A/N: Well here you have it- the epilogue to Nowhere to Run. We both want to thank ALL of you for your support in our first non Dirty Dancing endeavour ;)
We aren't quite sure when we're going to start anything new again, but as soon as something comes together, we'll post about it. For now, there's some GREAT stuff coming up in Last Dance that we're really excited to share.
Hope you all enjoy the epilogue!
Beautiful Blue - Holly McNarland
How do you say
Ive always felt this way
This is where I live
This is what I do best
Dreamin' with so much ugliness
Wakin up to all this beautiful blue
Beautiful you
Molly was singing in the kitchen one of her favourite Celestina Warbeck songs as she iced the cake for her granddaughter Ava's third birthday. She was expecting loads of guests as family and friends were coming in from all over to wish the little girl a happy birthday.
Ava Molly Weasley was a happy little girl with her mother's red hair and her father's grey eyes. And as strange as it may seem, her very presence had brought about more than one change in the Weasley family. For one thing, it had caused Ron to grow up seemingly over night. Shortly after Ava's birth, he'd asked Luna to marry him and she'd happily agreed.
The two of them had not wasted much time, planning a full wedding in just under six months. Harry had happily stood in as Ron's best man while Hermione took her position as matron of honour.
Two days after being cleared of every charge, Harry and Hermione had been married in a quick, quiet civil ceremony with only Hermione's parents, the Weasleys, Lupin and Tonks present. And less than a year after that, Seth Potter had come into the world screaming his head off and looking very much like a mix of his parents.
Molly had even managed to move on, especially with the help of her grandchildren and children. She'd even started catering some of the village parties and was thinking of opening her own shop.
"Mum, how many more of these do we have to blow up?" Fred asked his cheeks red. "I think one of my lungs collapsed..."
"The rest of that bag," Molly pointed. "This is your niece's birthday and it's going to be a special day. You know how much she loves balloons."
Fred rolled his eyes. "George, Mum says you have to blow up the rest of these balloons..."
"BOTH OF YOU," Molly ordered.
"You'd think we were children again," Fred looked at his twin.
"You know why Mum doesn't want to do it, don't you?" George asked. "She doesn't want to look all flushed when Mr. Tarleton arrives..."
"George!" Molly turned red. "That is not true."
"That's a new dress, isn't it?" George asked grinning at his mother. "And you had your hair done..."
"And you've been singing that song all bloody day," Fred chimed in.
"It's okay with us if you are interested in someone else Mum," George said seriously. "You know we just want you to be happy."
"We're just friends," Molly said blushing. She had met him in the village and she'd helped him pick out some produce at one of the vegetable stands. They'd started talking and Molly found out that he'd lost his wife over five years ago.
"Sure Mum," Fred grinned at her as he tied off another balloon.
"Is he coming to the party?" George asked.
"Perhaps," Molly flushed even deeper and turned her attention back to the cake.
Upstairs, Luna was helping get Ava ready for the party.
"I cannot believe my baby is turning three," Luna said as she finished brushing Ava's hair.
"Big girl now," Ava said happily.
"But you'll still be my baby, right?" Luna asked.
Ava nodded and turned around to give her a hug. "Where's Daddy?"
"He's around here somewhere," Luna kissed her daughter's forehead. "I bet he's downstairs trying to sneak a bit of your cake!"
Ava folded her arms. "He better not!"
Luna laughed. "We'll put a stop to that, won't we?"
Ava giggled and toddled out of the room with Luna. "Daddy!" Ava called out.
Ron popped his head out of the spare bedroom they'd stayed in last night. "Yes sweetheart?"
"NO CAKE!" Ava exclaimed, wagging her finger at him.
"What?" Ron scooped her up. "What lies has your Mummy been telling you about me?" he tickled her side, delighting in her laugh.
"You've already been thrown out of the kitchen three times," Luna pointed out. "For sneaking food..."
"Daddy eats too much," Ava giggled. "Where's Seth?"
"I expect he'll be getting here soon," Ron replied. He gave his daughter a hug. He'd worried that he wouldn't be able to love her because her presence had created a domino effect that had ultimately led to his father's death. But the moment he'd held her in his arms, he'd fallen in love.
