November 23
Harry Potter was walking around the grounds. It wasn't even eight o'clock and he was wandering around, just enjoying the scenery. James and Lily, after fussing for a good twenty minutes, were asleep in their cribs. Hermione woke up when Harry came out of the shower, but she knew he was going out to walk, and went back to sleep.
He'd been on the grounds many times before, but he never really appreciated it. He saw the smoke come out of Hagrid's hut, a sure sign that the fire was lit. He watched as birds of different colors and sizes flew by. The way the dew on the grass glistened in the morning sun, the cool breeze blowing through his already messy hair. He felt oddly refreshed after mornings like this, though he rarely had anytime to walk around anymore.
Maybe I'll take James and Lily one day, Harry thought. He checked his watch, eight o'clock, and decided that he should get back. He started walking towards the school when he noticed a figure by the Forbidden Forest.
Who's that? Harry wondered. He decided to brush it off, so he started walking towards the school again. After a few steps, curiosity got the better of him and he started walking towards the still figure. He saw that the figure was pretty tall (to him at least), about 5'6'', and slim. The more he walked, the more he wondered who it was. Then he noticed that person had his back towards him. He was wearing Hogwarts school robes, of course, that much he knew. But he still didn't know who the person was. Then, he saw blond, near white, hair. Only one person in the school had that hair. Draco Malfoy.
He walked a few more steps until he was but a few feet away from him. Draco still hadn't noticed Harry's presence, and was still facing away.
"Draco," Harry said softly, as to not scare the boy. None the less, Draco jumped and turned around. His shirt was wrinkled and the top two buttons were undone, his tie was on loosely and his eyes had bags under them. His face was paler than usual and he had a bloody lip. Harry noticed, too, that he had a pin on him that said SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY—THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION.
He looked so venerable, Harry thought.
"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, moving his face away so he wouldn't be seen.
"I was on a walk. It's been so long since I've had a nice walk," he said. Draco nodded, still not looking at him.
"About the pin," Draco started, "they made me do it." Harry said nothing, so he decided to keep on talking. "I told the other Slytherins that it wasn't worth ruining our expensive robes for, that we could always taunt you about what was in the paper or your kids." Harry expression instantly darkened. "Not me!" Draco defended himself. Harry's expression softened and nodded. "Plus, we can change the pin to look like this." He touched his pin and it changed into a horrible shade of green and Harry's face with green smoke coming out. It said: POTTER STINKS!
Harry actually laughed at that. Draco looked at him oddly, and started to clean the dry blood.
"Wow, couldn't be anymore imaginative, now could they?" Harry said, still chuckling a bit.
"It's not only us, it's the whole school. Everyone believed what you said in the paper, so naturally, everyone got these." He pointed to the pin and changed it again.
"Why do you have a bloody lip, though?" Harry asked.
"I told them that my robes were to expensive, which they are, and they said that I could always buy new ones from father. I wasn't really listening to them, so they started jumping on me, trying to get this blasted pin on me. Now it won't come off, no matter how hard I try," he said.
"And you just let them jump on you?" Harry asked, clearly amused.
"Shut up!" he shot back. "How would you feel if you had ten Slytherin's jumping on you, not to mention about ten Slytherin girls giggling and touching you from behind!"
Now Harry started laughing loudly. "And I thought you were a Slytherin; hex them you dolt!" he said, gasping for breath.
"Shut up, Potter," he said coldly, smoothing out his shirt and fixing his tie. He wiped off the dry blood and started walking back, all the while muttering "stupid Potter."
Harry walked into the Great Hall to get breakfast for himself. He knew that by the time he got back to his room, she'd be finished by then.
Once he walked in, everyone started whispering furiously. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patel put their heads together, started to giggle and point. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan were waving at them, beckoning for him to join them. Harry waved, too, and walked over to them. He then noticed that Ron and Ginny were no where to be seen. Probably sleeping, his mind thought. The Slytherin's were snickering and giving him glares; the Ravenclaw's were not paying attention to him. The Hufflepuff's were even slightly glaring at him; furious to the fact that there were two Hogwarts champions, one that just happened to be fourteen. The Gryffindor's were looking at him oddly, though not saying anything. They were probably glad that at least one from their house, no matter their age, had gotten into the Tournament. How, though, they didn't know. And for that, just about half had turned their backs on him; while the other half was in awe, wondering how exactly he got his name into the Goblet.
