Tom's first several weeks of work go by well. He gets along well enough with his department coworkers, but I'm guessing he's using his fake personality with them since he still isn't very comfortable being himself just yet. I introduced him to Roger and Adrian too, since they both work at the Ministry in different departments. Both of my friends were surprised to see me dating someone new, especially since I kind of fell of the radar the last year before the war while I was travelling. I still had seen them both on occasions, but not as often as I had meant to.
Tom actually took a warming to both boys, though I could tell he liked Adrian more just because they were both Slytherins. He and Roger could end up getting into some long winded conversations though, they were both very smart people. I was proud he was using his real personality with both of them, and I know it's because I was there on their first meeting, acting as a buffer, but I'm still proud of his achievements. I was glad to hear from Tom when he came home from work one day that he was getting along with them both when he would run into them at the Ministry from time to time, it showed me he was making friends.
For Harry's 17th birthday, we had a small sized gathering of people over to the cottage. Dad had rescued James's watch from the rubble of the Potter Manor after the attack all those years ago, and now he had it restored and polished up. He gave it to Harry on his birthday, and my god brother couldn't hide the tears streaming down his face even if he had tried. He has since been proudly wearing it every moment.
It was with good timing Harry got something of his father's since Marin finally passed away over the summer. She was Lily's cat, and lived far longer than we thought she would, but she always hung out with Harry when he was here if she wasn't outside. I almost think she was just waiting for him to get another piece of his parents before finally resting. She was a good and sweet little cat, and I'll miss her a lot.
Bill and Fleur's wedding went stunningly. Charlie was the best man and Percy was a groomsman, but otherwise the rest of Bill's brothers were ushers while his two best friends from school were his other groomsmen.
I know I turned heads when I walked in with Tom on my arm to the ceremony. As I had taken my seat, I caught Charlie's eyes from where he stood by Bill's side. He looked sadly at me, but then offered me a kind but bittersweet smile of acceptance. I'm guessing, just based on his not to surprised expression, one of his brothers already told him a bit about me and Tom. I gave him a soft smile of thanks in return, and I'll seek him out later to talk during the reception.
"Tom, go and socialize for a bit, I'm going to talk to a friend for a moment." I say to Tom after the dinner gets cleared away and people start to dance with each other at the reception. "Look, there's Xenophelius Lovegood, that should be one hell of an entertaining chat, talk with him." I nudge him towards the man in bright yellow robes who is talking animatedly to a witch who looks like she wants to run away from him. I actually almost wish I could witness that conversation, but I have my target set on a certain ginger man.
"Hello Charlie." I say with a smile as I join Charlie at his table where he's sitting alone.
"Abby." He says sadly. "You look beautiful." He compliments genuinely.
"Thank you." I reply, and then we fall into an awkward silence.
"You know..." He starts to say after taking a drink of his wine. "I thought for so long it would be best to wait until you had graduated, that way our age difference wouldn't be weird. But it seems... I waited too long." He smiles sadly again, his eyes on Tom who has an amused expression on his face as he talks to the Lovegood's. "Will you tell me about him?"
"His name is Tom Drake." I reply after a moment, a sad frown on my face as I take in Charlie's expression and know I caused his current pain. "Do you remember when we first met Posocus?" I ask randomly, and he nods after a moment. "After he hinted at my prophecy, you told me you were rooting that I would bring joy to the darkness. I did that... I brought that joy to Tom, just as he did for me."
"I can't say I'm not surprised, you're good at that." He says genuinely. "Does he treat you well?"
"Yes, he treats me like a Queen." I answer honestly. "Just like I know you would have done, too." I add quietly, and he turns to face me fully. "You know... for so long there, I really just assumed I would have ended up with you. Apparently everyone assumed that. I had a huge crush on you for years, and I love who you are, and you've always brought a warmth to my heart. I've loved you for along time." I confess to him, having spent years genuinely believing that and still having a small bit of guilt that our future changed recently. "But I know now that I'm not..."
