A Fork in the Road

Disclaimer: This plot and the characters I made up are all owned by me...all other Harry Potter related things are owned by J.K.



WARNING: This story contains INCEST! If you don\'t like it, don\'t read it!



A/N: I think that the story is progressing just the way I wanted it to...so please ENJOY!



Chapter Twelve: Heartache



The next morning, after Harry and Avery had made it home safely in the black limousine, was the day Avery had to depart back to Hogwarts. The holidays were over, and school would resume the following day.



Avery was sad that she had to go back to school. She wanted to stay at home with Harry; wake up to his beautiful face every morning and fall asleep in his big, sturdy arms. She sighed to herself as she packed. Hogwarts just wouldn’t be the same anymore. She would miss home too much.



“You doing alright, kiddo?” Avery heard her father ask from behind her in the doorway. She turned to him and gave him half of a smile.



“I suppose,” she shrugged. Harry gave her a look as though he knew exactly what she was feeling. He walked closer to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, squeezing lightly. Avery laid her head on his chest that smelt of Tommy cologne.



“You are such a great girl, Av,” Harry began as he now rubbed her back. His hands felt so perfect on her. “Believe me, if you could stay I would definitely not object.” He paused for a moment letting his words sink in. “But you have to go back to school and you know it.” She pulled away from him and sighed while gazing up into his eyes of jade.



“I know, but it’s just not going to be any fun. I’m going to want to come home all the time now,” she groaned. “I’m going to miss you too much.” As she said this, she felt her cheeks growing hot. She and her father knew that they both were crazy about each other, but had never really voiced it.



“Trust me, doll,” Harry said, putting his hands up on her shoulders, “it’s going to kill me not having you here.”



They both stared at each other in the eyes, smiling and in love. Neither knew what to say, so they grasped each other again into a hug. After they had let go, Avery finished packing and Harry had gone downstairs to start the car.



As Avery shut her trunk and locked it, she took a long peek around her room. She knew she would be coming back, but yet, she felt as though the walls were begging her to stay. She wished she could have, but knew that her father would never let her…despite the fact that he wanted her to stay as well. No. Harry wanted her to have a good education like he had received when he was her age, and she knew it. She wanted to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor one day and knew that she had to keep up with her studies if she were to achieve it. With one last exhale she headed out the door.



Harry was waiting for her by the door, ready with her coat in hand. She put her arms through the sleeves and buttoned it up. Harry put the scarf around her shoulders as she put on her mittens and hat. She turned to look at Harry who was now holding her trunk, smiled warmly at him, and then walked outside and down the pathway to the car.



They talked about how great the past week had been as they drove and laughed in harmony. They confessed how pleasant the other was in bed, despite the semi-awkwardness, but then laughed about how shy they both had been. It was an entertaining drive to King’s Cross; both getting lost in the moment as though they were in a hurricane of bliss, but then the moment ceased as soon as they saw the station. Reality crashed both of their hearts and souls like waves upon the sharp-edged rocks on a salty shore, and they realized that they wouldn’t be seeing each other until June.



As Avery sat staring at the entrance to King’s Cross she felt herself feeling sick. She didn’t want to get out of the car, but when Harry had opened her door and offered her his hand, she took it. As she got out, she looked up at Harry to see him smiling at her.



“It’s going to be alright, Avery, I promise. You know I’m only an owl away.” She felt his hand stroke her cheek briefly before he got her trunk and started for the doors to the station. Avery followed behind him still feeling queasy.



When they entered the commotional area, Harry grabbed Avery’s hand so they wouldn’t get separated by the mass of people and she felt herself being led through the crowd towards platform nine and three quarters. As soon as they had reached the barrier, Avery looked at her father and they both nodded. They walked quickly into the brick wall that transformed into the Hogwarts’s platform. The Hogwarts Express was steaming and waiting patiently for its passengers to board. There weren’t nearly as many witches and wizards as there normally was since it was only the students who had been on holiday.



“Hey you two,” Avery heard a voice from behind them. It was Ron, and trailing behind him was Maria, Jordan and Hermione.



“Hi,” Harry said turning around. “Excited to go back?” Harry asked Maria and Jordan who looked about as pleased about going back as Avery did.



“I suppose,” Maria answered for her and her brother. “C’mon, Av…let’s go find a seat. Bye dad, bye mum!” Maria said kissing each of her parents as Jordan simply hugged them while Hermione flooded him with kisses. Avery turned to her own father.



“Well, I guess this is it,” she said as though she were never going to see Harry again.



“It won’t be that bad,” Harry replied. Avery shrugged and smiled while shaking her head.



“If you say so. Well, I’ll write to you when I can.”



“Sounds fair,” Harry said.



“Alright, I love you,” Avery said leaning up to place a quick peck on her father’s lips. She wished she could’ve lingered her lips on his.



