𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 25

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH THINGS ARE REVEALED

. . .

Vera had decided to send the majority of Jane's clothing through her special mail services - which translated to Harry that she would be sending it to Flora through owl mail. 

The other stuff - which included Harry's smaller pile, the shoes and accessories that the seamstress had produced to match Jane's dress as well as a couple wrapped gifts for Florence and a knitted jumper that Jane had mentioned would be quite nice for when the sun went down and the evenings faded into a chill - had been carefully placed into three bags, all of which hung from Jane's wrists despite the Potter boy's protests. 

They had left the shop and hurried back through the part of the Old Village and into the new, getting on the bus just as it was about to leave and slumping back in the very seats they came in, laughing through their breathlessness. 

"That was close." Harry sighed back into faded teal leather, Jane reaching up to open the window by her head and arranging the bags her feet so nothing get crumpled. 

"Too close.. I'll take the bags, wouldn't want your uncle and aunt to get suspicious." Jane smiled, glancing at the watch circling her wrist. "It should take us about fifteen minutes to get to the second stop after the one you got on.. Dudley shouldn't see you there, right?"

"There's no way that he's smart enough to think of that." Harry nodded. "We should be fine."

"Don't worry about me." Jane crossed her legs, moving her skirt to cover the majority of the slightly tanned skin. The yellow had dried back into it's vibrant state, and she was just glad that the water hadn't ruined the fabric. "I just don't want you to get into trouble because I asked you to come with me to pick up some clothes."

"We'll it's a pretty good job I did right?" Harry grinned, nudging the smallest bag of the three. "I wouldn't have anything to wear otherwise."

"I can't believe she didn't mention it." The Everleigh girl shook her head, pushing herself up to sit properly, twisting around to face him and crossing her legs under her. Harry froze as she reached forward and took his palm, tracing the end of the scar up the length of his arm that had been created by Peter Pettigrew whilst he was bringing Voldemort back. 

"Sorry if you feel pressured or anything." A fingernail traced the line, Jane looking up to meet his eyes and pushing up his glasses. "If you don't want to go then that's fine - I assume from your dislike of dancing then parties aren't your scene?"

"Some are." Harry thought back to the Quidditch celebratory parties. "But I'm not sure. I've never been to a party like the one Flora's holding." 

"Trust me, neither have I." Jane smiled, palm sliding away from the Potter boy's hand. He could still feel the small tingles of warmth that came from her touch. "But we can do this together, right?" 

"We can." Harry nodded, actually believing what he said. He swallowed, a question rising in his mind. "Would you be okay if I asked you about the Home?" 

"Hm?" Jane paused just for a second. "Yeah.. sure. It wasn't a bad place, so I'm not sure what's made me not so.. open about it - probably something about the principles I guess. Ask away." 

"I don't really have any specific questions I guess. Thinking about what you were saying earlier." Harry shrugged. "Anything you're willing to tell me." 

"Anything?" Jane tilted her head. "Well I was fostered twice - three times now - but those two were clearly to no avail otherwise I wouldn't be sat here, right?" 

"Twice?" 

"I don't remember the first, but I stole my file before I left and found out that first, I was fostered by a woman ruined by her own miscarriage." Jane began, Harry winced and slipped his hand under her's, taking the initative for once. "Apparently she couldn't.. you know." 

Harry nodded slowly.

"I don't really remember her though, I have no emotional connection to her really." Jane cleared her throat and sat up. "The second I only really remember a little bit of. A young couple who thought they couldn't get pregnant but then they could." 

"Then I wasn't fostered again until Flora and quite frankly I'm glad." Jane looked up at him, and he was surprised to see a smile on her face. "That way I don't have any actual memories and now I'm spending a summer in Little Whinging with you." 

"And that trumphs it all?" Harry watched as she nodded, still beaming at him, the expression crumpling slightly when she leaned forward in her seat. "What?" 

"This is our stop - and that's Flora's car." Jane's eyebrows shot upwards. "How did she know we were here?" And as soon as the bus came to the stop, she was on her feet and dashing forwards, questions falling off her lips as soon as she was out of the door. 

Leaving Harry behind, shaking his head and smiling in a similar way to how she had done, still feeling the warmth in his hand as he picked up the three bags that Jane had very accidentally left.

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