On Sunday, Harry caught up with me ahead of the breakfast rush. I'd developed a habit of being in the Great Hall before everyone arrives, or twenty minutes late...Maybe it wasn't habit at all. A preference?
Either way, Harry sat down across from me at the table. Something was on his mind, something uncomfortable. I could smell it.
"Is it awful?" he asked.
"What?"
"Dying and coming back?"
"Oh, that." I drank some coffee. "The Killing Curse is different than what usually happens. Normally, I see and feel everything my body does to defend itself when I'm 'indisposed', but I have no control over it."
"That's horrible!"
"Yeah. With the curse, my consciousness is shut off, and I don't know what's happened until it turns back on. I guess that's as close to death as I've been."
Harry reached for a glass and asked for pumpkin juice.
"I've nearly died many times," his voice was just above a whisper, "and I've been scared every time. Almost dying hurts, too."
"Yes, it does."
"You don't get used to it?"
"No, Harry, you don't. At least, I haven't. I'm not used to killing human beings in cold blood, either. War with zombies is one thing, but totally outclassing a human opponent is another."
"I'm not sure I understand." Harry shook his head and adjusted his glasses.
"I really hope you never do." I sipped my coffee. "There's a lot more on your mind, isn't there?"
He laughed. "Am I that easy to read?"
"Oh, my friend, you don't want me to answer that." I had to smile.
"Well...well...I want to know more about you and the things you've seen and done. Hermione spends so much time with you, and I feel she knows you better. But you're my defender, so I should know you even better than she does. Don't you think so?"
I wanted to applaud. Harry was standing up for his needs and wants, and it pleased me to death to see that happening.
"You've got a good point, Mr. Potter! I should get to know you better as well. Let's carve out time for us, just you and me, starting today." I tapped the cup on the table, and I heard some sort of echo in the hall.
"Sounds like Hogwarts thinks it's a good idea!" Harry smiled, and all his native perkiness returned.
Good timing, because breakfast rush began.
"This afternoon, then? After Quidditch practice?"
"Yes! That would be excellent!" Harry was all smiles, and stayed that way for quite some time.
** - HPDEB - **
Draco did his absolute best to note down anything he saw that involved Potter and his apparent protector. He extended his exertions to include any suspicious movements of any member of Gryffindor. One never knew who else might be in on the madness.
"Did you hear the rumor?" Draco heard Pansy ask.
"Which one?" Daphne replied.
"That little Miss Perfect has taken a lover." Pansy's voice dripped with loathing. Draco approved.
"You must be joking, Pansy! No one would want to touch a Mudblood like her, much less a bitchy little know-it-all!"
Daphne looked a little green when Draco set his eyes on her. It upset his stomach as well, to think that Granger could even attract someone, much less convince that person to...do things with her.
Millicent giggled. "They say it's the Muggle she took to bed!"
"Oh, stop, Millicent! One more word and I won't be able to stomach breakfast!" Pansy shuddered.
"It's awful, terribly awful!" Daphne wailed. "What is our noble school coming to when you have a Muggle for a guest, much less one who shags students?"
Millicent noshed on a sausage and suggested, "Perhaps we could write a little letter," while she chewed.
"To whom?" Pansy asked, grimacing at Millie's manners.
"The Daily Prophet of course! That could bring a whole slew of complaints."
"The sooner Stewart is removed from here, the better," Draco snarled. "If Granger gets expelled at the same time, so much the better. They deserve one another."
"While I find all of this as loathsome as you, remember, that man is dangerous." Blaise tried to remind them.
"Oh, just sit there and look pretty, Blaise." Daphne waved him away. "He can't possibly be all he says he is."
Crabbe scratched his head. "Well, I couldn't turn him into anythin' like Draco wanted me to."
"Aye, and ye pissed yerself, too!" Goyle laughed.
"He went all spikes and scary noises! You'da pissed too!"
"All of you, shut up and watch them," Draco ordered. "Tell me everything, even if you must write it down. I will put a stop to all of this disgusting behavior! My father will bring it to the Ministry, and things will be set aright."
** - HPDEB - **
I heard them, the Slytherins, and I smiled.
"Oh, what's happenin' now?" Dean asked. Apparently, he saw the smile first. "Somebody's gonna get it, aren't they?"
Hermione turned my face towards her and she whispered, so low that on I could hear. "Don't kill anyone. Please."
I ruffled her hair and stood up.
When I turned towards the Slytherin tables, Snape stood up from his seat at the head table. We locked eyes for about six seconds before he sat back down. Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, as if thinking "Oh, this is going to be good!"
I walked down the center aisle, turned on my heel, and strode up the other side until I was standing right behind Crabbe. All the Slytherins were sitting up straighter than a convention of chiropractors.
"Crabbe, that's your name, right?" I asked the boy.
"Yes...you...uh...horrible Muggle...uh."
"Get up from your seat and go stand against the wall, or piss will be the least of your worries." It was a good non-specific threat, and he certainly did as he was told.
