Waves Crashing by hgfan1111 Storylink: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4043842/1/ Content: Chapter 1 to 1 of 1 chapters Source: FanFiction.net Summary: The war is over b!

t "arry #oesn$t fee% it yet. &ost 'eath%y "a%%ows before the (pi%og!e.

*Chapter 1*: Waves Crashing

When "arry awo)e the sha#ows in the roo* were %ong an# war*e# the roo* with an a%*ost orange %ight. "e %et his eyes a#+!st to the brightness after s%i#ing his g%asses on watching the #!st swir% in the rays. "e fina%%y p!%%e# his foc!s fro* the s*a%% bits an# g%ance# aro!n# the roo*. ,t was #eserte# #espite the *ish-*ash of be%ongings that ha# been tosse# a%% over the other be#s an# on the f%oor. The be# that .on ha# s%ept in for si/ years #irect%y ne/t to "arry0s ha# the covers p!%%e# bac) an# the sheets were #ist!rbe# as if so*eone ha# s%ept there recent%y. The sa*e co!%# be sai# for the other be#s that occ!pie# the roo*. 1%tho!gh his frien#s *!st have co*e in at so*e point "arry ha#n0t hear# a thing #!ring his s%eep. "e ha#n0t even been #ist!rbe# by .on0s an# 2evi%%e0s snoring or the sh!ff%ing of vario!s others who ha# co*e an# gone. "e a%%owe# his eyes to c%ose an# r!bbe# the* !n#erneath his g%asses. (ven with the soft war* be# beneath hi* his s%eep ha# been %ess than refreshing. (/ha!stion ha# c%ai*e# hi* before his hea# ha# even hit the pi%%ow. ,n fact he #i#n0t re*e*ber *!ch *ore than co%%apsing against the soft be##ing. .on or so*eone *!st have re*ove# his trainers an# p!%%e# the b%an)ets !p an# over hi* at so*e point. The night*ares that he wishe# he co!%# si*p%y c%ai* as i*agination revisite# hi* now an# he presse# his fingers har# against his eyes to b%oc) o!t the i*ages a%%owing the spar)%ing b%ac)ness to ta)e over !nti% the #isco*fort beca*e too *!ch to bear an# he was force# to ta)e his fingers away. "e sighe# an# s%ow%y p!she# the covers bac) to revea% his fi%thy c%othing fro* the #ay before. 3nfort!nate%y "er*ione carrie# everything "arry co!%# hope to have right now in her s*a%% bea#e# bag. 1n# she wasn0t here right now. We%% he0# have to #o the best he co!%# with what he ha#. "e0# beco*e rather proficient at c%eaning char*s over the %ast year. 1%tho!gh he wasn0t s!re the threa#-bare rags he was wearing now wo!%# ho%# !p !n#er a vigoro!s c%eaning.

