When the Snow Melts

Swingers Welcome

"You did it again, boy," Sirius taunted, stepping aside to reveal Hermione. She staggered towards him with hurt, mistrustful eyes, a ragged hole in her chest blossoming like a rose, blood trickling from the corner of her lips.

"No," he whispered, taking a surprised step back. "This is only a dream."

Ron knocked him off his feet as he ran by, catching Hermione in his arms as she crumpled to the ground. He rocked back and forth, clutching the girl tightly to his chest, howling in despair, blood soaking into his clothing. Harry watched in horror, his face ashen. Hermione's hand fell limply to her side. He moved to take it but froze as Ron turned hateful eyes on him.

"This is all your fault," he snarled.

Harry's heart was in his throat, he swallowed against it, eyes darting away.

Ron gasped in surprise, attracting Harry's attention as the boy clutched at his chest, blood pouring through his fingers.

"Why?" he questioned with a grimace of pain. "Why did you do this to us?"

Harry let out an anguished scream, tears streaming down his face as he scrambled away. He needed to put distance between himself and that grisly scene. Hallway after dark hallway passed by in a blur, lungs burning in his chest as he ran aimlessly.

"It's just a dream," he reassured himself, forcing his mind to stay focused, struggling not to lose himself. "None of this is real."

"Harry," a familiar voice called out to him, echoing through the labyrinth – it was Hermione. He pulled up short almost losing his balance when he caught sight of the girl in front of him.

"Please don't hurt me," she begged, eyes wide with fear. Without warning, she fell to the ground with an agonized scream, her body convulsing violently as deep lacerations ripped her body to shreds right before his very eyes. A lake of blood pooled beneath her as she stilled, glassy eyes locked accusingly on his own.

Completely lost to reality, Harry turned to run, his feet slipping on the blood-slicked surface of the ground. He came crashing down beside her, his face close to hers. "I'm sorry," he cried, scrambling haphazardly away, his limbs unable to gain purchase on the bloody cobblestone, tears obscuring his vision. "I don't want this to happen."

"But it will," Sirius promised, appearing from the mist to tower over him. "Let me end it for you."

"WAKE UP," a far-away voice shouted, the scene in front of him instantly dissolving.

<<<<<   >>>>>

Without a second thought, Ron tore off towards the sound of Harry's screaming, Hermione right on his heels. Rules be damned – her friend needed her. Harry was tossing fitfully in his bed, tears streaming down his face.

"Harry," she called, hoping to bring him back. He was becoming increasingly agitated, breath ragged as he apologized through choking sobs.

Ron was at his side in an instant, shaking him roughly. "WAKE UP!" he shouted.

With a start, Harry scrambled against the headboard, a haunted expression on his face. His eyes met hers and widened in horror.

"No," he cried, shaking violently. "You're dead."

Her heart leapt into her throat. "Harry," she said, voice cracking as she moved closer, slowly reaching towards him as if he were a wounded animal. "I'm fine – see." He recoiled, eyeing her hand warily.

"It was just a bad dream," she reassured him.

Awareness began to dawn on him, chasing the shadows from his eyes. He yanked her hand roughly towards his face, the abrupt motion causing her to lose her balance and topple into his bed. Before she could remove herself, he had wrapped his arms around her, clutching her tightly against him, his body shuddering as he sobbed uncontrollably. She wrapped her free arm around him, rubbing his back in soothing circles.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Just a bad dream." He quieted under her care with a few gasping hiccups, both of them finally shifting into a more comfortable position on the bed.

Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances. Harry had fallen back asleep, his arms still tightly wrapped around Hermione. Unable to escape without disturbing the boy, she decided to stay. Ron shrugged uncertainly, pulling up a chair to sit next to the bed, taking both their hands in his. It wasn't long before his head was resting on the bed beside Harry's sleeping form. Hermione let a bittersweet smile appear on her lips as she gazed at the scene.

<<<<<   >>>>>

Harry was dreaming again. It was a pleasant sort of dream – completely mundane. He was nibbling on a piece of toast at the kitchen table discussing school while his mother made his lunch. His father strode into the room yawning. He crossed the kitchen to give his wife a kiss before sitting down next to Harry at the table and tousling his hair affectionately.

They ate breakfast in companionable silence before splitting up to get ready.

"Have a good day at school," his mother called as she was fixing her husband's tie. His father rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture and shrugged. Harry smiled at him, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder before running out the door.

Ron was waiting for him at the bus stop, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Hermione just texted. She promised to help me with my algebra homework tonight, but I think I'd rather be studying anatomy with her," he said with wink. Harry shook his head; Ron was absolutely incorrigible.

The bus pulled up, hydraulics screeching as it came to a stop. They joined Draco in the back row. He'd totaled his new car and as punishment he was forced to ride the bus with all the commoners. It would have been funny if not for the fact that he had been driving them to school as well.

When they finally arrived, they found Hermione tapping her foot impatiently just inside the cafeteria door.

"Don't forget we have that awful group project in History," she reminded Harry, her nose wrinkling in disgust at the thought of working with less competent individuals. "We'll be meeting in the library after school."

She turned to Ron with a brilliant smile, latching her arm in his as she dragged him to Algebra class. Harry chuckled as he watched their retreating form, taking Draco's hand in his as they made their way to Chemistry.

There was no Hogwarts, no prophecies, no Voldemort – just a normal, boring, amazingly perfect life. Ron was on the Rugby Team, Hermione did Speech and Debate, Draco was in Theater, and Harry – he was completely unremarkable in every way.

He awoke with tears in his eyes. Hermione shifted in his arms, looking up at him with a worried expression.

"Another dream?" she asked.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "But a good one this time."

She studied him carefully, frowning at the tears on his face. "Then why are you crying?"

He shut his eyes, forcing back a bitter sob. "Because I know it will never come true," he replied, a hitch in his voice. "We don't get to do normal."

She looked like she had taken a punch to the gut, eyes filling up with tears as she buried her face in his chest. "Oh Harry," she cried. "I'm so sorry."

Ron stirred, lifting his head to watch his friends, his heart aching.

The moment was ruined when Seamus caught sight of them. "Didn't realize you guys were swingers," he remarked, too far away to see their expressions. They chuckled weakly at the joke, Hermione sniffling and wiping the tears off her face with her sleeve.

"Breakfast?" Ron suggested, helping Hermione to her feet.

Harry and Hermione exchanged amused glances – Ron's appetite was legendary.

Endnote: I really struggled with the more graphic scenes in this chapter, trying to find a balance between too much gore and not enough. The focus was more on Harry's emotional response rather than making you toss your lunch. And, did you see, did you see? Dream Harry took Draco's hand. ::squee:: Doesn't seem like Harry realized it though. That subconscious can be so sneaky.