Shall Yourselves Find Blessing - Part 2
Title: Shall Yourselves Find Blessing - Part 2
Author: sesheta_66
Prompts used: slythindor100’s early bird prompts 14: London sunset and 21: owl (pics under the cut) and dracoharry100’s prompt 22: Christmas carolling
Word Count: ~1K
Rating: G, for now
Warning: none
Summary: Christmas can be a lonely time. Until it’s not.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the slythindor100 Early Bird 25 Days of Draco and Harry and the dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge. Title lifted from the last line of Good King Wenceslas.
To start at the beginning: Part 1
[Part 2]
Shall Yourselves Find Blessing - Part 2
Harry scribbled the last few lines onto the parchment and sent the last letter of the day by owl before packing up and leaving, much to the surprise of a few onlookers, unused to seeing Harry depart before them. He wished them a good weekend and waved off the week’s work.
He exited the building and drew a long breath, exhaling a cloud of steam as he pulled up his collar. It was good to be out of the office on time for a change. Well, nearly on time. Opting to take advantage of the crisp, fresh air he wandered alongside the Thames instead of apparating directly to the pub.
"Look, Mummy!" a little girl exclaimed, tugging on her harried mother’s coat sleeve. "Isn’t it just the prettiest thing?"
Harry followed the girl’s gaze and had to agree. The pink clouds reflected off the river, Big Ben in all its glory a reminder to all where they were. He took a moment to soak it all in. He loved this crazy, busy city, for all he ever saw of it. With a suddenness that startled him, he realised that he hadn’t witnessed a sunset in London for months. He’d been so caught up in work that he’d rarely made it out of the office before dark, and on the few occasions he had, it was to race off somewhere else.
And wasn’t that just a little bit sad?
He smiled at the girl, thanking her silently for reminding him that life didn’t have to pass him by. He’d have to remember this tomorrow and the next day and the next. "Happy Christmas," he said as he passed the mother and daughter who were still looking up at the clouds.
***
"Harry!" Seamus raised his pint, clearly not his first, in greeting. "What took you so long?"
"He was working," several people said at once.
Harry tried to take offence, but they had a point. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I work too much." It was true. He caught a knowing look from Ginny but refused to feel guilty. His work had been a part of why they’d split up, but it wasn’t the only reason. Not even the most important one. Besides, she was better off with Neville. They were both better off apart, even if it didn’t feel like it a lot of the time.
"Tell us something we don’t know," Ginny teased.
"As a matter of fact," Harry said while making his way over to the bar and holding a hand up to Ginny. "I’ll have a pint of Pride," he said to the bartender before turning back to the conversation. "I walked over here so I could enjoy the fresh air and the view along the Thames." The shock on their faces was worth it.
"Who are you and what have you done with our friend?"
Harry thanked the bartender and took a long pull of his pint on his way back to the table. "Shut up. I do go outdoors every now and again."
"Sure you do."
"Hey! I was out with Luna at the Christmas market just the other day."
Ginny laughed. "Only because she’d hex your arse if you didn’t go voluntarily." She narrowed her eyes knowingly. "So how many hours did you work after you said goodbye to her?"
Four or five, give or take. "Fuck off." He took another sip and breathed a sigh of relief as Ron approached.
"Leave off, Gin. Harry can’t help that he’s a workaholic."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, he can, and he needs a life outside work."
"You should know better than that. Work is his life."
"Oi! I’m right here!" He couldn’t argue their points - they were true, and he’d been thinking the very same thing himself after all - but he drew the line at them talking as though he weren’t even there.
"Yes, you are," Luna said as she drifted over from another table, where she’d been chatting with some people he didn’t know, and gave him a peck on the cheek. "And we’re very glad to see you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Luna."
"We were just commenting that Harry needs to get out more," Ginny said. Harry made a face at her but she only grinned back.
"Oh, that would be lovely. Perhaps you’ll join us for carolling next weekend?"
Harry nearly choked on his beer. "You want me to do what now?" Ginny chuckled. He ignored her.
"The children at the orphanage go Christmas carolling each year and we could always use some extra adults to join us."
"Yeah, Harry, why don’t you go?" Ginny’s shoulders were shaking with the strain of holding back her laughter. He imagined she recalled his singing voice from the few times she’d overheard him in the shower.
He glared at her. "Why don’t you?" he countered.
"Oh, yes, Ginny! That would be wonderful. We could all go." By the time Luna turned round to rope Ron in, he’d disappeared back into the crowd. The coward.
"I’d love to," Ginny lied. "But I have an important game coming up and we’ll be practicing the whole weekend."
Harry raised a brow. "All weekend? I highly doubt that."
"Oh, it’s okay, Harry." Luna lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "I don’t think Ginny really wants to sing. I don’t think she likes children very much."
"Hey! I do so." She looked at Neville and pouted.
Harry shook his head and mouthed, "I think you’re right," to Luna. That earned him a two fingered salute from Ginny.
Luna squeezed his arm. "The children are going to be so excited when I tell them Harry Potter will be joining us." And then, before Harry even had a chance to catch up with the conversation, she was gone and he apparently had plans for the weekend.
