Chapter 4: Coming Clean
Time passes, it always does. It was now the say of Harry's birthday and he was looking forward to spending it with his new girlfriend. Yes, he and Zoe were now an official item after Anne and Michael had begged him to forgive them and to let them start over from scratch. It was a tense few moments before Harry agreed, but eventually he just couldn't remain mad at them for wanting to protect their daughters. So, with a massive cookout and the happy squealing of two pre-teen Veela, Harry had accepted their olive branch and blessing to date their eldest daughter. Talk about a busy summer.
Zoe and Harry had "officially" started their relationship with a a simple picnic on his beach under the full moon. Yes, Gabrielle and Aimee had been spying on them, but Harry had been a perfect gentleman the whole night. Then the weekend after that horrible first meeting with Anne and Michael, Harry had taken everyone to see his home in Monaco. It was a spectacular mansion and it really was right next door to Zoe's home, but Harry like his chateau in St. Tropez better.
The visit had also led to a discussion about the Veela Royal Court. As it turned out, Anne was not just the Queen of the Veela in France, she was the Queen of ALL the Veela enclaves across the world. This meant they palaces in most of the major countries of the world, allowing her to travel setup court anywhere she was most needed. Currently they were working out of a mansion in California while they dealt with the American Veela Enclave's problems with some local movie studios. As it turned out, there were several rather famous movie starlets that were Veela, but the studious were not paying them the same wages as their male counterparts. Anne was going to put a stop to that, one way or the other.
There had also been the private dinner between Harry, Apoline, and Pierre where they apologized for abusing Harry's friendship. Harry accepted their apologies and was actually touched when Apoline told him she thought of him as a son, as did Pierre. It was a bit overly emotional, but Harry had to agree that they were some of his closest friends and that he did indeed see them as role models, if not parental figures. This news later had Gabrielle telling everyone that she had a real big brother now.
After the visit to Monaco, Anne and Michael had been needed back in California, leaving the girls to enjoy the rest of their summer. This was fine by Harry as his relationship with Anne was still a bit strained, however Michael was an alright bloke, so that was a good start. Grabass had shipped out the first of seven cars from the Potter garage in England. It was a beautiful red Ferrari F50 and Harry was instantly in love with the car. Sadly, he had no idea how to drive the thing, so Pierre spent several days teaching Harry how to handle the beast of a machine.
"Thank God for magic," was all Harry could say after nearly wrecking the car on the first day.
Still, he eventually got a feel for driving it as it was a lot like flying, at least to him. Now there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't take the car out for a spin. Usually Zoe would accompany him on these drives, but occasionally one of the others would join him. It was fun for Harry to drive along the quiet stretches of road, especially with Zoe sitting next to him with her long hair blowing in the wind. It was brilliant.
Andromeda and Teddy had come for a day or two with Gabrielle and Aimee babysitting as the adults made a night of it in Monaco. Now that was fun, being treated like movie stars as they walked into a casino. Andromeda complained a little at first that it was too fancy, but having grown up as a Black, she soon fit right in. Harry walked out of the casino with his wallet a little lighter, but with Zoe holding onto his arm he felt it was money worth losing.
On a darker note, Harry had gotten two more letters from Ginny. The first was on the surface very giddy about their upcoming conversation about their relationship, as per his guess she thought he was going to propose. However, under all the giddy and childish ramblings was once again a sense that Harry should just agree to whatever Ginny had to say and be happy with it. She even went so far as to inform him that she had asked the neighbors on the northern side of the Burrow if they would sell their land to them, so they could build a house right next to her parents. Let's not forget she used his name as a bargaining tool with the elderly couple that lived there, or the fact she wanted him to give her permission to talk with the Goblins to get them a loan. Harry had written back immediately that under no circumstance would that be happening and then a follow up letter to Grabass to confirm that Ginny had no right to speak to them in his name.
