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Disclaimer: I don't own the property rights for Harry Potter, Harry Potter characters/world, or any fic or other copyrighted story idea that might come the surface from my consciousness.

A/N This use to be know as the Fallout. After a long and tedious time struggling over the name of the fic I actually look in a dictionary. Scary I know, but did you know that Incidental Consequences is actually a definition of the term fallout. So there I go a title I actually like and sounds better in my opinion. This is a reworking of the original prologue. I am going to post it first on Ficwad. Than when I finally get all the chapters up to seven rewritten and chapter eight finished I will repost them all on fan fiction so the story makes better sense with the changes. So jumping over to another of my profiles will not help. Anyway here it is so please enjoy. (word count 4496)





Incidental Consequences of Good Intentions



Prologue: Matters that bring people together can pull some apart.



The day was ending wonderfully. Harry watched as another Christmas present was taken straight form his hands. It had been snatched away from him much like almost every other Christmas presents that had been given to him in this life. Just like when the Dursley's would give him one of Dudley's gifts to tease him sometimes with looks others with words that he was not good enough for anyone to even consider giving him a present. They would force him to sit and watch as every Christmas his cousin would be given almost everything that his little heart desired or had cried about in the last month. It had at times seemed like the world would be given to his greedy cousin if that was what he had wanted. Harry always was made to act like he was happy for his pig of a cousin, because if he didn't he was punished.

He still had the scars under his robes to show for it. Harry let his hand wander to his left shoulder blade. The unconscious action instigated a memory of a time when he was six. He had been quite rebellious and defiant that year. So when he had mouthed off about his situation and how his Uncles had treated him over the last half a decade. The outcome of his quick and unthinking comments lead him to being thrown through a glass china hutch his Aunt had received as a wedding present. It imbedded close to thirty shards of glass into his back. He was than punished for making his Uncle loose his temper and breaking his Aunt's favorite china hutch. Vernon stomped on his back for a good fifteen minutes smashing and grinding the glass even further in to his back. It had taken his Aunt almost tackling his Uncle to make the overweight man stop. They had spent the night in the emergency room after that moment in life's little lesson. The stay in the small hospital room was not so bad due to a very nice and friendly nurse. Yet when he had gotten home the pain was brought back to the fore front of his mind as Vernon back-handed for being ungrateful little bastard by not giving the family that took him in nothing for Christmas. Harry wanted to point out he had gotten nothing from them either. He however decided to let the matter drop. The flashback would have continued had a hand not touched him bringing him forward seven years in to the present.

"I can't believe she just went and told on you because the broom might be cursed. " Ron continued to rant, but Harry ignored him. It struck him wrong what he was doing. He was comparing Hermione to the Dursleys. He felt a mild from of nausea slam in to his gut as his best mates words echoed similar statements his cousin had made over the years. Harry could only feel that his own reaction was more than likely just as parallel to that of how his cousin had acted when he lost his second bedroom. She only worried about him yet treated her like she was Malfoy. "I mean Harry did you ever think she could be such a bit..." Harry stormed out of the portrait door before Ron could finish the sentence. Neither listening actively to Ron's words nor explaining why he was rushing out to apologize to his other best friend Harry. All that could be seen right now on his mind was self-induced images of himself overweight and slamming a plate down on a weathered kitchen table and hopes that apologizing would at least in someway make Hermione at least still talk to him.

The halls were empty except for the portraits. Harry knew where he was going. Well he knew where his two options were. Either Myrtle's bathroom or the library were the two that stood put in his mind. He decided to try the library first. The library was Hermione's refuge from the real world and its pain. Harry knew the reason. It was the same reason he use to go to the library on Saturday afternoons and anytime his family gave his free time. Your tormentors don't like to go where they feel inferior. Libraries were huge locations of ideals and theories both fantasy and factual that screamed out you have to attempt on your own to understand us. Which was much the reason Ron hated the area much like Dudley. He could be just as much of a bully himself at times due to what ever insecurities his brothers had helped him forge over the years. It was once of the things that were slowly rubbing Harry wrong over the years.

