Chapter 18! Hope everyone enjoys!
Chapter 18
While the week passed, Hermione and Ron had made no attempts to talk with each other. The rest of the Weasley family was still fussing over Fleur's pregnancy, Mrs. Weasley hadn't stopped trying to force Ron to apologize.
"Mum, she's the one that's inviting Krum to our wedding."|
"Exactly Ron! Your wadding! It's not like he'd be coming to steal your bride. They're friends, that's all." Ron looked at her and huffed, too stubborn to admit she was right. The next few minutes were quiet, as they we're waiting for the rest of the family to show up for dinner. By the time the rest of the family showed up, the silence had started to become very awkward, with the disapproving glances his mother had been shooting him while he sat at the table.
"Hello mum, Ron. I heard you and Hermione had another fight. What's this one about, you not taking out the garbage?" Ron shot his brother a look.
"No, she's inviting Krum to our wedding." George smirked.
"That has to be one of the lamest fights you've started."
"Well, she starts them!" George shook his head.
"Oh mum, can we set an extra place? I've invited someone to dinner."
"You have? Do you mind telling me who?" George grinned, and looked down.
"Just an old friend." As more people arrived, the conversations grew louder. Hermione wasn't coming, she politely refused as Ron would be there. Harry had a meeting with someone, so Ginny would be arriving alone. The rest of the Weasley family, apart from Charlie would be coming, so Mrs. Weasley was very busy with dinner.
"Hey Gin. How have you been?" Ginny gave George a hug, happy to see him happy.
"Pretty good. How about you?" George grinned.
"Also good." They chatted for a bit, until there was a knock on the kitchen door. George went to answer it, and the chitters died down. Angelina and George walked in, and everyone greeted her immediately.
"I had no idea you were bringing her!" Mrs. Weasley was beaming, giving her a bone crushing hug.
"George said he might as well bring his girlfriend to dinner with his family." She said, and Mrs. Weasley smiled more.
"Well, thanks for giving that away." They all laughed, and chatted a bit more. It wasn't until after dinner Harry showed up, later then they had expected.
"Hello everyone. Angelina, nice to see you again." He seemed worn, tiredness in his eyes.
"Ginny, it looks like you've been working him too hard. I hope you aren't using him as an errand runner." Ginny shoved her brother, getting up to hug her husband.
"I thought you were going to be here earlier." Harry nodded.
"I got caught up in something, I'll tell you about it later." He declined dinner, having already eaten somewhere. The rest of the night was spent doting on Fleur, pestering Ron to apologize to Hermione, and trying to figure out where Harry had been all day. He refused to tell, as it was a secret.
"So Fleur, do you know when your due date is?" Fleur nodded.
"In ze end of April, or ze beginning of May." Bill looked excited, yet he was still afraid about be a father. His life had been moving fast, one day he was getting on the train to Hogwarts and the next he was having a kid. Mr. Weasley noticed him looking around at everyone, so be walked over to his oldest son.
"What's on your mind?" Bill smiled at him, explaining how everything moves so quickly. Mr. Weasley smiled, stopping to take a look around. Mrs. Weasley and Angelina were chatting with Fleur and Fred, Percy sitting in on the conversation but not really speaking. Harry and Ron were playing chess, while Ginny was pestering Ron about Hermione. Bill was right. In such a short time, everyone had grown up so much.
"You're right. It's pretty odd to think I'm gonna be a grandpa soon. But, I guess it's best not to dwell on it. Otherwise we'll get caught up in the past memories." Bill smiled, taking in what his dad had said.
"You're right. It isn't good to dwell on it." His dad sat with him for a bit more, before people started to get up to leave.
"Alright, you've won four out of six. We're gonna get going." Ron frowned.
"But Harry, can't we just play one more game?" Harry grinned, standing up.
"Ron, you would play chess all night if you could. I just know when you need to take a break." Ginny stood up also, going around to say goodbye to everyone.
"Angelina, it was so nice to see you again. We should really hang out soon." Angelina smiled.
"Of course. It was so nice to see you guys again." Harry and Ginny finished their goodbyes, and walked outside, apparating away.
When Ginny and Harry arrived home, she was already bugging him to tell her where he was.
"You were out for a long time." Harry nodded.
"Yup. I was at some meetings." Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Meetings? I thought you just had one meeting today." He grinned.
"Yeah well, I had a few people to meet with."
"And who were these people?"
"Well, I went to Gringotts to check in on some things. And then, I had a meeting with some Aurors on the ministry. And then I also had a meeting with some quidditch people." Ginny looked at him.
"Quidditch people?" He nodded, grabbing some water from the fridge.
"Yeah, they've been pestering me to join one of the teams, but I declined. I told them I already had a job." Ginny frowned.
"You gave up being a quidditch player for what exactly?"
"Oh well, we are starting up Potter Industries, and also the Aurora department." Ginny gasped.
"You said you weren't joining the Auror department!" He shrugged.
