The rain fell with a comforting purpose, the lush greenery bowed in reverence to the liquid blessing bestowed upon it. Harry leaned his head against the tombstone and blinked as the water ran into his eyes. "You always did tell me I had a bad habit of staying in the rain. You always threatened that I would get myself sick, and yet I never did."
The silence answered him, and he laughed briefly. "I hope you know I'm sorry. I know I always end the conversation like this, but honestly I have nothing left to say, and it's the most important thing on my mind. I think of you often, but not as often as I used to, and that makes me sad. It means that the part of my life that I cherished the most is actually over. I need to accept that."
A snap of a twig reached his ears, and before the next footfall came, he was ready with his wand. A shadow materialized in the air, and two seconds later he was able to make out Percy's thin face from between the upturned collar of his cloak. "I thought that was you." The tall redhead said as he held out a thermos. "My mother sends this in hopes that you'll come inside and get warm."
"I think I'm going to go home now. I didn't mean to disturb anything." Harry accepted the thermos and flicked his wand; the light expanding to fill in the shadow around them, Ginny's grave as pristine as when she was first lowered to the earth.
"That's the thing Harry, you're not. Why don't you come in before you go off, at least to get dry?" Percy sank lower into his cloak and made a face. "Ginny doesn't want you to punish yourself forever."
He watched the emotions cross Harry's face before becoming swallowed by the passive mask he had come to know the last few months. "I would, but I'm a little close to the full moon for my tastes, and I don't feel like socializing."
"Since when is stopping by the Burrow socializing?"
"Since now. How are the girls?" The subject was changed quickly, and Percy sighed briefly.
"As well as to be expected." Both men found their gaze moving towards Penelope's grave, a somber reminder that everyone lost someone. "My mother is a godsend. What am I going to do with twin four year old girls?"
"Cherish them, because they look just like Penelope." Harry cleared his throat and shook his head. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to say that-"
"I know what you're saying. I tell myself everyday. They remind me of her when they smile, laugh, everything. The only way I know they're not copies of her is the red hair." Both men laugh briefly, more out of nicety instead of shared humor. It wasn't that Harry couldn't empathize, or even that he didn't like Percy again. It was just hard to talk to most people now. "So how are you feeling? Everyone was kind of surprised that you moved to Wales. Seems kind of rash, don't you think?"
"Not when the political mess started up. It's just safer for everyone if I stay in Wales." Harry found himself scratching his neck out of habit. The phantom itch was maddening at times.
"There are people in Wales Harry. You would have been just as safe here as you are there. Besides, great strides are being made-"
"But would you all be safer?" No answer came and the light from the tip of Harry's wand winked out. "I'm going to go, I'll talk to you later Perce. Tell your mother I send my love, but I cannot come in and chat right now." Without another word the man was gone, leaving Percy alone in the Weasley family cemetery.
> > > > >
The stones that lead up to the quietly majestic house he now resided in were only damp now, the rainstorm responsible for the moisture now hovering somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. The smell was one of sleep, the greenery so much more rich than what he was used to in the city.
The door opened for him without a gesture, and he held out his cloak and hat as the house elf appeared next to him. "Master had a good trip to England?" Dobby squeaked and Harry shrugged and moved forward.
"It was as well as to be expected."
"Does Master require anything else?" He asked, scrabbling quickly to catch up.
"Just that you stop calling me that." Harry rounded the corner and shut the door to the study, but Dobby appeared on the other side, completely unfazed.
"But Dobby must call Master Harry master. It is only proper."
"I thought you enjoyed your freedom." The wizard frowned distractedly, pouring a generous helping of centuries old scotch into a goblet before knocking it back.
"Dobby knew he was needed, and you wouldn't ask for help. Besides, it is entirely a different matter when Dobby gets to decide what Dobby is to do. Dobby has decided that he pledges himself to you, which makes you his master."
"I'm going to stop arguing now."
"Good, because you're never going to win." The quiet female voice behind him caused him to smile briefly, and he turned; another glass in hand.
"Mrs. Rhodes, would you like to join me for some scotch?" He asked hopefully, and Luna's robes swished as she cleared the threshold and sank gratefully into a plush chair facing the fire.
"So formal Mr. Potter, but technically I'm on duty, so I don't want to imbibe anything at the moment." She stared into the fire briefly before her gaze was attracted to the nervous adjustment of Harry's collar. "Is …it... giving you problems still?"
"At times I think it's more mental than anything, but yes, it still itches like crazy." Harry knocked back both glasses quickly without a shudder or change of expression, and sat down in the matching chair across from her. "How have you been?"
"Good. I think it wise that you got yourself a secret keeper. It makes it a heck of a lot easier not to wonder if you're safe or not."
"Well, mistakes of the past taught me one thing. Just because something failed, doesn't mean its not a great way of doing things… you just have to make sure that you're doing it correctly."
