Chapter Text
Since leaving the British Wizarding World, Harry Potter could happily say his life was much better. No longer was he constantly hounded by his ‘adoring’ fans or facing the lack of privacy when it came to the reporters, or even the looks of disapproval and worry from those he calls his family. Harry just wanted the chance to be able to find out who he was and he couldn’t do that while he was still living as the boy, or man, who-lived, not that it was ever a title Harry wanted, and so, somewhat spontaneously, after five years, Harry quit his job as a auror, packed his bags and left.
All his friends had lives of their own, and they would always only be a floo call away, so if it wasn’t for Teddy, it would’ve been the easiest decision of his life. Luckily, after some talking, Andromeda and Harry had come to an agreement where Teddy would join Harry in the United States of America for a week or two during the holidays and the occasional weekend here or there.
One thing Harry had always wanted to do, despite his priorities changing after going to Hogwarts, was to open a bakery. It was the one thing that he enjoyed that the Dursley’s didn’t take away from him and they always seemed to treat him a little better, if you can call them not demanding he do more chores ‘better’, whenever he baked. So, after he finished moving into his new home, that was what Harry did and it soon became one of Ray’s favourite places to visit.
Harry and Ray had met by bumping into each other at the local grocery store, not long after Harry had made the move over to New Jersey. He had just finished unpacking his things in his new house, so Harry wasn’t in the mood to cook for just himself and decided to just grab a frozen meal or two. However, when he decided to grab one from a higher shelf, Harry accidentally knocked a few from their place, causing them to fall on him and Ray, who was luckily nearby, rushed over to help Harry after seeing what happened.
“Woah, are you okay?” Ray exclaimed.
“Yeah, guess I should’ve chosen something else,” Harry joked, running a hand through his hair. “Thank you for, ah, helping me, I’m Harry.”
“No problem, happy to help. I’m Ray,” the other man smiled.
Despite going their sperate ways, not expecting to really see each other again, they both felt something that day, though they weren’t sure what it was, not until later that is. Some people would say it was fate, that were destined to be together, since they coincidentally ran into each other a few more times until ending up at the same bar two months after their initial meeting.
“Hi, Harry, right?” Ray asked, walking up to Harry after spotting him from across the bar.
“Yes, Harry Potter, and you’re Ray,” Harry confirmed. Harry had to admit, he found the other man attractive, with his hazel eyes, brown hair and standing three inches taller than Harry’s five foot four. Ray appeared to be somewhat older than Harry, not that the younger man was going to let that stop him from admiring the taller man.
“Ray Ferrier,” they shook hands. “How have you been? I hope you haven’t been attacked by anymore falling frozen meals,” Ray joked.
Harry laughed. “Nope, haven’t been attacked by any food recently, helps that I have not had a need for frozen meals lately. I’ve been busy setting up my shop, I finally decided to fulfil my childhood dream of opening a bakery.”
“You own a bakery?” Ray was impressed.
“Ever since I was a little kid, all I had wanted to do was run my own bakery and after moving here, I decided why not.”
“That’s pretty impressive, might have to try it sometime.”
“Promise you won’t regret if you do.” Harry grinned, “it’s in town, next to Santos Florist.”
“I’ll make you a deal, if I do regret visiting your bakery, you owe me a drink, but if I don’t regret it, I’ll buy you a drink,” Ray bargained.
“Might as well buy me a drink now,” the younger man joked.
“Nah, it’ll give me an excuse to see you again,” Ray joked back.
That day was the beginning of three months of constant flirting. The two men met up three to four times a week, though it wasn’t rare for Harry to see Ray at his bakery every other day. Usually though, you would see them at the local bar, bonding over a few drinks, but occasionally Harry would invite Ray over to his house and cook some food for them, which, for the record, Harry made some of the best tasting food Ray had tasted in his entire life and he usually made enough for him to take some left-overs home. However, it wasn’t until half-way through the fourth month that they, especially Ray, were confronted with their feelings for the other.