"In love with me." He finishes for me abruptly. "Well, can't say I'm not disappointed." He stands up then, and I think he's going to walk away, leaving the conversation at that abrupt end. He hesitates for a moment though before offering me his hand. "Dance with me?"
I grin softly at him and place my hand in his, "Anytime."
He leads me to the dance floor and we share a waltz. I look fondly into his eyes, eyes that used to make me blush but now just make me feel comfortable and safe. I care for him, and it's not familial love like how I care for all the other Weasley's, but it's also not romantic, not anymore. I've grown up with him and always admired his drive and passion, and he's someone I always sought to be around, someone I naturally gravitate to. I had looked forward to our little forest adventures during my first two years at Hogwarts just as much as I looked forward to the twins and I's next pranks. Charlie has always been a source of happiness to me, but it's not the same as the happiness I get from Tom.
As we finish our waltz, Charlie takes one final look over at Tom, who unsurprisingly was watching us dance with a guarded expression.
"I wish you the best with him, Abby. I hope he loves as much as I have." Charlie says softly as he places a kiss on my cheek before standing to his full height, which isn't much taller than me. He nods to Tom behind me in acceptance before he walks off to join one of his brothers. I turn to go join my love once again but see he is already behind me.
"May I have this dance?" Tom asks me hesitantly, his hand outstretched.
"Of course, my love." I say softly, and he assumes a waltz position but his hands aren't quite right. "You've never danced before, have you?" I ask in a whisper, no hint of teasing in my tone as his ears turn red in embarrassment.
"Beyond our one time in the Konoha realm, no, I haven't." He admits in a mumble, which I find absolutely adorable. I correct his hands subtly, and allow him to start to lead, but secretly guide him to the right movements. He can tell what I'm doing, but if anyone else saw us it would look like Tom is leading. "So that was Charlie?" He asks idly once he gets the hang of the waltz.
"That was Charlie." I agree softly. I help ease some of the jealousy I can see in his eyes by standing up a little taller to steal a kiss as we swayed together. "I still choose you, Tom." I whisper against his lips, "I love you, and I'm in love with you."
"You are a beautiful person, Abigail." Tom breathes out to me, our dance nearly forgotten as we just hold each other and sway. "Inside and out, you are truly brilliant. I would almost ask if you were settling by being with me, but I have learned over the years enough about you that you would never settle for anything."
"That is incredibly true, I'm very selfish and stubborn with impossibly high standards." I grin at him for his words. "And you aren't giving yourself enough credit, Tom. You are loving, intelligent, handsome, brave, and powerful. All things I'm very attracted to. I'm proud to be with you." I kiss him again as he smiles at me during my admiration of him.
"Move in with me." He blurts out after the kiss. I raise my eyebrow at him for the sudden topic. "I want to live with you, but I want to do so in a place that is ours. I want to get a home together with you." I feel my breath hitch and my lips part at his sincerity. Then a grin blossoms across my face and I hold him tightly in a hug.
"Yes!" I cheer to him. "That's a wonderful idea! Where should we live?"
"I was thinking Diagon Alley, so you could be close to work, to both of your jobs." He offers out.
"I don't start at Gringotts until after school starts for Hogwarts, but that would be convenient." I observe thoughtfully. "Let's do it, let's move there together." I agree and grin with him.
Last week, I had talked with Bill about working at Gringotts as a Curse Breaker. He had just been transferred to being at the London location full time for a two year contract, something about increasing security since someone managed to rob the bank. He was allowed to take an apprentice, so he offered me the position. I wouldn't be starting until he came back from his honeymoon, which coincidently was right around when Harry was going off to his 7th year. It was the ideal position for me, and I planned to actually use my skills and knowledge to help the bank prevent future break ins, at least for the methods I used. Bill has no idea it was me, and I plan to keep it that way, mostly just so he's not implicated by knowing the truth.
