Circle's Close

Chapter Thirteen: Like Father, Like Son?

Harry and Hermione dragged a very reluctant Draco down the stairs to see Sirius, who smiled warmly at the blond and gestured towards the couch for him to take a seat. Draco did as he was told, looking more pale than his usual self.

"I've come to understand that you've been staying here for a week, and you're planning to stay on past New Year's, am I correct?" asked Sirius.

"Yes, sir," Draco said, sitting up straight in his chair. Harry sensed Draco’s determination to prove himself to Sirius. He almost laughed at the thought.

"I don't know what Harry and Hermione told you,” Draco continued, “but I thought you should know that it's not their fault that I'm here. I mean to say, it was my idea, so if anyone is going to get in any trouble--"

Sirius raised a hand to silence the blond boy, and he obeyed immediately. "Relax, Draco. I'm not here to punish anyone. Any friend of Harry's is welcome here in our home. Would you mind, actually, if we took a walk? The storm has died down. It looks rather peaceful out there, wouldn't you agree?"

Draco looked at Sirius as though he’d rather handle a rampaging hippogriff, but he gave a very hesitant nod, and they stood up together.

"We should be back shortly," Sirius informed Harry and Hermione, who merely stared on as they made their way to the front door.

"Remember to stay out of sight!" Harry reminded them.

There was no response as he heard the front door open and close.

Harry felt Hermione slip a hand around his waist, and he imitated her, slipping both his hands around her and spinning her around to face him, as he held her closely. He nuzzled her hair, taking in a deep breath, enjoying the sweet sensation of getting lost in everything that was good and sweet about his girlfriend. Hermione's hand slid around his neck as her fingers lazily played with his hair. His bright green eyes bore into her own brown ones, and they simply stood still like that, as though frozen in a painting.

"Thank you," Harry said softly as he kissed her forehead. Hermione's eyes closed, enjoying the simple touch of his lips on her skin.

"Whatever for, Harry?" she asked, just as softly.

Harry kissed her cheek, his breath tickling her earlobe. "Just for being here for me, with me, and coming to my rescue," he told her.

Hermione giggled lightly, making his pulse go berserk with love for her. "Don't mention it, love," she told him, before his lips met hers in a tender kiss.

As they pulled apart, Hermione rested her head on Harry's chest, listening to his heartbeat, which was timed to her own.

"Are you worried?" she finally asked, pulling back slightly and looking up at him. She caught a glimpse of his eyes, which were shadowed, and almost just as immediately, Harry swiped the look of anxiety from his face. But she knew he was only trying to hide his concern.

"Nah," he said vaguely, holding her closer to him. "I'm not worried. And you shouldn't be either," he told her.

Hermione grinned up at him. "You're the worst liar I've ever met, Harry. I know what's on your mind," she persisted.

Harry grinned back at her, rolling his eyes upwards. "There's no way to win with you, is there," he said.

"Nope, there’s not! Let's talk about it. What are you thinking about?" she asked.

They flopped down on the couch side-by-side, where Hermione, not letting go of Harry's hand, threw her slender leg over Harry's long one.

"Oddly enough, what Sirius told us doesn't bother me at all. Because what he said is true; there's nothing that any of us can do to help," Harry told her.

Hermione smiled. "That doesn't sound like the Harry I know," she said.

Harry grinned in return, rolling his eyes playfully. "OK...maybe there's something we can do, but we don't know what that is yet. And until we do, we're stuck. But no ... My biggest worry right now is whether Draco overheard us."

Hermione looked puzzled. "But I told him to stay upstairs. It's not like our voices could have carried that far..."

"Exactly. Which means Draco was downstairs listening in on our conversation, and that worries me for more than just one reason."

Hermione’s puzzled expression molded into thoughtfulness. "Well, I can see your reasoning. If Draco was down here listening to us, he'd be breaking his word to us by putting himself in danger of being caught, and he'd be betraying our trust by eavesdropping," Hermione answered.

"Not to mention what Draco would do with that kind of information. Sirius is partially right. He's still Lucius Malfoy's son," Harry said.

Hermione gave Harry a very pointed look. "And I thought you were ready to drop that little fact for Ginny’s sake," she said suspiciously.

"I am," Harry said defensively, feeling a familiar stab of guilt. "But sometimes I feel like I need some sort of evidence that Draco is the person that Ginny loves. I know there are times that I truly see all the goodness that Ginny sees, but my cautious side won’t let me drop the fact that he shares the same blood with Lucius Malfoy. And if he is spying on us... “ Harry looked away, sighing deeply. “If only I could know for sure...”

Hermione gave Harry a thoughtful look, a fanatical gleam in her eye that Harry knew only too well.

"There is a way, isn't there," he told her, sitting up in excitement.

Hermione bit her bottom lip, looking deep in thought. Then she finally said, "There is a way, but I’m still trying to decide whether it’s a good idea to use it. I suppose this is a good reason...” she trailed off, frowning in concentration.

"You sound like you're trying to justify using it. What's the problem?" Harry asked her.

Hermione shot him a knowing look. "Well, Harry, this Charm isn’t used to spy on people... and performing the Charm for what we want to use it for? Well, it doesn’t exactly run with our own morals, does it?”

Harry sighed. “So you’re saying that it could compromise our morals? You’re saying this when there’s a chance that Draco could have been spying on us?”

Hermione shrugged. “We don’t know that for sure, but I’m not disagreeing with you. You know I’ll help you, if this is what you want.”

Harry took a moment to seriously think about what she was saying. True, he’d be a hypocrite by using the Charm. But there were more important things than battling it out with his own moral and value systems. Like finding out whether he had a dangerous spy in his home, for one.

