Chapter Twenty Four: Coming Clean
Harry rose groggily, rubbing his sleepy eyes. He looked around the room, confused about his surroundings. This wasn't his room. Chudley Cannons posters covered the walls, filling the room with vibrant orange. Clothes of various shapes and colors were strewn across the floor. The carpet, a deep blue, was soft and squishy, completely different from the carpet in his flat. The walls were a rich white with deep oak wood paneling the room, from the floor to halfway up the walls, giving the room a sort of den vibe. Harry stared around, trying to think hard about the previous night. Where was he?
A loud snore from across the room drew Harry's attention. Tossing the blankets aside, he stood up and walked over to the source of the noise, seeing short red hair peeking out from under the blanket.
The previous night slowly came back to him as he stared at the redhead. Ah, he was in Ron's room. He looked around the place, taking in it's appearance. When Harry and Draco had first been to the house, he had never gone to this room, Draco had taken it. Harry stood in the center of a large loft. A desk sat pushed up against one of the walls with what looked like a new computer sitting on top of it. A large TV was pushed against another wall, sitting snugly inside it's entertainment center. Video games lay near the TV with multiple gaming systems, the cupboards of the entertainment center packed with movies. A mini fridge sat near the desk, while a huge stereo sat on an oak shelf, CD's stacked hazardously on the shelf below. A few windows were places strategically throughout the room, filling it with warm light. Harry thought the place looked pretty cool.
He walked over to the computer, running his hands across the cool surface, tracing the brand name lightly with his fingertips. His stomach twisted as he noted a computer was one of the many things they had stolen from here. Thinking this made him remembered what Draco had said last night at the party before he had left. What had Harry done for them? He'd stolen, that's what. It was never going to sit right with Harry for what he did to the Weasley's, the kindest people he'd ever met. Even though Ginny forgave him, he still had trouble keeping his guilt at bay every time he came into the house, or whenever Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at him. He'd screwed them over, the people who were unbelievably kind to him, who had welcomed him with open arms.
Harry turned around sharply as he heard a loud snort, followed by quiet mumbling from Ron. The redhead sat up straight in his bed, hair frazzled, looking at him oddly.
"Who are you?" He asked in a raspy voice, cocking his head to the side.
"Uh, Harry?"
"Right," He said, shaking his head a bit. He cracked a smile, "I knew that. What are you doing here?"
"Your parents said I could stay the night. I didn't have a ride back to the city…"
"Oh, right, right." Ron said, running a hand through his ruffled hair.
He breathed deeply, a small smile appearing on his face.
"Mum's cooking. We better get down there, I'm starved."
Harry laughed, "Aren't you always?"
Ron looked thoughtful for a moment, "Yeah, I suppose your right. But with Mum's food, you can't really help it."
Harry had to agree. Mrs. Weasley's food was amazing.
Ron staggered over to his dresser, pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
"You go ahead and dress in here, there's a small bathroom in the back." He said, gesturing to a door at the other end of the loft. "I'll go change in the other bathroom. Meet you downstairs."
Harry nodded, picking up his own clothes he had wore yesterday. He was currently wearing the clothes Ron had given him to change into for the night, a pair of green and black checkered bottoms and a white t-shirt. He spent the next few minutes getting ready, trying to fix his unmanageable hair so he looked somewhat presentable down in the kitchen. Splashing his face with some water, he exited Ron's room and made his way down to the kitchen.
"Good morning Harry." Mr. Weasley said. He was sitting at the head of the table, his glasses resting on the tip of his nose while he read the newspaper. He was already in his business suit, his briefcase on the floor next to him.
"Good morning."
"Well, go ahead and take a seat. Molly will get you something to eat in a moment."
"Alright, thanks." Harry said, pulling out a chair next to the older man.
"Was the bed alright last night?" The older man asked, his eyes peeking over the edge of his paper to glance at Harry.
"Oh yeah, it was great. I slept wonderfully."
"Good to hear." He said, smiling at Harry before returning to his paper. He reached out for his coffee, hand blindly fumbling in the air for a moment, before connecting with the mug. Without looking, he brought the cup to his lips, blowing on the steaming liquid softly before taking a sip.
