Leave Out All the Rest
Chapter 32: Brunch with the Deceivers
POV: Albus
It seemed almost ridiculous to be celebrating Easter with everything that was going on.
The murder of Alec Greengrass was still fresh, alike the grief Liam and the Malfoys were feeling. That pain was then introduced to imprisonment (even if everyone kept saying to stop calling it that). The Malfoys (and Liam now, too, as their ward) were forced to hide from the prying eyes of the Wizardying World until these murderers were caught (the same murderers I was sure the Auror Department was connecting the attack in Muggle London with). Then there was Emily—poor, sweet, broken Emily.
"Yeah, all of it sounds completely wretched," said Evanna from the Floo in Mum's home office, "but maybe a bit of normalcy is needed. Maybe that's why your family still wants to celebrate Easter, because of everything that is going on. Easter is about family, after all."
"This family is broken," I mumbled. "I usually looked forward to Gran's endless feast and the traditional family game of quidditch, but it feels forced now. I don't want to sit there and pretend to be happy when I actually feel helpless—when I feel angry."
Evanna was quiet for a minute before she said, "Watch the temper, Potter. You know the Ministry is monitoring your magic after the Killing Curse incident."
I scoffed. "I didn't actually kill anyone—"
"That's not the point. Anyway, what if I came to your Easter brunch?"
I stopped tossing the old snitch I'd knicked from on top of Mum's desk. I turned over to the Floo, trying to hide my incredulous gaze like Evanna was actually standing there. I knew if I was looking into the flames she would be able to see my face, but I wasn't. I had to, though. I tried to school the growing fear I felt to look in. In the emerald flames, there she was, looking in now, too.
"You want to meet my family?" There was no way to mask that horrible question with any form of cool.
"You met Father," she said nonchalantly, like that wasn't just a quick handshake and an inspecting scowl that then turned to a terrifying smirk when Mum had called me over to our huddle because we were about to depart (Dad had been there to pick us up, but he had not been in a role of parent but rather as Head Auror escorting people out). "If you don't want me to go, I completely understand. These are difficult times and I don't want to impose."
I wanted to say that, yeah, maybe it was best if she didn't come join the chaos that I was caught in, but I could hear Teddy and Dad down the hall. One would say Evanna should not come while the other would disagree. It was because Dad was not known to be an expert in matters of the heart (because even we as his children were skeptical how he landed Mum) that I said, "No, you should come. I want you to come."
"Really?"
No.
Maybe.
I really hadn't the foggiest.
Turns out I was rubbish at this, too.
"I didn't think to ask because of everything that happened the past few weeks, but, yeah, it's a great idea. I'll let Mum know."
I didn't miss the little sigh of relief she gave. It made me feel all that more horrible.
Still, when the next morning came, and the flames of Mum's Floo turned green, bringing out Evanna looking absolutely beautiful, I felt panic in the pit of my stomach.
"Do you think they'll hate me?" Evanna asked with a laugh. "Should I turn back around?"
"Of course not," I said as I placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'm afraid you'll hate them."
It was not entirely a lie, yet introductions had gone smoothly. Mum greeted Evanna with a kiss to the cheek, Dad had smiled politely at her, Teddy reeled her into a tight hug, all while smirking in my direction with a promise of embarrassing me earlier with childhood stories, and Victoire (who had shown up bright and early to make sure Teddy wore his best clothes) welcomed her by pulling Teddy off. Lily had spent the night at Uncle George's and James had left early with Rose to plead a case—so everything seemed like it was going to work out just fine.
Then she came.
Nia came with the Thomas/Scamander family.
She came holding Lorcan's hand.
"They make a pretty blonde couple, I suppose," said Lily to Evanna and I when she and Liam strolled over to where we were. She reached for a celery stick, biting off a piece with a sharp grin when I frowned at her. "What? They do."
Evanna tilted her head to the side, openly observing Nia and Lorcan as they joined in a conversation with Aunt Angelina and Luna. "He can do better, I think."
