Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or locations or, well you get the idea.
A/N: Thanks to all who are reading this story, even bigger thanks to those of you who review it.
Remember any and all help is needed and welcome. Please Read and Review. Jade.
Chapter 16
Where Did He Live
The Burrow
Current Day
"What have I done," she whimpers into her mother's loving embrace. "What did I do," she asks looking into her mother's eyes surprised to find tears there as well.
After a moment of silence, well, expect for the hysterical woman who has just barely learned after over a year she had destroyed everything. Who has just learned had she waited a moment, an hour, a day she would have received her hearts desire. "That explains why he never wanted us to bring it up," David whispers sadly as he finally understands Harry's request.
"I couldn't find him," she sobs into her mother's shoulder. "I heard all about him and how the battalion was doing, but I couldn't find him," she cries out, "no matter what I tried I couldn't find him," she whimpers, "He kept his word even though I didn't want him to." After a few moments of shock from those in the room Hermione finally sits up and with puffy red eyes looks at her father. "How," Hermione stutters trying unsuccessfully not to sob, "how did you know," she finally cries out.
All of a sudden all eyes are on David who is now blushing, "well, a," he starts and then swallows hard. "Well, he sort of, he asked me for my permission and, well, blessings to marry you," he whispers not looking at anything but his hands in his lap.
Ron looks at David, "that explains how you knew," he says with an understanding nod.
"Imagine my shock when Hermione came home crying about kicking Harry out of her life," he says looking at Ron. "I had to leave, I had to," he whispers.
Hermione watches her dad answer and is shocked by the sadness she sees in his features. All of a sudden a large weight lifts from her heart, "I thought you were mad at me," she says to her father in a whisper.
David looks up at her in shock, "never," he says adamantly, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind of his sincerity. "I just knew something you didn't and I had to sort out my feelings, I had to understand what happened more fully, I had to know I didn't give my permission to the wrong person. So I went to see Harry and ask him what happened," he says still looking Hermione in the eyes.
"Wait a minute," Ron says shocked, "did you just say you went to see Harry," he asks.
"Yes," David says confused by this question.
"How did you know where to find him," Neville asks curiously.
"I figured if he wasn't there, I'd wait for him," David says looking at the pair oddly.
"Wait for him where," Ginny asks.
"His house," David says as though they knew.
"You know where he lives," Ron asks in a gasp.
"Well yeah, don't you," David asks looking around the room at the shocked faces looking back at him.
"Very few people know," Dumbledore says, "I believe only three people know, David, Hagrid and myself," he tells them.
"Why so few," David asks confused and yet honored to be among the few who know such a smilingly simple fact.
"You see, Harry purchased and built his house with the idea of him marrying. When he did, when they did," he corrects, "he would leave it up to her to inform everyone where their home was. However since we all know that idea, that dream fell through, he kept the house all the same, he also kept it a secret to help keep Ms. Granger's wish of never seeing him again. To him the house wasn't a home, it was just a place he stored things and stayed when he could, it was where he would find peace," Dumbledore tells the shocked man before him, to the shocked room before him.
"Still, how do you know about the house," Alexandra asks her husband surprised with this secret he has been keeping for over a year now. Realizing for the first time the pain her husband has gone through for the past year and a half, the pain of knowing something and not being able to tell anyone about. The pain of knowing his daughter was so close to getting her wish and she just threw it away. She finally understands why he refused to even speak about what happened between Harry and Hermione.
"Harry designed it for our daughter, specifically with her in mind," David says looking at his stunned wife. "He came to me one day at work while you and Hermione were out shopping or something, this was after he had asked for my permission, I loved the fact he was including me in it. I loved he was asking me for my help, help with where I thought my daughter would spend the rest of her life with the man I knew she loved," he continues to tell them. He tells not only his shocked wife and daughter but the shocked people in the room. "He pulled out some pictures, well, more like drawings and asked me my opinion on what she would and wouldn't like," he pauses here as he remembers stepping into the house for the first time. "When it was done, he took me there to show it to me, needless to say I was amazed, I still am every time I see it," he explains to them.
"Tell us about it," Molly says to David. "Harry only says it is small, plain and dull, nothing of importance," she says to him wishing to know what her adopted son lived in, what he dreamed of living in with Hermione.
"He would say that," Hermione says trying her hardest to smile but it comes out as a grimace.