***This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.***
Warnings:Coarse Language (And, as always, any and all mistakes are absolutely, completely and gloriously mine.)
Dinner at Grimmauld Place was always a very lively affair; it was something Harry absolutely insisted on. No matter how the day had been spent, the dinner table was the one place they could all come together and put everything out of their minds and just enjoy good food and good company; Harry believed it was the best remedy for a hard day, and these days they were all hard.
But tonight was different.
Harry sat in his usual seat across from Draco staring silently into his plate of stew. The seat next to him was empty; Ginny's.
"Has anyone seen Ginevra?" Molly asked as she took a bread roll from the basket and passed it to Hermione.
"She said she wasn't feeling well, Mum." Ron said quietly; Harry's jaw clenched.
"Well she didn't say anything to me. Perhaps I should go and check on her." Molly said.
"I'm sure she's fine Mrs. Weasley." Draco said calmly. "You've done nothing but run around the house all day, you should rest for a while; at least enjoy some of the meal you worked so hard to prepare for us all." he smiled graciously.
"I don't recall anyone speaking to you Malfoy." Ron said, his lip curled in distaste.
"Knock it off, Ron." Harry said darkly.
The table fell silent once more. The air was heavy; weighed down not only by Harry's mood, but by the tension between Draco and Ron, and subsequently Ron and Harry.
"So," Hermione cleared her throat a few minutes later. "How did your training go yesterday, Harry?"
"It was alright." Harry said without looking up from his plate.
"I'm sure it was better than alright." Hermione smiled. "What would you say, Draco?"
Harry looked up and saw Draco staring back at him; he wasn't smiling, but his eyes sparkled as they searched his face. "He was amazing." he whispered. "But you know Harry; ever the modest hero."
"Ha, yeah; Harry… our hero." Ron snorted.
Harry's spoon hit the table with a clatter as he stood from his chair and stared down the table to where Ron was sitting. "Is there something you'd like to say to me, Ron?" he asked, his voice conveying a sense of calm he didn't feel.
"Yeah." Ron said, standing himself. "Yeah, there is."
"Ron, don't start this right…"Charlie started before Ron cut him off.
"Shut it, Charlie. This needs to be said." He spoke quietly, his eyes never leaving Harry. "Do you have any idea what's going on out there, outside these walls?" he asked.
Harry stood, waiting for Ron to continue.
"People are dying. While we're sitting here chatting about quidditch and cinemas, Voldemort is out there building his army and preparing to attack! What the fuck are we doing, Harry; why are we all just sitting around waiting patiently to be caught unaware?" Ron yelled.
"What would you have me do, Ron? Send all of us out into the fields and the forests to search for someone who, let's face it, is not going to be found. He's been hiding for years, and yes, I don't doubt he's preparing himself for a fight, but you can be damn well sure he knows that that's exactly what he's going to get; a fight. And I don't know what you've been doing, but the rest of this house has been studying and training; not just traditional magical warfare, but other methods, alternatives, defensive as well as offensive. We have worked ourselves to the point of exhaustion so that we can be sure that we will not be caught unaware; that when Voldemort comes for us, we will be ready, we will be prepared, and we will win." Harry said firmly, his voice never once raising an octave. "Now, can we go back to our supper, or do you feel the need to insult us all further?"
Ron stood at the other end of the table shaking his head. "I don't get you anymore." he said.
"The feeling's mutual."
"What do you mean? I'm not the one who's changed here!" he yelled. "Percy is dead, Hermione's parent's are dead, your aunt and uncle and cousin, all that remained of your family is dead; the Burrow was destroyed! We've all lost so much; am I the only one who understands that; the only one who remembers, who wants a little retribution… or are you just too busy taking it up the arse from my brother and Oliver and any other man who looks at you for more than two seconds put together?" he spat.
Everyone at the table gasped and shouts of "Ron!" echoed throughout the room.