"Good morning Harry." Mrs. Weasley said, making her way out of the kitchen carrying a gallon of milk. "What would you like for breakfast? I've made bacon, eggs and pancakes. Or I could whip you up some cinnamon oatmeal or get you some cereal if you'd prefer."
"Bacon and eggs sound great." Harry said, his stomach rumbling in agreement; he was hungry.
The older woman smiled at him, reaching out to pour him some milk. "Alright, one plate of bacon and eggs coming right up."
"Make that two, with some pancakes on the side please." Ron said, emerging from the stairs.
"Actually, could you make that three Mum?" Ginny said, appearing from the basement. She flashed Harry a smile, sitting down across from him.
"Of course, I'll be right back."
The four sat at the table for a few minutes in a comfortable silence.
"So, do you want to do anything today Harry?" Ginny asked, buttering a piece of toast that sat on the table. "We haven't been to the park in a while."
"Sure, I'm free all day. I've just got to pick up my check from blockbusters… then I'm yours."
Ginny grinned, "Alright, sounds like a plan. We'll go to the park. Dad," She said, turning to her father, "Could I ride with you then when you drop Harry off? That way he doesn't have to come back and pick me up?"
"Of course. Just be ready at ten. That's in-" He lifted his sleeve, checking his golden Rolex watch, "Twenty minutes."
"I'll be ready."
Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen, serving them their breakfast. Twenty minutes later, Harry and Ginny stood by the door, waiting for her father to put on his shoes.
"Thank you for having me. The party last night was great. And thank you for the gifts, I really appreciate them."
"Anytime dear." Mrs. Weasley said, giving him and Ginny a hug before turning to her husband to say her goodbye.
"Hey, thanks for letting me stay in your room and loaning me some clothes Ron." Harry said to Ron, who stood leaning against the wall. He held the rest of the present's Harry couldn't carry by himself, ready to bring them out to the car.
"No problem."
Five minutes later they were on the road, driving into the city.
"I'll drop you off at your place Harry so you can unload your presents and get your car."
"That'll be fine, thanks Mr. Weasley."
The man nodded before reaching over and turning on the radio.
Nearly an hour, and some missed turns later, they arrived at Harry's apartment.
"This is where you live?" Mr. Weasley asked, staring up at the apartment building.
"Err, yeah." Harry replied hesitantly, glancing up at the apartment building as well. It wasn't as nice as their home, but he didn't think the flat was horrible.
"Not bad, not bad at all. And you said rents fairly cheap right?"
"Yeah, I manage to make it off my check from work."
"Huh, sweet little deal you've got." Mr. Weasley stepped out of the car with them, helping unload their things. "Well, I'd help you bring them up but I've really got to get going…"
"You've done more than enough, thanks Mr. Weasley."
The older man patted Harry on the back before hopping into the car.
"Here you two, go have some lunch somewhere, it's on me." He said, handing Ginny a fifty dollar bill.
"Thanks Dad." Ginny beamed, waving to her father as he drove down the street and out of sight. Turning around, she frowned as she spotted the wary expression on the raven haired teen's face.
"Harry?"
He sighed heavily, staring apprehensively up at the apartment building.
"Think he'll be up there?" Ginny asked, eyes etched with concern. She hated seeing him upset.
Harry shook his head, "I doubt it, but if he is, I won't be too happy. He's not my favorite person right now." He bent down, grabbing the large stereo and hefting it up. "Let's just drop of this stuff quick, then we'll get out of here."
"Alright." Ginny said, grabbing the rest of his presents before following him up.
Harry awkwardly unlocked the door and kicked it open, putting the stereo on the couch in front of him. He stood still and listened for a moment, not hearing any noise from within the apartment.
"I don't think he's here." Harry said, grabbing the things from Ginny and placing them in his room.
"Huh, an entire flat to ourselves." Ginny said, a teasing smile on her lips, "What ever could we do to pass the time?"
Harry grinned, walking over to her, "I could think of a few ideas…" He trailed off, giving her that lopsided grin Ginny found so endearing.
