Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Harry Potter.
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All Good Things
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What do you want to do in the future?
Harry Potter found it funny being asked this question, and along with the other questions in the form, that was supposed to help you determine where you would fit in, in the future. He just fought a war, he had always fought bad guys, and now that he had peace, which had been his ultimate goal since finding out that there was still a mad man chasing after him since the moment he stepped into this school, well the future now seems quite empty to him.
It was sad to think that he only had Voldemort in his mind for the last seven years.
Always wondering what would happen next, what terror would await him in school, who would betray him, who would try to kill him or maim him or just torture him in the name of Pureblood supremacy led by a Halfblood.
It was sad to think that his life was mostly filled with a mad man, with only minor distractions of girls and Quidditch on the side.
Harry looked at the question again.
It was laughable to some people, he was quite certain that this question to most of the students around him, here in Hogwarts great hall, was very simple. Probably already jotted down an answer and moved on, clearly knowing what they want to do with their life. But he never really thought about life beyond Voldemort. He expected to die in that battlefield last year. He didn't think he would have had a chance to go back to school again after helping rebuilding it over the summer, and he definitely didn't think he would have had a chance to graduate and fill out this piece of questionnaire form that would help in deciding what you want to do in life.
His future was yesterday.
Harry felt that what he had now was borrowed time, and there was just so many possibilities, he didn't know what to do.
What do you want to do in the future?
People probably expect him to continue being a savior and join the Auror, or maybe join a professional Quidditch team as a seeker, and when it comes to family, they would probably think that he would either marry Hermione or join the Weasley family by marrying Ginny. And those are probably the only things that people will think about when they are asked what Harry Potter would be in the future.
Harry tapped the tip of his quill on the parchment, the motion and the rhythmic noise soothing to him, and wracked his mind of what he really wanted to do. He honestly just want to have a quiet life. Nothing adventurous, nothing hectic, no fighting bad guys, not even fighting with neighbors, he wanted a life where he could just live peacefully and be happy sipping tea out in his backyard and just watch the clouds go by if he wanted to.
Harry wrote quickly with his quill, waiting for the ink to dry, and feeling hopeful of what he had just decided in that moment. Harry smiled, in fact he wanted to cackle maniacally, it was like a big prank to the rest of the world. Harry Potter the Boy-who-lived, Youngest Quidditch Seeker of Hogwarts, Triwizard Champion, Saviour of the Magical World, Defeater of the Dark Lord Voldemort has chosen his future.
Gardener.
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Harry settled himself on his couch comfortably, the windows were wide open, the dark heavy curtains pulled back to provide an unobstructed view of the quaint little village, named Stonewall, that he had now considered to call home. It was not very far from the Weasley's, in fact they were just a few hours drive to the west of him, on the occasions that he chose the muggle method of transportation. Which he often did, because it provided him with a sort of peace ─ of course it was also magically altered, so it could do the trip in less than an hour, but that wasn't very fun. It defeated the purpose of enjoying the scenery of the quaint little country side that he had decided to live in.
The village wasn't big, having a little less than four hundred people living in it, but it had a few shops and a few entertainment areas that helped the young and the old enjoy the little town they called home. A place where people greeted everyone, and where there were festivals that lit up the whole town because everyone participated. It was peaceful, and the place was just serene with its old architecture and undisturbed nature surrounding them. It was exactly where Harry wanted to be in.
Definitely far from what everyone thought he would be doing.
But after a two years of living in Stonewall, working as a gardener for the families that lived around him, without bailing, well his friends and pseudo family had finally accepted his decision. Anyway, he enjoyed his new life, and he enjoyed hearing the gossip of the sweet little old ladies whose gardens he tended to. They accepted him like their own grandchild, taking him after finding out that he was living all on his own, so young and yet so far from a city where the young should go and live it up.
Harry didn't really need all that, and he said as such, which probably cemented their adoration of him, especially when he didn't run after a week in the little village. He watched fondly as Mr and Mrs Bolson walked out of their home, closing the white picket fence gate that he had restored for them, to visit Mrs Weatherly who had come back from a visit from her daughter's house in London center.
Mrs Weatherly would definitely be showing off her new purchases from the big city to Mrs Bolson, and of course she would gush at its beauty and then would of course become jealous and chatter about it to Mrs Lawson and Mrs Rookfair tomorrow over tea and pastries in the garden, which he would be partially attending tomorrow, having to be at the house to attend to her garden and the shed roof that had been leaking from the last rain they had.
