Author: Lash_Larue
Title: "Home from the Hill"
Pairing: Ginny/Hermione, others
Rating: adult
Summary: Things get as simple as they are going to
Warnings: Angst, character death
Word Count: 1800
Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling
A/N: This is it, if something seems vague, it's meant to. Thank you for reading. Special thanks to DesireeStorm for the regular feedback.
A/N2: Sorry about the multiple notifications, this just won't link properly...
The Hunters Part 36
"Home from the Hill"
"Thanks Edward, I appreciate your help on this," Pansy said as she took the envelope from him.
"A pleasure as always, Pansy. How is the new club coming along?" he asked.
"We open next week. I wanted to call it "The Bat and Bludgers", but Harry held out for "The Prancing Pony". I guess he's a real Lord of the Rings geek."
"It's a sure hit no matter what you call it. My friends and I have wanted a club of this caliber for a while. Harry being around on occasion is just icing on the cake. Should I make reservations?" Smythe-Davies asked.
"Taken care of," Pansy assured him, "are you bringing anyone but Liam with you?"
"Not this time."
"So, do you think I need to keep my eyes peeled for Smithers? He's got to be pissed about losing all this money," Pansy asked.
"I think he's too scared to try anything like that. He wouldn't have paid up if he was willing to try and hurt you. I actually think he's a little ashamed of how he acted. He did give his entire share to Mrs. Weasley, after all."
"I would have settled for half," Pansy admitted, "he's still an arsehole, though. I don't trust this unexpected generosity."
"Indeed he is, and I don't trust him either. My contacts will let me know if he seems to be up to anything. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Not right now, let me know how you like the club. I'm not too sure about Weasley managing it, but Harry seemed to think he'd do a good job."
"I certainly will, and thank you for letting me help with this, Pansy. It was nice to really be able to do something good for someone."
xxxx
"No brownies today, Molly, we're going to Shell Cottage for Tris's birthday soon. I don't want to be fuzzy for that."
"All right dear," Molly agreed, "but do try and eat, would you?"
"I'll try; food just doesn't interest me much anymore. I'm tired, Molly," he admitted.
"I know love, I know," she said as she pulled him to her on the couch.
xxxx
"Bill was right about his appraisal of the treasure," Pansy said as she joined Fleur, Ginny, and Hermione at the table in the kitchen. "I got the final tally today. Two hundred thirty-two million galleons."
"Fleur's share is over four and a half million then!" exclaimed Hermione.
Fleur's mouth hung open.
"Smithers decided to turn his percentage over to Fleur and the girls as well," Pansy informed them, "the total amount is eleven-point-six million."
"Zut…" breathed Fleur. "I would prefer to have Bill back, but it is a comfort for many reasons, not least to know that he was right."
"True," agreed Ginny, "Bill provided for you all, his death was a tragic loss, but at least it wasn't in vain."
"What on earth made that slime Smithers do something like that?" asked Hermione as she stared at Pansy.
"Must be guilt, I reckon," Pansy said with a shrug.
"Right. Or a big kitty?" Hermione suggested.
"My word on it, neither I nor Midnight have said a thing to him," Pansy promised.
"Horticulture, right Pans?" Ginny surmised.
"Precisely. And I know it doesn't make up for Bill, Fleur, but at least now you don't have to worry about money on top of everything else," Pansy told her.
"True, the girls can grow up here, this place that Bill loved so much. Oh! I can also buy the house that he promised you, Ginny and Hermione!" Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, and by unspoken accord, Hermione replied.
"I think we'd rather have things as they are, if that's okay with you, Fleur."
"Right," confirmed Ginny.
"Don't you want a place where you can be alone together?" Fleur asked.
"We love each other," Hermione responded, "but things have changed for both of us, and until we're more certain of our feelings we don't want to take any further steps."
"This is my fault, isn't it?" Fleur asked.
"Fleur, we all knew the risks going in, although we couldn't know the outcome," Ginny explained. "We still love each other, but now we love other people as well. We haven't lost, we've gained, and it's going to take time to sort things out. Neither one of us can walk away from what we all have here, it's just too precious. "
"I could use some better office furniture though," Hermione said with a smile.
xxxx
"Dad doesn't look too good, does he?" Percy asked Ginny as they carried in plates from Tris's birthday party in the garden at Shell Cottage.
"No, he doesn't. I haven't pried, I figure it's up to Mum and Dad to tell us when they want to, but I don't think things are going well at all," Ginny answered.
"Well, if the worst happens, at least he's been himself this last year and more, that's something."
"Yes it is, and he's been able to spend time with his grandkids. He doesn't seem unhappy, just kind of fragile, I guess," Ginny replied.
"We should just enjoy whatever time we have left with him."
xxxx
"Look at this," Hermione said at the breakfast table as she turned the 'Prophet' face outwards. "Smithers is transferring to the Brazilian branch of Gringots."
