Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Warnings: Eventual slash (male x male pairing), sexual scenes, swearing.
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Diatomic
The war had taken its toll on Harry Potter. Voldemort had been destroyed almost seven years previously, but the conflict still haunted the ex-Gryffindor daily. Each side had faced substantial losses, and Harry took each death on the side of the Light personally. When the time came for him to scoop Ginny Weasley's lifeless body into his arms, something inside of him had snapped. The girl he was supposed to spend his days with was gone; deserted him in the same fashion his parents had done. They were supposed to get married and have children: it was the only thing Harry had been certain of during the hectic days of war.
But then she was dead. And nothing was certain anymore.
Hermione's death at the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange shook the foundations of Harry and Ron's friendship. Her passing had occurred only two days after Ginny's, and so Harry was muted to the grief. He did not shed a tear for Hermione Granger until long after her burial, on one isolated evening whereupon nothing special happened. But the grief broke through then, for Hermione and the others the war had taken.
Ron and Harry did not speak again after Voldemort's defeat. The Weasley headed back to the Burrow, to grieve over his losses with his family, and Harry knew that he was not welcome to join them. He found solace with the non-judgemental Luna Lovegood, who had sustained horrific facial scarring in a duel with a talented Death Eater. The two of them moved into a house in a quiet village not far from Godric's Hollow. Luna, now unrecognisable to anyone who didn't know her well, was able to live her life without questioning from the belligerent public. Harry remained indoors for a great deal of time, developing severe agoraphobia and shielding himself from the eyes of anyone other than Lovegood.
Luna never once attempted to conceal her scarring, and for that Harry admired her. But she grew weak with time, and they both knew with silent agreement that she was dying. When she began developing tremors in her arms around five years after the war's conclusion, Harry finally ventured outdoors on occasion to run errands she could no longer do.
The Daily Prophet continued to report blaring headlines of 'SAVIOUR CONTINUES TO REMAIN ELUSIVE' and 'POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF HARRY POTTER IN DIAGON ALLY PROVES TO BE FALSE'. Those few in the village where he lived who actually knew who Harry Potter was, vowed to keep his location from the press. Although Harry appreciated this service, he barely uttered a single word to any of the villagers during his entire seven years of occupancy.
"Harry," Luna had said softly once. "When I'm gone, you'll need to talk to these people. Who else will keep you safe from the Nargles?" She had brought up a soft hand to his face then, and caressed it gently with a smile. And although pre-war Harry would've insisted that she was not going anywhere any time soon, post-war Harry knew better.
He had grown accustomed to death, and the idea of death. He spent hours preparing himself for the morning he would knock on Luna's bedroom door and hear no response. So when, merely weeks before the seventh anniversary of the war's conclusion, he found her glassy-eyed and cold in an armchair, the blow was softer.
Luna had prepared a sort of will, the best Harry could get out of someone so quirky and idealistic. After witnessing the burials of so many friends, he longed for Luna's to be exactly the way she would've wished.
After the reform of the Ministry, new departments had been rapidly created to ease the Wizarding world back into everyday life. One such department, the 'Department of Bereavement Executors', attempted to make the process of dealing with the affairs of the deceased far easier. Harry had registered Luna's will with them, along with his own, and so was entirely unsurprised when a haughty owl appeared at a window with a letter that read "A representative from the Department of Bereavement Executors will be with you shortly.".
Harry had often wondered what he would do when Luna died. His reaction surprised even himself; he could not take his eyes off of her limp and greying form. His eyes scoured every inch of her, studying her in death far more than he'd ever cared to in life. It was only when he noticed that her long blonde hair appeared even more delicate than usual, that tears prickled his eyes and he looked away.
A knock on the door startled Harry from his reverie, and he opened it to reveal a well-dressed man holding a clipboard.
"Hello there Mister- Potter, is it?" Asked the man, extending a hand. Harry shook it with a slight nod.
"Any relation to the Mr Potter? He queried, but Harry merely smiled.
"Unfortunately not."
"Ah, well I'm David Quigg from the Department of Bereavement Executors. We were informed about the death of a Miss L. Lovegood?" Quigg glanced down at his clipboard for affirmation and then back up at Harry.
"Yes, she passed away earlier today." The ex-Gryffindor confirmed, his voice cracking a little.
"My condolences sir. My associate will arrive momentarily to help me bring the body to the Ministry Mortuary, where it will be held until the burial plans have been arranged." Quigg explained, and a loud pop behind him announced the presence of another Ministry employee. The slightly shorter man dusted off his robes and walked up beside Quigg, a solemn expression on his face.
"This is Arthur Pilsmann: the two of us will Apparate Miss Lovegood's body to the mortuary."
"Thank you." Harry said quietly, and stood aside to allow the men into his home.
Within ten minutes, the men and Luna had gone. Quigg had left Harry with the promise that "someone else would be along soon to begin the paperwork". His promise was soon fulfilled with the sound of a sharp knock on the door. Harry opened it, and found himself staring into eyes he hadn't peered into for seven years.
"Malfoy."
"Potter."
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Please review and let me know what you think: will be updated shortly.
Beth