Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers
Chapter 42
Ky's POV
"You know Luna says that they're the most likely creature to become Minister of Magic."
I jumped at the voice, straightening up from my bent over position and Buckbeak bristled slightly at the newcomer but he quickly regained his previous nonchalance at the recognition of a very familiar face... I however did not have the decorum of the hippogriff and had taken an unsteady step back that had my left calf hit one of the many large rocks that littered Hagrid's garden, but thankfully not at an angle that would uproot me...
My eyes narrowed at his sudden appearance, his raven hair sticking up stubbornly, his emerald orbs bright in the dark night... his lips were pulled into a wicked smirk and I fought the urge to take another step back at the startling effect that was a... predatory Harry Potter?
He walked forward, petting the hippogriff, "Of course, I doubt Buckbeak here has such rebellious thoughts, I think Luna might have just been expressing her opinion that a hippogriff could do a better job than Rufus Scrimgeor. Then again, she does think that he is a vampire. Strange, his rope's undone. I assume you found him and brought him back?"
I was stunned into silence... Harry was being extremely and highly disconcertingly chatty, "He was wondering over by the quidditch pitch."
His smirk grew as he busied himself with patting the grey hide of the hippogrif, "And you happen to bump into him? Of all the students in this school, my hippogriff managed to find you. Some might call that lucky?"
Was he drunk? His eyes did look quite glassy beneath its black wiry frames... and what on earth was he even doing here at this part of the night? I mean it was really late... like very late... he turned towards me, leaning his head against Buckbeak's side, the creatures orange eyes glancing at him in question as if he too was befuddled by his strange behaviour. "Out for a run?"
His emerald orbs roved over my bare legs, the baggy black running shorts exposed, previously covered by a long tracksuit pants that now lay abandoned in the Gryffindor change rooms... along with my broom. I had seen Buckbeak wandering the pitch through the window and found it odd enough to put my plans on hold to return him to his little padlocked patch. How he got out in the first place was beyond me, the rope wasn't torn, just undone, something I had been inspecting when Harry had appeared out of nowhere.
"No." Technically I was out for a fly, but then... that didn't happen, I wouldn't tell him though... his green eyes found mine and I crossed my arms, straightening to my full height, "And you?"
His long lips picked up at the edges as his eyes lowered, Harry was currently talking to my breasts... "Aragog died. Funeral. I'm here to offer condolences to Hagrid." With a jerky movement he turned around, jumping onto the Hippogriff with more grace than I thought it possible. Buckbeak tottered forward a few steps out of shock and then retreated back to his normal place as Harry held a hand out for me, "Get on."
Get on? What? Was he seriously asking me to get on Buckbeak with him? I couldn't even get on my broomstick what with my new fear of heights... or fear of falling... he wanted me to fly with him? Him my ex? Him who I haven't spoken to in weeks?
"Come on."
He extended his arm further and he was properly hanging off the creature's back and I walked forward almost magnetically, there was something about that lilt in his voice that pulled on all my nerve endings and suddenly all I wanted to do was fly away with Harry. I placed my hand in his, remembering what his mouth had done to said hand all those months ago and I quickly glanced down, pretending I was looking for a rock to get a footing on so I can jump on behind him.
Buckbeak trotted forward again at my added weight and I quickly lunged my arms around Harry's waist, my cheek resting on his left shoulder blade. This was madness? The soft breeze brought the smell of firewhiskey to my nostrils... was he drunk then? Yeah, that could probably be his excuse... but what was mine?
Without warning the wind struck my legs harshly and I gripped them tighter around the large creature, as Hagrid's small hut got considerably smaller as Buckbeak made his rocky ascension. I was flying. Flying on a hippogriff. With Harry. In the middle of the night... it's obvious I left my logic with my tracksuit pants back in the changing rooms.
"Miss Patel injured her leg when she had tripped, hence her inability to escape with the other students. I've given her skelegrow and it should be healed within a day, two at most considering the substantial bone replacement needed for the tibial fracture. The wound at her arm is very minor, splinch wound, I fear it must have been Mr Silver's first time conducting a side along apparition but he bore most of the brunt of the injury."
I glanced at the unconscious body next to sleeping Parvarti, he had been a bloody mess with a stump for a right arm...hopefully they can fix that... his dark hair stained black by contrast to his paler than would be considered healthy face.
