Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Harry Potter and all other series characters are the property of J.K. Rowling (Goddess Esquire), and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.
Title: The Lightning Strike
Category: Harry Potter
Pairing: BWHG
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: M (Language, Suicidal Allusions, Sexual Situations)
Summary: After the war, demiwolf Bill Weasley, struggling to come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife, gets an unexpected visitor at his doorstep during the full moon who had no choice but to turn to him as her only ally. BWHG
The Lightning Strike: Chapter XI
Molly stood up in the center of the living room trying to settle down her tipsy family all around her. The egg nog started flowing after dinner and all of the Weasley family had been enjoying a few cups of the creamy drink. "Okay Weasleys and honorary ones. It's time to open up one present each. Everyone go and pick one out from under the tree."
There was a flurry of bodies as everyone tried to reach for one present addressed to them from under the large decorated tree before settling down in a circle around the room. Bill ended up sitting on one of the dining room chairs that was brought in from the kitchen between George and Charlie. He was straight across from Hermione, who was on the end of the larger couch next to Harry. Bill caught her eye before he started shaking and over examining the box on his lap, like he was an eager child. Hermione smiled slightly at him as she shook her head in disbelief at his antics.
"Alright, now the Angel will determine who will open their gift first," Molly explained, sitting down next to her husband. She took out her hand and shot a blue light at the ornament Angel on the top of the tree. Everyone laughed as the Angel started to dance around. "Angel, who should open their gift first?" Molly asked the porcelain figure. It's tiny mouth opened as the Angel sang out the name Percy.
The family immediately turned towards Percy as he adjusted his glasses and began to gently peel off the wrapping paper on his present. "Oh, get on with it!" Ginny loudly groaned at the sight. Bill quietly sighed at his obviously drunk sister and her outburst. But he did have to admit that Ginny's method was at least effective as Percy began to tear open the paper on his gift.
Percy pulled out a very stylish dark leather planner. His face lit up like a child receiving his first broomstick as he immediately opened it up and looked through all the blank pages. "This is fantastic! But there's no card. Who's it from? C'mon now." Bill heard a small giggle to his left right before Percy's new planner snapped closed on his fingers. "Ow! George!"
Everyone started laughing as Percy struggled to get the planner off his fingers. George's laugh was the loudest in the room, something the family had recently once missed. "C'mon Perce," said George. "Just trying to make your work interesting for once."
After several moments, Percy was able to get his now red and swollen fingers out of the planner. He then showcased to the family his hand, earning another round of laughter. "That's just a trick one Perce. I got another one for you that doesn't bite. Promise," George told him. Percy nodded his appreciation towards his brother but Bill saw George's smirk next to him from the corner of his eye. Bill choked back a laugh of his own, knowing that Percy was probably in for another surprise later.
"Angel, who's next?" Molly asked the still dancing porcelain tree topper.
With a twirl the Angel sang out, "Hermione."
Bill turned, with the rest of his family, to watch as Hermione picked up her present and started unwrapping. "That's from Arthur and I, my dear. Let me know if it's too big or anything and I can fix it in a jiff," Molly called out from her spot.
Hermione gave Molly as smile as she opened up her gift. Bill looked on with amusement as she pulled out a wine colored Weasley jumper adorned with a cursive white H on the front. His thoughts flashed back to Fleur and her devastation at not receiving a jumper her first Christmas at the Burrow. His mother made up for it the night before their wedding when Molly presented Fleur with a beautiful lavender jumper with the initials F.W. worked into the pattern. It was an official welcoming of Fleur into the family by Molly. Fleur's face had lit up at the gift, exactly like Hermione's did currently at the sight of her first Weasley sweater.
"Mrs. Weasley, it's beautiful." Hermione's heart was full as she took in the gift. "Thank you so much. I misplaced my favorite jumper a few months ago, so this is perfect."
Ginny let out a snort that she only did when drunk. "I found your jumper, Hermione. The dark blue one?"
Hermione nodded happily. "Yes, exactly. Did I leave it your room? I thought I double checked there."
