Visions of an Empath

Chapter 26

The next month dragged by slowly, and Harry was positively bored. With Voldemort finally defeated, he’d expected a bit more freedom, but that had not happened. Instead, he was stuck at the safe house while Lucius and Severus spent most of their time trying to help rebuild the Ministry and round up the remaining Death Eaters.

Not only was Harry bored, he was lonely. Ron and Hermione were all lovey dovey together, and Draco and Luna weren’t much better. Watching them just made the loneliness that much keener, so he’d taken to avoiding them altogether. He couldn’t even be mad at Lucius and Severus because they were only doing what they felt was needed to keep Harry and the baby safe. However, despite that knowledge, he couldn’t help but feel a little bitter at being left behind like that.

Harry sighed irritably and stomped to the library. Maybe he could find something interesting to read since he had absolutely nothing else to do. Surprisingly enough, the room was empty, so Harry grabbed a book and warding magic and settled at his favourite table. Unfortunately, his distress caused his shields to weaken, and when he set the book down on the table, his hand brushed against the wood, triggering a vision.

“What’s wrong, Hermione?” asked Ron.

Hermione sighed and smiled wistfully. “I think I’m a little jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Despite being in the middle of a war, Harry has everything. He’s in a committed relationship with two devoted partners, and he has a baby on the way. I’m happy for him because he deserves his happiness, but I can’t help but be a little jealous,” said Hermione softly.

Ron licked his lips nervously and took a deep breath. “Hermione, I love you. I have for a long while, but I was just too afraid to admit it. I don’t have a ring right now, but will you... will you marry me?”

Hermione stared at Ron in shock for a moment before a wide smile blossomed on her face, and she threw herself into Ron’s arm, peppering his freckled face with excited kisses. “Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”

The vision ended, and Harry could only smile because of the emotions from the vision. He was glad for his friends. It certainly took them long enough to get to this point.

As if responding to his happiness, a wave of joy swept through him accompanied by a sharp nudge to his stomach. Harry gasped in surprise and rubbed his belly, jumping when the baby kicked his hand. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt the baby move, but it was the first time it was more than a slight flutter. So caught up in the new experience, he didn’t hear the library door open.

“What are you smiling about?” asked Hermione.

Harry’s smile widened. “The baby kicked.”

Hermione squealed excitedly and rushed to Harry’s side. “Can I feel?”

Harry took her hand and placed it on his belly. The baby immediately kicked Hermione’s hand, causing the girl to squeal again. “Oh, it’s absolutely amazing,” she sighed softly.

Harry gave her a sly look. “That’s not the only thing amazing. I’m amazed Ron finally mustered up the nerve to propose to you.”

Hermione stared at Harry in shock. “How did you know?”

Harry smiled sheepishly. “I, uh, kinda saw it when I touched the table a while ago. It was actually kinda sweet.”

Hermione sighed in remembrance. “It was, wasn’t it? And now that the war is over and most of the Death Eaters have been captured, Ron and I are planning to return to the Burrow. Hopefully, the Weasley’s will be back home, as well.”

“When do you plan to leave?” asked Harry curiously.

“Today, actually,” said Hermione.

Harry glared at his friend. “Were you even planning on telling me?”

“Of course, Harry. We’ve all just been a little busy,” said Hermione placatingly. “We wouldn’t have left without telling you.”

Harry’s look plainly said he didn’t believe her. “What do you mean ‘we’ve all just been a little busy’? You may have been busy, but I’ve been bored out of my mind for the last month.”

Hermione flushed guiltily. “Oh, like you were any better when you and Lucius first got together, and let’s not even mention when Severus got added into the mix. And that doesn’t even count the fact that Ron and I had to hunt you down in the first place because Lucius kidnapped you from the Burrow.”

“I wanna go with you,” said Harry abruptly. “It would be nice to see the Weasley’s again.”

“What about...”

“I’ll leave them a note,” said Harry calmly. It was more than they deserved as far as he was concerned. It wasn’t as though they bothered to tell him where they were these days, after all. Besides, he’d probably be back before they got home anyway.

Hermione looked a little uneasy, but the stubborn look on Harry’s face convinced her not to argue. It would be pointless anyway. She finally sighed and nodded. She just hoped to stay out of the line of fire when Lucius and Severus found out.

“Write your note then. We leave in an hour.”

Harry grinned at her and jotted down a short note, leaving it on the night stand. “I’m ready.”

Hermione hid an amused smile at her friend’s exuberance. “An hour, Harry. I’m sure you can find something to occupy your time until then.”

“What part of ‘bored out of my mind’ did you not get the first time, Hermione?” whinged Harry. “Can’t we leave any sooner?”

“Fine,” said Hermione in exasperation. “If Ron’s ready to go, we’ll leave right away.”

