Chapter 13.
Only Pansy and Blaise were still with Harry and Draco, the house was silent, all immersed in their thoughts. It had been an eventful day. (And, no lie, it had been a busy few days...) There was a lot to think about. harry had so many questions now. He had given the Weasleys a second chance, but he was still hesitant. Had it been the right decision?
(Honestly, he knew that if they hadn't, they would have insisted until Harry agreed. Or disappear again - which wasn't good for the kid, come to think of it). - Or even explodes so much that it does damage. Or hurt people...) So that was the logical solution.
He would have liked so much to have been able to see the future, and to know how everything was going to turn out. Because he had his doubts. Everybody had their doubts. (Draco was the first, we agreed.) And above all, it wasn't because he had allowed them back into his life that he had forgiven them all, or was totally blind to their personalities. (We weren't changing the way people were. That was a fact and he knew it). But was it wrong to hope for the best? (Well, okay, not with Ginny. He'd definitely written her off for good. Even though he knew she didn't. He knew she wasn't going to sit around doing nothing for long. But as long as he knew about it, he could do something to stop her from making it all go to hell). (Because he was a Wizard and was, without a doubt, the most powerful of his generation, if not one of the most powerful at all).
« What do your? » Finally asked Draco to their two friends.
« For what? » Asked Blaise.
Draco didn’t answer, but looked at him with a face that said: « Are you kidding me right now? » (Blaise shrugged his shoulders, not looking the last bit sorry. But it was Blaise, and he was everything but the mysterious, unapproachable being that many people thought he was.) (It was a shame, really.)
« I think that what Draco means is, what do you think of the conversation, and the time that the Weasleys spent here. » Pansy explained calmly.
« Oh, I see, » said Blaise, « what I think of it... Honestly I couldn't tell you, I didn't really know them before. And the little I did know was what I wanted to see when we were at Hogwarts, and what Harry told us about it, so... »
« He’s not wrong, » Harry mumbled.
« But it looks pretty good, I think, » continued the Italian, « I mean, you never know, and everybody knows you shouldn't chase the natural or it comes back at a gallop, but if you're careful, and you don't have high expectations, I think it might go well. »
« I never had high expectations of them, » Draco replied with an air of disdain.
« ...True, but that could be the case with Harry, » Blaise added.
« I don’t know », sighed the latter, « I mean, of course I want it to work. Because they’ve still been a big part of my life, and I think that matters, and I’d like them back in my life. Especially because if it doesn’t work, I’m not sure they’re going to stop trying. »
« If we have to blame them for anything, it’s not their tenacity. » Said Pansy.
« I know. But I don't think I have high expectations of them. I know how they are, or at least how they can be. So I'm just going to take it one day at a time and see what happens. »
« I think they're willing to make an effort, » Pansy thoughtfully added, « oh, not much either! But just enough to stay in your life. Even though I also think that you'll have to put them in their place from time to time... »
Harry sighed, but he agreed with her. It was exhausting just thinking about it.
« All I want is for them to understand that they are absolutely not on my list of priorities, » sighed Harry, massaging his temples, « Draco and Gab' are my priority, you're close behind —» he said.
« Oh Harry, you flatter us » teased Blaise. (Harry ignored him royally).
« My personal life is a priority, honestly, I don't even think they're in the top 05... »
« Which is normal, » reassured Draco, « and for the moment at least, I think they know. You just have to remind them from time to time, Love. »
« And be careful with Ginny, » added Pansy, « I don't think she's doing anything drastic, but you have to be on your guard. »
« I know. » Harry simply said.
After a while of talking about everything and nothing, Pansy and Blaise went home, while Harry and Draco simply went to get ready for the night and went to bed shortly afterwards.
As for the Weasleys, once they all returned, they went to settle in the living room, nobody wanting to go to sleep for the moment. After all, a lot had happened today. They had to assimilate everything.
« So... We're officially back in Harry's life, » Ron finally spoke, « and I'm not even sure that's good news... »
« I'm with you, » Hermione replied with a sigh, « he's changed so much... It's like he's a totally different person. However, I think it's a good thing. »
« Do you think so? » Asked her husband.
« Yes, it has opened our eyes to a lot of things, such as the fact that not everything stays the way we thought or wanted when we were just teenagers in the middle of a war. »
« It's true, » says Molly, « or even the fact that he wasn't really in our family, either by blood, let alone marriage, no matter how much we wanted him. »
« And that he made his own way, » George added.
