I own nothing of Harry Potter

This is a reworking of a previous story I had abandoned and deleted called A New Path, enjoy. I am now going through and editing the chapters to begin writing this story once more.

Chapter 1: Making Decisions

I was walking pointlessly around the grounds, no set direction or destination. Time to myself, alone time; it was something I have not had in quite a while. A chance to just enjoy the silence of the world, a world no longer at war. Enemies had been vanquished, some still at large sure, but the majority had been dealt with and for now I was at peace. More so now as I strolled down the path. It was early in the morning, unseasonably warm for the hour in question as the sun had only just begun to rise high in the sky. The heat made me run my hand along the collar of my shirt, I felt sweat beading down my neck; I sighed.

I had spent a long time in the shower that morning, soaking in the cold spray, despite it all I still felt dirty, I felt uncomfortable in my clothes and skin. An hour after I had finally killed my life-long enemy I found myself consumed by a desire to run, I had been swarmed and overcome by my friends and fellow students, congratulating me and thanking me, though I smiled and nodded they were fake smiles. It had taken more out of me than I would have believed. Coming out on the path had been to clear my mind and yet it was all coming back again. Deep down all I wanted was to run, leave and not return. But I didn't know if I could or…if I should.

It was not as easy as I thought. Maybe it was guilt? Maybe something else? I hadn't a clue really. My head was throbbing; my weather-worn clothes torn and ripped, burned in some places, were still carrying the dirt and grim of war and while many house elves had offered to wash them I had declined. Why? I didn't know the answer to that either. But as I walked with my hands deep in the pockets of my coat, I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I had actually won. But what a victory? So much was lost, so many died, this was never what I wanted, never had I wished to see Remus die or Tonks and hell even Fred is gone.

I bumped into someone and fell backwards. My glasses fell from my face as I hit the dirt, my fingers felt nothing but uneven grass as I felt around for the damned things. I fumbled around clumsily, on my butt still as I stretched out my arms in search of the glasses but then, surprising myself, I saw a glint of metal before my eyes. The person I had bumped into, they had found them and were holding them out for me to grasp. I took them with a word of thanks and slid them back upon my face. Blinking, I glanced up to the hand outstretched in front of me. I had not expected to find her out this far from the castle.

"Harry," Fleur said with a smile. I took her hand and allowed her to lift me up to my feet. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, her hair up in a ponytail, and looked as though she hadn't been sleeping. Dark bags could be seen beneath her eyes and despite the smile on her face I could tell it was barely a sliver of the smile that had once graced her features. The gleam was gone from her eyes, I decided quickly enough; she looked miserable.

"Why are you out so early?" I asked her after I finished staring.

She gestured to the footpath with slender fingers. "I suppose for the same reason as you, yes? To get away for some peace and quiet?"

"Quite right," I told her honestly. "I just can't do the crowds right now."

"Understandable," She said with a nod, I was glad she did not ask me to elaborate, and then she gestured to keep walking with her. I followed her gesture again and realized it was not the way I had been heading but was in fact the direction I had come. Without much convincing needed, I nodded and fell into step beside her.

A few minutes later, as we were walking, I glanced over towards her and realized we were nearly identical in regards to our height. A fact that I found quite funny and began to snicker to which she turned and raised an eyebrow, silently wondering and questioning what had caused such a reaction. Clearing my throat of snickers and giggles, I gestured between us with a lazy hand.

"We're almost the same height now, no more confusion with calling me a 'Little Boy'."

Fleur smiled, showing her perfect white teeth. The smile was infectious and I shared a grin or two with her as she huffed playfully. "You won't ever let me forget that will you?"

"Probably not…" I said with a shrug and a small chuckle. Our laughter subsided after a few moments more and the only sound came from our footfall and the gentle song of bird or two in a nearby tree. The silence between us brought a new question to my mind and I spoke without much hesitation. "So why are you getting away for a bit?"

