Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
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After everyone stopped laughing, Sirius picked Harry up again. To the child's displeasure, he was carried back up to his room. Sirius put the boy on his bed and laughed at the sullen expression on his face. "Hush, Harry, we'll be back down stairs in a moment, I just need to pick up your jacket and we'll be off."
Harry frowned. "We are going out?"
Sirius nodded, and began to help Harry put his jacket on. Sadly for him, he was now faced with a very uncooperative child. Going out somewhere hadn't been part of Harry's plans for the day. With a sigh, Sirius stopped trying to force Harry's arm into a sleeve and looked intently at his godson. "Ok, kiddo, what's wrong?"
"I don't want to go out. Everyone will stare at me."
"Harry, we are going to the muggle world, I honestly doubt anyone will pay you attention."
The child tilted his head and regarded Sirius doubtfully. "Really?"
Sirius nodded solemnly. "Really."
Harry nodded, much happier. "'K"
When they came down again, the others were already waiting. Harry jumped out of Sirius's arms and went to stand beside Ron and Hermione; He took them each by the hand and stared expectantly at his godfather. The adults smiled fondly at them and Remus turned to the fireplace. Throwing in some floo powder, he shouted: "The Leaky Cauldron!"
One after another, they walked in and disappeared. Ron clutched Harry in his arms and went just after Hermione. Once everyone had safely arrived, Sirius quickly led them all to muggle London, trying to evade the prying eyes of the people drinking in the pub. Looking at his side, he saw Harry had buried his head in Ron's shoulder, hiding his face from everyone. The teenager seemed to be very uncomfortable, not quite knowing what to do. Before Sirius could do anything, Hermione went to help Ron. Starting to gently caress Harry's head, she began to mumble gentle words in the child's ear, trying to reassure him. Seeing what his friend was doing, Ron took her lead and began to do the same, rubbing the child's back. Between the two, they managed to calm down the distraught child, and coaxed him to walk on his own between them. Sirius smiled softly at the trio, he was very happy that they were able to get along so well and that the two older kids were so protective of Harry. Mrs Weasley, Fred and George, were walking with Remus and Sirius behind the trio, giving them some room. Suddenly, Hermione turned around and looked at Sirius.
"Sirius?"
The man looked up from where he had been talking with Mrs Weasley and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "What is it, Hermione?"
"Where are we going? I just realised we were just walking around."
Sirius smiled. "I know. First we had planned on going to an amusement park, but since Harry had developed a sort of phobia for large crowds Remus and I thought we could do some shopping and then go eat something."
Hermione smiled in delight. "I know just the place where we could go, it's not very crowded." Then she blushed a bit. "That is, if it's alright with you, of course."
The adults laughed. Remus kindly said, "Of course Hermione, I'm sure you know London better than anyone else here, so lead the way."
Happily she turned to her friends and began to drag them after her. Harry smiled. He felt safe walking between the two of them, much like he fell when he walked next to Sirius. Ron startled him from his thoughts. "So where are we going, 'Mione?"
The girl smiled secretively. "We are going to a place I loved to go when I was a kid. I'm sure Harry will like it."
The small boy grinned and squeezed her hand, but Ron groaned. "'Mione, I doubt Harry will like a book store."
Hermione sniffed and glared at her friend. "For your information, it's not a bookstore; I do more things than read, Ron."
While they continued to bicker, none of them noticed Harry was getting upset. Risen voices still reminded him too much to the Dursley's. Suddenly he jerked his hands away from the teenagers and ran to Sirius. The man looked very startled when small arms wrapped themselves around his knees, nearly sending him to the ground. Everyone stopped suddenly and looked at the child who was hiding his face in his godfather's legs. A little confused, Sirius picked the child up and Harry immediately wrapped his arms around the man's neck and hid his face in his godfather's shoulder. Noticing they were standing in the middle of the street, Sirius motioned for everyone to start walking again. Ron and Hermione came to walk next to him while he tried to figure out what had upset his godson.
"Harry."
The child refused to look up, burying his face deeper in Sirius's neck. The man looked at the two teenagers questioningly but they only shrugged. They didn't have a clue about what could have possibly upset their small friend so much. Turning his attention to his godson, Sirius began to rub his back, trying to get him to relax. Finally, Harry's grip on his neck slackened and Sirius tried again. "Harry." This time the child moved a little his head, and Sirius assumed he was listening. "What's wrong Kiddo? Why are you so upset?"
