Chapter Seven
That Weekend
Narcissa Malfoy looked up at her cell door with fear hiding in the depths of her eyes. They had left her mostly alone, a fact for which she was grateful. Some jeering from the cell door had occurred of course, but that was mostly it. All except from HIM, he had looked at her from the bars, intently with something dirty and evil lurking behind his dark eyes.
It gave her the creeping flesh is what it did.
Her possible saviour during this time had been the single foreigner. She did not know his name, but he was always watching Rudolphus, pulling him away when he looked to be about to enter the cell.
He was gone now and Narcissa knew it was only a matter of time. Then he would be back. She was sure of it.
-oOo-
The halls of the school were virtually empty, for which Harry was actually grateful. Since he and Lavender had ended their ... arrangement ... things had been tense whenever they were forced together, which meant most of his classes and some times at night too.
He did not really understand totally, what had happened that night.
He did not care either. No one hit him without a price. Even if that meant he too paid a price. The biggest problem was that she was now in the nearby town of Hogsmeade with his best friend. Who had been on about the date pretty much the entire time Harry was with him. He had also seen the look on Hermione's face the first time she had heard as well. He did not like to see his friends were in pain, especially when it was one friend hurting the other. Of course, the big prat had no idea what he was doing to the bushy haired girl of the trio.
He hated to see her hurting. Then she had disappeared when everyone had gone to the town. He himself did not much feel like going. Since Daphne had not taken him up on his offer, Harry smirked at the thought; he was roaming the school with nothing particular in mind.
He turned a corner and a blur of red caught his eye.
His back was thrust against a hard rough-hewn wall and a tongue invaded his mouth. It was not an entirely unpleasant kiss either. Hot with a hint of vanilla in his nostrils.
Then it hit him who was trying to shove their tongue down his throat; he grabbed her arms, literally lifted her off him, and held her at arms length. "WHAT THE FUCK, GINNY!"
She smirked at him and tried to move in to kiss him again. Her hair wild and lips pouting.
"NO," he said holding her steady. "Just NO," he said, putting her down. "Wrong, so very wrong." he said running off as if the hounds of hell were on his heels.
Ginny watched him go and smirked to herself. It was not quite, what she was hoping for, but she was willing to bet he was not thinking of her like a sister at that moment in time. Moreover, boy could he kiss!
Harry turned another corner at random and legged it as fast as he could, darting a look behind him, tripping in the process. He sprawled onto the floor and slid along slightly. "Bugger it.," he mumbled picking himself back up and dusting himself off. Luckily, his favourite coat had protected him from the floor itself. Nevertheless, his pride had taken a bashing. There was no enchantment known to man that could protect that. For shame!
-oOo-
'Oh... bugger' Narcissa thought to herself as a shadow fell across her door.
Rudolphus LeStrange appeared and opened the cell door looking at her in that weird way of his. He smiled nastily at her after a moment. "The boys and I... we're bored."
"This interests me how?" She asked, filling her voice with as much disdain as she was capable of, which was quite a bit.
He was across the cell and her world exploded in a flash. Stars filled her vision and she felt her knees buckle. Yet she did not allow herself to fall. The point was moot anyhow. The burly man grabbed her by her slender neck and hauled her hard against the wall. "It should interest you," he snarled, "because you're the entertainment, bitch. I just hope you're more fun than your frigid sister!"
Narcissa quailed internally. This was REALLY not good. She prayed for salvation, reached out for all her worth, hoping against hope that someone would protect her from a fate worse than death for a woman.
Gang rape was not on her personal wish list.
If only someone would hear her.
-oOo-
Someone heard her.
The ancient and most noble house of Black did not much care for their members. The Potters, on the other hand, had set up protections on their family line many generations ago. These protections crossed over to the Black line when the two families were merged. Since the Blacks were now Potters, the emergency and danger of one of their members reached out to the patriarch, who just happened to be one Harry James Potter.
In Hogwarts Castle, he suddenly felt a chill go over him and an image of a stunning blond woman crossed his mind. He barely knew the woman, let alone why she would be in his head at that moment in time. He knew one thing for sure, though: she was in terrible danger and it was up to him to help her.
Power flared around him in a crackle and snap of almost electric intensity. He ran like crazy, almost insanely fast to outside, then without thinking about he was doing, as soon as he reached clear air he took three fast steps and lifted into the air.
As he was in the air, his body screamed in pain, with him following closely and vocally. He elongated drastically, his arms shrank, and his legs moved and grew. His sides split open and protuberances rushed out. His skin grew darker and darker, yet conversely his eyes grew brighter while staying the same color.
Pure magic flared around him, creating a virtual bubble. Then with a scream that turned into a haunting and powerful roar, his wings flapped once and he disappeared with a sudden inrush of air.
-oOo-
Near Prague, a sonic boom shook the very foundations of the cottage hidden away in the countryside of the Czech Republic surrounding the capital city.
Inside the nondescript abode, the residents barely noticed.
Narcissa once again nearly fell to her knees, only to be grasped somewhere inappropriate and pulled back up, then pushed across the circle to another, who repeated the process. Her clothing was ripped and in places, places she would really rather it was not, missing. The lower half of her dress had pretty much been torn away in the first few seconds and she knew it would not be long before someone started the 'real' entertainment.
A musky scent hit her nose and she was held firmly against a broad chest. A hand grabbed her breast firmly, and then painfully palpating the soft flesh through the remaining material of her dress, which was then torn away with a nasty jerk. "Such soft flesh, such pretty skin," Rudolphus purred. "Unmarred by time, young, supple, nubile flesh," he breathed.
