"Harry, she left Wayne at the altar. Something's wrong with her. She's got to be under the Imperius or something. I mean, the official said does anyone know of any reason why these two should not be joined, and she holds up a hand and says... you know, I do. I can't do this, then walks out of the church. Does that sound like Hannah to you? She hasn't changed a bit since school, Harry. Steadfast and sweet. She didn't even come home last night. I waited, and she never showed. Something's terribly wrong. Justin's out looking for her now. I'm at my wit's end. She's so... fragile."

Harry nodded, remembering how sweet Hannah had been. Hufflepuff, through and through. "We'll find her Ernie. We will." He moved past him and into the living room, going for the kitchen. "Do you know of anyone she might be staying with? Another friend? Probably a girl." He opened the fridge, surveying the contents in there. It looked as if it hadn't been touched in a while, which made sense. If she'd been planning a wedding, she might not have even been home in days. "Do you know why she would have left Wayne in the first place?"

"I haven't a clue. She tried to tell me something before I walked her down the aisle, but she was too nervous to speak properly. Hannah has a problem getting her words out when she's nervous. I thought it was probably her usual Hannah stuff. Oh bother, I wish my dad was here to give me away, but I'm glad you're here Ern. You're my best friend. She doesn't really have many female friends, Harry. I mean, I know she has lunch with Susan every so often, but they aren't close. If she was going to hide out, it would be with myself or Justin."

Harry opened his mouth to say something when the door opened.

Hannah Abbott walked into her flat wearing men's boxer briefs and a white v-neck tee with her wedding dress and veil draped over one arm and her shoes in her hand. She stopped abruptly when she saw Ernie and... Harry Potter? Ernie had called the Aurors? Oh good grief.

"Harry?" Hannah couldn't help her smile. She was fond of Harry. Always had been. He never seemed to think she was delicate. He pushed her to learn in the DA. "Goodness, it's been a while. What are you doing here?"

Harry rose an eyebrow, looking from Hannah, to Ernie's shocked expression, and back. "I'm... good. How are you? Anything interesting been happening in your life lately that we should know about?"

He could see Ernie's mouth open and close in shock. He was pretty sure he heard the other man squeak once or twice as well.

"You sound just like a little mouse when you do that, Ern," Hannah said, tossing her wedding dress and veil in a pile next to her umbrella stand. She'd burn it later. She tossed her white shoes onto the pile also. "Well, Ernie's probably told you my most interesting news, Harry, but what's been happening with you? Still working for the Ministry?"

"Ha-Hannah..." Ernie managed, taking in the men's pants and the obviously male tee shirt.

"Don't interrupt," she chided in an overly happy tone. As much as she had thought she'd face up to everything today, she was finding herself not quite ready to say exactly why she'd walked out of her wedding.

"Yes. Still with the Ministry. Working on a missing person's case, actually." Which was a lie. "She's a blond. About this tall. Answers to the name Hannah." His eyes darted to his discarded wedding dress before looking back up at her

"Hannah, where did you go?"

Harry looked over at Ernie, not sure if the man understood what was going on here. Harry had seen enough of this in the war. Ginny had pretended to be perfectly fine after George's death. It didn't work, and he could see that same look in Hannah's eyes

"It doesn't matter where she went. What matters is that she's back now, right Ernie?" Harry turned his eyes back to Hannah, taking in her clothes. Boy's pants. Boy's shirt. It was pretty obvious to him why she didn't go through with the wedding.

Hannah put her hands on her hips. "I don't think you really want to know where I was, Ernie. You might get upset."

"Hannah-"

"Fine," she said, feeling a bit of hysterical panic welling up within her. She just hoped Ernie didn't try to do anything about this. Blaise had been a gentleman. She wouldn't have him harmed because her friends has some misguided need to protect her. "I spent the night at Blaise Zabini's home."

You could have heard a feather quill drop.

Harry blinked a few times at her explanation. Well... if you were going to leave your wedding and fiance for someone, it might as well be someone who was as big of a manwhore as Blaise Zabini. Harry didn't say anything, just looking back and forth between Hannah and Ernie. He was pretty sure Ernie hadn't taken a breath yet. Harry cleared his throat, hoping it urged Ernie to open his.

"You're... you're cheating on Wayne with that... that..."

"Watch what you say about Blaise," Hannah warned, not knowing exactly where that had come from. She barely knew Blaise Zabini. But he'd been kind to her. Surprisingly. She was startled to discover that the man had a bit of her fierce loyalty just because he'd bought her drinks and given her a place to lay her head last night.

"B-Blaise?" Ernie sputtered.

"Oh please," Hannah snapped. "It is NOT what you're thinking. I didn't... we didn't... he didn't... he put me in his guest room. He got me something to vomit in after the many firewhiskeys. He was a gentleman."

