Disclaimer: I don't own HP. J.K Rowling is the wonderful author.
Chapter 36: Back To Basics
The marquee showered with the uplifting laughter of the family and friends that surrounded them. Bright wisteria coloured banners swinging across the ceilings, elegant light fixtures above every table, and giddy gyrating feet twirling on the wooden platform below as their drunken owners kept balance on their partners. The soft music of the violin eased the pace; and while others felt weightless as their faces flared red with excitement, Victoria couldn't keep her eyes steady and her teeth from gnawing at her bottom lip.
"Stop that, you're bleeding." His eyes fell down to her broken lip, his expression hasn't changed since this morning.
Victoria released her teeth, but it didn't stop what she was thinking. Her eyes scanned around the tent, completely unfocused on the environment around her, even the man clutching at her waist. It was like reading a book her mind solely composed spontaneously. Scanning the words from the pages around the room, while thoughts and ideas kept writing themselves out; that is, until the typewriter in her brain jammed and there was only that one solution that seemed rational. That one question she's been waiting to ask, hoping he would accept.
"We should leave." Her voice swayed at the uncertainty of her words.
"What? What do you mean, it's not over yet-"
"I mean…" She swallowed any sense she had left, "We should leave everything. We can leave England if we have to." Maybe it wasn't so rational; eloping.
His feet came to a sudden stop, and their once-swaying bodies stood cold in front of each-other; like two opposite statues complimenting their existence. "I can't leave, Victoria. I've got friends and family here, I can't just… leave them behind while a war is going on. A war that I'm mainly involved in."
"That's the thing! You're so involved in it… I just… I don't know how much longer I can-"
"-deal with it?" Her lips snapped closed as her words were snipped short. He looked disappointed; and suddenly all the air that existed inside her chest, disappeared.
"We have the funds for it. We can find a house…"
"Then what? Watch my friends die while I sit behind a picket fence – hiding?"
Shame corroded her insides. It was unlike any other feeling she'd ever experienced, one she'd never thought would explode from her chest, and coil her with guilt. That golden armor she equipped in her earlier years was shattered. It was slowly cracking at the core truthfully, since the death of her aunt and father, yet now it was complete – leaving behind a triumphant panic assailing her from inside out. At first she thought it was that type-writer in her mind that muffled the soothing sounds of the violinist, yet to her surprise her surroundings were noiseless. All she could notice now was the bright illuminating wisp in the reflection of his round spectacles that caught the eyes of many around her. What was next, she wasn't prepared for. She had no thoughts, no more solutions; her type-writer was jammed.
The brightly coloured wisp had easily morphed into a Lynx, and at that moment, Victoria could feel the fear radiating off the bodies from everybody in The Order.
Harry's hands slipped off her waist, for he too was focused on the talking patronus at the other end of the tent.
"Is that?" Victoria turned her gaze over at Ginny who's face twisted upon the fear crossing her features.
"Kingsley." Hermione finished, appearing beside her with Viktor standing defensively in front of the two girls.
It wasn't long before the message was completed. Unfortunately, it wasn't long for that message to become true. Victoria moved her hands from around Harry's neck, placing them heavily against his chest as the illuminating patronus disappeared in a swirling whisp, and the entire tent remained silent and still; apart from growing whispers from curious children.
Nobody knew what to say, and nobody dared speak of it.
Victoria looked around, as did everybody else. As if looking for answers among the group of people, but nobody had answers to give.
The terror that overtook Harry's face made the situation that much more convincing. It didn't seem like any other's keyed onto it; but Victoria knew that look anywhere. He was expecting something that she didn't want to be expected – and when was Harry ever wrong? She was starting to learn quickly that despite Harry's quick assumptions and insane ideas, he had a better understanding of what was to happen than possibly anybody else… of course now that Dumbledore was gone.
"Harry…?" Her steel moon-eyes weighed on his side profile. He was looking around, sifting through the crowd as to find that bit of truth from the message they had just heard; his jaw tensed up. "Maybe we should-"
And just like that, before her mind could process it. Before her body made any sudden movements, it seemed the world had gone up in flames before her. Ear bleeding screams erupted the once serene, beautiful celebration. People before her were dropping on the warm wooden floors beneath them; screens of black mist were appearing at every angle – every opening. There seemed to be no way to escape.
