Hannah surveyed the flat. Her things were all packed up. She was not taking anything Wayne had gotten for her. It left a lot here. It was going to take her a long time to build a life of her own. She was ready for that though. Ernie had helped her pack a lot of it. Harry should be by soon to take her to her new temporary home... because she would not be there forever. She would not. She glanced at the remains of the wedding dress and veil in the fireplace. Hannah felt a pang. No, she would not be sad about this. No.

When her doorbell sounded, Hannah let out a bit of a squeal and hurried to the door. She flung it open and jumped up and down when she saw him.

"Harry!"

Harry's eyebrows raised. "Hannah." When she motioned for him to enter, he moved past her. He'd helped Hermione move into her flat, Ron into his, and had helped Ginny and Luna move into their house. He was, apparently, known for his help with moving. He looked around the apartment. "I thought you said you'd be packed?" There was still furniture scattered around the apartment, not to mention the fully stocked kitchen.

Hannah wrung her hands and looked at the floor. "I... I'm only taking my things. I... will... miss the kitchen, I suppose, but it's really his. I don't want to give him a reason to say I took something that was not mine, you know?"

"I don't think you really owe him anything, Hannah. I believe he actually owes you quite a bit more. Much more than a kitchen." Harry looked around the apartment, seeing a small stack of boxes near the counter. "So that's it then?" He turned back and smiled at her softly. "Sure you don't want to trash the place a bit first?" His eyes darted to a bit of lace left in the grate.

Hannah was about to say she sure wanted to when the door opened. She involuntarily moved closer to Harry, who had his wand out already. She'd barely even seen him move. Hannah gasped almost inaudibly when she saw who it was.

Wayne. Oh poop.

"Hannah? What are you doing?"

She was about to answer him when Harry said something. Hannah looked at him in surprise.

"I don't think you have the right to ask her that anymore, Wayne. I'm pretty sure you lost that right when she walked out on your arse in her wedding dress." Harry's hand tightened on his wand. He didn't want to point at the man, be overly threatening, but he did want him to know he had no problem hexing him.

Hannah was looking between Wayne and Harry with wide eyes. She was startled to realize that she wouldn't mind if Harry hexed Wayne. Not a bit. She'd probably even like it a little.

"I think I have the right to ask her where she's been. You walked out, Hannah. Why?"

"You're checking on me three days later?" Hannah asked, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. "Ernie had an Auror here the next day. Justin looked for me all night."

"Well, I'm not Ernie or Justin."

"No," Hannah said, stepping closer to Harry still. "You certainly aren't."

"You embarrassed me, Hannah. You made me look like a fool."

"How do you think I felt when I learned you'd been cheating on me?"

"I'm not-"

"DON'T LIE!" Hannah screamed, her face going red, her entire body trembling. She was usually very calm and collected, meek even, but Hannah Abbott had a frightful temper when provoked.

Wayne took a step towards her.

Harry's wand was up, pointing at Wayne's chest. "Don't. Take. Another. Step."

He reached out and put an arm around Hannah's shoulder, pulling her into him. "If you take another step I will be within my Auror rights to take you in for attempted battery. Ministry cells aren't comfortable. Trust me."

He watched Wayne struggle with it for a moment, weigh the options. Harry's eyes narrowed. "Are you really that stupid?" He laughed, but it was humorless. "Actually, I know you are. You cheated on this." He nodded towards Hannah. He shook his head, flicking his wand to the door. "You're going to leave through that door. Now."

Hannah slipped an arm around Harry's waist. Her eyes were wide. She'd never had anyone defend her with their wand like that. If she wasn't friends with Harry, and he wasn't just Harry to her, she'd have the biggest crush on him right now.

"Well, I suppose Harry Potter is a bigger trophy than I am," Wayne said in a nasty tone.

Hannah gasped as tears sprung in her eyes. "It's not like that, but if it makes you feel better to think that's why I left, then think that. I can't stop you. The pictures I got of you and that girl are on the desk. Harry, I think he should stay and you and I should be the ones to go."

