Picking Up the Pieces Chapter Sixteen Stormsoaked Confessions and Special Deliveries --
"So, what did you want to do after Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, lying on her back.
"I dunno...I never really figured all that out. I never really plan all that much, just kinda keep going onto the next thing." Ron shrugged.
"Didn't you say once you wanted to be an Auror?"
"Yeah, I mean, the thought crossed my mind- but that's more Harry's territory, anyway. And I doubt they'll be just dying to hire me if I didn't even graduate from Hogwarts."
"I think you'd be good at it." Ginny said absently.
"What would you want to do?"
"Quidditch, maybe. Have kids eventually."
"Really?" Ron raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, really."
"Didn't figure you for being that domestic."
"Why? I like kids." Ginny shrugged.
"No, you'd be a great mum, it's just funny. I always saw you as one of those independent-woman types."
"Yeah," Ginny laughed, "I always figured Hermione would have tons of kids and I could just be their fun aunt. But I don't know...a few of my own would be nice. Mum would be so disappointed if I didn't carry on the family legacy of ridiculous amounts of children."
She looked over at Ron, who had fallen silent.
"What?"
"Why would you be the "fun aunt" to Hermione's kids?"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Because I always thought they'd be yours, stupid."
Ron turned red.
"Why would you think that? We've never even dated."
"I know. I just always thought you two would end up together. I mean, it's obvious you like each other."
"That doesn't mean we're going to have tons of kids together! We've never even kissed!" Ron said, his voice squeaky.
"Ron, it was just hypothetical. Breathe."
They fell into silence for a moment. Ginny looked at her brother skeptically.
"You've never even kissed? Really?"
Ron turned even more red.
"Gin, come on. This is weird."
"Just tell me."
Ron sighed, shifting around nervously.
"Well, okay. Once."
"When?" Ginny sat up, newly interested.
"Well, it was after the wedding...you and Harry were
off arguing or whatever, and we had danced to a few
songs, and then we went for a walk down to that lake
behind our house and-" Ron suddenly stopped talking,
looking up at the glass wall.
Ginny turned around as well. Bellatrix Lestrange was standing there, smiling wickedly.
"I need to see you for a moment, pretty little girl"
She cooed, tracing a line on the glass with her
finger.
Ginny looked at Ron, frightened.
"Why do you need to see her?" Ron demanded, standing up in front of Ginny.
"It's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand"
Bellatrix grinned.
"No way. If you take anyone, you take me." Ron said defiantly.
"Touching. But no. The Dark Lord has requested I take the girl, so I take the girl." Bellatrix shrugged, as if this was out of her hands.
"NO!" Ron shouted.
"Don't make me hurt you. I'm afraid I'd enjoy it so
much I wouldn't stop." Bellatrix withdrew her wand,
caressing it lovingly.
Ginny put her hand on Ron's arm.
"Ron, it's okay. I'll go."
"No! What if they hurt you?"
"I'm not going to hurt her...we're just going to have
a day of beauty. Bellatrix style." Bellatrix said,
throwing open the door.
"What do you mean?" Ron said.
"She'll tell you all about when she returns."
Ginny walked hesitantly towards the door. Bellatrix grabbed her roughly by the arm, leading her away.
Just as she was closing the door behind her, Ron didn't know what made him do it, but he made a run towards it.
Bellatrix giggled, slamming it in his face. Ron hit the floor with a loud thud.
"Ooh, good one, Gryffindor. So brave, but not so bright."
--
Narcissa woke up the next morning in one of the freezing cold bedrooms of the castle. She started when she realized Severus was standing in the room.
"What are you doing here?"
Snape sat down in the chair across from her bed,
looking troubled.
"We have a new mission."
"What?" She pulled the sheets around her, sitting up.
"We're to extract Lucius from prison."
Narcissa looked puzzled.
"Why?"
"Because that's what he's asked us to do." Snape said,
throwing her a dressing robe.