He walked over to Dean and Seamus, who had wicked grins plastered on their faced. "That's not a good sign," Harry muttered to himself.
"Hey Harry," Dean said, grin never leaving his face.
"Hi," said Harry, sitting next to them and piling his plate with food. He saw pickles, and thought, how the hell could someone eat pickles for breakfast? Mmm pickles, good food, very healthy, his other half thought, clearly amused. He snorted, not realizing that Dean and Seamus were looking at him, confusion etched on their faces.
"So, Harry," Dean started, "how'd you get your name in the Goblet?"
"Yeah, everyone's wondering that." Seamus looked around, gaining nods from people around them.
Harry sighed, "I didn't. That's it; I didn't put my name in there. Nothing more, nothing less," he said. He started eating his eggs and Fred and George sat next to him.
"Hello, Harry," Fred said cheerfully.
"Hi Fred, George," Harry said, going back to his eggs.
"So, Harry," George started, but was cut off by a mad Harry.
"Look, I did not put my name in the Goblet of Fire, okay? Stop asking me!" Harry said. He got up and stormed out of the Great Hall, leaving a deathly silence.
"Rough night, George?" commented Fred.
"Rough night, indeed, Fred," George said.
People started laughing at that comment, some sniggered, and a few looked at them horrorstruck.
Harry walked out of the Great Hall, not even sparing a glance back at them. All he wanted was a peaceful breakfast, but no, Rita Skeeter just had to say that he put his name in the Goblet of Fire.
He walked to the Gryffindor tower and went towards the portrait, muttering the password. The door swing open and he saw letters, lots of letters.
"Hermione?" shouted Harry.
"Up here!" She shouted from their room.
He walked over the letters, and went up to their room. Her hair was a bit burnt in some places, her eyes were blazing, and James and Lily were crying uncontrollably. He instantly went for James and Lily, attempting to calm them down. They didn't, so Harry took them to the nursery.
"Dobby!" Harry shouted. The house-elf appeared a few moments after.
"Yes Mister Harry Potter sir?" the house-elf asked.
"Can you watch Lily and James, I've got to see why we've got all these letters here," he said.
"Yes Mister Harry Potter sir!"
Harry ran back to his room, where there was a howler… howling at Hermione.
"YOU STUPID TART! YOU KNEW HARRY POTTER WAS GOING TO BE MY BOYFRIEND! WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM! YOU'RE A SCARLET WOMAN, FILTHY MUDBLOOD! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL! OR BETTER YET, I HOPE YOU FAIL ALL OF YOUR TESTS! YES! HAH! STUPID HERMIONE GRANGER! YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE AMAZING, SEXY, WONDERFUL, HARRY POTTER, THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED! YOU DON'T DESERVE HIM, I TELL YOU! HE'LL LEAVE YOU! I BET! THAN HE'LL COME TO ME! YES!" The howler blew her a raspberry and shredded itself onto the bed, which was filled with howlers.
Harry was furious; Hermione didn't seem effected. He stalked over to the bed and saw a huge pile of shredded howlers. The letters, though, were another story.
He walked over to her and held her hand, forcing the contact to calm him down. "Hermione," he started, "what are these for?"
Hermione looked away. "It's… It's nothing, really."
He snorted. "Please, you have a pile of howlers; don't tell me this isn't anything. I know you, Hermione, what are all these for?"
"They… I guess it's from that article," she said calmly. "I knew I'd be getting these. You're Harry Potter, the amazing, Boy-Who-Lived. You don't deserve a plain bookworm like me," she said quietly.
"Hermione," he said sternly. "You aren't plain, okay? You're beautiful, really. You're the mother of my children, my best friend, and my other half. Don't listen to them, they know nothing." He gave her a long kiss, showing what he meant. She returned it with passion. After a few seconds, they parted.
