𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝐴𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 (𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑃.)

✰Chapter 9: Homebound ✰

I can't believe I'm going to be spending my first summer with my dad, well, both my dad's, I suppose you could say. As of right now, we're nearly home, and I waited for both Hermione and Ron to be fast asleep before talking to Harry about what had happened.

"You're a royal shit, you know that, right?" I say, closing my book, and his eyes widen as he snaps his head in my direction.

"What?" He blinks. "For the way you treated me for protecting myself, Remus and Sirius. Do you not know what would have happened if people knew sooner? I would have to go through to for seven years straight. We kept the secret for as long as we could." I look into his emerald, green eyes that show a glint of guilt. 

"I know...I'm sorry, I was just so angry in the moment, I didn't consider what you went through, knowing your dad was alive but in prison." Harry looks down, his eyes catching a glimpse of the cast that remains on my right leg.

"Thank you for seeing that, and I apologize for not telling you sooner, I just... Didn't know how." I explain, and he nods, "So this means we're mates again?" Harry asks, and I smile. 

"We always have been dipshit; we just had a bump in the road." I open my arms to hug him, but instead, he lays down in my lap, I have no complaints, though.

***
Harry's POV
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I've put this girl through hell, and she deserves not a bit of it. She is kind, generous and has always been there for everyone...there for me...Even if I don't deserve a moment of her time, I know she would be the first one there, no matter what.

I know she opened her arms for a hug, but I took the opportunity and laid in her lap, being watchful of her bandages on her right leg. As I laid down the scent of vanilla and a flower filled my nose, I couldn't put a spot of which flower. Perhaps a Rose? A Sunflower? No, I'll have to revisit that thought at a later date.

My eyes slowly begin closing as she picks up her book once again, running her free hand through my hair. I was so hurt by her not telling me that I ended up hurting her, which I swore would be the last thing I ever did in my life. 

No matter how many mistakes I make, I will always avoid hurting the girl I'm falling for....

My best friend, I'm falling for my best friend, but she will never know. 

Because I know she will never return the feelings. To drag myself out of my thoughts, I roll over on my back and look up at her, "What are you reading?" I ask, and her eyes widen, closing her book. "A romance..." She says quietly, I don't understand why, though. It's only a story.

"Will you tell me about it?" I question, now intrigued, and she snaps the book shut, "No way in hell. Let's take a nap now, shall we?" I take notice of the sense of panic in her eyes before she closes them, and I decide better to ask another day. 

***

"Hello Professor Lupin, have you seen my aunt and uncle?" I ask him, holding Hedwig in her cage and my single trunk. Y/n and I had tried searching for them after leaving Hermione and Ron with their families.

I look over at Y/n to see her smirking, "What?" I ponder on what is happening.

"You're coming home with us, Harry! Dad asked Dumbledore since now that Padfoot has a chance to be free and it's more likely-" She takes a deep breath seeing as she's talking so fast, she might need a few more. "Yes, darling, give the boy a moment to register." Lupin laughs, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I smile, tears nearly falling from my eyes in joy. "You mean? I can live with you?" I look at Y/n then back at the Professor, and He grins with a nod, "It has been so hard keeping it from you, Harold!" She shouts, jumping and hugging me tightly around the neck. Her crutch hits the ground, and I laugh.

This is my chance, my chance to have a real family, a chance to truly belong. A chance to have what I never have in the past, to feel loved. Turns out the last few days Y/n, Sirius and Lupin have all been preparing a room for me at the Black House. Y/n already having somewhat of a bedroom from when she was little. Hers only needed to be upgraded. 

When we arrive at the Black house, I'm greeted at the door with a much neater Sirius who hugs me tightly, "Harry, my boy! Come along, I'll show you to your room straight away." I look back at Y/n with a soft smile, and she nods, and with that, I follow behind him. 

Finally, a home. A true home. 

My room is painted a soft shade of blue and grey as an accent color. And of course, there was a Gryffindor flag on the ceiling, and my new firebolt was hanging from a shelf next to the window. Even the bed was massive, I don't believe I have ever seen such a large. 

"Who did all this?" I look around with a smile as Professor Lupin sets down my trunks behind Sirius and I, "Sirius did, Y/n just gave him a few ideas." Lupin replies and chuckled. Obviously, she did. My favorite colors are red and blue, of course, red being from my house colors, but red wouldn't have been my first color choice for a bedroom.

Y/n chose perfectly, as always. She's simply brilliant; at all she does. 

"And look Harry, my room is right next door," She smiles nodding her head to follow her, so I do, she opens the door not far from mine on the same wall and reveals a large canopy bed with grey blankets, and a large bookcase built into the wall. 

"All Sirius had to do for my room was get a larger bed and new sheets, I hadn't been here since I was a young lass." I always seem to forget she has a hint of a Welsh accent until she says things like that. I'm not complaining, though. It suits her. But I also couldn't help but notice she's still referring to him as Sirius.

"Sirius? You're still calling him by his name?" I question, and she looks down sighing, "I can't help it. He wasn't there, Remus was. I'll gain a habit of it soon, but for now, it is the way it is." I nod at her explanation; she has every right to feel that way. 

"You lot settle in, I'll get Kreacher to begin dinner." Sirius pokes his head into the door before walking down the stairs with Remus by his side. I don't know what it is about those two. They definitely were more than friends at some point. 

I watch as Y/n slowly walks over to her large bookshelf and sits down in one of the chairs at sit beside it, "Come sit, Harold, let's talk." She smiles softly, and I smile back at her, looking at her grey orbs. "Okay."

A home...

I'm home...

________
So sorry for the short chapter, there just wasn't much I could put in this chapter.

Third year is officially over!! Summer here we come. 

Word count: 1249
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