Inevitable AU ficlette: Visiting Hours Are Nine To Five (AB/HP)

[mhalachai]

Visiting Hours Are Nine To Five
A Harry Potter/Anita Blake Inevitable fanfic

Characters: Jason, Nathaniel, Ron and Hermione
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all things Harry Potter. Anita Blake is owned by Laurell K. Hamilton. I'm only borrowing and will return them at the end of the ficlette.
Word count:: 1,442
Rating: PG
Author's Note: shopteacher_guy wanted Jason and Nathaniel v. Ron and Hermione to discuss Harry, Inevitable universe. Ficlette Fiasco III master list. This is another AU Inevitable future-verse that won't actually occur.

Summary: They keep a vigil over his bed, so when he wakes he won't be alone

~*~

"How's he doing?"

Hermione looked up from the potions book on her lap at the redhead who had just entered the dimly lit room. "The same," she said softly. "How are you?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck as he pulled another chair over to the bedside. "All right. I got some sleep, somehow." He picked her limp hand and cradled it between his large palms. "What about you?"

She shrugged, even that slight movement sending shooting pains through her back from sitting still for so long. She felt like an old woman, not twenty-year-old witch who had helped defeat Voldemort.

Maybe that has something do with the fact that the man who had dealt the final blow to Voldemort was lying on his back on a hospital bed, muggle machines breathing for him. He hadn't drawn a breath on his own in the past few days, ever since...

"Shh," Ron said. "You're thinking about it again."

"What do you expect me to do?" Hermione said snappishly. "Think about work? About Charlie's wedding? How am I supposed to do that?"

Ron looked away. "I'm just saying, it's not any good to think about things you can't change."

Hermione thumped her book shut. She really had no idea why they were bothering to be quiet. No amount of noise would wake Harry from his coma. She was starting to wonder if he would ever wake.

She pushed that thought away. "I do it, Ron, because it matters," she said through clenched teeth. "It matters that Harry was Meng Die's human servant." Ron winced. "It matters that his vampire Master was killed by Humans First! That's why he's like this! Because of what he was! Pretending he wasn't bonded to the vampire isn't going to change anything!"

Hermione pushed herself to her feet and stalked over to the window. It wasn't fair of her to yell at Ron; it wasn't his fault that he didn't understand Harry's decision to become Meng Die's human servant. Hermione hadn't understood either, no matter how much Harry tried to explain.

But Ron hadn't been with Harry when Meng Die was killed. He hadn't seen the way Harry's face went blank, hadn't heard the horrified way he'd said Meng Die's name just before he collapsed. Ron wasn't the one who had tried desperately to force air into Harry's lungs, hadn't had to use magic and everything possible to keep Harry alive until the paramedics arrived.

Ron's hands settled on Hermione's shoulders, pulling her against him. "I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair.

"It's not you," Hermione said, staring out at the brightly lit St. Louis skyline. "I don't know if I can handle it, if he..." She couldn't say it.

Ron held her until a soft knock sounded on the open door. They turned together, to see two of Harry's American friends silhouetted in the doorframe. "How's he doing?" the blond man, Jason, asked, strolling in without waiting for permission. "Any change?"

"No," Hermione said, stepping away from Ron. "No change at all."

The other man, Nathaniel, followed Jason into the room. He didn't say anything as he went right up to the bed to touch Harry's face. Jason watched Nathaniel, but spoke to Hermione and Ron. "Anita thinks that if Harry's going to come out of it at all, it'll be soon."

"What do you mean, if?" Ron exclaimed. "This is all her fault, dragging Harry back to St. Louis after he graduated, getting her involved with that vampire--"

"Ron!" Hermione shouted, but it was too late. Eyes blazing, Jason stalked over.

"Anita almost died trying to save Meng Die!" he growled. "She's got three bullet holes in her chest from where the freaks from Humans First shot her to stop her! If Jean-Claude hadn't woken up when he did, there'd be a hell of a lot more people dead than just Meng Die!"

"Jason," Nathaniel said softly. "This isn't helping." Jason broke off and paced the room. Nathaniel looked at Ron. "Harry told you that he and Meng Die joined out of his own free will. You have to accept that."

"I can't!" Ron said, frustrated. "The Harry I knew two years ago would never have done something as stupid as getting mixed up with a vampire."

"So he must have been tricked?" Nathaniel continued. He cupped Harry's chin with his hand for a moment, then slid his hand under the man's hospital gown to his shoulder. "Harry fell for a line? No. Harry never does anything anyone tells him, including Anita." He smiled absently. "She was so mad when he told her what he was going to do."

"So why did she let it happen?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, Ron, when does Harry let anyone stop him?" Hermione snapped.

"Harry said something to Anita," Nathaniel said. "Because after they talked, she just stopped being so mad and threatening to kill Meng Die."

