Disclaimer:

I do not own Harry Potter or any of the related characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling. And, obviously, I don't own Gravitation either. It belongs to Maki Murakami. I am simply borrowing the characters. The songs sung by Harry, in this story, are not mine. They are the property of Evanescence. (Why, because I like the dark, brooding sound of their music.)

Warnings:

This story is AU and will contain SLASH. If that offends anyone, then don't read this story. This will be a Harry Potter/Gravitation crossover. It is set after the manga and anime and has an established relationship between Harry/Hiro.

Summary:

Hiro is worried for his lover. He keeps having vivid, disturbing dreams about his past. His past being shrouded in mystery, Hiro doesn't even know where to begin with helping him.

Withering Rose

Chapter Nine

Last Chapter:

Suguru stopped reading. He didn't need to see anymore. His blood boiled. How dare they write something like this?! This was Harry's business and no one else's! Did they think that just because they were famous, they had a right to them?! Looking at his friend, shaking and paler than usual, his rage burned brighter. They would pay! He would make them pay!

… … …

Shuichi thought his friend looked tired. His long red hair was unkempt and pulled loosely back and had dark circles under his eyes. He'd obviously not gotten enough sleep, the night before. But that wasn't surprising. He too had seen the article, about Harry, when he and Eiri had gone out for breakfast.

He'd known Harry for almost two years and never once, had he'd said anything. Shuichi hadn't even suspected that he'd been an abused child. When he'd asked Eiri, his lover had replied with the same. Harry hadn't acted abused and didn't seem to have any problems, stemming from the abuse. But he'd always worn a mask. No one seemed to know how complex it was, until now.

But now…Shuichi didn't even want to think about it. Yesterday, Tohma and Fujisaki had brought Harry to NG, after reading the article. His and Hiro's apartment had been too far away to reach, without getting attacked by reporters. So they'd called Hiro to pick him up and take him home. Harry hadn't spoken to anyone and seemed dead, locked in himself. Shuichi swore if he ever got his hands on that reporter…well he'd do something horrible. He'd even enlisted Hiro and Fujisaki's help.

Glancing up at his friend, Shuichi smiled. "Hey Hiro…! How's Harry this morning?" If all else fails; act normal.

Hiro smiled slightly. He knew what Shuichi was trying to do and appreciated it. "He still hasn't said anything. Yuki-san came to sit with him, so I could come to the studio."

The singer almost fell out of his seat, shocked. Thinking he may have heard wrong, he asked, "You're saying that my Eiri, came to your apartment, to sit with your lover, so you could come to work?!"

"Yeah, weird isn't it?"

The singer rolled his blue-violet eyes, but was smiling. "Yeah, it is. But I've always said that Eiri can be so sweet, sometimes."

"Shu-kun, only you could think that man is sweet." Hiro replied dryly.

Shuichi laughed lightly, but his mood quickly changed. Frowning, he said, "Eiri probably understands better than any of us, what Harry is going through."

Sighing, Hiro took a seat next to the singer. "You know, I only recently found out about this. And I'd thought he was getting better, but…that damn article!" he hissed.

"I know. If something like that had happened, after what Taki and his goons did…" Shuichi trailed off, tears forming in his eyes.

Hiro glanced sadly at his friend. He remembered what happened, three years ago. How could he forget? It had been him Shuichi had come to, after it had happened. "But Yuki-san took care of them, remember? You had nothing to worry about." he said, wanting to get his friend away from those thoughts.

Shuichi sniffled quietly and wiped his tears on his sweatshirt. Drawing his legs up, he laid his head on his bents knees. "So do you know what Seguchi-san is going to do?" he asked.

Hiro clasped his hands together, sticking them between his knees. "We didn't have much time to talk about it, but he thinks an English police officer sold the story to the press." Lowering his head, he began growling, "I swear, if I find that bastard, he's dead!"

Shuichi unconsciously scooted away, staring wide-eyed at his friend. He'd never seen Hiro like this. "Hey Hiro, you kind of freaking me out…mind calming down...?" the singer asked, hesitantly.

Hiro looked up, at his friend backing away in fear and sighed. He hadn't meant to scare the signer. "Sorry Shuichi. It just…WHY CAN'T THEY LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he screamed, standing up and swinging at the wall. Hiro continued to punch the wall repeatedly, paying no heed to the bones, in his hand, cracking with each blow.

"SHIT! HIRO...!" Shuichi jumped up and grabbed his friend's arms. Hiro didn't struggle and let the singer hold him back. "What the fucks wrong with you?! You think this is going to help Harry?!" Shuichi snapped loudly, paying no attention to Fujisaki, K, and Sakano-san entering the studio.

"What's going to help Harry?" Suguru asked, coldly, his inner bitch resonating.

"This!" Shuichi snapped at the younger boy, jerking Hiro's hands forward.

Suguru glanced at Hiro's bloodied hands, then to the dented wall, and finally back to his fuming co-worker. Today was not going to be a good day. He'd already tried calling Harry this morning, but his friend wouldn't answer his cell. And yesterday, he hadn't said two words to him, after reading that damn article. He hadn't even known about half of what the article was talking about. Harry had never said anything to him, ever. If Tohma hadn't confirmed it, he wouldn't have believed it.

… … …

Eiri looked up from his book, hearing someone play the piano. 'Hiro and Harry have a piano?' he thought. But it did make sense. They couldn't always use the studio instruments. Using a scrap piece of paper as a bookmark, the writer shut his book, and set aside. Getting up from the couch, the blonde made his way down the hall, in the direction of the music.

