They ate some sandwiches that Sarina had prepared that morning and then went to have a look around outside. They had been out for only a short time when Sarina kept noticing Harry rubbing his scar.

“Are you alright, Harry?” she asked concern in her voice.

“Yeah I’m fine just got a bit of a headache that’s all. Probably too much sun” Harry said avoiding her eyes.

“Well why don’t you go inside and lay down for a while and I’ll organise something for dinner” she said quietly.
They proceeded back inside and Sarina showed Harry the room in which he would be sleeping. She left him lying on the bed and closed the door quietly behind her. She went back outside and sat herself in the arbour. She was worried, Harry’s scar hadn’t caused him discomfort for a year now and now it seemed to be troubling him again, she had to go back to Privet Drive and collect his things but she didn’t want to leave him on his own not even for five minutes that it would take her to apparate and disapparate back. She sighed she would need help.

“Dobby” she called.

A split second later there was a loud crack and Dobby the house elf appeared before her. He gave a low bow and then squeaked;

“Sarina Taylor, Dobby is answering your call.”

“Hello Dobby, thank you for coming so quickly I appreciate it” she said smiling at the elf fondly.

“It is an honour to help out Harry Potter’s girlfriend” he squeaked excitedly.

She chuckled softly at his excitement “Dobby I have managed to bring Harry here to the cottage but I need to go back to Privet Drive to collect his things. Do you think you could stay here while I go get them, I don’t want Harry on his own” she asked him.

“I would be most pleased to help out” replied Dobby. “But you stay here and I will go and collect Harry Potter’s things.”

“Are you sure Dobby, it’s no problem for me to go” said Sarina quietly.

“You are both safe here” he squeaked. “Nobody will be expecting a house elf.”

“Thank you Dobby”. He gave another bow and then disapparated with a loud crack.

Sarina continued sitting in the arbour constantly checking her watch, her body tense with apprehension. Then just after five minutes had passed there was another crack and Dobby stood before her loaded down with Harry’s belongings.

“Dobby” she cried relief flooding though her body. “Were there any problems?”

“No miss, I think I got everything but I don’t think it will be safe to return there. I noticed two Death Eaters in the street watching the house” he replied his little body trembling.

Sarina let out a long breath “looks like I got him out just in time. Thank you again Dobby, you’ve done a great job.” And she leaned over and gave the elf a hug.

Dobby’s face went bright pink “it was nothing miss, anything for Harry Potter” he mumbled.

“You must stay for dinner Dobby, so I can thank you properly.”

“That would be nice miss” said Dobby.

They carried Harry’s belongings back up to the house. Just as they were nearing the door, Sarina could hear Harry yelling from inside, she dropped the bags and bolted inside. She ran through the kitchen and down the hallway and burst through the door to Harry’s room. He was yelling and thrashing about in his bed and all the while clutching at his scar.

“Harry, Harry wake up” called Sarina shaking him.

He sat bolt upright in the bed, his body covered in sweat and he was trembling. He rubbed his scar and took deep shuddering breaths trying to calm himself.

“Harry what is it and don’t try and tell me it was just a headache, I am not a fool it was your scar again. Please tell me what is going on?” she pleaded.

“I didn’t want to worry you” he whispered. “But it seems the connection between Voldermort and me has opened up again.”

“And did you just have a vision?” she asked anxiously.

“Yeah Voldermort was torturing one of his Death Eaters because they had let me escape from Privet Drive.”

“But how did they know where it was you were staying I didn’t think they knew” she gasped.

“It seems the neighbours were only too happy to tell them where I lived. But lucky for us the Death Eaters weren’t too smart, they seen us leave but didn’t realise that we were disguised. Probably thought we were the Dursley’s” Harry mused.

“Yeah lucky for us” said Sarina quietly. She shuddered at the thought of how close they had come to being caught.

Harry wrapped his arms around Sarina and murmured in her hair. “Thank you again for rescuing me, we managed to defy him once again. It’s a shame we couldn’t get my things out.”

“Oh gosh Dobby!” exclaimed Sarina.

“What about Dobby?” queried Harry.

“He’s here” said Sarina. “Dobby collected your things from Privet Drive and brought them back here and I have asked him to stay for dinner. Come on the poor thing won’t know what has happened to us.”

They walked out of the bedroom and proceeded into the kitchen to find Dobby setting the table and a delicious smell coming from the pot hanging in the fireplace.

“Dobby’ said Sarina exasperated “I didn’t invite you to dinner so that you would have to cook it, you are our guest.”

Dobby bowed again “Harry Potter it is good to see you again sir.” He turned to Sarina “begging your pardon miss, I knew that you were looking after Harry so I thought I could help out by preparing dinner.”
“Hey Dobby it’s good to see you too” said Harry grinning.

They all sat down at the table and ate the meal that Dobby had prepared. They sat and talked for the next few hours reminiscing over old times and then Dobby bade them goodnight. Harry and Sarina got up and started cleaning the dishes. Sarina didn’t want to ruin Harry’s good mood but she knew they needed to discuss the problem of Harry’s connection to Voldermort.

