Title: The Life I Now Lead
Rating: M – Due to the adult themes involved and mentions of sex and violence.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Angst.
Summary: Harry has moved away from his old life and is trying to get on away from the world he once knew.
Word Count: 2930
Disclaimer: I don't own it. Seriously.
Pairings: LM/HP. DM/AU. HG/RW
Thanks To: witchintraining, Beth5572, DW, Autumn Baby, Usaka
A/N: Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter. Hope you all liked it and thank you very much for the reviews. It makes me happy… and so, as promised here is chapter 2 a little earlier than I said seeing asI had it all ready anyway. We skip over to see how things are the other side of the Atlantic.
These wounds wont seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just so much that time cannot erase My Immortal
Evanescence
Chapter 2 – My ImmortalHermione Weasley picked up a small rose necklace from her jewellery box and examined it carefully. She smiled, remembering fondly the day she received it from Harry for her 16th birthday, she sighed softly and placed it round her neck. It was August 1st and the annual memorial service to those who died in the war against Voldemort.
It was a beautiful sunny day outside, as it always was on this day. The birds sung in the trees and the sky was bright blue, as though letting them know the dead were with them still. It was somewhat comforting.
She sighed at her reflection in the mirror and looked at her mother and her three children. Alex who had red hair like his father was 10, he would be going to Hogwarts this year, Tara was 8 with brown straight hair and her youngest child Samantha, who had red bushy hair, was 4. They all sat beside their grandmother as their father Ron walked in the room.
"Ready love?" He asked of Hermione who nodded sadly.
"Yes. Lets go." She said gently.
They walked from the room and Ron placed an arm round Hermione as they walked to the place in Gordric's Hollow where most of the people fell in battle, including their dear friend Harry whom everyone still spoke about and missed terribly. Even after ten years the wounds still hadn't healed. Time couldn't help the pain.
They got to the field and it was all close members of the Order of the Phoenix and people who were friends of Harry. Everyone turned up every year.
They stood in the centre of the group and spoke to some people. Remus Lupin was there with his wife Tonks. They didn't have any children but they were hoping to try adopting a child thanks to the new legislation that was slowly creeping in regarding Werewolf rights. (Thanks to Hermione of course.)
They stood as some people said some words about those who had fallen and their memories. Hermione and Ron never said anything at the gatherings, just went to face their fears of the war. This time of year always brought sadness into everyone's lives. Everyone had lost someone. There were no exceptions.
Remus who had formed a rather tight bond with Harry lost him and felt guilty as he had told Sirius once that, should anything happen to him, he would look after Harry. And he had, until Voldemort killed him with his own dying breath.
Harry was sorely missed by many people in the wizarding world.
As the memorial finished Ron and Hermione found their old Gryffindor friends. Dean Thomas hugged his friends, they found Hagrid and they all made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. They sat for a few moments in relative silence and Dean spoke.
"I note Draco Malfoy didn't turn up again. Has anyone heard from him?"
Hermione shook her head, "No, he's living in America with Anne, his wife… they have two children now I think. Abbey and Jonathan."
Ron sighed, "To think he actually was friends with Harry for a while… strange. I never could stand him… I don't think many people could."
"Perhaps that's why he doesn't go to the services? I mean, he knows no one likes him." Pointed out Hermione.
They all nodded and began finishing their drinks. Dean stood and smiled, "We should meet up soon… catch up." He said. Ron and Hermione nodded, "Yeah, we will."
It was a blatant lie, an empty promise that they said every year.
Slowly the pub began to empty leaving just Hermione and Ron sitting in the quiet, dimly lit pub. Tom the barkeeper stood as usual tending bar. This day was a sombre day every year since the day Harry died.
"How is it that this is still so raw?" Asked Hermione softly.
Ron spoke softly "Because Harry was our best friend… and, his one wish in the whole world was to have a normal life after the war. Something that he never got to do. He suffered his whole life to save us and then die."
Hermione nodded, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, "I recall you saying something similar to me last year… the kids would have loved Harry." She smiled fondly "He'd have had them blowing stuff up like your brothers…"
Ron smiled, "Yeah. This day… it's horrible… You know… I think I might go visit Ginny's grave today."
Hermione looked at him, "Would you like me to come with you?"
Ron shook his head, "No 'Mione, it's alright. I'd like some time alone with her." Hermione smiled at her husband sadly and kissed him softly. "No problem love. I'll get you at home… I'll make dinner for around seven."