"Yeah? Does it go something like this?" She breathed, pulling him close to her. She placed a hand against his cheek, leading his mouth to hers. She kissed him deeply, a fiery passion connecting them. Harry pulled her hips close to his, loving the smell of her hair as he tangled a hand in her long, red locks. They kissed until the need for oxygen was so great, they were ready to pass out.
Ginny pulled back slightly, her fingers playing with the hair on the nape of his neck. She smiled dazedly at him, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
"Something like that." Harry breathed cheekily, his eyes twinkling with mirth, "But I was thinking something a bit more like this." He continued, pulling her more roughly to him, before twisting around and falling back onto the couch.
Ginny laughed lightly, sounding like heavenly music to his ears. He loved it when she laughed, knowing that she was happy. Especially with him. He flipped them over so he was on top, their bodies molding together.
He smiled tenderly at her, brushing hair back from her face with his fingertips, tucking it behind her ear.
"This is nice." Ginny said softly, her arms circled around his back.
"Yeah." Harry agreed, shifting to the side slightly so his weight wasn't crushing her.
He gazed at her for a long moment before leaning down, capturing her lips in a kiss. Ginny sighed into his mouth, pulling him closer, resting her hands on either side of his head. Harry kissed her jaw before trailing hot kisses down her neck. He nibbled on her collarbone lightly, enticing a soft moan from the beautiful redhead beneath him. He placed his arm underneath her head, trying to support himself, while his other arm rested on her hip. He slowly moved it up and under her shirt slightly, rubbing his thumb gently over her smooth, pale skin.
They continued on like this for a long time, completely forgetting about the party, Draco, and the park. Just basking in each others warmth, and loving the time they had alone together.
--
"Alright, this'll only take a minute." Harry said, opening the car door and sliding out. He jogged up to the front door and stepped inside, making his way to the counter.
"Thanks, have a good day." He heard the higher octave voice that was Kyle say to a woman at the counter before Harry drew his attention.
"Harry, hi. What are you doing here today? It's your day off."
"I know Kyle, I just came for my check."
"Oh right." The curly haired blonde said, adjusting his glasses. "Let me get that for you."
Kyle moved over and unlocked a drawer from beneath the counter. He shuffled around for a good couple of minutes until he pulled out a long, white envelope.
"Here you are." He said, handing over the check.
"Thanks." Harry replied, giving him a smile and nod. He turned to leave but was stopped at the sound of Kyle's voice.
"What are you doing today?"
"I'm going out with Ginny."
"Oh, alright." He said blushing a bit, causing Harry to smirk. So Kyle had a bit of a crush on Ginny did he? That was interesting. He couldn't exactly blame the bloke; he had good tastes. Ginny looked fantastic.
"See you later mate." Harry said, waving and heading out the door.
He got back inside the car, putting his check inside the glove box.
"I think Kyle has a bit of a crush on you."
"Really?" Ginny asked, surprised but chuckling slightly, "What gave you that idea?"
"I mentioned your name and his face went all red."
Ginny laughed, before feigning a cocky expression, "Glad to know I have options."
"Hey." Harry exclaimed, sending her a playful glare. "You're with me."
Ginny smiled and leaned in to kiss him, "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
Harry smiled back, warping his arm around her shoulders as he put the car into gear and headed off towards their park.
"It's nice out today." Ginny commented, strolling hand in hand with Harry down the paved paths of the park. They were currently walking alongside the lake, the one Harry had fallen into on their first date.
"Yeah, it's a nice change to the crappy weather we've been getting lately. I love the rain, but it's just been too much."
Ginny nodded, leaning her head against his broad shoulder as they walked. The wind swept against them, whipping some hair into her face. She reached up with her free hand, slipping her hair back behind her ear.
"Hey, where'd you get that?" Harry asked, noticing a sparkly bracelet on her wrist.
"What? This?" Ginny asked, raising her arm. At Harry's nod she continued, "Oh, it used to be my grandmother's. My mum's mum. She passed away about ten years back, and Mum gave me this bracelet about three years ago, when she thought I was old enough to take care of it. I had been pretty close to her, being her only granddaughter. Mum had worn it for a long time because it matched a golden locket she got from my gran also, but I don't know where it is anymore. I haven't seen it in a while."