She winced as she felt something pressing into her backside. Suddenly she was twirling again and the room was a dizzying blur.
Then, BANG, the wall exploded backwards away from the centre. Everyone, including her turned.
A HUGE dragon was looking in, burning emerald eyes glaring in. Then it breathed in. It's maw opening slowly. She saw the ignition flares and screamed, diving away to the side.
She was one of the few that had the smarts to do so. The room filled with bright, molten breath that seemed to fill the entire area, yet she was miraculously, left untouched.
Those that had not looked for cover or just plain run for it were gone, blown away with the sheer intensity of the flame in which they had been caught. Those that had caught a break and found some cover were burnt at the edges and gradually making their way out from blacked tables and other furniture.
Rudolphus LeStrange walked towards her, fixated on her almost.
The dragon Roared. The capital included. LeStrange stopped dead, glanced between her and the dragon, lust and hate warring in his gaze, before Apparating with a loud crack.
Narcissa let out a slight breath of relief. Now all she had to do was survive the bloody dragon and she MIGHT get out of this alive.
There was a strange sort of noise, one created by a sudden inrush of air, then bright spells starting to fly into the room. Return fire was given, and the fight was on.
Her jaw dropped when she saw whom it was fighting their way into the room.
'What is HE doing here?' She asked herself, while at the same time thanking whichever deity had sent him to her in her time of need. Younger or not, she was seriously contemplating 'thanking' his lights out for this.
The firefight, in all, did not last long. The Potter boy was nothing if not lethal, and powerful. The very air around him was crackling with power as he poured spell after spell into the surviving Death Eaters. There was an air of competence about him that was calm and calming too. For some reason Narcissa was beginning to feel safe.
Just then, the air started to turn bright green as the killing curse was thrown around like a jelly leg's curse in Hogwarts duelling club.
Harry dodged the first wave and then threw up a solid wall of granite. The amassed AK's blew it apart, but it had done its job. 'So no shield could stop the AK huh?' Harry thought to himself slightly smugly before he then returned fire like crazy. He held back his true power though, relying on knowledge gained and his own experience and usual power levels, which were by no means small.
He felled a Death Eater with a well-placed Reducto that literally blew the man apart, sending tendrils of gore all over the place and then a bone-smashing curse crippled another for life. No; the boy who lived was not messing around, he was playing for keeps.
This small fact seemed to scare the last three Death Eaters significantly and with three loud cracks, they retreated.
Nothing moved for several seconds.
Narcissa heard a slightly inhuman growl that sent shivers of fear down her back.
She then heard a loud intake of breath. "Fuck" a soft voice said. "Double Fuck," it said again. Then, "I suppose it had to happen eventually." The voice continued sadly. "You can come out now, Mrs. Malfoy."
Narcissa stepped out from behind the rubble she had been hiding in, "Ms. Ms Black, actually." She said, dragging her shredded dignity around her and standing tall and proud, despite the fact she was pretty much down to lace underwear set with bits of cloth littered about her person. Her normally perfect hair was in disarray and her face a bruised and bloody mess.
Harry growled when he saw her and she feared he was merely going to finish her off. "Bastards!" he spat. He waved his wand and she felt the tightness leave her face, he had obviously just healed her. However, the feel of his magic had been a little off from what she knew. She was no slouch herself when it came to healing, thanks to an abusive family life. She had thought she knew just about every healing spell known to man. Her cosmetic charms were particularly good as well. Nevertheless, Harry had just healed her and, if she was not mistaken, fixed her make up and hair in one spell.
He took off his long leather coat and handed it to her. He smiled slightly, "I'll be wanting that back."
She took it gratefully, putting it around her slender frame and shivered as she felt that it was seeped in magic, pure and powerful magic at that. Dumbledore must have given it to the boy. Talking of the headmaster, he was sure to be around here somewhere as well. She could not conceive how Harry would be here otherwise. The why totally eluded her for the moment. "Thank you," she said, realizing that she was allowing her manners to drop. She could not allow that.
Harry looked around with a shadowed expression.
"It had to be done," she whispered. "They were about to gang rape me. I don't mourn their deaths and nor should you. They were scum."
"If I started to think like that, Ms. Black, I would be no better than them now would I?" Harry said in a low tone, low through sadness rather than anger.
"We should leave before they send reinforcements," she said, allowing him his truism.
Harry nodded and reached out to her. She quailed back away from him slightly and then admonished herself. HE was not going to hurt her, not after all this.
"Where's the Dragon?" She asked as he made contact with her shoulder.
"What dragon?" Harry said with a mysterious smile. "Obliviate," he said.
The world was filled with a pair of emerald eyes; her entire world was in those eyes. Then...
She was standing in a street wondering what the hell had happened.
As she watched, Harry Potter of all people, stood beside her. Why was she wearing this coat anyway? She remembered being pushed around, LeStrange and his hands, and other things. Then nothing until just now? How odd.
Harry tapped his temple with his wand and a tiny translucent dragon rushed from the end of his wand and disappeared into the sky.
"Won't be long," he said. "You've had a traumatic experience, Ms Black." He said softly.
"I don't remember much," she told him faintly. "I just can't seem to remember what happened. Did you save me?"
"After a fashion," he allowed.
"Where are we?"
"That will, I hope, be shortly revealed." Harry said, and two pops announced a pair of arrivals.
