The Scent of Rain
Chapter Two
Harry finds himself standing on the stone step of a path that wove down to a sunset colored beach. The first part was pure white sand devoid of anything and creating an isolated beauty like nothing Harry had ever seen. It suited Hermione perfectly aside from there not being any books anywhere but to Harry her beauty was isolated because there was no other person like Hermione Granger. As he walks further down the path he is stopped in his tracks when he finally sees her. She sat on a sheer outcropping of a large cliffs edge. She's wearing a white dress that billows well past her feet. Her chestnut colored curls twirled elegantly with the smooth wind and danced with one another as if they were a group of people swaying and waltzing in between each other. Her light brown doe eyes glistened with the light of the setting sun as the waves lapped at the hems of the white dress making it nearly see through. The back was longer than the front shown by her bare feet dangling in the breeze and glistening with the spray of the sea.
In that moment, if Harry wouldn't have known her or his past with her and what she was meant to be to him he would have found that she was the most beautiful creature in the world. Still in this moment knowing all of those things he somehow found her undeniably beautiful…perhaps angelic if you may. She was slender and always had been but here as her true self she was nearly completely thin had it not been for the curves of her bust and hips. It's like Harry had seen the sun for the first time and that before this moment he was a blind man. Stepping forward he brushes back the nearly translucent branch of a tree and walks up another path. This path leads him to the small cliff that she sits one so that Harry is standing directly behind a frozen Hermione. Being as close as he is Harry could tell that her body was frozen never moving. Perhaps this was the lock on her memories. Perhaps it was her.
Reaching a hesitant hand forward Harry places his hand on her shoulders and looks out to the sea. Soon motion moves through the tips of his fingers and he can feel her body shaking softly with sobs. Folding down beside her he wraps her in his arms surprising her completely with his presence. "Mione…you're safe now…I won't hurt you…I've never hurt you…" At his voice she turns in his arms and buries herself in his chest inhaling his scent greedily. Her fingers curl into his shirt before the tense muscles of her body relax and she becomes pliant in his arms. Hermione is practically lying in his arms but he wouldn't have it any other way.
Hermione finally looks up at Harry as he had been staring at the top of her curly head of hair for quite some time. Her doe brown eyes widen in wonder and awe as she traces his morphed features with precision. Finally her figners hesitantly reach forward to cup his cheeks in her dainty hands. Her thumbs rub under his eyes as she stares into them. To Harry, it's as if she was staring into his soul and looking for every piece of herself despite the fact that she already knew that he was hers. "You look so different…yet you look so much like my Harry that it's infuriating. You look more like the man I know you to be…" Her blush colored lips rise in a small smile of understanding and she rests her head against his chest lightly to trace patters on the piece of shirt opposite her hand. In Hermione's mind Harry was wearing Khaki shorts and a white bottom up shirt with the top two buttons undone. He was as barefoot as she was but his tan skin contrasted greatly with her pale skin…'like the sun and the moon' Harry thinks idly. "What happened?"
Harry's figners don't pause on their circuit through her hair for even a moment as he presses a warm kiss to her temple trying to ease away her worry. "Mione…Dumbledore locked away all of your memories as well as everyone one else's memories and hide the fact that up until sixteen years ago there was no ministry of magic all magic fell under the rule of the King and Queen which were the Potter heir and his, or her, husband or wife. When I was one as well as when you, Neville, and Draco were one Dumbledore attacked my family and killed my parents before wiping everyone's memory and turning them against my Uncle by making them believe he was a dark wizard. He hid my Aunt, who was married to Severus, with some human under his control and made her believe she didn't have magic as well as took away their daughter Luca. He turned my best friend and I against one another by making me believe Draco was evil. He made Tom out to be this horrible man and gave him a completely different identity aside from the shy boy that Severus remembers him being. When Severus tried to enter my mind we were pulled into the mindscape of one another and then ended up unlocking the memories that were suppressed there. You were the suppressant in your mind." Hermione reaches up to brush his cheek with the back of her hand and watches in awe as his eyes slide to hers and hold such fire and intensity. They hold emotions that she had never seen inside of Harry Potter but always dreamed of seeing in the man that he would be.
