The Story So Far - (A/N You can skip this if you remember)
Full of grief and isolating himself from his friends Harry is pulled out of his misery when he puts his life on the line to rescue a young girl called Alice. That act of selflessness allows him to start coming to terms with the death of his godfather. While reading the letters of support from his friends, which he'd ignored, he comes across a picture that reveals a crush Hermione had once had on him. Unsure of his to his own feelings and Hermione's he decides to do the only thing he is sure of, not do anything that will hurt his best friend Ron.
Harry and Ron woke up early to another glorious summer morning. Harry had had quite a good nights sleep despite his mixed emotions, like counting sheep the mantra he'd repeated to himself soon caused him to dose off. As he pocketed the picture he had kept under his pillow he repeated it to himself again 'It doesn't really mean anything.' He looked at the drowsy figure of Ron putting a t-shirt on inside out and smiled, he felt a lot more relaxed around Ron than yesterday 'No,' he thought to himself with more belief and conviction 'it doesn't mean anything anymore.'
They hurried getting washed and eating breakfast Harry wanted to leave early and if possible without seeing any of the Dursley's. Harry sent Hedwig ahead to the burrow with a quick note on what time they expected to arrive, he then called the local taxi company and booked it to take them to the town centre, which was near the hospital, and finally they started to pack. Despite Ron having only stayed one night in Harry's room it took him twice as long as Harry to repack his trunk. "Tell me Ron why did you think bringing a snorkel would be useful?" Harry asked pulling the offending item out from under his bed and stuffing it back into Ron's trunk.
"You never know with muggles mate." replied Ron trying to force his omnioculars between what looked like a table lamp and a large stuffed toy owl.
They had just finished packing when a car horn signalled the arrival of their taxi. Making their way down the stairs Harry was stopped by the cold and bony hand of his aunt gripping his shoulder. Her face seemed to be a picture of conflicting emotions as Harry turned to look at her. A short pause followed as Harry waited for his Aunt to say something, finally her thin lips broke apart and she said in a quiet grating voice "I'm glad you helped that girl." Harry's mouth started to open and close like a goldfish, support for something he'd done from a Dursley was something completely alien to him, then her face darkened and she spoke louder and more clearly than before so that she could be heard in all the rooms of the house "Ungrateful boy, leaving without even saying thank you for everything we've done for you. I expected nothing less, well don't let me stop you, go on get out!" she gently squeezed Harry's shoulder and gave him a weak smile before she turned around swiftly and stormed back into her bedroom. Harry just stood there dumbstruck.
"What was that all about?" Ron asked up the stairs to Harry, while opening the front door. Harry shook his head making his way down stairs and out the front door with Ron and their trunks.
"I think that was the warmest goodbye I've ever received from my Aunt." said Harry the confusion clear in his expression.
"Warmest!" said Ron incredulously whilst getting into the taxi.
"Yeah." said Harry still quite baffled, joining Ron in the back of the cab.
"Muggles mate, I'll never understand them." Ron said buckling himself in, the cab driver stared at them strangely in his rear view mirror, Harry noticed and realised that he wouldn't have a clue what the word 'muggle' meant.
"I don't think they understand you any better" Harry smiled at Ron as the taxi made its way into town.
It didn't take long for Harry to realise showing Ron around muggle shops was a bad idea. Not only was dragging their trunks around everywhere tiring, but Ron seemed conspicuously over enthusiastic about everything. He seemed to get especially excited about digital watches; after trying to dismantle a display model Harry was sure he and Ron would have to make a run for it, but as the irate looking sales assistant walked over Ron got out his bundle of cash and the sales assistants expression changed faster than you could say 'can I be of assistance sir'. Harry wondered if he'd looked as odd when he saw Diagon alley for the first time, he imagined that if his parents had been alive to bring him up that he wouldn't have acted much differently than Ron in a muggle shop.
After Ron had bought a rather chunky looking watch Harry managed to convince him to sit playing muggle snap on their trunks while waiting for visiting hour at the hospital. Ron clearly looked disappointed that the playing cards didn't do anything, and Harry silently agreed that exploding snap was much more interesting.
At 11 o'clock the pair made their way into the Hospital, Ron eagerly looking at everything.
"Don't touch anything!" Harry warned Ron.
Harry enquired at the front desk and was directed to the third floor by the receptionist. They both made their way to the lift which they shared with an elderly looking man in a wheel chair.
"It all so weird! What do you think that funny tube up that guys nose does?" Ron whispered to Harry in the lift.
