-II-
Harry lay awake as well. His thoughts were with Melissa. What if he hurt her? This warm feeling in his stomach and chest whenever he met her was so amazing, and he didn't want to give it up, but he also never wanted to hurt her. She had kissed him and set many small butterflies free in his stomach by doing so. He could still feel her lips on his when he closed his eyes and thought back to that moment. It was great and wonderful, and Harry wanted to have it again, but wasn't it selfish to want it. Would it hurt her? No, maybe he could even help her. He would help her to eat and love herself again. Then Black Hawk and Light Arrow would see that he was good for her. Yes, that was a plan, and Harry loved it when he had a plan.
-II-
Draco?
/
Draco?
I haven't heard from you for two days! What's wrong? Please reply!
Hermione
/
Draco,
I don't know what happened. Please tell me. You can talk to me about it!
Your friend
Hermione
/
Draco,
Harry refused to tell me what's wrong with you. Please talk to me! I'm worried! Very worried!
Love,
Hermione
/
Draco, damn it! Speak with me! I need to know what's wrong. I swear I will come over there, no matter what Dumbledore and your people over there say, and get it out of you personally.
WRITE!
Hermione
/
Draco sighed when the messenger vibrated again under the pillow, he momentarily was resting on. He pulled it out reluctantly; dreading what he would read there.
Draco,
that was it. I haven't heard from you for over six days. I will come over, and we will talk!
Hermione
Draco sighed and stuffed the messenger back under his pillow. It can't be. She is just bluffing. No way will she be able to come. It's the middle of the school year, and Dumbledore won't allow her to leave the school. Ha, and Hermione never would dare to even miss one class or study time on a weekend.
/
"So, now you are up to date," Black Hawk stated.
Light Arrow nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, have you already made plans for today?"
"We didn't know you would be back, but Black Hawk, Crying Horse and I need some time for ourselves if that is possible. Two hours or three?" Severus said.
Crying Horse looked surprised which didn't go unnoticed by Light Arrow. "Three hours?" Light Arrow said thoughtfully.
"In the evening when no work is to be done, of course," Severus said when he realized hat Light Arrow fought hard to answer him, obviously exhausted from his week-long outdoor trip with Aiden. Severus hadn't meant to sound greedy and leave the man alone with work, but Light Arrow seemed to have understood it that way. His reaction and next words confirmed it.
"Then that is no problem. It's time for a game evening with the kids. They will be occupied with the rest of us and you three are free. May I ask what you are planning?"
"A men's night in town," Severus stated. Immediately Rose's and Light Arrow's gaze went over to Black Hawk.
"I don't want anyone of you to come back drunk."
"We won't, Light Arrow. We just want to have a few hours off and talk," Severus stated.
"It will be your responsibility," Light Arrow said grumpily to Severus. He really needed some sleep.
"I didn't plan to drink, but they are adults, Light Arrow," Severus said uncomfortably.
"I don't care," Light Arrow said, growling.
"He is right, Joseph. You are overreacting. Severus promised to not drink anything and if Crying Horse wants to drink something he can do so," White Cloud said and fixed Black Hawk with a look that made clear she didn't leave him out on coincident.
"I don't plan to drink," Black Hawk said, annoyed.
"Good," Light Arrow and White Cloud said in unison, and Rose added, "You better don't."
Black Hawk threw a sour glance over to Rose, but she met his eyes challengingly.
"So what else was planned for today?" Light Arrow asked to change the topic.
"Not much, wrestling training for Draco and Harry and hunting training for the whole group besides Melissa of course. She will help White Cloud and Rose," Black Hawk replied after he pulled his eyes away from Rose.
"The house also needs some cleaning again, and I want everyone to help this morning," White Cloud stated to the group of adults. All the young male members groaned, and Severus even dared to mutter, "You are a witch."
"I heard that, Severus. So thanks for offering to do the most hated task of cleaning the bathroom," White Cloud said, unimpressed.
The snickers from Black Hawk about this comment got him the second hated task of cleaning the kitchen.
"Then I will do the living room and the library and the kids can clean their rooms and the upper level," Light Arrow said.