The door to the study, which had been converted to a music room by the looks of it, was open and the young singer had his back to Eiri. His fingers working their way across the keys, making them hum a haunting melody that sent a chill up the reclusive writer's back. He'd heard him play before and even perform live. Hell, thanks to the brat, he'd even heard all of his music. Besides his American tour, Harry's music was another reason 'his brat' had learned English. Well, the reason he perfected it.

Harry's music was usually dark and broody sounding, but this; this was just plain haunting and cold. Like it had been pulled from a pit of pain and despair… Something that no one his age should have to draw on… Eiri shook his head. That was like the pot calling the kettle black. The writer knew better than anyone, what that feeling was like. Why do you think his books were tragic love stories?

Eiri had seen the article, at breakfast yesterday. He and Shu had been walking to a local restaurant, when the brat had started shouting 'that he needed a new magazine'. He never read the crap, to be honest. But yesterday, Shu had read the article and then shoved the magazine his face, screaming that he had to read it. He'd read it and spent the next three hours, calming his blubbering lover. He didn't want to think about, what Hiro had gone through with his own lover. From experience, Eiri knew that singers were crazy and emotional.

Leaning against the door frame, the blonde continued watching the young singer, pouring his feeling into his music. He'd never admit it out loud, but he enjoyed watching 'his brat' do the same. It had a calming effect on him, like a powerful drug.

"I know you're there." Harry called out suddenly.

If the writer was surprised, he didn't show it. Walking further into the room, he asked, "Is that new? I haven't heard it before."

Without even looking up, he shook his head. "I've had it for awhile. I've just never let anyone else listen." he explained.

"So, should I feel special?" the writer asked sarcastically.

Harry laughed lightly and answered, "No. I was going to add the words and release it soon anyway." Looking at the writer, he added, "Besides, shouldn't you feel special about hearing your lover's music, before it's released? Not your lover's, best friend's, lover's music?"

The blonde grunted, before adding, "You writer better music than his crappy songs, with crappy lyrics."

"You don't mean that."

Eiri raised a blonde brow at the signer. "Yes I do." he defended. "He could work on that shit for years and it'd still be crap."

Harry laughed. "You say that, but you don't mean it. I see the way your eyes light up, when he finishes a new song. Or the way your lips quirk, every time you tell him its crap."

"You're very perceptive." Eiri complimented.

Harry smirked at the blonde, and then frowned. "When you grew up like me, you had to be." he mumbled, barely audible.

Eiri heard the comment, but chose to ignore it. Harry was an enigma. A puzzle, that no one was close to figuring out. And no one ever would, unless Harry wanted them to. Unlike his cousin and Shuichi, Harry wore a mask, of such complexity, that even Eiri hadn't even seen through. Truth be told, he much rather preferred 'his brat'. At least he could read him like an open book.

… … …

"Seguchi-san, what have you found out?" K asked, leaning against his boss' desk.

Tohma sighed and clasped his hands together. "It's as I thought. An English police officer sold the story to the tabloids. He'd known who Harry Potter was and figured he'd get some money out of the deal. But that's not all." K raised an eyebrow and waved his boss to continue. "Even I hadn't known this. But Potter-san is apparently considered English nobility. The old noble houses are in an outcry, over the situation."

"Wow." K mumbled stupidly.

"Yes. Wow would sum it up." Tohma said. "Potter-san is the second richest man, in all of England. Without his financial support, many companies would have to close their doors." Tohma finished, smirking at the thunderstruck look on K's face. Tohma eyed his friend/employee and mentally counted down. 5...4...3...2...1...

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT IN HEAVEN...!" K screamed.

'Bingo' Tohma thought, but said, "Yes, Potter-san is extremely wealthy. But, he has little interest in his family fortune. From my understanding, he hasn't touched a bit of it."

K still looked gob-smacked. "The little shit, doesn't even have to work! Why's he singing again?"

"Because he enjoys it and he's good at it. Besides, I'm glad that he's signed with NG. His record sales are the largest this company has ever seen." Tohma said.

The blonde manager rubbed in chin, apparently in thought. "You know, if you got Harry-san to invest in NG, you could start a second company. Have one here, in Tokyo, and another one somewhere else."

Tohma shook his head and said, "I would never pressure him like that. If he was to come to me on his own, then I would think about it." Harry was like the son he'd never had. …To both him and Mika. 'How dare K-san suggest something like that?!' he inwardly seethed.

"It was just a thought." K said, shrugging his shoulders. "Anyway, what should we do about the press?" he changed the subject.

Tohma sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know that he was supposed to take an extended break, but he may have to cut it short. If he takes it now, it will just prove the media right. As much as I don't want him to continue right now, he has to. He'd want to also." Tohma explained, shuffling through the papers on his desk.

K nodded, seeming to accept the idea, but asked, "How will Hiro-kun take the news? He seemed pretty adamant about Harry-kun's break."

"Leave Nakano-san to me," Tohma said. "He will argue, yes, but even he will see the need for Potter-san to continue."

"Very well," K agreed. "Should I book another concert for him?"

Tohma steeped his hands together under his chin, in thought. A few minutes passed, before he started speaking. "Yes, please do. But make it no earlier, than three weeks from now. He does need some time to rest."

Author's Note:

Okay, here it is chapter nine. The most severe reaction would have to have been Hiro's. Eiri was a bit surprising. But the again, most of his part was inner thought. The conversation between him and Harry, serves to add to his character. People need to see, that no matter people say about Eiri, he isn't a complete ass and Harry sees that. I hadn't planned for Harry's break to be cut short, but then again, I hadn't really planned on the magazine article either. Even though I have plans for each chapter, those plans can change at a moments notice. Before questions are asked, about Tohma's comment of Harry being like a son to him and him treating him only formally, just remember that most of his meetings with him are at work and around other employees. Tohma can't be shown showing favoritism. Cheers! Bye-bye!