Cracked Angel

Hurt but never crying.
You don\'t have that effect on me.

Injured but never dying.
From now on i am free.

Bruised but never bleeding.
How you\'d love to see me bleed.

Helpless but never pleading.
That\'s one desire I will not feed.

Unsure but never outspoken.
You can hear me loud and clear.

Cracked but never broken.
And that\'s your biggest fear. - me

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day Harry was let out of the hospital wing with a clean slate. Hermione had told Ron what had happened so Harry wouldn\'t have to re-live the memories yet again, and Ron was enraged to put it lightly. When he saw how tired and miserable Harry looked the next day he turned a bright enough shade of red to rival his hair. Hermione immediately grabbed his arm and whispered soothingly into his ear. Although he calmed slightly Harry could still hear him muttering under his breath.

Hermione smiled at Harry and hugged him lightly. \"I\'m glad to see you up again.\" Harry just nodded and Hermione gave him a worried look. \"Harry... don\'t let them get to you. It\'ll be okay.\"

\"Hermione I\'m not very hungry. You two go on in without me.\"

The bushy haired girl gave a reassuring smile. \"You can do this. It doesn\'t matter what they have to say anyway.\" Again Harry nodded, heaved a sigh, and walked into the Great Hall. Immediately the chatter died completely and Ron cast angry glances at the occupants of the room.

\"Well? What are you all staring at?\"

Harry set an indifferent look upon his face and strode toward the Gryffindor table. Hermione had to wonder how long he\'d been doing it.

Breakfast went by uneventfully. For Harry it was a constant \"You really should eat Harry\" and \"Come on mate\". First class of the day was double potions with the Slytherins.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat at a table in the back and pulled out their potions supplies and books. Harry did his best to ignore the snickering and pointing Slytherins. It was obvious Ron was having more trouble doing this than Harry himself. He was clenching and unclenching his fist and throwing furious looks toward the other side of the room. Hermione was glancing worriedly between the Slytherins and the red head and rubbing Ron\'s arm in a calming gesture.

Thankfully Professor Snape chose that moment to glide into the room. Anyone who hadn\'t noticed his entrance were soon startled to awareness at the slam of the door. Half the room, including Harry, Hermione, and Ron, started violently. Snape sneered around the room. \"Now that I\'ve got all of your attentions let\'s begin.\"

Harry cast a sidelong glance at the Slytherin half of the room and looked at the quiet resident blonde. He didn\'t know exactly what was going on with the youth but he was- looking at him! Harry\'s face quickly turned crimson and he again focused his attention on the Professor only tp find his gaze also fixed on him, an enquiring eyebrow raised.

Harry just stared back before a sharp elbow to the ribs made him speak. \"I\'m sorry sir?\"

\"10 points from Gryffindor for not paying attention in class Mr. Potter.\" Harry just nodded.

They were soon dismissed to go gather the special ingredients from the cabinet in the back. Once Harry had gotten back from collecting the flobberworm saliva and terad skin he noticed a note sitting on his seat. He picked it up and sat down, opening the parchment with shaking hands.

What he saw made him choke. There were two stick figures. One was tied to a bed spread-eagled with a scar on it\'s head. The other, was rapidly pounding into the other. Hermione watched him worriedly. \"Harry, what\'s wrong?\" Harry took one look at a suspicious Ron and shook his head, clearing his throat which had suddenly gone very dry.

\"Nothing Hermione. Don\'t worry about it.\"

And for the rest of the day he walked around on automatic. He sat day-dreaming in every class and Hermione forced him to eat both lunch and dinner. After dinner was over, instead of going to sit in the common room with his friends and playing chess, he lay on his bed, curtains drawn and silencing spell in place.

It wouldn\'t do to have all of the Gryffindor boys hear him sobbing.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Weeks past by, not getting much better. The Slytherins continued to snicker and point at him, the Gryffindors still looked on with pity. He couldn\'t take it anymore.

Harry lay in bed in the same position he had the night he was released from the hospital wing. He\'d begun to put silencing spells up every night. The boys in his dorm had started getting annoyed with his midnight screaming or occasional crying in the middle of the night.

He stared raptly at the silver glinting in the moonlight. How easy it would be to just end it all. One quick flick of the wrist and he could close his eyes and never have to worry about waking. But of course life was never that simple. He couldn\'t just leave the people he loved behind. He had already caused so much death and pain that he couldn\'t bear to hurt another person.

