Bunny - l.s.

one

"You know this means you're a big boy now right?" Harry looked up from where he was fiddling with his lunch bag to meet eyes with his mom, the kindest soul he has ever been lucky enough to meet.

"I'm only six, mom." He giggled slightly as he watched his mom tilt her head in pride.

"Well you're 26 in my eyes," she started.  Harry was quick to huff.

"Mom, that's like ten years older!"

"Actually twenty dear, maybe school is a good idea." They both laughed as Harry rushed into her arms for one last squeeze.  Today marked the first day of 1st grade for him, actually the first day of school in general for him.  Anne had pulled him out of Kindergarten because of how sick he had been and instead home schooled him, making sure he had a flexible schedule to be able to go to his doctor's appointments.  That seemed more important than anything to Harry's mom, even though Harry personally resented them.  They seemed to take up Harry's entire experience of being five.  It was like his fifth birthday arrived and then dragged along this 'virus' with it.  At least that's what they called it: a 'virus'.  It was just a baby way of saying the doctors had no clue what was wrong with Harry.  He was five, not stupid.  He knew what it meant when the doctors would pull his mom out of the office and talk to her in private.  He knew what it meant when they would come back in with pitiful expressions.  He knew what it meant when they had been going to doctor for almost a year and yet he felt no promise of feeling better.  He was only five yet he knew the hospital in their small town like the back of his hand.

"Do you have everything?" Anne asked her precious son.  Her baby who always looked up at her with such innocent doe eyes, like he hasn't been suffering for the past year.  Her heart broke for her baby Harry.  She was able to keep him home for Kindergarten, but he was to enter Elementary school now, plus she had to work and couldn't afford homeschooling him for another year.

"Yup!" 

"Okay, now remember, your mission is to complete your first successful day at school and make a new friend, do you think you can handle that?" Anne asked, bending down so she was on her knees, meeting eyes with Harry.  She had pulled him in by the shoulder like she was telling him a secret, and discretely looked around them at the empty house, making sure no one else heard.

Harry smiled, "Will it be dangerous?"

"Very," she nodded, "but you can handle it." She said rather matter-of-factly, smirking at Harry who was now looking around the house like he was keeping an eye out for enemies.  "Your bus should be here any second, the second you step through those doors, your mission has started.  Are you up for it?"

"Always."  Harry's confidence sparked.

"Can you handle the danger?"

"I eat danger for breakfast." He took one sharp nod.

"And will you be safe?"

"Safety is my middle name." Harry was in full agent mode now.

"Alright Agent Harry Safety Styles, I trust you to not let me down.  Your mission will be complete the second you walk back through the house doors before 3:30.  Now let's get you outside for your bus.  Where's your partner?  Gemma!?"  Anne called.

Suddenly Harry's nine-year-old sister came rushing down the stairs with her backpack bouncing off her shoulders.  "Sorry mom, I'm here."

Anne nodded as she collected her last little ducking and ushered them out the door.  They stopped at the end of the driveway and looked down the street at the big yellow bus at full stop, picking up a couple of kids.  Anne took one last look at both of her babies.  A fourth grader and a first grader.  She smiled but only to herself.  It was one of those mother-pride moments.