Harry stated looking about the library as soon as he entered for even a glimpse of Hermione. He finally saw a small piece of her bushy hair peaking over a book towards the back right corner of the room. The guilt started eating at his stomach even more intensely. For a moment he felt like running back to the common room and pretending to never have thought he was an any way guilty for crushing Hermione's feelings. He would just sit there listen to Ron complain about how even after the last two years she had moments that just pissed him off good and proper. Harry let images of him agreeing, spouting off similar feelings and, walking around angry to her when ever she came near overall acting like a total prat. He knew that nobody ever even would know except himself. Yet he was a Gryffindor. It had taken being a true Gryffindor to pull the sword form the sorting hat the year before. He could face a Basilisk, yet the thought of telling his best friend he was wrong had him willing to run scarred. Yeah just kick him out of Gryffindor and place him in Slytherin now.

"Are you here to start calling me names like Ron now Harry?" He could hear the tears in her voice. There had been a slight hiccup when she said his name. It felt like he had just been kicked in the stomach. "You know what Harry just go away and I'll make sure to tell Ron that your insults were extremely proficient. And that Malfoy is looking for you both to get tips on how to make peoples lives completely miserable for just trying to watch out for her best friend since he actually does have a psychopathic murder after him. Its not like the idea of killing him by using one of the few things in this world he actually seems to enjoy is so far out there. I mean its not like anybody or anything has ever tried to kill him while he was on a broom before." The tears dried up as her anger started flowing out.

Harry cringed at that last comment. However he would not deny any of his behavior in the last few hours. "I'm sorry Hermione. You were right and I was being a prat. You were right okay. The whole fight was just me projecting some bad memories on you and I was wrong to do so." His own anger coming out in his voice.

It came out a little harsh. Than the sound of a book dropping to the table caused him to open his eyes. He didn't even remember closing them. There she stood. Glaring right into his eyes, she was not blinking or wavering to his glare. The tear streaks were visible on her cheeks and throat. "That is it? You going to rip into me for caring and that's it. You are sorry! What about the next time I do something to help protect you and another bad memory comes up. You and Ron going to rip into me like this again. If we stay friends for the rest of our lives Harry Potter, are you going to keep coming down here or wherever else I choose to think? And when you do come down are you going apologize for you and motor mouths ability to make fun of me for the next lets say thirty years how soon until it happens again? Well you know what forget it. I am not going to put up with it. So sod off Harry!"

"Hermione such language is not allowed in this place." Madam Pince strolled over to them after the scolding. "Now if you two are going to continue you argument do it else where's. Some students are studying during the holidays." She gave Harry a quick glare than sent a small frown at Hermione as if shouting at her about her disappointment.

"Sorry, it's my fault Madam Pince. I'll leave" Harry looked up. Madam Pince got the answer she wanted and went back to her desk. "And Hermione I am sorry. I won't say it will never happen again because I'm not a bloody seer." Harry turned and started to walk away leaving her there not to reply to his last statement. Than stopped turned and looked her in the eye. "And I'm only apologizing for myself. Ron can grovel on his own knees when he realizes he took my problem to seriously. He will figure it out on his own or at the very least when he needs you to help him with his homework. Hopefully it will be because he is a little observant and realizes that he needs you as a friend while at the same time that his words hurt you, but I speak only for myself." With that said, he was gone.

Hermione stood there cursing herself. She just had to take it too far. She immediately ran out the library to catch him. She turned to the left which down to the corridor towards the Gryffindor tower. As soon as she rounded the corner however she was suddenly knocked down on to her back and palms. She looked up to see what she had run into only to see nothing there. Bringing her face down a level, she saw the object on the ground. The object was a black dog. Before she could get a closer look a the rather large black dog Harry rounded the corner tripping over her in a slight somersault maneuver.