A tug on the arm caused her feet to roll back in its anchored position, but an extra yank that nearly ripped her shoulder out of its socket got her feet to uproot.
"We have to go!" Harry's yells were nearly drowned from the eruption of terror. "Now!" She caught his eyes, his voice shaking slightly though his authoritative tone caused her body to sway forward and follow behind him.
The stream lights they had pinned up to brighten the tent the other day were now shattering beneath the mob of people trying to run out through the opening slits. Tables were upturned, and candles were being knocked over – causing an outbreak of fire along the silk tablecloths. Harry's fingers gripped her hand so tight she felt if he got knocked back, she would unwillingly fall back with him. She could barely feel her body running beneath her; her feet were nearly tripping over themselves… they had enough obstacles to avoid anyways, considering chairs were being thrown and light fixtures were unhinging above them.
A bright green light came spiraling directly towards the two, nearly missing the top of their hands as they ducked and refused to let go of each-other.
Then Harry stopped, causing Victoria to slam into his back but his stance was as still as a statue and she managed to bounce off – holding her nose as his arms outstretched defensively. A swirl of black mist created the silhouette of a hooded figure against the burning flames in front them.
Victoria covered her mouth, gripping onto the back of Harry's dress shirt as his feet moved backwards – forcing her to move back with him. The hooded figure moved forward, exposing the ugly features of the man inside. He had a long hooked nose, crooked smile with broken teeth. His long bony fingers slipped into his cloak and Harry immediately countered his next move by taking his wand out from his belt and knocking him back upon yelling the incantation.
She watched the hooded man fall into the fire, but she was sure he wasn't dead. Harry turned around, grabbing onto her wrist and forcing her the opposite direction. She couldn't keep up; her legs were growing exhausted, nearly collapsing beneath her. Then she heard something snap, and the only thing keeping her from falling on her face was Harry's strong hold he had kept on her arm. Her free hand slammed into the ground, glass prickling against her palm as her ankle twisted and pulsed. He finally let go, examining her carefully.
"What's happened!" He said, kneeling down to match her height.
Victoria flatted herself on her bum, reaching her knee to her chest as she began unstrapping her heels and rubbing her twisted ankle. "My heel snapped," She cried out in frustration, twitching each time her thumb pressed against the bone of her ankle.
"Can you walk?" Harry looked around them, ensuring they were safe before looking back down at her.
"It hurts, I don't know…"
"Can you try?" He asked critically, it was almost mocking. They both knew just sitting there wouldn't do them any good, but Harry certainly didn't want to give up another second; as vulnerable as they were.
Victoria's grey eyes gazed up, catching sight of his piercing stare. She knew there was only one answer.
Of course, she can try…
She grunted, reaching for his outstretched arm and hopping up on her injured foot. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her balanced as she dragged her feet alongside his – at least till they reached a safer spot.
"It really hurts," She cried in a low tone, trying to not overstep her boundaries considering Harry was already flustered enough trying to not only protect her, but to keep himself alive as well. She clenched her teeth together, taking in a breath of air as she made her way over some fallen light fixtures and nearly fell over from a few running adults, whom were screaming so loud she thought her ear drums might've popped.
"Over here," Harry said, turning their direction towards a table near the bar.
He flipped over the table, helping Victoria settle behind it as a sort of defensive shield – hoping nobody would spot them for now.
She pressed her back against the table, finally feeling some relief in her ankle. She looked down at her hand, picking off glass that got stuck in her palm from when she had fallen, her eyebrows drawn in closely as each little shard felt like a small bee sting.
Harry turned around towards the bar, throwing his arms across the counter-top – swiping away glasses and emptied bottles till he found a rag and some alcohol.
"Here take this," He instructed her, handing her the bottle of alcohol as he tore the rag in a long strip.
Victoria spun the bottle around, looking at him confused. "I don't think now is when I should be drinking…"
"No," Harry popped the top of the bottle and bent her wrist so the top would come into contact with the rag; allowing some of the alcohol to soak into the fabric. "For your hand…" He said, looking at her with raised eyebrows before quickly wrapping it tightly around her palm.
