I don't own Harry Potter or Charmed
DZ2's Charmed Harry Challenge.
Plot: Through magical means in the midst of or following one of his adventures, Harry gains powers equal to those of a Wiccan, Demon or Angel.
The Tent was divided into cubicles; he could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least.
Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while. "Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky… this is very shallow… it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though…"
She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and he felt it heal instantly. "Now , just sit quietly for a minute - sit! And then you can go and get your score".
As Madam Pomfrey bustled over to the next cubicle, her voice magically cutting off as she pulled the canvas around his cubicle shut, Harry only hesitated for a mere second before disobeying her and sliding off the bed and to his feet.
Gingerly poking at his shoulder, only a dull ache betraying the previous injury, Harry drew his wand and whispered out a freezing charm at the cubicle 'door'. Glancing around innocently, he began inspecting his clothes, sniffing at them hesitantly and sneezing at the strong scent of ashes and fire.
How was he still alive?
The Horntail had unleashed a stone-melting cone of fire straight into Harry's face, and yet it had only warmed him up. He had walked through a blast of dragon fire without even a scorch mark to show for it, not even his clothes, wand, or Firebolt showed any signs of being incinerated.
Beginning to pace as the adrenaline rushing through his body got the better of him, Harry dropped his wand onto the bed and raised his hands, staring at them as if he could actually see the burning flames he felt surging through his veins. Licking his lips with a nervous glance towards the cubicle entrance, Harry probed at the power he could feel within him, eyes widening as he felt it rolling up his arm when he flexed his hand.
Flexing his hand again, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of power. He remembered when he was learning the Patronus charm last year, Professor Lupin had taught him how to feel his magic, saying it made casting such an emotional spell easier. But right now? This wasn't his magic, not entirely… it felt like it was attached to his magic only separate. Like non-identical twins, coming from the same source and being similar, but still having differences between each other.
Focusing on the way the new magic felt, Harry continued flexing his hand, trying to 'egg' the magic on to reach his hand the way he knew it wanted to. Footsteps made him stop quickly, releasing the magic into his body as he snatched up his wand and threw a counter-charm at the curtain in time for it to be torn open.
A shrieked "HARRY!" was all the warning he had before he had a mouthful of bushy brown hair, Hermione's arms wrapping painfully around his chest as she buried her face in his throat. "Oh Harry!" she blurted as she pulled her face away, refusing to unlock her arms as she at him with wild eyes and fingernail marks on her cheeks. "You were brilliant! You were amazing!" she exclaimed, a look of relief and fear flashing through her eyes.
"I'm also bruised" Harry gasped out as her arms tightened, making her jump back guiltily and pull her wand out, pulling his shirt up before he could stop her to inspect his chest.
"Oh my god Harry! What happened?" Hermione demanded as she started muttering and flicking her wand at him, "And why didn't Madam Pomfrey fix these?"
"Dragon to the chest" Harry deadpanned, causing Hermione to pause and scowl at him. "And I didn't say anything, I didn't even know it was that bad. Where did you learn healing spells anyway?" he asked curiously.
"I asked Madam Pomfrey after you agreed to let me train you" Hermione confessed, pulling his shirt down with a blush as she put away her wand.
A throat clearing pulled Harry's attention away from his best friend and up to the door, where the boy who once held that title was standing there with a face so pale he could blend into snow. "Harry" Ron blurted, staring at Harry as if he were a ghost, "Whoever put your name into that goblet… I uh… I reckon they were trying to do you in".
That was it? After all the shit that Ron had put him through since his name was pulled the Goblet of Fire, he thought that such a pathetic not-apology was good enough? He thought he could say that now, when he should have said it the night that Harry was forced into becoming a Champion?
A soft noise from Hermione made Harry realise that they were waiting for his response. "Caught on have you?" he said coldly, "Took you long enough".
As Hermione backed away from them, looking between the two boys nervously, Harry watched the emotion crossing Ron's face. The redhead looked constipated, his mouth opening and closing as words escaped him. He was going to apologize, Harry realised, and strangely enough he didn't need - no he didn't want - to hear it.
"It's okay" he interrupted as Ron's mouth opened again. "Forget it".
"No" Ron denied, "I shouldn't have".
"Forget it" Harry pressed, making Ron grin nervously at him as Hermione burst into tears. "What are you crying 'bout?" he asked her in confusion, eyeing her cautiously.
"You!" Hermione exclaimed, "You two are so stupid!"
Harry just snorted as Ron took a slow step forward. "No. Stupid would be if I forgave that bastard" he corrected simply making the redhead stop in his tracks.
"What?" Ron asked dumbly, even Hermione pausing and blinking at him in confusion.
"I said. 'Stupid would be if I forgave that bastard'" Harry repeated slowly, a sneer tugging at his lips as he glared at Ron. "You turned your back on me. You accused me of being a liar. You almost got me killed" he snarled out, "Why the hell would I ever forgive you?"
"Mr Potter!" Pomfrey's voice rang out, "I thought I told you to sit down?" the Medi-Witch snapped as she pushed him towards the bed again.