"e sat on the e#ge of the be# an# trie# to ta)e stoc). 2e/t to the be# on a s*a%% tab%e that !s!a%%y he%# his g%asses an# a fra*e# photograph of his parents %ay a p%ate of san#wiches. 2o #o!bt 4reacher ha# p%ace# an ever-fresh char* on the*. "e0# vag!e%y spo)en to the ho!se-e%f before *a)ing his way b%in#%y !p to the #or*itory. "is sto*ach grow%e# %o!#%y an# "arry 5!ic)%y cons!*e# two san#wiches before s%ow%y ta)ing another an# conte*p%ating as he pic)e# at the brea# an# cheese that h!ng o!t one si#e. 6ester#ay 7ha# it rea%%y on%y been a #ay8it *ay have been a wee) that he0# been s%eeping9 he0# fina%%y achieve# free#o*. "arry he%# no i%%!sions that the wor%# was a won#erf!% p%ace now. :!st beca!se ;o%#e*ort was gone #i#n0t *ean that everyone wo!%# e*brace their #ifferences an# there wo!%#n0t be those in the Wi<ar#ing wor%# who %oo)e# #own on others as %ess than the*se%ves. "e wasn0t st!pi#. There wo!%# sti%% be prob%e*s. =!t they wo!%#n0t be near%y as s!ffocating for "arry as having to #ea% with a 'ar) >or# o!t for his b%oo#. Then why #i# he sti%% fee% so8trappe#. That wasn0t the wor# he )new. "e +!st co!%#n0t see* to fin# the right one for what he was fee%ing. The press!re on his bo#y8the n!*bing heaviness that weighe# #own his *in#8those see*e# to be the on%y things he co!%# fee% right now. "e b%ew o!t a %ong s%ow breath an# stoo# on sti%%-sha)y %egs tossing the partia%%y eaten foo# bac) onto the p%ate. ?aybe a goo# hot shower wo!%# he%p hi* to c%ear the fog in his brain an# fee% a bit better. Whi%e the foo# ha# certain%y he%pe# his sto*ach no %onger r!*b%e# it ha#n0t satisfie# hi*. The water hitting his sho!%#ers gave hi* so*e s*a%% co*fort an# he scr!bbe# his bo#y har# washing away *onths of %iving on the r!n in a s*a%% tent in the *i##%e of nowhere. "e ha#n0t ha# a goo# shower for too %ong. @nce he0# c%eane# his hair twice he stretche# his bac) against the hot strea* of water an# conte*p%ate# how he fe%t. The weight was sti%% there an# "arry was vag!e%y annoye# )nowing that he was *issing so*ething8+!st not s!re what it *ight be. "e c%ose# his eyes an# %eane# forwar# in the water %etting it casca#e over his face. A!##en%y he )new how to #escribe the fee%ing. "e +o%te# o!t of the water sp!ttering it o!t of his *o!th an# nose. "e0# fe%t it before a%tho!gh the circ!*stances were so e/tre*e that he ha#n0t recogni<e# it right away. Fo!rth year. The secon# Tas) of the Triwi<ar# To!rna*ent. When he0# been in the *i##%e of the =%ac) >a)e the Bi%%ywee# he0# eaten ha# beg!n to wear off an# the pressing of the water on his bo#y fi%%ing his %!ngs with a b!rning sensation an# threatening to p!%% hi* !n#er.

1n# then again the night '!*b%e#ore ha# #ie# an# "arry ha# been force# to swi* thro!gh the sa%ty sea waves crashing over his hea# an# fi%%ing his *o!th an# throat with p!ngent water. ,t was the fee%ing of #rowning. The rea%i<ation hit "arry har# an# his )nees b!c)%e# sen#ing hi* careening towar# the ti%e f%oor. The water contin!e# to po!r #own on hi* as he presse# his chee) to the co%# wa%% gasping for breath. &anic threatene# to cons!*e hi* as he str!gg%e# to !n#erstan#. Why wo!%# he be #rowning nowC Why wo!%# this hit +!st when he was fina%%y freeC The water began to r!n co%# as "arry sti%% sat on the f%oor of the shower. Fina%%y ta)ing a %arge breath "arry t!rne# it off an# s%ow%y stoo# reaching for a c%ean towe%. "e fe%t fi#gety an# o!t of sorts as he c%eane# his c%othing an# #resse# hi*se%f. @nce finishe# "arry wasn0t s!re if he was prepare# to %eave the si%ence of the roo* or not. "e was s!re the *any peop%e who ha# been at the cast%e wo!%# sti%% be there an# )new he wasn0t rea#y to face a%% of the* +!st yet. ?aybe if he fo!n# .on an# "er*ione they co!%# s%ip away an# he co!%# banish these pressing fee%ings by si*p%y being in their presence. "e was s!re "er*ione wo!%# have a na*e for this sin)ing #rowning fee%ing if he wo!%# ever spea) to her abo!t it. =!t he never wo!%#. "e )new hi*se%f we%% eno!gh to recogni<e that at %east. "arry0s senses i**e#iate%y assai%e# hi* once he steppe# o!tsi#e of the portrait ho%e. ,t see*e# that everyone in the Wi<ar#ing Wor%# who ha# not participate# in the Fina% =att%e was now at the cast%e. The noise %eve% was a%*ost !nbearab%eD the press of bo#ies aro!n# hi* a%*ost *a#e hi* t!rn aro!n# an# see) the so%it!#e of Bryffin#or Tower. "is breathing beca*e harsh his heart ha**ering insi#e his ribs threatening to brea) o!t. 1c5!aintances an# frien#s a%i)e greete# hi* enth!siastica%%y sha)ing his han# an# c%apping hi* on the bac). =!t "arry co!%#n0t bring hi*se%f to #o *ore than no# in their #irection an# atte*pt a wea) s*i%e. The *ain entrance ha%% to the cast%e was a torrent of %ife. &eop%e greete# each other with enth!siastic h!gs f!%% of gratit!#e for %ife whi%e others sti%% c%!ng to each other in grief. "arry was once again re*in#e# of the ocean he0# trave%e# with '!*b%e#ore. Wave !pon wave of peop%e this ti*e washe# over hi* their voices so!n#ing ho%%ow an# *!te# as if spea)ing !n#erwater their to!ch s%ow an# !nco*fortab%eD %i)e br!shing against so*e s%i*y creat!re in the #epths of the %a)e. &anic began to ta)e ho%# again an# "arry0s hea# swive%e# bac) an# forth searching for so*ething that he co!%#n0t #efine. Ao*ehow he +!st )new he nee#e#8so*ething.

