In Times of Peril

My only non-slash fanfiction

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Harry had been stupid not to see this coming.

When Ginny Weasley mysteriously disappeared, he knew he should have suspected someone, anything, but there were no clues. There was no lead into who might have taken her, and there was no telling what could have happened. But what could he do? Everyone had turned to him for help, but he had no idea.

One by one, people had begun to turn away from their saviour, and he would not complain. He was sick of being their hero, damned forever to be looked to in times of peril.

Harry Potter was only seventeen years old. He was not Albus Dumbledore, and he hated that people expected him to be. He hated it even more that his friends expected him to be great, and they knew full well that he could not live up to their expectations. As he was shunned for not being what they wanted him to be, he watched from the outside as others began to disappear as well.

Next went Dean Thomas, followed closely by Colin Creevey and his little brother Dennis. The Daily Prophet started printing articles suggesting that Harry himself was the cause of these disappearances, as he was doing nothing to stop them. But what could one do if he had no idea?

And then Hermione disappeared.

He hadn’t even known until Ron had pushed him up against the wall in the common room late one night and started screaming in his face. “What is your bloody problem?! Hermione, Harry! How could you do this to Hermione?! She did everything for you! She was the only one stupid enough to think that you were innocent! The truth comes out , Potter!� he had exploded, tears streaming down his face.

Harry closed his eyes and turned away from his former best friend, swallowing back his weakness. “Get away from me, Weasley,� he said softly, opening his viridescent eyes to shoot a menacing glare to the redhead. “You know I didn’t do this. You and your little followers are just looking for someone on which to place the blame. If you feel like ranting, go find Voldemort and get yourself killed. Do us all a favour.� His voice was immensely cold, and he used his strong arms to shove Ron away.

Ron snarled in rage and flew at him, fists flying in determination to fell the bespectacled brunette. Harry had sufficient time to react, and before the other lay a hand on him, he had whipped out his wand and Stunned him. “Keep. Your. Hands. Off.�

Ron landed with a strangled cry against the far wall, unable to get to his feet. Parvati Patil rushed to his side, glaring at Harry as she helped Ron to the couch. “You monster! Why don’t you just go to Slytherin?!� she demanded of him, not even noticing as tears spilled onto his cheeks and he retreated to the deserted dormitory.

Because he could do nothing for them, they hated him. Because he was not as strong as they had led themselves to believe, they wanted him dead, as they knew their beloved classmates were. The only explanation was that Voldemort was planning his final move, and he was in grave danger. The Dark Lord was getting what he needed—Harry was isolated, with no friends save Dumbledore, around him. If Voldemort wanted to kill him, then let him come, he thought miserably.

Even death would be better than this pathetic existence.

Once in the dorm, he moved to the foot of his bed to the trunk, opening it and taking out the two-way mirror given to him by Sirius. “Sirius Black,� he said clearly to it, but, as always, his godfather’s face did not appear. For two years he had been torturing himself over the man’s death. It was his fault, no matter what everyone else said. If he had not been so stupid, Sirius would not be dead. He would be laughing, offering comfort to Harry in times of tribulation...but that would never happen. Everyone was miserable because he had been a scared little boy.

With a wracked sob, he threw the mirror back into his trunk and flung himself onto his bed, hands clutching at the pillow. He heard soft footsteps in the room, and he drew the hangings to his bed violently. “Harry?� someone called softly, and he growled.

“Leave me alone! Haven’t you all done enough?!�

“Harry...� With a shock, he realised he knew that voice. Tentatively, he drew his wand from his sleeve and opened the hangings, wand at the ready. “What do you want? Have you come to corner me?!� His scar began to prickle ominously, and he took a step. “Kill me...� He lowered his wand and took a defensive stance, eyes lowering as the Dark Lord drew closer to him. “Do it. Everyone thinks I’m in league with you. Prove them wrong. Show them that it’s their fault I died. Make them regret everything...�

Voldemort wheezed with laughter. “They believe you in league with me, Potter? Amusing. Why not prove them right? Join me, Harry. Join me and kill those who have wronged you,� he hissed, one hand reaching out to touch the tip of Harry’s chin.

The brunette’s scar screamed with agony, and he winced away from that touch. “Don’t lay a hand on me, filth,� he growled, smacking that hand away. “Are you going to kill me or not?�

Voldemort laughed again and caressed Harry’s cheek. “Come, Harry. Do you want to see your friends? The Mudblood? The one who believed you?� The green-eyed boy looked up sharply.

“Take me to them.�

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He saw her immediately among the bodies of the others, and he rushed forward, ignoring the dark presence behind him. She looked up at him and gave no response as he wrapped her in his arms, sobbing into her long, curly hair. “Hermione...Oh God, Hermione...Are you all right?� he demanded, squeezing her before pulling away to look into her eyes.

