Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any Of J.K Rowling's characters, I'm simply borrowing them for a little while.

Breaking Free

It was over. Voldemort was defeated, the wizarding world was safe, and the prophecy fulfilled. Harry had thought the end of his worst enemy would change things….somehow his life would be different. He could move on and begin a normal life. He now realized how mistaken he had been. He was the same old Harry, the same one who had left the Dursley's at the age of eleven. The emotional damage that he had suffered at their hands had never really healed. Sure he had friends now and many who were just like family but he still found it hard to completely open up or trust anyone. Ron and Hermione knew him the best but still they didn't see it. His life at number 4 Privet Drive haunted him, governed his life. Harry had bottled it all up, the abuse, his wish for love, and acceptance as a child. No one really knew everything about his life there, sure he'd explained what was necessary to his best friends but there was a lot he had kept to himself. Like the beatings….. To this day the thought made him shudder. Harry moaned to himself he'd just defeated the darkest wizard of all time without suffering more than a few serious injuries and a week in St. Mungo's and he still cowered at the thought of his uncle's tirades. "Way to go Harry", he mumbled under his breath, "can't even think about it without wanting to run and hide".

Presently Ron and Hermione entered his hospital room, he was being released today. Harry cringed at the noise the opening of the door allowed into the room. Couldn't the public understand he wanted to be left alone? He hadn't wanted to be a hero, didn't ask for the lightning scar, the death of his family and that of many of those who were close to him. The young man cringed at the thought of Sirius, Dumbledore and Cedric.

"Ahem", Ron's sudden noise shook Harry from his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry seems that I drifted off for a bit there", Harry replied with a lopsided grin.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a worried glance their friend's reaction to recent events hadn't been what they had expected. They had always thought that he would be relieved and overjoyed but instead he had become even more introverted than before. This worried the two greatly but they finally attributed it to all the attention he was now receiving. Their friend had never been one to enjoy his fame. Which much to his dismay had increased ten fold after Voldemort's defeat.

"It will be nice to go home", Harry remarked decidedly ignoring the look his friends had shared.

"We hope you like the way we set it up for you Harry" Hermione replied. She and Ron had started working on Godric's Hollow the previous year as a surprise. It had taken a lot of hard work since the place had been a complete disaster but it was finally ready and they had just told Harry about it two days ago.

"Of course he'll like it mione after all I was the one who decorated his room." Turning to Harry in a mock whisper, "That woman thinks she knows everything, you would have lost your chocolate frogs if she had been allowed to do what she had planned to your room. Honestly Hermione what grown man would put flowers on the wall of his room?"

"She was going to what!" Harry asked incredulously temporarily letting go of his worries. He had to put them aside for the moment and put on a good face for his friends.

"Well actually I thought they were quite nice Ronald", Hermione mumbled, somewhere between embarrassment and anger. Ron, realizing his mistake went across the room and whispered something in Hermione's ear which caused her to smile. Harry chucked to himself, it was so nice to see the two of them together without a worry in the world. Their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend could finally return to normal. The past year hadn't left much time for that. The horcruxes had been quite time consuming. He laughed inwardly at the understatement, the search for the pieces of Voldemort's soul had consumed every moment of their lives but at least that was over now. The three friends continued on in jovial conversation for another twenty minutes before a very flustered mediwizard entered the room.

"That crowd gets worse everyday Mr. Potter, I have to say that although I have been honored to care for you, it's quite a relief you're leaving today. We might have had a riot on our hands by tomorrow," the man said with a smile. "You have recovered remarkably well might I add, we thought the damage to your body would have left you wheelchair bound at the very least but it seems that we underestimated you. Now as for the conditions of your discharge you are to take it easy no work whatsoever. I only want you to spend about four hours a day on your feet for the next two weeks. This means that someone needs to stay with you and help you out. I assume Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger will be only too happy to oblige." Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement. "Now that that's all cleared up just sign here and you're free to go." Harry was quite happy to do so. With that the doctor took his leave.

The first few days at Godric's Hollow had been quite pleasant. Sure his friends couldn't resist the urge to baby him which Harry wasn't quite used to but all in all things were good. As the days went by however Harry grew tired of the constant attention he was receiving and the anxious glances he received while enjoying our hours up and about. He just couldn't understand it why did he resent them so much for caring about him? Hadn't that been what he had been searching for the whole of his early childhood. Why couldn't he just open up and accept it? Why did things like this have to come with such difficulty for him? Groaning in frustration he pounded his fists on the desk in front of him. Why was it so bloody hard for him to be happy? What was holding him back? Then it hit him, it was the Dursley's, he couldn't get past it. He had spent so long suppressing all the memories that he just couldn't handle it anymore. Being that old habits die hard he just couldn't bring himself to tell anyone the whole story. As a result when the two weeks of rest the mediwizard had ordered was over Harry was in an alarmingly depressed state. He no longer accepted visitors, ate very little and even stopped speaking to Ron and Hermione unless it was completely necessary. His room had become his cave; he hid there hoping to get control of the feelings that were threatening to engulf him. His friends were greatly troubled by his behavior and tried desperately to get to the cause of the situation. Unfortunately Harry rejected them and just two months after their move to Godric's Hollow, did the unthinkable. Harry Potter actually kicked Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his two best friends in the entire world out of his house and locked the door. The flood gates had been opened and he had been caught in a tide of suppressed memories that shook him to his core and left a cold hearted bitter young man in his place. He would spend the next few months alone in the house, allowing only food to be delivered to him, remembering, lost in a nightmare………

AN: I know this is kind of choppy but it will get better. Please be kind this is my first fanfic and I haven't written a story since I was eight years old. Reviews are greatly appreciated as is constructive criticism. Hope you enjoyed the story. If people seem to like it I'll update in a day or two.