Ao*eone grabbe# his ar* an# "arry sp!n s%ow%y to fin# Cho Chang s*i%ing !p at hi*. "e co!%#n0t *a)e o!t what she sai# for the echoing voices aro!n# the* an# the po!n#ing of his own heart. Ahe narrowe# her eyes at hi* an# her hea# ti%te# to the si#e. "arry co!%# on%y %oo) at her b%an)%y before she g%ance# over towar# the #oors of the Breat "a%%. A%ow%y she too) ho%# of his e%bow an# began to p!%% hi* thro!gh the crow#. "e #i#n0t )now where she was ta)ing hi*8#i# it even *atterC "e fo%%owe# *ee)%y +ost%ing %eft an# right when peop%e wo!%# pass an# getting *ore an# *ore irritate#. The fee%ing that he co!%#n0t breathe was beco*ing overwhe%*ing an# his hea# sp!n. Cho stoppe# abr!pt%y spea)ing to so*eone. "arry )new the voice b!t his hea# wo!%#n0t *a)e sense of it. The po!n#ing in his ears ha# been +oine# by a r!shing so!n#. "is eyes #arte# over the scene in front of hi* seeing everything b!t co*prehen#ing nothing. 'istant%y he hear# his na*e an# t!rne# towar# Cho an#8"er*ione. "is frien# *ove# forwar# 5!ic)%y p%acing her han# on his forehea#-which nor*a%%y "arry wo!%# have #o#ge#. "e wante# so *!ch to p%ea# with her to he%p hi*. "e was sin)ing an# he co!%#n0t see* to fin# the strength to #o *ore than g!%p for %itt%e bits of air. "is throat was so tight he )new he co!%# never spea). "er #ar) eyes %oo)e# #eep into his an# softene# a bit before she %ai# a han# a%ong his chee) an# t!rne# his hea# to the si#e. @be#ient%y his eyes fo%%owe# s%ow%y panning the *yria#s of peop%e seate# at the ho!se tab%es eating. 1 f%ash of vibrant re# ca!ght his ga<e an# he force# hi*se%f to foc!s in that #irection. "is chest co*presse# even tighter an# "arry b%in)e# har# as Binny rose fro* where she was seate# ne/t to her parents. A%ow%y she *a#e her way to hi* weaving in an# o!t of the tab%es. When she reache# a c%ear spot her pace 5!ic)ene# !nti% she was a%*ost r!nning an# she %a!nche# herse%f at hi*. "is ar*s wrappe# of their own wi%% tight%y aro!n# her waist his face b!rie# in her nec) an# pieces of her hair st!c) to his *o!th8"arry too) his first breath. "e wo!%# be a%right. They wo!%# be a%right. "e co!%# now wa%) on that water that he0# been #rowning in. 1n# Binny wo!%# be there to catch hi* if he fe%%. "is heartbeat was rep%ace# by theirs. =eating together. A/N: Thanks go to UnrequitedDream for her encouragement. Let me know what you think...