The Monument Keeperoliver Chapter 10

Harry and Luna were making their way down the staircase, when they heard talking coming from the sitting room. They heard Lily's, and James' voices, then they heard a voice harry wasn't ready to face yet. Ginny's voice sounded pleading. They could not make out what she was saying, but her tone came through. Then they heard, "When could they have formed a bond?"

Harry turned to Luna, "I'll meet up with you later Luna. I'm not ready to face her yet." and started back up the stairs, when Luna stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Harry you can't keep putting it off. Ginny still loves you, and it's tearing her up inside knowing you are back, and she is with someone else that she also loves. You're hurting yourself, and her, by ignoring this. You have to tell her that it is over between the two of you. Unless you wish to tear them apart?"

"You know I don't want to do that Luna. Not only does Dean love her, but they have the kids also. But how can I tell her I don't love her anymore, when I know deep down in side, I still do? How can I just let her go?"

"By thinking of those same kids Harry. You can't let this happen. The longer you delay it, the more it will become out of control. If you are not strong enough to do it, then more than just Dean and Ginny will be hurt. Molly, Ron, Hermione, the kids, and Arthur will also be hurt. If you love her, you have to let her go. It will hurt her for a while, but in the long run, it will be better for her."

"How could it be better for her, to have me break her heart, as well as mine? Why did you bring me back Luna? You should have just left me as I was. Things were so much easier that way."

This got Luna crying. "How could you say that Harry? If anyone else learned that I had the chance to bring you back, and passed on it, I would be ousted from the family. More than just Ginny would be affected once again. You are not the reason that Ginny is feeling the way she is. Dean isn't either. No one is. Circumstances created this, that brought pleasure to most, but agony to a few. You cannot control circumstance, just like you cannot control fate. You just have to learn to deal with them both, just like Ginny will. Now, come on. Let's get this over with."

Harry dreaded this more than he did facing Voldemort. At least he knew where he stood with him, no matter what he said. Ginny was different. She was emotional. She was caring. She was someone else wife.

The two walked in to see Lorcan and Lysander playing in the corner, and could see them talking, but there was no noise. He looked to Ginny, "I didn't want them to hear what we were talking about. I'll take it down if you want?"

"Not yet Ginny, we need to talk. I don't know how you feel about me Ginny, but I still have feelings for you. However, these feelings were meant for the Ginny in my past. You now have a family, and I cannot put myself between you and Dean. You have children that need both a mother and a father. Dean is their father. That is the way it is, and that is the way it will stay. This may not come off to well, but, We have to move on with our lives, and with that, there is no you and me in it."

Ginny sat there quietly. No tears were there. Then she calmly stated, "Thank you Harry. Really. I was hoping to talk to you and tell you the same thing. Yes, I still love you, but I also love Dean, and more than that I love my children. I have been fighting this in my dreams, wanting to talk to you, and tell you that it was over between us. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I know we will still be friends. Don't even think about shutting yourself in Harry James Potter. I will come here and drag you out of your room by your ear. I heard about the Dobby incident." She turned to Luna, "And you young lady, I better not hear about soiling yourself again, unless there is an emergency."

Luna turned a bright red, "Yes Mommy dearest."

"Good, now can I get a hug from someone. OH wait, Finite Incantatum. OK now where's the hug."

Luna pulled her in for a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. She got a small one from Harry. "That the best you can do Mister? Didn't mum teach you the correct way to hug?"

Harry laughed and gave her a proper hug, "Better?"

"Much better thank you. Now, since I made my delivery, and had our talk, I think I better be going. Mum has the kids, and I need to go get them, then get home and start dinner. Imagine me being a house mum. Weird isn't it. By Harry, Luna, Sirius, James and Lily. I think I can now call you that Lily." Before she could leave, she had to get her hugs from Lorcan and Lysander. Once they were finished, Ginny was gone.

Harry plopped down into a chair, and sighed. "I can't believe that went as well as it did. Thank you Luna for talking me in to that. You don't know how much better that makes me feel. I don't know how much longer I would have gone feeling like I was tearing their marriage apart. Now, I hope I can get past it. Mum, dad, I may need a lot of talks with you to help my through it. Sorry Sirius, from what I heard about you and girls, I don't think you fit the mold as a healer of broken hearts."