“Harry” she said tentatively “we need to do something about this connection that you share with Voldermort before it takes over you like last time.”

“Well what do you suggest” he snapped “ you know I can’t control it.” He threw the dish cloth and stumped over to the dining table and flung himself into a chair.

Sarina flinched she knew that he would get upset. She took a deep breath “that’s because you didn’t have a very good teacher. As of tomorrow I will teach you how to close your mind to his intrusion.”

Harry grunted there was no point arguing, especially after he noticed the look of determination on Sarina’s face. Besides he didn’t have the energy for an argument right now.

Sarina walked over to him and placed her arms around his neck and sat down on his lap. He snaked his arms around her waist and they sat there for a few minutes holding each other tightly. Sarina sighed and placed a kiss on his forehead.

“I love you so much” she whispered.

“I love you too” he murmured.

He brushed his lips against hers in a soft seductive kiss. He parted his lips and drew her in closer; he ran his fingers through her hair while kissing her deeply. Sarina felt his tongue enter her mouth and she tasted his sweetness. She felt his hands slide up under her shirt and caress her back, the tough from his hands sent tingles through her body. She moaned softly as he started kissing her neck, her body had gone warm all over from his tough and kisses. This was the moment she had been thinking about for weeks when they finally would be alone together with no interruptions from anyone. Their kissing intensified, she wrapped herself more tightly to Harry as they continued kissing for a few more minutes and then when she thought she could take no more, Harry gently pulled away.

“Sarina” he croaked “don’t get me wrong I really enjoy kissing you but we need to slow down, we’ve been together a year now but we’ve never been alone like this before. I think we need to use this time to really get to know each other before we take the next step.”

Sarina breathed a sigh of relief she had been thinking the same thing but everytime they kissed her body was telling her something different from her brain. “You’re right Harry” she panted “let’s just take it one day at a time.”

She removed herself from his lap and stood up “I think I will call it a night and go to bed.” She leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the cheek “ goodnight” she whispered.

“Goodnight Sarina” he said giving her a smile.

Sarina went into the bedroom and changed into her nightdress, she got under the covers and laid her head on the pillow. But sleep was not going to come that easily, her body was still tingling from Harry’s touch and her mind on his kisses. The fact that he was in the room next to hers, that he was so close and she couldn’t go to him was not helping either. She tossed and turned for hours before falling into a fitful sleep.

Harry too was finding it difficult to sleep his mind was on Sarina, he loved her with all his being and he wanted her oh god how he wanted her but he knew he was right in not rushing anything. He wanted it to be the right time and he felt that it wasn’t just yet, he sighed and rolled onto his side and finally fell asleep.

Over the next three days they spent all their time together talking about their pasts, their hopes for the future, the journey that must be undertaken and Sarina trained Harry how to close his mind against Voldermort. He was making good progress he still wasn’t able to completely ward off against Voldermort but at least he was able to control it and shut him out so that now Voldermort came across in blurry shapes and his voice distorted.

On the fourth day after Harry’s arrival to Rainbow Cottage, Sarina announced that she needed to go to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things.

“Excellent” said Harry. “It’ll be good to get out and have contact with the outside world.”

“Harry, you can’t go walking into Diagon Alley” she exclaimed.

“Why not?”

“Because” said Sarina sounding exasperated “Voldermort has spies everywhere, you won’t last two seconds in there before someone lets him know where you are.”

“Well” snapped Harry “don’t you think you’ll be recognised, he’s on the hunt for you as well remember.”

“Yes I know, that’s why I will be disguised” Sarina answered.

“Then I’ll go disguised as well” he retorted.

Sarina sighed “Harry you’ll be safer here.”

“SARINA” he bellowed “I want to come, you can’t keep me locked up all the time. I might as well have stayed at Privet Drive. I need to get out of the house.” He slammed his fist down on the table and was breathing heavily.

Sarina watched him calmly sometimes he could be so infuriating, his hot temper always got him into trouble. She wished he would realise that she and the others were only trying to keep him safe, but no he never thought about that. She was going to insist that he stay here but knew that was like waving a red rag to a bull, he was likely to do something stupid.

“Okay” she said wearily. “We’ll go to Diagon Alley together, I’ll go and get the Polyjuice Potion” she added.
She walked out of the room and returned moments later with two cups of Polyjuice Potion and some hairs. She handed the cup and hairs silently to Harry and then added the hairs to her own cup and drank the Polyjuice Potion. In moments they had transformed into the same man and woman they had disguised themselves previously.

“Are you ready?” she asked him quietly seriously hoping she was not going to regret this.

“Yes let’s go” he said “and Sarina I’m sorry for yelling at you” he added sheepishly.

“That’s okay” she sighed.

They walked outside and up to the front gates just outside the magical barriers placed around the house. She took Harry’s hand and twirled on the spot, a few moments later they were standing outside Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley.