"What did he say?" Hermione asked.

Nathaniel shook his head. "No one heard."

Hermione sank back into her chair and rested her elbows on the bed. "Why do you think he'll get better?"

"Anita thinks it," Nathaniel said, as if that was all the answer he needed.

Jason stopped by Nathaniel's side and ran his hand down Harry's arm. "Man, he's so cold," Jason muttered. "He should be warmer."

"There are some blankets in Anita's room," Nathaniel replied. "I'll go get them." He pulled his hand out from under Harry's shirt and quickly left the room.

Jason held Harry's arm, careful not to fiddle with the various tubes stuck in his skin. Hermione was perhaps a little too tired, and it didn't bother her as much as it probably should have to see the man touching Harry like that. Ron just shook his head and went back to the window.

"Why..." Hermione started. "What was Meng Die like?" Jason looked up at her. "We only ever met her the once, when she came to fetch Harry for something. She didn't seem..." Hermione hated to speak ill of the dead, but nothing she had seen about Meng Die had endeared her to the vampire.

Jason sat on the edge of Harry's hospital bed. "Meng Die wasn't exactly a people person," he said dryly. "She was arrogant and aloof and rude at times if she wasn't able to use you."

"Then how did Harry become so entangled with her?" Hermione demanded with growing incredulity. "That's not like him at all!"

Jason shrugged. "I know. It was weird, right, but Harry said something about how people always underestimated the two of them, and they'd always come out on top."

"Did he love her?"

"I don't know." Jason played with Harry's fingers as he spoke. "But I do know that he respected her in a lot of ways. I think they really were friends at the end of this, or as close to it as Meng Die could ever get to having a friend."

Nathaniel shuffled back into the room, arms full of hospital blankets. "Meng Die liked that she couldn't capture Harry with her eyes," he added to Jason's odd eulogy. "She never could, and Graham told me it pissed her off but she liked it. It was a challenge."

Hermione took a blanket from Nathaniel and smoothed it over Harry's body. No, over Harry! she told herself sternly. She retreated to her chair and slumped down, waiting.

All there seemed to be left to do was to wait.

Time passed, and Hermione may have dozed in her chair, when Ron made a startled squeak. She opened her eyes wide, to try and drag herself out of her stupor. "What?" she said stupidly.

"He's opened his eyes!" Ron said in an excited voice.

"Harry?" Jason was saying, bending over Harry and stroking the man's cheek. "Harry, are you with us?"

Harry made a sound in his throat. "What's he saying?" Ron demanded.

"Shut up!" Jason said. "Hey, Harry, it's okay, you're okay. There's just a tube in your throat. You've been here in the hospital for three days."

Nathaniel pulled Jason away from Harry and settled himself in Jason's spot. He put his hands on either side of Harry's face and looked directly into his friend's eyes. Harry made another sound.

Nathaniel drew a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Harry," he said. "Meng Die didn't make it."

Harry closed his eyes, the lines of his face tightening in pain. He didn't make a sound as tears squeezed out of the corners of his eyes.

Ron took Hermione's hand and they stood there, silent, as their friend grieved for a vampire that none of them had really understood.

end

Comments

[catherinecookmn.livejournal.com]

Nice! And I like how you leave the question of "why did Harry hook up with Meng Die?" to be unanswered. Adds intrigue, it does.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) And writing how Harry became Meng Die's human servant inthis nice little AU world would take a space longer thatn Inevitable currently is, so I figured I'd let people wonder a bit

[firefox1490.livejournal.com]

"It matters that Harry was Meng Die's human servant." WTF!!!!!! I think you killed my brain, I mean really really killed my brain.

You know when I saw this I was like YEAHHHHHHH new chapter then damn not new chapter. *gives Mhalachai a black rose* my hope died.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I said it was AU, didn't I?

Your hope isn't dead, it's just wounded. I'm working on these chapters all the time, never fear.

[lishel_fracrium.livejournal.com]

*cries* that was beautiful. *cries harder*

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Now now. It's okay. It's AU so it'll never happen. Well, at this point in the story it could, but things will change and it won't. Just not sure how far "not" this is.

I'm probably not helping.

[child-labor.livejournal.com]

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's weird, but it made sense in my head as one possibility as I was reviewing the story for various plot point purposes.

And Anita taking three bullets to the chest for a vampire she doesn't even like for Harry's sake? I think that was my favorite part.
And because it was the right thing to do. She's changed so much, in the books, that I can see it being plausible.

Eek!

[vampiress04.livejournal.com]

*peeks through fingers* Ok, that was slightly scary. I know it's AU, but eek! Harry as Meng Die's human servant? That's just way off my radar of understanding. But I liked it, it's great to see some interaction between the Hogwarts and St. Louis group, even if it will never happen like this. And the fic with Ginny was also lovely. But, um, what is up with Nathanial being all touchy feely with Harry? Darn you and your hints that will never come to be!

