The End is Heaven
by Myka
Part 08 – 'bonded'
Pairings: Sirius/Remus, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny
Spoilers: Deathly Hallows
Genre: AU, drama, romance, angst
Summary: Remus Lupin survives the Second War and is left to raise Teddy alone.

Important Notice: This is not the full version of this chapter. It has been edited considerably because of this site's policy. Please check my livejournal for the full version.

---

The little house was dark. It had been abandoned now for weeks. The front yard was empty until a loud crack disturbed the quiet night.

"I can't believe you still live here," Sirius commented when he saw the house. Remus stayed quiet and gripped Sirius' hand tighter as he looked up at the house too. A gust of wind made Remus shiver and Sirius pulled him closer. "Let's get inside," Sirius said and led Remus forward.

The main living area was still in the same state it had been left the night Andromeda took Teddy. The desk askew, the ink spilled and dry, the pictures broken and the glass on the floor. Sirius passed them all by, not even giving them a second glance. He pressed his hand tight around Remus', heading straight towards the master bedroom, knowing the way by heart. The room was dark and Sirius lit one of the lamps without needing a wand. His eyes met Remus' and he tried to free his hand, but Remus resisted, refusing to let him go.

"I'm really here, Remus," Sirius said, as he placed his free hand on Remus' neck, his thumb stroking Remus' cheek softly. "I won't disappear if you let go of my hand."

Remus made a sound of protest and Sirius raised their clasped hands until he could kiss the top of Remus' hand. Remus hadn't spoken a word since the initial shock had worn off. He brushed his lips gently across the top of Remus' hand. "I won't disappear if you speak to me, either," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. Please say something to me, Remus."

Remus bit his bottom lip hard, tears in the corner of his eyes. Sirius pressed their mouths together, a soft brush of lips, and slowly Remus let go of his hand so Sirius could hold the other side of his face and kiss him deeper.

The kiss left Remus gasping for air. "Sirius," he whispered as he drew a deep breath. He said Sirius name again and this time he grabbed Sirius' face and pulled him in for another kiss. Afterwards he stared at Sirius' face, hesitantly running his fingers through Sirius' hair, pressing the tips of his fingers against Sirius' brow and down the side of his face, one thumb across his lower lip. "Are you really here?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.

Sirius reached up and grabbed both of Remus' hands, holding them tight. "I really am," he answered, his grey eyes honest.

Remus choked on a sob and threw his arms around Sirius, holding him tightly. Sirius put his arms around him and Remus pressed his face into Sirius' shoulder and, finally, felt Remus smile.

---

Ginny removed the last of the pixie dust from the ground with a careful swipe of her wand. Once she was done she looked up to see that Ron and Hermione were talking softly nearby as they put the items they had used for the spell carefully back in Hermione's bag. Harry was standing a few feet further up the hill, staring at the moon.

"Harry?" she called when she was close enough.

Harry turned slowly, giving her a soft smile as she approached, returning to look at the moon once she was beside him. She watched him silently for a while, wondering what was going through his mind, wanting to ask how he felt right now, but not wanting to interrupt his thoughts. She called his name again, and he took a sharp breath.

"Did we do the right thing?" Harry asked. It sounded like Harry was just thinking out loud, rather than expecting Ginny to answer him.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But it's not like we can undo it."

"It's just," Harry started, then looked down at the ground for a moment seemingly in thought. "I'm happy that Sirius is back. I truly am. But knowing that it's Sirius what Remus wanted and not Tonks makes me think. I don't know if I did the right thing by forcing him to go back to Tonks if he wasn't happy with her. I said such horrible things to him that time, and he still forgave me. I haven't even apologized."

"Harry, I don't think that Sirius showing up tonight means that he was unhappy going back to them, or that he didn't care for his family. I'm sure he did in some way, but that is something only he knows."

Harry was quiet for a few moments then suddenly laughed bitterly. "I never noticed. I never saw it. And it was always there right in front of me. I should've known. When Sirius died-" he choked, a lump forming in his throat. Harry closed his eyes, remembering that moment. Sirius eyes brimming with shock, voiceless as he disappeared through the veil, then Remus' sudden presence behind him, pulling him back, saving him from sharing Sirius' fate. "When Sirius died, Remus stopped me from going after him. He held me so tight, and when he spoke... it was so clear that it was killing him inside, and I still didn't see it. I was so blinded by my own anger and pain that I didn't bother to see it." Tears were falling from Harry's eyes now, and he swiped them away as soon as they came out. "I should have seen it."

Ginny stepped in front of Harry and held his face between her hands, pressing them gently against his face, trying to tell him it wasn't wrong to cry. They all had their personal demons to fight. They all had things they needed to forgive themselves for. "Do you mind that they are together?" she asked him, knowing the answer, but also knowing Harry needed to hear it out of his own mouth.

"Of course not," he said firmly.

Ginny smiled. "Then now you can tell them that," she said. "I don't think it will matter to them that you didn't know before."

Harry stared at her for a long moment, then slowly smiled as he put his hands over hers. "Yes," he said. "I can." He leaned in to kiss her, the tears now gone.

---

Sirius sat comfortably on Remus' bed, his back and head resting against the headboard. Remus sat between his legs, his head comfortably on Sirius' shoulder. Their hands were clasped together in front of them.

Sirius' fingers gently traced across the mark he'd left on Remus' neck. Sleep called to Sirius, but he refused to close his eyes until Remus did it first. And that wasn't happening. "We should rest," Sirius said as he held Remus' hand. "We can talk more tomorrow." Remus stared at him for another moment then slowly nodded, but Sirius noticed his resistance and gripped his hands tighter. "I'll still be here when you wake up. I promise."

Remus smiled back, knowing, in his heart, that he was hearing the truth. "Will you take me with you if you go?" he teased.

Sirius met Remus' eyes. "Yes," he sighed and wrapped Remus in his arms protectively, making sure his touch would be the first thing Remus felt when he woke up.