She looked at him, irritated, as she took the robe and put it on over her slip.
"I KNOW that, don't give me that company-line sht.
Why do you think he wants us to get Lucius now?"
"I don't know." Snape shrugged.
She looked skeptical. Snape hardly ever admitted ignorance.
"Fine. I'll get dressed."
"All right."
--
Sirius was sleeping soundly on the couch when Hermione woke up early the next morning.
Harry was sitting by the window, looking over at the couch.
"Morning." He said quietly when Hermione sat up in bed.
"Why weren't you sleeping?" She asked, running a hand through her disheveled curls.
"Couldn't sleep much. I mean...it's Sirius. Right here in this room. I just can't get over it." Harry smiled.
Hermione didn't say anything.
"What?" Harry looked over at her.
"Nothing...it just seems a little strange. That he just, appeared out of the blue."
Harry sighed.
"Hermione, come on. Only Sirius would have known about those mirrors."
She sighed.
"You're probably right."
"Probably?"
"Harry, I just don't want you to get so excited about him coming back that you let your guard down."
"My guard down? Against what?"
Sirius stirred at their raised voices.
Harry and Hermone instantly fell silent, looking over at him.
"Are you two arguing? Isn't it a little early?" He said sleepily, checking his watch and groaning when he saw the time.
"Sorry, Sirius." Harry said, walking over to the couch.
"Yeah, sorry." Hermione said, joining him.
"What were you talking about?" He blinked in the sunlight coming through the window, managing to look very attractively disheveled.
"Nothing." Harry said quickly, giving her a look.
Hermione bit her lip, not saying anything.
"I told Lupin you're here." Harry said, looking a little nervous.
Sirius looked at Harry, a strange, painful expression flitting across his face. It was soon replaced by one of mild interest.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. I sent my Patronus last night."
"How on earth did you know how to do that?" Sirius laughed.
Harry motioned his head towards Hermione.
"Imparting her wisdom." Harry laughed.
"We could all use a little of Hermione's wisdom"
Sirius grinned.
Hermione blushed, looking at the floor, and Harry knew all thoughts against Sirius were forgotten.
She was a sucker for flattery.
Besides, who was she to ruin this for him?
--
Draco squared his shoulders, walking up the long staircase to the tallest tower of the castle.
Wormtail was standing in the front of the room, making a pathetic imitation of a guard.
"I want to see him." Draco stood in front of the door Wormtail was currently blocking, that simperingly patronizing expression on his horrible little face.
"You cannot just walk into the Dark Lord's chamber uninvited." Wormtail said, sounding self-satisfied.
"How'd you get your job back as his lackey? Last I heard, you were cleaning Snape's house." Draco said cruelly.
Wormtail turned slightly purple.
"I've never been his lackey."
"Oh, so you prefer the moniker "Voldemort's bitch"
Draco said sarcastically.
"I have full permission to kill you, you know"
Wormtail said, his face reddening even more.
Draco pulled out his wand, shoving into Wormtail's stomach.
"Do it then." Draco hissed.
Wormtail said nothing, fearfully looking down at the wand pressed into his skin.
"Tell him I want to see him."
"F-Fine." Wormtail stuttered, opening the door and scurrying through it.
Draco pocketed his wand, mentally steeling himself.
He could do this.
He had to do this.
--
Lupin reached the hotel in Darkmoor, exhausted and out of breath.
The stag looked at him.
"Room 330." The Patronus said in a strange,
incorporeal voice, vanishing on the spot.
Lupin walked in the revolving door, seeing a dusty,
antiquated lobby. The whole place had a definite eerie
quality, emphasized by the darkening clouds casting
feeble light through the windows.
He dodged the questioning look from the bellhop,
ducking into the nearest staircase.
"330...330..." He muttered, walking down the hallway.
It was covered in green ornate wallpaper, making it seem much smaller than it actually was. Lupin felt his heart hammering against his chest, nervous anticipation flooding through him.