“I love you, Avery,” Harry whispered, kissing her ear and wrapping her in a enormous hug. “You’re wonderful.” She looked up at him and smiled, noticing that his eyes were a bit moist, as were hers. She forced the tears not to come and grabbed her trunk and walked to the steps of the Express with Maria, handing her trunk to the man on board.



She allowed Maria to get in first and then took one long look at Harry and flashed him the happiest smile she could manage as she waved her hand, and then disappeared onto the train.



The girls seated themselves in an empty compartment, while Jordan ventured off to one where there were at least a few blokes he could converse with.



“I thought the holidays were amazing this year, didn’t you?” Maria began folding her arms behind her head as she laid herself across the seat.



“Well, it definitely wasn’t the usual,” Avery replied thinking to herself that she was most likely the only girl to have slept with her father on Christmas Eve.



“I mean mum and dad got me the new broom I’ve been wanting and I got invited to Jack Finnigan’s for a party! It just really was swell!” Maria exclaimed. Avery paused.



“Wait, Jack Finnigan invited you to a party? That Slytherin boy you used to like? When was this?! You never told me!” Avery whined. Maria laughed to herself.



“Oh, it was nothing. He just invited me on Christmas Eve to come to a party he was having with a few friends of his, but I told him I had other plans. I mean, I had to lie to him because you know how my mum and dad are about hanging around with Slytherins. They would’ve killed me!” Maria sighed happily.



“So…I take it you still have a thing for him then?” Avery asked folding her arms as though she was a know-it-all.



“Well…” Maria trailed off.



“Oh come off it, Maria! It’s so noticeable! You’re practically squealing just talking about him!” Maria gave Avery a look, but both of them began laughing as girls do.



“I suppose I wouldn’t turn him down if he asked me to go with him, you know? Mum and dad would hate me but it’s not like you can help who you fall for, right?”



Avery felt her stomach clench. Harry. She couldn’t help that she had fallen for her own father. That’s exactly what Maria had just said. ‘It’s not like you can help who you fall for.’ Maria was still giggling to herself when Avery cleared her throat, evidently getting Maria’s attention.



“Maria, I—I have to tell you something.”



Maria sat up. “It sounds important, what is it, Av?”



Avery didn’t know where to begin. What if Maria wouldn’t want to be her friend anymore? What if she told people about her and Harry?



“You swear you won’t say a word to anyone?!” Avery emphasized the word, ‘anyone’ to get her point across.



“My lips are sealed. Mum’s the word,” Maria said motioning with her fingers that she had just buttoned up her lips.



“Now, before I tell you anything, you have to promise not to be mad or well…freak out at me,” Avery stammered.



“Av, what is this? Just let it out!”



Avery heaved the biggest sigh of the day and spoke just above a whisper.



“I slept with my dad.”



There was a brief pause before Maria screamed out.



“YOU DID WHAT?!”



“Shh!” Avery whispered.



“Oh…right…sorry,” Maria whispered back. “Avery, I don’t think I heard you right,” Maria began but Avery cut in.



“Yes, Maria, you heard me correctly. I slept with my dad…with Harry.”



Maria’s face did not change. She simply stared at Avery, and Avery was unsure to do with herself, so she fiddled with the hem of her sweater.



“Avery, you can’t be serious?”



“I am serious. I just…I couldn’t keep it from you.”



Maria shook her head. “Av, this is bad!” Avery nodded frantically.



“I know! I know! But, what am I going to do about it? I mean, we did it twice!”



“TWICE?!” Maria shrieked. “Merlin’s Beard, Av!” Maria buried her face in her hands. No one spoke for a few moments.



“Look, I know it’s absolutely and ridiculously outrageous, but see…I couldn’t help it.” There was a pause. “I’m in love with him.” Maria gasped aloud.



“In LOVE?! Avery, you’re mental! You’re only sixteen, how can you know anything about love? You’ve only dated one bloke in your entire life!” Avery felt as though Maria had pierced her.



“And you’ve never dated at all.” Avery’s tone was short. Maria looked into her eyes.



“Look, I’m not trying to insult you, Av, but he’s your father for Merlin’s sake so how do you expect me to react?”



“I don’t know!” Avery exploded. She sighed and then continued in a less harsh tone. “Look, I just…I’m overly attracted to him, and there’s this feeling I can’t explain when he touches me or holds me or kisses me. It’s like I can fly, but it’s like a thousand times better! I can’t explain it…not even to myself.” Avery bowed her head to look at her feet. “It’s so complex, Maria. Even I don’t understand it sometimes.”



Avery looked up to see Maria looking at her unsure of what to say. Avery didn’t know what else to say either, and so turned her gaze outside at the white wonderland of snowy hills and iced-over waters they were passing as the train continued rolling down the tracks. The world outside of the compartment seemed innocent and true to Avery, but inside, she felt like wherever she went, she left a tainted mark on the purity of the world behind her.





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A/N: I thought this chapter was silly and cute. Maybe it\'s just me, but the next one will have everyone with their eyes wide and tongues hanging out probably begging for chapter 14