Chapter Five: The Glue That Holds Them Together

RED

Harry came pilfering through the door two hours later, pizza and a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Ginny," he called softly, "I'm home."

"In the kitchen, Love," she called back.

Walking into their modest kitchen Harry sat his goods on the table and wrapped his arms around his wife, kissing her neck.

"Did you get the tonic for James?"

"Father wasn't home. Kaelen said he was at a convention or something. She's gonna drop it off after work. Something about it being her duty to ensure James torments us…"

"Harry James Potter! You went into work!" she scolded. "You are on vacation! I swear you're just as bad as Daddy."

"I'm sorry! I was just checking on everyone. Six months of nothing and as soon as I'm decommissioned we get a case. You know I'm pants at just sitting waiting." He kissed her again. "Where is James anyway?" he asked.

"In his room sleeping," she said, noticing the items on the table. "Are these for me?"

"Of course. Figured you needed something beautiful, and I'm not up to cooking, so I thought you wouldn't be either."

Ginny smirked. "Sometimes, I love you."

Harry laughed. "Just sometimes, eh?"

"Yeah. Like every other Wednesday or so," she mused.

"What is it with you women? ALWAYS insulting me!"

"How is my favorite sister in law by the way?"

"Hermione?"

"Kaelen!"

"I thought Hermione was your favorite…"

"That was last week Harry. Don't try and change the subject."

"She's fine. Said she misses you. Threatened to hex my bits off because she misses you. Her office looks like The Quibbler exploded. Paperwork everywhere. I think she'll offer you a raise and grovel at your feet when your six weeks are up."

"Doesn't she have a replacement?"

"Apparently not." Harry spent a long time looking at his wife. "How am I so lucky to have you?"

Ginny smiled softly. "I often imagine it's the other way 'round, and that I am fantastically lucky to have you."

And it was true. Ginny had grown up on stories of the great Harry Potter. When she had seen him for the first time on Platform 9 ¾ at the age of 10, she had been absolutely smitten. When he saved her from The Chamber her first year, her hero worshipping idolic crush had only grown. She had spent much of her second year in the shadows, finding her own place in school and being treated like a little sister by all of her brothers' friends. Third year Harry had been caught up in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and she had experienced her first bought of jealousy; first with Cho and then Padma Patil, for catching Harrys eye when she could not. Her fourth year Harry saved her father, and lost the only family he had left, and subsequently fell into a great depression. Ginny had tried dating, first Michael Corner, then Dean Thomas, but both had ended when the romantic feelings just weren't there. But over the summer leading to her fifth year something changed and Harry was no longer Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived. He was just Harry. Her brothers' best mate. A boy who enjoyed the quiet of Hogwarts Lake, relished in the bustle of the Weasleys large family, and found solace on a broom; and Ginny found she loved him even more for all that.

In Ginny's fifth year Harry finally noticed her too, and he wondered why he hadn't done so before. They talked as friends, and Harry felt himself falling for her. That first kiss in the Room of Requirement had been like his first breath of air. He had closed his eyes, taken the plunge, and then she was gone. And Harry Potter was just a boy, in love with Ginny Weasley, who was just a girl. But he had refused to make her an even bigger target than she already was and told her as much, to which she smacked him as hard as she could and told him that love would make her a target regardless, and that she wasn't afraid to die because she loved him, even if he refused to love her in return. In her sixth year he told her he didn't care anymore, that he couldn't imagine life without her, but that he had a job to do, and that she had to stay at Hogwarts where it was safe. That he wouldn't…couldn't risk her coming with them, and that he wouldn't ask her to wait for him, because he couldn't guarantee he would return. But Ginny waited anyway because Harry was her knight in shining armor, but she wouldn't be his damsel in distress. He had enough going on as it was.

The whole time he was gone she worked underground with the rest of the Gryffindor's and much of the DA to ensure that when Harry returned, Hogwarts would be ready to fight. She would wait for him and be his cunning little warrior while she did. When Ginny first saw Harry after his return to Hogwarts, her whole world came together, and she was safe. When Harry first caught sight of her, even though her eyes were filled with fear, he knew he was home. There would be no going back. No leaving Ginny behind. He would end it that night, and ask Ginny to be by his side. He had denied himself happiness for too long, and he refused to let her suffer any longer when she had so faithfully stayed by his side, even when he told her not to. She only proved her love further in the Great Hall later that same night when she unthinkingly stepped in front of Harry as Pug-Face Parkinson demanded the students grab him and hand him over to the Dark Lord. "Not Harry, you bitch." And when he had gone to face his death, he thought of her. He knew he must do it so that she would have a chance at life, and he only hoped that she would find happiness in a world where he did not exist. His heart broke for her. But then he hadn't died, not really, and he had heard her voice. She knew it was him in Hagrids arms, yet she still asked. Her anguished screams broke his heart even more, and he knew that even in death, she would love him still. So like a Phoenix he rose from the ashes, battled Voldemort one last time, and brought peace to the wizarding world. He was finally free. Free to take Ginny in his arms; to grieve for those they lost; to be thankful for what they still had; and to give his Goddess the love that she deserved. They both finished Hogwarts together, and six months later were wed, and now, five years on, they were as much in love as that day at Hogwarts when Harry returned to find the final pieces of Voldemort's soul. Ginny was the glue that held him together. His fiery little ball of Red.

ROSE

"Ronald? Is that you?" asked Hermione upon hearing the front door open.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "It's me."

She looked up from the book she was reading to see her husband standing in the door. "Oh Ron! Are you alright? Have you been crying?" she asked running to him and pulling him into a hug.

"I'm ok, 'Mione. I've just been to see George."

"How is he?" she asked. "Is there anything we can do?"