She cried out in momentary pain, though her breaths leveled upon feeling the warmth of his cupped hands on the sides of her face. She looked up into his emerald green eyes that were just inches from hers. He never looked so distressed – so final. There was definitely no in-between this time.
"I need you to listen to me carefully…" He said, brushing his hands against her face as he pushed her long black hair back. "I need to leave."
"What?" Her eyes widened – not understanding what he meant. "Leave, what do you mean leave?"
"I can't be here, it's not safe."
"Where would you go?" Her words were coming out faster, more alarmed. She began shaking her head in disapproval but he held her focus straight with the firm of his hands.
"Listen, okay? Your friends need you. They're out there, and they need you."
"I need you." She exclaimed.
Yet something about the way he looked at her – the way he spoke to her… it was almost haunting.
"You're a great witch Victoria, I know you are. And whatever it is you're going through; I know you can see past it for those you care about. I need you to do that for me. I need you to understand that right now."
Her heart ached, and her inner-self shook her head at the memory. She couldn't believe what had come over her the past year… it was someone entirely different than she sought to be. Someone entirely different from the time her father stood before her, reassuring her all the same, though she was in someone else's skin. Her true-self; someone her father approved of – and what she was now… well she surely knew he wouldn't tolerate it.
"You're a great daughter, and a smart girl. You know what is right here. I trust you do."
His words vibrated out of Harry's lips, though in different format.
They both had this expectation.
They both believed in her; even at her weakest – and this certainly was her weakest.
She was done being weak, though. She was finished cowering over these hooded figures – those whom not only murdered her mother; ripping her from the world and her only daughter. But murdered her father before her eyes, taking him just as soon without a single regret from the looks of Bellatrix's eyes. She was not going to let them win, not again – not with the people she loved.
"I love you," It was the last words she had ever said to Sirius.
And they were the last he had ever said to her.
"I love you too," Harry said, pressing his lips against her forehead; grabbing her wand and wrapping her fingers tightly around the base of the object.
They were not going to be the last words she heard from him. Not Harry.
"Believe in yourself, Victoria. Can you do that for me?" Victoria nodded as she tried to remain a neutral look – though she was failing miserably. She looked absolutely terrified.
"Now go, they need you." He said, stepping back as Hermione approached him. She pointed her wand down at the Black, flicking it expertly down at her ankle and causing a momentary sharp pain that lasted only seconds till she felt complete, utter relief. Ron ran up beside Hermione, nearly toppling over as he clutched his hands around her dress, looking behind him hauntedly.
Harry nodded – though a trickle of fear crossing his features, he veiled it well with his trust on her own abilities.
She gave a light smile, watching as the three disapparated before her; then the smile vanished. It was time for her to break out of this shell she'd been hiding in, and to prove to her father that she could fight these masked figures.
Or truly, to prove to herself – and remain the daughter he was always proud of. The daughter he saw himself in.
She gripped onto her wand, pressing her fingers down against the bit of cloth that was wrapped around her hand and turned around to peer above the table she had been taking refuge against.
People were unconscious on the floor, others were still screaming trying to find an escape, or clutching onto their children against their chests. Others – like people in The Order, were fighting against the Death Eaters, or pulling bodies safely out onto the field.
Victoria saw Luna standing beside Viktor Krum who had no problem facing this Death Eaters. He would try and battle them all if he could. The hate in his eyes were obvious to see, and it was definitely a different side of Viktor she never thought he had.
She stood up, firmly on her feet and running around the fallen tables and chairs to reach her mate. Luna's eyes reached hers, and immediately Victoria lifted her wand – "Stupefy!" – and knocked back a cloaked figured behind her blonde friend.
Luna examined her up and down, twirling her wand against her chest. "Oh, hello V. Why are you barefoot?"
Victoria managed a short-lived grin, "Let's ask these sorts of questions later. Firstly, we need to get out of here."
Viktor had knocked back another Death Eater before turning towards the two girls. His breaths were short and heavy as he unbuttoned the ends of his shirt and pulled off his tie from around his neck. Victoria reached out her bandaged covered hand of which he eyed carefully.
"Victoria."
"You are a friend of Hermione?" He speculated, running his fingers through his short black hair.
"Yeah, friend of Hermione's." He grabbed at her hand firmly, causing her to twitch at the pressure of her palm.
