As of 05/10/15, this story is officially up to date!
Harry's missing.
'Harry!' I'm yelling, desperately.
'Haaaaarryyy...' Susan calls, her voice almost ghostly.
Seriously. Is she kidding?
'Really?' Daphne admonishes, looking at Susan sternly with an eyebrow raised. 'That's how you're going to look for him?'
God damn, we have bigger priorities here people! I can't believe he ran away, we were doing so well. Harry'd grown a little; we think the potion, or whatever crap Neville spilt over him is beginning to wear off. His speech had improved, and I merely suggested that we should get him some books to read, and maybe some worksheets, or textbooks... Well, I digress. The point is, he disappeared. He was asleep when I came up to bed, and the next morning i woke up and he's gone.
Daphne says in a tone reminiscent of that which I'd use speaking to Ron, 'Didn't you think to inform Dumbledore, or someone?'
That does sound like a good idea. I turn to instruct them to go to Dumbledore's office when-
'And then, she gave me sweeties, and a cuddly giraffe to play with, and she told me lots about my mummy!'
'That sounded wonderful, Harry! At least you didn't run into any snozzywu-'
'Harry! There you are!'
I cut Luna off, before she goes off on one about some other imaginary creature she's so obviously invented, and grab Harry's hand. Marching him back to the three of us, I'm so incensed. Where the hell had he been? What was he doing with Luna Lovegood? Was she his new mummy? I grab his shoulders and I admonish him forcefully, because I'm that stressed out. I'm telling him how worried he'd made everyone, and how dangerous he'd been, when I realise he'd started to cry. I, his favourite, had made him, my loving charge, cry. He was begging me to forgive him, though his words were unrecognisable amid his fearful wails. He's even dropped the - and I do have the heart to admit it - adorably-cute stuffed giraffe toy, as he grasped onto the hem of my school robes. He was so upset, he was so frightened! But I hadn't noticed quickly enough; absolutely in despair, he dejectedly lets go of me and sprints back to Luna, and she picks him up - a more hefty job now that he's grown - and cradles him as he sobs.
'I'm so sorry!' Harry's still crying.
'She knows, Harry, she knows, but you don't have to be afraid.'
'What-what if...' He says quietly, the rest his words whispered into Luna's ears.
But I hear them. Did he just say what I think he just said? I can't believe I made him possibly think that!
'No, Harry, Hermione would never hit you!' Luna insists, squeezing tightly before setting him back on his feet.
'Are you sure?' Harry asks, too hesitantly for anyone's liking.
Luna looks up at me, and grabs my eyes in a deadly lock with her own.
Almost sternly, she says, 'I'm sure you'd like to hear all about Harry's wonderful day, wouldn't you Hermione?'
The light stress on her words makes me blink, and I rush forward to kneel in front of Harry - who shies away. Maybe I was too tough on him. He stays by her side and holds onto Luna's hand like a lifeline as he wipes his face with his shrunken-to-size school robe. The other girls know that I'm going to have to work really hard to get him back on my side, and so back off a little. Am I really this bad a carer? Will I become this shit a mother? When Harry gets better, we're going to have a long chat about both his relatives and how he thinks I'd behave towards children...
'Yes, go on, Harry.' I goad, trying to take his hand. 'I want to know who gave you this adorable giraffe.
'His name is James.' Harry says softly, looking over my shoulder at the toy that's still on the floor behind me.
Daphne shoots forwards, and picks up the toy before handing it back to Harry. The face she's got on, I can tell she's conflicted, wondering in her head if Harry's being a crybaby or if he's really that damaged. I'm his best friend, I already knew enough- I am being sensitive, right? Couldn't hurt to be a bit more, I suppose...
'Thank you.' He says, before clutching it tightly by the neck against his chest.
'So who introduced you to James?'
'Purfess... Prosffer- Ms. McGonagall.' He says, before looking at Luna, and then Daphne and Susan.
'That was very nice of her.' I say, trying to get the shakiness out of my voice. He says quietly
'His name wasn't James at first, but it was Giraffe, but I decided to give him a name. Things shouldn't be named what they are, like Giraffe, or boy...'
Why is it that I always break him? And what the hell is he doing clinging to Luna? I hope that didn't sound as jealous as I think it might.
Harry tells me reluctantly 'She... she gave me sweeties. I said that you said I wasn't allowed, but-'
'That's ok, you had fun though, right?' I ask, trying to make him happier again.
He nods minutely, and then asks 'Can we go now?'
It's with a heartbroken start that I realise he's asking Luna, and not me. I thought I was being a good role model, a model carer. Though they've never said it, I know Daphne and Susan think so too. Why doesn't Harry? Did what I said really shake him that hard. Oh, poor thing. Luna must be thinking along the same lines, because she looks at me. At least she's trying to help, but I think there's something I need to do first.
'Harry, will you forgive me? I was awfully mean to you, and I didn't mean to upset you.'
Harry retorts 'I wasn't upset!'
I sigh, and continue, 'Regardless, it was wrong of me to frighten you. I would never hurt you.'
He pauses to consider for a moment, looking at my feet like he doesn't believe me. That's so Slytherin, what the hell?! How can he hesitate like that?
Harry nods finally, and says 'Can we go now? I wanna take a nap,' he grabs my hand, and quickly adds 'please?'
At least he had the decency to look sheepish as I tightly squeeze his hand and walk with him, Daphne and Susan trailing quietly behind. How does he just, control us like that? Is it fair? It is, right? We aren't letting him walk all over us are we? Why don't I know already? As we walk, with me resisting his little tugs as he tries to drag me to bed, I look back to share a look with Daphne - who cringes. What had gone on back there, and why was is so quick to abate? I think Luna may have rubbed off on Harry, for he's now telling Susan about some of the creatures he wants to see when he's older. Susan chats with him, but he's still only holding my hand. Maybe I am still his favourite...
By his real bedtime, Harry's fine. He's curled up in my lap, like any regular day, dozing off. I tickle his nose, and he paws his face. He's zonked.
'Harry, is it time for bed?'
He yawns and answers my rhetorical question, 'Yeah.'
I get him to tiredly brush his teeth - all of which are perfectly aligned and free of decay (I am the daughter of two dentists) - and put his pyjamas on. He crawls into bed, and makes himself comfortable. I haven't really moved from my spot by the ensuite door, but I'm ready to go. I need to soak for a while, the day was stressful. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him staring at me.
'Harry?' I ask.
'Are you still mad at me?'
I shake my head quickly. 'No, honey, what makes you ask that?'
'You haven't tucked me in. Aunt Petunia says bad boys don't get tucked in, but you've tucked me in every night so I thought maybe I was good but now I know that I'm bad-'
'Shh, you're not bad. You're very good.' I say, rushing now to sort out the covers and plump his pillow.
He giggles as I tickle his tummy through the sheets, and he snuggles deeper. I quickly check to make sure his giraffe is within his reach before sitting on the edge of the bed. He's ready to get some rest now, so I kiss his forehead.
'Goodnight, Harrykins.'
'Night 'Mione.'
Sorry for the long delay, school's back on so I've been terribly busy. Anyway... hopefully people are notified that this has finally been updated (my bad) and they actually see it. I'd love to get feedback! Not just on this work either. I've got a few one shots that I'd like some more opinions over... and I've got some more that I'm ready to post. I might make a story completely full of one shots, we'll see. For this one, I'm thinking of doing requests. Any ideas? I'd like to update 'Fragile' too - it's kinda similar to this fic in a way. Reviews encouraged!
Thanks for reading,
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