Unofficial Portkey Archive

What is Love?

Chapter XXVIII

In its rightful place

Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead

Singin', come out upon my seas
Curse missed opportunities
Am I, a part of the cure
Or am I part of the disease

(…)

Home, home, where I wanted to go

(.- Clocks by Coldplay)

2004 - Kitchens of the Old Ministry, Downtown London

"Wow, I'd forgotten how big these were."

"Aren't they like that now?"

"Nah, the Ministry considered that since the House Elves are so small, they needed a kitchen just as small."

"Are they still so stupid? I can't believe it."

"You don't know the half of it. With all this 'saving' idea they are applying now, it was a huge deal to get them to give Harry an office."

"Really?"

"And it is also used for all the meetings. We don't even have a conference room anymore!" Ginny laughed and Neville frowned, "what's so funny?"

"You and Harry, complaining about office stuff. Never thought I'd live to see that day."

"It's called growing up."

"Exactly my point," Ginny said while examining inside the drawers for something to eat.

Neville stopped in his tracks. "What is that supposed to mean, Ginivra?"

Ginny dropped a spoon back in the drawer and turned to him, a hand on her curvy hip. "What I just said. Or are you forgetting..."

"Whatever, Ginny, I don't want to hear it again."

"Again? Excuse me, but I was the one who had to tell you that back then."

"And you wouldn't shut up about everything else!"

"Don't raise you voice to me, Neville Longbottom," Ginny said with an accusing finger.

Neville closed his eyes and sighed. "Fine, sorry. At least we can eat."

"How?"

"Well, there is still power in the Magi-oven. We can order virtually anything."

"Won't the Falange Death Eaters come?"

"No if we don't use any magic, and I haven't eaten or slept in over 24 hours."

Ginny stopped and frowned. "Neville! How many times..."

"I know, but there were more urging matters at the time."

"Auror matters are ALWAYS urgent. Remember last time you tried to pull a stunt like that?"

"Ginny! It was years ago."

"Exactly. You are not 18 anymore."

"I'm only 25!"

Ginny gave him a look and rolled her eyes. "I could bet you have been sleeping less than five hours a night for the past week."

He flinched and narrowed his eyes in bewilderment. "How do you know?"

"Oh, Nev, who took care of you for three full years? I'm sure I could even guess what you've been eating lately."

His eyes widened now and his expression softened. He let out a laugh. "You are probably right, Gin. Sorry I yelled."

"It's all right. So, would you like your American combo?" He laughed again and nodded, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic, despite the terrible terms they'd ended their engagement in. She smiled, "American combo it is then."

"You'll have chinese?"

"Just Dim Sum, I am not that hungry. Adrenaline inhibits hunger."

"Right. In an hour or two you'll want to have a full cow."

Ginny stared at him and the two started laughing. "A cow? I am not sure if take that as an offense!" she said theatrically.

"Am I lying?"

"Well..." He gave her a long, amused look and both started laughing again.

Department of Mysteries - Old Ministry of Magic, London

"Good," Ron repeated after pulling away and smiled.

"Thank you," Luna answered and dared one more kiss from the man she'd loved for so long.

Gladly, the redhead responded with a deeper kiss. Who would've ever imagined it… he thought as he pulled away with yet another smile plastered on his face.

"So, how d'you reckon we'll get out of here? I heard you muttering about the markings on the doors?"

This statement erased the smile off his face and he bit his bottom lip, a use he'd picked from Hermione.

Luna laughed. "Hermione's habit?"

"Huh? Ah, well, yes," he said and shook his head. "Harry had enough in his hands with Draco and Hermione, so I suppose we should send a Patronus to Neville and Ginny… Merlin, I hope they haven't killed each other…" he said idly.

"They love each other very much," Luna stated calmly.

"How do you know? Last I remember they would have killed each other gladly."

"You can only hate what you have loved…"

"I am not so sure about that…"

"Trust me, and they will make each other very happy. Like they used to."

"How can you…" he started, "oh, a seer."

"Exactly," Luna answered with a confident smile.

"In the future, try not to tell me so much, all right?"

She laughed. "No problem, Ronald," Luna said and kissed his cheek. "I know you were going to say that," she added and giggled to an eye roll from Ron.

"Anyway. Well… Expecto Patronum," he called the silvery Jack Russell Terrier and it followed Ron's wand movement out of the round room and the Department of Mysteries.

Kitchens

"How long has it been?"

"Long enough, I suppose."

"You reckon it is safe now?"

"It won't be safe until we know exactly who they are and we get them out of the way," Neville responded gravely as he cleared things up from the counter the old muggle way.

Ginny cocked her head to a side with a smile. "You have definitely matured, Nev, you almost sound responsible."

Ginny's sentence was punctuated by a loud CRACK of breaking dishes. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I was trying to give you a compliment, if you didn't notice."

He came a step closer, looking menacing. "You know what? I don't need this, Ginny," he threw his arm across his chest and turned around. "I don't need to be reminded of this," he turned around and leaned forward, making Ginny flinch. "And for your information, I wasn't the only cause of our break up."

