Hi Everyone, here is a new story that i have already completed. It was sitting in my files and I thought you might like it.

Harry is in a dark, depressive state and doesn't know how to deal with his life.

I hope you enjoy it, as usual all characters belong to J.K. Rowling

Sirius xoxo

The Archway of Erised.

Chapter 1

Harry thought the pain would miraculously disappear when Voldemort died.

He was wrong, very wrong.

The parties and celebrations dulled the pain in those first few months but then everyone went about their business and lives were being rebuilt. Ron tried to be around as much as possible at first but Harry's depressing mood was rubbing off on him, so his visits became sporadic until they diminished.

Hermione was torn between her devotion to Harry and her duties to Ron as his girlfriend. Many arguments ensued because of where Hermione's loyalties lay, so to keep Ron happy, she began visiting Harry when Ron was working or away training. This worked fine for a few months but then Ron injured his leg in a training game and had to give up the sport he so desperately loved. All was not lost though, the Quidditch supply shop in Diagon Alley came up for sale and Ron snatched it up quicker than you could say, goodbye life savings. He was happy, which in turn made Hermione's life peaceful.

Harry decided to stay at Grimmauld's Place after he finished Hogwarts. He didn't enter the Auror program as he felt he had seen too much death in his short life. At first Harry spent his days moping around and then one day he decided to work on his new home. He used his days redecorating and after six months he had quite successfully redone the whole ground floor.

Gone were the dark and miserable colours. Now in their place stood bright reds, golds and soft creams. Harry laid new carpet and fixed up all the old furniture which matched perfectly.

As he had not seen his friends for a while, they invited themselves over for dinner tonight and was presently setting his dining room table.

The door bell rung and Harry walked to get it.

"Harry, when are you going to get an elf, every time I come here, I have to wait to be let in?"

"Hi Ginny, good to see you too." Harry smiled and moved aside for his old girlfriend and his mate Neville.

Ginny and Harry didn't resurrect their relationship after the war, not through any lack of effort on Ginny's part though, Harry just wasn't interested. Ginny moved on and started a relationship with Neville and had been quite happy with him ever since.

Harry took Ginny's coat and Neville had his off and followed Harry into the side room where he set up a large walk in closet.

"So Harry, how are you?" Neville was still the kind and gentle man he had always been. Harry knew when Neville asked how he was, he actually meant it.

"I'm getting there Nev, thanks for asking mate." Neville patted Harry on the shoulder and followed him back out to where Ginny was standing in the hallway admiring the paintings.

"Harry, show us around before everyone comes?" Just as Ginny finished, the door beckoned Harry again.

He walked over to open the door and found Ron, Luna, Fred and George standing in the doorway.

"Hey Harry.." Fred started.

"...how are you?" George finished.

"Nice place you have here mate, looks nothing like the original." Both the boys finished in unison.

Harry shook hands with the twins but couldn't help peaking over their shoulders to see if she was here.

"Hello Harry, you know you have Nargle's in your garden?" Only Luna could be Luna. She was certainly a one in a million. At that moment Ron shoved past and gave Harry a one armed hug and threw off his coat and went to kiss his sister.

"She will be here, Harry." Harry looked at Luna and raised one eyebrow. He knew there was no point in denying anything to her, she seemed to know things that other people didn't.

Harry closed the door and after taking coats and jackets, he took everyone on a tour of the ground floor. He kept glancing back at the door but when he was sprung by Ron, he thought it best to stop checking.

"Hey Ron, where's your girlfriend? Giving us the brush off is she?" George stated.

"Nah, she's working like always. You think she would take some time off, but NOOOO of course not. Oh well I thought she would take time off for you Harry, seems like your the same as the rest of us." Ron laughed sarcastically at his own insensitive joke. Fred and George quickly picked up the conversation and continued asking Harry about some old furniture he had acquired.

"So Harry, anything to drink mate?" George asked.

"Yes sure, I will grab some drinks, keep going down the hallway and to the left is the library. I'll bring the drinks in there." Harry walked into the kitchen and put his hands on the counter and lowered his head in between in arms. He took some deep breathes and hoped he would be able to survive the evening.

Ron used to be his best friend, but he used that term loosely now. Ever since Ron started dating her, he seemed to be gloating constantly. Harry had never given Ron any reason to suspect his feelings for Hermione, but then it was sort of obvious. If he kept watching the door for her, Ron would start all over again.

Harry knew there were plenty of arguments in the beginning of their relationship about where Harry stood. Hermione had turned up in tears many times and the cause of it was always Ron. Ron suspected that Harry had feelings for Hermione but he was wrong. Very wrong. Harry didn't just have feelings for her, he was hopelessly, completely and absolutely in love with her. It was the kind of love that was consuming and desperate. Harry lived for each second he could see her and he thrived on her touch and the sound of her laugh. He knew it was unhealthy but he couldn't stop any more.

Harry made a fist with his hand and punched the counter top and let out a groan.