I sat down in the vacant space, right beside Draco and his other cronie.
"Morning, young Malfoy."
"How dare you terrorize my classmate and violate our noble…"
"Bench? Violate your noble bench. Is that what you were going to say, youngster?" I stared down at him and saw the blood shooting through his veins. Pity I'm not a vampire, the kid would have been a blond geyser.
"Our noble place of feasting!"
"Good save, Pookie. Now shut the fuck up before I find an interesting way to shut you up. Am I clear?"
"My father…"
"...will hear of this. I know. I still haven't met him yet, and that's a shame." I turned to the girls, huddled together on the opposite side of the table.
I caught Blaise moving, grabbed a fork, did a little math, and tossed the utensil skyward. The fork came down and pinned the boy's wand to the table.
"A fork in the morning wood can ruin a boy's day, Blaise. Stay still so I don't notice you."
I'd never taken my eyes off the girls, and they completely understood the depth of the shit they were in.
"Ladies, we've never spoken before, but I have the distinct impression that you know me already. That's convenient, because I already know who you are, too." I nodded to each of them. "Did I overhear everything you were saying about Hermione and me? Yes, I did. That's why I've come for a visit."
Their faces were ash-white. Good. That's exactly what I wanted.
"How good is my hearing, you may well wonder." I pointed down the tables towards the huge doors. "That first year boy with brown hair at the end of the row. See him?"
They nodded.
"His heart is currently beating at 72 beats per minute. He chews predominantly on the left side of his mouth. He just farted, but it was a tiny one. Silent, but deadly."
Sure enough, the children near the kid reacted. The Slytherin girls made terrified "eep" noises.
"So, here it is in a nutshell, be nice to Hermione and keep your dirty rumors to yourselves. If she takes a lover or not, it isn't any of your business. It never hurts to be nice." I smiled, injecting it with every milligram of charm I have.
"You...you can't threaten us! The professors wouldn't let you harm us. Our families would bring this school down and you with it." Daphne exuded blue blood pride.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not." I nodded and folded my arms, bumping Draco in the process. "We can leave it at that, but I'd like to give you a bit of advice. You know, from an older guy to a young woman in the bloom of her youth."
Daphne scowled at me.
"Daphne, here's your advice: don't masturbate with your wand. Splinters in your bits can be horribly painful."
Her jaw fell open. I could have shoved my hand into her face and had room to spare.
Next. "Millicent, waxing is a great way to get rid of stubborn nipple hairs."
Her hands flew to her beasts and landed with the sound of slapping pillows.
"Pansy," I said, "I'm sure there's a charm to reduce the size of the leaves around your bud, m'dear."
She turned all kinds of fun colors.
I stood up, pointed at Crabbe, and told him to sit back down. Then I walked back to Gryffindor and took my customary seat.
"Frank, what did you do over there?"
"Oh, I just told them the truth, Ron. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less."
** - HPDEB - **
Harry wrapped up Quidditch practice a little early, eager to have a chance to speak to Frank some more. A quick pep talk for the team, an even faster shower, and he was joining Frank on the bleachers.
"That was some impressive flying."
Harry grinned. "I love flying. It's the best thing there is. And I'm good at it. Everyone says so. I've even been told I could probably play for England if I wanted to. Dunno if I will, though. I've got enough fame already. But still, it's nice having something I can do easily."
Harry suddenly looked a little chagrined, as though he'd said too much. Frank had a feeling he should let it slide, but this was supposed to be about getting to know each other better.
"Do thing not usually come easily for you?"
"Well, not like they do for Hermione. Defense is alright. The practical portions anyway. I've never been too good with theory. The essays are a nightmare. I dunno where Hermione learned to write like she does."
"You went to primary school, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but I had to make sure not to get better grades than my cousin. So I never put it much effort." Harry looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Don't tell Ron and Hermione. I've never told them much about my life growing up."
"I won't tell them anything you don't want me to. I didn't have the best childhood either." Harry gave Frank a rather surprised look, and Frank knew, immediately, he had a foot in the door.
What followed was a long discussion of their lives growing up. Harry told about his cupboard, chores, punishments, education, and the day his Hogwarts letter arrived and changed everything. Frank told him about how his parents were (at the very least) verbally abusive, and that he'd spent most of his adult life wandering after leaving university. Harry continued with how life had been at Hogwarts. Life or death adventures. Dealing with students and their fickle attitude toward his fame. Struggling with some classes and professors while excelling in Defense and Quidditch.
"I reckoned I wanted to be an Auror, a magical policeman, but I dunno that I want to chase dark wizards all my life. I've already had enough of it. Quidditch could be fun, but it wouldn't last forever, and what do I do then?"
"Harry, you've got a year and a half to decide. And, once you defeat Voldemort, you could play Quidditch for a while you figure out what you want to do."
He knew almost instantly he'd said the wrong thing. "You're assuming I'll defeat him. What if I don't? What if I've only got a few months, or a few years, left? I can't avoid it, fighting him is literally my destiny. And if I do defeat him, I'll be a killer. What if I just keep killing?"