"Harry…I believe I remember a great deal now. I've read the mythology about Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Helga Hufflepuff being the original suitors to the first heir of the Potter family. It was spelled differently, your last name I mean, but it was the same name. I traced it back to your family. Your grandfather was Rowland Ridulo Potter right? He was married to a Peverell?" At Hermione's spout of knowledge Harry can only form a grin in response before nodding. "I'm almost afraid to ask but who are your suitors?"
At her weary face Harry begins chuckling softly and looks out over the horizon of the sea his lips pursed in thought while a twinkle of deviousness settles in his eyes. "I believe the heiress of Hufflepuff is Luca Snape, the heir of Gryffindor is Neville Longbottom, the heir of Slytherin is Draco Malfoy, and the heiress of Ravenclaw is one Hermione Granger." The deviousness twitches at his lips before he presses them to her forehead. "As it stands I'm not gay meaning both Nev and Dray are not options and Luca is my cousin so that is definitely out but I wouldn't have chosen any of them any way…not over someone like you."
A small smile graces Hermione's delicate features and she shakes her head before hugging him tightly. His figners twitch on her back for a moment before he hugs her as tightly to him as possible. "That's good Harry…because if you would have chosen one of them I might have had to kill them…I wouldn't give you up without a fight even if you were gay." They both chuckle lightly before Harry shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "What…what is it?"
"I'm afraid I have to cut this little visit short darling. It seems that it is time for us to wake up so that I can charm your appearance so no one gets too suspicious. Now I'm going to ease out of your mind and then wake you up. This won't be the last time we meet like this…" With that Hermione watches as Harry wavers as they both stand he reaches out and runs a hand over her curling hair before completely leaving her mind. Within moments she feels him shaking her lightly.
Hermione's eyes flutter open slowly and she looks up at the smiling yet somehow sleepy face of her closest friend and the man she knew she would spend forever with. Their destinies were sealed from the moment they were born and no amount of sympathy for Ron's crush on her would pull her away from him now. With a small chuckle Harry presses a finger to his lips before muttering a small charm. His magic washes over her and she relishes the feel of it on her skin. She can feel the frizz of her hair tickle her ear and she sighs softly before musing it up a bit.
"I'm going to go back to my dorm…and Harry I know you don't want Dray to get hurt because he's your best friend but it would be best if he knew. I've heard Blaise talking about him being more distant lately. You need to talk to him or get Severus to." With those whispered words Hermione presses her lips against his in their first kiss. It was a quick peck but it left Harry's lips tingling with the unspoken emotions and magic behind it. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink before she turns and runs out of the room as Ron walks in running a towel through his hair.
"Morning mate…" Ron watches as Harry gets up and grabs his uniform while stripping down to his boxers. Raising an eyebrow, Ron turns to his best friend. "Where are you going mate?"
At Ron's startled question Harry turns and tilts his head to the side. "I have to go see Madam Pomfrey before breakfast so she can check on me. I need to shower though so I'll see you in potions!" With that said Harry darts out of the door and into the bathroom across the hall. Within the next five minutes Harry is running back out of the bathroom into his room and grabbing his textbooks before running back out leaving a shocked Ron in his wake.
When Harry is sure no one is following him he turns sharply and uses the secret passages as well as the Marauder's map he had discreetly snatched in his room to find Draco. He finally reaches the man and leans his hands on his knees panting heavily. "What in bloody hell are you doing Potter…and how did you find me?!"
Harry holds up a finger before straightening and pressing a hand to his head to try and control himself. He looks into his magical core and finds a small line of magic which he uses to probe gently at the blonde's mind. "Please Draco just let me in this once…it's really important and I swear you'll understand when I'm done." Harry watches in satisfaction as Draco visibly shutters before his walls break and he allows Harry entry into his mind.
