The Happy Place, Part One
Title: The Happy Place
Travel Destination: Whistler, Canada
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco; implied Neville/Pansy; former Harry/Ginny and Draco/Astoria
Summary: When Ginny wants a trial separation, Harry takes the kids to Canada to ski, never expecting to meet his former rival there.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 5762
Author's Notes: This was fun, and although I’ve never been to Whistler, I’ve been to numerous ski resorts here in Colorado, and I enjoyed thinking of things I’d do if I had magic. Thanks to Jocelyn (groolover ) for a wonderful beta job! I appreciate it very much!
Originally written for the HP Travel Fest 2010
“Are you packed yet? Don’t forget your winter woollies,” Harry told Lily, looking at the mess on her bed. Lily’s lower lip stuck out, trembling a bit.
“Why isn’t Mummy coming?”
Harry sighed and tried to keep his irritation from showing. This ‘trial’ separation wasn’t his idea. Even though he knew they weren’t happy, he would have preferred to work on it, rather than just give up.
“She’s spending time with Gran and Grandad - she wants us to have fun, and she doesn’t like to ski.” Truth was, Harry didn’t know if he liked to ski, either. He’d never done it before. He’d never done any of this before, and taking three children to Canada by himself wasn’t his first choice for a winter holiday, but Albus had found a brochure about Whistler Resort in Canada, and now they were going. Harry knelt before Lily, smoothing her red hair. “Come on, sweetie. You can do this. And think how much fun it will be to see Albus and James again - we’ll have a great time together.”
Lily’s brown eyes met his, and after a second, she nodded. “All right.”
Two and a half hours later, after collecting James and Albus from Platform 9 ¾, Harry and his kids waited in line at the International Portkey Station. Harry tried to relax, tried to stop thinking about his frustration with Ginny and her unfulfilled needs (as she called them) which had brought them to this point. He remembered the five of them, waiting on the platform just a few months ago when Albus and James left for Hogwarts. He knew they presented the perfect family to the wizarding world, but already things were tough. Ginny had been growing more and more distant in the past couple of years, and although Harry had suggested everything he could think of to help, she’d withdrawn from him emotionally until he wasn’t sure if there was anything left there.
“Harry Potter,” the woman at the desk called, and Harry took Lily’s hand and gestured the boys forward.
“Let’s go,” he said. James frowned, but Albus met his eyes with an understanding look. Harry managed a fleeting smile, and then the four of them took the pot handle and whirled off.
**
Their room at the only wizarding resort in Whistler was amazing. Even James stopped scowling enough to cheer at the sunken whirlpool tub in their bathroom. The view from their large living room suite balcony showed dark pines standing out amongst the falling snow beneath a heavy grey sky. Harry let the beauty of the mountains seep into his soul, trying to put aside the weariness that came with knowing he was on his own with three kids for a week.
That night, they ate a meal in their room. All three kids seemed to enjoy the food, even though it was different from home. Harry hoped they didn’t notice how little he ate. He put Lily to bed right after dinner, knowing she’d be tired from the travelling. Then he sat down with James and Albus. They hadn’t talked much since Albus had started at Hogwarts in September, with only two Floo calls since then.
“You’re getting divorced, aren’t you?” James asked, before Harry could say a word.
Harry sighed. “I don’t know, Jamie. At this point, I only know your mum isn’t happy.”
“Well, do something!” James gave his father a dark look. “Stop working so much and spend time with Mum.”
Harry swallowed. “I’ve offered to do that - I even took off a couple of weeks last year -”
Albus snorted. “That worked well,” he muttered. James glared at him, and Albus shrugged. “It’s not Dad’s fault, Jamie. I’ve told you that over and over. You think he should be able to solve Mum’s problems, but Mum doesn’t want them solved.”
Harry’s mouth dropped open. How did Albus know this?
Al seemed to know what his father was thinking. “I’m not an idiot, Dad. Besides….” He bit his lip, suddenly looking uncertain.
“What?” Harry looked at his quiet son, the Slytherin who had accepted his place in Hogwarts with surprising ease, especially after his fears on Platform 9 ¾.
Albus took a deep breath. “I saw her. I saw her and Wood,” he blurted.
Harry’s eyes widened and his breath caught as he realised what Albus meant. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. And then James punched his brother. “You take that back! You’re lying!”
