Broken Friends

Molly sat down at the clean wooden table at the Burrow. Again she found herself drifting down the 'What Ifs?' and the 'If Only' paths of her life and again found Ginny, Harry and their children top of the list. The children would be starting Hogwarts soon; George had told her they had gotten their letters. Slowly, tears fell down her face. She had wasted all this time. She didn't know her grandsons, her daughter had grown into a beautiful woman, and her son-in-law was about to become the youngest Minister for Magic in two hundred years. She had missed her chance of reconciliation. Suddenly, the back door creaked open. Molly didn't look around; she assumed it was only Arthur who was out with studying his Muggle plugs again.

"Mum?" said a voice behind her.

Molly whipped around. Ginny was framed in the doorway, a black travelling cloak fastened at her neck. She looked nervous, her eyes wide and uncertain. Without thinking, Molly rushed over and hugged her tightly. Slowly Ginny sat down at the table while Molly made tea. They didn't speak until two steaming mugs of tea sat in front of them. Molly looked at Ginny for a long time. She hadn't changed much over the years. True, her figure was fuller, but it suited her.

"I'm sorry mum," said Ginny after a while, tears welling in her eyes.

"For what dear? You did nothing wrong. You found yourself a lovely man, and from what I hear you have a great family. I am the one who should be sorry Ginny. I claimed Harry was closer than a son to me, but when he needed me most I turned him away. I abandoned my daughter, my grandsons and my obligations as a mother, and I regretted ever since."

Ginny smiled, though tears were spilling down her face.

"How about you and dad come home with me to Grimmauld Place. Harry is expecting us, and I know he wants to be on speaking terms with you again, mum, and I'd swear away every last Knut I have he misses Ron and Hermione."

***

FIVE MINUTES LATER

With a crack, Molly Weasley appeared in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. It was spotlessly clean and brightly lit. It looked so different from when it was used for The Order of the Phoenix. Voices issued from the sitting room above them, but before they had made it to the door, Dobby the house elf had appeared before them, a wide toothy grin on his face.

"Master is expecting you in the sitting room. Shall Dobby be getting dinner for two more people miss?" he piped.

"Yes, thank you Dobby," said Ginny.

Dobby then bowed away from them. Catching the look on her mother's face Ginny said, "Dobby became our house elf ten years ago. And I am fully aware that Hermione is trying to get a decree pushed through that gives elf's greater rights."

In the sitting room, a fire burned brightly in the fireplace. Harry was sitting in front of the fire reading a book entitled "Macbeth ~ A tragedy by William Shakespeare." Sitting in a couch across from him were three boys with almond shaped hazel eyes and very untidy black hair. Each had a book in his lap- and all three books were about Quidditch. A smile tugged at Molly's lips.

"Boys," Ginny said, "there is someone I would like you to meet."

Molly's time had come, and she accepted it with open arms. This was her time. The faults of the past could be mended now.

***

In a little house outside London, Ron and Hermione were talking about the one subject that had permeated their conversations for over eleven years. They had found Molly had turned cold whenever Harry's name was mentioned. And when his sons ~ Harry JR, Sirius and James were mention the reaction was startling. She refused to acknowledge Harry and Ginny's marriage, so she considered their son's illegitimate, and she had ranted on about this subject for several minutes on more than one occasion. Ron and Hermione wanted desperately to be friendly with Harry, but they had seen Molly's reaction to Fred and George and they didn't want that commotion in their house. Just then there was a loud crack and Molly and Arthur had apparated in the kitchen beside them. Molly broken down crying and between sobs said,

"Tomorrow, you are going to see Harry and Ginny."