He reached the room, hearing voices inside. Familiar voices- he thought it was Harry and Hermione. Why Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be staying in such a dark, dangerous place was beyond him.
He knocked twice. Maybe this was just a mistake, maybe the Patronus had given the wrong messaage.
The door opened, and Sirius was standing behind it.
Sirius tentatively smiled, looking a little nervous.
Lupin didn't think he'd ever seen Sirius nervous in his life.
"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with his presence." Lupin grinned.
Sirius laughed, pulling Lupin into a tight hug.
Lupin hugged him back, feeling a rush of excitement coursing through him that he hadn't felt in what seemed like so long.
They pulled back slightly out of the hug, and Sirius
looked at Lupin with a strange expression on his face.
Lupin suddenly felt very uncomfortable, his stomach
twisting with the oddest sensation.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione came in from the other room.
Sirius dropped his arms back to his sides at once,
stepping away from Lupin.
Hermione looked between them, her smiled faltering when she noticed the tension.
Harry walked in behind her.
"Lupin! I'm so glad you're here." Harry wasn't quite sure how to greet him, so he shook his hand.
"We all are." Hermione said, still looking a little confused.
"I got here as fast as I could." Lupin said, his heart still beating unnaturally fast.
They all fell into silence for a moment.
"So...to beg the question, what are you doing here"
Lupin looked at Sirius.
"We'll let you two catch up...me and Hermione are starving." Harry said, taking her by the arm.
"We'll be back soon." Hermione told them, closing the door behind her.
Lupin and Sirius sat down on the couch.
"I can't believe you're alive." Lupin looked at him.
"You lonely without me?" Sirius grinned, crossing one long leg over the other.
"I did miss you. Often." Lupin said quietly.
"Well, did any certain female keep you company"
Sirius said, raising an eyebrow.
Lupin smiled.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Sirius gave him a look.
"There was something going on between you and Tonks.
Don't even play that game with me- I'm much better at
deciphering the female mind than you. Come on, Moony,
she wanted you BAD."
"We had a...relationship." Lupin said, shifting awkwardly.
He was horrible about talking about these kind of things, and Sirius knew that full well. Probably why he was pressing the issue.
"Oh, a relationship?"
"Padfoot, this isn't important. It ended."
Sirius looked surprised.
"No way."
"Yes. And the more important thing to discuss here is you . What happened to you? How are you here now?"
"I'm tired of thinking about it, and I'm tired of
telling it. I was somewhere horrible, but I got out.
And I'm here now. So can't we just talk, now, like old
friends and pretend like nothing's changed?" Sirius
said, closing his eyes and looking tired.
Lupin looked at him sadly.
"I'm so sorry all of this happened to you." Lupin said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Sirius looked at him.
"Thanks."
There was a long moment of silence.
"So, why aren't Harry and Hermione in school? Where's Ron?" Sirius said, snapping back from whatever wave of sadness had suddenly overcome him.
--
Snape and Narcissa sat in the small boat carrying them to Azkaban. It was a very dreary day, and a light rain was falling on them.
Severus had put a cloaking spell on the boat, so they were temporarily unable to be seen. It was impossible to Apparate in or out of Azkaban, so they had had to resort to other methods of travel.
Narcissa looked up at the rainy clouds, shivering slightly.
This was strange. Conversation had always come so easily to them, but now, on a mission to rescue her husband from jail, it seemed hopelessly out of reach.
"Lovely day." She finally said, laughing weakly.
Severus didn't reply, looking broodily into the water.
"What's bothering you?" She said, leaning forward slightly.
"How would you feel? Seeing him again?" Severus asked quietly.
"Lucius?"
"No, the Minister of Magic. Yes, Lucius." Snape said sarcastically.
"I...I don't know."
"Always the master of wit."
"Why are you being like this?" She demanded.
"I'm not "being" like anything. I was just asking a simple question, which you are now avoiding." Snape crossed his arms.
