All The Time In The World
Chapter Five
Author's Note: If you're interested, I've written a one-shot called Moonlight. It's Remus/Griselda (Jemima's mother) when they were at Hogwarts. There's also Falling, which focuses on how Jem started going out with George, only to end up with Neville.
Jemima cannot deny him his glory; he has earned it and has spent far too long in the shadows. So when it is all over and Neville finds himself in a clutch of admirers she slips away.
She wants to celebrate because it is all over now, they are free. But the price for her has been high and she cannot find joy in victory just yet. Behind her the castle is slumped, shattered. It is not the idyllic home of her childhood anymore. She wanders to the lake, where she has spent many hours brooding. Many other hours snogging George Weasley, who is stood there now, hands in pockets, eyes boring into the glass-like water.
"George."
He turns his head and she remembers suddenly that he lost his ear. He had joked about it at the wedding: "Bet you still fancy me though, eh?"
He doesn't say anything now. He has no ready quip to hand. He dully registers her presence, then turns his gaze back to the water.
"I'm – I was going to say I was sorry, but that's too small a thing to say. But for what it's worth I am sorry. About Fred."
He nods and she begins to back away.
"You said that I laughed about everything," he says when she is almost out of earshot. She stops and looks back. "I'm not laughing now, am I?"
Her old accusation is tossed back at her with no hint of malice, but she winces anyway.
"No. You're not."
"I'm sorry too. About your dad. And Tonks. I liked them."
There is an expanse of space between them. They will always be friends but too much has happened to cross that space now.
It doesn't take Neville long to realise she isn't there and much as he's enjoying all this novel attention, he wants her. He just wants to hold her because now they can do anything – they can live their lives without looking over their shoulders. And he wants to hold her because he knows her heart is breaking.
He does not have to look far to find her, she is on the steps outside. Jem hears him coming and rises up into his arms, tucking her head under his chin.
"You nearly died."
"But I didn't."
She clutches him and burrows against him as though terrified.
"I'm not going anywhere, you know," he says after a moment.
"I am."
"Eh?"
"I have to go to Andromeda's. I have to tell her about Dad and Tonks. She should hear it from me."
"I'll come too."
"You don't have to."
"Yes I do. I love you, remember?"
Jemima has spent the last few years telling her Dad she is not a kid anymore, that he needs to trust her, that she can look after herself. And in the eyes of the Ministry, at 18, she is well and truly an adult. But when she Apparates to the bottom of Andromeda Tonks' garden path, she wants her Dad so badly it feels like stomach-ache.
Andromeda hears them walking up the path and opens the door. She knows. She knows because her daughter and her son-in-law aren't with Jemima. She knows because of the serious look on the young man's face. When it comes down to it, Jemima doesn't have to say a word.
Andromeda slumps against the doorframe, then sinks down, hands flopping to her side as Jem kneels beside her. Neville stands awkwardly to one side and then eventually bends over them.
"Come on, let's go inside. I'll make some tea."
Andromeda tearfully places Teddy in Jem's arms. He is colicky and crying, but when she tightens her arms around him he turns his head and stops crying. His hair is a pink tuft, like candy floss, and his eyes are a warm chocolate brown. But as he stares at his big sister, his eyes change, melting into same golden brown as hers.
"Instinct," Neville says, placing one hand on the small of her back.
Andromeda goes to Hogwarts to see her daughter, leaving Neville and Jem to look after Teddy, who has fallen asleep in his Moses basket. They are curled up on the sofa, several empty mugs cluttering the table next to them. It is so normal it's practically obscene. She cannot bear how easily she could allow herself to believe that her father or Tonks will walk in any minute. There ought to be more of a mark left on the world. Some mark of their absence. But all Jem has is a chest crammed with grief.
"Jem?"
"Mmm?"
"I'd like you to meet my parents."
She turns at that. It is a huge request. Since telling her about them in their third year, they haven't spoken of it. She asked after each holiday if they are well and he volunteered no more than "They're fine." He has invited her to stay at his house over the holidays; she has met his Gran, his uncle. She never imagined that he would ask her to meet his parents.
"Why?"
He shrugs and doesn't answer.
"All right," she says finally. "Yes. I'd like to. When shall we go?"
Jem takes a box of Chocolate Frogs and a small bunch of flowers. She has been to St. Mungo's only once since she started at Hogwarts. She has dismal memories of the children's ward where she spent the full moons of her childhood, but Neville's parents are in another wing entirely.
His Gran offered to go with her and seemed stunned when Neville quite firmly told her no, he'd go alone this time – just him and Jem. His Gran, who had always seemed to quite like Jem, narrowed her eyes at her suddenly. Jem worried she was sizing her up and finding her wanting.
Alice Longbottom is still pretty, which is something that Jem hadn't expected. Alice spots Neville the moment he comes into the ward and begins to pad towards him, her slippers slapping the floor.
"Hello, Mum," he says, taking her hand and gently guiding her back to her bed. "I've brought someone to meet you."
Alice stares at her son, then her eyes follow his hand when he gestures at Jem. She looks again at Neville, back at Jem and beams, folding Jem into her arms. She is tiny, bird-like and her hold is gentle.
"Sorry," Neville says and reaches to pull his mother away.
"It's all right," Jem says and returns the hug. She wonders suddenly – she hasn't thought this for years – what it would be like to hug her own mother. "Mrs Longbottom, I brought you these."
She offers Alice the flowers and she takes them, wandering back to her bed where she sits sniffing them. Frank is on the bed next to hers, staring blankly at a Daily Prophet spread over his knees.
"Dad? Dad, this is Jemima Lupin."
The surname seems to ring a bell because Frank tilts his head to one side and looks at Jemima before smiling. She offers the box of Chocolate Frogs and they spend half an hour eating them and comparing the cards.
When they go to leave, Jem promises to visit again. Alice follows them to the door of the ward and presses a card into Neville's hand. She grins happily at the two of them, cupping their faces in her hands. Once they are outside they look at the card. The kind blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore twinkle up at them.
The End.