He didn't know how long he stood there, just standing basking in the glow that had been left behind. It was when someone else stumbled into him that he realised he had been standing in the middle of the dance floor looking at the door with a dumb smile on his face. Shaking his head he returned to the bar and closed his tab before making his way out of the club. He would never return here again. He had no need for it anymore.

As soon as he found a dark alleyway, he entered it, placing a few rudimentary wards which would collapse in 10 mins keeping everyone away before apparting home. He was renting a high end apartment until Grimmauld place was renovated. As soon as the white parlour with its cream couches and warm brown wood appeared before his eyes, a pop sounded and Kreacher appeared.

"Master is back. Master is late. Kreacher made master food in the filthy muggle kitchen."

Harry just shook his head in amusement. Kreacher had been scared for the first week by the decidedly muggle contraptions but had finally acquiesced when Harry disconnected them from the electricity. Now it operated as a traditional wizarding kitchen with the gadgets performing the task of decorations.

"Thank you Kreacher." he said as he made his way to the dining room, knowing by the time he sat down Kreacher would have set his place. Even as he ate the light sandwich and soup in front of him, his thoughts centred around a single person.

Lia.

His face split into a smile as his eyes adopted a soppy look. He had always been impatient but now he was even more so. Even though he knew it was illogical he waved his hand willing the time to have progressed to a little closer to 2 in the afternoon.

1:25 AM glowed in bright gold letters in front of him. More than 12 hours. With an irritated little huff he waved his hand, dispelling the floating numbers. He finished his food before moving to his bedroom. Undressing he lay down on his four poster king sized bed, staring up at the white and gold canopy. Even the gold embroidery on it reminded him of her. Restlessness made it impossible for him to sleep. Sitting up, his frowning face looked around the room, looking for something, anything to pass the time. As his eyes rested on his desk, his eyes lit up. He grabbed his wand from his bedside and with a wave the beat up journals on it came sailing through the air towards him. The red leather of his father's smooth beneath his fingers as he flipped the delicate pages to where he had last read. He placed the sedate blue of his mothers beside him, to read once he was done with his fathers.

Once the war was over and the ministry had repaid reparations to Gringotts on his behalf, he had been allowed access to his main vault and he had found something far more precious than the mounds of gold, journals. His mom had had a habit of keeping journals from when she was young, and his dad had apparently picked it up in hopes of impressing his mom. She had seen right through it but had grudgingly accepted that it was a nice gesture.

He loved it. Knowing his parents inner thoughts, reading their story. Sometimes he did feel a bit icky because they did record their innermost thoughts. He just skipped those parts. Even better, his mom had added photos in her journal. Photos of things she had seen around that she loved, photos of moments in the common room. Photos of her friends, including Nevile's mom and sometimes Neville's dad. Anytime he came across those, he made sure to take a copy of those so that he could give them to Neville. He knew the other boy would appreciate it too.

Right now he was up to his dad's fifth year. And his dad was pretty low because it seemed everything was going wrong in his life. Sirius had run away and was being much too reckless, he felt responsible for ruining Lily and Snape's friendship. Even though he didn't like the slytherin he knew Lily did. He was getting absolutely nowhere with her, and Sirius had played that dangerous prank on Snape which had gotten Remus and Snape almost killed. Harry had been shocked when he had read that and nauseated.

Merlin, everything is going to shit. Thankfully I stopped Snivel Snape in time and Remus and he are safe. Unfortunately I don't know if the marauders will ever be fine again. Remus is too scared and mad at Sirius and won't even be in the same room as him, he flinches anytime he sees Snape. It hurts to see him, but it's Sirius. I know I will forgive him eventually. He seems remorseful, but only insofar that he almost got Remus killed. Snape himself seems to just glare at us and is avoiding us. He's even avoiding Lily. He used to make attempts to get back her friendship but now he's avoiding her too. I can see she's confused about it.