"Are you going to read all of those?" Harry asked, touching his forehead with hers. She shook her head slightly. He nodded and got up, "I'm going see if James and Lily are okay. Maybe then we can clean this up after." She nodded and he left.
He walked towards the nursery, avoiding the letters, and went into the nursery. Dobby was currently changing Lily's diaper and James was snoozing pleasantly in his crib.
"Oh, Mister Harry Potter sir," Dobby said quietly, as to not wake up James. "Dobby must go now, time to make lunch and such. Dobby is humbly sorry sir," he said.
"Don't worry, Dobby," Harry said. "Hermione and I will take care of them. We are their parents, after all."
Dobby nodded. "Yes, yes! Harry Potter and Herminny parents to Harry Potter babies!" Dobby said. He turned around and finished changing Lily's diaper, and handed her to Harry. "Dobby is cleaning up letters and leave." Harry nodded. Dobby popped into the main room and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the letters (and the howlers from upstairs, earning a loud yelp from Hermione) started to pile in front of Dobby. After about a minute or so, he snapped his fingers again and they disappeared.
"No letters now Mister Harry Potter sir," Dobby said, grinning happily. Harry returned the grin.
"Thank you Dobby, really. Everything you've done has really helped us—me and Hermione—out," Harry said, really meaning it.
"No problem Harry Potter sir, Dobby is happy to help little baby Potters," he said, still grinning.
"Okay, Dobby, you can leave if you wish." Dobby nodded and snapped his fingers, disappearing in a soft 'pop.'
Harry noticed that he was still holding Lily, "oh." He chuckled slightly. I must seem stupid. I'm holding my child and I didn't even realize it, he thought stupidly.
"Dobby, he's amazing," Hermione said, coming out wearing jeans and a simple periwinkle shirt.
"Yeah he is," Harry said.
"Do you want to go out today? I mean with James and Lily?" she asked nervously.
Harry shrugged. "Why not, I mean, they are our children after all." Hermione nodded and kissed him. "If we take them out more, will you kiss me more?" he asked, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Hermione slapped his arm playfully, avoiding Lily, and kissed his cheek.
She walked into the nursery and saw that James had awoken. She picked him up and met Harry in the main room. She got a bag and filled it with formula, bottles, diapers, etc. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Just incase," she stated simply. Harry resisted a laugh and started playing with Lily. He placed her on his waist ("Oh, very manly," Hermione commented) and walked over to Hermione.
"Ready?" he asked. She looked around, making sure she forgot nothing, and nodded. They held each other's hands while holding their children in the other.
They walked into Gryffindor room. There were only a few people there, most first years. That didn't stop them, though. A few first year girls walked up to them, looking at James and Lily fondly.
"Hi," one said shyly. She was a little bit overweight and she had blond hair and brown eyes. Her voice seemed like she would be the one that could be both shy and outgoing.
"Hello," Hermione said. There were a few others next to the blond child. One was pretty tall (about Harry's height) and had black hair hazel eyes. There was also one with braces. Muggleborn, Harry thought. The one next to the one with braces seemed to have a 'look' to her. Harry didn't really know what it was, but it seemed so familiar. She had light brown hair with natural highlights.
Then, it stuck him like a lightning bolt; she had the look of jealousy. He'd seen that look many times on Ron's face before, even once or twice on a few others.
But, he questioned himself, what was she jealous about?
He hadn't noticed that he'd been staring off into space, thinking. Hermione was snapping her fingers in his face, while the other girls were giggling.
"Oh! Sorry," he said turning red. "So… um… what are your names?" he asked politely.
"Well, Harry," Hermione started, "if you had been listening, which you haven't, you would've know their names already."
He rolled his eyes. "Sorry."
It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. "Look, this," she said, pointing to the girl with the blond hair, "is Alicia. She's a first year and a muggleborn." The girl smiled; she wasn't shy anymore. "This," she said, pointing to the one with black hair and hazel eyes, "is Anar, she's from India and moved here not too long ago so she could go to Hogwarts." Harry smiled in greeting; she returned it with much enthusiasm. "This," she pointed to the one with braces, "is Catherine. Her mother is actually a dentist. Father died, he was a wizard." She whispered the last part. Harry nodded and let Hermione continue. "She," she said, pointing to the one with the 'look', "is Kelsey." Hermione whispered in Harry's ear, "I don't really like her." He nodded, agreeing with her.
