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Revealing Destiny | ||||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Other, Ron Weasley Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Fluff, General Warnings: Sexual Situations, Violence Rating: R Reviews: 26 Summary: *** The author has been reminded via the e-mail address on file that this story is listed as incomplete and has not been updated in over 2 years *** Sequel to Road to Happiness. It’s been four years since Lily Potter said goodbye to her life in England and left for new adventures. She’s avoided going home for most of that time for one reason or another but certain events are about to transpire that will make further avoidance impossible. Times are changing, new and old threats emerge, and questions must be answered. Jack is still filled with anger and is reluctant to let Lily back into his life. He knows that he wants to move on in a number of ways but he still can’t seem to get his mind off the one that got away. Little do Jack and Lily know that destiny has bigger plans for them. Harry and Ginny stand hoping to help Jack and Lily realize that sometimes happiness is worth fighting for and that true love is worth the pain it causes. Hitcount: Story Total: 24189; Chapter Total: 2679 Author's Notes: Chapter seven everyone! Hope you enjoy! |
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Chapter Seven: One Step Forward…One Step Back Ron Weasley was fixing himself a small sandwich in the kitchen. His wife entered the room with their daughter on her hip and a smile on her face. “I think this one is going to be a little singer. You should have heard her upstairs,” Hermione said to her husband happily. Ron looked up and smiled at her. He picked up the sandwich he had just made and walked around to the sink to put the knife he had used in the sink. He happened to glance up and look out the window. “Hermione, come see,” he said with a smile. Hermione walked over to the window and looked out. In the distance she could see Jack and Lily sitting under one of the many trees in their back yard. They sat Indian style facing each other, knee to knee. Jack held Lily’s hands in his tightly as they spoke to each other softly. “It’s not right to spy on them,” Hermione scolded lightly, but she couldn’t help but smile from what she saw. “Well, that’s encouraging isn’t it?” she asked, looking over at her husband. “I just want them to be friends again,” Ron said quietly. In the distance, Lily nodded her head and smiled widely. Jack pulled her forward by her hands and engulfed her in a powerful hug. “Definitely encouraging,” he added smugly. Jack and Lily stood up from their places on the ground and dusted themselves off. They looked at each other rather apprehensively and began walking towards the house. Instantly, Ron and Hermione moved away from the window and both tried to act as if they hadn’t just been spying on them. Ron returned to the counter to retrieve an apple from a bowl by the sink, and Hermione sat down at the table. She let Anna Maria down to the floor, and she wandered off into the living room to play with her dolls. A few moments later, Jack and Lily entered the kitchen through the back door. “Hey, you two,” Hermione said with a distinct glint in her eye. “Hey, Mum,” Jack said, somewhat nervously. He closed the door behind him and followed Lily further into the room. “What are you kids up to?” Ron wondered. “Lily was just about to head home,” Jack said, exchanging a look with Lily. “I promised Dad that I would have dinner with him and the boys,” Lily explained. “Where’s Ginny going?” Ron asked. “With me,” Hermione spoke up. “We’re going out for dinner to have a girl’s night.” “Oh,” Ron mumbled lamely. “Well Jack, want to stick around and help me out with your sister?” Jack nodded his head, “Sure, Dad. I’ll come back after I take Lily home.” “You don’t have to,” Lily said softly. “I can manage on my own.” “I want to,” Jack insisted. Lily nodded, and Ron could have sworn he saw her cheeks blush slightly like they always used to when Jack did something like this. The two of them locked eyes, and silence followed. Ron cleared his throat to get their attention. “Well, it was good to spend some time with you again, Lily. Come by more often.” Lily walked over to him and gave him a hug. “I will, Uncle Ron. I promise.” “I’ll hold you to that.” Lily walked over to Hermione and gave her a hug as well. “Tell your mother I’ll see her later,” Hermione said. “I will.” Lily walked back to where Jack was standing, and together they walked back to the door. “I’ll be back in a few,” Jack told his parents. “Take your time,” Hermione said with a sly smile. Lily and