"They were fighting."
Sirius looked at Ron and Hermione, who both began to blush. Sirius had known them for long enough to know that they both enjoyed their little discussions and that everyone had learned to accept them as normal. The man smiled at the two teenagers. It wasn't really their fault. No one knew how Harry would react as his younger self. Sirius returned his attention to the small boy and continued rubbing his back. "It's ok, son. They weren't really fighting."
Harry lifted his head a little, just enough to look at Sirius's face. "Really? They're not angry?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, Harry, they are not angry."
The boy seemed reassured by this. He looked around and both his friends smiled apologetically at him. Ron spoke first. "We are sorry about that, Harry. We didn't mean to upset you."
Hermione nodded. "We aren't really angry at each other. We're just used to bickering."
Harry nodded and let go of Sirius's neck when the man lowered him to the ground again. Still, he refused to let go of one of the man's hand.
Hermione finally stopped at a small store and motioned for everyone to follow her in. The store seemed small but the girl reassured them it was much bigger, it was just that most of the things were stored in the basement. An old lady came to greet them and she let out a small squeal when she recognised Hermione.
"Hermi, darling, it's so good to see you again."
Hermione smiled fondly. "Hello Miss Starnle. It's good to see you again, too. How have you been?"
"Good, good. What brings you here, dear? You haven't come in ages. Your parents told me you had gone to a boarding school."
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry I haven't been here as often as I used to." The lady brushed her apologies off and looked at the others. Her eyes fell on small Harry and smiled at the child. "Ah, I bet this young one is the reason you're here, am I right Hermi?"
The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes, this is Harry, it's his birthday and I wanted to buy him something from your store if it's ok."
The old lady smiled kindly and Sirius could feel Harry relax next to him. "Of course it's alright, dear. Come with me everyone, I'm sure we can find the perfect present for you, young one."
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to LAHoney for beta reading this.
Free.
After everyone stopped laughing, Sirius picked Harry up again. To the child's displeasure, he was carried back up to his room. Sirius put the boy on his bed and laughed at the sullen expression on his face. "Hush, Harry, we'll be back down stairs in a moment, I just need to pick up your jacket and we'll be off."
Harry frowned. "We are going out?"
Sirius nodded, and began to help Harry put his jacket on. Sadly for him, he was now faced with a very uncooperative child. Going out somewhere hadn't been part of Harry's plans for the day. With a sigh, Sirius stopped trying to force Harry's arm into a sleeve and looked intently at his godson. "Ok, kiddo, what's wrong?"
"I don't want to go out. Everyone will stare at me."
"Harry, we are going to the muggle world, I honestly doubt anyone will pay you attention."
The child tilted his head and regarded Sirius doubtfully. "Really?"
Sirius nodded solemnly. "Really."
Harry nodded, much happier. "'K"
When they came down again, the others were already waiting. Harry jumped out of Sirius's arms and went to stand beside Ron and Hermione; He took them each by the hand and stared expectantly at his godfather. The adults smiled fondly at them and Remus turned to the fireplace. Throwing in some floo powder, he shouted: "The Leaky Cauldron!"
One after another, they walked in and disappeared. Ron clutched Harry in his arms and went just after Hermione. Once everyone had safely arrived, Sirius quickly led them all to muggle London, trying to evade the prying eyes of the people drinking in the pub. Looking at his side, he saw Harry had buried his head in Ron's shoulder, hiding his face from everyone. The teenager seemed to be very uncomfortable, not quite knowing what to do. Before Sirius could do anything, Hermione went to help Ron. Starting to gently caress Harry's head, she began to mumble gentle words in the child's ear, trying to reassure him. Seeing what his friend was doing, Ron took her lead and began to do the same, rubbing the child's back. Between the two, they managed to calm down the distraught child, and coaxed him to walk on his own between them. Sirius smiled softly at the trio, he was very happy that they were able to get along so well and that the two older kids were so protective of Harry. Mrs Weasley, Fred and George, were walking with Remus and Sirius behind the trio, giving them some room. Suddenly, Hermione turned around and looked at Sirius.
