InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demon Hunter ❯ Back on Track ( Chapter 15 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 15

Harry groaned as a particularly annoying bird woke him much too early for his liking. He tiredly rolled out of his bed and winced as he vividly remembered the tongue lashing Mrs. Weasley gave him last night.

::Flashback::

“OF ALL THE IRRISPONSIBLE, STUPID THINGS TO DO—THE ROOF OF ALL PLACES—SMOKING!—AS IF WE DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AS IT IS—”

Harry grimaced. The shouts of Mrs. Weasley bounced along the walls and down the hall, filling the dismal house with her heated voice. Not even Mrs. Black, who had yet to make a sound since her “make over”, dared to attempt to shout over her.

“—COULD HAVE SLIPPED AND FELL—NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS—”

Harry stared at the floor, pretending to look ashamed while he focused on the kitchen downstairs. He saw Hermione sitting in a chair, looking completely shocked if not somewhat satisfied at hearing him being reprimanded; Ron was next to her, with an infuriatingly pleased look on his face that made Harry want to punch the taller boy. Bill, Tonks and the twins were falling over each other laughing. Dumbledore was listening to the rant, a disappointed look on his face, while Moody stood in a corner seeming highly amused.

“—AND JUST WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?” she finished, nostrils flaring. There was a slight ringing in Harry's ears that he was sure he would be hearing for another day or so.

He lifted his gaze from the floor to meet Mrs. Weasley's red face and angry brown eyes, “Nothing,” he said calmly. She opened her mouth to begin shouting again and he hastily continued, “I don't see anything wrong with what I did. So what if I wanted some fresh air and a fag? What's the big deal?”

“You are too young to be smoking! And don't you dare start that tone with me young man! Oooh, if you were my son I would—”

“—But I'm not your son! I'm no one's son. What do you care, anyway? You're not my mother!” he bit out before he could stop himself. Mrs. Weasley seemed to deflate after that, though her ire was not completely gone. She bore an odd look on her face, almost hurt, and Harry couldn't tell whether she was going to cry or start yelling again.

“No,” she said shakily, her bottom lip quivering, “no, but I believe I'm the closest you've got to one.”

Harry suddenly felt worse than before, and if there was anything he hated felling, it was guilt. Hadn't he just decided to apologize for his rude behavior earlier? He swallowed hard and decided to make amends with her. After all, it was her kids he was upset at, at the moment, not her.

“Mrs. Weasley...I'm sorry. I really am. Not only for disappointing you, but also for the way I acted like a jerk towards everyone earlier. It was very rude of me, especially after you made that cake and threw the party. I didn't mean what I said either. You are like a mother to me. I-I am really glad you're in my life.”

He hadn't meant for it to sound so trite, but he was new at this whole expressing-yourself deal. Mrs. Weasley's face softened and she pulled him into a hug.

“Oh Harry,” She sobbed, finally breaking down, “Your not a disappointment, not at all. I understand S-Sirius leaving us had to be terrible for you. And no matter how hard you try to hide it, it shows in how you act towards people. You need to talk to people. I do wish you would open up to me; talk to me.”

“Maybe someday,” Harry murmured, finally hugging her back.

0o0o0o0o

When he came downstairs, Dumbledore was waiting with a portkey to take him back to the Dursley's and a letter with his OWL results. Harry accepted them impartially, not looking the old man in the face. He also kept his eyes determinedly cast away from his friends, still feeling the sting of betrayal.

“Well, uh, thanks everyone, for the gifts and everything. And the cake. That was good—”

“Harry!” Hermione gasped suddenly, her eyes narrowing, “Is that a tongue ring?”

Harry froze, mid speech, and instantly clapped his mouth shut.

“Uh...Bye!” he mumbled hurriedly, and before Hermione could start yelling at him he grabbed the portkey.

::End Flashback::

Harry grinned ruefully at his hasty departure last night looked down at his OWL scores that he left on his desk. 9 OWLs wasn't so bad. He got an O in DADA, just as he predicted and the rest of his grades consisted mostly of E's and A's with the exception of Divination where he received a D and, of course, History of Magic, his one and only T. His career choice of being an auror was down the drain seeing as he only received an A in potions, but it didn't matter anyway, there was no way in hell he was going to work for the ministry after last year (not to mention he seemed to have a career already picked out for him). Besides, the less of Snape he saw the better.

