So You Can Hide
By: JJ
Disclaimer: I don't own the boys or characters but if I did I wouldn't share. This is a slash fic! It's 6th year Hogwarts... disregarding Half Blood Prince... What would happen if Draco went down the other path his sixth year?
A/N: I've beenworking on this fic for quite some time. I have a problem with not finishing things that I've started and also not having a plot. To cure myself of these problems I decided not to publish this story until I've written the entire thing. Complete with plot. Technically I'm not done writting it but my computer's crashed and this has put be behind schedule! Don't worry - I have a good plot planned... a few things are kinda blurry yet so few free to make suggestions.
So this is a nearcompleted fic thatI will try toupdated regularly. It starts out a bit slow but don't worry our boys are kissing in no time. I'll be replying to each comment on the next chapter b/c I'm a comment whore. So feel free to ask me any questions you have or help me fix something I missed as I don't have a beta.
One last hint... the more comments the faster the update - Remember I'm a comment whore... what can I say?
Title by Nine Inch Nails - Right Where It Belongs
Take my love. Take my land. Take me where I cannot stand.
I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me.
Take me out to the black tell them I ain't coming back.
Burn the land and boil the sea. You can't take the sky from me.
There's no place I can't be, since I found Serenity.
You can't take the sky from me.
-Joss Whedon -Firefly
Preface
It was a colder night than he'd been used to. Had he known it was so cold his breath would freeze in the air he would have worn something warmer. Or maybe not. Something about the pain the wind caused made him feel alive. A morbid thought. But what about his life wasn't morbid?
Harry Potter sat under a great willow tree next to the lake at Hogwarts. He had done this many nights since sixth year had started. His mourning for Sirius had passed just like his mourning for Cedric had. He knew it was senseless to dwell, but something about his Godfather's death had changed him. Made him harder. Stronger as a warrior but weaker as a person. The frivolous little things that once matter simply didn't. He knew he was changing and it didn't matter to himanymore. The prophecy had sealed his fate. Whether he would be the one to die or Voldemort, he was still unsure of. One thing he was positiveof wasthat the more people he had around him the more people he'd hurt.
So another night at the lake. Another night to wonder about his relatively close expiration date. Another night closer from separating himself from his friends and this world. Reality was really too unpleasant to live in at the moment.
War had broken out. People were missing. Or leaving. Or dying. Harry preferred to think they were merely on vacation until the unpleasantness of this 'war' had passed. He knew it was naive to believe they were leaving their homes completely of free will. But it was easier that way.
It's begun. Harry sadly thought to himself. The war has truly started.
Chapter One - And You Really Are Alone
The next day had warmed considerably, definitely warmer than normal on this mid September afternoon. Hermione, Ron and Harry entered the Great Hall, stomachs rumbling and eager for a filling meal.
"So Harry." Ron said sitting down at the Gryffindor table, "How lucky are we to be taking potions from Snape again?" He asked sarcastically.
Hermione interrupted rolling her eyes, "Ron if you don't want to be an Auror you wouldn't have to take it."
"I know, but you'd think that Dumbledore could at least get someone halfway decent to teach us potions. I mean, I don't think I've learned a single thing from him." He replied
"Well if you'd do your work," Hermione said, "you might just learn something. I'll admit Snape's... well... 'Snape'... but is potions really that terrible?"
Ron gasped and replied, "You actually enjoy that class?"
"No Ron, but the art of potion making is fascinating."
"'The art of potion making'? Now you're starting to sound like Snape!" Ron and Hermione continued to argue about potions while Harry started eating.
It had been like this since school started. Actually since forever. He couldn't remember a time when they weren't arguing over something pointless. Once it bothered him but now he welcomed it. Hopefully it meant that he wouldn't have to participate in the senseless babble. Sometimes they would completely forgot about him while bickering. This was not one of those times.
"What do you think Harry?" Hermione crossed her arms looking distressed and waited very impatiently. "I'm right aren't I?"
"Er..." Harry looked up at them both. He could tell Ron wanted him to side with him but as he didn't know what they were talking about it was hard to know what to say. Then he decided just to go with it, "You are absolutely right, Hermione."
"What!" Ron exclaimed incredulously.
"Well I'm sure you had your points too, Ron." He replied.
"Harry, you weren't even listening!"
Harry thought for a moment then sarcastically said, "That just may be the case, Ron." He shrugged and then tried to start eating again.
Noticing Harry's sarcasm Ron replied, "What's your problem?"
