Chapter 6: Turmoil & Preparations
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, startling Ron from his thoughts. They were both on the settee, Hermione's stocking feet curled comfortably under his legs as he went through the daily post. Ron knew she wasn't feeling as lazy as she'd claimed; he understood that she just liked the way his body heat warmed her always cold toes. Hermione continued staring at him with a question on her face, and Ron realized he must have been chuckling aloud for a while.
"Oh, Ginny's just…in one of her storytelling moods."
Hermione smiled in understanding, and then her eyes drifted back down to her book, and Ron turned back to his sister's letter, smirking with affection. He loved Ginny's letters, he always had. And this one was particularly amusing.
Ron stood, which caused Hermione to pout. But momentarily, he waved his wand at her feet, and she sighed in appreciation as his warming spell took effect.
"I'm going to floo Harry and Ginny, all right?"
"Tell them I said hello, and that'll I see Ginny on Monday morning."
Hermione waved her hand at him and didn't question why he wanted to use the floo in the bedroom instead of the one right next to her. Which was fine by Ron for this specific conversation.
A few moments later, Ron was looking at his sister, who was holding a cat, of all things.
"Where'd you get that?"
"Harry found her. And she's not a that; we call her Ro-sheen. She's completely taken over our lives, Ron. Say hello to uncle Ronnie, Rosheen."
Ron snorted. Leave it to Harry and Ginny to be adopted by a street cat. The kitten stared back at Ron as though suspicious of his entire existence, reminding him immediately of Crookshanks.
"She a kneazle?"
Ginny nodded and moved out of sight for a moment, apparently handing the kitten off to Harry. She reappeared a few moments later and turned her attention back to Ron.
"Now, what do you need, oh, brother of mine?"
"Who says I need something? I could have flooed to just say hello, you know."
Ginny didn't say anything but gave him a look that Ron knew well. Ironically, Hermione had a look that was almost exactly like it. Deciding to just go for it, Ron held up the parchment still in his hand.
"I got your letter."
Realization dawned on his sister's face, and she gave him a knowing look. "Wanted my advice, eh? Some of my feminine wisdom?"
"Maybe."
Ginny chuckled. "What have you looked at so far then?"
"Er, nothing much. I wanted to work a few more weeks and have a bit more dosh saved. She deserves something brilliant."
Ginny nodded her head in agreement. "Make sure you find something that moves you."
"Moves me?"
"You know, when you see it, you'll just…know. It'll say Hermione to you, and it'll represent your future, and your past and everything else will just fade away as you're looking at it."
Ron raised his eyebrow at his sister. "I want a normal ring, Ginny."
"Then buy one, Ron!"
"Yeah, but what you just described sounds even more magical than…well, regular magic. How can one ring represent all that?"
Ginny made a hrumpf sort of sound and studied him. "Take mum with you, why don't you? First of all, she'll love it. And second, she'll give you the female point of view and keep you on budget."
"I had thought of that myself, you know," Ron protested, but he knew she had a point. "I just…I just didn't want mum to pick out something too…old-fashioned, you know?"
"You could tell her that," Ginny said, smirking at him through the flames.
"Oh sure, because mum usually listens to what we say."
"She might surprise you, Ron. And anyway, if you don't like what she points out, just don't buy it."
"Glad we had this talk, sis," Ron said dryly. "So helpful." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"You just needed to hear me say what you were thinking, and you know it. How is everything else? Harry didn't tell me much. How's the new flat? Still in love with it?"
They chatted for a bit longer, with Harry joining in towards the end, the kitten nowhere to be seen. Then Ron flooed off, knowing he needed to get dinner started. He missed Harry and Ginny, he realized. Well, he'd known he'd missed Harry, but it surprised Ron how just talking to Ginny for a few moments had settled his nerves. Sometimes, no one knew you like family.
o-o-o-o-o
A few days later, a box arrived for them, and Harry was unsurprised to see Solace's neat scrawl across the front. Ginny looked at him expectantly after he'd enlarged it with his wand on one of the library's long tables.
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, getting out of her chair.
"Either that or he's sent us whiskey to drown our sorrows in."
"Well, that box is almost big enough for a whole distillery then."
Harry pulled the flap open and looked inside. Sparkling up at him was a formidable piece of Waystone. It wasn't the red of Ginny's necklace or ring but a dark, almost onyx-black sort of color. He glanced at Ginny, a smile already spreading across his face.
"He did it."
Ginny looked on the other side and reached in. "There's a note."
Harry opened the note as Ginny started rubbing her hand over the Waystone; Harry could tell she was impressed.
Harry (and Ginny)-
As you requested. It was the largest amount of Waystone they had. I contacted the shop owner in Hogsmeade, and they were able to put me into contact with one of their suppliers. It is not the same piece from which your necklace and ring were made, but it is from the same mine in Romania. It is also roughly the same age as the piece that the jewelry was made out of. Apparently, it is a long process to remove the lodestone from the earth. And then to find the useable bits of Waystone within it for jewelry pieces can be quite exhaustive. I hope this aids you in your…enterprise.
Wishing you much luck in the endeavor, for obvious reasons-
Solace
"How much do you think this cost?" Ginny wondered as she rested her hand on the stone. Harry felt compelled to rest his hand on top of hers. They both felt the same spark in reaction, and there was a soft hum through the room.
A moment later, Garret appeared from one of the aisles, an odd expression on his face.