Al held his hand to his nose, blood seeping between his fingers, looking at his dad with sadness in those green eyes. Harry quickly took out his wand and murmured, “Episkey.” Then he summoned a cloth, dampened it with the tip of his wand, and handed it to Al.
He turned to James and put his hands on his son’s shoulders. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said quietly. James’ brown eyes filled, but he didn’t cry.
“He has to be lying,” he whispered.
Harry swallowed. “But he’s not.” Now everything made more sense. He’d never even considered that Ginny would cheat on him, but the fact that he wasn’t surprised let him know that deep down, maybe he’d already known.
Later that night, when both boys had been calmed and Harry got them into their own beds, he stood in front of the window. All the lights were out, and it was just him and the gently falling snow. Harry let his thoughts drift, not really feeling or thinking. But by the time he went to bed, he’d accepted that his marriage with Ginny was over - had been over for some time now. He knew he had to let it go and move on with life.
As he slipped into his bed, feeling the emptiness on the other side, he wondered one thing - why is it companionship rather than Ginny herself that I miss?
**
Teaching three kids to ski when he didn’t really know how to do it himself was not fun, Harry learned the next morning. They’d only been on the slopes for two hours, and every part of him ached. James and Al, thankfully, had enough athletic ability to manage mostly on their own, as long as they stuck to the learning hill. But Lily clung to Harry, wobbling and jerking, letting her legs slide apart and claiming she couldn’t get up on her own when she fell. Harry’s back was killing him. He looked up at the cloudy skies, wondering how he’d possibly make it through five days of this.
“Hey, Al!” came a call.
“Score!” Al replied before easily poling over to the blond boy.
“Oh, shit,” James muttered. “That prat.”
“Jamie!” Harry gave his son a look. “Don’t use language like that in front of your sister,” he said. Then he realised who ‘Score’ must be. “Oh, shit.”
James smirked. “Really, Dad?”
Harry ignored him, trying to get Lily up on her feet before Scorpius and his father, Draco Malfoy, reached them. Harry had seen Malfoy around quite a bit during the autumn, to his surprise. He’d managed to go most of the nineteen years since the war with less than a handful of meetings, but for some reason, they’d run into each other more than that lately. Malfoy, moving with grace and easy speed, came to a stop right in front of Harry, spraying him a bit with snow.
“Potter,” he said, a slight smirk on his lips.
“Malfoy,” Harry replied. James folded his arms, glaring at Scorpius, who’d come to a smooth stop next to his father. Al caught up a second later, almost falling over. Scorpius laughed, grabbing his arm to help him stay up.
“What brings the Potters to this part of the world?” Malfoy asked. “And where’s the lovely Ginevra - in the lodge, warming her toes?”
Harry couldn’t hold back a grimace, and James’ scowl deepened. To Harry’s surprise, Malfoy’s eyes widened a bit and he looked almost apologetic for a second. Then his expression smoothed, and the usual smirk returned. “Or perhaps she couldn’t make the family trip, no?”
“She’s leaving us,” Al said into the silence, his voice calm. “She’s not a part of our family any more.”
“Al!” Harry exclaimed, just as Lily caught on.
“What do you mean? She’s not leaving me?” Lily said, tears already forming.
“Oh, god,” Harry muttered, heat rising in his cheeks.
“Hey, Al,” Scorpius said quickly, “Why don’t you come with me? I bet I could teach you how to ski really fast.”
“Can I, Dad?” Albus asked. Harry nodded, not meeting Malfoy’s eyes.
James cleared his throat. “Maybe I could come too?” he asked, with a hint of shame.
Al threw his arm around James’ shoulders. “Of course, you can, right, Score?”
Scorpius managed not to sneer, though Harry could see it in his eyes. “Sure,” he said, without the enthusiasm he’d held for Al.
“We meet back at the lodge in two hours,” Malfoy said, tapping Scorpius’s hand with the tip of his wand, which he had stored up his sleeve. “And I still have the tracer on you, so no funny stuff.”
Scorpius rolled his eyes before schooling his features. “I know, Father.”
“Um, James and Albus are just learning -” Harry began.
Malfoy waved his hand. “Scorpius has been skiing since he was a tyke. He’ll take care of them.”
James frowned. “We’re not stupid, Dad. We can do this.”
Harry sighed, just wanting all this to be over. “Fine. Be careful.” He murmured a wandless incantation, similar to a tracer, which would let him know if they were hurt or afraid. “I can find you, if I need to.”