“So, what is this Charm?” he asked.

"It's called the Echo Charm,” said Hermione.

Harry frowned. “The Echo Charm? I’ve never heard of it. Unless Flitwick told us about it during a day when I wasn't paying attention..."

Hermione frowned, her eyes narrowing. "With you being Head Boy, I would have thought that daydreaming during a lesson was no longer an option," she lectured.

"Are you kidding?" Harry exclaimed, grinning madly. "As Head Boy, I'm determined to push all my priveleges near breaking point, and that includes sleeping during class!"

"Harry!"

"Kidding, Hermione! I'm only kidding. Gosh, it's easy to get you worked up," Harry observed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Anyway, since you’re wondering, we never learnt the Echo Charm in Charms class. I had to teach myself the Charm sometime near the beginning of first term. Neville got in a spot of trouble with Snape, and he was made to clean up frog's guts, and I offered to help. Snape only let me help because he figured Neville would only cause more havoc.

"I decided to take my ring off in my room, so I wouldn’t muck it up with all the guts. When I came back to my room to get the ring, I couldn’t remember where I had put it. So after a trip to the library, looking up a Charm that would help me, I discovered the Echo Charm. I taught myself how to perform it, and in the end, I found my ring. I simply cast the Charm in my room, and I watched a shadow of myself place the ring where I had put it.”

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds good to me. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course," she insisted, as they both stood up and made their way upstairs.

"What do we do if we find that he had left his room?" Harry asked her, fearing the very thought.

"We'll cross that bridge when the time comes. And what makes you think that Draco even left his room? Especially after we warned him half a dozen times?" Hermione wondered.

Harry shrugged. "I heard a noise outside the room while we were talking with Sirius. I thought it might be Draco," he told her, perfectly aware how lame it sounded.

Hermione laughed through her nose. "Harry, this is an older house. That noise could have been the house settling, you know. Weird noises occur all the time."

"I know!" Harry said. “But it could have been him, too. I guess we're about to find out, right?"

Hermione said nothing as they stepped inside the guest bedroom, which was very close to immaculate. Whether Draco was this meticulous all the time, or he was merely making the effort because he was a guest, Harry didn't know.

Hermione whipped out her wand and whispered the incantation. Immediately two shadows formed, one a thin mist in the form of Draco Malfoy, the other in the shape of Ginny Weasley.

These shadows, or echoes, strongly reminded Harry of the end of his 4th year, when shadows of Cedric Diggory, Lily and James Potter, and a few others had appeared from Voldemort’s wand during that frightening duel that still sometimes haunted his dreams.

"Hermione? This was a couple hours ago, at least," Harry whispered, in awe of this strange and new Charm.

"I know...I don't know what happened. I must have gone too far back," she whispered back, staring at the two shadows in front of her. “This Charm can be very complicated. When I used it all those months ago, I had to go a few hours back, so I had to use a stronger form.”

"Is there any way to fix it?" Harry asked, not truly wanting to be a witness to what was obviously a very private moment between Draco and Ginny. But then something inside him went soft, and he wondered if this was all the proof he needed. "Wait," he whispered, holding up his hand to stop Hermione, who had raised her wand again.

"Wait? But, Harry..." Hermione looked at him helplessly, but Harry was too enraptured with Draco and Ginny to listen to her reasoning. And Hermione had to admit, as she fell silent beside Harry, she was just as curious to see what they were about to witness.

Ginny's echo was the first to speak. "That was really nice of Harry and Hermione--offering to make us that dinner. She and Harry have been so wonderful. You seem pre-occupied. Is it Sirius?” she asked.

Draco's echo drew a deep breath and exhaled. "Yeah, Ginny. But that's not all. Remus Lupin is coming over later this afternoon."

"So?"

"Lupin hates me," Draco told her flatly, and Harry suddenly understood why Draco was worried. When Remus had taught Defense Against the Dark Art's class back in Harry's Third year, Draco had spent the entire year taunting the poor and shabby dressed professor.

"Yeah...and whose fault is that?" Ginny said, grinning, her hand reaching out to take his. "But both he and Sirius will grow to like you, and see all the great things in you that I know are there. Even Harry and Hermione see them."

Draco laughed, somewhat bitterly. "Don't get me wrong, Ginny. But they're only letting me stay so I can be with you," he said.

"You're wrong," Ginny persisted. "You don't know Harry as well as you think you do, honey. I admit, at first, that they only let you stay for me. But you would have been out of here within the first hour if Harry hadn't found in you...what I found in you. You can trust Harry, Draco. You both are doing an amazing thing here by getting along. Don't doubt yourself, or Harry, and please...don't doubt Hermione either."

Draco smiled at Ginny, his eyes lighting up just by looking into hers. He lowered his head to hers, his lips softly brushing her own.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Ginny,” he said softly. “I want to make you so happy, but I feel like this secret game we're playing isn't doing you any good."

Ginny's brown eyes bore into Draco's gray ones. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me,” she insisted, patting him on the leg.

“I do worry about you. And--“

Ginny placed her index finger on Draco’s lips, stopping him from further speech.

“Please, Draco,” she whispered pleadingly. “You promised we wouldn’t talk about this on Christmas day. And the last time I checked, my calendar said it was December 25th, so please...”

“You’re right...I’m sorry,” Draco said, kissing the back of her hand. “And now that we’re on the topic of Christmas, I can give you this--“ and with a swift movement of his hand, he held out a small, rectangular shaped box to her. It was wrapped in bright and shiny red wrapping paper, tied with deep blue string.

Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she held out a trembling hand, whereupon Draco promptly dropped the box into her palm.

“Go on, open it,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head in an affectionate way.

She peeled back the paper, revealing a smooth, mahogany case. Ginny lifted the golden latch, and she gasped with delight as a thin, silver bracelet came into view.

“Draco! It’s...it’s...” Ginny stuttered, words failing her completely. Draco took the case from her and gently removed the bracelet, turning it over to show her the underside of the bracelet.

“Take a look,” he said softly as Ginny gaped at him. She looked down at the bracelet, and saw the initials “GW+DM” engraved in miniscule writing. She looked up at him in surprise.

“Draco! What if -- what if someone sees it?” she exclaimed.

Draco gave her a nonchalant shrug. “So what if they do? First, they’d have to figure out what it means, and what are the chances of anyone seeing it anyway? I made sure that the letters were engraved on the inside, so you can wear it as often as you like without having to worry,” he told her, and then he leaned forward so their noses were nearly touching. “And that way you know that no matter where I am or what I’m doing, you’ll know that I’ll always be with you.”

Tears glistened in Ginny’s brown eyes, and she threw her arms around his neck, raining kisses on his cheek and placing a long, deep kiss on his lips.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” she gasped, as Draco placed the silver bracelet around her wrist and clasped the ends together. Ginny ran a finger along her Christmas present, her face fixed in a dreamy expression. She looked at Draco again, smiling warmly at him. “I’ll never want to take it off.”

Draco returned the smile, placing a kiss on her forehead. Ginny took a moment to compose herself, still admiring her new bracelet, and then she held out her own gift to him. It was a small square box. This was wrapped in silver paper, though the entire surface of the gift was taken up by a large, golden bow.

Draco grinned at her. “Silver and gold? Was there some greater meaning behind your choice of colors?” he asked her.

Ginny grinned back. “Actually, it was all we had left back in our dorm at school. And not until yesterday did I see the coincidence. But it makes a valid point, don’t you think? Gold and silver...Gryffindor and Slytherin. United at last.”

Draco ran a hand through Ginny’s red hair, smiling at her in a whole new way. “It’s something to work for, and it’s something we’re trying to achieve,” he said.

Ginny took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Go on, open it,” she urged. “It’s not nearly as precious as the bracelet you gave me, and I wouldn’t really blame you if you didn’t like it...but...”

Draco was peeling away the paper, where a small, black velvet box revealed itself. He opened it as Ginny turned her head away, not really wanting to see Draco’s expression.

It was a tiny diamond stud, and it shone brilliantly, looking very much like a single, bright star set against a velvet night sky.

“How did you...how were able to afford this?” Draco wondered, staring at the diamond in awe.

Ginny looked at Draco shyly, her brown eyes shining. “I saved up some money and bought it from a jeweler in Hogsmeade. The jeweler was pretty desperate to get rid of it, because it was the smallest, and it looked pretty dull, so he sold it to me for a cheap price. I managed to buff it up a little. I wanted to put some life into it, you know? But I know it’s a silly gift, and I’m aware it has its flaws,” she added, almost defensively.

Draco tilted her face up with a finger under her chin, his eyes holding her own in a steady gaze. “Oh...Ginny,” he sighed. “Who among us hasn’t?” He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her passionately.

“Maybe we should stop now...” Harry suggested, and almost just as immediately, Hermione whispered a counter-incantation with a graceful wave of her wand, and the forms of Ginny and Draco vanished.

Harry sat on the foot of the bed, and Hermione sat with him, cradling her wand as they both sat still and silent, absorbing the scene that they had just witnessed.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Hermione finally spoke. “Well, we know one thing for sure.”

Harry looked at her and Hermione continued.

“Draco couldn’t have been spying on us. There’s no way...after hearing what he said. He wants to earn our trust, Harry. He wouldn’t do anything to sabotage his relationship with Ginny.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “OK, so I was wrong. And now I’m the selfish prat...for betraying his trust.”

Hermione gave Harry a comforting smile, placing a delicate hand on his back and running her hand up and down it softly.

“We all make mistakes, and it’s a hard lesson to learn. But I hope that this is all the proof you need. Do you finally see how hard Draco is trying? Do you see how much he truly loves Ginny?” she asked him kindly.

Harry felt the guilt slowly ebbing away. “Yeah, I see it. Just as I’ve always felt it. I guess I was just being stubborn.”

Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek. “Leave the stubbornness to Ron,” she suggested lightly.

Harry chuckled, and Hermione let her head fall on his shoulder, their fingers entwining. They watched their laced fingers for a while, just enjoying each other’s presence, when a loud knock came at the door, startling them out of their comfortable silence.

“Who could that be?” she asked, sounding disappointed that their time alone had come to an end.

Harry was already making his way out of the room. He popped his head back in, grinning. “Our dear old professor,” he told her.

Together they made their way to the front and opened up the door. Remus Lupin stood there in plain, Muggle clothing, including a long, black Muggle coat. Harry spotted a cab pulling out of the driveway.

“Remus!” Hermione greeted, smiling brightly.

“Merry Christmas, you two!” Remus exclaimed, beaming at the two teenagers.

“Here, let me take your bags,” Harry offered, and swiftly lifted the bags from Remus’ hands, not giving his former professor the chance to argue.

They all made their way into the house while Remus took a surreptitious look around, admiring the Christmas decorations.

“The house looks great,” Remus told them as they sat in the family room. “It looks different from when I was last here,” he added.

