Title: Kiss.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Supernatural/General.

Summary: When a dementor tried to Kiss Harry Potter, it got more than it bargained for. And Harry did not walk away unaffected. Don't own Harry Potter.

Warning: a few swear words and bad language.

Chapter 24: Hostility and Hugs.

Lily and James longed to be reunited fully with the son they missed, but they wanted him to live first.

The few weeks between Halloween and the first task went too fast for Harry's comfort and somehow managed to feel much too long as well. The hostile first few days were reminiscent of his second year, when he had been suspected of setting a monster on muggleborns. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, believing him guilty of submitting his name and stealing Cedric's glory had turned a cold shoulder on him and the Slytherins were merciless in their taunting.

Students could be so fickle with their opinion, Harry thought in his misery; supporting him when he won them points and turning on him when something like this happened. They should know him well enough by now to realise that he wouldn't attempt to, nor be able to trick the Goblet into selecting him as a champion. Ron's behaviour made it feel worse.

By Hermione's advice, he wrote to Sirius about the incident, and hoped he wouldn't come barging into the castle after just Harry's scar twinging had brought him back to England.

To everyone in Care of Magical Creatures' horror, the Howarts Random Hug Day struck on the day they had class. Hogwarts Random Hug Day was always in November, and on a different day every year, so no one could hide from it. What happened was that, due to a curse no one was able to remove (Dumbledore claimed it was beyond his power, but people had their doubts about that), from Midnight to Midnight on one day in November, people would be forced to hug others at random times.

So far that morning, Harry had been cursed to hug Hermione, Ron, all his dorm mates and several random people in the corridors. Upon arrival at Care of Magical Creatures he and Hermione saw Draco Malfoy and his cronies at Hagrid's house. Draco had just finished making unpleasant remarks about how Harry was going to die in the Twiwizard Tournament when the five of them were pulled into a group hug. Harry was almost able to laugh at Draco's horrified expression. His amusement didn't last long, however, when Hagrid announced to the class that they would be walking the blast-ended skrewts. Attaching the leads around their middles and trying to walk them was dangerous enough without the curse in place that day.

While tackling a particularly large skrewt together, he and Harry talked about the Tournament. It was relieving to know his friend believed him, and the curse-hug they shared wasn't entirely forced. The following one with the skrewt that was now over three feet long and resembled a gray, scaly scorpion/crab hybrid was not so friendly. The rest of the class kept getting dragged off their feet whenever their skrewts shot off with a bang, and many of them got pulled into the dreaded curse induced hugs.

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The days after that were equally as stressful, some of the worst Harry had experienced at Hogwarts. The dislike and negativity bombarding him would have been much easier to handle if Ron had been on his side. Hermione, who he had been spending more time with (and studying more with) had to remind him to eat. Harry could never eat well under pressure.

There was an outburst just before a Double Potions lesson; a class that was normally an awful experience and had become worse than a whole summer at the Dursleys.

Support Cedric Diggory-

the real Howarts Champion!

The glowing red letters seared though the gloomy dungeon corridor. Draco was happy to show off the badges' other feature, the glowing green:

Potter Stinks

Harry felt an embarrassed and angry heat burn his face and neck. Hermione's response was a sarcastic,

'Oh really funny. Very witty.'

Ron didn't laugh with the Slytherins or stand against them. Draco set off Harry's temper then by offering Hermione a badge, and a derogatory insult. People nearby scrambled out of the way as wands were drawn, for good reason. After the rivals made eye contact, they acted at the same second and launched their jinxes. The lights of magic hit each other and bounced off to hit the walls, then stuck the casters, along with Goyle and Hermione.

It turned out that Draco's 'Densaugeo!' had hit himself and Hermione, making their teeth grow down past their chins. Harry's 'Furnunculus!' got Goyle, and himself, giving them both boils on their noses. It wasn't pretty.