Jack walked out the door and faced each other. “Meet you outside your dad’s house?” Jack asked her. “Sure,” she said, smiling. She closed her eyes and disapparated with a POP. Jack took a deep breath and followed her a few moments later. The second he felt his feet touch the ground once more, he knew he had chosen the wrong spot. He collided with something hard, and after some very ungraceful flailing, he tumbled to the ground flat on his back. Even though his eyes were open, he couldn’t see anything accept the blackness in front of his face. The smell of lavender filled his nostrils and he knew immediately it was the scent of Lily. He felt her next to him, her left leg and left arm draped over his body. He tried unsuccessfully to brush her hair out of his face so he could see. He struggled to stand up, but just when he was half way up an elbow jabbed him hard in the stomach. “Oof!” He fell back down against the hard ground with a painful thud. “Oh, Jack, I’m sorry!” Lily’s voice said sympathetically. Lily pulled her hair off his face and he blinked against the light. A second later he looked up to find Lily scrambling to get to her feet. Once she was upright, he raised himself back up onto his elbows. He was about to take the hand she offered to help him up when he heard laughter. Lily turned around to find her father smiling at them fondly from the back door. “Nice landing,” Harry said with great amusement. He crossed his arms across his chest and continued to look at them with a chuckle. Harry remembered the first time he saw them together; crumpled in a mess of limbs after apparating into the same spot in Ron and Hermione’s kitchen. He shook his head at the memory. “Thank you for that assessment, Dad,” Lily said dryly, but couldn’t help but smile. She turned back to Jack and helped him off of the ground. “So what are you two up to, besides falling all over each other?” Harry wondered. “Well…” Lily looked over at Jack who was nervously dusting himself off. “Jack was just making sure I got home all right.” “Oh he was, was he?” Harry asked with a nod of his head. “I thank you, Jack. She seems to have arrived in one piece.” Jack laughed and shook his head at his godfather; Harry always did like a good laugh. “No problem, Harry. Anytime,” Jack replied with as much seriousness as he could possibly muster. “I’ll be inside, sweetheart,” Harry said to Lily before turning around and entering the house again. Once he was gone, Lily turned back to Jack and cleared her throat. “Sorry about that. I guess I picked the wrong spot.” “No harm done. It was me, really. You were there first.” The two of them looked at each other in silence for a few tense seconds. Jack scratched the back of his neck with his hand and looked down at the ground. “I should get back. My parents are waiting for me,” he said finally. “Of course. Thanks for coming with me, Jack. You really didn’t need to.” “I’d like to see you again. Can you get away for lunch tomorrow?” Jack asked hopefully. Lily smiled fondly, “I think I can pencil you in.” “Where’s Adam?” Jack asked with clear uncertainty. “He’s been spending some time with a friend in London. He should be back sometime tonight. I think it was a good idea for him to come home with me. He’s really been having a good time.” “That’s good,” Jack muttered while looking down at his feet. Lily studied him for a few seconds and seemed to read his thoughts. “He’s a good guy, Jack. He’s been a good friend to me while I was away. But that’s all he’s ever been: a friend.” “He doesn’t like me much, does he?” “Where did you ever get that idea?” Jack looked up at her with a hard look on his face, “Lil, the guy looks like he’d like to bury me alive every time he sees me.” Lily stifled a laugh at the look on Jack’s face, but regained her composure. “He saw how hard it was for me to be away from you, thinking you hated me. He doesn’t understand why you didn’t answer my letters. When it comes down to it, he just doesn’t understand you and me, that’s all.” “I guess if I were him and I had only known what little he knew about me while you were over there, I would hate me too…if that makes any sense.” Lily chuckled. “I guess I can understand why Allison hates me as well.” “She does not,” Jack said with equal enthusiasm. She rolled her eyes. “Right.” “She doesn’t hate you, Lil. She thinks highly of you,” Jack countered quickly. “I don’t know why,” Lily said looking back at the ground. “She doesn’t really know me.” Jack sighed again. He really hadn’t wanted to get into this right now. There were a lot of things about his relationship with Allie that Lily needed to understand, and this wasn’t the place to start educating her on the