-Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling
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-As always mega kudo's to my uber-beta Neville 2.0 for your fine toothed comb, but also for your support and input whilst I hammer out what I feel is probably both my best and sadly, my most ignored story to date. You are both Clark Kent and Superman to me my friend!
I would also be remiss if I did not give Avidreadr deeply heartfelt thanks for your support and reviews for this story. Your faithful reviews mean more than you could possibly know.
I know that this has been a very dark and heavy story to date, and it will be this way for a little longer. Divorce is seldom light and fluffy. However I can promise a break in the angst for chapter nine with a light and fluffy chapter before plunging back into some sadness again...for just a couple more chapters. The second part of this story will be much lighter, I promise. So, if you are a reader who is considering dropping it because it is just too sad, please consider hanging about for just a little while longer!
Warmest Reguards!
CJ
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Correcting Mistakes
Chapter Seven
Leaving
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"I'm so sorry Luna." Ginny said as they stood side by side, pushing their children on the swings in Harry and Ginny's backyard. "I should have done better at staying in touch with you all these years."
"It's not all your fault." Luna smiled "I could have written too."
Ginny smiled sadly. "You've been through so much, you needed a friend."
Luna gave Daisy another push forward, as always adoring the sight of her little girl's curls bouncing as she giggled happily.
"I've had Daisy, she makes up for a lot."
"They tend to do that don't they?" Ginny smiled as she stopped and took a deep breath. "The little ones."
"Mummy!" James screamed. "Don't stop!"
"I'm sorry sweetie." Ginny ruffled his bright red hair "I have to. Mummy's pooped."
James skidded to a stop and gave his mother a look. "Awww, that really sucks!"
"I'm sorry." Ginny gave him a sympathetic look as she patted her tummy. "I'll make it up to you after your brother or sister comes. Okay?"
"Kay." James nodded and grabbed Daisy's hand. "Come on Daisy, let's go see Al and Rosie."
Daisy looked at Luna for permission and when Luna nodded, she allowed herself to be lead away.
"We can tie their shoe laces together..." James said as they ran towards where the younger children played on a blanket under the huge magnolia tree. "They're really funny when they try to get away from each other."
"James Sirius Potter!" Ginny yelled. "Don't you dare!"
Ginny turned back to Luna and rolled her eyes. "Someone's spent far too much time alone with his father and uncle Ron."
"You know..."Luna grinned as Ginny lead her to the shade of the picnic table. "You were always a bit mischievous yourself."
"I was never that bad!" Ginny laughed, "And unlike some people, I've outgrown it. I swear, Harry and Ron are as bad as they ever were. Worse even."
"No." Luna laughed "Really? Ron seems so much more mature now than I remember."
"Oh, he has his moments, he has to, living with Hermione. But, deep down, he's still a little troublemaker at heart. Just wait, you'll see once he and Harry start playing he-man with the barbecue."
"It sounds fun." Luna smiled as she looked over at the huge, very lopsided brick structure. "And to be honest, I could do with a good laugh."
"It's odd you know." Ginny's face became sad. "There was a time when I would have thought George was just the person for the job. He used to be such a riot, him and Fred both. You can't imagine what it was like, growing up with them."
"It must have been wonderful." Luna smiled
"I used to think they could do anything, that there was nothing beyond their reach. But I was wrong. Even they were fallible...human."
"We all are." Luna smiled wryly.
"It was so horrible after Fred died. George never laughed anymore, none of us did really. Angelina was always there, always clinging onto him. I hated it when they got together, I knew from the start why she married him. But I didn't say anything, I thought, even if she was using him to replace Fred...he might find some peace, some happiness."
"He didn't though." Ginny went on sadly as Luna listened "When they separated, he told me he was never really happy, not even at the start."
"Of course he wasn't. You can't replace one person with another." Luna said, "That's not how it works."
Ginny nodded, "I've watched for ten years, watched him become more and more miserable as she sucked the life right out of him, and I know...George is far from perfect,I know he hurt her too. I know he was mean, I know he said cruel things to her, I understand that he is just as much to blame as she is, but he's my brother, I love him so much and she destroyed him. I've seen what she's done to him and I hate her for it!"
"Oh Ginny!" Luna gave Ginny's hand a tight squeeze, "But you shouldn't, it's not right."
