Roughin' it

Mannd

Still don't own.

Friday afternoon, while on his way home from school, Harry blinked in surprise as a motorbike roared to a halt in front of him, the brown haired teen removed his helmet and looked at him briefly before handing him a helmet from the back of the bike. "Get on," Harry limply grasped the helmet staring at the Wing Pilot in confusion. "I cleared it with your Aunt, since she and your uncle took Dudley away for the weekend, and we are going camping."

Harry stared at him for a second longer before the meaning finally sunk in and then he gave a whoop of delight before quickly putting the helmet on and getting on behind the teen. Heero let out a chuckle at the boy's enthusiasm and helped him sit properly on the bike and showing him where to put his legs and how to hold on. Harry leaned forward hugging Heero his fingers shaking with excitement as Heero pulled away from the curb and down the street, Harry squealing with delight at the speed.

"Do you have homework to do?" Heero asked on the radio in the helmet and Harry jerked in surprise, and Heero quickly put one hand on the boy's after he steadied the cycle.

"Yes," Harry answered yelling over the roar of the engine, "can you hear me?"

"Yes, don't yell," Heero answered, and hearing Harry's soft 'sorry' squeezed his hand, before turning the bike onto the Surrey beltway.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Dulwich Nature Park," Heero answered and Harry grinned in delight. Heero wondered at the boy's silence, "That is okay is it not?"

"It's brilliant," and Heero smiled again, relaxing.

HPGWHP

The ride to Dulwich took over an hour and Harry chatted about school, Heero was just content to listen. "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are taking Dudley to France for two weeks for the Easter Hols, I think they are going to stick me with Mrs. Figg," Heero could tell by the boy's tone that he wasn't thrilled with that idea.

"Who is Mrs. Figg?" Heero asked, making a mental note to research the name.

"She lives on Magnolia Crescent, moved there when I was five, Aunt Tuney calls her a cat lady, and her house smells like boiled cabbage," Harry gave a small shudder.

"Which do you not like, cabbage or the cats?" Heero asked.

Harry paused then replied in a small voice, "Cabbage..." He thought briefly of Uncle Vernon. If the man found out he didn't like a certain food; he made sure it was the only food that Harry ate for weeks on end. It had been like that with Brussels sprouts; Harry gave another small shudder, but in the end, he had learned to hide his likes and dislikes from his uncle. Harry felt Heero touching his hand soothingly, and squeezed back.

"We are almost there," Heero spoke after a few more moments of silence, "you still okay back there?"

"It's beautiful," Harry's voice was filled with awe as Heero slipped the motorcycle off the main path and down by a lake. The sun was sparkling on the water, low over the horizon, the sky was just starting to change into the colors of what promised to be a beautiful sunset. Heero grunted his agreement, which set Harry into giggles, causing Heero to smile.

They came to a stop and Harry sat still for a moment, before he began laughing, as a braid came into his line of sight and hands came up behind him finding all his tickle spots. "DUO!" Harry yelled before his helmet was neatly removed, and he was pulled off the bike and into a spin.

Duo laughed as he pulled Harry into a firm hug, "are those monsters still treating you bad?" he asked as he finally set the panting and giggling boy down.

"Uncle Vernon and Dudley are," Harry grabbed Duo's hand and let him lead them back to the campfire he could see blazing, "but Aunt Petunia is being decent, sneaking me food and stuff. It is very odd."

Duo came to a stop and Harry grinned as he spotted Quatre coming out of one of the two tents, "Quatre!" he squealed, and ran up to the blond teen. Quatre smiled and knelt on one knee his arms out for the coming hug, but Harry paused before he touched the boy, his head tilting as he ran a critical eye over his friend, "how are your ribs?" he asked.

Quatre blinked back a surprised tear, 'this boy cares so much,' "they are healed, Little One," a second later his arms were filled with the small boy.

"I was worried," a whispered confession came into his ear and Quatre smiled before standing up the boy still firmly in his arms, moved to the campfire and sat back down. Harry sniffed before pulling away and moving so he was sitting in the hollow that Quatre's crossed legs created and watched the fire.

Quatre sensed the moment that Harry noticed WuFei, his small body stiffened and he trembled a bit, "Harry," Quatre gained the boy's attention, "I would like you to meet WuFei Chang." Harry looked back and up into his friend's eyes who gave him a small smile of encouragement, then Harry stood, and walked around the fire, holding out his hand.

WuFei blinked at the small black haired boy and standing, he firmly but gently gripped the boy's hand, noticing the nervousness in the boy's eyes, "Chang WuFei," he gave a small bow.

"Harry Potter," Harry awkwardly returned the bow and then paused to see if he had done it correctly. WuFei nodded his head slightly and the boy grinned as he straightened.

