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Category: Alternate Universe, Post-HBP Characters:None Genres: Tragedy Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Sexual Situations, Violence Story is Complete Rating: R Reviews: 1174 Summary: Harry gets one night that gives him a glimpse into what life could be like with the Dursley's. But events turn for the worse and both Harry and the wizarding world are left wondering what it's consquences mean for the future of the world. Hitcount: Story Total: 501533; Chapter Total: 10850 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: I don't own anything. JK Rowling owns the ENTIRE Potter Universe. No copyright infringement is intended. I just write fan fics for fun |
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Chapter 59: I’m Yours “Hello, Miss Weasley.” “Good morning, Mary,” Ginny replied back as she neared the Medi-witch station. A middle-aged witch was sitting just behind the front desk, and had looked up in greeting from a stack of forms when Ginny had arrived in the ward. Ginny’d gotten to know most of the staff on Harry’s floor and felt comfortable greeting most by name each time she came. He’d been here quite a long time, so naturally she’d time also to get to know some of the healers and medi-witches taking care of him. Mary Price was one such person. She was a kindly woman, mother of three and usually helped with Harry’s care in the mornings, such as this morning. She aided him in dressing, moving from his bed to his wheelchair or other chairs in his room. And she had been the one to kindly suggest that he might consider shaving and cutting his hair after a long period of going without. “How are things going today?” Ginny asked as she drew level with the station. “It’s been relatively quiet,” the Medi-witch replied with a smile. “And hopefully it’ll stay that way,” she added. “Yeah, hopefully for your sake,” Ginny responded happily. “Well…I’m sure I’ll see you later,” she added as she moved past the station, waving casually in her wake as she moved down the hall. Mary returned the wave before going back to dictating her quill over the stack of paperwork. Ginny walked down the hallway towards Harry’s room, humming quietly to herself the last bars of a Weird Sister’s song she’d been listening to as she readied to come to St. Mungo’s this morning. She was in a good mood. She’d gotten a good night’s sleep in a warm, comfy bed after spending a nice evening here with Harry, hanging out in his room with a few people; laughing and joking around. And then after the others had left, she’d taken advantage of the golden alone time to climb up onto his bed, where they’d snuggled for a long while, watching some sappy movie on the television until Harry had fallen asleep. It had been a relatively innocent night, apart from when Harry would lean over kiss her unexpectedly during the film, initiating small stretches of time where she’d missed key points of the movie’s plot. Not that she’d minded. It was so refreshing to get to spend time with him like that when he was still here at St. Mungo’s. He was making strides all the time in his recovery and it was small things like last night that made her look forward to when he’d get to come home. Her pleasant reminiscing had occupied the short walk down the white hall and she soon found herself outside of Harry’s door. She’d been this route so many times these past weeks that it was almost an automatic jaunt. There was no name in the slot outside the private door, but she knew that the third door from the end of the hall on the left was his. Without hesitation Ginny opened up the door, ready to greet Harry with a smile. But there was nobody there. The bed was made as though a medi-witch had already been in to do so after he left for therapy. But it wasn’t time for therapy yet and his wheelchair was still in the room. She looked around for a second, wondering if maybe she’d accidentally walked into the wrong room. But it was the same. There were cards and flowers…personal knickknacks he’d accumulated while he stayed at St. Mungo’s. But Harry wasn’t here. She walked over to the side door and flipped on the switch to the private bathroom. The room was empty, the smell of cleaning and antiseptic spells lingering in the air. She flipped off the switch and turn back into the room, her brow furrowed in confusion. She took another moment to look around before moving toward the door, opening it and stepping out into the quiet hallway. She looked up and down it, seeing only one lone healer walking the other way, seemingly marking something down on a clipboard as he went. ‘Maybe they started rehab a bit early today?’ Ginny thought to herself as she began moving further down the hallway, turning right at the end as she moved towards the therapy room she’d frequented with Harry. She usually wasn’t here quite this early. Harry usually slept til 10 or so–so it didn’t’ pay to come before that. But she’d left without having breakfast, hoping that she could have it with Harry. But why he wasn’t in his room was totally baffling her. She soon reached the therapy room after a few more turns down hallways, but came to find it dark. The doors were locked and there was absolutely no movement from within. This was odd. There was something strange about this situation, this morning. Where could he be if not in his room or therapy? He couldn’t physically go anywhere. In the past weeks he’d improved so much in the flexibility and strength of his lower body. But he couldn’t walk yet. He hadn’t quite reached that point in recovery yet. As she began to run scenarios through her mind, she began to walk further down the hallway without really thinking about where she was headed. Nobody had said anything to her about anything changing in Harry’s schedule today. And if there was something wrong with Harry, if something had happened during the night–surely she’d know right away. Maybe she should check in with her mum or Remus or someone? Maybe she could go ask Mary at the medi-witch station if she knew where he was? If she was aware of any changes for today? She was so lost in preoccupied thought that she had missed the sound of voices from down the next hallway, getting louder as she walked within the hospital. Her head was even down as she rounded the corner of that nearby hall, not paying attention to anything going on further down. It wasn’t until she was halfway down that she realized there were people in this hall with her and she looked up at the sound of voices to make sure she would not run into anyone. But she stopped stock still as though she had run head on into an invisible wall. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She forgot to breathe for a second as her eyes went wide in surprise and shock. This was not all what she had expected to stumble upon. “Looks like our cover’s blown,” Natalie said a smile as she noticed Ginny standing frozen in the middle of the hallway. Ginny could not return the smile, but continued to stare unabashed as Natalie grinned up at the figure standing next to her, who she was somewhat supporting. Harry looked up in response, his eyes first finding Natalie and then moving to Ginny. “I guess so…” Harry breathed out as a coy smile toyed at his lips. Harry was standing in between Natalie and one of her apprentices. He was standing. He was upright on his own two feet. And although the other two where very clearly helping him support himself, using a belt-like contraption around his waist to help him balance–he was up. Ginny took a few tentative steps towards him. And to her surprise, Harry took one too. It was more of a clumsy shuffle; slow and deliberate as Natalie and the other witch supported him. It was like watching a small child take their first steps. And Harry grunted and took on a strained face with the effort. “I thought I’d…go for a stroll…this morning,” Harry breathed out as he took another shuffled step and the space between he and Ginny closed mutually. Ginny shook her head in disbelief. “How?” she blurted out automatically. “I mean–you weren’t--you weren't even standing yet–“ she added, wildly, unable to compose her thoughts fully. “Well, Harry here has been keeping a bit of a secret from you all for a while,” Natalie replied for him, as she helped Harry take another step. “We’ve been doing a bit of extra rehab covertly.” “I…wanted to surprise you all,” Harry added. “Well, I’m surprised,” Ginny replied, standing about a foot from him now. She smiled up at him, relishing in seeing him standing before her, his face above hers. “We’ve been getting extra work in during the mornings, “ Natalie continued to explain. “So he’s been doing a bit more