"Is she safe? Hermione?" Viktor asked, dropped his hand and scouting the area that began dying out around them. The fight seemed to be leading outside the tent now; while the inside continued to burn, and crumble.
"She's with Harry. I don't know where they went, but I'm sure they're safe…" She only hoped.
"Maybe you two can do introductions later?" Luna suggested, tapping her fingers along Victoria's shoulder as she looked up at a couple of Death Eaters apparating just before them.
"Luna, go clear the exit." Victoria said, rising her wand at the three Death Eaters who approached them slowly. Two of their wands were out, and the other seemed to have its hand hidden in its cloak.
Without much thought, she began flicking her wand so the tables and chairs levitated towards the Death Eaters, but they destroyed the wooden obstacles easily.
Viktor threw disarming charms, but they bounced off their shields and continued onward – their feet shuffling against the broken glass and burning silk cloths on the ground.
One of the Death Eaters, whose face was barely noticeable underneath his hood – raised his wand and sparks began flying from its tip. The two ducked down, trying to run from each blow that followed them closely.
Without looking back, they aimed their wands quite carelessly – coming up with any spell they can think of to get them off their trail; but they could tell they were missing. They could feel the hot sparks of the Death Eater's spells nearly miss the heels of their feet, or skim just past their ears.
As they continued running, they could hear the soft crackling of the beams from the tent give in from above them. Viktor raised his arm, and immediately Victoria grabbed onto it. Tightly holding on to him, he used all the strength he could muster up as they continued to weave in and out of their opponent's spells, to lift her up. Victoria jumped up on a table, her feet skipping along the cloth as she tried to avoid the glass from the fallen light fixtures on the ground.
For a split second, Victoria turned around, flicking her wand so the silk table cloths levitated in the air and masked the Death Eater's vision. But the cloth emitted in a burst of flames, ashes falling along their cloaks.
She started walking backwards, her feet careful to not fall off the edge of the tables, her wand producing Protego charms as Viktor created short bursts of flames from his. Yet it seemed like no use – and shortly then did she feel the heels of her feet slide off the end of the table and her body fall back in mid-air. With great relief, Viktor's hands were placed firmly on her waist; saving her from the fall.
"Thank you," She managed to say quickly, gaining her balance on his shoulder just before ducking down from a casted fire spell.
"V! Over here!" Luna yelled from one end of the tent. Her pale face was covered in black soot, and her hair was frizzing in all directions. She was working hard to push the furniture out of the way, and to extinguish the fire blocking the exits. "I don't know how much longer I can keep the fire down for!" She yelled, watching as the flames grew higher around them.
Victoria straightened herself back up, raising her wand so a table levitated before her. She pushed the object towards one of the Death Eaters, momentarily causing a distraction as she pointed her wand to one of the other tables, "Accio!" She grabbed onto a large glass bottle that would have been shared between the bride and groom; and swung the object so it smashed on top of the Death Eater's hood. The glass shattered and the figure fell unconscious.
She looked over at Viktor who had nearly missed a killing curse, and stunned a Death Eater in a cluster of chairs a few feet away from them. Her fingers twitching around her wand, and her adrenalin pulsing through her body – she stretched out her arm, pushing Viktor away and with greater concentration; nonverbally stunning the Death Eater behind Viktor; and knocking him back into the side of the tent, helping the canvas fall on top of him.
Viktor turned his neck to the girl, his eyebrows raised in awe. "Thank you."
Victoria nodded, taking in a deep breath and pushing her fallen bangs out of her face, "Looks like we're even then. Come on."
They rushed over towards Luna who looked utterly weary from holding back the flames for so long. She grabbed onto Luna's hand, pulling her through the exit and catching her weakened body for she nearly tripped on the way out. With an arm around her mate, she looked back at the tent that had now completely collapsed.
"We need to get her inside… or somewhere safe." Victoria said, noting Luna's weakened state.
"Is there anywhere really safe?" Viktor asked. The two looked around at the members of The Order fighting off the remaining Death Eaters – which thankfully wasn't as large in numbers than before.
"Here, please. Help her inside, I'll try to hold them off for you." She said, helping Luna's arm around Viktor's neck.
"Will you be okay?" He asked, uncertain if he should leave Victoria alone.