Harry smiled, Ron had never ceased to find it barmy that he had chosen to live a simple life surrounded by, mostly, the elderly, when he could be out there in the heart of things and enjoying life like any other legal aged young adult in the city. Now Harry wasn't a total recluse, he just decided that he wanted a quiet life fulltime. It wasn't that he never went out with Ron, he was still a young man that had needs and those were met whenever he had the urge, but Ron did miss a fulltime companion taking on the world like they did when they were in school. Ron has learned to live with it, though he did gripe about it when he got a little too drunk, and complaining about not having a wingman on the weekdays.
Harry finished his tea, and feeling the stuffiness in his home, he walked out to his front porch where a set of wooden furniture were laid about to accommodate his elderly visitors who wanted to enjoy the scenery of the outdoors, but with the sight of the little town in front of them instead of the garden in the back of the house. Had to keep up with gossip, and unfortunately, and amusingly, Harry had taken up that activity, enjoying to watch the lives of the people around him.
He set his feet on the little coffee table, and picked up the newspaper that was thrown at his front door earlier in the morning. He looked at the Township Paper, seeing the headline that Mr Dear, owner of the only bookstore in the little town, had sold a book that was apparently worth thirty thousand pounds. Harry smiled at the news, the old man had been having a little trouble with his leaky roof, so it was nice that he had this little flow of money to help with that, though Harry had always been planning to lend a helping hand, it was nice of him to get the cash flow nonetheless.
He had skimmed the rest of the paper, shifting his legs position, noting that there was an announcement of another festivity in the paper for the coming friday, and this one was all about knitting. Harry chuckled after reading that, but it would be something fun to see all the grandmas sharing their work with the rest of the community. And Hermione did have a little one coming, Draco Malfoy's of all people, not that he was much of a pratt during their official last year of Hogwarts, but Harry didn't see that relationship happening, and it had been a shock of the whole family when Hermione showed up at a party with Draco Malfoy following in behind her. Either way, Hermione and Draco had continued to be a strong couple, even with all the bumps, and now they were expecting a child, out of wedlock ─ something the Malfoys had a minor heart attack at the news ─ but would soon be rectified with an engagement ring, but not a wedding, because Hermione was still determined to marry without any influence aside from love, and not because they were having a baby.
Harry made note of the time the festivities would start, when a familiar voice hollered at him from beyond the picket fence.
"Harry Potter!" Mrs Vacy waved her hand as enthusiastically as she could at her age, urging him to come closer to her, so she wouldn't waste her breath and energy shouting at him from the distance. Harry quickly ran over towards Mrs Vacy, the ladies in the village did not really like it when you made them wait.
"How are you today Mrs Vacy? Off to visit Mrs Weatherly? She just came back from London you know." Harry leaned on the fence, lowering his stature to not make her look up at him.
"I am off to visit her after, I hope she got what I asked for, Elizabeth forgot when I told her to buy me one of those fancy chocolates." Harry watched in amusement as Mrs Vacy frowned at the memory ─ she had been talking quite loudly about it last week when they had tea over at Mrs Rookfair's little book club, that always ended up being a gossip session. "How hard is it to buy chocolates? It's in every store in London, and it wasn't that expensive and I promised to give her money for it too."
"I hope Mrs Weatherly has your chocolates Mrs Vacy." Harry smiled sweetly at the old woman, who was now fixing her wide hat on her head.
"I hope so too deary." Mrs Vacy smiled at him, which then slowly turned into a sly smirk. "You should ask Mrs Weatherly to bring you back a girl!" Harry choked on air which caused the woman to laugh. "I am serious Harry, you are too young, and you need yourself a woman!"
"I am young and dashing." Harry threw a playful pose at her, flashing her his winning smile. "So there shouldn't be any worry about me being alone."
"Well you are alone now." Mrs Vacy didn't mince her words. "I'll see what we can do, I think Elizabeth has a granddaughter."
"I thought you two were not speaking yet?"
"But this is important, more important than chocolate."
"Then Mrs Weatherly can eat the ones she bought you from London?"
"Oh dear, I should get going," Mrs Vacy waved at him, hurrying along the narrow street to walk over to Mrs Weatherly's little white house.
Harry smiled after her, but he really hoped she would forget about finding him woman, if all those ladies got together, well, it was a dangerous thought.
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A few months had passed and winter was slowly settling in the little village. Harry loved the winter season in Stonewall. The whole village would be decorated with lights, that included the buildings, the lamp posts and the trees around the little town. It was magical at night when everything was lit up, and all you could see around you was a village covered in soft white snow and lights, like the stars themselves had come down. It was breathtaking, and Harry loved spending his nights just walking down the lit streets, admiring the sights, and watching the villagers shop around him.
"Harry!" Mrs Rosemary Gold stood outside the only bed and breakfast in the little village, her hands waving at him frantically. Harry jogged towards her, following the older woman inside the inn. "I'm glad I caught you Harry, I thought that this was about the time that you come wandering by."