“He’s ready,” said Harry confidently.

***

Molly bustled around in the kitchen, cooking for her youngest son’s arrival. The last month had been hectic. The Burrow had been damaged when Death Eaters attacked, and it had taken them the last three weeks to repair the damages. Now the place was as good as new.

She heard the floo activate and hurried into the living room. She saw Ron step out of the flames and pulled him into a tight hug. Hermione then stepped out of the flames, and Molly reached out to hug her as well, but Hermione shook her head and turned back to the fireplace. A moment later, a very familiar brunet stumbled out of the flames, and Hermione quickly reached out to steady him.

“Harry!” cried Molly happily, pulling the teen into a warm hug. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you’re alright. Remus told us all about what happened.”

“Hey, Mrs. Weasley,” said Harry softly, rubbing his stomach to try and ease the nausea. The baby kicked his hand irritably, and Harry winced at the echoing emotions jolting through him. Obviously, the baby hadn’t enjoyed the trip any more than he had.

Molly noticed the action and dragged him into the kitchen. “Sit down, dear, and I’ll fix you some tea and crackers.”

Harry gratefully sat down and nibbled on the crackers she set before him. The nausea finally abated, and Harry realised he was quite hungry. Whatever Mrs. Weasley was cooking smelled absolutely divine.

“Mum, when’s lunch? I’m starving,” said Ron, mirroring Harry’s thoughts.

“It’s almost done, Ron. Be a dear and set the table,” said Molly cheerfully.

Ron quickly did as his mother asked and sat down at the table. He almost started drooling when the food began to settle gently on the table. He hadn’t had his mum’s cooking in ages!

Molly smiled at the three teens sat down with them. “Eat up, children. You especially, Harry dear. That baby needs all the nutrients it can get.”

“Gladly,” said Harry eagerly. He eagerly spooned some mashed potatoes onto his plate and mixed some orange marmalade into them. He then grabbed the pickles and put several on his plate.

Ron could only stare in disgust as his best friend dipped one of the pickles into the potato/marmalade mixture and brought it to his mouth, crunching on the dill happily. “Harry, what the bloody hell are you eating?”

“Ronald, watch your language,” admonished Molly. She smiled indulgently at Harry. “Ignore him, dear. You just eat whatever makes you and baby happy.”

Hermione giggled. “How long have you been having cravings, Harry?”

“About a month,” said Harry between bites. “That’s one of the reasons I’ve been eating in my room so often lately. I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s meal because of them.”

“You certainly don’t seem to mind now,” muttered Ron.

Harry glowered at the redhead. “Don’t even start, Ron. Your table manners are enough to ruin a person’s meal, so you have no right to complain.”

“He’s got you there, Ron,” chortled Hermione. “As I recall, you managed to make poor Harry sick because of your eating habits.”

Ron blushed slightly at the reminder. “You said it was morning sickness.”

“It was a bit of both, actually,” Harry confessed. “The fish was already making me nauseated, but I lost the battle when you started talking with your mouth full.”

“Oh, you poor dear,” said Molly sympathetically. “Has the morning sickness been really bad?”

Harry shrugged. “It only lasted a few weeks, so it wasn’t that bad. It definitely could have been a lot worse. It helps when one of your mates is a Potions Master, though.”

Molly frowned in confusion. “I didn’t know Lucius was a Potions Master.”

“He isn’t,” said Harry blithely. “I was referring to Severus.”

“That traitor is supposed to be dead,” snapped Molly.

“He isn’t a traitor,” said Harry, glaring at the Weasley matriarch. “Dumbledore forced Severus to kill him to keep his cover as spy safe.”

“What?” gasped Molly. “Harry you can’t believe anything he tells you.”

Harry growled. “He didn’t tell me. I saw it in a vision when I touched him. That’s not all I learned, either. High and Mighty Dumbledore basically raised me as a living sacrifice. I was never supposed to live to see the end of this war.”

Molly looked at Harry in horror. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”

Hermione sighed regretfully and said, “It’s true, Mrs. Weasley. Dumbledore intended for Voldemort to kill Harry and for the Order to finish Voldemort off.”

“But why?” asked Molly weakly.

“Because he thought that as long as I lived, Voldemort couldn’t die,” said Harry softly. “To his credit, he wasn’t too far off the mark. However, Voldemort’s decision to give Lucius that potion changed everything. If Lucius hadn’t become a Frost Drake, I wouldn’t have become an Earth Drake animagus, and if that hadn’t happened, Dumbledore’s view would have become reality.”

“Oh, Harry,” sighed Molly.

Tired of the morbid discussion, Hermione decided to change the subject. “Ron and I have some good news. We’re going to get married!”

