Your long blonde hair

Harry's pov

"Ehy, dude!"
"Ehy, man!"
Ron and I hugged, no matter how long passed between our meetings, he was still the best of a friend I could have ever asked for, and I was always happy to see him.

After him, I hugged Hermione with a big smile.
"I'm happy to see you both" I smiled, moving from the door to let them in.
"I brought my sister" Ron chuckled, gesturing towards Ginny, and I smiled giving her a hug too. "And I brought my wife" Ginny smiled, pointing to Luna.

She smiled at me and we shared a look. Since nobody had started asking questions yet I felt relieved that she kept her promise and didn't tell anybody that I sent her by owl a different letter telling her I needed a favor without specifying what was it about but saying it was crucial that she came along.

I hugged her too, of course, happy to see them even if with a second meaning.
"Ok, so, where is the little one?" Hermione asked excited with a big smile and I chuckled, shaking my head "I'm sorry, Teddy is at a friend's house today".
She pouted, sad, I knew how much she adored that small child.
"Don't you think he's a bit young?" Ron asked with a frown and I smiled at his concern.
"I think play dates at his age are important. He's not even four yet, that's true, but socializing now is just as important"
They nodded, even if they agreed I knew they wished they could see their nephew, and that made me happy because Teddy was very similar to me in a way, and I was happy that me and my friends could be for him what I needed when I was young instead of being like the Dursleys.

I let everybody inside and lead them to the dining room where I had already set the table.
"Dude, really, you know you know mine and Hermione's door is always open for you, right? This place is a bit..." Ron didn't finish his sentence, but I could read everything in his eyes anyway.
I sighed. I knew he wasn't that much wrong afterall, living at Grimmauld Place wasn't the smartest of my ideas, it didn't hold happy memories and it wasn't the best place for a kid like Teddy to grow up, but I just couldn't let go of this house, it was the closest place to a home I had and somehow being surrender by Sirius's things and memories made me feel a little less alone.

"I know. Thanks. I like it here" I assured, scrolling my shoulders, gesturing towards the seats to invite them to sit.

"I checked the cards over the house" Ginny revealed and I tensed and sighed, waiting for the bomb, silently cursing myself in my head "This house is part of Draco Malfoy's properties"

There it was. Landed right on my head.
"It is?!" Ron's tone turned almost accusing, crossing his arms, he looked at me expectangly waiting for an explanation.

"Oh, come on! It was Sirius's house, he said he would have been fine to live here with me! I don't see what's the problem!" I tried to convince them, but knew my arguments probably sounded quite weak to them.

"Is Malfoy okay with this?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms, in her gaze a warning, I knew that if I tried to lie she would have caught it Immediatly.

"He...doesn't know. He doesn't even know this house exists, probably. But- like- come on!" I sounded almost begging, I knew it was wrong to hold informations about him and his story that I knew but it would be too awkward and difficult to explain him the whole situation, plus if this house became Draco's house I probably wouldn't feel it like a home anymore "He doesn't even know he's half a Black anyway!"

"Harry, it's wrong. Tecnically, you're committing a crime" Hermione insisted, making me sigh.

"Can we eat? Please? We'll talk about this another time" I begged, tired, last thing I wanted right now were my friends scolding me.
They were right, of course, and I knew they were, but for now, I wasn't planning to change my location, nor to inform Draco of anything.

Ginny sighed, then scrolled her shoulders.
"Ok...but, Harry, seriously, inform Malfoy. If one day he finds out, he has the right to throw out you, and Teddy too... Of course all out houses are open for you, but I still believe you shouldn't wait to end up homeless to start doing something"

I nodded, aware she was right. If not for myself, I should at least do it to give Teddy a safe future, but that didn't change that I really wanted to avoid this topic right now, I really didn't want to be put in front of the truth like this.

"I will, okay? I will" I promised, sighing.
After this, they finally sat down and dropped this topic.

I let out a sigh of relief and walked to the kitchen to check the chicken I was cooking in the oven. Even with magic, I preferred much more to cook the muggles' way, it relaxed me and let me feel satisfied when it came out good.

Sometimes it was Kreacher that cooked or cleaned, but I gave him a free day today to be more free to do things with my own time.
Not that the idea that he heard was not okay with me or anything, but I wanted to do things at my pace without having to worry of him too.

Just when I was taking the roasted potatoes out the oven, the door of the kitchen opened letting Luna in and then closed at her shoulders.

"Hey" she smiled nicely "Need a hand?"

I bit my lips, scrolling the shoulders, and sighed.
"Sorry for asking you to keep the secret" I apologized. I knew she was there to ask about it.

She smiled and scrolled her shoulders.
"We're friends" she assured, studying me with her look "This is what friends are for"

I felt uncomfortable under her gaze, somehow she always managed to know everything about everyone before she was told, and right now I felt under exam, like with one look she could tell why I asked her to be here.

"Ok, so...I need to ask you a favor" I took a deep breath, swallowing down my nervousness.
"Is it maybe for a boy who's name starts with D?" she chuckled, making my eyes widen and hesitate surprised.
"I-...how did you know?" I expected it, yet somehow I could never get used to her ability.
"I didn't. I guessed" she tilted her head, leaning against the counter, still studying me, then added "You seem to care a lot for him"
"I do" I lowered my gaze on the roasted potatoes I had taken out the over and sighed.

She bit her lips to hold a chuckle but looked at me softly, like a sister would look at her brother that just had his first crush.
"So what's this favor?" she asked curious by now.