"Doesn't she look pretty today?" Luna touched one of Ava's wispy curls with her fingers.
"She does," Ron said smiling at the little girl. "You know Celine was looking for you earlier..."
Celine was Fleur and Bill's daughter and she was Ava's best friend.
"Oooh," Ava wiggled excitedly. "Can I go find her?"
Ron nodded and set her back down. "She's with her mum in Uncle Fred's old room."
"Kay," Ava ran off to find her cousin.
"She's three going on twenty," Luna said with a slightly sad smile.
"She's never dating," Ron said sternly. "Ever."
"Try stopping her in another thirteen years," Luna took her husband's hand. "Come on; let's go see if your mother needs any help. And not for tasting."
"Okay," Ron said giving her a quick kiss. "You know, you look beautiful today, too."
She grinned at him. "And you're as handsome as you always are."
Ron puffed his chest out. "That's a given..."
Luna laughed. "And funny..."
Ron led her downstairs and felt himself tense up when he noticed the older man sitting on the sofa.
"Hello, Mr. Tarleton," Luna said politely. "We're so glad you could come today!"
"Thank you," the older man got up to shake their hands. "When I heard your mother would be making all the food, I couldn't stay away."
"She didn't mention she'd invited you," Ron said sizing up the older man.
Luna elbowed her husband in the ribs.
"I ran into her yesterday in town," Mr. Tarleton explained.
"How are your son and daughter-in-law doing?" Luna asked ignoring her husband.
"Quite lovely, thank you." Mr. Tarleton seemed more at ease with Luna.
"Bernard," Molly said coming into the room carrying a slice of banana bread. "I thought you might want to sample this..."
Ron chewed on his lower lip pensively as he watched his mother interact with the other man. He was trying hard not to let this bother him, but it was difficult. He still had trouble picturing his mother with anyone other than his father, even three years later.
Bernard smiled at her. "You're too kind to an old fool, Molly."
"Mum is there anything I can do?" Ron interrupted, ignoring the look his wife shot him.
Molly hadn't heard her son as she was waiting for Bernard to tell her what he thought of the bread.
"Mum?" Ron asked impatiently.
"What?" Molly turned. "Oh I'm sorry dear..."
"Ron and I are just going to go and set the table," Luna said taking her husband by the arm. "Come along, Ronald."
Ron followed his wife into the kitchen. "I'm sorry," he began before Luna could even say anything. "It's just hard for me to see it. I want her to be happy, but it's still weird."
"You could be nicer to him," Luna said. "He's a sweet old man and he's been good for your mother."
"I guess," Ron replied grudgingly.
"I know it's hard," Luna said touching his arm.
Ron was about to respond when he heard the front door open. "Hello Weasleys!" Harry's voice called out.
Hermione took off her cloak and then knelt down to help Seth out of his.
"Mummy I want to go find Ava," Seth said excitedly.
"Wait until you say hello to everyone," Hermione said mussing his hair.
Harry grinned at his son. Seth's demeanour was so much like Hermione. At two years old he was already speaking near perfect English as well as counting up to the number fifty without any help.
"Hello, Seth!" Molly exclaimed opening up her arms. Seth hesitated because Ava's grandmother squeezed a little too hard sometimes.
"Go on and give her a hug," Harry nudged his son.
Seth finally stepped forward and Molly engulfed him in one of her bear hugs.
"Don't think you're off the hook," Hermione murmured to her husband.
When Molly finally let Seth go, Ron motioned for his godson to make a quick exit and Seth ran toward him and Luna.
"You've cut your hair," Molly said grinning at Harry.
"Yeah," Harry rumpled it. "Hermione does a good job."
"What did you do to yours?" Ron asked Hermione.
"Straightened it," Hermione said rolling her eyes. "Honestly..."
"I'm used to seeing it all bushy," Ron pointed out. "I was just asking..."
"It's a compliment," Harry teased her. "That's how Ron gives them."
"It's about time you had a cut," Hermione said tugging on his fringe.
"Good to see you too," Ron grinned at her.
"Hermione, Seth, Harry," Molly said. "I'd like you to meet my good friend Bernard Tarleton..."
"Hello," Harry shook his hand. "Good to meet you."