His mother, a sobbing mess held up by the stern faced man with Silver's cool blue eyes, looked like she barely heard a word Madam Pomfrey had said. Mr and Mrs Patel however were seated grimfaced next to their daughter, listening attentively to each word Madam Pomfrey said as if waiting for further instructions on what to do.
I slithered off my bed, I had a small scratch on my arm courtesy of Jack Corner but Nonno had insisted that Madam Pomfrey give me a once over just to make sure I was indeed okay. His arrival in the castle not five minutes ago did much to appease the frightened students, calm them down some, and send them to bed, most of them sober now due to the adrenalin with the promise of punishment on the horizon. Nonno however had a long night ahead of him, parents, the ministry, everyone would have an absolute field day about this... Godric the Prophet, Salazar knows what those idiots would say.
"Good work today Thornton, just two injuries and zero fatalities, those are good results in any aurors book. Thought about it has a profession?"
Roger Davies gave me an appraising look, hindered slightly by the white bandage over his right eye, his left cheek crusted with dried blood and his left arm held in a sling, he was doing a good job of accumulating scars which I came to understand were something of a necessity for an auror.
"Not really." I shrugged, "Don't really think about life after this place." I was never much of a planner; I leaned against the wall outside the hospital wing as he mirrored my stance on the opposing surface.
He scoffed, "Yeah, I get what you're saying." He looked around the corridor wistfully, "Nothing prepares you for the other side. Especially at times like these."
I sighed, "Exactly. Which is I can't believe those twats decided to throw a freaking party. We weren't even allowed in Hogsmeade for scheduled school outings, with what happened to Katie... and that Brocklehurst girl..."
"We're not sure that either of those incidents are Death Eater related." He shrugged, looking down at the floor, "I don't advocate what they had done, but you must try and understand. You, and Harry Potter and from the information I am now privy to, his friends, are used to these kind of things. You've come to terms with this, you've had your time to grieve for the world you once knew. These kids haven't, most of them haven't had anything significant happen to them, accept the odd extra precaution due to You-Know-Who's return. They don't even know that we're on the brink of a full out war. This place does more than serve as your home for seven years, it encloses you in a cocoon of youthful immortality. You think death was on any of their minds tonight?" He glanced up at me, "I knew it wasn't on mine last year."
I let his words sink in... I guess there was some truth to it... Harry, Mi, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna and I were so involved, exposed to the epicentre of this whole thing... we've seen, we worry, we've mourned, we've fought... not everyone has had that bittersweet privilege to prepare themselves.
"Look," He kicked off the wall, his brown eyes were as sharp as always but it lacked the lascivious glint I was accustomed to, instead it was hollow... empty...Roger Davies, flirtatious, bordering on intrusively so, boy had died a long time ago, standing before me was a man whose seen, whose worried, who mourned, who was fighting...
"Keep your ears to the ground, I doubt anybody would be trying any of this again but just in case, you know what to do. You have good instincts Thornton, don't waste them. If you need anything, don't hesitate, they're going to be plenty of aurors around from now on..." He nodded and made to walk away.
"Roger." He turned around at my beckoning, "Thank you. For stopping me." If I'd run after Parvarti, if I ran back... if he didn't stop me... if he hadn't pulled me away...he acknowledged my words with a slow nod and continued his descent down the staircase.
"KY!"
I turned to the strained voice and was unsettled for a moment as slender arms flung around me, "Oh thank Godric!" Mi extricated herself from me to give me a once over, her hands patting the places her eyes were roving over to ensure that I was unharmed, she glanced at the Wing door, "I heard about Parvarti. And Alex. I can't believe this! I can't... I... their... I... I heard the Head prefects were even there!" Mi stated, aghast, "How could any of them condone such behaviour. I mean." She gripped my shoulders, her chocolate hues glittering with unshed tears, "Oh thank Godric."
"Hermione, love, Kitten's arms are going to fall off if you grip any tighter." She quickly let go of my arms and the blood flowed through my veins again and I let out a chuckle, Teddy smiled at me, comforting his girlfriend with an arm around her shoulder but the action might serve more to restrain her.