'And what is going on here?' Snape's tone as he arrived was soft and deadly. So were farts, but Snape was far deadlier than those.

Draco tried to tell his Head of House what had happened but hampered by his teeth, he failed to make any intelligible sound. Pansy Parkinson, who was fawning worriedly over him shrieked,

'Potter attacked him Professor!'

'We attacked each other at the same time!' Harry defended himself. 'He got Hermione and himself!'

'Silence!' Snape pointed to Draco and Goyle. 'You two. Hospital Wing now.'

As the Slytherin boys left, Harry took Hermione by the arm and headed in the same direction.

'And just where are you and Miss Granger going, Potter?'

Trying to calm down and not pick at his boils, Harry called 'Hospital Wing,' over his shoulder.

'Is that really necessary?' Snape sneered coldly. 'I see no difference.'

Most of the Slytherins, especially the girls, sniggered helplessly.

'Fuck you,' Harry hissed venomously, at the same time as Ron, who also had several other outraged things to say. For good measure, Harry added the finger.

He heard Snape and Hermione make a choked noise.

'Potter, Weasley, fifty points from Gryffindor and detention,' Snape said when the echoes faded. 'Now everyone get inside before it's detentions for a week!'

Harry and Hermione turned and continued walking to the Hospital Wing. Harry was shaking with fury. That bullying, slimy, sneering git! How dare he! How could Snape get away with his behaviour? If only Harry could do the cruciatus curse, he'd have horrible bastard twitching on the floor in agony, just like the spider... And when Ron had been yelling, it had felt like things were normal between them again...

As they climbed stairs and he thought of Ron (not that He'd admit to missing him) Harry's rage cooled. Slowly. He remembered the odd noise Snape and Hermione had made he swore. It wasn't like his Potions teacher to have such a reaction to foul language.

'Hey Hermione?'

She looked at him and blinked teary eyes. Her hands were covering her mouth.

'Are you okay? Do your teeth hurt?' he asked.

She shook her head, then pointed to his nose.

'No, they just itch.' He poked one. 'Ow. That was stupid.'

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'Malfoy had better not try anything when we get to the Hospital Wing,' Harry growled.

They turned into a new corridor.

'I can't believe he gets away with that!' At Hermione's enquiring look he specified. 'Snape. He's a bloody teacher- he's not supposed to bully kids like that.'

Hermione, who usually defended the teachers when Harry or Ron badmouthed them, nodded angrily.

'Just because he and my dad hated each other at school...' Harry muttered. 'By the way, how come you two choked when I swore at him? You, I can understand but he normally just takes points and puts me detention.'

Hermione looked and sounded like she really wanted to be able to talk so she could explain why. She made an attempt, then made a hissing sound and pointed at Harry's mouth.

'Um, something I said?' Harry frowned, then it clicked. 'Oh! Was I- was I speaking Parsletongue?'

Hermione nodded.

'Right. I didn't notice. No wonder then.' Harry shoved his hands in his pockets to keep them away from his face. 'I was just swearing at him. Did anyone else hear?' He hoped not. People got freaked out when he spoke the language of snakes. It was annoying.

Hermione shook her head again. It had been hard to hear Harry's angry hissing over Ron's English yelling. She heard because she was right next to him and Snape- well, he had good hearing. It frightened students. Everyone got the gist anyway. The finger said the same thing in any language.

Madam Pomfrey was shrinking Draco's teeth back to normal when they arrived.

'Mr. Potter, Miss Granger,' she acknowledged them without stopping the charm. 'Sit on a bed and wait for me. Quietly. If there is any more jinxing you'll be scrubbing bedpans.'

Harry and Hermione perched on a bed closer to the entry/exit while Madam Pomfrey worked. When Draco's teeth were done, he stood aside and waited for Goyle to be treated. He sneered at the Gryffindors, but no one made an offensive move. Bedpan scrubbing wasn't worth it.

