"Hermione, it is that bad," Harry murmured into the phone.
"Harry. You're away from the Dursleys and you're with a blood relative that seems to care about you and wants to get to know you. How is this not everything you've ever wanted?"
"I just- it's too good to be true!! And I'm not ready for another adult trying to be my parent, not after-"
"It's okay if you're not ready. It's barely been a month. I'm not telling you to embrace Stark as your new father, or to replace Sirius and James. Nothing can replace what you've lost, but you can get something new,"
"Stark hurt my mother," Harry said, but he was grasping at straws and they both knew it.
"He did. But not intentionally. Look, Harry, it's your choice on what to do, but I know you didn't call me to hear me say that. You want my opinion,"
"Bloody smartarse," Harry grumbled into the phone, but he could already feel the smile forming on his face.
"You know you wouldn't have it any other way,"
"I know. It's just the way my mum wrote about it, the way she felt - She was so guilty, so scared that my dad wouldn't love her, so alone - I know what that feels like, 'mione, and I hate that he put her through that," Harry said, feeling vulnerable.
"Do you hate him?" Hermione asked, and Harry knew she was storing everything he said in her head for a lter conversation - he was grateful for that, at least. He paused, thinking about his answer.
"I did," Harry said, "It's only been a day, but I kind of already knew it wasn't really his fault, and now that I sort of know him, it's hard to hate him. He's trying so hard, and he doesn't even know what he did, or who I am!"
"How do you think he's going to react when he finds out?" Hermione asks, and Harry could practically see her gears turning.
"Who I am or what happened?"
"Both,"
"I don't know," Harry lied. He knew. He knew that Stark would hate him just like the Dursleys did. Like Remus probably did. Like Hermione and Ron should.
"Take it at your own pace, but you do know he'll have to know at some point before you come back to school," Hermione hesitantly said after a long pause.
"Right, yeah,"
"Call me again soon, okay? I want to know how you're doing, and if you really need a way to get out of there, you know Ron and I will find a way, yea?" Hermione said, and Harry could feel her affectionate smile, even now from three thousand miles away.
"Yeah, thanks 'Mione,"
"Now, tell me about the flight - did your Uncle have to purchase two tickets for himself or did he manage to squeeze into one seat?" Hermione questioned with a light tone. Harry choked.
YOU ARE READING
Harry James Stark
FanfictionHarry had just finished his fifth year at Hogwarts when his Uncle picks him up from the train station, forces him into the car, drives to the airport, and gets on a plane to New York City. Harry is still reeling from the death of his Godfather, and...