Albus gave him a fast hug. “Talk to Mr. Malfoy, Dad. His wife left him too,” he whispered in Harry’s ear. “Maybe you’ll find your happy place after all this.”
Harry blinked, shocked, and then the boys were gone. That was their joke, his and Albus’s. He used to tell him, when Al was little, that everyone had a happy place deep inside them, a place they could visit when life got hard. It came up the first time when James got his first play date and Al had to stay home. How had Albus noticed that Harry wasn’t happy? And how long had he been unhappy?
Lily pulled on his hand. “I’m tired, Daddy. I want some hot chocolate.”
Malfoy knelt down, his hands on his poles for balance. “Hot chocolate sounds perfect, and I know just the place to find some.” He stood back up, raising his brows at Harry. “Trust me?” he asked, a smirk on his face.
Harry sighed and shrugged. Weary to the core, he gave up and watched as Malfoy undid Lily’s skis and showed her how to walk with a swagger in the ski boots while easily lifting her skis onto his shoulder. Harry followed clumsily as they skied in the opposite direction of the lodge, Lily carefully held just above the snow by Malfoy. At what appeared to be the edge of the forest beyond the beginners' hill, Malfoy waved his hand and murmured a few words Harry couldn’t hear. Then he beckoned to Lily. “Just step through. We’ll be right behind you.”
Similar to the barrier at Platform 9 ¾, Harry felt himself pushing through something into a large room, bounded by windows which magically looked at all the different ski runs throughout Whistler. A huge fire burned at one end, and tables and couches lay scattered throughout. When Malfoy bent down to take off Lily’s boots, Harry finally shook off his stupor and brushed his hands away. “I’ll do it,” he said.
Soon they sat on a sofa before one of the windows, drinking steaming cocoa while watching James, Al and Scorpius through the magical window. “Was this in the brochure?” Harry murmured, still a little shocked.
Malfoy smirked. “You came here without knowing what it entailed?” he asked. “Typical.”
“We needed to get away, and this was the brochure I saw. Plus, Neville came here last year with Pansy, you know.”
Malfoy nodded. “We were with them,” he said, a hint of smugness in his voice.
Harry sighed. “Of course, you were.”
Malfoy glanced at Lily sitting between them. “There’s a special activity room in the back, behind the fireplace. You might like that - they have wizard skiing lessons back there.”
Lily nodded. “Can I, Daddy?”
Harry hesitated, but he quickly realised that Malfoy wasn’t interested in hurting a child. “Sure, Lilykins. Go on back.”
As soon as they were alone, Malfoy scooted closer, keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry to hear about your wife.”
“What did you hear?” Harry asked in an even tone, his eyes on the boys as they manoeuvred their way down the hill.
“Scorpius told me he and Albus saw her with Wood in Hogsmeade recently. It was a - friendly meeting.”
Harry closed his eyes. Fitting, he thought. My childhood rival being the one to know first. “How did Albus take it then?”
Malfoy’s lips tightened on the rim of his mug. “I believe it was difficult. Fortunately, he and Scorpius have become good friends, and Scorpius was able to help.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “I bet you loved hearing that your son had befriended mine - and better yet, my wife was cheating on me in front of them.” Then his laughter began to take over, and Harry knew he was losing it.
Malfoy put his hand on Harry’s arm. “Breathe,” he murmured, casting a quiet Notice-Me-Not spell, even though the lodge was mostly empty.
Harry set down his mug and put his face in his hands. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.
“Infidelity is never pretty,” Malfoy said, and the understanding in his voice undid Harry, whose breath hitched in a sob.
“When?” he managed, trying to get himself under control.
“Three years ago,” Malfoy said. “Though in all fairness, I hadn’t touched her since Scorpius was conceived, so I suppose it was at least partly my fault.”
That got Harry’s attention. “Why didn’t you touch her? Didn’t you love her?”
Malfoy put his mug down, as well, and turned to face Harry, his grey eyes serious. “My parents arranged our marriage. I liked her, yes, but I never loved her, not like that.” His gaze flicked away for a second, before he sighed. “I’m gay, however, so there was never much chance for a deep love between us.”
Harry’s jaw dropped, and it took a second before he could speak. “Why on earth did you marry a woman then?”
A smile teased Malfoy’s lips. “Well, that certainly wasn’t the reaction I expected from you, Potter.”