"So scamp, how is school?" Duo asked as he picked the boy up under his arm like a small sack, grinning at Harry's giggles and sat him back down between himself and WuFei. Harry gave a small shrug, most of his happiness seemed to dissipate with that one subject. "Harry?"

Harry surprised Duo, by crawling into his lap and seeming to try and hide there, "I don't like it anymore," he finally admitted.

"Why?" WuFei asked his voice a bit sharp, "don't you like to learn?"

"I love to learn, and after Heero helped me with math, I started getting straight A's again," Harry bit his lip and looked away.

Quatre moved closer and took Harry's hand, "so what's the problem?"

Harry tried to shrug, but Quatre gave a small tug on the boy's hand, causing Harry to look at him, and began to whisper, "Uncle Vernon doesn't like it that I am getting better grades than Dudley. He says that I'm cheating or something." Duo closed his eyes as he listened to the small, hurt and lost voice, "so I've been slipping up."

"Slipping up?" Heero watched the boy intently from the other side of the fire and Harry flinched when he met his eyes.

Harry tried to look away, but the intense gaze wouldn't let him go, "I forget to turn in my homework," his whisper was soft, but carried easily over the silent pilots, "I mess up answers on tests." He swallowed hard, "stuff like that," Harry bit his lower lip, "I'm sorry," his voice was barely heard.

"Do you know the answers?" Heero asked, and Harry nodded.

"I write the answers on a separate paper and when the test is handed back, I check," Harry grinned, "I get them all right usually," then his shoulders slumped, "my teacher saw my paper and thought I was cheating, she turned me into Mrs. Teasley, the vice principal, but Mrs. Teasley was confused because my test paper didn't have the same answers. Uncle Vernon was angry about that."

Duo hugged the boy to his chest, making eye contact with Heero to let it go for now, Heero gave a terse nod indicating, 'we will figure this out.'

GWHPGW

Harry hummed happily as he roasted a hot dog over the fire. Duo had shown him how to skewer the dog so it wouldn't fall off the stick. He was happy, he realized, no fear, no hunger, no anything, just relaxation. He sighed.

"What is with the sigh, Green-Eyes?" WuFei asked as he took Harry's stick and transferred the sizzling meat to the bun.

Harry looked shyly at the pilot, "I like it here," and he looked out over the lake smiling as he watched Duo trying to sneak up on Heero to dump a bucket of water on him, "I wish I didn't have to go back." He giggled when Heero neatly dodged the cold water, then picked up Duo and dumped him in the lake, causing the braided pilot to yell from the cold and Heero to smirk at him, calling him 'baka'.

WuFei paused then handed him the hotdog, "sometimes we have to do hard things," he thought of his change from being a peaceful scholar, which was something he loved with a passion, to becoming a warrior. He did it for his wife, for Meiran, who had taught him to fight for what he believed in, "but in the end, it makes us better."

Harry wrinkled his nose, "I just wish that it wasn't so hard." he took a bite of his hotdog, watching as Quatre who had been trying to make peace between the two wet pilots, was quickly pulled into the water fight.

"Then you must have a difficult task coming in your life," WuFei touched the boy's head causing Harry to turn to look at him, "the hardness in your life now is preparing you for it, do not hide from it, nor wish it away, but embrace it." WuFei was very surprised to have a softly sobbing boy in his arms, the hotdog falling to the ground forgotten. WuFei gently picked him up and sat down with him on his lap, soft murmurs in his native tongue soothing the child.

HPGWHP

Early Saturday morning, Harry stirred awake and, opening his eyes with caution, looked around the unfamiliar place. He blushed to realize he had fallen asleep on WuFei's lap the night before, but someone had changed his clothes and put him to bed.

He was in a small tent, Quatre was asleep in a sleeping bag next to his, but the sleeping bag on the other side was empty. He heard a soft movement outside and slid out of his sleeping bag, watching to make sure he didn't wake the blond, and then crawled out to the opening. Harry's mouth dropped open at the sight before him. Heero and WuFei were moving in what Harry thought was a beautiful synchronized dance. Harry crept completely out of the tent and moved on silent feet to the small log that had been his seat the night before and watched the two Asian teens.

As they continued Harry began to recognize some of the moves that his gym teacher had shown them last year. He had been offering an extracurricular class as part of an after school program. Harry had wanted to take the class, but he had been too afraid to ask the Dursleys.

When they finished the last pose Harry let out a small sigh then gasped as the two withdrew swords and began a different dance, adding the martial arts moves with the swords. He gasped again when strong arms picked him off the log and set him in a warm lap, a blanket now wrapped around him and the watching pilot. Harry had been so entranced by the two that he hadn't even realized he was shivering in the predawn air and he snuggled closer to the warm chest behind him. "It's beautiful, isn't it," Duo whispered in his ear and Harry nodded, not wanting to break up the moment with words.