"What is it?" he asked. He stopped just short of the table as though afraid to come too close.
"A gift from Brogan's father," Ginny said, removing her hand from under Harry's. The humming noise stopped, and Harry noticed she wiped her hand down the front of her shirt.
"It's…potent," Garrett said, still staring at the box. Harry realized the other man looked a bit peaky.
"It's a big crag of Waystone," Ginny said, nodding at Harry. He quickly closed the flap, and Garret shook his head as though coming out of a trance. He blinked at Harry and Ginny.
"Take special care of that," Garrett finally said, grimacing. He turned abruptly and left them.
Ginny frowned after the other man, and Harry shook his head. He shrunk the box down again to get it back to their room and sat down at the table.
"That was an…interesting reaction," he finally said.
Ginny still looked concerned about Garrett, but she joined him at the table. "I suppose it affects his…sensitivities."
Harry raised his eyebrow. "What would those be?"
"I'm not sure. But Garret is…he's…oh, I don't know. He's never really talked to me about how he knows things before they happen, and I've never asked, to be honest. I just assumed he was more attuned to a sensory type of magic."
"Well, I, for one, say thank God for magic. I don't want to think about us lugging this thing to Lough Gur the size that it is," Harry said.
Ginny nodded absentmindedly, and Harry waited for her to tell him what was on her mind. She finally met his gaze, and a determined look came over her.
"We have to have a serious talk, love," she said, looking a bit apprehensive. Harry had a feeling he already knew what this was about.
When he had performed the spell to visit Brogan a few nights ago, he and the other man had had a similar discussion. Harry was actually amused that both his lovers thought he wasn't taking things seriously enough or, no, they both thought he wasn't preparing himself for what they believed would soon be disappointment.
Harry knew he had spent most of his life learning to expect the worst. But now, for one of the first times in his life, he was expecting the opposite. He didn't just think they would get Brogan back – he knew. As sure as he knew he loved them both and as sure as he knew he was Harry James Potter, son of Lily and James. He knew Ginny, much like Brogan, wanted to prepare him for failure – somehow assuming he would be utterly wrecked if their attempt didn't pan out the way they wanted. And he reckoned he could understand that, to a certain point. But as he had told Brogan in the dream-state, he was not a quivering, sensitive mess about to die of heartbreak. He was strong, and, quite frankly, he felt righteous in what they were doing. Brogan deserved to come back to them just as much as they deserved to have him back. It was a certainty within Harry that he could no longer ignore.
He reached out for Ginny's hand, squeezing it gently. "It's okay. We don't have to have the talk, and I know what to expect. You don't have to try to prepare me, Ginny."
She frowned and then gave him a thoughtful look. "You and Brogan already discussed this, didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "We did. And I find it amusing that the both of you are so convinced we're going to fail."
"I'm not convinced," Ginny protested. "I just want us to be…prepared for it. If it happens. I don't want us to keep trying and trying until this just becomes our life, Harry. Can you understand that?"
"I do. I really do get that, Gin. And he's afraid of that too, by the way. But the pair of you have to understand this – we are not going to fail. I just…know it. I wish I could let both of you in on this feeling of mine, but I can't. So the two of you have to trust me."
"It's not a question of trust, love, it's…I just don't want your heart to be broken."
Harry sighed and looked down at their hands, joined together. They were so strong together. Whether it was just the two of them or the three of them. He had a sense that both Ginny and Brogan had forgotten that, somehow.
"My heart is not going to be broken, Gin. I promise. It is made of stronger stuff than that."
"I know, Harry," Ginny finally said, giving him a small smile. She shook her head.
"You've changed a bit. You realize that, right? Old Harry would have become shifty or got angry or brooded. Or something."
"Well, old me was a bit of a git. And…this…" Harry held up his arm so she could see the bracelet. "This gives me strength. I feel him more, you know? I didn't recognize what it was before, but there is a sensation that is you and us together, and then…there's Brogan. And this bracelet wants him back. Because it knows he is supposed to be here. I can't explain it any other way. That's why I have confidence about the whole thing. Well, that, plus I know how brilliant you are. Don't lose faith in yourself."
Ginny rested her head on her hand, giving him a half-frustrated look. "There's no talking to you about this, is there?"
"Nope."
"All right, fine. Be positive. Think of everything working out just so. See where that gets you, Potter."
He chuckled because he knew she was laughing with him and not at him. He leaned forward and kissed her.
"Hopefully, it soon gets me into some very favorable and compromising positions with two of my favorite people."
Ginny snorted and then laughed, shaking her head. "You're always thinking with the wrong body part, Harry."
"I am not. Well, not much."
"Brilliant," Ginny said, sighing.
"I know," Harry said, winking at her. "Now come on, let's get back to work."
"What was I doing before you came in with the post?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Um, reading? I mean, this is a library."
"Here," she said with a laugh. She shoved a thin, worn-looking book towards him. "It's about the walls between worlds being more accessible on the Solstice. See if you can grasp what they're on about. I only understood about half of it."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Harry smirked at her as he flipped open the book and started to read. His bracelet warmed against his wrist as though to reassure him. No, it wouldn't be much longer now. And then the three of them would be together as they should be. As they were meant to be.
o-o-o-o-o
The evening before they were supposed to leave for The Wayfaring Stranger and Lough Gur, Hermione stayed later than usual. The other woman seemed nervous and rather fretful about something, but of course, because she was Hermione, she didn't come out and explain herself to them – she merely made them go over their checklist so many times that Ginny was starting to see red. Harry had already scarpered and gone for a walk around the property with the builders (they were leaving soon, the Abbey was almost wholly re-built).