finer points of the half-hearted fling he’d had in her absence. Instead, he changed the subject. “I should let you go in. You’re Dad’s waiting,” Jack said, nodding towards the house. “Meet me at The Three Broomsticks at around one?” “Sounds like a plan,” she replied with an inviting smile. “All right. See you later, Lily.” “Okay, bye.” She watched him close his eyes, and a second later he was gone. For several minutes, she didn’t move. She could hardly believe all that had happened in one afternoon. She and Jack were on the road to being friends again; he didn’t hate her. She was unable to keep the grin off her face even after she entered the house. She found her father sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper. He whistled at the sight of her. “Golly, look at you. I haven’t seen you smile like that in ages!” he said, leaning back in his chair and examining her closer. Lily blushed and went to sit next to him. “Jack and I talked at Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron’s house. We’re meeting for lunch tomorrow.” “Oh, really?” Harry said with unique interest. “Yes, and don’t you go making a big deal about it. It’s just lunch.” “Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure. Just lunch,” Harry said, smirking. Lily opened her mouth to chastise him but Harry held up his hand to silence her. “Now, hold on a minute. I’m your father and I’m entitled to be delighted to see the smile he brings to your face. He’s always meant the world to you, even if you haven’t wanted him to.” Lily sighed and sat back in her chair. She studied her father for a moment before she nodded her head. “I suppose you’re right.” Harry’s face grew serious all of a sudden and he rested his elbows on the table. Lily took note of the expression on his face. She had wondered how long it would take for this subject to rear its ugly head. “Go ahead, Dad. I know what you want to know,” she urged softly. “Tell me the truth about Malfoy,” he said without further hesitation. “I know I’ve asked you before and you’ve always brushed it off. I want the truth. Do you still have the dreams?” “Sometimes,” Lily admitted, looking down into her hands which rested on her lap. She fidgeted with her fingers for a moment. “They’re easier to control now than they used to be,” she added with confidence. “They haven’t figured out any way to make them stop?” Harry pressed further. Lily shook her head. “Nothing other than the magical bonding.” “And you’re not willing to do that?” “Dad, Jack and I are only just starting to speak to each other. I hardly think he’s ready for that type of commitment, and quite frankly, neither am I.” “So you’re just going to live with it for the rest of your life? Can’t anyone find him? Are they even looking?” Harry sounded somewhat annoyed, and Lily decided to choose her words wisely to avoid any further argument. “Well…it’s just that…he isn’t really bothering anyone but me, now is he? No one has seen him in years. If it weren’t for my dreams, we wouldn’t even know he was alive.” “Just because an enemy is sleeping doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous,” Harry pointed out quickly. “I know that, Dad. It’s just that…there isn’t any real reason to pursue him to the ends of the Earth. He could be anywhere. I think departmental time and energy is better spent elsewhere. There is no reason to go off searching for him actively until we have reason to believe he’s planning something.” “No other reason besides your own sanity,” Harry interrupted. Lily opened her mouth to respond but he silenced her again. “No, let me finish. They don’t go after him because you don’t insist on it. You take everyone else into consideration before yourself. This man has been terrorizing you since you were a little kid. He’s taken your childhood away from you. It’s taken everything I have in me not to go after him myself. I understand that I have a family now and I’m needed here. I can’t just go trotting over the planet. But you, why are you letting him off the hook so easily?” Lily stuttered, “Well, I just…I don’t know…it’s just…it’s just complicated, all right?” Harry reached over, took her hands into his, and brought them up on the table. “Trying to forget about what happened isn’t going to make what he did to you go away, honey.” “I’m not trying to forget about him,” she replied hotly. She tried to pull her hands away from his, but he tightened his grip. “Yes you are,” he said forcefully. “I know you are because it’s something I would do and you’re just like me. You’ve never dealt with what he did to you. I should have forced you to talk about it more. I know that’s my fault. You ran away from it, just like I would