"I know." Ginny shook herself and looked at Luna, blushing for her outburst. "You're right, and I don't I think I hate her hate her...it's more like the I-wish-all-her- hair-would-fall-out-and-she-would-get-herpes-kind of hating her."
"Oh." Luna couldn't resist a small grin. That kind of hate she could identify with. "Well, I suppose that kind of hate is okay. I mean, I hate Rolf that way...the kind of I-wish-he-would-get-attacked-by-a-wild-herd-of-horny-Crumple-Horned-Snorkacks-during-a-lust-driven-mating-stampede kind of hate."
Ginny couldn't resist laughing. Luna may have changed in many ways, but some things about her never would and that gave Ginny an incredible amount of hope...hope for Luna's future happiness, and her brothers as well, as the two seemed intertwined.
"I'm glad you and George are friends Luna." Ginny smiled and patted Luna's hand. "Since you started coming around, he's been much happier."
"I'm afraid I didn't help his marriage much." Luna blushed. "Angelina thought we were having an affair."
Ginny snorted, "Angelina's one to accuse, she was having an affair with Lee Jordan, for over a year George told me."
"Still, it couldn't have been easy for her." Luna sighed sadly. "I know she hated me, the real kind of hate. The same way Rolf hates me, the way he hates George. He thinks were having an affair too, it's caused such trouble..."
-Flashback-
"It's wonderful Luna." George smiled and leaned over the counter as he looked at the mock up Luna showed him of her new cover art for the Quibbler.
"You think so? You don't think it's a bit too bright?"
"No, it's brilliant." He pointed to the lettering. "I really like how the contrasting colors make the letters pop off the page. You really have an eye for this sort of thing."
"Thank you." Luna blushed a little at his praise. She had become more used to criticism than the other over the recent years. "I hope daddy agrees. He always liked a cleaner line."
George opened his mouth to answer but stopped as the smile froze on Luna's face, then disappeared completely as her eyes slipped over his shoulder to the open door of the office. He followed her gaze, Rolf stood in the doorway...his face cold, hard, and seething.
"Rolf..." Luna said weakly, her voice showing the first signs of her growing panic. Rolf never came into the office, he hated it, it was a reminder to him that he had failed to bully Luna into letting him have his way. "What are you doing here?"
"Never mind that." Rolf walked inside, jerking the catches on the door so it closed behind him. "What's the freak doing here?"
George tensed with anger and began to turn. It was the look on Luna's face that stopped him. She was afraid, and George knew that until he was able to talk Luna into leaving for good, he had to be careful in how he reacted to Rolf Scamander. George knew perfectly well, any victories he may win, Luna would pay for later.
"I came to purchase advertising space." George stood his ground, he may need to hold his temper to protect Luna, but he didn't need to let Scamander think he was a coward either.
"Is that what she's calling it this week?" He sneered as he stepped to the other side of the counter, closer to Luna. "Charging him for it now, are you?"
Luna saw George tense, ready to let Scamander have it and she acted to prevent it.
"I was just showing George the new cover art." She brushed her hand over the large cardboard mock up that she had been working on for weeks. "I finally finished it. See?"
"That's what you've been working on?" He looked at the mock-up as if it was a piece of rubbish on the counter "It's terrible. No one will want to buy that rubbish. It's messy and the colors are all wrong."
"I think it's brilliant." George spoke up, seething over how the man was mocking all that Luna had worked so hard on.
"Well," Scamander sneered, his face a mask of superiority. "Who asked you?"
"Actually" Luna said softly, "I did."
Rolf looked at her incredulously, surprised that she would speak in a manner that he considered defiance.
"You'll never sell another magazine if you put that rubbish on the cover." He said coldly. "People will realize that it is published by a fucking lunatic, and they will stay away in droves. Of course, they always knew that when your father published it and didn't hurt anything."
"I like it." George glared at him.
"Of course you do." Scamander laughed, "You're fucking the dirty slut."
George jerked angrily and attempted to grab Scamander over the counter but he missed as the man backed up closer to the wall.
"George." Luna was near tears "No...don't! He'll have you put in jail."
"Better listen to her freak." Scamander smirked. "She may be a stupid bitch, but she knows what she's talking about."
