Call me 8

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x

Harry and Lisa watched Susan walk round the house.

"It's clean and tidy. The cupboards and fridge have food in them. Are you sure you two are teenagers? It doesn't even look like you've had a French polisher in for the dining table. Thanks a lot guys." She gave Lisa a quick hug and ruffled Harry's hair. "I was expecting to have a mountain of work to come home to. So, treats on me. Where do you want to eat tonight? We can go out or get a takeaway, your choice."

Lisa paused, "Honestly it's been awhile since we've all been together, could just get a Chinese in?"

They sat together and happily ate their meal. Harry enjoyed another new to him meal, neither Hogwart's nor the Dursley's who wouldn't have that foreign muck in the house, had introduced him to a wide range of food types. He also enjoyed the company. He sat unselfconsciously next to Lisa, once they had finished the food they either held hands or he had an arm draped over her shoulder. He felt accepted more by this family than anywhere he could remember. Even at the Weasley's where he knew he was welcome and cared for he felt either treated as a child or careful to not mention the fact he could afford more than they.

At the Turpin's he felt accepted for who he was. It was a novel experience for him. Eventually they drifted off to bed. He looked slightly mournfully at his pyjamas with Lisa's parents back in the house it would better to actually dress for bed. Meeting Susan on the way to the bathroom in what he had been sleeping in previously would have been embarrassing for all concerned.

As they settled down to sleep they could start to hear creaks and groans coming from the next door bedroom.

"Please god no." Lisa muttered her face going crimson with embarrassment.

Harry paused confused for a second until it became apparent what he was hearing. "Oh." He said sharing in Lisa's embarrassment.

"Privacy charms. What I wouldn't give for a good silencio."

"I do have my wand and if the twins are right I don't have the trace on me."

Lisa had her head buried in her pillow, covering her ears. "Do it, please do it."

Although he had not used it this holiday Harry's wand was never far from him, he reached into the bag he had taken to Jane's house pulled out his wand and cast the required spell at the wall.

"Oh thank god." Lisa muttered. As the spell took effect. Harry glanced at the bedside clock and waited nervously. After ten minutes, no ministry owl appeared he started to relax and soon was able to sleep.

At breakfast, the next morning Simon had already left for his travels. When Harry and Lisa joined Susan at the breakfast table. Both he and Lisa struggled to look Susan in the eye.

"What is the matter with you two?" She asked after a few minutes.

"Nothing." Lisa answered and blushed slightly.

"Oh for goodness sake. You heard us didn't you? Yes Lisa your parents still have sex. Which I'm sure you find as embarrassing as the fact that I have to deal with the idea my sixteen year old daughter and her boyfriend probably had sex in every room in this house last week. Let's all try to be adult about this shall we?"

Harry opened his mouth to protest they hadn't had sex in every room, when Lisa with an even deeper blush kicked him under the table.

After some time they managed to make light conversation about breakfast. Susan had to go and see her personnel department about the time off she had taken.

"If you are short of cash Harry and I could pay board."Lisa offered. "We are both eating here it wouldn't be a problem for us to help out."

Susan's face tightened. "We have talked about this before. You buy your own clothes and pay for your school fees. You're only sixteen you don't need to and we don't want you to start paying your way yet. Parents pay for their children not the other way round. I'll be ok with work. They won't sack me, I'll get a warning at worst. Just, I the hate conflict."

The two teens heading into the city. They had nothing definite to do but enjoy the sunshine and each other's company. York was a fascinating city with so many historical buildings from so many periods next to the modern. Everywhere they went the Minister dominated the view. Harry led Lisa to the building and made his way in.

"Church twice in two days my dad would have a fit."

This church met Harry's expectation of what a church should be, with huge stained glass windows a massive pipe organ playing for a choir to practice. They didn't stay long they felt out of place and underdressed in this overly formal place.