Lily. I don't even know what to do about her. I can finally see what she meant, when she said we go too far. I understand why she didn't go out with me all this time, and the worst part is I can't even blame her. I just hope I am not too late. I love her. I have always loved her. I don't know how but the second I saw her, I knew. I just knew that she is the one for me. There will never be another for me. I guess I just need to try and show her I have changed and hope that she will give me a chance. A real chance, unlike all this time, but first I need to show her I actually changed.

It ended there. It was fitting. The first time he had read it had been just before he had gone out. The first time his father had realised what he needed to do to get his mother to give him a chance, and that he had to mature to do that. His mind had been thinking of his future and if he would find someone like his parents had, and he did. With a smile he looked upwards.

"I hope you're watching me, mom. I found her dad, and just like you, I knew the second I saw her that it was her or no one else. Padfoot, I know you were hoping I too would be a 'rebel', but I guess I'm just too much like dad. Moony don't be too hard on Padfoot, you know how he gets, and don't worry Teddy is doing well. I'll make sure he knows how much you and Tonks love him."

It had become a ritual of sorts. Saying a little message out loud to his family whenever he couldn't sleep or was restless. He knew he could actually speak to them (the resurrection stone was in a safe of its own in gringotts protected by all the protections the goblins put up, plus everything he could put up using the elder wand in English and in Parseltongue. He was also working on creating more, darker protections too, probably a golem of a snake which would outlive him.) but he didn't want to use it. If he used it once, he knew he would be tempted to use it again and again.

He spent the rest of the night in a similar manner. Going through his parents journals side by side, it was fun, looking at their day to day lives and how different they were. It almost felt as if they were there, around him telling it to him themselves. Before he knew it, his mind had settled and his soul quietened and he had slipped into the recesses of sleep.

He awoke the next morning to his usual alarm at 8 A.M. Blinking blearily, he turned his head to the side, his hand groping around until it found the stupid blaring alarm and it stopped it's screeching. He fell back into the silky embrace of his warm sheets, his eyes closing before his consciousness caught up to him.

He shot up in bed, snatching the alarm clock from his bedside table. He had no need for glasses anymore, he had gotten his eyes corrected. Emerald eyes stared intently before a grin split his face. 8 AM, he still had about 6 hours to go, but it was still closer than yesterday night. He scrambled out of bed, almost tripping over his quilt which he had dragged down in his haste. He quickly pulled off his shirt, almost running to the bathroom.

"Kreacher! Please pull out a casual outfit for me!" A crack signified that his request was being seen too. He was hopeless whenever it came to fashion so he just stated his request to Kreacher before he hopped in the shower and the perfect outfit would be on his bed.

"Hello, This is Harry Potter, I saw you last night….No that sounds like I'm stalking her."

"Hi, how are you doing? I hope you're well! Too salesman-y."

"Hi, we met last night when I saved you… no that sounds very arrogant."

"Hi, my name is Harry, we met last night, your friend gave me your number. Yes that's better." Satisfied that he had at least an opening line Harry continued with his shower, even washing his hair for good measure.

He finished his shower and got dressed in the emerald green shirt and black trousers that Kreacher had laid out. He decided to pull out the old leather jacket of Sirius's he had found and added that to his outfit. He nodded in satisfaction after critiquing his outfit, he thought he looked good but he was sure if there were any mistakes Hermione would be quick to point it out when he saw her for breakfast. She didn't go in till 12 on Thursdays so they had a standing breakfast date every Thursday alternating between their houses. This week Harry was to go over to her and Ron's. He had the same arrangement with Ron on Tuesdays but for lunch. They had tried to come up with a day where all three could meet but it had been hard as both of their schedules were very conflicting so they tried to meet every two weeks or at least once a month.

Striding to the floo, he quickly made his way to Hermione and Ron's flat, and walked out of the fireplace to the smell of slightly burnt eggs.

