Chapter 46
Delusions
.
Harry woke the following morning feeling better than he had in a long time, at least about how things were going with Hermione, but was surprised to find he still felt a little weak. While getting dressed after his shower, he started going over everything that had happened in the last few days once again, he was determined to learn from his mistakes. His mistake of going to the Ministry was of course, still fresh on his mind, but what he had learned about Hermione was far more important. During the ritual, while they were linked so to speak, he had learned the truth about her actions and the reason behind it. At some point in the near future, he was going to have a long talk with Dumbledore, and it wasn't going to be pleasant. On the plus side, now that everything was out in the open, Harry thought his relationship with Hermione was quickly changing for the better. She seemed as relieved about it as him. He also knew she wanted to get back together, something he was all for at this point. They hadn't talked about anything yet, but he knew no matter what, they'd work it out. He was particularly interested in hearing more about the fake prophecy and why Hermione had believed it. He was still pretty sure she had little faith in things of that nature. With his thoughts somewhat sorted out for now, Harry went down to breakfast, he was in a hurry to get back to the infirmary to see her.
Mr. Granger walked in and looked around, as soon as he spotted Harry, he headed straight for him. Stopping across the table from him, Dan smiled, "Good morning."
Harry was just finishing breakfast when he heard Mr. Granger say hello. When he looked up at the sound of Mr. Granger's voice, Harry thought he seemed pleasant enough, but something about his body language seemed off. "Good morning, Mr. Granger, how are you, have you seen Hermione yet? Do you know how she's doing this morning?"
Dan Granger would be the first to admit that Harry was a nice young man, but this wasn't about him, "I'm fine, Harry, thanks, and so is Hermione."
Harry smiled, "That's great, are you here for some breakfast? Would you care to join me?"
Dan looked away for a second as if suddenly unsure of what he was about to do. Regaining his resolve, he turned back with a look that was all business, "Harry, can we go for a walk… I'd like to talk."
Harry stared back for a moment before answering, he'd been right, something was up, "Sure," he answered hesitantly. Getting up slowly, Harry gestured towards the door and they left the Hall together.
From his vantage point at the Ravenclaw table, Neville had watched the exchange with curiosity, "What do you suppose that was all about?"
Luna, who hadn't even been looking shrugged her shoulders and said, "Nothing good I'm sure," and then went back to eating her breakfast without further comment.
Neville turned in his seat to look at her, 'She's probably right,' he thought, before returning to his own meal as an uneasy feeling set in.
~oOoOo~
Feeling much better now, Hermione was setting up eating and talking to her mother. The first topic her mother wanted to talk about, was what all had happened between her and Harry and of course why. Her mother had told her that she already knew quite a bit from talking with Minerva but wanted to hear it from her. Hermione promised to have a long talk with her later after they were home, but first, she needed to talk with Harry. Emma had expected as much, figuring there was still a lot of things still up in the air between them.
"So… your hair looks nice this morning," her mother then said with a smirk.
"Mum," Hermione chastised mildly.
"I'm just saying it was nice of Harry to wash it for you," her mother pushed on.
Hermione knew she was just having fun, but it was still hard to keep the heat from coloring her face, "Yes, it was very nice. By the way, where is dad?"
Emma saw right through Hermione's tactic of trying to change the subject but decided to let her off the hook for now. "Oh, I'm not sure, I think maybe at breakfast in your Great Hall," she answered with a smile, all the while trying to keep from laughing. "You know, I can see why you love it here, the castle is just magnificent."
Hermione nodded, Yes, it is, isn't," thankful her mother had decided to drop the teasing. The two then went on to talk about the rest of the school year and what they might do for summer, both carefully dancing around the issue of one Harry Potter.
~oOoOo~
It was a fine June day outside. The air was still cool and there was a layer of dew on the ground, but the sun was out and Harry was happy to get out for some fresh air. He and Mr. Granger had walked nearly to the lake before Harry broke the silence.
Harry stopped walking and turned to face the older man, "Something is obviously bothering you, Sir, and I'm quite sure it has something to do with Hermione. I'm also sure you're upset with me, but please, talk to me."
Standing face to face now with Harry, Dan studied him a moment, he hadn't expected him to say something like that. Dan Granger was an intelligent man and he considered himself a good judge of character, yet the longer he stared at Harry, the more confused he became. Here standing before him was a mere boy of fifteen, a student and his daughter's boyfriend slash ex-boyfriend. But as he looked deep into his eyes, he could see so much more. This was a boy who had fought a sixty-foot snake when he was only twelve years old and that was only the first of many things that came to mind. He had fought for his very life more than once… no, this was no boy. Harry Potter was a young man mature beyond his years, sadly out of necessity.
"Harry, first let me say, that I think you are an outstanding young man. I can see how much you care for my daughter, and for that matter, for all your friends. I consider you to be smart, honest, and a morally upstanding person and under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have any reservation about you and Hermione."
Harry didn't like where this speech seemed to be going, but he could see how hard Mr. Granger was trying to be nice, so he tried to stay calm. "This is where you say, 'but.'"
Dan knew this conversation was going to be hard, but not this hard. "You're right, Harry. You see the thing is, I'm worried… worried for my daughter, my little girl."
Harry interrupted him, "Mr. Granger, I'd give my life to protect her. I hope you believe that."
"I do, Harry, I believe you would do everything possible to keep her safe."
"Well, then I don't understand. What are you trying to say?"
"What if it's not enough?" Dan sighed, "Harry, it's not your fault, it's not you… it's this whole world of yours that scares me."
"It's Hermione's world too."
"I know… but it doesn't have to be."
"Are you thinking about removing Hermione from Hogwarts?" Harry asked, not completely sure he wanted to hear the answer.
Dan looked away for a moment, "I've thought about it."
Harry thought about that for a second and then said, "Sir, with all due respect, because she's a Muggle-born witch, she'd still be in danger no matter what or where she lived. Here at Hogwarts is the safest place she could possibly be."
Dan nodded, "Perhaps."
Harry, getting a little exasperated continued, "Well, then what other reason?"
Growing weary, Dan turning away from Harry and gave another little sigh, "Harry, it's not you per se, but who you are. Just being around you…"
Harry turned to look out over the lake, "So… I'm the problem… and being with me is dangerous."
"It's nothing personal, Harry, please believe me." then after a pause added, "try and look at it from my point of view. Every time Hermione has been hurt, she was either with you or doing something for you."
Harry looked down and sighed, he had to admit Mr. Granger had a point. And not just about Hermione… Sirius had almost paid the ultimate price for trying to help him as well, not to mention his other friends. "Sir, I never wanted her to go. I don't want her in danger any more than you do."
Dan stared back at Harry and knew he meant what he had said. "I know, that's why I'm asking for your help."
Harry looked up with a question in his eyes.