They returned home to find a relieved looking Susan. "Work was fine about it. They understood it was a family emergency and I'll be back on my usual rota tomorrow.

By the time Harry awoke and made it down stairs on the Tuesday Susan had left for work. Lisa looked up from her book as he entered the lounge. He was startled by her expression, it wasn't welcoming. She put her book down with an audible sound.

"Harry you know I love you right?"

Harry made a mental note that next time Simon asked him Lisa's worst habit was this was going to be mentioned.

"Yes." He said cautiously.

"I need some time to myself. Just a day. I want you to go out, spend some money,and have fun. Find out Harry does when he's not being either the saviour of the wizarding world or my boyfriend. The important thing is, go."

Harry turned on his heel. Lisa was quickly on her feet following him. She grabbed him and kissed him. Don't leave angry I just need a bit of me time."

Harry returned the kiss. "Really, I understand, more than most." He headed up stairs to put some money and things in the bag and headed out.

He took the Knight Bus to Manchester he couldn't explain why but it seemed like a city that you could have fun in.

He spent some time in the city centre that was clean and full of major high street stores. He went into an electrical retailer and after some time browsing and trying to work out what different acronyms meant he bought a CD Walkman purely on appearance. He wandered a bit and found a more run down area. A former warehouse had been converted into a selection of more alternative retail units.

There were clothes shops both new and second hand, music stores, comics and trading cards, jewellery, Skateboards and tattooists.

It had been a beautiful day in York, and he had left the house in a t-shirt, on this side of the Pennines it was colder and overcast. He bought himself a leather jacket, that looked like a bikers jacket but without all the extra padding.

He headed to the jewellery shop and bought a cheap necklace that was of a sword design and an ankh earring and some other things. He headed off to the tattooist and paid for his ear to be pierced.

It was an unfamiliar feeling to leave the shop with the ankh hanging from his ear. He had considered but rejected the idea of another tattoo. He decided it was a little premature to have Lisa's name on his arm.

He wandered the music stores uncertain of what to buy. He said as much when the man behind the counter asked him if he needed help.

"What are you listening to now?"

"Lots of East Coast New Wave." Harry answered surprised with himself that he had an answer to that question.

"Have you ever tried the classics?" the man asked.

"What like Beethoven?"

"No, Bowie."He wandered over and put a new CD into his music system. He advanced a track every minute. By the third Harry had bought the CD and had put Hunky Dory into his Cd Walkman.

He wandered on to the Shop selling skateboards. All the protective gear and pads reminded him of his Quidditch equipment.

"Do you ride?" The owner asked him.

"Never tried." Harry admitted.

The man gave him directions to the nearest skate park. "If you ask there someone will give you a go and laugh the first few times you fall off."

Harry having spent enough money in that building he headed out. He popped into a mini market and bought himself some sandwiches and a bottle of Newcastle Brown. He followed the directions the man from the board shop had given him and sat on a park bench watching the riders zipping up and down metal ramps and half pipes.

A dark haired girl with far too much mascara and too short a skirt sat down next to him. She pulled at her skirt which was shorter than anything Harry had seen Lisa wear.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" She asked him.

"Is now a good time to say I have a girlfriend?" Harry asked her.

The girl laughed. "I suppose it does sound like a pickup line. If it makes you feel better I've got a girlfriend too. I'm meant to be drumming up custom for a band. She handed out a flyer that was obviously homemade and then photocopied. The band was called Mr Soft.

"The pub is the Foxes it's just a under a mile that way." She gestured in the appropriate direction." So do you board? "

"No I was hoping to see if I could have a go but everyone looks really focused."

"That's not a problem." She put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. She cut across all the noise from the boards and portable music players. "Mikey!"

A boy skated over, he wore baggy clothing and appeared to be about Harry's age. Although not the age Harry was currently looking just his real age. "Yeah?"

"This is my little brother Mikey." The girl stood next to him and they were the same height. "I'm Sara by the way, and you are?"