“You mean the Christmas decorations?” Harry wondered as he took a seat next to Hermione on the sofa.

“No...” Remus said, his eyes landing on the young wizard. “It feels more...”

“Like home,” Harry finished, smiling.

“Exactly,” Remus replied. “I felt it the moment I walked in ... You and Sirius have truly made this your home.”

Harry felt his heart warm at the older wizard’s words. He had always known it and felt it inside, but it was always a wonderful thing to hear that others felt it as well.

Remus took a moment to rummage through one of his bags, from which he pulled out many packages and parcels labeled with Harry’s, Hermione’s, Sirius’, and the majority of the Weasleys’ names. He deposited them under the tree where he spotted other gifts still there, some labeled "Remus," or "Lupin," and one present had a tag with the name "Moony" on it.

Harry caught the grin on Remus’ face, and he said, “When Sirius returns, we’ll exchange presents.”

The older man sat in the armchair, turned to face Harry and Hermione. “Where is Sirius?” he wondered.

Harry and Hermione took turns explaining all about Draco and Ginny, and the fact that they had just told Sirius about it. Thankfully, Remus did not overreact to the news that a Malfoy was dating a Weasley, and also promised not to say anything.

“Although,” Remus added, looking thoughtful, “Draco and Ginny will not be able to keep this a secret forever. And if the Weasleys find out the wrong way...I wouldn’t even want to think of the repercussions.”

“Well, that’s not exactly what’s been on my mind lately,” Harry told Remus, and the older man caught on.

“You’re not worried about Sirius, are you?” he asked.

Harry gave Remus a very pointed look. “This isn’t exactly the most ordinary of situations. I’ve been sneaking behind my own godfather’s back, exchanging letters for the past two months with a person whom I’ve never met before in my life-“

“You’ve met her. You were just a baby,” Remus corrected the younger wizard.

“Right. So I have no memory of her whatsoever. Either way, Sirius won’t be happy that I’ve been keeping something like this from him.”

Remus drew himself up, giving Harry a very level look. “I would not have encouraged it if I had thought it was a bad idea.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you, Harry,” Hermione interrupted, placing her hand on her boyfriend’s knee and keeping it there.

Harry looked between Remus and Hermione, giving them a crooked smile.

“But I should warn you,” Remus continued, before Harry could say something discouraging, “that he won’t jump up in excitement, dancing and cheering either.”

Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. Though Sirius was a very easy-going person, very lovable, kind and fun, neither of them could picture a man who was once considered a convict, dancing around the family room in excitement.

“He’ll be very shocked,” Remus added once the laughter died down. “He could react many different ways, but I can assure you of one thing.”

“What’s that?” asked Harry.

“He won’t lash out at you in anger, and he most definitely won’t hate you. Telling him about Claire is probably the best thing you could give him, regardless if he wants to hear it or not. Just as telling Claire about Sirius was probably the best possible thing you could do for her, and it took you a long time to convince her to write to him.”

“Yeah...” Harry said, looking sulky. “But it wasn’t enough to get her to come back...to us...”

Remus gave Harry a very kind look. “It’s taken you a lot of courage to go through with something like this. You’ve allowed yourself the patience to deal with it the past two months, and you know it’s going to take a lot more time for something dramatic to happen.”

“I’m no matchmaker,” Harry said, almost sadly. “I just want them to be friends...just to talk to each other.”

“Who do you want to be friends?” said a deep voice from the doorway.

Harry, Hermione and Remus all jerked their heads to the door, where Sirius and Draco stood, their faces red from their walk in the cold weather. Sirius grinned at the guilty look on Harry and Hermione’s faces, and then his eyes landed on his oldest friend.

“Hullo, Sirius. Hello, Mr Malfoy,” Remus greeted brightly, standing up.

“Remus,” Sirius said, shaking his head back and forth, grinning. “I’d ask what brings you by, but I have a feeling that I'm about to find out...” he said, shooting Harry a sly look.

“Why don’t we go upstairs, Draco,” Hermione suggested lightly, giving Harry a pointed look.

Draco narrowed his eyes in polite puzzlement. “Alright...”

“That way,” Hermione added to Remus, “you three can talk.”

Remus smiled before nodding briefly, and Harry felt his stomach drop considerably. Hermione led a puzzled Draco out of the room and out of sight, while Sirius took a seat next to Harry.

“How are you, Remus? We talked...just yesterday, wasn’t it?”

Remus smiled at the pale look on Harry's face. “Yes, actually. And I’m perfectly fine. Although, I don’t believe I’ve seen Harry look so nauseated in all the time I’ve known him. And that's saying something.”

Harry frowned at the grin on Remus’ face. How could he act so calm and collected? Why couldn’t some of that rub off on him? He felt as though there were a thousand garden snakes writhing and twisting inside his stomach, desperate to escape.

“Yes, I’ve been noticing that all day, to be honest,” Sirius admitted, his grin matching Remus’. “I have to admit...it’s got me quite curious.”

“Oh, bloody Hell,” Harry muttered, staring at the floor, feeling utterly helpless. “You’re both teasing me.”

Remus sighed, drawing Sirius’ attention to himself. “Actually, Sirius, part of the reason I’m here is because of what Harry needs to tell you. So the guilt lies on my shoulders as well.”

Sirius gave Remus a puzzled look. “Guilt? Well now you’ve definitely gained my curiosity. What else have you been keeping from me?” he asked Harry.

Harry reached into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled, vanilla envelope. The name “Sirius” was written in neat handwriting across the front. He had been carrying it around with him all day as a constant reminder.