"See you later love." Ron said. He stood, wrapped his cloak around himself and apparated away from the leaky cauldron leaving his wife to her thoughts and her drink.
Looking out the window at the full moon Tonks sighed gently and looked down at Remus who was sitting looking up at her in his wolf form. He whined a little and she smiled softly. "The only part I don't like when you're a wolf is that I can't talk to you." She said.
The wolf looked a little offended and nuzzled her leg, Tonks laughed a little "Alright, alright, I can't talk with you." She put down a bowl of dog food and Remus looked to the door as their Siberian husky Falar trotted over and looked to Remus. Remus moved to the side so Falar could eat.
Falar was an old dog. Tonks had often said she felt guilty for leaving Remus at home on his own while he was in wolf form, so Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter had got together to buy them Falar, to keep Remus company during his nights as a wolf.
Tonks missed Ginny. She had become a good companion before her death. She and Ginny would often find themselves in front of the fire at the Burrow talking about Hogwarts in the 'good old days' and of darker times, when Lord Voldemort had possessed Ginny.
She remembered the day Ginny was killed with perfect clarity. The look of fury on Harry and Ron's face, the fury followed shortly by despair on the latter. Harry had chased the death eaters down and returned with blood soaking his robes.
Harry killed many people that final year.
The list of enemy deaths was great for all of them, but she suspected Harry had killed at least twice as many as the rest. He was a man possessed, determined to murder Voldemort, kill him, and have his revenge on him. By the end he didn't care who got in the way.
It was sad watching Harry's descent into… into whatever it was he descended into. The week before the final battle, Remus had found Harry in a room alone in the Burrow, sharpening a small blade and readying himself for battle. Something in him could sense what was coming. Such a young man, with such a destiny thrust upon him.
Remus had told her many years later what had happened and what was said in that small room. Harry had told him he didn't care if he lived anymore, he just wanted Voldemort dead, and then he could die in peace. His name could be the hero he never wanted to be.
He was a broken man at the tender age of nineteen.
Tonks sighed again and looked down at Falar and Remus.
"I'm going up to bed Remus… get hairs on the couch again and I'll use a tickling charm on you tomorrow."
Remus did his best to look innocent, but Tonks just smiled and made her way up to bed, casting her mind now to the future and not the past…
"The situation against werewolves and other creatures has always been horrendous. I noticed it at first when I was at school minister, I know what I am talking about." Hermione stared down the Minister for Magic, Fenulus Ferdinakrus. A tall imposing man with a stout attitude. He was always reduced to an inch tall when Hermione was involved speaking with him. Sharp tongue and sharp wit was her best weapons within the ministry full of sly pureblood rhetoric.
"Hermione, please listen to me-" Began the minister,
"No, Minister, Werewolves have the right to have children, alright, I agree they should not be allowed to bring children in the world who are going to be werewolf hybrids but it isn't fair to say a werewolf such as Remus Lupin, isn't allowed to adopt. Remus conforms to society, he works, he has a wife, a house and takes the wolfbane potion every month. Why should he not be allowed a child?"
Instead the minister's assistant spoke with a tone of arrogance and superiority "You cannot honestly assume to-" Hermione cut in over him, "Could you please tell your assistant to mind his tone?" Hermione looked at him and smiled sweetly. If nothing else, the one thing she loved about her job was the fact she was above Percy Weasley.
She never thought that any of Draco Malfoy's school yard taunts would be handy someday but Percy took great offence to be calling the 'runt'. Hermione often thought that a c replacing the r would be more appropriate, but she was a lady and did not use such language.
"I am sorry Hermione, Mr Weasley please leave."
Percy scowled and left the room all but slamming the door behind him like a spoilt teenager.
"As I was saying minister, I don't believe werewolves should procreate, but what is the harm in letting one adopt? Providing he or she could prove that they conformed to society."
The minister agreed with her, "Alright, we will write the legislation together and see how it goes down in the chambers… provided you are going to fight for it."
She smiled, "Of course."
The minister tried his best not to smile back at her. Hermione Weasley was one of the brightest women he had ever had the fortune to meet. She had started off as his assistant when he was still working in the lower ranks and then when he became minister he put her in his place.
She would make a great minister. When she was a tad older of course.
August 4th
Diagon Alley hadn't changed much. Draco walked down the street getting odd looks from everyone around him. He was rarely seen here these days but his boss had asked him to go to Diagon Alley to have a meeting with a British investor.
He had already finished the meeting, and of course his war hero status, name and good looks got the investor almost doubling his investment in the company. For that was Draco's job, finding investors and making sure they stayed with the company.