"Ah, yeah" I hesitated, biting my lips, then forced myself 'You own a pharmacy, don't you? Where you also experiment, especially with potions, don't you?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "I do"
"Could you..." I paused uncomfortable, then continued "...could you hire Draco?"

She stared at me for a moment where I figured she was probably considering the idea, then tilted his head. "I didn't know he had economic problems"
I scrolled my shoulders and the look fell back on the potatoes with a sigh.
"I don't know. I don't think it's that, but I didn't ask him why does he need a job"

She bit her lips, then observed "He asked you to find him a job" she paused, then continued "And you're asking me"

"I looked for anything, used every priviledge being me brought, every helpful connection, but nothing worked. As soon as I say his name, all they see is a Death Eater" my fists clenched unconsciously, my teeth gritted, I was mad "It gets me so mad"

She smiled softly like I said something cute, then nodded.
"You're desperate to be asking me"
I sighed and chuckled humorlessly, then nodded.
"I know you own me nothing. Nor you do to Draco. But...I can't help it. I want to help him"

She bit her lips and smiled softly, making me look away embarassed, but then she sighed.
"I want to help you, but...if I hire him, I have to tell Ginny"

I sighed, I really really hoped she wouldn't, but I also knew I couldn't make her lie to her wife just because I asked her a favor, it wasn't fair.
"Do you really have to?"
"I don't want to lie to her. Every lie brings other, and without even realizing it, our marriage will be gone" I couldn't do anything but nod, she was right afterall.
"When will you tell her?"

"No need" the door opened and Ginny stepped in with her fists clenched "I know already"

I immediatly tensed, my gaze darkened, I knew very well that she was going to be against it but I didn't care, I was ready to argue the world for Draco, even if I wasn't sure of why.
"You were eavesdropping!" I protested, frustrated.

"Everyone was" Ron replied, entering too with Hermione.
"What did you expect, Harry, when you send a lettera that suspicious? You've never sent me a letter where you asked me to bring my sister and her wife, did you really thought I wouldn't find it weird?" Ron replied, raising an eyebrow, probably annoyed that I have been doing things behind his back, but that wasn't enough to make me forgiven him for sticking his nose where he shouldn't.

I felt anger growing inside my chest like a fire started in a forest that is burning every tree and I clenched my jaw unconsciously. "This isn't business of any of you!" I tried to keep calm but the anger came all out.

Ginny's eyes widened, she was fuming and clearly offended.
"Not my business?! You want to force my wife to work with a Death Eater and it's not my business?!"

"First of all, I'm not forcing her! I'm just asking" I hated when she put words I didn't mean nor say in my mouth "And second, Draco's an ex Death Eater"

"I don't care if he was or still is, what I care is that he's part of the reason Fred died, okay?! And I won't put Luna in danger again risking to lose her too!" Ginny shook her head, firm, and even if on one side I knew it was just her fear speaking, I couldn't help but get mad at her.
"She's right, Harry" Ron defended his sister, crossing his arms over his chest "Draco didn't change. People like him don't change"
I loved these people most of the time, but when I get remembered of how close minded they could be, I could feel anger running through my veins.

"You guys know nothing about Draco, okay?! He's a good person that was forced into a bad situation and deserves a second chance!" I was almost yelling at this point.

"I think you already did enough to get him his second chance!" Ginny replied cruel, I knew she had never fully forgiven me for having made sure Draco wouldn't end up in Azkaban not even for a day.
I knew she was the one that hated Draco more.
"Take it back" I growled, my knuckles white from how right I was clenching my fists, and she at least had the good sense to look at least a bit guiltly.

"Look, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a second chance" she tried to backpedal after she saw how mad I was "But why does Luna has to give him one? Can't he work somewhere else?"

I sighed and looked away, a bit less angry.
"I tried, Ginny, I tried. As hard as I could. Luna is my last resort, do you really believe I would ask a friend for help before having tried on my own?"

That was enough to shut her up, I believe, because she stayed silent and looked away.
"I'll hire Draco, it's not a problem" Luna smiled, making me feel a deep sense of gratitude in my chest.
"My love-" Ginny started with the intention of convincing Luna to change his mind, but Luna interrupted her.
"Draco isn't as bad as you think. Back at Hogwarts, he was one of the few Slytherins that never made fun of me, and when others of his House stole my belongings, he always forced them to give those back"

I frowned, surprised. I never thought Draco had even considering doing such a thing, I never did myself, but Draco actually did? I hid it, but for a moment that news made me smile.

"Luna, that doesn't change what he is" Ginny protested.
"I don't care. I'll help him. I've been an outsider all my life, now that I have the chance to help someone that is kept away by society like I am, I will help him"

Those words were enough to make Ginny stop trying, she knew how stubborn Luna was and the good heart she had, those were the reasons Ginny chose her afterall.

"Fine. Okay. Just be careful" Ginny sighed.
I waited a couple of seconds to be sure the conversation ended, then smiled and gestured then to the dining room.
"Go back and sit, food is almost ready" I smiled.

Luna and Ginny left first, then Ron hesitated on the door staring at me but I held his gaze.
I knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling, but I didn't care, I didn't care how disapponted or how betrayed he was feeling, I wouldn't waver on my determination.

After he left, Hermione walked to me and hugged me, making me feel quite surprised.
"You're doing the right thing" she whispered "I'm proud of you"
My heart warmed at those words, she was the sister I never had, able to guide me and remind me of what's good or bad.
"Tell me when you and Draco will get together!" she chuckled letting go of me and leaving.

I stared at the back of her head, out of words.
When me and Draco what-