Chapter Twenty-Four:

Harry curled into himself on the bed across from his once again sedated daughter. When she was awake she wouldn't talk to anyone and sometimes her worrying that the truth would spill forth would cause her to shake and convulse...hence her nearly constant sedation.

Hermione fingered his hair as his head rest against her chest. He was finally sleeping for the first time in four days. It was all she could do to comfort him...and she understood. She had been through this with Dan two years ago. What Delilah needed was someone she knew but who knew what she was...going...through...

Hermione slowly slid from her boyfriends clutches, straightened her robes, and then marched out to the waiting area and flooed to the public fireplace in Diagon Alley. She swallowed as she knocked on the brightly colored door of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She looked up to see George hanging out his window from his upstairs apartment above the store.

"Hermione? It's nine in the bloody evening! What do you want?" he called.

"Can you let me in?"

He disappeared and moments later the door jingled open. "Come in, I've just settled in for some tea and TV." The climbed the stairs to his cozy flat...for a millionaire he lived humbly...lonely. "What do you need?"

"You always wear long-sleeved shirts," she said plainly.

George blinked and then a slow smile spread onto his tired features. "You never beat around the bush do you?" He rolled up his sleeves to reveal rows of self inflicted scars. "I...it was hard to lose Fred. I haven't...it's been four years since the last time I did it. It's separated me from my family...I'm the cold lonely uncle whose only redeeming quality is that he owns the best Joke Shop in the country...maybe Europe."

"Well, now you have the chance to show one of your nieces how loving you can be," Hermione explained gently.

"What are you talking about?" he furrowed his brow.

"Delilah attempted a few days ago...but she's been cutting for some time. She won't talk to anyone. My son, Dan, went through this and I learned that he would only talk to someone who understands that kind of overwhelming despair and lost feeling...in short Dell needs her cold lonely uncle with a joke shop."

George swallowed and nodded. "Does Harry know you're here?"

She shrugged. "We were best friends and now we're dating if he doesn't know I'm a forward girl then...well I guess I shouldn't start planning the wedding yet."

George snorted. He froze as Hermione squeezed his shoulder. "When was the last time you had a night out with a girl?"

"Before the last battle."

"And when was the last time your mother didn't nag you about it at Christmas?"

"What are you saying?"

"I think I know the perfect girl for you...if you're game, I'll invite her to your mother's party."

"And people think Harry's the Great Savior," he teased. For a moment, Hermione saw his blue eyes twinkle in mirth as he pulled on his jacket. "Hang in there Dell, Uncle George is comin," he sighed as he took his floo out.

Hermione followed, pausing as she found George watching Harry pace back and forth. "Harry?"

"Poppy kicked me out. I asked her what she wanted for dinner and she convulsed with the thought of the decision. I...what are you doing here George?"

"Mione thought I could relate to her...if that's okay, I'd like to give it a go?"

Harry hugged his brother-in-law tightly. "I'll try anything at this point."

Delilah opened her eyes and looked over expecting to see her tired father slumped in the chair beside her. But instead she found her Uncle George gazing at her in calm interest. He was the last uncle she thought would be there.

"Uncle George? W-Why are you here?"

Diversion was the best tactic in this scenario. "Dell did you know I had a twin?" he asked warmly.

She nodded. "I've seen pictures...we're not allowed to talk about him much."

"That's because it hurts me...even after all these years." He sighed. "Sometimes the pain was so all consuming that sometimes harming myself was the only way I could quiet the throbbing in my chest...its why I used to be so quiet I've been mourning my best friend my brother for two decades."

"Oh...I thought it was because you can't hear half the conversation."

George burst into the first real laugh in maybe sixteen years. He snickered into a smirk, eyes twinkling. Dell blinked. "Uncle George you look handsome when you're happy," she breathed. Her eyes caught the scars on his arms. "Oh...that's why you're here...you cut yourself too."