"I do enjoy my walks." Harry watched amused as Mrs Gold shook her head, grumbling under her breath how it was sad that such a young lad as himself was taking up senior citizen habits, he tried his hardest to not laugh at her words. "The village is beautiful in winter, I love it"
Mrs Gold turned to look at him over her shoulder, smiling at him with such adoration in her eyes, and took him by the arm. "That's why it's such a waste that you are here on your own, single, without a woman beside you to enjoy these strolls with, or cuddle with in front of a fire."
"Mrs. Gold─"
"I can actually fix that problem of yours." Mrs Gold tugged on his arm, leading him towards one of the great rooms in the old house.
"Are you propositioning me Mrs Gold?"
"You aren't my type sweetheart." Harry stifled a laugh as Mrs Gold threw him a wink before leading him into a living room where a blonde woman sat in one of the couches, her body tucked into the soft cushions, a soft white blanket over her legs as she read a book by the stone fireplace.
"Mrs Gold?" Harry really had hoped that after months without anything from the little old ladies, that they would have given up on the whole setting him up with a woman ─ which would literally have needed to be bought from a city because there was no one in the little village that was single. He hoped this woman wasn't a result of the trip that Mrs Bolson had finally been able to take to Paris.
Fragile hands grasped his jacket, tugging him down till she could reach his ear. "She arrived just yesterday, and she's alone, no boyfriend, I asked, and it would just not be right to leave this girl on her own, without anyone to be there to make her laugh or take her out to enjoy the sites."
He really didn't like to be set up. "I don't know."
"She's already expecting you." Mrs Gold released her hold on him and walked with sure steps towards the young woman.
"Naruto, I'd like you to meet Harry."
Harry held his breath as he saw the girl for the first time. It was like looking at a Veela she was alluring with her striking features. Her eyes were big and the brightest blue he had ever seen; her lips were a soft and supple apple red that stretched into an easy smile at him; her blonde hair glowed with the way the light of the fire hit each individual strand, it made a striking contrast with the soft tan color of her skin. He couldn't see much of her figure, with the blanket hid her from him, but she was slim, if he went with how slender her neck and shoulders were in that oversized green wide collared sweater ─ it was wide enough that the sweater was only held in place by one shoulder as the other had fallen off the other, resting a few inches down her upper arm.
"It's nice to meet you Harry, Rosemary had said plenty of nice things about you." Naruto smiled at him, and there was a twinkle in her eye that gave off that she knew the innkeeper was playing matchmaker.
Harry sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, causing more of a mess of his dark locks on top of what the weather already did to it. "They may have embellished a few things." He basked in the sound of her laughter.
"I'll go make you some tea." And with that, Mrs Gold had disappeared through the doors and Harry doubted they would see much of her tonight.
"So what brought you to this small village?" Harry sat on the armchair facing the fire, he folded his gloves and scarf together on top of the wooden coffee.
Naruto folded her hands over the book that firmly rested on her lap, her knees were slightly drawn up towards her, forming a gently angle with her legs under the blanket, her lips were softly pouted in her deep thought for a proper answer. "I honestly didn't know where I was going, I just wanted to be somewhere else, from where I was before, and found this little jewel." She then gave him a quick smile, amusement clearly dancing behind her eyes. "Though it wasn't much of a choice really, I was hitchhiking, and an elderly couple were heading this way, and I decided to stop."
Harry knew it. It must have been Mrs Bolson and Mr Bolson, they did arrive a little later than they were expected to, Mrs Weatherly was worried about it yesterday in the afternoon, well, more along the lines of not being able to have those new books in time for the next book club meeting in a few weeks. She didn't want to admit to the rest of the ladies that she didn't have the book, and had decided to tell Mrs Bolson that she required a new copy as her old one had unfortunately dropped into the bathwater. "Well, that is very fortunate that you found this place to your liking."
"The people here are very lovely, and it is a very beautiful village." Naruto looked out the window where the lights of the streets and the buildings outside could be seen, creating a very whimsical winter scenery. "I wouldn't have known about this place if I didn't meet those lovely couple, I think they were Mr and Mrs Bolson."
"It is what I love about this place." Harry looked fondly at Mrs Gold, who tried to sneak in the tea set at the far end table, but who could miss an old lady that's trying to be sneaky, when she wears a brightly colored Christmas sweater, two months too early.
Naruto graciously accepted a cup of tea from Harry, and she had watched him sit back on his seat, one leg crossed over the other as he sipped his tea with milk. Harry hadn't had any attention from a young woman, that was a stranger and not an old acquaintance, in a long time. It was slightly strange to have a new pair of eyes studying him. He hadn't had to worry about his appearance in a long time, and he was really tempted to sneak a peak of himself in the mirror above the fireplace, but that would just be too weird.