Author: sesheta_66
Prompts used: slythindor100’s early bird prompts 14: London sunset and 21: owl (pics under the cut) and dracoharry100’s prompt 22: Christmas carolling
Word Count: ~1K
Rating: G, for now
Warning: none
Summary: Christmas can be a lonely time. Until it’s not.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the slythindor100 Early Bird 25 Days of Draco and Harry and the dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge. Title lifted from the last line of Good King Wenceslas.
To start at the beginning: Part 1
[Part 2]
Shall Yourselves Find Blessing - Part 2
Harry scribbled the last few lines onto the parchment and sent the last letter of the day by owl before packing up and leaving, much to the surprise of a few onlookers, unused to seeing Harry depart before them. He wished them a good weekend and waved off the week’s work.
He exited the building and drew a long breath, exhaling a cloud of steam as he pulled up his collar. It was good to be out of the office on time for a change. Well, nearly on time. Opting to take advantage of the crisp, fresh air he wandered alongside the Thames instead of apparating directly to the pub.
"Look, Mummy!" a little girl exclaimed, tugging on her harried mother’s coat sleeve. "Isn’t it just the prettiest thing?"
Harry followed the girl’s gaze and had to agree. The pink clouds reflected off the river, Big Ben in all its glory a reminder to all where they were. He took a moment to soak it all in. He loved this crazy, busy city, for all he ever saw of it. With a suddenness that startled him, he realised that he hadn’t witnessed a sunset in London for months. He’d been so caught up in work that he’d rarely made it out of the office before dark, and on the few occasions he had, it was to race off somewhere else.
And wasn’t that just a little bit sad?
He smiled at the girl, thanking her silently for reminding him that life didn’t have to pass him by. He’d have to remember this tomorrow and the next day and the next. "Happy Christmas," he said as he passed the mother and daughter who were still looking up at the clouds.
***
"Harry!" Seamus raised his pint, clearly not his first, in greeting. "What took you so long?"
"He was working," several people said at once.
Harry tried to take offence, but they had a point. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I work too much." It was true. He caught a knowing look from Ginny but refused to feel guilty. His work had been a part of why they’d split up, but it wasn’t the only reason. Not even the most important one. Besides, she was better off with Neville. They were both better off apart, even if it didn’t feel like it a lot of the time.
"Tell us something we don’t know," Ginny teased.
"As a matter of fact," Harry said while making his way over to the bar and holding a hand up to Ginny. "I’ll have a pint of Pride," he said to the bartender before turning back to the conversation. "I walked over here so I could enjoy the fresh air and the view along the Thames." The shock on their faces was worth it.
"Who are you and what have you done with our friend?"
Harry thanked the bartender and took a long pull of his pint on his way back to the table. "Shut up. I do go outdoors every now and again."
"Sure you do."
"Hey! I was out with Luna at the Christmas market just the other day."
Ginny laughed. "Only because she’d hex your arse if you didn’t go voluntarily." She narrowed her eyes knowingly. "So how many hours did you work after you said goodbye to her?"
Four or five, give or take. "Fuck off." He took another sip and breathed a sigh of relief as Ron approached.
"Leave off, Gin. Harry can’t help that he’s a workaholic."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, he can, and he needs a life outside work."
"You should know better than that. Work is his life."
"Oi! I’m right here!" He couldn’t argue their points - they were true, and he’d been thinking the very same thing himself after all - but he drew the line at them talking as though he weren’t even there.
"Yes, you are," Luna said as she drifted over from another table, where she’d been chatting with some people he didn’t know, and gave him a peck on the cheek. "And we’re very glad to see you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Luna."
"We were just commenting that Harry needs to get out more," Ginny said. Harry made a face at her but she only grinned back.
"Oh, that would be lovely. Perhaps you’ll join us for carolling next weekend?"
Harry nearly choked on his beer. "You want me to do what now?" Ginny chuckled. He ignored her.
"The children at the orphanage go Christmas carolling each year and we could always use some extra adults to join us."
"Yeah, Harry, why don’t you go?" Ginny’s shoulders were shaking with the strain of holding back her laughter. He imagined she recalled his singing voice from the few times she’d overheard him in the shower.
He glared at her. "Why don’t you?" he countered.
"Oh, yes, Ginny! That would be wonderful. We could all go." By the time Luna turned round to rope Ron in, he’d disappeared back into the crowd. The coward.
"I’d love to," Ginny lied. "But I have an important game coming up and we’ll be practicing the whole weekend."
Harry raised a brow. "All weekend? I highly doubt that."
"Oh, it’s okay, Harry." Luna lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "I don’t think Ginny really wants to sing. I don’t think she likes children very much."
"Hey! I do so." She looked at Neville and pouted.
Harry shook his head and mouthed, "I think you’re right," to Luna. That earned him a two fingered salute from Ginny.
Luna squeezed his arm. "The children are going to be so excited when I tell them Harry Potter will be joining us." And then, before Harry even had a chance to catch up with the conversation, she was gone and he apparently had plans for the weekend.