Midnight Duel, Midday Love
A Very Rude Awakening
By Draco664
A Very Rude Awakening
Harry was roughly shaken awake, a pair of hands holding fistfuls of the front of his bedclothes. Distant voices became clearer. One in particular was shouting his name, while at least three other voices in the background were screaming at him to stop.
Stop what? Harry thought blearily to himself. What am I doing?
A sudden sensation of disorientation was almost instantly accompanied by a sharp pain in his cheek. The unexpected pain helped drive the potion-induced sleep from his mind. As the darkness in his vision receded, Harry could dispassionately make out Ron holding him by the scruff of his robes in one hand, and another drawn back in the shape of a fist.
Dreamily, Harry watched it slowly descend and strike him in the face again, this time into his left eye. Time sped up.
Madam Pomfrey, Hermione, Cho and Ginny were all screaming at Ron to let him go, clawing at the tall, bulky red head. Ron himself was shouting something incoherent at Harry while drawing his arm back for a third blow.
Harry lashed out first, still not thinking clearly. He drove the tips of his rigid fingers into Ron's throat. The unexpected reaction shocked Ron into letting Harry's robes go. A second later, Ron's already red face turned scarlet as he struggled to breathe through his damaged esophagus.
With Ron's attention elsewhere, Madam Pomfrey was able to finally drag the larger young man off Harry. She immediately cast a quick healing charm on Ron's adam's apple, allowing Harry's friend to draw a ragged breath.
Before Ron had a chance to launch another attack, Madam Pomfrey stunned him. With a sigh the nurse checked that Ron was breathing without assistance then stood and surveyed the damage he caused Harry.
Harry tasted blood in his mouth and raised his hand to his cheek. There was a trickle of blood running down his face from a small cut above his left eye. That eye itself was starting to stream with tears.
Madam Pomfrey clucked her tongue. "You'll survive. You've had worse. Much worse." The nurse said, and then waved at Ginny to follow her.
He blankly looked from his stunned friend to the girls present. He focused on Ginny and gasped in shock. "Ginny? My God, are you alright? Who did that to you?"
Ginny's face was a mass of deep, cris-crossed, oozing scratches. Several appeared to extend down the sides of her neck and below the robes she wore, since the pale material was stained red in places. Harry woodenly looked down to her arms, and saw trickles of blood emerging from gashes on her forearms.
Ginny turned her head so her vibrant hair blocked Harry's view of the worst of the damage. She lowered her eyes and responded, "It's not important, never mind." She allowed Madam Pomfrey to walk her over to a hospital bed and helped her slowly climb in.
Harry was about to object when Cho lightly cupped his cheeks and gently forced Harry to face her. She then covered his face with kisses, avoiding his left cheek and eye.
"Oh Harry, you're awake. I wish I was here for you." she said between kisses.
Harry pulled away, nervous. "Um, What's going on?" he asked Hermione.
Cho looked heartbroken, but stayed silent as Hermione answered. "Ron got back from his detention with Snape to find us both gone. He went to ask Ginny if she knew where we were, and found she'd been attacked."
"Who attacked her?" Harry asked.
"We have no idea, Ginny won't say. Ron brought her here in a panic. I called out to Ron to let him know I was behind a curtain, and her rushed over. He was panicking even more about what happened to me, and kept asking who hurt me. I asked him not to get angry and I told him what happened. That's when he rushed over to your bed and started hitting you. I'm sorry Harry."
Harry rubbed his cheek. "Don't worry about it, Hermione. This is something Ron and I need to discuss. You'd better get back to bed."
He turned to watch her go, then steeled himself to look at Cho, but failed.
"Are- are you my Cho?" he whispered, looking down at her hands.
"Yes Harry, I am. I'm so sorry that I took so long to think about us. If I hadn't..."
Harry leaned forward and cautiously placed a kiss on her lips. Though surprised, Cho responded and they shared a long, but chaste kiss.
Harry pulled away and his face immediately lit up. "You are my Cho!" he said excitedly, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I recognise your kisses."
Cho smiled and hugged him back.
"I recognise your kisses." said Harry, holding her tightly.
Relief flooded Cho, as she wrapped her own arms around him. His next words shocked her to the core.
"Please forgive me."
Cho froze. She pulled back to look Harry in the eye, but he refused to meet her gaze. "What do you think you need forgiveness for, Harry?" she asked softly.
Harry swallowed and didn't answer for a while. "For betraying you." he finally whispered.
"Oh, Harry." she said, holding him close again. "Dumbledore and Hermione told me what happened. It isn't your fault."
Harry shook his head and tried to pull away. "But whoever it was kissed differently to you, and, um, reacted differently too. I should have known."
Cho didn't let him go. "It is not your fault, Harry. Not at all." She waited until he stopped trying to get away. "Hermione told me you threw up when you discovered it wasn't me. That tells me all I need to know. You were ill at the thought of betraying me."
Harry's voice grew thick. "I never-, I-" he started, but couldn't finish. His body started shuddering.
"Shhh." Cho said, rubbing his back. "I'm here now."
