Chapter 2 - To Forgive And Heal

"Holyhead Harpies." Harry read "Who is that?" he added, looking up.

"Only one of the oldest and most prestigious all-female Quidditch teams in the British and Irish league." Ginny said, turning to face Harry. Her face was glowing. Obviously this was something she had wanted for a long time.

"Gin, That's amazing news!" Harry exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. But then he realized what the problem was "When do they want you?"

"Immediately." Ginny said with a sigh. "There is a big game coming up in a few weeks and they want me to start training."

Harry Didn't say anything because this would mean Ginny would be gone for long periods of time. She would be travelling a lot. The timing of this opportunity could not have been worse. If he moves out and Ginny joins the team, there would be fewer people to help the Weasley family mourn.

"Go." Harry said quietly. "I'll stay here, at the Burrow."

Ginny looked up at him in surprise.

"Don't worry about anything here, I'll take care of George and everyone else." he said.

Ginny's eyes started to water. "Really?" she said. "Is this a good time? with everyone still in mourning."

"Gin, if there is anything we should have learnt in the last few years is that we should live for the present. Go be an amazing Quidditch player, soon everyone will be there celebrating with you." Harry said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

She smiled, letting a tear fall before wiping it away. "They could still cut me from the team." She said "If I mess up at tryouts."

"You won't mess up." Harry said confidently "You had the best captain in Hogwarts history." He said, obviously meaning himself.

She laughed, playfully hitting him "Yea, when you were not busy in detention."

Slowly they stopped laughing and moved closer together. When their lips touched, Harry felt his whole busy warm up. Honestly it was better than butterbeer. This was the first real kiss they shared since the war ended. They had no time to think about themselves when everyone around them were falling apart.

*******

Next morning, At breakfast Harry had a plan. He made his way down to the kitchen to find Molly making breakfast.

"Good morning Harry." She said with a smile. "Arthur and Percy just left, would you like some breakfast."

"Let me help." He said, moving forward to toast the bread with his wand.

"Mrs. Weasley." Harry began, slowly. "About Ottery bay, there seems to be more work to be done than I had originally anticipated. I was wondering if you knew anyone who could help me fix things up for me."

"Why don't I have a look to see what we are dealing with, I could help with whatever I can of course." Molly said.
"You should wait a little before moving in, you still need furniture and everything and of course you should stay here until everything is ready." She added.

Harry smiled. This was exactly what he was hoping she would say. With Molly busy with his new house, she might be able to take her mind off the sadness of the war. Now all that was left is George, helping him move on would take longer than everyone else because he spent every waking moment with Fred and it would be very hard to get used to life without Fred.

Ginny and Hermione spend the morning talking to Ron about Ginny getting a chance to tryout for the Holyhead Harpies.

Harry decided to join them after breakfast, he could hear bits of their discussion in progress through the door. He could hear only Ron's voice.

"-my little sister-"
"-all alone-"
"-don't be ridiculous-"

Deciding it was time to end the sermon, Harry entered the room. Ron stopped talking to look at the door.

"Harry." Ron said, turning to him. "Did you know about this?" He asked, waving the letter Ginny showed him last night, at his face.

"Ginny told me last night and I think she should go." Harry said. "you too?" Ron spluttered.

"Ron" Harry said, sitting down opposite him. "This family has gone through a lot, none of you deserve that, Fred certainly did not. You all deserve every bit of happiness life can offer and if this is what makes Ginny happy, then why not?"

Ron dint say anything. Ginny beamed at him. Hermione had tears in her eyes as she looked at Harry proudly.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and everybody jumped. It was George.

He looked terrible as ever, still in his pajamas. He walked straight to Ginny and gave her a hug. "I'm so proud of you little sis.

"Ginny wiped her tears, it was overwhelming to see George finally out of his room. "Can't wait to see what mum would say." George said with a grin.

Everyone stopped smiling. Telling Molly was the part they all dreaded. She was not going to let her youngest child go off and play a dangerous sport so soon after losing a child.

"Let's wait till Bill comes over this weekend and then break the news." Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, Bill would be cool with it." said Ron. Ginny nodded her throat dry.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, putting an arm around her.