That led to the second letter which was not so giddy and a lot more demanding. Ginny informed him that his "lazy attitude" had cost them the purchase of the property because she had not had his approval to take the money from his trust fund. Then she ranted for three pages about how irresponsible it was of him to be "lazing about Australia on Hermione's knut" while she was trying to prepare for their future. By the time he finished reading the damned thing, Harry's magic was already crisping the edges of it and he was ready to rip Ginny a new hole for all her shit to pour from. It was only Zoe's efforts at calming him down that eventually kept Harry from flooing to the Burrow and giving the "daft bint" a piece of his mind.
Trouble was also brewing between Hermione and Ron. The most recent letter from Hermione informed him that Mrs. Weasley had sent a howler to Ron demanding he advise Harry to return home to "take responsibility for Ginny." The fact that it had been worded almost as if Ginny was preggers was not missed by Ron or Hermione and it led to Ron wondering if maybe Harry had spent a bit too much time at the Burrow before they left. Hermione had defended Harry's honor, but Ron had gotten the stubborn idea Harry had taken advantage of his sister stuck in his head. Needless to say, Ron was now sleeping on the couch and Hermione was giving serious thought to their relationship.
That led us to today. Harry was currently taking a shower and wondering what Zoe had planned for the day. He knew there was going to be a party tonight, though he was supposed to act as if he was unaware. Gabrielle had let it slip a few days before, but swore Harry to secrecy about the whole thing. That was fine, Harry could deal with a party, though he wished Hermione and Ron could be here for it. Sadly, they would not be back for two more weeks and even then they would have a limited amount of time together before they returned to school.
"Harry," called Mrs. Babcock through the bathroom door. "There's a crying young woman on the floo for you. She says her name is Hermione Granger."
"Oh bollocks," groaned Harry. "This doesn't bode well for the day."
Quickly rinsing the last of the soap from his body, Harry turned off the shower and jumped out. Grabbing the black silk boxers he had laid out, he practically jumped into them and ran for the floo. As he skidded to a stop in front of the fireplace it was clear from Hermione's tear streaked face and red puffy eyes that she had not had a good day. He wanted to just scoop her up and hold her, but as his floo was not rated for International connections other then calls, that was not an option. All he could do was sit there and wonder what was going on.
"Oh, Harry!" she sobbed. "Ron's gone! We had a massive fight about everything and he left."
"Oh shite!" thought Harry before asking, "What happened?"
"We went out to eat tonight," she began, tears still pouring from her eyes. "We were trying to hash out this mess, at least I was. At first I thought Ron was starting to see reason, but then he suddenly asked if you and I had ever slept together. Of course I told him we hadn't had sex, but just wouldn't let it go. That's when it all came out, the fact that he hates the fact you've seen me without clothing and that yes we've shared a bed, even if there was nothing sexual involved."
"He knew that," Harry stated calmly. "I told him about our time in the tent and he said he was fine with it."
"He lied, Harry," sobbed Hermione. "He's been jealous all this time, but didn't want to say anything because he didn't want to be cut off from sex. That's all it was for him, just sex. He as much as admitted it to me tonight before he left. Told me that he always figured I was easy thanks to Ginny telling him I didn't wear anything under my robes at school. Now he's gone home to 'comfort his sister in her time of need.' He's absolutely convinced that she's carrying your child and hasn't even bothered to check with her to see if it's true."
"Right," growled Harry. "Seems the conversation I've been meaning to have with Ginny just reached the top of my to do list."
Hermione looked worried by that and started trying to talk him out of it. "No, Harry, you can't just run over there and make a scene!"
"Little too bloody late for that, Hermione," countered Harry. "Ron's probably already there, telling his side of the story to make himself look like with you and me being cast as the devils of his little drama."
Standing up, Harry started pacing back and forth. "Are you going to be alright there Hermione, or do you need me come get you early?"
Looking down at the embers below her face, Hermione nodded, saying, "I don't want to be here anymore. Mum and Da say they will wrap up the last of the details here and fly back in three weeks. I just don't think I can stay here though, not with all the things Ron said."
"Fine," agreed Harry. "Give me fifteen minutes to get an International portkey from the Goblins. I'll have their local branch bring it right to you. In the meantime, tell your parents you're coming here and that we'll see them in a few weeks back at their home. Alright?"