"So what brought you here Harry?" Naruto settled her cup at the coffee table. "I heard from Rosemary that you had been here for two years now, apparently a very strange choice for a young virile man."
Harry was having trouble breathing, after choking from his tea, and couldn't help but think that Naruto did that on purpose by the look in her eye ─ they were twinkling with mischief. "It is a little disturbing to think that Rosemary used virile in describing me, she's like one of my grandmothers."
Naruto covered her laugh behind a delicate hand, her shoulders shaking with the effort of suppressing it. Harry watched keenly with bated breath as the other end of the sweater fell of the delicate shoulder, now only being held up by her position and the top of her breasts. "I couldn't very well hide it from you, it had to be shared." She looked at him with a bit of wistfulness behind those blue eyes of hers. "I love how they adore you."
Harry smiled fondly at the memory of those that had taken him in so easily. "It's the main reason I stayed, I came here because I wanted the peace, but I stayed because of them."
"You are a strange one." Naruto pressed her lips together as she looked to where Mrs Gold had disappeared too. "But I understand the decision." She turned back to him, her lips stretched playfully at he corners, her blue eyes sparkling in teasing amusement. "I think I'm sort of your present."
Harry looked away, his entire face flushing at the words. Why did she say it out loud? And it was embarrassing for them to even be so blunt in their intentions. He loved them... but really? "Yeah... about that." Harry wiped his face with his hands, willing the blush to temper down and of course to partly hide his face from the giggling blonde who was very aware that she was lured to this little village by matchmaking nosy old ladies. "They really just have nothing to do but fixate on my life like I'm their lost grandchild ─ nice and everything but very embarrassing when they are intent on making your love life better."
"I heard you're struggling in this little town, can't seem to catch a bird's eye." Naruto took a few more sips of her tea, hiding a smile that showed how much she was having fun torturing him this way.
"Well they are all in the family way and the single ones are old." Harry saw the mirth dance in her blue eyes. "I'm sorry if they made you uncomfortable in anyway."
Naruto studied him for a little while, her eyes boring into his own, and slowly shook her head, causing a few strands of her blonde hair to fall from its little bun. "Not at all, I found it quite entertaining." She tilted her head to the side, more of her blonde hair tumbling over her shoulde, teasingly caressing the exposed skin of her shoulder and neck. "I've decided to stay for a little while ─ are you going to entertain me Mr Potter?"
He was flabbergasted, probably showed on his face quite clearly, with his mouth having hung open at the confession. "Are you serious?"
"I never had any place in mind for my wandering, and this place offered me a handsome young man to show me around and keep me company ─ at least that's what the advertisement said." Naruto smiled widely, probably enjoying his blushes more than he thought, with all the things she say to draw it out. He really has been out of the game for a long time. It was not like his nights out with Ron warranted any wining and dining of any of the female company he managed to win for the night. They were just there and ready. Naruto was here, sober, and expecting him to fill her time properly, for however long it fancied her.
It was Harry's turn to study her, well there wasn't much else to study, he had been fixated on her since the minute his eyes laid on her ─ could be from the lack of younger company, but she was gorgeous. Why not? "I don't know the stories they've told you, but I'm just Harry."
"I like it already."
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Harry ever the gentleman, even though he would rather have been incognito with his little outing with Naruto, had decided to stick with the plan of picking her up at Mrs Gold's bed and breakfast, which definitely would be talked about tomorrow over tea at Mrs Rookfair's. He made his way through the doors, the chime alerting the owner of his arrival.
"Harry! What brings you here?" Mrs Gold appeared behind the desk of the reception area, an expectant look in her eyes for the answer she knew but needed to hear it with her own ears.
"I have plans with Naruto today." Harry watched as Mrs Gold suppressed her excitement by the puffing of her cheeks ─ she looked like a chipmunk ─ and the brightness of her eyes. "Is it okay if I wait for her in the lounge?"
"Well her room is just upstairs Harry, room 102, I gave her a suite, it has its own living area and everything ─ you go and check up on her there." Mrs Gold shooed him up the stairs.
After some pause and uncertainty, Harry followed her command and walked up the staircase, making sure he was casual about the whole things, lest rumors start up. "We will be out shortly then Mrs Gold."
102 was the first door to the right at the top of the stairs. Harry stood in front of it for a few minutes, wondering if it was a good idea, they did just meet each other yesterday, would it be too forward of him? It wasn't like he was thinking of other things to do in the room alone, he was a gentleman, she wouldn't assume that right off the bat right? Harry shook his head. They were adults, they've been in situations like these, first dates and everything always had one person picking them up at each others houses so what's the difference with this? He was overthinking it. With his final decision he knocked on the door.