He looked in the window of Madame Malkins. He smiled a little as he remembered the first meeting he had with Harry in this store, it was such a very long time ago… almost 20 years.
He shook his head a little at the thought.
"Draco?"
Draco turned round to be met with Hermione Granger in her work robes with a few books in hand. Her once bushy brown hair was now in elegant ringlets, evidently her hair was easier to curl than to straighten.
"Hermione… Hello." He said and slowly walked towards her. True they had never been friends even during the fights with Voldemort, they had come to respect each other and were even sometimes friendly but never true friends. Through the years and their brief contacts it had become customary to talk to each other, ask polite questions and so on.
Hermione smiled a little at the blond. She would never admit it, but she was fond of him in some way. He had changed so much since their school days. "How have you been? We didn't see you at the memorial…"
Draco shook his head, "I don't have to go to a memorial service to be reminded of the war. I have an eye missing to do that… and its just morbid… Anne and I can remember well enough. And I don't think Harry would have liked everyone standing round being depressed every year. I think he'd be rather displeased, don't you?"
Hermione sighed slightly, it was true, if Harry was alive he probably would tell them all to stop going.
But Harry wasn't here, Harry was dead.
"You're right… but what else should we do? Ron and I were his best friends, we have to show face. Even after all this time we still miss him, still mourn him."
Draco nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Whenever he spoke with Hermione and she would mention Harry, he'd always feel sick with guilt. Harry was alive and well and the entire wizarding community mourned him every year. Even Harry felt guilty over it sometime… but his 'death' was the only way to ensure he got what he wanted.
A normal life.
Lucius too, Lucius was dead to the world, not that anyone much cared about that fact. But Lucius couldn't give a toss what anyone thought of him, all he cared about was that he was with Harry and they weren't being heckled by the world.
Draco spoke softly, "I know… Harry and I became good friends by the end. We had a lot in common. I know you and Ron often wonder what Harry and I spoke about, but that's between him and me, and I would never tell you what he told me. I think his death was the best thing that happened to him, he's at peace now isn't he? Not being heckled by the wizarding world… I think it's selfish to wish it any other way."
Hermione looked at Draco, a tad stunned, "I… I don't know what to say to that."
Draco smiled a little slyly, "Well… that must be a first."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco, some things never changed.
"How is Anne? I haven't seen her in quite some time."
"Oh she's fine… we're thinking about having another child." Draco said, a smile on his face. "She always wanted three. I just wanted more than one, I was rather lonely growing up…"
Hermione nodded, "So was I. I wanted a big family like the Weasleys… but woe betide us if we have a child turn out like Percy…"
Draco smiled a little, "I suppose that wouldn't be good… Our kids are wonderful… Abbey is a sweetheart… Jonathan is bright as a button… I think one more would be the icing on the cake."
Hermione grinned, "Yeah… It's odd talking like this… ten years have passed, can you believe it?"
Draco shook his head and motioned to Madame Malkins robe shop, "I was just thinking its been about 20 years from when I stood in Madame Malkins robe shop… when I first met Harry, though I didn't know it was him at the time and was an arrogant prat… not that im not still an arrogant prat but you get the idea."
Hermione nodded and sighed softly, "Yeah… I should probably get going Draco… I have a meeting with the Minister in an hour."
Draco looked mildly surprised, "Oh? High flyer now are we?"
Hermione grinned and spoke in an almost plotting tone, "I'm helping write legislation with him… I think he wants to put me forward as minister at the next elections when he stands down."
Draco smiled; truly Hermione would be a good minister. She would help with the pureblood stigma that still hung around.
"Oh, I meant to ask. Has Snape died yet, or is he still clawing on to life in Azkaban?"
"Oh he's still here… I wish they'd just… put him down or something it's not kind keeping him alive." She said looking a little bit disgusted with their subject of discussion.
"Its not kind what he did to Ginny Weasley either, don't forget that Hermione. The bastard deserves everything he's suffering at the moment." Draco scowled, "And he killed my mother. To punish my father for his defection."
Hermione nodded, "I know… I'm sorry Draco…" she looked at the time, "Oh shoot… I should go… You and I should go out for a coffee or something… send me an owl next time you're in Diagon Alley… and I mean it this time Draco, don't be a stranger okay?"
Draco smiled, "Alright Hermione, go get ready for your meeting."
Hermione grinned and made off at a jog towards the Leaky Cauldron and Draco turned and moved up the street towards Gringotts.