A/N: A quick note on me...
My publishing career has just gone a little bit crazy in the past year, which is why my fervent dedication to this story has been metaphorically rained on by deadlines and contracts and promotions. This past weekend I sat down and for some reason was able to almost finish the story. I think, from here, there's about 10-20 more chapters left. I will do my absolute best to complete 'Unbroken' with the same passion and adoration for the characters that I started it with.
I know I've said it many times before, but my readers are truly priceless and to those who are still with me after five years, please know how incredibly special you are.
July 2004
At Molly's insistence, Harry's birthday party was being thrown at the Burrow. His bitching and moaning that he was twenty four now and didn't need a birthday party fell on deaf ears. Molly wanted to have a party, so they were having a party.
The years seemed to be punctuated with birthdays, the changes from one year to the next marking the passage of time. Last year he was with Will. This year he was not.
They'd broken up fairly amicably, with tears on both sides not for what they'd lost, but what might have been. There would always be a stain on Harry's heart from the Muggle man – the first one he'd allowed himself to love since… since…
Since that man with the broad chest and shaggy hair, dark red dragon skin boots and jeans with tears across the knees, who was walking across the garden with the sort of purpose that made Harry weak at the knees.
His eyes were still the same piercing blue, and Harry knew exactly how that sharp jaw felt under his tongue how the thick, strong biceps curled around him. Harry knew what that bulge in his jeans meant, and it was all still there.
Time – fuck time. Time had done nothing for them. It wasn't easier now or lighter, the sky wasn't any bluer and the grass not greener. His heart still hurt when it beat this hard in his chest, and fuck Charlie too because Harry was still grieving for his last relationship – it wasn't fair for Charlie to just walk back into his life and be this…
Be this..
Be this.
"Hi," Charlie said, stopping in front of where Harry was sat on a picnic table, eating an iced bun.
"Hi," Harry said.