This last sentence seemed to have thrown off he initial startling, and now she moved forward, anger in her delicate features. "Haw can you be so heartless to say that! I tried everything, Neville! I tried being there for you, I tried telling you what to do, I tried staying quiet about it hoping you'd figure it out, but no! You would always be right. There was always something more urgent and important and you would never say anything about it, Neville. I had to sit around and hope you came back to me in one piece. So, yes, I do think it was your fault that we never got to the altar two years ago!"

Neville's eyes, full of anger until a moment ago, softened, defeated. "Did you ever ask, Ginny?" he said quietly, almost inaudibly. "Did you ever ask me what was going through my head?" He raised a hand and softly ran his finger down her cheek. "It was all you had to do, my love, that was all you had to do," he finished, let his hand drop and turned around, his back to the look of hurt in his former fiancée's eyes.

Ginny took a step forward, "Neville, I…" and a silvery dog walked into the kitchen, placing itself between the two.

"We are in the Round room. No Falange movement. Luna is safe, but not in great shape," Ron's voice spoke through the silvery animal.

Both of them turned their attention to the new arrival and nodded at each other, following the Patronus out the doors.

Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London

"Maybe I'll ask you to..." she said resignedly and the turned her attention back to Draco.

"So, the Falange wants you because you have something to do with Dumbledore's alleged death…" Hermione recalled from Draco's tale.

"Yes."

"And why exactly are you so important for them?"

"Gee, thanks, Potter."

"Harry!"

"What? It's a valid question…"

"Of course it is, but you don't have to say it like that! He helped save me AND you for that matter. You could at least thank him."

"Ugh! Fine," Harry looked up at Draco and took a breath. "Thank you, Draco," he said, but none of them bought it and Hermione and Draco rolled their eyes. "Now, what was the main reason why that Falange wanted you?" he turned to Hermione. "That better?" he said, making a face to her.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

"Uhm… rest of the story here?" Draco interrupted.

"Right, sorry," Harry said idly and gained a smirk from Draco. "Don't push it, Malfoy."

It was now Hermione's time to interrupt. "Cliffhanger here!"

"All right… maybe I should show you," he stated and the other two frowned in bewilderment as Draco removed his shirt, letting show countless scars that were, doubtless, inflicted in him by dark magic.

Hermione gasped and took a hand to her mouth. "Draco! Oh, great Merlin! I am so sorry!" she started forward but once again, Draco shook his head.

"It all in the past, this is a different life."

Harry just stared impassively at Draco's scar, and for the first time, his main emotion towards the blond wasn't of anger or resentment, but of… pity. They exchanged a look, between men that had both been through more than they should have, and they signed a silent agreement of children of war.

Draco looked away and his eyes landed on a thin, diamond-shaped scar. He took his long finger to his heart and touched the scar. "This is not a normal scar, I'm sure you've already noticed," he stated, his voice grave, paying special attention to Harry's reaction.

"What is it? I've never known a spell or procedure that left a scar like that."

"You couldn't have. This is unique."

Harry said nothing, his deep eyes were set on the diamond-shaped scar, and it reminded him of something. Something he'd noticed seven years ago as he walked towards a certain death. "Is that…?" Draco nodded. "Can I?" the other man nodded again.

Slowly, Harry stood and extended his hand towards Draco's chest, and as his fingers came closer to the scar, Draco's expression changed to one of pain and he let out a tearing scream.

"Harry! What are you doing! You are hurting him!"

The man in question was mesmerized by the scar, which started to glow just as Draco let out another painful moan.

"Harry! Stay away!" Hermione launched towards him and pushed his arm away from Draco, who collapsed on the armchair behind him. She turned to the jet-haired man with a disbelieving expression. "Harry! What the hell were you doing?!"

Harry shook his head and his eyes were unfocused. Hermione frowned and then went to Draco, whose breathing was uneven and rapid. "Draco, Draco, talk to me. Are you all right? What happened?"

The man tried to speak as he recovered from the incident and Hermione turned again to Harry. "Explain."

"I… I don't know what happened. I saw the scar and was immediately driven to grab it…"

"How can you grab a scar, Harry?"

"It's― it's not just a scar," Draco said between ragged breaths.

Harry stood, his look set on Draco's pale eyes instead of the scar.

"No! Stay away!" Hermione all but screamed.

"It's all right, as long as he doesn't want to take it back."

"Do you really have…?"

"Take what? Have what?!" Hermione asked in desperation.

Both men turned to her, and then Harry spoke. "I saw that exact shape seven years ago, the night of the final battle."

"What do you mean? I was with you the whole time. Except when you went off to fight Voldemort. And all you had then was your wand."

"My wand and the Hallows."

Hermione started to piece things together and gasped. "But the stone was destroyed."

"Before doing it is where he saw this shape," Draco said, pointing at his chest.

"That's impossible, because that would mean that…" her eyes widened. "Is that why the stone didn't work for you parents and Sirius?"

"I don't know, I suppose…" Harry answered.