I saw her bite her lip, squirm under my gaze and then she did something I was quite unprepared for. Sliding closer, I felt her slim arms slid around my limb, gently, and then felt a cold hand find its way into my grasp. Unsure but not wishing to push her away, I tried to relax knowing the touch was not done so with ill will intended. The tensing of my limb went unnoticed by Fleur as she opened her mouth and begin to speak. "You might think badly of me…"

"Doubt it," I interrupted but she spoke over me.

"…that's sweet but I found myself annoyed by Bill and his family. With Fred's death they have isolated themselves and of course I understand they have lost family…yet I am a part of that family no? Being Bill's wife I should be welcome amongst the mourning and celebration of Fred's life, but I do not feel as though I am. They think I'm no smarter than the average child but I see the glares and sneers when they think I am not looking. It has been this way for months but now…"

"Now it hurts more," I said with a nod. I knew how she felt. I too had been feeling slightly miffed at their actions. I understand Fred was their son and brother, family, but I had believed I was as well. Just as Fleur had stated mere moments ago. Hermione, meanwhile, had been beside them every minute, sharing hugs with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley before sneaking off with Ron to do the one thing probably not the most respectable with so many dead bodies awaiting burial.

She slid a strand of blond hair away from her eyes. "Yes."

"…I've been thinking about leaving for a while," I said as I realized just how long her hair had gotten since I had seen it last.

"Me too," Fleur told me in a quiet yet confident voice, not breaking stride as we kept walking around the lake. We shared a brief look before she went back to looking at the trees and the gloomy clouds that were rolling in from the east. It seemed the bright sun would not last long, typical really.

While she held my hand I felt something peak my curiosity. Looking down at her left hand I saw the absence of her wedding ring. I said nothing, it was her choice not mine. We walked for over an hour and when we walked back to the castle she smiled at me before disappearing up the stairs. She seemed to walk in slow motion and my gaze was locked upon her. Not upon any particular feature of hers, no not really. But I stood in the entrance hall watching her, glad that she walked with her head held high and a smile upon her face. I didn't like her frown. I smiled briefly as I saw Fleur stop and turn back to me, saw me staring, then turned back to the stairs.

I found her sitting alone. Her husband and son taken as criminals, she had been left alone because I asked to speak with her privately. We stood outside, it was raining now; the sun gone and the gloom of the clouds had all but taken over the horizon. All manner of respect and nobility had been taken from her. She wore robes of common make, the silks and elegant jewelry was gone, left in its place was a woman who looked worn out. I tried to find the words to speak but she just kept staring at me until finally she spoke first. Her voice was icy and calm, defiant even. I respected that.

"You don't have to say anything."

"I know…but I also think I should say something."

She shook her head, turning to look away from me almost as if she was embarrassed to be speaking to me, some things never change I guess. "No, Potter…Harry, you do not need to thank me or say anything. I wasn't doing it for you or your silly little friends. I did what I did for my son and my son only. Does that make me a bad person, maybe, but I had been a bad person for years. I do not regret helping you to save him, I used you, which is all it is and will ever be. So please spare me your well wishes."

"It makes you a good mother and if you're a good mother than you're a good person in my book."

"Thank you…" she said quietly. "…but please don't blame my son for what he did. He was protecting his family. Would you do differently if you were in his position?"

Mrs. Malfoy left me with something to ponder.

"What do you mean you aren't going back to school?" Hermione all but yelled out in the kitchen of the Burrow during dinner a few weeks later. I was sitting at the end of the table with the entirety of the Weasley family and Hermione. Fleur was there as well, but had been staring out the window for most of the meal. Now however, her eyes and the eyes of all the Weasley family were upon me. I held back a roll of my eyes and shrugged off the most obvious of responses. "But it just makes sense to go back once it is rebuilt and completed. How will you be an Auror without graduating? I think it'd be very wrong for you to use your fame to get a job or further your career, it's just not right."