Wayne's eyes narrowed. "I hope you aren't taking anything that's not yours, Hannah."

Hannah's bottom lip trembled.

Harry's eyes narrowed at the dark haired man before his wand flicked out, sending a lamp from the side table crashing to the floor. "Oops." Hannah had jumped a little at the noise and Harry pulled her tighter against his side. "Slipped." He looked at the scattered pieces. "Gosh. That actually looked expensive." He gave Wayne a mean smirk. He saw the man's fists clench and his smirk widened.

"Hannah, go get your things. Anything you think is yours." His hand lingered on her shoulder as she slowly moved away toward the small pile of boxes. Wayne had taken a step towards her again, and Harry's wand swung up to point at him. "Don't. I would like nothing more than to hex the fuck out of you. I'm actually hoping you really are as stupid as you seem. Do something to tempt me. Please."

He watched as Hannah shrunk the boxes with her wand, making them easier to move. "Wait. You forgot these." Harry kept his eyes trained on Wayne as a pair of gold plated picture frames floated off the mantle.

"Those aren't-"

"Oh. I really think they are," Harry said as Hannah grabbed the frames and clutched them to her chest as she made her way back to Harry's side. "We're going to go now." Harry put a hand on the small of Hannah's back and began leading her towards the door. He tried to give Wayne plenty of berth, but the idiot still reached out and attempted to grab the frames from Hannah's hands.

"DEPULSO!" Harry watched with a satisfied smirk as Wayne flew back down the hallway, sliding on his back across the wood. He slumped against the wall, unconscious. He'd heard Hannah gasp, and turned to look at her when he was sure Wayne was out. "It's alright. He'll be fine, the bastard. Let's go."

Hannah was looking at Harry in shock and surprise. Who knew the Harry she'd known could be so dangerous? Perhaps she did not know him. Goodness, she was never going to feel unsafe in Harry's house. She was also a bit irritated with herself. How had she not seen how ugly Wayne could be? How had she been with him all this time and not noticed his meanness? His lack of respect for anything save himself and his image?

She sniffed loudly and clutched some of her things to her chest. All she owned she could carry. How sad was that?

"Well, at least I cleaned out the expense account he had set aside for me. He'll probably go to Gringotts and close that as soon as he wakes. Then have the wards changed on the flat. I was actually quite frugal about the wedding, not that he knows this, so I did have a bit set aside. It's not truly all mine, but a lot of it was from my shifts at Madam Malkin's. I just added everything together. I wanted us to have a nice wedding."

Hannah sniffed again. Oh bother, she was going to cry. Well, she'd give herself this once. She'd cry one more time. Then she would not give him another bit of her.

"Sorry," she said, wiping at her eyes. "Now I bet you really want to take me home, weepy mess in the guest room. Thank you, Harry. I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I... I couldn't have handled that alone. I'm so pathetic."

"No. He's pathetic. He's a complete and utter prat for what he did. If I knew how, I'd hex him so he'd never be able to satisfy another human. Ever." Harry pulled the door shut behind them, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, leading her down the hall. "You're not pathetic, Hannah. The fact that you actually left him when you found out what he was doing shows that you are very strong. I don't know many other people who would have been able to walk out on their wedding."

He held the door open for her. "Don't feel bad. You're better off without him. He doesn't deserve someone as great as you. He deserves slime. They'd get on very well together." Harry hated the idea of that git making her feel bad. He couldn't abide people who cheated. It made him sick to his stomach with anger. How anyone could do that to someone, he did not and would never understand.

"Thanks, Harry," she said with a watery smile. She wondered why he didn't have a girlfriend. Well, maybe he did. She had never asked. Goodness, she was moving in with him and all she knew of him was from the papers. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

At the look on his face, she had to laugh.

