All That You Leave Behind

Hi there! "A" here with the latest update for your perusal! Bet you thought you'd be waiting longer than this for an update, didn't you? We've been on a bit of a roll lately. Many thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. As always, reviews are lovely, and we treasure them greatly, so please give us lots! And Cravedom, your review in particular made us laugh, so this chapter is for you. We think you'll like it.

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Harry growled and crumpled up the note from Ginny, throwing it to the floor and kicking it into the fireplace. He muttered "Incendio!" and it turned into a pile of ash.


"Problem?" Severus asked delicately.


"She's got a bloody nerve giving me an ultimatum!" Harry huffed.


"And who would "she" be?" Severus asked, although he knew perfectly well who "she" was.


"Ginny!" Harry exploded, "she's sent me a fucking ultimatum! Told me to work out what I want! I know what I want! I want her to stop being so bloody stupid!"


Severus shot an eyebrow upwards at that, but before he could say anything, another owl landed at the window. He made to get the letter it was carrying, but Harry brushed past him and reached it first.


"Right," Harry said in an unpleasant tone, "she's seen the sense of it now I'll bet, and wants to apologise. Maybe I'll just let her sit and stew a bit! See how she likes it!"


Harry unfastened the letter from the owl and it left immediately again. Severus watched as he turned the letter over and froze. Harry snapped his head up and glared at Severus, walked over, slapped the letter into his hands and ground out, "It's for you."


Severus looked at the writing on the envelope and recognised Ginny's handwriting. That explained Harry's reaction. He turned it over and opened it, drawing out the contents.

Dear Severus,

I sent Harry a letter just a bit ago which has probably made him angry, but I don't care at this point. As you've no doubt noticed, I didn't come to tea today, nor will I be coming until Harry sorts out just exactly what he wants concerning our future.

I'm sorry that you had to witness the row we had last week, and I'm sorry if he's taking all this out on you. I know he's angry, but I'm standing my ground on this. I know you heard what he said to me, and I can't believe he's being so selfish and so uncaring of the things I want. I can't believe all that came out of his mouth, because that isn't the Harry I thought I knew and loved. I mean, I do still love him, but I certainly don't like him very much right now!

At any rate, I'm sorry not to have been able to visit and talk with you today. But it means a lot to me, especially right now, that you can understand how I feel about things. I hope Harry comes to his senses soon, and that he isn't being a total prat to you, whinging about everything. And I hope you know I'm not angry with you. I hope we can still be friends at least.

Ginny

Severus looked up from the letter to find Harry glaring daggers at him, definitely not pleased.


"What's it say?" he snapped belligerently.


"I believe that is between myself and Ginevra," Severus said evenly.


"What's she writing to you for?!" Harry exploded again, "what? Wants you to take her side? She actually think she makes sense? She think she can just threaten to call off the wedding if I don't see her way of things?!"


Severus frowned and said, "Are you listening to yourself, Harry?"


"Yeah, I'm listening to myself!" Harry shouted, "and good thing, cause I'm the only one making sense! You heard what she said last week, what she screamed at me! Why would she want to go play a stupid game instead of get married?! What'd she take the bloody ring for if she didn't want to get married?! And why are you taking her side! You're the one who encouraged me to propose to her! Why the fuck would you support her going off to play Quidditch instead of getting married then?!"


"I think you should calm down," Severus said, damping down his own rising temper with difficulty.


"Calm down?!?" Harry shreiked, "Why the fuck should I calm down!! I..."


But Severus had had enough. "Because you're behaving like a spoiled child!" he thundered. "Listen to yourself!! You're as arrogant and big-headed as your father ever was! You're having a temper tantrum because your fiancee has expressed the wish to be something other than the wife of the great Harry Potter!"


Before Harry had a chance to refute that Severus continued on as only Severus could.



"Oh aren't we just so very full of ourself, Mr. Potter? Why, whyever shouldn't Miss Weasley be completely fulfilled with your ring on her finger and spewing out brat after Potter brat? What else could there possibly be in life that could compare to that? It's not enough that she's willing to marry you in the first place, no, she must do so immediately simply because the illustrious Mr. Potter deems it so. And why not? After all, why shouldn't we all bow down to you, you have, after all, saved every on of us. We all owe you our undying gratitude, why shouldn't we cater to you? She especially, since you were good enough to take her back after you returned from your quest. The one she didn't question you must do. The one she didn't want you to go on, but nonetheless loved you enough to let you go on. And why shouldn't she? After all, you should be allowed to do anything you take it into your head to do! You're the great Harry Potter! The Wizarding World's Saviour! Yes, and why shouldn't you be an Auror? It's what you want to do, nevermind that she doesn't want you running around throwing yourself into danger, no, it's what you want to do. But then, her opinion doesn't count, does it? She doesn't deserve the same consideration she's shown you, because she's just the little woman, isn't she? All she need concern herself with is keeping you happy. That should be satisfying and fulfilling enough for any girl, shouldn't it? Especially when you deign to impregnate her with your children. What woman in her right mind wouldn't want to be the great Harry Potter's brat factory?"

Severus stopped to take a breath, looking at the boy who was now hanging his head in shame. It hurt Severus to have to be so harsh, but the boy must be shown the error of his ways. Although Severus had gotten over his hatred of James Potter, the truth was still that he had been arrogant and at times uncaring of others feelings, not just Severus'. Lily had wanted to be an Auror as well, and James had put an end to that dream for her, claiming she didn't need to work. Lily had gone along with it, because she loved James, but some of the light had gone out of her emerald eyes after. Severus didn't want Harry to be the cause of that same sort of thing in Ginny.


"Harry," Severus began in a gentler tone, but the boy turned away, and Severus knew he was fighting tears and mortified. "You either want to be in a partnership, or you don't. A marriage, like any partnership, is about compromise. She isn't stopping you from having your dream job, why should you stop her from hers?"


The younger man's face was still turned away, but he drew his arm up to swipe at his eyes. He nodded, not able to find the words to acknowledge to Severus just how immature he had been, nor able to find the words to thank the other man for helping him.


Severus didn't mind the silence. He understood.


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