Revelations of Love - Moment by Moment Book #3 (Harry Potter, Drarry)

Welcome Reunion

Harry lay in the dark, listening to the sounds of sleep coming from around him. He was almost certain Remus was asleep, he could hear light snoring coming from above and the squeaking of bunks when men turned restlessly as they strove for slumber had stopped a while ago. Harry, however, was not even trying to nod off. He was exhausted, blinking away his tiredness, but he was 0 for 2 with his comrades, counting the Llewelyn incident and the nightmare, and he was loathed to give them a third mark against him. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, he needed sleep badly, but it involved leaving the bunkroom behind and with it any chance of disturbing his fellows again. As quietly as he could manage, Harry drew back his curtains and slid out of bed. His slippers and robe were not difficult to find, and, feeling like an out-of-bounds school boy again, the young man snuck out of the room.

Wandering around the base in his dressing gown would not have been Harry's first choice, but he had not wanted to risk fishing in his trunk for day clothes. He was gratified to notice that he was not the only one, at least in the barrack area, but those who were dressed as he was seemed to be sneaking around, and judging by the number of mixed couples he saw hastily parting as he padded silently down corridors, in many cases, he was interrupting private assignations. Once he realised this, Harry tried to avoid corridors containing more than one person, and hence, within a minute of two, he was hopelessly lost. He considered asking the Map for directions, but then remembered the grovelling he would have to do, and decided that the middle of the night was just not the time for such games. He therefore just kept following his nose.

Some corridors were lit, others were dark, and the wanderer plodded down another one which gave him a little light, if not a single feature to distinguish it from the one he had just left. His eyelids were drooping, and he'd come to the conclusion that he should just find a quiet storeroom and settle down for what was left of the night. However, before he could locate such a bolt-hole, his half-blind plodding ran in to something, or rather someone. There was a yelp and Harry stepped back rapidly, waking a little with the shock of colliding with a body. He glanced down and recognised a House Elf. It took him a few more seconds to realise this one was fully, if eccentrically clothed, and finally his sleepy senses recognised the wobbling form.

"Dobby!" Harry greeted, and grabbed for the short creature, who was waving a covered plate rather violently, a dazed look on his face.

"Harry Potter, I am sorry for the disturbance," the elf replied, grabbing his tray in both hands.

"My fault," Harry instantly took the blame, "I should have been looking where I was going."

"Dobby was in a hurry, Dobby should have been more careful too."

"Alright, we're both to blame," the man replied, just happy to see a friendly face. "Er, Dobby, I'm lost."

"Dobby will be pleased to help," the creature's ears perked up at the opportunity to aid the human. "Dobby must deliver this food to the infirmary, but if Harry Potter joins him, he will then take Harry Potter wherever he wishes to go."

"Thanks, Dobby," the young man grinned, and patted the elf on the shoulder; Dobby beamed at him, and they started off again back the way Harry had come.

"So what food are you delivering this late at night?" Harry made conversation as they went.

Dobby shot his companion a little frown and answered, "Dobby has been delivering food for the last two hours. Neville Longbottom is attempting to persuade Draco Malfoy to eat; he has not yet succeeded although Dobby is making the best food he knows how."

"Draco isn't eating?" Harry asked, alarmed at the news, and his diminutive friend looked crestfallen at his own failure as he shook his head.

"Why?!"