"Alright, Harry," Hermione said with a weak smile. "Thank you, Harry. Don't do anything until I get there. Promise me!"
"I promise, Hermione," Harry said with a half hearted smile. "I'll be waiting for you right here."
With that Hermione broke the connection and Harry called up Grabass. Within minutes the Goblin assured Harry that Hermione would be receiving her portkey to his home within Harry's timeframe. Next Harry called the Delacour household, explaining that an emergency had come up and he might not be home again until later in the day. Zoe was not present, but Apoline assured him that she would let the girl know as soon as possible. Harry felt bad about running off to deal with this, but he now felt that before he could commit to Zoe he was going to have to deal with Ginny and now Ron.
Running back up to his room, Harry quickly through on a pair of black slacks, black dress shirt, socks, shoes and belt. Grabbing his watch and wallet, Harry was running back downstairs just in time to catch Hermione as she appeared in his front entry way. She was a mess, that was a given. The poor girl looked like she hadn't stopped crying for days, with her eyes bloodshot, her nose running, and her clothes a mix and match of several different outfits. A second later and her trunk appeared behind them, not that Harry cared as he was too busy holding his sobbing best friend.
"There, there," he cooed into her ear. "You're here now and I'll make sure this is set right. Trust me."
"I just feel so used," sobbed Hermione. "He was just with me for a sure shag, like I'm some tart off the street."
Harry scooped Hermione up in his arms bridal fashion and carried her up to the room he had set aside for her. Walking over the the bed he laid her down, sitting down next to her and stroking her hair. Whether it was his touch, the time difference between Australia and France, or her emotions crashing down on her, Hermione was asleep in seconds. Pulling off the girl's shoes, he pulled the blankets over her and kissed her forehead.
"I'll make this right," he silently vowed as he looked down at her. "Of that you have my word."
Stalking out of the room, Harry headed for his office. It was here that he kept the permanent portkey provided him by the Goblins. The portkey was intended to make it easier for him to travel between his home in St. Tropez and Grimmauld place and had cost him a pretty penny to have crafted. Now it was going to be his ticket to some very well deserved retribution and a long overdue conversation. Activating the portkey, Harry was quickly on his way to Grimmauld Place.
He was a little shocked by the condition of the old Black household. The place was cleaner than he had ever seen it before. He tried calling for Kreacher, but there was no response. That could just mean that the elf was busy, or it could mean something else. Heading out of the parlor where he had arrived, Harry headed for the little room he had given to Kreacher. Oddly the room was empty, completely empty, so he headed back towards the old water heater where Kreacher had used to sleep. Still no sign of Kreacher. Harry tried calling for him several more times with no response.
"He's not here," said one of the portraits of a long dead Black ancestor.
Harry could not remember the name of the old woman, but that didn't mean he couldn't be polite. "Can you tell me where he's gone off to?"
"The rubbish heap, I would guess," replied the portrait. "When the Goblins arrived to begin renovations he was thrilled to be having the help. Sadly, when they took down Walburga's portrait he just suddenly fell over dead. The Goblins think she may have tied the sticking charm to keep it on the wall to his magic. It's a shame, training a new house elf is always so bothersome."
"I wonder why Grabass never mentioned it to me," wondered Harry, saddened by the news of the old elf's death.
"It was just a house elf," replied the portrait. "It's not like it was very important. They probably chucked it in the bin and forgot about it.
Harry hoped that wasn't the case as Kreacher had been a great help when they were hiding out here and afterwards when he returned to live here. The elf may have been crazy, but he was a friend to Harry when he needed it. He felt badly that he had left the elf alone when he went on his vacation, but Kreacher had assured him it was fine and that Harry should go enjoy himself. In fact, those had been the last words Kreacher had ever spoken to him.
"Master should be having a life outside this house," Kreacher had said with a smile. "Kreacher has been alone much longer than a summer, but is thinking Master has been alone much longer. Go, Master needs his days in the sun."