George stood and sat on her bed. He cupped her face. "You aren't dumb. You know how miserable I have been. I spent so much time afraid of what my family would think of my reasons that it stilled my healing...your father doesn't mean to pry but he just wants to help. If it helps explain it to me...I can understand...and then I'll relay the message." He heaved a sigh. "So Dellie-doo...why?"

Harry paced around the room, Hermione, Remus, Sirius, Severus, and Gabby watching with unease. George slid into the room. He looked up at the tense audience and the door clicked shut. He swallowed and motioned for the pacing man to calm himself. "Actually its good you all are here...before I talk to Harry...this is what I need you all to do, what I wish would have happened for me...don't ask her about it. I don't mean act like it didn't happen just don't bring it up unless she does. Stop assuming you know everything about her. And now that you've gotten Gabs and Chris on their feet pamper her."

He watched as the group nodded and slowly began leaving. Hermione went to leave, but Harry stopped her. She smiled at his exhausted gaze and slid comforting hands onto his shoulders, squeezing.

"She's still dealing with the divorce," George said softly. Before Harry could interrupt, the ginger continued, "Remember she was really beginning to read well at the time? And remember how brutal the media was? Well, apparently the one phrase that stood out to her was this: 'The marriage began to decline after the birth of their third child.' She blames herself for what happened between you and Ginny, that her mere existence caused you two to grow apart. And as she began to understand what Gin actually did...instead of understanding that there was no way you two would be together again, she took it as hope. As long as you didn't move on, there was a chance that Gin would cheat on Draco with you. But now that you are with Hermione, that chance is gone...and its all her fault. She doesn't ask for what she wants because she's punishing herself for what she did by being born...she's just going through life without any passion..."

Harry was pale. How did he remedy this?

George must have guess his thoughts. "I think Hermione is what she needs Harry. Dell already knows how great a father you are. Gin has not been...she's been shite as the girls' mother. She needs a strong compassionate woman's influence. I think...continue being affectionate in front of her so she can see your happiness. That's all I got...let her cry and eventually she'll tell you. I'm no MagiPsych though."

He shrugged. Harry hugged the man again. "Thanks, Gred."

George snorted at the old joke. "You're doing fine Harry. She's just sick is all."

George calmly flooed away. Hermione slowly maneuvered her numb man so that she could crawl into his lap. Harry cuddled the small woman close. "You smell like bad coffee and B.O." she purred.

Harry hummed in minute amusement, finding her presence to be an anchor. "Tell me what to do," he murmured.

"Go home, take a shower, and get in bed. I'll get Dell settled into the house. And we'll decide what happens next tomorrow," she said softly. "The Christmas Hols start next week. We need to figure everything out anyway."

"Can I add to that plan?" he asked, some of the weight of the week melting off his shoulders.

"What?"

"You tiptoe in and curl up in my bed. You've been up just as much as me and we've had hardly any us-time."

"Sounds wonderful, babe. Now, off you go." She physically pushed him through the floo. After getting everything cleared by Poppy, the brunette woke the sleeping girl up. "Dell?"

"Where's Dad?"

"He was falling asleep standing. I ordered him to bed. I thought we could get you home now without the rest of the school watching and before you were deep in your sleep. Is that okay?"

Dell nodded. She allowed the woman to help her stand and stumble to the floo. She was still dizzy by the time they reached her comfy bed in Dad's Hogsmeade house. She smiled weakly as Hermione changed her clothes into her soft jammies instead of the starchy hospital gown. As soon as her head hit the down pillow her eyes closed to sleep.

Hermione swept the raven hair from the youngest Potter's face, gazing at her in affectionate concern. It was almost surreal how connected she felt for all three of them. How easy it was for her to care for them...sighing she stood and quietly entered the master suite. she pulled off her boots and shrugged out of her winter robes. She searched Harry's wardrobe and found one of his button-downs and a pair of boxers. She changed out of her professional clothes and let her hair fall down. She hummed in appreciation as she slipped into the warm cotton cocoon of Harry's bed and backed into his body, sighing when his arm slid around her waist. He was dead asleep, his hair damp, and the scent of his cinnamon soap filled her nose. She grinned, falling into a cozy, deep sleep.