these last few weeks than we’ve let on.” “Everyone still thinks you sleep till about ten,” Ginny grinned up at him. “It’s normally about eight now,” Harry replied, trying to keep himself composed as he struggled to stay up. He swayed for a bit, having to press to keep his knees from giving way. On either side of him, the two witches clutched tightly at the support belt, trying to let Harry keep control while employing enough leverage to keep him up. “Do you need to sit?” Natalie asked him. “No,” Harry grunted out as he got his footing again. “I want to keep going,” he added firmly. “Ok,” Natalie replied in agreement. Ginny moved to one side, allowing Harry to take another step. She watched him for a couple more steps, amazed at his progress. It was slow and it looked like hard work, but he was walking. She slowly moved alongside him, staying silent as he gingerly maneuvered down the hall. “So how long have you been going on these secret morning missions, Mr. Potter?” Ginny asked in a curious, yet playful tone. Harry looked over at her as he collected himself. “I stood about a week ago and each day I’ve done a bit more,” he told her. “You’re not–mad–are you…that I didn’t tell you?” he asked after a moment, very hesitantly as he took another shuffled step, struggling to slide his foot across the tiled floor. “Mad at you?” Ginny repeated, taking a step in front of him to temporarily stop his progress. “I’m not mad at all,” she told him. “I’m so proud of you.” A small grin caught at Harry’s mouth. “I’m so happy right now to see you up and about, “she told him seriously. “I’m so happy,” she repeated in an emotion choked whisper. It was overwhelming to see him making this sort of progress after he’d been through so much hardship. She felt an arm wrap around her and was soon pulled close to the warm chest of that person. She melted into Harry, wrapping her own arms around him. She felt him kiss the top of her head gently. When she felt those warm lips break contact, she looked up to find those beautiful green eyes staring back at her. “I think you got taller,” she whispered to him as she was now able to gauge his height up close after weeks of him being in a bed or chair. She could feel the other two witches holding Harry steady as she embraced him. “Or you shrunk,” Harry teased back. “Shorty.” “Hey now,” Ginny shot back. “I don’t take slights on my height lightly...you may not be immune to a well placed Bat-Bogey now that you’re walking…” “Oh I know,” Harry said as he smiled. “I’m sorry.” Ginny chuckled into his chest, breathing in the smell of his t-shirt and the scent that was so Harry. He gave her a bit of a squeeze as he still held his arm around her. But she felt him falter slightly, beginning to shake more noticeably as he stood there. She backed away from him, relinquishing her hold so that he could once again gain proper support from the others to remain upright. “Sorry,” Ginny replied sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to trip you up,” she added, hoping she hadn’t hindered this morning’s work by embracing him so fiercely. “I’d say that was one of the higher points of the morning,” Harry smirked in response. “I’m fine,” he assured her as he once again stated to slide forward. “You say that all the time though,” Ginny teased as she walked slowly beside him. “I know,” Harry relented. “But I actually mean it this time.” ------------------------------------ -------------- “Alright there, Harry?” Mr. Weasley asked, using the rearview mirror to gaze into the back seat, his eyes focusing on the dark haired young man sitting in the middle. “I’m good,” Harry replied, looking up and finding Mr. Weasley’s kind eyes watching him in the rearview mirror as he drove. “Just let me know if it gets too bumpy,” Mr. Weasley responded back, moving his eyes and attention back to the road after Harry nodded his acknowledgement. Harry turned his attention back to his lap, concentrating on masking and tolerating the slight amount of pain he was in as the car rumbled down the road, bouncing him along with it. He felt Ginny squeeze his hand and he looked down at her, smiling slightly as he returned the gesture with a light squeeze of his own. He was going home today. He’d been released from St. Mungo’s officially this morning and he was now travelling to the newly refinished Burrow via a Ministry provided car. Given that he was still technically recovering from his injuries, Apparating was going to be too taxing on him and the Floo network wasn’t hooked up to the Burrow quite yet, so a magical car was the mode of transportation. Not that he minded the car. It was a bit longer trip this way, but he was quite enjoying the view of the countryside zipping by as the car sped unnaturally fast through unsuspecting traffic. And it helped that Ginny was there beside him, providing support as he made the trek. He had his left arm around her as she leaned against him, warm and comforting with her head on his chest. His eyes flickered from Ginny to the passing countryside and then to the front seat, where Remus sat along with Mr. Weasley. He was glad that his release wasn’t being met with some big celebration or raucous event that the rest of the wizarding world wanted in on. He was enjoying this quiet car ride with his girlfriend and few people he cared very much for by his side. Not that he didn't expect there to be some sort of get together upon his return to the Burrow. He knew the Weasleys liked and couldn't resist a good gathering with good food and good conversation. Plus he had found it a bit odd that Ron and Hermione, as well as Mrs. Weasley and the others had been conspicuously missing this morning when he'd left the hospital. Plus, he'd 'accidentally' overheard Hermione telling Ginny something about Hagrid getting back to her about being at the Burrow. He'd been feigning sleep at the time, innocently listening in on what the girls had been talking about. He just didn't hope they didn't have anything too extravagant planned. He knew they'd been working hard trying to rebuild the Burrow and get their lives back in order after being at war for so long. So to think that the Weasleys had done anything to outdo and outstretch themselves for his sake was disconcerting. They were such giving, selfless people. He wanted them to think about themselves for once. So that's why when Rufus Scrimgeour paid an unexpected and equally as unpleasant visit to him a few days ago, he took the opportunity to exercise some of clout and played the Harry Potter card. A quite significant chunk of gold had then been applied to the bill for the construction and renovation to the Burrow, covering the cost of most of the supplies and labor that the Weasleys would have to pay for otherwise. The transaction was completely anonymous of course, the money drawn directly from his accounts at Gringotts and then given to the Ministry so that they could distribute the funds. It was better this way, to keep his actions under wraps. He knew Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would never accept his money if he had offered it himself. But in his mind, he owned them a lot more than gold and the funds to rebuild their home. They'd given up so much, suffered and endured beyond anything he could ever have wished upon anyone. And yet they'd taken him in, supported and loved him like a son, despite what he'd put them through as a result. No...they deserved every galleon in his vault for what they'd done for him. Harry leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes, breathing out deeply as he tried to relax his muscles and fatigued body. He felt Ginny relax beside him and wrap her arms around him as she rested her head on his chest. It wasn't long before Harry felt the vibrations of the car's engine as it rumbled down the road carry him off to sleep, slowly leading him away from the last vestiges of awareness. Harry.... He barely registered the feather-light touches of the soft breath whispering into his ear. Harry... He felt himself being shaken slightly, a warm hand pressing against his shoulder. But he was comfortable right now.... Luv, you have to wake up....it's time to go... But he didn't want to go anywhere....he was perfectly fine where he was... But then he felt those soft, warm lips cover his own, teasing him, trying to lure him out of slumber. And it was working. He moved his own lips instinctively in return, his body waking up even as his eyes remained closed. But then the contact was gone, the kiss pulled slowly backwards as his lips scrambled to reconnect. He let out a small groan of protest and disappointment as he failed to find the kiss again and his eyes slowly opened as he could no longer