She stormed over to the desk against the wall near her sofa, pushing past Harry and Ernie. She snatched up the unmarked envelope containing the snaps of Wayne and some blonde she didn't recognize but knew was not her. She shoved them at Ernie's chest. Some them spilled out across the floor by Ernie's and Harry's feet.

"That's NOT me, by the way. I am not the one who cheated," she choked out, eyes tearing up.

Harry bent down slowly and started to gather the photographs from the floor. The quality was horrible, but it was obvious that Wayne was definitely having sex with someone other than Hannah. Unless she had a dolphin tattoo on the small of her back, which he doubted.

He grabbed the photos from Ernie's hands. He'd been staring at him, his eyes slightly bulging. He put them back in the envelope before setting it on the counter. "Who sent these to you?"

Hannah just shook her head no. If she talked just now, she might cry. She had no idea where they'd come from.

"Hannah," Ernie whispered and pulled her into a hug, smoothing her hair a bit. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried," she sniffed. "But you and Justin would have killed him in the church. I can't have that."

"I still might."

"Ernie, no," she said pushing back so she could see his face. "Absolutely not, and you shouldn't make death threats in front of someone who works for the Magical Law Enforcement Department... even in jest."

"I'm not jesting," Ernie snapped, heading for the door.

"I forbid you to kill him."

"Hannah, he-"

"I'm well aware what he. I have the pictures to remind me if I am unclear."

"I'm... I'm going to find Justin. He's out looking for you."

Hannah sighed after the door shut. She sincerely hoped Ernie was not lying to her. She didn't want him getting into trouble for hexing someone who was not worth it. She froze. Did I really just think that?

Harry cleared his throat again, and Hannah turned to him. She'd forgotten he was there for a moment. That probably never happened to him.

"I don't have much, but I can make you some tea if you like," she offered, ever the polite hostess.

"I'm fine, really. You don't have to make me tea." It appeared as if she ignored him, walking into the kitchen. He followed her, wanting to make sure she was alright. He'd have done the same thing Ernie had, if this had happened to Hermione. Though, the man would have already been dead, most likely. Harry knew some pretty far-reaching curses.

He watched her move around the kitchen, gathering the necessities for tea. "Hannah..."

He shook his head. He had no idea what to say to her. He hadn't seen her in years, and the last time he had, it'd been during the war. He always felt this awkwardness around people when the last time they'd set eyes on each other had been on a battlefield. "I like the flat. It's cozy." He rolled his eyes at himself, glad that she had her back to him.

"It's funny... I should have been packing my things. I was supposed to move into Wayne's house after the wedding, but I kept finding reason, excuses, not to pack up. Maybe a part of me knew I wouldn't be leaving. Oh God... I'll be leaving anyhow. I can afford this place on my salary. Wayne was paying for it."

Hannah shook her head at herself. She would worry about that later.

She turned around suddenly to look at Harry. "The last time I saw you, I was bleeding. Literally. Today it's just figuratively. I'm sorry you have to see me like this, but it is good to see you, Harry."

He nodded. He would have rather run into her in a much different situation, not one where she'd walked, or run, out of her wedding because her bastard of a fiance was cheating on her. "It's good to see you too, Hannah." He leaned back against the counter, folding his arms over his chest.

He was an idiot. He didn't know what he was thinking. It was ridiculous, but he couldn't not-

"I have a lot of room at Grimmauld Place. If you ever need to stay somewhere, I have plenty of spare rooms."

Hannah smiled at him, a real smile. "I'm going to try not to take you up on that offer, but it might become necessary. However, I will try not to, but the longer I talk to you, the more likely I am to accept. I have been looked after my whole life, Harry, by... someone."

Then something occurred to her quite suddenly.

"Oh my goodness! I asked Blaise Zabini to teach me how to take care of myself! What he must be thinking!"

Harry rose an eyebrow. He hadn't really heard hide nor hair of Blaise Zabini since graduation and now he was finding out he was helping Hannah Abbott in her time of distress and teaching her how... to...

"Huh?"

"I'm not good at being on my own. He sort of agreed to help me with that, but I'd been drinking, so perhaps I misunderstood," she smiled to herself. "He said he wasn't getting me drunk to take advantage on the day a girl walked out of her wedding. He said he'd wait until the day after at least."

Hannah had been fiddling with the teapot this entire time. She poured Harry and cup and handed it to him, her thoughts turning to Blaise Zabini entirely too much for her tastes.

"Milk or sugar? Not that I am sure if I even have either of those."

