Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Gravitation.

Warnings: This story contains SLASH (male/male relationships). If this offends or bothers anyone, do not read this story.

Summary: This is the story of how Harry and Hiro fell in love before the beginning of "Withering Rose"

Crystal Flowers

Chapter Two

Harry glared at anything and anyone who crossed his path. He wasn't a happy camper, and it was all Ryuichi's fault for waking him up the way he had this morning. Ever since he'd moved in with his cousin, Ryuichi had taken to waking him in the most annoying ways he could manage. This morning he'd barged into Harry's room and vaulted himself onto his back. Ryuichi would, of course, giggle madly and vault before Harry had the chance to retaliate. Harry had become close with his cousin in the past few weeks, but he could do without his rude awakenings.

"Good morning, Potter-san," the receptionist greeted cheerfully as he walked through the door to NG. Harry simply glared the woman into submission.

He was, however, proud of the fact that he'd learned most of the simple Japanese phrases, such as "good morning", with the help of his cousin. His Japanese wasn't good by any means, but he could at least order food when they went out. He was extremely grateful Ryuichi spoke fluent English. Otherwise, getting to know his cousin would be a difficult task.

"You know, Harry, you should be a bit nicer," Ryuichi commented as he entered the building behind his cousin. Harry turned sharply on his heel, glaring muderously at the singer. Ryuichi threw his hands up in surrender. "I apologized for jumping on you this morning!" he defended.

Harry's glare intensified. "But you shouldn't have done it in the first place!" he snapped.

"Well, if you didn't always oversleep, I wouldn't have to wake you up like that," the singer reasoned.

Harry's brow twitched in annoyance. Instead of starting a fight, though, he swallowed his smart retort and stormed away. The singer watched his cousin stomp away, wondering what had gotten him so riled up. He knew that he annoyed Harry with the way he woke him up in the mornings, but Harry had never gotten this pissed off over it. He'd usually grumble for an hour or so and then be right as rain. If he didn't know for a fact that Harry was a man, he'd think he was PMSing.

Quickly apologizing to the receptionist for his cousin's behavior, Ryuichi dashed off behind his cousin.

Noriko glanced up when the studio's door flung open and slammed against the wall. The keyboardist cringed at the noise and bit back her oncoming rant when she noticed who'd walked through the door, a very pissed off Harry. Noriko sighed aloud, wondering what her friend had done to upset his cousin this time. It was an everyday occurance, it seemed. Ryuichi did something that angered the younger man, Harry took his anger out on everyone but his beloved cousin, and everyone suffered because of the nitwit singer named Ryuichi.

Seeing the young man looking in her direction, she knew she had to perform some major damage control.

'Damn you, Ryuichi!' her mind screamed.

"What did he do this time?" she asked as soon as Harry got within hearing distance.

Harry's eyes burned with anger and his eyebrow twitched. "The fucking idiot jumped on my back to wake me up!" he screamed, his hands tightening into fists. "And then, he acts as if a simple 'I'm sorry' will make it all better!" The dark haired teen paced the length of the studio, his voice rising in pitch the more he ranted. "Why can't he just act his age for once? He's thirty-fucking-four years old!"

Noriko sighed quietly and shook her head helplessly at Harry. "You think I don't know this?" another sigh "He's always acted like a child, Harry."

"But..." the teen shot the woman a helpless look, "I don't know if I can handle him much longer," he admitted quietly and sunk into a nearby chair.

"Oh, Harry." The purple haired woman was instantly at Harry's side. "I know Ryu can be a lot to take at times, but he really does care for you."

Harry glanced at the woman from underneath his fringe, before turning away and pulling his legs to his chest. "I know he does, Noriko." the teen rested his head against his knees as he continued in a soft voice. "But it's hard. I've never really had a family, and poof, now I do. It's just a lot to get use to in just a couple of weeks."

Noriko wasn't a very effectionate person, but she desperately wanted to hug the young man beside her. But she remembered what Ryuichi had told her last week about Harry freaking out when he had touched him. She didn't know why, but Harry feared human touch. Ryuichi knew, she was sure, but wasn't telling anyone why his cousin hated anyone touching him. The only person that could touch him was Ryuichi, and that was only if Harry knew about it before hand. That's probably why he'd gotten so upset over how Ryuichi woke him this morning.