"Harry."

"Right Mikey, Harry here has never used a board, can he borrow yours?"

The boy gave Harry a long look. "You've never boarded?"

Harry shook his head.

"Just a second." With that, the boy disappeared into the crowd. It was only a couple of minutes later that several of the boys had converged on Harry, he soon had a pile of safety equipment and a choice of boards in front of him. He pulled on a helmet and a pair of gloves ignoring all the other pads.

"You sure mate. You will fall off the first time."

"I tend to bounce. A fall from this height won't break my bones." He took of his jacket unclipped his Walkman and pushed off. It was both exactly the same and completely different to flying a broom. It was all about body movement to steer and move, only anchored to the ground, mostly. He fell off while working out the differences but within half an hour he was starting to work out the different skills needed between flat boarding and the skills needed for the tubes.

He had a huge grin on his face when he finally returned the board to Mikey. Ways of driving Filch mad came unbidden to his mind. He was almost certain skateboards were not on the list of prohibited items.

"That was bloody brilliant. Is that guy in the bizarre a good place to buy a board from?"

"He sells good boards if you can afford his prices." Mikey told him.

"Want to come with me to stop me getting ripped off."

It was an hour later before Harry returned to the Skate Park. There was so many variables in buying a board Harry just stood there and hoped Mikey was not playing a trick on him.

In the end, he handed over his money for the board and a pair of gloves he didn't bother with any other safety equipment. Once at the park he took his board out and got a feel for it. It was more responsive to his movements than Mickey's. It took an effort to stop grinning he was having so much fun. While riding the board was almost as instinctive as a broom he found the language everyone at the park was using almost impenetrable. Still they were a good group of lads, they enjoyed showing off their tricks and even more laughing at his failures.

After a while their numbers began to thin out. Harry's stomach gave a rumble. "Where's a good place to eat?" He asked Mickey.

"There is a McDonald's round the corner."

"I'll buy you a meal if you want for helping me buy the board."

Although Harry had only offered to pay for Micky there ended up being half a dozen of them who headed out for burgers. The rest did pay for themselves and they took over three tables. Harry was happy to sit and listen, the conversation was beyond him anyway referring to technical terms for boarding and the stunts they had tried.

Harry checked the time. It was nearly six. The band weren't due to start till nine, so that gave him three hours. He debated phoning Lisa, while he understood a need for solitude and didn't feel put out by her decision to spend a day alone, there was something in him that decided not to let her know he would be out past eleven.

He had seen posters all day for a film and had checked the times of a nearby cinema as he had walked past. He stepped into a side street and carefully pushed his skateboard into his bag. It was a bit tricky getting the wheels in but the bag held it with no extra weight.

He was just in time for the film and settled down with the rest of the audience. When he left the film it was a sense of excitement. The set pieces had been thrilling the effects of mostly American landmarks being destroyed were awe inspiring but the moral, of an enemy leaving a small opening that could ultimately defeat him was one he enjoyed.

It had gone nine now, the film having gone on later than he expected. He pulled out his board and zig zaged his way down the street. He stopped a little short of the pub and tucked his board away. He could hear the music as he approached. He pushed his way in, the pub was mostly full and it took him some time to be served.

Harry had developed a taste for Newcastle Brown, also the fact it came in a bottle and was opened in front of you meant no one could have slipped any tablets in. The band was more low key then the music he usually listened to, they seemed more keyboard driven than guitar, with a melodic rather than a forceful singer.

He recognised Sara who was sat close to another girl, she waved him over and although he joined them at the table there was little conversation as the band played. In-between songs he discovered the other girl who looked almost exactly like Sara although she was blond to other girls black hair was named Sam.

Also when Sam headed to the bar she had an even shorter dress than Sara's skirt. Although thinking about it could just have been a t-shirt.

When the band took a break they were able to talk.

"So Mister I have a girlfriend, why are you on your own?"