"Plans change. I mean, of course I'm not going to be in it for the money. We've got a bloody load of that. I guess, I want to take down all of the death eaters that are still out there. Take out any new Voldemorts that think they can rise to power." Ginny rubbed her eyes.
"Harry, for seventeen years of your life you fought them. And now you're going back to do all of that again? I can't even bare thinking back to when you were in danger, but now every day of my life is going to be spent in fear that my husband might get brutally injured by an ex death eater!" She was close to tears, thinking about what would happen to him. He walked over and hugged her.
"Well, one good thing is the Harpy's want you." She looked at him.
"Is that supposed to make feel better?" He frowned.
"I was hoping it would." She huffed.
"Well, just a little. I'm still mad at you."
Ginny dragged Harry back to the Burrow the next day, where she had told the family that had been there the night before to meet her. They were all there, gathered in the sitting room, when a very annoyed Ginny and a slightly angry Harry walked in.
"Hello Ginny. Harry dear, you looked quite upset." Mrs. Weasley looked worried, there hadn't been any trouble in paradise yet. Harry huffed, and before he was able to speak Ginny cut him off.
"I asked you all to come here today so we can convince him to change his mind about the Aurors." Ron raised his eyes.
"Mate, you never said anything about joining them. Weren't your last words on the matter that you weren't joining them?" Harry crossed his arms.
"Plans change. And, while plans change, my mind is made up." Ginny gave him a look.
"As I've told him last night, he can't risk his life chasing death eaters!" George sighed.
"So this is the very important thing you made me leave the shop for?" Ginny looked at him.
"Excuse me, I don't want my husband dyeing!" George shook his head and stood up.
"Gin, Harry is more than capable to not die in a fight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date to plan." Harry nodded.
"I have someone to meet also, so I need to leave also." Ginny looked at her brother and her husband, a look of helplessness appearing. She looked at the rest of her family, who all had the same "what-are-you-going-to-do?" on their faces. She heard the kitchen door close, and they apparated away.
"Ginny-" She held up her hand, stopping her brother's sentence.
"I can't have him risking his life." And with that, she walked outside and disappeared.
Harry arrived on the block of a tiny café, where he went inside to wait. He ordered a coffee, and sat for a few minutes, sipping on the strong drink. He watched the people walking in and out, before he spotted the tall blonde walking in, very out of place. He spotted Harry and walked right over, taking the seat right across from him.
"Hey Pott-I mean, Harry." Harry smiled, holding out his hand.
"Nice to see you again, Draco." He shook Harry's hand, and gave a small smile.
"I was surprised that you suggested meeting. I just want to say again, I'm so sorry for everything. I made your life a living hell for our entire school years." Harry shook his head.
"I asked you to come to make sure you and your family are alright. I know your dad was almost sent to Azkaban." Draco nodded.
"Thanks for that also. He would be locked away if it weren't for you. He really didn't deserve it." Harry sighed.
"Well, your mother saved my life. I guess she made up for him." He looked surprised, so Harry explained.
"When I went into the dark forest that night, Voldemort hit me with the killing curse. He sent your mother to check if I was actually dead. The only thing she wanted to know was if you were alright. She saved me from getting hit with another killing curse." Draco looked down at his hands.
"Please tell her thank you." He nodded. They sat in silence for another minute, before the barista came over to refill Harry's coffee.
"Sir, would you like anything else?" Draco looked up at her.
"Um, I'll have what he's having I guess." She smirked.
"A coffee?" He nodded. She gave him a smile and walked over to the counter, grabbing a cup and filling it up.
"Muggles have such odd things." Harry grinned.
"They might be odd, but some of them are pretty useful." Draco gave him a look.
"You use some of the things that, they make?" Harry shook his head.
"You have the wrong idea about muggles. You see, their televisions and cars and airplanes are their version of the things we have."
"Airplanes? You mean those flying metal boxes?" The barista came back and overheard what he had said.
"Never taken an airplane before? You must be a pureblood with a pretty biased background." Harry and Draco were both shocked.
"What? Wizards can't work in the muggle world? It's not all about working in the ministry or a quidditch player." She winked at them and walked back behind the counter. Draco looked at Harry.
"You know she was a wizard?" Harry grinned and shook his head.
"You know, she is pretty." Harry grinned some more.
"Well, ask her out then." Draco shook his head.
"I don't think father would approve of her." He had disgust in his voice when he mentioned Lucious.
"Well, if you think she's cute you might as well do it. I mean, your father can't control your entire life." Draco then shrugged.
"Well, you remember that pretty Slytherin at that end of year party the Gryffindors threw? Well, we still keep in touch." Harry grinned.
"Well, I hope that works out." Draco smiled and nodded.
"I hope so also. I mean, my parents have controlled my entire life, I'm happy to be dating someone that they might not approve of." Harry smirked, Draco sounded like a normal wizard, not a stuck up Slytherin.
"So, besides girls, what are you doing now that you're out of school?" Draco sighed, thinking over his plans.
"I'm actually studying at St. Mungo's to become a healer." Harry was surprised.
"I hope you become one, you'd make a great healer." Draco smiled.