"Nice to meet you both," Bernard said grinning at them. He knelt down so he'd be eye level with Seth. "And you too, young man."
"Hello," Seth put his hand out like his mother had showed him.
Bernard shook Seth's hand. "Quite a grip you've got there, Seth."
"Thank you sir," Seth replied. "I'm strong like my daddy."
Hermione nudged Harry. "Did you tell him that?"
"He got that on his own," Harry replied.
Ava and Celine came downstairs dressed in their party dresses and they both grinned when they saw Seth.
"Happy Birthday, Ava!" Seth exclaimed.
"Hi Seth!" Ava gave him a hug. "Thanks!"
"Bonjour, 'ermione," Celine said. "'arry."
"Bonjour Celine," Hermione answered the young girl. "Ca va bien?"
"Oui," Celine said politely.
Fleur came into the room, speaking a stream of rapid French to her daughter that no one but Celine seemed to understand.
"I don't think Bill knows half of what she says," Ron whispered to Luna.
Luna giggled. "It's good to see you Fleur."
"'ave you seen Bill?" Fleur asked.
"He's setting things up in the backyard," Molly told her daughter-in-law.
"Thank you Molly," Fleur kissed both her cheeks and left the room, her long hair swishing out behind her. Ron and Harry stared after her a moment before their respective wives elbowed them in the side.
"We were just---" Ron started to explain.
"We know what you were doing," Hermione shared an amused glance with Luna. "Molly, can we help you set anything up?"
Molly shook her head. "No, we're just fine."
"Look at how tan the two of you look," Fred said to Harry and Hermione. "Nice of you to come back from The Big Easy to our little soiree."
"Soiree?" George guffawed. "Fred!"
"Very funny," Harry answered. "We were just there for a visit."
"Reese and Mary Beth went crazy over Seth," Hermione said. "They didn't want him to leave."
"I liked them," Seth looked at his parents. "Can we go back there again?"
"We'll go again in the summer," Hermione promised.
"I can hardly wait," Seth replied, making the adults laugh.
"You are such the little man," Harry picked him up.
Seth laughed. "Daddy..."
"I still can't believe workaholic you actually went on holiday," Ron told his best friend. "Hermione, what is the world coming to?"
"Sometimes it's nice to get away with my family," Hermione said pertly. "Monday morning I'll be back in the office with Jacob." Once she had been cleared, Hermione had actually been offered her old job back. She'd declined, opting instead to open her own practise. Jacob had also left the firm and joined her as a partner.
Luna smiled at Hermione. "There's something I wanted to show you in the kitchen..."
"Sure," Hermione followed Luna.
Luna made sure they were alone. "I didn't want to say anything in front of the others...Ron's the only one who knows..."
"Knows what?" Hermione asked bemusedly.
Luna bit her bottom lip. "I'm pregnant!"
Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh congratulations Luna!" she hugged her friend. "How wonderful!"
Luna beamed at her. "We're going to tell Ava later tonight."
"She's going to be thrilled," Hermione smiled. "And so's Seth. He loves babies."
"I'm around three months along," Luna told her.
"Are you going to wait to find out if it's a boy or girl?" Hermione asked, pouring them each some pumpkin juice from the jug on the counter.
"I think so," Luna said thoughtfully. "It's nice to be surprised."
Hermione grinned at her. "I'm so thrilled for you and Ron."
Luna was about to say something when she heard a tapping at the window. She recognised the owl as one of the ones that the Azkaban guards used to deliver prisoner mail. Ginny had written to her daughter a number a times over the past three years. Draco had never sent the little girl anything.
"Ginny remembered about Ava's birthday," Luna accepted the letter and after a drink of water, sent the owl on it's way.
Hermione shook her head. "What's going to happen when she gets out? I mean, Ava's legally yours, but she's technically Ginny's daughter."
"I-I don't like to think about that," Luna said quietly. "To me, she's my little girl."
"She'll always be your little girl," Hermione reassured her. "Ava loves you and Ron so much. She's the happiest little girl in the world today."
Luna and Ron hadn't told Ava about her real parents. They were waiting until she was older and they were saving Ginny's letters. "Do you think we've done the right thing?"
"She's too young to understand right now," Hermione replied.