Harry tensed beside her, trying to relax so Ginny wouldn't notice. A golden locket. Most likely the very one that was sitting inside his dresser drawer at the moment, underneath his socks. Harry looked away guiltily. That same heavy feeling was creeping back into his gut, something that he could never quite shake off.
"Ginny." He said hesitantly, walking a bit slower. "I was thinking of doing something, and I'd like your opinion on it."
Ginny looked at him curiously, "What is it?"
"Well," Harry began, a serious expression on his face. "I think… I'd like to pay your parents back."
"For what?" Ginny asked, perplexed. She couldn't imagine what for.
"For the things I stole." He said bluntly, stopping and turning to look at her.
"Oh." Ginny said, not quite sure what to say.
Harry knew this subject was a bit touchy but he plowed ahead; he had to get this off his chest.
"I feel awful for it Ginny, the way I used to be. For what I did. Your parents are so… so great, your whole family is. They didn't deserve something like that happening to them. I know I can't replace the things we sold, and I can't undo what I did, no matter how much I want to. But, I'd like to make it up to them somehow. And paying them back is the least I could do."
"But… how would you do that? I mean, you can't just give them cash, they wouldn't have a clue as to what it was for and would never accept it."
"I'd tell them Ginny." At her surprised look he continued, swallowing nervously, "What I did."
Ginny remained silent for a long time, staring pensively out at the lake. Harry grew more worried as the seconds past, the small seed of doubt growing in the back of his mind. What if she was reconsidering them because of what he'd done? What if she called it off? He cared about her so much… he couldn't fathom the idea of losing her and go back to the bastard he'd been before. She was so good for him.
"I'll be there with you the entire time, when you tell them."
Harry blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair to calm his jittery nerves.
"Do you think it's a good idea?"
"It's a honorable one."
Harry grew silent, staring forlornly at the ground, watching as a small ant struggled with a crumb it had found, the burden too much to carry. "Will they forgive me?"
Ginny sighed, slipping her hand in his once again, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I think they would. If they knew how you really felt about it. How… ashamed, I guess, you are. You'd just have to tell them how you feel, basically what you just told me. You'd have to come clean about, well," Ginny paused for a moment, her eyes flickering to his face before she looked back out to the lake, "Everything."
"What do you mean by everything?" He asked cautiously, although he could already guess the answer.
"I mean telling them why you started stealing in the first place. And what events lead you to that decision. It would be the only way to explain it, to have them fully understand." Ginny said carefully, waiting for Harry's reaction.
"So, I'd have to…" He trailed off.
"Tell them everything you told me when you confessed. Your upbringing wasn't the greatest Harry, and that's a real understatement. It's understandable from your background that you'd end up stealing. You almost had to. But in order for them to understand, you'd have to tell them about the Dursley's. Not as some sympathy card to get them to easily forgive you, but in order for them to really… get it."
Harry heaved a sigh. He knew they might understand just as Ginny had, if he told them the whole truth, but he still didn't like the idea. He hated even thinking about his relatives, let alone talking about them. And then to tell the Weasley's about it…
After a few moments of thought, Harry nodded his head in resolve, jaw set in a determined way. He had to tell them, they deserved to know.
"When should I?"
"Tonight you could." Ginny offered, "Ron's going out with a friend of his and Fred and George have dates, it would just be my parents. And that's probably best."
"Alright, tonight then. Would I be able to join you for dinner?"
Ginny laughed lightly, "Harry my parents love you, especially Mum. They'll be happy to have you."
This line was meant to sooth Harry, but resulted like a punch to the gut, causing an immense amount of dread to fill him. If he told them, there was no coming back, and the consequences could be great. There was a great chance the Weasley's would no longer like him, would not welcome him in their home, and what's worse, would not let him date their daughter. If they told him he could no longer see her, he'd have to accept their wishes and back off. And rightfully so, Harry wouldn't be able to blame them in the slightest. If he were in Mr. Weasley's shoes, he'd tell the fool who had stolen from him to stay the hell away from his daughter, and their family in general.