Nah, you know I love everything about the Inevitable storyline. I'm really sad to see it slowly coming to a close, but a huge thumbs up for leaving the ending such a mystery. I was talking about it with a friend of mine, and we have no idea how it will all turn out. I think Harry will survive, 'cause hey, how can there be a sequel without Harry in it? And the fact that in your previous answer to a comment you said that this is not that far off from happening gives me hope that Harry will live to see the day when Nath, Luna and Ginny all fight over him!

Also, Charlie's gettign married? For a minute I thought you meant Bill, but this is set three years from Inevitable, so...who's Charlie marrying?

Kepp up the great work, can't wait for more!

Re: Eek!

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's incomprehensible and totally Harry. He makes no sense on the best of days.

But, um, what is up with Nathanial being all touchy feely with Harry? Darn you and your hints that will never come to be!
Hey, those are hints that have a basis in the story, and that's the one aspect of these things that is *not* AU. Ahem. Not like they'll go anywhere, but there's tension that will make Anita's life crazy.

I've been trying very hard to keep this story's end a secret, yet I've been giving clues throughout so anything could happen. Diving into the next ten chapters is going to be hard, but really fun.

Charlie's marriage... let's just say I haven't given that much thought.

Glad you enjoyed.

[shadowartemis.livejournal.com]

I loved how you wrote this.. The beginning had me thinking that Harry had ended up in the hospital because of the fight with Voldemort, but then you threw in the Meng Die thing and- *purrs* I loved it. It's a weird idea, Harry and Meng Die, but it kind of makes sense in a You'll-Never-Understand-It kind of way... If that makes any sense. It's actually very intriguing and I liked the end a lot where Harry grieved for Meng Die and the others just stayed with him.

ut really, I just loved Hermione, Ron, Jason, and Nathaniel. The way they interacted, connected only through Harry, and the way they acted with Harry was brilliant. Very natural. And the comment about Anita getting shot up trying to save Meng Die... That was so very Anita that I could picture it. She didn't like Meng Die, but she was going to try her damnedest to save her. Because to save Harry she had to save Meng Die, and we all know how Anita is about having to save her people.

Knowing Anita, I have to wonder what kind of blame she's thrown on herself for Harry's condition, for not being able to save Meng Die. Of course, Anita has all of her men to help her...

What I'm really curious about, though, is what it was that Harry said to Anita that got her to back off..

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

It's a weird idea, Harry and Meng Die, but it kind of makes sense in a You'll-Never-Understand-It kind of way
Harry does manage to get himself into situations like that. And really, it's a great way of having anything happen to that boy. He falls into the strangest situations.

As for the interactions, in my head Hermione and Ron hadn't had much interaction with Harry since he came back to St. Louis, and so don't really get the special relationship he has with Jason and Nanthaniel.

And I can really see Anita doing something as stupid as getting in the way of bullets. She'd do it to save Harry, she'd do it to protect Jean-Claude's power base, and she'd do it because it was the right thing to do. She counts herself as being as "in charge" of Jean-Claude's people as much as he is, so it's her role to do something for someone she doesn't really like. Well, past tense at this point.

What I'm really curious about, though, is what it was that Harry said to Anita that got her to back off..
A very good question that I sadly cannot answer until I finish Inevitable. I'd hate to give away how it all ends :)

[ligeia-bm.livejournal.com]

If there was one vamp I had discounted as Harry's master, that would be Meng-Die. I know, the hint in Inevitable is right there. There is attraction indeed(not necessarily sexual, Meng Die wants the power, and I think that aside the attraction Harry may feel for the beautiful female, his inner beast respond to her as part of the said attraction).

However, she is a bit too arrogant for Harry's usual tastes in acquaintances.

But if Clay and Graham drags themselves behind her, she has to have something... Let's see what happens with her in DM...

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

However, she is a bit too arrogant for Harry's usual tastes in acquaintances.
She totally is... at least, the three minutes we've seen of her. I have no idea how my view of her will change in DM, I hear she's on screen a bit. Who knows?

[penyn-1600.livejournal.com]

I think Meng Die was sort of Harry's type. A strong, forceful woman who could take of herself. Someone he didn't have to protect (but of course, he tried anyway). At least, that's my theory as to what drew Harry to her.

Lovely glimpse into the future.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed it. Also, Meng Die's scrappy. She can survive a lot (at least I think that's how she's been presetned) and Harry would find that ... not cute. Just somehow attractive.