Confused, Harry asked, “What do you mean?”
“I figured that once you discovered your arch-nemesis, whom you hated with a passion throughout Hogwarts, admitted something defamatory like that, you’d be filled with all sorts of glee and plans for revenge.”
Harry blinked, trying to absorb all that. “I don’t hate you,” he said, choosing the easiest part of it. “I never hated you.”
Malfoy’s eyebrows shot up. “I seem to remember some painful curses which said otherwise.”
Harry felt the heat pour into his cheeks again. “Right. About that - I’m sorry, you know. I never - I didn’t know - I’m sorry.” He looked at his lap, again feeling the weight of the world.
Long, slender fingers came into view, and Malfoy touched Harry’s arm. “God, Potter, I didn’t mean to give you a guilt trip.”
Harry almost laughed at that. Malfoy was surprising, and right now, surprising was helpful. “I’m sorry your wife left you,” he said, looking up.
Malfoy gave a slight smile. “She didn’t leave. I asked her to leave, once her infidelity became known. We had an agreement, and she broke it. I could have lived with it if she’d kept it secret, but the moment she veered toward the public spotlight, I had to end it.”
“Oh.” Harry wasn’t sure what to say to that. Malfoy didn’t even sound upset, but then he wouldn’t be. After all, he’d told Harry he wasn’t in love with her.
“You seem to be taking this awfully well,” Malfoy said after the silence stretched on for a couple of minutes. “I remember your family looking quite cosy in September, but then, I know how deceiving appearances can be.”
Of course, Harry thought. He’d seen Malfoy and his wife - ex-wife - on the platform, as well. “I didn’t know in September. I didn’t know until last night, when Al said something.”
Malfoy’s mouth dropped open. “Why aren’t you - Merlin, aren’t you furious?”
Harry shrugged, catching a glimpse of a spectacular fall from James in the window and watching as James lay on his back, shaking his head in disgust. “I guess he’s okay,” he murmured, not looking at Malfoy.
“Potter - Harry.”
Harry looked into those grey eyes and felt a strange warmth in his stomach. He blinked, pushing the weirdness away. “What?”
“Are you - do you love Ginevra?”
“Of course….” Harry paused.
hdwriter.livejournal.com/2064.html (part two)
Travel Destination: Whistler, Canada
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco; implied Neville/Pansy; former Harry/Ginny and Draco/Astoria
Summary: When Ginny wants a trial separation, Harry takes the kids to Canada to ski, never expecting to meet his former rival there.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 5762
Author's Notes: This was fun, and although I’ve never been to Whistler, I’ve been to numerous ski resorts here in Colorado, and I enjoyed thinking of things I’d do if I had magic. Thanks to Jocelyn (groolover ) for a wonderful beta job! I appreciate it very much!
Originally written for the HP Travel Fest 2010
“Are you packed yet? Don’t forget your winter woollies,” Harry told Lily, looking at the mess on her bed. Lily’s lower lip stuck out, trembling a bit.
“Why isn’t Mummy coming?”
Harry sighed and tried to keep his irritation from showing. This ‘trial’ separation wasn’t his idea. Even though he knew they weren’t happy, he would have preferred to work on it, rather than just give up.
“She’s spending time with Gran and Grandad - she wants us to have fun, and she doesn’t like to ski.” Truth was, Harry didn’t know if he liked to ski, either. He’d never done it before. He’d never done any of this before, and taking three children to Canada by himself wasn’t his first choice for a winter holiday, but Albus had found a brochure about Whistler Resort in Canada, and now they were going. Harry knelt before Lily, smoothing her red hair. “Come on, sweetie. You can do this. And think how much fun it will be to see Albus and James again - we’ll have a great time together.”
Lily’s brown eyes met his, and after a second, she nodded. “All right.”
Two and a half hours later, after collecting James and Albus from Platform 9 ¾, Harry and his kids waited in line at the International Portkey Station. Harry tried to relax, tried to stop thinking about his frustration with Ginny and her unfulfilled needs (as she called them) which had brought them to this point. He remembered the five of them, waiting on the platform just a few months ago when Albus and James left for Hogwarts. He knew they presented the perfect family to the wizarding world, but already things were tough. Ginny had been growing more and more distant in the past couple of years, and although Harry had suggested everything he could think of to help, she’d withdrawn from him emotionally until he wasn’t sure if there was anything left there.