"Sirius?"
The man looked up from where he had been talking with Mrs Weasley and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "What is it, Hermione?"
"Where are we going? I just realised we were just walking around."
Sirius smiled. "I know. First we had planned on going to an amusement park, but since Harry had developed a sort of phobia for large crowds Remus and I thought we could do some shopping and then go eat something."
Hermione smiled in delight. "I know just the place where we could go, it's not very crowded." Then she blushed a bit. "That is, if it's alright with you, of course."
The adults laughed. Remus kindly said, "Of course Hermione, I'm sure you know London better than anyone else here, so lead the way."
Happily she turned to her friends and began to drag them after her. Harry smiled. He felt safe walking between the two of them, much like he fell when he walked next to Sirius. Ron startled him from his thoughts. "So where are we going, 'Mione?"
The girl smiled secretively. "We are going to a place I loved to go when I was a kid. I'm sure Harry will like it."
The small boy grinned and squeezed her hand, but Ron groaned. "'Mione, I doubt Harry will like a book store."
Hermione sniffed and glared at her friend. "For your information, it's not a bookstore; I do more things than read, Ron."
While they continued to bicker, none of them noticed Harry was getting upset. Risen voices still reminded him too much to the Dursley's. Suddenly he jerked his hands away from the teenagers and ran to Sirius. The man looked very startled when small arms wrapped themselves around his knees, nearly sending him to the ground. Everyone stopped suddenly and looked at the child who was hiding his face in his godfather's legs. A little confused, Sirius picked the child up and Harry immediately wrapped his arms around the man's neck and hid his face in his godfather's shoulder. Noticing they were standing in the middle of the street, Sirius motioned for everyone to start walking again. Ron and Hermione came to walk next to him while he tried to figure out what had upset his godson.
"Harry."
The child refused to look up, burying his face deeper in Sirius's neck. The man looked at the two teenagers questioningly but they only shrugged. They didn't have a clue about what could have possibly upset their small friend so much. Turning his attention to his godson, Sirius began to rub his back, trying to get him to relax. Finally, Harry's grip on his neck slackened and Sirius tried again. "Harry." This time the child moved a little his head, and Sirius assumed he was listening. "What's wrong Kiddo? Why are you so upset?"
"They were fighting."
Sirius looked at Ron and Hermione, who both began to blush. Sirius had known them for long enough to know that they both enjoyed their little discussions and that everyone had learned to accept them as normal. The man smiled at the two teenagers. It wasn't really their fault. No one knew how Harry would react as his younger self. Sirius returned his attention to the small boy and continued rubbing his back. "It's ok, son. They weren't really fighting."
Harry lifted his head a little, just enough to look at Sirius's face. "Really? They're not angry?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, Harry, they are not angry."
The boy seemed reassured by this. He looked around and both his friends smiled apologetically at him. Ron spoke first. "We are sorry about that, Harry. We didn't mean to upset you."
Hermione nodded. "We aren't really angry at each other. We're just used to bickering."
Harry nodded and let go of Sirius's neck when the man lowered him to the ground again. Still, he refused to let go of one of the man's hand.
Hermione finally stopped at a small store and motioned for everyone to follow her in. The store seemed small but the girl reassured them it was much bigger, it was just that most of the things were stored in the basement. An old lady came to greet them and she let out a small squeal when she recognised Hermione.
"Hermi, darling, it's so good to see you again."
Hermione smiled fondly. "Hello Miss Starnle. It's good to see you again, too. How have you been?"
"Good, good. What brings you here, dear? You haven't come in ages. Your parents told me you had gone to a boarding school."
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry I haven't been here as often as I used to." The lady brushed her apologies off and looked at the others. Her eyes fell on small Harry and smiled at the child. "Ah, I bet this young one is the reason you're here, am I right Hermi?"
The girl smiled and nodded. "Yes, this is Harry, it's his birthday and I wanted to buy him something from your store if it's ok."
The old lady smiled kindly and Sirius could feel Harry relax next to him. "Of course it's alright, dear. Come with me everyone, I'm sure we can find the perfect present for you, young one."
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to LAHoney for beta reading this.