Reminising Facing The Family

Harry had every intention of returning to Idaho, but first he had to visit a few friends and family. He had to find out where they all were, so he went to the most knowledgeable person he knew, Hermione. He didn't look forward to it, but he had to do it. Once again he was in the halls of the Ministry and was heading for the lifts when someone caught his attention, "Harry, wait up, would you please."

He knew the voice and without turning he answered, "What is it Draco?"

Draco got next to him and caught his breath, "Damn, I though I was in shape. You move fast for a big guy, you know that?"

Harry wanted to laugh, but he didn't. He just turned to Draco, "I'm sure you ran all that way just to tell me that? But there is something else you wish to tell me, so out with it."

Draco looked him in the eyes, but not with malice or contempt, but with concern, "Please listen to me for a second. Hermione is having those dreams again about hurting you, and I can't stand to see her hurting. I know you love her, Harry and I know she didn't mean to hurt you, but she was never one to hold back her thoughts on something if she thought she was right. She thought you meant to get Ginny to move in with you and not be married. Yes, I talked with her about it. She can be quite annoying when she gets that way. Molly and Arthur once again straightened her out and now she thinks you hate her again. Please talk to her and tell her everything is alright."

"I was just heading that way when you stopped me Draco. Not to tell her she is forgiven, but to see if she knows where Albus, Dobbi, Sirius, Kreacher, Alastor and Remus are buried. I wish to visit their grave sites. If she apologises, I may accept it, if it sounds sincere."

"Thanks Harry. I could tell you where they are, but you need to talk to her, so I'll let her tell you. Oh, and she told me about the meal yesterday and you asking about me. Thanks for the concern. Ron and I can't seem to get over past differences. May never get over them. We're both stubborn and pig headed."

Now Harry did laugh, "I already knew that. I grew up with both of you, remember?"

Draco scratched his head, "We did? I don't remember that part, refresh my memory a little." he rubbed his arm where Harry hit it.

"Now do you remember?"

"Ya, but not with that much emphasis. That hurt."

"Think what it would have done if I hit you where Hermione did."

"No thanks, she hurt me enough and I don't need that much if a reminder."

Harry got serious for a moment, "Draco, why did you ask Hermione out?"

"You know, you're the only one to ask me that. Not even Hermione. She just took my reason for it. What I told her was a partial truth. If she wasn't running with you and Ron, I would have asked her out. You don't know what it was like to have someone like Pansy draped all over you. I saw you three and thought to myself, 'I wish I was that lucky, to have someone like Hermione running around with me.' I saw the way her and Ron argued and you were always there to give her a shoulder to cry on. I thought you two were going to get together. What Happened?"

"I wasn't her type."

"So you did ask her. I haven't asked her about it, but I often wondered what your problem was. Now I know it wasn't you. But to answer your question. She is the prettiest girl I know and I was afraid to approach her because of you and Ron. Then you left, and Ron was even a bigger jerk then he was in school. This could have gotten me in so much trouble with her, but I asked when she was the most vulnerable. I was in Slytherin after all. I didn't think she would accept, but when she did, I promised myself not to say anything that would ruin our date. It got me a second date and my courage grew stronger and before you know it, I asked her to marry me."

"Still say you're a lucky son of a bitch. You're right, she is beautiful, but is also a hand full. If she would stop to think before she let her emotions run wild with her, she was be perfect."

"Na, that adds to her mystique. You never know what she is going to say. She is a lot like Luna in that, but Luna never says anything to hurt someone."

"Not meaningfully she doesn't. She can be so straight forward that it can sting you. Look, I got to go and talk with Mione. I'll try to tell her everything is fine with us, but only if she apologises."

"Thanks Harry." and Draco went to shake hands when he remembered the restaurant. He just slapped him on the shoulder.

Susan was sitting at her desk, looking over some files when Harry walked in. She was up and into a hug with him. "Harry, I thought you went home. Hermione said she scared you off again."

"She did, but someone came and got me. Now I need something from her. Is she in a good mood, or has Ron been up here already?"

"No and no. She got a hair up her Arse about something, but it's not Ron this time."

"Do you think it's safe to talk to her?"

"Only for two people, Minister Shacklebolt and you. Even Draco didn't come up for coffee this morning." Susan went to the door and knocked. She stuck her head in and you could hear Hermione's answer, "Why are you making him wait, Susan, send him in. And get us some coffee, please." Susan left the door open for Harry and waved him through and she got two cups of coffee for them.

Harry just got through the door when he was in another hug, "Harry, I'm so sorry. I did it again and I don't know why. I knew you wouldn't try anything with Ginny, but Ron was agreeing with me, and I couldn't help myself. Please forgive me. Thank You Susan, Please close the door on the way out." as she took the two coffees.

