Chapter 47
"Now you cannot come to me, I must come to you." He declared.
Ariana who had been feeling alone in a sea of people that day smiled at him tentatively. They were alone at last but together. It was all she wanted.
"My dear Harry."
Tears trickled once more.
"Don't cry darling, I'm here." He said closing the gap between the two of them at once. The divide had felt so great for the both of them at once. The gap which had felt so wide.
He wiped her tears from her cheeks and kissed them. It felt they had been apart for so long. As if it had not been days but years.
"Oh I love my sweetheart." She muttered making him chuckle.
"And I love my Ari."
"So much you don't want her with you all day?"
"So much that I want her safe. "he replied as her hand caressed his chest softly.
She sighed. He knew she could not be content when she was not learning. But this was going to be a good thing for her, he knew it. And the more he thought on it the more what they had done that day made sense to him. They had all done the right thing when they had sent her home.
"It will not be for always my love. And we still have one another, don't we?" he asked her and she nodded passionately. They were always going to have one another.
"If you ever stopped loving me..."
He silenced her with a kiss. There was no point even discussing that. It was never going to happen.
Nodding, she understood what he was trying to tell her.
"You'll stay tonight?"
"Every night, when you get here I will be too." He promised her kissing her forehead.
"Aba?"
"He won't catch us," he said with more confidence than he felt. The fact she wanted to believe him made it so much easier to trust what he said. "You're so tired." He observed. She barely had the strength to keep her eyes opened but she didn't want to sleep. Not when they were together in her room.
"No, no I'm not." She shook her head.
"Yes Ariana. Sleep." He urged her as he crawled under the blanket with her. Her old single bed was smaller than his at Hogwarts meaning there was even more intimacy between them than there had been previously. He was so close to her she could smell him.
Not wanting to fight what he was saying to her any more she lay her head on his chest. She could do with a light sleep she guessed. As long as he stayed.
As long as he was hers.
-
Sweetheart,
I had to go back to school. Didn't want to wake you as you looked so peaceful.
I love you and shall be back tonight.
Harry.
It was hardly what she had wanted to wake up too. His arms she felt were a much better option. Still they could not have everything in life as she was learning. The fact that they had been together the night before she supposed was going to have to be enough for her. Till that evening.
Now she had a day of – nothing. No classes. No meals in the great hall. No seeing Sirius about or chatting with her friends.
Just as it had when she had first gone to Hogwarts. Her life had changed overnight. And this time she didn't think it was for the better.
How dare her brothers send her home for such a minor incident? When she had got upset the year before during the Triwizard Tournament they had not thought it was grounds for putting an end to the education she was so enjoying.
Going into the bathroom, she started running herself a bath. She felt she had to soak and she was not ready to go in to the living room to see Aberforth yet. She was feeling a lot clearer than she had been in a few days and she did not want to lose that by getting upset with him and then going back to square one.
Getting in to the tub she tried to picture what her life was going to be like from here on in. Was she just to wait for Harry to finish up for the next three years? Was she ever going to go back to school? There were so many unanswered questions. It was so unfair that she had gone so far and then it had come to this terribly bitter end.
Of course, if she looked at it from another view then she had gone further than she ever dreamed she would be able too. So maybe she should just be grateful for the time she had had at school. It had been very special to her.
And she now had memories no one could take from her.
Stepping out she knew she had to face the world sometimes. And she felt calmer now she had had the sometime to herself. She was ready to face her brother.
Brushing out her hair she tied only the top up so the rest of it flowed down her back. She had her white blouse on matched with her long blue skirt.
No more uniform.
Aberforth looked at her with concern when she finally emerged. He had hoped she was going to be out sooner but when she did come to him she appeared to be in good spirits thankfully.
"My darling good morning. You seem better today." He told her.
"I am. I feel much recovered."
"Well that I is grateful for. You had me scared for a moment." He said as she took her seat and he made tea for them both. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He asked. They both knew 'it' was her leaving school.
Yes and no she thought to herself. But then she didn't want to get herself all upset by it. And then she thought to herself in all seriousness what was the point? Until Umbridge was gone, she didn't really, desperately want to be there. And Harry thought it was best. And though she felt they had done it in a under hand way she knew her brothers wouldn't want to hurt her for the world. What they had done they had done because they thought it was the right thing to do.