Having Hermione around meant Ginny didn't have to do all the packing and shrinking of their supplies by herself. The other witch was quite brilliant at getting things to fit into small spaces and far better than Ginny herself was and definitely better at it than Harry.
"Oh, don't forget the fresh feverfew. They say it's better for that particular potion than the dried sloth brain it calls for. Ask Kath about it, if you don't believe me-"
"Hermione," Ginny said, putting her hand on the other's woman's arm. "Sit down and take a deep breath. We've gone over the ingredients and our packing about fifty times. Tell me, what is going on with you? This all can't be because Harry and I are attempting to open a possible world-ending portal and risk our life and limb to bring our lover back, can it? Because if it is, Brogan would be touched."
Ginny tried to keep her humor to herself, but Hermione grunted at her, clearly not amused. Hermione frowned at the packing they'd just done as though she were considering starting again, from the beginning. Ginny didn't think she'd ever seen the other witch in quite this anxiety-ridden state before.
"Hermione? What's wrong? You've been in a state your whole visit, practically. Is it something about Hogwarts or Ron…?"
"It's fine," Hermione sniffed, sounding as though she was anything but. "We're fine, and we're just…oh!"
A moment later, the other woman's face crumpled, and she buried her face into her hands. Ginny felt alarmed.
"What on earth is the matter?" Ginny asked. Hermione blinked at her through her fingers, brown eyes full of worry.
"I think Ron is going to break up with me!"
Ginny blinked at her friend. Of all the things she'd been expecting the other woman to say, that had so not been it. She immediately pulled her friend to the sofa and forced her to sit down. Roisin wandered into the room just then as though sensing the turmoil and meowed at Ginny, so she picked up the kitten put her in her lap.
"What makes you say that? Ron's crazy about you!"
"He's been so secretive, Ginny! And working nonstop at the shop. I haven't seen him except for a brief, chaste kiss in the morning and sometimes not even that! And the other day I suggested we buy a new desk for the flat, so that we both could have one, and he told me that he didn't want to spend any extra money right now! We have enough money for a desk, Ginny! So he wants to move out. I just know it!"
Ginny sighed inwardly and petted Roisin as she watched Hermione. She eventually put her arm around the other woman, patting her on the back. Roisin meowed and reached for Hermione, too, as though she also wanted to comfort the other woman. Ginny knew the best way to handle an emotional Hermione was to let her emotions run their course, and then once they did, one only had to appeal to Hermione's sense of logic. Remembering she still had Brogan's handkerchief (not from the dream, but from before at Dumbledore's Library), she handed Roisin to Hermione to hold and went into the bedroom. She had it in a small drawer next to the bed where she kept a few other items of Brogan's – namely his music player, the handkerchief, and the letter he'd written them. It made her feel closer to him, in a way.
Ginny was pretty sure Harry didn't know about her little memento drawer, and she was unsure why she hadn't mentioned it to him. Perhaps, because a part of her felt silly. But another part of her had thought that Harry had been onto something about them needing more photographs of the people they loved. It was nice to have a physical manifestation of their memories.
She sat back down and handed the cloth to Hermione, pursing her lips. Hermione was hiccuping more and crying less, so Ginny knew they were almost through the rough patch. Roisin must have agreed because she jumped down from Hermione's lap and stalked off.
"Thank you," Hermione sniffed, blowing her nose. Ginny waited for a beat and then patted the other woman on the back again.
"Now, did you or did you not tell me that Ron was eager to work a bit more because he wanted you two to get away for a mini-holiday before the new term?"
Hermione sniffed and nodded her head.
"And did you also mention that Ron has been very frugal lately, and you've been super proud of him?"
Hermione gave her a hopeful look. "So…he doesn't want to leave me? He would have told you, right? If he did? I mean, he flooed you the other night from the bedroom, which I didn't question at the time, but a part of me is now wondering if he was telling you about how he wanted to break it off with me."
Ginny closed her eyes briefly and then reopened them, forcing herself to remain calm. "Hermione, give Ron some credit. Firstly, he adores you, and you know it. Secondly, you two just moved in together! That's huge for Ron! Thirdly, I …" Ginny paused when she saw the other woman's eyes starting to fill with tears again. "Oh, hell's bells, Hermione, he loves you. He wants to propose to you, silly!"
Ginny felt terrible for letting the secret out and knew that Ron was probably going to murder her. But the change in Hermione was instantaneous. She stopped sniffling, her eyes grew wide, and she looked, for a moment, as though she had seen a ghost for the first time or received a T on something. Ginny winced as Hermione gripped her arm, the other woman's nails digging in.
"What?" Hermione asked, her voice sounding funny.
"Oh, bloody hell, Ron is going to kill me, but yes. You heard correctly. He confided in Harry and then me just last week."
When Hermione didn't say anything and just stared off into the distance, Ginny was momentarily worried that her words had caused her friend to have some sort of emotional break. Maybe Hermione didn't want to marry her brother? Ginny immediately scoffed at the thought. Of course, she did. Didn't she?
"Hermione?" Ginny finally asked when the other woman continued to stare at nothing.
Hermione blinked at her as though just remembering Ginny was there. "I need to talk to Harry."