Victoria grinned up at the Bulgarian wizard, "I'll be just fine. I've got someone watching over me."
He looked at her momentarily confused, but of course – he didn't know much about her. They never knew much about each other really; except for the obvious fact that Viktor was a very good Quidditch player, and Hermione seemed to have been in a serious relationship with him at some point.
Viktor carried Luna over towards the Burrow, where it seemed most children and others had been going towards for safety as Death Eaters remained outdoors, looking for someone who began to be clear to them – wasn't here.
Victoria raised her wand, walking towards Remus who was battling off three Death Eaters himself. "Incarcerous!" She yelled, causing one of the Death Eaters to become bound with thick ropes.
Remus turned around, realizing the presence of his god-daughter.
"What are you doing?" He asked, using a protection charm that looked twice the size as the one's she conjured.
"Helping," She answered obviously, flicking her wand at the bounded Death Eater, "Impedimenta!"
Her god-father's eyes widened in surprise upon the incantation; watching as Victoria levitated the bounded Death Eater and knocking him back against the two others. Remus quickly finished them off, swirling the tip of his wand till he produced a large ball of fire that exploded in a large burst of flames where they laid – though Victoria swore she saw them disapparate.
Remus gazed at her, giving an approving nod as he cleared his throat and leveled his breaths, "That was… quite brilliant."
"Yeah?"
"I can't remember the last time you've fought like that." He said quite impressed.
She bit her lip, looking down at her torn up dress and her feet buried in the grass, "Me neither."
He walked up to her, pressing his hand on her back and hugging her tightly. She pulled back, looking up at his scarred face, and weary eyes.
"You can make great things happen from here," He said, placing his hand on top of her head so her hair was nearly covered her eyes. "Just remember where your purpose comes from," He said, poking a finger at her chest.
Suddenly, the Burrow began to grow quiet as the rest of the members of The Order finished off the Death Eaters – for they were out-numbered greatly.
The guests that had attended the wedding were either leaving, already left, or having their wounds mended by Tonks, Molly, or Bill.
Victoria had rushed inside to check on her friend, who left with her father – leaving Viktor seated on the couch beside Fleur and her younger sister. She hurried up the stairs, to Percy's old room and changed out of her ruined dress; to which she ended up just throwing away.
After packing her things, and bringing Harry's items along, she met up with Remus who believed it to be a good idea to go back to her house; thinking Harry would eventually show up considering he thought it to be a second home to him as well. After being apparated to the front steps of Grimmauld place, which was assured to be safe considering the protection spell that remained on the house, Remus returned to the Burrow to help the others of whom were injured – asking, as always, for Victoria to try and stay out of trouble for now.
She carried her bag and Harry's over her shoulder, ascending the stone steps to Grimmauld place and placing the key inside the lock. Upon hearing that loud clicking sound, she pushed open the door to be greeted by a completely darkened apartment.
She dropped the bags, closing the door behind her and walked towards the light switch and began flicking it on and off. The lights wouldn't come on…
She began walking down the hallway, to which her feet got caught on something and she tripped landing flatly on her stomach, her face pressed against the wooden floor. Then a red spark flying just over her head for she covered her hands above herself defensively.
Victoria grabbed her wand from her jacket, and with a single flick she caused her attacker to fly back into the wall by the kitchen entrance.
He groaned once his head slammed into the wall; the painting above him sliding off the nail so it was slightly askew.
Victoria pushed herself up as the kitchen door swung open and Harry and Hermione emerged from the entry.
"Ron?" Hermione looked at Ron whose face was now being illuminated by the light inside the kitchen. "What are you doing on the floor?"
"That's why," Harry laughed, nudging Hermione and looking down at Victoria.
"I think you've seen me trip enough times today…" Victoria said, picking herself up and rubbing her aching knees. "What the bloody hell were you doing?"
Hermione helped Ron stand up; he was rubbing his short red hair and putting his wand away in the pocket of his pants, "I erm… thought you were Snape."
"Snape? Why would he be inside my house?"
"It's still The Order's hide out," Hermione said, "Snape knows the location and he has access to it…"
It gave her chills knowing Snape could just walk in a place she calls home, and infiltrate the area that is also deemed as The Order's hide out…
"Well, I'm not Snape… and what happened to my lights?"
