Sorry about the wait. My lack of concentration is due to illness, the upcoming holidays and that most heinous, work.
One note : The first twelve installments are setting a stage. The last half of the story is the reconciliation of these.
Thanks for reading.
The Delphin Rose – Chapter 5
Live and Let Die – Christmas 1997
Harry stared at the lights of London from the windows of Grimmauld Place. Kreacher was preparing dinner for Ron, Neville and the other guests. And knowing Kreacher, there would be enough food for thirty. The elf loved to cook. Harry smiled; after Neville yelled at them good and long about Hermione, he seemed to think the guilt was enough of a punishment and after several months returned to their friendship. All three were in Auror training and seeing their girls. (In school Ginny's father hammered home her and Ron's bad behavior and their attitude adjustment had been miraculous. Together the three of them had accepted their guilt and did everything in their power to atone.) Ron was bringing Susan tonight; Neville was escorting Hannah and Ginny was arriving to play lady of the Manor; Harry called it practice for the main event.
Susan and Ron. They were already living together at Malfoy Manor. They were constantly teased by his brothers (except Fred who was traveling the world) and her cousins about when they were getting married. Of course that ended two weeks ago when he proposed. After mutely nodding and flinging herself at him, she insisted that they wait until Leilani was a little more stable and secure. He agreed reluctantly, although he understood the reasoning.
Harry smiled. The little girl was progressing far more rapidly than anticipated. She no longer flinched from her family and she no longer cried into the night if Susan wasn't there. She nicked Draco's coloring books one day and started coloring with his crayons. When he found her he said nothing, only smiled and watched.
Lielani's first Christmas. As the decorations went up, she ran around in a joy-induced frenzy. She loved all the colors and the bustling and got in everyone's way until Ron gave her the all-important task of stringing red wooden beads for the mantle. She had been so serious after that; concentrating, her brow furrowed and her tongue sticking out of her mouth.
A voice interrupted Harry's musings. "Master Harry?" Kreacher bowed, his behavior had changed when Harry asked him to help him destroy the locket Horcrux. He now loved and protected his Master, his Master's friends and possessions.
"Yes Kreacher?"
"Masters Weasley and Longbottom are here with Mistresses Ginevra and Susan and Missy Hannah."
"Alright, thank you."
"Masters Malfoy are here as well, with a little Miss."
Harry was startled. The Malfoys weren't supposed to bring her out of the house yet. He went to the door, past a muzzled Mrs. Black and greeted his guests. Ron and Neville were in dress robes of dark brown with red and gold embroidery, as his were, while the Malfoys were in deep green robes with black and silver. The ladies looked absolutely lovely. Ginny's dark yellow dress robes were low cut and showed off the Prewett rubies and garnets nicely. Hannah was wearing a dress of deep indigo and Neville's gift: his family's diamond and star sapphire caplet and choker. Susan also opted for yellow, a soft true Hufflepuff yellow that was equally complimented by the Bones family jewels of amber and topaz. Little Leilani was dress in bright red (her favorite colour) and was wearing a simple silver chain with a faceted teardrop ruby on it. Lucius had gone all out on his daughter's wardrobe. It was scary. All her clothes were tailored, expensive and accompanied by heirloom trinkets. Susan tried to convince him that she might loose them, but he responded, "I've missed six years. These should have been hers from birth. I have a lot to make up to my baby girl."
At this moment the tiny girl was asleep, but once they were inside Lucius awakened her. Harry watched as she explored, her confusion apparent. She sidled up to Ron, looking so unsure of anything.
"Well, I guess we're are going to the library." He lifted the little girl and off they went.
"I thought she wasn't supposed to leave the house yet." Harry said.
"She's been crying for 'Sue' all afternoon." Draco said nodding to Susan.
"I want her first word to be 'Father' and she starts with 'Sue'." Susan shook her head.
Lucius chuckled. "It's not a word to her; it's just a sound."
"Master Harry? Dinner is served." Kreacher bowed deeply to the company and led the way to the dining room. And as Harry expected Kreacher outdid himself. Turkey, ham, three different kinds of potatoes (including a recipe from Mrs. Weasley involving bacon, cheddar cheese and sour cream), relishes, sweet and salty, puddings, custards and tarts. Everyone 'ohhed' and 'ahhed' and sat down to eat.