"Harry, remember the conversation we had last summer? How you didn't want Hermione to follow you into danger." When Harry nodded, Dan went on. "Back then, I'll admit I was a little worried, but the danger seemed so far away. I thought there'd be more time to…" Dan stopped in frustration and shook his head once. "Finding out about these secret plans, and seeing her getting hurt… I don't know anymore if I doing the right thing." Dan glanced back towards the school, then said quietly, "After seeing her like that, the danger now seems far to close."
Worried, Harry asked cautiously, "What are you trying to say, Sir?"
Dan stared out over the lake as he began, "Since I've been here, I've had a couple of talks with my wife about what's been going behind my back. She told me the basics; Dumbledore asking her to break up with you, in order to save you, and the pain she went through to do that." Turning he faced Harry directly and continued, "You now know all about that, right?"
Harry never took his eyes off Dan as he nodded yes.
"Then you must know I'm right, that it was very hard on her." After another nod he went on, "Don't get me wrong, I know it was hard on you too, but that's not what I'm getting at." Dan features softened a little as he tried to explain his feelings, "After all that, imagine if you can, just how much she must care for you to then follow you into that battle." Dan sighed, "She so committed to you, it scares the hell out of me." Dan stared at Harry trying to judge his reaction but he just stared as if waiting for him to tell him something he didn't already know. "Harry, I'm wondering if you will always be as committed to her as you are now."
"Mr. Granger, like I said, I give my life for her. I'd do it because she means the world to me and I honestly don't ever see that changing.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I… I don't know," Harry admitted as he closed his eyes for a second and frowned. A moment later when he opened them again, he stared back at the older man with an intensity that made Dan take a half-step back. "What I do know, is that I can feel it in my heart that it's true."
Dan stared at Harry for a moment and pleaded with his eyes for him to understand. "What if… what if things don't go well for one… or both of you?"
Harry shook his head, "I don't know that either, but I do we can't live our lives fearing the 'What if's.'
Dan had the answers he needed from Harry, now he just needed a few more from his daughter. Smiling, he turned and started back towards the castle while gesturing for Harry to follow. "That's good to hear, Harry, and for what it's worth, I believe you mean it and I hope you're right."
Hearing that, Harry relaxed a little and then remembering something from earlier, he asked, "You said you wanted my help with something?"
"Hermione won't listen to me alone on this, she won't see reason, not now anyway. But she might… if she had some time to think on it." Dan took a breath, "Harry, I would like you to stay away from Hermione for a little while."
"What? How will that help?" Harry asked, clearly getting upset.
All Dan really wanted was, some time with his family… alone. He needed to talk with his daughter without the influence of her boyfriend nearby. He needed to find out exactly how his daughter really felt, how true her feeling really were. They would need to be apart for that. Dan wanted, no, needed that separation.
Dan really only knew little bits of what all had happened between Harry and Hermione earlier in the year from his conversations with Dumbledore and his wife just recently, and from Hermione's letter home. While he had been told about some weird prophecy as being the reason Hermione had broken up with Harry, he couldn't shake the feeling there was more to it than just that. From a conversation, a couple of years back, he knew his daughter's feelings about prophecies. She had even gone so far as to drop the class that taught about them. So, were there still more secrets, did his wife know? Dan didn't have the answers but he knew where to get them. He couldn't help but wonder if there had been another reason for her breaking up with him. His daughter had thought of moving on without Harry and now for some reason, she seemed to be acting as if nothing had happened. All Dan could figure, was that it might be because of Harry's presence. He also knew it could be something completely different, or he could be wrong about the whole thing. Whatever the reason, his main concern now was protecting his daughter.
Even though he still didn't have all the facts, he was pretty sure this was the right thing to do. He knew deep down that he should wait, but this was the perfect opportunity, so, even though he felt a bit guilty, he continued on.
"Harry, remember a while back when Hermione was… avoiding you." He waited to see Harry's reaction and sure enough, Harry paled slightly before nodded yes, and judging by the look in his eyes, it must have been a rather painful memory. "Harry, I think when Hermione is around you, she feels compelled to help, to get involved. It's just her nature. What if on some subconscious level she knows you're dangerous and that's why she wanted or needed to avoid you… maybe it was her way of protecting herself without her even knowing."
Harry thought back to some of the things she had said, 'I don't want to die,' echoed in the back of his mind. Could Mr. Granger be right Harry worried, "Hermione talked to you about that?"
"Yes, she was quite upset and wasn't sure what to do." It was a lie and Dan knew it, but he felt he had no choice if he was going to convince Harry.
As Harry continued to playback past events in his head, he couldn't help but feel a bit confused. He understood what Mr. Granger was talking about and to a certain extent it made sense, but when he had been joined with Hermione during the ritual he had never felt anything even remotely like what Mr. Granger was describing from her. He needed to think, 'No, I need to talk to Hermione,' he finally thought.
Judging by the strained look on Harry's face, Dan knew he had hit a nerve and so pressed on, "Harry, can you see what I'm trying to say? This isn't just for me, it's for Hermione. I just want some personal time with her, to make sure."
Harry looked Dan in the eyes with determination, "Yes, sir, I can see that, but I don't think you give her enough credit."
"How so, Harry?"
"Well, if you haven't heard, she's very smart and has a keen grasp on logic. I'd like to think she acted with her head and not just her heart."
As Dan stared back at Harry, he reminded himself of who he was dealing with. This boy knew his daughter as well as he did, maybe even better. "You're right of course, she would use her head… except maybe when it comes to you, just as you would for her."
Harry was trying to see things from Dan's point of view and while he still didn't agree with him completely, he could understand how he felt. Plus, he didn't want to argue with him, he liked him and his wife, they were a great family, one he hoped to be part of someday. Harry decided he could tolerate a short separation, but only if Hermione agreed. It would allow Dan the time he wanted, plus it would give Hermione some time to heal. Turning away, he stared out over the lake and asked, "You said for a while, how long a while?"
"Just for a month or so, Harry, give her wounds a chance to heal," Dan knew referring to her injuries was a low blow but he needed Harry to agree.
Harry grimaced slightly, he had actually been thinking along the lines of a couple of days, maybe a week, not a month, "And then?"
"And then, after she has had a while to think about her part in all this without your influence, we'll see what she wants to do."
This deal was sounding worse by the minute and Harry felt as though he was being pushed into something he was sure he wouldn't like. "I need to see Hermione," Harry said suddenly as he started to walk towards the castle.
"Harry, wait!"
Harry stopped and turned back around, "What?" He asked impatiently.
"When I said I wanted you to stay away, I meant starting now." Dan was sure that if Hermione spent too much time with Harry now, she wouldn't be willing to separate from him later.
Harry cocked his head slightly at Mr. Granger's sudden change in demeanor, he seemed to be all business now, no more mister nice guy. "You can't be serious, you expect me to just walk away after all that has happened without so much as a goodbye? I don't think so. After what I've done? It would seem like I don't care." Harry raised his head a little higher, "I won't treat Hermione that way."