Harry steps lightly onto a rock ledge with a steep passage down onto an even steeper rode. Everything was covered in a grey mist and yet there was no life in this place. The trees were dead and barren and there wasn't one animal or creature. In the distance Harry could make out the broken ruins of a tower that looked oddly familiar. He was sure, despite having no knowledge of this place, that there lay a castle beyond these dead woods. "It's been this way for as long as I can remember…" Harry turns a light eye to the man standing at his side and smiles softly at how he had change. The man was taller but not nearly as tall as Harry and his dark blonde hair had lightened into platinum blonde at the tips with darker blonde roots. His hair was longer now and the front of it swept over his left brow before stopping by his ears in small tuffs that mixed well with the wave his hair had gained.
"Come on Draco…I need to find something…" With that said Harry quickly walks down the path keeping time in his own mind on how long they had been in there. Slowly Harry walks to the ruins of the castle and finally understands why it was so familiar. This castle, in Draco mindscape, was an exact replica of the one his family lived in for thousands of years. Slowly Harry finds himself stopping and starring around at the disarray that was standing before him."This is my family's castle…Dray you never forgot did you or at least you have known for most of our time in school. That's why you trusted me so easily."
Harry turns his shocked green eyes to the grey eyed man behind him, which he remember having loved dearly as a brother would. "Your magic felt different...I…when my father took me to first meet Tom he broke the restraint on my memories and taught me how to come in here so I can try to fix the shambles Dumbledore left it in. I've nearly fixed everything but I can't for the life of me fix the tower…not completely anyway. Once I fix the tower the trees will come to life and the rest of the castle will fade away leaving my mindscape. It's the best part of the castle that each of us keeps with us in our minds. What's yours?" With a small flicker they move to Harry's mind and Harry smirks at Draco's shocked expression.
His grey eyes rake in the lush room that very obviously expressed Harry's inner most personality without showing too much of himself to the world. Draco's mind flickers restlessly to the knowledge of the castle his mother had taught him. He vaguely pinpoint where this room had been located from pictures his father had shared with him. Slowly the world blurs in swirls and they're standing in Draco's mind once more. Harry's fingers brush lightly over the shattered stones and piece by piece, as he walks further toward the castle, the mindscape comes to life and blooms before the bewildered blonde's eyes. "This will not change anything when we are around everyone Dray…you know that don't you?"
"I…why not…I don't want to live in secrets anymore Harry! Why can't we just get over our differences?" At his fiery reply Harry turns to stare at the man before him. A small smile lights up his face before he chuckles and tugs the smaller man into a brotherly hug. The blonde stiffens slightly before relaxing into the hug and eventually hugging back. Harry pulls away from Draco hesitantly and keeps a firm hold on his arms to stare into his eyes.
Emerald eyes meet grey ones and Harry smiles warmly hoping that Draco would follow suit despite his best efforts not to meet Harry's gaze. "Dray…I've been over our differences since the moment my memories were awoken. You are quite literally, just not physically, my brother and nothing will change that however I wish to keep everyone safe from Lemon Drop so that I may unlock their memories. If we start acting like mates after being enemies for so many years it would raise suspicion. You're a vital part of my childhood Dray and it will never change." Draco looks at Harry for a long moment before scoffing standoffishly and pulling away from him only to brush his hands at his outfit plucking unseen dirt from it. His Grey eyes find Harry's confused emerald ones and his lips curve in a small yet sweet smile.
He turns and flicks his locks from his forehead lightly in an attempt to control them. "Yeah? Well that's all well and good but I'll be there no matter what if you need a good kick to remove you from your high horse Potter." They stand still for a few moments each face the same way. "We should leave now Potter breakfast will have already started…and Potter…thank-you." With that said Harry feels himself being pushed from Draco's mind and he returns to his body only to be met with the same picture perfect form of Draco Malfoy.