He didn't wait long to see the curious face of Naruto peeking out the open door, her lips now a soft peach in color, smiled up at him. "Harry! Good morning." She opened the door wider, revealing the fact that she was just half way done getting ready, she still had a black silk robe and fuzzy slippers on her feet ─ Harry tried hard to not fixate too much on the contrast of colors of her skin against the black rode, or the fact that it seemed she had nothing really under the silk robe that fell to the middle of her thighs and which delicately inched up with every move of her legs and hips. "Come in."
Harry carefully walked into her room, it was a very large room, one area designated as a quaint living room with an oversized and inviting looking couch in front of a fireplace, wide floor to ceiling windows that opened to a small balcony that overlooked the lit streets, and an archway that differentiated the space of the bedroom from the living area. The bed frame was of black wrought iron with two iron cast lamps and oversized shades rested on both sides of the bed. There were a few clothes strewn atop the bed, and Harry tried not to linger on the underclothes that were on display in an open duffel on the floor beside the foot of the bed. There was the light perfume that Harry recognized from yesterday, wafting in the air as Naruto walked by.
"So where did you plan on taking me today?" Naruto threw the robe to the bed from where she hid behind an ornate divider. She was a tempting minx, and Harry tried hard not to stare too much at the divider and ignore the fact that she was possibly naked behind the small partition.
Harry turned away from the site and decided it was safer to just sit on the couch and face the fireplace, ignoring the wide mirror that hung above it, like some sort of temptation. "There's this cute cafe by the Dear Author bookshop. It opened just last month, it's run by Mr Dear's son-in-law."
"You don't want to just drink tea and cuddle up in the sofa... or the bed?" Naruto peeked at the side of the divider, her eyes full of mischief and her lips twitching with the urge to grin widely at him. "I think that's what Mrs Gold planned since giving me this room and sending you up here." Harry was given the chance to breath when Naruto went back behind the partition, continuing to change by the looks of the silhouette illuminated with the light behind the division. "You know she has me renting this place for dirt cheap, I feel a little bad about that ─ but then I remember you and how I got here, well I thought it was only fair."
Harry ran a hand through his hair, messing his attempts from earlier at taming it, and swallowed thickly as another garment flew off to the bed while she continued on shimming in and out of clothes trying to choose what to wear. He never really understood the need to nitpick on clothes that would be hidden by a jacket. "She knows what she's doing─" Naruto's blue eyes quickly peeked at him, "─when it comes to business. It's close to Christmas too, she's more generous this time of year."
"I'll just keep thinking I'm special, and all of this is for me." Naruto, walked out from behind the division, twirling for him to admire her attire. It was a simple black shorts that were worn over nude tights, and a white long sleeved blouse that was tucked within the high waist. There was a cute orange string bow tied around the high Chinese collar of her silk blouse, two long strands stopping midway of her top. "What do you think?"
Beautiful. "It is a bit chilly outside." Harry stood up as Naruto walked closer to him, towering over her height, the top of her blonde head just brushing his shoulder.
"My body runs a little hotter." Naruto winked at him before going to the armchair where a tan pea-coat jacket laid in wait, leaving Harry standing there with a light blush on his face. "You really are out of practice Harry. You ready to go?"
Harry just admired the adorable charm that Naruto displayed just by standing there, and wordlessly placed a gentle hand at the small of her back, ushering them both towards the exit, and hopefully away from the prying eyes and ears of Mrs Gold. He didn't think she was capable of spying on them without being spotted, but these ladies were very adept at gossiping, so there had to be a way they gathered information learned from years of long life.
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The fireplace came to life, green flames licking at the bricks, just before Ron stepped through the fire. Harry watched a little annoyed at the redhead who walked towards him while casually brushing off the powder on his shoulders.
"I told you that I was busy tonight. I can't go out with you." Harry shook his head at the stubbornness of his best friend, and tried to concentrate on chopping the strawberries for the salad.
"I didn't believe it." Ron gestured to the open curtains of the window that overlooked the village that Harry fondly declared as a winter wonderland. "You are stuck in a town for old people, what could possibly keep you away from a night out in the city?" Ron leaned over the island, hands both braced on the counter, the cologne he wore for the night tickling Harry's nose, it was a bit strong. "Paris mate, tonight is in Paris."
"Paris is more for romance ain't it?" Harry tossed the sliced strawberries in the bowl and worked on the grilled chicken.
"It's a city of amorous women, you need those." Ron stepped back and looked at his surroundings. "What's going on here? Why are you cooking? Are you throwing a dinner party for the seniors?" The disbelief was clearly written across Ron's freckled face, clearly wondering what made his best friend go mad by ditching him and staying at home.