"She wanted a day on her own. So I came here and she stayed there."

"What did you do?" Sam asked laughing.

"Nothing." He protested waving his bottle around. "I see her point we've spent almost every waking moment together for three weeks now."

"Are you living together?"

"How long have you been dating?" The girl's questions overlapped each other.

"Yes, for three weeks." He answered both of them together.

Sara looked thoughtful, "How long before you started dating to moving in together?"

"We went out for a date, I stayed the night and I've not gone home since."

"Y'know I believe you, you probably have done nothing wrong. She does just need some headspace. "

Harry nodded his head in thanks and headed to the bar for more drinks. He bought a round for himself and the girls. The band started up their second set and he leaned back to listen. Both Sam and Sara made runs to the bar for more beer.

By the time the band was done and last orders were called he had a buzz in his head and everything felt a little distant like being under water. He headed out to the street with the girls. The fresh air hit him and stumbled slightly. He staggered against Sara who bumped into Sam and they all giggled. Sara took his elbow leaning in close.

"Harry could you walk us home." She lowered her voice but spoke just as loud. "I think we're a little bit pissed and it would be safer if a man came with us."

He nodded his agreement and set off with the. After staggering and bumping into each other they ended up walking linking elbows with Harry in the centre. There were a few catcalls from passing groups. The most popular sentiment was lucky bastard. They reached the girl's house, a small terraced building with no front garden.

"We won't invite you in for coffee Mr I have a girlfriend." Sam told him.

"Oh. Ok" Harry seemed a little disappointed.

"When a girl invites you in for a coffee its code for a fuck." Sara explained. "but you have a girlfriend and so do I." The two girls then kissed in front of him. Harry blinked a little at the sight. They broke of the kiss then each one kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks Harry."

"Thank you."

We watched them head off into the house. He turned and headed back up the street and away from such dense housing. Once he felt he had gone a safe distance he stuck out his wand and with a bang and a clatter the Knight Bus appeared.

"Where to Nev." Stan asked him.

"Home please." Harry settled down into bed. When Stan shook him awake he was in a familiar street in York.

"'ere you are guv'ner."

Harry made his way off the bus, bumping into people on the way. He apologised to those ones he walked into and Lisa's gateposts too. He made his way down the path and paused at the front door. He didn't have a key and he knew that waking up the house would be unpopular. He fumbled in his bag and pulled out his wand.

"Aloha hora. Allovera. Aloradora." He just couldn't quite get the pronunciation right. "Alohomoron."

The door opened to an unhappy looking Lisa and Susan standing behind her.

"I knew I'd get it eventually." He declared cheerfully.

"Get in now." Lisa pulled him into the house. She ushered him into the kitchen and placed a glass of water in front of him. "Drink this."

Susan stepped into the room and pulled Lisa to the doorway. Harry could hear their conversation but didn't really take it in.

"There is no point shouting at him when he's this drunk. He won't remember it in the morning. I know you're angry but it doesn't help."

"Did you see the lipstick on him?"

"I did, if you want I'll ask him about that. Do you really think he cheated on you?"

Lisa shook her head. "No he couldn't, wouldn't do that. If he did he'd be unable to look me in the eye."

Susan settled across from Harry. "Had a good day Harry"

"Yes." he nodded and kept on doing so. "I saw a band at a pub and I bought a skateboard."

"We guessed you went to the pub. Who did you go with?" Susan spoke gently to him.

"Went on my own but met Sam and Sara there."

"And they are?"

"Sara is Mikey's brother. She told me about the band. Funny thing, funny thing I thought she was picking me up, so I tol' her I had a girlfriend. So she called me Mr I have a girlfriend."

"Did you kiss her Harry?"

No,no,no,." Harry shook his head as he spoke. "She has a girlfriend too, Sara. I walked them home after the pub cause it safer. They didn't invite me in cause they said when a girl invites you in it means they want to fuck you and they didn't want to fuck me cause they were gay."