“I’ve been keeping something from you for the past two months,” Harry told him, handing Sirius the envelope. “I’ve been exchanging letters with Claire White.”

Sirius stared at the envelope in his hand, his whole face going blank. But he hadn’t screamed at Harry in rage, or ripped the envelope into shreds, which gave Harry all the courage he needed, with a prompt nod from Remus.

“Do you remember that picture I found over the summer? In your room? I asked you about the girl in the photo, but you never gave me a straight answer. But I knew I recognized her from somewhere, and that’s when I looked in my old album. The one Hagrid gave me at the end of my First year. She was in a couple of pictures. One with my mother...and one with you. But I knew that you were never going to tell me anything about her, for whatever reasons you had. So I met with Remus one day, and he told me everything I needed to know. With a little encouragement, I managed to locate Claire, and with a little bit more encouragement, I wrote to her, and eventually... she wrote back.”

Harry took a moment to pause, trying to decipher some sort of emotion running through Sirius at that moment. But Sirius was so good at keeping his face blank, that Harry just couldn’t figure out his own godfather.

“She’s in Canada, Sirius. She’s been there for the past 16 years,” Remus said softly.

Harry looked at his former teacher, suddenly realising what this kind of news was doing to him, too. Though Claire White had been Sirius’ fiancée, she had also been one of Remus’ best friends. Harry hadn’t thought or even put any consideration into what he must be going through at the moment.

Sirius cleared his throat, finally looking up from the envelope, clutching it tightly, as though afraid it would suddenly vanish into thin air.

“Well...” he said, nodding slowly. “How did you find her?” he asked, doing his best to sound nonchalant, as though this sudden and new information did not affect him in the least.

But Harry knew better. He may be good at hiding his true feelings, but Harry also knew that Sirius was one of the most feeling people he knew. He could only imagine what was flowing through his godfather’s mind at the moment.

“I...went to Dumbledore. I figured if there was only one person on the planet who knew where she was, it’d be him,” Harry explained. “Listen, Sirius. I don’t know what’s in that letter, but I do know that Claire wanted me to explain a few things to you, just so she could get right to the point. Her parents were the ones who convinced her to move to Canada.”

Sirius sighed. “They had tried for years to drag her away from here...away from me...they always wanted to take her to Canada. That's where her parents are originally from. And their ambition only grew stronger once she graduated from Hogwarts. But Claire never wanted to move. So they stayed for her. Until...”

Sirius stopped, and Harry didn’t need to know what he was about to say. He knew what had finally driven Claire to move to Canada with her Muggle parents. But that, of course, was a story all on its own.

“She...she left the wizarding world, Sirius,” Harry continued, terrified of what this information might do to him. But he had promised Claire that he would tell him, no matter how painful.

“She snapped her wand?” Sirius asked, surprised. He was clutching the letter so tightly in his fist that his knuckles were turning white. His light eyes suddenly darkened, making Harry jerk back slightly. A low growl escaped the older man’s throat, and he stood up, pacing back and forth as though needing to burn off this extra burst of anger.

“She didn’t snap her wand, Sirius,” Remus said, looking at his old friend as though he knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling.

“Her parents never supported her!” Sirius exclaimed, his voice full of malice that Harry had only heard once, at the end of his third year, when they were face to face with Voldemort’s servant, Wormtail. “They only put up with it because Claire begged them, and they expected Claire to pull out. But as Claire spent more time at Hogwarts, she refused to listen to them. She was too happy at Hogwarts...And then...we happened.”

He said it so quietly, Harry had to strain his ears to listen. Was this what heartbreak sounded like? He didn’t like it, not at all. This was his godfather. He had already suffered 12 years in Azkaban. He didn’t deserve to lose his freedom as well as his true love and both at the same time! Sirius was too good for that. But it had happened. And the injustice of it all wanted to make Harry kick and scream, cursing everyone in the Ministry along the way. They had done this to him.

No, he corrected himself, Voldemort had done this to him.

“Remus told me all about it, Sirius,” Harry said softly.

Sirius looked sharply at Harry. “Did he? So he told you about Claire being my fiancée? Did he tell you that she was your godmother?”

“Is my godmother,” Harry corrected. “Just because I haven’t seen her in 16 years and can’t remember her at all, doesn’t take away from the fact that she was, is, and always will be my godmother. Just as you have always been my godfather. 12 years of being separated from each other didn't take away from that fact, either."

Harry couldn’t tell why he felt so strongly about his "relationship" with Claire. He had only been talking to her for a couple of short months, and only through owl-post, but he felt a very strong connection to her. He reasoned it probably had a lot to do with the fact that she was connected to the past he couldn’t remember... to the parents he never got to know.

“Yes,” Sirius said, nodding. “I wonder as well, what she’s doing writing by owl-post if she’s living the life of a Muggle?” he wondered.

“Even you can answer that one, Sirius,” Remus said, looking sadly at his old partner in mischief.

Sirius returned the look, shaking his head. “If she’s living her life as a Muggle, then she wants nothing to do with us. Or else she wouldn’t have left,” he said coldly.

“She had to leave!” Remus said, jumping up and coming to Claire’s defense instantly. “Don’t let your mind be your judgment, old friend,” he pleaded.

“And let my heart make all the decisions? Just like last time? We all know where that got us, Moony,” Sirius said bitterly.

“This is not like you. You’re forgetting that Claire is not at fault...no one is. We can’t change the past, but we can do something about the present.”

Harry watched the exchange between the two older wizards, utterly fascinated with where the conversation was going.

“There is no future. Not with her. My future is here, with the school, the Ministry, and first and foremost, with Harry. If you want Claire back in your life, then by all means, be my guest.”