[laney-1974.livejournal.com]

I loved this. I can't help but be wonder what events lead Harry to make such a choice. It's a shame we'll never know. Still, I can live off these AU's. They're great.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed. I didn't put much thought into the reasons why in this one, seeing as how it's so very AU from where Harry will end up at the end of Inevitable, but it was a fun "what if" moment :)

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. Remember this after you read DM.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

O_o

Is it Tuesday yet? (it comes out on Tuesday, right?)

[lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com]

Can I tell you again how much I love reading your work? Because I don't think it will ever stop surprising me.

And I must add that Harry/Nathaniel is a cool pairing overall and I might be persuaded to let you have a peek at what I'm writing. Keep in mind that I have never shown anyone what I've written until it is finished. (also, that ficlet's often turn into full-length stories with me.)

Total stories in progress: 7, 5 of which are actually original work. I've actually managed to finish most of my fanfiction attempts, so the only full-length story is the Hidden Horcrux, and then there is the H/N short story, set post-MoldyWart. Premise: Harry taking Luna up on her offer to travel to the US with her dad while searching for jackalopes, etc., with a detour through St. Louis.
Let's see how many fics Bren can juggle, shall we? ^_^

Oops! Forgot to mention...

[lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com]

The Runespoor is a blessed, lovely creature and I shall worship the serpent goddess forever more... By sticking to my guns about including the snake, I found a solid reason for the plot to advance in my original direction. So what if I deleted the three chapters in a fit of depression? I have a better storyline now.
OK gotta go finish the next chapter. Since it is on another computer (which is incidentally not hooked up to the Internet), transferring files will be a lengthy process, but eventually I will be posting chapters on livejournal.

You just have to teach me how to make the cuts, otherwise they will be posted as drabble-length. ^_^

Uhhh

[(Anonymous)]

Uhhh..Im having the biggest brain fart Ive ever had but can someone remind me who Meng Die was please!!!!! God..Bad day but loved the lil chapter.

Re: Uhhh

[ligeia-bm.livejournal.com]

She is a powerful Asian Master Vampire, one of Jeacn-Claude's "children", whose animal to call is the wolf. She shows up first in Narcissus in Chains, and gets briefly mentioned during the showdaow with Musette in Cerulean Sins.

[autumnus]

I don't know how you get these very absurd pairings and actually make them totally believable I mean, Harry human servant of Meng Die?

Beautiful fiction. Through now one wonders what was the reliationship between those two was like.

:)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I don't know how you get these very absurd pairings and actually make them totally believable

It's like any situation, really: Walk in with total confidence you can carry it off, and it works. Usually :)

[ansku]

Incredible :) Just incredible... I love it.

Oh, and just in case it was an accident you want to correct: there's no rating mentioned, or I'm too blind to see it.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it :)

[lishel_fracrium.livejournal.com]

umm hi! I have a question and a plea for you...

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

*eyebrows* You can email me at mhalachai at gmail dot com if you'd like

[alydhe.livejournal.com]

This was really good and it has so much potential. I was kinda wondering if you would let me try and write a fanfic for this AU. I don't know if I want to write a series or just a short story so I figured I'd ask for permission for either.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Yowza! Sure, feel free to go ahead with the fic in any form. I can't wait to see what you do :)

[niccy07.livejournal.com]

OH I love this piece. The interaction between Nathaniel and Jason and Ron and Hermione is interesting. I really can't wait to see the final connections in your stories.

[shopteacher-guy.livejournal.com]

OOH, I come back from vacation to Utah and find this tasty little story.. I never would have thought of this... very cool!

[kantarose.livejournal.com]

You will never stop entertaining me Mhalachai. I can never believe how much you manage to fit into your drabbles and ficlettes! Genius! The hints of bisexual Harry had me sitting on the edge of my seat, though i'm not sure if you meant them as hints or as interaction between pack mates. (fingers crossed for bi!harry though!) And the antagonism between Ron and Hermione, and Nathanial and Jason was brilliant! It's just how I would imagine them to react to each other!

I have never thought of Meng Die and Harry forming a bond like that, though i have thought about Harry becoming either a pomme de sang or a human servant, of a master vampire. I loved the snippets of their relationship you showed us however, and was near tears by the end of it. I even went back over Inevitable and reread the scenes with Meng Die to see her and Harry's interactions with each other! Any chance of another Harry/Meng Die pairing in the future?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it :D This idea of Harry and Meng Die has been bopping around in my head for a while, not only because of his growing wolfy connection, but because of her posessiveness. I can't help but think that if this had actually occured, Harry would have found someone who actually wanted *him*. Have you read Danse Macabre yet? There's some interesting Meng Die in there, that doesn't contradict this (even though I wrote it before I read DM).

Not sure about another Harry/Mend Die fic. Without giving anything away, what occurs in the final chapters of Inevitable will make such a relationship unlikely.