"I haven't a clue, but I doubt he'd appreciate you pulling it out." Ron dropped the arm he had lifted towards the mans face.
"Sorry about my friend. It's his first time in a Hospital." Harry said trying to pacify the man in the wheel chair as he gave Ron a very apprehensive look.
"Funny he acts like he belongs in one." said the man; proud at believing he was blending in Ron slapped Harry on the back and gave him a cheerful 'there you go' nod "The mental ward is on floor 6." the man continued, Ron's smile faded as quickly as Harry's appeared. The lifted pinged and the doors opened onto the third floor. Harry hurried Ron out while the old man continued to stare intently at them, even as the door slid shut.
"Please behave yourself Ron." Harry begged.
"But I'm.."
"I know this is all new to you, you're curious and you're not intentionally doing anything wrong... Just please, please don't try and pull anything out of anyone else."
The corridor they stood in was wide and the blue paint covering the walls made it feel cold despite warmth of the air, it smelled like disinfectant.
"You must be Harry; you're just how Alice described you. I've so desperately wanted to thank you for saving her life." A cheerful looking middle aged woman with tired eyes full of tears approached Harry with her arms spread wide ready to embrace him. "I'm Katherine Alice's mum, but you can call me Kasey all my friends do and after what you did for my daughter I sincerely consider you one." She was a tall lady around 5'10" Harry was only a few inch's taller and she easily wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"Thanks. No problem. I'd have done the same for anyone." Harry blurted out as he was being crushed by the affectionate bear hug this woman he'd just met was giving him.
"Oh no what you did, risking your life for my little girl... knowing there are people in the world like you... Well its.. You're just so special" Ron grinned as Harry turned red from embarrassment and the continuing hug.
"Its true, he's saved my life loads of times. What a guy." Ron tried not to laugh while clearly enjoying the discomfort Harry was feeling at being so highly praised.
"Well you've saved my life too you know." Harry said, staring daggers at Ron. Kasey suddenly broke off Harry and grabbed hold of a very surprised looking Ron and hugged him just as tightly.
"I don't know who you are, but thank you too, without that boy I don't know what would have happened." With a startled look on his face Ron blushed bright red he looked down on at the top of Kasey's head which was pressed against his chest looked back at Harry and mouthed the word 'Nutter'.
"That's Ron, he's my best friend." Harry said, Kasey released Ron giving him a wide smile.
"Hello Ron."
"So Alice is ok then?" Harry asked.
"Yes she's fine, thanks to you." she seemed to attempt to gather her composure "Please excuse me, I don't know what you must think of me, I don't usually hug people I've only just met, its just I have so much to thank you for." Harry couldn't help grinning shyly at her as his blush continued
"Honestly it wasn't a problem."
Kasey indicated towards a door in the corridor
"You both come with me, Alice so wants to meet you properly; she hasn't stopped talking about her white knight." She put her arm around Harry and grabbed Ron's hand and led them into the room.
A man with slightly greying hair was sat by a big cast iron hospital bed stroking the head of a small girl who laid there; he appeared to listen intently to the girl who was chatting excitedly despite only being able to talk in hoarse whispers.
"And then Dad he picked me up and sat me on to the window sill... HARRY!" the girl coughed as she tried to shout his name, but her face was a picture of utter delight.
"Hello Alice!" Harry couldn't help but be touched by such a warm welcome. The man by the bed stood up and briskly walked over towards Harry grabbing his hand with both of his and shaking it vigorously saying
"Thank you young man, thank you so much."
"This is my husband David and Alice's father" Kasey said as she embraced Harry again.
"Pleased to meet you." said Harry.
"Mum, Dad could you get us a drink or something please." Alice asked her parents eagerly "I'd like to talk to Harry alone." Kasey gave Harry and Ron an approving glance and nodded.
"No problem darling, we've just got to go and see Granny first, but we'll be back soon." Kasey released Harry, moved towards her daughter and gave her a kiss on the forehead, David did the same.
"I'd like to talk to you Harry, is there anywhere you have to be later?" David asked.
"We've got to catch a train in hour." Harry replied
"Well I insist on giving you a lift to the train station."
As Alice's parents left the hospital room, Alice was practically bouncing up and down on the bed in excitement. Harry couldn't help the warm feeling of happiness rising in him for once he couldn't feel the guilt that he always carried with him. In a rare moment of insightfulness Ron walked over to Harry and whispered in his ear "See you don't always bring sadness and loss to the people you meet." Alice was still bouncing with enthusiasm.