"Not a problem pup. I broke more hearts then I care to think of. I don't think I ever mended any. Come to think of it, neither did your dad."

"What about me Harry. Can I help with your healing?" Luna asked.

"What about your own broken heart Luna? Doesn't it need healing? Perhaps we could work on each other. Try to get through it together. Lorcan and Lysander could maybe help."

Luna was cuddling with her twins as she said, "I think they are already helping me through mine. Aren't you Lorky, and Lysee."

"Yes mommy, we help. We love you mommy. Don't we Lysee."

"We do mommy, honest. Please don't leave us."

"Never again my pets, I promise." as she hugged them even tighter.

"Then it's settled, we all help uncle Harry get better. Do you know where we can start boys? Uncle Harry is very ticklish. What say we tickle him until he gets better?" and they went to work on finding Harry's ticklish spots. They found quite a few before they were done.

TM-}

Severus Snape was sitting in his lounge thinking of what he could do to pass the time. His wife was going to be gone for the next three days, visiting her mum and dad before school started. Severus was in the middle of an important potion that would need tending, so he opted to stay behind. Now that it was done, he was looking for something to do.

He thought of visiting Remus and Dora, as they were the closest friends he had. He had taken a shine to Dora and Teddy, but their daughter Leia was his pride and joy. When Remus and Dora asked him to be her godfather, it was the one of the proudest moment of his life. Since then, she had won a huge part of his heart. He would do anything for his god daughter, and he was told by Dora on several occasions that if he didn't stop spoiling her, she was going to stop him from seeing her. She never could do it though. It was close who Leia loved more, Severus or Dobby.

It had been over a week since he last saw his friends, and he wondered what they were doing. Remus had never told him about the portraits, so he was clueless as to what they were doing. He had gone by their home on different occasions, but they were never home. Severus thought back on how he and Remus became so close. Close enough that he asked Remus to be his best man at his and Elisabeth's wedding.

He could not believe that a woman as beautiful as she, could fall for a former Death Eater, and the murderer of Albus Dumbledore. But she knew the reason behind it all, and for that he was forgiven. Her love of a good prank had endeared her into the hearts of the twins. They have told him over and over that he had to be the luckiest bloke ever, to be the one to catch the prize of Diagon Alley. He had to agree with them, as much as it hurt his pride to do so.

Well, one more try to see if his friends were home would not hurt. It was early, and maybe they haven't left yet. He floo called the Den, and was surprised when Tonks answered. "Sev, you caught us just before we were ready to leave. Sorry for not being around lately, but We have been catching up on some time with a friend and relative. Wait, Can I call you back in just a bit, I need to ask someone something?" and she broke off the connection before getting an answer. Severus pulled out of the flames and laughed at her actions. Tonks had always been rather hurried in her actions.

He was just sitting back in his chair, when she returned. "Sev, come on over, then we can go see someone you have not seen in a long while. Bring you a hanky, as there will be a few tears shed. Hurry along now, and don't dawdle."

Severus chuckled once again. She had the way to get him to do that. He walked to the floo, and took a pinch and said, "The Den." and walked through. He found his friends all sitting there waiting for him.

"Sev, so good to see you. I know I haven't been much of a friend for the past month, but when you see the reason why, you will understand. We will be going to Black Manor." Remus said in greeting.

"So, you have been to see Harry. Very good, how is he doing?"

"Much better now that he has someone there to keep him company. But that is not who you will be going to meet. OH, he will be there, but so will someone else. Someone who has something to tell you, and it should put your mind at ease. So, when ever you are ready, we can leave."

"This should be interesting. You said it was someone I know?"

"YES, now are you ready to go, or are you just going to question us to death?" Tonks answered impatiently.

"Alright, don't get you knickers in a knot Nymphadora, I'm ready." Severus snickered, ready for her outburst.

He was surprised when she replied, "Right, let's go then."

It was the first time he ever heard Tonks let someone get away with calling her that. She must be excited about who he was about to meet.

They arrived in the sitting room of the Manor, and found Harry and Luna sitting there waiting. Severus was surprised to find Luna there. He had heard about the fire that took the life of her husband Rolf, and wondered what she was doing with herself. "Hello Harry. Hello Luna. I'm sorry for not seeing you sooner about what happened. I must say that I am surprised to find you here. I didn't know who I would be meeting, after Remus and Tonks told me I would be meeting someone."