“Harry Potter,” the woman at the desk called, and Harry took Lily’s hand and gestured the boys forward.
“Let’s go,” he said. James frowned, but Albus met his eyes with an understanding look. Harry managed a fleeting smile, and then the four of them took the pot handle and whirled off.
**
Their room at the only wizarding resort in Whistler was amazing. Even James stopped scowling enough to cheer at the sunken whirlpool tub in their bathroom. The view from their large living room suite balcony showed dark pines standing out amongst the falling snow beneath a heavy grey sky. Harry let the beauty of the mountains seep into his soul, trying to put aside the weariness that came with knowing he was on his own with three kids for a week.
That night, they ate a meal in their room. All three kids seemed to enjoy the food, even though it was different from home. Harry hoped they didn’t notice how little he ate. He put Lily to bed right after dinner, knowing she’d be tired from the travelling. Then he sat down with James and Albus. They hadn’t talked much since Albus had started at Hogwarts in September, with only two Floo calls since then.
“You’re getting divorced, aren’t you?” James asked, before Harry could say a word.
Harry sighed. “I don’t know, Jamie. At this point, I only know your mum isn’t happy.”
“Well, do something!” James gave his father a dark look. “Stop working so much and spend time with Mum.”
Harry swallowed. “I’ve offered to do that - I even took off a couple of weeks last year -”
Albus snorted. “That worked well,” he muttered. James glared at him, and Albus shrugged. “It’s not Dad’s fault, Jamie. I’ve told you that over and over. You think he should be able to solve Mum’s problems, but Mum doesn’t want them solved.”
Harry’s mouth dropped open. How did Albus know this?
Al seemed to know what his father was thinking. “I’m not an idiot, Dad. Besides….” He bit his lip, suddenly looking uncertain.
“What?” Harry looked at his quiet son, the Slytherin who had accepted his place in Hogwarts with surprising ease, especially after his fears on Platform 9 ¾.
Albus took a deep breath. “I saw her. I saw her and Wood,” he blurted.
Harry’s eyes widened and his breath caught as he realised what Albus meant. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. And then James punched his brother. “You take that back! You’re lying!”
Al held his hand to his nose, blood seeping between his fingers, looking at his dad with sadness in those green eyes. Harry quickly took out his wand and murmured, “Episkey.” Then he summoned a cloth, dampened it with the tip of his wand, and handed it to Al.
He turned to James and put his hands on his son’s shoulders. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said quietly. James’ brown eyes filled, but he didn’t cry.
“He has to be lying,” he whispered.
Harry swallowed. “But he’s not.” Now everything made more sense. He’d never even considered that Ginny would cheat on him, but the fact that he wasn’t surprised let him know that deep down, maybe he’d already known.
Later that night, when both boys had been calmed and Harry got them into their own beds, he stood in front of the window. All the lights were out, and it was just him and the gently falling snow. Harry let his thoughts drift, not really feeling or thinking. But by the time he went to bed, he’d accepted that his marriage with Ginny was over - had been over for some time now. He knew he had to let it go and move on with life.
As he slipped into his bed, feeling the emptiness on the other side, he wondered one thing - why is it companionship rather than Ginny herself that I miss?
**
Teaching three kids to ski when he didn’t really know how to do it himself was not fun, Harry learned the next morning. They’d only been on the slopes for two hours, and every part of him ached. James and Al, thankfully, had enough athletic ability to manage mostly on their own, as long as they stuck to the learning hill. But Lily clung to Harry, wobbling and jerking, letting her legs slide apart and claiming she couldn’t get up on her own when she fell. Harry’s back was killing him. He looked up at the cloudy skies, wondering how he’d possibly make it through five days of this.
“Hey, Al!” came a call.
“Score!” Al replied before easily poling over to the blond boy.
“Oh, shit,” James muttered. “That prat.”
“Jamie!” Harry gave his son a look. “Don’t use language like that in front of your sister,” he said. Then he realised who ‘Score’ must be. “Oh, shit.”
James smirked. “Really, Dad?”
Harry ignored him, trying to get Lily up on her feet before Scorpius and his father, Draco Malfoy, reached them. Harry had seen Malfoy around quite a bit during the autumn, to his surprise. He’d managed to go most of the nineteen years since the war with less than a handful of meetings, but for some reason, they’d run into each other more than that lately. Malfoy, moving with grace and easy speed, came to a stop right in front of Harry, spraying him a bit with snow.