Harry was no longer just upset, he was starting to get mad. Did her father really believe he would just leave, go away without saying a word? No explanation… nothing at all, even if only for a month?
"Yes, Harry, that's exactly what I want you to do."
"Well forget it, I won't do that to her, she deserves an explanation at the very least." Seeing the look on Mr. Granger's face, he quickly added, "An explanation from me."
Dan walked up to Harry and in his most intimidating voice said, "While she's here I probably can't stop you, but once she leaves and that will be soon, then I most certainly can." To his surprise Harry didn't even flinch, he wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. "If you won't help me with this, Harry, then I can see to it that she never comes back."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You do know that Hermione loves it here, right? You would do that to her just to spite me?"
Dan knew Harry was right and that his threat had taken things too far. He also knew that if he tried to carry out that threat he'd be in for one hell of a fight and not just from Hermione, but his wife too. But when he closed his eyes and visions of his battered daughter lying in the infirmary flashed through his mind, he couldn't help but remember all the horrors of war he'd seen himself. Men, soldiers… friends, lying scattered bloody and dismembered across the battlefield. Only now, they wore Hermione's face. No, he couldn't let that happen
Regaining his composure, Dan forced himself to focus on the now. It was an empty threat, but Harry didn't know that. "Look, Harry, I don't want that any more than you… How about a compromise?"
"Like what?"
"Like I tell her about this conversation. I'll tell her you wanted to say goodbye and I asked you not to and my reasons why. I'll also tell her that you'll both see each other later, maybe even sooner than a month if things go well. And because she knows you'd try and respect my wishes, I'm sure she'll understand eventually."
Harry stared back into his eyes trying to see if he meant it, "Why would you say all that?"
"Because, it's the truth. Oh, I'm sure she'll be upset with me at first, but I'm also sure she'll understand. And, if she feels the way I think she does, she might even be relieved."
Harry couldn't help the little feeling of insecurity that began to rise up. The mere thought that there was the slightest chance Mr. Granger could be right tore at his gut. That he was dangerous, that Hermione deserved better. As Harry continued staring at Mr. Granger, he could tell there was more, almost an urgency about this on Mr. Granger's part. After taking a deep breath, Harry remembered Hermione's brilliant smile after he had found her within himself. He remembered her feelings for him and Harry knew she couldn't possibly feel the way her father thought she might, especially now that he knew the real reasons behind her actions.
Harry quickly concluded, that he'd had a fair bit too much of people trying to pull the wool over his eyes lately, and frankly, he as getting tired of it. Harry realized the only person he fully trusted was Hermione. If Mr. Granger wanted to play games, well he could play his own. Harry straightened himself up to his full height and said, "I'll think about it," as he turned and walked away, already knowing full well he was going to see Hermione before the day was out. But first, he knew he needed to cool down, it would also give him time to double-check his thoughts.
Dan watched Harry walk away, back towards the school. He had to admit Harry Potter was both smarter and tougher than he originally thought. He was beginning to see some of the things his daughter saw in him. He really didn't think Harry would stay away for long and knew he had to act quickly. Dan hated having to do this and once more he questioned whether he was doing the right thing. All he really wanted, was to keep his family safe, 'I'm doing this for them… right?' he questioned himself. With a soft sigh, he shook his head and started back towards the school. If he thought his conversation with Harry was hard, he knew it was nothing compared to what he expected from his daughter and he most certainly wasn't looking forward to it.
~oOoOo~
Hermione looked up and smiled when she noticed her father walk in. Her mother, who had been sitting on the bed talking to her, also turned and smiled as he came in.
"Hi Daddy, where have you been?"
It was Emma who first noticed his look and knew something was not right. She stood and met him halfway, "What's wrong, dear?"
The smile on Hermione's face slowly faded as she too could see the hesitant look on her father's face.
Dan stopped and put both hands on his wife's shoulders, "I need to talk to Hermione."
The look on his face told her it wasn't good news, so after a short pause, she gave him a quick nod and stepped aside.
Dan sat down at the foot of Hermione's bed and tried to cover his nervousness with a weak smile, "Hi, Pumpkin, how are you feeling?"
"Dad, I'm fine, what's going on?"
Dan looked away and ran a hand through his hair, after his conversation with Harry by the lake and then with Dumbledore a moment ago, he really wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing anymore. Did he have the right? He was only trying to protect his daughter after all. 'Yes, I am doing the right thing,' he thought, trying to convince himself.
Turning back to his daughter he began, "I'm afraid you won't be seeing Harry for a while."
"What!" Hermione said in a panic as she sat up. "Why? What's…?"
Dan held both his hands up to stop her from continuing, he had expected her to take it badly and so was ready. He didn't like lying to her, but he knew he couldn't tell her the truth either, at least not yet anyway. So, his plan was to be as vague as possible and maybe use the same tactic on her as he had on Harry.
"Honey, it's just for a little while. Harry just needs some time to think… to work a few things out, that's all." Sure, it was a long stretch of the truth, but Dan did think Harry needed to figure out a few things.
"So, you're telling me it's Harry's idea, not to see me for a while?"
By now Emma was sitting across from them listening. She didn't have to look hard to see the tears starting to gather in her daughter's eyes.
Dan didn't answer, he just looked down because he knew to say yes would be a complete lie.
Emma noticed he didn't answer and knowing her husband, had her suppositions as to why, but before she could ask him about them, Hermione spoke up.
Unlike her mum, Hermione interpreted his action as him not wanting to hurt her feelings and so it meant yes. "But he's going to come by and talk to me about it, right?"
"I'm sorry, honey, I don't think so."
Hermione was stunned, what had happened? Just yesterday they were laughing and getting along great… and now he didn't want to see her, that just didn't make sense.
"Dad, you must be mistaken, Harry wouldn't act like that, he'd try to explain. I mean at the very least he'd say goodbye."
"Pumpkin, I'm…"
"No! Something's wrong," Hermione now had tears running freely down her face. She sat up and stared hard at her father through narrowing eyes, "Did you say something to him?"
Dan wasn't sure if that was a question or accusation. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Yes, we talked, for quite a while this morning actually."
Hermione's eyes grew wide and flashed with anger, "What did you say to him?"
Dan tried to be as calm as possible as he continued, "Honey, we just talked, about a lot of things really… but mostly about last term." He hoped that referring to her treatment of him last term would be enough to give her a reason to doubt herself. For a moment it seemed to work, Hermione glanced down with a look on her face that spoke volumes, fear, regret, and even shame. The look, however, was soon replaced with a different one, one of confidence and trust. "No… he never gave up on me, never. Not then, and he wouldn't now… he won't, I know it."
"Hermione, I didn't say he gave up on you. He just… just wants a little time."
"And I'm telling you, Harry would not do that, he's not that selfish. Even if he needed time, he'd still come to me and he'd tell me himself… he's not a coward!" Hermione was almost yelling by the time she finished.