Remus sighed with a mixture of frustration and determination. "Why do you blame her, Sirius? She didn't do anything."

“I don't blame her! And if you really need to know, I've gotten along fine without her while in Azkaban, during my escape, and even now, I'm doing perfectly fine. And I'm not having this conversation with you," he said abruptly, sounding as though he was regretting saying too much already.

“Why not?” Remus asked. “You’ve already started, and in my opinion, this is a conversation that's long past due.”

Sirius sighed, glancing down at the letter still clutched in his fist.

“She wouldn’t have written to you if she had something bad to say, Sirius. It’s worth it just to read. But if you don’t want to...that’s fine. Burn it for all we care,” Remus said. “But keep in mind that she did write. She’s leaving the Quaffle on your side of the Pitch now.”

Sirius still said nothing, still staring at the envelope. Harry took this time to jump in.

“In one way, when you think about it...it’s almost as if she wants to come back. Think about it logically. She’s been living her life as a Muggle for nearly two decades, and then she starts using the owl-post as though she were still a witch? It’s like she’s waiting for the right push to come back. I’m not enough for her to come back, and evidently, neither is Remus, but if all three of us were to do this together, that might be enough. Maybe she’s just waiting for you, Sirius.”

“She never wanted to move...I can’t believe her parents convinced her,” Sirius muttered.

“She wanted to stay,” Remus said quietly, sliding back into his seat, his eyes pale, the memories as clear to him as though it were happening all over again. “Did you know that she always knew you were innocent? Well, as sad as it is to say, she was the only one. After you were sentenced to life in prison without a trial, she realised there was no hope left. And during her moment of weakness, her parents pounced, and managed to convince her to leave with them, saying that there was nothing left for her. She came to me the day she moved with her parents. She handed me her wand and told me to dispose of it. She said that she didn’t have the heart to do it."

“Her parents always hated me. They were resourceful Muggles...they managed to find out all about my family. I guess their worst thoughts were confirmed...when I was taken to Azkaban,” Sirius said, his eyes shining with that same faraway look. He looked at Remus. “So what did you do with her wand?”

Remus lowered his head, sighing deeply. “I kept it. I still have it. I always thought that she’d be back for it someday...but she never came.”

Sirius sat down in his own seat again, giving his friend a very thoughtful look.

“Sometimes I forget how that day destroyed you, too. First Lily and James, then me and Peter...the only person you had was Claire, and she left you as well. I’m sorry for it...for it all.”

Remus smiled crookedly, glancing at Harry then back at Sirius. “Well, whatever doesn’t kill us...” he said, grinning in spite of himself.

“I’ll read the letter,” Sirius confirmed for them both, and Harry’s heart hammered beneath his ribcage. “But I’ll read it later, when I have a moment to spare. As for now, I noticed there are some presents under the tree that still need to be opened!”

*

Harry had never enjoyed a Christmas dinner to its full capacity before. He thought that the Christmas dinners at Hogwarts were good, and they definitely were-- compared to Christmas dinner at the Dursleys. But now, as Harry looked all around him and at all the people seated on both sides of the long dinner table, he came to the decision that nothing could compare to a Weasley Christmas. He felt a swell of happiness building in his chest, and he knew at that moment that he was truly the luckiest wizard alive.

Hermione sat to his left, conversing with Leah and Mr Weasley. The older wizard seemed to be telling them an amusing story about Ron.

“He was just a baby when he showed his first sign of being a wizard,” Mr Weasley was saying with a trace of pride.

“What did he do?” Leah wondered, her hands clasped casually under her chin, looking very keen to hear the answer. On the other side of Leah, Ron's ears were turning pink, and he fidgeted in his seat.

“He set Bill’s head on fire,” Mr Weasley said, and at this Leah, Hermione, Bill, Harry, Mr and Mrs Weasley all burst out laughing.

“It was an accident!” Ron exclaimed. "I only made it smoulder a bit..." he added, and Harry had the distinct impression that this was a topic Mr Weasley had brought up on more than one occasion. It was also a story Mr Weasley liked to tell, just to embarrass his youngest son.

Leah placed a comforting hand on Ron's arm. He calmed down and struck up a new conversation with her, one that didn't inlcude his father.

That was Harry’s own calming effect, as everyone chatted together about one thing or another. Sirius (who sat to Harry’s right) and Remus (who sat diagonal from Sirius) were engaged in their own conversation, Hermione was chatting with Molly and Arthur, the twins were harassing Percy, who was sitting at the very end of the table. Bill (sitting on the other side of Sirius) chatted with Charlie, who sat at the other end of the table. The only one not saying a word was Ginny.

She stared at the bright, Christmas coloured table cloth, clutching her abdomen, as though she had a bad stomachache. Harry and Hermione had suggested that Ginny should fake being sick, so she could excuse herself from the table and sneak over to visit Draco, who was busy at the house setting up a table for two. Ginny, taking the advice but wanting to make it look sincere, began to moan and gripe about a stomachache earlier in the afternoon.

Looking at Ginny at that moment, Harry could see that she really did look genuinely sick, and wondered if it was due to nerves. All this sneaking around must have been taking a physical, emotional and mental toll on her. He wondered, however briefly, if she was going to crack. But then he reminded himself that Ginny was as strong as they came. All of the Weasleys were, but Ginny seemed to carry more strength and integrity than any of them. Of course, Harry thought with a wry smile, it would take that kind of a person to handle Draco Malfoy. And then Harry thought that that probably went both ways.

