dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || shell cottage

Kendra dug her fingers into the loose sand, coughing on nothing and gasping for air, every little motion setting her ribs on fire. Once her head stopped spinning and her hearing and vision returned, she rolled onto her back, staring up at the open white-blue sky, counting the clouds while she steadied herself. 

"Kendra?" Draco asked, scooting closer to her, his bloodied face cutting into her view of the sky. "You okay?"

Kendra turned to him, staring incredulously. "Okay, stupid question," he grumbled, sinking back into the sand. "Thanks for bringing me with you."

"You saved my cousin," Kendra mumbled. "Help me up."

"Um, not sure..." he trailed off when he saw her glare. He sighed, helping her stand. She instantly looked for her girlfriend and cousin. They were together, Harry crouched in the sand, a limp Dobby in his arms. Dobby had taken Bellatrix's knife. He had saved all of their lives, and not just once. 

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Kendra said, moving from leaning on Draco to leaning on Hermione. "He didn't deserve that."

"I want to bury him," Harry said, his voice breaking. Beside Kendra, Draco shifted. "Properly."

Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder in support. Everyone seemed to silently know that Harry wanted to do this alone. Together, they moved away from Harry.

"So," Ron began in a low voice, trying not to disturb Harry. "Why exactly is Malfoy here? Y'know, after his family tried to kill us?"

"He's my responsibility, Ron," Kendra said with a sigh. "Do you trust my judgment?"

"Yes," Hermione said instantly. 

"I dunno," Ron said after a moment. "I guess so."

Kendra smiled weakly. "If he's ever a prick, I'll personally dump him in the ocean," she said. 

"I hate you," Draco mumbled. 

From out of the house came Luna, Fleur Delacour, and a man who was most certainly a Weasley. Fleur gasped seeing the state of Hermione and Kendra. "Oh, you poor things," she said, rushing forward to examine Kendra and Hermione closer. "Come, let us fix you up."

Kendra turned back to Ron and Draco, silently telling them both to be good. Fleur led Hermione and Kendra inside. A sudden wave of tiredness and pain swept over her as her adrenaline rush expired. Luna, being a good friend, noticed and helped Kendra towards the couch. Kendra could barely offer her a smile before her eyes closed and she succumbed to the need to sleep.

When Kendra woke up it was to arguing. The second thing she noticed was that her ribs were only sore instead of digging into her lungs with every excruciating breath. She let out a groan, the arguing stopping abruptly. She sat up, a blanket she didn't know was there falling off of her shoulders. She rubbed her eyes and saw Harry and Draco staring back at her abashedly. 

Kendra rolled her eyes. "What is it now?"

"Why is he here?" Harry asked, though his tone was softer than it was when he had woke Kendra up. 

Kendra sighed. "He's my responsibility and I couldn't leave him there," Kendra said. "Harry, I know you don't get along, but please, for my sake, let him stay. He saved your life, if he goes back he'll be killed."

Harry pursed his lips, turning to Draco. "That night, on the tower," Harry began. Draco's eyes widened with surprise. "You lowered your wand."

"Yeah," Draco whispered. "Look, Potter, I know you have a perception of who I am. And I might be an annoying shit who bullied a lot of people when I was younger, but I never wanted this. And if I can play a part in fixing the mess that people like my family made, I will."

"Like I said, Harry, he's my responsibility," Kendra sighed, turning to Draco, knowing he wouldn't like hearing it. "Dumbledore asked me to help him."

Of course, that was all Harry needed to hear. He straightened and tentatively held out his hand to Draco. "Friends?" he asked.

Draco smiled at him, reaching out and shaking his hand. "Friends," he affirmed. "I'll let you two talk." With that, he stepped out of the living room, leaving Harry and Kendra alone. 

"I was so worried about you," Harry said, sitting down on the couch next to Kendra, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned her head into him. "You don't have to tell me what happened, I just want to make sure you're going to be okay."

"I'll tell you," Kendra said. "If you tell me where Hermione Granger is right now."

Harry smiled at her slightly. "She's upstairs, sleeping," he said. "She's gonna be okay."

"I know," Kendra sighed, feeling much more at ease knowing that Hermione was okay. "I got taken by Bellatrix, obviously. You saw that. You-Know-Who found out about Morgana and wanted her on his side. She wasn't too keen on that, but she made a deal with him to keep me safe. But y'know I am still muggleborn, so he got fed up with me. I guess you can say I caught wind that it wasn't safe to stick around. So I escaped. Or most of me did." Kendra smiled wryly and held up her left hand. Fresh skin had long since stitched over the wound but it was still a gruesome reminder.

"Holy shit, Kendra," Harry said, taking her hand in his. "Does it still hurt?"

She shook her head. "I got splinched apparating, somehow ended up around where Damon and Mabel were hiding from their dad," she continued, not missing the look that crossed Harry's face. "And we will talk about the look that just crossed your face when I finish explaining."

"Fine," Harry groaned. "Keep going."

"Short and simple, Bellatrix has a vengeance against me since she wasn't allowed to kill me. Damon and Mabel's dad found them--he was with Death Eaters. They recognized me, took me to Bellatrix and I guess you can figure the rest out from there."

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, Kendra, if I had protected you better--"

"Hey," She said, patting his arm comfortingly. "You're my baby cousin, I protect you, not the other way around. Now, tell me about that look on your face when I brought up Damon."

"We broke up," Harry explained. "I guess you probably already figured that one out. It was right after you got taken. He's really nice, don't get me wrong. But I was focused on other stuff and to be completely honest, I had already been thinking about it beforehand. I just don't think we meshed well."

"He didn't seem super down about it when I was with him," Kendra mentions. "Your first love doesn't have to be your only one."

"Unless your name is Kendra Dursley," Harry grinned, teasing her. "How long have you had a crush on Hermione for again?"

"Shut it, Harrold," Kendra moaned, closing her eyes. "I'm old and battered and frail, don't tease me."

"Go to sleep then," he said, still smiling.

"Don't leave," Kendra mumbled, leaning into her cousin once again, her eyes still shut.

"Never again," Harry whispered, pulling the blanket back up over Kendra. "Pinkie promise."

"Pinkie promise," Kendra repeated, once again succumbing to the overwhelming desire to sleep.

a/n: ok whew i think that's enough updates for today because I've got uni work to do 😳 hope you all enjoyed it, the next chapter will be a real danger reunion ;) get some good fluff in before we get right back into plot things

muah love you all 

very sad! deadric will never be able to eat birria tacos again :,(