Emma had had enough, standing up she turned to her husband, "I don't know what's going on Daniel, but you need to stop, all you are doing is upsetting her." Then turning to Hermione, "And you, dear, need to calm down, we'll get to the bottom of this."
This was not going the way he had hoped. He knew Hermione would be upset, but he had also been fairly sure he'd be able to convince her that Harry didn't want to see her for a while because of her recent actions. He hadn't counted on her having that much faith in Harry. "Okay, look I'm sorry, Pumpkin, I don't want to upset you anymore. We'll talk later when I get back."
Dan knew he had to act fast before either of them could stop him. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this but he knew Harry wouldn't wait, so he was going to have to force Hermione to leave. He knew there'd be hell to pay later, but he was confident that once he explained his theory about Harry's unintentional influence, she'd finally see reason.
Dan had always been a very focused individual. Normally that had been a good trait for him, it had helped him get the job done even when the chips were down. However, unfortunately in this case, it only served to blind him. Just as Dumbledore had been far too focused on Voldemort, Dan was too focused on protecting his little girl from the world and was unknowingly making the same mistake as the old wizard. Had he only taken a moment and stopped to look back, he would have seen the pain and devastation he was about to cause.
Hermione was still restricted to bed rest but was seriously considering getting up, "Mum, what's going on?"
"I honestly don't know, honey."
"Then you have to find Harry and talk to him. I need to see him."
Emma looked at her daughter and saw the desperation in her eyes, "I'll do what I can, honey, don't worry, I'll find him." and after giving her a long hug, she got up and left in search of Harry.
~oOoOo~
Neville was sitting in the common room working on some summer Herbology work when Harry walked in, "Oi, Harry, where have you been mate, we've been trying to find you."
"Sorry, Neville, I wanted to be alone for a bit, you know, just to clear my head… get a few things straight." It was true. Harry respected Mr. Granger and before he went and did something stupid again, he had wanted to make sure he was doing the right thing.
Neville nodded, he knew Harry sometimes needed his space. "So, you alright now?"
Harry smiled, "Yeah, I'm good." Then with a questioning uptick of his head, asked, "So who's we, and what did you need?"
"Oh, well Mrs. Granger came by looking for you. Luna and I helped her but we couldn't find you."
"Hermione's mum wanted me, what for?"
"Don't know, just said it was important." Neville answered, then added, "But she did seem kind of like she was in a hurry or something."
Harry stared at the floor for a moment while he gathered his thoughts. 'Was Hermione okay?' He wondered. Or did this have something to do with Mr. Granger? Harry didn't know of course, but he couldn't help suddenly feeling anxious. Looking back up, Harry said, "Well, I was going to see Hermione after dinner, but now, I think I'd better go right away." Harry didn't know if Mrs. Granger was trying to help him or not, but he wasn't taking any chances. Regardless of what anybody might say, Harry knew Hermione would want to see him before she left.
"Mind if I tag along, I'd like to say hi."
Harry smiled, "Sure, she'd like that."
As they approached the infirmary, Neville noticed Harry seemed a little nervous, "What's wrong mate? You're not still worried about seeing Hermione are you?"
Surprised he had noticed, Harry turned and looked at Neville and then smiled, he really was a good friend, "No, not Hermione… her father." Seeing the confused look on his face Harry elaborated, "He doesn't want me to see her for a while."
Neville was about to ask why, but then realized that Mr. Granger must have blamed Harry for Hermione's condition. "Oh, sorry."
Harry gave him another half-smile and nodded thanks as he pushed the door open and walked in. Just inside the door, Harry stopped, the infirmary was empty. Taking a slow step forward he asked, "Where is she?" Harry knew Hermione needed at least one more day of bed rest. She shouldn't have been able to leave until then.
Madam Pomfrey hearing the boys come in, got up and left her office. "Hello, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, I assume you're looking for Miss Granger?"
Harry started to panic because he knew she wasn't well enough to be discharged yet. He hurried over to her and asked clearly worried, "Yeah, where is she, is she all right?"
"Mr. Potter, calm down. Yes she's all right," and after seeing a small look of relief on his face she added hesitantly, "but, she's not here… her father insisted on taking her home to finish recuperating. They left a few minutes ago."
"But… I thought she needed more time to recover. Is she going to be alright?"
Pomfrey huffed, "I would have liked to have had her stay another day, but she was well enough to travel." Knowing how concerned Harry was, she added, "Don't worry, I'll be seeing her tomorrow."
Harry nodded, then slowly slumps down on the nearest bed defeated, "She's gone," he whispered. Neville came over and put a hand on his shoulder for support.
Poppy watched with sad eyes for a moment before speaking, "I knew you'd be back sooner rather than later. I've been waiting for you."
Harry looked up curiously, "Why?"
"I knew how you'd feel and I wanted to let you know a few things so you wouldn't get any wrong ideas.
Harry nodded again, "Thanks."
First, I'm pretty sure this is all Mr. Granger's doing, he honestly believes he doing the right thing… though he's the only one. Second, both Hermione and her mother were terribly upset with him, so I fairly sure you'll hear from one of them soon. And lastly, Hermione knows you had no part in this, so don't think otherwise." Pomfrey smiled to herself while thinking, 'I wouldn't be too surprised to see Mr. Granger in here himself after Miss Granger gets through with him.'
Harry thought about all that for a second and he calmed a little. "Thank you, Madam, for telling me."
Pomfrey nodded, "No problem, dear. And if you absolutely have to get word to Hermione or her mother, talk to Professor McGonagall, she has her ways so to speak."
"Yeah, okay," Harry started, "as long as Hermione okay and not mad at me, I guess I can let it be for a couple of days… you know, to let things cool down."
"Probably for the better I suppose," Pomfrey said with a nod.
"Since you are going to see her tomorrow," Harry started, "will you tell her that you talked to me, so she won't worry?"
"I'll tell her."
Harry thought for a second then asked, "Also, if you don't mind, would you tell her that I'll stay away for a while so as not to cause any more trouble, but if she'd rather see me right away, to tell you. Then perhaps you could let me know?"
Pomfrey raised a brow and then smiled, "I think I can manage that."
Harry smiled back, "Thank you, ma'am… for everything."
"You're welcome Mr. Potter," she said before returning to her office.
Just barely satisfied that he'd done all he could for now, Harry, with Neville in tow, left the infirmary. They needed to get back to the tower to pack their things as they were leaving for home tomorrow morning. Once home, Harry would wait for word from either Hermione or Madam Pomfrey, but deep down he couldn't help but feel this was all a bad idea. They were just starting to reconnect and shouldn't be apart. They should be together, he was certain of it.
~oOoOo~
Hermione was furious, shortly after her mum had left, her dad came back and announced they were going home. She had refused but Dumbledore said he couldn't let her stay if her parents didn't want her here. So now she was back home, and although it was nice to be back in her own bed, she had been forced to return against her will. It was the first time she could remember since she was about six, that her father had demanded she do something against her will. Her main objection to leaving Hogwarts so fast was because she never got a chance to see Harry.