"Ahh Harry. Whatever have you been up to this time?" Albus said with a smile. "Ms Black, a pleasure."
"Wotcha, Harry." Tonks said, casting Narcissa a look, "Auntie," she added grudgingly.
"What can we do for you, Harry?" Dumbledore said.
Harry looked at him and their gazes locked.
The world faded for them both as Harry dragged in the headmaster.
"This is the real thing," he said with a smile. "Don't go poking around, or I'll put you in the Cruatious room."
"I think I learned not to take liberties with your mind Harry. Thank you for the trust you are showing me." Dumbledore said earnestly. "Now we're here and obviously talking privately. What can I do for you? As well as ... what on earth happened?"
Harry shrugged, "For that, I'm not entirely sure. I can tell you I was just in Prague and that I can indeed do the transformation we discussed. Hurt like a bitch though. But much faster than Apparating," he said the last with a grin.
"Congratulations, my boy, on two counts. One you did it, well done. Two, this also lends more weight to the fact you are The Source."
"Here's hoping" Harry said. "Because trust me, you do NOT want to try fighting my dragon form," he added with a chuckle.
"What species of dragon were you?" Dumbledore had to know.
"Black."
"Good lord."
"Quite."
"So what can I do for you? I suspect you have a reason for bringing the erstwhile Mrs. Malfoy to my doorstop?"
"I'd like for you to give her sanctuary. In Grimmauld Place."
Dumbledore put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "You realize, of course, that I would be taking an awfully big risk. She is the wife of a known Death Eater and one of the inner circle at that."
"Trust me, she doesn't have the mark."
Dumbledore quirked an eyebrow at him
"There is a very good reason why she's wearing my coat, Professor. They were about to do something truly unforgivable to her." He said with disgust dripping from every word.
"I take it you... dealt with them?"
"In some cases... permanently." Harry said with a heavy sigh.
"I'm so very terribly sorry, Harry. I had hoped to shield you from having to take a life for sometime yet."
Harry just nodded
"I shall do as you ask, though, dear boy. She signed the contract and I assume is not at this point a Squib, so we can trust her a little. However, the wording of the contract was quite loose really. She was not a death eater at the point she signed the contract and was not at the time supporting them. She may plan to though and this could all be an elaborate set up."
Harry shook his head, "I know scared when I see it, sir. She was scared."
"I hate to be a suspicious old codger, but she WILL have to be watched. In the meantime, I'm sure there is something she can do to keep busy."
"Actually, I employ her, if you remember. However, before any of that, you will need Madam Pomphrey to look at her. I healed the more obvious stuff but there could be... internal injuries. I think I caught them before that, but I didn't have the heart to ask her flat out."
Dumbledore looked gravely at him and nodded, "All will be attended to Harry, fear not."
"Just as a matter of interest, why is Tonks here."
"She was... visiting when I got you Adfero. Nicely done by the way, clear and concise, a dragon too I note. I thought your Animagus form would be a type of cat- a Black Jaguar from what Minerva tells me."
"Visiting? Do not forget Professor I know what you know. But I'd twigged her before that." Harry said with a sardonic smile.
"I know that, Harry, I was just being delicate. Now we should return before the others wonder why we are staring each other in the eye."
Harry laughed even as the construct faded away from them.
In a blink to the two women present, Harry and the elderly Professor appeared to glance at each other and converse.
"If you'd just read this, Narcissa" Albus said passing her a scrap of parchment.
"You can't be serious." Tonks put in.
"Can it- Tonks" Harry snapped. "She's been through enough today."
"Indeed I am forced to agree, Nymphadora"
Under the weight of the two of them, she fell silent.
"What... My god," Narcissa said, reading the parchment and watching the large place of her childhood suddenly shoulder its way into existence. "Home," she whispered almost reverently. "I thought it had been destroyed, I never dreamed it was under a Fidelius."
"Welcome back, Narcissa."
"Ms Black, we should get inside."
"I think, under the circumstances, Mr. Potter, you can call me Cissy."
Tonks blinked in shock as Harry smiled at the elder woman charmingly, "Harry then. We still should go on in though. Anyone about?" He said the last to his headmaster.
"No, not today, I will call a meeting and inform them of our new guest. It wouldn't do for certain parties to be blowing her away before they knew what was going on."
Harry chuckled at him as Tonks goggled at his use of the vernacular.
The four of them walked into the still dark and brooding house, despite their best efforts it remained a gloomy place to be.
Harry winced as Tonks once again tripped over the umbrella stand.
Mrs. Black awoke and took a breath, then stopped. "Cissy?"
"Mother," Narcissa said frostily.
"Welcome home, darling. I do hope you brought your sister with you."
"No... Bella is indisposed currently."
"A shame, well it's good to see you here. Visiting or staying?"
"Staying, I believe, at least for a while."
"Knew that Lucius was a shifty character," Mrs. Black commented before going back to sleep.
Narcissa glared at the sleeping portrait. "Old Bitch," she muttered under her breath.
Harry chuckled, "Come on ... Cissy, let's get you a room and some medical attention." He said with a look at the professor.
"I've got field training. I'll take a look before Poppy get's here." Tonks said.
"Very well" Dumbledore said, "I will fetch her myself, given the ... delicacy of the situation. I would be correct in thinking you don't wish your son to know..."
Cissy shook her head firmly.
"Then I will return shortly. Take Ms Black to the second from top floor there is a room at the end that is empty currently. I believe in fact it was your old room, Cissy."