'Ryu, you really are an idiot at times,' she mentally cursed her friend. Directing her attention back toward the boy beside her, her heart sunk at the sight of him. She could see his shoulders shaking as he tried hard to fight back his tears. In the past few weeks, she'd learned that Harry was a very emotional person. He went from one extreme to the other at the drop of a hat. 'Much like two people I know,' she thought, 'but music cheers both of them up.' She wondered if the same would work for Harry. Couldn't hurt to try, right?

"Hey, Harry," the teen glanced up at her, "Do you like music?" Harry seemed confused at first, but eventually nodded. "Do you know how to play an instrument?"

"Um..." Harry's face scrunched up in thought, "I can play the piano. Why?"

Noriko rolled her eyes at the youth. He was just as clueless as his cousin at times. "Cause I want you to play something for me, silly." Harry looked ready to argue with her. "Please? It'd mean so much to me." she added some fake tears for added effect, which broke Harry's resolve. He blamed Hermione and Ginny for that weakness. They used tears to get everything they wanted from him and Ron.

"Fine," he grumbled, but rose from his seat and walked toward Noriko's keyboard. "Does it matter what I play?" he asked as he stood in front of the instrument. Noriko shook her head and Harry let out a relieved breath. He didn't know any happy songs, so she'd have to deal with something depressing. "I'll warn you that this isn't gonna be cheerful."

Noriko looked at him with a confused expression, but nodded. "Alright." She was use to depressing songs, thanks to Ryuichi and his lyrics. She and Tohma managed to make the songs sound happy and upbeat when they added the music, but if anyone actually listened to the words of some of Nittle Grasper's songs, they'd know how depressing some of them really were.

Harry ignored the woman as he began playing and a haunting melody filled the room. He completely shocked Noriko, as she hadn't expected him to sing too.

I've been looking in the mirror for so long.
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side.
All the little pieces falling, shatter.
Shards of me,
Too sharp to put back together.
Too small to matter,
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.
If I try to touch him,
And I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe no more.

By the end of the first verse, Noriko was speechless. She had no clue that Harry had a voice like that. It was soft, yet forceful as he sang the pained words. She held no doubts that the words were for him and his life. She felt honored that he was sharing this beautiful but shockingly sorrowful song with her.

Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.
Lie to me,
Convince me that I've been sick forever.
And all of this,
Will make sense when I get better.
But I know the difference,
Between myself and my reflection.
I just can't help but to wonder,
Which of us do you love.
So I bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe no...
Bleed,
I bleed,
And I breathe,
I breathe,
I breathe-
I breathe no more.

As the singing stopped, Noriko didn't know what to say. All she could do was sit, gaping at the young man before her. Blinking, she realized that she'd been crying. 'Wow,' she thought. Nothing had ever moved her to tears, before now. "That boy has talent," she whispered to no one.

Ryuichi and Tohma had just reached the studio doors when the singing had begun, so they waited outside. They hadn't wanted to interrupt Harry's song. By the end of the song, Ryuichi was in tears, seemingly understanding what his cousin meant by the words he'd sung. Tohma, on the other hand, couldn't help but gape like a fish at the closed door. Not even Ryuichi had a voice like that. Ryuichi had a beautiful voice, but Harry's enraptured those that heard it and didn't let go. Even now, Tohma could hear Harry's every word ringing in his head. 'I got to sign that talent!'

"Ryuichi?" His friend tore his eyes away from the door towards him. "Did you know your cousin had that kind of talent?"

The singer shook his head. "I had no clue, Tohma. He doesn't even sing in the shower at home."

A/N: I'm sorry that Harry didn't meet Bad Luck during this chapter, but I got carried away with Tohma finding out about Harry's talent. Sorry! I promise he'll meet them in the next chapter, though. This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous one, but I didn't feel as if I could add too much more to it. Also, I was tired and stressed out. I'll give a description of Harry in the next chapter when Hiro sees him for the first time. Well, until next we meet; cheers!