"What? Why?" Ginny asked, feeling confused.
The other woman stood up, and Ginny watched as she quickly sent off her Patronus to find Harry. She looked at Ginny, frowning.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Ginny. But…I need to not talk about this with a member of Ron's family."
"Okay…" Ginny said, not sure what was going on. A moment later, Harry's stag burst into the room, telling Hermione he'd meet her at the front of the Abbey.
Hermione nodded and turned to leave, and Ginny stood, reaching for her friend. "Hermione, just tell me this…you do want to marry Ron, don't you?"
"I…oh, I don't know. Please, let me just talk to Harry first!"
Ginny sat back down as Hermione left, her bushy hair crackling with emotional energy. What on earth had just happened, and what had she inadvertently done?
o-o-o-o-o
Harry got an odd feeling from his bracelet and frowned, wondering why Ginny felt so upset and then saw Hermione approaching him a moment later. He blinked at his friend as though that would help clear up his confusion. Even from this distance, she looked emotional and overwrought, and Harry had a bad feeling in his stomach. He said goodbye to the builders, making sure he had their contact information one last time. They would be gone by the time he and Ginny returned from Lough Gur, and Harry didn't want to lose touch with the few he'd become close with. The men had just continued on their walk as Hermione reached him. He could tell she'd been crying.
"What's wrong?" he asked immediately.
"Can we sit down somewhere? Private?" Hermione asked, her eyes imploring him.
"Come on, there is a bench behind the cloisters." Harry didn't add that the bench had been his idea when they'd rebuilt that side of the building. Nor did he mention that he had designed the bench himself for all intents and purposes, and Ginny didn't even know about it yet.
Hermione sat down, sniffing. Harry gave her a moment and looked out across the backyard of the Abbey grounds. He had chosen this spot for his bench because it had the best view – you could just make out the river and trees down near the edge of the property. The view was utterly unobstructed, and there were just miles and miles of sky, which today was pale blue with white puffy clouds.
"This is a nice spot," Hermione said after a while. "A person could do a lot of thinking here. It reminds me of a favorite spot of mine at Hogwarts, although I must say this bench is far more comfortable."
Harry hid his grin and finally joined her. "Are you okay?"
Hermione glanced at him and then looked away. "Ginny may have let it slip about Ron's…intentions. Towards me."
"Oh."
She cracked an eyebrow at him. "Oh? Really, Harry?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, Ron wanted it to be a surprise-"
"That's all you have to say?" Hermione sounded incredulous.
Harry frowned at her. "Erm, sorry she ruined it?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "What exactly is going on, Hermione?"
Hermione sighed and muttered something that sounded remarkably like the word "boys." Harry, for his part, kept any and all replies to that reaction to himself. He tapped his fingers on his legs, not sure what he was missing, exactly.
"When Ron told you, what did he say, exactly?" Hermione finally asked, shaking her head. Her hair crackled with energy.
"He, erm, said he wanted to ask you before term starts up. So you can be bonded before you're separated, I reckon. But I don't understand-"
"He said that? About being separated?"
Harry considered it. "No, actually, he didn't. But I just assumed that's what he meant."
"Hmm."
When she didn't say anything else, Harry wondered what could have got her so worked up. Was it wrong that Ron wanted them to be joined before the school year? Did she think he was just doing it to stake his claim? Shouldn't Hermione know her boyfriend better than that? Hadn't the two of them even discussed getting married? Harry realized with a start that he didn't even know if they had. Maybe Hermione wasn't as serious as Ron was. But no, that didn't feel right to Harry. He glanced at his best friend and tentatively touched her arm.
"Tell me," he said simply.
Hermione sighed as though feeling put upon, and then he saw her shoulders slump. Her eyes looked watery again, but she didn't appear to be ready to cry. At least, not yet. Harry hoped it could stay that way. A crying Hermione was one of his least favorite things.
"He's asking me out of obligation, isn't he? It's okay, I mean, we've been going out for two years now, almost, and he probably feels trapped."
Disbelief must have shown on his face because Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's okay, Harry if it's true."
"Not to quote the person we're talking about here, but, Hermione, are you mental?"
Hermione sniffed loudly and gave Harry a long-suffering look. "Why else would he want to do it before I'm at school for the next six months? He's just doing it because he feels as though he ought to, Harry."
"Why does it matter why he's asking? And I am not saying that is why he's doing it, either, do not put those words in my mouth. But it seems like you're getting upset over something that's…well, trivial."
"Harry!" Hermione's eyes flashed violently at his, and he immediately scooted away from her without thinking.
"It matters because no woman wants to be thought of as an obligation! I want him to ask me because he loves me and can't think of his life without me, not because he's worried I'll meet some other bloke at school without him around!"
Harry could only stare at Hermione, and he stared at her so long that she apparently got annoyed and made a face at him.
"Fine. You don't get it. I suppose I should have talked to Ginny about this instead." Hermione stood up, and without really thinking about it, Harry roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. She landed a bit hard on the bench and blinked at him in surprise.
"I need you to listen, and I need you to use that considerable brain of yours to actually hear what I'm saying," Harry said, voice firm. "Ron loves you. I'm not sure why you think he doesn't or why he's doing this out of obligation, but you have sincerely lost the plot here, Hermione. He wants to marry you because he can't imagine living his life without you, and no, he didn't say that to me, but why would he? This is between the two of you. You have always underestimated him, you know. That's why it took you two so long to get together. Well, also, you're both stubborn as Hippogriffs, but my point is still valid. I know him, and I know you, and you two are…I swear you two have been married since our first bloody year."