Harry put his hand out and silence settled around them instantly. "I'm sorry, Ron." he said evenly. "I'm confused. Are you questioning my memory or my morality?"
"Morality!?" Ron practically screamed. "There's nothing moral about what you're doing Harry! How do you think the rest of the wizarding population is going to feel when they realize the man they lauded as their saviour is a fag?"
Harry took a deep breath, his fists balled so tightly he could feel his fingernails cutting into his palms. "I'm no one's saviour, Ron." he whispered.
"You can say that all you like Harry, but you don't have a choice in the matter. Those people out there believe in you. They need you to be strong, they need to see you fighting for them because they're losing hope; so it's time for you stop fucking around with your boy toys, end this war and settle in with some nice chit and live out a normal life so that everyone else can do the same."
Harry closed his eyes, breathing deeply before he spoke again. "Ron, you can insult me all you like… hell, you can call me every name in the book if it makes you feel better," he whispered. "But I am not 'fucking around' as you so eloquently put it. I am in love, the depths of which I don't think you could even begin to comprehend; and I will not stand by and let you insult that."
"Oh come off it Harry; you can't possibly call whatever it is you feel for my brother, another man, love. I mean, after last night…"
Harry's eyes flashed as his jaw clenched. "What do you know about last night?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper; and for one brief moment, he could see fear in Ron's eyes.
"We talked about it this morning." he said as he raised his chin a little higher.
Harry stared at him for a full minute before he spoke again. "And you approved of their... actions?"
"Whatever it takes Harry." Ron said evenly. "It's time for you to grow up. You have a duty to fulfill and it's time you start fulfilling it."
"I don't owe anything to anyone." Harry whispered, his voice shaking slightly. "I fight for the people I love, for the man I love, for our future. I don't owe anyone else a goddamn thing."
"And what about me?" Ron said. "What about the people who've been there for you since the beginning; what do you owe us?"
"That's what this is about isn't it?" Draco's voice was clear and unwavering as he spoke up. "Your futile attempt to ride the coattails of the most powerful wizard of the age; to use his fame and fortune to bring your family into good social standing. Your character is beyond reproach." he spat. "You're fucking pathetic."
"You shut your fucking mouth, you despicable Death Eater scum!" Ron yelled.
"That's enough!" Harry said, raising his voice for the first time that evening.
"Ron's right, Harry." Molly spoke from her place beside her son.
"Molly!" Arthur gasped from the other end of the table. "You can't possibly be condoning…"
"Oh shut it Arthur!" Molly shouted, slamming her fist against the table. "I've had enough of this; of sitting quietly by while everyone around me settles for less and less, and I'll have no more of it! Thirty years we've been together. Thirty years I stood by you, I waited for. You were so intelligent, full of so much promise; you could have made something of yourself Arthur, you could have been someone; you could've given your family a name they could be proud of, but no… you chose to throw your life away tinkering with your muggle toys and your stupid experiments!"
"Molly… I…I'm sorry…" Arthur stuttered.
"Don't you dare apologise to me Arthur Weasley! That's your problem; you're sorry; you're weak Arthur, you always have been and you always will be. And I for one can't take anymore. Ron is right; we've bent over backwards for this boy; we took him in as our own, and how does he repay us? By shaming himself, by disgracing us with his filth..."
"That is enough!" Harry shouted; the dishes and cutlery began to vibrate on the table, filling the dining room with a low hum. He took a deep breath, "Mrs. Weasley, Ron; I love you both, very much. But I've been patient long enough, this is more than I can tolerate; and the last thing I want to do is force you to continue to live in a place where my filth and shame are so proudly on display." He said quietly. "I'll fire call Dumbledore as soon as we've finished our meal, I'm sure he'll be happy to lodge you for the next couple of days; at least until you can find more suitable accommodations which I will be happy to finance for you… it's the least I can do as I seem to be so indebted to you."
"Am I hearing this right? You're kicking us out?" Ron yelled.