"But wait, if the stone didn't work, and that piece was missing from it, with that shape… And it's in your heart… are you saying…?"

"Yes, Dumbledore saved my life by putting a piece of the Resurrection Stone inside me, in my heart…"

"So, does that mean you are immortal?"

"Thank Merlin, not."

"I don't understand."

"Well, the Resurrection Stone is life, but not infinite life if it's not whole. And we all know Harry destroyed the rest of it."

Harry took his fingers to his eyes, as if he were getting a headache. He moved his hand and another full glass of firewhisky flew to him. Yet again, he drowned it.

"You are only alive because you have the stone in you. That is amazing," Hermione said in wonder, sliding her hand through his chest over the scar.

As she did so, Harry felt an imminent urge to launch forward and take her hand from there, to take what was rightfully his. He flinched and frowned. Shaking his head, he pushed that urge back with a deep breath and a lot of effort. He drowned another glass of firewhisky.

"Amazing," Hermione repeated.

Draco nodded and eyed Harry suspiciously, but said nothing, and Harry was glad for it.

"So that's why they want me, because I am the keystone in bringing Lord Voldemort back. And they want the rest of you because―"

"Because we were the holders of the secret that brought him down," Harry provided, not completely convinced. Feeling there was something missing here

"That sounds simple enough…" Hermione said, amazed at the Falange's creativity and obsession. "So, what do we do now?" she asked the two men.

"Well, there's nothing we can…" the two men stopped upon hearing the same words on the other's voice too.

"We can't do anything until Neville, Ginny, Ron and Luna get here safely and we can discuss the next steps," Harry finished his sentence and narrowed his eyes at Draco.

Hermione cocked her head to a side. "You have matured as well, Harry…" she said.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not running off by yourself, but you have decided to wait for your partner so you can discuss what to do."

Harry opened his mouth to say 'well, I kind of don't have a choice this time', but he refrained upon seeing how pleased she was with it. He smiled. "Thanks, I guess."

In the interim of their conversation, Draco had drowned two more firewhisky glasses and hiccupped. "Sorry."

"Hey! You'll finish it!"

"You can't be serious… are you really gonna get drunk?"

Harry stared at the half bottle left and then turned to Hermione. "What else can we do? We can't very well go look for them, the Falange would track us down and this time really kill us. Hell, we can't even send a Patronus to ask them if they are all right because they would track THAT as well and we would be very kindly leading the Falange to our friends."

"He's right, all we can do is wait."

"What, he's got a piece of your stone and you suddenly are buddies?" Hermione groaned. "Fine, whatever."

The two men laughed and cut it immediately when realizing they were laughing together. A second later, they had both taken yet another glass and drank it, avoiding the other's gaze.

Silence fell for what felt like an eternity.

"You really are a fun couple," Draco said sardonically and sat up straight in the armchair. "Let's spice things up a little."

Hermione panicked and shook her head. Draco smiled and nodded back. "Let's play Truth or Dare."

"What are you, twelve?"

Draco shrugged. "Hey, life is short, remember?" he said and pointed at his scar before putting his shirt back on. "No one? All right, I'll start. Hermione, truth or dare?"

She frowned. "Oh, no, you won't."

"You have to."

"No I don't. I am a grown woman already."

"Oh, come on, Mione, don't be a spoilsport."

Her mouth dropped and upon receiving no answer to her indignation, she crossed her arm in front of her chest. "Dare."

"I dare you to tell Harry you biggest secret right now."

"No! Truth!"

He smirked. "All right. Tell Harry about…" and he pointed at her tummy.

Hermione gasped and Draco smirked again. She gave up and looked down, taking a deep breath. "Harry," she raised her eyes at him. She extended her hand and placed it on his. "Harry, it's true, I am pregnant… and you are the father of my baby."

Silence.

"Harry?"

Silence.

Her eyes filled with tears and Harry jumped, a smile spread across his face. "That is… Hermione, that's wonderful!"

She looked up at him, her smile matching his and tears running down her face. "It is?"

He pulled her to her feet and grabbed her arms gently. "Yes, it is the best news I've ever gotten." He hugged her. "I love you, Hermione. I wouldn't want this any other way…"

Hermione froze for a moment and smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder. Have I always loved him so much? Then why did we hurt each other so much? She shook her head, making mental note that they would have to talk about this at another time. She pulled away and looked at him. "I love you too, Harry. I wouldn't want this any other way either…"

They stared at each other for a long time, idle to the world around. Their faces were inches apart, and almost mechanically, they started leaning into each other.

"Harry!" A familiar voice broke their perfect moment and Harry looked up.

"Lariana! What are you…"

"Harry, I can't believe… You said you…" she looked away. "I understand." She looked down and back up to pierce her green eyes on the woman across the room. "You win, Hermione," she said and ran off towards the door.

"Lariana, wait!" Harry pushed Hermione aside and started forward, but Draco stood in his way.

"Potter, you won't do any good."

"What? You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I do have a good idea. You are the one who doesn't."

Harry stared at Draco for a long moment and looked down.

A second later, Draco was out the door, going after Lariana Holmes.