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Chapter37

Harry

Thecottageiswhatpeoplemightcallafixer-upper.

HeknowsthisbecauseitisexactlywhatHermionehadcalledit,smilingaroundatthelittlehousewiththelookonherfacethatnormallycomesrightbeforeshehandsheandRonstudyschedules,trailingherhandsthroughthedustonthecountertops.“It’sabitofafixerupperHarry,”Shehadsaid,Ronnoddingalongwithherinapproval,ahabitbothheandHarryhadpickedupfromministrydinners.“Butwithalittlework,thissureisgoingtobesomething.”

Alittleworkdidn’tcoverit.Harryhadplansforthishouse,planssobigthattheyshouldbewrittenoutincapitalletters,andit’sgoingtotakeawhiletogetthemdone,becauseheplanstodothemtherightway,themuggleway.

(Dracohadrolledhiseyes,butafterHarryhadpointedoutthathedoesallhiscleaningthemuggleway,hehadshutup.)

“Ijustthinkit’lltakeyouforever.”Dracohadsaid,followinghimthroughthedoorwhilelevitatingallthetoolsthatHarrywouldbeusingwithonesweepofawand.“Whyevenbother?”

“Becausethenit’llbemine,”Harrysays,becausehehadlikedtheideaofknowingtheplacementofeverygrainofsandeddownwoodandtheworkthatwentintoeveryinchofthecarpeting,butthenheamendedhisanswer,reachingouttoholdDraco’shand,whorolledhiseyes.“Ours.”

“Alright.”Dracorolledhiseyes,butHarryknewhewon,becauseDracoalwayscaveswhenHarrystartstotalklikethat.Hetriesnottoabusethepowertoomuchbuthewanted—needed—thisproject,justtogivehimalittlemoretimetofigurethingsout.Healwayshadthoughtbestwhenhewasdoingmundaneworklikethat.“Anythingyouwant,Harry.”

Ofcourse,thefactthatitwasHarry’sprojectmadeitDraco’sproject,too,handinghimtoolsashehammerednailafternailintothestepsandswipingpaintalongHarry’scheekwhenhedidn’tthinkhewasbeinggivenenoughattention,andalsobeingallaroundbossy,whichHarrywasexpecting.Theyspentalotofafternoonshere,Dracopoppinginaroundnoon,insistingthathehadjustcometobringhimlunchandthenstayinguntildusk,wheretheycouldsitwiththeirlegsdanglingoffthetoo-tallporchandwatchingthesunsetdownoverthefields.

Thiscouldbeeverydayfortherestofmylife,Harrywouldthink,everysinglenight,takingDraco’shandinhisandpressingakisstohisknuckleseachtimehethoughtit,likehewassealingthepromise.Itwasthefirsttimehewasthinkingofthefutureandnotfeelingafraid.Icouldfeelthishappy,everynight,eachnight,aslongasIlive.

Itwasanicethought,agoodthought.Andastrangeone,consideringthatforthepastsevenyearsbeforehand,hehadalwaysbeenonestepawayfromdying.Andforthepastthreeyears,hethoughtthatdeathandmurderweretheonlypathshislifecouldtraveldown,andsomehow,nomatterwhichoneofthemlived,hewouldendwhenthefightwasdone.

(That’sthething,isn’tit,aboutneithercanlivewhiletheothersurvives—itsortofgoestheotherway,too,liketheyonlyexistforeachother,becauseofeachother,becausewhatisherowithoutavillaintofightagainst?)

(Harryknowstheanswernow:nothing.Justaperson.Theonlyproblemishedidn’tknowhowtobethat,notquiteyet.He’shopingthishousewillhelphimfigureitout.)

Todaywasoneofthosedays,whereDracobringslunchandcritiquesHarry’sworkwhileheeatsinawaythatshouldbenaggingbutwasmostlyjustfond,andthenhejuststuckaround,maybebecausetodayHarrywasclearingouttheshedthatDracowasgoingtouseforhispotionsandhewantedtomakesureitwasdoneright.Anditwas.Harryhadmadesureofthat,scrubbingitfromtoptobottombeforehedidanythingelse,repaintingtheoutsideandputtingshelvesupontheinside,evenclimbingupontherooftopatchupthechimney.Andwhenitwasover,theyweren’tquitereadytoleave,yet,soDracosomehowmanagedtomakeamealoutoftheremnantsoftheirlunchandtheyheadedouttothedecayinggreenhouseforapicnic.

“It’ssortofbeautifullikethis,”Dracosaid,wavinghiswandlazilytogestureatthegreenhouse.BubblesstreamedoutofthetipandHarrycaughtthemonhishands,watchingastheyburst.“Allbrokendown.”

Beautifuldisasters.Dracolikesthose,Harryislearning.HejusthopesthathasnothingtodowithhowmuchDracoseemstolovehim.

“Wecouldleaveitlikethis,ifyouwant.”Harrywouldn’tmind.Hehadalwayslovedwhenthingswerealittlemorechaotic,probablybecausesomuchofhisearlylifeattheDursley’shadbeenconstrainedandstifled.Helikestocoloroutsidethelinessometimes,justtoremindhimselfhecan.Plus,theonlyrealproblemwastheholesintheroof,andtheycouldgetHermionetolaydownaspellthatfixesthat.“Onelessthingformetodo.”

“Seemsabitimpracticalthough,”Dracomused,maybetobedifficultormaybebecausehewasactuallyconsideringit.“Abrokendowngreenhouse.”