Summary: Over ten years after Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny find that they can't escape from all their problems just yet. Loosly based on Oscar Wilde's "An Ideal Husband". RHr HG
Categories: Post-Hogwarts Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 20
Completed: Yes
Word count: 68512
Read: 66667
Published: 01/25/06
Updated: 07/13/07
Am I Too Far Gone? by Liisa
Author's Notes:
Another long wait!! I'm really sorry! I hope this chapter makes up for it!
Chapter 11 â“ Am I Too Far Gone?
âYou donât need to prove a thing to me
Just give me faith make me believe
You might try savin' yourself
I'm gonna save me.â
- âSave Meâ by Dave Matthews
----
âYouâre jokingâŚarenât you?â
âLook out the window, Potter. Now is not the time for jokes.â
âDamn right itâs not! Go back to the house, Draco! I donât have time for you right now!â
Draco stepped forward, looking as if he wanted to take a swing at Harry, but Remus stepped forward between them.
âWe donât have time for any of this right now, but if Draco wants to do it, I donât see what youâre arguing for, Harry.â
Harry looked flabbergasted up at Remus, his eyes widening. âYou believe him?â
âItâs an unbreakable vow,â Remus stressed. âThere is no believing or not believing. Itâs unbreakable.â
âOh, thanks for that lesson, Remus-â
âListen Potter, I donât have time to deal with your hero complex shite right now,â Draco interjected, pointing an accusing finger at Harry. âMy father is out there, right now, murdering people while weâre up here arguing the specifications of a vow. If youâre so worried, have your godfather here perform it, I could care less. Just give me my bloody wand back!â
Both Harry and Remus were looking at Draco with wide, surprised eyes. The muffled noises of the battles outside on the Hogwarts grounds seemed to grow louder as the three men stared at one another.
âFine.â Harry thrust his hand towards Draco, a determined look on his face.
Draco didnât hesitate at all before laying his hand on top of Harryâs.
Remus stepped around so that he was standing in between them, his wand in his hand, but still lowered towards the ground as he looked uncertainly at the two younger wizards.
âNow, you both are sure about this?â
âIâve got nothing to loose,â Harry snapped, still glaring at Draco.
Dracoâs mouth twitched at Harryâs words but he remained cool and collected. âNeither do I.â
Slowly, Remus raised his wand so that it was pointing at their joined hands.
Harry took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully.
âDo you swear to remain true to the Order of the Phoenix throughout this war?â
âI do.â
A band of flame shot from Remusâ wand, encircling their clasped hands.
âAnd do you swear to use your talents and skills only for the light side and never again to serve the powers of darkness?â
âI do.â
A second band entwined in the first, the room growing brighter than before.
âAnd do you swear to never betray me, lie to me or deceive me ever again?â
âI do.â
The lack of hesitation in Dracoâs voice was more surprising to Harry than the third band of fire that shot from Remusâ wand, exploding the room in a brilliant flash of light.
----
Ginny closed the door quietly behind her, aware of Hermione sleeping upstairs, and slowly hung her cloak on a peg by the door, trying her best not to notice Harryâs eyes boring into the back of her head.
Turning back around, his gaze was still on her, looking more curious by the moment.
âWhere have you been?â he asked her softly, finally setting down his apple and closing his book.
He didnât deserve an answer. It was her house, after all. He had no right to know anything she was doing. But for some reasonâŚshe wanted him to know.
âJust out walking,â she went and sat down on the couch across from him, letting out a sigh, âtrying to clear my mind.â Her head fell into her hands and she bit her bottom lip. âItâs been a long day.â
âLook, Gin-â
She held up a quick hand, looking up at him. âDonât. Donât start this now. I donât want to talk about it.â Standing up quickly, she started to make good on her statement and head to the stairs, but once again, he caught her arm and stopped her. She knew better than to turn around this time.
âMaybe you donât want toâŚâ He paused and she heard him take a shuddering breath. âBut maybe we both need to.â
Ginny tugged softly against his hold and he let her go immediately, but she didnât turn around. âIâve done this too many times, Harry. Iâve had too many of these âtalksâ with you.â She turned to glare at him. âAnd frankly I donât think I can take another one.â
He looked concerned for a moment, but he didnât move, he just continued to stare at her.
âWhat if I promised this was the last one?â
She shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes, despite how she tried to fight them. âYou think itâs that easy?â She shook her head, looking at him with sorrow, for herself and for him. âItâs too complicated now. One little kiss isnât going to change ten years of mistakes.â
âWait,â he held out his hands, stopping her from turning away again, âten years of mistakes? Merlin, Ginny, you think it was all a mistake? The last ten years havenât meant anything to you?â
She hesitated for the first time, noticing the hurt in his eyesâŚas well as the tears.