When he got no response, he shuddered and cried out in agonizing emotional pain. “What have you done to her?!� he screeched, releasing her. To his horror, she slumped to the floor, completely flaccid. Ginny was lying near her in a similar state, only moving her eyes. Harry’s own filled with tears, and he rounded on Voldemort again, finding a wand at the base of his throat.

“Join me, Harry, and you can save them.�

“That is no way to live!� he shrieked, taking a step back and gasping as he stepped on Seamus’ arm. “I’ll kill you!�

“Ah, but you’ll never have the chance,� Voldemort chuckled before muttering, “Crucio...�

Harry ground his teeth, hands clenching into fists as he fought the urge to screech in agony. Somehow, through all the pain, he managed to draw his wand and shakily point it at Voldemort. “R-r-release th-them!� he ground out, eyes squeezing closed as he fell to his knees. The Dark Lord snickered and released the curse, watching in grim satisfaction as Harry trembled and coughed on the floor.

“There is nothing you can do for them now. Neither you nor I can save their souls...�

Harry leapt from his place on the floor and, shivering, threw himself at Voldemort. At the touch of their skin, his burned, but it did not stop him from ripping the wand from Voldemort’s hands. The Dark Lord hissed and cried, “Mobilicorpus!�

Harry was momentarily stunned—what could the spell do? Was it not for unconscious bodies? To his shock, the soulless bodies of his friends and house-mates rose, mouths slack and shoulders drooping as they rose to their feet and took shaky steps toward the fighting pair. Hermione’s hands found Harry’s dark, thick hair, and she began to pull, eyes half-lidded in her stupor. “Hermione!� he begged, gasping as the even stronger Dean Thomas pulled his entire body off of Voldemort. He could feel his house-mates’ fingernails digging into his skin, then he suddenly found himself flying through the air.

He landed with a loud snap, and he was sure his arm was broken. Voldemort sneered down at him and retrieved his wand, pointing it at the boy. “Now, you die, Potter. The prophesy has come true—one cannot live as long as the other does. You, destined to destroy me or be destroyed, have taken the latter path. Goodbye, young—�

Voldemort cut himself off as his soulless minions continued toward him, and he glared angrily at them. “Stop it! Go after him! Hold him down and watch me in my final—what are you doing!?� he shrieked in anger as Seamus snatched his wand and snapped it in half. “You! Traitors!�

“Harry, RUN!� Hermione suddenly cried, turning around to face him. He was shocked to see tears on her face, and he knew what they meant. This was the last time they would see one another. Was it worth it? Was it worth it to run and let her die that he might go on? Could he bear the pain, knowing that she had died so he might go back to a world where everyone hated him and he thought about suicide more often than living?

No.

“Hermione!� he called, tears breaking out over his cheeks as he ran toward her. She had a double-take of him, and her mouth opened in shock. “What are you doing?!� she demanded, turning away from their assault on Voldemort, from the throwing of spells and curses, to rush into his arms. “What is your problem, Harry?! Leave! Go before he kills you!� she sobbed, gasping as he took her into his arms.

“No...It isn’t worth it...Hermione, it wouldn’t be worth it...I-I couldn’t go on. Not without you...� he moaned, clutching her as tightly as he could. She cried into his shoulder and gasped as he began to run, scooping her up into his arms as he ran. She did not understand him—they had been set to kill Voldemort, and he pulled her away?

“Harry...What about the others?� she asked as he transformed a candle into a Portkey. He shook his head and made her hold it as well, counting down as the familiar tug behind their navels pulled them back to the grounds just outside Hogwarts. He ran inside with her and hurried to Hagrid’s old hut, abandoned now that Hagrid had died the year before, and collapsed inside, clutching her tightly to his chest.

“I-I don’t care. They hated me, too, Hermione, and only you believed me. Hermione...I don’t care if everyone else dies....I just want to be with you.�

“And the wizarding world? Harry, this is stupid! You can’t possibly abandon an entire society just because I believed you...Harry, we have to go back!�

He shook his head and moved to kiss her, scowling as she pulled away. “Hermione...�

“Please, Harry...I, no we can’t...We can’t let them die...�

He sighed and shook his head. “I...I guess you’re right...Hermione...� he whispered, letting go of her and gazing softly into her eyes. “Just...promise me something, okay?� he asked, taking her small hands. She nodded and looked up into his eyes.

“I know what you’re going to say. Harry...I promise. Now, let’s go...� she whispered, eyes ghosting closed as his lips found hers for a few moments. She tasted sweat and nervousness on his lips, and she kissed them again before falling against his chest.

“Okay...and maybe, just maybe they’ll believe me again.�

She smiled and nodded giving him a squeeze before taking his warm hand. “Come, Harry. We have to save the world...�

And for once, Harry was not appalled at the words.