Chapter 39
"You are writing to Ron and Hermione?" asked Ariana as she came up behind Harry and run her hand down his neck.
She had come to the Gryffindor Tower to see him. Since they had been told about the Order between the two of them they had talked about it little.
"Yes," he nodded and gave her smile as he dipped his quill into the ink. "I want them to come up to the school and celebrate our birthdays with us. Sirius has agreed."
"It'll be nice to see them. Somehow the day they all went home on the train seems a long time ago now." she agreed, walking over to the window that over looked the green. It was a sunny day. Summer has come to Hogwarts as it had the last year. Bright was the sun that shone on to the lake.
"Doesn't it just? The entire term seems so long ago." he agreed.
Yet it had seemed so for him even before it had come to its devastating end on the platform.
She had been right that day in the hospital ward. Things were never going to be as they had been before for them and that fact was beginning to show, there was a tension in the room. Not because they didn't know what to say to one another. But because they had so much on there mind.
"I wish I had a way to say to you what I need too. I wish there were words that sums up what we both feel in this moment. But the fact is we don't."
He nodded. She had something about her that she didn't seem to have before.
-
Hermione had her head in a book. What was new?
"What are you reading?" Ariana asked.
Her and Ron had arrived back at school just two weeks after they had left it though it felt so long ago. Hermione had been more than happy, though she missed her mother and father like crazy. Yet she had explained the night before that she felt knowing what she did, she could not relax in the muggle world. As she had said that she had a look on her face that revealed what she felt, which Ariana could easily relate to. It was a fear of losing what you came from and forgetting what you knew, before you came into the life you lived in the present.
"Muggle history." she replied. "It was one of my favourite subjects when I was at primary school long with Science, Maths and English. I miss it , so I try to do a bit of reading in the school holidays." she said as she shut the book and passed it to Ariana to show her the title.
Looking up at her from the front cover were a fine looking couple, the woman with brunette hair and dressed in what appeared to be a blue gown. She had roses in her cheeks and a pearl necklace was about her throat. To her right, a man sat in a suit with no hair but rather a wig.
Reading the title she smiled. It sounded like a warm book.
My Dearest Friend: The Letters Of John and Abigail Adams.
"He was a revolutionary in America. He went to Congress, heard the Declaration of Independence read, went to France and made it back to be President. He lived a extraordinary life. At the heart of it was her. She gave him the courage and strength to do some of it while waiting for him to come back to her, even if she didn't know how long if she was going to be away."
"She sounds as if she was extraordinary herself." replied Ariana. She didn't know why but she had tears in her eyes.
"She was."
Ariana looked down at Abigail. She knew revolutions rarely came without war and the previous term had heard Hermione refer to the American war of Independence.
She didn't know why but on hearing what she had to say, and looking at Abigail she had a burning curiosity to find out more about this women as well as the times she lived in.
Hermione let a smile play on her lips. Abigail had waited for John to do what he had to and had supported him all the way. She knew there were going to be comparisons in the relationship she had seen Ariana develop with Harry. Asides that, she now knew exactly what she was going to get Ariana for her birthday.
-
On the second of August just as they had the year before, the Hogwarts staff and Weasley's gathered on the lawn for the birthday party of Ariana and Harry.
It was not nearly as joyful as it had been the year before though she thought to herself. The years before, reunions and love was on everyone's minds. Now they were just trying to figure out how to stay alive.
It felt as if it had been forced and somehow it wasn't real like it had been the year before when it had all just come so naturally to them all.
But despite this Ariana tried to keep a smile on her face. She had to try and make it a happy occasion.
And it was. Today she had been alive sixteen years. The fact she had only really been conscience for seven of them was not mentioned.
The Quidditch Pitch was back to normal after the tournament and so despite Hermione's protests Sirius gathered to kids up and took them down to the field for a while. Ariana's flying lessons had gone well that year (pity there had been no exam, she thought to herself. She knew she would have passed it). A game of Quidditch was thee general consensus would go down well.
She flew with Ginny, Fred, Charlie (who had returned to see his family from Romania when he had heard about the third trial) and Sirius on her team and they faced Harry, Ron, Hermione, George, Arthur (who had wanted to join in) as well as Bill (which the boys and Sirius were quick to point out was an unfair advantage). Especially when they wound up winning two of the three games which were played.
That part of the day definitely did not seem so forced.
"Well if I had to lose to any one I am glad it was to you." said Ariana as she and Harry touched down.
"What a graceful loser you are." he said as they put there brooms in the broom shed.
She laughed.
"Well played though."
"It was wasn't it?" she replied as they took each others hands and made there way up the lawn to the front of the school.
"I wish the two of us could just go off to the common room." said Harry to her as they walked.
"I know. Today has been awful and forced and fake some of it even. But they are only doing it because they care for us. We'll have some time together later on. I promise you."
Harry sat by her in the meal in order to try and stop himself having a go at them all for the fake-ness of it. He felt as if he was more and more angry than he had ever been before.
When he was with her though he didn't want to shout as he remember how startled she used to be. He didn't want to ever lose her as she was now. She was what he needed.
And he was what she needed.
By the time that the two of them got back to the common room she had actually had a pretty good time. Albus had not been at the party long which was completely understandable. He was so busy with the Order that he had not had that much time for her at all lately, which she knew was completely as it should be. He had to get things up and running before he had to think about her birthday. Aberforth had been there from start to end though as she had known he would be.
But that day wasn't about her brothers. It was about her and Harry.
Despite it being the second and therefore neither of their actual birthdays they had decided as it was in the middle, it was best to swap presents that day.
"You go first." said Harry
He opened the book to find a copy of The Tales OF Beadle The Bard.
"It was mine when I was a child. You never had much of a childhood and so I thought I might share a bit of mine with you."
Ht inscription in the cover of the book said -
To Miss Ariana Dumbledore on the occasion of her second birthday, from her father Percival Dumbledore, who despite her mothers protests, can not help but dote upon his darling daughter.
And from Ariana Dumbledore to Harry Potter, who I know will take good care of it.
"I know it isn't much. But -"
"Ari its perfect." he said to her, leaning in to silence her with a kiss.
"I do love you." she muttered. He nodded.
"I think I have always known that."
The anger fled him. She was with him and they were in the common room. Darkness had fallen outside. Voldemort was there. But there was only happiness in his heart. When they were together they were so happy. For a while he found he was able to forget. She was his refuge from the dark as ever.
"I have a gift for you. Would you like it?" he asked teasingly, making her smile.
"Ok." she nodded.
He passed her a box. Inside it was a new clock. "Hermione helped me chose it. I know you got jewellery for your last birthday." he explained. He hadn't wanted her to get her more. It hadn't made sense. And Albus had got her more for Christmas.
"Its beautiful." she said as she looked at the purple velvet garment. "It shall be wonderful when we go out our walks this winter."
"Yes, I can't wait for the snow to come." They were such happy days for them both.
"We have to get through the summer first."
She laughed as he stroked her cheek and kissed her again.
Her darling…
"You are what John was to Abigail to me."
"And what is that?" he asked, not understanding.
"My dearest friend."