Aevumiter

40: Returning

Harry woke with his head feeling heavy. Draco was not with him, but he felt his husband's presence downstairs with the chatter of Weasley voices. As he sat up, he found the extra beds that had been transfigured for the Weasleys. There were none missing. 

He got to his feet, relieved that he wasn't unsteady. He followed the voices downstairs, and when he approached the living room, Draco was already waiting in the doorway. He opened his arms for an embrace, and Harry folded into them. 

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked softly.

"Head's heavy. An ache here and there. You?"

"Ache here and there." Draco replied. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry." Harry's heart wrenched.

"I thought you died." Draco whispered, and when Harry couldn't make himself say anything, Draco continued. "You did, didn't you?"

Harry nodded into his shoulder.

"Damn it, Harry." Draco hissed, holding Harry tighter.

"Draco?" Narcissa Malfoy spoke, and they drew away from each other. She looked between them, confusion in her brows. 

"Mother." Draco said, and gently pulled Harry into the room. 

"Harry!" Sirius beamed, but Ron beat him to Harry.

"Scared the hell out of us, mate." Ron said as he wrapped Harry into a crushing hug. 

"Sorry."

"Stop hogging him-" Sirius grumbled, and Ron let go of Harry so that Sirius could replace him. 

"You're okay?" 

"I am. Remus too." Sirius said, and pulled away just enough so that Harry could see the other occupants in the room. They smiled back at him. All the Weasleys were there, save for Percy- they probably still had amends to make. 

Molly walked over, and gave him a half-hug, the best she could do without forcing Sirius aside. "It's late afternoon, but would you like some breakfast?" She asked gently. "We've all been taking it easy."

Harry wasn't sure he was ready to eat something. "A drink?" 

"We've got hot cocoa, hot apple cider, coffee, and water of course." 

"Hot cocoa, please."

Molly gave him a smile before heading to the kitchen. Draco and Ron returned to their game of wizard's chess, and Harry settled down with Sirius to watch. Molly returned with the cocoa and then rejoined Arthur and Bill's conversation. Behind Harry on the couch was Hermione and Remus, shoulder to shoulder and each holding a book, quietly comparing and theorizing. The twins, Charlie, and Ginny were designing a prototype toy dragon. Narcissa watched from the doorway, looking as disconnected as Harry felt. 

"You did it." Sirius whispered, his arm around Harry's shoulders. "We did it."

It was so surreal. Voldemort was dead, and here they were. 

Harry heard the front door open and close, and the approach of Moody's steps. Narcissa tucked herself into the corner of the room, and Moody walked in. He flung a few newspapers at them, and plopped down into the nearest vacant seat. Sirius grabbed the nearest one and they both read the headline, Hermione and Remus peering over their shoulders. 

VOLDEMORT DEAD AT LAST. Filled the top header, then it was followed by a picture that managed to capture Voldemort's corpse on one side, and on the other, Draco and Sirius with an unconscious Harry. Below the image, there was another bold headline. HARRY POTTER KIDNAPPED BY SIRIUS BLACK AND DRACO MALFOY.