She rolled her eyes, looking away from him.
"Just tell me what you would feel."
"I told you, I don't know what I would feel. Are you asking if I missed him? Yes, of course I have. He's been my husband for seventeen years, and he's never given me a reason to not be as faithful to him as he is to me."
Snape gave a small laugh.
"What's funny about that?"
"Just the idea of him being faithful to you. Honestly,
Narcissa, you're so naive."
Her face hardened.
"You shouldn't talk about things you don't understand." She said cooly.
"It's just so pathetic- you, passing yourself off as this chaste beacon of virtue, devoted to her husband while he's..."
"While he's what?"
Snape didn't reply.
She grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to her. The boat rocked on the slightly choppier waters.
"While he WHAT?"
Snape fiercely met her eyes. She had only seem him look this passionately incensed about something one other time in her life, and it was their first night together in the Room of Requirement.
"Do you love him?"
She swallowed hard.
"It's not that sim-"
"All these years, I never asked you. If you love him,
this whole sick cycle between us can end right now. If
you love him, I can finally let you go. Just tell me.
Convince me."
He looked in her eyes as if searching for some truth she had been concealing, the dark blue matched by the rocky waters now making it hard for them to stay upright.
Sea spray tossed against the side of the boat, soaking them both but neither flinched.
He grabbed her forearms, shaking her slightly.
"Damn it, just-"
"How dare you ask me questions about love? You, the person who ran the other way the first time I told you how I felt! You, the person who's been running from it, from me for all these years! You're the one who-"
"I love you, Narcissa."
Four words, and suddenly it was that simple.
She felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of her body. She knew for a fact Snape had never said this to anyone, ever.
For one brief instant, he was vulnerable. Broken. She looked into his eyes and saw a man who had been fighting an inner battle for too long to sustain any strength against it.
A quiet stretched out in the stormy afternoon for what seemed like hours. Neither had moved, it hardly seeme either had breathed.
Their boat bumped against the shore, the closeness of the prison not noticed by either passenger.
They finally looked away from each other, taking in the sprawling , haunting landscape of Azkaban prison.
Whatever had just happened between them would have to wait until their job was done.
--
Harry and Hermione sat in the back booth of the mostly deserted hotel restaurant. It was dusty and covered with cobwebs, and the cook had eyed them in a way that made Harry a bit wary about taking his first bite.
Hermione sipped her pumpkin juice.
"I don't know if Lupin should just drop everything like this. I mean, he has an important job to do for the Order."
"Not your decision." Harry pointed out.
"I KNOW it's not, it's just that-"
She paused. The cook had approached the table, looking put out.
He was holding a small package.
"Delivery for you."
It was blank on the front.
"How do you know it's for me?" Harry asked, turning it over.
"There's no one else bloody here, is there? The owl was harrassing me in the kitchens...very sharp talons." The cook stalked off.
Hermione and Harry shared a questioning look as he cautiously opened it.
Harry peered inside, and with a look of pale-faced shock, he let the package flutter to the floor.
Hermione stood up as it looked like he was going to
fall over and throw up right then and there.
"Harry, what is it? What's wrong?"
He didn't reply. Hermione picked up the package,
peering inside.
She gasped, withdrawing a long tangled mass of red hair knotted in a messy braid.
A note fell out as well, dropping to the table. Harry gagged into his hand, leaving the table at a run.
Hermione looked down at the note, white hot anger flaring within her.
-Little Harry's pretty girlfriend isn't so pretty anymore.
Hope to see you soon Bella
--
A/N- Please leave me a review! Next chapter- Lucius is
once again a free man, we find out what's happened to
Ginny, Tonks resurfaces briefly, Ron spills the beans
subconsciously on how he feels about Hermione, Harry
has anger management issues, Draco gets in WAY over
his head, and Snape and Narcissa have lots of sexual
tension. Oh, and so do a certain Moony and Padfoot.
But hold on there- all is not as it appears.