feign sleep. He blinked as sunlight filtered through his lids and his eyes fought to adjust to the sudden wave of light. Slowly they adjusted and the leather seats in front of him swam into view and recognition of his surroundings began to click into place as he groggily looked around him, still slightly confused about what was going on. "Nice way to get woken up?" Remus asked with a sly grin as he watched Harry from the front seat. Harry furrowed his brows in confusion and Remus's grin widened, realizing that the car was no longer moving. The sound of a throat clearing brought Harry's attention to his right and found Ginny stooping next to him, smiling widely with the car door wide open. "Thought I'd get your attention that way," she said cheekily. "Yeah," Harry replied, clearing his throat as he continued to wake up fully. "Much better than an alarm clock," he said, grinning sleepily. "I'll keep that in mind," Ginny whispered to him, leaning in a bit closer. Remus looked pointedly away, opening his door so that he could exit the car. "But it's time for you to get out of the car," Ginny told him. "We're home." Harry looked from the smile on her face and then to behind her, where he could very clearly see the outline of the Burrow, standing tall and crooked against the bright blue sky. It looked bigger and newer, but the charm was still there. He was glad to see that they'd kept the ramshackle scheme, keeping the floor plan mostly the same aside from the massive amount of updates and physical improvements they'd done. The Burrow was still home, even after all it had been through. "Can you swing your legs over for me, bud?" Remus asked, having come around to their side of the car as Ginny stood up to allow Harry to get out. Harry nodded and carefully and slowly slid his legs to the side, hanging them out the car door, his slipper-clad feet touching the gravel drive below. "Ready?" Remus asked, moving forward to grasp Harry around the waist to help him stand and free himself from the backseat. "Mmhhmm," Harry replied through gritted teeth, anticipating the effort it would take him to get to his feet. With his consent, Remus pulled him up, managing not to smack Harry's head on the frame of the door as he lifted. After a few moments, Harry was upright, steadied on his feet as Remus still supported him. His crutch was placed underneath the crook of his right arm and he leaned against it until his weight was fully supported. Things had gone relatively more smoothly since he'd regained use of his right arm again. Peter Kristoff had been working with him these past few weeks to build another prosthetic that would serve him well. Unlike his first prosthetic arm, this one was realistic looking. While function had been an important aspect in rebuilding his limb, he'd realized that he didn't need any sort of super-strong alloy to make sure he'd be able to withstand whatever warfare might throw at him. So instead of having an arm of bare metal, this one was covered in the synthetic skin material that Peter's own forearm had been made of. Special attention had been paid to the detail of it--down to the hair and fingernails of the limb. Although he was still fine-tuning his movements, having his right prosthetic back while his left arm still recovered, made things easier than they might have been. With his crutch for support, Harry slowly began to make his way down the gravel path towards the kitchen door, Remus on one side and Ginny on his other. As he slowly tottered towards the house, the screen door flew open, and Mrs. Weasley stepped out onto the stone steps, wiping her hands on a large white apron she wore over her robes. She wore a big smile on her partially lined face as she watched Harry slowly made his way towards the steps. "Welcome home, dear," she greeted, as she moved down a few steps as Harry reached the bottom. She placed her hands on either side of Harry's face and kissed him on the top of the head. "It's so wonderful to have you here," she whispered as she pulled away, smiling tearfully at him. "It feels great to be out of the hospital," Harry replied back with a small smile of his own. "Well then--let's get you inside...get you settled in," she responded, stepping away with a smile so that Remus and Ginny could help him up the steps and into the Burrow. It took much more time than it would have normally for Harry to travel up the three stone steps, but after a little effort and help from the others, he found himself shuffling into the kitchen through the screen door Mrs. Weasley was holding open for him. The first thing he noticed was how much more spacious the kitchen was. It retained it's original charm, but there was so much more room to fit the long, scrubbed wood table and chairs easily. The stove and the cabinets were larger and newer looking and the fireplace was rebuilt and the stone mantle made whole and scrubbed clean, every surface painted and repaired. It looked simply amazing. "Wow," Harry breathed out, taking in the new and improved Burrow. "Things look great," he said, smiling at Mrs. Weasley, who was obviously proud of her new home. "Well...we've still got some decorating and unpacking and finishing touches to put on the upper levels..." Mrs. Weasley began. "But we're quite happy with the way things turned out," Mrs. Weasley added. "So...let's show you to your room..." Mrs. Weasley continued, moving towards the archway into the newly rebulit and enlarged sitting room. "We've already put away your things from St. Mungo's that were sent here earlier..." "I figured I'd be rooming with Ron," Harry blurted out confused as to why Mrs. Weasley was heading towards the sitting room. "Ron's room is still in the attic," Mrs. Weasley replied. "We don't want you to have to go up and down all those stairs...at least not yet," Mrs. Weasley told him. "So it'll be easier for you while you recover to have a room on the first floor." Harry didn't reply or argue, but wondered if the sitting room would be the ideal place for him to room. It wasn't exactly someplace where he'd get privacy if he needed it. But he followed slowly nonetheless. But as he entered the sitting room, he saw that it contained only the sofa, cushy armchairs and side-tables containing the oil-lamps that lit the room. It wasn't made up to be a bedroom or a place where he could occupy at all. And Mrs. Weasley did not stop in the expanded sitting room, but instead continued to her left, moving towards a small hallway off of it that hadn't been there before. She opened the door, stepping into a room that had apparently been added onto the original floor plan. Harry followed, curious as to what lay beyond. Ginny and Remus both moved in behind him as he stepped into a spacious bedroom that lay beyond the door. The walls were painted a cream color, the floor a beautiful hardwood and the ceiling vaulted with great wooden beams stretching the length. A large, comfortable looking bed was pushed up against one wall, a large oak dresser on another. And there were wide bay windows looking out across the fields and orchard that the Weasleys owned. It was a breathtaking and beautiful bedroom filled with natural woods and light. "This will eventually be Arthur and my bedroom...we figured when we're older and bit creakier, it might be a good idea to not have to travel up stairs," Molly spoke as she took in the room herself, her pride and excitement palpable. "I can't take your bedroom from you Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied automatically. "I'll camp out in the sitting room if--" "Nonsense, dear," Mrs. Weasley cut him off, brushing off his protests. "Arthur and I are completely fine with taking our old bedroom for now." "You shouldn't have to give up your new bedroom for me," Harry replied quietly. "Well...I did suggest you share my bedroom on the first floor," Ginny spoke up. "It is only one flight of stairs and I'm sure we could enlarge my bed..." Harry couldn't help but splutter in embarrassment at her insinuation and looked over to find her grinning broadly at him. And much to his chagrin, Remus and Mrs. Weasley were both smiling at Ginny's remark as well, and amused with Harry's reaction. "But for the time being, Harry," Mrs. Weasley continued on, trying to hide her amusement with her daughter's candor. "This is yours. There's enough room to work when you have your therapy sessions and you'll get a bit of privacy when you need your rest." There was a bit of finality in Mrs. Weasley's voice that told Harry that he would not be able to argue or change her mind about these arrangements. He greatly appreciated this gesture, but he did not feel comfortable nonetheless with their continuing overwhelming