She watched him fumble for his glasses while the whole time cursing his own clumsiness. When he finally got them on she was plowed over again as Harry jumped back. "The grim" was all she heard. Getting over the fact, she had just been run over twice glanced back and forth between Harry and the dog. "That's the same dog I've been seeing all year." Hermione just looked back at the 'Grim'. The dog seemed to be in a trance. He was just staring at Harry as if he was lost reminiscing about something. For a moment Hermione thought maybe Harry was right and it was a grim. Yet the dog didn't look like he was going to attack Harry only that in a strange way it was glad to see him. Than a portrait spoke behind them causing her to turn her head, "Remus Lupin I heard you were back in the castle. It's good to see you again my boy." She turned back and the dog was gone.

"Are you okay Harry?" She turned looking at her best friend as his face was mixed with shock and relief. He shook the stupor off his face and just looked at her for a moment.

"Thought you told me to sod off?" he just stared at her and she grimaced as she felt the cold tone in his voice.

"I'm sorry." She at least felt enough shame over previous and current words to look down as she spoke out to him.

"So saying sorry is good enough for you and not for me?" Harry let a little bit of his temper come out as he spoke quietly.

"No. Okay. I am sorry that is why I am out here. I let my temper get the best of me. Even I'm allowed to lose my temper every now and than." Harry nodded in compliance and lowered his head over his own actions. "I mean Harry, Ron called me every name, but mud blood. It hurt. It still hurts. Than you just stand there and let him run his mouth off."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to go behind my back like that did you. It felt like you didn't trust me to make any decisions for my self. I mean its one thing to worry about me. We could have test run it low to the ground or something you didn't have to go and get it taken away from me. I might not even get it back if it wasn't for the fact that I know McGonagall wants to just rub it in Snape's face. You're not my mother Hermione, so please don't try to be. Worry, but help me out and not just run to somebody that knows more than you. I mean you're smarter than that to constantly have to seek help or approval." Harry looked back to his bushy haired friend worried slightly that his words may have dug deeper in to her than he intended at the moment.

"I just worry about you. I know that I am not your mother. It's just that a lot of the time when I try and warn you about something that might be dangerous and you brush me off. The fact is the broom could be charmed to only hurt you at a certain altitude. So what do you want me to do? I really have only a handful of friends. I can't lose any of them." She stopped for a second in an attempt to calm herself and reapply the façade of confidence she usually kept on. "Than you go and be indifferent. If you are mad at me express it yourself. Instead its like Ron is you own little attack dog at times so you don't have to get your own hands dirty. You stand there and let him just insult me like he is a pit-bull or something and you just let him attack whoever pisses you off at times."

The comparisons between his own family and himself caused a shiver to run down Harry's spine. "You're right. I'm just as awful letting him say it instead of doing it myself. Or even when he gets in a mood and you two go at over stupid things like homework and chess." Both the teens could see the guilt in each of their faces as the mood in the corridor shifted quickly form anger to a introspection of their own faults.

Hermione decided that the little moment of reflection was need in a more private place and went to move on from the days events. "It's okay. I forgive you." She stood up and brushed of her pants. Extending her hand to Harry, she helped him to his feet. "Well shall we make-up and be friends again?"

"I never stopped being your friend. I was just being an idiot. Anyway, let's go get your bag and books from the library. I'm sure you have tons of stuff to do even if it is Christmas break." Hermione could only get a simple head nod going and started to walk ahead of Harry. The trek to the library was a little postponed when Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her back around to him. "Thank you Hermione for being such a good friend. You are always therefore me. Always worrying about me even if I don't want you to worry about me. I don't say it often enough so thank you." Than he hugged her tightly for a few seconds before walking past her tiring his hardest to not show how he had even shocked himself. If he had looked back, he would have seen her blushing the color of Ron's hair and just stuck as if petrified like last year all over again. Shaking it off, she rushed forward catching up with him.