"DID YOU CALL ME NYMPHADORA YOU GREASE BALL?"

Severus stopped where he was and doubled up laughing. A delayed reaction to his name calling. "I was wondering when you would realize what I called you. Getting slow in your old age there my friend. Now why would me talking with Luna make me feel better about myself?"

"GIT! And Luna is not who you were meeting. You have to come with us to see who it is. By the way, I still owe you for that one, just so you don't forget."

"I'm sure you won't let me forget Love, Now, lead the way. I'm dying to see who it is you want me to meet."

When they got to the library, Severus raised his eyebrow, "You want me to see Hermione? Why would I want to see Hermione? Has she found something interesting that she wants me to know about?"

Harry, Remus and Luna were laughing at the two ribbing each other. "Will you just shut up for a minute. Merlin, but you are an annoying prat. No, it is not Hermione we want you to see. It's Walburga Black. Now come on, before she blows up again."

Severus began to wretch at the thought of the old hag and her screaming. He followed Tonks, Remus, Harry and Luna into the library and to the right. When he saw who it was he was to meet, tears formed in his eyes. Remus was right when he said it had been a while since he saw Lily. He stopped, afraid to get any closer. He didn't know what to expect. Especially since she was surrounded by James, and dog breath.

"Sev, aren't you going to come over and say hi to an old friend?" Luna asked.

"I didn't know if you really wanted me that close Lily. That and with James and Mutt on either side of you, I didn't know if it was safe."

"It's safe. James will behave himself, and Sirius has had his rabies shot. Now please step closer so that I can look at you properly."

Severus walked up to her portrait and smiled up at the first person he ever loved. Tears were still running down his cheeks as he began to speak, "You're just as I remembered you Lily. Beautiful as ever. You were what 20 years old when you had this done?"

Lily smiled down at him, "Yes, that would be correct. I'm afraid I can't say the same for you though. Not that you look bad mind you, but older. You're 41 now, right?"

"Does it show that much? But, no, I'm 49. Or I will be on my next birthday." Severus turned as he heard Sirius snicker, "Do you have something to say Mutt?"

"I always have something to say Snivelus. You know me. I just want to say that you do not age well. The crows feet you have by your eyes, and the grays in your hair give you the appearance of one much older."

For some reason, Severus found this funny. He laughed as he retorted, "This coming from someone who will never grow to puberty. You will always be kid, and never know the joy of growing up."

He laughed even harder at Sirius' answer, "Ya, cool isn't it. I'll never have to think like an adult. All the worries and cares I will never have to face. All I have to worry about, is Harry making sure that my frame is dusted once a week."

Severus watched as Lily left her frame, and then appeared in Sirius' portrait to smack him in the back of the head. "Will you shut up, so that Severus and I could have a nice talk."

"Sorry Lily pad. I'll shut up, since you asked so nicely." he answered as he rubbed his head. Lily went back to her frame.

"Severus, before we go any further, I have to tell you that I forgive you. If you hadn't buried yourself in research for your boss, I would have told you this long ago. Why you did what you did, is your own personal business. Why you did it to me, hurt me more than anything that had ever been done to me before. Even more than how Petunia treated me. But I knew it was because you did not want to lose face in front of your house mates."

"That wasn't the only reason I did it Lily. I saw I was losing you and it hurt. I know now, that you never really loved me in the way I wanted you too. It was like you loved me as you would a brother, and that was not what I wanted. I wanted you to be in love with me. If I couldn't have that, then I felt all you had was sympathy for me, and that I could not take. So, when you stood up for me I let loose those feelings, and hurt you in the only way I could. Your pride. I could never hurt you physically."

"I knew that as well, but it still didn't stop me from wanting to run away from you Sev. I didn't want to put you down in front of your friends. I also couldn't show my feelings off in front of these two gits." Lily said as she nodded her head left and right.

James, who had been quiet up until then spoke up, "Severus, from the start, I took you as a threat for the one whole stole my heart from the first time I saw her. I was young and quite full of myself back then. Later, as I grew out of this frame of mind, I saw that Lils didn't love you like I pictured her for. I saw that she loved you as a friend. When Pads tried to get you hurt, I could not stand by and let that happen. He never grew up, and he didn't think of what might have happened if his plan worked. Lily still had feelings for you, and I wouldn't let those feelings get between her and I, if she lost that friendship. I did the only thing I could do, and that was to stop you from going into the shack, and face what would have been your certain death to another one of my friends. If Remus had taken your life, he would have never been the same person he was. I kind gentle sole who would never hurt anyone. So, that night, I essentially saved all five of us."

