Summer school //Drarry//

CHAPTER 1

Trigger warning

  The Golden trio immersed themselves in conversation as they took the train home. Hermione had taken it upon herself to learn sign language so it was clear signing from Harry's side. Of course she wasn't as fluent as some of the pureblood or richer kids were, their prestigious backgrounds required them to learn several languages. She only really picked it up from him but she had a better focus on remembering everything as Ron only really picked up the basics like their classmates and teachers. Hermione often had to translate for him but she didn't mind and neither did he. He was just glad no one forced him to speak.

   He waved his friends goodbye as the fear started to sink in. On the muggle platform, would be his uncle, aunt and cousin, waiting for him. The fear for his life was nothing compared to the fear for his remaining innocence. 
   As they fell into his vision, the memory of their voices before school began to echo in his mind. His mind often sent voices from the worst memories. 

'Speak, boy'

'Do you know what happens to stubborn boys who don't speak?'

'It's time for punishment.'

'ANSWER MY QUESTION, BOY!'

'You're too young now. I can't go all the way with you. Just you wait boy.'

   Quivering breaths escaped his lips. These thoughts hadn't penetrated his mind in months. He always had this voice in his head since he can remember. Like an outside eye, judging his every move. Giving him 'helpful' facts. It made him hate himself more. He had learned the art to listen and ignore. It won't rise a reaction out of him because he knew it was true. He had given up fighting long ago.
   They began closing in on him. His problems with Voldemort and magic had overtaken his life. He had almost forgotten it. That wouldn't stay for long.

  
   He lay in darkness on the cold wooden floor. He had thought his new room would ensure his safety. How wrong he was. 

Like always. Stupid, idiot boy.

   There the voice was. This was every day of his sad excuse for a life.
   It only gave his uncle easier access. His tiny, shivering, naked body felt tainted, so violated. He finally understood in what his uncle meant by 'all the way'. His past punishment had silenced him to all, save for the three who forced him to talk. Tonight's punishment had been a 'Welcome home' of sorts. It was mainly because he had been using magic for the past year. He had a feeling there would be more of this kind of punishment. This thought increased the ever-running flow of tears.

Weak crybaby.

   A melancholy squawk tugged him to sit up. Hedwig had witnesses everything. Gently the padlock on her cage snapped and she flew down to his side. She dried his tears, rubbing her snowy white feathers on his cheeks. A ghost of a smile pulled at his lips as he nuzzled his nose into her feathers. She made some sort of noise of reassurance before glancing towards.
   He needed to get out of there.
   He pulled on a large shirt and jeans on his body. These once belonged to his cousin when he was eight. Coming up to the window he opened it silently. Climbing out, he jumped a near possible distance to the nearby tree. How useful adrenaline was when you need it. He tried to climb down as quietly as Hedwig fluttered around him, as if she was to catch the small boy if he were to fall.
   Once on the ground, he ran.
   A few neighbourhoods later, Harry stopped to catch his breath. 

Unfit. Fat.

   He was at a low bridge with a gentle stream running under it. On the other side was a cluster of tree surrounded cottages. A light was in the kitchen of one of the cottages. From it, he could smell fresh pie and muffins. He hadn't eaten since breakfast in the Great Hall. The open window emitting the scent compelled him forward. With Hedwig perched on a nearby tree, he advanced.
   Peeking in, he found a young lady of maybe twenty seven putting various ingredients into a bowl. She was about 5"5 with shoulder length messy wavy brown hair. Her skin was like cheese creme, pale and not the prettiest in the world, but welcoming and soft. A cook book was open next to her and Harry watched as she barely looked at it. Squinting through his glasses to see what she was making, he soon figured she was making shortbread. He often made it for his cousin as he liked the treat. He watched for a bit before he gazed in horror as she carelessly dumped some sugar in. Usually, he would cook with the pressure of  his uncle and cousin on his back, so he'd need everything to be perfect. Instinctively, he made some noise of alarm. 
   The lady froze. He began retreating but the lady asked, "Who's there?" Harry froze in fear. The lady came to the window and stared at him for a moment. Then she broke into a kind warm smile. "Now, what are you doing here, little one?" She asked softly. He spluttered in fear as she cocked her head to the side. "Come on, come inside." As if he was absent from his body, he walked to the front of the house. It soon opened and the lady was smiling down at him. She was short but even she had to kneel slightly to be face to face with him. "Don't be scared, little one." Her kind eyes invited him in. "What's your name?" He signed "Harry" and she gasped.

Mistake.

 "Tim! Tim!" She called inside. "Come here!" A man of about the same age appeared in he doorway.
   He was tall and pinky pale. A pair of steel frame rectangular glasses sat on his nose and he had short ash brown hair. His features were slightly softer than an average male's giving him a cuddly appearance.
   "What is it Charlotte?" He took notice of the boy in front of her. "Who is this?"
   Charlotte nudged him. "Sign your name again." She said softly. He complied and Tim nodded in understanding. 
   "His name is Harry." He said. This took Harry by surprise. He knew sign language? "Come on in, kid." He said kindly.
   He followed the couple into the cottage, finding a homey interior. It was pretty cliche for a cottage and the two gestured for him to sit on the couch. The inner child took over him and he ran towards the couch at top speed, drowning himself in pillows and blankets. The couple laughed and sat down on armchairs facing him. Tim spoke first. "Are you born mute or selective?"
   "Elective."
   "Okay, could you tell us why you're out here in the middle of the night alone?"
   "Had to get away from my family." He answered truthfully. He liked these people and decided having friends wasn't such a bad thing this summer.
   They chatted for hours. Harry learned they were married and worked as teachers in the nearby high school. Tim knew sign language as his brother was deaf and worked as an English teacher while Charlotte was in the Maths department. They learnt he went to the boarding school but didn't learn any muggle subjects at all as it was for criminals though he didn't do anything wrong. They offered summer night classes to help him for his GCSE's. "With this kind of schooling, you have no chance for a future." Charlotte stated. "Every Sunday and Wednesday, the teachers get together in the school. The headteacher thinks it's good for bonding. You could come with us. English and Maths can only take you so far. Science, RE and English Bacc are necessary too." Harry agreed to this tutoring. He didn't see why not, and it could help him to distract himself as magic was unable to. Feeling a bit guilty, he offered cooking lessons to Charlotte as he  found she could not cook for her life. With this agreement and a couple of muffins, he left to go back to his waking relatives.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

1256 words

4 hours 55 minutes

Ah. Dancing around angsty situations. Mmmm. Smells like not getting not getting reported. :) Prepare for fluff next chapter. I am so bad at writing what I want to write. :'(

-Cake eaten

Edit; this isn't finished editing but it'll do. Hmph. Oh well. I'm basically drunk when I post this anyway.