Just then Mr Weasley raised both of his hands into the air, requesting silence. And immediately everyone at the table stopped talking.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” he exclaimed joyfully. With the clap of his hands, the empty dishes on the table filled to the brim with food. A large turkey appeared in the middle of the table, potatoes, stuffing, all sorts of vegetables and other food that Mrs Weasley had been preparing all day appeared all around them. The sweet aroma was making Harry’s stomach gurgle in protest. He suddenly couldn’t remember when he had last eaten. All that mattered was stuffing himself as much as possible with all the food that was on the table.

“This is great, Mrs Weasley,” Harry sighed, before shoveling some turkey into his mouth. Hermione nudged him, frowning in a reproving way. Apparently she didn’t appreciate his eating habits. He grinned back at her from one cheek to the other, with a mouth stuffed with turkey. She rolled her eyes at him before spooning some sweet potato into her mouth.

“It was well worth it, dear,” Molly said gratefully. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“The Hogwarts food is shabby in comparison,” Harry confirmed for the older woman.

“Don’t let Dobby hear you saying that,” Hermione cautioned, waving her fork around for emphasis.

“Now, dear,” Mrs Weasley said to Harry. “What are your plans for the future?”

“Molly, honey...” Mr Weasley said, shooting his wife a warning look.

“I’m allowed to ask, Arthur,” Molly insisted, glaring at her husband, who suddenly seemed to be interested in what the twins were talking about.

“Er,” Harry said, not sure of the nature of the question. “I plan to...graduate...”

“I meant after Hogwarts, Harry dear. What are you going to do with your life?”

Harry knew he should have had an answer ready, but the truth was, he never really thought about it. On one hand, he didn’t want to think of a future that didn’t include Hogwarts. On the other hand, his future was with Hermione, so what he did for a living didn’t seem to be one of his main concerns. Of course, that didn’t stop other people from telling him what he should do with his life. Some people thought he was cut out to be an Auror, others thought he should be a Professor. The twins were constantly trying to get him into their joke shop and Hagrid was always trying to convince him to get into the Magical Creature business.

“I don’t know,” Harry replied honestly, not at all feeling the pressure of the question, as nowadays he was getting it more and more. “I haven’t put much thought into it.”

“Harry!” Molly exclaimed. “You only have a few short months before you decide. What happens when you graduate when you still have no idea what you want to do?”

Harry gave Molly a serene smile. “Oh,” he said, turning his smile to Hermione, whose interested face glowed with affection for him. “I reckon we’ll do just fine.”

*

Late that night when Harry returned to his home with Sirius, Remus and Hermione, they found Draco and Ginny on the sofa in the living room, chatting away animatedly. Harry loved watching them together. It gave him reassurance that he was right in helping Ginny. Not that he needed it. What he had seen earlier in Draco’s room was all the reassurance he would ever need.

Harry walked Ginny home, stopping in front of her house, still standing on the driveway so no one could overhear their conversation.

“Don’t you think your parents will get a little suspicious if they see you walking through the front door?” Harry asked her anxiously.

Ginny waved a hand, dismissing the idea immediately. “I’ll just tell them I needed some fresh air. Once I walk in and they see that I’m feeling better, they won’t care that I was outside. They’ll just assume that the fresh air did me some good after all.”

She sounded as though lying to her parents didn’t bother her, but Harry knew she was worried and sick to death of the need to lie. She frowned, looking anxious herself.

“What kind of a person am I if I can lie to my parents so frequently and so easily, Harry?” she whispered, her eyes glossing over with tears. "And not only them...but what about Ron?"

Harry didn’t say anything, and instead pulled her into his arms, hoping to chase away all the doubt and sadness in her life. Ginny sobbed quietly onto his shoulder as he rubbed her back and placed a kiss on the top of her head. A moment later she pulled back and looked up at him.

“Thanks, Harry. For everything. You and Hermione are two of the most amazing and understanding people in the world. Just one thing; what you said at the table, about your future...you said ‘we’ll do just fine.’ So you’re really serious about her, huh?”

Harry drew back, looking at her thoughtfully. “I never even realised I said it like that. But yes, I’m dead serious about her. She’s my other half, Ginny. Just as Draco is yours, right?”

Ginny nodded, another tear sliding down her cheek. “Were you ever scared, Harry? When you and Hermione first began? Did the thought of how much you loved her scare you so much that it left you in a panic? Like you’d be lost without her?” she said softly.

Harry couldn’t help but smile. He ran a thumb across her cheek to wipe away the tear and he nodded fervently. “I still feel that way. That feeling never goes away, Ginny. At least, I hope it never does.”

Ginny nodded in agreement, and she spoke with a desperation that shocked Harry.

“I’ve felt that way, I still feel that way, and if anything, it only gets stronger. When you love someone so much and so deeply, how can you wake up the next day and feel like that love has trippled?”

Harry looked at her with a brotherly sort of affection. “I don’t know, Ginny. And maybe that's a good thing, that we don't know the answer to that mystery. But I do know that there are a lot of things that are possible now because of Hermione. Things I never knew I could experience.” And then another thought hit Harry. “Are you having doubts?” he asked her suddenly.

