Chapter 7

The next day a letter arrived from Ginny. She told Harry about the people arriving at the burrow for the wedding and how her Mom had purchased a French-English Dictionary to help when Fluer's parents arrived. She again included questions about how he was doing. She said she was unsatisfied with his letters in the past and wanted more details. She begged him again to try to get away from the Dursleys for the wedding. She signed the letter with xxxoooxxx.

Harry read the letter from his bed in the cellar. He let the letter fall from his hand and looked up at Hedwig sleeping.

"She doesn't understand." Harry talked to her even though she wasn't listening. "She wants me to leave the Dursleys and go to the burrow. Let's think what might happen. If I left alone I'd probably be dead before I even arrived and if Aurors escorted me they probably get killed too. So maybe I can make it to the wedding and just for a moment start to relax, maybe have fun. And then wham." Hedwig woke up. "Lord Voldemort shows up and all the people I care about the most get to watch me being tortured to death. Sure Ginny I'll go. Sounds like a great time."

Harry kicked the letter on the floor.

"Dumdledore you git, Why'd you have to leave me alone?" Harry said as he gave the workbench a frustrated shake.

Hedwig left her perch and flew to a top shelf away from Harry. Harry folded his arms and put his head down on the bench. Harry's mind could not erase the memory of Dumbledore's death or how it felt to be tortured by Voldemort in the graveyard. He was uncertain of how much more he could face. He felt weak, because for the first time in is life he didn't want to leave the Dursleys. He wanted to hide here, in safety, a long time and he wanted Uncle Vernon to open the cellar door, so he could go outside to paint and see Chloe again. But it was Saturday morning and the Dursleys were sleeping in. All Harry could do was waiting and pour over the books Hermione had sent him.

Finally a yell came down to him from upstairs from Uncle Vernon.

"Potter get up here and bring your stuff. Dudley's coach said he needs to work on protecting his body." Uncle Vernon bellowed to him.

"Yes, sir." Harry answered as he grabbed his gloves, helmet and mouth guard.

Harry hurried up the stairs and noticed as he passed through the kitchen an empty box of doughnuts. With a sigh he opened the box a little further and saw nothing but the greasy tissue and crumbs.

"There'll be no breakfast for you to fix this morning, Harry." Aunt Petunia said behind him.

"I see."

Dudley was in the yard waiting for him to lace he gloves. Harry seemed to be the only one in the house was able to manage the task to Dudley's satisfaction. Uncle Vernon's engorged fingers couldn't seem to manage the laces and Aunt Petunia's nails cut his wrists, so when Dudley was away from his trainer the task was Harry's.

"I want you to start calling me Duke." Dudley said while Harry was working on the gloves.

"Duke?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah, Duke The Duke. Get it? And I got my dukes." Dudley says as he pounds his gloves together.

"I don't understand." Harry said and looked at Uncle Vernon.

Uncle Vernon explained, "Let me spell it out for you Harry, Dudley is a fine name but not for a boxer so now he's Duke. Can you remember that?"

"Yes, Sir." Harry said in a muffled way his laces were in his mouth as he tried to pull them tight.

They started to spare. Harry felt that Chloe was watching from behind the brushes. They warmed up with light footwork. Soon they were fully involved. Harry used he quickness and made contact to Dudley's midsection several times. Harry's smaller size made it difficult for the blows to have any impact but Harry wanted to show off for Chloe and he started to land a few punches to Dudley's head. One made Dudley stagger back.

"Potter! The body you're supposed to be working the body." Uncle Vernon exclaimed.

"MMMrrryy" Harry tried to reply with his mouth guard still in place. He shrugged his shoulders and Dudley came back at him with a smile.

The pace of the bout picked up. Harry worked hard to avoid Dudley's reach. Uncle Vernon gave him a shove from time to time to keep him within Dudley's reach. They both were sweaty from the summer heat. Finally, Dudley connected with Harry's jaw. With Dudley's full force behind it Harry went sailing head long into the lawn furniture. Harry sprawled across the table and chairs. His arm came down hard on the back of a metal chair. He felt stupid. How could he let himself get so close to take a punch like that? He untangled his body from the furniture and looked toward the hedges to see if Chloe was there.

"Well done Duke. Well done. Now let's get inside." Uncle Vernon said to Dudley and gave him a towel and then said to Harry, "Fix up these chairs and get back to painting."

Harry turned up a chair and shook his head and waited for his vision to get back to normal. Harry went back to the side of the house and turned on the garden hose. He put his head under the water and let it run down his neck.

"I don't like the way they treat you." Chloe said from behind the bushes.

Harry startled at the sound of Chloe's voice.

"I didn't think you were there." Harry said with his head down still dripping with water.

"Well, I think Dudley is a big stupid oaf. He's twice your size he should take it easy on you."

She said as she moved to lean against the side of the house where Harry could see her.

"No, I was the oaf. I should have stayed out of his reach. I wasn't thinking." Harry answered.

Harry got his painting things ready and got back up on the roof. He wondered how long he could take to paint these two attic windows before Uncle Vernon questioned him. He liked the roof in on Pivot Drive better than any other place in Little Whinging. He could be alone with Chloe up here and he was still safe. Chloe joined him as soon as the windows were clear of the Dursleys. She brought some drinks and an ice pack with her.

"Now let me see that arm."

"You don't miss much do you?"

"No, I don't." Chloe said as she pulled back his long sleeve T-shirt.

"It's ok." Harry said, but his arm was already turning purple.

"I've noticed something. You never leave this house, or you're always with the Dursleys. Is that right?' Chloe asked.

The ice on Harry's arm felt good. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted her to know before it was too late. He felt she would understand, that she could help him and if she knew he wouldn't be alone. Instead he looked down at the shingles.

"Harry?"

"You're right. I can't go anywhere without the Dursleys except to my school and I'm not sure I'll ever go back there again." Harry said quietly but he was sure she understood every word.

"Is it some sort of house arrest?" Chloe asked.

"Something like that." Harry answered.

"I heard stories that you went to some sort of school of kids in trouble. And that you parents were dead. And that you were kinda weird and creepy." Chloe said offered him the drink.

"It's true but I notice it doesn't seem to worry you a lot. " Harry said and gave Chloe a weird scary smile. They laugh together and Harry continues. "and I notice you don't go out either."

"And I go to a special school too." Chloe said I his face.

"Really?"

"Really! And you too are right. I don't go out much because I have epilepsy. I have seizures and everyone thinks I'm weird and creepy, too. It trends to put people off when they see you rolling around the ground drooling. Little kids have a hard time understanding. So I g to a school were people understand these problems and I work at my parent's store so they can be there, just in case." Chloe stopped for a moment. "So I…..So I feel a little trapped too."

Harry moves close to her and they hug. Harry's wet hair left a wet mark on her shoulder but she doesn't pull away. They kiss on the roof of Privot drive.

"You seem pretty normal to me." Harry said.

"And you seem pretty normal to me, too" Chloe repeated.