George's face was red with fury. He didn't care what happened to him, he only wanted to crush the bastard who was hurting Luna.
"George, you better go." Luna looked at him, her eyes so afraid it made him afraid as well. He wanted to stay, he wanted to fight for her. But until he could convince Luna to leave...he would only make things worse for her. But there was something left to say, and he knew he shouldn't...still, he couldn't leave without saying it.
"If you need me..." His eyes bore into hers, nearly burning them with the intensity. "You know where to find me."
Luna's eyes darted to her angry husband to find that he was glaring at George. She nodded slightly in recognition of his words. George was barely out the door before Rolf turned his angry face on her once again.
"You fucked him today, didn't you?" He glared. "You finished just before I came."
"No!" Luna shook her head. "Of course not."
"Don't lie to me!" He screamed in her face "You stupid fucking cunt!"
"Mummy?" Luna looked up in horror to see Daisy standing in the doorway that led to the inside stairwell to the flat upstairs.
"It's okay sweetie, go back upstairs." Luna said, anxious to get Daisy out of the line of fire.
"No!" Rolf said, crossing the room and taking Daisy by the arm while he slammed and locked the door. "I think she should stay. I think she should know what a dirty whore her mother is."
"Mummy!" Daisy cried, trying to get away from her father. Rolf picked her up, holding her in his arms as Daisy tried to wiggle free. "No! I want Mummy!"
"Rolf!" Luna pleaded. "Keep her out of this, she's just a little girl."
"You should have thought about that before you started fucking that one eared freak." He said coldly.
"Rolf...please..." Luna reached for Daisy, but he shoved her back.
"I'm taking Daisy with me." He said as he pulled his wand from his pocket "We'll finish this at home."
"NO!" Daisy screamed in panic, her eyes wide with terror. "Mummy! Mummy!"
"Shut up Daisy!" He yelled.
"Rolf...no. Please!" Luna pleaded. "Let me take her..."
"Mummy...MUMMY!" Daisy screamed and then she was gone as Rolf apparated away with her.
Luna ran up the stairs for her wand, then with just a quick word to her father, and without thought of what was waiting her at home, she followed.
-End Flashback-
"Oh my God Luna." Ginny's eyes were wide with horror, tears streaming down her face. "Oh my God."
"When I got home, Daisy was in her room. She'd run into her closet and secured it with a toy broom so he couldn't get in. I had to use my wand to take the doors off to get to her."
"That poor girl." Ginny looked at Daisy then back at Luna. "What happened after that...you know, with..."
"I told Daisy to stay in her room and not to come out for anything. It's odd really. We didn't row for long, it was one of our milder ones really. But it changed everything."
"It did?" Ginny looked anxious "How so?"
Luna smiled, a smile that reached her eyes. "That was the night that George came."
-Flashback-
Luna sat alone, crying in the aftermath. Rolf was long gone, off to be with the woman that Luna knew he really loved.
"Mummy?" Daisy said fearfully as she stood in the entrance to the hallway, glancing quickly about to be sure that her father had really gone.
Luna looked up from the vase she had just laid out, preparing to repair it. "It's okay sweetheart, you can come out now."
Daisy stepped out of the doorway and crossed the room.
"Daddy broke grandma Lovegood's vase."
"It's okay." Luna smiled and waved her wand over the vase, then she held it up for Daisy to see "See, I fixed it."
Luna stood and kissed Daisy on the head, then she stepped to the table, righted the lace doily and put the vase back in its place.
"Is Daddy going to come back?" Daisy asked softly.
Luna smiled, righted a sofa cushion and sat down, patting her knees for Daisy to join her. When Daisy was cuddled in her arms she smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Of course Daddy's going to come back. Doesn't he always?"
Daisy started to cry. "I don't want him to come back!"
"Daisy!" Luna looked at her, shocked "You don't mean that."
"I do! Daddy's mean!"
"Daisy..."
Luna was cut off by a knock on the door. She looked around at the lingering remains of the latest horror show that was her marriage and she gave her wand a hasty flick.
"Scourgify."
When everything had fallen into place Luna pulled the door open to find George standing there, his face pulled into lines of deep concern.
"George!" Luna grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house, quickly looking to see if any of the neighbors had seen him arrive. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried" He looked around for signs of trouble. Seeing Daisy on the sofa, he gave her a friendly smile. "Hey Daise."
