A/N: There isn't a lot of romance in this first chapter, but it does pick up in the next few - don't worry!
Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship - never.
Disclaimer: Although I heartily wish Harry Potter was mine, sadly it actually belongs to JK Rowling.
1. Letters
Harry lay limply on his bed, the first of the morning sunlight streaming in through his window. He looked around, his eyes falling on the several unopened letters lying on the desk opposite his bed. Harry quickly turned over to face the wall, willing himself not to think or feel. His eyes filled with tears, but he fought them back, knowing he had to be strong not only for himself, but the entire wizarding world. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his pyjamas, Harry heaved himself out of bed, his eyes as heavy as his heart.
Nothing was making a sound. He picked his glasses up from his bedside table and glanced quickly out of the window before sinking into his desk chair, and pulling towards him the letters that had played on his mind for so long. One was addressed to him in a small, neat handwriting he recognised as Hermione’s. Another he recognised as Ron’s, an untidy scrawl that had to be Hagrid, and a Hogwarts letter. At the sight of the last one, Harry felt a lump in his throat and a tingling in his eyes. He threw it aside and focused on opening the other letters.
In a sudden frenzy, Harry ripped open Ron’s letter.
Hi Harry, I hope you’re ok, I know you must need a bit of time to think, but whenever you want to you can come to stay here “ Ginny’s desperate to see you. Mum and Dad are upset, and the whole Order’s in a mess really, they’re trying to carry on as they were, but nothing’s the same. Lupin and Tonks seem quite, erm, happy together even after everything. Hermione’s been writing to me, she says she’s coming over here soon and that she’s gonna write you a letter too. Ginny says she wants to write something at the end of this letter to you. Anyway, hope to see you mate.
Ron.
Harry, Please come over here. It’ll be better for you to be with other people “ and I miss you. I think you’ll agree we have a lot to talk about, so please come.
Ginny
Harry frantically reread the small note from Ginny three or four times, three words in particular jumping out at him “I miss you”. He was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming longing to comfort Ginny, to be with her. No he thought to himself, you can’t. You made a decision. You can’t look back. He turned determinedly towards the next letter, Hermione’s.
Dear Harry, It must be really difficult for you at the moment, I hope you feel alright “ everyone does. It’s been so hard for everyone to keep going, keep fighting. They need you there Harry, you don’t know just how much. I’m going to stay at the Burrow in a few days time; I really hope you’ll be there. Everyone’s here for you Harry “ anytime you want. Ron and I are very worried about you and Mrs Weasley is apparently beside herself, we just hope you’re coping alright. If you do feel like coming, just send an owl and we’ll arrange it. I hope I’ll see you soon Harry.
Love from Hermione
Ron’s and Hermione’s letters were full of sympathy and pleas for him to join them “ exactly what he had wanted to hear the past couple of summers. Now he wasn’t so sure. He reached out for Hagrid’s letter, wondering if he would reply to their letters. He ripped open the envelope and read:
Dear Harry, I’m so proud of you, and I know you’re going through a tough time right now, we all are. Everyone wants to see you, speak to you, check everything’s alright, so they really want you to come to the Burrow and they can fill you in on everything. I might be seeing you later in the holiday, but I won't say too much at the moment. I just hope you’re alright and everything.
Hagrid.
Harry gazed at all three letters and realised that he couldn’t hide away anymore, he couldn’t shut himself off from everyone and pretend nothing had happened. He grabbed a nearby blank piece of parchment and quickly scribbled:
Ron, I’ve decided to come to The Burrow to see you all “ as soon as it’s possible. Just tell me how and when and I’ll come. See you soon,
Harry
Harry turned to let Hedwig out of her cage, and tied the scroll to her legs.
“Get this to Ron, as fast as you can, you know where he lives,” said Harry encouragingly.
Hedwig hooted softly at him in farewell, and took off out of the window. Harry flopped on his bed, gazing at the ceiling, thinking about what he had read. He looked down, and he saw, once again, the letter from Hogwarts. He strode purposefully towards it, reached down and picked it up. He carefully slit the envelope open and a badge fell out. It had the Hogwarts four colours in the background and the words ‘Head Boy’ emblazoned in gold on top. He gazed at it, but not really seeing it at all. After all this, after everything, he had been made Head Boy. Anger suddenly surged through him. He didn’t want to be Head Boy! Not after all this! He flung the badge across the floor and marched across to the window, wanting to lose his emotions, set himself free.
After a long while standing there, his feelings of anger lessening as the sun rose, Harry looked down on the floor at his badge. He began to realise that if there was just one thing he could do for Dumbledore now, it was to help protect the one thing that was so important to him; Hogwarts. Picking up the badge, Harry promised himself that if this was what Dumbledore wanted, then he would do it “ no matter what.
*Charles Caleb Colton