A/N: Ta-Da Chapter 5! It's here! I figured out why I'm not getting a lot of comments, it's because I don't have a disclaimer! Duh! Well I don't own Harry Potter, now the comments will start rolling in...
Comforting the Heartbroken Chapter 5
After Hermione entered the room Pomfrey shut the door and turned to the girl. Hermione looked around confused, "What is it madam Pomfrey?"
The older woman sighed, "Ms. Granger I hate to tell you this but…well maybe I should explain first. You saw me perform the spell on Mr. Potter that allows me to know if he's being affected by any potions?"
Hermione nodded though unsure where the conversation was going. "Well the way the spell works," Pomfrey continued. "Is it briefly creates a small aura only I can see around the people in the immediate area. Mr. Potter momentarily had a red aura like I expected but…so did you."
Normally there would've been a moment of silence while the person processed the information but Hermione needed no such time. "Wait you mean you think I'm under the influence of a love potion?"
Pomfrey nodded again, "It's very likely, I didn't want to tell you in front of the others. I'd like to check if that's alright with you." Hermione quickly agreed. "Since I already know what potion Mr. Potter was under I'll check you for that try, it'll be faster." Pomfrey waved her wand peculiarly and muttered a spell.
However after finishing her spell Pomfrey didn't tell Hermione anything. Instead she looked deep in thought before walking over to a nearby bookshelf filled with books on healing spells. Picking out the middle book on the third shelf she flipped through it until she landed on a seemingly random page.
Hermione watched as the nurse's eyes scanned the page and muttered under her breath. She silently closed the book and put it back on the shelf before returning to Hermione who hadn't moved since Pomfrey cast the spell. "Ms. Granger it seems you are under the effects of a love potion, but a different kind than Mr. Potter."
"What other kind do you mean?" Hermione had read up about love potions before, for academic reasons of course.
"You see what Mr. Potter was given was the normal kind of love potion that works immediately and then wears off after a certain period of time, days, a week maybe. You however are, or were, under the effects of a long term love potion."
Pomfrey took a breath and Hermione waited impatiently. "Judging by my records it was probably administered to you during last summer, it would make you warm up to the person slowly but unlike the normal love potion this one's effects don't go away so easily.
"Basically it's given every six months and can be more effective than the other type, however it seems you weren't given another dose when intended and the effects have almost all worn off."
"But how? Is there any way to know who gave it to me or who it was intended to make to fall in love with?" Hermione's face was pale white, her palms clenched and unclenched sporadically.
"Think for a moment dear, who did you hang around during the summer that might offer you something to drink? And is there any boy you've been warming up to this year? It's possible it's been given to you more than once."
Hermione's eyes lit up in realization. "I was with the Weasleys! Mrs. Weasley must have given it to me! She was always trying to get me with Ron but until this year I wasn't interested. I can't believe she would do something that horrible to me!" At this point Hermione was almost in tears and Madam Pomfrey walked over to give her a quick hug.
Meanwhile Neville and Luna (who had showed up while Pomfrey was talking to Hermione) were sitting in some wooden seats across from the bed Harry was lying in. Lavender was also there but she was standing over in the corner away from Neville and Luna.
"Everything bad always seems to happen to you eh Harry?" Neville asked Harry's unconscious form. Luna had been staring off into space twirling a strand of her blonde hair with two fingers when Neville's rhetorical question woke her out of it.
"I don't think he can hear you Neville, his body seems to be fighting off a nasty case of the sporgles."
"I know Luna," Neville answered her as he stood up. Luna followed suit as she wrapped her fingers around his. "We'll be back in the morning Harry; hopefully you'll have woken up by then." Luna whispered her goodbyes to Harry also and then the two of them left together.
After hearing the resounding thud of the hospital wing doors closing Lavender walked briskly over to Harry's bed. She stared at him for a while, just taking in features of his face. Her hand brushed across his face as she moved a strand of hair out of his eyes. Her fingers lingered on his face and slowly made their way down to his lips when she heard the office door open.
Lavender quickly removed her hand from Harry's face and shoved it in a pocket while she turned to watch Pomfrey and Hermione come out of the room. Pomfrey walked off to check on another patient while Hermione quickly wiped her eyes off and headed for Harry's bed. She frowned when she saw Lavender was still there.
"Where's Neville?" She asked.
"He left."
"Oh…so then why are you still there?"
"Harry's my…friend. I just wanted to make sure he was okay"
At this Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Well I'm sure he'll be fine, this sort of thing happens frequently. You can leave now."