"Oh, right," Ron stuffed his hand in his pockets, pulling out his deluminator and releasing several balls of light that flickered back into the lamps that hung on the ceiling. "Sorry 'bout that."
"I'm not even gonna' ask…" Victoria was tired enough. She grabbed her bags, throwing Harry's as he caught it at his chest and began to walk upstairs, "We cleaned up a few guest rooms on the third floor… you're welcome to stay." Victoria yelled as she ascended the steps.
Once she reached her room, she swung open her door and dropped her bags – running over to her bed to fall back on her mattress. It felt good to relax – it felt good to be somewhere familiar. The Burrow wasn't necessarily unfamiliar, but it wasn't home; not to her. Besides, Grimmauld has grown on her since Sirius and her redecorated the place. Even the little butterflies Sirius horribly painted on the back of Victoria's door; thinking they were appropriate because she was a girl, and girls obviously loved butterflies. Well, so he thought, till she reminded him respectfully he was about 10 years too late for the butterfly stage.
She kicked off her shoes, and pulled her hair out of the destroyed up-do it was in for the wedding. Changing her clothes to a more comfortable set of sleepwear, she pulled out her chair and sat at her desk; taking out her newly used diary and opening it to the last page she had written.
July 08, entry on Dumbledore's murder.
She ran her fingers along the page, re-reading a memory she dreaded to experience. She looked at the last lines she hadn't finished, for Remus barged in on her... talking to herself, though writing to her parents. Asking the question, she didn't quite understand then, but surely knew the answer to now.
"You're not disappointed, are you?"
Why wouldn't they be? With the way she was acting… she wasn't being herself… more so, in shock of the reality that absorbed her. Voldemort had been something to read about – something to hear about; a rumour. Then he became something she could touch, or someone, that is. Someone she cried to, laughed to; someone she loved. Voldemort was Harry's reality, and Harry was hers. The true dangers of Voldemort and his followers became so real so fast; taking the life of the man she'd been searching for, for years.
"Sometimes I wonder, if this is how you two felt… had you ever wanted t-"
She grabbed her quill, placing it at the end of the last sentence she seized to finish. Of course, she already knew the answer to this…
"had you ever wanted to escape?"
She placed her quill beside her diary, rolling her eyes at her own words.
Ridiculous. Surely her parents wanted to escape – surely they didn't want to be a part of the war of their time… but they didn't run. And that was the difference between them and her. A difference she wanted to blur out.
She grabbed onto the piece of paper, tearing it from her diary and throwing it in the bin underneath her desk. She didn't need that reminder.
A light knock on the door caught her attention, and she turned around to see Harry emerge from the doorway.
She smiled broadly as he walked in, still wearing his outfit from the wedding.
"Did they find the guest rooms okay?"
Harry laughed, "Yeah. They stayed here before you had remember?"
"Right," Victoria closed the diary in front of her, shoving it back into her desk drawer, "It's just weird to think of this place as anything but home you know?"
"I get it," Harry said, shuffling over to her bed and taking a seat with his hands rested over his knees, "I thought of this place as my home too. You know, being able to come here and see Sirius and all…"
Victoria looked back down at her fingers, "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"So, I see you're alright." Harry noted, looking back up at her.
Victoria met his eyes, which gazed at her in an "I-told-you-so" sort of way – it creepily resembled Hermione's average look towards the group. "Could be better. My dress got destroyed and my shoes are being burned with the tent…"
"Did anybody get hurt?"
"A few. Nothing bad though. Last I saw Tonks, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley were healing others… Remus went back to help Mr. Weasley with the rest of them and to clean up… Viktor was actually a lot of help."
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Viktor Krum?"
"Yep," She jumped out of her chair, and lunged beside Harry; her feet dangling just off the edge of the mattress, "I can see why she fancied him."
"Is that so? Next are you going to tell me you fancy him?" Harry jested, "Because I don't know what it is, but apparently, Ron see's it in him too."
"Ron? Likes Viktor?" She raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
"Yeah as a Quidditch player… might've changed since fourth year though."
The corners of her lips turned up as she brushed her fingers along the bottom of his jaw, directing him closer to her as she slowly placed her lips passionately on his.
