Summary: AU: No magic. Draco and Harry split up and Harry ran. Now he is back and living in a small Longon neighborhood, with Seamus and selling his paintings at a local cafe. HPDM SLASH. With mentions of HGRW.
A/N: Hello! It has been ages! I sincerely apologize! It is snowing outside my appartment right now so I decided to take a lazy day. What better than to write to HD slash? I'm not sure. Anyways enjoy! It's sort of short. Sorry.
Sunlight filtered in through a wood paned window and on to delicate eyelids. Which scrunch in annoyance before opening slowly and shutting again with the glare of the sun. Shit. Last night he had forgotten to close curtains. Harry opened his eyes again; this time prepared, and carefully untangled himself from his covers and stretched in a surprising catlike manner. His body felt tight again and he felt drained. He groaned once and rolled over to face away from his wall. The first thing he noticed was that his door was a jar. Alexander must have left in the middle of the night.
"Everything I love leaves me!" He muttered in mock melodrama.
Harry sat up and stretched again, careful to keep the sheet rapped around his thin waist. The blinking clock on his desk read ten to nine. He must have slept later than he though. He gingerly put his feet on the hard wood floors, swaying slightly with the sudden rush and feeling dizzy. He leisurely reached his arms up above his head, elongating his torso and moaned quietly. He stretched down to the floor and touched his toes, feeling the stiffness in his hamstrings. He straightened out again and walked to his dresser and opened the first drawer. He fished out a pair of grey boxers and slid them on quickly. He shifted through some clothing on the floor until he found a pair of black sweats. He grabbed a white T-shirt advertising Lille as the European City of Culture for 2004 in big letters and pulled over his head.
Fully dressed he walked to the door without looking in the mirror and pushed his door open wider and left his room. He walked cautiously down the hall, hoping Fredrick was gone. He really wasn't in the mood for lovey doveyness.
"Good morning sleepy head." Came an exuberant Irish voice, causing Harry to jump.
"Ugh. Good morning" Harry said getting a cup from the dish rack and setting on he counter. "Is there any coffee"
"Oh. Yeah it's over by the toaster.. don't know why though.." Seamus trailed off looking vaguely bemused.
"Thanks." Said Harry walking over to get and then fill up his cup. He picked it up and held the now warm cup in his hands, savoring the feeling of warmth in his finger. He gently leaned back against the count and brought the cup to his mouth and took a tentative sip. "Where's Fredrik?"
Seamus hadn't seemed to have heard him as he was staring carefully at a pan in front of him. Harry walked over to stand behind him and admire his cooking. The eggs looked runny but Harry smiled anyway.
"Had a meeting.. left about.. about an hour ago." Seamus said slowly before prodding an egg carefully. "These will be done in a few."
"Now you make breakfast? Man you're such a little housewife! When are you going to start cleaning?" Harry asked chuckling lightly into his cup at the look of mock outrage on his friend's face.
"Yes well, you're welcome mate. Just thought you could a cherry breakfast. You looked a bit put out last night. Something happen?" Seamus questioned taking his eyes away from the eggs to glance at Harry for a few moments.
"Hey watch those!" Harry said pointing at his eggs that were starting to stick to the pan. He loved his roommate dearly, but the man could not cook. He pitied Fredrik in that regard, the fish must have been awful.
"Opps!" Seamus said quickly and begging to scoop them up with his spatula and deposit them on a vibrant plate. He artfully sprinkled salt on them and handed the plate to Harry. "Voila!" He said proudly, waiting for Harry to take a bite.
Harry stared at them guilty appreciation. He knew Seamus wanted his reaction but the eggs just did not look appetizing. He smiled brightly and shoved a big bite in his mouth and quickly had to hold back his gag reflex. The eggs were crusty on one side from being scrapped off the on and slimy on the other. He swallowed forcefully and smiled at Seamus.
"Mmmm. Their really good. You're getting a lot better!" Harry said with false enthusiasm. Seamus didn't seem to notice and positively beamed. He put the pan in the sink carefully and then slid into the chair across from Harry.
"So. Once again, what the hell happened last night? Don't even think you're leaving this table until you tell me." Seamus said in a very mothering tone.
Harry groaned slightly and leaned back in his chair. "Fine! Fine I'll tell you. When I was at the café yesterday I had a run in with somebody and it just sort of zapped my energy. I am feeling sick though. I wasn't lying to you mate." Harry finished with a smile.
"You saw Draco didn't you." Seamus said with sad eyes and a soft voice.
"Yes." Harry said avoiding his eyes and staring at his eggs. "Wait. How did you know?"
"Harry, I'm really sorry. You have to believe me." Seamus said his voice still low but filled with sincerity that puzzled Harry. "Draco came here a few days ago looking for you. I told him you weren't here and that he needed to stay away from you.. but he sat me down and begged me to tell you where he could find you. He looked so upset Harry! I just couldn't refuse him.. so I told him that you frequent the Blue Moon.. he promised he wouldn't upset you! I'm so sorry!" Harry sat silently for what seemed and eternity to Seamus before finally whispering, "You told him where to find me?"
"Yes! I'm really sorry Harry! He just seemed so desperate!" Seamus replied looking extremely guilty and earnest.
"Seamus how could you? You know how I feel about him! You know how much I've done to assure that I would never have to look at him again!" Harry yelled in voice still soft but loaded with emotion. "I have to go."