""We love her so much," Luna said peering out of the kitchen to get a glimpse of her daughter who was happily playing with Seth and Celine.
"I know the feeling," Hermione said. "Ever since Seth was born I feel like my life has so much more purpose."
"He's such a smart boy," Luna said smiling at her friend.
Hermione grinned. "Our children are definitely the best things to ever happen to us."
"Here, here," Luna said raising her glass of juice.
"Mummy!" Ava cried coming into the room. She saw the letter beside her mother. "Is that for me?"
"Um..." Luna put it on the counter. "It's for your daddy, sweetheart."
"Oh," Ava said fingering the cork necklace around her neck. She'd made it with her mother last night.
"Are you expecting a letter, baby?" Luna picked her up.
Ava shook her head. "No..."
"Pretty soon all your friends are going to be here," Luna nuzzled her neck. "And you'll have cake and presents and games..."
"Seth has been looking forward to this all week," Hermione told Ava.
"Is Grandpa coming?" Ava asked referring to Luna's father.
"He wouldn't miss it for the world," Luna kissed her daughter's cheek.
Ron came into the room looking like he'd just seen a ghost. "Okay...breathe....breathe..."
"Ron?" Hermione asked. "What is it?"
"Charlie's just arrived," Ron whispered. "But he wasn't...alone..."
Luna's eyebrows creased. "Who... did he bring a date or something?"
Ron nodded. "He...he brought...Lavender Brown."
"WHAT?" Both Hermione and Luna shrieked.
"I know!" Ron exclaimed. "Apparently, they've been dating for the past couple of months...you'd think he would let me know he was dating my ex-girlfriend..."
"Daddy, Mummy's your girlfriend!" Ava said shaking her head.
"Now she is, baby." Ron took her from Luna. "But a long time ago, this other lady was."
"And now she likes Uncle Charlie!" Ava said peering over her father's shoulder and seeing a pretty blonde grinning at her uncle.
Hermione grinned at Ron. "Come on Won-Won..."
Ava giggled. "Won-Won!"
"That's what that nice lady in the other room used to call him," Luna told their daughter.
"She sounds funny," Ava said, wiggling out of her father's arms.
"Ava---" Ron called after her but she was already making her way into the sitting room. "Wait!"
Hermione covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "By the way, congratulations, Daddy." she hugged Ron.
"Why?" Ron asked.
Hermione gave him a look. "Luna told me the good news!"
"Oh!" Ron replied momentarily forgetting about his daughter and Lavender. "My boys can swim..."
"Okay," Hermione made a face. "More information than I needed..."
"How's Harry's boys?" Ron asked enjoying their banter. "Hitting their target?"
"We're not trying for another right now," Hermione replied. "Maybe in another year or two once Seth is a bit older."
"Something I'll beat Harry in," Ron said proudly.
"Must everything be a competition with you?" Hermione asked.
"Of course," Ron gave her a pinch on the side before swiping a bit of icing from the cake on the counter.
"Ronald!" Luna swatted at his hand. "That's Ava's!"
"No one's going to notice!" Ron replied.
"Oh, I'm sure no one's going to notice that," Luna pointed to the place on the cake where the icing was smudged.
"Shite," Ron grabbed the bowl from the icebox. "Maybe I can fix it."
"This I need to see," Hermione said leaning against the counter.
Harry came into the kitchen chuckling. "Oh, Ron....Lavender is telling Ava all about you at school..."
"Damn it," Ron said. "I can't be in two places at once!" he sent his wife a panicked look. "Luna... love of my life..."
"I'll fix it," Luna said with a sigh. "Won-Won."
"This is why I owe you my undying devotion," Ron kissed her before hightailing it into the sitting room. "AVA! Don't listen to anything you hear!"
"Don't worry," Harry assured his wife. "She didn't tell anyone about the canaries..."
"Don't remind me," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You're one to talk," Luna said. "I still remember Ginny telling me about that romantic scene of her running into the common room and planting one on you..."
"Don't remind me," Harry groaned.
"Yes, please don't remind me either," Hermione agreed.
"Not one of our better years," Luna admitted.
"Definitely not," Hermione leaned against her husband.
"I think I'll go and check on Ronald," Luna said smiling at them before walking out of the kitchen.