One night, after they had a few more drinks than usual, Harry and Ray had ended up in Harry’s bed. Waking up alone with a hangover the next morning, Harry didn’t remember what had happened at first and it wasn’t until he tried to stand up and he felt an ache in his backside that he started to get flashes of his passion filled night. The young man was happy, he had realised he was starting to develop feelings towards the older man in the last month or so and even though he couldn’t clearly remember the entire night, Harry was content with the thought of making his move and it being reciprocated in some way. Though Harry wasn’t so sure his feelings were reciprocated when he didn’t see say again over the next few days.
Harry had tried to go to all the places they had seen each other over the last five months, but Ray was nowhere to be found. He didn’t even show up at Harry’s bakery in the last week. It’s the first time since meeting each other in the bar that he hadn’t seen the other man after a day or two. Harry was starting to get fed up with Ray’s behaviour. He would rather Ray tell him straight to his face whether he regretted that night, even if it would break his heart. So, he decided to put his big boy pants on and go to Ray’s house. The young man had never actually been in his friend’s house, but he knew where it was as he had dropped food off there before, typically whenever Ray had a late shift down at the docks.
“Ray,” Harry called out, knocking on Ray’s door after arriving at his house. “I know you are home; your car is here and you always have Monday’s off.” He waited for a moment longer before trying again. “Look, I just want to talk. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these last couple of months and I would like to know whether I need to try and find another friend or not.”
Harry impatiently waited a few more moments, a few more long and agonising moments, before hearing the door handle click as it was twisted open.
“Come in, Harry,” Ray beckoned. The raven moved past what had been his friend into his house. It was the first time Harry had been in the brunet’s house and though he was curious, he knew he had to focus on the conversation at hand.
“Harry, I-” Ray started before Harry cut him off.
“I really like you, Ray, not just as a friend and I would love to pursue a relationship, but I would prefer to have you as a friend than not at all,” Harry took a leap of faith.
Ray was shocked. “Harry, listen. You are an amazing guy and anyone would be lucky to have you, but I am twenty years older than you, I’m old enough to be your father, fuck, you’re only nine years older than my son! What would your parents say about you dating someone who has two kids closer in age to you than they are. You should be off partying and having fun with people your own age.”
“Okay, Ray. Two things;” Harry started, a little peeved at Ray’s words, “first, my parents are dead, so what they think does not matter to how we feel and second, if you want to be technical, you’re only eighteen years older than me. I’m an adult, Ray, and I don’t need a father, I have dealt with enough people trying to tell me what to do. I’m tired of those I care about trying to control my decisions based on what they think is wrong or right. I understand that you may be worried about what your kids might think about us, or even what your ex-wife’s thoughts could be, but you deserve to be happy, too, Ray. I deserve to be happy.”
“You do, Harry, deserve to be happy that is,” Ray begins, taking a deep breath in, “these past couple of months have been amazing. You bring something to my life, something that I’ve always been missing, but I can’t drag you down too. I can’t even be there for my kids and you’re so young, you still have your whole life ahead of you. What if we do pursue a relationship and it ends with you hating me? I don’t think I could handle that, Harry, not again.”
“But we don’t know what we’ll be like unless we try, Ray. It never does anyone any good to dwell on ‘what ifs.’ We either try this or we don’t. No one knows what the future holds, so we might as well take the chance to be happy whenever we can, but it’s fine if you don’t want to be in a relationship with me. I won’t hold it against you, as long as it’s something that you want and not what you think others might feel about us if we do.”
Ray hesitated. “I’ve thought a lot these past couple of days. At first, I wasn’t sure if I even liked men, thought it might have been a fluke, just a one-time type of thing, and I’m sure it would’ve been, but I like you, Harry. I’ve never felt this way for anyone before, not even Mary-Ann. You make me feel sappy and I don’t like that, but I hate the thought of losing you. I don’t want to be alone anymore, so I want to risk it.”
Harry beamed, “are you sure, Ray?” Harry wanted to make sure, give Ray one last chance to make sure that this was what he really wanted.
The older man nodded his head and Harry jumped up, wrapping his arms around Ray’s neck. Ray responded by returning the hug, wrapping his arms around the younger man’s waist.
This was the start of their story. Things might not always seem so simple, but the two men knew that they would have the other there to rely on if things got too hard, even if one of them decided to act like a dick occasionally.