"Oh no, you won't," White Cloud and Rose said at the same time, and then Rose lowered her eyes to give her mother the chance to go on. "You will rest, Joseph. The kids and the rest of us can handle the cleaning alone. What about Aiden?"
"He can help later. His talk with Harry has first priority after getting some sleep. He regrets what he has done and wants to apologize. How is Melissa? Is she ready for an apology from him as well?"
They hadn't told Light Arrow about the development between Melissa and Harry. In the last few days Black Hawk had done everything he could to stop Harry from having any contact with her. The one-to-one counseling made it easy for him. So nothing more could happen.
"She is okay. It seems someone convinced her that Aiden wasn't right. She even tried to eat more the last few days," Rose said, smiling.
Light Arrow saw Black Hawk shaking his head grumpily out of the corner of his eyes. He had the feeling he wouldn't like what would come next. "And who is that one?"
Rose paused for a moment, not sure how her father would take the news. "Harry."
Light Arrow's expression darkened.
Feeling supported in his opinion that all this was a bad idea, Black Hawk said, "I told Rose it is a bad idea. I did my best to keep him away from her the last days, but now if the one-to-one counseling is over, it won't be so easy."
"They are both not ready for this. Don't tell me you two encouraged that." Light Arrow looked angrily at Rose and White Cloud.
Black Hawk felt triumphantly. Finally someone was his opinion. Severus had been very neutral.
"Don't talk to me like this, Joseph," White Cloud hissed dangerously.
Immediately Black Hawk's triumphant look vanished and all the others ducked their heads as well. It didn't bode well when White Cloud used that tone. "Your daughter and I can have our own opinion about it. We don't think it will be bad for any of them. Harry already had a talk with Black Hawk and knows about our fears that he will start to pull a mask up again. He promised not to do it. Melissa even started to eat more and seems to have a real wish to live now."
"And what will happen when they break up?" Light Arrow said, raising his voice as well. He was tired and had a headache, and those news didn't help it at all.
"Who says they will?"
"They are teenagers, White Cloud. Melissa isn't ready for this. We have to patch her up when this is all over, and she is already broken enough."
"Don't you listen? She is eating more on her own, Joseph. Something we tried for almost a year without success."
"He will get bored of her!"
"We will see," White Cloud said stubbornly. "And you will sleep before you speak with Harry or Melissa or anyone else."
Light Arrow looked angrily at her, but didn't protest. "I will sleep until lunch. Then I will speak with the kids one after another."
"We need to speak about Draco first, Light Arrow," Severus intervened.
"What do you mean?"
"We should think about how to go on. Something is wrong with him, but I would like to discuss this with the calm and rational Light Arrow."
Light Arrow growled, but deep inside he knew that they were right. He needed sleep to get rid of this headache and get a clear head. He had only been away for a week and the whole camp was upside down. A loud crash pulled him out of his thoughts and everyone rushed over to the window. Looking down they saw Brian an Ken trying to free themselves from the rain barrel on which they obviously had spied on the adults a few minutes ago. Light Arrow groaned. "If there are no life-threatening wounds, I will take care of them after my nap."
Black Hawk could hardly keep himself from snickering wildly, seeing Ken and Brian standing, now free from the rain barrel, but soaking wet, staring with fear at the adults through the window. "We will make sure to give them the most hated jobs."
"I was under the impression you and Severus already got them," Light Arrow stated.
"I will be generous and let Brian and Ken help them," White Cloud said and gestured the boys sternly to come in.
/
Harry,
please tell me what's wrong with Draco. I'm so worried.
I spoke with Professor Dumbledore and he said, I'm not allowed to come over, but I swear I will do it. I need to know what's wrong. Out of the blue he stopped writing to me. He normally writes twice or trice a day.
Please, Harry, we are friends. Why don't you tell me?
