All That Remains
Summary: Everyone is putting back the pieces, working to accept their new reality in the wake of the final Battle.
Rating: K + (this chapter)
Pairings: Ron / Hermione, Harry / Ginny, Arthur/ Molly (this chapter)
Genres: Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Harry woke to the sound of screaming, high-pitched terrified bursts in rapid succession.
He leaped from his bed, grabbing his wand and raising it in one smooth motion. He squinted to see in the darkness, but it was useless without his glasses. The screams ended abruptly as they were replaced by harsh breathing and quiet murmurs. He turned and grabbed the wire frames from his nightstand, shoving them on his nose and relaxing his wand arm as he realized he was pointing it at his best friends.
The pair of them were barely perceptible in the darkness of the attic. Ron’s bulky form seemed to be rocking gently as he grasped Hermione tightly to his chest. She looked impossibly small, curled into herself, recognizable only by the shadow created by her hair. She was silent now, but her screams seemed to echo in the small room, loud beneath Ron’s quiet mumbling.
Harry ran his free hand through his hair, causing the dark locks to stand on end. He tucked his wand into the waist of his pajama bottoms and crossed to the door on silent feet. Neither of his friends seemed to notice him.
Opening the door carefully to minimize the squeal of ancient hinges, Harry found a wand shoved in his face, the wary eyes of Arthur Weasley close behind. Arthur lowered his wand, but did not back down a step, so Harry was forced to squeeze though the opening sideways to avoid knocking them both down the stairs.
Arthur looked up at him, the severity of his expression belying the softness of his voice.
“Everything all right, Harry?”
Harry shifted guiltily and adjusted his glasses, stalling for time. Hermione had been sleeping with them in the attic since they had returned to the Burrow. She had tried to follow Mrs. Weasley’s rules at first, but neither she nor Ron had been able to sleep apart. After a few days of watching his friends suffer, Harry had declared them both ridiculous and demanded that Hermione stay with them. And now it looked as though the gig was up.
“I erm, I had a nightmare Mr. Weasley, but I’m fine now.”
Arthur stared at him incredulously.
“I was sure I heard a girl screaming, Harry.”
Harry did his best to conjure up an embarrassed blush.
“Yeah, well, I can’t help how I sound, can I?”
Arthur held his gaze for a few tense moments and then sighed, rubbing one hand over his face in exhaustion.
“Well, then, try to get some sleep.”
He patted Harry’s shoulder absently and turned to descend the stairs in silence.
Harry stood on the top step, weighing his options. He could wait for Mr. Weasley to go back to his room and then attempt to sneak into Ginny’s, where Hermione supposedly slept. That was most appealing, but his conscience was already pricked from lying to Mr. Weasley. He could just go back to bed, but it felt intrusive to go back at the moment. He decided to go down to the kitchen and get something to drink.
…
Arthur walked down the stairs slowly, trying to decide what he should tell his wife. He was positive that he had heard Hermione, as he had checked Ginny’s room first and she was missing. Ginny had told him that she was in the bathroom, lying just like Harry to protect their friend.
Molly wouldn’t like this business of boys and girls sleeping together, but Arthur knew that far more was at play here than teenage hormones.
He knew his youngest son, and he trusted him implicitly. Besides, Harry was up there as well. Arthur had suspected that this was going on for over a week, since he had seen Hermione come down the stairs and slip into Ginny’s room at dawn.
He had been trying to keep it from Molly, but now it was unavoidable, as she had been awakened by the screams. He blew out a breath, staring at his bedroom door, no closer to an answer now than he had been when he left Harry. He turned the knob slowly, and stepped into the room. Molly sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide in silent question.
She held out her arms, and Arthur went to her.
Rating: K + (this chapter)
Pairings: Ron / Hermione, Harry / Ginny, Arthur/ Molly (this chapter)
Genres: Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Harry woke to the sound of screaming, high-pitched terrified bursts in rapid succession.
He leaped from his bed, grabbing his wand and raising it in one smooth motion. He squinted to see in the darkness, but it was useless without his glasses. The screams ended abruptly as they were replaced by harsh breathing and quiet murmurs. He turned and grabbed the wire frames from his nightstand, shoving them on his nose and relaxing his wand arm as he realized he was pointing it at his best friends.
The pair of them were barely perceptible in the darkness of the attic. Ron’s bulky form seemed to be rocking gently as he grasped Hermione tightly to his chest. She looked impossibly small, curled into herself, recognizable only by the shadow created by her hair. She was silent now, but her screams seemed to echo in the small room, loud beneath Ron’s quiet mumbling.
Harry ran his free hand through his hair, causing the dark locks to stand on end. He tucked his wand into the waist of his pajama bottoms and crossed to the door on silent feet. Neither of his friends seemed to notice him.
Opening the door carefully to minimize the squeal of ancient hinges, Harry found a wand shoved in his face, the wary eyes of Arthur Weasley close behind. Arthur lowered his wand, but did not back down a step, so Harry was forced to squeeze though the opening sideways to avoid knocking them both down the stairs.
Arthur looked up at him, the severity of his expression belying the softness of his voice.
“Everything all right, Harry?”
Harry shifted guiltily and adjusted his glasses, stalling for time. Hermione had been sleeping with them in the attic since they had returned to the Burrow. She had tried to follow Mrs. Weasley’s rules at first, but neither she nor Ron had been able to sleep apart. After a few days of watching his friends suffer, Harry had declared them both ridiculous and demanded that Hermione stay with them. And now it looked as though the gig was up.
“I erm, I had a nightmare Mr. Weasley, but I’m fine now.”
Arthur stared at him incredulously.
“I was sure I heard a girl screaming, Harry.”
Harry did his best to conjure up an embarrassed blush.
“Yeah, well, I can’t help how I sound, can I?”
Arthur held his gaze for a few tense moments and then sighed, rubbing one hand over his face in exhaustion.
“Well, then, try to get some sleep.”
He patted Harry’s shoulder absently and turned to descend the stairs in silence.
Harry stood on the top step, weighing his options. He could wait for Mr. Weasley to go back to his room and then attempt to sneak into Ginny’s, where Hermione supposedly slept. That was most appealing, but his conscience was already pricked from lying to Mr. Weasley. He could just go back to bed, but it felt intrusive to go back at the moment. He decided to go down to the kitchen and get something to drink.
…
Arthur walked down the stairs slowly, trying to decide what he should tell his wife. He was positive that he had heard Hermione, as he had checked Ginny’s room first and she was missing. Ginny had told him that she was in the bathroom, lying just like Harry to protect their friend.
Molly wouldn’t like this business of boys and girls sleeping together, but Arthur knew that far more was at play here than teenage hormones.
He knew his youngest son, and he trusted him implicitly. Besides, Harry was up there as well. Arthur had suspected that this was going on for over a week, since he had seen Hermione come down the stairs and slip into Ginny’s room at dawn.
He had been trying to keep it from Molly, but now it was unavoidable, as she had been awakened by the screams. He blew out a breath, staring at his bedroom door, no closer to an answer now than he had been when he left Harry. He turned the knob slowly, and stepped into the room. Molly sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide in silent question.
She held out her arms, and Arthur went to her.