"I wasn't asking for me," she giggled. His face was priceless. She wished she had a snap of it. "I was just thinking that it's odd that you're so nice and obviously decent and have no girlfriend. Then I was thinking, well, maybe I just don't know about her. Or maybe you have a boyfriend. I was just thinking that the only thing I know about you not from the papers is what kind of biscuits you like and that the papers grossly underplay your speed with your wand."

Harry laughed half-heartedly. "I don't have anyone. After Gin... I just haven't found anyone that special." He smiled at Hannah. "There are times when I'm not nice. I get involved in my work, and ignore things from time to time. I'm not what the paper says. Sometimes they paint me as this roaming bachelor, popping from girl to girl. I'm not. They also try and make me seem like this perfect person who doesn't make mistakes. I'm neither of those. I've made plenty of mistakes, as I'm sure you'll find out."

He turned a corner. He didn't want to apparate them yet. She seemed like she wanted to walk for a bit, and he didn't mind. "But you're right, they do grossly underplay my speed with my wand, don't they?" He grinned over at her, hoping that joking would make her feel better. He was usually pants when it came to comforting people, but he was finding he didn't have to lie. Wayne was a stupid idiot he didn't know what he was dropping.

Hannah grinned at him. She recalled him and Ginny. Well, what she knew of it from school. She was sure there was more than the bits and pieces she knew from the gossip in the Hufflepuff common room.

"I didn't say you were perfect. I mean, look at your hair," she joked, laughing when he looked at her. "Oh, it's so good to be able to make jokes like that. Way- er... um, he didn't like it. I don't think he understood my sense of humor."

She was sure the two of them looked odd carrying her shrunken things and some regular-sized down the street. Hannah didn't mind though. It was something she'd never done before and she liked new things. Speaking of...

"Someone... is wanting to take me shopping on Saturday. Would it be all right if they met me at your place? I didn't even think to ask. I'm sorry."

Harry thought about that for a moment. He'd always been very careful about Grimmauld Place. During the war, it had been imperative that it stay hidden, it'd been too important to the Order to lose. But now, with everything so quiet, he considered himself rather paranoid. "I don't see it being a problem. You'll have to... it's unplottable, so you'll have to help them see it." At her look, he sighed. "You'll understand when you see it."

He turned towards her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Is it alright if I apparate us?"

"Goodness, yes, I haven't apparated myself in ages. Wayne- um, nevermind. Yes, that's fine, Harry."

He took hold of her and the next thing Hannah knew they were on a different suburban street with a loud pop. Hannah peered at the building. Hmmm, odd, no twelve.

"Which one is it then?"

"Number twelve."

"But-" No sooner than she started to question him, the building started shifting. Hannah's eyes went wide. By the time number twelve was there, her mouth was gaping.

They just stood there in silence for a moment.

"Well, I'll have to bring him round before Saturday... or meet him at his place. Goodness though, I can't wait to see the look on his face when he knows I'm living in a hidden place."

Hannah giggled thinking about Blaise's face, and just Blaise in general.

Harry didn't tell her that he was rather happy she was going to living in a place he knew Wayne would never find. He wasn't sure what the man was capable of. He was petty enough that he might try something brash, and Harry didn't want to have to hurt the boy. Permanently, anyway.

"Yes. So this is Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It belonged to my godfather." He pushed the door open, ignoring the snake doorknocker as he always did. The foyer was dark, but that changed with a flick of his wand. Dobby had really done a number on the house, spending hours upon hours cleaning up what Kreacher had neglected. There were no spiderwebs on the chandelier, no coating of dust on the banister. The house was by no means cozy, still having that dark and dank Slytherin feel, but at least it was clean.

He toed off his shoes, hanging his jacket on the coat rack. "It's not the nicest place in the world, but it's home." He reached forward and grabbed the picture frames from her arms before moving towards the stairs. "The kitchen is down that hallway. Most of the rooms are on the second floor. My bedroom is the first door on the right. The drawing room and library are on the left. There's a bathroom next to my room, and your room will be across from it. There are more rooms on the upper floors, but I don't think they're exactly hospitable to guests."