Harry, Luna and Tonks backed out of the room to let the others talk. There was nothing they could say to add to the feelings that they all shared. Harry just hoped that Pads would not say something that would hurt the healing that was going on.

Harry took them to the kitchen where he made them all teas, and they sat and had their own talk. Tonks saw that Harry and Luna sat a little closer together, and were comfortable with they way they were. She thought she might begin the chat with a question, "Luna, where are the twins?"

"OH, Molly asked all the grand kids over for Rose's birthday. We knew that Remus and you were coming over, and there would be enough help from the rest, so we just dropped them off and came back here. Molly will call us when it's time for them to come back. Probably after lunch. Now, where are Teddy and Leia?"

"Mum wanted to take them shopping with her. Dobby is cleaning their rooms while they are out. Harry, he is a blessing. He looks after the kids as if they were his own. Teddy doesn't appreciate him like Leia does. After ten years, he hasn't aged a bit. I wish I could say the same."

Harry just said, "Tonks, I don't know how to say this, but there is nothing wrong with the way you look. Age has done nothing but make you more attractive. You do not look any older than Luna, and she is only what, 29 Luna?"

"Harry James Potter, do I really look that old. I'm only 27. You make me sound like I'm over the hill. But Harry is right Nymphadora. You do look young for your age."

"Why is it that when someone else calls me that it sounds so gross, but when you say it Luna, it sounds right? I mean I have hated that name since I have been able to pronounce it."

"Because I think it is a beautiful name, and if I have a girl, I just may name her that. Nymphadora. I like the way it rolls around on your tongue before it leaves the mouth. Of course, I will have to find a father for her. You don't happen to know who that might be, do you Tonks?"

She couldn't help it, Tonks exploded out into laughter. She knew what Luna was eluding to. She knew of Luna's affection towards Harry. Had known it since Luna and her met a year after Harry disappeared. She was probably the only one Luna actually confided in. They were friends from their first meeting. "I haven't the foggiest Luna. How about you Harry, do you know who could be the father of the next Nymphadora. Damn, even when I say it, it doesn't sound right."

"Isn't it kind of early about talking of a father for a child that right now is just a thought? I mean if you are considering marrying again, I know there are many out there that would be more than happy to be that person. None of which I know off hand."

"I guess you will just have to wait and see Luna. I am sure he is out there somewhere, like Harry said." Tonks winked to Luna.

Luna smiled, "Yes, I imagine he is, and just doesn't know what he is missing. I do hope he finds me soon though. I do like the name and would love to say it a hundred times a day, as I am looking at my daughter. While I am snuggled in the arms of her father, who is watching our sons wrestle on the floor."

"You paint a very nice picture Luna. I like how you brought your characters into play. It is good to see you are getting through your sorrow." Harry commented.

"It is because of you that I got through it Harry. Don't go passing on the glory to someone else. Of course Dobby did take a big part in it. But it was just to get you started. You took over from there."

"You have helped me just as much as I helped you Luna. These past few weeks have been great. If you were not here, it would not have been so. I would have got by, because of Mum, dad and Sirius, but you and the children have done more for me than anyone could have hoped for."

Tonks just sat back and watched the two throw compliments back and forth to each other. She knew that eventually, Luna would get through he thick barrier Harry built around himself. She could see it start to crumble now. Soon he would realize what he had sitting next to him, was his future.

TM-}

And thus begins the battle of Luna trying to win Harry's heart. I believe in the next chapter, Harry will ask Luna out for their first date.

I hope no one thinks it was too easy for the way I had Harry and Ginny get over their obstacle. I didn't want a long drawn out scene. I felt that with Ginny loving Dean, and with her children, it would be easier for her to agree with Harry's thought.

I added the scene with Severus and Lily, because it had not been brought up yet. I left it, because I wanted to share what Harry, Tonks and Luna had to say with each other. I may begin the next chapter with the rest of the conversation between Severus and Lily, or I may just have Remus join the three and tell them what went on. I don't know yet.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, Ollie the Keeper.