hospitality to him. "Thank you," Harry replied, smiling gratefully at Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley smiled back before she let out a deep breath. "Well...it was supposed to be a bit of a surprise, but we're having a little bit of a lunch for your release from the hospital," Mrs. Weasley told him once the momentary awkwardness over the bedroom situation had passed and the room lapsed into silence. "We've invited a few people...nothing big," she assured him. "Just something to celebrate your homecoming." "Wow...I had not idea you were planning anything. You didn't need to go to--" Harry began to placate her efforts. "Liar," Ginny interjected from beside him. Harry looked to her confused. "You were listening when I told Hermione about Hagrid replying back that he'd be here," Ginny went on. "You'd been pretending to sleep for about five minutes before that. I caught you Harry." "I--er--I was--" He stumbled, realizing that he'd been ousted. "Yeah--you were just being nosey," Ginny teased knowingly. "Was not," Harry mumbled automatically in a pointless defense. "Whatever the case may be," Mrs. Weasley said, intervening. "There's a garden full of people excited to welcome you back, Harry," she added. "I'm sure Arthur's already let them know you're here...maybe we should head out that way?" "Yeah...that'd be great," Harry agreed, suddenly wanting to lay down on the comfy bed and doze off than hobble out to the garden and be bombarded by hugs and well-wishes. But if everyone had gathered for his homecoming, then the least he could do was make the effort to greet them back and enjoy their company on this beautiful, lazy day. -------------------------------- ------------------ "Want another piece of cake, mate?" Ron asked as he lifted himself up from his chair with a slight groan of effort.. "Nah...I'm fine," Harry told him, shaking his head. "Alright...I'm gonna get myself another," Ron replied, "Want anything else to drink?" he added, gesturing to Harry's empty butterbeer bottle. Harry shook his head. Ron nodded before taking his plate up from the table and moving away towards the still ample amounts of dinner and desserts left over on another table. It was getting later in evening now, the sun starting to set and the light starting to darken and dim all around them. This afternoon had been filled with a lot of food, conversation and general celebration of Harry's return to the Burrow. He'd been greeted by all of the Weasleys, his close friends and members of the Order, all hugging him or clapping him on the back as gestures of welcome. As a result, he'd spent more time on his feet than he'd anticipated or cared to as he'd conversed and mingled with those there to welcome him. So even now, when he'd long been sitting in a cushy chair with his legs up, he was feeling the effects of the prolonged time he'd spent up and about. Harry shifted in his chair with a bit of effort, his sore and tired bones cracking and protesting as he did so. "That didn' sound too good," Hagrid spoke up from where he sat on his over-large chair a few feet from Harry from where he'd been having a conversation with Professor McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Yeah...well...that's normal for me these days," Harry replied with a bit of a pained smile. "I get a bit creaky after I've sitting around for any amount of time." "But yer doin' so well, Harry," Hagrid told him with a nod. "Yeh look loads better then when I saw yeh in the hospital." "Well I hope I do...I looked pretty ragged," Harry replied. "But I've still got a lot of work to do...more to go before I can--hopefully--start to feel a bit more like myself...a bit more normal," Harry added. "Did you just call yourself 'normal'?" a highly amused female voice entered the conversation and not a second later, the petite red-head belonging to it appeared at his side. Ginny was smiling widely at him, seating herself on the arm of his chair as she put an arm around his shoulders. "Yeah...I guess I just did," Harry replied, finding humor in his pervious words now that she'd spoken. "Well we all know that's never going to be...you and normal," Ginny laughed as she leaned in and kissed him on the side of the head playfully. "But I don't think any of us would change that about you," she said a bit more quietly as she pulled away and leaned against in embrace. Harry smiled back at her for a moment before glancing across at the other, older members of the vicinity watching on. Professor McGongall had a slight smirk on her face as she averted her eyes by gazing over at a spot where others were conversing. Kingsley was attempting to hide his grin by taking a sip out of his own butterbeer bottle. And Hagrid was not shy about showing his reaction at all as he smiled widely through his wild beard with a loving sort of look on his great face. "I was just saying that it's going to take a while for me to get back to feeling 'physically' normal," Harry corrected her as Ginny leaned her head against his own. "Oh," GInny replied in understanding. "So we won't be expecting you to report to Auror training this fall?" Kingsley asked with a friendly smile. "Ummm...no," Harry replied with a smile of his own. "I think I'm done fighting for a while...a long while actually," he added after a moment. "If you're ever up to it and you ever decide you'd like to give us a shot," Kingsley replied. "You're always welcome. We could use more good characters like yourself." Harry nodded in acknowledgement. Somehow he knew that becoming an Auror, even if he'd physically be able to someday, didn't hold the same allure as it once did. He'd seen too much, been so immersed in this war in so many facets, that contemplating a career in catching more dark witches and wizards wasn't in the forefront of his future plans. In all truthfulness, he didn't know what he was going to do for a career or even what he was going to do this next year. He'd been so focused on recovery and getting himself well, that everything else didn't seem as pressing. Anything else that came in the future was just icing on the cake as far as he was concerned. He almost hadn't gotten this chance to have these choices, to have this life. And now that he did have a future, he wasn't going to rush into anything. "So if you're not going to be undertaking an immediate Ministry career," Professor McGonogall interjected now, leaning slightly forward in her chair. "I can assume that you'll be joining us this fall when the new semester begins?" she stated more than asked. Well...he hadn't really thought about that either. Other than when his fellow schoolmates had visited and mentioned their own returns, he had only covered that thought in passing. Not that he didn't think it was important to finish his education...part of him wondered why he'd need to now? "I--er--" "Of course you'll be going back," Ginny spoke up this time, parting her head from his so that she could look at him. "We'll all be heading back," she added firmly, eyeing him carefully. He knew what she had mind and what she was thinking of. It would be wonderful to have one carefree year at Hogwarts where he didn't have to worry about some insane plot on his life being carried out by some dark wizard. He could just be a student and enjoy himself. There'd be hours spent lounging in the Gryffindor common room and if weather permitted, down by lake or on the sprawling grounds. And probably most inviting was the fact that he'd now be in the same year as Ginny and they'd have most of their classes together if he went back. "If I'm able to...if I'm up and about by then--maybe..." Harry replied to her. "I'm not sure I'd be able to manage a full day around the castle right now." "Well you've still got time to keep getting better," Ginny told him. "So you're not deciding 'no' just yet." "And there are certain accommodations we can make for you, Potter," Professor McGongall said. "You wouldn't be the first student with some sort of special need or request we've had to work around." Harry hadn't really considered any of what she'd said before now. He didn't know of any students during his time there that would fit in that category, but it wasn't altogether unbelievable that Hogwarts had been home to students of all sorts of abilities or special needs, physical or perhaps other. But then a sudden thought occurred to him and he glanced over to his left where Lupin sat in a chair, holding his small son close to his chest as both drifted in and out of a light slumber. Remus was a werewolf and during his time at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had made sure that he was able to attend school while dealing with his affliction. Maybe