Thank you again for the continued support and reviews, they always make me smile!!

Chapter 15 Chances

Harry stood for a moment holding Emily close and then whispered, "You can open your eyes now."

"Oh, I didn't feel a thing," Emily exclaimed, as she took in her surroundings.

Harry had opted to bring her to a small cottage he had built on a secluded Scottish Island. Dumbledore had suggested he buy the Isle a few years ago, saying that if Harry ever needed to blow of steam it would be safe for him here. Happy now that he had heeded the old mans advice; Harry led Emily up the garden path into his home.

"Where are we?" Emily asked.

"My holiday home, it's in the Outer Hebrides, a bit cold but very quiet."

"Wow, you can go that far?"

"Further, but I wanted to show this to you," Harry smiled as he opened the door and the lights flared to life.

The cottage was fairly small, a living room, kitchen, bathroom and one bedroom. All painted plain white with stone floors and little furniture. The kitchen was permanently stocked with food and Harry offered to make them something to eat. Emily refused and asked for a drink instead. They both settled on Hot Chocolate, which Harry conjured in an instant. Emily sank down on one of the chairs in the living room and Harry lit the fire.

"This is blowing my mind," Emily said quietly.

"I'm sorry; I can do things without magic if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, I guess I should get used to it, but I'm still half expecting some guy to spring out with a Camera and tell me it was all an elaborate hoax."

"Do you want it to be a hoax?"

"Sometimes," Emily replied. "I…uh…waited a long time before I …you know. And I guess it's just a bit overwhelming how much everything has changed."

"I wanted to ask you about that. You were a virgin, why change your mind because of me? You obviously decided not to before?"

"I always wanted to wait until I found the right man. Janice, my sister was pregnant with Sarah when she got married, and they didn't have an easy time to start with. They loved each other, but they were too young – do you know what I mean. I just didn't want to end up in that position."

"Then why change that, why didn't you stop me?"

"I trusted you, oddly enough," Emily replied. "I have always had this thing about reading people, I knew you had secrets from me, but I knew they weren't anything bad.

"Then why did you stop trusting me afterwards?" Harry asked perplexed.

"I thought I had made a mistake, I mean my mind was so confused, even if my heart wasn't," Emily finished with a whisper.

"I love you, Emily," Harry replied.

"I think I might love you too."

"Can I tell you about myself? I want you to know it all; it's a little more complicated."

"More secrets? You're not an alien are you?"

"Not quite," Harry smiled. "But I'm not your average wizard either."

"Average wizard?" Emily laughed, "Is there any such thing?"

Harry laughed with her and then slowly began to tell her the story of the boy who lived.

Emily was predictably horrified by his childhood spent in a cupboard and the distaste his Aunt and Uncle had for him, she apologized for making him relive that type of rejection. Harry told her about starting school and how he had been unaware of his celebrity status. He tried to gloss over much of it but Emily was perceptive and forced the truth out of him.

"So, should I be relieved that Hogwarts no longer exists? I mean it didn't sound too safe for a school," Emily asked quietly.

"For most people it was perfectly safe, I always seem to be the exception to every rule," Harry replied. He stood and stretched, looking out of the bare windows, Harry realised it was nearly dawn. They had been talking for hours and he still hadn't explained about his elemental abilities and somehow was afraid to even begin that story. "You must be exhausted," Harry said, "I didn't mean to talk for so long. Why don't you take a bath and I'll make us something to eat, then you can sleep for a few hours."

"I will take a bath and eat, but I don't feel much like sleeping – I enjoy talking to you." Emily smiled and allowed herself to be led to the bathroom.

Harry left her there and went into the kitchen to make some food. He settled on some scrambled eggs and toast and a pot of hot tea. Once he had cooked them, he placed them on the table with a warming charm over them and tidied away the cooking utensils.

"I could probably use your help in my kitchens," Emily smiled at him from the doorway. Harry smiled as he took in her slightly pink cheeks and damp hair. She had changed into a pale pink tracksuit and had white socks on without any shoes.

"You really are the most beautiful woman I know," He said quietly.