The two pilots were breathing heavily by the time they finished, and Harry burst into applause, quickly followed by Duo, startling them and causing them to blush, which caused Harry to giggle. They shifted awkwardly until Quatre who had also been watching them from the tent entrance offered to make breakfast, "Can I... May I help?" Harry asked wiggling out of Duo's lap and running up to the blond, who gave a small laugh and ruffled the boy's messy hair.

"You and Heero seem to have the same problem," Quatre took the boy's hand and lead him over to the cooler, "a constant case of bed-head." Harry snickered, Heero glowered then rolled his eyes as he and WuFei cleaned their swords.

GWHPGW

After lunch, Harry looked up in surprise as his book bag was dropped in his lap, WuFei motioning for the boy to open it, "what homework do you have, Green-Eyes?" he asked.

Harry quickly opened the book bag that Trowa had gotten for him three months earlier and pulled out his workbooks and pencil case. He flipped to the pages and the two began looking through Harry's work. WuFei helped Harry through a tough reading assignment.

Duo looked over and grinned, WuFei was definitely in his element. After the war he hoped that the ShenLong pilot would go into teaching, it suited him better than the fighting did. He paused to listen as WuFei patiently helped Harry through a thought-provoking question on the story, Moby Dick. Harry wrinkled his nose at something that WuFei said, causing the Asian pilot to tweak it, and earning a rare smile from the man as Harry gave a mock scowl.

"Mr..." Harry paused trying to remember the pilot's last name, "is it Chang or WuFei as your last name?" He tilted his head to the side looking into WuFei's dark eyes. "'cause Quatre called you WuFei Chang, you introduced yourself as Chang WuFei."

"Please call me WuFei, which is my given name," WuFei smiled, "and both ways of introducing are correct, WuFei Chang would be how Westerners introduce us, Chang WuFei would be how Heero and I would introduce ourselves."

"So..." Harry closed his eyes briefly as he thought about what the pilot told him, "I would introduce myself as Potter Harry?"

"That is correct," Heero sat down near the two, "your family name is first, then personal name."

"Why?" Harry asked and both Asian pilots stilled. Duo hastily swallowed a laugh at their look of consternation at the age old question.

GWHPGW

Saturday night was spent making 'smores and telling ghost stories, Harry sat next to Duo watching as the braided haired pilot neatly took the marshmallow off of the stick and put it between two graham crackers and the chocolate and handed it to Harry. He hummed in delight as he ate the marshmallow treat, something that the pilots took delight in, Harry enjoying food by humming. He turned startled green-eyes into Duo's blue-purple eyes and hastily swallowed the treat, "what?"

"I like hearing you hum when you eat," Duo tapped Harry's nose making him blush and smile, then wrinkled his nose at Duo, causing him to laugh, "it's cute!" Harry gave a small huff, the effect ruined by the smile that still played around his lips.

HPGWHP

Sunday morning just after dawn and Heero and WuFei's morning exercise, Harry skipped along side Heero as the pilot took two fishing poles and they went to a deep quiet part of the lake, "Have you ever been fishing Harry?" Heero asked as he set the tackle box down and set out to make their lines ready. Harry shook his head, he was excited to try something like this, "it can be fun," Heero stated, "but you must also be quiet."

"Oh," Harry whispered, tiptoeing to where the pilot had pulled up a log and sat down. Taking the pole from him, Heero hid a smile at Harry's serious expression. Harry held the pole and looked at it question before turning confused green eyes to the blue eyed pilot, "now what?" his voice still a whisper.

"Now," Heero stood up, "you cast." And Heero did, expertly casting the line into the shallows and then carefully leaning his pole against a rock. He motioned for Harry to stand up and stood behind him and showed him how to cast the line. Harry grinned in delight as the line went into the water, then he sat down on the log next to Heero, quietly watching the line. "How has Dudley's gang been treating you?" Heero asked after a few moments of silence.

Harry gave a small shrug, "better," he whispered.

Heero chuckled, "you can talk in a normal voice, just don't yell," Harry blushed as he realized how silly he had been, "better how?"

Harry leaned back a bit to think about his answer, "they don't chase me as much," Harry replied after a moments contemplation, "and instead of seeking me out like Piers used to when he sees me he will sometimes turn around and go the other way."

Heero leaned back and nodded, "good."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I had a little talk with Mr. Polkiss about bullying," Heero pulled on his line and recast it.

Harry was silent for a moment, before replying softly, "So you threatened him?" Heero made a sound of agreement, "but doesn't that make you a bully too?"

Heero paused to think, "Harry, I know what you are thinking, but sometimes a bully needs to be confronted by another bully to think about what he is doing. I didn't hurt Polkiss, I just talked to him, and I sent a letter to his parents encouraging them to enroll him in a counseling class that your school is giving. It was up to him and his parents to stop his actions before it leads to the boy being sent to DH or jail when he is older."