Harry got up quickly from the table and ran back to his room. He locked the door and was thankful that Seamus didn't try and follow him. He ripped off his clothes and quickly pulled on paint splattered jeans and tight white t-shirt. He grabbed a jacket and his bag and started towards the door. He stopped quickly and went to his dresser and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and then left to room. He walked hurriedly down the hall and took the stair and small leaps. He grabbed his keys and wretched the door open and then slammed it again.
Seamus still sat at the table looking at Harry's barely touched eggs. He sighed quietly and vaguely wondered if Harry would return before he went to sleep that night.
---
Harry ran down their front walk and jammed his keys into his little beat up car. It was a small tan little thing with too much stuff in it. Empty cigarette cartridges and receipts littered the floor and multiple paint splotches marked his seat. In the back was a white comforter and he tossed his bag on top of it. In the trunk were a few pillows, a straw beach mat, a few pairs of jeans, multiple jumpers, and some cleaning utensils. Harry liked to brag he could live out of his car.
He started the engine a little violently and felt bad, it wasn't his cars fault. He immediately lit a cigarette and turned the music up really loud. Loud dance techno music flooded his car and pulled out of his parking spot. He didn't have the faintest idea of where he was going to go but that didn't matter. He knew that he just needed to get out and for some reason he knew driving around would help.
Before he knew it he had reached Notting Hill and this felt all too familiar to him. Did he always have to run to Ron and Hermione when he felt depressed? He didn't want to stop and analyze this right now and killed the engine. He extinguished his sixth cigarette and grabbed his bag from the back and got out of the car. He walked slowly up their front walk to give him time to steady himself. He knocked on their door rather than rang the bell because it was only 11am, but he knew they would be awake.
A few seconds after he knocked he could hear movement from within their house and waited patiently. He could hear his goddaughter Maggie running towards the door and the loud footsteps of Ron trying to follow her. A second later the door opened quickly exposing a tired looking Ron with the devious Maggie in his arms. The second she saw him she went insane trying to get to Harry. Ron quickly deposited her into Harry's open arms and welcomed him in.
Harry held her with one arm and used the other to shut the door. The house looked exactly as it always did, children toys scattered everywhere but everything else was neat. It held a very welcoming and warm atmosphere and it was Harry's favorite escape. He could hear Hermione fussing around in the kitchen and walked still carrying Maggie to greet her. She stood in front of a small high chair trying to feed a very stubborn 13 month old Henry.
"Good morning Hermione!" Harry said brightly come to hug her with his free arm. "And good morning to you too little Henry."
Henry stared at him for a few seconds before his chubby little lips opened into a toothy smile. His mother took this opportunity to sneak in a spoonful of food and he turned his shocked little face back to her and glared. Harry chuckled at the indignant look on his face and patted Hermione on the back.
"Okay fine!" She said with her hands on her hips but a smile on her face. "I give up mister." She put the bowl and spoon on the counter and carefully lifter Henry out his chair. Free of his prison he beamed with pleasure and shuffled his fat little legs in midair. Hermione placed him lightly on the space between her hip and growing belly, and then turned to face Harry. "So how are you Harry?"
"Oh you know, getting by." Harry said offhandedly. Now that he was here his confrontation with Draco didn't seem that bad and it seemed silly to complain about it. Just as he was about to ask Hermione the same question Maggie pulled gently at his hair in an attempt to recapture his attention.
"Maggie! What have I told you about pulling hair?" Hermione scolded with an air of exasperation. "I'm sorry Harry." Maggie on the contrary seemed unfazed and smiled back impishly at her mother. She then squirmed slightly, a sign she wanted to be put down. Harry obliged and she promptly toddled off to go find her father or some form of mischief.
"It's okay Herms. But Jesus! You're getting huge!" Harry said finally able to take her in.
"Oh well thanks Harry. I already felt like a whale, but that made me feel loads better." She said this with a tone full of sarcasm but a small smile played about her full lips. "Oh no! Did you make a comment about her weight?" Asked Ron now coming to join them in the kitchen followed by a very mischievous looking Maggie. "That is almost a death sentence during the seventh month. Bad form mate."
Harry laughed at this and then decided to look apologetic. Hermione found the look on his face hilarious and laughed loudly. This proved to be a mistake as it startled Henry and ended his good mood. He glared at his mother again and struggled to get away from her. "Here Ron, can you take him?"
Ron reached out his arms and took the flailing toddler. The instant he was in his father's arms he settled down immediately and smiled contentedly. "Goodness! I swear that boy is bipolar! He has more mood swings than my mum did during menopause!" Hermione said laughing softly at her own joke.
Harry smiled at the entire scene, the beautiful and pregnant Hermione, his impish goddaughter and temperamental godson and his best friend. He was suddenly filled with a complete sense of calm and the odd assurance that life was going to work out.
---
Harry walked slowly back to his car and turned to the key. It was past midnight and he was slightly tired. Hermione had put the kids to bed at 8:30 and they had spent rest of the night drinking wine and discussing life. All the problems that had seemed to plague him earlier were gone. He drove silently back to his apartment and didn't light one cigarette. When he got home the entire place was dark, Seamus was asleep. He walked silently to his room and collapsed on the bed. He was asleep before he even hit the pillows. He didn't change his clothes.