The Houses Competition
Hufflepuff, HoH
Standard
Prompt: Renovating a house/home
Word Count: 1998, per GoogleDocs
AN: This story is not even remotely canon compliant. Harry isn't dating Ginny, he doesn't stay an Auror, and he's a bit more damaged than the epilogue would have you believe. Such is fan fiction.
Enough
"Harry!" Hermione cried, pulling her oldest friend in for a hug. "Isn't Ron with you? He wouldn't miss our monthly pub night."
"No, he'll be here in a bit. Probably still sulking," Harry replied.
Luna rolled her eyes. "What does Ronald have to sulk about?"
"You told him, didn't you?" Hermione murmured.
Harry nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "I quit my job yesterday. Well, technically I'm on 'indefinite leave', but Kingsley knows I don't plan on returning. I'm sick of all the glad-handing and politics at the Ministry. It's just time for me to leave."
Neville rolled his eyes. "I realize that means the two of you won't be partners anymore, but surely Ron's got to understand why you did it. Plus you're still flatmates!"
"That's what's got him so angry. I'm actually thinking of moving into Grimmauld Place," Harry said quietly.
Ginny gaped at him. "Are you sure about that, Harry? I know Sirius left you the place, but it's such a mess!"
"Yeah, it's in rough shape. But since I'm technically on leave, I can't really get another job, so I plan on fixing it up while I've got the time off," he explained. "I'm sure Sirius wouldn't want me to keep the house that way forever, and it'll be easier if I just lived there during the remodel."
"Oh, that could be fun! Mum's got a whole shelf of books on home renovation charms. I could bring them over tomorrow. With any luck, you'll be done in a week!" Ginny exclaimed.
Harry tugged at his collar. "I really appreciate the offer, Gin, but I'm going to do what I can the Muggle way."
"That's a huge house; it's going to take a lot of time," Neville worried. "Not to mention all the skilled labor it'll require."
"Well, that's part of why I want to do it the Muggle way. I'm going to need something to keep my head and my hands busy while I'm not working," Harry said.
Hermione knew by the way he alternated drumming his fingers on the table and picking at his nails that Harry was hiding something. No matter—she'd get to the bottom of it and help him tackle it.
"Well, just let me know if you need a hand pulling down the wallpaper or cleaning up," Hermione offered. "I'm rubbish with repairs, but I'll do anything I can to help."
Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Thanks, Hermione, I'll take you up on that. Tomorrow okay? I'm a bit anxious to get started."
"Of course!" Hermione chirped. "Now Ginny, tell us more about that flat you were looking at in Holyhead…"
The next morning, Hermione stepped into the entrance hall of Number 12 and found it emptied of furniture. Harry was perched on a wobbling ladder, yanking at the top corner of the wallpaper. Hermione cast a quick charm to stabilize the ladder and shot her best friend a stern look.
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly. "Thought it was a bit safer than that. Wanna give me a hand and Vanish the pile I've already pulled down?"
"I thought you were doing this the Muggle way?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged. "I'll do all the work by hand, but I don't see any reason to add more trash to a landfill. I'll donate or Vanish what I don't keep."
Hermione made quick work of the pile and started removing the paper from the bottom half of the walls. They worked in near silence until lunch, but by the time they drug themselves into the kitchen to make sandwiches, all the paper had been removed.
"This is a lot of work," Hermione said, swiping a hand across her brow. "Harry, I just don't know that it's feasible for you to finish this whole house by hand."
Harry chewed on that thought for a moment. "I know it's going to take a long time and a lot of work, but I kind of planned on that. I need this, Hermione. I can't just come into Sirius's house and start Vanishing all the things that were a part of his life. I… It's like I'd be Vanishing him along with these terrible drapes, as ridiculous as that may sound. And I can't let that happen again. I can't lose this last piece of him without properly saying goodbye to it."
And to Sirius, too, Hermione finished mentally. It made perfect sense—escaping the social climate of the Ministry, hiding somewhere familiar, finding something to keep busy—Harry needed some space from the real world and a chance to say goodbye to the only family he'd ever known. Hermione straightened her shoulders. If anyone deserved the chance to put the past to rest, it was Harry, and she'd do whatever was necessary to help him.
"Then I guess we'd better hop to it," she said with a knowing smile.
When she Apparated back to her own flat that night, Hermione had helped remove all the wallpaper from the entrance hall, scrape the glue from the walls, and prime them for painting the next day. She did a quick Internet search on the best way to refinish old wooden floors and printed out the information like Harry had asked. Unsurprisingly, she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
The next morning, Hermione popped back over to Grimmauld Place, papers in hand and ready to paint. Harry had already begun coating the walls in a warm cream-colored paint. All the moldings were taped off and protected, several drop cloths covered the floors, and the ladder was stabilized. She was impressed by his rather expert setup.
"Thanks for doing that, Hermione. Just put them on the stairs if you don't mind," Harry grunted.
"Of course! Got a spare roller for me?" she asked.