"Can we see the babies?" Anar asked. Harry smiled at her. She kind of reminded him of Parvati Patil.
"Sure," Hermione said. She gently readjusted James in her arms so the girls could see James. Harry did the same with Lily.
"Aaww," they echoed. A few more students were emerging and gathering around Harry and Hermione. Harry and Hermione smiled, good thing someone besides themselves didn't hate them. They might've been first years, but he didn't care. Hermione looked at Harry with a grateful look. Apparently, she'd been thinking the same thing.
"Okay, we'll let you see them later. We need to go now," he said, noticing a few glared from the older students.
They, once again, readjusted Lily and James and walked out of the Gryffindor tower. They walked for a little while, not wanting to go outside in the brisk November weather. Lily and James were wearing warm clothes, but it wasn't enough for the weather outside.
Harry and Hermione walked around the halls, occasionally walking across a glaring person or two. Only when they reached Lavender Brown did Harry truly get annoyed.
"Why do you insist on giggling when I'm around?" he asked rudely. Lavender stopped giggling instantly.
"Oh don't be a spoil, Harry." She batted her eyelashes, not noticing the glare she was receiving from Hermione. "So," she said, changing the subject, "how's your life?" she asked.
Harry inwardly screamed; that girl just wasn't leaving him alone! "Um… well… life's going."
She giggled, much to their dismay. "Oh, I bet it is." She winked at him than walked up to him, kissing him on the cheek. Hermione looked like she was going to explode if she wasn't holding James. "Well," she said slowly, "bye Harry, Hermione." She looked at the babies, smiled, than walked away, leaving a confused Harry and a furious Hermione.
"How… that… tart!" Hermione said, unable to make full sentences. Harry just wordlessly nodded.
"Well… um… that was, odd." Hermione nodded.
"C'mon, let's go." He took her hand and they walked the halls again. A few minutes later, they met with the Slytherin's.
"Bloody hell," he muttered.
"Language," she hissed. Harry rolled his eyes and kept on walking.
"Ooh, look who it is. Our favorite scar-head with his mudblood girlfriend and half-blood family," someone said. Harry noticed that Draco was there, giving Harry a sad smile.
"Shut up," Harry spat at the student, Andrew.
"No. Malfoy? Where are you? Potter is your business," Andrew said. Draco put on a mask of disgust and looked at Harry with loathing.
"So, Potter, how's it like-," he started, but was cut off by Harry.
"Like what exactly, Malfoy?" he asked smirking.
"…like being a fraud, knowing that you nearly had to kill to be in the Tournament. We all know, Potter, it was in the paper," he said coldly.
"Oh, I didn't have to flick my wand to get in, Malfoy," he spat. Being enemies and friend at the same time were hard. "I'm Harry Potter; I don't need to put my name in, as you already know." Draco's eyes widened slightly and Harry smirked. Hermione gasped, as did the other students around them.
Since when were there people around us? He asked himself. He shrugged it off and quickly retreated his wand when he saw that Draco had his pointing at, not him, but his daughter. On instinct he punched Draco, not registering what he did until he hit the ground, blood running down his nose. Harry's eyes widened and Hermione pulled on his sleeve.
"Harry, we have to leave before the other Slytherins take their wands out."
Too late.
All of the Slytherins had their wands pointing at various people: James, Hermione, Lily, but most were pointed at Harry.
Andrew opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by Snape.
"Mister Malfoy! What is my student doing on the floor, blood gushing down his nose? Explain now," he said, helping Draco up. "Go to the Hospital Wing, Draco." Draco nodded and ran towards the direction of the wing.
"Potter," Andrew started, "Potter punched Draco. Isn't that right?" The other Slytherins chimed in their yeses.