"No." She shook her head surprising him. "I do feel angry about it. But it's done. And I need to keep calm. So can we please just have breakfast?" her words were collected but said in a coolness that had never been between them. She had spoke to Albus in such a way before but never him. He felt quite cut.
"Ok darling. I think that's a good idea."
But if he thought the normal warmness that flowed between the two of them was going to return in no time then he was sadly left disappointed. She was distanced from him, made little conversation and spent the majority of her time with the goats. They were apparently better company than he was.
Watching her he felt a pang of guilt. No matter how distance she was he was still glad that she had been restored to him at last. This was how it always should have been he thought to himself. Him and his darling sister. She was sure to come about to him in a few days he told himself. But it didn't stop the worry.
But the silence did not stop by the end of the day. She sat looking into the fire as if she was looking for answers when he checked up on her from the pub. Why had she got so upset she asked herself over and over again? The detention had been a terrible thing. No one could deny that. But she should have been strong enough to cope. And now she was ... here.
"You'll be ok sweet." She heard him tell her and she nodded. "You're so quiet today. Not like you at all."
"I have eaten and I am calm. Don't ask for conversation today Aberforth. It's too much." She said to him not taking her eyes off of the fire.
She knew it was the right thing and he had done it for the right reason but it did not mean the fact she was no longer at school did not hurt because it did. She had loved learning. And when she had done something right she had felt so proud of achievement. She had proved all the doubters wrong....
She longed for her bed – for Harry.
It didn't come soon enough. After dinner she excused herself to her room saying she wished to read which was true. She did. Pulling out Goodnight Mr Tom though she was reminded of her lessons with Albus. Time with him was going to be cut done she knew. She turned off the light and waited in the darkness.
At half ten she felt an arm slide about her waist and a pair of lips kiss her cheek in greeting.
Turning into him they lay there as if they had not moved from the previous night. It was as if the day was washed away. Just for a moment. But the truth was she felt lonely and lost.
"How was class?"
Harry winced at her tone. It was like that of a relation longing for someone they had lost. A child who had been separated from its best friend.
"Not nearly as fun without you there with me." He said. He didn't want to go into details. It was only going to serve to upset her and she had been upset enough he reminded himself. He knew she was unsatisfied with the answer but it was the only one she was getting.
She breathed evenly and stayed quiet. She had really very little to say to him that night. It was his soothing present she wanted, but not much more. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to tell him how her day had been as she felt she had been rather pathetic through it and if she spoke of it then she was only going to cry.
Kissing her arm as they clung to one another, he savoured the time they had together. This was the best time of his day as well as the best of hers. He knew it had to be harder for her but it was not as if her leaving Hogwarts had not upset him. He had missed her and he was sure somewhere she knew that even if she did feel a little resentful of him.
Locked in one another's love, the two teenagers feel asleep.
-
"What she is going to need if she is going to get through this is a bit of a project to occupy her time. She isn't one for sitting about doing nothing. "
It was eleven and Sirius was at the Hogshead. He had had a feeling that Aberforth was going to need to talk after he had had her back for the first time. It was full time custardy now again. Aberforth for all the trials of the days was glowing. She was home and that was where she was going to be best loved and cared for.
He had to admit to himself that he was like Albus now. A few years ago he would not have appreciated the comparison but now he was making it. And with good reason. He was a selfish being. He would love and he would care for her selflessly but he was glad she was there by his side even if she was not so thrilled about it. Could she have survived the year at Hogwarts in her right mind?
Perhaps.
But her sanity was not something he could gamble with. Not when the stakes were so high now and they all knew just how high they were. Since her and Harry had been friends they had raised higher. He had got used to the Potter boy he thought to himself. But he didn't think he was ever going to really like him. Not when he was such a danger magnet. And he was always getting up to some sort of trouble. He liked Sirius. But then sometimes he got the feeling he didn't think that his sister was the best girl for his godson. And he agreed. She wasn't. They were in the same boat. Neither of them liked the two of them being together – but neither were going to tear them apart.
"You sound as if you have an idea," said Sirius as he nursed his fire whisky.
"I do. I think she is going to like it. What I need to do is being her back out of her shell. When I have done that she is going to be ok." He told him.
"You sure?"
