Hey! I found this story in one of my files while sorting through thousands of unfinished work today, and thought you guys might enjoy it. I don't generally write H/G stories, so this is one of those weird once-in-a-lifetime things, but whatever. I believe this was written for one of those contests where you have to include several weird quotes, so if you see anything that doesn't seem quite right, it's not me: it's that contest! Anyway, this really is a one-shot that's been extended to two chapters, so deal wit it………and enjoy, of course!
Never Underestimate a Malfoy
It wasn't supposed to happen the way it did.
Harry James Potter sighed, his pale gaunt face scrunched up in emotional pain.
SHE wasn't supposed to die.
It had been 4 months since the final battle, when SHE had died.
SHE.
His love.
His one and only love.
Harry stood slowly, his bones creaking with the effort, and limped over to his musty window, no longer barred. His cousin was out in the garden, walking with his son on his feet. When he spied Harry's face, he waved eagerly, the child he was supporting tripping slightly.
"Harry! Come on down!"
The tall man bent down, hoisting his giggling son up on his shoulders, and waited for Harry's answer.
He was supposed to have a son…or daughter by now. He was supposed to have a girlfriend.
All of them…gone.
Harry didn't bother pasting a fake smile on his face as he shook his head and retreated back into the shadows of his room. It had been months since he had been outside; the last time he had seen the sun was when he had collapsed in front of Number 4, Privet Drive the day when Godric's Hollow had been blown to shreds.
He, however, did not miss his cousin's pained face as he stared up at the now empty window, no longer paying attention to the young one on his arm, until the tyke let out a scream of rage, and his father shook out of the trance.
Harry leaned back on his bed, his forehead buried in right hand, his fingertips pulling restlessly at his shaggy black hair. He still couldn't forgive himself for what had happened that Halloween. He had let down his guard, the one day it was the most crucial.
The room he occupied had not changed much since his Hogwarts days; the owl poster still hung on his door, his trunk still lay unopened by the foot of his bed. The trunk held things Harry didn't want to see; pictures on Ron and Hermione, HER vanilla scent on the watch she had bought him for his 7th year Christmas, Mrs. Weasley's jumpers, his wand, spell books, cauldron..……….
"Harry?"
He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts that had been clouding his vision.
"Yeah?" he croaked. His vocal cords weren't used often, and talking took quite an effort.
"Can I come in?"
His aunt Petunia didn't wait for an answer, pushing the door open with her foot, her arms occupied with the task of holding a tray of food. She twirled around, the door clicking shut behind her and bustled over to the window, setting the tray down on his desk and throwing the windows open.
"You don't need to….." he protested softly, but she shushed him with a wave of her hand.
"For lord sake's Harry, I made you live in a cupboard for half of your life. This is the least I can do."
She pulled the sheets off his bed, pushing him onto the wooden chair in front of the desk.
"It wasn't your fault….." he whispered his head hung low.
"Nonsense! I could have done something to prevent it! Now, we have this conversation every time I come up here, and I always win. What makes you think that this time will be different?" she scolded, slapping him lightly on the back of his head.
"Now," Petunia gestured at the bowl of chicken noodle soup. "Eat!"
He took hold of the spoon awkwardly then glanced at the trashcan, weighing his chances.
"No chance! I'm watching you!"
Harry winced, while his aunt pulled up a chair next to him, immediately pulling out a pair of knitting needles; another pair of socks….so much like Hermione's…….
With a grunt, he shook his head furiously, ridding his mind of the thought. Thinking about Hermione, Ron, or any of the other Weasley's was un-allowed, as far as Harry was concerned. For a fleeting moment though, he wondered how Hermione's knitting was now…….
"Harryyyyy……" his aunt hissed fiercely.
He hurriedly picked up the fork and shoved a noodle in his mouth, his eyes downcast.
It was several moments before his aunt exclaimed, "Oh, I almost forgot! My custard!"
With a swish of skirts, Ms. Evans ran from the room, Harry staring after her with satisfaction. He grabbed the bowl in front of him and dumped its contents in the trash, ignoring the moan of protest from his empty stomach. Then, with a sigh, he fell back on his bed and resumed his nap.
'HARRY!'
Harry woke with a start, the last moments of his girlfriend's life still flashing before his eyes. His jaw quivered for a second before he snapped it shut, his eyes hardening. He didn't want to think about that……
"Are those my knickers you're trying to hide? Because, darling, you needn't go through
my drawers to get my knickers……"
A female voice floated into Harry's room; Morag, Dudley's wife.
For one second, a ball of rage swarmed his chest.