"Only Harry may call me that," she said frostily. "To you I'm Narcissa, since you're giving me a home, it would be Ms Black otherwise, Professor. We are NOT friends; yet."
Dumbledore nodded, in partial understanding, and left to get outside of the wards.
Tonks glared at her aunt, "Come on then... Your Ladyship."
Narcissa curled her lip in a condescending smile. "I see you haven't changed, my dear Niece. Still tripping over everything, just as common as your father and decidedly odd to boot"
Tonks snarled and drew her wand.
"Stop! We don't need this Oestrogen contest on top of everything else." Harry told them sternly.
"Sorry, Harry" they said together.
He smirked slightly, "You take Ms Black to her room and check her over. I'm sure Madam Pomphrey will be here soon but just in case..."
"Actually... Harry. I'd be grateful it you stayed." Narcissa said, "And I believe I asked you to call me Cissy."
Tonks narrowed her eyes at her aunt. "Come, Aunt Narcissa," she said firmly, and led the elder woman by the elbow up the many stairs towards their destination.
Finally, they reached the large room and Cissy looked around with a small nostalgic smile on her face. "Dear me, I haven't thought about this place for so long.," she said under her breath.
"Not as girly as I was expecting." Harry commented.
"Girly?" Tonks said in amusement.
"You have to remember Tonks, the only girls bedroom I've ever seen was Ginny's"
"Oh eye, should I tell Bill that?" she teased.
A light went off behind Harry's eyes. "Ahh" he said, then frowned. "What about Fleur?"
"Huh? What are you on about, Harry? Did you get hit in the head or something?"
"We'll talk later." Harry said grimly, feeling strangely like he had been hit in the gut.
"Indeed, Harry you could do so very much better" Cissy said with a drawl.
Harry smiled charmingly at her, "Such as?" he asked sexily.
"What?" Tonks said, all at sea.
Cissy quirked a smile, "I see Andy kept the brains to herself then."
"WHAT?" Tonks said with some asperity this time.
"We'll talk later ... At Length" Harry promised her, strangely angry at the thoughts in his head.
"I meant what I said," Cissy put in.
"Never mind, I don't have time for this. Let's take a look at you then."
Harry moved to leave.
"Stay... Please. I don't really remember what happened, but I KNOW it was you." Cissy said in a slightly lost voice.
"Don't trust me, Auntie?"
"Not on your life." Cissy snapped back.
"Enough! I'll stay, but Cissy you're..."
"Virtually naked under this coat." she said with a soft smile. "I think you saw just about everything I have to offer when you found me. Unless you Appareted the coat onto my person upon your arrival."
"No... Unfortunately, I didn't."
Cissy laughed hollowly, "Am I THAT old to look at."
"God no, you're a goddess..." Harry trailed off and blushed beetroot. "I just mean... Oh bugger." he said lapsing into silence under Tonks' redoubled glare.
"One of the more honest compliments I have ever had, I think." Cissy said and pulled off the coat, it fell to the floor with a heavy sounding thud.
"Fuck," Tonks breathed. "What the hell happened?" She asked as her wand tip lit and she began to trace it over the elder woman, wincing every so often as she did so.
"I was about to be raped by several Death Eaters. I don't suppose you got Rudolphus, did you?" Cissy asked of Harry, who was looking off to one side, so he was not just gawking at her.
"No, sorry I don't think I did. Burly... dark hair, mad dog look about him?"
"That's an apt description if ever I heard one."
"He Appareted out soon after the battle began." Harry said sorrowfully.
"Battle?" Tonks asked him askance. "What sort of trouble have you been getting into without me around to keep an eye on you, Luv?"
Harry smiled sadly, "The usual, Tonks, the usual."
Tonks turned back to her patient, "Three broken ribs, a hairline fracture in your shoulder and two broken fingers. Nothing... internal though."
"They never got that far thanks to him." Cissy said, flashing a rare and true smile at the man in question. "Tell me how I can repay that, please."
Harry's libido promptly supplied some answers, but he wisely ignored it. Instead, he shook his head, "All part of the service now that you're a part of the House of Potter."
"Is THAT how you found me?"
"No idea."
"Some Families, unfortunately not my own, use special line spells to warn the patriarch when a member of the house is in danger. It's an old practice, but then once done it doesn't actually need to be redone." Narcissa told him.
"Huh, could be it." Harry said. "Horrible feeling, though"
"I'd like to know how you got out of school and to her so quick." Tonks said firmly.
"A guy has to maintain some mystique, you know." Harry said with a charming and infectious smile.
"Git," Tonks shot back mildly.
"So I've been told," Harry replied with a chuckle. "So what can you do for Cissy?"
"Nothing but patch her up, but since Poppy is on the way..." she trailed off with a shrug. "There's little point. I'll get you a pain potion, though."
"There is no need. I am no stranger to pain." Cissy said with a dark tone.
Harry growled, "Who?"
"Awfully protective of someone you hardly know, Harry," Tonks said with a carefully neutral expression and tone. She looked somewhat accusingly at the blond.
"She's under my protection now. It goes with the territory."
Tonks quirked an eyebrow at him and she found herself asking, "What about me?"
Harry smiled warmly at her, "Have been for a while," he told her.
She felt the room heat up at that proclamation, and then realized she was not being the strong, independent young Auror she was. "I don't need protecting by you, Harry. I can look after myself."
"Everyone needs some protection." Harry said simply.
"I... for one am glad of it." Cissy said, sitting down and crossing her legs, totally secure in her near nakedness and safety in present company.