"OH MY FUCK." I was grabbed from the back and I felt the familiar cologne of Ron mingle with my hair as he hugged me, "OH fuck, I just heard, oh fuck." He gave me a rough kiss on the crown of my head, "Lavender knew the whole fucking time about this damned party and she never thought to mention it, what the fuck she-"
He froze and I glanced up at him over my shoulder has his blue eyes finally left my face to fall on Mi... and Teddy...
"What the fuck is this?" I rubbed my cheek against his shirt as specks of spittle hit me at his outrage.
Mi's face lost all softness and I could see her body straighten up, preparing for battle, "Language Ronald. You really should carry-"
"What the fuck is he doing here?" Ron let go of me and took a threatening step forward yet Teddy didn't react except for the smile on his face lessening into a smirk.
"He is here to check on Ky, Ronald." Mi took in a deep breath as if to fuel her confidence, "Not that he needs your permission to be here."
"Well that's all well and good Hermione but why is this snake scum's fingers all over you?" Ron's back was now in front of me as he took another step and Mi bristled in anger.
"He is NOT scum, Ronald, If anybody's public appearance of fingers should be questioned it should be-"
Ron took another step forward and I reached out to grab his shirt, but I bumped into another body who had beaten me to it, "Ron, this isn't the time, nor is it the place."
His green eyes met my own fleetingly and Ron didn't seem to care much for Harry's deterring action. Mi stepped forward, taking a deep breath and Harry held his hand up before she could utter a word, but it was Teddy that spoke. He let go of Mi, placing a chaste kiss on the side of her forehead and turned back to me, "You'll have to excuse me. I have matters to tend to. Kitten, I'm pleased to find you unharmed. Harry."
And with one last squeeze of Mi's shoulder and not once making note of Ron's existence, he was gone.
"What the fu-"
"First of all Ronald, if you are going to speak to me in such a manner, DO NOT waste your breath because I will not stand here and be verbally abused by the likes of you!"
"But you'll stand there and let Nott have his way with you!"
"HAVE HIS WAY WITH ME! Theodore is my boyfriend and what we do and do not do is NONE of YOUR business!"
"BOYFRIEND! Since bloody when! What in Godric's Gonads is going on with you Hermione." Ron turned to Harry, his face as red as his hair, "Are you listening to this?"
"Ron," Harry's eyes were currently focused on my right arm, my sleeve was slightly pulled up and the fresh scar was coated with salve, "You need to calm down. Who Hermione dates is really none of-"
"YOU KNEW!" He gasped, his eyes found mine momentarily after leaving his best friend's but he didn't pose the accusatory question to me as well, obviously knowing my being informed on such a thing should not even need questioning.
He turned to Mi, his eyes watering with anger. "So much for being best friends! What else do you lot gossip about behind my back?"
"I would have happily informed you Ronald if I thought you would have handled the information-"
"Because you know what you're doing is wrong!"
"No because I know how immature you are! That you would overreact like this!"
"Overreact! I find out my best friend is dating a fucking Slytherin piece of shit and you expect me –"
"DO NOT call him that!"
"How would you feel if you found out your supposed BEST FRIEND-"
"STOP!" I screamed, "JUST STOP IT!"
Ron quickly turned around, his cheeks losing some of the redness and he took a comforting step towards me as if just recalling why he was outside the Hospital Wing at one in the morning. "Ky-"
"NO!" My stomach burned with anger, "WE'RE not BEST friends!" I screeched, "I don't even think we're even friends! When's the last time the lot of us have done ANYTHING together. WE don't even sit together in classes!"
He hung his head, taking a defeated step back and I already regretted the words that just fell out, I sounded petty but this was my honest feelings.
"Ky's right." Mi's lips were trembling, "The only time we speak is when Harry relays information about his lessons. Like some kind of business meeting." She bit her lip, "Ronald, I am sorry that I didn't tell you about Theodore earlier. I wanted to, I just... I just... he's not a bad person Ron. He's good. And he treats me right. And I just didn't want to-"
Mi stopped as Ron turned on his heel, rushing down the corridor, her mouth hanging open at his stubborn action.
"I'm going to go check on him." Harry's eyes met mine one more time before pursuing his best friend.
"Can you believe him?" Mi gasped.
"Actually I would be more shocked if he took it well. What's going on with us?"