have. I haven’t proved to be a very good role model for you in some ways, but that is something I hope to work on.” “I have too dealt with it!” she fired back. “No, Lily, you haven’t.” “How would you know?” “How many people have you told? How many of your friends in America know about what happened to you?” “It’s not exactly something I’m proud of,” she grumbled under her breath. “What about Adam?” “Adam knows about what happened before my seventh year,” she said defensively. “He knows that I went missing and was presumed dead.” “He knows that because it’s in your file at work,” Harry reminded her. “Have you told him what’s not in the file? What he did to you?” Lily shook her head. “Why would he need to know about that?” “Because you call him your friend. Because it was a terrible thing that happened in your life, and unfortunately it changed the person you have become.” “Please don’t push this,” she half-begged. Her eyes were closed, but the expression on her face was tense. “Honey, I love you. I want the best for you always, but you’re lost right now. You’ve been lost long since Jack and I pulled you out of that dungeon half alive. If you won’t face this on your own, then you need pushing. You need to talk about it. If not with me, then talk to someone else. Talk to Jack. Talk to one of your old friends. Talk to Adam. Talk to a psychologist.” “I am not a head case,” Lily said strongly. “I’m not saying that. Sweetheart, I’m your father. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal; one I know you haven’t faced.” “Dad, I know I’ve worried you by staying away. I know I hurt the family--” “This isn’t about me or the family. Yes, it did hurt to see you go, and yes the family would have loved to have you around the past four years, but this is about you. This is about you admitting that you were the victim and that you deserve justice and closure and happiness.” “You want me to go after him?” Lily asked with bewilderment. “You just convinced me to come back home to rest and now you want me back off again chasing after someone I’d rather just forget about?” Harry shook his head. “No, not necessarily. But I want you to admit that he should be brought to justice. That he should be brought in for what he’s done to you, and not that he should be forgotten because he’s only harmed you. They’d go after him if you asked them to.” She opened her mouth to respond, but this time it was her own will that caused her to stop. She muttered something under her breath and shook her head. “I know you’re scared, and I know what that’s like,” Harry began once again, “I also know what it’s like to be afraid to let people know you’re scared. No one thinks you’re weak. But you need help. You need to bring it out into the open and talk about it. You need to insist that something gets done about Malfoy.” “I just don’t know…” Lily said in a far-off voice. “What if you’re not the only one? What if he’s controlling other people like you? What if he hurts someone else the way he hurt you?” Lily stared back at him and shook her head. She didn’t get the chance to answer her father, because a moment later Ginny came into the room with James and Dominic close behind her. “Lily!” Dominic yelled before running and jumping onto her lap. “Hey, squirt,” Lily said with half a smile. She ruffled his hair and gave him a hug. “Leavin’ soon?” Dominic asked was a sad face. Lily looked over his head and into her father’s eyes. She sighed and shook her head. “Not yet,” she answered the boy vaguely. “But you are leaving?” James pressed further. “Eventually,” Lily answered, again with reluctance and vagueness. Harry and Ginny exchanged worried glances. Ginny had gone to the sink and was preparing herself a glass of water. “Lily-” Harry began until Ginny cut him off. “Don’t, Harry,” she warned. Harry ignored her. “Lily, why would you want to leave now? I thought you and Jack were okay. You seemed okay earlier.” Lily set Dominic back down on the floor and turned back to him. “It’s not just about Jack, Dad. It’s about a lot of other things, including a whole life I have waiting for me in America.” “What about the life you have waiting for you here?” He couldn’t help the anger that seemed to have crept into his voice. “When I left to visit, it was right in the middle of a lot of things. I’m not a kid anymore. I can’t just pack up and leave whenever I feel like it now. I have a job with responsibilities. That’s my life I left back there.” “What the hell kind of life is it?!” Harry said hotly. “A life away from your family, away from everyone who loves you. You said you were sorry for leaving.” “Harry!” Ginny said loudly. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. “I’m sorry for what my leaving did to the family,” she clarified, “but it was the right thing for me at the time. Even Jack sees that now. Why can’t you?” “Lily, you should be here. We’re your family.” “I am very well aware of that, thank you very much!” “Then perhaps you should start acting like it!” By now they were both standing up, staring at each other venomously. Dominic and James were standing together in the center of the kitchen. Ginny was standing behind her husband with her hand on his arm, almost holding him back. “Merlin, you wonder why I don’t come home more often!” Lily cried. “It’s to avoid this!” “You don’t come home because you don’t want to face your problems!” “You know what, Dad? Your life isn’t exactly something to be modeled after, so don’t preach to me! Back off!” With that, she turned on her heel and moved to walk out the back door. “Do not walk away from me!” Harry yelled. She turned and looked back at him with disgust. “Why not? You taught me how.” With that she walked out the door, slamming it behind her with a loud BANG. “Oh, Harry,” Ginny sighed warily. “Were you listening to her?” Harry asked, turning around to face her with a shocked look on his face. “She’s completely out of control!” “No, Harry, she’s confused. There’s a difference,” Ginny said forcefully. She walked over to her sons who stood stunned a few feet away. “Why don’t you go upstairs and play? I’ll come up in a minute.” The boys nodded meekly and trotted out of the room. Ginny turned back to him with her hands on hips. “Just what are you doing?” “I’m trying to get through to her!” Harry contended, pointing at the door. “No, you’re pushing her right out of the door,” she replied calmly. Harry sank back down into his chair heavily. “It’s just so frustrating. She came back from visiting with Jack today and she was really happy. They’re talking again and they seem to be working things out. I don’t understand why she thinks she needs to be away from us. I want her here. She’s my daughter and I want her home. Is that so much to ask? Why is she so quick to want to go back there?” “Maybe she’s thinking about coming back, but you pushing her to make that decision now isn’t going to help. She’s trying to decide if there is a place for her here. You’re married now with a young family, and Ron and Hermione have long been set in their life. Jack is the only link she has, and I think she’s afraid to take a leap and leave behind everything she’s worked for unless she knows she and Jack can work things out. If she’s going to come back--which I believe she is--then she’s got to do it on her own. And now you’ve got her all worked up, and we have no idea where she is!” Harry sighed deeply, leaned his elbows down to his knees and took his head in his hands. He shook his head and mumbled incoherent things for a few seconds before Ginny walked over to him and ran her fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” Harry said quietly. He wrapped his arms around her middle and pressed his face into the fabric covering her stomach. “I’d better floo Hermione, tell her maybe we should postpone tonight’s outing,” Ginny said finally. She stepped out of her husband’s grasp and walked over to the fireplace. She took a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. In a few moments she was gazing into her sister-in-law’s living room. “Hermione!” she called, looking around the vacant room. She waited a few seconds, and then Jack’s feet walked into the room. His face came into view when he bent down to kneel before the fire place. “Hey, Aunt Gin! What’s up?” he asked with a smile. “I was just looking for your mother. Is she around?” “No, she went out with Dad for something in Hogsmeade. She said they’d be back early because you two were going out,” Jack informed her. “Can you tell her there might be a change of plans? Harry and Lily got into it and now she’s gone off. We don’t know where she went.” Jack’s smile faded into a tense frown. “How long has she been gone?” “Not long, but she was pretty angry when she left here.” He thought for a minute and looked around the living room. “Ok, I’ll go looking for Lily. I know a few places she might have gone. You go out with Mum and have a good time. Don’t worry about it. Tell Harry I’ll find her.” “Are you sure, Jack? I mean--” “I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure,” Jack said seriously. “Ok, thanks a bunch. Let us know if you can’t find her and need help.” “I’m sure it won’t be a problem,” Jack said confidently. “Have fun tonight.” “Ok, thanks. Good luck,” Ginny said before pulling her head back out of the fire. |
| Reviews 26 |
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