Save The Date (A Drarry FanFiction)

Chapter Forty Four (XV)

XV

Harry thought they were doing rather well. They had moved up and down through the next four lands with better efficiency than before, helped by the fact that the last holiday they'd found themselves in (American Independence Day) they had run into some of Rocky's battalion birds and gotten an update. It seemed like the skeletons were covering quite a lot of ground in the search for his boy, but the fact they were still moving between the lands too suggested they still hadn't found him either, which gave Harry hope.

He, Fan and Rocky had made sure they'd not been seen by any of the HSP in any of the lands they visited; it wouldn't do for them to be noticed looking for his boy as well. But he was confident they'd still managed to search thoroughly enough that they had been able to eliminate these holidays as possibilities. They had left word with people he hoped he could trust so that if his boy visited after they had, he would know someone was out there trying to help him.

They may not have encountered any more trouble with the skeletons yet, but tempers had run high in American Independence Land when one or two individuals had tried to start a fight with Fan, claiming their firecrackers were the best in all the lands, far exceeding those of Spring Festival or Guy Fawkes. Fan had tried to politely inform them that she spent her days making money envelopes, and had nothing to do with the firework warehouses, but in the end it had been prudent to make a hasty retreat before any fists started flying.

All of which meant it was getting reasonably late by the time they had arrived back down in the third level, and Fan had insisted they stop for a bowl of rice and curry. Harry felt like they should keep moving, but the truth was he was getting tired, and the food was welcome. In fact, he had begun to wonder about maybe getting a bed for the night somewhere, rather than trying to trek back to Christmas Land.

They were in International Women's Day Land, which as far as Harry could tell was populated with women from all centuries and countries. They were currently sitting outside in a charming cobblestone square having finished their dinner, watching ladies of all ages go about their business.

Now dusk had fallen, lamp-lighters were at work around the piazza, but it was no less bustling as Harry imagined it would be in the day time. He had dressed many dolls in his time at Santa's workshop, but even he didn't recognise all the styles off clothes that the women wore as they ate their meals or crossed the square by foot or by bicycle. Skirts of all lengths, trousers, saris, robes, hijabs. Some travelled in groups, talking animatedly, whilst others read in solitude. A couple were holding hands over their dinner table, one in jeans and a shirt, the other in a kimono.

A young woman dressed in black slacks, a monochrome striped t-shirt and a cigarette hanging from her ruby red lips played an accordion with an air of ease that only came from studious practice, collecting coins of all shapes and sizes in an upturned beret. Several painters had set themselves up in between the restaurants working on caricature portraits and surrealist ideas and impressionist scenes. A woman several tables over with iron grey hair twisted elaborately on top of her head argued enthusiastically with her younger companion in a very fine suit, as they both puffed on cigars and swirled large glasses of brandy.

It was vibrant and oddly calming, Harry found, as he drank it all in over the last bites of his madras. Once finished, he regarded his companions, and smiled.

"Thank you," he said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"For what?" Fan asked.

Harry toyed with the corner of his napkin as Rocky pecked as some leftover poppadoms. "For coming with me," he said, and smiled as her. "Neither of you had to, but it means a lot to not be by myself."

Fan took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "This is the best adventure I've ever hard," she said earnestly. "I'd never even left my land before today."

"Me either," agreed Harry warmly.

"So thank you for letting us join you," she carried on. "It's been great."

"And it's not over yet," Rocky chipped in, hopping into the middle of the table. "Where shall we go next? I think we're running out of secondary levels to check."

"It won't hurt to try some of them again," he said. "In case he's been there since we left. And maybe the first level ones too, we've not even been to Valentine's Day yet."

"Good thinking," agreed Fan with a yawn.

"But maybe we should see about staying here on level three for the night?" he suggested. "Start again fresh in the morning?" After being met with nods of agreement, they settled their bill and began to gather their belongings in order to go in search of a hotel or an inn. However, they were distracted by a commotion to the right as someone came running into the square, colliding as they did with a group of lawyers and seamstresses.

"Sorry, sorry," the boy cried, practically tripping over himself as he righted his footing. He had a dog of some sort at his heels; it was hard to tell the breed due to the floral bonnet it was wearing on its head, but it looked like it was following the boy as he stopped and frantically turned a map he had in his hands this way and that.

As Harry's gaze flicked to the boy's face and took in the white blond hair beneath the striking black hat he was wearing, he felt his heart stutter in his chest. His bindle fell from his hand and clattered to the ground, causing Fan and Rocky to turn sharply and look at him.

"Harry," said Fan startled. "Are you alright?"

For a second, he just watched as the boy spun the map right then left, before raising his strained gaze towards Harry. Then, he equally froze.

"It's him," Harry whispered.