Harry sat there wondering where all that came from. He thought he might get an apology from her, but when she mentioned Ron as an igniting ember for her tirade, it didn't fit. He thought about what he wanted to say for a second, then, "OK Hermione, you never listen to Ron, so why that time?"

"Because Ron made sense when he agreed with me and it was all I could think of, because Ron never makes sense. I didn't think you would do anything to influence Ginny into leaving, but when Ron did this, it influenced me to go on. I wasn't thinking straight. You know I would never think like that unless something unexpectedly happened that took me by surprise, like Ron making sense."

"You actually thought Ron made sense by saying I was trying to steal his sister? What had you been drinking before our talk?"

Hermione dipped her head at that, "I know it doesn't sound like me, and I hadn't had anything to drink. I was just confused by Ron. Let me tell you something Harry, Molly couldn't believe I agreed with Ron either. She almost threw Ron and me out of our own office area. I only saw her that angry once before since I have known her. It was the day she killed Bellatrix. I hope I don't ever see it again."

"OK, I forgive you, because we could go on with this for days. I would like your help with something. I need to know where my team members are all buried?"

"OH, that's easy enough. They are all buried with your mum and dad. Even Dobby. It was all Sirius' idea and it was his wish to be buried there as well. Kreacher is buried with the Black Family."

"Thanks Hermione, I need to go say goodbye to them before I go back home." and he started to turn when she stopped him with, "Harry, what about Dudley? He is still asking about you."

"Why is he so insistent? We never got along and it was mostly him trying to hurt me. I never gave him a kind word. Sure I helped him with the Dementors before our fifth year, but he wouldn't have died from it, I chased them away before they could do any harm."

"But if you didn't chase them away, he could be as good as dead Harry. It wouldn't hurt to see what he has to say before you leave, which I would like to know why you are leaving?"

"OK, I will talk to him before I go. As for the second part of your question, it's because I don't think Ginny wants to return with me. I mean, I don't blame her, because I live alone with no neighbors for miles in any direction. She likes my idea for a business, but doesn't see her as being a part of it."

"A business? What kind of a business are you going to start? I didn't hear anything about this?"

"It was just between Ginny, mum, dad and I for the time being. I appreciated Mum and dads help, but Ginny still hasn't decided to return. She does have a good paying job and she likes what she does. She likes the people she works with. So why should she leave?"

"Because the man she has longed after for her whole life is going there. She knows she will never meet anyone that can take her heart like you have. She knows there is no one else out there that can fill her heart with desire like you do. Raymond loved her, but she barely liked him. He rushed into his proposal way too soon and because of it, he lost her, not that he stood much of a chance of getting her."

"Well, the chance is still there. I wish her all the luck in the world. If you get the chance, you and Draco need to come visit me. I'll see you around Hermione." however she wouldn't let him leave without a hug and a kiss. Then he left, but took a detour by the Aurors Dept. to see Draco. He didn't go in, but he gave Draco the thumbs up as he passed and Draco nodded his head in thanks.

Privot Drive was the same as he left it 13 years ago. Same people, same houses and the same colors of the houses. Same driveways and maybe even the same cars. When Harry knocked on the front door, he found out something else hadn't changed. Vernon's hatred of Harry, "What the bloomin hell are you doing back. I thought we were rid of you?"

"Na, I'm still around Vernon. How's your sweet wife?"

"That's Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Your manners are still the same I see. Now, what is it you want? And be quick about it."

"I see your charm is still the same as well. I heard that Dudley is looking for me and I came by to see him?"

"Well, you won't find him here. He married and moved out near nine years ago."

"So, where did he move to?"

"As if I would tell you. You probably mean to return the way he treated you and I will not be a part of that. We may not see eye to eye right now, but I still love him and will do what ever I can to protect him."

"Then tell him the next time you see him that I was here, but you refused to let me see him. That aught to make things better between you and him." and Harry left before Vernon could reply. However he didn't get far as Petunia called him over before he left the property. There was no hug or how are you from her, just, "I know he has been looking for you and he really does wish to see you. He lives two blocks down the drive, on the right hand side. Blue and white house with a brown car in the drive way." and it was all she said as she went back into the house. Harry shook his head as he left in search of Dudley's house. He found it and knocked on the door. A woman of about thirty answered, probably his wife, and asked if she could help him.

"I hope so, My name is Harry, and I'm Dudley's cousin. I hear he has been looking for me and I thought I would stop by and see what he wants."