Harry goggled at her lithe form for a moment before shaking himself slightly and looking away.
Cissy allowed herself a small smile. It was good to know she was still attractive to a real man. Being leered at by death eaters did not have the same flavour for some reason.
"Cover Up," Tonks snapped, kicking up Harry's coat and tossing it at her.
"Is it worth it? Madam Pomphrey will be here shortly."
"Actually, I'm already here." the woman in question said walking into the room, her usual air of efficiency about her. Her wand was out in a flash. "Lie on the bed, would you." she said, putting her medical bag down beside the bed.
Cissy slid back on the bed and did as she was told.
Harry cast another glance over her again, then forced away his eyes. 'For god's sake, she's just been through hell, stop eying her up!' he admonished himself. Though he had been used to certain- supply of late and found that his hormones were giving him trouble of late, the little head doing a bit more thinking than perhaps it should. Her age though did not factor into it. She was a powerfully attractive woman that obviously kept herself in shape. Moreover, he had a total of about 250 years floating around in his head. It made age seem largely irrelevant. He found his eyes resting on Tonks as she leaned over to watch the school nurse at work. His eyes slid over her compact but shapely form coming to rest on her firm backside. A low growl emitted from the back of his throat.
Suddenly all eyes were on him.
'Whoops' he thought to himself.
"Anger at those who did this is natural Harry," Poppy told him softly.
'Oh thank god. I don't think Tonks even saw me eying her arse either,' he thought, and he then met Tonk's amused gaze. 'Oh bugger'
She licked her lips slowly, looking him slowly up and down as the nurse rambled on about something that Harry totally missed.
God the things he would like to do to the Metamorph...
"Harry, I think it's about time you returned to school. Your classmates will soon be returning to the castle. It wouldn't do for them to be unable to find you." Dumbledore said from behind him.
"Quite right, sir" Harry said in a robotic tone.
Dumbledore frowned, "Are you well lad?"
Harry shook himself, "Oh, right. What did you say... sir?"
Tonks allowed herself a slight smile. 'Score,' she thought, then, 'No, No, No, and just no. Your charge, remember? You cannot watch his back from your knees. Hmm- No!'
"I'll be going then." Harry said, "I'll come and check on you tomorrow, Cissy. If that's okay, of course."
"I would be grateful. Among other things, we have my employment to discuss."
Harry nodded, "Tomorrow then." He walked out with the headmaster at his back. Once they were in the hallway he looked around him and then at the elderly man. "Anyone else here?" he asked
Dumbledore shook his head. "Two things then. This place sucks like this, wouldn't you like a change?" Harry asked with a grin.
"It is quite impervious to the magic we have tried."
Harry smirked, his Aura flared dramatically, causing the headmaster to have to look away. A pulse of pure unadulterated power later and a wave of pure white light exploded from their position. The darkness seemed to flee before it, and behind that, a very different Number 12 Grimmauld Place appeared. In total, it took less than a minute to spread all over the house, becoming invisible by time it hit Cissy's bedroom.
"Merlin, Harry" Dumbledore exclaimed, "That was quite amazing, and good lord look at the old place."
"Secondly, would you like to travel in a slightly different way that you're used to?"
"I don't think a dragon would be missed around here, as exciting as the prospect is."
Harry shook his head. "I assure you Headmaster that would NOT be safe. The Dragon- He's, different, they have a different way of looking at the world. I'm not sure if I would allow you to 'ride' me... oh god that sounded SO wrong."
Dumbledore chuckled, "You must author a paper given that Dragons are a highly studied creature, yet no one really understands them."
"I'm not sure I'd be able to help. The Black, he is- royalty, a king, almost a god among dragons. He views things differently than even his own kind."
"You talk of your other form as a different personality entirely."
Harry shook his head, "Not quite right. It is merging with me, I can feel it. I'm humanizing it while at the same time it's making me... more feral I think."
"That is somewhat troubling." Dumbledore admitted.
"I think it'll be okay. I'm not turning dark, maybe a little gray though."
"That is how the world truly is." Dumbledore said gravely, then brightened, "So what were you talking about?"
Harry smiled, reached out and clasped the older mans shoulder. A swirl of pure power flowed around them and they were gone. Only to reappear in the head master's office.
Fawkes gave an alarmed squawk and nearly fell off his perch.
Dumbledore laughed gaily and stumbled slightly, "Just... Wow," he said. "There is no other word that seems to fit."
"Are you okay sir?"
"I'm fine, better than in fact. I feel... fresh." He said, "Remarkable." He said with a slightly silly grin. "Is that what it feels like for you to wield your power all the time?"
"Usually," Harry admitted, "It's quite the rush. This is why I try to limit myself slightly. Just to remain in control rather than the other way around. Magic; it is alive, a living being with a bit of will of its own. It's not got a real preference for good or bad, but it likes to be free, to be unchained as it were."
"That is an interesting insight into the very nature of magic, Harry. I must insist that you put this down on paper at some point, Harry. You could give so much to the community with such information," the teacher said earnestly.
"I'll think about that one, sir. For now- if I may. It's been a ... strange day."
"Go, enjoy some time to yourself, your friends should be back in about two hours I think."
-OOo-
Harry slunk into the common room almost silently. It was then he heard the muffled crying coming from one of the couches near the blazing fire.
Harry crept around and saw something that made his heart hurt.
Hermione sat curled against the back of the couch, a pillow pressed against her face and crying her eyes out.