She shook her head, pulling her hair back. “I’m so frightened, Harry,” she whispered shrilly, her eyes welling up with tears again. “I’m scared because I love him, because I’m not supposed to love him, because I’m lying to my whole family. And I’m scared that if I ever tell them about us, they’ll never let me see him ever again... and as much as I love my family, and you and Hermione...Leah,” she added, “my life would be over. I know that sounds awful... but I can’t help but feel that if he was suddenly wiped away from my life, if I could never see him again, then...” she trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

“As much as you may not believe it Ginny, I do understand. I know exactly what you mean. And for the record, your parents can’t prevent you from seeing him. First of all, they’re not like that. They love you too much to ruin your life by trying to control it. They would never make you live a life that you’d never want to lead. They love you, Ginny. And when the time comes to tell them, they'll find a way to support you. If I can do it, if Hermione can do it, then so can the people who have known you and loved you your whole life. That's what family is all about."

Ginny didn’t say anything, but she looked less anxious anyhow, which satisfied Harry.

“Now get back inside, before you do get sick,” Harry ordered her, and Ginny looked back up at him with a brighter smile lighting up her face. He smiled in return. “Now that looks like the Ginny I know,” he said.

Ginny gave an involuntary sniffle, whether it was due to her crying or the actual cold, Harry didn’t know. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Harry. Probably’d go mad,” she said.

“We’ll keep each other sane, how about that?” suggested Harry, smiling.

Ginny threw herself into his arms, and he returned the embrace, hoping that he had given her the reassurance that she had needed.

“Merry Christmas, bro. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, backing away slowly.

“Not if I see you first, sis. Good night,” he called, as she turned around and ran the rest of the way up the driveway to the Burrow.

He made sure she was at the door, waited for her to wave and enter the house before he turned and made his way back to his own house, his thoughts drifting on happy thoughts.

*

When Harry returned to his home, sleeping arrangements were made. Hermione would take Harry’s room, Remus would take Sirius’ room, and Draco would remain in the spare bedroom. Sirius and Harry, having no other choice, were perfectly content to camp out in the living room.

After everyone had gone to bed, Sirius cleared the floor and conjured mattresses and blankets for them to sleep on. After getting into their pajamas they laid down in their new beds, and as long and busy as Harry’s day was, he didn’t find himself the least bit tired. There were too many unsettled thoughts floating around in his brain. Most of them concerned his godfather.

A few more moments of silence passed, and then Sirius said, “Is there something bothering you?”

Harry smiled into the darkness. Sirius could be extremely perceptive when he wanted to be.

“With Draco being here, I still don’t know how you really feel about it. And even though you were really nice to him earlier, I still can’t help but worry that you’re going to Curse me in my sleep,” Harry said, slightly joking.

Sirius laughed through his nose. “I won’t curse you, Harry. And to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have been nice to Draco if I didn’t want to be.”

“Oh. So you’re not angry with me? Wait a minute,” Harry said quickly, “why would you want to be nice to Draco?”

Sirius laughed even harder now, covering his mouth to muffle the sound so as not to wake everyone upstairs.

“It's a long story...but mostly...I’m taking a page from your book,” Sirius told him, finally calming down enough to speak.

“My book? I don’t get it...” Harry puzzled.

His godfather looked at him in all seriousness. “You showed real integrity bringing Draco Malfoy here, Harry. And knowing that you did it for Ginny, and gave of yourself so willingly, it made me realise how truly proud of you I am.

“And not just because of your amazing magical abilities, but because of the kind of person you really are. You have a good heart, and while I’m always proud of you for everything that you do, whether it’s for your friends, family, the school, you manage to shock and surprise me every time I turn around.

“You may not see it now, Harry, but by letting Draco stay here, that’s going to lead your life down a very different path. You’ll see it someday, years from now. The goodness does triumph, and you’ve proven that to everyone here today.”

Harry felt too stunned to speak. He had never thought that he would gain anything from bringing Draco here. He was simply thinking of making Ginny happy. That was the one thing that was carrying him through with the plan.

“So tell me, Harry. I’m curious to know; you and Draco don’t seem to hate each other any more at all. Why?”

Harry didn’t hesitate in answering. It was as though he had been waiting for this question, and wanted nothing more than to answer it just to prove to Sirius that he had made the right decision.
“Like I said earlier, Draco’s not the same person he once was. Everyone deserves a second chance, and I think that Draco really wanted this second chance. He doesn’t have a good life at home. And everyone is always stuck on this idea that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But Draco can break that cycle. He doesn’t need to follow in his father’s footsteps, he doesn’t want to. At first, I was worried that he was simply using Ginny. But after seeing them together, Sirius; I know perfectly well that he can’t possibly be pretending to love Ginny. That’s why I trust him now.”

Harry paused a moment, letting the words sink in. He wanted his guardian to take him seriously.

“Just because Lucius Malfoy was a Slytherin, a Death Eater, and Merlin knows what else, doesn’t mean that Draco has to be the same way. Blood doesn’t count for that much. Take you and me for example.”

“What about us?” Sirius wondered, incredulous.

Feeling embarrassed and flustered, Harry answered. “You’re the only father that I’ve ever truly known, and we’re not blood related. The Durselys are my only living relatives, and they hated me with a passion. You’ve cared for me more than any other adult, and that makes you my father in every sense of the word.”

More silence followed. Then Sirius spoke in a very choked voice. “You really feel that way?”

Feeling more relieved than foolish, Harry replied, “Yes. I’ve always felt that way.”

The two smiled at each other, and Harry was relieved to find that his mind wasn’t full of worries or bad thoughts any more. Knowing that his godfather was not upset with him was a relief all on its own.

A few minutes later, when Harry was sure that Sirius was asleep, he whispered, "Goodnight, dad.”

Another moment passed, the silence deafening in the darkness as Harry felt sleep taking over. But before he surrendered to it, he heard the voice of his godfather, blissfully comforting in the darkness, warming him to his very core.

“Goodnight, son.”

To Be Continued...

***