The boy-who-lived sighed as he sat down on his bed, putting his head between his hands to attempt and calm himself down. What the hell was wrong with him lately? Yelling at people he cared about for no reason, ignoring others…
"Harry? What's wrong?"
"It hasn't gotten any better…" he muttered back to Hedwig, who softly approached and sat down next to him. "If anything, it is worse . I yelled at Hermione and Ginny for no reason…"
"I don't believe that, there is always some reason."
He growled before standing up and beginning to pace back and forth, "I am so sick of being some sort of problem solver to everyone. First year was Quirrel, the Stone, and the Troll. Second had the Basilisk and Lockhart. Last year was proving Sirius innocent, helping Remus, getting Lucius elected, dealing with politics and all these people who want my attention…"
The white-haired girl stood, before gently taking his face in her hands and putting their forehead together, "You are overwhelmed and tired ."
"I had a vacation, I shouldn't be."
"Not physically," she easily corrected, "but mentally . You have been stressing yourself out over every little thing and now that you have turning people down…"
He pulled back immediately, eyeing her in a way that that spoke of mistrust, and it broke her heart. "You are part of this… this attempt to manipulate me."
The former owl had to focus so that her voice wouldn't crack in anguish, "Yes, it was my idea."
" Why"
"Harry… you spent so many years denying who you are, what you are. Even now you do it every single day. You are constantly on guard, constantly scheming and manipulating for others while inadvertently hurting yourself. I… we just want you to be happy."
"And you think that fucking everything that moves will do this?"
Her amber eyes turned sorrowful, "Are you not happy with us? Are you not happier now that you have Hermione, Ginny, and Luna in your life?"
"I am… but the others…"
"You are human Harry. Despite everything else, despite your power and intellect, despite your maturity and capabilities you are still a teenager. Why are you trying to change that? Why are you trying so hard to deny yourself pleasure in life?"
"Do you think you are not enough? That the others are not enough?"
"Of course not, I know we are, that I am if I wanted to be… but that is another sacrifice. All you do is sacrifice for others, to give up happiness in exchange for a smile. Can't you see that we just want you . We want the real Harry, not the perfect person you keep trying to be, not the one who conforms to society or acts like everyone else. Would you want Luna to do that? To change so she fits in?"
"Of course not" he snapped.
"Then why do you think we want you to do that?"
"I… because… it isn't…"
She closed the distance, and this time he made no move to pull back. "Ask yourself this, if you were happy last year but unhappy this year… what has changed?"
...
"So, Tonks"
"Hm?"
"How did your little… issue get resolved?"
The Auror looked up at her friend, confused for a moment before the truth hit her like a Blasting Curse, she had forgotten that her former best friend wasn't in the loop regarding Harry.
"Oh… yeah that uh well there's no more problem so all good!"
"Tonks… you're stuttering…"
"No I'm not, you're stuttering."
"Tonks…" her friend growled, getting tired of the avoidance that her friend seemed to be doing, it almost was as if… "Oh my God…"
"What?"
"Y-you… you're still with him !"
"No! Of course not!"
The Metamorphmagus felt a pang of shame as she subtly clasped her Wand, she didn't want to Obliviate her friend but if it came down to a choice between her and Harry…
"So," Hestia Jones continued, ignoring the fact her friend was beginning to pale, "you have been in a relationship with someone way younger than you for several years, enjoying what I can only imagine is all sorts of inappropriate and immoral behavior with said teenager, and you decided to hide it from your best friend, is that it?"
"Hess I…"
"I only have one question for you Tonks."
The Auror sucked in a breath, her fingers tightening around the tool at her side.
"How good is he?"
She immediately erupted into a coughing fit, much to the other woman's amusement. "Wh-what!?"
"Oh come on Tonks, if you have been keeping him around for this long it clearly isn't some one night stand, and since I know how physical you can be from all your gloating I bet you are sleeping with him. Thus, my conclusion is he must be halfway decent in bed."
The, currently pink haired, woman continued to stare in shock, earning an eye roll for her behavior.
"So? Spill Tonks!"
"I… I've missed you Hess…"
The woman was about to start laughing at how ridiculous her friend was being, before she noticed the completely sincere look on the opposing's face. "I missed you too Tonks, now come on you promised me alcohol and a girl's night."
....
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