Chapter six

That evening at dinner, Charlie kept trying to make Harry eat more. When Harry seemed hesitant, Charlie would whisper to Harry which got Harry eating again.

'What do you keep saying to Harry, because it's working?' Ron asked gazing at his friend as he ate.

'I said I'm dying to shag him but won't until he puts on weight.'

'Charlie,' Harry scowled then lowered his head, 'That's private.'

'Then you're with the wrong bloke Harry, Charlie always goes on about that type of stuff,' Ron shrugged.

'No,' Harry said softly.

'No what?' Charlie asked as he gazed down at Harry.

'That type of stuff should be kept private.'

'Maybe, you won't know until you do it.'

Harry shook his head, 'I'm going to bed, thanks for dinner Mrs. Weasley.'

'My pleasure dear, go rest,' Molly and the others all watched as Harry walked slowly up the stairs.

'He is so frustrating,' Charlie growled then finished his dinner.

'You know Harry's never been a talker Charlie. You might have to get used to it if you're serious about him,' Hermione said calmly.

'But why is that, why doesn't he ever talk much?' Charlie asked.

'Because of that house,' Ron shrugged then saw his brother looked confused, 'The Dursley's, they wouldn't let Harry talk. If he did they shot him down or called him names, then usually locked him up. So you see, he got used to not talking because of those people.'

'Hang on, locked him up, what do you mean by that?'

'Sorry Charlie, we forget that you weren't here all the time. You never got to hear everything. Fred, George and I went to get Harry in our second year because no one had heard from him and we were all getting worried. We flew dad's car, I'm sure you heard about that. Anyway, when we got there, we saw bars on his window, Fred pulled them off with the car so Harry could climb out. But he's trunk was downstairs locked in the cupboard under the stairs. The bedroom door was also locked and a small flap in the bottom. Harry told us it was for when they passed food through to him. At the time though, Harry hadn't eaten in four days. The last thing was a can of cold soup he shared with Hedwig.'

'Are you saying they kept him locked up like that for days and also starved him?' Charlie could feel his anger building.

'He was hit a lot too Charlie, I've seen a few scars he got from his uncle. Another thing, they never used Harry's name, he was called boy, you or freak.'

'I want to go curse some muggles. Why did Dumbledore leave him there if that's how he was treated? He could have stayed here and mum would have looked after him.'

'It was because of the blood spell Charlie. Albus explained that to all of us because Molly and I did ask Albus if Harry could live here. As long as Harry stayed with his mother's blood, Voldemort could never find him.'

'Blimey, it's no wonder Harry's like this,' Charlie got up from the table and hurried up the stairs. He went to Percy's old room, opened the door and saw Harry curled in a ball on the bed. Charlie sighed, then shut the door, took his shoes, socks, jeans and jumper off, then curled up behind Harry, wrapping his arms tight around him, 'You have us, you have me and if you don't want to talk, you don't have to.'

'I don't know how to deal with this Charlie.'

'With what, give me more to go on babe.'

'My mother, she was pregnant.'

'You will learn to cope with it, but not for a long time. You only just found out exactly what you lost, more than you thought. But please let me help you through this.'

Harry turned his head and looked back at Charlie, 'Aren't you going back to Romania?'

'No, I decided to hang around here. More so since I found out you like blokes. Blimey Harry, I've had a thing for you for years, but you went out with my sister. That was one of the main reasons I didn't come home all the time. I hated seeing you and knew nothing would come of it.'

Harry turned his body so he was facing Charlie, 'When?'

'When, okay, when did I start having a thing for you?' he saw Harry nod, 'Since the quidditch world cup, but you were fourteen at the time. But merlin did you give me a raging hard on every time I looked at you. You've got a cute arse there Harry,' Charlie saw Harry smile even if it was a small smile, 'Got one at least.'

'What?'

'A smile, but you know what. I like holding you but this bed is too small. Come in my room and share my bed with me?'

'What will your mother say?'

'We're adults, she can't say anything. Don't you want to sleep with me?' Charlie gave a cheeky grin which made Harry chuckle, 'Ah I got a laugh.'

'Charlie,' Harry shook his head, 'I like holding you.'

'Then come on saviour,' Charlie saw Harry scowl, 'Alright, I won't call you that no more. But will you come into my bed with me, I want to hold you?'

Harry nodded, then both men picked up their clothes and headed straight for Charlie's room. Charlie stripped off his t-shirt and undies and noticed Harry blushed before turning away.

'Do you want me to keep my pants on?'

'No, not if that's how you sleep.'

'I do, but I want you comfortable, also, nothing is going to happen.'

'I want it to,' Harry lowered his head as he turned his back on Charlie, then felt Charlie's arms slip around his waist.

'I want to as well, but you need time. I know you've been shagging everyone, which pissed me right off that did. But you really need to gain some weight. Didn't it hurt, having blokes shag you.'

'I never had that, they just had me and did things.'

'Okay, let's just get into bed because when you are ready, it's going to hurt, so you need more weight on that bony arse of yours.'

Harry slowly turned in Charlie's arm, 'Does it really hurt?'

'Yes, at first anyway, I'm sure you can understand why. But what you probably don't know is that there is this sweet spot, when that gets touch, merlin you want to blow.' Charlie saw Harry blush again, so he helped Harry out of his t-shirt, but left his undies on, they climbed into bed, Harry's back against Charlie's stomach.

'I like this, but I can feel you.'

Charlie wiggled his hips, 'I know you can, so now you can dream about when we do shag. Let's get some sleep,' Charlie kissed Harry's shoulder then felt him tightened his own hands on his making Charlie grin.