Not bothering to continue speaking with the rather repugnant woman in the portrait, Harry headed for the front door. He made a mental not to have that particular portrait destroyed and a look at the rest of them to see if any more of the hateful things needed to go. Maybe they should be sent to the rubbish heap and see how they like it. Stepping out the door and making sure it was fastened behind him, Harry aparrated to the edge of the Burrow wards.
That was a part of what he had done when paying off the Weasley debts, paying Bill to erect the best wards he could. Bill had tried to decline the money, but Harry knew that some of the better wards required expensive materials to sustain them over time. This was what Harry was actually paying for, at least that's what he told Bill. Actually, he was paying for Bill and Fleur to take a long overdue honeymoon, but that was not for the young couple to know about until it was already too late. Bill was one of the few Weasleys, other than George, to ever thank him for something.
Walking towards the Burrow, looking more like an approaching storm than a visitor, Harry could feel his temper and magic spiking. If the slight magical wind that stirring up dust and leaves around him was an indication, the Weasleys might want to run. Still, he would not hurt anyone, well other than Ron, but they were still somewhat family. Sort of. Maybe.
"Oh who the hell am I kidding," growled Harry as he watched Mr. Weasley open the door to welcome him.
"Harry!" greeted Mr. Weasley with a wide grin and genuine affection. "It's so good to have you home after so long!"
"Harry!" screeched a voice from inside, followed a moment later as Ginny knocked her father out of the way in her mad dash to reach him. "Oh, it's so good to have you home at last! I don't care what shite Ron is spewing, I know you would never sleep with that tramp Granger. You love me too much for that! It's all over now though and you'll never see that bint again, will you."
Now, if you've ever seen footage of the atomic tests in New Mexico during the 1940's, you will note that just prior to the explosion, everything looked peaceful. You would also notice that a millisecond after the detonation, it looked as if Hell had just been recreated on Earth. Well, that was exactly what it looked like a split second after Ginny called Hermione a "tramp." A moment later when she called her a "bint," well that was just the second detonation. The scary thing is, Ginny didn't even notice when Harry's magic literally blew her off her feet and through the door to the Burrow. Everyone else did, but Mr. Weasley who was standing right there, actually heard her continue to berate Harry as she flew through the air.
Ginny didn't realize anything was wrong until she felt something hit her in the back and then looked up through the dust and flying debris at the ceiling of the Burrow's kitchen. As she tried to figure out why she was laying on the floor of her kitchen, she watched Ron run past her, only for him to fly over her and crash into the fireplace a moment later. Now she was really confused. Why would Ron be flying in the house? Sitting up, she looked over at what used to be their door, but was now a mass of broken glass and wood. With Harry clearly visible a few yards out in the yard.
"Harry," she yelled as she sat up. "What happened, who attacked us. You need to find them and stop them."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ron groaned from what had been their fireplace but was now a pile of loose stone and ash.
"Harry!" shrieked Mrs. Weasley as she rushed downstairs to see what the noise was. "What's the meaning of this!"
"I'll tell you what the meaning of this is," growled Harry, stalking towards the house like a feral beast out for blood. "The meaning of this is your son and daughter talking trash about Hermione! I was going to be calm about this whole thing, but I think we're past that point now, don't you? Because it seems to me that my attempt to give Ron and Hermione some time alone has completely blown up in my face!"
"Calm down, Harry," pleaded Mr. Weasley. "Just tell us what's going on. I'm sure we can resolve this without tearing my house down."
Taking a deep breath, Harry began to speak. "For you, Mr. Weasley, I'll explain myself. You see, I never went with Ron and Hermione on their little trip. No, Hermione told me she wanted the time alone with Ron to give their relationship a chance to work. So, being the 'nice guy' that I am, I agreed to let everyone think I would be traveling with them. While they prepared to leave, I was actually studying for my NEWTS which I then took and passed with full marks. Then once they were gone, I hung around Grimmauld Place for a week before I decided that I would use the time to check out some of my properties around the world, a vacation so to speak. I left about a week after Ron and Hermione did, moving into one of my properties in the south of France."