"Here here." Luna absently twirled a lock of blond hair around her index finger and sighed. "How is she?"
"Stubborn as ever. She has a temper on her I didn't realize I had forgotten about."
"Well, she's somewhat not herself, the same as you. We're still searching for all the ways a person is altered by even a shallow exposure to lycanthropy. Its mind boggling how many variables are required to be factored."
"At least I understand the situation."
"You're holding back your emotions so you don't have to deal with them. At least Angelina has the decency to understand why she's feeling this way."
"And how am I feeling?" The steel in her voice belied the pale and listless look on her face. Luna rose fluidly and reached into her robes, producing two vials.
"Hopefully better than yesterday. Where is your cane?"
"I left it in the bedroom." Angelina moved forward a bit unsteadily, her scathing look forcing Harry and Luna to stay where they were. She hobbled over to the couch and half eased half flopped to the cushions.
"You're not supposed to put any undue stress on your spine. It's being held together by two spells that are dubious apart and downright frightening together. You have to heal before they are removed or you'll never walk again." Harry scratched at his neck irritably, a hot flash of irritation flashing down his collar.
"I'm fine Luna. Harry, are you okay?" She asked, stilling his nervous scratching movement.
"Fine." He forced his hand down and to his glass, where they gripped as a distraction.
"Still lying I see."
"I told you enough so you'd stop asking." Luna looked back and forth between the two very quiet individuals before her.
"Alright then… well Angelina, I'm going to leave the potions you'll need for today and tomorrow morning." She stood and put the vials on the end table beside the couch.
"You're not staying?"
"No. I'm due back at St. Mungos shortly. I'll come back to check on the both of you later on." Before Angelina could say anything else the door to the study was closing, and she was gone.
"Everyone is doing that as of late." Harry laughed mirthlessly and stood to pour himself another drink.
"They... don't know what to say."
> > > > >
Hermione pulled the last pin out of her hair and breathed a sigh of relief as it tumbled around her shoulders, freed from its oppressive bun she sported while at work. The flat was sorely in need of a good pick up, and dinner was yet to be started… but the one thing that pulled her mind and body was the heap of research that was piled on the dinning room table.
A package lie on the table next to the rolls of parchment and it had a card with Molly Weasley's handwriting on it. From the heat emanating from the paper, it was the daily lunch she felt obligated to have delivered at the same time, two minutes before Hermione walked through the door.
Absently she untied the string to the lamb and potato pie with currant chutney (Hermione couldn't get enough of chutney in any shape form or fashion… with anything) according to the lovingly written card, and pulled her notes from the week before.
Work was increasingly difficult, her attention span wandering so much more now. Often her thoughts drifted to Harry and Angelina and with her hormones in overdrive it wasn't often that she could think about them and not cry. Easing out of her shoes, she brought her food over to the couch and ungracefully squatted on the couch. Halfway through the minutes of the last meeting with the minister and more than half way through her lamb pie Ron walked through the door wearily.
"Evening dear." He said half yawning, kicking the door closed with his foot.
"Ron, why didn't you use the Floo?" She asked, rising unsteadily.
"Because I felt like the walk. I haven't had a good day." Ron kissed her gratefully and absently rubbed her distended belly. "How was yours?"
"Just long and tedious. What happened at work?" He hung his cloak on the rack and rotated his neck gingerly.
"We were going over some basic blasting curses; most we've already gone over with Harry in our seventh year. That was fine, but Whitman was doing everything he could get my ire up. It was basically elimination. We were properly shielded, and if we knocked the shield down, we won. Well, it was down to eight of us, and Whitman decided to pitch himself against those who were left."
"He didn't." Hermione shook her head and sighed. "Is he a maniac?"
"After today, I know for sure he is." Ron laughed. "It was Andais, Murphy, me and Douglas. He took us one by one. Without shields."
"Without shields? Is he allowed to do that?"
"He can run the training any way he wants to. He took down Douglas and Murphy first. They both had to be sent to the infirmary. Andais may look like a little girl, but she can take a blast. And she did, to the chest. Knocked her against the wall and she was out cold for almost ten minutes. I was highly upset to say the least."
"That's an understatement." Hermione hadn't met Andais but only a few times, and she seemed like a lovely woman, very shy but awfully observant. "What happened next, and why did he leave you last?"
"Because he doesn't like me. He hates that he had to let me back in the program. I have only a month left and then I graduate. I've been trying to keep my head down like you said, but it's getting increasingly more difficult. I had to defend myself today. He was malicious and intended to hurt me. I know he did."
"What did he do!" She was shrill now, looking over his person for any signs of injury, something that he was hiding from her. Only his look restrained her.
"Well, you remember right before Voldermort invaded Hogwarts… the DA meeting we had?"
"Like it was yesterday."
