Just Old Friends
Chapter 11: HomeHarry fell from the fireplace, landing hard on his knees; he hated the Floo Network, had done so from the first day he had used it all those years ago.
He looked up from his position and his eyes found a photograph hanging on the wall; it was a simple picture, just a group of friends standing together waving, but it was an ideal, something that could no longer be.
He felt a hand on his back and met Hermione's eyes. He smiled up at her and climbed to his feet.
"You can apparate here in future now, that you know where to go."
His smile widened
"Thank Merlin! I hate the Floo Network!"
They laughed as Ron dropped onto the chair in front of him.
"Welcome home, mate. What's for lunch?"
"Ron, if you want lunch make it yourself, I'm going to show Harry around and get him settled."
"I know why don't you make the lunch Hermione, and I'll show Harry around!"
Harry looked at the floor trying not to laugh, he knew Ron's appetite but knew he wouldn't want to make his own food; he wasn't the best cook in the world.
They argued for a bit and then as Hermione stormed off to the kitchen he looked up, Ron was smiling at him.
"Knew she'd do it, doesn't want you to eat my cooking."
They stood up and Harry looked around the room properly for the first time. It wasn't the biggest room but it was big enough.
The walls were a pale red colour with golden trimmings on the skirting boards. There was the open fireplace with a stone hearth giving it a grand look. There was a bookcase in the corner and it was filled to the top with all different types of books, muggle and magical alike.
There was one sofa against the far wall golden in colour and two armchairs identical in colour. The room had a grand look and Harry just smiled because it reminded him so much of Gryffindor common room.
On the wall were a few pictures, but not many. There was one of the Weasleys when they had gone to visit Bill in Egypt during their third year, they were all smiling and waving happily. Then there was a still photo of Hermione and her parents, and they too were smiling.
Then there was the one Harry had spotted earlier. It had been taken during his seventh year in Hogwarts, at Christmas judging by the decorations. Hermione was sitting with her arm around Ginny's shoulder and Ron had his hand on her own. Next to Ginny was Neville with his arm around her waist. Luna stood next to him one arm looped in his and finally Harry was on the end with his arm around Luna's shoulder. They looked so carefree and happy.
"Do you like it?"
"It's very Gryffindor in style Ron, I'll give you that."
"My idea Hermione; wanted it a green colour, but I wouldn't let her. Too Slytherin for my taste."
Ron moved towards the stairs that stood just over the door that Harry guessed led to the kitchen. They moved up to the next floor and onto a small landing, it wasn't very wide but lead to four doors.
"This is the bathroom."
Ron opened the door and Harry stepped inside. The walls were a crystal blue colour; that surprised him. The tub was pure white, the colour of a unicorn, and next to it was a sink identical in colour.
In the far corner opposite the toilet was a shower, surrounded by glass coverings. Everything was very clean and the towels that sat on the rack were the same blue as the walls. On the wall in this room was a picture that reminded Harry of the one from the Prefects' bathroom; a picture of a mermaid. But not like the real ones, this one was beautiful.
There was also a muggle painting hanging on the wall of a seaside view and Harry guessed it was of some foreign place. He turned and noticed Ron was outside the door looking at another room.
He moved out closing the door behind him and looked into the room Ron was in.
It was quite small but large enough. The walls were a soft lilac colour with cream skirting boards and curtains. There was a king size bed against one wall and a wardrobe on the other. A small desk of draws sat next to a bookcase, and a small desk was next to the door covered in books.
On the wall were more still photos and Harry could make out the Granger family in quite a few and then there was one of Hermione with Ginny and Luna, another group photo of the five and a single photo of just three people.
Harry remembered that being taken at the end of his first year the three were happily smiling and so happy after they had saved the Philosopher's stone.
"Hermione's room is really nice."
"I know but I still think those photos are weird; they should move!"
"Muggle pictures don't though."
"I know but they'd be better. I'll show you my room next."
He closed the door and opened the one next to it. Harry had to blink the colour was so bright. It was the cannon's orange and posters were held against one wall next to his desk and bookcase. The room was the same style as Hermione's and there were pictures on the wall here as well.
The Weasleys looked down at them happily as did another group photo, one of just Ron and Hermione, plus another of Ron and Ginny. The one that caught Harry's eye though it was one of the pair of them on their brooms during the last Quidditch game he had played.
Ron caught him staring and laughed.
"Yeah Colin took that in the last game of the season just after we had won, see you're holding the Snitch in your right hand."
"It's a great picture."
"Yeah it goes with the Quidditch style theme of my room doesn't it?"
Harry laughed at his mate and turned back into the small landing.
"So which one's mine then, is it this one?"
"Well it's gotta be unless you want my room."
Harry opened the room and gasped; it was fully decorated and everything seemed in the right place.