Hermione
Harry could imagine her tear-stained face. Like it was the weeks after they were freed from the dungeons. Back then she had pleaded with them to speak to her at all. There was fear in her eyes. Fear that Harry had become insane because she had never seen such hate in his eyes before and fear that Draco had lost it because he had just stared blankly in the distance and refused to speak with anyone. Yes Harry was quite sure that was what she looked like at the moment. It's good that she was taking therapy as well. Even Luna was taking some sessions. All of them had become a very close group after the fight in the Ministry. Even Draco was accepted into the group. Neville and Luna had become very close and maybe they would have come together if not... No, Harry didn't want to think about it. Hermione was worried but she would be okay. She had help and was very close to McGonagall. The professor was the one always supporting her during the time when Harry and Draco still pushed her away and she had to deal with her mourning for Ron alone.
She always had to mourn alone or with Luna, because until now Harry and Draco had never spoken about Ron or Neville with her. Harry hadn't even spoken with the Weasleys. Every time they contacted him, he felt cold sweat and panic overcome him and he needed to throw up. After several attempts they had given up or someone held them back from contacting Harry. No, this also wasn't something Harry wanted to think about. Just remembering their faces he felt nauseated. It was his fault they lost their son and... No damn it, Harry didn't want to think about all that. Draco. It was Draco he was worried about at the moment and Hermione. He told himself that several times in his mind like a mantra until the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley finally faded and the nausea ebbed down.
The feeling of great worry was mutual. Harry also had no clue what was wrong with Draco. His friend was avoiding him and stayed closed to Red Horse more and more. Severus had been at his side and only left Draco when he was with Red Horse. So Harry had no chance to talk with Draco because every time he raised his voice when Draco was ignoring his questions he was reprimanded by Red Horse or Severus. Oh, how much Harry hoped the one-to-one counseling would end today as Light Arrow was back.
Hermione,
as I already told you several times, I have no clue what's wrong with him. He isn't talking to me and the damn one-to-one counseling isn't making it easy for me to speak with him at all.
Finally Light Arrow is back, so I hope I will be without a bodyguard from now on and Draco as well. Maybe I can find out what's wrong in the next few days.
At the moment I'm arrested in my room with Merlin knows what wards on it. The air is tingling and not even Karim wants to stay here. I hope they will end their stupid adult discussion soon and release me.
So be patient, like I have to be.
Harry
Harry put the messenger on his night table and laid back in his bed. The sun was shining and the dust danced around in the air. He had not even rested for two minutes when the messenger started to vibrate again. Harry groaned. How was she able to write so fast. Merlin it must be supper time at Hogwarts. Did Hermione carry the messenger around all the time?
Thank Merlin, Light Arrow is back. He will realize something is wrong with Draco. I can't understand that Severus hasn't noticed anything.
And Harry stop speaking so low about Black Hawk and the others. They try to help you. I'm sure whatever makes the air in your room tingle from magic is only to keep you safe.
Please inform me when you learn something new.
Love,
Hermione
Harry rolled his eyes.
Merlin, Hermione, I can't spend all my time writing to you. Black Hawk, the person you always tell me to listen to, is reminding me almost 24h lately to concentrate on myself and my problems.
But yes, before you start to bombard me with messages, I will inform you as soon as I know something new.
Merlin, I hope for my own sake that you two will end your little love crisis soon.
Harry looked at the last sentence and started to feel guilty. So he erased it. Good that Hermione could only read the text after he pressed the send button.
Stop carrying your messenger with you all the time. People will think you are crazy and have no real life.
I'll keep you up to date.
Bye,
Harry
Harry pressed the send button and shook his head annoyed when the message immediately vanished. So Hermione was reading it already.
Thinking about Hermione eventually brought Harry to thinking about Melissa. He had no chance to speak with her lately beside meals and a few other family moments in which they were watched closely. It annoyed Harry. Black Hawk had said he understood him and didn't want to take this away from him, but nevertheless he had done everything to keep Harry away from Melissa. Reaching for the dream catcher over his head, Harry smiled and felt this warm feeling in his chest again. Maybe he should do something for her as well. Yes, he could carve her something out of wood. Maybe a swan. All the boys admired Harry's ornaments on his bow and spear. Carving a swan would surely be more difficult, but it would be worth a try. Hearing a loud crash, Harry hurried over to the window and saw Brian and Ken drenched in water from the rain barrel close to the window of the therapy room. Harry grinned. Maybe they would have some good information for him now.