Chapter 9
What the heart needs
"Curse that blasted noise!" Gregory Jenkins groand into his pillow. The squaling of whatever bird was outside his window however refused to cease. How had his life come down to this low of a cursed low, From the first day he had caught eyes on Luna lovegood he'd known he was sunk. The silly little chit could drive a man to distraction and never realize it. How Dare She Refuse Him! Him! Gregory Jenkins the third proud son of many Jenkines who had lived in this part of England for centuaries. He had the bluest blood in these parts aside from the Malfoys. All his life he had lived to make his parents proud, and untill he'd met that silly little fop luna he had done so quit nicely. Every Jenkins in his family had born slythern colors with pride, all that trash about slytherns being destind for the dark arts was rubbish.
After all his family had always had a wide range of proffesions in its linage, They had yet to add death eater to it. He was rich acomplished of good blood and willing to give her everything she wanted, so why did she contiue to treat him as if he was vile! Him! "Bloody little fool lives in a stye with that father of hers can report on all sorts of nonsens and consorts with riff raff and blood traitors like the weaslys! And she treats me like trash!" He let his anger simmer before pulling himself from bed.
He had just barely dressed when his bedroom door burst open rudely smacking against the wall. The young woman with the waves of black hair flowing down hir back in perfect and classy beauty was his sisster. Raven Jenkins didnt show any lady like censure in flying into her brothers room like a bat out of hell, then again Gregory thought she rarely showd censure for anything she did. Not for disapointing thier parents by not makeing an advanteous marrige, not for refusing to follow thier mother into the "family busniess". No his sisster quit simply did what she pleased when it pleased her. When the sorting hat had shouted Ravenclaw and Gregory and thier older sister had nearly fell into a swoon, Raven had simply shrugged.
"Raven cant you at least try and be a proper lady" Gregory scolded her. Well as much as a brother who was only older by a minutes could scold. His twin was as diffrent from him as night was from day. From the whole family. The Jenkins where nortoisouly blonde ashy haird folk. Raven had been named for her hair. Her crisp blue eyes where also feautres presant nowhere else in the family. It was said she looked like a great aunt somewhere in the picture, even still had it not been that they were twins and gregory so favord thier father...
"Come now Greg, this is the twentieth centrary. Besides what are baby sisters for" His sister would forever plaig him he was sure of it. "I've come to tell you, mum got an invitation in the mail. We've beeen invited to the potter smash! And she says you cant refuse either.The potters are too well respected and liked" Raven shrugged as if she'd just anounced that the sky was blue. Gregory found himself trembling. "What! Raven the man isnt right he..." Gregory gulped. To this very day he still belived Potter was demanted. Hero his fault, potter was swiming in the dark arts and the loon had tried to kill him. While luna praised the man he'd sent to do it. As his furry built he clenched his jaw.
"I can see by your face your in a temper. The whole familys going, belive me I tried getting out of it. I figure together we can make a stand. Come on stand with me just this once.The clicking of heels and a sharp gasp inturupted him before he could replie. Camilla the oldest and probably most favord child in the family stood in the door way. A look of abject horror on her face.
" Gregory you have a...What are you doing in a Mans bedroom Raven! I always knew you would come to an unsavory end I told Mamma that this would happen. She keeps you on too short a leash" Camilla sniffed as if she smelld something bad. Raven waved away her older sissters comments as if she was a buzzing natt in her ear. "anyway like I was saying Greg, mum cant refuse us both now can she. Just tell her you havent anywish to go back to the Potter place, didnt he try to maul you or some such." Camilla seemd not to notice that Raven was ignoring her she tskd and, sat in a chair in an almost swoon her heals and sparkling black robes swishing around her.
"Poor mama has done everything in her power to advance this family, and you too sit here plotting against her.What will Robert think, when I married him he thought he was taking a bride from a proper family not this. How will i show my face in public! Raven what on earth are you wearing muggel jeans! you look like a tart. oh good heavens what will robert say!" Ravens jaw tightend her blue eyes flashing, Gregory knew the sighns she was falling into a temper. He guesterd at camilla to remain scilent. But she only contuied a ruthless glint of enjoyment sparkling in her eyes.