Harry paused and took a deep breath. He gave her what he hoped was a no-nonsense look.
"You're always yelling at Ron to be more mature about things, so take your own advice here. If you have doubts, you talk about it with him. You don't come to Ginny and me and expect us to confirm or deny what you think. That's bollocks. And it's unfair to Ron. Only Ron can tell you what he's thinking. I'm fairly sure Ginny told you he's mad about you, yes?"
Hermione nodded her head slowly.
"He is. But if you still can't understand that and know that in your heart, then perhaps you're right, and you shouldn't get bonded yet. Because you two clearly need to work on your communication skills. You're lucky you're not my girl, to be honest, because if I knew you lacked such conviction about our relationship, I'd break up with you on the spot."
Harry didn't mean to say the last part, but it was out before he could think it through. But maybe it was what she needed to hear; she was acting ridiculous. And quite frankly, Harry felt insulted on Ron's behalf.
An awkward silence descended then, and Harry kept his eyes on the trees in the distance. He felt upset, but he also knew that no matter what he, Ginny, or even Ron said to Hermione, they could do nothing to convince her if she didn't believe Ron really loved her. She had to make the leap herself, and she had to trust the man she loved. Harry wondered when he'd become such an expert on the human heart and couldn't help but think of Brogan. And then of Ginny. They'd both taught him so much without even realizing it.
"I'm sorry."
Harry glanced at his friend. "For what, exactly? If you're apologizing to me for dumping this on us, you can, quite frankly, Hermione, stuff it. But, if you're apologizing for doubting Ron, then that is his absolution to grant, not mine."
"Harry, you're so…" Hermione frowned at him. "You're so bloody grown up all of a sudden."
Harry couldn't help it; he snorted, and then he laughed. Hearing Hermione even lightly swear seemed to have that effect on him. Hermione stared at him as though she didn't know who he was for a moment, and then she, too, started laughing. When they finally stopped, she wiped at her eyes.
"God, I'm such a dunce," she said. "Of course, he loves me. And I love him. You were exactly right to tell me off. But I don't want to get married for the wrong reasons! Marriage is hard enough. I just…I just want to know I'm not a burden. That I'm not…I'm not an afterthought to him. Is that so wrong?"
Harry placed his hand over hers. "Ron has never thought you were any of those things, and you know it. At least, I hope you know it somewhere in there, or we have bigger issues. Talk to him, Hermione. Just tell him everything you're scared of and tell him everything you're worried about. Let him tell you in his own words. You owe him that."
"You're right." She said it begrudgingly and wiped at her eyes again. She cast a sideways glance at him that was full of curiosity and then, finally, approval. "You really let me have it just then, you know."
"Well, you were being an idiot. I'd expect nothing less from you if I was being an idiot. I hope you know that. And there's a reason you came to me to talk."
Hermione nodded. "I told Ginny I didn't want to talk to one of his family members, which was unfair to her. But…I needed to hear some harsh truths about myself, I suppose. You always come through for me, Harry. Thanks ever so."
Harry smiled, feeling his anxiety leave him. "What are best mates for?"
Hermione gave him a weak smile and then sighed."Oh, I don't know what my problem is, to be honest. I seem to be extra emotional these last few days."
Hermione frowned but looked more like her usual self to Harry.
"Anything else bothering you? How is it going at Hogwarts? I'm asking for real this time, not just to wind you up."
"The work at the school is…well, Professor McGonagall is still having a hard time getting a new Potions teacher, since Professor Snape can't work yet. Although, I heard he's doing better. The real problem is Daphne. She's been fighting me on the changes I want to make with the first years. I suppose that could be a factor. I've really been making an effort, but I haven't had one decent conversation with her, to be honest. She's civil enough when Professor McGonagall is around. But when it's just the two of us, I feel as though she's secretly judging me for being Muggleborn, even though she's said nothing outright about it. You know how Slytherins can be. It's exhausting, to be honest, and I've spent whole days with her. She just has this…air of dislike about her when we talk. It's…it's getting under my skin, I suppose."
"If she says one thing out of line, you tell Professor McGonagall, Hermione. You don't deserve to work with a person who holds your….blood status against you, and not after everything we just fought for."
Hermione nodded. "I know that, Harry."
They didn't speak for a while, and Harry felt frustrated on Hermione's behalf. But he knew better than to step in and offer to do anything for her. When it came to Wizarding prejudices, Hermione always chose her battles well, and he had to trust in her to know when to ask for help.
"Are you anxious about the next few days?" Hermione finally asked, sitting up straighter.
"You mean the Solstice and getting Brogan back?"
Hermione studied him for a long moment. "You really think you're going to be able to do it, don't you?"
"Yes. I do."
"Brogan and Ginny are so fortunate they have you. You never give up, Harry. For as long as I've known you. You just keep…fighting. It's impressive, really. I wish I had your strength."
Harry scoffed at her. "But you do, Hermione. As does Ron. The three of us never met a challenge we couldn't face."
"I suppose that's true," Hermione acknowledged. "Well, for what it is worth, I hope you do get him back and that…the three of you can be together again. Ginny changed you, and Brogan did as well. You're much more emotionally astute now, and I don't mean that as an insult, either."