For a moment, he dithered. Crying girls were not his specialty. Lately it was the horny variety he seemed to deal with. Either that or the crazy ones. However, this was Hermione. He had to do SOMETHING.
He sat down carefully, and pretty much man handled her into a tight hug.
She stiffened at first then melted against him. The pillow was still muffling her tears. He stroked her hair and just held her, not really knowing what to say or do other than just be there for her.
After a short while, the tears subsided into little hiccups and then they too went away.
A pair of puffy brown eyes angled up to him and the pillow slipped away. Harry held her gaze with a compassionate one of his own. For a long time neither said anything, just looking at each other.
"Thank you," she said eventually. "I'm sorry you saw that."
"He's a git." Harry said, "Want me to beat him up for you?" He added jokingly.
It got a slight laugh out of her. "He'd squash you and you know it," she told him.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Harry told her. "For you, I'd do it."
She smiled at him softly. "You've always been here for me, Harry. Thank you. It was obviously just not meant to be with me and Ron."
"He's blind and stupid." Harry commented with a little heat. Then he calmed down, "He'll come around."
"He's with Lavender now."
"It won't last."
"What makes you say that?" She inquired.
He looked at her steadily for a moment, "I know Lavender." He said simply.
"It's true then. I thought she was just boasting to her friend." Hermione said with a slight sigh of disapproval.
Harry narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"
"I heard her and Parvati talking late one night. She had, just got in and Parv wanted to know where she had been. They thought everyone else was asleep."
"Interesting." Harry said coolly.
"Have I said something I shouldn't?" She asked, and then frowned, "And I thought YOU had better taste."
"She wasn't so bad. Then she turned into a nutter." Harry felt the need to say.
"I heard you got up to all sorts." Hermione said disapprovingly.
"She's got a big fucking mouth."
"Don't swear." She shot back.
"It was a thing... It went away," he said finally.
"Hmm," Hermione hummed thinking hard.
"But, it's true. It will not last. I personally think you and Ron should be together."
"Why? I mean he obviously doesn't fancy me any."
"That... isn't true."
She looked at him appraisingly. "Am I attractive, Harry?" she asked.
"Of course."
"Don't just say what you think I want to hear Harry," she complained.
"I'm not," he told her. "I think you're one of the best looking girls in school."
She gave him another steady look. "Am I not desirable then?"
Harry quirked a grin at her. "What, with that much lace?" he asked.
She smiled slightly... strangely. "You didn't just guess that did you?" She asked, "Its okay... I don't mind you looking."
Harry looked at her askance.
"Seriously though, don't I have ... it?"
"In droves." Harry said, becoming nervous.
Another long steady look.
"Kiss me," she said.
"What?" he said confused, sure, he had heard her wrong.
"Oh bloody..." then she was on him.
It was... quite obviously the first time Hermione Granger had taken it upon herself to kiss someone in a sexual fashion. Her lips mashed into his and she bowled them both over backwards. Lavender had skill, could do things with her tongue that drove him to boiling point. What Hermione lacked for in technique, she made up for with sheer enthusiasm. In addition, there was a slow burn behind her kiss that stoked something low down in Harry.
His arms curled around her and pulled her close, kissing her back, his tongue flicking over her lips and causing her to moan into his mouth. Before he knew what he was doing, his hand had slipped down and was gradually pulling up her skirt, finally meeting bare flesh.
Hermione felt her world explode; this was better than she had ever dreamed. It was hot, intense and god his hands were on her arse! 'I'm kissing Harry' she thought to herself. 'Oh god he can kiss.' Then, after a moment, a more rational part of her mind piped up. 'You shouldn't be doing this. You are using him, taking advantage of him. It's wrong.'
Harry felt her lips leave his and she sat up, astride him in fact. He looked up at her, his eyes a little wild.
Her face collapsed, "I'm so sorry," she said, diving off him and disappearing before he had a chance to say anything.
"Bugger," he said after a few moments contemplation.
He got up, rearranging himself slightly as he did so. Nevertheless, damn he had been getting into that.
He walked out of the common room in a huff, looking to get a little fresh air. Women were just plain annoying sometimes!
He found himself wandering towards the main quad when suddenly he felt a strong tug on his arm and sudden cloying darkness.
He took stock, "A broom closet. That rather puts Voldemort out of the equation. So mind telling me who the hell just dragged me into a cupboard?"
"Harry..."
Harry almost groaned. "Cho," he said. "Something I can do for you?"
"I... wanted to talk"
"We could've done that outside, away from all the dust." he commented.
"This... is a delicate subject." she replied.
"Don't you think it would be ... awkward if someone saw the head girl coming out of a broom cupboard with me?" he asked.
"I don't care!" she said in a rush.
"Luminous" he intoned, having finally found his wand. 'Oh god... she's crying again. This is just NOT my day!' he decided.
"Harry... Last year... I'm so sorry for how things went with us," she told him.
"Okay, you're forgiven." Harry said.
She cried harder.
Harry looked for divine intervention. None was forth coming. "Look Cho... I'm not sure what to say," he admitted.
"Don't say anything," she told him, then leapt forward and kissed him hard on the lips.
Harry was not enjoying his re-run all that much. The salt, for one, was giving him flash backs. If he could EVER get this girl to stop crying though, she would be a good snog. His arms curled around her though and hands started to wander a bit as she started to get a bit enthusiastic. Pushing him back against the side of the tiny space, they were in. Her hands were now also wandering.
Harry yelped suddenly.
Cho giggled.