"It's just that- I- I'm not even sure if I want to go." Ginny sobbed, fresh tears began to pour. It took a while to calm her down after which George said he was tired and went back to bed and Harry and Ron went to the shop.

"I really thought George was fine and would be ready to come back to the shop." Ron said. "How long do you think we should do this? I mean, we had considered becoming Aurors when we were at Hogwarts."

Harry recalled the time they sat in the Gryffindor common room, thinking about their careers. It seemed like a lifetime ago. None of them thought about their careers since the war began. Now that Ginny would be going to join the women only Quidditch team and George seems to be getting better, Ron started to think about his future too.

Just then there was a sound of bells ringing. Someone had entered the shop. It was Lee Jordan, Fred and George's best friend.

"Lee! What are you doing here?" Harry asked, shaking his hand. Lee looked a bit different. He was no longer bouncy and jovial. He was quieter and walked with a limp.

"I got an owl." He said, smiling at Ron. "You sure he wants to see me?"

"He might be ready to move on a little, at least enough to leave his room." Ron said to Lee "That should be enough for now."

Harry looked at Lee and then to Ron and said "Any time you want to include me in this conversation!"

Ron laughed and said "This morning after George came to see us and sort of behaved normally, I felt it was time to reunite him with Lee. It is time he forgave him"

During the battle at Hogwarts, Fred, George and Lee fought together as a team. Lee had teamed up with Fred when George went to help Ginny. George held Lee responsible for Fred's death. Lee was soon injured when a curse hit his leg, which did not recover even after weeks in St.Mungos, it was now twisted in an uncomfortable looking way.

"So the two of you have taken up the business then?" Lee said, looking around. "Doing well I see." He added, gesturing the empty place.

"It's a bit early in the day for customers." Ron snapped.

"This place is a mess!" Lee exclaimed, limping around. "You do realize the magic on these fades over time" he said holding up a pack of exploding snap. "These are definitely gone." He added, tossing it back on the shelf.

"Come and help us then." said Ron.

"Only of George wants me to." Lee replied, smiling sadly. "Although I don't know how helpful I would be in this condition." He said, indicating his leg.

"We will get this sorted today. I know George misses you." Ron said

"How come nobody gets excited about the shop run by the famous Harry Potter?" Lee asked, changing the topic.

"Hermione" said Harry and Ron together.

"Let me guess, a spell so nobody would recognize you?" Lee said, grinning.

"Except for those who already know me." Harry said.

*******

Ron turned the lights out. It was time to close the shop. Lee was very nervous. He was going to meet George after almost two months. After getting a nod from Harry and Ron, he took a fistful of Floo powder and went into the fireplace.

Back at the burrow, everyone was already at the table for dinner. It was a little earlier than usual but Molly was excited when George came downstairs without being called that she dint want to give him a chance to go back up. Arthur and Percy hadn't arrived yet but Charlie was home.

When the fireplace blazed nobody took notice. They were used to Harry and Ron coming and going to the shop as they pleased. But nobody expected Lee to appear. The dining room which was slowly getting some live back because of George, suddenly fell silent.

"How you feeling George." Lee asked, nervously stepping forward.

The glass in George's hand shattered and Lee jumped back. Nobody drew breadth. Lee gave Ron a pleading look and Ron stepped forward. "It's time you forgave Lee. You can't blame him for anything that happened on that day."

George slammed his hand on the table with the broken glass. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" George yelled, ignoring his bleeding hand.

"George!" Molly gasped, running to him with a rag and summoning a bottle of dittiny for the cuts.

"I just want to say I'm sorry. If I could change anything I would. I wish it were me instead -" Lee said, he stopped before he could say Fred's name.

"Yeah, I wish it was you too." George said coldly, pulling his hand away from Molly's grip and walking away.

*******

Harry is right. The Weasleys have suffered enough. But how does someone recover from loss like this? If there was book about it, Hermione would be the first to know.

What do you think Ginny should do? Is this a good time to leave her family and Harry?

I brought back Lee because I realized nobody mentioned him after the war. He is the one person who George spent his time with almost as much as Fred. Will George ever be able to forgive him?

If you enjoyed this chapter please comment and vote!

IMPORTANT: I know, I said that I would post on Sundays but then I decided to enter this book for the #wattys2016
Would love your support. Thanks guys!!
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