Harry set aside the chicken and checked the oven to see how the roast was doing, before turning his attention back to his tall freckled friend. " I actually have a date."
"A date?"
"Yes."
"Here?"
"Yes."
"You found a girl here? In oldsville? I know you're a wizard Harry and age is really just a number once your considered an adult, but their lifespan don't match yours. When muggles are old. They're old." Ron tried to pick at one of the cut grilled chicken breasts off the cutting board, which Harry promptly slapped away.
"No, she's young and she's from out of town." Harry placed the towel from over his shoulder onto the counter.
"Why did she choose this place out of all the exciting places just a train ride or plane fly away?" Harry tried hard not to correct Ron about airplanes. "Did she get lost and ended up stuck in this place?"
"Ron, come on, I love this place, don't insult it too much please."
Ron held his hands up in apology. "Sorry, yeah, ummm, but still it's not an exciting place to end up at, you know."
"Well she was hitchhiking and the couple, Mr and Mrs Bolson-"
"From across the street who made those pies?"
"Yes." Harry smiled at the fact that Ron had remembered the couple, hopefully his friend would realize that there were good people here. It was like being surrounded by family. "Anyway they had picked her up and suggested this place and now I am making dinner for her."
Ron, with his lips pressed together, and his head nodding at the explanation, abruptly stopped to turn his head and look at him with those blue eyes that weren't as bright a color blue as Naruto's, that always seemed to change in intensity and color like the sky. A smirk slowly raised one corner of his lip, turning into a full blown shit eating grin in seconds. "No. No they didn't." Ron laughed at the answer he came to without Harry confessing to anything. "They just marooned her here didn't they? Lead them straight to you, this whole town your matchmaker Harry?"
Harry threw a baby tomato at his friend to go with his red hair. Ron wasn't very successful at trying to avoid it, but the redhead didn't seem too phased by it and continued to snort and chuckle at the thought of Mr and Mrs Bolson leading an innocent woman to an isolated town filled with mostly senior citizens. "I didn't tell them to do it, they just get so nosy and you can't change their minds, their ways are set like mountains."
"Is she pretty at least?"
Ron whistled in approval at Harry's slightly flustered look at the question. "Well I want introductions one of these days ─ is she even staying for very long?"
"She's playing it by ear."
"How long has that been going on?"
Harry smirked at Ron, there were days where he just felt like acting like a dude. It was hard to do that with all the company he kept in the town. "Two weeks now."
"Good going man, it's hard to keep a girl here when there's nothing to do after the second day of sightseeing, and that's with starting your day late and ending early." Ron wagged his brows. "Do you have a dirty secret you want to fess up to?"
"Just get the hell out , she'll be here in ten minutes." Harry looked at the clock and looked at the timer for the roast. There was still fifteen minutes before the roast was finished. "I need to concentrate."
"Just don't forget to tell me all the details, you owe me two weeks worth ─ must know some tricks to keep a girl in a dead end village." Ron threw a cheeky grin over his shoulder as he ducked into the green flames, leaving Harry to just stare after his friend with a exasperated shake of his head.
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The bell rang throughout the house as Naruto arrived at his front door. There was really no need for the bell to alert him, the wards around his property told him who always came by to visit, but for pretense sake, when he had his muggle neighbors over, on those rare occasions where he couldn't really shoo them away, the doorbell had to serve its purpose. And one could not expect an older person to knock on the door with their frail hands ─ as Mrs Vacy had taught him the first time he had arrived in town.
Harry swept his eyes over the living area, tucked a stray sock under the couch and walked over to the door quickly to greet Naruto who stood outside his door all bundled up due to the snowy weather. She seemed to be lost in the plaid blanket scarf that was wrapped around her neck at least three times, and a cute wool knit tuque that covered her head ─ a gift from Rosemary who noticed she didn't have any proper hats for the winter weather. Her blue eyes seemed even bigger with them now being the ones that you could clearly see of her face, what he could make out of her cheeks were flushed red from the biting cold.
"Still liking it here Miss Uzumaki?" Harry made room for the woman to enter his house and escape the bitter winds of the season, some flakes of snow was blown through the front door before he could close it.
"We'll see if your charm will fail me today Mr Potter." Naruto freed herself dramatically from the scarf that seemed to have been suffocating her on her journey to his house from the Inn, and gently took off the touque from her head, freeing her blonde hair that had all at once started floating with the help of static. Harry tried his best at stifling his laughter, but it was not to be as Naruto had turned to look at him the minute his lips twitched upwards, which promptly earned him a frown and then a pout of utter adorable kitten mode that Naruto seemed to master. "Did you forget I was your date for the evening? You're not supposed to laugh at me."