"Okay? I've had enough of Hogwarts for a few years," I told the room as I tapped my foot, my patience running very thin. The discussion had been going on for almost ten minutes already, with every Weasley sharing their input, only now were they starting to get rather hostile about it. I think it had to do with my rising temper and lack of agreeableness on the issue.

"What does that mean?" Ginny asked me. She had been testy with me the last day or so…it might have been because I had turned down her offer of getting back together. Actually, I know for a fact that's why she was acting like that. She was pretty easy to read. I had told her I wasn't ready for being in a relationship, I said I needed to think and find out what I was looking for from life before deciding on wedding plans like she wanted. She proceeded to then try and seduce me with a kiss on the lips and an ample view of her cleavage. My lack of enthusiasm for that action had simply made made the situation worse, eventually I threw up my hands and walked out of the room.

"It means I don't want to be there right now," I said tersely.

"Relax mate," Ron said as he chewed his meal, he was watching me carefully while I was glaring at Ginny.

"I am relaxed. I just don't understand why it matters to you lot. It's my decision to return or not and I have decided against. So go have fun at school while I get along with my life. For the first time since I was one I don't have to worry about some madman hunting me down and murdering me because of some bullshit prophecy. Maybe instead of wasting my time at school I'd like to actually experience life? Did you all think about that? No, no you haven't." And with that I pushed back my chair, tossed my napkin upon the table, and strode out of the door, letting it slam shut. A few minutes of angrily stomping through the fields of the Burrow, I found myself sitting against a tree on a hill overlooking the fields around their home. Sometime after that I saw Fleur approaching me with a blanket folded in her arms, I shivered; I didn't realize how cold it was that evening.

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked me.

I shook my head and she sat beside me, her back against the tree trunk as well. I could smell her perfume, it was subtle and light. The blanket was spread over her lap and legs and she tossed the remaining bit over my legs as well, she said nothing as we sat there. While the silence wore on I found myself pondering how it came to be that Fleur and I seemed to be growing so close over the last few weeks. Really though it was odd, our friendship. We had been rivals in the tournament, then didn't speak for years before meeting once more and attending her wedding to now…sitting beside her against a tree, under a shared blanket, while the stars came out. And even now we really only had a few conversations every now and then. Baffling, that could be a word to describe it. Or maybe even random, yeah that worked.

"You think too much," she told me finally.

"Hmm?"

"You worry about what others think too much, just be you Harry. Do whatever it is that you think is right."

I was silent for a long time as I took in her words. But then I looked over at her.

"Hey Fleur…"

"Yes, Harry?" she said, looking into my eyes.

"…take your own advice."

True to my word, Mrs. Malfoy had given me something to think about. For weeks I had been working on a project that was nearing completion. It was something I knew would be rather controversial and maybe a bit daft as well, but as Hermione had said so many times…I had a saving people problem. With the project on my mind and a donut in my belly, I was returning from a meeting with Acting Minister Kingsley three weeks later when I found Fleur sitting on the front steps of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She sat with one leg over the other while reading a thin book, though I could tell she wasn't paying that much attention to the novel because she just stared down at the open page. Her eyes moved only slightly. When I approached the steps she looked up, despite the tears snaking down her cheeks she gave a small laugh at my attire. I wore a pair of suit trousers, white collared shirt and a wrinkled tie that I had forgotten to clean. My hair was just as messy as always and Fleur eyed the converse on my feet, pointed and nodded her approval of the faded green.

"That look suits you," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

I stared at her. "Want to come in?"

"Yes please," she nodded, holding back another wave of tears while laughing embarrassedly. She didn't need to tell me what had happened, I could assume as much. As I unlocked the front door I gestured for her to enter first, which she thanked me for, and then I led her down into the kitchen where I found Kreacher mumbling to himself. I asked for some tea and biscuits, he bowed and fetched them while I pulled a chair out for Fleur.