'Hopefully, Pomfrey told him what's going on' she thought as she worried her bottom lip. 'Oh God, and he'll probably have to go to Grimmauld Place, even with Sirius there, that place can be so depressing… I hope he believes that I'd never abandon him…' the more she thought about it, the more upset she became. 'If only I'd been able to talk to him, even for just a few minutes,' Hermione thought, knowing she would have been able to reassure him. She could have told him just how much she loved him and that she always would. Laying down exhausted, she finally cried herself to sleep.
Down in the kitchen of the Granger's home that same evening, Emma stared at her husband in disbelief with anger written all over her face. "I can't believe you did that… And just who do you think you're fooling with that story?"
Dan sighed, he had briefly tried to explain his reasons but neither of his girls had been in a state to listen. Now, he was tired and would have rather waited until tomorrow when he was fresh but he knew his wife wasn't going to let this go, "Look, I know I stretched the truth a little, but you know as well as I do it's for her own good."
Emma shook her head, "A little, I'd say you stretched it so far there is no truth left, and no, I don't think this is for her own good… I think it's for yours."
"Me, you think I did this for myself?"
"Yes I do, you're afraid your little girl is going to get hurt again."
"You're damn right I am, are you telling me you're not?" Dan snapped back in an angry tone, then as an after-thought added, "Is that why you didn't tell me what was going on before?"
Emma flinched and tears welled up in her eyes, she hadn't fought with her husband in a very long time.
Dan squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."
"I know," Emma whispered. After a moment of uneasy silence, Emma nodded, it was time for the truth, "I didn't tell you everything before because I knew what Hermione wanted. She told me, she was the only one who could do what needed being done and I believed her. I also knew she had Minerva looking out for her. She actually had wanted to pull Hermione out of school at one point, but Hermione talked her out of it. And I knew… she wouldn't have been able to do the same with you." Emma shook her head, "I see now, not telling you was a mistake, I'm sorry."
"What about her getting hurt?"
Emma sighed, "Honey, remember how angry you were at Dumbledore for the way he treated Harry… and why?" Emma smiled sadly, "I worry about her too sometimes, but she's growing up. And you know Hermione, you can't just tell her what to do. She needs to know why and she needs to believe it's the right thing to do."
Dan didn't want to fight either and he certainly didn't want to see his wife cry, "I know, I know… it's just… I don't think she'll see reason when it comes to Harry Potter."
Emma smiled, "Just like you don't see reason when it comes to her." Dan just looked at her, he really didn't get it. "Honey, you love Hermione."
"That's right, I do," Dan acknowledged.
"Well, Hermione loves Harry."
Dan didn't want to hear that and he sure didn't want to believe it, "Hun, you can't be serious, she's only fifteen, what does she know about love?"
"She's almost sixteen, and like with everything else, she acts much older and understands more than most her own age. But whether you believe it or not… she is in love with Harry and if we force her to choose between him or us… I can guarantee you we'll lose." Emma could see her husband was beginning to get the picture, but if he didn't come around pretty soon, she'd take Minerva's offer to help. If he wouldn't listen to her, then maybe she could get him to listen to Minerva. In the meantime, she'd continue to try and get him to understand the importance of trusting his daughter's decisions. Only then would he be able to apologize and have Hermione believe him.
~oOoOo~
The following day, it was a very somber Harry who sat alone in his compartment during the train ride home. Between being mad at Mr. Granger for yanking Hermione out of early and not seeing that coming, Harry was feeling both miserable and a bit stupid. By now, everyone had heard what had happened at the Ministry and how he had led his friends into a battle there and almost gotten them all killed. Some even knew his own godfather had almost lost his life trying to save them. Mr. Granger now knew all this too, apparently, it had been the final straw for him. His friends, of course, knew otherwise, but it didn't make him feel much better.
Harry had been very reclusive, both before the Ministry battle and now for good reasons. Starting off with Hermione and ending with Dumbledore he'd been lied to. He had known almost from the beginning but at the time he didn't have any idea why. Even not knowing the reasons behind Hermione's actions, he had for the most part, believed that she must have had an important reason. Otherwise, he'd have to accept the fact that she was deliberately trying to hurt him and he just couldn't see her doing that. So, he had put his trust in her while doing his best to find those reasons. However, his trust in others varied from some to little or none. He had stayed away from everyone because of that. There had been times when he had been so mad, that he feared he might have said or done something that he would've later regretted. During those times, it had taken all his will-power to hold his tongue.
As Harry watched the countryside slide by past the window, he tried to reason out everybody else's actions based on what he now knew. He was trying to decide just who was to blame and for what. However, he promised himself that he wouldn't do or say anything until he had a chance to discuss his feelings with Hermione. There were two people though that Harry was quite sure of.
Ron's actions and words to Hermione were simply inexcusable. Harry was certain it was the end of their friendship. 'At some point during the summer, I'm going to pay him a visit at the Burrow,'Harry thought. He wanted to make sure Ron knew exactly what he thought of his behavior. More than once he had wanted to hex the prat and he still might, but for now, Harry figured Hermione had first rights so to speak. But if Ron ended up saying the wrong thing, he'd show him some of the magic he'd been learning lately and Harry was quite sure Ron wouldn't like any of it.
And then there was Dumbledore. He'd still been a little angry with him from all the years prior, for all his lies and manipulations, even before any of this had even started. However, he had been trying to make an effort to get past all that and give him a second chance. 'Dumbledore could have been a valuable ally, if only he could be trusted.' Harry thought sadly. But Dumbledore had lied to him again. Had tried to manipulate him again. But worst of all, this time had hurt Hermione as well. There could be no more excuses for Dumbledore, 'He just can't be trusted,' Harry concluded with certainty. Knowing that Dumbledore could still be of some help in the fight against Voldemort, Harry further decided he'd still work with him, but only to the extent necessary and only on his terms.
Harry's emotions regarding McGonagall varied between hurt, anger, and confusion. She'd been trying to help Hermione, or at least it seemed that way. So, why couldn't she have helped him a little more? She said her oath to Dumbledore had prevented it for the most part, but still… Harry sighed, if he was honest with himself, he knew he still didn't have all the answers yet. Harry finally decided to put her in the same category as Neville and Luna. He'd wait until he could talk to her and Hermione and then decide how he felt.
Regardless of how he felt now or how he thought he might feel in the future after he knew more, Harry knew he couldn't leave school with things the way they were between him and his friends. So at one point or another before leaving he had sought out everyone who had gone to the Ministry with him. He had wanted them all to know just how much he had appreciated all their dedication and help. Harry had also wanted to make sure everyone was back in good health again and to tell them, just how sorry he was for getting them hurt in the first place. He still found it hard to believe that none of them were mad at him. Harry also silently hoped, that after learning the rest of the story, he wouldn't end up being mad at them either.