Tom and I stop our dancing once Fred whisk's me away to dance with him. He had brought Angelina as his date and I was happy to see my friend again. Alicia was still dating Kenneth from school, and they had moved in together a few months ago, but she wasn't here tonight. Angelina and I gossiped about Tom after my dance with Fred, her and I giggling like school girls over the false story I told. I told most everyone that I met him during my year off while I was travelling in Sweden before falling madly in love with him.
George also stole me away for a dance, and that one was one of those dances where we moved so sporadically and violently in our exaggerated dance moves that the other dancers had to make way for us as we made total fools of ourselves, though neither of us cared since it was fun. I did manage to steal the groom for a short but fun dance as well, but he was a popular guy so I bowed out when someone else tapped to cut in. I had a delightful dance with Cedric as well, both of us catching the dark looks of jealousy that Tom was openly sending our way and that Cho was trying not to send our way. Cedric and I giggled at our significant others but respected them both and kept a comical distance between our bodies while we waltzed.
A few short weeks after the wedding, Tom and I found a place that suited us both. We found a quant little two bedroom flat at the other end of Diagon Alley from the joke shop. I could walk to the bank in five minutes and to the joke shop in 10, and it was also overlooking a little garden square I didn't know was even in the Alley.
Dad was less than pleased about me moving out, but I told him I'd visit often and that we would also take our long bike rides together. I freaked Tom out once when he didn't realize the bikes could fly and I didn't exactly warn him before flying up into the sky one night with him. Dad and I enjoy having our races jump around from road to sky and back again, so to us that was normal, but to Tom it made him hate the 'muggle deathtraps' even more.
Before we fully left home though, I finally took Tom to my treehouse in the forest by the cottage. I don't know why I hadn't thought to do so the whole time he lived here, but now that we're leaving it seemed a good time to take him here.
"This is your realm!" Tom exclaims out as he spots the very familiar treehouse after we did a short walk through the woods. "You crafted it based on here?"
"Yeah, Snape taught me that it would be easier to base it off a real place. I always liked living in forests, and it brings me the most peace, so I figured it would be the best place to trap you in, I mean talk to you in." I correct myself with a smirk.
"It was a most beautiful prison." He says idly as he runs his hand along the wood of the treehouse. He climbs inside and notices there aren't the usual plush chairs like in my realm, and also that he's too tall to stand anymore. "I don't fit too much anymore." He chuckles out, taking out his wand and waving it. Instantly, two plush chairs form from the fallen leaves on the forest floor, and the roof raises above his head.
"Impressive." I compliment his flawless and powerful magic. "You know, I so rarely see you perform magic, I just realized that." I add in surprise, realizing I rarely see him use his new wand.
"I have no need to use it much, you already have a magical home." He shrugs it off.
"I actually half assumed you'd use your wand for every little thing, just like the twins do. They're so lazy they use their wands to Apparate up and down the stairs!" I joke out, but really it's true.
We stay and chat some more before it's time to send Harry off to school. We were just going to Apparate him to the train station this morning since we all had some type of work to do later today. We went back to the cottage and helped Dad and Remus gather Harry's last few items as he scrambled around looking for last minute things he had forgotten to pack.
"Have you seen Nix?" Harry asks me frantically once we arrive back. I check my pockets to see if the sneaky snake had hidden on me like he sometimes does, but didn't feel him anywhere on me.
"Nope." I shrug back. "Maybe he's dead." I add with a grin while Harry cries out at me in exasperation.
"I know how to find him." Tom says confidently, and then he wraps his arm around my waist dramatically and dips me low, his free hand softly caressing my face as I blush at his sudden, bold romantic move. He leans towards me painstakingly slow, and right before he places his lips against mine, a hissing sound is heard from out of nowhere and something large smacks into Tom's face. "Found him." He says smugly and disgruntledly as he picks up the meter-long angrily hissing snake off the floor and stands back up, but not before kissing me swiftly with a smirk. "He really is possessive over you." He hands the snake to Harry, the boy and the snake having some angry hissing conversation. Nix eventually shrinks and slithers into Harry's pocket after their rushed argument.
