Tom fell asleep quickly, lying on his back in a neat and orderly position. Even though Tom was right next to him, Harry felt so, so alone. He thought of Ron and Hermione with an ache. It’d been a while since he had missed them so fiercely, but suddenly all he wanted was to sit in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room with them. He struggled to remember the exact pitch of Hermione’s laughter and the pressure of Ron’s hand when he clapped him on the shoulder. What would they say if he told them how things had ended up with him and Tom? Would they think him foolish for hoping that the man who could have become Voldemort would ever love him?