it could work? He'd just have to wait and see. Besides...he didn't have to decide anything right now. While the rest of the wizarding world was rebuilding and getting back on it's feet, he was here doing the same thing, enjoying this time he had with his friends. He wasn't in any rush to do anything right now but improve his health and finish up his recovery. He'd been rushed, pushed and driven for so long that sometimes it was hard to comprehend that he didn't have to do any of that anymore. Things were different now. Not only was Voldemort gone, but so was the sense of urgency driven by fear of the unknown and a future too horrible for most imaginations. He was alive and would a future and get to do so many things he'd prevented himself even thinking about before. If it involved school and finishing his education....that would be great. But if not, and he decided to do something else with his time--well--then that'd be just fine too. Right now, the one thing he did know was that his future and his life from now on would be spent with his very best friends by his side and the love of his life who was currently perched on the arm of his chair right there with him. No matter what life threw at him now...he'd be ok with whatever came next. ------------------------------- -------------------------------- "Are you sure it's alright with you?" Ginny asked him as she pulled away from a kiss. "I'll stay here if you want. We could hang out together all day." "No," Harry told her. "Go on...have fun and get out of here," Harry assured her, gesturing towards the door. "I'll be fine here." "I could tell Ron and Hermione to go by themselves....I'm sure they'd like the alone time," Ginny replied. "No...they're the ones that suggested you go with them," Harry insisted. "And you need to get out, get away from me for one day," Harry replied, grinning as Ginny looked affronted at his comment. She, Ron and Hermione were going to spend the day with Hermione's cousin and aunt who were visiting from America. Apparently they'd been here last year the week in which Harry'd gotten into the car accident. They were back now for a yearly visit and Hermione had invited Ron, Ginny and Harry to tag along as they perused London for a day. But seeing as Harry wasn't up to walking around London for a day, let alone a few hours, he'd quickly, yet politely declined. But he'd insisted that Ginny go with. Not that he at all wanted her to leave him alone; he quite enjoyed her company actually. But she deserved a bit of time to get out and get away from the daily routine of sitting with Harry through his remaining therapy sessions and lazy afternoons spent recovering and resting in bed or in a comfy chair, curled up by his side while they just talked. Even if he wasn’t able to join them, he didn’t want her to feel obligated to stay behind with him at the Burrow. They were together now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t go off on her own and enjoy a day apart every once in a while. “Are you trying to get rid of me?” Ginny asked playfully, raising an eyebrow at him. “You’re awfully pushy about getting me out of the house, Mr. Potter.” “Am not,” Harry grinned back, reaching for her wrist and pulling her slightly closer to him. “I just want you to have fun today. To enjoy exploring and shopping and all that.” “And what are you going to do while we’re gone?” she asked him. “Lay about…as usual,” he said with a smile. “And there are plenty of people around to keep me company.” “Like Mum?” Ginny asked him. “She’ll be the only one home for most of the day.” “I’m sure that you’re mum and I could have an extremely engaging conversation,” Harry teased, pulling her onto his lap and using his right arm to help wrap his left around Ginny’s waist. “We probably could spend an entire afternoon sharing embarrassing stories about her delightful, amazing, only daughter.” “Prat,” Ginny hissed as she punched him lightly in the chest, causing Harry to feign pain for a moment before breaking out into a wide smile. “Well…maybe not,” Harry sighed. “But seriously, I’ve had to find ways to keep myself occupied and amused plenty of times before in my past…seeing as I spent most of my time that way. So I think I’ll be just fine for an afternoon.” Ginny picked up on an air of unintentional sadness as he spoke about some of the lonelier times he’d experienced growing up at the Dursley’s. He hadn’t meant to invoke that sort of reaction, but it was hard to not pick up on the tone of sourness he still held towards the fact that he hadn’t had anyone to turn to, anyone to call friend or family for so long. But she was glad that things were so different now for him. He wasn’t and would never be alone again. Harry must have picked up on the impact that his last statement had on Ginny because he seemed to hug her closer and kissed her lightly on the side of her head. “Really,” Harry whispered to her. “I’ll be fine,” he said, kissing her again. “Ok, I’ll go,” Ginny finally relented after breaking down under his beautiful and mesmerizing stare. There was only so much she could do to hold out against the power of his gaze. “But tonight when I get back, you’re not going to be able to get rid of me.” “Well I can see where that could have its advantages,” Harry replied, waggling his brows suggestively. “Mmmhmm, “Ginny said with an amused laugh as she leaned in and kissed him. “If only…” she whispered to him. Harry smiled understandingly as he kissed her back and pulled her tighter to him. Tonight, even if she was to spend it with him in his bedroom, alone and away from prying eyes–there would be no ‘extra-curricular activities’ to take part in. However heated and carried away they might get, things would have to grind to a halt before they’d ever had a chance to go anywhere close to ‘further’. Harry just simply wasn’t allowed at the moment. He’d been quite embarrassed to have to tell Ginny that when one glorious afternoon, things had started drifting towards that end and he had had to put a halt to the sequence of events as Ginny had started to divert her attention southward. Fighting against every thought and urge of his blood-deprived brain, he’d pushed her away from that course and explained things to her. But that had not been as nearly as an embarrassing as having things laid out for him during his last checkup up the day before his discharge from St. Mungo’s, in front of Remus and Mrs. Weasley, no doubt. Seeing as he was still recovering from massive internal and external injuries, he wasn’t supposed to exert himself beyond what he endured during therapy sessions. The presiding healer had made it a point to list activities he was to try to stay away from and minimize his participation in. That meant no climbing more than a flight of stairs at a time. That meant no riding brooms….which meant no flying…which in turn, meant no Quidditch. He wasn’t to drink alcohol or smoke anything And more specifically and perhaps most embarrassingly, he was to refrain from engaging in sexual activities…which for some reason the healer seemed to need to further define with examples. He himself had spluttered uncomfortably in reaction. He’d heard Remus let out an amused snort that he quickly had tried to cover up with a cough. And he’d felt Mrs. Weasley stiffen slightly beside him as the healer spoke. Not only was having his list of ‘restrictions’ read to him in front of Remus and Mrs. Weasley a horrifying experience, but not being able to partake in some of them was proving to be just as trying. He was seventeen, his hormones at constant peak levels and expecting him to not give in to those urges or not get excited every five minutes with his beautiful girlfriend hanging around all day–well that was asking the impossible. And not being able to ‘express’ and ‘relieve’ certain compulsions and desires was proving tortuous for both himself and Ginny. “I’m sorry, luv,” Harry whispered into her hair as he clung to her. “Hopefully it’ll only be a little longer…” he sighed heavily. Ginny shifted in his lap and looked up at him. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to sound so–“ she began. “I’m frustrated too,” Harry whispered as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing the skin there gently. “Don’t apologize,” he breathed out as he pulled away. “Funny…I was about to tell you the same thing,” Ginny told him with a slight tone of amusement in her voice. But any response that Harry might have had was cut short by the sound of a knock at the bedroom door. There was a few seconds of silence before it opened tentatively and Ron and Hermione entered. “Have you decided if you’re coming or not?” Ron asked Ginny as he moved towards them and plopped down at the edge of Harry’s recently made bed while Hermione stood next to him. “She’s going,” Harry teased, squeezing Ginny. “Yeah…I’m coming,” Ginny assured them as she tried to extricate herself from Harry’s grip. “We best be going then,” Hermione interjected. “My mum’s expecting us in the next ten minutes.” “That’s fine, I’m ready to go right now,” Ginny replied, succeeding in freeing herself from Harry’s lap. “You sure you don’t want to come, Harry?” Hermione asked as Ginny straightened up her clothes and grabbed the small handbag she’d set on the night table. “I’m sure there’d be no problem getting a wheelchair or something from one of the stores for you to get around in if you felt tired at all.” “Thanks, Hermione,” Harry replied. “But as fun as going shopping sounds–I think I’m still gonna pass and stay around here,” he finished, casting an apologetic look towards her and then Ron, who looked thoroughly disappointed that he was the lone male going along now. -------------------------------- ----------------- “Ahh…Harry dear,” Molly greeted, turning away from the stove as she heard the sound of slowed, heavy footfalls along with the rhythmic thumping of a crutch as it connected with the wood floor, getting closer. Harry was making his way gingerly and deliberately into the kitchen from his room off the sitting room, dressed in a white t-shirt and a loose-fitting pair of worn jeans, his dark hair sticking up even more in the back than usual. "Enjoy your nap?" Molly added as Harry maneuvered himself into a nearby chair and plopped down unceremoniously, sighing slightly in relief as he did so. "Oh yeah," Harry replied as he perched his crutch against the edge of the table. "I think I'm really learning to love this sleeping most of the day thing," he added with a grin as he stifled the last vestiges of sleep escaping through a stray yawn. "I could get used to it." Molly smiled as she watched him stretch out as he continued to wake himself, his bones and muscles protesting audibly as he did so. He'd been sleeping since right after lunch time, having retreated to his room to rest after a morning therapy session and having the other teens gone shopping for the day gave him ample opportunity to lay about. It was nearly supper time now and others would be joining them soon from work or whatever errands they'd been on for the day and Molly was in the midst of preparing that meal for her family, as well as a few others who'd be there for dinner. "Well...dinner will be ready in about an hour," Molly told him as she turned back to the stove momentarily to stir a pot. "And I'm sure the others will arrive soon after that...it seems that all of my children are blessed with a built in alarm bell when it comes to meal times," she added in amusement. Harry chuckled softly at Mrs. Weasley's words as he watched her turn back to tend to the various pots, pans and bowls that contained the ingredients for the upcoming meal. He listened to the sounds of chopping knives working upon cutting boards and bubbling sauces breaking against the sides of their pots before a thought occurred to him out his preoccupied boredom. "I can help you out, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said aloud. "I could pitch in with dinner," he added as she turned to face him at the sound of his voice. She scrutinized him for a moment, teetering on the edge of protest at his offer. Truth be told, he wanted to help out with something and if dinner was something he might be able to, then so be it. The Weasleys had so much going on even after the war had been won and he had wanted them and expected them all to take a collective breath that they so deserved. Mrs. Weasley still found the means and time to make 3 square meals for her large family and growing army of friends that stopped by frequently. Harry hadn't been helpful at all in pitching in around the Burrow since he'd arrived and he felt the need to do--something--to give back to the Weasleys. Harry knew Mrs. Weasley wanted to tell him that his help wasn't necessary, she was after all very adept and capable of creating a delicious spread for her family. But she seemed to sense that bit of desperation in Harry's offer for his need to help out however much he could...or perhaps she thought that he was just that bored with everyone else gone for the day. She smiled softly at him and then nodded. "Why don't we get you started on cutting up the fruit to top the sponge cake for desert?" she suggested. "That way I can just make the syrup and dessert will be finished," she added. "Sure," Harry replied, glad to be able to help out. "I think I can manage that," he added with a grin as he watched Mrs. Weasley float over a bowl of various fruits, along with a cutting board and knife before it landed gently on the table before him. "The strawberries need to be chopped into smaller pieces," she told him, demonstrating for him on a strawberry as she cut off the top stem and then sliced the fruit. "And the grapes just in half, like that," she added, showing him once more. Harry nodded and took the knife from her, maneuvering a bunch of strawberries towards himself onto the cutting board with his still awkward left hand. ------------------------------- ------- Molly turned back to the saucepan once more, stirring the pot unnecessarily as she tried to avoid glancing back at the table where Harry sat, carefully and somewhat clumsily chopping and slicing fruit. She knew she could have done those preparations by magic with a flick of her wand and it would have taken only a few seconds to have the strawberries and grapes primed for dessert. But the way Harry had looked at her, the slight bit of desperation in his voice as he asked if he could help, was too much for her to refuse. She knew he must be getting a bit stir-crazy not being able to get out and about and do much of anything besides what was asked of him during therapy. It wasn't normal or generally rational to think a seventeen year old boy would enjoy being cooped up and confined to a limited physical role. Especially knowing how much she knew Harry loved being outside, flying and rushing through the air on a broomstick. While he couldn't do that just yet, Molly was privy to allow him to do whatever necessary to occupy his boredom. She glanced over her shoulder for a moment as she moved a pot from the stove to cool. Harry was working quite diligently, his head bowed in concentration as he went about cutting up the fruit. The work was slightly slow going; his movements choppy and motions deliberate as he held the knife in his left hand and the fruit in his right. She knew the task would probably go a bit faster if he used his right to do the cutting, but the healers had urged him to work and use his left hand as much as possible in order to gain function back. She knew Harry was still having a bit of trouble with finer movement in his left hand and arm, but he was constantly improving as he continued to put in the work. Molly continued her musings about the current situation as she turned her back once more to tend to the dinner she had brewing and putting together on the stove and countertop, leaving Harry to finish up his task. But the sound of the screen door opening directed her attention momentarily away from her work. She looked up just in time to find Ron's tall frame sidling in through the door, Hermione following close behind, her hair pulled back. Both were carrying several shopping bags. "Merlin, that smells good," Ron said longingly as he plopped down his shopping bags next to the coat hanger beside the door and took a step or two over towards the stove to peruse the pots and pans. "You just ate about an hour ago, Ron..." Hermione chastised as she moved past him and placed her bags at the end of the kitchen table, in a more ceremonious manner than Ron had. "And then don't forget the hour before that when we had to stop at those vendor carts," another voice added. Ginny had walked in after them, her entrance disguised momentarily by the prior conversation. "And then there was that small shop where they were handing out samples on sticks where Ron needed four of them to decide whether he liked it or not..." But as Molly's only daughter rid herself of her shopping parcels and strode across the room towards the table towards her boyfriend, two more figures appeared in the doorway, looking hesitant about entering the kitchen as the others had. A young man, muscular and blonde stood upon the threshold of the doorway and a tall, yet slight blonde girl stood just behind him, both looking unsure of their role there at the moment. ----------------------------- ------ Harry's smile widened as he watched