"Nope." Ginny popped the last syllable. "I found it at Bill's."
Bill froze as he felt the eyes of his family dart between himself and Hermione. "Really?" Hermione tried to quickly cover. "I must have left it there when we were helping him go through some of Fleur's things then."
Ginny remained unconvinced. "It was too warm for your jumper when we did that."
Bill gave his sister a nonchalant shrug. "Must have been that one time you came over to borrow that book for your work. Remember? It was one of the books Remus gave me and you wanted to use it to help with your research for work." Bill chimed in with hopes of getting the attention off of the subject and off of Hermione, who was looking like a guilty child.
"So were the two of you sleeping together before Bill left or what?" Ginny put out there bluntly.
Molly gasped louder than anyone else. "Ginerva Molly Weasley!"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm just cutting to the chase, Mum."
"This is ridiculous," Bill defended. "Ginny's drunk and just making mountains out of mole hills. There's nothing going on between Hermione and me."
"You're right. There's nothing," Ginny shrugged sarcastically. "Only a forgotten sweater, stolen looks over dinners for months, whispered conversations, and mysterious disappearances to Peru. But you're totally right. It's nothing."
Bill groaned as he stood up and started arguing with his sister, causing everyone to start talking over each other trying to figure out what exactly was happening. Harry was pleading with Ginny to calm down. George was trying to see if Charlie or Percy knew anything. Arthur was trying to sooth Molly. Ron stayed uncharacteristically silent at the accusation of Hermione possibly shagging one of his brothers.
The noise pounded into Hermione's head as her wolf grew with the tension in the room until she let out a loud yell. "I'm a demiwolf!" She admitted as she stood up. The family instantly turned silent. "I'm a demi . . . just like Bill and he had been helping me during full moons before he left for Peru. That's why my jumper was there."
The sound of a pin dropping would've echoed in the living room at that moment. Nobody knew what to say. Bill ran his hand through his hair to try and calm down as he looked at the devastated witch in front of him. George broke the silence a long moment later with a soft, "Holy shite."
"W-when?" Ginny asked once the silence was broken, her voice small.
Hermione took in a deep breath as she shifted her long sleeved shirt off her right shoulder. A chorus of gasps echoed from 8 different voices through the air at the sight of the silver bite mark and the beginning of healed ruby red scars that disappeared under the material of her shirt. "Greyback attacked me during the last battle. I thought I got him off quick enough but . . . I was wrong. I showed up to Bill's that first moon and he's been helping me ever since."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Harry's voice beyond hurt.
She turned towards Harry and Ron to address them directly as she readjusted her shirt. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you guys. I just . . . I didn't want to admit it at first. Then I just got caught up in acting normal. None of you noticed, so I kept it to myself."
Molly looked up at her oldest son. "Why didn't you tell us Bill?"
"It wasn't my place, Mum." Bill's tone unarguable.
"Don't blame Bill," Hermione quickly defended as she turned around. "He wanted me to tell all of you immediately and we argued about it . . . a lot. But he was just being a good friend by keeping my wishes and not telling you. So don't be angry with him. Please be angry with me."
Bill looked at Hermione with a heavy heart. Her sentiment hit him hard. He wanted to go over and wrapped her up in a protective embrace. But his feet stood in place, not knowing if it would be welcomed or not at this moment.
The squeak of the couch sounded as Ron stood up. He looked directly at Hermione. "I think we need to talk," he stated in a grave voice. Hermione simply nodded once before Ron turned and walked towards the stairs. Harry followed the redhead immediately after.
Hermione stole a glance over at Bill, meeting his eyes. He could see the terror in her eyes before she turned and followed Ron and Harry up the stairs, leaving Bill alone in a wake of questions.
Author's Note: I'm so excited that this story is on the alert for 100 readers and that the story has reached over 5,000 views! Seriously, I can't believe that so many of you are reading this. THANK YOU!
Thanks to cynmonstrosity and siriusbarks for their support and betaing.
Next Chapter; Yet another long night at spent at Shell Cottage
Felix Felicis With A Twist