'Cho Chang is groping me.' he thought to himself. 'That's one for the books'
Then she burst into tears again.
Finally, he decided that he had enough of that. "Look, Cho. It's not me... It's you... no that's not what I meant to say," he added as she began to wail. "This isn't going to work," he said, removing her hand. He fumbled for his dropped wand, getting an eyeful of a good pair of legs in the process. "I should just go."
"Please... I'll do anything you want." she begged.
'But can you stop fucking crying?' Harry mentally asked.
She took his pause as an affirmative, grabbed his hand and put it on her breast.
'Okay now I have Cho Chang the Head Girls tit in my hand.' Harry thought becoming more amused than aroused.
"I'm yours Harry, for whatever you want."
'God that's tempting.'
"Urm... I will think about it okay Cho. I don't think it's a good idea for you to rush into something like this."
She responded by pressing into him. Harry's hand dropped to her thigh; apparently, his hands had their own ideas. He suddenly realized with slight surprise that he was caressing her breast as well. "You're saying no... But your body is saying yes." she purred.
'If it wasn't for the tears...' he told himself.
He quickly but gently pushed her away. "Just think before you leap, Cho. That is all I am saying. I am not the same Harry that went out with you last year. Things have happened since then. I have changed. I've..." he quirked a grin, "Learned things."
"I've learned some things too," she promised him, "Want me to show you."
"Tempting Cho... But you're still leaking tears," he said, a little shortly. "You're saying yes. But your body is saying no," he shot back at her.
The tears kept on coming.
Harry left.
-oOo-
Harry lent back against the wall several corridors and five floors away from the Head Girl. It had occurred to him recently that he had had a willing, if somewhat leaking, beautiful girl in a private place all but begging him for some fun times. Yet, he had said no. He was asking himself why, or, more precisely, his libido was giving him a hard time while his mind tried to explain.
His mind was loosing. He was seriously debating going and finding the hot Oriental girl when his mind took control and forced him outside.
He looked around, breathing in a lungful of fresh air, took a few running steps and changed. Wind flowed around his aerodynamic body and fire lit inside him. Pure fire, pure freedom, away from the small problems of humans. He was a law unto himself, he was Dragon. More... He was a Black. King Dragon, virtually a god to others of his kind. The troubles of a mere human were briefly left behind as he soared through the air at just under the speed of sound. He turned his nose to the sky and his wings beat. Magic pulsed and whirled around him, giving him the lift his physical wings could never hope to achieve. Somewhat like a bumblebee, his wings were just not big enough to give him enough lift to take flight. Yet, also just like the bumblebee, he did it anyway. The Laws of Physics were of men, he was Dragon.
The atmosphere thinned around him and the clouds were behind him. The sun burned in the sky as it gradually changed colours from blue, to midnight blue and finally to black.
He hung on the very edge of space. Then a giant gout of fire leapt from his muzzle.
A mere scant moment later, the air around him filled with whispers on the non-existent wind. Fellow dragons were responding to their king. Cries of welcome came from the eldest, surprise from the younger. Cries of mating from some and demands from others. The Black Dragon silenced them all with another giant flame.
For a few minutes, The Black Dragon held sway over Harry, but then finally he regained more control. Then eventually he was almost in two minds.
After an hour of meditation, he was one with himself. A wing gracefully angled outwards and the elegant, powerful frame of the Black dragon began its descent back to earth. The surrounding area clashed as he broke the sound barrier with little to no effort, his downwards momentum building as soon as gravity took a hold of him again.
The entire of Europe appear with worrying speed. Then the UK itself hurtled towards him as he crashed through Mach 1 and kept getting faster'. Scotland focused in a rush, and then the highlands appeared to be the only thing he could see. A loch, then a castle, then the expanse of Hogwarts grounds and the nearby Hogsmeade came into view. Suddenly he was tree height and a pair of powerful wings flashed out. His drop ended with eight feet to spare.
Several of his classmates dropped to the floor as the wind exploded out from under his wings. None of them were directly under him, thankfully for them. A flap or two later and Dragon Harry was sat on the gates of Hogwarts, the inner gates that was.
Flaming green eyes watched his fellows walk back to the school on schedule. No one could see him, of course. What was the point of being a magical creature without some magical goings on after all?
Ron and Lavender appeared beneath his taloned feet. Holding each other and snogging in a slightly gross manner. Harry's fangs appeared and he took a breath. It would be so simple to char grill them from up here. Nothing terminal, just a scare to get them the idea quick and to show them his displeasure with them. The more human part of him argued for their continued safety though, so they passed unmolested and unruffled… other than the ruffling they had been doing to each other.
'Hope you enjoy it while it lasts, mate' Harry thought to himself, watching them go with a twist of his reptilian neck, the long limb allowing him a degree of sight even owls struggled for.
Another tempting target appeared. Draco was out on a date with Pansy... How- gross. The thought of him procreating was entirely unpleasant. Yet again, they got a pass from the human side of the argument, though it was a close run thing, mostly because Harry did not want to hurt Pansy. She was mostly innocent of Draco's crimes. Mostly, at least.
Then the last one to arrive was, surprisingly enough, Luna Lovegood. She was an interesting girl, that one. Harry was studying her when he suddenly realized she had stopped dead and was studying him right back.
Luna looked around and gave herself a slight shake and then back up to the massive dragon no one else could see. This was not that a totally unknown occasion to her. She knew if she said anything though people would just call her loony and send her on her way. Nevertheless, this- This was something else.
"You're a Black," she said finally.