"Please come in, won't you. I'll get him for you." and she went to get him. It took only a moment when Dudley came around the corner to see what was supposed to be Harry, "Harry Potter?"

"Yes Dudders, It's me. How are you doing"

"Confused for the moment. What happened to you, and come here and give me a hug." he held his arms out and Harry slowly went to him and when Dudley's arms closed around him, he felt Dudley squeeze real hard trying to get a reaction from Harry. When Harry returned the favor, Dudley knew for sure he did some damage. "Have you been working out, and what's with the wig around your mouth?"

"I guess you could say I have been working out. And where I live, the beard comes in handy. Now, are you going to introduce me to the little lady?"

"Sorry about that. Come on in and meet her. Shelly, come here for a second, would you please?"

Shelly came back and Dudley took her hand, "Harry Potter, this is my wife Shelly, Shelly this is my cousin Hairy Potter."

"It's Harry, Dudders. Remember?"

"Isn't that what I said?"

"No, you called me Hairy. Close, but not quite right." and Harry started to laugh, as did Shelly. Dudley stood there with egg on his face. Shelly asked him in to sit down and asked if he wanted anything to drink which Harry asked for a glass of water. Dudley got himself a beer and they sat and talked.

"So, you finally got my message did you? I didn't think I was ever going to see you again."

"You weren't, until someone pointed out to me that I needed to close all doors behind me before I left again."

"Who ever it was, tell him thank you. I need to tell you how sorry I am for the way I treated you back then. You never deserved it and you never returned it. Yet you saved my life that day in the storm drain. Why?"

"There were many reasons why, but there were two main reasons. One is you are still family, and two, if you did succomb to the Dementors, you wouldn't have died, but you would have been better off dead. You would have become a vegetable. All your memories would have been sucked out of you."

"That was what I felt when it was floating over me. It was sucking all my joy from me. I heard that you got in trouble because of it? Was it bad?"

"I thought it was going to be. I used underage magic in front of a muggle. There were no other wizards there for supervision. They didn't want to believe me when I told them I did it to protect you and me. But because of the spell I used and what it's used for, they finally decided what I said was the truth."

"Good, because I didn't want to get you in trouble by protecting me. Now, you said you were going back home? Where exactly is that?"

"The States."

"Why the U.S."

"Because I own property there. It was left to me by a great grand father."

"Where at in the States?"

"Sorry Dudley, but that's a secret. I live alone and have for over eleven years. I like it that way."

"So, you don't like visitors, even if it's family?"

"It's the way I prefer to live. Less chance of getting into trouble. I have a full life out there and it's beautiful country. I guess I'm miserly that way as I don't wish to share it."

"I guess we did more damage to you than I thought."

"It's not all you Dudley, or your mum and dad. It's combination of many things that have driven me away. It's hard to explain."

"Don't try. I know what you've been through. The people I've talked to all told me the same thing. This Voldemort was a real pain in more than one sense of the word."

"I wish I never brought all this in on your family, Dudley. Maybe they would have been different without me there. Who knows, but in a way, they did help me. They taught me to never be so angry at anyone that you would turn your back on them. To treat them like you wanted to be treated. Never ask anyone to do something that you wouldn't do yourself."

"We taught you all that? How?"

"Because that was the way I was treated. You have to admit that you were never asked to do anything around the house."

"No I wasn't. Now it makes sense to me. We treated you like a slave in our house. Like you were nothing and we were better than you. I heard all that, but I didn't think much of it until you saved me that day."

Shelly hadn't said a word during all this, but now she had to, "You mean your family treated your cousin, one of their own blood like dirt, Dudley?"

"Maybe even worse, Shelly. Dad never hit him, but he was always putting him down. Mum hit him a couple of times that I can remember. I hit him the most, and the thing is, I enjoyed it."

"DUDLEY, I'M ASHAMED OF YOU."

"No more than I am of myself Shelly. That was why I had to talk to you Harry, to tell you how I felt."

"I appreciate it Dudley. To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to expect when I came to see you. Of course I can take care of myself now."

"I know. I can still feel that hug. So you say you are going back. When?"

"I have to go say goodbye to mum, dad, and a few others before I go. Probably Tomorrow morning, early."

"So you can stay for dinner. You'll get to meet my daughter. She over at a friends house right now."

"No, I can't stay. I have to go and clear my mind of some guilt I am feeling. Then I have to clear my trip through the Ministry. By then I should be ready for bed. Say hello to your daughter for me and goodbye too. It has been nice meeting you Shelly. Dudley, don't ever change. I like this new you."

Harry stood up and hugged Shelly and then Dudley, only this time he was gentle with him. It was the last time Dudley saw his cousin for a while.