"Out! Out, you hooligans get out of my sight," Snape shouted at the other students crowding around the Slytherins and Potters. He advanced on Harry. He put his arms more securely around Lily, making sure that Snape would do nothing to him or his daughter. Hermione, meanwhile, was sitting down with James in her lap, clearly exhausted from holding him for such a long period of time.
"Potter," he started, "what have you done to my student?"
"He-he pulled his wand in front of Lily! What was I supposed to do? Let him curse my month old child?!" He shouted.
"Potter, keep your voice down. I believe that fifty points are to be taken off of Gryffindor and detention tomorrow night."
Harry glared at him, than said, "I can't. I have the first task tomorrow."
"Well, than, I suspect that we'll just have to extract twenty more points instead of a detention, now won't we?"
"Yeah" came the mumbled reply of Harry. He knew there was no point of arguing with Snape; he'd just end up loosing more house points.
"Go on Potter, leave."
Harry helped Hermione up. Together they made their way back towards Gryffindor tower. Harry just remembered something, though. He walked ahead of Hermione, looking for Cedric. Not too long after, he spotted him sitting near a tree with a few of his friends. He held Lily tightly, hoping that he'd somehow make her warmer, and walked over to Cedric.
He just noticed that everyone he had seen so far had been wearing the same exact badge Draco had been wearing that morning. They really hate me, don't they? He thought walking up to them.
"Harry," Cedric said, clearly surprised.
"Cedric, can I talk to you?" he asked. "Alone," he added after a moment. Cedric nodded.
"Dragons," he said once they were alone.
"Huh?"
"Dragons, that's our first task," Harry said.
"How—you sure?"
"Yeah, I just thought that you ought to know. I bet anything Krum and Fleur already know." He smiled slightly.
"Oh, okay, thanks, I guess." He paused for a moment. "About the article—"
"It's not true," he said cutting him off. Cedric nodded vigorously.
"Of course not." Harry nodded and made a move to leave. "Oh, Harry?" Harry stopped.
"Yes?"
"I—I believe that you didn't put your name in there—the Goblet of Fire, I mean."
"Thanks," Harry said. "Well, bye."
"Bye."
Harry and Hermione went to the Hospital Wing, hoping that Draco was still there. Luckily for them, he was.
Harry walked over to him, watching Madam Pomfrey heal him. "Mister Malfoy, don't! You had to wait long enough! Don't! I said don't!" Apparently he kept on flinching away with every step Harry took towards him.
When Harry finally got there, he noticed how much damage he did. There was some dry blood on his robes and his nose was covered with dry blood.
"Oh, Mister Potter," Madam Pomfrey said getting up. "What now? Have you been hit with another spell?"
"No."
"Have your children?"
"No."
"Has Miss Granger?"
"No."
"Stop playing games and tell me what's wrong so I can fix it!" She said annoyed.
"Nothing's wrong, Madam Pomfrey. I—we—just wanted to see Draco. That's all."
"Well, don't be here too long, it's about to be dark soon and your children are already tired." With that, she walked way.
"She's right, you know. We can't be here too long. James is already sleeping and I bet Lily is too," Hermione said, rocking James back and forth.
"Well, I just want to say sorry to Draco and we'll be on our way." He turned to Draco. "Look, I'm really sorry. It's just that you pointed your wand at Lily, and I dunno, I guess I just went into protective father mode and punched you."
Draco gave him a look.
"I'm a new father! You shouldn't have expected anything less than what you got."
"Yes, well," Draco started, "I didn't mean pointing it at her. Just… I don't know…"
"Well, just don't do it again," Hermione said sternly. She wasn't taking the wand pointing at Lily lightly. "Or else your nose won't be the only place that is punched. Remember last year? Think of that in another, more delicate, spot." She gave him 'the look.' Draco still wasn't so sure about 'the look', he'd only gotten it once before, right before he was punched. His hand absently went to his nose, wincing a bit, remembering.
"Okay, but expect more insults," Draco said.
"You're a Slytherin and our friend, we won't expect any less," Harry said, smiling a bit.
"Alright you two Gryffindors, you're turning me into one. Now go, your kids are already asleep."
"Okay, bye," the said walking out.
"Mental, I am," Draco muttered to himself, also walking out.