“Okay Harry, we need to go this way I need to get a few ingredients fro some potions and then I’ll need to replenish our food stock” Sarina said.

“Uh Sarina can we meet back here in an hour, there’s something I need to do” he said.

“I don’t know Harry, I think we should stay together.”

“I won’t be long, I promise” he pleaded.

“Oh okay but for goodness sake please stay out of trouble” she said firmly.

He gave her a swift kiss on the cheek and strode off in the opposite direction. She watched him leave with a feeling of apprehension; she was starting to regret her decision of letting him come. She took off down the cobbled street hoping to get her shopping done quickly so that they could get back home before anything should happen.

Harry finished his shopping with a smile on his face and started back towards Flourish and Blotts. He was halfway there when he spotted three men in black hooded cloaks up ahead, they seemed to be terrorising a women. As Harry got nearer he could make out some of the things they were saying.

“Dirty mudblood, you’ve no right being here.”

“Yeah” jeered the second one “where did you steal that wand from?”

“I-I didn’t” stammered the woman “it’s my wand, I’ve had it for years.”

“A likely story” said the third man and he reached over and snatched the wand out of her hands and snapped it in half.

“Let’s show her what we do to filthy mudblood’s who take things that don’t belong to them.”

The woman sunk to her knees sobbing and begging for mercy.

Harry felt the blood pound in his ears as the men taunted the woman. He withdrew his wand and uttered the spell before he even thought about what he was doing. The man nearest to him crumpled to the ground, the other two looked up in surprise.
“What do you think you are doing?” one said “be on your way this has nothing to do with you.”

“It has everything to do with me” growled Harry.

“Hey what’s that on his head?” said the other man.

They stood there transfixed as Harry changed back into himself. In all the excitement he had forgotten to take another drink of the Polyjuice Potion.

“Well, well look what we got here – it’s Harry Potter” said the first man excitedly.

They raised their wands and sent stunning spells at Harry, he dodged one and blocked the other. He retaliated with his own stunning spells but felt his own parried. The woman on the ground screamed and then jumped to her feet and took off down the street. Harry battled the two men as best he could but he knew that if help didn’t arrive soon he was going to be caught.

Sarina walked up the street back towards Flourish and Blotts, she could hear a woman screaming as she ran down the road. Sarina quickened her pace there was obviously trouble somewhere please don’t let it be Harry she thought. She rounded the corner to find her worst fears confirmed there stood Harry duelling two men who were no doubt Death Eaters. Harry hit one of them and stumbled giving the other a clear shot of him. He raised his wand at Harry.

“PROTEGO” shouted Sarina sending the shield charm around Harry; the Death Eater’s stunning spell rebounded upon him sending him sprawling to the ground.

The other Death Eater was just about to touch the dark mark on his forearm. Sarina gave her wand a flick and ropes flew in the air and tied themselves around the Death Eater. She stormed up to Harry and grabbed him by the hand, she didn’t know if the Death Eater had time to touch the mark or not and she was not waiting around to find out. She twirled on the spot and they left Diagon Alley and headed back to Rainbow Cottage. Once they had reached the cottage, Sarina wrenched her hand from Harry’s and turned on him.

“What happened?” she demanded.

Harry proceeded to tell her what took place in Diagon Alley. She listened in stony silence as they made their way back into the house. She dropped the bags in the kitchen, just as he finished saying;

“I couldn’t let them get away with treating her like that.”

“This is precisely why I didn’t want you to come” she said angrily her eyes flashing dangerously. “We’re all out there trying to keep you alive and you throw it back in our faces with your stupidity. When are you going to learn that your hot head and fiery temper are going to have repercussions? What would have happened if I hadn’t turned up when I did” she ranted. “I’ll tell you what – you would be dead right now” she seethed. She looked up at him and then unexpectantly she burst into tears and ran outside into the backyard. She ran into the arbour and threw herself onto the cushions and continued to sob into one of the pillows.

Harry stood rooted to the spot in the kitchen and flinched as Sarina’s words kept washing over him. She was right he had acted without thinking putting himself in danger. He unpacked the bags and put away the purchases. He thought maybe it was best to give Sarina some time to calm down before going to apologise to her. He decided to make her lunch and take it out to her.

Sarina rolled onto her back and brushed away the tears from her face. She lay there recalling the horrible things she had said to Harry and she winced. She hadn’t been very nice, she hadn’t meant to sound harsh but after feeling so terrified that she had almost lost him she couldn’t help the words that had spilled from her mouth. She just wished he would stop and think before he acted, life right now was tense enough without his rash decisions. She looked up as she heard the back door close and watched as Harry walked down to her carrying a tray. She smiled well at least he was still here, that was one good thing.

“I brought you some lunch” he said quietly as he walked into the arbour.

“Thank you Harry” she whispered “Harry I want to…”

“Don’t” he interrupted. “You don’t need to apologise, you were right I acted like an idiot. Let’s just forget about it.”

“Okay.”

They ate the food Harry had made and when they finished they laid down side by side holding hands and talked like they had never talked before about their fears of what was to come.