Because of You
I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way, to never let it get that far
The war is over, it's been over for ten years… but the scars are still there. I'm proof of that, of the mistakes that were made.
My parents, Ron and Hermione Weasley, are both veterans of the war and both expected life to become one beautiful walk in the park after the war was over… they were wrong! When mother found out she was pregnant with me, she was ecstatic. She'd always wanted a baby and now was her chance. She went crazy decorating a beautiful nursery for me. My father was happy to; he'd always wanted to be a father. The trouble came, though, the minute my father laid eyes on me… me… and my blond hair.
Growing up, I knew that Ron wasn't my father, anyone could tell just by looking at me. My mother refused to admit this, however, which only made things worse. I would sit in my room for hours as she begged him to believe her when she told him I'd inherited my hair and eyes from my Aunt Carter. Nobody believed her.
Doesn't mean Ron hated me, well, not at first. When I was still very young he used to come into my room and read me one poem from a book of poems. My favorite, that he always ended up reading, was called One Day.
"One Day
I will see the road ahead
One Day
I will forget the past
One Day
I will understand the trials of life
One Day
I will remember
One Day
I will forgive you."
Then Rose was born, and I was immediately cast aside by my "father" and mother. My mother now had a baby that really did belong to Ron. Rose was the baby they wanted, the one that held the DNA of both her parents. Three years later Hugo was born, but they didn't cast Rose aside like they had me when she was born. They kept her close to their sides, as if she would disappear and once again I'd be all they'd have. I hated both of them. They were everything mother and father wanted, and I was nothing. I was the child of some unknown man. I didn't fit into their perfect family.
But the day came where I would realize none of it was their fault. Mother and father where fighting and they had come into my room, Rose being five and Hugo being two. I held them and soothed them and waited till they had fallen asleep to return them to their rooms.
Before any of us knew it, it had become routine. Every night, when mom and dad fought, they would enter my room with tear streaked eyes. I would sit on my bed and have them sit at my sides and I would hold them as Rose cried and Hugo shook.
Tonight was no different; Rose was on my right and Hugo was on my left. Rose was sobbing. I had my arm draped around her with my head resting on her head and my eyes shut. When the clock struck three, I laid their sleeping bodies on my bed and tucked them in. I crept over to the door and listened to the yells that came from the first floor.
"You know she's not mine Hermione," her father yelled, "she looks nothing like me!"
"Ron, I'm sorry. We thought we were going to die. We needed comfort and you weren't around," her mother cried.
"Whatever Hermione, I'm leaving," he stated. The ten year old could hear her father stomp up the stairs. After a few minutes she opened the door to see her father coming out of her parent's room with a suitcase in his hand. He didn't say a word to her as he passed. She chased after him.
"Dad!" she yelled as she ran out of the house. He turned to face her tear stained face. "Please daddy, I tried. I tried so hard to be the little girl you wanted. It's not my fault I'm not your daughter, trust me, I want to be. I love you more then anything in the world and you are my dad no matter what my DNA says. Please, I need you to love me," she sobbed as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.
His green eyes were sad as he stared down at her. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he got into the car. I fell to my knees as I sobbed.
Life wasn't fair.
Because of you
I will never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I'm sixteen now, a Ravenclaw in Hogwarts. I have a few friends, mostly older kids. I've never kissed a boy. I've never gone out on a date. I'm afraid to. The man that I had loved so much left me when I was ten years old. He was the reason my mother turned to drugs and alcohol. If the man that was supposed to love me unconditionally left me, what was there to stop some boy? Nothing.
I don't trust anyone, not my mother, not my father, not my uncle, aunt, or anyone. I don't even fully trust Rose or Hugo.
"Hey Rosie, what are you up to?" I asked her as I walked over to her. Without looking up at me she handed me a letter. I took it from her hand, an eyebrow before glancing down at it. Fire burned in my eyes as I read its contents. I ran from the room, pushing first years out of the way. I had to get home.
I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake, a smile, a laugh
Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
I stepped out of the fireplace to see my mom sitting on the couch. She has the blanket pulled up and an empty bottle of fire whiskey in her hand. I stare at her head that was dropped. Take away the bottle and it would look like she had fallen asleep. "Mom," I whispered as I dropped to my knees at her side. My hand brushed her hair from her cold skin. "Mummy no," I whispered as tears started to stream from my eyes.
"Summer."
I turned to see Victoria in the fireplace. She doesn't say anything more as she kneels beside me and wraps me in her arms. I break lose, tears flowing from my eyes and sobs from my throat.
I had killed my mother. If I hadn't been born then Daddy wouldn't have left and mommy wouldn't have killed herself. I killed her.
Before long Uncle Harry was pulling me from the floor as Aurors flooded the living room.
"Come on baby girl."
"No!" I screamed as I kicked at him. "No!"
"I've got you Summer, I've got you."
"Where are we going to go?" I cried.
"Gin and I will take you and the kids. We won't leave you alone."
I pushed him away and wiped my tears. "I'm always alone Uncle Harry."
Because of you
I will never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
"I'm sorry, that was my fault," I said as I kneeled down to gather my fallen books.
"No, I apologize, it was my fault," a male voice said from above me.
"No, I've got…" I trailed off as I looked up to see a tall blonde man, "it." He had light blue eyes and blonde hair.
"You're Summer Potter, Harry and Ginny's niece." I stood and adjusted my books. "I've heard a lot about you."
"You have?" I asked, amazed that anyone would care enough to talk about me. Harry and Ginny were good company and treated me well, but they would never love me like they did Lily, Albus, and James.
"You are actually why I've come to Hogwarts today. I've heard all about your gifts in Defense against the Dark Arts and would like to offer you a summer Internship with me. You would live with me and go to work with me. I would teach you everything you ever wanted to know about magic and spells."
