Order Only: Private Message to Draco

[alt_hermione]

How are you today?

I wasn't actually sure whether to write to you today, or if you'd rather not be reminded if you're busy and not thinking about Harry too much. But I didn't want you to think I'm ignoring you, either.

Did I tell you that Hydra talked to me a little while back about how best to acknowledge Harry's birthday? She said she and Justin had been thinking of maybe a candle-lighting or something, you know, a quiet sort of reflection. Solemn, not anything too flashy. But we got to talking about it and it just didn't seem.... I mean, you're in New London and so's Justin still, and everyone's busy and the Longbottoms have their own family to mourn, and it's a blue moon so Mr Lupin was feeling really very awful and so was Luna, and Sirius--well, I could tell Sirius either wanted to run off and remember Harry in his own way, or preferred to focus on Mr Lupin, and so it seemed like as much as we all wanted to do something, no one felt quite ready, either. Certainly not ready enough to organise anything. So in the end we thought, best leave it for now and let everyone observe on our own, and perhaps we'll find the right way to honour him at the one-year anniversary mark. Or his birthday next year. Or something like that.

Still, it seems as though someone ought to make some kind of statement. Maybe I should have asked them to put something on the wireless. Or maybe I'll think of the right words later. Though it's silly to expect they'll come today, when they haven't come in all this time.

Anyway.

Remind me again of your timetable for the next week? We've got a huge warehouse to wake up over the next several days and I ought to check in occasionally, but I can break free if I plan round your schedule. I'd like it if we could spend it not in the castle, either, just the two of us somewhere, maybe. That was good, last time.

Well, I should get back to it, we've set up a brewing lab here on site as part of our attempt to move things out of Hogwarts in preparation for next term. There's talk it might become a permanent installation, too, a sort of...St M's healing research outpost, or something like that.

But I wanted to say--that I'm thinking about you today, especially. And I miss him, too, and that I hope you're all right, or as all right as you can be.

Comments

[alt_draco]

You worrying about me? Don't. I'm all right.

I know it's not been easy - I know that I've not been easy. But I always find a way to hold myself together, somehow. I hope you don't think it's your job to do that. You do so much for me already.

Thing is, Harry wouldn't want us to make a big fuss. Not over his birthday, or his death. Not any of it. I don't think he'd fancy being forgotten, either, but you know how he didn't like fussing. It embarrassed him.

For the last few days I've found myself wishing that everyone else knew him as we knew him. Not as a hero or a villain or the LP's son, but as Harry. Just Harry. But they don't and that's just how it is.

I've got to put in a shift at the Summerfest tonight. I already went to the corner shop for a coffee and saw some fresh graffiti in the alleyway. Death to Tyranny. Staged, I reckon. From what I've gathered at the club the goal is to make New Londoners realise that they're free from that tyrant, Voldemort, with the implication that it's all thanks to Rowle's Ministry, somehow.


I've got Wednesday and Saturday free next week. I've got to put in training on at least one of those days, but otherwise I'm all yours.

Don't worry about finding the 'right words' about Harry, Hermione. Anything you say is right, if it's honest. And with you it always is.

[alt_hermione]

Of course I worry about you. I happen to care about you, rather a lot, you know. And I knew today was going to be hard, no matter what anyone tried to do to ease it.

Summerfest, is that what they're doing instead of Freedom Day? Hydra mentioned that Justin said something was going on near the river but he didn't quite know what.

Anyway, I know just what you mean about how people perceive Harry but that's always been the case, hasn't it. He was never able to be just himself, to most people. But neither were you, neither was I--really, neither was anyone in the Protectorate, if you think about it. Only to a few very close friends. The Juniors all knew him for who he really was. And the Galleoneers, too, to some extent. The rest of the world--I don't think they'd really want to know. Not right now, anyway. Maybe in ten years' time when we're writing the history of what happened, we'll be there to make sure that his biography reflects the fact that he was really just an ordinary sort of boy who wanted to play Quidditch and wished none of this had been his fight, but who fought it anyway, because he was the only one who could do. That's not very glamourous, is it, but as you say, it's honest.

But you're quite right about what he would have wanted, which is another reason Hydra and I couldn't really come up with anything appropriate that felt true to his memory. All he would have wanted was perhaps a broom flight and some cake, and good friends. Can you imagine a huge Remembrance Day in his honour? He'd spend the whole day trying to convince people to give over and play Exploding Snap instead!


Anyway, let's try Saturday. I'll see if I can arrange a hotel or a cottage somewhere. We can fly out if it's not too far (yes, I'm willingly letting you take me somewhere on a broom!) or Apparate and picnic or something like that, and stay the night, before you have to go back.

[alt_draco]

If we're being honest, then the book we write about Harry and what happened should be titled Never Again, You Sodding Idiots. Though I suppose he wouldn't much like that, either (as much as I would).

Speaking of idiots. I didn't work third shift on Wednesday, but I had a peek at the ledgers yesterday and guess who dropped by the club? Seamus Finnigan. With ruddy Montague, apparently. So he's found his little niche amongst what remains of the council, I guess, nursing the illusion that he can still be one of them. It's a good thing I didn't have to serve him, but I'll be ready, next time he comes in.

And yes, Summerfest along the South Bank. Pumpkin-head Yaxley is running some kind of art show. Once Russell's shift at the concessionaire is over I'll probably wander over for a look.

Would you let me fly you to Strathglass? It's not too far from the castle by broom, and its the prettiest scenery in all of Scotland. Would probably look even better by broom.

[alt_hermione]

Well, is it terribly surprising? I mean, Haruman Patil said Finnigan ranted at Padma when she even suggested he had options other than the Death Eaters. She was really upset about it. Not that I think she has any right to happiness, given how horrid she usually is, but I don't think anyone could deny that she and Finnigan were good friends to each other. I suppose it goes to show that even horrible people can bring out goodness in one another. But anyway, what I mean is that Finnigan's clearly made his bed and he's apparently all too happy to lie in it.

Strathglass sounds fine. If it's not too far. I'll try to see about a room for next weekend.

[alt_draco]

Finnigan's lying in Montague's bed, I reckon. The bloke's developed quite the reputation around New London. Always "up for it," they say. And that's the sort of thing Padma never could provide Finnigan with - a good shag.

Strathglass is just fine, you think? Would somewhere else suit better?

[alt_hermione]

Oh, no, I didn't really have anywhere particular in mind.

And about Finnigan, well, I suppose it's dangerous to underestimate the persuasive power of a good shag. So you're saying he really is happy to be in the bed he's in, is that it?

You mean Jason Montague, don't you? He was done with school before you and Harry started, but I vaguely remember him from the year before. When I was working in the library. He wasn't particularly cruel, but he wasn't particularly nice, either. I mean, to other students. What else are you picking up?

[alt_draco]

Oh yeah, Jason. Not Alfred. Can't imagine that Alfred's got the charisma to build that sort of reputation, though he is working for the new DEMLE as a trainee Auror. So is Finnigan, along with Derwent and no doubt some others, too.

Jason made it onto the council despite the fact that he had no relatives or other connections already seated there. I heard Pumpkin-head Yaxley's dad was the one who pushed for his inclusion - before he died, of course. So Montague's ambitious, I guess, even if he's not particularly cruel. Rachel used to be his boss back when they were working MEU. I suppose she must not despise him too much, if she hasn't assigned him to Justin yet. Or who knows, maybe she's just biding her time.

And really, if you could refrain from writing "good shag" in your own handwriting I'd... appreciate it. Things like that make it especially disconcerting to be in another bloke's body.