Emily blushed and sat in the chair Harry pulled out for her. They ate in silence for a while. Sitting back and refilling his tea cup, Harry let out a contented sigh.

The chance to sit and eat a meal in a nice relaxed atmosphere, with a beautiful companion was exactly what he wanted in his life. If only he could pause the moment, before he had to tell her the rest of his story, then he could pretend they were the same as any other couple – happy just to be together.

"You really are a wonderful cook," Emily smiled as she finished her food. "Where did you learn to cook?"

"Mostly Molly Weasley taught me, when I left school. Before, I could cook but the normal way – without magic."

"Molly Weasley? She's my dad's cousin isn't she?"

"Yes, she's like the mother I never had, my best friends Mum."

"She sounds like a special lady," Emily smiled at him.

"She wants to meet you – I told her all about you."

"Is she angry that I treated you so badly?"

"No, she made me think about it from your point of view actually." Harry smiled as he thought about it, "She wants you to feel comfortable around magical people, and says that spending time with her family will give you the opportunity to see that we are not too different from you."

"Dad remembers her, says that she was always getting up to mischief when she was younger."

"Having gotten to know her children, I can imagine that."

"Why did you say that you weren't like the average wizard?" Emily asked suddenly.

"Well, every few hundred years, a wizard is born with the ability to connect to the elements. Historically, their abilities manifest when they reach middle-age. But mine started to show when I was around sixteen."

"What does that mean for you?"

"It means that I can control the elements. Earth fire and water, you know. It unfortunately means that I have to be very careful about my emotions- because they can affect my abilities."

"Will your children have the same abilities?"

"No, it's not hereditary – no-one actually knows how it happens. Would you be afraid of it if it did?"

Emily looked down at her empty cup for a moment and then looked at Harry with a solemn expression. "What about magic, will your children automatically inherit that?"

"Most likely," Harry replied quietly. "Does that frighten you? If we got married, your children would be magical."

"It does frighten me….there is so much I can't even imagine." Emily looked away, "You could never live in my world really, could you?"

"If it were the only way to be with you, yes."

"But you would never be happy," Emily persisted.

"I just don't want to lose you Emily…I know I am rushing ahead of myself…but I have never felt like this with anyone before." Harry took her cup and put it on the table. Then he drew her up until she was standing in his arms. "I want to marry you, and have children with you, and grow old with you…and I don't know how I will live if you reject me."

"No pressure then…" Emily let out a hollow little laugh that made Harry smile.

"Not much…Did I tell you that I'm rich?" He tried to lighten the conversation.

"Did I tell you that I'm desperate for money? I'm losing my business." Emily tried to match his tone and failed.

"Why?" Harry frowned.

"The health and safety people failed it on their last visit. They said it is in need of renovations. But unfortunately I don't have enough capital to do them."

"I could help if you'd let me."

"I don't want your money, Harry."

"I know that, but I want you to be happy. Would you be if you lost you business?"

"Actually, I only started the business to save the house and let me keep Sarah," Emily replied. "I actually used to work as a retail consultant for a clothing company."

"Couldn't you do that?"

"Well I would have to put Sarah into day-care, something I wasn't ready to do so soon after she had lost her parents. And then there was the question of the strange things she made happen."

"I can help you with that, if you like," Harry replied. "There is a fairly new junior school in a place called Hogsmeade – children too young to go to Thistledown go there. I'm sure you could enrol Sarah – she would be with other magical children and there wouldn't be any need to hide her talents."

"Where is Hogsmeade?"

"It's in the north of Scotland, next to where Hogwarts used to be."

"I suppose I could sell the house and move to Scotland. I'm sure I could find work there."

"Or you could open a clothes shop in Hogsmeade – magical folk are notoriously bad at dressing as muggles. You would be doing the magical world a favour."

"And I would be able to live there? Among the magical people?" 

"Only muggles without connection to the magical world are kept from knowing about it," Harry replied. "Even without having a relationship with me, you would know about it because of Sarah."

Harry led Emily back out to sit on the sofa. He sat beside her and gently held her in his arms. "I could stay like this forever." He muttered quietly.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to listen to you," Emily replied. "I missed you."

Harry smiled and kissed the top of her head, "I missed you too."