Harry thought about that, then sighed and leaned his head on Heero's shoulder, "thanks Heero."

GWHPGW

Harry bit his lip as he watched the SandRock pilot efficiently making Blueberry Pancakes for lunch Sunday afternoon, Harry handing him the ingredients that he needed, "Quatre?" he asked his voice hesitant.

Quatre looked up and seeing the worried look in the boy's eyes, set down the bowl, "what's wrong, Little One?" he asked.

"Why are you so sad?" Harry asked, reaching out to gently touch Quatre's cheek.

Quatre's breath caught in a sob and jerked away from Harry's touch. Harry backed up his eyes wide, his face suddenly fearful. Quatre immediately regretted his response and pulled Harry to him in a hug, "I'm sorry," his voice muffled in Harry's neck, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Harry's eyes grew as Heero came over and calmly pulled the two into an embrace, Duo neatly picking up the bowl of pancake batter and moving off to the side, to give them privacy and finish preparations, "I didn't mean to hurt him," and somehow Harry knew that Quatre wasn't talking about him.

"Nakama," Heero breathed into Quatre's hair, "he knew what he was getting into, he was in OZ for a reason, and he was trying to help you come back," but that didn't stop the blond's shaking shoulders.

"Who?" Harry asked, and then gasped, "Trowa? Oh no!" Harry drew Quatre into a tighter embrace, "it's my fault, Quatre."

Both Heero and Quatre drew back in shock, "how is it your fault, Little One?"

Harry blinked back tears, "I told Trowa that Duo wished there was a better way to kill the Dolls, and... I think he went to OZ because of me!" Harry was giving a small wail of grief, "is he dead?"

Quatre gasped at the anguish and guilt in Harry's eyes than closed his eyes and reached out for the first time with his space heart to feel for the green-eyed pilot, "no," he said with a gasp as he felt his friend's emotions, "no, he's alive, just..." he trailed off as he tried to understand the emotions that were coming to him, "confused, frightened, cold, but alive." Quatre sagged in relief against Heero, "he's alive." Heero gave a small sigh of relief, WuFei relaxed as well, he missed his friend and his sister's horrible cooking. Duo cleared his throat and announced that breakfast was served. The four pilots and schoolboy ate breakfast in silence, but it was now a comfortable relaxed silence, filled with hope.

HPGWHP

Sunday evening, Petunia stared at the envelope in her hand completely puzzled. It was from the boys' school, Garden Circle Primary.

April 25

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,

It is our great pleasure to announce that Harry James Potter has been accepted into Garden Primary School special education program. Mr. Potter's day will begin at the normal time but will end one hour after the regular school day ends. His classes will include: advanced reading, science as well as Taekwondo.

This extra curricular program is being funded by the Winner Corporation, be assured that this will come with no extra expense to you.

Please return the form to us before the beginning of the last quarter beginning March 1 affixed with your signature. Please call if you have any questions.

Regards

Mrs. Madline Teasley

Vice Principal Garden Circle Primary

Petunia pursed her lips. Then looking to make sure Dudley was entranced with the Great Humberto's on the telly and Vernon was out uselessly tinkering with the car, she knocked softly on the cupboard door and sat back as Harry opened it. She motioned for him to follow her. She shut the back door firmly behind him and sat on the small bench that Vernon had there for her to look out and enjoy her garden and handed him the letter from his school.

Harry's eyes grew huge as he took in the words, and he looked back at her with such hope. "Pott... Harry," Petunia hastily amended what she had begun to say as the hope seemed to leave Harry's eyes at her opening words, "if I agree to this, you must promise me some things," she paused as Harry turned his whole body tense, "first, you must never use this..." and she quickly looked at the letter in Harry's hands, "Taekwondo on Dudley unless he attacks you first," he began to nod but stilled when she held up her hand, "second, you must not tell Dudley nor..." she seemed to chew on her tongue for a moment, that stopped as the action seemed to disgust her, "Vernon that you are in advanced classes." She watched him for a moment and realized how much like her sister the boy really was, "they need to think you are in the special education classes because you aren't smart, not because you are smarter.

"All your tests, homework papers and grades are to be turned into me, as well as any papers your teachers give you." She tilted her head, "can you do this?"

Instead of instantly nodding his agreement, Harry re-read the papers slowly, then looked up at his aunt, "I will try not to disappoint you."

Petunia raised her hand to touch the boy's cheek but dropped it before it made contact, she didn't have the right to touch him yet. "Then I will sign it and put it in your backpack to turn into your teacher in the morning." she stood and was about to go into the house when the black-haired boy gave her a hug. She rested her hand on the boy's head before giving him a gentle push away, then into the house. From the cupboard door, he gave her a cheeky grin before he closed it for the night.

Petunia sat in the dark kitchen sipping on her tea, there were things she needed to tell the boy before the Letter came.