Harry's tanned hands were burning, lean muscles straining with the effort of his task.
Transporting felled logs was no easy work but it needed to be done and people didn't trust Harry around axes anymore.
He was well aware of their disdainful eyes on him as he walked past, insults whispered under their breaths.
'Freak, psycho, nutcase, liar'
He was used to it.
It used to bother him but Harry had realized soon enough that he would need to grow a thicker skin if he wanted to survive in this wretched district where no one was on his side.
"Harry!"
Well maybe not no one. He allowed himself a small smile.
At the top of the approaching hill stood a girl, waving and rushing down to him where he now rested against the logs.
He reached his destination.
Her wild brown curls bounced as she came near, cardigan ruffling in the wind.
Hermione Granger, his best friend.
His only friend.
She hugged him tight and ran her thumb over his cheek where had a still sluggishly bleeding cut.
Hermione's thick eyebrows scrunched together in disapproval: "Harry, what happened?"
"Nothing, Mione, just a low hanging branch deciding to make me it's enemy."
"Uh huh", the girl said unimpressed, "Want to try that again? The truth this time. It was that awful cousin of yours wasn't it? Oh wait until I get my hands on him-"
Harry chuckled in surprise: "Murder plans at 8 in the morning? I'm starting to think that I'm a bad influence on you. You used to be so innocent."
She crossed her arms, smirking: "That's just what I wanted you to think. I was simply smart enough not to get caught when breaking the rules."
"Read the rules before you break them?"
"Exactly."
They continued chatting as they made their way towards the river running all around district 7.
Hermione insisted on getting his little injury washed and taken care of.
"A little cut's not gonna kill me, you know?", he asked as his friend pulled him down to sit beside her at the riverbed.
"It could. God knows those tools have never seen a cleaning cloth in their entire existence. Besides", she said nonchalantly, dipping a handkerchief in the cool water, "you reek of sweat."
"Excuse me?"
She was now wringing it out: "I'm just saying I could smell you coming towards the hill from all the way up there."
"I- is this just an excuse to get me to bathe?", he asked scandalized.
"Perhaps."
Harry grinned and prepared himself for a retort when Hermione suddenly let out a small gasp of pain.
Harry's eyes snapped to her just in time to see another small stone being thrown at her.
He quickly sprung to his feet and caught sight of the attacker right away.
It was his cousin Dudley and his even more brainless goons.
"Enjoying the private time with your girlfriend, freak?", grinned Dudley and stomped towards them.
YOU ARE READING
Ivory and Steel | Drarry Hunger Games
FanfictionHarry Potter's life isn't easy. Life in District 7 is tough especially when everyone around seems to conspire against you. When him finally fighting back results in catastrophical consequences Harry will have to use every bit of his iron resolve a...