Harry's convulsions died down. Cho finally pulled back. "To think Hermione was forcing me to go to you tonight and apologise."
Harry looked blank. "What for?" he asked, his voice still thick.
Cho gave a small wry smile. "For not talking to you sooner."
"But I told you to take as much time as you needed."
"I know, and you are wonderful to do so. But I thought I'd waited too long. I've been a miserable wreck for the last month."
Harry lay back in the bed. "I never want you to feel you can't talk to me Cho." he said, his voice getting slightly slurred.
Cho smiled as she watched the sleeping potion Harry had taken before reclaim him.
"Miss Chang, I rarely express my admiration at a student's progress, but I must say that I'm impressed. You have improved dramatically over the last fortnight. I was afraid that I'd have to suggest you give up the notion of becoming an animagi."
Cho smiled at the Transfiguration teacher. "Thank you professor. I believe I have more to add to the theory behind transforming into a magical creature."
Professor McGonagall smiled. "I'd be interested in hearing it."
Cho gripped Harry's hand tighter and looked at him briefly. His trusting smile warmed her, and she turned back to her teacher. "The difficulty I encountered less than two months into the transformation process coincided with our, that is Harry and my estrangement. I was petrified at the thought of talking to him and discovering that he didn't love me anymore.
"After the night in the hospital wing, my loyalty was restored, after I initially thought that, well-"
"That I had been unfaithful." finished Harry uncomfortably in a whisper.
Cho squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry Harry, I keep seeming to bring that night up."
Harry swallowed and nodded. "It's Ok." he whispered.
Cho turned back to McGonagall who looked uncomfortable at the change in topic. "Even since that night, my achievements in my animagus attempt have surged. Since loyalty is one of the most documented traits of a phoenix, we are adding more evidence that for someone to obtain a magical creature's form you must have that creature's traits."
McGonagall nodded thoughtfully. "It is a low statistical sample, but I do tend to agree. Given this assumption, I'd like to ask you a question Miss. Chang."
Cho nodded.
"Do you still think you can become a phoenix animagi?"
Cho shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Harry believes in me." Cho gave him a thankful smile before continuing, "But I do have a few doubts."
"Would you care to explain? Or do you feel this is too private?"
Cho took a deep breath. "A phoenix is loyal, noble and brave. Harry seems to think I have these traits, but I don't think I am courageous enough.
McGonagall nodded gravely. "Should this theory of yours hold an element of truth, I'd suggest that any doubts that you have will only be impediments to you on your road to success. As such, I suggest that before expending any more effort on this endeavor, you conquer your doubts and fears. Getting to the final stage and not being able to finish because of a nagging insecurity would not be to your benefit."
Cho nodded and gripped Harry's hand harder for a second. "Thank you Professor. I believe I'm ready to study the animal's form. While Harry has offered to model for me as a last resort, we both think that observing Fawkes would be a more rewarding activity."
A slight smile graced the features of the Transfiguration Professor. "I shall see what I can do. I'm sure the headmaster would allow access to his familiar for you to study."
McGonagall stood, indicating the tutoring session was at an end. Harry and Cho both stood, thanked the Professor one last time and left.
The pair held hands as they walked down the twisting corridors.
"Do you want to go into Hogsmeade today, Harry?" Cho asked timidly.
He shrugged noncommittally. His gaze never wavered from their path.
Truth be known, Cho was extremely worried about Harry. Ever since he had woken in the hospital wing the morning after he had been violated he had not spoken above a whisper. He was nervous around people, and had taken to eating his meals early in the morning and late in the evening to avoid most of the students. Cho once went looking for him at lunch and found him in the kitchens eating a corner.
This was the last Hogsmeade weekend before the Yule ball, and Harry still needed to get some new dress robes. Cho had come to terms with the fact that Harry was going with Ginny, knowing that he had no choice in the matter. Cho herself hadn't bothered asking anyone, telling anyone interested that she had study to do.
"Come on Harry." she said gently. "Let's go into town and get you some new robes."
Harry nodded reluctantly, and followed her lead towards the front gates of the castle. It was at this moment that Peeves made an appearance.
With an evil cackle, the poltergeist launched two water balloons at the pair. The shock of being hit by a water balloon took Cho's mind off Harry almost tearing her fingers off as he pulled his hand from hers.
The malicious grin on Peeves' face disappeared as a furious magical blast from Harry's wand struck him in the chest, hurling the poltergeist backwards into the stone wall. Peeves' control of his form was lost, and he seemed to loose focus, becoming more and more incorporeal.
Cho looked at Harry in shock. He was perfectly dry, having managed to dodge the incoming balloon with only a fraction of a second's warning. He stood there, quivering, his wand pointing directly at the almost dispersed poltergeist.
It was only Filch's arrival that caused them to move once again. His initial rage at Harry was soon overcome with glee as he noticed the bane of his life struggle to maintain form.
Dumbledore watched sadly as Harry and Cho silently left his office. Harry had not offered an explanation as to his actions, and Cho's description of events didn't give the teachers present any comfort.