Harry finally got fed up with the pointless arguing, "You guys!" He threw his hands in the air, "I'm sick of your constant fighting and me having to pick sides. You're too old to be arguing like you're five!" Suddenly all the built up anger over Sirius' death came back to him. "You two are fighting about class when people are dying out there. It's disgusting." And then he stood up abruptly and walked toward the entrance. He may have went too far but he didn't care. Nothing mattered like it used to.
He left the Great Hall. He didn't know where he was going. He just didn't want to be there. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to be alone a lot lately. Deciding it was best to avoid his classroom for a while he started to wander around the castle. He tried to stay out of everyone's way. He liked watching people. It was something he was used to from the Dursley's. He liked observing how they interacted and used their body language. Most of all he like walking. Finally he checked his watch and decided it was time for class. He started walking back, almost late by the time he arrived.
As he walked in he noticed Hermione and Ron were already sitting at their usual spot. He looked around the room and found an open spot next to Dean Thomas. He didn't want to deal with his friends at the moment and decided to sit next to Dean.He gave him an odd look for not sitting next to Ron and Hermione but he didn't say anything when Harry sat down. Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione. They were whispering about something. Probably me. Harry thought.
Just at that moment Ron's head swept across the room and when his eyes landed on Harry's he quickly looked away. "He's back there sitting next to Dean," He whispered to Hermione.
"I can't believe he just took off like that!" Hermione said.
"Yeah, well he's a git."
"Ron!"
"Well he is, I mean, we never fight," Ron looked at Hermione. "Well, not all the time."
"I don't know what got into him but I say if he doesn't want to talk to us than fine."
"You think we should just leave him alone?" Ron asked.
"No," Hermione sighed and paused before saying, "I think we should talk to him... but lets give him some space for now. Maybe he'll come to us when he's ready?" She shrugged.
"I dunno, he's pretty stubborn."
"Yeah, well we all know that." At that point Hermione shushed Ron as McGonagal entered the room.
The rest of Transfiguration happened without incident. Harry continued to ignore Hermione and Ron and they returned the favor. When class was over Harry was the first out the door and went straight to the Gryffindor common room. He sat down on one of the chairs by the fireplace and curled into a ball. He felt if he could take up the smallest amount of space than maybe he'd just become invisible.
Harry started going over some of his Transfiguration homework and soon he fell asleep in the chair. His late night wanderings to the lake tired him out and he often found him self needing to take naps during the day. He didn't dream while he slept. It had been a long time since he'd had any dreams. He missed them. It was a place where he could be whatever he wanted and do the things he couldn't do while he was awake. But like everything else in life, his dreams were failing him now too.
Harry woke up to voices around the room. He was still curled in the oversized arm chair and was confused when he woke. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep. Finally everything came back, his fight with Ron and Hermione. That's who he heard talking. He didn't want to listen to their conversation but he didn't want to get up and leave because then they'd know he was there. So he decided to try to read his Transfiguration book.
"Ron we've been over this," Hermione said. "Just leave it be."
Probably talking about me again.
"Yeah I know, but what if it just gets worse?"
"How could it get any worse, Ron." Hermione said.
I didn't think it was that big of deal? Ron's always so melodramatic. Harry thought.
"Just leave it alone! McGonagal said it would get better with time." Hermione said.
Now their talking to McGonagal about me!
"But it's all purple and wonky looking!" Ron stated.
What? Harry chanced the opportunity to look at Ron. His hand had broken out in weird purple splotches.
"Stop poking at it! You'll make it spread."
Harry laughed at the sight of Ron's purple hand. Ron heard him laugh and looked over to his chair, "Oh, ha ha ha. Laugh it up." Then he grabbed Hermione's arm, "Come on, I didn't know he was here." Ron pulled Hermione out of the common room.
When they were out of Harry's hearing range Hermione said, "Ron, you shouldn't have been so mean."
"He's the one who was laughing at me!"
"Your hand is purple. You have to admit it is kind of funny."
"Oh yeah, funny for you. You don't have to go through life with a purple hand," he waved it around her face.
"It'll wear off in an hour." Hermione reassured as they walked toward the library.
After Hermione and Ron and left, Harry picked up his things and brought them to his bed. He glanced at his watch. Getting late. I must have been sleeping for a while. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and Marauders Map and headed down toward the lake.
It was a colder night then he'd been used to. Colder yet than the night before. Harry Potter sat under a great willow tree next to the lake at Hogwarts. So another night at the lake. Another night to wonder about his relatively close expiration date. Another night closer from separating himself from his friends and this world. And it had finally begun.
A/N: That's it for the first chapter! I haven't actually completed the story yet but my computer has crashed and I figure I can at least start posting for now. This is probablygoing to be the shortest chapter.
Please R&R! Don't worry about PMS-Y!Harry - Draco will change that... maybe not at first... but you know how these fics go!