"Oi," Liam said with a surprising growl. "He can't do better than my best friend."
"In looks maybe not," Evanna then continued with a laugh. "She's infuriatingly gorgeous, but she's too selfish and arrogant for someone like Lorcan."
Liam's cheeks grew red. "Clearly you don't know her."
"No, I don't live with my head stuck up her arse," Evanna returned. "Sorry you do, Greengrass."
Lily reached for Liam's hand, squeezing his fingers tight. The gesture wasn't odd, but the intention behind it was. Lily was going in for the unheard— she was going to defend Nia Harper for the first time ever.
Fortunately, the onslaught was interrupted by Dominique's loud noise of disgust.
She approached from the backdoor of the Burrow, her oversized grey jumper swallowing her whole. "Look at you four. Young love. Ugh. You make me sick. And despite the rumours at Hogwarts, I don't maintain this slim and tight figure by throwing up my food. So, please, refrain from the PDA, or you'll be forced to clean up after me."
Lily huffed at our cousin. "If you were so disgusted by PDA, you and Derrick Rowle would learn to keep off each other."
"Keep it down," Dominique snapped. "If Dad even hears his name he'll burn this whole place down. Then Gran will murder him, then he will murder me, and then I'll murder you."
"An endless cycle of violence," said Evanna. "Lovely people, your family."
I laughed. "Told you."
"Louis blabbed, I see," Lily pointed out. "Tell us everything."
Just as Dominique began to recount in detail what had occurred, Evanna pressed a kiss to my cheek. "I'll be back, okay. I'm going to help your mother set up what's left."
"Mum already likes you, Evanna," I told her. "You don't need to help."
She swatted my arm. "Look, any extra points with your family can't hurt, Potter."
"If it makes you feel any better," I added, "Coral McLaggen should be arriving with Louis any minute now. It's her first time meeting the family, too."
"I'm not nervous, if that's what you're implying," Evanna said in a murmur, turning her body away from the others so only I could hear her. "It's just..."
My concentration was hijacked when ahead a ray of rare sunlight illuminated Nia. She was all shimmering long, blonde hair, golden skin, and alluring sapphire eyes. I couldn't breathe at the sight of her.
There was something inside of me, something bigger than my heart, something stronger than my desire, that missed her. It made my soul ache.
I lost track of how long we had gone without speaking. It seemed like eternity, anyway.
"...it's stupid, I know, but I need you to understand." Evanna brought me back when she patted the same arm she had swatted, her gaze searching for sympathy.
I cleared my throat, tearing my eyes away from the divine sight that was Nia Harper. "Yeah, I do."
I was fucking terrible.
With another peck to my cheek, Evanna made way inside the Burrow. I waited for her to be too far off so I can move to where my body pulled me like a magnet.
"Albus!" greeted Dean with a hard clap on my back as I joined their group. Nia lost her smile when my eyes found hers. "How're you doing, lad? Tell me you finally joined the quidditch team."
"He's a Slytherin, sweetheart," Luna said to her husband, leaning to his side as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "As we've discussed before, he can't join the Gryffindor team."
"I can write an angry letter," Dean said. "McGongall would be forced to make an exception, right?"
"Dean and Seamus are tired of making bets on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and losing," Uncle George explained to me. He would usually have a grin to celebrate others' misfortune, especially old friends likes Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, but he had a matching miserable shadow alike Dean currently did. "We were just discussing how are legacy has let us down."
Aunt Angelina slapped him beside the head just as Luna giggled.
"Oi, don't act like it didn't break your heart that our lazy kids refused to get on a broom," Uncle George told her. "Freds has a hard time not getting knocked over the head before even climbing on and Roxy rather ride dragons because they're cooler. Since when is quidditch not cool?"
"I convinced Nia to join next year," Lorcan chimed in before Aunt Angelina could respond. "She's amazing."
I glared at the bloke. How would he know? She never flew around anyone.
Unless...
"Trying to convince," Nia corrected as Uncle George and Dean gawked at her, looking like they found a salvation to their lost gambles. "I'll be a Sixth Year next year. The coursework will be a lot more gruesome than this term's. I don't know if I'll have time for quidditch, too."
