Strength (H/D, PG)
Title: Strength
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~730
Pairing/Characters: Harry/Draco, Harry/Ginny (implied)
Summary: Harry finally gathers the strength to do what has been coming for years. DH compliant; epilogue ambiguous.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Challenges: Written for the AWDT's prompts of:
"Awwww, Mum! Do I have to?"
"Just stand there and don't speak, sweetie."
"I can't do this anymore."
"S/He could hear music in the background."
"Because I said so."
"You have an appointment tomorrow afternoon."
He could hear music in the background as he approached the sitting room door. Hoping Ginny was alone, Harry steeled himself for the upcoming conversation.
"Awwww, Mum! Do I have to?" he heard Lily whinge.
"Just stand there and don't speak, sweetie," Ginny replied in an irritated voice. Ah, yes, she must be measuring the dress for Saturday's gala. Harry sighed. Another gala. Merlin, but he was sick of them.
"But why, Mum?"
"Because I said so."
"But can't you just magic it right?"
"No, Lily, I can't, and you should know that by now. I need to measure and pin the dress first. Only then can I magic it right, as you so eloquently put it."
Harry walked away, knowing he'd need to choose a more opportune moment for this discussion.
~*~*~
"You have an appointment tomorrow afternoon," Ginny reminded him as he re-entered the kitchen, Lily having finally nodded off to sleep.
"I can't do this anymore," Harry said without preamble.
"Really, Harry, have you no tact?" Apparently Ginny had been expecting this.
Gritting his teeth and holding firm, he replied, "You know very well that I don't, Ginny, which is only one of the reasons this isn't working. I have no tact, you have no tact, and we snap at each other every moment the children aren't around. When they are in the vicinity, we are so ... artificial that I can't stand it. I need to --"
"You need?!" Ginny spat. "You?! What about me? What about the kids? What about --"
"Enough, Ginny. Haven't you had enough? How long can you live the lie? How long can you live like this, knowing that our love faded away years ago?"
"Until Lily goes to school, Harry, please," she pleaded.
"I can't do it, Gin. Not any more."
"What's changed? Why all of a sudden?"
"It's not sudden and we both know it. We've been miserable, or at least existing rather than living, for years."
"But we agreed --"
"No, Ginny, we never did. You said it and I gave up arguing with you. I had no compelling reason to fight about it then."
"And now you do?"
Harry took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. He knew it would hurt her, but he couldn't lie, not to Ginny. "Now I do."
Her lips pursed together, her eyes blinked back tears, and her face went red. Never a good sign. She took several long, cleansing breaths before looking him straight in the eye. "Who is she?"
Harry cleared his throat. "He."
"Excuse me?"
"Who is he?"
"Are you saying? You can't ... you're not ... ohmygod. I'm going to be sick." She ran out of the room.
"Ginny, wait. Let me explain."
"Get out!" she whispered, but for all the venom in her voice it resonated louder than a scream. "You want out? Fine. Leave. And don't ever come back." She ran up the stairs clutching her stomach.
Harry waved his wand and the few items he hadn't already sent on ahead flew into his hands. He knew Ginny was angry. He knew she was hurt. But this had been coming for a long time. He left her the note he had written three days ago. In it he explained that he had fallen in love, but that nothing had happened. Nothing would happen while he was with her. He knew it wouldn't make things easier, but at least she would know that he hadn't cheated on her. Well, not physically anyway.
She would eventually calm down. He doubted she would ever get over it, but he hoped she would do what was best for the children. And if not ... well, he had the best lawyer in town at his disposal, and he would make sure the children didn't lose their father.
Smiling as he entered the office of Draco Malfoy - Family Law, Harry felt lighter than he had in years. The man he loved, the one whose love had given Harry the strength to do what he should have done years before, looked up at him questioningly. Harry held up his belongings and nodded. Draco smiled reassuringly at him.
It would be a long and bitter battle ahead, he knew, but with Draco by his side, Harry had hope. And right now, that was all he could ask for.