Ginny was fuming now, as was Mrs. Weasley, though for different reasons. Ginny was angry that Harry hadn't asked her to go with him, as she felt he should as her future husband. Mrs. Weasley was fuming because her son had gone traipsing off with a floozy to do who knows what with. These reactions did not go unnoticed by Harry or Mr. Weasley, nor did the groaning Ron was doing as he heard Harry reveal the truth about his little trip before he had a way to spin it in is favor.
"You went to the south of France without me!" shrieked Ginny. "How could you leave your fiancee behind like that? Of all the callous behavior. You're just lucky I'm the forgiving sort or we would not still be getting married, but I promise you this, that type of behavior will not be tolerated from now on!"
As Ginny was screaming, Mrs. Weasley was having a go as well with, "Harry Potter! How dare you leave the country without my permission! It's bad enough you helped that scarlet woman to have her way with my innocent son, but to just go galavanting off with no concern for your family and future wife, that is unacceptable!"
"Oh bloody hell," moaned Mr. Weasley as the Weasley women ranted and raved. "I'm not going to have a house to live in by the time they get done."
Ron on the other hand, having finally dug himself out from under the remains of the fireplace was looking at his friend and realizing that it might be a good time to run like a scared little bitch.
"Shut up," growled Harry, and the sheer force of his magic was enough to shut both Weasley women up. "I don't need your permission to do anything, Ginny. Last time I checked we were not dating, nor had we even discussed resuming our relationship. In fact, we've not even spoken face to face since Fred's funeral, so what the fuck gave you the idea that we were getting married, let alone dating?"
Ginny tried to speak, she really did, but Mr. Weasley had cast a silencing spell on her along with a binding spell to keep her from going for her wand when Harry turned to confront his wife. "And you, Mrs. Weasley! Same bloody question for you! What gave you the impression I was dating Ginny again or that I needed your permission to go anywhere? Last time I checked I was an adult in the Magical World and as of today I am one in the Muggle World as well, so why should I need your permission to go see one of my properties?"
Turning back to Ginny, not seeing that Mr. Weasley had silenced and bound his wife as well, Harry continued with his dressing down of the two women. "I've been reading your letters all summer and I have to say, they were proof that I did the right thing in breaking up with you. I swear, I'm sick of you telling me where I'm going to live and work for the rest of my life, don't even get me started on your assumption that I'm just going to hand my money over to you to do with as you like. Did it ever once occur to you that I might want to play Quidditch for a living as well, rather than work at the Ministry as an Auror? No? Not surprising as you were too busy mapping out your future career as a star chaser to even bother to ask me what I might want out of life int he future."
Ginny was fighting against the binding and silencing spells now, her face having gone a brilliant shade or purple that would have made Harry's uncle proud. "No, there will be no marriage, no properties you buy with my money, nor at this point even a friendship between us. Grow the fuck up you silly little bint!"
What was once a bright purple turned chalk white as all the blood drained form Ginny's face. She had never sen Harry this mad and had never heard him call any woman a derogatory word, not even his aunt. So, for him to call her a bint and state so firmly that they were no longer even friends was something of a shock to her. Her father never acted like that towards her mother, her mother would not have allowed it. Yet right now she was silenced and bound in place by her father and if she wasn't mistaken, he was actually nodding in agreement with Harry.
"And then we have Ron," roared Harry as he turned to focus on his former best friend. "It seems you decided that Hermione, someone that I consider my very best friend in all the world because she has never once betrayed me or turned her back on me, was an easy shag! You fucking little wanker, she loved you and you treated her like that? It's only the respect I have for your father that I don't turn you into a gay ferret and ship you off to the Malfoy's for Draco to have fun with. You knew damned well that she and I had never had sex, yet you accuse her or it? Then you accuse me of knocking up your sister because your mother can't write a proper letter? What is wrong with you?"
