“IthinkIloveit.”Harrybreathesout,runninghisfingersoverthesmoothoakmantleabovethefirepebeforepushingawayandirlingthroughtherestoftherooms—thediningroomwiththebigoverheadskylight,thetwobedroomsupstairs,thewindingstairaseandthetinykithen,finallypushingthroughthesreendoorandstandingoutontheporh,faingtowardstheBurrowwithabiggrinonhisfae.
Draogiveshimamoment,andthenfollows.Hedoesn’thavetosayanything,beausethesreendoorssquealsandsqueaks,announinghispresene.Itwastheonlydoor,atthemoment.DraohadthoughtthatwouldmakeHarryfeelbetter,theknowledgethatsomeoneouldnotsneakinwithoutsomerealeffort.
“Therearemorebuildingsthatomewiththeproperty,ifyouwanttolookatthem.”Draowaveshishandtoenompasstheareabehindthem,towardstheelrandtheshedandgreenhouse,apparentlyeverythingthatoneouldneedforproperountrylife.Itisn’treallyhisstyle,butDraoouldgetusedtoit.Wasalreadygettingusedtoit,ifhewasbeingho.“Orweouldjustletthemgo,tearthemdown,itdoesn’tmatteronewebuythem.”
Hedoesnotthinktwieaboutthewe.IfthisiswhereHarrywanted,itwaswhereDraowouldgo.
“Idon’thavetolook,Ialreadyknowit’sperfet,”Harrysays,anditouldhavebeenperfetforDrao,too,ifhewouldhavejuststoppedtalking.“Ofourse,youhavetolookatpes,too.Weneedtofindsomepethatyouwanttobeat,”andsuddenly,Draoouldnotbreathe,beausetheideaofgoingsomewherethatHarrywasnotwasnotinthepns.
Butpnshange.
Draoshouldbeusedtothatbynow.
“Right,”Hesays,andthesmiledoesnotevenslipfromhisfae,thatishowgoodhehasbeomeatpretending.“Ofourse.”
Thewordsfollowhimthroughtheafternoonandmostofthenight,untilHarrywasgonetobedtoathuponmissedsleepandDraofindshimselfaloneinfrontofthefirepe,wathingthefmesleapandwhither,wishinghewasn’tsomuhofaoward,wishingheouldgoupandrawlintobedbesidehimwithoutseondguessinghispethere,justthisone.
Therewasapitureofthetwoofthemonthemantle,armsedaroundeahother,rightinbetweenalltheotherpituresofpeoplethatHarryhaddeemedimportant—ofHarryandRonandHermione,familypituresoftheWeasleys,hismother,hisfather,RemusandTonks,abunhofbabyTeddy,evensomeofamanthatDraonowknowstobeSiriusBk,bakwhenhewasyoungandthedementorshadnotyetfoundtheirwaytohim.Bakbeforehewasruined.
Thatwashispiture.Andoverthere,onthebookshelf,werehisbooks.Andonthetablebesidehimwashisfavoritemug,andabHermionehadknittedhimwasthrownoverthehair,andthere,even,bakbythehallwaywasanoldsweaterthrownoverapairofshoesthathehadabandoned.Pieesofhimwereeverywhere.Hebelongedhere.Helivedhere.This,here,withHarry,washishome.
Hedidn’tmeanitlikeyou’rethinking,Draothinks,tryingtoalmhimselfdown,thinkingthathereallyshouldjustgoupandydownwithHarryjustsoheouldquietthedoubtreepingupinsidehim.Howouldhe?You’retogether,always,hesaidso.