The walls were a soft green and Harry liked the colour even if it was 'Slytherin' as Ron had called it. Like the other two rooms the carpet was a cream colour and so were the curtains and his bed. It sat against the furthest wall and next to it was his desk of draws.
A wardrobe stood on the opposite wall and like in Hermione's room the desk was next to the door and on the other side was the bookcase. Harry stepped into the room and looked at the bookcase.
The bottom shelves were filled with his old school books and the ones that Hermione and Ron had given him over the years. Higher up though there were newer books he had never seen before, Auror training books and his photo album along with two new ones.
"Oh I hope you don't mind we put your books there to make it look in use."
"These are new aren't they?"
"Yeah. Hermione insisted that we get you all the Auror books I needed and put them here for when you woke up."
"Oh, and there's new photo albums, should I ask about them?"
Ron laughed uneasily and Harry saw the way he was ringing his neck with his left hand.
"Well the first one is the one of your family but well Hermione decide to reorganise it, and she took all the photos of us all in Hogwarts and put them in another one, and then the third one, the black one is the one with all the prophet clippings about what happened after the battle, and all the other ones that had anything with you in... well except the ones from our fifth year."
Harry was shocked that they'd gone through all that trouble to organise his pictures but he didn't say anything.
Moving towards the desk there were parchment sheets on there with an inkpot and quills. There were owl treats on the desk and he noticed a small cage on the floor next to it. It was empty but he could tell that Hedwig was still living in there.
"Where's Hedwig?"
Ron again looked uneasy but tried to cover it.
"I sent her to Hagrid; Pig can't make the flights he's too small, he's okay when sending letters to Ginny and Neville, and well even Percy but Hedwig delivers the ones to France and Romania that's where Bill and Charlie live."
Harry smiled at his friend.
"I'm glad you use her to send letters to your brothers and Hagrid, I'm glad that she was some use she would have been bored just sitting around."
"Yeah it was difficult at first, she use to only fly to the hospital but when I said that you wanted Hagrid to see her again she would go there."
Harry laughed.
"Still stubborn then?"
"Yeah, but she's a good owl."
Harry moved over to the wardrobe and opened the door and found it filled with robes. His old school things hung there along with his green dress robes and his blue ones, and then there were newer muggle clothes that he'd never seen before.
"Hermione went shopping with Ginny a few weeks ago and bought you some new clothes although we kept your old ones as well."
"How much do I owe you for these things?"
"Nothing, mate."
"Really Ron I can't have you pay for them all."
"Well we didn't pay. The books and things were bought by Dumbledore, and then we used the money in your vault for the clothes."
Harry laughed at the look on Ron's face.
"It's okay Ron, I would have paid you back anyway."
"Do you like it?"
"Yes, it's wonderful."
As he turned to leave he caught sight of the pictures on the wall. It was easy to tell that they were copies of ones in his photo albums. The one that had caught his eye was the one with his parents holding him as a baby.
Then there was one of his father with Remus, Sirius and his mother when they were younger. There was another of himself with Remus and Sirius in his fifth year at Grimmauld.
Then there was one of himself in school with Hermione and Ron smiling happily in their fourth year it looked like. Then another group one and a single picture of Luna sitting with him.
He could tell that Hermione had gone to a lot of work to make things nice for him, and he couldn't believe the trouble. He was about to thank Ron when he heard Hermione yelling.
"Dinner's ready, boys."
Ron's eyes widened and he practically ran from the room down the stairs. Harry chased after him and headed through the door he thought lead to the kitchen.
The kitchen was large, larger than any other room in the house. There was a cooker like that in a muggle house, along with a fridge and a freezer and Harry was sure there was a microwave on the counter top.
Hermione was sat at the table with Ron, it wasn't the largest of tables but would easily sit six people. As he took his seat he saw in the corner a washing machine and he had to ask.
"Why do you have a muggle style kitchen?"
"I'm afraid that's my doing. I could never get the hang of cooking the magical way but my mum had shown me how to cook the muggle way, so when I moved in I made it so we had to get a muggle kitchen. Of course there's no electricity but magic works as well as that."
"Well at least that means I can make breakfast for you tomorrow Hermione. My aunt always made me make breakfast so I'm a whiz at bacon and eggs."
Ron already had started stuffing the chicken and chips into his mouth.
"You can cook bacon? Yum!"
Harry saw Hermione roll her eyes but said nothing. They ate their food and it was quickly getting late and Harry was quite tired.
"Thanks for letting me stay guys, everything is so lovely, and I don't know how I'll ever pay you back."
"I told you, you already paid for all your stuff!"
Harry smirked as Hermione let a small laugh leave her lips but said nothing about what Ron had said.
"You're welcome Harry."
He smiled and bid them goodnight, leaving them alone to get his own rest.