âYouâre my best friend, Ginny. Not Ron. Not Hermione. These last ten years have had their hard times, sure, but I wouldnât trade your friendship for any of that.â
âThatâs right, Harry, friendship. Thatâs all it is and thatâs all itâs ever going to be.â Oh, how she hated herself for saying those words! He looked so hurtâŚ
His arms dropped from her sides and he looked pensively at her. âHermione finally asked me tonight.â Ginny frowned, confused at what he was talking about. âShe asked me what happened that nightâŚat St. Mungoâs.â
Ginny couldnât think to hide the shock from her face. She never expected any of their friends to bring up that day. The whole thing had been so awkward and depressing for both of them that their friends never even acted like they noticed anything. But they must have noticed something. Two people donât just go out for two years and then suddenly become best friends with no physical contact at all.
She swallowed. âWhat did you tell her?â
He shrugged, unconcerned. âNothing, actually. I was able to change the conversation pretty quicklyâŚâ He looked curiously at her. âThe truth isâŚIâm not really sure what did happen anymore.â
âIs that so?â Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. âAllow me to refresh your memory.â She walked over towards the stairs. As she stepped up the first one, she turned back around to see him looking curiously over at her. âYou broke up with me.â
And she left him standing there, alone in her family room. When she reached the top of the stairs, she stayed still and silent, just out of sight, until she finally heard him turn off the lights and the front door opened and shut.
----
Wednesday was already dawning to be a terrible day.
Ginny heard Rileyâs incessant cheerfulness ringing through the house and glanced at the clock to see that it was only nine in the morning.
For too early to be getting up.
Unfortunately, she had promised Hermione that she would go shopping with her today, mostly to get her mind off of the Ron problem, but also because, being pregnant, Hermione never liked how she looked in her clothes.
One quick shower and a flurry of clothes later, Ginny made it to the kitchen where Hermione was sitting at the table, chatting merrily with Riley who was finishing up breakfast: hotcakes and sausage.
Well, Ginny thought, sitting down to the delicious smelling meal and smiling over at an obviously more cheerful Hermione, maybe this day wonât be so bad after all.
----
âYouâre being a right foul git, you know that?â Harry slammed a hand into the contraption in front of him, resorting to the last means of action he could take, especially when he wasnât allowed to use magic.
âItâs not going to talk back to you, Harry,â Remus said calmly, sitting next to him in front of a separate computer and acting more like a muggle than Harry.
Glancing over at him, perplexed at the thought, Harry asked, âHow is it that youâre so good at this?â
âYou forget my mother was muggle,â Remus reminded him, speaking softer. âItâs really not that difficult. Didnât the Dursleyâs have a computer?â
Harry looked over at him. âYou think they let me come within 20 feet of it?â he asked, dryly.
âPoint,â Remus conceded, going back to his own computer.
Harry heaved a frustrated sigh and turned back to his screen, seeing that his hit hadnât done a single thing other than knock the monitor sideways a bit. He looked around at the other visitors to the public library and felt even more embarrassed as he straightened it out and dropped his voice as he spoke to Remus.
âWhere did you put Draco?â
âIn the safe house at Brighton,â Remus sighed, his exhaustion creeping through.
âAnd this is helping him, how?â Harry continued, finally getting his mouse to work as he typed in another keyword to search for.
âIâm trying to locate one of my dadâs old friends,â Remus replied, absentmindedly. âI think Iâve almost got it. Just act busy for a few more minutes then weâll get out of here.â
âWhatâs he going to do to help us?â
âHeâs one of the best attorneyâs I know, both muggle and wizard. If weâre hoping to stop this thing before it gets to the Wizgamot, weâre going to need his help.â
âWhy go through the muggle world? Wizarding Findbooks are more organized than this internet shite.â
âWe canât risk the floo getting intercepted and someone finding out that we know where Draco is. Right now itâs technically against the law to be helping him.â
âRight now?â
Remus pressed a key down in triumph and smiled up at Harry. âHopefully within a day or two thisâll all be just a bad dream.â
Harry grinned, standing up and grabbing his coat off the back of his chair as Remus retrieved the papers he printed. âA nightmare for him, maybe. This weekâs not going to be as lucky for me Iâm afraid.â
âTrouble on the Weasley front?â Remus guessed, holding the door open for them as they stepped back onto the busy muggle street. âWhich one, Ron or Ginny?â
Harry hissed through his teeth. âTake your pick. Even add in Hermione, sheâs a Weasley too.â Remus didnât say anything, obviously expecting Harry to expand on his own. Harry was reluctant to at first, but then decided that if he was going to tell anyone, Remus would be at the top of his list. âRon thinks Iâm helping Emily blackmail him when sheâs actually blackmailing both of us all by herself, Hermione keeps asking me whatâs going on between me and Ginny, and Ginny and I almost kissed yesterday and ended up having a veryâŚabrupt conversation.â
Remus remained silent for a moment until they reached the ministry building and stepped in the phone booth.
âSeems to me thatâs a personal problem, mate,â Remus said, half serious, half joking.
Harry wanted to slug him, but settled for saying his name wrong into the phone and making him wear a badge around that said âRomulus Snapeâ for the rest of the day.
----
âSeems cozy,â Harry offered, setting down the bag of food as Draco sent him a loathing look.