"Thanks. How about you?" This time it was Harry's time to sigh.
"There's still a lot of options. But, right now, I'm going to become an Auror." Draco nodded.
"So you defeated Voldemort to become an Auror. That's not ironic at all." Harry chuckled.
"Well, we are also starting a business." Draco looked impressed.
"What's your business going to be?" Harry sigh and smiled.
"Right now, we're still getting on our feet." Draco laughed and looked at his watch.
"Oh, sorry to cut this short, but I need to leave." Harry nodded.
"It's alright. It's nice to see you in a normal setting. Not having people after us trying to kill us." Draco grinned and pulled some galleons out of his pocket.
"Wait, muggles don't use our currency, do they?" Harry grinned and shook his head.
"Don't worry, it's on me." Draco stood up, and held out his hand.
"See you around, Potter." Harry stood up and shook his hand.
"You too, Malfoy."
Ginny was pacing back and forth the kitchen of the Burrow, worrying a bit too much. Mrs. Weasley had given up on trying to comfort her, and sat with her head in her hands.
"Ginny, please sit down." Ginny sighed, and sat down.
"Thank you. Now do you want any lunch?" Ginny made a fist.
"No. What I want is my husband to stay safe at home and not go off chasing down criminals!" Mrs. Weasley sighed.
"Well, Harry needs to make his own decisions." Ginny was getting angrier.
"No. I've spent too many years worrying about him! I don't want him joining the Aurors!" Mrs. Weasley heard someone apparate onto the yard, and peeked out the window. She saw Harry walking towards the door.
"Well, you should really discuss this with him." He walked into the kitchen, and Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the yard. Mrs. Weasley knew she shouldn't, but she eavesdropped anyway.
"Harry, you can't do this." She heard him sigh.
"Gin, why are you so mad about this?"
"Because when you were away the only thought that was on my mind was you were dead!" He walked over to give her a hug but she pushed him away.
"Harry, just, no." She apparated away, and Mrs. Weasley saw the hurt in his eyes. He dropped down to sit on his heels, rubbing his face with his hands. She watched as he sat there for a few minutes, not moving. He stood up suddenly, and was gone.
He apparated, knowing exactly where he was going. He heard Ginny's voice inside of his head, hearing what she had said. He arrived outside of the gates and pushed them open, half running half walking to the castle. He was walking down the hallway when he spotted Professor McGonagall.
"Professor!" She heard his voice and turned, surprised he was there.
"Potter? How did you get into the castle?"
"Dunno. I just have a favor, can I search the dark forest? Without being disturbed that is?" She looked confused, but nodded.
"Potter, you don't need to ask me to search the forest. You're allowed on the grounds anytime." He nodded and went on his way, passing students and hearing whispers.
"Is that?"
"I think it is!"
"Why is he here?"
He reached the edge of the forest, before taking a right and walking along the edge. He saw Hagrid teaching a class, but continued around them. He reached the spot and walked into the forest, looking at the ground the entire time. He stopped for every tiny pebble, every sharped edge, every shiny glimmer. He was searching, until he looked up. This was the spot. He walked a few steps, and spotted it.
"The Resurrection Stone." He picked it up, closing his eyes and turning it in his hands. He opened his eyes again, and there they were.
"Mum. Dad. Fred." He recognized many others, but he couldn't speak. They smiled at him.
"What's this about joining the Aurors?" Tonks was smiling, her hair a deep black. Harry smiled at her.
"Wait. Before I say anything. Fred, Ginny needs to see you." Fred smiled, showing his sadness.
"I think a lot of people need to see me, but unless you can break that stone up, you might need to set up reservations." Harry grinned, almost crying. He dropped the stone in his pocket, and they vanished. He walked out of the forest, out of the grounds, and apparated to the cottage.
"Ginny?" He heard her crying and walked towards the living room.
"Harry, I don't want to talk." Harry took the stone out of his pocket, and placed it on the table in front of her. She looked at it, then looked at him.
"Is that?" He nodded. She picked it up, and put his hand around hers.
"Ginny, only one person can see-" He watched as all of the people he saw in the forest reappeared.
"Fred!" She ran towards him, but passed right through him. She looked at his face, and started to cry.
"Ginny, I'm sorry."
"S-sorry for what?"
"For leaving." She covered her mouth, and started to cry harder. She looked around, seeing all of the dead standing in her living room, before looking back at Harry.
"I don't want to pick up this stone one day, and see you standing here with the rest of them." He stood up, walking over to her.
"Ginny, Harry can handle himself." She turned towards the voice, seeing James Potter. She had never been able to meet them, only seeing pictures. More tears started to stream down her face. She looked at her in laws, then back at Harry.
"This isn't helping your case." Harry smiled.
"I was hoping it would. I'm joining the Aurors. You can't say anything to stop me." He left the room, passing all of the dead. They watched him leave, then turned their attention back to Ginny.
"Don't worry about him. If he gets himself into too much trouble, then you can force him to stop." Ginny smiled at the people around her, then set the stone on the table, watching them disappear.