How dare they do it here! Don't they know how much Harry misses HER?
In a moment, he dismissed the thoughts. It wasn't their fault; he shouldn't be living here anyway. After all, what else are they to do during the first few minutes of Valentine's Day?
But, whatever the day, whatever the reason, Harry couldn't stand to be around the house while they giggled and growled in the other room.
Slowly, he swung his feet to the ground, over to the window, and down the trellis. It was a familiar walk to the park, and he shivered slightly as the wind blew past. He took this walk every night; a habit he had developed after SHE died.
For a moment, he stopped in front of the tree where she and he had had their first kiss, and where he'd carved the words:
"GW
And
HP
4
Ever"
He quietly walked to the other side of the tree, staring hard at the words he'd later carved:
"Marry me?"
He had had it so perfectly planned. The dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, chocolate ice cream (Ginny's favorite) at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, (he had been found in an abandoned hut on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, and within several days had been back in his shop), the walk around Godric's Hollow. Then, he'd bring her back here, in front of this very tree, and propose.
It never happened.
Oh yes, they'd had the dinner and ice cream, but it was at his parent's death place that things went wrong. They had been touring the house he had rebuilt, when…………
On instinct, Harry grabbed the ring box he still carried, banishing the thoughts of what had happened next. Wincing, he leaned up against the tree, holding the box up to the light of one of the street lamps near by. The ring he had bought her was simple, but very elegant.
Just like her….
It was a silver band, with two small diamonds on either side of a larger, glittering emerald.
Slowly, the image of her on that night appeared in front of him.
"Will you marry me?" The question he never got to ask.
Harry groaned, holding his head in his hands, to exhausted to cry or think about his lost love.
A scuffle came from in front of him, where a young child was hiding under a bush.
"Hallo!"
Harry shook his head, looking at the tousled black haired child who was scooting out from the undergrowth.
Squinting at her, he asked, "What are you doing out so late?"
"Same to you, sir!"
Harry rolled his eyes, sitting on the damp ground.
"Well, I happen to be nineteen. You, on the other hand, appear to be at most, 5. So, I ask you again, what are you doing out so late?"
She scooted towards him, her brown glaring at him.
"Sir, I'm much, much, much older than that! Wotcher Harry…."
With a crack, the girl was replaced with a woman.
"I should've known it would be you." Harry said crossly, though an itch of a smile was tickling the corner of his mouth, and stood up to greet the woman.
"Really? I guess the great Tonks will have to work a little bit harder on her disguise."
Tonks bounded to her feet, ignoring Harry's hand, and crushing him into a bear hug.
"'Tis my favorite Harry Potter!"
Harry groaned.
"First of all, Tonks, your toddler voice really stinks. Secondly, you're killing my ribs."
With a squeak, Tonks leapt off him, her hair spiked pink, her large stomach almost falling out of the t-shirt she was wearing.
"How've ya been, kid? I haven't seen you for, what, a month?"
Harry nodded.
"I've been fine……"
Tonk's expression fell.
"Yeah………right!…….But that's why I'm here!"
Harry rubbed his forehead, watching her carefully. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate everyone's efforts to make him feel better, but he was growing tired of everyone walking on eggs around him. That was why he was so close to Tonks; she didn't waste anytime getting straight to the point.
"Don't tell me you're here to cheer me up."
Tonk's bounded back to her feet.
"Better yet!"
With a pop, a "Posh Pregnant Tonks" was standing in the pregnant punk rocker's place, a long scroll held up to her eyes.
"'Dear Mr. Harry Potter', that's you." She said in a stately voice. "On the 14th of the month of February, Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry is holding a class reunion Valentine's Day Hogsmeade Trip.' I," she puffed out her chest. "Am here to escort you to Hogwarts!"
Harry stared blankly at her.
"Now?" he asked stupidly, glancing at the watchtower they had recently installed nearby.
"It's one thirty in the bloody morning!"
She through back her head, laughing, her appearance changing with a zap into a woman with blue eyes and long wavy brown hair; a female replica of her husband.
"Yes, now! Well, not really. Right now you are supposed to come back to Remus' and my place!"
Harry shrugged.
"Alright. Just let me write a note to Petunia."
"I did it already." She replied hastily, grabbing onto his hand.
"Come on! I need to get back to Remus!"
As she realized she'd spoken aloud, Tonks' cheeks bloomed pink. Never the less, she grabbed Harry's arm and apparated them out of Privet Drive.
So, first chappie is up! What did you think? Like it? Love it? Want to murder it while it's sleeping? Please, review! I want to here all about it!