Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 117 - Break With The Past

Sorry for the long wait, please forgive me! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Only one more to go after this one plus the epilogue!

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The sun had risen over Hogwarts which, despite the heavy damages, was filled with life. Those who had survived the battle were eager to see and talk to Harry, the Boy Who Lived, the reason it was all over at last.

We were informed that the people who had been Imperiused all over the country were coming back to themselves and that the innocent were being freed from Azkaban. Then Kingsley was named temporary Minister of Magic.

The House tables were set up in the Hall once more, but no one sat according to House. Instead, everyone was mixed together, laughing and conversing freely, but I could not find it in me to join. I slipped unnoticed from the Hall and leaned against the stone wall outside in what remained of the entrance hall. I did not know whether I wanted to laugh or cry. Immense relief flowed through me, for it was now over, and because — for reasons I did not fully understand — Harry had survived. Yet this relief was clouded in grief. I could feel the loss of Remus and Tonks piercing through me like a physical wound, and I wept silently.

My thoughts turned to Teddy, poor Teddy, not even a year old and an orphan. I wanted to scream and scream and scream. How could such terrible things happen to an innocent baby? Someone who was not even aware of all this, someone who had needed nothing more than the comforts of home and loving parents —

I felt someone brush against me and turned to where I knew Harry was standing beneath his Cloak before he removed it. We stared at each other for a moment in silence, his beautiful green eyes boaring into my own. The very thought that I had never imagined to see him gazing at me like that again forced a fresh wave of tears to pour out of me. I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it at once, unable to let a single sound escape. He grabbed my hand gently.

"I know," he said softly.

He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips against my forehead. Burying my head in his chest, I let his familiar sent and touch comfort me until I found the courage to speak.

"It's so unfair," I hiccuped. I raised my head to see him looking down at me curiously. "I mean — wasn't it enough that this bloody war took your parents away from you? And now Teddy suffers the same — "

He pressed me even more tightly against him and I knew from his silence that he, too, was crying now. I wrapped my arms around his waist, my hands gently caressing his back.

"It won't be the same," he spoke after a moment. "I won't let it be the same."

He moved his hands so that they framed my face, the pads of his thumbs tenderly wiping my tears away.

"Teddy has us," he said with a small comforting smile. "We'll take care of him and make sure that he feels loved every single day of his life."

More tears escaped my eyes, but this time it was because I couldn't believe how fortunate I was to still have Harry by my side. I gave him a weak smile, knowing that I did not have to put all the emotions I felt into words for him to know exactly what I was feeling.

From the corner of my eye, I saw someone walk out of the Great Hall. Dad.

His eyes landed on us and he gave me a small smile. Harry turned around to face him, his arms still wrapped around me, and nodded to him, but I could sense that there was still some animosity between the two, which I understood given that my dad had not been the kindest.

"It's good to see you, Harry," my dad said. "I don't think I would have ever forgiven you for leaving my daughter heartbroken if you had not come back."