He hadn't had the heart to clean up after Buckbeak once he'd been set free after Sirius. That room was still locked, and probably would be for a while. He turned after he'd stepped on the top step. "There are a number of portraits that like to scream if they're disturbed. Still haven't been able to pry them from the walls, but I've put a silencing charm around them. As long as their curtains aren't touched, they shouldn't be a problem."

Hannah was looking at Harry with wide eyes, clutching her things to her chest. In all honesty, this was what she had expected of Blaise Zabini's home. Clean but quite dungeonish and sinister. But Harry had said this was his godfather's place? Sirius Black. Hannah remembered. Why hadn't he cheered up the place though? Perhaps it had sentimental value for him?

"Harry Potter is bringing guests Dobby is not meeting before."

Hannah squeaked and jumped around to where the voice had come from. For some odd reason she was utterly nervous now. She'd never seen a house-elf up close before. She giggled, belongings still clutched to her chest and leaned down for a closer look. The house-elf seemed surprised by this. Why shouldn't he be? She had bent over and was peering into his face with an examiniatory look. Or possibly she, but Hannah had thought the voice had a male quality to it.

"Well, aren't you just adorable. Like a hairless cat."

Harry laughed, earning him a look from Dobby. Harry's laughter faded into a smile. "Hannah, this is Dobby. Dobby, this is Hannah. She's going to be staying here for a bit." His smiled widened when Dobby looked up at Hannah with a smile. "She likes to bake."

"Miss Han is making Harry Potter and Dobby biscuits?"

"Well, yes, if you like. What kind of biscuits are your favorite, Dobby?"

At the question, Dobby let out a loud wail. Hannah gasped and looked at Harry.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Oh dear. Harry, I'm sorry."

Harry rolled his eyes and stepped down, kneeling in front of the house-elf. He put a hand on Dobby's bony shoulder and looked up at Hannah. "It's alright. He's just... he's very sensitive. He was raised in a house where he was never appreciated. He still gets a little... teary... when people are nice to him." He looked back and Dobby and smiled. "Hannah is really nice. You don't need to iron your hands or your ears. You be nice to her and she'll be nice to you. Remember? We talked about this."

He stood when Dobby just nodded up at him, crocodile tears rolling down his cheeks. He looked over at Hannah with a look of exasperation on his face. "Once he gets to you know you, he won't cry as much. He's a good house-elf." He rolled his eyes when Dobby started wailing again. "You know, except for me."

Hannah crouched down and set her stuff down. She smiled at Dobby. "You and I are going to have such fun. It's all right."

She gave Dobby's head a pat and straightened back up, taking her things. She looked around. So this was her home for now. It would take some getting used to. But she would have to try.

"It's good of you to have me."

"This house is too big to be lived in by only one person." He headed up the stairs, the creaks under his feet familiar. "Like I said, your room is the second on the left, right across from the bathroom. Let me know if you need anything, like an extra wardrobe or dresser. I'm sure we can find one around here somewhere." He stopped at the top of the stairs and motioned with his arm. "I don't care if you decorate. It's a little dark in here, I know, but I'm not one for decorating. I'm sure Dobby would help if you asked him to."

He bit on his lower lip, unsure what to say. She was here, away from the prat, and he should probably leave her to unpack and get settled in. "I guess... I have some files I have to look over. I'll be in the drawing room if you need me. It's the one right next to yours. Which I already told you, I guess." He nodded at her before heading towards the drawing room.

Hannah stepped into her new room and looked around. It was terribly dreary. Well, he had said she could decorate. Hannah sighed. This was going to be a lot of work though. Not as if she had anything else to do, right?

Dobby was standing in the doorway looking at her.

"There's not much, even when I unshrink it, but would you like to help me unpack, Dobby?"

You'd think she had just asked him if he wanted a million galleons.


{SUMMARY} After a brief run-in with Wayne that Harry takes care of, Hannah settles in at Grimmauld Place.