« Even though we knew it all along, » Fred said.
The silence returned after what the twins had just said. Hermione knew they were absolutely right, and despite her frustration that she had not been the one who knew all those years what Harry needed, she was willing to admit that everything she had seen today was the real Harry, not the one she had known more than ten years ago.
And maybe it was a good thing in the end, that he was not the same anymore. From a logical point of view, that he was happy, and that he had managed to get over the horrors of the war, which he had surely suffered more than others, was something to rejoice about, wasn't it? Yet Hermione would be lying if she said it wasn't... Frustrating? She didn't know exactly how to describe the emotions she was feeling. But she would put all that aside, because she wanted to be a part of this new Harry's life, and even though she wasn't stupid and knew it wouldn't be easy, and it wouldn't be all nice and rosy, and there was a risk that everything would break again, but most of all, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again, she still wanted to try. Because it was better that it didn't work, rather than her living in regret all her life, right?
Ron, on the other hand, was quite... Mitigated. He didn't know if he should be happy, having more or less regained contact with the one he had called his best friend for so long, angry because the said "best friend" was now much closer to the enemy than to them, or even resigned, because he was closer to the enemy, had married the enemy, and had wanted to wipe them out of his life without even a single explanation, but now, when all was said and done, he was ten times happier with the enemy than he had been with them. (Even though, okay, they were at war at the time, so it's true that it wasn't comparable, but all the same!).
He knew. He knew very well that he had anger management problems. His jealousy and much more. He wasn't as dumb as people seemed to think. He knew it was going to blow up at some point. And he could only hope that it wouldn't be too bad, that he could control some of it, at least, and that Harry knew about it, and would expect it. (He could never love Draco, and the other two Slytherin. But he could try to tolerate them. For Harry's sake). (At least ignore them.) Because he was Ronald Weasley, he knew his limits, and he knew when and how to go beyond them. And if he couldn't, well... He would take it upon himself and explode when he got home, wouldn't he? It was the only solution he could see to make it work.
Molly was... Sad. Sad because she had finally figured out what she had done to Harry. Sad because she finally had to rule out her dream of having him legally and officially in the family. Sad because even though Ginny had gone too far, she was still his little girl. Sad, because she loved the dreams and hopes she had for the post-war years. Sad because she had to tear up the plans and projects she had made. (Some alone, some with Ginny, some with Hermione and Ronald.) But she had new hope. And she wanted Harry in their lives. Little Harry, who had, after all, grown up so well. And she was happy, because she thought of him as if he was one of her sons, and she couldn't help but be happy. It didn't matter that he was happy with a Malfoy, a Slytherin, and not with his daughter. She was tenacious, and even if all her plans had fallen through, she would do everything in her power to keep Harry in their lives, and not spoil the chance he had given them. (But she was Molly Weasley. She had flaws she couldn't fix. But she would tell when the time was right). (Harry had made it clear to them that if they crossed the line, he would not hesitate to erase them permanently from his life. She didn't want that).
Arthur was happy that his family understood. Happy that Harry took his life into his own hands, and found his happiness. He was happier than he had been in a long time. But honestly, it was getting late and all he wanted to do at the moment was to go to bed!
The twins had always been on Harry's side. Because it was Harry who had always believed in them, had always been there for them. And they had always thought that the least they could do was be there for him. To believe in him. To accept his choices. And to protect him as best they could. And they had never regretted that choice. Not once. And they were just happy to see that Harry finally got what he wanted. And to see that their family wasn't totally blind to it all, and had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to give it a chance so they could be with him again. Even though nothing would be the same as before, of course. There was only one problem left...
« What about Ginny? » Asked Fred.
« What Ginny? » Asked Molly
« How can we be sure she'll leave Harry alone? » Fred continued questioning.
« We can't, » Hermione sighed, « and honestly, I think we all know she won't stop there. »
« It's true, » said Ron, « all we can do is try to do damage control. »
The silence quickly returned to its place, they had not forgotten that Ginny was in the house right now. And that she was currently on her way down. (It was hard not to hear her when everything was quiet in the house).
« You’re back? » she asked as she entered the room.
« Not long ago, yes. » Arthur replied with a little hesitation.
« Oh, all right, » said Ginny, shrugging her shoulders, « I hope the next time we go to see Harry it will be more cheerful. And just with him. »
« Ginny... » Ron began.