Harry smiled as he watched his friends interact with the Malfoys. All were courteous and happy. Ginny was teasing Lucius about his new hair cut. Harry was happy that all was forgiven and forgotten from their school years. Ron joked with Draco as the two of them watched Susan assist Leilani with her dinner. Ron was enjoying his food in a civilized manner (Harry laughed to himself, He's trying to impress Susan), while Susan ate with meticulous care; knowing that the little girl watched and copied her every move. Neville and Hannah were laughing and feeding each other and enjoying their night.
Harry watched Draco. He was thinking about Hermione. Harry knew that. He had that far away look in his eye. Harry knew that Draco was overly protective of his baby sister and guarded her well being like a jungle cat.
Dinner progressed to dessert. Then the group followed tradition, oddly from both Muggle and Wizard society; the ladies went to the parlor for tea while the gentlemen had cigars and Black 200 year old brandy.
Everyone was going to the Malfoy's the next day. The other Weasleys were going to Charlie's; Susan's grandmother had passed and her family was in mourning; Neville's Gran was boating down the Nile and Hannah's family were on a world tour. So they all agreed to give Leilani a full family Christmas.
The Eve revelries lasted so long that Harry offered them rooms for night; all of which were accepted.
Harry fell asleep that night hoping there would be no nightmares.
He was wrong.
The wind was howling on that moonless night. Even the stars dimmed in the lights of battle. Colours of the rainbow intermixed with white, gold, silver, copper, flashed from wands signifying hexes, curses, counter curses, Unforgivables and jinxes. Flying bodies, screams ripping through the air and dodging people dueling created the debacle of battle.
The twin cracks of Apparation were lost in the noise. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry just saw a figure duck behind a rock. Then he saw another smaller figure walking towards Voldemort and the battle. He recognized the walk but couldn't place it. The form continue to walk unaffected by the curses, it's shield charm incredibly strong. The wind caught the figure's hood and whipped it off her head.
Luna screamed. "Hermione! Look out!"
At that point, time seemed to stop. Draco's hood fell as he turned (Harry realized later that Draco was distracting Death Eaters from harming Order members.) and he began moving towards her. The cloak covering her had whipped away, showing her slender body clothed as never before.
She was garbed in a flowing golden silk kiton, backless to her waist, bound about her with golden lacings. Her feet were bare and her unruly hair was bound in an intricate knot. More of a surprise was the exquisite jewelry adorning her neck and ears. Rubies, garnets, amber and topaz flowed in a sea of gold, shimmering in the flashing lights of battle. There was an arm bracelet circling her wand arm while chain bracelets surrounded both wrists. Her wand was in her hand and determination glowed out her eyes.
But it was her back that shocked everyone. A full-blown technicolour rose, surrounded by leaves and carried on a thorny stalk, bloomed on her back. The shimmering colouring proving its magical qualities.
Several gasps were heard. Neville, Snape, Lucius and Narcissa all reacted as she glided by them.
"Hermione? What are you doing?" came the one voice no one expected: Lucius.
Hermione stopped. Without turning she said, "I'm keeping a promise. I promised you that if you let me live I would remove the obsession from your son's mind." She started walking again and Lucius called out, "It's not obsession, it's love. He loves you!"
For one second Hermione faltered.
Then she straightened.
As she walked on she said, "I always thought cruelty was hereditary," she stopped, turned and looked at him; her eyes empty. "Now you've proven it."
She continued walking to the cliffs, not acknowledging her housemate's or school- mate's cries. Dumbledore, McGonogall, and even Snape called out to her. The Weasleys and Fleur, Lupin, Tonks, all of them went unheard.
She stopped six inches from the cliff side, turning she called to Voldemort.
"Tom!" she said in a voice heard above the winds and battle sounds.
Voldemort had turned in a rage. She stood looking expectantly. "You promised me a dance. Do you remember? In the Department of Mysteries? I'm here for that dance." She was poised, ready for her fight.
"You wish to die, Mudblood?"
She laughed. "Are you up to it Tom?"
"Stop calling me that!" He shrieked as he attacked.
He didn't use Unforgivables at first, but the longer she fought him the more enraged and desperate he became. So involved was he in killing the girl before him that he never heard Narcissa's scream, "Master, the Rose! Beware the Rose!"
Everyone watched as Hermione battled Voldemort, each hex dodged and returned. Finally he cast the Killing curse. The green light flew over her head as she dropped to the ground.
She rose and gazed around. Voldemort was catching his breath as she made eye contact with someone no one could see. She nodded and returned to the cliff's edge. Then she gave her last taunt.