Ron chose to remain silent, seeing as how Harry currently had a visible aura of magic surrounding him and his eyes were glowing like emerald stars in his face. It could have also been the fact that he had just shat himself from the sheer force of Harry's magic. Though deep down he knew it was because Harry was right and he was wrong. He knew this wasn't going to go well when he got home and Ginny denied being pregnant or of having ever more then kissing Harry. Then he remembered what he had said to Hermione, about her and Harry, and even though it was said thoughtlessly in a moment of anger he knew it would destroy what was left of his friendship with Harry. Finally, he had pushed Harry too far and there would be no forgiveness this time. No, not this time.
"I've always respected you, Mr. Weasley," Harry was saying as Ron focused back on the conversation. "I thank you for everything you've ever done for me, but I think it best if I distance myself from your family for the time being."
"I understand, Harry," agreed Mr. Weasley, looking heartbroken that things gotten so out of control. "I want you to know, I do not hold this against you and that if you ever need me, I will be there for you."
"Thank you, sir," replied Harry with a smile. "That means more to me than you will ever know."
Turning and walking away from the Burrow, four people watched Harry Potter walk out of their lives, each with a different thought in their head.
"He's no right to walk away from me like that!" Ginny ranted in her mind. "He's mine and always will be! He'll see when no one else ever loves him like I do! He'll be back!"
Much to Ginny's annoyance, Harry never did come back. She would read about his life, what little of it was actually mentioned in the papers as he spent so much of his time either out of the country or safely behind wards to powerful for the press to get through, but there was never an indication he regretted leaving her. After school Ginny tried to start a professional Quidditch career, but without Harry's name connected to hers in some fashion, no one really took an interest in her. She spent five years playing on a no name scrub team as a backup to the reserve team, never once actually playing in a real match. Finally she "retired" and got a job working in the sports department of the Daily Prophet writing up game statistics for professional gobstone competitions. Till the day she died, still single and completely alone, Ginny was sure that one day Harry would come back to her, but he never did.
Mrs. Weasley's thoughts were no less angry. "That ungrateful little whelp! After everything I've done for him, he dares talk to me like that! I swear, as soon as I get free I'm going to give Arthur and then him a piece of my mind and he's going to be begging me to forgive him! Then I'll deal with that rebellious streak he's developed! Oh no, he's not going to be living under my household with an attitude like that."
Truer words were never expressed, though Mrs. Weasley was not to realize that for quite some time. In fact, she would never speak to Harry again, not even years later on her death bed as she begged Arthur to bring her "seventh son" to see her. The fact that she was even then telling people that if only he admitted he was wrong that she would forgive him might have had something to do with it. Goblin wards would prevent her howlers from reaching him and as he never got rid of that "rebellious streak" of his, he would never even darken the doorstep of the Burrow again.
"I've just lost the only friends I ever really had," was Ron's only thought.
Ron Weasley would remember those words for the rest of his short life. After finishing Hogwarts with the bare minimum NEWTS to pass, his father was able to get him a job working in his department at the Ministry. Barely two years later he was killed when an illegally charmed vacuum cleaner exploded when he tried to take it back to the ministry. The only people to come to his funeral were his family as Ron had long since run off anyone else that might have ever cared for him. It would be a lackluster ending to a rather lackluster life.
As for Arthur Weasley, well he was tired of the way things were going in his life, mostly due to his wife's domineering attitude. Things would take a drastic turn in his life after that day, with him laying down a new set of rules in his household and taking back control of the family finances. He would be very shocked to find out how much money Molly had wasted on bad investments over the years, all the while telling him all the money was going to pay off their debts. The fact that he later discovered Harry had paid those same debts and Molly had used the money he gave her to buy expensive new clothes for Ginny would be the final straw for him. From that day on it was Mrs. Weasley who was the meek and mild wife, while Arthur became the strong family leader the family had always needed. Oddly, after he took control of their money the Weasleys suddenly had a surplus of galleons at the end of ever month.
"Goodbye, Harry, my son in all but blood," Arthur thought as he watched Harry apparate away. "May your life be filled with all the happiness and love you deserve."
AN: Formatting corrected on 10/4/12.