Roots - h.s

24.

Drop your weapons,
drop your guard.
Just a little trust is all it takes.

A/N: Oops... Dropped another one.

STERLING'S POV:

    "Nooo, no, let her show me." I laugh, pulling the picture from Anne's hand.

    "You do realize this is torture... For me, this is what torture feels like." Harry throws his head back, and I look at the photo of him in front of me.

"You do realize this is far from torture?" I laugh, and his mom continues to pull out more pictures of him.

"I know that in old midieval Europe from the 5th all the way to the 15th century they used to tie people up, and saw off fingers as forms of torture. They used to do a lot of very very bad things, and I think you mum have managed to do just as bad in my book by doing this." He fights back.

"You're being a baby." I roll my eyes.

"Maybe I am.." He tilts his head up, looking away from me in a dissatisfied manner, and I turn back to the picture in my hands. It's from when he was younger, maybe 5 or 6. He's sitting at a table, and there's books all around him. He's looking up from an open book, giving a cute smile, like he's annoyed he has to stop for a picture. I love this picture.. His soft dimples, and his glasses perched on his nose.

    "I didn't realize you wore glasses." I speak softly, but feel the smile appear on my lips.

    "He stopped wearing them after primary.. Said he wanted to look like he was normal. I think the glasses are cute." Anne speaks, and I look at Harry. His head is thrown back on the soft light colored couch, and his stance is very laid back, and casual, though I know he's not feeling that way on the inside right now.

    "He is cute with glasses. Bring them back, do it." I nod my head to him, and he rolls his eyes pushing me to the side.

    "I'll wear what I like, thank you both very much." Harry shakes his head. "I'm going to the bathroom, don't talk about me." He points to both of us, and gets up, leaving the conversation as Anne starts to put the pictures away. I glance at the picture in my hands once more, and feel myself smiling wider at the thought of him as a child. The thought of him so innocent, and happy with his life just the way it is. Things were so simple then.

    "You haven't stopped looking at that picture since I pulled it out." She laughs, and I shrug.

    "I love it... He's happy here. Not from his face, but because he's doing something he loves more than anything... Even if he wasn't too happy to stop for a picture I know he was happy reading books, and studying, and learning.. It's adorable.." I smile, and she shrugs, looking at me as I hand the picture back to her.

    "Keep it... Take it with you, we've got other copies." She nods her head, and smiles at me. "He was so happy back then... It's so hard to keep him that way now.. Just want what's best for him." She sets the picture down, and I take it, putting it in my back pocket.

    "I think you're giving him exactly what's best for him.. And he's still happy, he's just learning how to handle everything, and I think you and my dad both have really smart ways of giving us space and room to learn on our own while teaching us all at the same time.." I smile at her, and she stands up, reaching over to squeeze my shoulder.

    "You're too sweet to me. How about something to eat?" She asks, and I nod.

    "I can help." I stand up with her, and follow her to the kitchen. She starts pulling out stuff to make sandwiches, and I take some of it.