"Come on Tommy Boy! Hit me with your best shot!"
In a fury Voldemort cast again. The Killing curse sailed toward her; for a split second her eyes lost focus, then looked unseeing at the green flash. It hit her chest full on, knocking her over the cliff.
"No!" was screamed by five voices: Draco, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Neville. Then all hell broke loose. Draco threw off his black robes and ran toward the cliff, hexing any Death Eater who got in his way. Lucius and Snape forsook their insane Master and battled Bellatrix and Dolohov, then Snape took on Rosier while Lucius stunned Narcissa. The Order fought like never before. Ron, Harry and Neville converged on Voldemort as he gloated to McGonagall over the loss of her beloved student.
Then Nagini, who was draped around his neck began to constrict. Voldemort choked and desperately wrestled and tossed the snake to the ground. "Nagini," he gasped. "How- how could you?"
"Well, maybe if you weren't so complacent, you would have known it wasn't Nagini!" Neville snarled. "Aren't I wearing pretty boots?" Aiming his wand at the snake he said, "Finite Incantatum!"
Percy Weasley transformed, wand in hand, just in time to hit Pettigrew in the chest with a curse, killing him instantly. Turning to Harry he said coolly, "He's all yours Harry!"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Wait Harry!"
But it was too late. The duel began. Others tried to interfere, but both sides fought to keep it private. Finally Harry hit Voldemort with the Sectumsempra curse and he bled out in seconds, to the shock of Dumbledore and everyone else. Harry then struck him with an Incendio curse to protect from his return as a ghost.
Screams from the Death Eaters erupted, but they were subdued. Then Goyle Sr. and his wife called out, "Gregory, my son. Greg, kill those who have killed our Master!"
"Why would I do that? Considering I just destroyed his last Horcrux," he asked tossing an ornate shield away from him, it's center jewel crushed and blackened. He put a hammer in his robes and looked at his parents.
"Traitor! Bastard! Muggle lover!" His parents yelled raising their wands. Their curses never finished as Order members hexed them so quickly and with so many hexes they died.
The Order watched a tear trickle from Goyle's eye as he walked away. Harry saw movement out of the corner of his eye and realized that Draco was carrying Hermione's cloak and walking to the cliff. Before he could say anything Snape yelled, "Lucius stop him!" But it was Blaise that got to him first, grabbing him and taking his wand.
"Let me go! It's my fault, let me go!" he screamed again and again, till they knocked him out.
Harry jerked out of his sleep. Someone was tugging on his arm. A little hand was on his shoulder. Sad, frightened, gray eyes were tearing as she pulled on his shoulder. Harry had been the first Leilani warmed up to. The black and white pictures on her cell walls didn't have green eyes. Those and his scar had been more fascinating then scary to the tiny girl.
"Hey, Princess. What's wrong?" Her tears trickled down her face as she touched his face. His own tears started with his nightmare and she touched them. She looked at her hand then touched her own face, scrubbing at her tears. She often cried with others; no one knew why.
Harry looked at the clock, sighing. He knew further sleep was impossible. He got up and slipped his dressing gown over his pajamas and picked up the little girl. "Come on, Sweetheart, let's go to the library."
Draco found them the next morning. Harry didn't know, until later, the small panic that ensued in the upper floors when Leilani's bed was found empty. Both of them, after several stories and picture books, went back to sleep. Ginny grabbed the camera and flicked a picture of a tiny blonde in a red velvet wrapper sleeping in the lap of an equally unconscious black-haired wizard. Hannah told him later that they looked like a picture from a book. Books, trophies and decorations covered the old Victorian walls, while a huge fire from an old fashioned fireplace illuminated two peaceful faces. The last book lay forgotten next to them on the brown couch.
Harry awakened feeling movement. Leilani was wiggling out of from under the burgundy blanket that had been laid over them earlier. She stretched and got up, looking confused. She saw Harry, smiled and skipped off to her room.
They Floo'ed to the Malfoys and spent a charming Christmas Day and stuffed themselves on a superb dinner.
That night Harry realized that he hadn't thought about Hermione all day. A pang of guilt rattled him. The pain of her loss was slowly dissipating. He bowed his head and a few tears trickled down his cheek as he said out loud what he never got the chance to say to her, "I'm sorry, Hermione. So very sorry."
What does it matter to ya
When you got a job to do
You gotta do it well
You gotta give the other fellow hell…
Say live and let die
Paul McCartney