The headmaster gave a deep sigh and turned to his deputy. "Recommendations?"
McGonagall frowned in thought. "The boy has been through too much in his life, Albus. But an uncontrolled burst of destructive magic at such a low threat as a water balloon is just not acceptable."
"I concur." said Professor Sprout. "But I don't believe anyone here thinks that his instinctive reactions are through his own fault. I cannot imagine the hardships Harry has been through in the last year and a half. We owe him so much, enough that he deserves another chance."
"And what if Mr. Potter's next uncontrolled outburst is directed at another student?" asked Snape. "As much as I am enjoying working with him, we do have a duty to the other students here."
"It is not as though this is unprecedented." added Professor Flitwick. "There have been cases of rape in this school's history before."
Dumbledore nodded. "It is not the first time that a victim has had the same training has Harry, either. In the hands of a disciplined wizard, Harry's skills would be a great asset to us. He learned these skills out of necessity, not out of any selfish desire. As such, he appears to be wired all wrong. The slightest provocation now sets of a violent reaction."
"What happened the previous time?" asked Professor Sprout.
Dumbledore sighed. "The victim had been trained by her dark wizard uncle. According to the records, she was given a potion by her attacker that caused a similar effect to the body bind spell. Several male students raped her while she was fully aware of what was going on."
The head of Hufflepuff coloured with concealed rage. "That's horrendous." she sputtered.
Dumbledore nodded. "After the assault, whenever someone touched her unexpectedly she would blast them away with an uncontrolled magical blast. Several students were injured severely. She refused to talk about the assault on her person or get counseling. The headmaster of the time apprenticed her to a witch in the Orkneys."
Snape raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Surely you are not suggesting that we just send Mr. Potter away? I'm sure you would have no end of offers from prominent mages to take him on as an apprentice, but..."
Dumbledore raised his hand to interrupt. "I have no immediate intention of sending Harry away, Severus. But your previous point must be addressed. We have a duty of care to the students here, and Harry is currently not in control of his emotions."
Professor Sprout sighed deeply. "Has there been any progress in finding his attacker?"
Dumbledore sadly shook his head. "No. He refuses to discuss the night in question. Due to the powerful effects of the potion Harry and Severus brewed, we only have a few circumstantial facts. One, the person is probably a Gryffindor. Two, the person is probably female."
"I thought the person must have been female. Doesn't polyjuice potion limit the drinker to the same gender?" Professor Sprout asked Snape.
"Normally, but the version that was used that night does not. It is not without irony that the very potion Mr. Potter helped develop was used to assault him." the potion master replied.
"Three." Dumbledore continued. "Witnesses saw bloodstains on Harry's sheets before the elves washed them. The attacker was probably a virgin before the attack. That fact is probably the most disturbing."
"Why is that so disturbing?"
Dumbledore ran a hand over his tired eyes. "Because it muddies the motive. Rape is not a sexual act, but an act of proving power over someone. But the act of willingly giving up your virginity is one of trust."
McGonagall nodded. "So the attacker probably saw what they were doing as giving Mr. Potter something precious, and in all probability don't think they did anything wrong."
Dumbledore nodded. "Four, the theft of Harry's invisibility cloak."
Snape shook his head. "Remember the media coverage of his trial. A full list of the items he owns was published. The fact he had an invisibility cloak was used against him; the Ministry used it to accuse him of every unsolved crime in the wizarding world since he was five. Everyone knows that he owns one."
"True. Then there is the fact that Ms. Weasley was assaulted on the same night. In all probability by the same person. She also refuses to discuss the events that night."
Snape sneered at McGonagall. "You know, for all your innuendo and insults, it would seem that Gryffindor is the house to avoid."
"Enough!" said Dumbledore, heading off an argument before it began. "Minerva, no one is blaming you for the events that night. Severus, we are not here to make snide remarks. We need to come up with a reasonable solution to Harry's problem."
"Is it up to us to force a solution against his will?" asked Snape. "As much as I believe we need to help him, he needs to want to help himself first."
"Albus, you told me when Mr. Potter started back here that you were concerned for his sanity." said McGonagall. "
Dumbledore nodded. "The evening he secured the neutrality of the acromantulas in the Forbidden Forest he told me that he would continue to make jokes to protect his sanity. It would seem his rape has taken his ability to laugh."
"I'm not surprised. I would not wish rape on anyone." said Professor Sprout.
Dumbledore sighed. "If that is all that was keeping Harry sane, then perhaps we do need to insist that he accept some counseling."
Four nods followed this suggestion.
"Well?"
"Master, Potter didn't appear in Hogsmeade as expected."
Red eyes glittered mercilessly. "You dare return to report failure?"
"No Master! I spoke with Malfoy's son. Potter was prevented from going to Hogsmeade due to disciplinary action. Apparently he attacked the poltergeist."
The serpent-featured figure snarled at his servant. "Are you sure of your source?"
"Yes, Draco is desperate to serve you and attain his rightful inheritance."
Voldemort nodded. "Very well. Do not disappoint me again, Pritchart."
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