Not to mention that damn prophesy. If he were to leave he would be condemning the entire world to eventual destruction. Voldemort would rule and everyone would suffer. He couldn\'t do that to the only people who had ever cared for and loved him. No, he couldn\'t leave.

He closed the knife with a sigh and slid it into the top drawer of this bedside table. He wouldn’t attempt to do that again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Transfiguration the next day went by slowly. Harry stared out the window watching the owls swoop by and he could just make out the giant form of Hagrid teaching a group of almost invisible specks Harry knew to be third years.

\"Mr. Potter!\" Harry looked up at the Professor, and then around the rest of the classroom. Everyone had gone besides Ron and Hermione who stood looking at him worriedly. \"Are you alright?\"

Harry nodded and began to gather his stuff together to go to Herbology. \"Potter, I\'d like you to stay here for a moment. Weasely, Granger, you two may inform your next teacher of where Harry is.\"

Hermione nodded and Ron cast one more glance at Harry before they both made their way out to the greenhouses.

\"Potter, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you at lunch.\" Harry nodded. McGongall looked at him for a moment before speaking again. \"Harry... are you alright?\"

Harry looked at her questioningly. \"Why wouldn\'t I be Professor?\" McGonagall gave him a pointed look. Harry sighed and looked at his feet. \"I\'m fine.\"

After a few seconds of silence Professor McGonagall sighed. \"Alright Potter you may go. Oh, and one more thing. The password is ton-tongue toffees.\"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The headmaster\'s office was just as it always was. There were trinkets of all sizes and shapes, adorning the walls and on tables around the room. Harry sat in a chair in front of a desk, nervously being surveyed by the deep blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore.

\"Would you like a lemon drop?\" Harry looked up and shook his head. \"Ah well, then we best get down to business. Harry, Professor Snape has informed me of some very... disturbing news. Apparently a group of Slytherins attacked a student in the corridor. You wouldn\'t happen to know anything about this would you?\"

Harry quietly cleared his throat before talking. \"Yes sir.\"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. \"He also spoke to me about the events written in a diary signed every day by one Mr. H. Potter. Now Harry, I need you to tell me if everything in there is true.\"

Harry hesitated before replying. \"Yes sir.\"

The headmaster closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

\"I need to know if you wish, and advise you to, press charges against not only the boys who accosted you the other night, but also your family.\" Harry opened his mouth to protest but Dumbledore cut him off. \"Just a minute my boy. If you decide to press charges against the Slytherin boys and they are found guilty they will be expelled. As for your relatives, you would be removed from their custody.\"

Harry sat contemplating silently. He could have a normal life. There would be no more midnight visits, no more bullying fat cousins to beat him bloody, and no more staring, disgusted neighbors. There would be no more drooling boys, coming over to visit Dudley and secretly groping him.

No. He couldn\'t let the entire wizarding world know about what had happened to him. He couldn\'t let them know that the boy they trusted and believed in so much couldn\'t even handle a bunch of muggles and school kids. Reeta Skeeter would have a field day. Not to mention all of the pity. No, this would stay a secret.

\"No Professor. I would rather not.\"

Dumbledore just looked at him disappointedly. \"Alright Harry. But promise me you will still consider going to court. Come back and tell me if you change your mind.\"

Harry nodded and left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

\"Potter!\" Harry whipped around wild eyed. Once he realized who it was, he visibly relaxed.

\"Malfoy. What do you want?\"

\"Well I was just wondering if it was smart to be roaming the corridors at night all alone.\"

Harry growled. \"I can do what ever I want Malfoy. I can take care of myself. With that he turned around and made to storm off.

\"Wait! Potter!\" Harry kept walking. \"Harry!\" Harry stopped and slowly turned around. \"Listen Harry. I didn\'t mean to offend you. It\'s just... I was kinda worried.\" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his feet.

Harry smiled. \"You were worried?\"

\"Well yeah. I mean...\" Harry\'s smile widened.

\"Listen Draco... Would you meet me tomorrow in the old charms classroom?\"

Draco smirked. \"Are you asking me out Potter?\"

Harry blushed slightly and coughed. \"N-No. I wanted to you know... maybe play chess or
something. You know, as friends.\"

Draco\'s smirk widened. \"Sure Harry. Tomorrow at midnight?\"

\"Sure.\"

\"See you then.\"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author\'s Note: Thanks to those who reveiwed. Sorry this update took so long. For those of you who said you\'ve read this somewhere before, that\'s quite possible. I\'ve posted on other sites and also have posted a bit on here but did some revising so it needs to be reposted. Thanks again. Hope you all like this chapter.

~WMW~