** - HPDEB - **
"Have you seen Frank or Harry?" Hermione asked Luna when they passed one another in the hall.
"Not since lunch. Why?" Luna blinked at her and cocked her head.
"I was just wondering." Hermione started to fidget.
"I think I saw a bunch of Teksies flittering around a little while ago. They might be outside."
"Oh! Luna, you're brilliant! Quidditch practice was earlier." Hermione clapped her hands. "I bet they're still out there, trying to explain the game to him."
"I like being brilliant."
Luna noticed that her words went unheard. Hermione was already quite a way down the hall, likely running towards the doors.
"I suppose I would run, too," she said, and walked off alone.
** - HPDEB - **
She saw them, Frank and Harry, sitting in the bleachers, as she ran. It looked like Frank had his arm around Harry's shoulders. Hermione stopped in her tracks, aware that she might be running the risk of interrupting something private.
Well, she'd been hoping that they'd get to know one another better. It didn't make her feel any less disappointed, she very much wanted to be wherever Frank was.
Her heart leapt a little when Frank's other arm went up and waved her over. It didn't matter why he wanted her there, she just ran.
** - HPDEB - **
"Hey," I said when Hermione arrived, and pointed to the other side of Harry. She got the hint and sat down beside him.
"Hello, Harry," she said, and put her arm over mine. "Did you have a good practice?"
"It was fine." His voice was dull. "Did Frank call you over?"
"Yes. Are you okay?"
"Well, we've been talking, and I realized that I'm scared about my future." My charge looked up at his old friend. "We've talked about it."
"You're still upset, aren't you?" Good question. Points to Curly.
"Yeah."
"That's why I waved you over when I knew you were near," I told her. "I think my friend Harry needs a little more support from someone a bit more familiar. You're surprisingly good at comforting people, Hermione."
She blushed. She always does when I praise her.
"I'm sure Frank told you everything would turn out well." She gave Harry's shoulders a little shake. "I know everything will be fine, too."
"Hermione, do you know how close good and evil are?" Harry asked her. "They're as close as a decision. Yes. No. That's all it takes. With everything I have to do, I'm afraid I won't make the right decisions."
"You're an intrinsically good person Harry James Potter. Your heart is in the right place, and you care about people, even people you've never met. That's special."
Hermione Granger has a way with words. I smiled.
"But what if I don't one day?"
"That's why we keep our friends, the ones we really love, close to us." I hugged him a little closer. "They'll tell us the truth and keep us on the path we want to be on."
When Harry turned to look at me, my stomach nearly dropped out. I've seen that facial expression in a mirror more than once: aching exhaustion, a sliver of despair, and bitter fear.
"Will you do that for me, too, for as long as you stay?"
There was only one way I could answer, and that was with my heart. "I promise you, Harry James Potter, that I will help you be the good man you are. I will question your decisions and slap you around like Ron when you make ones I don't agree with."
He gave me a wan smile.
"You won't terrorize me like you do Ron, will you?" Harry asked.
"Only if you want me to." I smiled back. "You already know what it feels like when Hermione slaps you around. I won't be any worse than that."
"Blimey!" Harry sat up straight, suddenly reanimated. "You're a cruel taskmaster!"
"Oh, you!" Hermione bumped him hard. "I'm hard on you because I care about you so much...and you're thick-headed."
Harry started laughing and the mood lightened up by 300%.
"You know," he said to us, "I've got a sudden urge to study for Potions and have a cup of tea. Want to come along?"
Hermione shook her head. "I was talking a walk to clear my head when I saw the two of you. I think I'll keep at it for a while. Is that okay?"
"Of course! And, Frank, you don't need to study." He grinned. "Wish I were you. Will I see the two of you at dinner?"
"Absolutely," I told him, and ruffled his hair, which got another laugh out of him.
"Ta, then!"
My personal Harry Potter, wizard, and target for bad guys, got up and set off for Hogwarts.
Hermione and I just sat there for a minute.
"I wish he'd be that vigilant about his school work all the time. He needs all the help he can get. Will he be alright?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Harry and I will be spending more time together. He needs different opinions from someone outside his normal world."
"Wise ones, I hope."
"I try." I looked up at the Scottish afternoon sky. "I'm going to try very, very hard."
** - HPDEB - **
Hermione reached out and took his hand. It felt like a good time to be honest with him. She'd planned to speak with him earlier, but couldn't find him.
Now that they were together, sitting in the empty stadium, everything was just fine.
"Sir," she said, "I'd like to ask for something. Is that okay?"
"Always!" He smiled at her.
"Would you...heavens, this is difficult...would you make love to me like I'm fragile? Touch me gently, and things like that."
"Yes."
She sighed and laughed at herself. Frank was so attentive and kind to her. Other girls would be so jealous!
"Are you ever going to tell me no?"
He scratched his head. "I can't say, but I'd be surprised."
She hugged him for all she was worth, and whispered, "It's dark under the stadium, and I feel very delicate all of a sudden."