Ron just shook his head. "He'll be okay in a week or two. He just needs time."

The war, and the loss of two brothers, had caused Ron to grow up almost overnight. He had gone from a jealous, temperamental, flaky git; to a strong, level-headed, steady family man. When he chose to be an Auror over Keeper for the Chudley Canons (Harry needs me, and your job is here, he had told Hermione), she knew he was the one. Ron may not have started off as a gem, and Merlin knew his fights could be childish, but Hermione loved him, and she would do anything for him. In return he strived every day to make sure that she was never unhappy, and that she never wanted for anything. And while they had 'officially' gotten together at the end of the war, it took 2 years and 10,000 roses for her to make the next step of moving in. Hermione couldn't imagine her life without him now.

"Mum came and got the twins, so it's just us tonight," she said, and Ron smiled.

"I really just want to go to bed."

"That's okay. I do too. How 'bout I run us a bath and give you a massage? You've been working so hard lately."

"I love you Hermione, don't ever forget that," he said hugging his wife.

"I love you too Ronald," she smiled.

At 2 am when Ron woke screaming, Hermione was by his side, holding him, stroking his hair, whispering words of comfort, and silently wondering what had brought back the nightmares that had not plagued him for neigh 2 years.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but Ron just shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "Please let me help you Ron. Let me make it better," Hermione cried.

"You can't make it better," he said in a cold, dead voice. "Catching those monsters will."

"Let me try Ron! What happened?"

"I can't tell you. I won't. I won't have your dreams haunted like mine are. You are my beautiful Rose. I won't let you wither and die."

And so Hermione kissed him, gave him some Dreamless Sleep, and held him until he passed into oblivion. She really was the glue that held him together.

CALLA LILY

Kaelyn entered the small flat she shared with her fiancée Draco. Kicking off her shoes and dropping her bag, she had almost made it to the closet where she stored their potions supplies when she noticed something was amiss. "Draco?" she called. "Are you home?" She was greeted with silence. Pulling out her wand, Kaelyn quietly worked her way to the bedroom, looking inside to see if perhaps her fiancée was asleep. Seeing that everything was just as she left it that morning (meticulously straight), she silently crept back down the hallway. Reaching the living room she was startled by Blaise's presence.

"Jesus! Blaise! You scared me," she said, noticing the dead look in her company's eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked.

She could see an internal struggle raging, and she was suddenly frightened. Raising her wand, she was just about to cast a patronus when Blaise spoke.

"I wouldn't do that, Kaelyn. You are being watched, you see. And we have something precious to you. If you alert the authorities that anything is wrong, we will kill them."

"Why are you doing this Blaise?" she asked in the coldest voice she could muster.

"Because I have been shown the error of my ways, and I must atone for my sins," he replied.

"Who are you? And what have you done with Blaise Zabini?" she asked.

"I am Blaise, my dear Calla."

"You're lying!" She would not let her fear be evident in her voice. "Where is Draco?"

"Draco, has been punished. He would not see reason, and fell quickly out of favor with The Master."

Kaelyn laughed a cold, hard laugh. "MY friend Blaise has no master, so you are obviously an imposter. Who now controls you il mio dolce?" she asked.

Pain flashed through those stunning blue eyes for a moment before all emotion was reigned back in. "Fight this Blaise. You're better than this. Stronger. Throw this person from your mind and tell me where Draco is!"

A strangled sob. "I can't. I must do this. They will kill her. They will kill mi sorella."

"No. No they won't Blaise. I can help you. I can have Aurors here in moments."

"No!" he snarled. Suddenly he lunged for her, but she dodged just in time.

"Incarcerous!" she yelled, but missed.

"Impedimenta!" he retorted.

"Stupefy!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The small flat was an explosion of magic, and Kaelyn only hoped the Aurors would be alerted in time. She quickly ducked behind a couch to avoid a hex. "Who do they have Blaise? Tell me and I shall come willingly."

"You already know who they have. What is the point in stalling?"

"No. You told me you had someone precious to me, and that if I didn't cooperate you would hurt them. You also admitted to having Draco, but said he had been punished, so it is obvious you have someone else."

"You would not come for Draco?" asked Blaise with amusement evident in his voice.

"Was his punishment death?" Kaelyn didn't really want the answer.

"If I told you yes?"

Kaelyn took a deep breath. "I would not take the risk to recover his body, and would not be faulted for it. He would still be honored in death, for his would be the ultimate sacrifice."

"And if I said no?"

"I still would not come. You will give me the answer that would result in the most desirable outcome, and it would be but a false declaration of hope."

Blaise chuckled. "Mi Belladonna. You think you are so smart. Tell me then, who is it we have?"

Kaelyn though for a moment. "You do not have my father. His wards still hold strong. You do not have Harry. There was no scene. You do not have Ginny. You are still alive. I doubt you'd be able to find any of the other Weasleys, they are all afforded the highest protections. No one is stupid enough to go after Sirius, and it is too close to the full moon to risk Lupin. You do not have his family; they are safe within the wards of Hogwarts. There are no others precious to me, so please, tell me, pray tell, just who you have?"

"How is Potters son," Blaise hissed. "James, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know. I'm not aware their child has yet arrived," bluffed Kaelyn.

"You lie. Don't make this harder than it has to be Bambini."

"What do you want? Why me? I have nothing. I know nothing. I'm worth nothing. No one will come for me. They will follow no demands. I will be sacrificed for the greater good, and honored posthumously for that sacrifice. It is the Auror Code."

"Kaelyn," he purred. "You are everything. Your father's caregiver; Sirius voice of reason; Weasleys strategist; Potters rock; Draco's savior. You, my dear, are the glue that holds them together. Without you, they will fall into glorious chaos."