"Of course I am. I know her well enough to be the judge of that. She does go quiet when she gets upset and she has had a hard couple of days. The hardest she has had to live through in a long while in fact. She'll come round though. I just need to be patience."
-
"Sweetheart, come here!" Aberforth knew he had done the right thing. He had talked it over with Albus and he agreed it was a good idea.
Yes it was what she needed. And she was going to love it.
Ariana did as she was told. She had learnt that if she made no fuss about anything then they were not going to have any trouble. And what she was living for were the nights when she was reunited with her Harry.
"Aberforth, what is it?" she asked with her curious eyes.
"I have a gift for you."
"Why? It is not my birthday."
The Dumbledore children had never been spoilt and Kendra had made sure they knew that presents were only for Christmas or their birthdays. And she never had used presents as a bribe for good behaviour. He knew that she might not have approved of what she was doing. But she was not the one who was bringing up her daughter. He was.
"Do I really need a reason to dote upon my beloved sister?" he asked putting a tentative arm about her. She had been home a few day now and she had still not been that warm with him. She certainly had not invited any affection v between the two of them.
However as he stood there smiling at her she could not help but soften towards him. She had told herself repeatedly that he had taken her out of school because he had thought it was going to be the right thing for her and it was beginning to work.
She let him lead her out to the garden were she found a rather pleasant surprise.
Tied up on a new lease was a cocker spaniel puppy.
"She's yours darling." He told her.
Ariana looked at him with sheer delight. She had always, always loved animals. He didn't know why he had not thought of it earlier. Even he had to admit the little puppy was pretty cute with her floppy ears.
She knelt to the floor and allowed it to jump up at her and lick her face. She laughed at its antics and a smile spread over her face and he knew for a moment she had forgotten what she had lost when she had left school.
"Oh Aba, thank you so much!"
She looked so happy in that moment. He delight as she looked at him warm every part of his old body.
Despite his old knees he knelt down by the top of them chuckling as the puppy greeted its new mistress for the first time.
"She is a happy addition to our little family is she not?"
"She's wonderful. Oh brother thank you!"
He laughed at the as she stroked the puppy and made a fuss of her.
"You'll have to name her."
"I'll have to think about it."
"Of course."
Ariana turned to her brother. He was so kind to her. And she knew she was not the best or the most gracious of sisters. When she hurt she took it out on him. But then he was always bouncing back trying to make her life just that little bit better.
"What can I do replay you?" she asked.
"You don't owe me anything sweetheart." He told her. "But I would be grateful to you if you would let me into that head of yours. Talk to me." He asked with pleading eyes. As she looked down her new puppy she sighed. What he asked was the one thing she was reluctant to give. But she did want to break the divide that had come between the two of them. She didn't like it when they fought.
"I get mixed up. I got upset. I didn't talk to you. But you didn't have to take me from my friends." There was she knew no consistence to what she said. But it all came out at once. She said to him. "You know if you had asked me on any other day then I would not have come home with you. You played on my weakness Aba. Why?"
"Because I have to keep you safe and well. I don't think you understand how much I need to do that for you." She looked at him with her big blue eyes which were confused. "You still don't get it do you? You still don't understand."
She shook her head.
"You are my baby sister – but you're my everything as well. I never got over you going. I can't lose you too any one." He said to her.
"You won't." She whispered.
"I could. I feel you slipping from me every time you leave my sight. You are my life and my happiness. You're the centre of everything."
"You have to trust that I am real and I am not going to disappear."
"I did for a time and look what happened to you. Umbridge." He growled. "No I can't give you up to people who will hurt you. I beg your forgiveness, but I'm not sorry for what I have done. I can't lose you."
When her head turned to him, she had tears in her eyes. He was the best of brothers. And she knew what he had done was because he thought it was for the best. He may have been wrong, but he didn't mean to be.
He didn't want to hurt her or to see her hurt.
"There is nothing to forgive." She would get used to life away from Hogwarts, as long as they had each other. He needed her. Her silly big brother who would fight her corner no matter what.
If he was protective, who could truly blame him?
"Hold me," she whispered.
The attacks, Voldemort, Umbridge. There was so much in the world she was not able to defend herself from. And so she must learn to rely on him. And whether she liked it or not that meant living with him and trusting him judgement.
Even when it went against what she truly wanted.
He enveloped her in his embrace and the two of them sat there with the new puppy for a long time.
Review Please!