"Gregory! Just think if we had the Potters backing us! and when you merry Luna all your plans, all our plans will finally be within reach. You've held back because of Raven far too often. This isnt going to hurt her, let her stay home and rott alone if she wants but that doesnt have to stop you." She was right, but Raven needed time to see that if he could just talk to her in private. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face cause Ravens eyes darkend to almost storm like color and she whirled around to face Camilla. "Enough! I know darn well now that you've convinced Gregory to forget that Harry nearly killed him i'll have to go. Were going to the Potters ball and i can be put on display like the tart your always calling me. And you can go home to the man you sold your body to for power and posistion!" She whirled on Gregory he yelpd as her long her slaped him sharply in the face in the process.
"And I hope your happy Gregory. I should have known the call of Power was too much for you to resist. Even for me." With that she was hurling from the room. Why did he always feel low, after Raven lost her temper. He hated this feeling. "Great job Camilla couldnt you just have let me convince her! you always have to taunt her!" Gregory spat at his sisster. She shrugged her elegant shoulders and smiled at him all sophistication and grace. "Greg, you know I dont mean the poor child any real Harm, mama insist pressuring her is the only way to get her to mature. She had offers from many respected and powerfull men and she refused them all." Gregory he sighed. He knew she spoke the truth he shook his head sadly at his sisters folly. He loved her, he trully did but her stubborness and pride would be her fall from grace.
"I heard even Mr And Mrs malfoy were interested in a match between her and thier son, But when mama mentiond it." Camilla tskd as if the very thought would send her into a swoon. "That may have been a blessing in disguis though Camilla, The Father turnd out to be a death eater after all." Gregory shudderd. Camilla shrugged, "the familys still rich as sin, and the sons done well for himself. Saved Harry potters Arse didnt he. He's an Auror isnt he. No refusing the Malfoys was the last straw for our dear little Raven. If she doesnt shape up well i fear for her I really do."
Raven trembled, as she listend outside Gregorys door, whether it was furry or fear she couldnt tell. It was probably a mix of both she reasond to herself. Her body shook with whatever it was, hearing her family talk so coldly of her hurt, and that shook her because she'd thought she'd learnd that she was alone. She had no one, not even Gregory. When they where kids he had championd her, well as best a weak minded power hungry weasle could. That weasle was her brother, her twin and she loved him but she new well she couldnt depend on him to defend her. And yeah that hurt.
As if she would sell herself to the Malfoys! Thats where the furry came from, Lucius Malfoy was cruel and vile and stank of corruption and cruelty and her parents knew it. They didnt care, didnt care that if she had married into the Malfoys whatever joy she had in her life would have been stamped from her. That family would have sucked her dry and her family would have patted her on the head and told her what a fine ceatch she had made. Probably would have cheered if Mr. Malfoy whalloped her with a cane! She shiverd as she recalled the first time she'd ever seen such cruelty.
There was a dinner party at the Malfoys she was only nine, and she'd wanderd bored with the clink of glasses and politics of the adult world. Draco had spilled a drink his father had taken him aside. When she'd come across the library the door had been open a crack. What she'd seen that man doing had made her shake the way she was now. What she rememberd most was that young boys eyes as he peerd past his father even as the cane came down, and the hex began to take affect. He had looked at her, that haunted look in his eyes had turnd to rage. Rage that anyone would see him like this. She'd turnd and fled. Well the man was in azkaban now and with the dark lord gone Draco was free to live his life with out his fathers taint.
She hated admiting it even to herself, but she hadnt been abel to stop wondering about or watching Draco Malfoy. She'd watchd him grow watched him fall. She'd watched him flee from hogwarts the night dumbeldoor died and he'd yet again seen her. His eyes could be so haunted sometimes. He wasnt cruel, he wasnt evil whatever his father had been Draco was none of those things. She understood that, what she couldnt change was the fact that he was a Malfoy and no matter what she did or didnt feel about him Marieng him would be to break a vow. That whatever evil plots her parents wanted from her she would never comply with. And Having feelings for a lonely man with haunted eyes was a road to disaster.
"Is this how guest are natuarlly treated in your home, i've been waiting forever" She just barely managed to keep a scream of surprise escaping as she whirld to face the owner of that vioce. Draco Malfoy. Speaking of Devils.
Draco stared at her and hoped to hell, she didnt know what the sight of her was doing to him. It wasnt like he'd never seen what muggel women often wore, tight fitting jeans that really had no place in this world except to make him imagine just exactly what he was imagining. And that shirt, if it could be called that wasnt anybetter. The last thing he needed was to have feelings for a woman, especially this one. The one who looked at him with pitty in her eyes! He Hated Pitty! He felt something hot and angry churn in his belly every time he thought of it. He felt his teeth clench and his fists ball.
