What This Life Is For
by Rana Eros


Betaed by the magnificent Eliza, Emerald, Boni, and Vera, who says I cannot pimp her into my other fandoms in order to make her one of my regular betas, damn it. Third in the Some Blissful Dream multi-fandom series, inspired by the song "Dance With You" by Live. This one is for Boni, Vic, every beautiful HP-inclined mind on my flist and, as ever, Eliza. And Em, who didn't realize she would gain a new fandom when she agreed to beta this for me. You really should know better by now, hon. *EG*


Harry doesn't remember much before Ron and Hermione found him on Corfu. He remembers going to Majorca, simply because the Dursleys had never taken him. He remembers he didn't like it, and so he went to Barcelona, which is where he thinks he got the tattoo Ron is so fond of tracing with his tongue. After Barcelona is a blur of ships and trains, with clarity beginning the moment he looked up to see Ron and Hermione waiting for him on the dock, Ron's earring moving a little in the breeze and Hermione's tan rich and golden under the Mediterranean sun.

Hermione visited the Greek Islands on her summer holidays after sixth year, and he thinks that's why he came here. There was something in the way she looked, something in the way she spoke of Ithaca and Paxos and Corfu, that made him want to see them even then. Something that made him want to see Hermione there, and he'd mentioned it to Ron, which was likely how the two of them knew where to find him, when he'd left Britain without so much as a note. He can't remember why he thought it was best to leave that way, only that he was so tired after finally defeating Voldemort, and he thought maybe Ron and Hermione were tired of holding him together.

"Daft," Ron pronounces, when he mentions something of the kind, and Hermione only shakes her head and leans forward to kiss him. She and Ron are both brilliant kissers, and Harry would be jealous if he weren't benefitting from it.

"We'd as soon be tired of ourselves, Harry," Hermione says, letting him breathe again. "We don't work without you."

"I didn't know." He swallows and whispers. "I thought.... I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Well, you know now, mate," and it's Ron's turn to kiss him, a kiss warmer than the blue Ionian sea.

He knows they're going to have to go back eventually. Someone's going to find them and insist that they go back. Ron and Hermione don't seem terribly worried, though. Harry finds he doesn't mind the thought so much, if he remembers Ron and Hermione will be there with him.

Still, he hopes they're not found for a while yet. Ron is finally starting to tan, after freckling and burning and peeling, Hermione seems to have developed an addiction to olives, and Harry thinks they all might be getting the knack of sailing.

When they do go back, Harry plans to buy a boat, so they can keep practicing. He also plans to buy a big bed, like the one Ron and Hermione didn't let him out of for three days after he arrived on the island. Then, if he ever again forgets how they work together, Ron and Hermione will have room to remind him.

~END~

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