"So what could possibly have my best friend so frustrated?" Her voice was angelic and sweet and Harry spun around to see his angel standing there. She was dressed like she had just finished her shift at St Mungo's, which she probably did. Her hair was flying out of its bun and a few stragglers were caressing her throat. Maybe it was the light from the hallway or maybe she was just a gift from heaven, but the glow of light around her made him want her even more. He composed himself and walked over to her. She held out her arms to him and he folded his body into her embrace.

Harry didn't want this to end but he also knew she was taken and the man in question was down his hallway at this very minute. He reluctantly let go of her and plastered a smile to his face.

"Mione, how are you?" Hermione smiled and then started chatting about work. She told him about the new people at her work place and how glad she was that her boss retired. They had a laugh about it and Harry heard footsteps in the hallway.

"Oh when did you get here?" Ron had a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Hello Ronald, I'm just helping Harry with drinks. How are you today?" Ron realised she wasn't acting like he interrupted anything so he lent forward and roughly kissed her lips. She recoiled but didn't say anything.

The eight of them finished the tour and then sat down to eat dinner. There were plenty of laughs and the twins entertained everyone with the different accidents from their shop. Ron was very possessive over Hermione and had ensured they sat as far away from Harry as possible. It was always worse when Ron had a few drinks, he couldn't hold his liquor and in turn, his tongue. Neville and Ginny felt the tension and did their best to not let anything get out of control. Luna was Luna, nothing else needed to be said, she just floated on through her conversation with Ron.

Hermione stood up and started to clear the table but Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

"What are you doing?" His tone was abrupt and rude and everyone looked at him.

"I am clearing the table Ronald, if you don't mind?" She tried to release her hand.

"I am sure Harry can do it with magic, he doesn't need you to chase after him." Hermione knew it was the alcohol talking so she decided not to push it and then Luna spoke.

"It's OK Hermione, Harry and I will do it later." Hermione looked at Luna and wondered why she was staying back with Harry, where they dating now?

After an uncomfortable silence, Ginny decided it was time to play some games. They all walked into the lounge and Ginny chose Singstar. There were quite a few boos at her choice but in the end everyone agreed, probably too afraid to go against the youngest redhead.

They had quite a few rounds and then when it was Ron and Hermione's turn, Hermione chose a love song.

It took all of Harry's resolve not to die where he stood. He watched the love of his life declare her love for another. Even though Ron was drunk, he still relished the lime light and played it up even more. It wasn't very long after that, that Harry called it a night. Luna stayed behind and helped Harry clean up as she promised. They were having a hot chocolate in the kitchen at this point when Luna decided to broach the subject.

"Harry, why don't you tell her you have feelings for her?" Harry waited in silence, that exact question mulling over in his mind.

"No, Luna, she has Ron and she seems happy. Who am I to take that away from her?" Luna looked at her friend and felt such a deep sadness for him.

"Harry, you can't go on like this, it's not healthy. Why don't you go out with me?" Harry's head shot up and looked at her serious face.

"Oh it's OK, I have no feelings for you either, but at least it will keep Ronald off your back and you never know Ronald might look twice at me."

"Luna, are you telling me you have feelings for …..RON?"

Her slightly embarrassed look and slight shrug of her shoulders told Harry the truth. He thought of how she must feel the same way he does when he sees them together.

"Luna you are truly a one in a million friend, but I can't do that, I'm sorry." Luna shrugged her shoulders and stood to say goodnight.

"Well Harry, the offer is there if you want it? I will go now before the skiddly winks come out, good night and remember my offer." Luna left and Harry had to have a little laugh.

A few months had passed since his dinner party and Harry had progressed to the next floor and all the bedrooms were redone. The four guest rooms were replicas of the different houses at Hogwarts. His room was the nicest one of all. He chose a honey coloured brown and cream with gold accents. The whole room was beautiful and he hoped one day to show her, the one whose eyes were the colours of the wall and the one whose hair colour spread throughout the room. The gold accents reminded him of her hair in the sun and the cream was the colour of her pure skin. It was a beautiful room and Harry loved spending time in it.

It had taken quite a while to finish the rooms and he was looking upstairs in the attic for a piece of furniture that he could place in the hallway downstairs. He wanted something small but intricate. He rummaged through the attic and found a small hall table, just what he was looking for. He pulled at it but it seemed to be stuck behind a huge piece of timber that was only partially exposed. Harry realised he had to do this the hard way and he started to remove all the furniture around the little table. He found quite a few pieces that really needed a good fire but the little table was still trapped. He finally reached it and the large piece of timber he saw earlier was finally clearer. It seemed to be a large archway of some sort.

He pulled it out and it stood about seven foot tall. He looked closely at the timber and saw that it had etchings around the top. The rest of it was intricately decorated but the writing looked somewhat familiar.

He grabbed the little table and took it out into the hallway. He looked back at the arch and he felt drawn to it, like it wanted him to fix it up. He took the table downstairs and used a few well placed spells to clean it up. He placed it in it's spot but was drawn back to the arch.

He used a levitating spell to take it down stairs and lent it against the wall in his bedroom. It was such a beautiful piece of furniture. He ran his hands over the patterned wood and then saw a word that he recognised immediately.

'Erised'

As usual review if you like,

Sirius xoxo