He grabbed the cup, "None, thanks." He hadn't really wanted any tea. Tea made him think of divination. Divination made him think of tea leaves. Tea leaves made him think of the Grim. The Grim made him think of Sirius. He didn't need to be thinking about Sirius when Hannah was having issues in front of him. He set the tea down on the counter beside him. "Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do? Owl your work and tell them you won't be in? I find I have some substantial sway when I throw my weight around."

"Well, seeing as how I'm supposed to be off on my honeymoon right now, I doubt Madam Malkin is expecting me," Hannah grabbed Harry's teacup and sloshed the tea out into the sink. She swirled the leaves a bit before looking in. "Hmmm... a parasol. Sort of looks like a parasol. Or an umbrella. Same thing only umbrella sounds less girlie."

Hannah set the cup on the counter. She walked to her bookshelf and snatched up a book, flipping pages. Hannah blushed.

"What?"

She looked at him. "A new lover?"

Hannah carried the book back and grabbed the cup again. She turned it "This bit right here looks like a claw to me." Hannah flipped through the book. She looked up at Harry. "A hidden enemy."

Harry nodded to himself. Well. At least it isn't the Grim. Though, he did have to wonder about how tea leaves knew his sex life. "I have tons of hidden enemies, so that's not surprising." He was fine with her fussing over him and what his tea leaves meant. If she needed to distract herself, that was fine. He wasn't too proud to sit here and listen to her go on about kittens and rainbows if that made her feel better.

"It's a shame we never had divination together. Your fortunes would have been much better than Ron's."

Hannah smiled, thinking of Ron Weasley.

"He's going to throw me out for embarrassing him," Hannah said softly. "I just know it, and I could stay with Justin or Ernie. They'd let me in an instant, but I don't want them taking care of me. I want to figure this out. If... if I did stay at your place, I would insist on some form of exchange. I'm not bad at cleaning charms, as I couldn't pay you much, but there has to be something."

"I have a house-elf."

Hannah blinked in surprise. She had not figured Harry for the house-elf sort. Especially not being friends with Hermione Granger with her S.P.E.W. campaign back in school.

"I also bake."

"I like chocolate chip oatmeal raisin coconut." He grinned at her. He had no problem with her staying at Grimmauld Place. Dobby was complaining because he never had anyone over anymore. 'Dobby is wanting to feed Harry Potter's friends!' 'Dobby never gets to use the tea service Master Wheezy is bringing Harry Potter!' 'Where is Miss Hermy?'

"We could find an arrangement, I'm sure." He sighed, looking at the empty cup.

"I'm sorry we lost touch after the war. I think we were all just looking for normal, and normal got in the way a lot." He looked up at her. He remembered the last time he'd seen her. It was very vivid in his mind. She'd been bleeding, and he'd felt that same stab of pain and anger and regret he'd seen anytime his friends and classmates had bled and died in the war.

"Well, we're in touch now," Hannah said. "Now has got to count for something. Besides, if I do happen to stay at your place, and this will be temporary, mind. Just until I get this whole on my own thing figured out. But like I was saying, we'll be roommates. That will afford plenty of time for catching up, and perhaps I'll get to meet this mystery woman... or man... you'll be shacking up with."

Hannah went wide-eyed at her last statement. Wayne always got on to her for remarks like that. Hannah stopped feeling panicked about that. Harry didn't look upset. He looked amused, and Wayne wasn't here. He didn't get to decide her behavior any longer. Hannah grinned. Perhaps she'd bake Blaise Zabini some thank your biscuits today. The muggle way. Wayne didn't like the 'messes' she made when she baked.

"Maybe." Harry grinned, pushing off the counter. He was pretty sure she wanted to be alone. Alright, maybe he had no idea what she wanted, but he knew if he was in her shoes, he'd be wanting to break something. Or burn something. She seemed in that 'fire bad, tree pretty' type state at the moment, and she needed time.

"If you need anything, just owl me. Dobby usually makes sure I know about the urgent ones right away." He reached out, a bit awkwardly, and put a hand on her shoulder. "If Ernie does get into trouble, I'll talk to some people. See what I can do." He turned, grabbing his jacket from where he'd draped it over her sofa. "You have some really good friends, Hannah. That says something loudly."

"Harry," she called before he could get out of the door. "Tell me I can do this... even if you don't think I can. Tell me I'm not going to be broken by this."

He leveled her with a gaze. "I'll tell you you can do this because I believe it, Hannah. You'll get through this. You've gotten through worse." He smiled slightly before turning and heading through the door, closing it softly behind him.

Hannah nodded, even though there was no one there to see it. She could do this. She could. Harry thought she could, and to her, that was something. Right now she needed to change clothes, burn a dress, and bake some biscuits.

And perhaps start packing.

 

{SUMMARY} Harry is called in as a favor to look for a missing girl. He finds her and asks her to move in with him (because he likes to torture himself, apparently....)