Harry grinned at her as they stood up to head back inside. "Maybe I changed myself, so I could be with them and be worthy of it. Did you ever think of that?"
Hermione smiled at him. "Perhaps."
"So…" Harry paused, not wanting to ruin their return to a good mood, but he needed to know if his best friends were going to be okay. "Are you going to talk to Ron?"
"Yes," Hermione said as she stared off into the distance. She eventually smiled at Harry. "You're right; he deserves it. Do you…do you think he'll be very hurt that I've been having doubts?"
"Just be honest with him, Hermione. You two will sort it out. I have faith in that."
She smiled as they entered the Abbey again, and Harry shook his head as he released a deep breath. He enjoyed being someone his friends could talk to, but he missed having an Empath around sometimes. But hopefully soon, he wouldn't have to miss him at all.
o-o-o-o-o
"Do you think Hermione knows she went a bit…"
"Barmy? Mad? Utterly bonkers?"
Ginny shrugged. Their friend had left after much apologizing, especially towards Ginny. Harry felt a bit knackered and was eager to call it a night soon. They weren't leaving for the Abbey at the break of dawn or anything, but he wanted to be rested. He and Ginny were playing with Roisin in the living area by the fire, and neither of them seemed much in the mood for anything strenuous.
"You know how she gets," Harry said as he rolled one of the little balls they'd bought for Roisin to chase. It had a tiny bell inside it, and the kitten loved to figure out where the ball was, especially if Ginny made it disappear with her wand. "She lets all her emotions build up until she bursts."
"It just seemed a bit more than that, this time," Ginny said as she made the ball roll behind the sofa.
Roisin took off after it, a soft, playful mew escaping her mouth. Harry grinned at the kitten. He wished they could take her with them, but Ginny didn't think she would enjoy the hotel too much while they were out. Harry had to admit she probably had a point. Mr Cosgrove had offered to watch over her for them.
Ginny sighed and scooted closer to him. She gave him an expectant look, and Harry shifted, making room for her. She turned and settled back into his embrace and kissed his hand as he wrapped his arms around her.
"How are you feeling?" Harry eventually asked. Ginny seemed subdued after Hermione's emotional ranting.
"I'm good. Don't worry. I'm not having second thoughts."
They had read in the Waystone book that what they were attempting should not be done without conviction. To open a portal, a witch or wizard had to be strong in thought and magic. He had no doubt about their magical abilities, and he knew the bracelet would help them in that regard. But he did worry about Ginny being too worried about messing something up. He kissed the top of her head.
"I know. I just want you to know that I believe in you, and I believe in us no matter what happens. Everything else is just…fluff."
Ginny snorted and looked up at him. "Fluff?"
"Well, I was going to say gravy, but that sounded too icky."
Ginny shook her head as she chuckled at him. Roisin returned with the ball in her mouth and dropped it in front of Harry. He smirked at the kitten.
"Excellent, Roisin. I can't believe we taught a cat to play catch."
"But she's a very clever cat!" Ginny said, petting the kitten. Roisin purred and lifted her head so Ginny could give her a chin-rub.
"Should we turn in?" Harry asked, watching them.
"It's not that late, is it? Or do you just want to be on a nice soft bed?"
"Well, that does have its privileges, but also, this one is getting sleepy."
As if to prove his point, Roisin yawned and then sat down with a soft thump. The kitten soon started to clean herself, the ball and playtime forgotten.
"Well, that settles that," Ginny said dryly. They got up and headed into the bedroom, quickly changing clothes and getting ready for bed. Roisin eventually followed them and watched them for a moment from the doorway before going to her own bed and curling into a tiny ball of fur. Harry smirked. It was sort of nice having a pet that they really didn't need to train. Being half-kneazle apparently meant that Roisin was cleverer than your average feline.
"Should we do the spell tonight?" Ginny asked as she settled against his side.
"Hmm. I was wondering about that. What do you reckon? He said he's been marking down the days again to help him keep aware of time passing."
"Let's visit him tomorrow night, from the hotel."
"Okay," Harry said. "I just don't want you to feel too sad or anything after."
"I think it'll be good," Ginny said, suddenly sounding very determined. Harry grinned at her.
"Should we read then for a bit?" Harry asked, tracing his fingers up and down her arm in what he thought was a completely innocent way.
"Harry."
"What?"
"If you want to have sex, just ask."
"I didn't want to pressure you. Also, I didn't know if you were in the mood, and I wasn't until we climbed into bed. But that nightgown is sort of sexy." He pulled the thin material between his fingers. "Silky too. Much better than cotton."
Ginny curled her legs around his and smiled at him. "I might be in the mood now, too."
"Goody," Harry said, waggling his eyebrows. She chuckled, and they kissed, slowly but surely getting into it. Ginny moaned when his fingers traced their way across her breasts, and she lifted her arms so he could pull her nightgown up.
"We should go back to sleeping in the altogether," he murmured, and Ginny grinned at him as she used her hands to lower his boxers. She took hold of him as he started moving his mouth down across her shoulders.
"You just said you liked what I was wearing."
"It has its time and place, to be sure," Harry said, shifting so that he was straddling her. She gazed up at him, brown eyes shining with desire. "But you look so fantastic without anything on Gin, it's a shame to cover it up, and you know it."
Ginny laughed and arched her back as he settled in between her legs. He kissed his way around her breasts, making sure to suckle and pay attention to them both. Her hands grasped at his hair, her nails causing a tingling sensation to break out across his skin.