Molly went upstairs to check on Harry, to see if Charlie was able to get through to him. When she opened the door of Percy's old room, she found it empty. She had her suspicions so she went to Charlie's door, listened for any sounds and when she heard nothing, she gently opened the door and saw Charlie with his arms around Harry and they were both sound asleep. She smiled, closed the door and went back downstairs.

'How's Harry?' Arthur asked.

'First, he wasn't in his room. I found him in Charlie's, there both asleep.'

'Did you leave them there?' Ron asked.

'Yes, I'm hoping Harry having Charlie's arms around him will help him deal with all this. I know Charlie goes on about his casual lifestyle but he does care for Harry and I also know he won't do anything until Harry is ready but also not until he's well.'

'From what we've been hearing, Harry sounds like he had a very hard life. He looks so sad,' Jean Granger said kindly.

'He has had a hard life mum, a lot of suffering, a lot of pain,' Hermione sighed, 'I think I've only heard Harry laugh a handful of times and I've known him since he was eleven.'

'When I first saw him Hermione, I thought he was older than you. But after hearing what we have today, I can understand why that is,' George Granger said.

'Yes, all that Harry has gone through has aged hi,, most though, having to die and willing to die aged him. I still don't know how he did it and even though I would like to think I could do it, die to save everyone, I can't say with certainty that I would. Harry didn't hesitate at all, he just walked into the forest ready to die.'

'Did you ever work out why Albus left Harry an old snitch?' Arthur asked and instantly noticed Hermione and Ron glance at each other, 'You know, can you tell us, it might help us help him.'

Ron gave Hermione a nod, 'Inside was a stone, the resurrection stone, have you heard of it?'

'You mean from the tale of the three brothers?' Ginny asked.

'Yes, that story was true, apart from death. The items are real and Harry owns all three. He used the stone right before he faced Voldemort.'

'Oh my, he called Sirius back didn't he?' Molly sat down heavily clutching her chest.

'Sirius, Remus and his parents, the four of them stayed with Harry until he got to Voldemort. He never told us what they spoke about apart from asking Sirius if it hurt to die.'

'He saw his parents, now he finds out his mother was pregnant. It's no wonder Harry's really feeling all this now.'

'It wasn't the first time he saw them,' Ron said as he lowered his head, 'In the graveyard, Harry and Voldemort/s wands connected. Dumbledore called it the reverse spell affect, the last murders Voldemort's wand performed. They came out, images, or ghost like images, Cedric first, some bloke, a woman, Lily Potter then James Potter. They gave Harry a chance to get back to the port key and it's the reason he brought Cedric's body back, Cedric asked him to. Harry told us he couldn't leave him there, not with him.'

'So twice in his life he sees images or apparition of his parents and both times were with Voldemort and almost dying, expecting to die, both times,' Arthur sighed heavily. 'Okay, I think the best thing for Harry is to get to know more about his parents. Maybe he can go once a day, or even every few days into the house, but he shouldn't do it alone. He's depression is at its worst right now, this is the time he needs to be watched carefully.'

'Do you think Charlie can help, he's so different from Harry?' Hermione asked.

'That might be why it will work, Charlie won't hold back and if Harry broods too much, Charlie will either say something or have a go at him. You two have been with Harry through everything, you don't like to say things that might hurt him, but those things sometimes need to be said and Charlie will say them if they are needed. Another thing, because both of you have been with Harry through everything, you're also a reminder. Sirius as well is causing Harry's depression, he never got a chance to grieve after Sirius died.'

'What if Harry starts to fall for Charlie and he leaves, that could make it worse?' Hermione asked.

'Charlie's not going back to Romania, he's decided to stay here, more so since he found out Harry's gay. He told us he's loved Harry since the quidditch world cup but because of his age and Harry didn't even know he was gay at the time, he didn't say anything. Then he hears about Ginny, so he thought he didn't stand a chance and that's why he hardly came home. He probably would have left after Bill's wedding if the death eaters didn't attack looking for Harry. While we were at Muriel's he did mention going back if this was ever over, then Fred made him realise how much time he lost with the family. It was all mainly down to Harry, he couldn't hang around and watch him with someone else even though he wanted Ginny to be happy.' Arthur said.

'Charlie always gave me anything I wanted, I wish he would have told me though because I could have told him that the times I spent with Harry, something wasn't quite right. There we are, you two people lying down near the black lake, snogging, our bodies tight together and nothing, he doesn't react in anyway. I'm sorry I know you don't like to hear this, but that is not normal for a sixteen, seventeen year old boy, or young man.'

'Gin, for Harry, that's normal because he never has,' Ron said sadly, 'One day he heard some of the older boys in the bathrooms and asked me about it. Blimey that was embarrassing, trying to explain to Harry what they were doing and why. That's when he told me it had never happened. At first I was worried that maybe those relatives hurt him more than he told us, but it wasn't, it was just his life, what was always on his mind, death. I don't think any boy will get one of those when all they think of is death or dying.'

'No, you're probably right, but I could bet you anything that Charlie will make sure Harry does. He won't be able to help himself even if Harry's not well enough to do anything. It's a wonder those people didn't see that at the Hogs Head,' Arthur said.

'From what Aberforth said about what he found out, they did it all, Harry never moved, or spoke. They just basically did him and left, it was to say thank you,' Hermione said sadly.

'They still should have seen unwell he was. Let's hope with some calm and quiet days, he will finally heal, also seeing all of us living normal lives now, no more danger, he will heal,' Molly said then started to clean the kitchen, but she could tell everyone was still thinking about Harry and how to get him to give himself time to heal.