"Who's your friend Harry?" Alice asked.
"This is Ron, he's the best friend a guy could ask for." said Harry said still touched by what Ron had whispered. Ron went slightly pink.
"Ooo I like his hair." Ron went from pink to bright red. Harry's heart felt as light as he could ever remember. He stared at Ron critically and then in mock realisation he said
"Wow Ron, you're not a funny looking carrot top after all!" if possible the shade of red Ron had gone deepened. Alice burst into giggles shortly followed by Harry and then Ron.
Harry and Ron sat either side of the bed and as Alice eagerly asked question trying to find out as much about Harry as she could, his favourite colour - ummm red, where he lived - Privet Drive when he couldn't help it, if he had a girlfriend - an enthusiastic no. Alice shared as much information about herself and they chatted and laughed freely. After a short while Alice asked a question that stopped Ron's laughing abruptly and had him staring in shock at Harry.
"Is Ron a wizard too?" To Ron's surprise Harry looked kindly at Alice, seemingly not taken aback at all.
"Yes he is, and a very good one too." said Harry still smiling gently.
"Harry!.." Ron started, but Alice cut him off
"Oh don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"That's very good of you Alice, thank you." Harry said, Ron appeared to calm down a little. "Actually we've got you a wizards present."
"We have?" Said Ron still concerned.
"Really!" Alice had started bouncing again. Harry pulled a small paper bag from his coat pocket.
"This is what all my wizard friends give me whenever I'm in hospital." Harry gave the bag to Alice and she opened it shaking with eagerness and anticipation. "Jelly beans?" Alice asked with a slightly confused look on her face.
"They're not just beans, they're Berty Bots every flavour beans." Alice picked one out gingerly; it was red with yellow stripes.
"Careful" said Ron, "they say every flavour and they mean every flavour."
"What even earwax?" said Alice now eyeing the bean apprehensively.
"Yes. Its funny you should mention that really, one of my friends got exactly that flavour." said Harry as Alice gave a revolted shudder. Very carefully she popped the red and yellow bean in her mouth.
"MMMM! Trifle my favourite!" she exclaimed bouncing again, searching for another similarly coloured bean. After taking another bean which turned out to be plum pudding and enjoying its taste even more she offered the bag around. Harry got stilton cheese, and Ron went green when he bit into a mothball flavoured bean much to Alice's delight. Ron seemed to quickly get over the shock at Alice knowing about wizards and was soon enthralling her with tales of their school Adventures.
"Then this huge dog with three vicious heads, called Fluffy for goodness sake..." said a wild gesturing Ron, but he stopped as Alice raised a finger to her lips, just before her parents came back in.
"Hello boys, I hope my daughter hasn't been talking your heads off!" David said carrying three cups of tea precariously over to the bed side table.
"No sir, she's been great." said Ron
"Glad to hear it, she's quite the precocious little thing." said Kasey winking at her daughter.
"Aww mum." Alice started to protest
"I'm afraid to say that visiting time is over, and these two had better hurry off if their going to catch their train." Harry's, Ron's and Alice's bright smiles dimmed.
"Will I see you again Harry? Ron?" Alice asked them desperately.
"Sure you will." said Ron leaning over and giving Alice a small peck on the forehead. Alice's ears glowed and her smile returned.
"Of course." Harry said as he gently squeezed her small hand.
"When?" Alice asked eagerly. Kasey and David looked at each other sharing a smile.
"You're welcome to visit anytime I'll write down our address." David chuckled as he got out a pen and paper.
"Thank you, it might be a while, we both go to boarding school, don't worry Alice I'll be sure visit." Harry said after seeing tears start to form in the small girl's eyes. Alice looked slightly less crest fallen at that, and managed to keep smiling.
"I better give you two a lift to the train station." Harry and Ron said their goodbyes to Alice and her mum but as they were about to exit the room Alice sprung out of bed and ran to give them each a small, but very intense hug.
David drove quite an expensive looking Jaguar, but while Harry was quite comfortable in the front passenger seat Ron was a little more squashed in the back, he had to share it with his own trunk, which wouldn't fit in the boot with Harry's. They were chatting away happily and David still couldn't thank Harry enough for what he'd done.
"I have to say I didn't imagine you'd be so polite after meeting your father." David said. Harry nearly choked.
"My father!" Harry managed to blurt out.
"I have to say you don't look anything like him, you're much... Slimmer" Harry's shock was replaced by nausea
"Oh that wasn't my dad, the man you talked to last night was my Uncle."