Ginny move closer to him as she smiled widely and swooped in to kiss him gently on the lips. It was amazing how much he missed her after such little time apart compared to what they'd experienced in the months previous. But seeing her had immediately brightened things and made his afternoon that much better. It was baffling how she could do that to him. Not that he was complaining... But as Ginny pulled away and the room swam back into view his eyes found not only Ron and Hermione, but picked up on two others he had not seen enter with them. And to be truthful, he would not have expected them to be here either in any scenario he could have thought up. "Dudley," Harry said quietly and automatically in disbelief as his cousin stepped into the Burrow, the most unseemingly place for Dudley to be. He stared unabashedly and unseated at his cousin. "Hey," Dudley replied softly but unsure as he moved towards the table. It was so strange to see Dudley here in the kitchen of the Burrow with saucepans on the stove with spoons stirring themselves, invisible hands holding knives that were chopping vegetables and variety of cookbooks floating in mid-air as Mrs. Weasley perused and consulted them. For so long Harry had associated his relatives with all that was non-magical in his life, an unhappy and unpleasant part of his memories that were separate from the world he lived in now. And now they were together and interacting and it was so weird. "We ran into Dudley and Sara while we were out shopping," Ginny spoke up, apparently feeling the need to explain aloud the current situation. "We got to talking for a while and I thought maybe it would be alright for them to come to dinner," she added, throwing a glance towards her mother as if asking for her approval that she'd invited two more people to dinner. "That's sounds lovely," Mrs. Weasley replied with a smile. "We don't want to intrude at all," Sara spoke up this time from beside Dudley as she addressed Mrs. Weasley. "If we're making too much of a crowd or..." "Nonsense," Mrs. Weasley waved her off. "You two are more than welcome for dinner." Both Dudley and Sara nodded in thanks. "Plus we'll get to show off the new kitchen," Ron said as he poked his nose into a nearby saucepan. "We'd be a hell of a lot more crowded if it was still like before," he added as he raised a finger to taste the sauce. But Molly quickly slapped it away and admonished her youngest son, shooing him away from the stove. "Dinner'll be ready in about a half an hour," Mrs. Weasley said as she finished pushing Ron away from the food. "Why don't you all go into the sitting room and I'll call you in when everything is ready. The others should be coming home in a little while anyway," she added. "Alright," Ginny readily agreed with her mother's suggestion. "It's right through here," Hermione added to Sara and Dudley as she gestured to the archway that led into the sitting room for them to follow her as Ron stepped up beside her. "Do you need help?" Ginny asked Harry quietly as she bent closer to him, eyeing the piles of chopped fruit and those he still had left. Before Harry could shake his head, Mrs. Weasley spoke up. "I'll finish those up, dear," Molly said as she turned from the stove to watch the interaction. "Just leave everything there." "Mum, you made the poor bloke cook?" Ron asked as he turned from where he and Hermione had started to lead Dudley and Sara into the sitting room. "For your information, Harry volunteered to help with dinner and to make desert," Molly replied indignantly. "Something I'm not sure I can say any of my sons have ever done," she added, freezing Ron with narrowing eyes. Harry heard Hermione and Ginny stifle back laughs as Ron spluttered to find a response as Hermione grabbed him by the arm to steer him back towards the sitting room. Harry felt a smile of his own spread across his lips as he gingerly pushed his chair back from the table and disengaged himself from the fruit and knife. He grabbed with his right arm for his discarded crutch and used it to push himself up. He immediately groaned as his legs protested against the movement. For a moment he thought he might need to sit back down. But before he could sink back into the chair he felt an arm go around his waist and a small hand rest on his hip in support. "Lean on me," he heard Ginny whisper to him as he automatically gave into the words. He used her stabilizing grasp to hold his weight for a moment as his legs came back underneath him. "I've been sitting for a while," he told her as they stood there. "I just need to get the blood flowing again." "I know a few ways we could achieve that," Ginny said in a low voice. Harry wondered if she'd said it without thinking and then quickly became mortified that Mrs. Weasley had overheard her cheek. His eyes immediately whipped towards the stove, relieved to find Mrs. Weasley's back turned and her wand busy with dinner. He was then drawn back to the presence at his side, only to find Ginny grinning madly up at up, perfectly aware of the innuendo she had supplied a few seconds ago. He could not help but grin in response and wrap an arm around her and squeeze her tighter to him. "Shall we?" he asked Ginny, gesturing towards the archway once he was sure that it would be safe for him to try to walk to the sitting room. She nodded and slowly together they began to make their way into the other room. Progress was choppy and slow, Harry's feet and crutch making noise against the new floorboards as he shuffled along, using Ginny as a safety net as he went unsteadily. As they entered the sitting room, Harry looked up to see that the gas lamps had been lit to add more light as the shadows elongated in the fading afternoon sun. Dudley and Sara were sitting together on the sofa while Ron occupied Mr. Weasley's usual armchair. Hermione was standing at his side, leaning against the arm of the chair as they both seemed to be engaged in small conversation with Dudley and Sara. At Harry's arrival, the four of them looked up. Harry caught the small bit of pitied curiosity in both Sara and Dudley's eyes as they watched Harry labor in before they politely averted their gazes. Harry briefly wondered how much about his injuries and his recovery had been relayed during the conversation that had taken place for them now to have ended up at the Burrow. "Here, mate," Ron interjected as he quickly vacated his seat, which was the nearest to Harry. "Take a load off," he added, gesturing to the chair. Harry had to fight back that momentary urge to argue against the offer, but a slight push from Ginny and the lingering ache in his legs overrode that particular thought. With a few slower, laborious steps, Harry settled himself into the comfy chair and allowed Ginny to slide the footrest beneath his legs. Once he was situated and somewhat comfortable, Harry turned his attention to his cousin and his girlfriend. Both were now looking around the sitting room, Dudley seemingly curiously interested in the large Weasley clock that displayed the whereabouts of each member of the family. But otherwise, an awkward silence had transcended the room. "So...er--you all met up in London then?" Harry said, clearing his throat once, trying to rid himself of his sudden anxiousness. Sure, he and Dudley were certainly on better terms and in light of last summer's events, he no longer thought of his cousin as the brutish, cruel boy he had once been. But it was still unsure of how to talk to his cousin, whom he'd never really had a lengthy, sit down conversation with before. "Yeah...Sara and I were shopping in Covent Garden for the day when Ginny recognized us," Dudley supplied. "We got to chatting about how things have been with them and a little about how things have been here," Ginny interjected, her voice going a bit quiet near the end. He knew that they hadn't gone into any form of conversation that would fully explain what they all had been through the past months. He doubted they'd be able to fathom most of it anyways. "And I thought it'd be good for them to visit...since it's been quite a while..." "A few weeks ago we were at my cousin's house--the one who's magical also--and I saw one of the papers..." Sara began, sounding slightly nervous. "They'd been away for a while and they never gave explanation before really--but I heard my uncle tell my dad that there'd been a war and that it was over now..." Sara continued and Harry and the others nodded in recognition when Sara looked up for it. "And the paper said that...that you'd..." She looked momentarily at Harry directly before averting her gaze nervously. Harry knew what the papers said. Although he hadn't actually read any of the headlines