"Is it your habbit to sneak up on people, Malfoy?" yeah acutlly it was, but she was one to talk. Any woman who could be so elemntally gorgous did her fair share of sneaking up on men. "so you refused the famous Malfoy blood, didnt like the thought of canes to much I take it." She stiffend and he could have kicked himself."Yeah, that and being married to a man as cruel as you. Dont think i couldnt see how cruel you where to Potter and his friends and anyone else you thought was beneath you! Being as my blood isnt as blue as yours wouldnt want to reach to high would I. I might smear your peddigree!" Her words hit him hard and he told himself not to, but he was already doing it.
"Honey you'd have to do more then reach, might have to invest in a ladder or two. Dispite my fathers plotting rest assured even had you agreed I never would have married you. Your breeding aside, lets make it clear I refuse bend to anyones will whether it be my father or anyone else. Sorry if you had hopes Raven" She looked ready to do murder, and he didnt blame her. As he walked away he tried to ignore the feeling that he was a fool, a dieing man, but above all everything the world thought he was. Maybe it was just in the Malfoy blood to drive away the things you cared about.
Harry sighed with a ball just a night away and a hard week at work he was tired, not to mention fighting the urgers of his dark nature but hey what was a man to do. He leand against the door before hanging up his travling robes. Should he yell Honey i'm home or something he wonderd to himself. He usally just had to open the door and kids were triping over him a dog or two was yapping at his heels and Ginny was giving him a welcome home kiss. But there was just scilance, and the smell of Jasmine. A slow grin spread across his face. That was Ginnys "specail perfume the one she used when she had a surprise for him.
"Ginny? I'm home where are you?" He didnt really need to ask, he knew. She was in the garden, thier place thier special place. James was a product of that special place, and many other happy memories where to. For once Voldemorts voice was scilent, as he stepped into the garden and the petals danced magicaly in the air swaying to thier own soft music. As he breathed in the scent of jasmin and saw Ginny standing there bathed in nothing but sunlight and flowers, Harry was content just to stare. His heart knew what it needed what it loved what it treasurd. The small pond made the bubbling noises of clear fresh water as she stepped into it washing toes dirty with mudd and grass.
"Hi Harry" would he ever tire of hearing those words from her, he wanted to hear them in his sleep, when he woke and every moment of breath he took. He reached inside his pocket and retrieved the small velvet box he'd been saving for later tonight. Now was as good a time as any. "I have something for you, no no close your eyes first." He chided playfull as she reached for the box. She eyed him playfully and steppd from the water, to stand before him. She turnd around so that her back was facing him that long beautiful red hair of hers teasing at his nose.
"Well hurry up Harry what is it." thier was a slight blight of impatiance in her vioce, Ginny never was one to wait around forever. Except when it came to him, she'd waited for him from day one. And she'd be waiting on him again soon enough. Her skin was always so soft, maybe it was all those lotions woman liked to pour on themselves maybe it was the carress of petals and sunlight. Or maybe it was all Ginny, either way as he traced the bones in her back he couldnt help but marvel. She shiverd and nearly turnd around to face him. "Hurry up Mr Potter or i'll be sure to return the favor."
He was bit back a chuckel knowing it would only irriate her. Instead he pressed kisses to the hallow at her throat in an effort to convey not only his joy but passion. He could just drown in her, the box feell to the grass forgotten. What where material things when he had her in his life and in his arms. Her skin tasted like lavender and felt like Satin if he had a life time to worship it he would, but he no longer had a lifetime. He pourd all the love of a lifetime into a single touch.
Ginny Lay in Harrys arms warm content her worries put to rest, for the time being. To much had been swirling in the air lately. Harry was changing it wasnt hard to see, yet everyone thought it was important to pretend as if nothing was happening. The looks the men tossed each other, those secretive looks they passed back and forth as if plotting and planing. And like classic men they overlooked the fact that maybe their women would like to know what was going on. The snaping part had come when she realized she was begining to fear her own husband.