"So where did the lipstick on your cheek come from?"

"Oh, um yeah, they kissed me on the cheek 'cause I walked them home. I never kissed them." He looked down at the table and when he looked up he was crying. "Is Lisa going to leave me now? Do I have to go? I'm sorry."

Lisa moved in next to him and put her arm round him. "No, I'm not going to leave you, you bloody idiot." Susan headed out of the room leaving the two teens together. Lisa guided Harry up to bed, she helped to undress him when was his fingers couldn't manage his belt buckle. Later she held his hair and rubbed his back as he throw up in the toilet. Eventually Lisa got him back into bed but she got the camp bed out.

"I love you, you idiot but you stink." With that, Harry went to sleep.

He woke in a darkened room feeling awful, there was an acid pit in his stomach, something had died in his mouth and opened his eyes made the worst headache of his life even more painful. He saw a glass of water in front of him with two tablets next to them. He eventually got himself together and after pulling on a dressing down headed down stairs. When he got to the kitchen he stopped in shock. Lisa was leaning over a saucepan on the cooker.

"Morning you, how are you feeling?" She asked him sounding quite happy.

"Awful, why are you being nice. Didn't I keep you awake most of the night being sick"?

"Yes, you did and at some point we will have a talk. I was worried about you yesterday as it got later and later and that worry turned to anger when you finally got in. I also don't like dealing with drunk people. As my mum pointed out we all do silly things. If you do it again I might not be so easy going. As for now." She took a ladle of what she was making and poured it into a cup. "Drink this."

He took the cup and while it smelt awful it drank it in one long motion. He instantly began to feel better. The headache faded and his stomach settled. His vision was still cloudy though."

"What was that? I feel lots better the only thing wrong now is my vision."

"That and the fact you smell. I guess the eye thing is you didn't take your contacts out last night. Go for a bath. As for what it is was a hangover potion. The only magic dad still does. He keeps all the ingredients in the house."

Harry now able to smell himself nodded his thanks and headed upstairs for a bath. He took his contacts out and put them in cleaning solution and since he was so used to them now he opened a fresh pack. Just as he was settling down in the water Lisa joined him in the bathroom. She shut the lid on the toilet and sat down.

"So what did you do then?"

"I went to Manchester, bought some stuff, went skateboarding then saw a film and a band."

"You went skateboarding? Really?"

"Yeah, it's kinda like flying all to do with balance and body position. I'll show you the stuff I bought once I get out of here."

"No." Lisa disagreed. "Once you stop smelling like a pub I have other plans." She stood up and took of her top. "I'm going to bed, once you're clean and have cleaned your teeth you can join me."

Later they were lying in bed together cuddling up. "You're being really nice today."

"I know" Lisa smiled. "I was angry last night but what would be the point of attacking you. I love you there doesn't seem much point in bringing you down because I will have to build you up again. Next time we have a day apart we shall sort out some rules. If you are going to be out past a certain time you can ring, not coming home pissed and throwing up. That sort of thing. I was worried and imagining stupid things. Death eaters catching you stuff like that.

But I told you to go out and enjoy yourself and you did. I can't be too angry about it. I was last night but that was mostly cause I was getting worried. Besides I love you and attacking you wouldn't be loving. Also you are a really pathetic drunk. Do you remember crying because you thought I would leave you over the lipstick on your cheeks."

"Not really. I can remember most of yesterday but the later it gets the hazier my memory is."

"So what did you do yesterday?"

Harry got his bag. "I went to Manchester. I bought myself this." He pulled out the walkman. "The city centre seemed too normal, too clean so I discretely followed some lads with longer hair than mine. I found this old warehouse place, that had been converted into units. I bought the jacket cause I was cold."Then he reached into the bag and pulled out a little box. "I got you this."

