Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry Potter/Astoria Greengrass
Warnings: alternate universe; and het
Prompts: (Pairing) Harry/Astoria; (Setting) Godric's Hollow; and (Word) Grotesque

Wit Beyond Measure
003. Comfort

Reaching out, Astoria Greengrass placed a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. He acknowledged the touch with a tilt of his head. She squeezed his shoulder as he remained kneeling by the two graves.

After another moment of silence, Harry Potter stood up. He took a few steps forward, placing each of his hands on top of the two tombstones. Another moment passed before he stepped back and he turned to face his girlfriend.

Stepping up next to her, Harry gave her a gentle kiss. "Thanks for coming with me," he whispered.

"There's nowhere else I would rather be," she told him, her voice soft.

Harry smiled at her as he took her hand in his. Without another word, he led her out of the graveyard.

As she followed, Astoria glanced over her shoulder at the graves of James and Lily Potter. The tombstones were new, and they had been installed earlier that day.

Two months ago, Harry was informed that someone vandalized the graves of his parents. The news shook their community, and Harry was devastated. No one understood why someone would do something so cruel to two of their heroes and the parents to their national hero.

Harry spent a few days in solitude, away from his friends, while The Daily Prophet called for a follow auror investigation and the public screamed for blood. Eric Summerby, a new hotshot journalist, led the charge with prints that called the vandal "a coward" and their actions "grotesque" and a "crime of the highest order." Astoria read the crazed headlines on The Daily Prophet with a sense of dread and anger.

How was this anyone else's business?

This didn't involve or concern anyone outside of Harry.

Once Harry returned to her side, he decided to get new tombstones made. He looked over the various magical options before deciding on a muggle manufacturer. There was an ivory marble that he loved. After two months, the tombstones were completed, delivered, and installed.

"How does lunch at Estella's sound?" Harry asked as they left the graveyard.

"Another time," Astoria said. "I was thinking we could something here."

Harry quickly agreed.

Count: ~350

This was written for

Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge
298. (Pairing) Harry/Astoria

Build a Zoo Challenge
Lion (Enclosure): (Setting) Godric's Hollow

Character Boot Camp: Favorite House
04. Grotesque