The two finished the entire entrance hall before heading back to Hermione's flat for lunch and more research. She helped Harry browse for decorating styles and printed out pictures for him to use as inspiration. Together, they also made a list of things he'd need from a hardware store to convert the house's current heavy, ostentatious furniture into a simpler style. It was a comfort to know she sent him on his way far more prepared for the work that lay ahead.
"Sorry I'm late," Harry muttered, sliding into the Leaky Cauldron booth. "I was working and didn't notice the time."
"You look like shit, mate," Ron muttered.
Hermione took in his too-loose, rumpled clothes and the dark circles under his eyes and frowned. "Harry, are you not sleeping well?"
He waved her off. "I'm sleeping fine. There's just a lot to get done, and sometimes I get a bit wrapped up in it. I stayed up too late last night."
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "You've also lost weight, Harry. Are you eating properly?"
Before Harry could even open his mouth, she groaned and began muttering to herself. "Of course you're not, you're too focused on the house to take decent care of yourself. This is just like sixth year all over again, I swear. I don't know why I bothered to ask." She pinned him with a glare. "Have you even left Grimmuald Place in the last month?"
"Of course! I went to the hardware store several times, and I ran some errands last Thursday," Harry said proudly.
Ginny slapped a hand to her forehead. "You've got to get out more, Potter. Spending too much time in that old house is going to drive you mad."
"I'm fine," Harry growled. "And I'd love it if we could stop talking about how bad I look and how much redoing Sirius's house is screwing me up."
Luna leaned across the table and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "We're just concerned, Harry."
"Maybe we could all come over one day next week and see what you've done with the place?" Neville offered tentatively.
Harry nodded. "That's a great idea. We could do brunch. I'd love to get your opinions on some things, and maybe it'll get Hermione off my back," he laughed, giving her a gentle nudge.
"Show you… off your back… welfare check…" Hermione grumbled into her glass.
Hermione's jaw dropped when she walked through the front door of Number 12; Ron and Ginny were equally speechless. The once dark, moldy entry was warm, inviting, and… quiet—Harry had managed to remove Walburga's portrait! The furniture had been stripped of its dark glaze and heavy ornamentation. Instead, the simple table, cabinet, and coat rack shone in the sunlight streaming through the newly drape-less front windows.
"Please tell me you took a 'before' picture for comparison," Hermione breathed.
"Was it really that bad?" Neville asked.
Ginny nodded. "I wouldn't have believed it was capable of looking so… light."
"It used to be bloody gloomy and a bit frightening, if I'm being honest," Ron said.
"Well, it certainly looks happy now," Luna murmured.
Harry grinned. "You haven't even seen the best part. Come on!"
He led them past the newly minted dining room—which looked enormous with its refurbished table and a coat of paint—into the kitchen.
"This is what I've been working so hard on. I just finished it yesterday."
It was a completely different room. The layout was new, the Muggle appliances were new, even the tile flooring was new. The countertops were now a shining butcher block, and the cabinets were a bright, clean white. Above the new kitchen island Harry had installed a pot rack, and the copper pots hanging from it gleamed cheerily. With the new setup, he'd also had room for a breakfast nook. The slightly worn table and chairs occupying it fit right in with the rest of the homey décor.
"I love what you've done with it!" Ginny cried, running her hands over anything in reach.
"Did really you do all this yourself?" Luna asked as she studied the room.
Harry nodded. "I reconfigured the entire kitchen, a total gut job. I built it from the ground up."
Hermione ran her hand over the smooth countertop and then opened a cupboard door. The craftsmanship was incredible. "Harry… This is beautiful. How… just how?"
"I made friends with a few of the guys at the hardware store. They had plenty of tips," Harry assured her. "I did the work, but they provided the know-how. Well, them and the stuff you gave me." He clapped his hands together. "Now, I'll make that brunch I promised. You guys make yourselves comfortable in the dining room, I'll only be a few minutes."
As the others filed out, Hermione sat on the counter and watched Harry move comfortably. He played the happy host well, but she couldn't help feeling worried.
"I can hear you worrying from over here," Harry muttered as he chopped ham for the omelets.
"I can't help it," Hermione whispered. "Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with what you've accomplished. But I'm worried that this—" she gestured to the renovations— "is letting you wallow instead of helping you say goodbye to Sirius."
Harry squeezed his eyes shut. "I was going to start with his room, get the hard part over with… It was just too much, you know? And this has been really hard, but in a good way. Being here and doing this, I'm happier than I've been in a long time. That's why I can't quit, Hermione. I actually feel… at peace?"
She swallowed the argument bubbling to her lips and instead studied the earnest grin that lit up his haggard face. Her heart broke to think how long it had been since she'd seen him smile so sincerely. She shoved her fears and concerns deep into the recesses of her mind. Harry deserved this happiness, even if it was hard to watch him work for it.
"I'm so glad," she replied, embracing him. "And if you're happy, I'm happy."
"I really, really am," he whispered.
And for now, that was enough.