About Harry

Chapter 21 - The hearing

At ten to twelve he threw some floopowder in the fireplace, 'Ministry of Magic' he shouted. The next second Hermione appeared in front of him, just a step from one of the many Ministry's fireplaces. She was intent in wipe the lingering cinder from her suit. Her appearance was impeccable and proper like usual, however her dejected expression couldn't being concealed. When she perceived his presence on her side, she didn't speak, she just hugged him tightly.

When she released him, he took her hand firmly 'Come on' he told her.
They walked in silence in the hall, hand in hand. The sound of their steps echoing in the wide space enlightened the emptiness of the place.
They took the lift going down. 'Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper use of magic office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services' the female voice announced as they walked to the room appointed.
It wasn't crowded, only a bunch of small groups scattered here and there. Not all the court was present, only the most eminent. Harry knew it was just a formality; they had to give semblance to abide by the law. A stout witch in a corner dressed in a cloak of emerald green was ready to record every word.
When his presence became known a hush spread on the room and the stares became commiserative as the occasion required.
Browning approached immediately, eager, shook his hand e just before he could let out a tone adapted to the situation that Harry wished to avoid with all his might, asked to start as soon as possible avowing a wish to be back to Ginny. He wanted to shorten that penance as much as possible. Browning didn't wait to be repeated twice, with a look that gushed a profuse mourning toward him and a stern nod to the others everybody took its place. Harry sitting in the middle and everybody else horseshoe around him.
Hermione took a chair on the bottom of the room, in a corner, and her gaze on his back was the only one that didn't troubled him.
They interrogated him on what happened that day and he, trying to detach as much as possible and using as few words as he could, explained. It couldn't be called an easy task; images of that day attacked him on all sides but he didn't want to betray any emotion in front of them, so he created a mental barrier, kept his face straight and answered to the questions posed.
Yes, it had been an accident.
No. He didn't want to hurt her.
The healer said it was a stunning spell.
No, it was too low to hit me.
I'm not going to answer to this question. It's not relevant. (As they tried to know again what the argument between him and Ron was. Jerks).
And it was done, not even twenty minutes. Ron would be released the 2nd of January.
He shook hands and said goodbyes as they were leaving, had to listen to the words of condolence that had been avoided on arrival but he tried to keep them short. Hermione, in the meanwhile, in a her corner still sat on the uncomfortable chair. She was silently crying. When he got to her, she was the only person left in the room. She thanked him between tears.
He kneeled in front of her and took her hands between his. That display of relief was the only thing to could conciliate him with the idea of having been the mean of Ron's liberty.
'I'm going to go to pick him up on the second' Harry confide when her tears quietened 'I must speak to him, I want him to know that I didn't do it for him and it is gonna be the last time I see him'
She nodded 'Try not to be too hard on him, you have no idea how he feels about it. He is full of remorse; you know, he loved Lily'.
Harry felt a pang of annoyance.
How he feels about it?!
But he didn't want to start an argument where those two names would have appeared again to torture him further, so he kept it for himself and let it go.
'How's Hugo?' he asked remembering her letter.
'Harry, he is pitiful to see. He doesn't cry he is just so desolate he breaks my heart' and the sobbing returned, stronger, 'I feel my family is shattering. How am I going to put the pieces together?'.
He sighed with a heavy heart 'Welcome to the club' he answered.
How much sadness can a person bear in a day? I think I'm done and it's not even one o'clock.
When he got home, he scarcely said hello to Ginny going straight to bed; he needed to be relieved of his consciousness for a while.
A deep sleep welcomed him almost instantly but only after what seemed a few hours was jerked awake by loud bangs that resembled explosion. Opening his eyes green and red lights flashed in his vision. His heart tried to jump out from his chest. He was about to dash from his bed looking for his wand to defend himself from what he interpreted as an abush of some kind when Ginny, who was lying close to him, grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping him 'Harry, everything is ok. They are just fireworks. It's midnight and it's New Year's'.
It took Harry a few seconds to understand what she was saying still not properly awake. He had completely lost count of the days. When lucidity was regained, he let himself fall on the bed, trying to normalise his heart's activity. Ginny started to laugh softly and after a moment, when he managed in his intent, he laughed with her. But it seemed wrong and out of place.
He halted and Ginny, as she had started halted with him. They looked at each other, sadness enveloping them again. He caressed her with tenderness.
'Happy New Year' she whispered, her face illuminated by gold light coming from the window.
'What's going to be happy about it?' he whispered back.
She got close to him 'I've got you. You've got me. We must try to make it so. We must start now' she said pressing her body against him, her hands travelling on his back. And she kissed him with urgency, intensely and despairingly.
'Do you think we'll be able to?' she asked, always whispering, almost panting, not really distancing her lips, so that they would brush against his, tantalizing. Her eyes were wet however, and Harry understood, even too well, the wish to drown those dark, painful feelings into another human being. The wish to disappear into somebody else. He had experienced it already, so many years before.
And without answering, his heart oppressed, he kissed her back as if his life depended on it.
Outside firework after firework were exploding but they were oblivious of it. In that instant there were only him, and her, united in their need of escaping a grief bigger than them. They held onto each other desperately not to fall in the abyss that was opening under their feet, threatening to swallow them completely.
And under those colourful lights, they allowed one another to forget, for a while, about everything but the necessity of loving each other.