Not that she didnt have good cause, she could never forget having to throw herself in danger to save thier son from the man who should be protecting them. Though he had come back mentally from what Remus and the others had assurd her was just a melt down, she still feard for him. She knew her husband, and she knew deep down she was loosing him. How could they expect her not to now it, it was moments like this that told her, they pratically screamd it. Harry no longer kissed her like he was savoring all that was good in his life like he was drowning in a gift he'd been given. He kissed her as if this would be the last, as if he was running out of time.
She had set out to remind him that thier love was timeless and that she wasnt going anywhere. And as she lay nesteld next to her slumbering husband in a nest of grass and flowers the afternoon sun warming their skin she put her fears aside. In this one afternoon he had returnd to the way things where, and she discoverd it was just what her heart had needed.
Rons mind was on watching the time, watching for the trian that what bring his sister in law and young Nephew back into london. His head could easly answer questions the kids threw at him, respond when Hermione adressed him but his heart wasnt in it. His heart was still in the librayes and the labs where he Remus and all the other weasly men had pored themselves in. As far as they could tell thier was no way to revers what voldemort had done. Not because it wasnt irriverable neccasarly but because it was new magic. Voldemort had a pension for experimenting creating new spells creating dark magic. He'd created himself hadnt he.
Whatever voldemort had done to Harry it wasnt in any books and any experiments they tried killed the specimen. Without dabling in the dark arts themselves he feared they would never be abel to help Harry. His best mate was dieing maybe not physicaly but every thing that made him really Harry was being worn away. It was leaking from him like blood and nothing he could do could stop it. The frustration of that was like a fire in his blood, and made him want to either start a fist fight or weep.
"RON! Thats thier train! Come on" Georges impatiant reminder snaped Ron back to the present. Even still he barely registerd when Angelina and little Liean busteld off their train and Goerge wraped his wife in a kiss. He vaugly remembrd giving the little tykes hair a tossel and responding to Angelinas chatter about the states.Before he even realized it he was back in the car and they were on thier way home.
"Whats on your mind Ron?" Ron turnd to stare at the beautiful African woman who had married his older brother. She looked good if extremely darkend by the American sun, and she looked happy even married to his fool of a brother. "Just things, how were the States?" he resonded trying to throw her off track. When Angelina caught a scent she didnt let it go, it had been a unanmous desicoin that the girls werent to know about Harrys condition. Not yet.
"Bullocks and you know it, besides you've asked me that for the third time. And every time I answer you nodd and smile like a Moron. Whats bothering you. Hermione are you and he having a snitt, if so just take the man back his blank stares are driving us all to distraction!" Hermione turnd in her seat to stare at him, he could tell she was wondering just like Angelina what was on his mindl. Luckly for him Liean took that moment to grab his mothers attention. "Mama! look look the house I see it!"
In the bustel of getting all of the kids from the car, wrestling with luggage and temper from the long drive questioning him was thankfully forgotten. He needed to get his head out of the clouds before Hermione began to susspect something was up. Fred saddeld up to him leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Dont feel so bad, the way i see it thats one secret thats never staying kept. Its all a matter of who cracks first. Cant be me as I dont have a wife to twist my arm. I'm betting on Goerge, love the fool but Angelina can be uh persausive!" Ron bit back a snort of laughter. Fred was right Goerge didnt stand a chance. As long as it wasnt him.
"Come on Lie, now that your here We can play Aurors in the Garden!" James said breathlessly as he finaly shoved with Remus, and Lie's help the travling bad ontop of the guest bed in James room. The room had been magicly charmed to hold unfoldable guest beds for times such as these. Liean was about six months younger then James even though his parents had been maried longer. The skinny boys carmel skin was stricking against dark aubrern Hair. In most lights it looked black but when the sun hit it it often shown highlights of red. A nice mix of both parents but James just considerd it a neat trick.
Remus, after ceatching his breath turnd to James. "ah we allways play Aurors and Death eaters James, And your always the hero. This time can i be an Auror" Lie, turnd as well and grinned at the two boys. "Ah shoot couz! He's right. You always the hero." James stared at his cousin in baffelment, why was he talking so funny. Maybe it was too much time in the states, it sounded like a funny place. Either way this wasnt fair he liked being the hero, he'd never tell the other boys but it wasnt just an Auror he pretended to be in the wilds of the garden. He always pretended he was the bravest and best Auror thier ever was, his father. No one else could play that role like he could. It made him feel good. One day When his father Was Head Auror like Remus was James would be old enough to become an Auror himself.