"I'm sorry, it's just funny to see your hair so wild like that, it usually so controlled."
"I hope you won't be laughing when I allow you to mess it up for me Harry." Naruto ran her hands through her blonde hair, and Harry watched as her delicate fingers, with the nails painted orange, separated her hair in fine strands, running through them like water.
Harry coughed into his hand. "Right." He really should have gotten used to the things she said.
Naruto smelt the air and smiled in delight, her lips today were of an interesting mix of color. It was like she had sucked on a cherry flavored lollipop, her lips were a gradient of red, darker in the center of her mouth, and lightening at the outer lips. It was interesting. He wondered if she would taste like the flavor he thought it would be, before his thoughts were brought back to earth by Naruto's voice.
"Before I left the Inn today, Rosemary and Lauraine Vacy were in the lounge, and they were very insistent on having a say on what to wear, like I was going for some job interview. I told them it's a date, and they say it's the exact same thing." Naruto chuckled, unbuttoning her coat fully, and letting them fall of her shoulders slowly before handing it to him with a delicate hand. "They never got to see it, but I told them they had nothing to worry about."
Harry looked at her from her legs all the way to her face. It was a simple sleeveless cream colored dress with a keyhole opening at the top of her breasts, that showed a decent amount of cleavage, that came together to a choker style collar. It was form fitting all the way down to the waist where it then flared out at the skirt that stopped just at the middle of her thighs. Her legs were in a sheer stocking, that made her legs glitter softly when his just right with the room lights.
"You look beautiful as always Naruto."
"That's what I told them you would say too." Naruto smiled at him, before taking a seat on the couch, giving him a glimpse of the open back of the dress that started from her shoulder blades all the way to her waist. "I passed by Mr Bolson along the way here, the poor man was shoveling his little walk way from the gates to his front door."
"I told him I would do that for him tomorrow." Harry showed Naruto the wine bottle, before handing her a glass and filling it appropriately.
"Well, he had done it himself. He wasn't doing much of a good job with it mind you, he seemed to not care for the direction of the wind and the snow just fell back onto the path." Naruto had a small taste of the wine, Harry noticed that it just cause her lips to darken in shade, but the gradient stayed intact. "But, now don't be jealous Harry, but he was slightly distracted, wouldn't take his eyes off me till I walked through your front gate."
"Right."
"I don't think we would be safe in having a private date here."
"If we have the windows closed it would keep them out."
"I think with the windows closed would just have them talking up a storm." Naruto smirked at him, "But then it might keep them quiet a while, if they don't have to worry about you and your prowess."
Harry was getting better at not choking on his drinks when around Naruto. "I'm counting on them to think that we are just playing twister or something."
"Right. Twister." Naruto looked out the open windows, "I think Mrs Weatherly has a pair of binoculars." Naruto turned towards him. "Want me to give you a kiss? A real sloppy one."
Harry pouted at her, drawing Naruto's deep blue eyes to his lips. "You are going to give her a heart attack. And I like her a lot. She brings me the chocolates that Mrs Vacy doesn't like."
"One of these days I will tell Mrs Vacy that you are the one who keeps telling Mrs Weatherly the wrong brand of chocolate."
"I tell her the best kind of chocolate, and it's not all the time. Just when she forgets what they are and happens to ask me afterwards ─ and I do give her the money for it in return too." Harry heard the chime of the timer, and quickly excused himself to the kitchen where the roast was ready to be taken out of the oven.
Naruto had followed behind him, and though she was smiling at the salad and few appetizers laid about on the island counter, she frowned at seeing the dining table was not prepared to be used. "Where are the dining ware and cutlery Harry?"
"We aren't eating here. If you want to grab the blanket, we can set that up infront of the fireplace and eat there."
"An indoor picnic?" Naruto quirked a finely defined blonde brow.
Harry sheepishly smiled at her, a few slices of roast ready on a platter in his hands. "Cheesy?"
"I like it."
Naruto picked up the blanket with one hand and the salad bowl in the other and they walked together to the living area where the fireplace ─ the one where Ron had disappeared to moments before ─ was ready and providing the warmth to fend off the winter chill.
"I'm afraid this dress is just not appropriate for sitting on the floor Harry. You might see too much of me."
Harry laid out all the food on the picnic blanket, topped up her wine glass before handing her a plate of salad, while completely trying to ignore the blonde's tanned legs that were slowly being revealed more and more with every movement she made while sitting on the ground.
"I'm a gentleman. And the windows are still open."
Naruto laughed lightly beside him, which then turned into sounds of delight when having a taste of the roast. "This is delicious."
