fighting in the halls. No uses of magic outside of class or without the presence of a teacher. You of all people should respect the authority of the rules, Hermione. Everyone gets one week of detention… I'm sure Hagrid won't come up with anything too bad."
At the unasked question in her eyes, Harry paused. "Nothing's changed. I'm with Dora now, Hermione. You know that… and just because she's not here doesn't mean that everything is going to change… no matter how much you… or I… might want it to."
Leaving behind the silence left in his wake, Harry resumed his leaving and headed up the staircase towards the Gryffindor tower… he felt the need to shower and change before dinner in the Great Hall.