Harry looked at her askance. 'How the hell...'
"You're a myth. You don't exist," said the girl of Crumple Headed whatever fame, the mistress of the unheard of.
"I do." Harry said, amazed that he was speaking English. His voice, though, was something else. It was deep, rich and powerful. Tiny puffs of flame erupted from his nose as he worked his inhuman tongue around the alien language. "I'm sitting here, aren't I?" he asked.
"You can't be real. I'll have to talk to Madam Pomphrey about my medication again."
"Not this time, Luna" Harry said, a beat of his wings and he ... carefully... landed next to her, still causing her to stumble somewhat.
"I've read about you. About the Blacks, I mean. Funny, you have green eyes the same shade as- Harry?"
"You're quite something else, Luna," Harry said with a baritone chuckle that shook the nearby windows.
"Amazing." She said.
"Just keep it to yourself."
"Who the fuck would believe me?" She asked.
"Luna?" He said in surprise.
She smiled impishly at him and then tilted her head from side to side. "You're gorgeous."
"You're not too shabby yourself."
"Can you see through my clothing today, Harry, or was that a one off?" she asked with a tiny smirk.
"Not right now I can't." He told her honestly. Luckily, Dragons did NOT blush.
"Can I ride you?" she asked unexpectedly.
Okay so now his mind was flying all round the place. "When you're older," he said without thinking.
Her smile turned quite sexy. "I'll hold you to that. It isn't, however, what I meant."
"Urm... Sorry. I do not think that is a good idea. I'm not the sort of dragon that can give out rides."
"Why is that? Sometimes the magical fair has dragon rides if you can afford it. I've always wanted a go."
"I move a little fast. Tell you what, though, I'll get someone else to do it," he said, thinking that someone he 'commanded' could probably do it. He would ask Thisilar but he was in fact chained to a door right at that moment. However, not for much longer if he had a say in it. The dragon was his... friend.
"Shame. I'll settle for the other ride after Christmas, though," she told him flirtatiously.
"I'm thinking the pleasure would be mine."
"Selfish in bed, Harry?" She asked.
Harry laughed, which had the unfortunate side effect of roasting a nearby tree, "Whoops," he said.
"I think you'd better turn back and come inside before you burn the castle to the ground."
"I'm not going back in there. It's... scary."
Luna tittered slightly, "What do you mean?"
"I've had a very ... Odd day."
"Oh, I know all about those," she told him.
"So far today I've been kissed by... three girls with varying degrees of success. I've killed five men, I've saved someone from rape and, oh, by the way, I can turn into a bloody dragon."
Luna sighed, "Poor old you. It's all happening, isn't it?"
"By the way... Ginny is one of the girls that have kissed me today. What's up with that?"
"I can't say." Luna demurred.
"Fair enough, I suppose. Can you get her to lay off, do you think? She's like a little sister or something."
"I don't think I could do that. I don't think anyone could."
"Huh," Harry said, sitting down and in doing so morphed in rapid succession back into his human body. He sat Indian style. "Cor. It's bloody cold out here init."
Luna laughed, "You've just noticed that? It's coming up to winter in Scotland, so it tends to get a bit nippy."
"Normally I've got my coat on and Dragon skin is kind of tough. Plus, you know, internal heating arrangement."
She smiled at him. Then she studied him for a long moment. Causing him to study her right back. "What?" Harry asked eventually.
"It's just amazing," Luna said after a moments thought. "You've changed a lot this year. Not to mention being able to turn into a dragon."
Harry laughed, "I suppose I have rather." He looked at her steadily, "You're a bit different yourself you know."
"How is that?"
"You're being more... lucid than normal."
"I'm a little stunned you realize" she hedged.
"Oh..." Harry said a light bulb going off over his head.
"What?" she asked carefully.
"It's a bit of a protective mechanism isn't it? The whole 'out there' persona. I like it by the way, but something tells me that it's not the real you." Harry told her, smiling charmingly. Charmingly enough that Luna's heart was hammering a little, and she did not take offence at his words either.
She did not really reply to that. Until finally she said, "I think since I know one of your secrets... That you can know one of mine." she began slowly, "I'm not well liked in my house. I have never have been well liked. After my mother died, I went a little... strange for a while. I have gotten better since. Nevertheless, the fact of the matter is that no one takes me seriously as Looney. It is useful to me. I can see things other people do not. Just because I put people off their guard like that and I like that I do. I think though, that you can know Luna. If you want to?"
Harry smiled at her, "I think I'd like that."
She smiled at him and the two sat in companionable silence for a long moment. "Are you serious about giving me a ... ride?" Luna asked after a long moment, her eyes dancing.
Harry smirked slightly; he was not entirely sure which one she meant. "I think it can be arranged," he said finally. Knowing that would answer either version of that question.
She laughed, "I've always liked you, you know."
Harry looked a little surprised by that.
"You just don't realize the effect you have on those around you do you? Even before, you figured out the 'loony' persona. You always treated me with respect. I like that. It's a little unusual."
Harry smiled, "I'm not as most people think either," he told her.
"That much is obvious. I think, perhaps, that you are much more than you seem." Luna said.
"You should go in." Harry said after a long moment.
Luna nodded, and laughed, "Just remember Harry. I expect a Christmas Present" she said, then pecked him on the lips and virtually skipped away.
Harry once again looked skywards. It was getting dark now. Soon the day would finally be over and perhaps tomorrow would be less weird. However, since he was due to visit HQ he somehow doubted that.