Three Months Later
Night had long since fallen, but Kevin and Kallista were enthusiastically hovering over the gifts holding their names underneath the Weasley Christmas tree. Gabby had just risen from her seat to send them off to bed when Melody joined the group.
It had been three months – long months. She had awaited the Ministry Report everyday to tell her where Harry might be, for he had, for the duration, been unable to write or contact her. She relied on the newsletter issued to family of Aurors and ministry employees for every ounce of information on his whereabouts. All she had to hope for was that he would keep his promise and be home by Christmas.
But it was already Christmas Eve and well into night. Melody’s hopes of his return had faded with each hour. She tenderly fell into a seat beside Ron who wrapped his available arm around her shoulder.
“He’s fine. He’ll be back soon,” he reassured.
Hermione turned under Ron’s other arm to face Melody and nod in agreement.
“You two are lucky. Ron didn’t have to go,” Melody said, slipping out from under Ron’s arm.
“Oh yeah,” Ron smirked, “It’s wonderful that Grayson didn’t think I could handle it. That’s really something to be proud of.”
Hermione affectionately laid her head on his chest to calm him, but he was already gone. He rose from his seat and made for the door. Hermione quickly stood to follow him out into the cold night.
“Merry Christmas,” Melody muttered to herself.
With another glance at the clock, it was 11:55. The remaining Weasleys were finally making their way to bed, but Melody didn’t expect sleep anytime soon. She settled into the deserted couch against a soft pillow and waited for Ron and Hermione to come back in.
When the clock reached one minute shy of midnight, Melody heard a strange noise from outside in the yard. She slowly rose from her lament on the sofa to make her way to the door. Her hand covered the wand awaiting use in her back pocket.
She cautiously placed her hand on the doorknob but allowed her hand to fall away from her wand. In a rush of excitement, she flung the door to the side and saw the sight she’d been longing for.
Harry’s green eyes tore through the night as she threw herself into his arms. He locked her in a bone crushing hug as he staggered up the steps. Placing her against the front door, he leaned in and kissed her so deeply that she felt her legs become weak.
Standing under a porch light, Melody got a better look of her returning hero. Scars and scratches covered his arms. A painful cut on his cheek horrified Melody as she forced him into the house to sit down.
He collapsed in a chair at the table just as Molly, Arthur and the remainder of their clan joined them in the kitchen.
“Harry!” Molly called, seeing the signs of battle on his face.
She hurried over to her unofficial son and ran her fingers over the marks. From her cupboard she pulled a small bottle and demanded that Harry hold out his arm.
Kneeling on the floor before him, Melody examined the wounds on the remaining arm. She muttered a couple words and the flesh instantly healed, but he still looked like he was in pain.
“What happened?” Melody asked cautiously.
“I chased Malfoy into some woods and that coward set some bewitched wolves on me.”
Melody placed a hand on his cheek as she saw the rage flaring in his eyes.
“When? Did you catch him?” Ron asked anxiously, coming from outside.
“Last night, but he got away again,” Harry said, wrapping Melody’s hand in his.
Once Molly had treated all the visible scratches, she began the process of ushering all the spectators back up the stairs. When they were alone, Melody let her head fall into a pile of her arms in his lap.
“I should have had him,” Harry said mostly to himself.
Rising to her feet, Melody pulled a chair and placed it opposite his. She pulled it close in front of his so that her legs filled the areas around his.
“I’m sure you did all that could be done,” she comforted, placing her hands on his neck, “You’ll get him.”
“We’ve lost all sign of him. I’m only back until someone picks up a lead.”
He looked disappointed, but he obviously needed time to recuperate.
“How do you feel?” she asked, pulling up his sleeve to check for any last marks.
Something suddenly changed in Harry as he captured her arm and pulled her into his lap. She immediately tried to stand to avoid irritating any scratches that may still hinder the flesh of his legs, but he only pulled her back.
“Fine, but I know what will make me feel a lot better,” he said slyly before pressing his lips against her neck.
He lifted her from the seat and began to move towards the stairs, but Melody refused to be responsible for any further injury. She jumped from his arms to the floor and instead latched her hand with his and led him up the stairs.
They crept as quietly as possible past the door to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley’s room, but the instant they reached the desired floor, Harry ignored Melody’s previous objection and elevated her into his arms. Caught in the moment and forgetful of all her prior concerns, Melody unreservedly slipped Harry’s shirt over his head.
As Harry crossed over to the bed, her hands fell upon an obstruction on his back. She tried to pull her head forward to see what it might be, but Harry was bluntly trying to keep her from doing so. He placed her on the side of the bed and slipped her sweater off. His hands were coarse as he placed them on her exposed waist. Melody took one of them in her own soft hands and nearly cried as she thought about what those hands had been through.
Harry saw the distress in her face as she looked down at his hands, and pulled her against his chest. Melody desperately wrapped her arms around his beat up skin and wept for him.
“You shouldn’t have to do these things anymore,” she whispered.
Harry kissed the top of her head.
“I’ve got to finish it for good.”
Melody nodded against his beating heart and lay down as he slipped in beside her.
The next morning, Melody woke with her face against Harry’s back. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she was reminded of the previous night and the abrasion she had felt there. She pulled away to see what it was and nearly fell of the bed when she actually saw it.
On the left side of his back, the other side of where his heart might be, an image had been scratched out in the shape of a snake. Just as she reached out to touch it, his voice meekly broke the silence.
“I blacked out one night when we were trailing him and when I woke up, there it was.”
“Oh, Harry,” Melody said hushed as she wrapped an arm around him and met his hand.