"I swear you're truly a prat Dray…meet Mione and I at the tower tonight alright?" The blonde nods before brushing past Harry only to stop and glance back at his best friend with bright and cheery eyes. He hurries down the halls and Harry simply remains in the small passage leaning against the wall. He slides down the cold stone until he's sitting on the ground.
Reaching up, Harry removes his glasses and stares down at them. His fingers brush over the delicate glass as his eyes flicker over the knicks from years of use. 'It's been so many years since I've felt hope for having a family again…I wonder what it would be like to live with you. To be able to say that you are my Uncle and that I am not ashamed of where I come from despite the memories of the people around me.'
'You can still have that my dear Nephew…don't give up on the hope you have because one day we will be reunited and you will sit upon the same throne as your father, and my father have as well as the great men and women of the Potter family before us. You'll be a great man Harry…however you must finish schooling which means you must get to class.' Harry's body tenses at the familiar presence in his mind and he frowns at the admonished tone his Uncle was using with him before he chuckles and stands to heads toward his first class his quite thoughts running away from him as he glides through the groups less aware of their wide eyes then he should have been.
He arrived in his first class and looked around for Ron. His eyes land on him but he turns to find Hermione waving him over to her. Smiling brightly in her direction he strides toward her and she giggles softly before tweaking his glasses on his face lightly to even them out. Her lovely eyes glimmer back at him and he can't resist the urge to smile. This was his Hermione…the girl he was destined to be with seeing as Luca was his cousin and he most certainly wasn't gay with Nev or Dray.
The professor walks in and they all settle into their seats in a semi-quiet that often unnerved the young Potter male. A slight burn in his scar begins but instead of ignoring it, as he usually would have, he allows it to take over him as he stares at the back of Draco's head. Harry feels his pupils expand and his eyes widening only slightly before he's thrown away from his body and into another's mindscape.
Snows settled heavily all around him coating the small rolling field as well as the peaks of the mountains in the distance. It was white as far as the eye could see and there was nothing more or less than snow. Footprints appear before Harry and he hesitantly follows them not sure whose mind he had accidentally entered. Slowly the footsteps lead him to a high tree that seems much higher than all the rest with fleck of brilliant green in them. Reaching up his figners brush the snow off one branch and he watches in wonder as all the snow seems to melt leaving behind a beautiful and vibrant evergreen. Turning Harry watches once more as the snow quickly recedes across the mindscape revealing the rolling ground of a large evergreen patch on the side of a green mountain. He takes off in a quick sprint following the snow as it crosses the rolling fields brightening it with lovely flowers in all different vibrant shades and plants. Spinning around in the center slowly, Harry feels the presence of someone else enter the mindscape and he turns sharply to stare at Nev.
"Thank-you Harry…you have no idea how amazing it feels to remember my parents. Even what little thing I do see I know that they loved me more than I can fathom. Gran always told me that Bellatrix made them go insane but for some reason I didn't believe her or anyone else for that matter…thanks to you I don't feel so crazy." Harry notices everything wavering and quickly begins casting a charm on Nev to keep his appearance in tact. He's thrust sharply from Nev's mind and notices the worry seeping into the gaze of Hermione. Her eyes trace and retrace him quickly deciding what exactly happened before she pats his hand idly and returns to her work. Harry finds his own hand scribbling away lightly on the paper something he hadn't noticed but was thankful for either way. 'You are growing more adept at using your powers nephew…if you are able to functions while in the minds of others you are truly learning. The kidnapping is all set up tonight…be prepared.'
The bell rings signaling the end of the class and I gather my things and turn to leave only to be bumped into by Draco who sneers in my direction. "Watch where you're going, Potter!" I sigh and shake my head when I notice the small tilt of his lips before he disappears toward the potions room. Hermione and I wait patiently for Ron as he bumbles around complaining about anything and everything. I'm half surprised that Hermione hasn't lost her patience with him yet.
"Ronald would you stop complaining like a three year old…if you would actually listen in class instead of sleeping you'd do just fine." I suppose I spoke too soon.