The last remaining students had left by the time they made it back. Hermione was still blushing from the hug. Harry seemed to be blushing a little bit himself. He helped gather the books she was using and they wandered towards the Gryffindor common room entrance. Before they got to the portrait of Sir Cadogan Harry turned to Hermione. "Hermione do you think you could help me study more? And not just the class stuff. I mean I do have a murder after me and maybe I haven't been taking it too seriously."

"Not taking it seriously. Not you, but sure meet me at the library at eight tomorrow night." She turned to him and smiled "I'll be glad to help. Think nothing of it."

The portrait of Sir Cadogan was empty. "Don't tell me he went and challenged somebody else to a duel. We could be stuck out here for hours." Muttered Harry as he stared into the empty portrait frame.

"Want to go back to the library and we can start studying?" He looked nervous for a second and glanced around Hermione started to get antsy. Harry goes down on one knee and snapped his whole arm in a reaction. Standing up he held a rat by its tail this cause Hermione to laugh. "I thought you felt something dangerous coming."

Harry just shrugged "I'm sure Ron has been having a fit looking for him. He's probably all ready blaming Crookshanks and ready to crucify him," he spoke with a chuckle.

"Cadogan get back in this picture right now." Hermione's scream brought a figure charging through the other pictures shouting the whole way. "Who dares challenge Sir Cadogan?"

"I challenging you because I want to get back into the common room."

"Than what is the password?" The knight said looking bored.

"Oddsboditins." She said as the anger started to well up inside her.

"No need to be huffy Miss." He opened up and slammed as soon as they walked into the common room. The room was deserted. Yet as the sound of the door closing brought a figure dashing down the stairs from the boy dorms.

"Your cat made off with my rat Hermione. I told you he was after Scabbers. I found your killer's hair all over my bed. What do you have to say huh Hermione?" The red head half screamed in her face.

Harry stepped in between them. With his left hand, he pushed Ron away from Hermione. "Knock it of Ron."

"I thought you were mad at her. Why are you sticking up for her and that monster she calls a pet? I stuck up for you when she made off with your new broom. Well?" He spoke and both of his friends watched as his hands slowly were becoming fists about to punch is best mate.

"This is why. We found him wandering the halls. Now apologize to her." Harry quietly said making him self a shield for Hermione.

"Fine. Sorry Hermione. Next time your cat chases my rat out of his home I'll feel so much more grateful."

Hermione was close to tears and was going to run to the girl's dorm, but Harry grabbed her hand. "Your being a total prat you know that right."

"You know what you were just as mad at her not three hours ago."

"And I was wrong to be. I already apologized."

"Yeah will see how fast you apologize if her monster tries to eat Hedwig." Ron stormed to his dorm room. Hermione just stood there in shock. He stood up for her sure he had done it before, but he stood up to Ron, his best friend for her.

She shock off the blush she felt coming quickly to her face. And slowly the day archived its self in her head. "Harry can you answer something for me?" He just looked at her and nodded. "What did you mean by bad memories?" Harry just stopped everything breathing and blinking included. His body seemed to restart after about forty seconds.

After Harry started breathing, again he just stared forward for a minute. He had hoped she would have forgotten he had said that. "I'd rather not talk about it right now." He said meekly his eyes down cast. She looked at him and saw a side of Harry she did not think existed and the guilt she felt earlier came back a bit at the sight of her despondent friend. Just on how he was acting she knew that they must really have been bad memories.

"Sure Harry. Just remember you can talk to me about anything." he nodded still in deep thought, but listening to her. Hermione walked closer to him and hugged him. Than wandered over to a couch slightly dragging him with her. She didn't know why, but at the moment she knew it would not help matters if she let him out of her sight. Slowly grabbing a book she started reading the whole time keeping an eye on her best friend. Harry sat there next to her staring into the fire. He just listened to her turn the pages of some schoolbook letting the calm over take him as the day slowly slipped away.