Goyle fidgeted as the counter-jinx was applied to his face. When his boils were gone, a potion was dripped on to sooth the itching.

'Hold still Miss Granger,' Madam Pomfrey stood in front of Hermione and aimed her wand. 'Watch this,' she placed a round mirror in the girl's hand, 'and tell me when your teeth are at their usual size.'

The nurse began shrinking the elongated incisors. They slowly receded up Hermione's chin, past her lips and finally stopped, leaving her smile back to normal, although it looked a little different than Harry remembered.

Then the curse made Hermione reach out and hug their nurse.

'Sorry Madam Pomfrey!' Hermione squeaked.

'That's alright,' Madam Pomfrey said, smiling. 'Mr. Malfoy was also appreciative enough to hug me.'

Harry sniggered.

'Your turn now, Mr. Potter.'

She was removing his boils when Colin Creevey entered the Hospital Wing.

'Madam Pomfrey,' he beamed. 'I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs when you're done.'

'What for, Mr. Creevey?'

'Mr. Bagman wants him,' the beaming boy told her. 'All the champions have to go, I think they want to take photos.'

Harry groaned.

'Very well. Wait a minute for me to finish this.'

Colin sat on the bed next to Harry and Hermione and swung his legs.

'What happened to you, Harry?' he asked. 'It looks sore.'

'Had a fight.'

'Oh, wow. What was it like? Did you win? Can I take a picture?'

'No.'

'Quiet please, Mr. Potter,' Madam Pomfrey put her wand down and picked up the dripper. She dipped it into a vile of light green liquid and, sucked it up, and squeezed drops of it onto Harry's nose. It felt cold, and dried almost immediately.

'You may go now, and at least make an attempt to stay out of trouble!'

The three of them were shooed out, and cursed into a three-way hug.

Colin giggled from in between the fourth years. 'I love this hug-spell thing!' he said. 'It's so funny! I saw Professor Flitwick and Hagrid hugging this morning at breakfast-'

Many people had seen that and found it funny. Little Flitwick had been almost completely hidden in Hagrid's embrace.

'And Professor McGonagall and Trelawney had to hug when they left the Hall! I got a picture of that!'

Harry wandered how many people would ask for copies.

'See you later, Harry,' Hermione smiled and walked away, leaving Harry to fend for himself with the hyperactive third year.

'I also got one of Ron and Professor Snape! Fred and George have ordered copies!'

Harry remembered that. Before Snape had frozen it dead with one of his most potent glares, most of Gryffindor table had been laughing their arses off at the odd couple. Thank god he wasn't allowed to issue detention for curse-induced hugs.

'So,' Colin changed the subject, 'It's amazing! You being chosen as a champion.'

'Yeah,' Harry muttered. 'Amazing. I'm so excited about the high chance of me dying... What do they photos for, Colin?'

'The Daily Prophet, I think.'

'Yay.'

'Good luck Harry!' Colin left when he'd brought Harry to the right room.

Harry knocked and entered. The room was a small classroom with most of the desks and chairs pushed against the walls, save for a few set out in the middle of the floor and draped in dark velvet.

Victor Krum was standing in the corner closest to Harry and got pulled into a curse-hug with him.

'Sorry,' Harry mumbled, embarrassed. 'It's the curse.'

The Bulgarian was a head taller than him, a bit shorter than Cedric and Fleur and had a lean-ish build common for quidditch seekers. Harry still felt small in their tangle, though.

Victor grumbled 'It is alright,' and stepped back when the minimum three seconds were up. 'That has been happening all day.'

'Yeah. No one knows how to get rid of it.' Harry was willing to bet that the older champions had been followed by students hoping for a hug.

Fleur and Cedric were chatting in the middle of the room, being watched by the photographer. Fleur looked happier than she'd been before and often tossed her long, silvery hair back so it caught the light.*

Ludo Bagman suddenly noticed Harry and pulled him further into the room.