"I'm asking you to leave my home."
"And the rest of you are okay with this?" Ron asked incredulously as he eyed the rest of the room.
No one spoke.
"Go pack your things." Harry said as he sank into his seat, suddenly exhausted. "I'll have Dobby send your dinner to your rooms. Be ready by morning, please."
Ron and Molly stood staring at the rest of the table. "You'll be sorry Harry; I swear to Merlin you're going to regret this." Ron spat as he and Molly left the room without so much as a backward glance.
"I already do." Harry whispered.
~*~
"... will be happy to give them a room for as long it's necessary." Dumbledore's voice echoed through the study.
"Thank you sir." Harry nodded.
"You're welcome Harry. I'll open the floo to my office come morning. Will 8:30 be acceptable?"
"Yes sir."
"Very well. I don't expect I'll be seeing you as well." Dumbledore said solemnly.
"No sir." Harry shook his head.
"Yes. Well goodnight Harry; for what it's worth I'm very sorry."
"So am I." Harry whispered. "Goodnight sir."
"Goodnight Harry." Dumbledore said before his head vanished from the flame; Harry pulled back from the grate and closed the connection. He sighed as he heard the knock at the door. "Come in."
"Harry?"
"Mr. Weasley." Harry said as he jumped up and crossed the room. "I... I'm sorry. I don't... I don't really know what else to say other than that." he frowned. They stood facing each other, and awkward silence settling between them.
"I just..." Arthur whispered some minutes later, his gazed set dazedly on the cold hearth. "I just... I don't understand... she's my wife, and he's my son. How could they... how could I not have seen..."
"None of us could have... expected... that." Harry said as he settled a hand on the other man's shoulder. Minutes ticked by as they lapsed into silent once more.
"No..." Arthur finally whispered. "I knew... I just didn't want to see it. Molly was right..."
"Mr. Weasley..."
"No Harry." he said, his gaze finally settling on the young man in front of him. "She was right about me. But the things she said about you, what Ron said about you... I didn't raise him to think that way. I'm sorry; I should have defended you and Charlie and Draco... I'm sorry." he whispered. "I'll understand if you want me to leave..."
"No!" Harry said, tightening his grasp on the man's shoulder. "Mr. Weasley... Arthur... I need you here; we all need you here, I don't care what Mrs. Weasley believes. I'll understand if you want to be with them, but please, don't think for a moment that you're unwelcome here. Please... I want you to stay." Harry pleaded.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you, Harry; not any of you." Arthur whispered; a small, watery smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"Oh, thank Merlin!" Harry beamed as he wrapped his arms around him. "And you're wrong, Molly wasn't right about you." he whispered as he held the other man close. "You're a good man, Arthur; a good father. And your family is proud of you... we all are."
"Thank you, Harry." he whispered.
Harry smiled as he pulled away. "They're... 8:30 tomorrow." he nodded.
Arthur took a deep breath. "Alright."
"I umm... I had Dobby move your things to the blue room on the second floor; I hope that was alright."
"Yes." Arthur sighed, looking relieved. "I... thank you, Harry. You handled yourself well this evening. You're a better man than I can describe, and I've never been more proud of a child than I was of you tonight." he said firmly.
"Arthur..." Harry whispered.
Arthur shook his head. "Goodnight son." he said quietly as he turned and left the room.
"Goodnight..." Harry whispered after him.
Author's Note: After the last couple of angsty chapter endings, I thought a semi-happy ending would be a welcome change. : ) I also want to let everyone know that this story, while it takes place during the conflict with Voldemort, won't actually cover the last battle. The main focus of the fic is the relationships between the characters, primarily Harry and Draco. That being said, there's only one, maybe two chapters left in this tale; so don't worry, boy love is on the way! Meanwhile... if you like what you've read so far -or if you hated it-, hit the review button and let me know. : ) Thanks for reading!
-Peace