“Potter,” he said, a slight smirk on his lips.
“Malfoy,” Harry replied. James folded his arms, glaring at Scorpius, who’d come to a smooth stop next to his father. Al caught up a second later, almost falling over. Scorpius laughed, grabbing his arm to help him stay up.
“What brings the Potters to this part of the world?” Malfoy asked. “And where’s the lovely Ginevra - in the lodge, warming her toes?”
Harry couldn’t hold back a grimace, and James’ scowl deepened. To Harry’s surprise, Malfoy’s eyes widened a bit and he looked almost apologetic for a second. Then his expression smoothed, and the usual smirk returned. “Or perhaps she couldn’t make the family trip, no?”
“She’s leaving us,” Al said into the silence, his voice calm. “She’s not a part of our family any more.”
“Al!” Harry exclaimed, just as Lily caught on.
“What do you mean? She’s not leaving me?” Lily said, tears already forming.
“Oh, god,” Harry muttered, heat rising in his cheeks.
“Hey, Al,” Scorpius said quickly, “Why don’t you come with me? I bet I could teach you how to ski really fast.”
“Can I, Dad?” Albus asked. Harry nodded, not meeting Malfoy’s eyes.
James cleared his throat. “Maybe I could come too?” he asked, with a hint of shame.
Al threw his arm around James’ shoulders. “Of course, you can, right, Score?”
Scorpius managed not to sneer, though Harry could see it in his eyes. “Sure,” he said, without the enthusiasm he’d held for Al.
“We meet back at the lodge in two hours,” Malfoy said, tapping Scorpius’s hand with the tip of his wand, which he had stored up his sleeve. “And I still have the tracer on you, so no funny stuff.”
Scorpius rolled his eyes before schooling his features. “I know, Father.”
“Um, James and Albus are just learning -” Harry began.
Malfoy waved his hand. “Scorpius has been skiing since he was a tyke. He’ll take care of them.”
James frowned. “We’re not stupid, Dad. We can do this.”
Harry sighed, just wanting all this to be over. “Fine. Be careful.” He murmured a wandless incantation, similar to a tracer, which would let him know if they were hurt or afraid. “I can find you, if I need to.”
Albus gave him a fast hug. “Talk to Mr. Malfoy, Dad. His wife left him too,” he whispered in Harry’s ear. “Maybe you’ll find your happy place after all this.”
Harry blinked, shocked, and then the boys were gone. That was their joke, his and Albus’s. He used to tell him, when Al was little, that everyone had a happy place deep inside them, a place they could visit when life got hard. It came up the first time when James got his first play date and Al had to stay home. How had Albus noticed that Harry wasn’t happy? And how long had he been unhappy?
Lily pulled on his hand. “I’m tired, Daddy. I want some hot chocolate.”
Malfoy knelt down, his hands on his poles for balance. “Hot chocolate sounds perfect, and I know just the place to find some.” He stood back up, raising his brows at Harry. “Trust me?” he asked, a smirk on his face.
Harry sighed and shrugged. Weary to the core, he gave up and watched as Malfoy undid Lily’s skis and showed her how to walk with a swagger in the ski boots while easily lifting her skis onto his shoulder. Harry followed clumsily as they skied in the opposite direction of the lodge, Lily carefully held just above the snow by Malfoy. At what appeared to be the edge of the forest beyond the beginners' hill, Malfoy waved his hand and murmured a few words Harry couldn’t hear. Then he beckoned to Lily. “Just step through. We’ll be right behind you.”
Similar to the barrier at Platform 9 ¾, Harry felt himself pushing through something into a large room, bounded by windows which magically looked at all the different ski runs throughout Whistler. A huge fire burned at one end, and tables and couches lay scattered throughout. When Malfoy bent down to take off Lily’s boots, Harry finally shook off his stupor and brushed his hands away. “I’ll do it,” he said.
Soon they sat on a sofa before one of the windows, drinking steaming cocoa while watching James, Al and Scorpius through the magical window. “Was this in the brochure?” Harry murmured, still a little shocked.
Malfoy smirked. “You came here without knowing what it entailed?” he asked. “Typical.”
“We needed to get away, and this was the brochure I saw. Plus, Neville came here last year with Pansy, you know.”
Malfoy nodded. “We were with them,” he said, a hint of smugness in his voice.
Harry sighed. “Of course, you were.”
