Archive of Our Own

As I step through the door, Mister is there to greet me, indicating indignantly that the condition of his food bowl is not to his satisfaction. I'm just about to fill it when I hear a muted thump and a giggle coming from my bedroom.

"Stars and stones," I mutter under my breath. I've told Thomas a thousand times, my bedroom is off limits, but he keeps forgetting in the...heat of the moment. This time, I'm putting my foot down. With a forceful bang, I throw the bedroom door open, only to see Thomas, curled in the middle of my bed and holding a tiny blonde woman wearing nothing but a mischievous grin.

Murphy.

My heart jumps into my throat, and all I can think of is backing away, getting out of there, no time to think. But the two of them have seen me. Worst of all there's not a shred of guilt on their faces.

"It's about time you got here," Murphy says, standing up to grab my wrist and draw me closer to the bed.

"This is a supremely bad idea," I stutter, but somehow I'm not pulling myself out of her grip and running out into the streets, screaming.

She guides my hands to her waist. Behind her, Thomas bends and drops a string of kisses along the line of her shoulder. "Sometimes, Harry - bad ideas are all we have to keep us going."