Harry got dress in a pair of baggy, gray gym shorts and a wife beater and went outside for a jog. The air was unusually humid for that time in the morning and after only twenty minutes, sweat began gathering on his chest and forehead. He enjoyed it nonetheless. Running was another outlet for stress, next to smoking—an odd combination, but effective. His ears picked up an additional pair of feet pounding on the ground, catching up to his. He glanced to his right to find the girl from the grocery store running right along side of him.

“Hi,” she said breathlessly. She seemed to be having a bit of trouble keeping up with him. He wasn't about to slow down on her account though—it wasn't his problem, “I didn't know you ran.”

“Well now you do,” he said dispassionately and a bit annoyed that her eyes were continually dropping to his sweat-soaked body rather than meeting his own.

The girl looked fleetingly disheartened for a moment before adding, “So you want to hang out sometime, if you're not busy? You didn't exactly give me a strait answer last time.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, “And why would you want to hang out with me?”

“Oh, erm, I just wanted to...make up for the way I treated you in primary school. I remember I was pretty horrible to you.”

By this time Harry had reached the Dursley's front lawn and slowed to a stop. The girl followed the suit, leaning down with her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

“What's your name again?” Harry asked.

“Rachel, Rachel Ackerman.”

“Right...” Harry trailed off, not knowing what to say next. This girl didn't seem to give up. And he really had no interest in getting reacquainted with anyone or anything related to his childhood. Incidentally he was saved by his cousin, who came strutting out the door on his way to one of his gang member's homes. Dudley froze on the walkway as soon as he spotted Rachel; His stance quickly changing from smug to slick.

“Hey Babe,” he said, making his voice a little deeper than it usually was and swaggering towards the two joggers. Harry quickly turned away and stuffed his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

“Hello Dudley,” she said dryly, looking completely unenthused. He didn't seem to notice her distaste at his presence.

“I didn't see you at Malcolm's party last week. Pity...I was hoping we could, ah, talk some. Ya know?”

“Oh, well, er, I had other plans.”

“Is that so? Well I think you should chill with me and the boys today. We're going to the Grill later.”

The Grill was the local hang out place for teenagers in Surrey and was usually filled with them at all hours during the summer. Not a place Harry would enjoy.

“I don't know...” She said looking perturbed. It was obvious she had no interest in hanging out with Dudley. Seeing as he was no longer holding anyone's attention, Harry decided to make his leave.

“Come on,” Dudley persisted as Harry slowly walked towards the door. He was just at the steps, reaching for the door knob—

“Well...only if Harry can come too.”

Harry dropped his hand in defeat; inwardly swearing at his luck.

“Oi Potter, you're coming to the Grill with us.”

Harry turned to see Dudley trying to seem imposing and Rachel giving him a pleading look.

“No.”

“I'll tell Dad,” came the anticipated response.

“And I'm sure my friends will love that,” Harry snorted. Rachel looked between the two boys, not following the conversation.

“Come on Harry,” she pleaded, “Don't you want to see everybody again? Nobody's really seen you in five years.”

“Let's try and make it another five then.”

Then came the onslaught.

“Please—”

“—Potter I'm telling you—”

“—Please—”

“—I don't care about your feaky friends—”

“—Pleeeeeease—”

“—I'll Pound you if you don't—”

“—Pl—”

“ALRIGHT!” Harry roared; the incessant whining and commands grating on his nerves. He was just about willing to do anything if it got them to shut up. Rachel squealed, jumping up and down and clapping, having succeeded in her mission to get Harry to hang out with her. Dudley was smirking for he now had an opportunity to hang out with a girl he'd been eyeing all summer.

“Good. I'll meet you at the Grill at about noon,” Dudley said to Rachel before strutting off towards Pier's. Rachel turned to Harry with a bright smile.

“Thank you so much. I have to go home and shower so I'll be looking for you at the Grill later, alright?”

“Yeah,” Harry said, thoroughly annoyed at this point. This was not how he wanted to spend his day. Especially after yesterday.

“All right, I'll see you in a couple of hours!” She called; jogging in what he assumed was the direction of her house. He sighed, turned, and reached for the doorknob once more.

Ring Ring

Closing his eyes, Harry dropped his hand and pulled out his cell phone.

“Yeah?” he said shortly.

“Duck,” said an all too familiar voice from the other end. Upon recognizing it, Harry immediately dropped to the ground, feeling a burst of hot air rush over his head.