Lastly, Harry was also upset because he never got the answers he wanted after confronting Dumbledore. He had been very insistent and yet, Dumbledore would not give. Dumbledore had said he'd have to wait because he wanted to explain things to everyone at the same time. Harry snapped as his patience finally wore out. "Fine," he had said, "then I don't want to see you until you're ready to tell me everything." And just after leaving, he had asked McGonagall if she would tag along with Dumbledore when he came by. He had a lot of questions and he swore, next time he was going to get, not just some answers, but all of them.
Although he was fed up with the situation, for now, all he could do was wait and hope that Madam Pomfrey or Dobby would bring him some good news.
~oOoOo~
Hermione would be the first person to tell everyone, that Harry Potter should never be left alone to think when he was in this kind of a mood. So, as he sat staring out the window thinking back about all that happened, from Hermione to Dumbledore he couldn't help but feel conflicted. On the one hand, he was angry about being left in the dark and in some cases even lied to. While at the same time he felt awed that his friends had risked their lives for him, which in turn made him feel guilty for putting them in danger. Those two actions seemed to contradict each other, it just didn't figure. He had a lot to think about but in the meantime, he could work on things that he was sure of… his own mistakes.
Harry was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice Neville when he came in and sat down opposite of him.
"Harry… you going to be okay?"
Harry continued staring out the window for another minute, then slowly turned to Neville, "I really don't know… I messed up, Neville, I messed up really bad."
"Harry, you know…"
"I know, I know. Look, I'm still trying to figure you guys out. Why no one hates me I don't know, but I'm really glad you don't."
Confused, Neville asked, "What exactly are you upset about then?"
"I broke most of the rules I was trying to teach you guys. Don't rush into things without thinking," Harry started ticking items off on his fingers, "Control your emotions, stay together, you're stronger as a group… Makes me a pretty lousy leader if I can't even follow my own advice.
"Harry…" Neville paused, he knew Harry felt terrible, knew he felt responsible for everyone who got hurt, especially Hermione. On top of all that it would be just Sirius and Harry at his godfather's ancestral home, and Sirius wouldn't even be there some of the time. Harry would then be alone. Neville was still trying to figure out some way to get some of their friends over, but he'd work on that later after he got home and could talk with his gram.
"I can't even begin to understand how you must be feeling right now, but I want you to know that I… we… all of us, believe you did the right thing. It may have turned out badly, but at the time you made the best decision you could with what you knew. You did everything you could and I'm quite certain that if it had anyone else had been leading us… some of us wouldn't have made it back." Neville looked down and said softly, "I know you don't believe that, but we do." Then with a smirk added, "You know, you also told us, that in the heat of battle you were going to make mistakes. That you shouldn't dwell on them later, but rather learn from them."
Harry could hear the sincerity in Neville's voice and again was moved by his words. Smiling at his best friend, Harry said, "Thank you, Neville, that means a lot," then reached out to shake his hand. A moment later he laughed and said, "And for reminding me of yet another lesson I seemed to have forgotten."
A while later after emotions had settled, Neville got up to go and look for Luna, as he approached the door to the compartment, Harry called after him, "Neville... I almost got everyone killed because I was being stupid, stubborn, and careless," staring Neville right in the eye Harry continued, "It'll never happen again… I promise." And as he said the words, Harry realized that even though he still had a fair bit of growing up to do, he would do whatever it took to keep his promise.
The seriousness in his voice and the look of determination reminded Neville of why he would follow Harry Potter anywhere. Nodding slightly he said softly, "I know, Harry… we all know."
~oOoOo~
As Hermione sat downstairs in the kitchen eating her lunch, she thought about Harry, 'He'll almost be to Kings Cross by now. I hope he sends me a letter, maybe Hedwig will show up anyway.' She smiled at the thought, 'she always seems to know when I need her.'With a sigh, she decided to maybe write Harry a letter after her visit from Pomfrey just in case. One good thing, she was glad she could now get out of bed, at least for a little while. Most of her injuries were healed, but for some reason, she wasn't getting any stronger. In fact, she seemed to be getting weaker, plus she was having trouble sleeping. Hermione planned to ask Madam Pomfrey about it when she came for her checkup later.
Later that evening when her father sat down to dinner, Hermione quietly finished eating and then left without saying a word to him. Little did she know, the tension between them was tearing at her father's gut. Back up in her room, Pomfrey told her she didn't know why she wasn't getting better but promised to keep looking for an answer. Unfortunately, she had no idea that Harry was slowly developing the same symptoms. The last time she had checked him, all his scans indicated he was nearly back to normal and she had no reason to believe that would change. The only good news had been when Pomfrey relayed to Hermione what she had told Harry and that he had understood. Knowing Harry knew what had happened was a great relief and after hearing his logic about waiting a few days to let things simmer down, Hermione had to agree. She had then asked Pomfrey, if she'd tell Harry, that as soon as she had her father sorted, she let him know.
~oOoOo~
Fred and George had just left with Ginny to go join their mum and dad on the platform after having said goodbye to Harry. He watched them go and as Molly brought them into a hug, he felt the sadness wash over him as he briefly thought of what she must now think of him for putting her babies in harm's way. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.
"Hello, Harry, you looked a little lost there."
"Hi, Padma, yeah a little, but I'll be okay."
Padma raised a brow, "Yeah? Well, just make sure you let someone know if it gets too bad."
Harry smiled, "Thanks."
"And?"
"And, I will."
Padma smiled back, "Okay then, I'm off, see ya, Harry, take care."
Harry wasn't quite ready to leave yet, so he just stood there and slowly looked around. A few minutes later after over half of the students had gone, he knew he couldn't delay any longer. With a sigh of defeat, he turned and started towards the barrier where he knew Sirius would be waiting for him. Why Sirius wanted to meet on the Muggle side was a bit of a mystery for Harry.
"You miss her."
Harry stopped and spun around in surprise. There stood Luna wearing a dreamy smile. "Oh, hi, Luna, I would have thought you'd be gone by now."
"No, not yet, I went with Neville to talk with his grandmother about summer, I'm only now heading for home."
Harry nodded in understanding and then glanced towards the barrier.
"You didn't acknowledge it, Harry."
It only took him a second to realize what she was referring to. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it, but then again, he found himself wondering what she might have to say. "Yeah… I do."
Luna smiled, he'd given her the opening she'd wanted. "Don't worry, you'll see her sooner than you think," Luna said reassuringly. "Well, I best be off. Goodbye, Harry Potter."
Harry smiled, "Bye." 'I hope she's right,' he thought, because he didn't think he'd last long without her.
After stepping through the barrier into Muggle London, Harry saw something he thought he'd never see. Draco and his mother were standing together with Sirius and Tonks having what appeared to be a civil conversation.