Malfoy glanced at Lily sitting between them. “There’s a special activity room in the back, behind the fireplace. You might like that - they have wizard skiing lessons back there.”
Lily nodded. “Can I, Daddy?”
Harry hesitated, but he quickly realised that Malfoy wasn’t interested in hurting a child. “Sure, Lilykins. Go on back.”
As soon as they were alone, Malfoy scooted closer, keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry to hear about your wife.”
“What did you hear?” Harry asked in an even tone, his eyes on the boys as they manoeuvred their way down the hill.
“Scorpius told me he and Albus saw her with Wood in Hogsmeade recently. It was a - friendly meeting.”
Harry closed his eyes. Fitting, he thought. My childhood rival being the one to know first. “How did Albus take it then?”
Malfoy’s lips tightened on the rim of his mug. “I believe it was difficult. Fortunately, he and Scorpius have become good friends, and Scorpius was able to help.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “I bet you loved hearing that your son had befriended mine - and better yet, my wife was cheating on me in front of them.” Then his laughter began to take over, and Harry knew he was losing it.
Malfoy put his hand on Harry’s arm. “Breathe,” he murmured, casting a quiet Notice-Me-Not spell, even though the lodge was mostly empty.
Harry set down his mug and put his face in his hands. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.
“Infidelity is never pretty,” Malfoy said, and the understanding in his voice undid Harry, whose breath hitched in a sob.
“When?” he managed, trying to get himself under control.
“Three years ago,” Malfoy said. “Though in all fairness, I hadn’t touched her since Scorpius was conceived, so I suppose it was at least partly my fault.”
That got Harry’s attention. “Why didn’t you touch her? Didn’t you love her?”
Malfoy put his mug down, as well, and turned to face Harry, his grey eyes serious. “My parents arranged our marriage. I liked her, yes, but I never loved her, not like that.” His gaze flicked away for a second, before he sighed. “I’m gay, however, so there was never much chance for a deep love between us.”
Harry’s jaw dropped, and it took a second before he could speak. “Why on earth did you marry a woman then?”
A smile teased Malfoy’s lips. “Well, that certainly wasn’t the reaction I expected from you, Potter.”
Confused, Harry asked, “What do you mean?”
“I figured that once you discovered your arch-nemesis, whom you hated with a passion throughout Hogwarts, admitted something defamatory like that, you’d be filled with all sorts of glee and plans for revenge.”
Harry blinked, trying to absorb all that. “I don’t hate you,” he said, choosing the easiest part of it. “I never hated you.”
Malfoy’s eyebrows shot up. “I seem to remember some painful curses which said otherwise.”
Harry felt the heat pour into his cheeks again. “Right. About that - I’m sorry, you know. I never - I didn’t know - I’m sorry.” He looked at his lap, again feeling the weight of the world.
Long, slender fingers came into view, and Malfoy touched Harry’s arm. “God, Potter, I didn’t mean to give you a guilt trip.”
Harry almost laughed at that. Malfoy was surprising, and right now, surprising was helpful. “I’m sorry your wife left you,” he said, looking up.
Malfoy gave a slight smile. “She didn’t leave. I asked her to leave, once her infidelity became known. We had an agreement, and she broke it. I could have lived with it if she’d kept it secret, but the moment she veered toward the public spotlight, I had to end it.”
“Oh.” Harry wasn’t sure what to say to that. Malfoy didn’t even sound upset, but then he wouldn’t be. After all, he’d told Harry he wasn’t in love with her.
“You seem to be taking this awfully well,” Malfoy said after the silence stretched on for a couple of minutes. “I remember your family looking quite cosy in September, but then, I know how deceiving appearances can be.”
Of course, Harry thought. He’d seen Malfoy and his wife - ex-wife - on the platform, as well. “I didn’t know in September. I didn’t know until last night, when Al said something.”
Malfoy’s mouth dropped open. “Why aren’t you - Merlin, aren’t you furious?”
Harry shrugged, catching a glimpse of a spectacular fall from James in the window and watching as James lay on his back, shaking his head in disgust. “I guess he’s okay,” he murmured, not looking at Malfoy.
“Potter - Harry.”
Harry looked into those grey eyes and felt a strange warmth in his stomach. He blinked, pushing the weirdness away. “What?”
“Are you - do you love Ginevra?”
“Of course….” Harry paused.
hdwriter.livejournal.com/2064.html (part two)