She clutched her head, "I think we've all chosen partners that the other can't stand. I mean Ron can't stand Theodore and I already spend enough time with Lavender during the night, I don't need to dine with her and well Harry and Gin-"
"I mean with you and me?" I gulped, licking my lips.
She froze, her brown orbs widening slightly, "What do you mean?"
"You've been avoiding me for weeks."
"No, no I haven't." She let out a weak laugh, "No. I've just been busy with homework and Theodore and pref-"
I shrugged, already regretting voicing my thoughts, and walked ahead. Mi was lying, and somehow that hurt more than it should in its unnaturalness. She was avoiding me. There was no reason why we couldn't hang out, but every time I wanted to chill with her in the library, she would say she was with Teddy. Well yesterday Teddy visited me in my lab when he was 'supposed' to be with Mi. I don't know why she would lie. Was my personality so macabre of late that I was pushing away my best friend.
"Ky-"
"We better get up to the dorms. Parvarti's going to need some clothes sent down and Bobby is going to be an unhelpful sobbing mess."
"Ky." I turned at the soft fingers around my elbows and I saw an absolutely pained look on Mi's face. Her eyes were wide and she was biting her lip with such force it looked like it might bleed, she looked... conflicted. "I...I...I'm so sorry. I'm a horrible friend, Ron's right."
I sighed, "No. No. You're not. I'm... crap to be around. I don't blame you-"
"NO!" She shook her head vigorously, "No. It's not your fault. I... Everything will be OK." She nodded her head positively, "Soon, everything will be OK Ky. You, me, Harry, Ron... we ARE best friends. Whether we dine together or not, whether we don't agree with our choice of partners... we're going to be OK. Everything will be fine."
I nodded in agreement, knowing that it was now me who was lying to her.
Although the confrontation was awkward it did end up being fruitful. Ron had made an effort to not air his views about Teddy, choosing to feign politeness at breakfast which we had all made a concerted effort to pitch up at. Actually breakfast slowly became the best meal of the day, as all of us Gryffindor sixth years decided to start the day off together, which cheesy it might be was actually quite fun. Adding Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvarti and Bobby to the mix did help dilute the tension I felt at having Ginny there and helped distract Ron enough so as to not glare at the Snake table too often.
I smiled into Harry's shoulder blade as the wind tickled my cheeks, his body outlined ethereally by moonlight and my throat constricted at the sight that was our castle, with the black night has it's back drop, the Black Lake at its feet... star sitting atop it like a crown.
I tightened my grip on Harry as Buckbeak begun his descent, I wasn't afraid though. I was in good hands. I let out a giggle as Harry jumped off, jostled slightly on his landing and I followed suit.
I took in our surroundings as Buckbeak pecked at the floor, this was the little island Linus, Len and I sat at all those months ago, in the middle of the Black Lake, lost in the picturesque view of the castle in the distance.
"I can't believe we have only a year left at this place." I could feel his voice more than hear it but I didn't move, something about Harry felt right tonight. It was almost intoxicating... magnetic...
"I can't believe I'm even here." I sighed, "What if I had looked left. What if I continued looking left, out of that car window, never noticing this castle... never feeling its pull..."
"It would have found you somehow Ky. I'm sure of it. Even if it had to hunt you down, it would have found you." I looked at the bed of moist grass at me feet, I knew what he was saying... he would have found me. I understood the truth just like I understood Mi's lies all those days ago... yet somehow I didn't shy away from it. It didn't anger me. It was almost as if it was exactly what I wanted to hear. Needed to hear.
I leaned my head back and I felt the familiar thud, I could smell his musky scent all over me, I knew if I moved my whole body backwards exactly which parts of me would meet parts of him...
We stood like that for moments, still as statues, mesmerised by the beauty of our home, lost in our memories... I felt like if I moved we'd fly back to reality. For some reason on this mysterious night, it's as if the last ten painful months had never been... like it was our first day back at Hogwarts, like every unlucky think that happened in between were just workings of my imagination.
"We should go back." I muttered.
"We should." He agreed.
But we didn't. We didn't move. We just stood there. Home ahead of me, love at my back and an inexplicably electric feel in the air surrounding me... comfortable in our youthful cocoon of immortality...
A/N: A Harry Ky chapter! How I enjoyed writing that! Ugh I miss them : ( Anyway's, please review with feedback!
Kalina