~oOoOo~
Once again, Minerva found herself in Dumbledore's office, upset over the treatment of two of her students.
"Minerva, you know I couldn't keep Miss Granger here any longer against her father's wishes."
Taking a deep calming breath she answered, "I know, Albus… I just don't understand what he has against Harry… he's being… overprotective."
"Yes, I agree completely," chuckling he continued, "but if I know Miss Granger, she'll be seeing Harry soon enough."
Minerva shook her head slightly, still not totally satisfied, "We'll see, and speaking of Harry… I'm happy he's with Sirius, but do they really have to stay at Grimmauld?"
Dumbledore peered over his glasses at his friend knowing she was just as upset about Harry as she was about Hermione.
"Where would you have them stay, with the Weasley's at the Burrows? Molly is still upset that two of her children were with him and Ronald is still not talking to him. Maybe in a couple of weeks, but for now, I think not." Dumbledore frowned at the thought before continuing, "I asked Andromeda, but she is ill and the Longbottoms are leaving the country for a while. The Grangers would have been ideal, but as you know, Mr. Granger wants some time alone with his family… so…"
Minerva held up her hand, "I see your point Albus, but Grimmauld Place is so… dreadful. And when Sirius has to leave, he'll be alone. What he really needs right now is the love and support of his friends."
Dumbledore nodded, "Again I agree, that is why we and hopefully a few others are going to visit them regularly. I hope to soon have someone else staying there with him when Sirius is away."
Minerva nodded once, satisfied for now, "How soon till someone goes?"
"I had a talk with Harry just before he left. While he put on a brave front and assured me he would be just fine, I am sure he felt relieved when I told him he would not be alone for long if Sirius had to leave. He did ask for a few days to get his thoughts in order, so I do not want to upset him anymore by showing up too soon. But do not worry, I believe Sirius will keep a careful eye on him till he is ready for visitors. So, what do you think about going for our first visit in say, about three or four days?"
After talking with Harry herself just before he had left, Minerva was quite sure Dumbledore's conversation with Harry, wasn't anywhere near as cordial as Albus wanted her to believe. However, she was happy that he had used the word we, now she wouldn't need an excuse to go with him. Smiling, Minerva stood, "I suppose that would be fine, and, Albus, please let me know if anything changes."
Dumbledore knew what the only acceptable answer could be, "Of course, Minerva, you shall be the first to know."
~oOoOo~
Draco and his mother had left as soon as he had approached and after a questioning look, Sirius had told him that he'd explain as soon as they were somewhere more private. Harry raised a brow when his godfather hinted that he might just be seeing Draco again before summer was out.
Shortly thereafter, Harry found himself laying on his bed staring at the ceiling still wearing the clothes he had worn on the train. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, but the room was almost dark now so it must have been quite a while. He hadn't had any dinner and all his stuff from school was still laying by the door where he had left it when he came in. 'I'm not normally this lazy,' he thought with a chuckle, 'I must have been more tired than I thought.'
Sirius had eyed him with concern when he had turned down diner but had assumed that all the stress was finally catching up to him. With a promise to have breakfast together in the morning, Sirius had shown Harry to his room.
Sirius had told Harry on the way there that Dumbledore had asked him to keep an eye on him and to see that he got settled in okay, but to try and give him some space. "I believe Harry needs a little time to get his thoughts in order," Dumbledore had said. Harry had been pleasantly surprised to find that the Headmaster wasn't trying to run his life again… at least not yet anyway. He told Sirius that, 'yes', he actually did want some time alone for now, but would welcome more company in a few days. Sirius told him that if he wasn't smiling more by the end of the week that he would get Remus and Tonks come by and they'd find a way to cheer him up.
"Thanks, Padfoot," was all Harry had said. 'Hopefully, I'll be in a better mood by then,' he thought, but kept it to himself. The only other surprise was that Kreacher had died. Sirius hadn't said why but thought that maybe it was the shock of more people were going to be living in the house. Harry sighed, it was just one more to add to the growing list of casualties.
Remus stopped by for just a moment right after Harry had arrived home and after a quick word with Sirius, he made his way over to Harry. "Hello, Harry. I won't ask how you are doing, because I'm sure you've already been asked far too many times."
Harry chuckled, "Thanks."
Listen, Harry," Remus started, "Sirius is working on a couple of things; one has something to do with the Malfoys but I don't know what. And the other," Remus said with a smile, "is a surprise for you."
Harry raised a brow, "A surprise?" Then with a little hint of suspicion asked, "What's he up to Moony?"
"Harry…" Remus laughed, "It's a surprise. Look, don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll approve. The only reason I brought it up, was because he might have to leave for a short while. So, if you need anything while he's gone, I wanted you to know you can just send Dobby to fetch me."
Harry nodded, "Yeah, okay thanks." When Remus continued to stare at him, Harry sighed, "Moony, I just a little depressed and maybe a bit tired, but I'll be fine."
Remus finally smiled, "I'm sure you will be." Then, while wiggling his eyebrows subjectively said brightly, "Well then, I'll just pop on over to the Granger's and see how Tonks is doing."
"Tonks is staying there again?"
"For the time being, yes. I don't know how long that will last though."
Harry laughed, "I see, well if you manage to find a moment to a… just talk, tell her I said hi." Harry smile fell a little as he added, "And tell Hermione that I miss her already and that I'll write soon." With a quick shout goodbye to Sirius, Remus Apparated away.
Harry waved goodnight to Sirius and headed up the stairs to his room for some much-needed rest. He hadn't heard from Pomfrey, nor had he seen Dobby yet. 'Dumbledore probably asked them to give me some space,' Harry thought, and right now he actually welcomed the peace and quiet. Tomorrow when he had more energy, he'd call for his friend and maybe have something to eat with him. 'Dobby might even know how Hermione is doing,' Harry smiled at the thought.
Harry finally concluded he was just tired from the long day and the stress of the last couple of weeks. He decided he would just skip dinner tonight and put his things away tomorrow, and without even undressing, Harry closed his eyes and gave in to his weariness. His last thoughts before sleep took hold of him were of a pretty brown haired witch and how much he missed her.
~oOoOo~
Hearing the sound of someone Apparating into the Granger's backyard, Tonks quickly got up to go check. Seeing who it was, she pushed the door open walked out to meet her boyfriend with a huge smile on her face. "Evening, lover," Tonks teased playfully.
Remus smiled and as he reached her, he took her hands and brought them up to his chest, drawing her in close, "Evening, Dora," he said softly. After a brief but passionate kiss, Remus glanced towards the house, "Is Dan home yet?"
Knowing why he had asked, Tonks merely nodded and then turned and took his hand as they headed back inside.
Finding Dan sitting in the living room, Remus walked in and while gesturing to a chair, asked, "May I?"
When Tonks took a seat next to Remus, Dan's curiosity peaked. He also couldn't help but notice no one was smiling. "Judging by the look on your face, I'm guessing this isn't a social call."