She continued to stroke him and get him ready, which, admittedly, didn't take very long. He kissed his way down her stomach and then let his hand move between her legs, and he could already feel the heat of her body on his hand.
When he touched her, she murmured a few words he didn't catch, but her legs widened automatically. He smirked at her.
"Eager?"
Ginny gazed at him and slowly lowered her tongue to her bottom lip, licking. She then slowly pulled her lip in between her teeth, looking sexier than hell to him. She increased the strength of her grip around him, and Harry shuddered in reaction.
"Get in there, already," she said, voice low and full of need. She released him a moment later, throwing her arms around his neck in preparation.
Harry removed his hand momentarily and shifted so that he was at her entrance. He brought his hand back down and rubbed her clit again, not entirely done with her yet. Ginny sucked in a deep breath, her eyes blazing at his. He gazed back at her, watching her reaction as he sped up his fingers. He realized that he loved to drive her crazy first – tease her and make her writhe underneath him until she begged him to do something. Anything.
He kept up a steady pace, and he could tell it was working. Ginny was getting wetter and wetter with every pulse of his fingers, and her body was starting to flush. Her brown eyes were full of fire as she swore at him.
"Harry, please," she finally moaned.
"Please, what?"
"You know what."
"Maybe I don't," Harry said, feeling cheeky. She growled at him when he stopped moving his fingers.
She leaned up and captured his mouth, her kiss hot and full of her frustration. When she pulled back, she did not look like a woman he wanted to disobey. At least, not for long.
"Fuck me," Ginny growled when he still didn't move.
"Trying to, love," he replied and got his fingers back to work. She half-groaned, half-moaned, and tried to push herself onto him, but he stayed just out of reach.
"Now, now, Gin," Harry murmured.
"Huh," Ginny mumbled incoherently, and her head fell back as she stopped trying to convince him. He smirked as she gave herself to it — to him— her body shuddered as she soon drenched his fingers, and it was then – right then – that Harry moved forward and slid into her warmth. Her body convulsed around his as she rode out her climax, and Harry swore as she tightened around him. Oh yeah, that had definitely been worth it.
Ginny glared up at him, but he could tell she wasn't angry, and they kissed – full of heat and wonder and so much feeling. She started moving under him, giving him exactly what he wanted. They rocked back and forth at a blistering pace. At least, it felt that way to Harry. He was soon whispering her name, feeling his release building to the point of no return. In and out, and faster and faster, and Ginny was coming again, and he thrust almost painfully into her, wanting them to reach that point at precisely the same time—
Bright spots exploded behind his lids, and he tried to keep moving for her, but eventually, he had to stop. Harry felt soaked to the bone, and Ginny was much the same way underneath him. He lowered himself down, and she wrapped her arms around him, murmuring soft words to him. Words that didn't make any sense, and yet he understood them perfectly.
"That was different," she finally said in her regular voice, and he lifted his head. She smirked as he pushed the hair out of his face.
"What can I say? That nightgown was really inspiring."
She laughed, and they broke apart. He sighed as he rested, still on his stomach. Ginny lay on her back, bold as mid-day sunlight. Harry let his eyes travel up her body, and he was unsurprised to find her watching him when he reached her eyes.
"Like what you see?" she asked, a knowing look on her face.
"Always," he said, moving over to her. She opened her arms, and he curled himself around her, resting his head on her breast. He was just in the middle of counting the freckles he could see when she cleared her throat.
"Harry, do you…do you think…" she let her voice trail off and didn't say anything for a while.
"Erm, I do try to think, Gin. Can't say I succeed too often, but-"
"Git. I wasn't finished. Please don't take this the wrong way," she paused and curled a particularly long lock of his hair around her finger, staring at it as though mesmerized. He reached up and put his hand over hers.
"I can't take silence the wrong way," he said pointedly, and she nodded to herself as though making up her mind about something.
"Do you think we'll have a hard time going back to the three of us? I mean, if we get him back, and if he still wants there to be a three of us-"
"Where is this coming from?" Harry asked, frowning. They both sat up, and Ginny pulled the sheets around them.
"It's been just us for a while now, and I thought…oh, I don't know. I miss him. I miss how we all were. But…"
"What I think," Harry said, putting a finger against her lips to quiet her. "Is that the three of us are still as much in love as we ever were. At least, that is how I feel. But…Ginny, if you have doubts or worries or anything else, we have to settle this between us. Now. And then we have to talk to him."
"I'm just full of anxiety, I reckon. I mean, I want him back, Harry, don't think that. And when we visit him tomorrow night, I'll have to stop myself from jumping into his arms again, but…that's a dream, Harry. It's not real, no matter how much we want it to be. And I reckon I just thought…what if the three of us don't work any longer? It's been practically a year for him or at least half a year. What if he's jealous of us, or what if we're different now to him. What if he's different to us?"
Harry thought about what she was saying and kissed the fingertips of her hand. He sighed, trying to think of the words that would assuage her fears. "I think…I think that every relationship, regardless of how many people are involved, has an adjustment period after being separated. But I know the three of us are still linked – both by the bracelet and by…Aine or by Brogan himself, I don't know which. And I still…I still love him, Gin. But if you…if you don't want us to continue on as before, then…we won't."
Ginny gazed at him, her brown eyes wide. "Really? And you'd be okay with that?"