"There are plenty of people like Viktor out there," She said, pulling back and admiring the man held between her hands, "but there's only one you."
"Yeah, I think the entire wizarding world knows there's only one me by now, otherwise I would quit this job of trying to destroy Voldemort."
"Nah, I don't think you would." She said, pushing back on her bed and relaxing back on her pillows.
He turned towards her, "and why do you say that?"
Victoria placed a hand over her chest, and grabbed the Daily Prophet she threw on her bedside table before she left for Privet Drive; re-reading the headline's that she wished were more true now than before – knowing what the Ministry had become.
"Because from what I hear you're like your father… and if you're anything like your father, then I know you would've done the same as mine."
Harry looked at her fully amused, "Oh yeah? And what would that be?"
"Run right into the war zone. For the right reasons, of course. I know you would do anything for those you care about."
"Wouldn't you?" He asked, leaning over on his arm by her legs.
"Of course. It just took me too long to realize we can't run from those we're scared of. The only way to get rid of it is to face it head on, I suppose. I don't want to let my friends do that alone… Sirius wouldn't have." She threw the newspaper down beside her, covering her face with her hands as she muffled out a groan. "I can't believe what had come of me this past year."
Harry pulled her hands away, revealing her distressed features. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, Sirius broke out of Azkaban to avenge your father. He died trying to save our lives, and Remus and the others… they were all so willing to risk their lives to get you out of Surrey. What had I been doing? Trying to tell myself that there couldn't possibly be anymore danger for us. Feeling obligated to be a part of these plans, but dreading to actually do them. I felt the only way to keep you safe was to escape whatever you were sucked into… but where does that leave everybody else? I wanted things to be normal, the way they were before everybody started leaving me."
"We're all scared, Victoria." He admitted, moving up beside her as he put an arm around her, "Nobody wants to be a part of any of this. It's just the proper thing to do. And just because you made a few wrongs, doesn't mean you're exempt from what's right. Hermione didn't want to be a part of any of this either. She used to laugh at our ideas and call us idiots," He laughed whole-heartedly, "– and I'm sure she was just as scared as Ron and I were, but it doesn't matter because of the decisions she's made since then. Now, I don't know about making things normal again, but I know you can make things right."
Victoria pouted, leaning in closer so she was resting her head against his chest, "I've been terrible. I'm sorry."
"You haven't been terrible. You agreed to my last-minute plans with Draco while I was in the hospital wing. You fought to get me safely out of my uncle's... Victoria, your first real approach with a Death Eater was the same day you lost your father… that would rattle anybody up, even more so anybody else I think. Not to mention what happened with you at Diagon Alley. A lot of people seem to think they're ready, until they see the real thing. I think that's fair."
"Sirius sort of said the same thing, when I asked him to teach me the Cruciatus Curse."
"And did he?"
"No. He thought I was way over my head. Which I have to admit, I really was."
"Yeah," Harry ran his hand along her arm, "You really were."
Victoria looked up at him, slipping his spectacles down the bridge of his nose, "You're not supposed to agree with me."
He fixed his glasses straight on his face, "Oh come on, you go looking for trouble when you don't even know it. I bet if I knew you second year like I do now, the basilisk would've already been dead before I got there."
"I think I would've blamed it all on Malfoy, regardless." She laughed, remembering all the childish brawls they had in their years.
The two laid there in silence; Harry's fingers lightly running along her hair as she glued her eyes at the butterflies on her door. They could hear the slight bickering from the floor above them from Hermione and Ron, which was of no surprise – it was easy to drown them out now a-days. It was true what Harry had told her, granted she hated when he was right – because he always knew what to say; she didn't know how he always did that. But she had been through a lot, and at her age. Not everybody could handle these sort of tragedies as well as the other, so maybe she was just being too hard on herself. Granted, she always wanted to do what was right; she just had a hard time finding her medium.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked softly.
