You Gotta Love Her (Harry Potter Love Story)

The Leaky Cauldron

☆⋆⋆⋆☆   song: fly me to the moon by frank sinatra   ☆⋆⋆⋆☆

As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for Ron, Hermione, or Lyra. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, his fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; he also ran into Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. Harry didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. Harry hoped she never found out that he'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic.

Harry woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that he would at least meet his best friends tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. He got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he'd have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned.

"Harry! HARRY!"

Two of his best friends were sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor- Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and-"

"I got all my school stuff last week." Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad." Ron said simply.

Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.

Harry, realizing that one of their party was missing, asked "Where's Lyra?"

"She's getting our ice cream. Sorry, if we'd known we'd be seeing you, we would've asked for another one." said Hermione.

"It's alright, I was just about-"

"Harry?"

Harry turned to see his favorite person in the entire world. He smiled.

There she was- Lyra Black, holding three cups of ice cream and a small satchel of coins. Her dark hair was flowing across her shoulders gracefully, her striking grey eyes as calculating as ever, as if expecting an attack at any moment, and her straight teeth showing at Harry.

"Blimey, it is you! One sec-"

Lyra quickly set the things she was holding in her hands on the table and rushed towards Harry. She threw her arms around him and squeezed his shoulders tightly. Harry did the same, grinning into her hair.

She let go.

"We've been looking everywhere for you, you know. We went to-"

"I know, Ron and Hermione just told me." said Harry.

"We need to catch up tonight, when we have more time. Right?" asked Lyra.

"Of course. By the way, do you know who-"

"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron and Lyra roared with laughter. "I just-lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron, Lyra," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"