'At last, Harry! Champion number four! Come on, nothing to worry about, it's just the Wand Weighing Ceremony.'

Harry remembered that Bagman was an enthusiastic man by nature, and enjoying his job. After all, he wasn't the under-age kid being forced to compete in a dangerous Tournament and putting up with three houses full of dislike. So of course he wasn't joining Harry in his angst.

'Wand Weighing?' Harry asked nervously.

'We have to check that your wands are working right,' Bagman explained. 'No problems, because they are your most important tool in the Tournament. Dumbleodre's with the expert upstairs right now- whoops! I remember Hogwarts Hug Day,' he chuckled. Bagman was also taller than Harry, once again the shortest person in the room.

'One of my favourite days of the year! Now, there's also going to be a little photo shoot,' he indicated at the photographer, 'And this is Rita Skeeter, whose going to do a small article for the Daily Prophet.'

'Maybe not so small,' Rita Skeeter said. Her eyes were on Harry, and he hoped he wouldn't have to hug her.

The reporter had blond hair set in stiff, elaborated curls which looked strange around her heavy jawed face. Her glasses were jewelled and her nails were like crimson talons, clutching a crocodile-skin handbag. She was wearing magenta robes, which reminded Harry of Gilderoy Lockhart vaguely.

'Perhaps I could have a little word with Harry before we get started?' she said to Bagman, but keeping her eyes on Harry. 'The youngest champion you know, to a add a little spice.'

'Of course!' Bagman agreed. 'If Harry has no objections, that is.'

'Um-'

'Lovely!' Like a crocodile snapping up its prey, Rita's talons snatched Harry's arm strongly and she steered him away, out of the room.

'It's much too noisy for an interview in their,' she remarked, opening the door of a broom cupboard.

Harry stared at her.

'Oh lovely. Come along dear.' Rita perched herself on an upturned bucket with an air of practise and pushed Harry down onto a cardboard box. When she closed the door they were thrown into darkness. This was weirder than any experience Harry had had in his own cupboard at Privet Drive.

'Let's see now...' the snapping sound of an opening handbag preluded several candles floating into the air and being lit by magic.

'You don't mind if I use a quick-quotes-quill, do you?' Rita asked. 'It leaves me free to speak normally.'

'A what?' It sounded rather like the quill he'd seen an older Ravenclaw student use in the library.

Rita's smile widened. Three gold teeth were visible. She pulled a long, acid-green quill out of her handbag and a roll of parchment, which was placed on the crate of Mrs Shower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover between them. She sucked on the tip of the quill and placed it on the parchment, where it stood up on its own and scribbled.

The interview started with a drearily familiar question:

'So, Harry, why did you decide to enter the Twiwizard Tournament?'

Five minutes of protesting his innocence later, Professor Dumbledore opened the cupboard, much to Harry's relief. It was spoiled slightly by the three of them being forced to hug. Harry had to keep his mouth shut so no silvery beard or blond curls got in.

'Happy Hogwarts Random Hug Day,' Dumbledore said.

Back in the classroom, the judges (Ludo Bagman, Mr. Crouch, Dumbledore, Madam Maxime and Karkaroff) had all arrived, and so had the wand expert: Mr. Ollivander.

Harry was surprised to see him. The old man with large, pale eyes stepped out from by the window to began checking their wands.

'Nine and quarter inches,' he murmured, twirling Fleur's wand between his long fingers. Pink and gold sparks came out of the end. 'Rosewood, inflexible... Containing, dear me,'

'A veela 'air,' Fleur told him. 'From my grandmuzzer.'

Part-veela, huh.

'Yes,' Oliivander said. 'I don't use them myself. I find them a bit tempermental, however, each to their own...'

Mr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, feeling for bumps and nicks. Eventually, he muttered, 'Orchideous,' and several flowers emerged from the tip, which were given to Fleur with her wand back.

He checked over Cedric's wand next. Ash, springy, twelve and quarter inches and containing the tail hair of a particularly fine male unicorn.