"Hmm, I wonder why you wanted to get our own place." I wink at my boyfriend as I grab Hedwig's cage. "Let's move out people!" I call to the household and walk out the door.
We all Apparate to the station, Dad still helping Harry since he isn't the best at Apparating yet. Tom surprisingly hates to Apparate, and I found that strange since it's like the ultimate form of magic, but to each their own. It is very disorienting to do, and significantly less pleasant than my old way of teleporting.
We walk swiftly to the platform and Harry spots the Weasley's right away. I handed him back Hedwig and greeted everyone, but a certain head of pale blonde hair caught my attention in the distance. I bounded away from everyone and ran over to grab the boy into a huge hug.
"Draco!" I cheer loudly to my cousin. "You're ok!" I pull back and look at his face, but he just pulls me back into a hug for a moment before breaking it off entirely, his ears red in embarrassment since people are looking at him now.
"Cousin." Draco says pompously, trying to regain composure. "Good to see you again." He mumbles out genuinely.
"I'm happy to see you again too! Where the heck have you been?" I ask him rapidly as I then look up and notice both his parents there behind him. I raise my eyebrow at Lucius being here and not in prison. "Mr. Malfoy." Draco looks nervously between the two of us as he steps to the side while his father approached me.
"Ms. Black." Lucius says with mild contempt, the scars I gave him on his face marring his lips and cheekbones. "It seems I need to... Thank you." He says through gritted teeth, his tone showing how painful that statement was for him to say. "For the Ministry. I realize now that was you."
"I will also thank you then, for keeping Draco and Narcissa safe and away from the war. Thank you for putting them first." I say, indicating my head to them both. That seemed to be the limit on what Lucius could handle for interacting with me and he walked away, but Narcissa approached me next.
"Thank you for caring for my son, Abigail." Narcissa says politely. "He speaks highly of you. And thank you for all your hard work on defeating the Dark Lord." She inclines her head and walks to join her husband.
"So..." I turn back to Draco. "Tell me where you were." I urge him again with a smile.
"Father had us hide in America." Draco drawls out with distaste. "It was awful, we had to live amongst muggles. "
"Oh, the horror." I deadpan at him and shove his shoulder.
"Father made a bargain with the Ministry." Draco informs me, a brief look of disgust on his face. "He gave information that can be used to lock away other Death Eaters in exchange for his freedom. The Ministry took his wand as security, and he's on what they call a 'probation' period."
"I'm just glad you're back, but you should go say goodbye to your parents before the train leaves. Write to me, I want to hear all about the dreadful American muggles that wronged you so on your trip." I say teasingly and shove him towards his parents after another hug. I returned back towards my group again, Tom taking my hand in his once again.
"Another one?" Tom asks me tiredly and I burst into laughter. He had a similar jealous reaction when meeting each of my male friends.
"That was Draco Malfoy, he's my cousin." I reassure him. "He's Harry's arch enemy, rival, secret admirer. His mother is Dad's cousin, she was a Black before she married the blond guy." I nod towards said parents.
"Those are some terrible scars." Tom frowns in observation, his gaze landing on Lucius. "You would think he would have healed those."
I chuckle innocently at that, summoning a blade discretely to show him. "Ah, fun fact I didn't mention about my blades. Their wounds can't be healed. It's to mark my victims permanently so they can never forget who wounded them." I grin wickedly at him as he eyes me cautiously. "And the best part is, they can't hurt me!" I demonstrate by stabbing myself in the heart, but really the blade just vanishes back into me, but it was totally worth the action to see Tom's face look like he was about to have a panic attack.
"I think... I may need more people to wish me luck." Tom grumbles out, but half the Weasley's heard it and laughed loudly.
I joined in with their laughter, patting Tom on the cheek before I parted from him to hug Harry tightly while he stood there embarrassed. Silly teenage boys getting embarrassed with hugging, it's too easy to taunt them. I hug Ginny and Ron tightly too, then I sent them all off and left with the twins to go to work, doing a massive inventory to get the shop reset after the Hogwarts rush.