"You can't tell me what to do. Harry's my friend and I…I feel partially responsible since I wasn't able to warn him in time." Hermione scoffed at what Lavender said but didn't respond. Instead she turned to Harry.
"Harry, Madam Pomfrey needs me to speak to Professor Dumbledore with her so I'll have to leave, I'm sorry. I'll be back first thing in the morning though, I promise." Hermione wiped something from her eyes again, turned around and left without another look at Lavender.
Lavender sighed as she slumped down into the chair nearest Harry. What neither Hermione nor Lavender knew was that Harry had heard them arguing. He was in a rather curious predicament, he could hear voices but he couldn't open his eyes or move at all.
The first thing he heard was Neville speaking to him with Luna before he drifted back to unconsciousness. Then he faded back in and heard part of Hermione and Lavender's argument. Now he was vaguely aware that Lavender was still there though he wondered whether any of this was real or not.
"Harry I'm so sorry," Lavender apologized as a tear trickled down her face. "This is my fault, I saw Ginny putting something in your drink but I didn't react fast enough. If only I wasn't so stupid you'd be okay." Harry could hear her crying and wanted to comfort her, tell her that he wasn't worth her tears, but he couldn't do anything in his condition.
"I really wanted to help you for once, you know? You're always helping me, like my knight in shining armor and I just wanted to give that back. But it turns out I'm just the damsel in distress." She gave a quick laugh at this, finding humor in her own words.
Lavender slowly slid her hand into Harry's before continuing. "Parvati says I need to be more assertive Harry, she pesters me telling me I should go out and get what I want. The truth is Harry, I really like you. After having you help me so much lately I've been looking at you differently and well…" Lavender blushed.
"Wow you can't even hear me and this is still so hard to say. I don't know how I'll ever manage to say it to you when you are awake. Some Gryffindor I am." Lavender yawned."
"Wow it's late. Sorry Harry but Pomfrey would kill me if she caught me in the hospital wing this late, good night." She regrettably let go of his hand and walked out of the hospital wing and headed back to Gryffindor tower. What she didn't know was that Harry had heard every word. As he wondered if what he had just heard was real or a dream his mind had desperately created Harry slipped back into unconsciousness.
That night Harry dreamed. He found himself in the ministry in the same courtroom he had been tried for underage magic the summer before his fifth year. The room was empty except for one person standing in the middle of the room over a cauldron. Harry moved closer and realized the person was Dumbledore.
The old man was stirring a large wooden spoon around the boiling cauldron. Harry didn't know what was in the cauldron; all he could tell was the color grey. Then the older wizard pulled out what appeared to be a doll small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. The doll was made to look like someone; the person looked familiar to Harry but before he could figure out who it was Dumbledore dropped the doll into the cauldron.
Dumbledore continued stirring for a minute before dropping in another doll and then another until finally he pulled out two dolls together that Harry did recognize. He recognized them immediately as his parents, Lily and James Potter. Harry made to stop Dumbledore but before Harry could stop him he had dropped them in. "It's for the greater good Harry," The old man told him.
Harry watched as Dumbledore continued to put in more people he knew, such as Cedric and Sirius and even Snape. Then finally Dumbledore took out a doll that looked just like Harry and tossed it in with the rest of them. The cauldron started to spin on its own and the dolls slowly rose to the surface and spun with it.
Suddenly the cauldron's contents exploded upwards and Dumbledore disappeared. The room faded to blackness and only the cauldron remained as a voice filled the emptiness. Harry immediately recognized the voice as that of Lavender; she spoke in a whisper yet her voice sounded more ominous than Harry had ever heard it before.
The wizard of light's demise draws near
Though his manipulation will long outlive him
As the darkness draws ever closer
Those who are touched by it will know death
The innocent shall suffer, and chaos shall reign
The chosen one himself with experience death
While the one he loves most will feel the bite of evil
Only at that cost will the light triumph
The wizard of light's demise draws near…
Harry awoke suddenly in his bed. He was breathing heavily after having such an intense dream. "Awake are you?" Madam Pomfrey asked him, she had been attending another patient when she heard the teenage boy jump up suddenly.
"Are you feeling better dear?" She asked as she handed him a glass of water. Harry gulped down the water quickly not having realized how thirsty he was. He pushed his glasses onto his face and realized where he was. He also realized he could now move and talk and considering he was in the hospital wing he felt pretty good.
"Yeah I'm a lot better thanks." Harry pushed himself off the bed much to the protest of Pomfrey and got dressed. Harry tried to remember the dream that had woke him up yet it slipped from his mind as he heard a familiar voice.