.
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~730
Pairing/Characters: Harry/Draco, Harry/Ginny (implied)
Summary: Harry finally gathers the strength to do what has been coming for years. DH compliant; epilogue ambiguous.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Challenges: Written for the AWDT's prompts of:
"Awwww, Mum! Do I have to?"
"Just stand there and don't speak, sweetie."
"I can't do this anymore."
"S/He could hear music in the background."
"Because I said so."
"You have an appointment tomorrow afternoon."
He could hear music in the background as he approached the sitting room door. Hoping Ginny was alone, Harry steeled himself for the upcoming conversation.
"Awwww, Mum! Do I have to?" he heard Lily whinge.
"Just stand there and don't speak, sweetie," Ginny replied in an irritated voice. Ah, yes, she must be measuring the dress for Saturday's gala. Harry sighed. Another gala. Merlin, but he was sick of them.
"But why, Mum?"
"Because I said so."
"But can't you just magic it right?"
"No, Lily, I can't, and you should know that by now. I need to measure and pin the dress first. Only then can I magic it right, as you so eloquently put it."
Harry walked away, knowing he'd need to choose a more opportune moment for this discussion.
~*~*~
"You have an appointment tomorrow afternoon," Ginny reminded him as he re-entered the kitchen, Lily having finally nodded off to sleep.
"I can't do this anymore," Harry said without preamble.
"Really, Harry, have you no tact?" Apparently Ginny had been expecting this.
Gritting his teeth and holding firm, he replied, "You know very well that I don't, Ginny, which is only one of the reasons this isn't working. I have no tact, you have no tact, and we snap at each other every moment the children aren't around. When they are in the vicinity, we are so ... artificial that I can't stand it. I need to --"
"You need?!" Ginny spat. "You?! What about me? What about the kids? What about --"
"Enough, Ginny. Haven't you had enough? How long can you live the lie? How long can you live like this, knowing that our love faded away years ago?"
"Until Lily goes to school, Harry, please," she pleaded.
"I can't do it, Gin. Not any more."
"What's changed? Why all of a sudden?"
"It's not sudden and we both know it. We've been miserable, or at least existing rather than living, for years."
"But we agreed --"
"No, Ginny, we never did. You said it and I gave up arguing with you. I had no compelling reason to fight about it then."
"And now you do?"
Harry took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. He knew it would hurt her, but he couldn't lie, not to Ginny. "Now I do."
Her lips pursed together, her eyes blinked back tears, and her face went red. Never a good sign. She took several long, cleansing breaths before looking him straight in the eye. "Who is she?"
Harry cleared his throat. "He."
"Excuse me?"
"Who is he?"
"Are you saying? You can't ... you're not ... ohmygod. I'm going to be sick." She ran out of the room.
"Ginny, wait. Let me explain."
"Get out!" she whispered, but for all the venom in her voice it resonated louder than a scream. "You want out? Fine. Leave. And don't ever come back." She ran up the stairs clutching her stomach.
Harry waved his wand and the few items he hadn't already sent on ahead flew into his hands. He knew Ginny was angry. He knew she was hurt. But this had been coming for a long time. He left her the note he had written three days ago. In it he explained that he had fallen in love, but that nothing had happened. Nothing would happen while he was with her. He knew it wouldn't make things easier, but at least she would know that he hadn't cheated on her. Well, not physically anyway.
She would eventually calm down. He doubted she would ever get over it, but he hoped she would do what was best for the children. And if not ... well, he had the best lawyer in town at his disposal, and he would make sure the children didn't lose their father.
Smiling as he entered the office of Draco Malfoy - Family Law, Harry felt lighter than he had in years. The man he loved, the one whose love had given Harry the strength to do what he should have done years before, looked up at him questioningly. Harry held up his belongings and nodded. Draco smiled reassuringly at him.
It would be a long and bitter battle ahead, he knew, but with Draco by his side, Harry had hope. And right now, that was all he could ask for.
.