"No, probably not," Remus began slowly, "I'm hoping we can talk and still be friends when it over. I'm sure you'll feel as though I'm butting into, what is basically a family matter but it involves Harry, so…"
"So, you want to know what I got against him." When Remus just nodded, Dan closed his eyes and leaned his head back and Tonks got back up to look for Emma. With his eyes still closed, Dan asked, "Did Harry tell you what we talked about the day I brought my daughter home?"
"No," Remus said, "only that you had some concerns." When Dan leaned forward and looked at him with questioning eyes, Remus added, "When Harry feels he's done something wrong or when he doubts himself, he can become very quiet until he works it out. Hermione is the only one I know of that can get him to open up before then." Remus paused as he stared back at Dan before going on in a more serious tone, "Harry has never had a lot of respect for the adults in his life until more recently. And you are one of the men he respects most of all." When Dan sat back slightly surprised, Remus explained, "He judges you by the way you treat everyone, but mostly by the way you treat your family. It's your honesty and your openness. Your willingness to discuss your problems and come to a fair and reasonable solution that he admires." Remus took a breath, "I'd hate to see that respect destroyed over this."
Tonks had returned with Emma and now felt she had something to add. "For what it's worth, Mr. Granger, I kind of feel the same way." After a little huff she went on, "In my house, you didn't speak unless spoken to and even then your opinions were rarely listened to. I don't honestly know if it's like this in other Muggle homes or not, but I do know what you have, or at least had, was very special."
Dan leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and looked down, "I've really buggered things up haven't I." A moment later he looked back up and his gaze shifted back and forth between Remus and Tonks for a minute as he gathered his thoughts. "It's not Harry's fault. In fact, it's really not so much about Harry as it is my own daughter. Harry is a fine young man and I told him so. He has an almost impossible task ahead of him, with incredible responsibilities… and yet he doesn't complain, he just tries all the more harder."
Remus gave him a sympathetic nod, "It's the fighting, you don't want Hermione involved."
Dan gave a sad chuckle, "Harry had it right from the beginning." At their confused look, Dan told them the story of how Harry had come to him last summer, with concerns for Hermione and her determination to fight alongside him. "He's probably more worried than me about that."
Not understanding the problem suddenly, Tonks asked, "Well, then I don't get it. Why'd you separate them?"
Dan eyed the young women for a moment then asked, "You're an Auror. I assume you've seen other fighting besides what just happened at your Ministry?
Tonks nodded, "Yeah, several times, why?"
Dan ignored her question, "And you've seen men killed? Maimed, disfigured beyond recognition? Men screaming in pain from their wounds?"
Tonks paled, "I've seen some… yes."
Dan nodded. He knew from the look in her eyes that she was telling the truth. He turned his attention to Remus who now had a look on his face that spoke of the untold horrors he seen in the past. "Like the both of you, I've seen just how cruel men can be towards each other when they put their mind to it. And I'd wager, that we all fought in our respective wars for the same reasons… for the only reason really. So that others wouldn't have too. So that our families would be safe." Dan glanced upstairs to where his daughter was sleeping. "You know it's easy to delude yourself. When I heard about a possible new war in your world, and Harry's involvement, I told myself, that it was probably years away, and that by then who knows what would really happen. Hell, I had convinced myself that Harry probably wouldn't even have to get involved. That maybe this Voldemort chap might get hit by a lorry or something." Dan looked down again and shook his head, "And then one day I'm told my daughters been hurt in a fight." Dan looked back up and had to wipe at a tear, "When I walked into your infirmary and saw my little baby girl lying in a bed bruised and bloody, hanging on to life by a tread… I realized, I had been lying to myself and I panicked. Your war was suddenly very real and it had just come knocking on my door. I knew Hermione would never see reason with Harry around, but I had thought, that if I could just get her away from him for a while, I might be able to talk some sense into her." Dan laughed, "Only problem was, she wouldn't talk to me… at all. All I had done, was trade one delusion for another."
"And now?" Remus asked softly.
Dan sat up, "I want to make things right. I want to see my little girl laugh again."
Tonks smiled, while Remus finally relaxed for the first time since he'd arrived. "That's good to hear," Remus said.
"Don't get me wrong," Dan cautioned, "I'm still terrified about this war of yours." He was also still a little worried about how close they were considering their ages but for now, he would keep that to himself. "However, I'd like to be able to go back to the way we used to do things; like sitting down and talking it out," he finished.
Speaking up for the first time tonight, Emma offered, "Will, maybe once Hermione is feeling a little stronger we can invite Harry over and you can explain how you felt, then we all can sit down and talk about it.
Dan just nodded. In the meantime, he still had to apologize to her.
~oOoOo~
Dumbledore had just finished breakfast and was now in his office catching up on some long-overdue paperwork. It had been a couple of days since school had let out, but he was still behind. He had wanted to visit Harry today but it didn't look like he'd find the time. McGonagall had wanted to go yesterday and he had only been able to put her off by telling her about Dobby. He had told her that while Winky was staying at the Grangers, Dobby was with Harry and Sirius at Grimmauld and not only taking care of them, but keeping an eye on Harry's recovery as well. Dumbledore thought about that for a moment and then decided to call the little elf, it was as good a time as any to check on things at Grimmauld.
A second later, a soft pop announced his arrival, "You calls for Dobby, Headmaster sir?"
"Hello, Dobby, and yes I did, thank you for coming so quickly. I was wondering how our friend Harry was doing?"
"Dobby be taking good care of his Harry Potter sir and making sure he eats good food." Dobby stood up a little taller and added, "And Dobby be talking with Harry Potter every day, Headmaster sir, so he's not being lonely."
This surprised Dumbledore somewhat, as he knew elves were not normally very talkative with wizards. "Oh, and what does Harry talk about?"
"Harry Potter sir feels bad for hurting his friends. But Harry Potter sir mostly misses his Grangy." Dobby looked down and worried his hands, "Dobby not knows how to help him with bad feelings."
"I am afraid that is something only Harry can fix, Dobby." Dumbledore said with a sad nod before finishing, "Now, how is Harry Potter sir's health?" Dumbledore smiled as he realized he was beginning to talk like Dobby.
Now Dobby looked considerably more worried as he started to wring his hands, "Dobby not sure sir… Dobby thinks maybe Harry Potter sir is too tired and lonely. Harry Potter sleeps too much and eats too little sir."
Dumbledore looked away for a moment in thought, he knew Harry was probably still suffering from depression caused by his friends getting hurt and... "Perhaps he is still feeling bad about Miss Granger, please keep after him. And, Dobby, please let Mr. Black know if anything changes or if you need anything. And if he's not there, you can ask me or Mr. Lupin to stop by."
"Dobby will keep watch, Sir," and with another soft pop, he was gone.
Dumbledore decided he'd better check on Harry personally and make it a priority. After a little more thought, he sent a note to Minerva.