never let me go

home

A/N: Please listen to the song for each chapter, it adds a lot to the story. You can search each song up or hold down to copy the link for the full playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6xkhxbFCwm8mpFICJ689WM?si=O4mYroRvS16_EObxC5H-YA

Angus and Julia Stone – Chateau

"Don't be scared of what you don't already know."

Harry Potter hadn't been expecting the offer that came halfway through the summer to come back to Hogwarts for an eighth year to complete his studies, expecting to instead go straight into Auror training. But after fighting Voldemort for so long and losing so many people in the final battle, Harry was done with fighting. He wasn't even sure he wanted to be an Auror anymore, wasn't sure if he could handle it after everything he had already gone through, so the chance to return to Hogwarts for one last year was a relief and blessing.

Of course, Ron and Hermione were returning as well, along with Neville, Luna and Ginny, as even though they had attended last year, their education had been greatly disrupted. Harry was ecstatic to have all his friends back together, and even though it would be difficult returning to Hogwarts, it was where he wanted to be.

Harry, Ron and Hermione dodged the persistent Daily Prophet reporters who no doubt wanted a special on them returning to Hogwarts and quickly made their way to the Hogwarts Express. As they were boarding the train, Harry caught sight of Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson getting on a few cars down. His friends noticed his line of sight, and as they made their way down the aisle looking for an empty compartment, Ron said, "Wasn't really expecting any Slytherins to come back, to be honest."

"Do you think they'll be the only ones?" Hermione asked, and Harry knew which particular Slytherin she was thinking of.

"Probably," was Harry's only reply.

They spent the scenic train ride catching Harry up on the latest mishaps at the Burrow, since Harry had spent the last week and a half at Grimmauld Place after breaking up with Ginny. He had realised over the course of the summer that they just weren't right for each other, and around the same time Harry had also realised he was bisexual. Ginny was the first person he told, when he explained his feelings and why he thought they should separate.

"I'm sort of just discovering who I am, and who I can be now that the war is over, when I'm no longer the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived," he had said to her. "I feel like that part of my life is over, and you were a big part of that time for me but... I think I need something else."

"You need to explore your identity," she had replied. "I understand."

That had shocked Harry, as he hadn't expected her to take it so well. But then she had explained how she'd noticed he was growing distant and changing into a new man, a man who needed to find his place in the world, and it wasn't with her.

She had accepted that their relationship had come to an end, and Harry had left the Burrow to do a bit of soul searching. He had visited with the Dursleys – that encounter didn't go wonderfully – to tell them that they could come out of hiding because it was safe now that the wizarding war had come to an end. He had met up with Hagrid in Diagon Alley to get his school supplies, reminiscent of his first year, as well as visited his godson Teddy, who was being looked after by his grandmother Andromeda. Amongst other house calls, Harry had also begun refurbishing Grimmauld Place with the intention of one day making it his home, before finally packing up for Hogwarts and meeting his friends at King's Cross Station.

It was in their compartment, after catching up on the last week and a bit, that conversation eventually turned to Harry and Ginny's breakup.

"She's been taking it surprisingly well," Ron began, "I honestly think that I was more upset about it than she was."

"Why on Earth would you be more upset, Ronald, you weren't even in the relationship," Hermione chastised.

Ron went a little bit red. "Well, I guess I just liked the idea of... Harry being my brother-in-law."

Harry felt a wave of warmth at his friend's words. "Ron, I'm already a part of the family, Molly has made that clear enough on numerous occasions and this isn't going to change that," he assured him. "We're brothers, Ron."

Ron gave him a sheepish smile at that, uncomfortable with having his feelings out in the open.

"He's right about Ginny taking it really well, though," Hermione said after a moment. "It's like she knows something we don't."

She was giving Harry a look like she definitely knew that there was something he wasn't telling them, and so he figured now was as good a time as any. If this school year was going to be a fresh start, he might as well start it off honestly.

"Okay," he started. "There's something I want to tell you. And I know it won't change your opinion of me 'cause you're my best mates and you've put up with me this long."

Ron chuckled a bit, even as his forehead creased as he wondered what Harry was going to say.

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm bi."

There was a heartbeat of silence as they took that in, and Ron's mouth popped open to form a little 'o'. He quickly recovered, and "Oh" was all he said. A grin was slowly spreading across Hermione's face, however, the only warning before she pounced on him.

"Oh, Harry!" she cried, gripping him in a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Ah, okay," was all Harry could say as he awkwardly hugged her back.

"Yeah, me too mate," Ron said as Hermione finally sat back in her seat, though there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, of course, I'm just... surprised you didn't tell us sooner."

"Well I only kind of realised this past summer, and it took me a little while to come to terms with it. Ginny is the only other person I've told."

"Oh. Alright then." That seemed to satisfy Ron, and he gave Harry a clap on the shoulder, to which Harry grinned. That had gone a lot better than he anticipated.

Just then, the lady with the food trolley came by, and the two boys bought out half the sweets while Hermione looked on disapprovingly.