[HP] Dearest Enemy

Under Harry's repeated concern, Tom slipped back with an excuse of being drunk.Tom felt that he couldn't stand being too close to Harry, it was like a punishment.But he can't tell Harry what he wants, that will only make Harry farther and farther away from him.

The aftertaste of the ball had been lingering in the Hogwarts castle for two weeks before it started to fade.Alex still picked Tom to hang out under Harry's nose when he was in Harry's office, but his demeanor was much more restrained than before.There seems to be no change in the peaceful life, but Tom found that Harry began to care more about his daily life, and the relationship between the two became more and more harmonious.Tom was a little puzzled, he didn't know that this was just Harry trying to make up for all those years of ignoring him.In any case, Harry had completely dismissed Tom as the man too intimidating to say his name, and he believed him.

"Al, do you think Harry also likes me a little bit?" Tom finally asked his friend with some uncertainty, and analyzed to Alfred one by one the intersection of Harry and himself during this period.

"It's better to observe for a while." Arafate felt that this matter must be cautious, "Harry is your godfather, you have to be careful."

However, this made Tom even more puzzled.

The term ended soon, and Harry and Tom returned to their residence in the suburbs of London for Christmas.Tom turns 17 just after Christmas, which means he's come of age as a wizard.Harry ran all over Diagon Alley to pick out a beautiful gold watch for Tom to give him on his birthday.In previous years, Tom spent most of his birthdays at home and did not celebrate with other people.Tom was very popular at school, and many people would give him birthday presents, but he didn't want to go to the trouble of this kind of thing.Finances are one reason, and the other reason is that he doesn't want to put on a mask at a time like this. This is his day, and he doesn't want to think too much about other people's wishes.

But Tom's 17th birthday was a big one, and he's been getting invitations since Halloween, many of them from those who followed him at school.Tom refused one by one. He wanted to spend his birthday with Harry quietly, just like when he was a child, go to the fun places in London for a whole day.

Harry didn't object to Tom's arrangements for his birthday. He felt that Tom could live whatever he wanted, and he just wanted to make his godson happy.However, he was a little surprised when he saw that Tom turned down Black and Malfoy's invitation. He knew that Tom had always maintained a good personal relationship with Abraxas Malfoy, let alone Alphard.Harry had already prepared a birthday party for Tom at home, but Tom said he didn't need it.

"It's just for birthdays," said Tom, who never gave birthdays extravagantly.

"It means a lot to you," said Harry gently.Eventually Tom relented and agreed to have a small party at home.However, he only invited a few classmates who were close to him and played for a whole day.

After dinner, it was still early, so Arfat proposed that everyone go out for a walk together, and this proposal was approved by everyone.Although Tom and Harry are a family, the teenagers are still a little afraid of this professor.Harry didn't object, Tom was a very self-conscious kid, and he was an adult who would take good care of himself and get into trouble, so he let them go out without worry, and he stayed at home to clean up the party.

Magic is useful in many ways, especially when it comes to household chores.It only took Harry about half an hour to tidy up the first floor, so he also tidied up the rooms on the second floor as well.Tom hadn't come back after Harry had sorted everything out, so he went into the study and started flipping through the alchemy notes.He didn't give up the study of time magic, but he no longer had as much enthusiasm as before, it was just killing time.

After another hour or so, Harry looked at the watch on his wrist. Tom usually wouldn't come back after this time when he was out, but he didn't do that today.Concerned about Tom's safety, Harry got up and went into the next bedroom, found the small mirror, wiped it, and said Tom's name.

Tom's face appeared immediately, but there was a striking blush on his cheeks, and his eyes were a little distracted.Harry frowned.

"Where are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm still in the city." Tom said the name of the place with a stiff tongue, "I'll be back soon."

Harry sighed.These children really did not let him worry, they actually abducted Tom to drink: "You wait for me there, I will pick you up."

The boy frowned: "I'm not a child, I can go back by myself!"

"Stay there and don't move." Harry said emphatically, "I'm going right now."

The boy blinked, and obediently nodded in agreement.Harry put away the mirror and put on his coat. Seeing that Tom's scarf was still hanging on the wall, he shook his head and took the scarf off. He walked to the backyard of the house and apparated to the street Tom mentioned.

It was cold outside, and the sky was an eerie dusky pink with fine snow drifts.When Harry found Tom, he found that his godson had occupied a bench under a tree in the small square, quietly leaning his head on the back of the chair and looking at the gloomy sky.The ground has been covered with a thin layer of snow, and the footprints of pedestrians are clearly left on it, which is a shallow mark illuminated by the not-so-bright gas lamps on the street.

"Why aren't you wearing a scarf? You'll catch a cold." Harry said to the boy.Tom raised his head and sat up straight, blinked a few times at the man standing in front of him, and then smiled.

"Harry, you found me."

this kid.Harry snorted, took out the scarf and wrapped it around Tom's bare neck.

"I'm not cold." Tom reached out his hand to hinder Harry's movement, and touched the back of the man's not-so-delicate hand with his fingertips, like red-hot carbon touching mild ice.

"Don't mess around, brat." Harry smacked the boy on the forehead.

The boy let out a cry of pain, stretched out his hand to touch the sore spot, and looked at his godfather with aggrieved eyes.Harry straightened his scarf, straightened up and took Tom's wrist.

"Let's go, it's time to go back."

"No." Tom mumbled coquettishly, "it's meaningless to just go back."

"You're drunk, you should go back and rest as soon as possible." Harry persuaded, pulling him to stand up.

"I'm not drunk," said Tom, sticking his neck. "You didn't take me to the zoo today, you didn't go out with me today."

Harry looked at the unreasonable Tom and was speechless for a while.This kid is really drunk, usually he wouldn't say such childish things.It might be that such a Tom is relatively rare. Harry suddenly felt that he was cute, and his tone became very gentle: "It's very late, I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?"