That was his fondest dream, when he and his papa could fight death eaters and all sorts of bad guys side by side. His dad was a hero and one day James was going to be one too, he just knew it. Even still it might not be so bad to be a death eater just this once. "Fine Remus you can be the Auror and Lie you can be one too, I'll be a death eater." "all alone man thats not all fair like aint it" Lie said scratching his head. James stared at him. "What?"
"He wont be alone, I'll come with you cousin!" A vioce said from the door way. Lillian stood there her hands on her hips red hair in disrae dispite the fact she was a girl his cousin was one of the best players for anytype of team. He nodded. "aw coo now we be rollin, all nice and coo like." James had, had enough. "What is wrong with your voice, why are you talkin like that!" Lie shrugged. "All my cousins talk that way, thet live in chicago." "Well then the Yanks in chicago are wierd, your in England now remember your english! when you talk like that no one can understand you." Lie nodded and James turnd and motiond for everyone to fallow him. "To the garden, where we will discover new and mysterious things."
"What about Sirus wont he want to play?" Lie asked. James just shrugged, "aw that would make uneven teams"then he sighed. "Fine i'll go get him" After they had rounded up Sirus and formed teams they tromped out to the garden.
"Having everyone together again is just what everyone needed" Hermione said to Luna and Angelina who nodded. "yeah i love my family in America, but goodness they can be looney sometimes. Almost forget that somewhere down the line they where British." Hermione giggeld. "I've been to the states before, its not all that bad theyre a lively bunch." Ron walked into the kitchen a scoff on his face. "more like crazy, i met a lad from the states once looney as a hatter. And all that jibber jabber they taught Lie, i could barely comprhend a word he was saying. It nonsense is what it is"
Angelina raised an eyebrow her hands balling on her hips. "Well frankly thats how alot of black people in the states talk. What are you saing Ron, what are you trying to imply. IS the way my family talks not good enough for the British?" Ron whent pink and put his hands up in a purel defensive guesture. "Dont be silly, your British, I just think Lie should spend less time with them and more time with... OUCH" Ron jumped out of the way from the second dish Angelina was about to heave at him. "So what are you saying you dont like the Black side of the family as long as he's raised like an upstanding Tea drinking Dandy things are good. Get Running ron Right now!" It was amusing to watch her strong steady husband scurry from the room like a child.
"he didnt mean any harm by it, Angelina it is a bit mind boggling" Hermione chuckelld. Angelina turnd a secretive smile on her face. "The poor dear just needs to get his mind off things is all, to tell you the truth I think they talk funny just as well." Both women burst into chuckels, Angelina tossed shining black hair across her shoulder then looked around a slight frown on her face. "Where are our hosts by the way, why didnt they come with you and the kids to the airport." Hermione shrugged. "Harry had to work and Ginny wanted to be here when he got home so we took the kids. Knowing those two thier probably in thier Room." Both women laughed again only this time to be interupted by the loud screaming of children.
"What on earth, Liean Amory Weasly you hush that racket this instant, young man!" Angilna tossed down the towl in her hand and marched foward. Her son and the other children came rushing foward, arms flailing tears on thier faces each shouting and screaming at the top of thier lungs.
"Mama Mama uncle Harry is killing Ginny"
"Ginny was stangling uncle Harry it was afoul"
"They was makin all these noises, Shite Mama it was scary"
"Shite what kind of word is that Lie, where on earth did you learn that from, now what kind of nonsense is this. Now calm down and explain yourselves."
Lie, took deep gulping breaths of air, "We whent out to the garden to play, and we thought they where dead cause they was just layin there yah know all naked and coverd in dirt." Lillian nodded. "But then they opend thier eyes and started Killing each other." Remus shudderd, "and whats worse is i think they tried to kill each other before they passed out!" Hermione stared in shock at her children caught Angelinas eye and both women had to bite their toungs to keep from laughing. Harry and Ginny had not made it to thier rooms. "honey there not, killing each other. Mamies and Daddies when thier in love will, well um thats what we do. They didnt know we where home yet, um..."
Angelina giggeld, and waved away Hermiones glare. " you stay here with the kids, i'll inform our too love birds they've scared thier children for life." As Angelina walked away she could here James Retort. "Nuh- uh aunt Hermione, people who love each other dont do that! that was just Vile!" Angelina giggeld. It was good to be home.