Lisa opened the box and pulled out a necklace. It was a bird of preys foot holder a blue stone. "Ravenclaw. Nice. Although she was famous for having a diadem. This would suit me better though." She went to put it on and Harry stepped behind to help her. Kissing the nape of her neck was it was fastened.

"Thank you, was it there you bought the ankh?"

"Yeah it reminds me of you, So it was like having you close. You don't mind I got the piercing?"

"Oh you say all the right things. I've told you I can't complain about body mods. Do you know what the ankh means? It's a symbol of new life of new birth, new starts also fertility.

Harry pointedly ignored the fertility comment. "After that I wandered over to a skateboard park. It was there I met Sara."

"What was she like?"

"Remember that really short skirt you wore to Blackpool. She had a shorter one than that. She sat next to me and asked if I was doing anything tonight."

"You told my mum the first thing you said was I have a girlfriend. I think I can see why."

"She told me about a band on and introduced me to her brother. He let me use his board and then he came with me to help me mine. Harry awkwardly pulled the board out of the apparently too small bag."

"I've spent some time down at the Ramps, I know a thing about boards and that's a damn nice board. You must have spent a lot."

"I've ridden Cleansweeps, Nimbuses and my Firebolt I've learnt that if you want something that rides well it costs. Also did you say there were some ramps near here?"

"Yes and yes we can, later."

"After spending the afternoon learning to ride I grabbed a Big Mac and then went to see Independence Day. Then I went to see the band." He pulled out the flyer for Mr Soft.

"Never heard of them you never know they might be the next big thing or will fade away to nothing. You meet Sara again?"

"Yeah and her girlfriend Sam. I thought Sara was wearing a short skirt I think Sam just had a t-shirt with a belt."

"Some girls do. It's not my thing. Nothing against a little nudity in the right place." Lisa gave Harry a quick flash of bra. "But if a drop something I like to know I can pick it up again without showing the world what knickers I'm wearing today. How much did you drink?"

"I don't remember we bought rounds for each other. I went to the bar twice."

"So assuming they did that would be six bottles on just a big Mac for food. No wonder you were wrecked. Do you remember telling my mum you didn't go in for coffee because they didn't want to fuck you and when a girl asks you in it's code for a fuck?"

Harry face palmed at that revelation.

"Don't worry she's heard the words before, it was all she could do not to laugh in your face."

"So what did you do?"

"Not a lot I said I needed a me day and that was what I did. Is it okay if we do that next week sometime? I love you, you know, it's not a rejection of you."

"No its OK. "

"I just worry you'll think I'm rejecting you."

"The only time we've spent apart in the last three weeks was when Jane made us sleep apart. When I'm in Hogwarts I need to go off by myself once in a while or shut the curtains on my bed. I really understand."

"Alright Mr I'm trying to be a perfect boyfriend let's get you to the ramps and you can show me if you ride as well as you fly. "

"Not yet but I'm working on it."

A.N.

You have to a be certain age and nationality to get the French polisher comment. Don't worry about it.

Still not made it to Harry's birthday. But you noticed that didn't you?

The previous chapter was very popular. I had an embarrassingly large amount of favourites and follows.

Thank you.

I am a little overwhelmed. This is a bit of a nothing story. Harry gets a girlfriend and they hang out. If you are reading waiting for the action sequence, for a night time death eater raid, for Harry to gain super powers or to use all the wealth of the Blacks in new and devious ways, this isn't that story. Although if you haven't noticed that by now I worry. I also don't intend to go past the 1st of September.

Now if you want some cheese to my chalk may I recommend littlebirds. She is one of my favourite writers. She writes darkly layered tales of angst in short form. They are emotionally driven not action driven. I love her work but I can't write like that and I've tried. If it sounds like that might be your thing go look her up. Grown ups only.

p.s. I am a little mystified to the popularity of this. So while not begging, reviews would be nice. Also Harry has a couple of days out coming up. Where should he spend them?