Blessings ; George Weasley

Thirty-one

The rest of the night went by.

After dinner, we all moved to the ball room where George and I had our first dance as a married couple.

We cut the cake together and George smeared it in my face which he laughed at but then I threw cake at him and he slipped in it.

That made us change our clothes. He change into a pair of trousers and a dress shirt and I changed into a more loose white dress.

Then we danced some more and for the rest of the night, everyone just enjoyed themselves until everyone were starting to get tired, sitting around and talking.

Henry had taken a break outside to get some fresh air and smoke a cigarette and after a moment, I joined him.

"Thank you for not bringing Nadine." I said, walking down the steps to where he stood, my arms wrapped around myself.

Henry looked at me and offered a smile.

"You shouldn't thank me for that. I don't have the right to bring her along. Especially knowing you wouldn't be comfortable." He said. "I was close to staying away too, but I wanted to see you."

He moved the cigarette up to his lips to take a puff, then let it all out and looked at me again.

"I remember when you were around three and I'd read you goodnight stories every night." He said. "You needed me to stay until you fell asleep because you were too scared. Abram had before dragged you out of bed if he was drunk, take you to the basement and punish you. No one ever talked about it but we all knew what he was doing."

"He was hitting me." I nodded. "Using his belt. I believe I still have a scar on my back."

I let out a heavy breath as I shook my head.

"Who does that to their child?" I asked. "Let alone such a young one. He started hitting me before I even knew what violence was."

Henry nodded.

"He were like that for a much longer time, y'know." He said. "He were always twisted in the head. He broke my arm when I was thirteen."

"He did?"

Henry nodded again.

"I've never spoken of this, but he tracked me down after I left." He told me. "Threatened me. Said that he'd kill me if I'd ever come back."

I simply looked at him. I had never known that. He hadn't told me that before.

"I did come back though. I needed to make sure you and Nadine were alright, but I never dared to get close. Abram may be our father, but he'd still kill us if it made sense to him."

"Now you're just being dramatic, Henry." A voice spoke in the distance and we both looked to see a tall and very familiar man walk in our direction from the path leading from the gate and up to the mansion.

My breath hitched in my throat and Henry dropped his cigarette as we both stared at our father.

"You broke your arm because you were being disobedient." He said as he continued to slowly approach us, his hands pushed into the pockets of his trousers. "That doesn't necessarily mean I'd kill my own children."

Neither of us said anything. I felt my heart race and I started to sweat slightly, being terrified by just his presence.

He looked at Henry.

"I haven't seen you for over twenty years, my boy." He said. "You've certainly grown up to be a proper man, eh? Married I figure. How many children?"