"Hi George" She waved happily, her face spreading into a wide, bright smile "How come you're at my house?"
"I came to see you." He bent low over the back of the sofa, pulling a something from his pockets as he did. "And I brought you something."
"What! What!" Daisy jumped up and down excitedly.
George put both of his closed fists out in front of her. "Pick a hand."
Daisy giggled and gently touched the top of his right hand. George turned his hand over, slowly opening his fingers. A burst of butterflies flew from his palm and circled her head, then exploded into pink and purple fireworks.
"Ohhh!" She exclaimed. "Pretty!"
Her eyes went to the hand that was still closed, her finger on her lip...wondering.
"George...is something in your other hand?"
"Hmmm..." He pretended to be thinking, "I don't know. Why don't you see?"
Daisy reached her hand out, gently touching his. George turned it over and released his fingers. At first all that sat in his palm was a tiny blue ball, then it began to spark, there was a puff of blue smoke and when it cleared, a tiny handful of paper daisies lay in his palm.
"For me?" Daisy whispered.
"Well..." George grinned and ruffled her bangs. "Who else would I bring daisies to?"
"Thank you!" Daisy smiled hugely as she picked up the tiny handful of flowers. "Thank you very, very much!"
"Daisy." Luna smiled. "Why don't you take them to your room and put them in your special place?"
"Okay!" Daisy giggled and gave George a kiss on the cheek before jumping off the sofa and running into her room.
George watched her go then turned to face Luna.
"George." She said nervously "You shouldn't be here."
"Luna...I couldn't not come."
She looked at him, her face so afraid that it broke his heart.
"I saw him leave." George moved closer. "I wouldn't have knocked if I had thought he was here."
"Still..."
"He won't be back tonight." He said gently as he took her hands in his "You know he won't."
A tear slipped down Luna's cheek.
"I don't say that to hurt you...you know that, right?"
Luna nodded. "I know."
"Today after I left, I was standing outside the office...I heard everything. I tried to get in, but he'd put a spell on the door. You didn't see him do it...did you?"
Luna shook her head.
"I came to get you." He said as he looked into her eyes. "To take you back to your father's."
"I can't George..."
"Fuck can't!" His words were angry, but his voice was so gentle it made Luna cry more. "You have to leave Luna, he's killing you, inside. This is no life for you, or for Daisy. You're too good for him, both of you."
"There would be so much trouble." Luna pulled away "He'd just come after me, he'd bring me back."
"He'd have to get through me first."
Luna looked up, her eyes wide and afraid. "No, George, you have enough of your own problems, you don't need mine too."
"Luna, in case you haven't noticed, I'm already involved. Even if I didn't care about you and Daisy, which I do, he's already involved me." He grinned a little. "He loathes me...it's the only thing I can stand about the bastard."
Luna felt as if her knees had turned into gelatin and she slid into the nearest chair. What he was saying was true, all of it. She should leave, she should have left long, long ago. But deep down, she was afraid, afraid of leaving,of him taking Daisy away from her like he had threatened to so many times. At the end of it all...she was a coward.
"He'll take Daisy." Luna said as George knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. "He said he would."
George brushed a thumb over her cheek, wiping her tears away. "Over my dead body."
"I'm afraid George." She whispered, "I'm so afraid."
"I know. But you don't have to be. You're not alone, I know you think you are, but that's just what he wants you to think. You have your father, and Daisy." He cupped her face in his hand. "And you have me."
She nodded.
"I thought I had to stay too." He said gently "I stayed for ten years... until Angie and I were practically drowning in our misery, Until we hated and despised each other. It was so bad that I would have died to escape it." He stopped until Luna looked back into his eyes again "I've never told you about the night before Angelina and I separated."
"You came to see me that night." She looked away again.
George nodded. "Yes, but I mean before I came to you." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I wanted to...I was going to kill myself that night."
"George!" Luna's head shot up and she looked at him, as always more concerned for him than she was for herself. "You...you never said..."
He nodded. " I was walking in the snow, on my way to...to do it, when I saw you and Daisy in the window. Seeing the two of you, it reminded me of all I had to live for. Not just you, but Freddie and Annie, and my family. I was miserable for so fucking long Luna...my life was hell, until someone came into my life who changed all that. Someone who taught me how to laugh again and gave me hope that one day I might be able to be happy."
