Harry
Harry looked past Luna to a burned spot on the wall. He was semi aware of what she was saying, something about people needing a place to stay. He didn’t really understand why it had to be Grimmauld place, but he knew that Luna always had a reason for something. Even if he didn’t understand. She snapped her fingers in front of his face.
“Harry, are you listening?” She asked, concern laced her voice. Harry cleared his throat and looked away from the Black family tree.
“Um, yeah… yeah.” He said softly. Her grey eyes looked all around his face, he had no idea what she was looking for.
“Then what did I just say?” She asked
“That some people need to stay here to be safe.” He said. He tried to brush off the fact that it was hard to pay attention to her, he couldn’t drift away right now.
The sun was just starting to rise, its beams pierced through a small sliver of space between the heavy curtains that covered the windows of the large drawing room, Luna sat on the couch across from him. It was his least favorite room in the house, but it had the comfiest furniture. Exhaustion was weighing heavy on Harry’s bones. He had been awake for the longest time in… well, in a very long time. He couldn’t quite remember the last time he had been awake for longer than a few hours. He scratched the side of his scruffy face and looked around the room.
Dust coated nearly every surface, he could see it floating through the air, he really should have cleaned the place up a long time ago. But he was just so tired, and since Luna was really the only one who visited he never really cared.
Hermione and Ron got married last spring, and that happened to be the last time he ventured out of his home. And with Hermione shadowing the Minister For Magic and Ron making his way up the Auror ranks they didn’t have time for him. Which was okay, at least that’s what he told himself when the loneliness got too heavy. He changed his wards so no one could come in and he disconnected the floo so no one would bother him that way either. Yet somehow Luna had found him and slithered her way back into his life.
“Harry,” Luna said after a moment, pulling him from his thoughts, “the people staying with you, would you like to know who they are?”
“Yes, I suppose that would be a good idea.” Harry really had no clue, Hermione and Ron weren’t in any danger. No one he knew was in any danger, unless they didn’t tell Harry. He didn’t have many forms of communication, but if an owl was sent Kreacher would have told him. He hadn’t kept up with much in the past two years since he had confined himself to Grimmauld Place. He was a horrible friend, barely writing letters or going places. But he had promised to go to the Weasleys for Christmas, which was in a few short months.
“Just don’t get upset,” Luna took a breath, she was uncharacteristically nervous about this and Harry was not sure how much he appreciated it, “It’s Draco.”
Harry sat there, what else was he supposed to do? The last time he saw his ‘nemesis’ was when the trials happened, that seemed like ages ago. What had happened to make Draco need to go into hiding? Luna didn’t say anymore, she just let him sit, which was a little unnerving.
“Okay,” he said simply, “when will he arrive?”
Luna smiled brightly, “He will be here tomorrow.” That woke Harry up.
“Tomorrow?” He asked, “but I just learned of this, how is he already coming?”
“Well, I haven’t told him that he’s coming tomorrow but I decided it myself.”
“Oh,” Harry said dumbly. Tomorrow was a long ways away, and the sun was still rising. Fatigue clouded his mind. “Kreacher?”
A loud crack echoed through the room making Harry flinch slightly, he wasn’t good with loud noises anymore. The elf wasn’t covered in grime as he was when Harry first saw him years ago, and it looked as if he had changed the tea towel he always wore as well. He still had the locket hanging about his neck though. Harry forced his eyes away from the wretched necklace and the memories that threatened to surface.
“Master Harry called?” Kreacher asked.
“Um yes,” Harry replied, he still wasn’t quite sure how to talk to the elf, it was always easy to talk to Dobby, a wave of grief laced with guilt passed over him making his words die in his throat.
“And what does Master want?” Kreacher asked after Harry didn’t continue.
“Right,” Harry forced himself out of his bleak emotions and looked at Kreacher. “We will be having some guests for— well I don’t know how long.” He glanced at Luna who just shrugged and gazed around the room, “I need you to get their rooms ready.”
“How many rooms does Master require?” Kreacher asked.
“Um,” Harry looked at Luna, “how many?” He had already forgotten how many people were staying. He didn’t even know who else besides Draco.
“Four rooms please Mister Kreacher,” Luna said kindly. The house elf grumbled slightly at her calling him ‘Mister’ but he had long since learned to not make a fuss about it.
“Oh,” Harry said, an idea had sprouted in his mind, “Kreacher, make sure to take any of their requests—if reasonable—as if I requested it myself. Also, will you give them a tour of the house? You know what to avoid.”
“Kreacher will do as Master Harry says.” With that Kreacher vanished with another crack, leaving Harry and Luna alone. He would ask Kreacher later if there was a way to make his coming and going quieter.
“Why won’t you give them a tour yourself, Harry?” Luna asked.
