The Dark Lioness

Chapter 15

Musty damp air hit his nose as he walked into his little sanctuary in the decrepit house he had no choice but to stay in. He had to return here after Voldemort's snake attacked the Weasley patriarch. In a different life, Harry may have been excited, dare he say thrilled at the chance to spend Christmas with his godfather. But now? He had been anything but excited to spend the time here. All he wanted was to find away in the empty halls of Hogwarts and wait for his Hufflepuff to respond to his daily letters. Instead, he hid away reading all the books he could to fill his time. 

Moving his way through the moth-bitten furniture and dust-filled surfaces he sat down on the least ruined sofa in the room. Picking up the book he had been reading, he looked back at the last page he had read. The book was filled with old magik with fantastic duelling and warding spells and he made a mental note to share the book with Fleur the next time he saw her. Hours slipped past him as he sat reading green eyes scanning faded pages as he soaked up all the information he could from the knowledge in front of him. He was startled when a snide voice scoffed “you’re turning into Hermione. You used to be fun.” Harry turned shocked eyes onto a scowling Ron leaning against the door frame with arms folded. “What are you on about?” Harry furrowed his brows as he saw his best friend sneering at him. “What am I bloody on about? You. You don't spend time with anyone. You hole yourself away in this boring room. The only person you speak to is Fleur whenever she comes over. If I didn't know better I would say you’re changing. You’re turning out like Hermione. A traitor.” 

Harry blinked in shock. A traitor? “Ron, what are you on? Hermione is and never was a traitor. All she wanted was to find out about her biological family which is a normal thing. I would have wanted the same. We were all horrible to her and I wouldn't blame Hermione for outright despising the order after the way she's been treated.” 

“How she was treated?! My family has taken her in during the summer for the past few bloody years! Treated her like family and she turned it away for what? A woman who doesn't even want her!” 

“Ron you have to be joking. She has never been treated that well. Your mother is casually racist all the time. Your dad literally treats Hermione as though she is an encyclopedia for muggle stuff and the way he was way too over the top with the Grangers was weird. He treats them like they're new toys or some sort of entertainment. The only ones out of your family who have always treated Hermione well are Bill and Charlie and I can only assume thats because they're adults and actually act their age. Only reason the Twins stopped being rude to Hermione was when they found her crying after our first Charms lesson when you were being awful to her.” 

Ron merely flushed angrily and sneered at Harry. “My family has helped you two since first year and this is how you two repay us?! It's no wonder why you have no family. Well… The ones you have are right. Youre an ungrateful FREAK! Stay away from my family Scarhead and keep that filthy Mudblood on her leash.” Ron stomped away slamming the door behind him leaving Harry in stunned silence. 

“‘Arry? Mon Ami? Est-tu bien?” Harry blinked teary green eyes as he blankly looked at the bleary blonde witch. He couldn't even speak in response to her concern. He had no idea how much time had passed since Ron stormed off but it must have been a while if the reclusive blonde had come to find him. Shaking his head he tried to stifle the sobs threatening to rack his tiny frame. 

“Oh, ‘Arry. I ‘ave you. Je t’ai ‘Arry. C’est bon. Lâche, ma petite.” (I have you, Harry. It’s ok. Let go, my little A/N Ma petite is weird when translated to English. Sounds much better and comforting in French.) Fleur cradled his sobbing frame close to her as she whispered soothing things she knew he didn't understand. Fleur's heart ached to see the caring boy she met at Hogwarts the year before, turn into a shell of who he once was. There was so much she wished she could help him with but she knew she couldn't. ‘At least,’ she thinks to herself, ‘I can give him a little something for him to smile about.’