"Imagine that," Pansy said as she buttered her toast. "I have relatives there." She had also received word that Smithers was seeking a way to invalidate Bill's contract and recover the money. This had resulted in the Head Goblin at Gringots receiving a note with a small enclosure.
"How's the Pony doing?" Ginny asked.
"Really well, and your brother Ron is doing a really good job managing it. I'm kind of surprised, frankly," Pansy told her.
"No more than I am," Ginny promised. "He's not nearly as big a prat since he came out. Victoire is staying with me and Pansy at her place tonight, right Fleur?"
"Oui, she is most excited about seeing her 'big kitty' in the jungle, aren't you sweetheart?" Fleur asked Victoire.
"Yes!" exclaimed Victoire, and she threw herself into Pansy's arms.
"I might look into becoming an animagus myself," Hermione mused, "it should be a challenge, and it might come in handy. I wonder what my animagus form would be?"
"Minerva can help you find out, and if you really want to you can make specific changes to the basic form," Pansy said, "I could have chosen nearly any feline, but I'd seen a big jaguar before, and I knew that's what I wanted."
"Hermonkey be big monkey?" Victoire asked.
"One hopes not, but I suppose I'll go and see Minerva sometime and check."
"That's Percy's owl…"
xxxx
"Thank you all for coming, children," Arthur Weasley told them when they had gathered at the Burrow. "It's selfish of me, I know, but I wanted to see you all together again and there isn't much time left. It must be obvious to you that I'm not doing well at all; I don't have long left. We have simply exhausted all of the options."
"But Dad…" Ron began.
"Trust us Ronald," Molly said gently, "all avenues have been explored."
"Indeed," Arthur confirmed, "I don't ask you not to cry, I like to think that by and large I have been the sort of father to deserve a tear or two, after all." It was the same old Arthur humor, but the twinkle was largely gone from his eyes. "I wouldn't trade my life for anyone's I ever heard of, I have a wonderful wife, and marvelous children and grandchildren, and Ron of course," he said with a grin. Ron tried to return the smile, but it was a poor thing, and Oliver put an arm around him.
"And I'll get to see Fred and Bill again, I trust, so all in all I feel like I have something to look forward to as well as back on. And I want to tell you all something that I've learned about life," everyone was silent as they waited for him to speak.
"We are all of us hunters; men, women, muggles, wizards, it makes no matter. We hunt for many things, but above all we hunt for love, for someone to share with, to support, and to be supported by. We hunt for happiness. I have found all of these things, and I am content. I do wish I could have figured out how batteries work though…"
And then he was gone.
xxxx
"Mother," Percy told Molly as they sat alone at the kitchen table, "Dad gave me a message for you, back when he was in hospital. He said to tell you to follow your heart, 'this time'. He didn't elaborate, he did say that you might ask me about something someday and that I should tell you that, but I thought I should go ahead and tell you, just in case."
"Thank you Percy, I keep expecting him to pop out of the fireplace any minute, even though it's been over a year now."
"I know Mum, and that's okay. Why don't you come home with me this evening? We'd love to have you."
"Thank you Percy, another time though. I want to get an early start in the garden."
xxxx
"Oh my goodness!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at the 'Prophet'. "Smithers has gone missing in Brazil, seems he went to the Pantanal to check on a find for Gringots, but he never arrived at the site. The guides say he just disappeared from the camp at night."
"Dangerous place, the jungle," Pansy pointed out. "I expect he disagreed with something that ate him."
"Speaking of jungle," Hermione began.
"Yes, you and Fleur are off this weekend, Ginny and I will take care of the girls here while you two go to Parkshaven. I should warn you though; Wesley has been working on new recipes all week. I think he fancies Fleur, truth to tell," Pansy confided.
"Don't we all?"
"I know I do," Pansy admitted. Fleur smiled at her. "It looks like Ginny will get to play for the cup this year too, it's good to see her and Harry on the same team again, it's like old times."
"Oh, it's way better than that," Hermione said, smiling as she embraced Pansy from behind and let her hands roam a bit, "way better… Ginny's at practice. We should practice too..."
"When you're right, you're right, Hermione," replied Pansy, leaning back against her.
"Indeed," Fleur agreed, and she stood and led the way up the stairs.
xxxx
"Hello, Molly," came a voice that set Molly's heart tripping.
Molly rose from weeding a flower bed, and turned to face her visitor.
"Hunter roses! You remembered," Molly exclaimed when she saw the plants.
"The double blossoms represent us. I have remembered every minute that we shared, every day of my life, Molly. Haven't you?"
"Yes," said Molly quietly.
"It's our turn now, don't you think? We both did the easier thing once, the more conventional thing, and we both grew to love our husbands, and we've both lost them. And we've both lost children, and now I want to spend what time I have left with you. Will you have me? Do you still want me?"
"Arthur said that we were all hunters," Molly began softly, "that we all hunted for someone to share our lives with. He was right, and while I am not sure that I am ready to move on, I think that it may be time to try. At the least two old friends can share tea and sympathy, for a start. Come inside, Andromeda."