"Mione, we told you, you may be amazing at potions but you are utterly rubbish in the kitchen."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her best friend's grumbling. Eyeing him, she took in his outfit and the sparkle which seemed to be hanging around Harry today.

"You look different…happier." She concluded. A dreamy sigh was her only reply as Harry dropped into the chair on the table before propping his head on his palm.

"I am. 'Mione. I have found the reason for my existence." A touch dramatic? Maybe, but no less true. So lost in thoughts was he that he missed the amused glance she threw his way.

"And that is?" Hermione asked impatiently, Hogwarts and the war may have curbed majority of her bossy, nosey, impatient tendencies but not completely, she wouldn't be Hermione Granger without them.

"Lia." Harry sighed dreamily, his eyes going hazy and face twitching into a huge smile. He absentmindedly waved his hand and watched the time. 9:25 AM, 4 hours and 35 minutes. Excitement and anxiety bubbled up in his stomach in equal measures.

"Lia?" She asked in confusion.

"Lia, I met her last night, saw her, or rather saved her is more accurate I guess? It's just, she's just so, and her face was just so, and her hair, you should have seen her, I don't think there was even a single person in the club who saw her and didn't fall in love with her. She just looked so happy, and she glowed, she was literally glowin-"

"Okay slow down." Hermione stopped him, literally silencing him because she knew once Harry got started he wouldn't stop or wouldn't let them talk. She sat down opposite to him, waving her wand to switch off the stove behind her.

"Who is this girl? Where did you even meet her? And did you start feeling this after you ate or drank something she gave you?" Harry looked offended at the suggestion, gesturing to the silencing charm Hermione had on him. He could probably break it if he wanted to but it would be rude. Waving her hand Hermione removed the charm on him. Like him she was also able to perform wandless magic, unlike him, hers were weaker than his and her wandless repertoire was smaller than his. It would be a point of contention for her, but she knew it was also a fact of how much magic one had and Harry had the majority of people if not everyone in the magical world beat at that.

"Her name is as I said already Lia, I met her yesterday at the club, and no 'Mione I am not drugged or under any charms that would be literally impossible as she is a muggle!" His voice rising at the end of his statement to cut off Hermione's protests.

"A muggle?" She said in surprise.

"Yup." Harry popped. "She was so adorable, all drunk and giggly, I haven't seen anyone as gorgeous as her ever in my life. And Merlin Hermione, I saw this, this man try to force himself on her and it filled me with so much anger and jealousy. I mean I haven't felt this way ever and I know I never will."

Hermione looked sceptical, she knew Harry was prone to big feelings, but she didn't want to disregard his feelings either, this was the most alive she had seen him since before everything.

"Harry I love that you are so happy, but maybe you should be a bit more careful, after all, you don't even know her." She said slowly.

"Mione." Harry said placing his hand over hers. He knew she was worried, but she had no reason to be. He knew it was her, it was obvious to him. Deep in his bones, to the last recesses of his heart, he knew. From the moment he had seen her, he knew. He couldn't ever remember feeling as at peace as he had for those few when he had held her ever before in his life.

"The way I feel about her is the same my father described feeling about my mother after seeing her for the first time."

Hermione's eyes softened at that. She didn't have it in her heart to say anything to that. She wondered if Harry was just projecting to feel closer to his parents. But she hoped not.

"Alright Harry. If you're sure. Now tell me more about her."

Emerald eyes lit up in happiness and Hermione couldn't help but feel happy that she hadn't said anything more. Too much had gone wrong in Harry's life, she hoped this wouldn't end the same way.

"Well, I don't know much or rather anything about her, but I am supposed to call her today afternoon at 2 to set up a date."

"Wait call?"

"Yes call, she's a muggle Hermione remember?"

"Harry. Do you even have a phone to call her?"

Well shit. Looks like he had forgotten the most important thing of all. Panicked eyes looked into Hermione's who was already rolling her eyes.

"Come on, we'll get breakfast outside and sort out your phone issue."