"Hermione made me move" Harry lied bluntly, causing the girl to squawk in mock outrage.
"I'm sure she did" Madam Pomfrey agreed knowingly, "Has a terrible mean streak she does. Hmmm, your shoulder looks fine. Does it hurt anymore?"
Rolling his shoulder obediently, Harry hoped the way he refused to even glance at Ron said it all, just so he didn't have to. "It's a little stiff, but it doesn't hurt. Hermione healed the bruises too" he answered.
As Madam Pomfrey scolded him for not mentioning the bruises, Harry just grinned at the half-scowling Hermione, pretending to not notice how she kept looking between him and Ron. "Alright Mr Potter, go get your scores now" she ordered, "I'm sure you're just shaking with excitement".
Grabbing his wand, Harry shrank his Firebolt and the Golden Egg and pocketed them, throwing his arm over Hermione's shoulder and pushing straight past Ron. "Harry?" his best friend whispered slowly, "Ron-".
"Doesn't matter" Harry interrupted loudly, "He betrayed me, I can't forgive that".
"Hey!" Ron snapped from behind them, "I said I was sorry! I made a mistake!"
"And I trusted you" Harry spat, turning to glare at the angry redhead, "So I guess we both made mistakes didn't we? You knew" he continued as Ron flinched. "You knew about the dragons and you didn't say anything. You and your jealousy could have gotten me killed"
"And I was wrong!" Ron shouted as he stepped forward, only to jolt back as the grass between him and Harry burst into flames.
Pausing for a moment to glance down at his clenched fist, feeling the non-magic in his veins humming loudly in response to the fire. "Yeah Ron" he agreed slowly as he decided to test this new form of magic later with Hermione's help. "You were wrong" he continued, not caring about the way all three Champions and Madam Pomfrey were watching them cautiously. "You also spent the last month pretending we were never friends, all because you were jealous of something you should have known I didn't want. Well guess what Ronald? You don't have to pretend anymore, we're over".
Slowly and purposely, Harry turned his back on Ron and continued to lead Hermione out of the tent, ignoring her quiet sniffles as he focused on calming himself down. "So uh" he forced out hesitantly, hoping that Hermione wouldn't leave him for the way he treated Ron, "What were the others like against their dragons?"
"Oh um, Cedric transfigured a dog" Hermione croaked out, "But the dragon went after him when he got too close to her nest. And Krum destroyed most of the eggs when he hit his dragon in the eyes with a spell. Oh! And Fleur used her allure on the dragon and it snored fire on her" she added with a hint of vindictiveness to her voice.
Neither of them spoke as they approached Professor McGonagall and let themselves be led back into the arena, standing on the edge of the 'battlefield' where Harry could now see the Judge's table at the far end of the stands. As the judges scored him, Harry found himself realising that he didn't actually care about his scores. He wasn't doing this for their scores, he was doing this to stay alive despite how much they wanted him dead.
He didn't let go of Hermione as Bagman explained the purpose behind the Golden Egg. And she clung to him just as tightly when Rita Skeeter asked for a quick word... Hermione chose the word 'Lawsuit' and promised Skeeter she'd be hearing the word again if she continued making up facts. The two of them had ignored the Weasley twins when they had innocently suggested they take the long way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, instead choosing to go sit under 'their' tree beside the lake.
"Harry" Hermione finally whispered, "Are you sure about Ron?"
Harry didn't reply straight away, instead staring out across the lake. "Would you trust Lockhart?" he asked instead, countering her question with another question, "Would you trust Wormtail? Professor Quirrell?"
"Of course not" Hermione scolded, "But that's different, they all tried to kill you. Ron didn't do it on purpose" she pointed out gently.
"Attempted manslaughter is still illegal" Harry argued, not wanting to raise his voice at his only and best friend. "I almost died Hermione. If I hadn't already known about the dragons, then I would have died. Ron knew that I would have to face dragons and he chose to say nothing. It might have been his inaction that killed me, but it would still have been his fault".
"Harry?"
"Drop it" Harry interrupted, not wanting to discuss it anymore. "We need to get to work on the Second Task".
"Fine" Hermione agreed, plucking the Golden Egg from his hands and setting it down in her lap. "We're talking about this later though" she promised warningly, "But first let's try keep you alive".
"Where would I be without you Hermione?" Harry mumbled slowly, watching as the only person he trusted worked to keep him safe.
"Dead" Hermione deadpanned, "Or extremely inju- wait no… you'd be dead" she declared without looking up.
"Thank you" Harry blurted, "Seriously… thank you for everything".
"What are friends for?" Hermione asked with a blush, "And thank you too, you were my first friend".
Reaching out, Harry took the Golden Egg from Hermione and placed it down beside him, pulling Hermione against his side instead. "Not tonight" he murmured as she raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Let's just relax tonight".
"Fine. But I want your transfiguration essay done by lunch tomorrow" Hermione muttered, leaning against his side as they sat there, watching the calming surface of the lake.
"Yes Ma'am, Professor Granger" Harry teased.
"Huh… Professor Granger" Hermione mumbled, "I like that".
"I bet you would" Harry agreed with a yawn, "I bet you would".