"Well, I used Harry's technique of amplifying the curse."
"Ron!" Hermione knew what that could do. It was used to knock down half of the castle onto a platoon of Death Eaters and unfortunate Imperius victims. "Why would you do that?"
"Because he came at me with something other than a blasting curse. I don't know what it was, but it didn't feel right, it was bright orange and it was barely deflected by the shield. Whitman has stopped trying to hide his hatred of me and Harry. If Harry were here they would have had it out today, I'm sure of it."
"So you returned with that amplified curse?"
"I sure did. It knocked him out for half an hour. Tonks came by and saw what happened, and cancelled training for the rest of the day. I've been down to see everyone who was hurt, and then I took the long way home. I was so angry I wanted to cool off before I saw you." He kissed her on the cheek and sighed. "Have you spoken to Harry today?"
"No, I haven't. I thought that maybe you and I could head over there later. If you're up to it."
"I saw Lupin at the Ministry. He was going to see Harry tonight. I'm kind of tired and sore, so I'm going to get in the bath and go to bed early. I'll go see him tomorrow." Hermione nodded slowly as Ron pulled away and walked down the hall.
> > > > >
"It's been nice to get away, but it rains so much this time of year. Sometimes I feel cut off." Harry swirled the firewhiskey around his glass and looked back up at Lupin and sighed.
"Well, at least you have support. The public is still divided on how they feel about your situation." Remus took a swallow of his own drink and leaned back into the seat further, eyes lost in the fire that was crackling merrily.
"My situation?"
"Yes, your situation. At least they've decided to think about the issue of what a werewolf feels. What a werewolf faces on a daily basis. It was fashionable to discriminate against us."
"I don't want to be the martyr for a cause-"
"That's not your own?" Harry sighed and shook his head slowly.
"I didn't mean-"
"To say it aloud. Face it Harry you've finally understood what I've gone through most of my life. It's horrible, I know, but you're going to have to deal with it because there is no cure!" Remus said hotly, now looking at Harry intently.
"Don't make me feel guilty. This is not my fault." He rose and refilled his glass, spilling more than he intended.
"Harry you've had enough."
"You are not my father."
"No, I'm the closest thing you have to him right now, and I'm not trying to be your father, but excessive drinking will dull the effects of the wolfsbane potion in a week."
"I'm sick of this." The stopper was shoved into the decanter a little harder than necessary. "I'm sick of remembering that when I get upset I have a tendency to overreact because my aggression has risen more than fifty percent, but only two weeks before the full moon. Making sure there was no silver in the house, leaving some of Sirius' things behind at Gimmauld Place."
"It's not helping anything jumping down my throat."
"What!"
"I said, there's nothing changing because you're trying to rip me a new one. I don't have the energy to make this argument any more than one sided. So if you want to jump down my throat you can do that without my participation."
"Fuck you."
"Of course." Lupin rose to his feet heavily, the upcoming full moon evident in the posture of his body and the haggardness of his appearance. Rubbing his face briefly he reached for his cane and lurched towards Harry. "Just listen to me. You're on the verge of being able to do something for a group of people who will be most grateful. Through you people could see that you're still a functioning human being with the need to feed and clothe your family. You still have friends and you're not contagious. You can let hundreds of people live like humans again!"
"And yet you don't want me angry?"
"I'm not saying that at all Harry. I'm just saying with the current climate perhaps-"
"You sound like a politician. Don't you care what happened to her? To me?" Harry looked at the bedroom door briefly, before leaning in closer. "You are very important to me, so I will forgive you for thinking I shouldn't be upset by this, but do know that I now think very differently from you." Remus gazed back at Harry with slight sadness.
"I'll show myself out."
"You do that." Harry didn't look up until the click of the door released the breath he didn't know he held. His throat hurt, and he only half meant what he said, but honestly he couldn't figure out which of it he didn't mean. A knock startled him out of his reverie and Harry adjusted his collar and put down the drink. "Come in."
Hermione stuck her head in and grinned. "Hullo."
"Hullo Hermione. Come on in." He genuinely smiled for the first time today, giving her a big hug.
"Goodness Harry, are you trying to bathe in the stuff?" She asked, pushing him away and wincing. "You know my nose is sensitive. Why are you drinking so much?"
"Because I don't have a job and it seemed to be a good thing to do. I can't just twiddle my thumbs while I wait for people to come see me. You've discouraged me enough so that I don't try and take trips into London." He walked out of the study and down the hall. Hermione stood there for a second before walking after him.
"It wasn't me who discouraged you Harry, it was the fact that you're afraid to go out in public and all people do is stare! You said it yourself, you don't like all those eyes on you. It's not my fault you left England entirely!" She hissed, grabbing his arm. Harry yanked it away and glared at her.
