分卷阅读22（2 / 2）

“Thatdoesn’thavetobedonetonight,butthisdoes.”Harrystraightensup,andhisbackpopswhenhedoes,prooftohowlonghehadbeensittinglikethat.“Ineedtokeepworking.”

“No.”Dracocrossedtheroomandpulledhisworkawayfromhim,andHarrymadeahalfheartinggrabbingmotion,butletitslideaway.Ifhehadreallywantedtostopit,hecouldhave.“Itdoesn’t.Theworldwon’tstopturningjustbecauseyoutookabreakforanhour.”

“But—”

“Youdeserveabreak.”Itfeltliketheyweremarried.Thisiswhatitfeelslikeallthetime,liketheyaremarriedandinloveanddoeverythingthatcouplesdo,acceptforkissandadmitthatthey’reacouple.It’squitefrustrating.“Comehangoutwithme,justlongenoughtohavedinner.”

Hefeltlikeahousewife,tearinghisbusyhusbandawayfromhisworkjustsotheycouldspendtimetogetherbeforethekidsgothomefromtheirmothers.It’sabadanalogy,onethatwouldgethimalecturefromGinnyaboutsexismandgenderroles,butit’stheonethathekeepscomingbackto.

“Comeon.”DracoshovesHarry’scoatathim,andthenvanishedthepapersforgoodmeasure.They’rejustontopofasetofcupboards,butHarryclearlydoesn’thavethemotivationtogolookforthem.“Forme?”

Harrywavers,andDracocanseewhenhemakesthedecision.“Alright.”hegrabsthecoatandshrugsiton,thenwrapshisownscarfaroundDraco’sneck,ignoringtheflinchwhenHarryreachestowardhim.“Butonlybecauseyouaskednicely.”

Chapter19

Harry

He’satthepubwithDudley(agaysportsbar,becauseasDudleysaid,there’llbesomethingforyouandsomethingformeandnoevilwizardslikelytolookforyouthere)tocelebratehisbirthdaywhentheyrrelativelyeasyfriendshipcomesscreechingtoahalt.

See,thethingis,Harrystillisn’treallysureifhewantstobefriendswithDudley,becausetherearealotofmemoriesfromwhentheywerekidsthathedoesn’twanttothinkabout.Likegettinghisheadshovedintoatoilet,likethewholeclassturningonhimindodgeballandendingupwithabrokennose,allthetimesthatDudley’sfriendspinnedHarry’sarmsbehindhisbackandlethimgetusedasapunchingbag.He’slearningthatthebullyingaspectoftheirrelationshipwasn’tasstrangeashehadthought(turnsoutalotofsiblingswerecrueltoeachotherwhentheywereyoungerandgrewuptobejustfine),buthestillcan’tforgetallthethingshewatchedanddidn’tstop—gettingthrownintothecupboard,beinghitwithAuntMarge’scanesohardhisknucklesbled,beingstarved,beingleftaloneforaslongashecouldremember.

Sohewastentative,thedayhewentbacktowalkdownPrivetDriveforthelasttimeandranintohim.Hehadn’tknownwhattosay,butthankfullyDudleydidn’teither.

“Hello.”Hewasthinner,butstillverylarge,morelikeawalrusinsteadofawhale.“Youlived,then?”

Harrysnorted.“Yeah,Dudley.”Herockedbackonhisheelsandstaredupattheroomthatusedtobehis.Youcouldstillseewheretheyfastenedthebarsonbackwhenhewastwelve,butitdidn’tlooklikesomethingtobeafraidofanymore.“Ilived.Thebadguydied.Lifegoeson.”

Dudleynodded,longandslow,likehewastryingtogivethembothasmuchtimeaspossibletochickenoutofthisconversation.“Cool.”

Theydidenduptalking,grabbingfoodinthelocaldiner,whichDudleypaidfor.Harrylethim,becauseapartofhimthoughthewasowedthatmuch,oneshittydinerburgerandfriesaftereverythingthisfamilyputhimthrough.Butthentheywerewalkingoutintothesidewalktotheirseparatecars,andithitHarrythataftereighteenlongyears,thismightbethelasttimetheywouldseeeachother,andHarryrealizedthatmaybehedidn’twantthat.Maybehewantedsomethinglikearealfamily,evenifit’sjusttheoneperson.

“Hey.”Hetookoutadollarbillbecauseitwastheonlypaperhehadandscrawledhisphonenumberonit.“Thisismynumber.Callme,andwe’llgettogethersometime,alright?Iwanttokeepintouch.”

Harryhadn’tthoughthewasgoingto,butthenoneweeklater,theyweremeetingupatoneofthoseJapaneseplaceswheretheycookthefoodinfrontofyou,ataprivatetablethatHarrypaidextraforjustsotheycouldtalkfreelyaboutallthewizardstuff.DudleyactuallyseemedinterestedanditwasthefirsttimethatHarryrealizedthateventhoughUncleVernonwasafraidandAuntPetuniawasjealous,maybeDudleywasjustalittlebitexcitedabouthavingawizardinthefamily,evenifheneverthoughthecouldshowit.

Thatstartsatrend.Theygoout,hittingeveryrestaurantintown,nevergoingtothesameonetwice.Theygotoaplacewheretheyservesaladssobighehastroublefittingthemonthetable,toaburgerjointwithahamburgerthesizeofhishead,toaplacetwentyminutesoutsideofthecitywheretheyservethehottestwingsonearth,eventoateashopthatDudleysaidAuntPetuniawasforcinghimtotestoutbeforetheircousin’sbridalshower.Afterafewweeks,Harryfindshe’sactuallylookingforwardtotheirmeetingseachweek.It’slikethey’reactuallyontheirwaytobecomingfriends,orturningintothefamilytheyshouldhavebeenallalong.