“Are you sure he’s home?” Ron asked.
It was a valid question, Hermione supposed. It certainly didn’t look like anyone was home.
“He should be,” Hermione said, “Harry told me he was going to spend the day getting work done, and come over to our place later. He’s probably in his office.” And so, like the good friends they were, Hermione and Ron snuck into Harry’s house to carry out their plan.
What was their plan? To surprise Harry with a birthday party – Harry was twenty-five now, after all! – right in his very own house.
It was risky, sure, especially because they hadn’t been certain that Harry would be in his upstairs office when they’d gotten there. It paid out in the end, when they noticed that he was nowhere to be seen on the first floor.
“We can set everything up,” Hermione whispered to Ron. He nodded. Then, just as they had agreed, Hermione used apparition spells to move the supplies while Ron moved them about.
The last thing Hermione brought through was Harry’s cake, which had been lovingly baked by the two of them the day before.
Just as Hermione was passing the cake to Ron, she jumped at a loud sound. Ron, thankfully, managed to save the cake, and safely put it on the table.
“What was that?” Hermione asked, looking up at the ceiling. Whatever it was, it definitely came from a person – she could tell by its baritone.
“Sounds like Harry’s frustrated,” Ron said, “I’m sure he’s just groaning and moaning about paperwork.”
Ron looked at Hermione for her confirmation, and after a second or two more of waiting for any more noise, Hermione eventually nodded. “Yeah,” she said, “I could see that. He never was one for homework.”
Ron laughed, “It’s not like we’re still in school, now. C’mon.”
“Well, some of us certainly still act like it,” Hermione said with a pointed look. Ron rolled his eyes.
And with that, the two of them continued to set up the finishing touches, putting up a decoration here and casting a leviosa there. Everything was going so smoothly, until there was a giant thud from upstairs, almost like something had fallen onto the floor.
Hermione and Ron both looked at each other in confusion, and looked up at the ceiling when they heard a loud screech follow it – the kind that comes from furniture scraping across the floor.
“He must be having a really bad day,” Ron said.
“A really bad one,” Hermione agreed.
There was a moment of silence between them.
“I’m going to go check on him,” Ron said.
“I think that would be good,” Hermione said, following Ron up the stairs. Since they both knew Harry’s house like the back of their hand, it was no trouble for them to find his office.
“Fine,” they heard Harry sigh from inside, right before Ron knocked on the door. His hand paused in the air, waiting to see what Harry was doing.
They saw the door knob turn and open just a crack, but not so much that either of them could see into the room. “I’ll go see if someone’s here, but like I’ve told you-”
And it was at that very moment a very naked Harry opened the door.
And it was at that very moment all three of them screamed.
It was all topped off with awkward eye contact from none other than Lucius Malfoy – who was bent over Harry’s desk, and very naked.
Harry slammed the door shut.
“What are you doing here?!” Harry shrieked from behind the door, sounding every bit mortified.
“What are you doing?!” Ron cried back.
“It’s my house!”
“Right, well-”
“Ron,” Hermione said, pleading, “Let’s just go. We can come-” Hermione shuddered, shaking her head, “We can return later.”
Ron stared blankly at the door, until Hermione pulled out her wand and used one last apparition spell to bring themselves back home.
Ron, upon seeing that they were in their living room, promptly fell onto the couch face-first. From the couch cushions, he muttered, “I don’t think I can unsee that.”
Hermione stayed silent.
“Did you see who he was with?”
After a second, Hermione quietly said, “Yes.”
“What is he thinking?”
“Well,” Hermione said, sitting down on the end of the couch, “I think Lucius might be a good influence on him.”
At that, Ron sat up on the couch, giving Hermione the most lost face she had ever seen on him. “Just what are you talking about?”
“Harry’s been happier these past few months. He’s also been going out more, and I’m sure Lucius has been able to help him financially and with connections.”
Ron huffed, “Like Harry needs any help with that.”
“It’s different,” Hermione said. “Lucius is a part of the rich, pureblood wizarding world. Sure, Harry’s got connections, but not the kinds that he has. Extra money never hurts anyone either.
“Besides, all that matters is that Harry seems to be happier with him.”
“I…” Ron shook his head, “Of course I want Harry to be happy, but with a past death eater? Harry and Lucius haven’t exactly gotten along in the past.”
Hermione sighed, “I agree that I don’t like how it looks either, but it’s not for us to decide. Unless Harry seems to be upset, we have no reason to act.”
Hermione reached her arm around Ron’s back and gently rubbed his opposite shoulder. Ron melted into the touch and sighed, “Alright, alright. You’re right.”
Hermione laughed, “I know.”
-
No one had to know if Ron woke up in a frantic, cold sweat that night, or if he had Harry and Lucius to thank for it.
And if he heard Hermione do the same a few minutes later, no one had to know either.