Tom tilted his head in thought for a moment, then nodded.Harry smiled helplessly, rubbed the boy's black hair, and was about to walk into a nearby alley to Apparate, but was held back by Tom.

"I don't want to Apparate, it'll be hard," said Tom. "Let's walk back."

Harry frowned.This place is far from home and it takes a long time to walk back.But Tom was looking at him eagerly, and after a moment's consideration, Harry agreed.

"Okay, let's go back."

The black-eyed boy laughed like a child after a successful prank.The green-eyed man took the black-eyed boy who was about the same size as him home together, and the tiny snowflakes fell on the shoulders and hair tips of the two of them like powder, and the whole world was incredibly quiet.Seeing that Tom was walking a little shaky, and another thin layer of snow had accumulated on the road, Harry held the boy's hand all the way and did not let go.But it was still cold outside, and it didn't take long for his fingers to freeze, only the warmth came from his palm.Tom had indeed drunk quite a bit, and Harry felt as if he was holding a stove in his hand, and he quickened his pace.

Tom's foot slipped suddenly, and Harry was jerked and pulled him hastily.

"Harry, I can't walk anymore." The black-eyed boy stood still and looked at his godfather like a kitten, breathing heavily, "Can you rest for a while?"

Some of the men looked at the young man whose eyelids began to tremble, and finally sighed helplessly: "We still have to go a long way, so persevere. How about we apparate back?"

"No." Tom frowned and shook his head, swayed a few times and put his arms around Harry's shoulders, "You carry me on your back."

Harry looked at him speechlessly, and pulled the boy's slender arms off his neck: "You are no longer a child, Tom."

"No, you carry me." Tom pouted. "You haven't carried me for many years, just this one time."

The two struggled for a while, and finally Harry gave in and walked back with Tom on his back.The boy rested his head on the man's shoulder, smiling uncontrollably at the corners of his brows and eyes.The snow was falling heavily, and Harry struggled to apply waterproofing and warming charms to the two of them, and then he heard the giggling of the boy on his back.

"Why are you so happy today?" Harry asked over his shoulder.

"Harry." Tom called his name softly.

"Ok?"

"Harry."

"Tom?"

"Harry."

The boy's soft breath brushed against his ears, itching but warm.Actually drunk, Harry turned his head back and continued walking, but the person lying on his back began to restless, rubbing against his neckline all the time, so that he had to stop.

"Stop making trouble, Tom." Harry reprimanded, Tom laughed twice, and finally calmed down.

Harry lifted the thing on his back high and continued walking.The snow is getting bigger and bigger, there are almost no pedestrians on the street, and there are a lot fewer vehicles.Harry walked slowly along the street lamps, which flickered on and off on both of them.

"Harry."

"What's wrong?" Harry asked helplessly.

"I'm very happy today." Tom's voice was low, almost a whisper, but full of joy.

"Why so happy?" Harry couldn't help asking.

"I don't know." Tom thought for a while before answering, "I'm just very happy."

Tom's last word seemed to emphasize a very important issue.Harry couldn't help laughing.

"Harry..." Tom started rubbing his neck again.

"Tom, stop playing." Harry was very helpless to find that the kid completely ignored his protest and looked up at the overcast sky.

"Can I bite you?" Tom asked seriously, leaning into his ear. "On your neck?"

Harry thought of the vampire that Tom played at the ball: "No, you are a wizard, not a vampire, and you can't bite people casually."

"Oh." Tom shrank his head back in disappointment, and remained silent for a long time.

At last it was quiet.Harry exhaled, this guy can really act like a baby when he's drunk.It was a bit of a surprise, but Harry didn't think it was a violation.Tom seldom behaved in this way when he was a child. He always restrained his words and deeds like a little adult, and tried his best to make no mistakes in everything.There was a place in his heart that seemed to be stabbed indistinctly by a blunt object, and Harry couldn't help but look back at the boy on his back.Tom felt Harry lift his head up, their faces brushed against each other, and Harry's glasses almost fell off.

Tom blushed and put out a trembling hand to help him put his glasses back on.Suddenly feeling a little embarrassed, Harry lifted the person on his back up again, and pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

His heart was beating so fast that it almost burst out of his chest.Tom looked at the flying snow in the sky quietly, and pressed his lips tightly.The cold air had cleared his head a bit, and then the fact that he was being carried back by Harry made it all worse.Fortunately, Harry couldn't see his expression now, otherwise he really couldn't guarantee that he would do something.Harry's smell was caught in the cold wind, sucked into his lungs, and hurt his internal organs, and then was ignited by the alcohol flowing with his blood, which made it difficult for him to breathe.Tom let out a breath, and he couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Harry," said Tom softly, "why don't you marry?"

Hearing such a question from the person behind him suddenly, Harry slipped and staggered, almost falling.He turned his head to look at his godson, only to see a pair of eyes as dark as a winter night, sucking in everything around him, unable to see clearly what was inside.

"Why all of a sudden?" Harry asked.

"Suddenly wanted to ask." Tom tilted his head and said, "I'm a little curious."

Harry turned his head back without answering.

"Why?" asked Tom persistently.

"I haven't thought about it," Harry replied. "I'm happy with my life and don't want to get married. What's the matter, do you have someone to recommend to me?"

"No!" Tom frowned.Harry laughed, and Tom, annoyed, turned his face away embarrassingly.

After a while, Tom started asking questions again: "Harry, can I live with you all the time?"

"Of course." Harry replied mildly, "You can live with me until you want to move out."

Tom laughed, and rubbed the tip of his frozen nose against his neck in answer.Harry condoned Tom's behavior, a small smile curled his lips.

"The snow has stopped."