"I must train her," said Uncle George, completely tuning out everything else Nia had said. "She will be invincible."
"She's already fearless," Dean added. "It's possible. She'll bring the quidditch cup back to Gryffindor."
"Or," Luna said with a shake of her head, "she'll pour over her studies and continue to feed that excellent mind of hers. Lor did say she is very bright."
"Lor thinks Harper is perfect at everything," Lysander interjected as he walked over to us. The teasing smile on his face made his twin brother blush. Nia just cleared her throat at the attention. "It's what being smitten does to you."
"Friendship is a beautiful thing," Luna said with a comforting smile at her sons. "It encourages and uplifts. It's how I got Neville to pursue being an Auror before retiring as your Herbology professor. He was rather good at being an Auror, wasn't he, Dean?"
Lysander laughed again as his step-father shurgged. "I think it's a bit different than you and Neville, Mum. You two are best friends."
"I don't see the difference here," Luna said.
As much as we loved Luna, there was much she couldn't see. The awkwardness that was starting to form was an example, but thankfully, alike before, Dominique came breaking tension.
"Aunt Hermione said to take our seats," she informed loudly to all those gathered at the Burrow. "They're about to serve. Oi, Uncle Ron, do not sit around Mr. Malfoy! Aunt Hermione said she cannot have you two drunk so early in the day!"
Dean redirected Luna toward the table, following Uncle George and Aunt Angelina. Lorcan's hand was still clasped tight with Nia's, but Lysander seemed to have other plans. He wrapped an arm around his twin playfully, tugging him away from Nia. Lorcan tried to shove him off, but failed.
"You two!" Nia and I did not have a chance meet eyes before Mum's voice rang between us. She had two trays levitating before her, one in her hands, and Evanna carrying another right behind her. "Fetch the two trays of pudding left."
Nia and I both knew better than not to do as we were told. She hurried along before I gave the first step.
"Nia, wait!"
She didn't. She walked through the backdoor, expertly dodging Uncle Percy and his jars of seasonal moonshine. I crashed right into him, of course, but his spell to make the glass shatter-proof did more harm to me than I did to them. He rolled his eyes at me and carried on as I rubbed my head at the impact.
"Where are you going?" I asked with a wince at the bump that was already forming. Nia was turning back around, empty-handed. "Pudding, remember?"
She glared, whether at my tone or my blocking her way out, I couldn't tell (both, it was both).
"There's nothing on the counter or table. Someone must have brought them out and your Mum forgot. So, if you will get out of my way—"
"Is Lorcan your boyfriend now?" I asked, stepping aside (I wasn't stupid enough to keep blocking her path. She'd punch my nose right in if I had dared to defy her). However, it was my words that stilled her. "He is, isn't he? You two have been holding hands for weeks. You've met his parents. You showed up for his debate competition against other schools. You sleep in his dormitory—"
"That's a lie," Nia snarled at me. "A lie started by your girlfriend. Just because I was walking away from Ravenclaw Tower doesn't mean I slept there. And, oh, before I forget, even though it isn't your business, just because I hold his hand doesn't make him my boyfriend. I could be snogging or shagging him, and he still wouldn't be my boyfriend if I don't want him to be. Please, do yourself a favor, Al, and stop assuming a girl can't be around blokes without dating them. It makes you look like an idiot, okay?"
My lips tightened into a line. I couldn't argue with her, she always won. But the thought of her snogging or—"Then what is it? Why does he look at you like he loves you?"
"Because he does," she told me in a softer, quieter voice than she had previously been using. "Is that so bad? To have someone love me?"
I took a step forward when I saw a glimmer of strange vulnerability in her blue eyes. "Everyone loves you," I murmured back. "Liam, Rose...me."
That glimmer was instantly gone. She wouldn't be Nia Harper if her resilience did not overpower her frailness.