Hermione buried her face in Harry's chest after Luna left. "I loved being in New Orleans again but I'm so glad we're back home."
"I feel the same way," Harry said wrapping his arms around her. "And tonight after Seth goes to bed..."
She grinned at him. "We'll pick up where we left off?"
"Mmmhmm," Harry said nuzzling her neck.
She closed her eyes. "Life with you is incredible you know..."
"You wouldn't change anything?" Harry asked her.
She shook her head. "I mean, I wouldn't have you framed for Arthur of course, but it did lead us to New Orleans and we've made some wonderful friends there."
"And we have a lot of great memories there," Harry said softly.
"And we're making more memories here," she kissed him.
"You and Seth are everything to me," Harry said. "I mean, I look at him and I feel like we did something right, you know?"
"You can say that again," Hermione agreed. "He's amazing... just like you are."
Harry smiled. "He's smarter than I could ever hope to be. At two..."
"He's so smart," Hermione said. "I couldn't' believe it when I walked in on him counting the other day."
"He gets that from you," Harry said.
"And my dad," Hermione replied. "I love watching my parents with Seth."
"You realise that's the only reason they have us over now," Harry joked. "So they can see their grandson. We might as well not even be there."
Hermione giggled as he wound his arms around her. "Life is just..." she paused, searching for the right word.
Harry laughed. "You're at a loss for words?"
"When it comes to you?" Hermione grinned.
Harry leaned in for a kiss, but felt someone watching them and he saw their son standing in the doorway.
"Hey, buddy," Harry said smiling at him.
"Hi Daddy," Seth answered. "What are you and Mummy doing?"
"Guarding the cake from your Uncle Ron," Harry told him.
"Nana makes the best cake," Seth said as Hermione picked him up. "I bet it's chocolate because that's Ava's favourite."
"And yours too," Hermione said grinning at him.
Seth laughed. "At my birthday, maybe we can have chocolate cake with chocolate frosting."
"You bet little guy," Harry agreed.
"And I'm sure Ava is going to love what we got her," Hermione said. "Did you put the present with the others?"
"Yes Mummy," Seth answered.
"That's my good boy," Hermione said. "Do you want some pumpkin juice?'
"Yes please," Seth said. "I'm very thirsty."
Hermione set her son back down and walked over to the table where Molly had set out the juice and cups.
As she poured juice for her son, she thought briefly back on her life. It hadn't been easy, but every path she had taken had led right here to the two most important people in her entire world. And she knew if she had to do it all over again, she'd never change a single thing.
In the sitting room, Luna was thinking the same thing as she watched her husband and Ava playing with one of her new toys.
"And you put this block right in here," Ron explained patiently. "And look what it does."
Ava looked in awe at it. "Wow!"
Ron grinned at his baby. "Let's see if you can do it yourself this time."
Ava picked up one of the blocks and bit her bottom lip in concentration as she looked at the tower. She made a move for one part of it, but then thought better of it and placed it in the proper place.
"That's my smart girl," Ron said proudly, grinning at his wife.
Ava smiled at her father. "I dreamt of Grandpa last night."
"Did you now?" Ron asked, assuming she meant Luna's father.
Ava nodded. "He looks just like you, Daddy."
Ron's smile faltered. "Ava... sweetheart... did you dream about your Grandpa Arthur?"
Again, Ava nodded. "He pushed me on the swing, Daddy."
"What did he say to you?" Ron asked softly.
"He said he loved me and that I reminded him of Mummy," Ava said thoughtfully.
Ron smiled. "You sure do baby," he agreed.
"And he said he wanted everyone to be happy," Ava said. "Nana most of all."
"Nana's very happy my darling," Molly opened her arms for Ava. "Especially when I get to spend the day with you."
"And your friend," Ava said smiling at Bernard.
Molly laughed. "That too."
"Dad would have loved this," Charlie said looking around the room at his family. "All of us together like this."
"Not all of us," Molly said thinking of her daughter. "But, you're right, Charlie. He would have loved this."
"I know I'm sure happy," Ron moved up on the sofa next to his wife as Ava ran over to perch on his lap. "I've got everything I need right here."
"Me too," Harry agreed. "Me too."