"Oh Harry you're up!" Hermione said before crashing into him. Harry barely managed to hold himself and Hermione up and not fall on the ground. Harry returned the hug and looked behind Hermione to see Neville and Luna.
"Hey guys, where's Ron?" Neville immediately looked down at his feet while Luna continued to stare vacantly at him. A look crossed Hermione's face but she quickly recovered.
"Harry, Ron's talking to Dumbledore. He thinks Ron might have been in on it…"
Harry looked confused. "In on what?" Hermione motioned for Harry to sit back down on the bed while Neville and Luna sat down on some nearby chairs. Hermione went on to explain everything Madam Pomfrey had told her last night and then her conversation with Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore looked really mad," Hermione told him. "He just asked me a few questions and then had me leave while he called Ginny in. I didn't see Dumbledore again but professor McGonagall informed me that Dumbledore had gone to question Mrs. Weasley after Ginny. Oh Harry Mrs. Weasley's going to hate me isn't she?"
Harry was furious. "Hermione don't feel bad, she should feel bad! I can't believe she did that to you! I can't believe she did that to me! And she always treated me like a mother…" At this Hermione sat next to Harry and gave him a small hug.
At that point Pomfrey came back to give Harry a final check-up. After telling him his recovery was nothing less than miraculous she gave him permission to leave and all four teenagers left the hospital wing together. They spent the rest of the day leisurely together, mainly down by the lake or the library which Hermione dragged them all to.
At dinner Harry looked around for Ron but he wasn't there. Hermione was rather anxious to find out what happened so she went up to the teachers table and talked to Professor McGonagall. While Harry was waiting for Hermione to get back he saw Lavender staring at him and gave her a wave. What he didn't know was she had come up to the hospital wing earlier that morning but he had already left.
He was suddenly reminded of what Lavender had told him while he was supposed to be unconscious. He wondered briefly if it was a dream, but if it was then his subconscious was definitely trying to tell him something. He decided he should do something on it but wasn't sure what.
Hermione came back and she didn't look particularly happy. "McGonagall said Mrs. Weasley was arrested last night for feeding an underage wizard love potion. Ginny's in a lot of trouble but McGonagall said what her punishment was, wasn't any of my business. Ron however knew about what they were doing but never actually did anything about it so he just got a week of detention.
"WHAT?" Harry pretty much screamed, forcing fellow Gryffindors to turn his way. "You mean my best friend knew his sister was going to force me to love her while his mom was doing the same to you and he never said anything? That bastard, how dare he! I mean we've put up with a lot of his shit Hermione but this is too far!" Harry sighed and sunk lower into his seat.
"I know Harry, it's horrible."
"Then why aren't you angry about it?"
"I am I just don't feel like making a scene at the dinner table like you." At this Harry blushed slightly. They finished eating and headed back to Gryffindor tower. They worked on some potion homework for a while until the common room started emptying.
At this point Harry was just staring at a blank paper while thinking about how awesome Lavender's hair was while Hermione was working on next week's arithmancy homework. "Hey Hermione…"
"Yes Harry, what is it?" She replied not bothering to look up from her paper.
"What would you say if I told you I kinda…liked a girl?"
This got Hermione's attention as she looked up finally from her paper and turned to him. "Oh that's wonderful Harry! Who is she? Do I know her?"
"Umm yeah you know her, but the thing is you don't really like her."
"I don't? Is she a Slytherin?"
"Oh no way I hate all those girls. She's a Gryffindor."
"Well who is she Harry?" Hermione asked, getting impatient.
"…Lavender."
"Lavender? Are you sure?" Hermione's eyebrow was raised and Harry shot her a glare. "Oh I mean Lavender, that's…, great Harry! I don't really like her after the whole Ron thing but considering I didn't actually like Ron I'm sure it'll be okay.
"I'm just happy you like someone after that messy business with Cho. Some of us thought you might start liking guys after that…" Harry flipped her off and she gave a short laugh. "I'm just kidding, I know you're straight."
"If you don't mind me asking Harry why are you telling me? You wouldn't usually tell me this sort of thing."
"Yeah your right. I'd usually tell Ron but I obviously can't. I thought about it and realized you were a lot more trustworthy than him and since it's just you and me now I thought I thought I would get it off my chest."
"Thank you for trusting me Harry, that's really sweet." Hermione gave him a quick hug before saying goodnight and heading off to bed.
A/N: Seems like I have alot of Harry/Hermione moments, but don't worry this is definitely Harry/Lavender! What you've all been waiting for should happen next chapter. I think. Anyway tell me how i did, did you like the dream?