Harry noticed that his wand was covered in fingerprints, like the inside of a clean nose. Gold sparks came out when he tried to rub it clean.

Victor's wand was inspected next. A Gregorovich creation, it was a dragon heartstring and hornbeam combination, ten and quarter inches, rigid.

Harry's wand was last and looked over the longest. He was very thankful Ollivander did not tell everyone that the pheonix feather core in his holly, eleven inches long wand was brothers with Voldemort's wand. He shuddered to think how much Rita Skeeter would love to know that. He hadn't told anyone about it really. People didn't need to know and worry, and the connection wasn't something that could be helped.

Finally, they were all made to sit and pose for photos. Fleur and Karkaroff enjoyed it the most out of everyone. Harry found the experience uncomfortable, different than the friendlier photos he'd been in with his friends. He almost wished he could just space out again until they were done.

Victor, who Harry thought would be used to this, also appeared unhappy. He slouched in the back, half hidden by the shadow of Madam Maxime.

When the photos were done at last, and after being forced to hug Cedric and Fleur, Harry went to dinner. Hermione was with Ron for now and he ate alone.

After dinner, Ron told him he'd had an owl, which had a letter from Sirius. Too tempted by the answer to either talk to Ron or hit him, Harry took the letter from the barn owl and read it.

It told him to be the Common Room on the twenty second of November.

The last thing Harry did before going to meditation (difficult these days) and sleep was write about the number of and of any unusual space outs in the health diary Healer Nathaniel gave him.

I've had four space outs in two days that felt cold and depressing. I think it's because I'm so depressed anyway.

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Extra: November 1991- Hogwarts Random Hug Day.

When Harry tumbled out of bed that morning, he wasn't expecting to feel a pulling sensation pull him into a hug with Ron, who was still in bed, which didn't release them for three seconds.

'Uh, good morning Harry,' the ginger said.

'Morning Ron,' Harry mumbled.

The same thing happened when he was dressed and walking past Neville's bed.

'Hi Harry,' he said shyly when the hug woke him up.

'Hi Neville,' Harry said, now getting embarrassed.

It wasn't until Dean, Seamus and Ron found themselves hugging each other that someone asked what the hell was going on.

In the Common Room, students were randomly embracing each other and complaining half-heartedly.

'It's Hogwarts Random Hug Day,' Katie explained. 'It's a curse that makes people hug each other at random. Before you ask, no one knows how to stop it.'

'Expect maybe Dumbledore,' said one of the Weasley twins.

'But he says he can't,' said the other twin. They were tangled together.

'Hey, there's Percy.'

'Let's go share the fun with him, Forge.'

'Lead the way, Gred.'

Despite being unaccustomed to hugging, Harry mostly enjoyed himself that day. Being one of the shortest, smallest students in school, he was easily dwarfed by most teachers and students. This was embarrassing when hugging Hermione and the other first years girls, funny when Professor Flitwick's head barely reached his chest, and a bit intimidating when embracing tall people like Mr. Filch, Professor McGonagall, Terrence Higgs and Professor Snape.

Higgs squeezed him much more tightly than was necessary when they walked past each other in a corridor, lifting him right off his feet. Snape had a look of horror on his sallow face when he was forced to embrace Harry during Potions. Easily holding the light Gryffindor in his arms, he glared at the giggling and gasping students. After five seconds he was able to put Harry down and storm away. Harry noticed the man limping.

That afternoon, he had to hug Professor Quirril during DADA. The Defence teacher had been walking past him when he was tugged down onto the seat and wrapped his arms around his student.

Harry immediately got a headache. Quirril's purple turban was right next to his face, smelling strongly of garlic. It gave him the heeby-jeebies. They were both relieved when the curse released them.

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*There's a video of my old choir singing that made us laugh because someone in the soprano section tossed their hair and it spread down the rows like a Mexican wave. Lol.