"Truthfully? No. I can't lie to you, Ginny. I would miss him terribly, but more than that, I would miss us – all three of us. We're pretty great, you know." Harry flashed a smile at her. "But…I made a commitment to you when I gave you that ring and when I took the first bonding. I stand by it."
Ginny reached out and touched his face. "Even if it made you unhappy? What if I said you could be with the both of us, just not…all of us together? I'm not…I'm not saying that's what I want, Harry. I love him, too. But I don't want you to be with me out of obligation. I don't want you to feel torn between the two of us either if it ever came to that."
"Gin, being with you would never, ever be an obligation. As for feeling torn…." Harry shrugged. "I don't really have an answer for you there. You know as well as I do that if there was even a hint of that, Brogan would bow out."
"He would, wouldn't he?" Ginny said as though to herself. She sighed and then lay back down. Harry joined her, and they spooned together, and he used his wandless magic to darken the room.
"When we get him back, we're going to have to sit down and talk about this again, aren't we?" Ginny finally asked.
"If you're still feeling this way, then yeah, that seems the fairest approach to take. We owe each other open communication, and that's the only way anything is truly going to work between the three of us."
Ginny nodded. Harry closed his eyes and breathed in her flowery scent. He could understand her worries, even if he didn't share them. Perhaps they had been apart from Brogan for too long, and she just needed to be in the other man's presence for longer than a few moments to remember how good they were together. Perhaps Harry's own certainty had more to do with the bracelets than anything else – he could feel each of them, even if Brogan's was far away and Ginny didn't have that added sense of rightfulness with hers.
But Harry knew that the three of them just made more sense together than apart. When Brogan had first left them, he'd had to trust in their love being strong enough to withstand separation. And now, now it seemed that it needed to be strong enough to withstand coming back together.
o-o-o-o-o
"You're not going to like it," Michael said to Sean. The two men were in the pub enjoying a late-night pint. The town had cleared out after 8pm, and it was mostly the regulars in tonight. Which meant him and Sean and Thomas O'Shea and his dog. And Michael was pretty sure that the dog was about to get up and leave.
"Try me," Sean said, uncharacteristically stagnant. His tone brooked no argument, and it also called for no discussion. Michael decided not to mince his words, and he looked down at the report he'd received earlier in the day from one of their members in London.
"Harry Potter was given the bracelets some time ago, and…they were already chosen before he received them." Michael paused, knowing that Sean would understand the significance of that and probably not be happy. The other man grew even more still, as though he'd pulled all the energy in the room to himself.
Michael cleared his throat and continued. "Ginny Weasley, she's the redhead, er, right, we know this part, um, she has the other bracelet. They've already taken the first bonding, by the way. Wow, they're young."
Sean had no reaction to this, and Michael took a quick drink of his beer and continued.
"The third bracelet went to…well, to a local student at the Abbey. An Empath by the name of-"
"Caley."
"Erm, yes. Brogan Caley. I seem to remember him in the shop a few times, usually when you weren't around. I take it you know him?"
Sean nodded his head, a sharp motion of acknowledgment. "Is he the Master then? He would be older than they are by a few years."
"Er, no, actually. Our member indicates that they believe Potter to be the Master."
If Sean was surprised by this news, he did not indicate it. Michael watched as the other man frowned to himself as though deep in thought. He took another drink and waited Sean out.
"I reckon that makes sense. He was the one touched by dark magic, after all. If Potter and Weasley are here, in Ireland, where is Caley, then? Why isn't he here with them?" Sean asked.
"This is the part you won't like. Apparently, he's missing, but not presumed dead."
"He's…sorry, what?" Sean held his hand out, and Michael immediately handed him the report. He watched as Sean scanned it. The other man looked up at him, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.
"Missing and presumed stuck between two planes of existence. What in the hell does that mean, exactly?"
Michael nodded at the report. "He was force to close a portal, and a pretty powerful one, too."
Sean turned back to reading and then grunted. "Bloody Voldemort."
"Er, there's one other thing. Potter and Weasley…um, they're not just here enjoying our fine Irish summer and hospitality. Rumor has it they're here to…well, they're going to attempt to get him back. On the Summer Solstice."
"Well, that'd be when I'd try," Sean said, his lips twitching. The tension he'd been carrying suddenly seemed to ease. "They're going to the Well of Aine, aren't they?"
Michael nodded. "Our member is…well, we lucked out there, really. Our member has been told to watch the couple, just in case they succeed. We're not the only ones interested in whether or not they get this Caley fellow back. Apparently, Miss Weasley is a force to be reckoned with, and they've had their eye on her for quite a while. Her success in this matter is…well, they'll approach her soon after, or so that's the chatter."
"But Potter is the Master. We're sure?"
Michael nodded. Sean stared off into the distance as though seeing things that weren't there. The other man's eyes were full of something he couldn't really name when he finally focused his gaze on Michael again.
"Reckon I should make sure they're successful in getting their third back then. Of course, their third is a bloody Empath, just my luck."
Michael frowned, not understanding why that mattered. "But what if…the part about the eye color already being decided, that's a sure sign they've-"
"Michael. I don't care. I want those bracelets back. You know they belong to…they belonged to him. There's no way they achieved fíorghrá, and even if they have…."
Sean shrugged as though the idea that the threesome, possible power-triad, had achieved true grace was a trivial matter. Michael didn't say anything, and he finished off his pint instead, raising his hand at the bartender for another. It was going to be a long night.
o-o-o-o-o