Harry looked past her to the sun shining through the curtains once again, “I’m really tired,” he stated.
Luna sighed, she got to her feet and crossed the room to Harry and sat down next to him. She was silent for a moment while Harry’s mind wandered.
“Harry,” she said softly, “The new school year is starting this week.”
Oh yes, how had Harry forgotten? Luna had to go to Hogwarts since she was teaching this year. Hagrid no longer taught Magical Creatures and Luna had been offered the job. He was sure Neville had something to do with that with him being the Herbology teacher. Harry wasn’t sure how they could step back into the castle, that was one of the many reasons why he left, it was too much.
“Since I am teaching, I won’t be able to check up on you for the next few months. Especially since you disconnected the floo,” She said the last part under her breath. She sounded sad and worried. Harry knew why but it was best if he pretended he didn’t.
“It will be good for all of you if they stay here.” Luna said decisively.
“Are they aware that that’s one of the main reasons you are bringing them here?” Harry asked, a hint of anger laced his voice. He didn’t need to be looked after, he wasn’t a child. His tone didn’t phase Luna.
“They don’t know that this is your house.” She stated as she stood to her feet and walked to the entrance of the room.
Harry sat dumbfounded, Draco didn’t know? How would he react when he saw Harry? He looked back at Luna who smiled at him.
“It will all work out in the end,” She said softly.
Harry walked Luna to the door, after a brief hug he shut it firmly behind her and secured the locks. He rested his head on the rough wood and took a deep breath. The reality of the situation had just started to sink in.
He had said that it was okay for Draco, and whoever else was with him, to stay in his home. He said that it was okay. How could he be so stupid?
This could only end badly, he knew it in his bones. He couldn’t let Draco see how messed up he was. He couldn’t let anyone see. He was supposed to be the ‘Savior’ the ‘Golden Boy’. He had died and come back, but sometimes he wished that he hadn’t.
The thoughts kept knocking around his head as he made his way up to the third floor where his bedroom was. He chose it because it was the most secluded room, other than Sirius’s on the fourth floor.
A new suffocating feeling of grief overcame him. He stumbled up the remaining stairs, past the bedrooms Kreacher was diligently cleaning. The elf only looked his way briefly before continuing his task.
Harry hadn’t known how Kreacher would react to his sudden arrival, but surprisingly the house elf had been rather responsive. Harry had no idea why, but Kreacher was almost kind to him. He gave him his medications and potions that were prescribed to him by a mind healer years ago. Kreacher also made sure he ate, Harry forgot sometimes since he just wasn’t ever really hungry. And sometimes Harry saw less dust in the air than usual.
He didn’t have the brain power to think about that though, he was just grateful that he didn’t have to do everything himself. Which was also surprising because he always tried to do everything by himself. Hermione often said it was his greatest weakness because people were meant to be together. But where was she now?
Harry opened the door to his room and threw it shut behind him but it didn’t slam. Someone years ago had charmed all of the doors to make them close soundlessly no matter how hard they were shut. And there were silencing charms that had been placed on every bedroom and bathroom in the house, he didn’t want to know what had caused those to be put into use. It worked in his favor though, no one would wake up when he had his usual night terrors.
Harry looked around his room, it was the largest the house had to offer. The massive four poster bed against the furthest wall was calling his name. Two large windows framed the bed with heavy curtains covering them. To the left of him was a large fireplace with two big armchairs situated in the front.
He pulled off his days old shirt and walked to the connected bathroom. He splashed cold water onto his face and tried his best to ignore the gaudy furnishings with their elaborate gold detailing. He didn’t once look up in the mirror.
He made that mistake a few times. He always ended up sitting there for hours, criticizing everything he saw until all that was left was a blur of a person he used to be.
He emerged from the bathroom and walked to his dresser. It was way too big for one person. He didn’t know people could have enough clothes to justify the amount of drawers that it had. Though if he had to guess, Draco probably had more than enough clothes to fit into it.
After changing he walked to the windows and threw the curtains open. He was grateful that Kreacher deep cleaned his room every few months because if he hadn’t, dust would have flown everywhere.
Harry would have cleaned it himself but he only used magic when it was necessary, he wasn’t really sure where he had left his wand last. It was probably in his nightstand.
Sunlight streamed through the windows bathing the room in the soft morning light. He needed it this way if he was going to sleep, he couldn’t rest in the dark.
He looked down at the empty street. He should go outside more. There was the back garden, but was overgrown and he couldn’t quite stop his heart from beating out of his chest every time he tried to go out.
He pulled off his glasses and tossed them on the nightstand. He fell into a heap on his bed.
Harry didn’t know how long he would sleep for, but he would take what he could get. His body would most likely naturally wake up when the sun set.
His heavy eyelids closed and everything faded into the distance.