Luna tried to look away but George stopped her. "You came into my life at the darkest possible time and you changed everything. You saved me Luna. Now, it's my turn to save you."
"I don't know if you can." She whispered. "It all feels so horrible...so hopeless."
"I remember...I remember I felt that way too. " George nodded sadly. "But, you have to just close your eyes and take the first step."
"Where" She shook her head. "Where do I start?"
"You go and you pack your bags," he said simply, "Then you get Daisy, and you come with me."
She was so close, like she was on the cusp but still needed one more piece to give her the strength to do what she knew she must. He squeezed her hands tightly and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Luna, if you can't do it for yourself, do it for Daisy. This is no kind of life for her either...she deserves better."
She stared into his kind brown eyes. They offered so much, friendship, strength, someone to lean on when she was feeling weak...but more than anything else, they offered hope. The first hope that she had felt in an incredibly long time.
"He'll be so angry when he finds out I've left."
"Luna, do you really care?" He grinned, the roguish grin that Luna liked so much. "I mean deep, deep down, deep in your heart. Do you really care if he gets angry?"
She couldn't resist a small smile of her own.
With George there, grinning that grin of his, suddenly, Luna didn't care at all.
-End Flashback-
"It was bad wasn't it?" Ginny gave Luna a look of concern. "When he found out."
"It was just as I expected." Luna nodded. "The first couple of weeks Daisy and I actually stayed with George as you know. Daddy wasn't too happy about it. He's very old fashioned. He also didn't like the idea of my divorcing and he wanted me to go back. But he's better now, coming around bit by bit."
"That's good." Ginny smiled "That must make it easier."
"Yes, it is a relief." Luna nodded. "He was quite horrible to George in the beginning. But, they are getting along very well now. Just last week they were discussing where to hide Rolf's body."
Ginny giggled. "Do I want to know?"
Luna laughed, a laugh that reminded Ginny of the girl that she had known years before. "Probably not."
"You have no idea how grateful I am to you Luna." Ginny said.
"For what?" Luna seemed surprised, as if she couldn't possibly imagine what she done to deserve gratitude. For in fact, she couldn't.
"For being George's friend, for helping him through his troubles with Angelina. None of us knew really how bad it was until it was over." She looked towards the children and waved when James and Daisy began to wave happily. "He's much happier now."
"He's helped me too." Luna smiled and waved too. "So if I have helped him in some way, I am very glad about it."
"You know, he told me..." Ginny said as she wiped at her cheeks. "...about the night he nearly killed himself. He told me it was you who saved him."
"He didn't tell me that night, about what he'd almost done. I didn't find out until the night he came to Greenstown to get me." Luna shook her head. "I'm just very glad that I was in Daigon Alley that night. If I hadn't been..."
She shuddered and Ginny covered her hand again. "But you were."
Luna smiled. "I was."
"So, I'm curious Luna." Ginny grinned, "Does George know that you're in love with him?"
Luna's gulping was interrupted by a loud screech from the area of the Magnolia tree. Ginny and Luna looked over to see Albus crying in frustration as he tried to stand but kept falling over. Ginny and Luna rushed to the tree to find that Albus' shoelaces were tied to an exposed root of the tree. Ginny whirled on her oldest.
"James!"
"Daisy helped." He said triumphantly, a beatific smile of accomplishment on his face.
"Daisy!" Luna exclaimed as she went to her knees to help Ginny with the hopeless tangle of knots. "What were you thinking?"
"James said it would be funny." She said simply
"James..." Ginny shook her head. "I told you no!"
"You only said I couldn't tie them together with Rosie's." He smirked, a smirk reminiscent of his fathers youthful naughtiness. "You didn't say 'nuffin about tying 'em to the tree."
Ginny laughed in spite of herself. "Luna...If you're smart, you'll keep Daisy as far from this one as possible." She shook her head
Luna laughed, "You heard her Daise...no more playing with James."
"But Mummy!" Daisy said in indignation. "James said I get to grow up and marry him!"
Ginny and Luna looked at each other.
"God help us." Ginny said as they dissolved into laughter.
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Chapter Eight Preview
At long last...
George tells Luna
how he feels...
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