--
"Dinner was lovely Mrs. Weasley, thank you."
"Oh I hope you enjoyed it, you didn't eat much…"
"We had a big lunch." Ginny offered for him but truthfully she knew how nervous Harry was about this dinner.
"Well, do you think you have room for desert? Molly made a fantastic Oreo cream pie."
"Sure." Harry said, anything to put it off longer.
Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen and came back out a few minutes later, carrying a tray of her pies. She put a tall glass filled with pudding in front of Harry. He looked closer at it, noticing the bottom half of the glass was filled with what must have been crushed Oreos. Pudding resided in the middle, while a thin layer of custard sat on top. The pie was topped off with a spiral of whipped cream, nuts sprinkled lightly on the top.
"This looks delicious." He commented, digging into the desert. This he could eat… it would be a perfect last meal.
Harry continued eating at a faster pace, trying to hide his nerves.
"Harry dear, is everything alright?" The older woman looked up from her own glass, watching as he scarfed down his food at an alarming rate, confusion and worry shinning in her brown eyes.
Harry stared at the woman before throwing Ginny a quick glance. She caught his eye and smiled supportably, giving him a slight nod. Harry took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly under the table. It was now or never.
"Actually Mrs. Weasley, there is something wrong."
"What is it?" Mr. Weasley asked, sitting up in his chair, alert, a frown on his face.
"Mr. Weasley," Harry gulped, "Have you ever done something wrong in the past, something that you eventually regretted? Something you just felt terrible about?"
"Well sure." Mr. Weasley said, brow still furrowed. "We've all done things we're not proud of."
Harry grew silent for a moment, staring at the two of them. There was no turning back now.
"Well, there's something I did a while back that I regret so much. I feel terrible about it. This hurt people I came to become very fond of." He looked at the three of them and smiled. "And I'd like to make up for it now."
Harry blew out a breath, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants. He ran a nervous hand through his hair before standing up, digging around in his pockets.
Pulling out his hand, the other three saw a long, golden chain clutched in his fist, a golden heart shaped locket attached to it.
"Here." He said, shame written clearly on his face. "This is your's"
Harry reached over and placed the locket in front of Mrs. Weasley, who stared at it very confused. She slowly reached out to pick it up, immediately feeling the engraved writing on the back.
She gasped, holding a hand to her heart. Flipping open the locket, she looked inside, seeing a picture of her family.
"My locket." She exclaimed, her eyes wide. "I thought I'd lost it, I haven't seen it for months… It belonged to my mother. I remember getting it on my wedding day. She had gotten it from my father when they were young and she decided to give it to me because I was starting my own family. It had brought her so much luck, she wanted to pass it on to her only daughter." She ran her fingers over the cool golden surface. "Whe-Where did you get this?" She finally asked, looking up at Harry in complete and utter shock.
Harry didn't answer. He merely stuck his hand back inside his pocket, pulling out a wad of cash, bound together by a rubber band.
He placed the money in front of the other man.
"What's this?" Arthur asked inquisitively, picking up the money and shuffling through it. "Harry! This is well over a thousand pounds! Why are you giving me all this money?"
Harry looked down at his feet, not brave enough to even given them the decency of looking them in the eye. He heard a chair move and a moment later, felt a small hand slide into his, giving it a supportive squeeze.
"Because I owe it to you." He said quietly, still not looking up at them.
"For what?" Mr. Weasley asked, completely baffled.
Harry finally lifted his head up, looking the man straight in the eye.
"Mr. Weasley, a little over two months ago, someone broke into your home, stole your things and broke through a window to get out before the police arrived." Harry started, bravely trudging on, "A few weeks after that… they started dating your daughter."
The two of them sat blankly before Harry, not understanding, or not wanting to understand what he was saying.
"That money is to pay you back. I stole from you. I was the one who broke into your home."
--
A/N: Cue dramatic music lol. Another long update, sorry. I just can't seem to ever get it out on time, or even in a decent amount of time. I'll try harder :P Thanks for the reviews, feel free to give more! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Until next time!