Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. Only the situation, reactions and thoughts are mine. Mostly.
Written for Seven Deadly Sins Challenge by reveur-de-minuit.
Sin: Pride.
Character: Bill Weasley
The Scar
He stared in the mirror, head tilted to one side and slightly up. His fingers traced the scars on his cheek carefully. They were the only remaining evidence of the Battle of the Astronomy Tower that had taken place such a long time ago.
That had been back when they were still fighting against the Dark Lord's fanatical followers. But the battle had been won for many years now. All their lives had returned to a state of relative normalcy. Harry was his brother-in-law after all, nothing could ever be normal around him despite his desire to be normal.
He had returned to his job as a Curse-breaker in Gringotts. The goblins had eagerly accepted him back. He did make them a fair amount of money. They had only given him a wide, sharp-toothed grin when they caught sight of his scarred face. Not very comforting to wizards but scars were a sign of fighting fiercely in a battle. Something to be honoured, a sense of pride for the goblins.
His fingers traced his scar again almost absently. He had done that so many times over the past years.
Fleur always told him that his scars should be worn proudly. It was a physical sign of his bravery during the war. The fact that he had fought. And they had won.
A sign of how powerful and brave her husband was, she repeatedly reminded him proudly.
Despite all this, he still often found himself feeling self-conscious about the scar. A harsh, jagged line that ran down his cheek. A price he had paid for winning, a price far cheaper than the one Fred and George had paid.
He felt self conscious as he stood next to Fleur whenever they went out in public, despite the almost tangible pride he could feel radiating out of her as she stood next to him. He always felt less than perfect. Not good enough to stand next to her ethereal beauty.
That was not all it was though. It was a sign of his moment of hesitation at facing an adversary, a moment that he had lost his concentration during a battle and allowed the enemy to take advantage.
It was also a sign of his curse. His new 'affinity' for the moon. The bit of extra DNA Fenrir had managed to poison his system with. The reason he could no longer eat meat that was well cooked and had to eat meat that had at least a little blood on it. He could not enjoy a normal meal with his family.
He always had to have his meat specially prepared. He was only glad he was not able to pass the virus onto his and Fleur's beautiful children. They were healthy and perfectly human.
He was immensely grateful to Fleur through all this. She was always there to lift his moods whenever they turned to start down the darker path.
"Bill," she said smiling slightly as she stood behind him, wrapping her arms gently around his shoulders. She carefully took the hand he was using to trace his scar in hers not before brushing the scar gently herself.
"Reminiscing again?"
She pulled him into a deep kiss that wiped away all his worries and all his thoughts with it.
In public she had enough pride of his scar for both of them.
Fleur would be proud of him no matter what, he knew this and was glad for it. He never wanted to disappoint her.
To him, she was his crown jewel.
Worth more than anything in the world.
She was his pride.