Molly looked at her in surprise, startled at he abrupt change in topic, before squealing happily and hugging Hermione. “Oh, I’m so happy for you two. Welcome to the family, Hermione.” After she let go of Hermione, she turned and grabbed Ron into a big hug. “Have you already set the date?”

Hermione shook her head. “Not yet. We still need to go back to school so we can get our N.E.W.T.s since we missed the last year of school. Maybe next spring? I think I’d like to have it in April.”

Harry’s lips suddenly quirked into a smile. He had a feeling the wedding would be much sooner than that. December was a good month for a wedding.

***

Lucius apparated to the safe house with high spirits. Over the past month, he hadn’t been able to spend more than ten minutes at a time with Harry except for when they were asleep, but now the reconstruction of the Ministry was finally done, and he could finally spend more time with his mate. However, his plans came to a grinding halt when he opened the bedroom door and saw nothing but a white sheet of parchment on the nightstand.

In the unlikely event that I’m not here when you return, I’ve gone to the Burrow with Hermione and Ron. I should be back before suppertime.

Harry

Well that was enough to make guilt stab at his heart. Lucius sighed wearily and dropped the letter back onto the nightstand. He obviously had a lot to make up to Harry for abandoning him for the last month.

“You’re here awfully early. Does that mean the reconstruction is completely done?”

Lucius looked up and saw Draco leaning against the doorframe. “Yes, the reconstruction is finally done.”

“Well, Harry should be happy. He’s been a little down the last couple of weeks,” said Draco blithely. “Maybe the trip to the Weasley’s will cheer him up a bit. I don’t know why, but he seems to like them quite a bit.”

Lucius felt guilt stab him even more deeply.

Draco continued on, oblivious to his father’s feelings of guilt. “He’s barely left his room the last two weeks, and even then it was because Luna dragged him down to the kitchen to eat.”

Lucius stood up abruptly. “I’m going to the Weasley’s. I’ll be back later.” He stalked out of the room without another word, leaving his son blinking at his departing back in surprise.

***

“I’ve got this, dear. Why don’t you go rest your feet on the sofa,” said Molly, taking the dishes from Harry’s hands. Setting the in the sink, she gently pushed Harry out of the kitchen.

Harry sighed softly and did as she asked. There was no use in arguing with the woman. She was bound and determined to coddle him while he was pregnant. He stretched out on the sofa and felt his eyes droop sleepily. He was almost asleep when the floo activated and Remus’ panicked voice sounded from the fireplace.

“Molly, where are you? Dora’s in labour, and we’re headed to St. Mungo’s!”

Harry almost fell off the sofa as he hurriedly tried to sit up. “Moony?”

“Harry! Tell Molly to meet us at St. Mungo’s. Dora’s in labour!”

“Of course,” said Harry. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

Despite his panic, Remus smiled at the teen. “I’ll see you then, cub.”

The flames returned to normal, and Harry hurried into the kitchen. “Mrs. Weasley, Remus just fire-called. Tonks is in labour, and they’re headed to St. Mungo’s now.”

Molly grinned widely at the news. She shouted to Ron and Hermione, telling them where she was going and headed to the fireplace. Harry hurried after her. “I’m coming, too. You’ll need to go first, though. If you thought my landings were bad before, they’re ten times worse now that I’m pregnant.”

“Are you sure, dear?” asked Molly worriedly. “I’m sure Remus would understand if you stayed here.”

Harry’s mulish expression was his only answer, and Molly sighed in resignation. The boy really was too stubborn for his own good. She finally just grabbed some floo powder and tossed it into the fire. With one last worried look at Harry, she stepped into the flames and called out her destination.

Molly stepped out of the fireplace and turned around, ready to catch Harry when he came through. A few moments later, Harry stumbled out of the fireplace, and Molly quickly steadied him. “This way, Harry. The Maternity ward is on the fifth floor. It’s down the hall from the tearoom.”

When they got to the Maternity ward, they found Remus pacing outside the room with a worried frown. Harry immediately went to the werewolf and hugged the other man. “How is she?”

“The doctor said she’s fully dilated, but the baby’s turned wrong. He thinks they’ll have to do a cesarean surgery to remove the baby safely,” said Remus haggardly.

“She’ll be alright, Moony. Tonks is one of the strongest women I know,” said Harry soothingly.

Remus just hugged Harry close, taking comfort in the teen’s presence, until Harry jumped slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” said Harry easily. “The baby just kicked again.”

Remus pushed Harry out to arms length and stared down at the teen. He was startled to find the teen showing much more than the last time he’d seen him. Before he could comment on the change, though, the medi-witch walked out of the room with a wide smile on her face.

“Mr. Lupin, your wife and son are waiting to see you.”

As Remus rushed into the room, Harry smiled happily. His godson, at least, wouldn’t know what it was like to lose his parents to a senseless war. That alone made everything worth it.