"It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own." Harry said in an understanding voice, turning away as yet another couple came to the conclusion that he just wasn't what they were looking for.
They stood frozen as he walked out of the room. He let the door fall shut silently behind him and went to his room. The door opened and the nanny walked in.
"Are you alright, love?" She asked, sitting on the edge of his bed. Herry nodded, staring at the wall.
"Why is it so hard for people to love?" He asked. She shook her head.
"People are afraid of being hurt, Harry." She said.
"Well..they need to stop being scared." Harry said. "Cuz everytime one of them gets scared..I get hurt.."
Tears rolled down his cheeks and he curled up. He was only 7, but his behaviors fluctuated from a 2 year olds to a 20 year olds. It hurt to see him that way.
"You have another interview today, honey.." She said, a sad attempt at cheerfulness in her voice.
"I don't want to see them." Harry said, venom in his voice.
"The have a son your age, and a daughter only a year younger." She urged. "And twin boys two years older. And another boy five years older."
"And what? Two too old to live at home?" He asked, shaking his head in aggravation.
"Actually..yes." She said.
"Well good for them. They've got enough kids." Harry spat.
"Just give them a shot. They've never adopted before and they're curious." She said.
"So I'm their guinea pig?" He asked.
"No. You're their first chance at a bigger family." She said. "Now come with me."
She pulled him up off the bed and he just flopped against her, his eyes still red. She sighed and carried him out to the waiting room where nine redheads sat. Harry rubbed his left eye with his left fist and sighed.
"They're gonna change their minds 'bout 'doption." Harry muttered.
The nanny rubbed his back and talked to the family, inviting them into one of the conference rooms. They all sat around a table and the nanny set Harry down and, with a smile, left the room.
"So what's your name?" The woman asked.
Harry put his hands over his face, one of his more childish antics as he knew perfectly well they could still see him. He heard a giggle and looked through his fingers at the two boys that looked exactly the same.
"I don't think he's-" One started.
"Much of a talker, mum." The other finished.
"We'll get around that, I'm sure." The woman said. She smiled at Harry. "I'm Molly."
"I'm Arthur." The balding man said.
"Bill." Said one with a pony tail.
"Charley." Said the biggest.
"Fred." Said the first twin.
"George." Said the second.
"Percy." A proper looking boy said.
"Ron." Said the boy his age.
"Ginny." Said the little girl.
Harry stared at Ron for a few minutes. Ron just stared back. Harry bit his lip.
"M-my name's H-Harry.." He said, slinking as far back in his chair as he could.
"How old are you?" Bill asked. Harry looked up at him and decided he liked him.
"I'm seven! How old are you?" He asked with a smile. All the tension dissapeared from the room.
"I'm 23." He said, smiling back.
And so conversation continued for a few hours. No one noticed how much time had passed until the nanny came in to check that Harry was still in there.
"You're still here?" She asked, a serious catch of shock in her voice.
"Well..yeah." Molly said.
"No one's ever stayed this long." She said.
"Why?" Bill asked. "He's a cool kid."
"Umm..it's 'cuz everytime someone thinks they can handle 'doptin a kid..they meet me and change their mind.." Harry said.
"Why is that?" Arthur asked.
"Nanny says it's 'cuz they don't understand.." Harry looked at the floor. The nanny picked him up.
"Come on. Time for a change, alright?" She said. "If you guy's will just stay here a moment while I hand him off."
She carried Harry out and into the nursery.
"I'll explain it all to them. Maybe they'll understand this time." She said, kissing his nose and handing him off. She went back into the room. "First of all, are you interested in adopting him?"
"Yes. Very much so." Molly said.
"Alright. Well then, I'll have to tell you what he won't." She said, sitting down.
"Like what?" Molly asked.
"Well..When he was very young he was involved in a very serious accident that took the lives of both his parents. Sometimes he still has nightmares." She said. "He gets upset very easily."
"That's what he's worried about?" She asked.
"No. Well..not entirely." The nanny shook her head. "He isn't pot trained. Well..not properly. If you remind him he'll go, but he forgets because he came from an agency that didn't really care for it's kids. Which is why he doesn't eat much. And when he does it's generally a bottle, like a baby would drink. We only got him 6 months ago. It's amazing that he's so well developed in all the other aspects."
"So the issue is that he's like a really intelligent toddler?" Bill asked. The nanny nodded. "That's not so bad."
"Well..I don't know if we'd really..have the resources to teach him all that. Our kids don't get a lot of one on one time with us.." Molly said.
"And that's where we always hit a snag.." The nanny said. "I'll tell him."
She got up to leave, and Bill jumped up a half second later.
"What about me? I'm old enough. And I have the resources." He asked hurriedly. He added: "I'm certified to adopt."
"Well..we'll see what he thinks." She said, smiling. "In the mean time..I'll find you guys a kid who's not so needy?"
Molly nodded. "We're sorry..we're just looking to adopt in the upper age range so that we won't have to worry quite so much about the child."
"It's perfectly fine. I'm thankful that you guys are so open to taking a child at all, knowing that it's going to be difficult at first." The nanny said. "Actually..I have an idea for someone you might like."
She smiled and walked out of the room. When she came back she had Harry in her arms and a shy looking little blond girl who might have been about Ginny's age.
"This is Luna." She said, giving the blond a little push. Harry looked confused and a little upset. The nanny motioned for Bill to follow her. "Harry, Bill wants to adopt you on his own, instead of his parents. Does that sound okay?"
Harry peeked at Bill shyly and nodded. Bill smiled at the small boy and held out his arms. Harry was passed into them and curled up against his soon-to-be dad.