âSometimes I think you guys set me up for these types of things cause you like to see me locked in a house.â
âCareful,â Harry warned, taking out the Chinese food he brought for both of them, âI am in charge of your food supply for the next couple of days, not to mention your life as you know it.â
In typical Draco fashion, he didnât honor the threat with a reply, just grabbed one of the containers and dropped onto a nearby couch, starting to eat without another word.
Harry chuckled at his friend, sitting in the armchair and grabbing his own food.
âYou in the mood?â Harry asked between bites.
Draco stopped, mid-chew, and glanced slowly up at Harry. âFor what?â
Harry sighed and leaned back. âI need advice.â
Draco looked dramatically around the room, as if searching for something, and then looked back at Harry. âDo you see anything I can use as an excuse to get out of it?â
âNo,â Harry chuckled.
âFine.â
----
The fourth store began to get a little tedious for Ginny. As a girl who grew up with six older brothers, she had never understood the girlish notion that shopping was fun. More like it was a ridiculous waste of time.
Still, Hermione was enjoying herself.
As Hermione disappeared once more into the dressing room, Ginny wandered over to a scarf display, running her hands along the soft materials.
âYou seem lost in thought.â
She turned quickly, startled by the familiar voice.
âMerlin, Remus,â she held a hand to her heart, âdonât do that!â
Remus smiled apologetically. âI wasnât trying to be quiet. You really seemed lost in your own world.â
Ginny smiled ruefully at him. âI see youâve been talking to Harry.â
âI never said that,â Remus reminded her.
âItâs obvious enough. Why else would you be in the womenâs section of this store?â Ginny gave him a knowing look.
Remus had the nerve to blush a bit. âActually, Iâm trying to find something for Tonks. Itâs our anniversary next week.â
âWow, and youâre already thinking about it? Iâm impressed,â Ginny smirked.
âWell, I do what I can,â Remus admitted. âBut what about you? What brings you here? I never saw you as the shopping-for-no-reason type.â
âActually, I brought Hermione here. Just a way to get her out of the house and thinking about something other than Ron.â
âAh, yes. I did gather there was a situation there. Harry was quite upset about that as well.â
âAs well?â
Remus gave her a small smile. âAs Iâm sure you realize, his main concern was about you.â
It was Ginnyâs turn to get a little pink. âWe had a bit of a row last night,â she admitted. Remus stayed silent, as he always did, waiting for her to elaborate. âI said some pretty awful things.â
âI think he was more upset about the things you didnât say rather than the things you did say.â
Ginny looked away, ashamed. Thankfully she was saved from any more awkward moments by Hermione appearing again, finally carrying the outfit she wanted.
âOh, Remus! What are you doing here?â she asked, smiling happily at him.
âJust a little matrimonial shopping,â Remus said, winking at Ginny. âBut Iâve got to get back home before Tonks gets suspicious, so Iâll talk to you both later.â
But despite his abrupt departure, even as they walked back to the floo station to go back home, Ginny couldnât get his words out of her head.
----
âI never understood all that romance stuff,â Draco admitted, leaning back after Harry finished his explanation of all his problems. âSeemed like a cheep way to get someone to look after you for the rest of your life.â
âWell skip over that than,â Harry suggested. âBesides, Iâm not sure I would want advice on my love life from you.â
âThis Emily, chickâŚshe was the one at the Weasleyâs wedding?â
âYeah.â
âShe was hot.â
âYeah, thanks for that.â
âHey, just stating a point.â
Harry downed the last of his butterbeer and rolled his eyes. âI take it youâre just as confused about the situation as me.â
âRight in one,â Draco said with a wink, setting down his food and starting to put the trash into the bag. âBut I do have one bit of advice.â
âOh yeah?â
âYouâd better make sure Weasley plays like hell on Saturday. Your future may be riding on the outcome, but I bet a heck of a lot of money on the Cannons and I swear, if Lennonâs trick doesnât kill him, I will.â
Harry smirked, picking up the trash as he headed out the door. âIâll pass it onto Ron. Though, he might not take me seriously if I tell him itâs from the white ferret.â
Draco grabbed the back of Harryâs shirt, stopping him in his tracks. âCall me that again, Potter, and you wonât have to wait till Saturday to know how youâre going to spend the rest of your days.â
Harry shook him off easily, his grip wasnât that hard, and turned around in the doorway, facing Draco. âConsider me warned,â he said with a soft smile, holding out his hand.
Draco still looked a little mad, but his expression softened a bit as he reached out and took Harryâs hand, shaking it slowly.
âIâll come back sometime tomorrow. By then Remus should have gotten hold of this miracle worker of his.â
âYeah,â Draco said absentmindedly.
âWeâll have you out of here soon, Draco, donât worry.â
Draco didnât look convinced, but he nodded. âI know you and Remus are trying your best, Harry. Itâs just sometimesâŚI just wish there were more to help.â
Harry laid a caring hand on Dracoâs shoulder. âMaybe thisâll be the event to turn the tide and you can stop hiding.â
Pushing him away, Draco stepped back. âI highly doubt it. Iâve given up on the rest of the world trusting me.â
Harry opened his mouth to say more, but Draco had already shut the door.
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