HP [3]

When Harry finally regained consciousness, he was terrified that something had gone dreadfully wrong.

The air smelled sterile, like nothing could live where he now was. His entire body ached as if his bones were burning underneath his skin, and once he opened his eyes, he was blinded by the bright light pounding on his face.

A blink and a second glance revealed to him that he was in Hogwarts' Hospital Wing, the absolute last place he wanted to start his new life in.

The question that now plagued him was both simple and extremely important: ‘When in Merlin's name am I?’

He ran through his memories. ‘Can't be first year, I'm much too big for me to be then, and the only time I was in here, there was a giant pile of sweets next to me. I don't hear anyone else,’ he looked around to find himself alone.

‘So it isn't when Lockhart vanished my bones, and I wasn't here at the end of that year, so not second. No broom fragments or Hermione and Weasley, so not third. The end of fourth is a possibility. I wasn't here overnight in fifth or sixth year, and wasn't at Hogwarts at all for seventh.’

‘So, looking at things logically like Hermione always wants us to, it's the end of fourth, after the Third Task. I was only here for one night, so Madam Pomfrey should be coming over – ‘

"And how are we today, Mr. Potter?"

‘Right about now.’

"Honestly, I would sell you my firstborn for a pain-relief potion," he said.

He knew the admission was out of character for him at this period in time, but he was too afraid of what could happen to him if he were dishonest.

When he and the girls first fell into a relationship, their number one, absolutely least favorite of his traits was his habit of saying 'I'm fine' whenever someone asked about his health.

They had spent several months attempting everything they could think of to break it, but it wasn't until he had to spend three weeks sleeping on the couch while they were clearly and loudly having sex that he finally got the message.

If Hermione found out that he had reverted back to his old ways, she would demand a refresher course, and he was not going back to that.

Pomfrey, contrary to his expectations, did not seem disconcerted by his openness. Instead, she came over to the side of his bed and lightly patted one hand.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but you were exposed to the Cruciatus. There is no potion or spell that can alleviate the pain; that is why the curse is an Unforgivable. If a treatment existed, you wouldn't have to offer me anything for it. The only thing that will make you feel better is time and rest."

She drew her wand and performed a scan over his body. "Thankfully, the aftereffects are disappearing at a far faster rate than normal, so you should be completely pain-free by tomorrow."

"Does that mean I have to stay in here today?" he asked. "Or can I leave and come back tonight?"

Frowning, she considered the question, which was far more cooperative than he had ever seen her. "If you promise to keep from any strenuous activity, and if you have someone to help you when you need it, and if you return if the pain gets worse, then yes, you can spend the day with the other students and return tonight. Tipsy!"

Harry fought hard to contain his laughter as the elf popped into the wing. Elves could do many things, but holding their liquor was not one of them. He still remembered how Winky had been after Crouch had dismissed her—

‘Winky and Dobby! We traveled in time, so they're still alive!’ Both elves had died in the Battle of Hogwarts in the old timeline, but that was not going to happen now.

They would live for much longer and be much happier, he would make sure of it.

‘In fact, unless I totally misinterpreted Dobby's words, he had wanted to bind himself to me since I freed him from Malfoy.’

Harry was so deep in his thoughts that he was unaware of Tipsy's activities until the elf placed fresh clothing on the foot of his bed.

His attention back on the outside world, he thanked the elf and put on his clothes, before grabbing the thousand galleon prize and departing from Madam Pomfrey's domain.

….

‘Girls, twins, or elves?,’ Harry wondered. Each choice had its own benefits.

When Voldemort rose for the third time, the trio had been at the front of the new Order of the Phoenix.

In their second battle, which was also the resistance's last, both Hermione and Luna had been seriously injured;

Hermione had been hit with an unknown spell and was in a coma for five weeks, while Luna had so much damage to her abdomen that she was no longer capable of bearing children.

He had been reluctant to have them out of his sight for a long time following that, and they had then spent almost two years constantly in each other's presence.

He wanted them next to him, but he also knew that the other two endeavors he had planned would be more successful if he were alone.

He had been unaware of how much money his stake in Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes had made for him until after the Second Voldemort War was over.

The twins had only granted him a ten percent share, but in the year since they opened the store, they had made several hundred galleons for him.

If he played it smart, he could get a much larger proportion of the profit, as well as some voice in what products were sold there. If he had his way, they would never produce love potions again!