Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Running Home ❯ Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Naruto; if I did both would have gone very differently to how they did.

I know I said this will be HarryNeji but after all this time...I don't think it will anymore. Friends yes but not something more.

 

Chapter 20

 

Kakashi held Hiro as the younger male went through another fit of shaking. Having the visions described and then seeing one were two very different things. And he'd been so nervous of Ibiki he hadn't even tried to help at first! Kakashi felt a sense of self loathing settle over him. Hiroshi had risked everything to save him for a third time and when it came time to help him in even a small way Kakashi had been almost paralysed by fear. Kakashi tightened his grip and Hiroshi look up, giving him a shaky smile before bending over to dry heave again.

 

“Thanks.” Hiroshi said as Kakashi handed him the water glass Sakura had left on the sink for him. She was waiting in the lounge room and Ibiki had gone to get Iruka despite Hiro's protests that he was fine. Kakashi tensed for a second as the door opened but it was only a very pale Iruka, with Ibiki actually hovering behind him.

 

“Hiro are you okay?” Iruka dropped to his knees beside them and Kakashi smiled. Iruka gripped Kakashi's shoulder with one hand while he checked his cousin over.

 

“M'fine. Just queasy.” Hiro answered and sure enough he once again doubled up over the toilet.

 

“Sakura said there's nothing medically wrong with him.” Kakashi told Iruka and his lover nodded absently. That was another thing that made Kakashi feel guilty, Iruka was always there to hold him during the night and would often drop soft kisses on his hair or face and yet he never returned the gestures. He'd tried several times but then he'd flash back to the cell and panic and he hated it. He wanted to show Iruka he loved him, he really did.

 

“What happened?” Iruka asked them both and Kakashi shifted so Hiroshi was supported between the two of them, making Iruka smile again.

 

“Voldemort wiped out Hogwarts. He obliterated the wards somehow and after that...” Hiro shrugged and Kakashi hugged him, Iruka's arms just below his around Hiro's chest.

“I can't believe it's gone. Hogwarts was the first place I ever called home. So much history is gone now.” Hiro whispered sadly.

 

“What about the children?” Iruka asked and Hiro closed his eyes. That was all the answer they needed.

“Come on, let's get you to bed.” Iruka stood and Kakashi stood with him, easily pulling Hiro up with them. The fact that he didn't argue let them know exactly how worn out Hiro was.

 

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Iruka lay on the bed with Kakashi's head on his chest. They could both hear Hiro's soft sobs but knew the teen wouldn't want them to comfort him at the moment. Iruka couldn't imagine being forced to watch what he had and being unable to do anything about it. How could anyone just wipe out so many children like that? Iruka blinked and looked down as Kakashi shifted and then rolled so they were face to face.

 

“Kashi?” Kakashi smiled at him and Iruka smiled back, running his hands through silver hair.

 

“M'sorry.” Kakashi whispered.

 

“For what?”

 

“Everything lately.”

 

“Kashi...” Kakashi raised a hand to silence Iruka and then leant in. Iruka sighed as Kakashi kissed him gently, almost hesitantly. Iruka hesitated on where to put his hands, not wanting Kakashi to feel trapped but Kakashi took them and placed them on his hips. Iruka smiled into the kiss and ran his hands over Kakashi's hips and up his back lightly. They eventually separated for air and Kakashi smiled almost shyly. Iruka grinned back at him and pulled him in close.

“What brought that on?”

 

“I haven't been...its hard Ruka. I'm trying and most of the time now I know what's real but sometimes...I still love you and I want this, always.” Kakashi tried to explain and Iruka nodded.

 

“It's okay, I know. I love you too and I won't leave you. No matter what.”

 

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Hiro sat by himself with several books spread around him. He'd put several spells up around the forest clearing to make sure no one would disturb or even notice him. It had been a week since his vision and he'd thrown himself into his studies. He knew now that he had to face Voldemort soon or there would be no Wizarding World left worth saving. His animagus training was coming along well and he'd mastered all of what he'd been taught while at Moony's. But that wouldn't be enough by far.

 

The chances of getting to Tom without having to go through at least a good number of Death Eater's were so small it wasn't worth mentioning. Sure he was now faster than any wizard but he could still be hit by a spell, especially one of the unforgivables and he had been hit by them quite enough for one life time thank you very much. Then there was the big question. How was he meant to kill Voldemort? He seriously doubted love was the answer despite Dumbledore's little theory. What was he meant to do, kiss him to death? Yuk!

 

He jumped to his feet as the temperature of the clearing suddenly rose, drawing his wand and knife and watching for any sign of danger. A small flame seemed to appear hovering in the centre of the clearing before slowly growing and then bursting into a brilliant flash. Hiro blinked several times to clear his vision and was then dashing forward.

 

Hiroshi gently cradled the bird in his arms and then apparated straight to his bedroom, startling Hedwig and Vespillo. Both familiars moved quickly to his side, Hedwig extending a wing to cover the other avian while Ves coiled herself around all three of them. Hiro summoned some scrap parchment over and his it with a quick incendio, letting the small fire hover in front of them and then wrapping his bedding around their small grouping.

 

#A phoenix?# Harry nodded in answer to Ves' question. He held Fawkes close not knowing why the bird had come to him or even how he'd gotten into the state he was. Sure he'd seen Fawkes in the lead up to a burning day but he never looked this bad. If Hiro didn't know better he'd say Fawkes was dying. Emerald eyes went wide as a possible reason hit him. Dumbledore. Had Dumbledore been inside the school when it was destroyed? Losing their link like that, would it be enough to kill a phoenix?

 

Not really knowing what he was doing he dove into his magic and then reached for Fawkes with it. He already had two familiars and only the strongest wizards could sustain a link with a phoenix but he had to try, Fawkes had saved him too many times for Hiro to simply give up on him without trying. He smiled slightly as he felt Ves' presence join his and then Hedwig's as they all reached out to the wounded phoenix. Fawkes' presence was like a dying ember, slowly shrinking down to nothing. Ves was the first to plunge headlong into the ember, followed closely by Hedwig and then Hiroshi followed, his magic encompassing them all. And the ember exploded.

 

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Iruka thought nothing of it when he heard Hiro apparated into his bedroom, it was hardly the first time the teen had foregone the use of conventional entrances into the house. But when ten minutes later an explosion of heat and power flooded the house he was up and running before he was even aware of it, Kakashi at his side. Hiro's bedroom door was lying crookedly on the floor and they stopped. Kakashi barely hesitated in accepting the kunai Iruka held out to him and then they surged forward into the bedroom only to freeze in shock.

 

Hiroshi was sitting in the middle of his bed, sort of. Actually he was several inches above it with Ves wrapped around him and Hedwig in his lap. What had Iruka clinging to Kakashi in fear though were the flames surrounding the group. The flames surged again and suddenly there was the most beautiful song either shinobi had ever heard. The flames exploded and then shrank down to reveal a magnificent bird hovering in front of Hiro. There was a third flare and they both turned away to protect their eyes. When it cleared Hiro was slumped on his bed, the fiery bird perched on his bed head with Hedwig beside it and Ves curled around Hiro' still form.

 

TBC...