Easier to Be by Hgfan1111

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Easier To Be by hgfan1111 Storylink: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4641003/1/ Content: Chapter 1 to 17 of 17 chapters Source: FanFiction.net Summary: Two strangers. One, a reluctant and lonely hero trying to find a purpose in life. The other, a young woman who wants to find herself and come to terms with her haunted past. What will happen when these two get to know each other? Will they help each other

*Chapter 1*: Chapter 1: Serendipity Disclaimer: All stories in this archive are based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and AOL Time Warner, and have been used without permission. Rights to these characters and their images is neither claimed nor implied. It is not endorsed by any of the aforementioned parties. All recognizable characters, song lyrics, settings, and ideas not associated with the world of Harry Potter remain the property of their respective owners and all original characters, situations, places and ideas are the sole property of their creators. Original content viewed here may not be used without their permission. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. A/N: Welcome to another story. This one is the most AU I've written, but it's by far the least angsty, I think. I'll ask you to be patient as the backstory unfolds in the chapters. This one is rated as it is for a reason. There will be mature content as we go along. If that's not your thing, that's fine. The story title is from a song by Lifehouse. Thanks to my amazing beta team on this one: Ella, Deb and Mel. I couldn't have done it without you ladies. Love you all. Happy reading! Chapter One: Serendipity The soreness in his side hadn't gone away, even though the healers said it would. Harry rotated his arm against the stiffness and growled to the empty flat when it caught. It had been a completely chance curse that made it through his shield; the trainee had been lucky. The look on the kid's face, however, when he realized he'd struck Harry Potter… that was the only thing that had stopped Harry from retaliating. Harry shook his head, still seeing the wide, panicked eyes looking down at him, hearing the breathless apology. Three bruised ribs. That's what this last assignment had got him.

He definitely felt older than his twenty-one years today. And the empty flat when he'd come home hadn't improved his mood. The bare walls seemed to close in on him, even as they expanded to be more than he could handle. That made no sense, he told himself. Yet it did. It was just another of his moods, he decided. His eyes rested on his large entertainment unit and he pondered watching a movie. There were several action flicks that he had been interested in seeing. And maybe some take-out… An hour later, Harry sat low in his sofa, his feet propped on the coffee table in front of him, his box of Chinese take-out resting in his lap as he pushed buttons on his remote control. The movie wasn't bad, he supposed, but it did little to ease the restlessness in his system. Maybe a late night walk would help, he decided. It was becoming rather a habit of his, these midnight walks around London. It probably wasn't the safest idea, but Harry could handle himself in a fight. He'd proved that time and time again over his whole life. Bundled up against the frigid January air, Harry navigated the streets around his flat, widening his usual route and finally ending up at a coffee house that was open all night. It was becoming as much routine as Harry had, ending up here. But in the middle of the night, it was quiet, and he could sit near the window and watch the dark streets, and wonder why on earth he was in England at all. He ordered a cup of strong coffee, foregoing any sugar and savoring the bitter taste of the hot liquid on his tongue. It had been six months since he'd moved to London on nothing more than a whim. Even he couldn't explain hi