I was never scared of that, of her fighter instincts, it made me in awe of her. She was so strong, yet so sweet. I constantly wondered how that could be, but all I knew in that very moment was that she was going to use it against me. She would stand taller than she ever was, so tall that I could not reach her, and I couldn't let that happen.
For far too long I've been watching her from below, letting her skyrocket to unreachable distances. All to get away from me. And I've never followed in order to get away from her.
"I don't have any right to say this, I know, but I do love you, Nia. I really, really fucking do." I took a deep breath just as she did. I exhaled, but she kept hers in. "Lorcan is a great bloke, I know, and yeah, he can love you, but I don't think he'll ever love you like I can. Like I do and have. Because...I've been in love with you for years, but I've always been too much of a coward to say anything because I was afraid I was just your friend. So I moved on and pushed you away when, really, all I needed was to remain your friend. Because being just your friend is better than not having you around anymore."
She was not going to break. There was a cold, unfeeling mask on her beautiful face, her shoulders squared and back poised; I knew I could not count on any form of raw, emotional response.
When she parted her plush, pink lips apart all I heard was, "Are you done?"
Slowly, I nodded.
She stepped around me, but just as she stepped foot onto the crowded, old living room of the Burrow, I said, "I'm happy if you are." It stopped her again. "I know I've been shite at showing it, but I'm happy if you are. Well, I'll be now. Promise."
Nia spun around, her blue eyes livid and shedding tears at the same time. "You could've told me! You could've told me all of this before, but you didn't! Instead you went on a date with fucking Evanna Nott and made her your girlfriend! This—this bullshit of a mess would've never happened if you didn't run away from me! Why did you run away from me, Al? Why? Am I that horrible?"
"You're not." I rushed over to her. I reached for her hands, but she slapped them away. I knew I should've kept them at my sides, but I tried again. This time she did let me entwine my fingers with hers. "I was just confused and scared, Nia. I'm—wait. Did you just ask why I made her my girlfriend? As in, why her and not you?"
She growled at me, pushing me away, but I reached for her arms.
"Nia?"
"If you're expecting to hear me say that I loved you from the start, too, then you're going to be disappointed, Al," she said angrily at me. "I'm not going to say that I've been in love with you. I will not."
A small laugh left me. She was hardheaded. This was as close to the truth as I was going to get.
I should have thought about it twice, I know, but around Nia I couldn't think. All I knew is that I was holding her, that our I love you's hung in the air, and that was all I needed for me to close the space between us.
It was like being struck by lightning. It was like seeing color for the first time. It was like my soul was coming back to my body.
That's the best I could describe what kissing Nia felt like. But it still wasn't good enough. It was more than all of that combined.
She melted right into my arms, her instinct for fight long gone. Her arms snaked around my neck, one hand in my hair, pulling at it as I pulled her closer. There was a fire between us. The more we kissed, the more it raged.
I would gladly let myself be set aflame.
In that moment, I knew she did, too.
Nia pushed me into the nearest wall. My hands went to her hips, spinning her around before she could trap me there. I hoisted her up, her legs wrapping around me, and I thought insanity was coming for me.
Before the pull inside both of us could lead us somewhere else, we were forced apart when the flames of the Burrow's fireplace shot up emerald.
There was Rose and James.
Nia's legs slipped from around my waist and I slowly settled her back down so her feet could touch the floor.
"Um," I cleared my throat, "I thought you two were getting Em?"
"Her stupid brother wouldn't let her come. There was a family brunch at his law firm he wanted her to attend instead. I tried to tell him she was better off with us, she wasn't ready to be around people, but he wouldn't listen. Em said he's trying to make senior partner this year or some shite like that—"
Rose smacked James rather harshly beside the head. "Shut up, will you?" She took a step away from the Floo, her brown eyes narrowing dangerously at us. I cringed at the judgment she was about to hurl at us, but instead she scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Brunch?" Nia suggested with a clear, cool voice.
"Yeah," Rose said, "let's go eat."
"Even if it looks like Al and Harper already ate," James said as Nia dragged Rose right out of the house.