He's dreaming, that much Harry knows. It's a long, dark hallway with flickering lights and a creaky door somewhere out of sight.
"Really need to stop reading those creepy books before bed," Harry mutters. He checks for open doors, a window, anything to let in a little light. Nothing. He considers conjuring up a palm full of fire to see, and then considers the chances of setting his bed sheets aflame. Before he can decide if it's worth the risk, Bob comes around the corner.
"Harry! There you are! I've been in this hallway for ages!"
Harry stares at Bob, walking down the hall like he belongs there. "Huh?"
"I'm bored stiff, or as bored stiff as I can be without the use of a body, of course. I've positively nothing to do with you asleep, and I've been puttering around--"
"Bob."
"Yes, Harry?" Bob looks completely innocent, wide-eyed and helpful.
"Are you actually here?"
"Of course I'm here!"
"No, I mean, are you actually here? In my dream? Like, live and in-person?" Bob says nothing, gaze shifting to one side. Harry groans and covers his face with his hands. "How long have you been piggybacking into my dreams?"
"I don't piggyback, Harry. I can enter at will, it seems. I suppose it has to do with my general ghostliness, and--"
"How. Long."
"A few weeks."
Harry thinks back over the last few weeks. Most of his dreams are muddled, but he knows there was at least one about him and a good-looking dark-haired woman. "Bob, if you weren't dead, I'd murder you right now."
"Harry, if I weren't dead, I couldn't be here."
"Go away. Get out of my head."
"I'm bored."
"Out!" Harry points to the end of the long hallway. A door flings open, spilling light towards them. "Huh," Harry says. "So that's how I get out."
"See, Harry? I'm being extremely helpful."
Harry wants to yell at him, to drag him by the scruff of the neck to the door, but then he takes a good look at Bob, sees the loneliness in the way he's holding himself still, prepared to be sent away. Harry sighs. "All right. Fine. You can stay."
Bob beams. "Thank you, Harry."
"But if a good-looking woman shows up wanting to seduce me, you have to leave. Immediately."
"Of course."
"Not that I'd know, of course. Since you've been here for weeks, apparently."
"My word as a gentlemen, I will leave."
"Yeah. Sure. Gentleman."
"Really, Harry."
Harry grins. "C'mon, you bum. Let's find the creaky door."
I went TV-verse by accident, as it's easier to write Bob with a body.
"Really need to stop reading those creepy books before bed," Harry mutters. He checks for open doors, a window, anything to let in a little light. Nothing. He considers conjuring up a palm full of fire to see, and then considers the chances of setting his bed sheets aflame. Before he can decide if it's worth the risk, Bob comes around the corner.
"Harry! There you are! I've been in this hallway for ages!"
Harry stares at Bob, walking down the hall like he belongs there. "Huh?"
"I'm bored stiff, or as bored stiff as I can be without the use of a body, of course. I've positively nothing to do with you asleep, and I've been puttering around--"
"Bob."
"Yes, Harry?" Bob looks completely innocent, wide-eyed and helpful.
"Are you actually here?"
"Of course I'm here!"
"No, I mean, are you actually here? In my dream? Like, live and in-person?" Bob says nothing, gaze shifting to one side. Harry groans and covers his face with his hands. "How long have you been piggybacking into my dreams?"
"I don't piggyback, Harry. I can enter at will, it seems. I suppose it has to do with my general ghostliness, and--"
"How. Long."
"A few weeks."
Harry thinks back over the last few weeks. Most of his dreams are muddled, but he knows there was at least one about him and a good-looking dark-haired woman. "Bob, if you weren't dead, I'd murder you right now."
"Harry, if I weren't dead, I couldn't be here."
"Go away. Get out of my head."
"I'm bored."
"Out!" Harry points to the end of the long hallway. A door flings open, spilling light towards them. "Huh," Harry says. "So that's how I get out."
"See, Harry? I'm being extremely helpful."
Harry wants to yell at him, to drag him by the scruff of the neck to the door, but then he takes a good look at Bob, sees the loneliness in the way he's holding himself still, prepared to be sent away. Harry sighs. "All right. Fine. You can stay."
Bob beams. "Thank you, Harry."
"But if a good-looking woman shows up wanting to seduce me, you have to leave. Immediately."
"Of course."
"Not that I'd know, of course. Since you've been here for weeks, apparently."
"My word as a gentlemen, I will leave."
"Yeah. Sure. Gentleman."
"Really, Harry."
Harry grins. "C'mon, you bum. Let's find the creaky door."