« I know he was a little on edge and couldn't really say what he wanted to say in front of the blond snake, » she continued without listening to Ron, « but hopefully we'll be able to see him when he's alone and everything will be better. »
She went to sit on one of the couches.
« Ginny, » sighed Hermione, « it's not. Harry is married, has a child with Malfoy, and that will remain the case no matter what you try to do. So, if you ever want to be lucky enough to be in the same room with him without him getting angry or leaving, I'd advise you to just forget about it and move on. »
« What— »
« Hermione has right, Ginny darling, » Molly added, « we all wanted him to be part of the family. Let him marry you, and live a happy life like Ron and Hermione, but that won't happen. It's sad, yes. But that's just the way it is. He found his happiness elsewhere, you have to accept that. »
« Are you turning against me? » exclaimed the youngest in the room.
« No, » replied Arthur in a firm voice, « we want Harry to stay in our lives. We've driven him away once, not twice. You have to grow up, Ginevra, and learn that you don't always get what you want in life. Yes, it's frustrating. Yes, it's sad. And yes, we would all have liked it to be the way you wanted it to be. But no, it won't, you have to deal with it. »
« Dad— »
« You disgraced us when we were in HIS house, surrounded by HIS friends and HIS family, I will not allow that to happen again. Whether we are with you or not. Have I made myself understood? »
« But he must— »
« Have I made myself understood, Ginevra Weasley? » Arthur repeated in a cold voice.
« Yes, dad. » Murmured Ginny.
« Just because you're an adult now doesn't mean you have the right to do what you want. We know you, Ginny, » Hermione spoke softly, « we know you won't stop there. And if you go too far, you will end up in Azkaban. »
« But— »
« You are not above the law. »
Ginny looked at them as if they had lost their minds. But they were right. About all of it. Maybe she would have ended up going too far if they weren't there to hold her back.
She would probably never stop wanting to take Harry back from Draco. But she also knew that he would never be in love with her. (That wouldn't stop her from trying. Oh no, but never as aggressively as now. And she knew it would never come to anything). (She had, after all, nothing left to lose on that side, right?)
« You're right, » she says looking into the distance, « but I don't want him to be happy with the other one. »
They looked at her sadly. They were going to have to keep an eye on her. After all, you never know... do you?
One Year Later:
So much had happened in one year. The Weasleys were still in Harry's life. Sure, there had been ups and downs. Harry was always suspicious. He knew they still hadn't accepted Draco (they would never accept him, to be honest.) but they were trying and it was more than Harry had hoped for.
Oh, Draco didn't accept them either, but he was in love with Harry and would do anything for him. So he said nothing, grit his teeth, and put up with them because it made Harry happy. (Whatever he said, the brunette was really willing to cut them out of his life, but he wouldn't be happy to do it. The Weasleys were a big part of his life, he wanted them with him. Maybe not as a family. Or even as a friend. But he didn't want to be at war with them either).
Pansy and Blaise were true to themselves, they had not promised to support the Weasleys, and they were not shy about showing it. (Even though they were not hostile towards them. And that a kind of ceasefire had been in place between them for a few months now...) (They had scared Gabriel horribly, Draco was angry with them, Harry was angry with everyone. So the ceasefire was born). (They mainly avoided each other. Simpler.)
Gabriel was still uncomfortable in their presence, but seemed to accept them more and more. He felt that his father didn't like them, and that his dad was reserved about them. And if his parents weren't really close to them, Gabriel wasn't either.
The twins were always having so much fun. They were on their guard too, but spent more time making fun of Harry and Draco than anything else. (They were true to themselves, after all.)
Ginny had not reappeared often. But the few times they had seen her, she had totally ignored Draco and Gabriel, and concentrated on Harry. She was trying to get him back. It wasn't working. She had crossed the line once or twice, but now Harry thought it was more out of habit than real desire... (Or not. He was never sure when she was involved).
The media wouldn't leave them alone, but it was calmer. (It will surely reappear when Gabriel is older.) (And Harry knew how to be persuasive.)
But all this is a story for later. Harry and Draco are as happy as they can be right now. Life has its ups and downs. But they only take the positive and discard the negative.
Their story doesn't end there. Who knows, maybe one day we will find them again. Later on. And maybe this new story will be much more joyful. Because they deserve it, don't you think?