"Ahh. That explains a lot." David said, turning off a dual carriage way onto a smaller road. "So Ron, I'm afraid I don't know your surname."
"It's Weasley sir." Ron replied.
"Really!" said David with some surprise "Its not a very common name, my boss has just got a new advisor called Weasley, Arthur Weasley, very friendly, always oddly dressed, do you know him?"
"My fathers name is Arthur." said a white faced and wide eyed Ron "But I don't think it could be him, he works in... Government, what do you do?"
"Actually I'm a high level civil servant in the Home Office; my boss is the Home secretary." Ron looked confused, his grasp on muggle jobs was slight, his grasp on muggle politics was non existent.
"So you're like a pleasant butler?" Ron replied scratching his head. Harry groaned and put his face in his hands shaking his head, David barked out a laugh.
"Ron's just having a laugh, he knows it means you work for the government too." said Harry trying to cover up for Ron. They were by the station now and David was starting to pull into a parking space near to the entrance.
"Well what a small world." David remarked "Next time I see him I'll have to let him know what a great son he has." Ron still looked quite startled. "Well here you are, I hope you have a good journey. Remember Harry if there's anything I can do for you get in touch." and with that they unloaded the car and said their goodbyes, David shaking both their hands vigorously once more.
On the train Harry and Ron found a quiet seat and chatted away about everything that had happened so far in the day.
"I can't believe you told Alice you were a wizard! I mean I know she won't tell anyone, but even so." Ron was telling Harry.
"I had to give her confidence in me somehow; it was scary in that house Ron. I told your dad about it and he told me not to worry, no one would believe her even if she did tell someone." said Harry shuffling the deck of cards he'd got out to pass the time "I just can't believe her dad knows your dad!"
"I know! Well he does work very closely with the muggle government now, but its still amazing really."
They carried on chatting openly and sometimes quite loudly during the journey, but the carriage was empty and they weren't overheard; a conductor entered at one point but took one look at Ron and left; bad news travelled quickly among train conductors and it was obviously the same tall Red haired boy with a massive trunk, and even if it wasn't the conductor reasoned, it wasn't worth the risk.
Harry and Ron had to change trains twice to get close to Ottery St Catchpole and then take a taxi the rest of the way to the Burrow it was 4 o'clock when they arrived. Starving but still full of energy they pulled their trunks into Ron's house to find themselves in yet another embrace, this time it was Mrs Weasley that nearly smothering them.
"Muuum." Ron moaned "Gerroff."
"Harry its so good to see you. Have you had any lunch?" Harry warmly greated Mrs Weasley and guiltily admitted that he hadn't. "Well I'll fix you both something right up, growing boys like you need sustenance." Harry thought if Ron grew anymore they'd need to raise the ceilings in the Burrow. "Oh and Hermione and Ginny are out back in the garden, they're both dying to see you Harry, you better go through I'll call you when I have everything ready, ok." and so they made their way out into the back garden.
Making his way outside through the back door Harry appreciated for the first time what a truly gorgeous summer this was. The burrow felt more like home to him than anywhere else in the world and the garden with its beautiful lush greens warmed Harry better than the warm sun overhead. Harry thought the girls must be enjoying the sunny weather too as there were two sun loungers facing away from him, positioned in order to get the maximum amount of light. Harry was about to walk over to the chairs when Ron stopped him with a hand, winking at Harry he pointed at a bucket and a watering can full of water, then he pointed towards the chairs; in a second Harry understood, Harry picked up the bucket as Ron picked up the watering can, they both broke into evil smiles as they silently carried them towards Hermione and Ginny.
Authors Essay ("Note" isn't appropriate for the length of it!)
(Ignore this, it really isn't very interesting... No really it isn't.)
I read a fair bit of work in progress fan fiction and as I have a memory only slightly better than a goldfish occasionally multiple stories blur into one and it takes me a while to figure out which ones which when a new chapter is posted (especially if its posted after a long time! "Cough" ashamed look on face) So in recognition of my lack of updating I've included a quick summary... It really wasn't difficult to write, as while doing it I realised nothing very interesting has happened so far. I promise good stuff will start to happen!
Reviews good and bad are of course welcomed, especially with suggestions on what I could have cut out of this chapter; personally I thought it was a little long winded.
I usually check out reviewers stories, if they've written any, and let me tell you there are some really bloody good ones. By reviewing you do me at least two favours, 1 - I get some idea about how other people think this thing is progressing and 2 - I usually get to read some great stories!
(I told you it wasn't very interesting!)