"Hermione, maybe you shouldn't have come today. I had a bad argument with Remus, and I don't want to take it out on you." He said; more calm than he was a second ago.
"I'm not afraid of you Harry Potter; I don't know when you're going to get that through your head. Where's Angelina?"
"She's either in the kitchen or in the bedroom. Dobby can prepare you something if you're hungry." She looked a tad sheepish.
"I've already eaten a few hours ago, but I won't turn down some good nosh. Dobby is a whiz in the kitchen. How did you know I was hungry?" Harry shrugged and smiled.
"You're pregnant. I thought we could end this fight if you ate something." Her jaw dropped and she smacked his arm. "Ow! What was that for?"
"For thinking you can manipulate me with food just because I'm pregnant. Just so you know it's not always going to work." Harry smiled and took her hand.
"That's okay. After it stops working I'll bribe you with jewelry. Where's Ron?" He asked as they made their way towards the kitchen.
"He's a little sore from today's training. He decided to retire early tonight." Hermione thought briefly about telling him what happened, but it wouldn't do anything but cause Harry to be angry again.
"Alright. You'd tell me if there was something wrong, right?"
"Stop badgering her Harry. She's not going to tattle on her husband now are you Hermione?" Angelina smiled and leaned heavily on her cane as she gave the younger woman a hug. "Look at you, you're getting big! I know you can't wait until your due."
"I'm almost sure that I am not normal. Besides the aching feet I love being pregnant. Ron on the other hand wants his son to come along as soon as possible. He's half afraid and half excited all the time."
"The nature of men." Angelina looked at Harry and motioned him away. "Go do something. 'Mione and I have some girl talk to have."
"I'll leave you ladies to it. If you need me, let me know." She smiled and limped into the kitchen with Hermione.
"So, how's work?"
"It's coming along. We've had to renegotiate some treaties with the Goblins that had fallen into extreme antiquity. Luckily I caught them. I've been in search of interesting things to keep my mind on my job. I either find myself daydreaming about the baby, daydreaming about sleeping or eating, or helping you guys."
"Helping us?" Hermione took the large mug that appeared in front of her and blew on the hot chocolate, cursing her inability to think before she spoke.
"Did I say that? I meant visiting. Visiting." Angelina's eyebrow rose and she sighed.
"You don't think that we require you to visit as you call it, do you?"
"No, no of course not." Hermione assured hastily. "I come because I want to, and Wales is honestly beautiful this time of year."
"Yes, I like to take walks when Harry decides to leave on his day trips."
"Why when he leaves?"
"Because he's taken to treating me like fine china." Angelina laughed embarrassingly. "I don't know how to tell him to stop without yelling, and he doesn't know how to tell me he's worried without smothering me and yelling when I step a toe past his line."
"I do believe he cares deeply about you. Have the two of you thought of marriage?" Hermione laughed at the look on her face.
"Honestly? There is so much to think about. I don't want to shamble down an aisle if I do decide to get married, and I don't know if I want to yet."
"Well, you two are… in a relationship right?"
"What are we, in Hogwarts still?" Angelina shrugged and tossed her hair over her shoulder in annoyance. "I haven't asked the question, and we're not even in a position to talk about it. Things have changed… they've become complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"Oh come on Hermione. Grow up, things have changed and it's only childish to think that they haven't." She winced and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I'm sorry. It's just… different." Hermione nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry. I'm caught between acting as if nothing's changed and acting as if everything's changed. You'll forgive me, won't you?"
"You're pregnant. I'll forgive almost anything."
"I wish people would stop using that as an excuse for my behavior. Maybe I act crazy on my own."
"Hormones." Angelina shrugged and laughed. "I think you should enjoy it while you can, because you're not going to have an excuse in what, four months?"
"Yes, four months. Who knew time would fly so quickly?"
"Yes, who knew." The echo left the air in the room a tad heavy, and it stretched until the pressure wore on Hermione's nerve.
"So…"
"So. I'm going to let you go. I saw that you finished your chocolate and while we enjoy each other's company… we weren't really close in school, and we're still getting to know each other. We'll try again when we've both had some rest." Hermione tried to find an excuse inside, but couldn't. It was true, and trying to deny it was just really making her uncomfortable.
"Alright, I'll see you later." As the door closed Dobby appeared next to the table and bowed.
"Will Mistress need anything more at this time?"
"Just some toast and jam in an hour in my room."
"As Mistress desires."
"Dobby?" Angelina focused her eyes on the house elf and sighed.
"Mistress?"
"You don't have to call me that."
"I know Mistress, but you're very important to Master Harry, and so you're important to Dobby." Dobby sounded somewhat confused and spoke as if he were talking to a child.
Angelina wanted to debate the validity of that comment but decided to go with better judgment. Rising to her feet, she stretched awkwardly and reached for her cane, one of the many that Harry had made for her. "Tell him I'll be in my room."