It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 24: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

As he watched the last part of Riddle crumble away, Harry clutched his bleeding arm tightly. That was it. He was going to die.

"Harry, you're hurt!" Ginny's eyes rounded as she gaped at the tear in Harry's robes.

Harry choked trying to tell her that he was fine.

"What do we do now?" She was almost crying.

"Once you get out of here, keep walking right until you reach the fourth pipe on your left hand side. Climb through it and go right a little bit more and you should find Ron. He'll help you." Harry leaned against the wall in pain as the Basilisk venom spread through his veins.

"But...but you!"

"I'll be all right, honestly-"

"-no you won't!"

"Ginny," Harry said firmly, placing his good hand on the small girl's shoulder,"there's no point in me coming. Ron will look after you until you're both safe, I promise. Just take the sword to Dumbledore and tell him exactly what happened. No one will blame you at all, okay?"

Ginny nodded slowly and stood up. Gingerly, she made her way over to the door, but Harry's voice stopped her.

"Wait," he said,"if...if she's all right, tell Hermione that I'm sorry. Sorry that I couldn't fix everything. Sorry that I put her through all of this for nothing?"

Ginny nodded before running from the chamber.

Sighing, Harry let his head hang down into his lap. Brilliant, he thought, I'm going to die sitting in a puddle of water and holding a diary.

Suddenly, a loud squawk echoed through the chamber. Fawkes did a few loops in the air before perching on Harry's right shoulder. Peering at the wound, Fawkes began to cry. Harry remembered Dumbledore's words just before the first tear hit his arm,'Wondrous things, Phoenixes. Their tears have healing powers, you know.'

Harry sighed with relief and stroked Fawkes' head in thanks. Fawkes clearly enjoyed being as important as he had been that day.

***********

"Wait, Mr. Malfoy!" Harry sprinted down the corridor, begging his unlaced shoe not to fall off,"Here...I think this belongs to you." He thrust the diary at Lucius, forcing him to take it.

"Nice try, Potter!" The man spat,"I will get you one day. Dobby, hold!" He tossed the diary into the air as he walked away.

Only just catching the diary, Dobby gave Harry a perplexed look. 'Open it!' Harry mouthed.

The befuddled House Elf flipped through the book's pages until he found the one enclosing a damp grey sock. Harry could not describe the noise that came from Dobby's mouth, for it sounded as though an animal was being strangled, born and given a present all at the same time.

"Quiet, you imbécile! Come!" Lucius snarled.

"No." Dobby said in a small voice.

"No?" Lucius turned on his heel sharply,"And why not?"

"Because...because...M-Master has presented Dobby with...clothes! Dobby is free!" His voice was almost a whisper.

"Whatever do you mean? I did not give you-" That was when Lucius Malfoy saw the sock.

Smirking, Harry pulled up his trouser leg to show his lack of a sock.