Sitting in silence, drinking tea in silence, and silently eating biscuits is how we spent the majority of the evening. It wasn't until I had grown hungrier and prepared to cook an actual meal did she speak for the first time.

"Why are you dressed like that anyway? Not that I don't like the look, because I do, but it seems odd seeing you choosing to wear an outfit that is semi-formal. As I recall you disliked dressing up very much for the Yule Ball."

"I had a meeting with Kingsley…" I looked up from the vegetables I was chopping. A towel over my shoulder and my tie as loose as it could go, the top most button was free and she could spy my white undershirt. She seemed genuinely interested so I kept talking. "…over Draco Malfoy, his mother, and a few of his classmates. My classmates too I suppose you could say. I've been meeting with Kingsley every day for almost a month now."

"I wasn't expecting that," she stated as she reached for her fifth or sixth biscuit. Rain beat on the windows and a calm feeling arose between us. Kreacher was preparing a room for Fleur to stay in, I had asked him while she had gone to the bathroom; the room was on the same floor as mine.

"I doubt they will either when they're finally pardoned tomorrow," I said humorously.

"Pardoned?" she asked carefully. "You got them pardoned? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

I shrugged. "I merely suggested and then nudged the Acting Minister of Magic to pull a few strings, call in a few favors, and talk a bit of politics. When it comes out in the papers, if all goes to plan, then hardly anyone will know of my involvement."

"But why?"

Putting the knife down, I collapsed back into a pulled out seat. I met her gaze and could only shrug once more. But as I sat and stared at her I saw Fleur waiting patiently for me to continue and after a sigh I did.

"I was thinking the other night…whether Malfoy could be blamed for what he's done. Truly and genuinely blamed. Yeah sure he did some bad things…" she gave me a pointed look. "…okay he did some pretty bad things, things that he could never be forgiven for. I spoke to his mother after the battle to thank her for what she did and she asked me not to blame Draco, he was trying to protect his family she said. And that made me think well if I had a family and I was faced with the same situation whether or not I'd do what he had to do in sixth year. After thinking about it I decided that I may have done just that and that made me think that I couldn't blame him as much as I had been. Possibly even forgive him."

"That's admirable Harry."

I resumed chopping vegetables. "I don't know if it'll be the right decision however."

"Time will tell."

I couldn't sleep that night and found myself walking into the kitchen at 2 am. I made tea and sat at the table alone, for some time until my tea grew cold and I realized I had forgotten to take a sip. While sitting there I thought about Fleur and how she had left Bill and came to me, surprising I know but what surprised me more was when she asked how long she could stay I said 'as long as you want' without hesitation. Ginny was gone from my life and I doubted very much that id see her in a romantic light again. Fleur and I were just friends anyway right?

Nodding in the affirmative, I put my tea cup in the sink and headed for my room once more. I ascended the stairs in general silence and when I got to my floor I padded down the hallway quietly but not quite silent enough because I heard Fleur's muffled voice through her closed door. I stopped and heard her speak once more. Gingerly I reached for the door knob, turned it, and pulled open the door. There she was, on her bed, knees to her chest and tears running down her face.

"I feel so lost," she told me.

I had no answer other than walking towards her and sitting next to her on her bed. She leaned towards me and I enveloped her in a loose hug but as the minutes wore on and she cried harder I tightened my hold around her slim body until she too wrapped her arms around me. I sat there silently as she cried against me. While I wished to have something to say that would help her, or make her feel better despite the consequences of her actions weighing heavy on her shoulders, I could think of nothing. I felt badly for not being able to help but then I realized she was quieting, maybe just a hug was working? If I was honest I was finding it harder and harder to stay awake as the minutes wore on and soon I felt myself falling backwards against the mattress with Fleur laying down beside me. Sleep came to us as the light began to shine through the curtains.

"Thank you," She mumbled and I heard her speak no more.

Just friends…sure.

I woke to a banging at my front door.