himself and had only been privy to any information through what others visiting had said, he knew what kinds of things the Prophet must be publishing about him in wake of the war. "That Harry'd taken care of old Voldy for us and he's supposed to be our savior that we're supposed to bow down too?" Ron finished Sara's unsure thought rather cheekily. Harry shot him a glare and he heard Hermione cringe outwardly with a small hiss of disapproval. "What?" Ron responded, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Those were the Prophet's words...not mine," he added. "I on the other hand know what kind of dopey prat you are, mate," Ron added with a goading smile. "No hero worship here." Harry chuckled, unable to contain his own amusement with Ron's ability to turn any sort of serious or touchy situation into a joke with just a few, well-meant jabs. It was one aspect of Ron he almost always appreciated. "Yeah...I can imagine what the papers have been saying," Harry supplied knowingly. "They can write what they want...but all that really matters is that it's all over now," he added seriously."Everyone can start living their lives again and we can all move on...we won't have to worry anymore..." He felt Ginny squeeze his shoulder tightly as he spoke and then felt her lips press lightly against the top of his head, knowing she must have planted a kiss there in support of his words. There were a few moments where nobody spoke, a silent heaviness settling over them all, even those who maybe did not fully understand what they had all avoided with Voldemort's downfall. It wasn't just the wizarding world that had been saved from darkness, but all those who inhabited this earth had been freed from the hand of evil that had slowly been gripping them all and would have certainly strangled them all. "So you've been staying here since then...since it's been over?" Dudley asked quietly. "Well...not the entire time," Harry responded. "I haven't been out of the hospital all that long. I was in pretty rough shape after everything." Ron snorted. Harry supposed that 'rough shape' was a bit of an understatement in his case, but there was no need to delve into the extensive list of injuries he'd suffered just now. "I'm still recovering...as you probably would have guessed by the way I hobbled in here before," Harry continued with a slight chuckle. "I'm still doing a lot of therapy...trying to get back to normal." "You've certainly had a rough year of it," Dudley interjected, his voice on the lighter side as if he'd finally dispelled his nervousness and decided that it was alright to joke a bit as Ron and Harry already were. "You could say that again," Harry agreed readily. "I think I’ve had all I need for a couple of years in fact." "I think I'd quite enjoy having a lifetime of you staying out of any sort of hospital," Ginny chimed in and Harry looked up to find her watching him carefully. Her words were outwardly meant to be a joke, an interjection into the lightened situation. But there was also seriousness in her words and her eyes as she looked back at him. But there was another thing that had struck him about her words; about the lifetime she wanted to enjoy and that made him suddenly aware of the ring laying flush across his bare skin underneath his t-shirt as it hung on its chain. He'd kept there since he'd awoken in the hospital weeks ago. But he wasn't allowed to dwell too much on that particular thought any longer because someone spoke again. "And the doctors--or whatever you call them--I guess..." Sara began. "They were able to do something for your arm?" she asked him seriously, noticing that unlike last time, he had a limb there his own had been taken from him. Harry glanced down, knowing that his replacement prosthetic was very convincing and not surprised somehow that Sara had perhaps thought it was real. "Er...this is a prosthetic actually," Harry admitted. "No way," Dudley responded a little skeptical, eying the arm carefully. "Yeah...it's supposed to be as life-like as possible," Harry replied, lifting his hand up and flexing his fingers and wrist to show off its capabilities. "A lot more than my last one at least." "That's amazing," Sara said, shaking her head in disbelief. "And that's--magical--technology then?" Sara asked, curiously. Harry nodded. "We have some specialists like doctors do in the Muggle side of things," Harry explained. "I worked with a guy who does this sort of thing--build limbs and such," he added. "I almost needed a second one actually," Harry said as an afterthought as he realized he'd reached over to scratch an itch on his left arm, lifting up his shirt sleeve. In the process he had revealed the white scar encircling his bicep, identifying the place where the arm had successfully been reattached. Neither Sara nor Dudley spoke or asked about that last comment, but by tracing their line of sight, Harry knew they'd figured things out on their own about what he had meant. "So what have you two been up to over the past year?" Harry asked in the midst of another bout of silence, wanting in a small way to turn the conversation from himself. "Well, we've both finished up school," Sara replied. "I'll be starting university in the fall and Dudley just got a job an architecture firm." "That's great," Harry said honestly. "Well...it's just an entry-level intern position for now--the wage isn't anything spectacular," Dudley said, blushing slightly and looking down as though a bit thrown by Harry's encouraging words. "Just apprenticing and training so in a few years I can hopefully move up a bit." "Dudley, that's wonderful," Harry assured him. "I wish you luck on it...I really do." The two cousins exchanged a look of understanding of common ground and understanding of mutual sincerity between them for a moment. "And are you still living at Privet Drive?" Hermione asked quietly. Dudley shook his head. "I'm actually...I'm selling it," he replied quietly. Harry immediately perked up at the words and looked at Dudley oddly. This was certainly surprising news. "I haven't really been there a lot since I went back to school after...after last summer," Dudley went on to explain. "I just, I can't see myself living there now and not remembering things...remembering Mum and Dad all the time...." he trailed off and Sara immediately squeezed his hand in comfort and support. "And It's not all that close to my job...a bit of a long drive every day," he added as an afterthought. "Plus..." Dudley said, clearing his voice some. "We decided it was best to get our own place together," he added, glancing over with a smile to Sara. "So we're renting a little flat in London that'll allow us to be close to work and school,," Sara continued. "It's a really cute, cozy little place," she added with a smile. "Well...it's alright for now..." Dudley interjected, looking back at Sara with a slight smirk. "But we'll look for something better...after the wedding." "The wedding?" Harry repeated without volition, wondering if he'd heard right. Both Dudley and Sara were grinning sheepishly, casting one another knowing looks. "Dudley proposed two weeks ago on my birthday," Sara said, her happiness seemingly pouring out even as she tried to contain it slightly. "And for some reason she said 'yes'," Dudley added, squeezing her tightly. "Of course I was going to say 'yes'," Sara responded, pushing Dudley lightly with her off hand as if to brush off his last comment. "I love you," she added, kissing him on the cheek. "Congratulations," Harry and the others chimed almost all at once. Harry felt a sly sort of smile grace his own lips as he watched the open display of affection between the two and he felt Ginny squeeze his hand. He knew that Sara was great for Dudley, just as Ginny was for himself. He'd seen the change Sara had wrought in Dudley and he was truly happy for them. "We haven't set a date yet..." Sara added. "But it'll probably be sometime next year...after we've both had time to settle into school and work." "That sounds lovely," Ginny said. "Good luck with everything." "Thank you," Sara replied. "We'll send out the invites and all later...but we hope you'll be there," she added, looking at both Harry and Ginny. "We wouldn't miss it," Ginny assured her and Harry nodded his head in agreement. Both Dudley and Sara smiled back widely, clearly pleased with the reply. A/N: Sorry it's been almost 2 months between updates...but alas, real life has really been beating me down hard lol. But I've decided to split this chapter into two and the next half will be the second half of the last 'real' chapter. Then of course, we'll have the epilogue. So enjoy! |
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