Harry watched as her red tongue peaked out between her lips, slowly sliding from one end of her lips to the other, before swirling about to do the same to the upper bow. He saw one corner of her mouth slowly twist up, and he followed that direction to see the amused and darker shade of blue in her eyes.
"Harry?" It was a soft whisper, the way she spoke his name. "Would you like a little taste?"
"Just a little."
Naruto leaned close to him, with those full red lips of hers curling in that delectable smile. It was a short distance to cover, and he found out that she tasted of strawberries instead of the raspberry he guessed earlier, and it was heady with the taste of wine. With a hand sliding from her neck to the back of her head, blonde hair tangled between his fingers, he tilted her head back and devoured her.
.
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"So is this how I was to find out Harry? After all we've been through?"
Harry looked up from where he lay in the bed, tangled in blonde hair that seemed to wrap around every part of him, effectively ensnaring his arms and keeping them around his partner still laying sleeping in the bed beside him. He saw the familiar face of his best friend Ron, even with his glasses off and contacts out, he can still recognize the familiar blur of the tall redhead.
He groaned and turned his green eyes to determine that the blonde was still sleeping soundly beside him, still naked under the blankets from the feel her silky soft skin against his own. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought we could spend the afternoon catching up from the week you've avoided me." Ron had lowered his voice after taking a quick peek at the girl sleeping soundly. "But I'm guessing since the last time we'd seen each other, things have gone pretty great."
Harry felt under the covers for his boxers, slipping them on before getting out of the bed, he was mindful not to jostle the blonde into waking, and soundlessly casted a silencing charm around the girl to not disturb her awake with the noise.
"Can we take this conversation down at the kitchen, I haven't had breakfast." Harry stretched as he stood up from the bed, ignoring the smirk Ron threw his way when he noticed all the scratches on his skin ─ Naruto had thought to cut her nails short on day, but Harry had talked her out of it. He liked the feel of them on his skin, and the ache and the scars were tiny reminders of his little blessing.
Ron was surprisingly quiet on the way to the kitchen, but that smirk was still on his face when Harry had glanced up at him, a tea cup in his hand, taking a big gulp of it to energize him for the ─ Harry glanced at the clock, the part of the clock that actually told the time instead of the 'decorative' pictures of where his extended family were, Naruto had looked at that clock with great fascination, amused at how it went about circling and landing on certain places defined on the clock ─ and noticed it was actually noon.
"So what was it that brought you here today?"
Ron snorted behind his own cup of tea. "I never had to have an excuse at seeing you before Harry."
"Well before, I didn't really need any reason for advance warning of you coming by." Harry watched the redhead smirk at him with that twinkle that Sirius would have been proud of if he were still around ─ or if his portrait were anywhere near by to see the look on his best friends face. "So what was it?"
"Mother wanted you over for Christmas dinner."
Harry set his cup down, taking a bite of the piece of his toast. "I was actually thinking about you guys coming over for Christmas dinner. It would be great to have you guys dine here─" Harry looked his friend in the eye. " ─and meet her formally."
"You want her to meet everyone? You've only been together for like what ─ a few weeks?"
"As you say, there was nothing to fill our days aside from each other─" Harry ignored the telling grin on his freckled friend's fac. "It's only natural for the relationship to move quickly."
"Isn't this just a stop for her?"
"No."
Harry turned towards the familiar voice that he had grown fond of hearing saying his name. Naruto stood there by the doorway, nothing but his Gryffindor Quidditch jersey on, and her tan legs covered in those long socks that she was fond of wearing in the cold weather, well more that it was more for his enjoyment, liking the small sliver of skin that always teased at the top of the thigh high socks.
"You are ready to share me Harry?" Naruto walked towards him, a hand placed on his shoulder, while the other took hold of his teacup which she quickly drank from.
Harry placed a hand around her small waist, amused by the looks that Ron had sent to both of them together ─ well his friend was more so occupied with the sight of Naruto in nothing but his jersey and thigh high socks, possibly enraptured by it like the first time he himself had seen Naruto in his uniform.
"Can you handle another celebration?" Harry tugged the blonde closer to him, pulling her onto his lap, her tanned legs he quickly covered with his arms.
"We had just finished that I told you so party by Mrs Vacy. I think we even still have the cake left." Naruto settled an arm around his shoulder. The blonde had looked at his freckled friend, before she turned her blue eyes at him in curiosity. "You want a repeat of that?"
"I was thinking more of an I told you so Party of our own." Harry turned to Ron, the smile on his face one that smug at proving there was good things in this little village of Stonewall for him. "Don't you agree?"
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It's been a while since my last story. This one had been brewing in the back of my mind, hopefully it was enjoyable for you guys. May be continued, but so far right now it's the End.