"Why would you do that for me?"
"Because Summer, you are a talented young lady and I think if anyone can find a counter curse for any or all of the three illegal curses it's you," he said, his eyes showing nothing but truth.
"I'll have to talk with Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, but I would very much like to accept," I said with a smile as tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
"Good, here is my card," he said with a smile before turning and heading for the gates of Hogwarts.
"Draco Malfoy, Department Head of Saving the Innocent," I read before tucking it into the pocket of my jeans.
Later that night I went to the library to look up the Department of Saving the Innocent.
Department of Saving the Innocent (DSI)
DSI was created after the downfall of Lord Voldemort. Many died during the war with the use of the Three Unforgivable Curses. Draco Malfoy, a child when the war rekindled, was deeply affected by the Three Unforgivable, having watched many suffer at the hands of his father with all three curses. He began a movement to start DSI to find ways to help people protect themselves and hopefully one day find a counter curse. Six months into the project, The Boy Who lived and Lived Again, was recruited by Mr. Malfoy to help with the project. With Mr. Potter behind it, it soon came to be a reality.
"Having watched many suffer at the hands of his father," I reread. I thought deeply for a moment before getting out of the chair I had just been curled up in. I took the candle and walked over to the newest section of the library, The War Section. I looked around, once again making sure no one was up and about, since it was well after curfew.
It wasn't long before I found the book I was looking for. I walked back over to the table and sat back in my chair.
When Draco Malfoy was born, everyone celebrated his birth. The Malfoy Family was well known and he was showered with gifts. However, at the age of 3, things started to happen. Child Protective Auroras were sent to the child's home to find the young boy frightened and wailing about men in masks of bone. Later, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were charged with Suspicion of death eater charges. The charges were later dropped but many suspected that Draco was being abused.
At the age of sixteen, Draco was forced by his father to become a death eater. He was ordered to kill Albus Dumbledore. Though the act was carried out by Severus Snape, it left emotional scars on the boy. It was discovered that Draco was a spy for the light and taken prisoner. He was locked up in the dungon of his own home, where he made a friend in a prisoner he had no idea had been captured, Hermione Weasley (Granger at the time).
"Ron, I'm sorry. We thought we were gonna die!"
"No, it can't be," I whispered.
I watched you die
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry
In the middle of the night
For the same damn thing
"I think it'll be great for her," Ginny told Harry as she put a hand on her hip and rubbed her forehead with the other.
"I can't believe you're on his side Ginny!" Harry whisper yelled.
I didn't move from my position on the stairs, peering down at them as they argued about my internship opportunity.
"He made a mistake Harry, we can't keep her from him forever. This should be on our terms," Ginny yelled.
"He fucking left her Ginny! He knew she was pregnant and he still left!" Harry yelled back, getting angrier by the second.
"He knew that him plus his child would tear Ron and Hermione apart! It didn't work, Hermione is dead and Ron walked out on his family because he couldn't bare to look at her face anymore! She looks just like him Harry, she deserves to know who her father is!"
I let the tears fall from my eyes as memories of my mother and Ron fighting flashed across my eyes. I turned, got up off the steps and ran up the stairs, tears streaming down my face as I ran into my room. I slammed the door, wanting them to know I'd heard every word. I walked over to my nightstand. I picked up the picture of Ron, Mom, Rose, Hugo, and me. Mom was holding Hugo and Ron was holding Rose. I was in the back, forcing a smile as my own personal hell was engraved on film.
"It's not fair!" I screamed as I threw the picture across the room. With that said I grabbed my wand and changed out of my tank and sweats. I aparated from my room to Diagon Alley. I stormed over to the coffee shop that Draco was meeting me at. I spotted him quickly.
I walked over to him, tears still falling from my eyes.
"Summer…" he said, worry in his voice.
"You left me," I hissed.
"What?"
"I know you're my father."
"Summer, what? No, I never knew…"
"LIAR!" I screamed, angry tears falling. "This is why you offered me the internship. You left me with them! You took away any chance at a family I ever had!" I turned my head slightly as I sobbed. "Even when mom died, you didn't do anything. Ron, the only father I ever knew, looked me in the eye and took Rose and Hugo from me. He left me with Harry and Ginny because even though he raised me I wasn't his child. You try being rejected like that." With that said I turned and left the coffee shop.
Because of you
I will never stray too far from the sidewalk
"Summer, there is a really good University in Salem, we could go together," Rose said as she looked through the book of Wizarding Universities.
"No, we should stay close to home."
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
"Hey Summer, I was wondering if you would like to grab some butter beer on Saturday?" Colin asked shyly.
"Colin, that's really sweet, but men in my life don't stay. I'm sorry."
Because of you
I tried my hardest just to forget everything
"Why are you dying your hair again?" Rose asked, angry that I refused to go to Salem with her.
"Mom had brown hair, I want to be her child, not his child."
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
"Summer, you're a great girl, and a bright student. I know its kind of unethical for a teacher and a student to have a relationship but I can't ignore these feelings anymore. I know you feel them too."
"I can't," I whispered before turning and running from him.
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
I walked into my apartment, staring at the blank walls, void of pictures or paintings. I put my textbooks on the coffee table and fell onto the couch. I put my head in my hands and cried.
Because of you
I am afraid
"NO!" I screamed as I bolted upright in my bed. Nightmares had been bothering me for months now, never letting me rest.
Because of you
Ginny sent me the family picture. I cut off mom and Ron's heads. They took everything from me.
Because of you
I got a letter from Draco again, every Thursday like clock work. I never opened them, just threw them away, because he let them take everything.