Harry jolted up from his bed as the sound of something tapping on his window brought the dream to an end. He had been dreaming about an incident that had happened over two years ago. It was a one of his earliest and fondest memories of Sirius. Even though his godfather had only appeared for a few seconds the way his Christmas gift had turned out in to a minor fiasco lead to both Hermione and himself have a closer friendship that ether of the teens had ever created before. He was relieved that for once his dreams were that of something pleasant. He noticed that the dorm room he shared with his year mates. Everyone was still sleeping as the final night in the school was soon coming to a close.

Harry let his mind wander over both Neville and Ron. Both of the boys we in their own beds tonight. Their injures had healed enough to not warrant constant supervision anymore. Only Hermione was still in the hospital wing after the incident at the Department of Mysteries. She was allowed to walk around during the day, but Madam Pomfrey was adamant in watching her as she slept. Harry felt that he wasn't going to get anymore sleep this night and got dressed as quietly as he could. He walked down the steps to the empty common room. He knew that it had to be close to three in the morning so the silence didn't surprised him.

He knew that he should just stay here and wait until morning, but he felt slightly wired from the dream he had relived over the few hours he had been asleep and wanted nothing more than to make sure that Hermione was truly alright. Harry didn't even bother to grab his father's cloak as we left the tower. He knew instinctively where to walk as the corridors were sparsely light this late at night. His only problem he could figure would be getting past madam Pomfrey to be able to check on his best friend.

The hospital wing lay surprisingly empty of anyone except Hermione. He walked over to her bed and watched as her chest went up and down. He could still feel the cold fear dance in his chest as he let the events of her near death experience play in his mind. He watched over and over again as she fell to the floor. He realized that in the end no matter how many spells over the years they learned for defense that in the fight they resorted back to spells they used most often and felt comfortable with. They let little things like guilt and remorse rule their actions. Instead of putting the Death Eaters out for an extended time or permanently they just stunned them. They held their own, but if using the proper tools the fight could have been over long before the Order had even showed up with the way Malfoy and the other were underestimating them. When she woke up and sometime over the Summer he was going to find a way for both of them to make the more destructive spells they knew be reactions instead of the spells they taught primarily through out the year in the DA. He already knew that he held it in himself to kill and torture a person after dealing with Bellatrix. While he might not have enough meaning behind him to weld the Cruciatus curse properly, deep down he knew different spells that were just as effective to cause pain to a person.

Harry forced his thoughts to drift from that of spells and focused on his Hermione again. Her breathing was regular and deep. He slowly felt the heat of the rising sun warm his skin as he just watched her sleep. He knew that deep he would never be able to keep her away from the fighting, saving her from the pain and guilt of what ever casualties that the world was going to be facing with the coming conflicts of the world. Or even from being the reason behind some of the same said casualties. He would however completely destroy anyone or thing that dared harm or touch his Hermione. He would never just be forced to watch as she lay in pain in a bed again with out making sure the person responsible to die in the most excruciating way his she didn't finish them first.

He knew that he didn't have to fight her battle for her just support her in them. It was the same way for him. He would just need her to watch his back never take over his fights. And at the moment he felt the need to completely destroy three people; Riddle, Bellatrix, and Dolohov. He knew that his irrational destructive behavior over the last one in many ways that was stronger that the other two could have a few meanings behind it. Most of which that the both of them had been dancing around for sometime. Yet he knew as the image of her bleeding out in his arms came back that he couldn't hold her at a distance anymore. He watched the sun slowly settle itself down on to her face and with a measure of courage and fear bent down and gently kissed her on the lips both worried about her reaction and shocked at how wonderful it felt to finally capture something he had wanted for some time.





A/N Review. Please I want to see if you like this version better that the original. And as always still looking for a BETA so see mistake crucify me and point it our I will attempt to find time and fix it.