That Summer

this is a story inspired not only by the scrumptious pictures of Dan Radcliffe in Equus *Salivating, must remember to wear bib while looking at said pics* and Garth Brooks' "That Summer"

Trust me, read the lyrics, you'll get it


If I get enough interest, I'll continue. If not, I'll delete the story and work on it for my own amusement.

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Voldemort was dead. Ron and Ginny had died at his side, defending him from Death Eaters determined to take him down. Hermione had held him in the halls of St. Mungo’s while they waited for the tally of the dead and dying. He waited to find out who else had died while fighting with him. Before he had gotten the final total, he was gone.

Later, his friends and what family he had left would discover that he’d taken half of what remained in his Gringott’s vault, changed it to Muggle money, gone to his aunt and uncle’s home for what was left of his belongings and left. He’d ordered Hedwig to Hermione’s care until or if he returned and left.

The hero of the wizarding world, the man who defeated Voldemort had disappeared.

The small diner sat nestled in the Adirondacks with barely any customers now that the breakfast rush was over. Harry sat in the corner, away from the locals, his plate in front of him, the newspaper ads spread open above it, filling the other half of the table. He sighed as he took another bite of the hash browns. There weren’t many jobs around here that included boarding. He hated spending more money than he had to while staying at a motel. It wasn’t like the money in Gringott’s would run out, he still hadn’t touched half of it in his seven years at Hogwarts, but he wanted to leave as little paper trail as possible. Hermione would be after him as soon as her grief healed sufficiently. She was brilliant, and he had no doubt that she would discover where he was if he left too many clues.

“How’re those eggs, Mister?” The waitress stood at his shoulder, the coffee carafe in her hand, ready to refill his cup. He smiled up at her and put his pen down.

“They’re quite good, thank you.”

“You’re English?”

“Yes. I’m backpacking across America before heading off to University.”

“Just like young men used to do the tour of the Continent in Victorian times. I think you’ll like it here. Maybe not even want to leave.” She brushed a lock of ‘Malfoy’ blonde hair from her forehead and refilled his coffee mug.

“I just might. It reminds me of my school, in Scotland. Except it’s not as cold here.”

“Just wait, by August, you’ll be in sweaters.”

Harry laughed and reveled in being just a normal person. No one knew him here, and no one knew what he could do. He was a Muggle teenager on his own for the summer. He blushed as he noticed the woman’s interested stare.

“Do I have jam on my cheek?”

“No! I’m sorry for staring. I noticed you were looking at the want ads. Are you looking for work?”

“I—yes. I was hoping to find something with room and board, so I wouldn’t have to expend as much of my resources.” Harry wiped his face anyway. Once can never be too sure when a beautiful woman was staring at one’s face like that.

“I own a very small farm, but it’s just me. I work here most of the time, so I need someone to take care of the animals. It doesn’t pay all that much, but meals are included and there’s a small studio apartment above the barn if you’re interested.”

Harry grinned at her. “That sounds good, ma’am. I’ll check it out.”

“It’s not much, but I need the help and you seem to need a place to stay.”

“That I do, ma’am. Thank you.”

“Oh, no. First things, first. I’m not a ‘ma’am’. That was my mom. My name’s Paige. Paige Weatherby.”

“Harry Evans.” He hadn’t meant to give his mother’s maiden name, but then thought that it was a good idea. It was one less thing for Hermione to look for, but knowing her she’d figure out he’d use an alias quickly enough.

“I get off in about an hour. Hang around and I’ll drive you out to the farm and you can see what your chores will be. If you’re interested, I mean.”

“I’m not afraid of hard work.” He remembered all the chores he had to perform for the Dursleys while growing up. He’d thought all his life it was normal to be bossed around, that if someone other than your parents raised you it was alright to be horrid to children. It wasn’t until seeing the Weasleys with their brood that he realized that it was different, and it had nothing to do with Wizard world versus Muggle world. “I’m used to it, actually.”

“Join the club. Well, I better get going.” Paige laughed as the bell dinged above the door, turning away from Harry to attend to her new customer.

Harry drank his coffee slowly, surreptitiously watching Paige from the corner of his eye. He still checked out the advertisements, just in case he thought he wouldn’t be able to handle the workload. He had thought that the death of Ginny Weasley had deadened his appreciation of women, and maybe it had for a while, but now, looking at Paige, he felt it reawakening.

The hour flew by. Paige came by a couple of times to top off his coffee and clearing the table, giving him more room. Every time she came by, she smiled at him, a brilliant smile that made his chest clench whenever he saw it. He forced himself to ignore the feeling; it was too soon after Ginny’s death and felt like he was betraying her memory by responding to the older woman.

But it wasn’t like he was going to pursue Paige. He would just work for her a couple of weeks, lay low and hide from Hermione. If he didn’t use much magic, she shouldn’t be able to find him too soon. He needed time away from their world to heal.

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Lyrics to "THat Summer"
Garth Brooks

I went to work for her that summer
A teenage kid so far from home
She was a lonely widow woman
Hell-bent to make it on her own
We were a thousand miles from nowhere
Wheat fields as far as I could see
Both needing something from each other
Not knowing yet what that might be

'Til she came to me one evening
Hot cup of coffee and a smile
In a dress that I was certain
She hadn't worn in quite a while
There was a difference in her laughter
There was a softness in her eyes
And on the air there was a hunger
Even a boy could recognize

She had a need to feel the thunder
To chase the lightning from the sky
To watch a storm with all its wonder
Raging in her lover's eyes
She had to ride the heat of passion
Like a comet burning bright
Rushing headlong in the wind
Now where only dreams have been
Burning both ends of the night

That summer wind was all around me
Nothing between us but the night
When I told her that I'd never
She softly whispered that's alright
And then I watched her hands of leather
Turn to velvet in a touch
There's never been a summer
When I have ever learned so much

We had a need to feel the thunder
To chase the lightning from the sky
To watch a storm with all its wonder
Raging in each others eyes
We had to ride the heat of passion
Like a comet burning bright
Rushing headlong in the wind
Now where only dreams have been
Burning both ends of the night

I often think about that summer
The sweat, the moonlight and the lace
And I have rarely held another
When I haven't seen her face
And every time I pass a wheat field
And watch it dancing with the wind
Although I know it isn't real
I just can't help but feel
Her hungry arms again

She had a need to feel the thunder
To chase the lightning from the sky
To watch a storm with all its wonder
Raging in her lover's eyes
She had to ride the heat of passion
Like a comet burning bright
Rushing headlong in the wind
Now where only dreams have been
Burning both ends of the night

Rushing in long in the wind
Now where only dreams have been
Burnin' both ends of the night