Victoria blinked at her door, then turned her head towards the window beside her bed. She liked the change in scenery. She was so used to the open country where she was from. In the mornings at the McKinnon's she would climb out of bed, draw her lengthy white curtains that gave a bit of transparency so the sun was already seeping in – slide open the door to her very small balcony and stand there barefooted, leaning against the railing as she watched the tall grass around the house sway all at once. Elise always wanted to cut it, but Victoria would argue. It was always a fun place for hide and seek with her friends. But at Sirius', it was an entirely different setting. Whenever she looked outside her window, she saw bright street lamps with one flickering every few minutes in the parking lot where Muggles were driving into every hour of the night. Children playing, or people her age loitering around the gate that separated the apartment complex to the busy street. She still hasn't gotten used to the car horns, that damn flickering light, or those teens yelling odd obscenities at 3 in the morning. But she wasn't thinking about much; mainly how good it felt to finally best those Death Eaters at that wedding. Whether she did any real damage or not, it felt good to see them run from her – someone they've targeted since they found the connection between her and Harry.
"I'm thinking… about how fucked up all of this has been." She laughed, sitting up from her position and facing Harry.
"You think?" He said, a grin forming on his lips as he sat up as well.
Victoria looked down at her fingers tugging at the fabric of her comforter, "Yeah," her lips fell flat, "don't you?"
Harry nodded, watching her fingers as well, "Yeah. Yeah I suppose I do."
Victoria felt a hand run across her face as Harry pulled her black hair behind her ears and held the side of her jaw, caressing her cheek. Her eyes slowly moved up to meet his watching her admirably. They didn't have to say anything, they both knew even though they were floating on their backs in the middle of the water, that not one of them were going anywhere.
Harry's lip twitched, and he leaned in; his lips rested softly on hers. She felt his warm minty breath and soft lips for only a second before he pulled them apart. It was so gentle, and it felt so innocent. She sat there, frozen underneath his fervid gaze.
She laughed lightly, flushing a light shade of rose.
"What? What's so funny?" He asked, dropping his hand from her face.
Victoria smiled, pressing her lips together. "Nothing, it's just…"
"What, tell me?" He prodded, resting his hands on her knees.
She drew in her bottom lip, "It's just, that uhm… that felt genuine."
He raised an eyebrow, "All my kisses are genuine."
She shook her head, "No, no. Not like that. It was… pure."
"Pure?"
Victoria rolled her eyes, placing her hand on the back of his head and leaning in to kiss him. He didn't ask any more questions. Instead he fell back onto her purple pillows, his hand wandering around her waist as she leaned over him, her legs on either side of him.
She pulled back, her hair draping around him as she looked down at him just inches away. She smiled at his dazed look, his hands stopping its movement that were making their way to her bra strap. Slowly, she leaned forward, placing her lips just as lightly from his lips down to his jaw. He watched her carefully as she relaxed herself on top of his torso, her head laying on his chest with her ear to his heart.
"Your heartbeat. It's fast." She pointed out, getting herself comfortable as if she could listen to it all night.
Harry moved his arms so they were wrapped around her, pulling the comforter over them.
"You know, my heartbeat went this fast too… that day you invited me to watch your quidditch game. We sat down underneath the warm sun, and I shared to you things I normally don't to people I'm just getting to know. Then I felt your hand touch mine. I was afraid to look at you. It's stupid I know, but I was afraid you would be able to tell… just by looking into my eyes. That you could tell I was nervous. Afraid. That I'd never felt that way about anyone else before." Her voice was light-weight; airy even. She looked up, her head still resting on his chest as his fingers pressed against her back; he hadn't moved a muscle. He laid there, his eye's staring off into the ceiling. "I think what made it so easy is, that you had never felt that way too."
Harry didn't speak; instead the two rested there, though more Victoria than him. It was becoming obvious what they were turning into, and it was scary. It felt like tight roping. One mistake and they would fall. Harry knew there was room for mistake; a lot of it, and it terrified him. But Victoria couldn't have known that; he was, of course, good at veiling his emotions. More so than Victoria. But what was the point to let her know, when she had already gone through enough hell trying to find her medium? She could tell though, that he would protect her. What she didn't know, was the lengths he would go to make sure that was true.
A/N: Thank you for your lovely support, and reviews. I always love to read them. (: Sorry it has taken me long to update a chapter. I don't want to write when i don't feel i am putting my best into a chapter.
I had also started writing a Marauder's Fanfic that will connect to this fic (Marlene x Sirius), i have already posted chapter 1 if you wanted to check it out. (:
I hope you guys are all having a lovely day! Stay happy and healthy!