Helium | Harry J. Potter

09

From the past few weeks, Hermione and Ron could visibly tell that Harry had been more short-tempered than usual. The last time they tried to reason with him, they got told off and accused of pitting him. The worst part was, Harry didn't even mean to snap as he did. The words just came to him so naturally, as if he'd rehearsed it.

TWO WEEKS AGO

Harry had just come back from confronting Alura. He was now sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Hermione. Harry was lying on the couch with his back pressing against the cushion. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the floor in front of him as they were bickering. Harry had his eyes shut tightly as if that would silence their voices. The conversation had somehow turned on Harry, so he finally began paying attention.

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked as she noticed Harry's tense posture.

"I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine," stated Ron. "Are you okay?" he echoed Hermione, but more strict.

"God, I am so tired of people asking that," Harry mumbled. "Stop asking me that."

Hermione sharply inhaled. "Harry, I understand that what you went through last year was traumatic, and I'm sorry, I truly am, but you have to get your anger under control. It's consuming you, Harry."

"So I've heard," he mumbled, recalling when Alura told him that not opening up would ruin him.

NOW

Alura and Harry were currently screaming at each other while Ron and Hermione watched. Hermione and Ron had somehow convinced Harry to talk to Alura, but she was less than pleased to see him. Maybe two weeks ago, she would've been more enthusiastic, but now? Absolutely not.

Alura scoffed, "I am done trying to help you," said Alura. "You are so irritating! One minute you want me to leave you alone-the next, you want to rant to me! No, Harry. I am done." Alura began heading to the door, but Harry grabbed her hand, pulling her back. It reminded her of when she held Harry's hand in second year after he had confronted her.

"Don't leave me," Harry demanded. "Not again," he whispered and looked into her eyes.

For a moment, Alura began to feel bad for him, but no-Harry has done so many horrible things to you, she reminded herself. She shook her head. "I should've left you a long time ago," Alura whispered and yanked her hand from him. She then left the room without another word.

Ron then turned his attention to Harry. "I'm so-"

"Forget about it," Harry mumbled before quickly walking to the nearest restroom. The bathroom was empty by the time he came in.

Harry hastily approached the sink and clenched his hand to it as if he were hanging on for life. He hesitantly looked up to see his reflection in the mirror. He began to sob from what he'd saw. Not about his appearance, but about what was behind it. Many people had always complimented Harry in some shape or form, but they didn't know the hurt behind the so-called elegant green eyes.

Not wanting to see the hurt behind his eyes, he began punching the mirror, anything to get rid of his reflection. Harry's fist was bleeding with blood. He ignored the stinging in his hands as he continued punching the mirror. Once he finally stopped, he looked down at his bloody hands. He stared at them for a few seconds before finally turning on the water and washing his hands of the blood.

Harry watched as the blood went down the drain and began to wonder how Alura did it. How did she put on a smile every day after everything?

Stop, he reminded himself. 'Stop caring so much about what her. Why do you even try? She bluntly expressed the fact that she hates you,' a voice in his head said. Harry shut his eyes tightly, trying to get rid of the voice, but it continued, 'if you let yourself care, all you will feel is pain. So stop caring.'

Harry gripped onto the sink tighter as if his tight grip would force the voice to leave.

'Stop caring,' the voice repeated.

"Stop!" Harry finally shouted. "Just stop," he repeated quieter.

-
Alura had just walked away from Harry when she heard voices in her head. Alura immediately stopped walking and looked around the hall to see if anyone was messing with her. After confirming that she was the only one there, she resumed walking but once again stopped when she heard the voice.

'You claim to hate him so much, but yet he's the only thing on your mind,' said the voice.

Alura noticed that the voice spoke in the third person as if another person were in her mind. She furrowed her eyebrows and once again looked around for anyone. She saw no one.

'You're pathetic. You think you're so mighty for sacrificing yourself to the dark lord when in reality, you did it for your own selfish reason,' the voice said. 'You hated yourself so much that you were okay with dying. How stupid.'

Alura frowned at the memory. She remembered how helpless she was and how weak she felt. Alura began running to the nearest restroom just in case anyone saw her. When she arrived, she heard girls in the women's room, so she reluctantly stepped into the boys' room.

There she saw Harry repeating "stop". Alura saw the smashed glass on the floor and stepped over it to place her hand on his shoulder. Harry flinched when the hand touched him. He sharply turned around and relaxed once he saw that it was just Alura.

Alura used her other hand to caress his cheek. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours. Harry came to his senses and looked back down, letting Alura's hand fall. She put her hand over Harry's clenched one and brushed her thumb over it. Harry's grip weakened, and he smiled a little. That only left one question at hand; who the hell was in their heads?

-
I'm watching Pretty Little Liars rn, and I'm OBSESSED with Shay Mitchell

(ILYT will be back up in I hope, a week. I've edited 47/88 chapters... so I have a ways to go, but I think that's good for five days).