Lover ; George Weasley

Forty-five

"You've grown up."

Henry or Henrik or whatever he was called, sat in the chair opposite of my desk while I sat in my own chair.

"Well, it's only been twenty-three years." I said. "Sorry... almost twenty-three."

I grabbed the smoothie from the table and took a sip, keeping my eyes on this man who seemed to be very well put together.

"This is odd." I said, tilting my head. "Strange."

"Certainly is." He breathed and sat upright. "So how are you? Was that your husband? Or... boyfriend? I don't see you wearing a ring."

I chuckled and looked down at my hands holding the cup.

"We've been together for almost four months now."

"Are you happy?"

I shrugged.

"With him? Yes... in general? I dunno."

"You never got away."

"No, I didn't. Dad was locked up so I don't see him, but I never got away."

My plan was so completely cut my mum out of my life when I grew up, but sometimes plans change and I became dependent on her.

"I remember when you were around three, you always talked about wanting to teach at Hogwarts." He said. "You were so obsessed with that school and you always wanted to be around."

I hummed.

I couldn't stop looking at my brother. I tried to see if I could even remember his face from back then, but nothing happened.

I acted calm, but on the inside I was screaming. My brother was only in my life for the first four years and now he was sitting across from me.

Had I missed him?

No.

He hadn't been in my life for over twenty years. I didn't grow up with him. I was so young that I never really had a chance to have a bond to him.

I've never been able to feel a kind of love for him like I loved Nadine.

"Did you change your mind?" He asked as he looked around. "Do you like working at Gringotts?"

"I've always wanted to teach." I shrugged. "Though, I ended up here. I got pregnant at seventeen, had my first child by eighteen and my second by twenty-four. I was in a toxic relationship, I've been through a divorce so I haven't really had the time to see if they have an opening... and I don't think they do."

Henry cleared his thrown as he once again sat up straight, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

"They do, actually. They have an opening for the Defence Against the Dark Arts class." He told me. "I know McGonagall... I can put in a good word for you."

I shook my head.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I said. "I have a job... all I need is to be able to provide for my daughters."

"You just said you always wanted to teach."

"I did." I said. "I do. But it doesn't matter what I think. I ended up here... I haven't seen you since I was four, you don't get a say in my career choice."

He held up his hands in defence, pressing his lips together and I sighed, realising that I was being too rough on him.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I know why you left and I would've done the same if I had been older."

Henry sighed.

"Do I call you Henry or Henrik?" I asked. "Because right now, it's confusing me."

"I changed my name to Henrik Larke so that Abram and Melissa couldn't find me."

Abram is our dad and Melissa is our mum.

"But you can call me Henry. That's what you know me by."

I nodded.

"You know, back then, I heavily considered just taking you and Nadine with me when I left." He said. "But I was eighteen. How could I bring my eleven-year-old and four-year-old sisters with me? How could I afford it? I'm sorry you never got away."

"It doesn't matter." I shrugged. "It's probably fate or something."

"Fate? Why would fate decide that you had to stay in an abusive family?" He asked. "Dahlia—"

He sighed.

"My biggest regret was not getting someone and getting you out of the house. Instead I just ran and I didn't look back." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be..."

"He abused all of us and I can't imagine how many times he continued to lay a hand on you and Nadine after I left."

"I don't exactly keep count." I let out a small chuckle. "But he went to Azkaban after the war so it was only really eight years he continued after you left."

I laughed at the though, brushing a hand through my hair.

"Why are you laughing?" He asked. "I remember hearing you scream on the other side of the basement door because you misbehaved so according to Abram, you deserved to be locked in with your biggest fears combined. The dark... and basements. All you did was scream for him to let you out but he just ate his dinner in the dining room and we were all so fucking terrified of him."

I cocked an eyebrow.

"That never happened."

"I did." He nodded. "You don't remember? You were so scared and it traumatised you."

I gulped as I sat up straight, taking a sip of my smoothie. I felt uncomfortable talking about my childhood. That's why I never really did.

"Who did you end up marry?" Henry asked. "Who's the father of your children?"

I let out a shaky breath.

"Uh— Malcolm Baddock."

"Baddock?" Henry raised his eyebrows. "So Abram got what he wanted."

"What?"

"Since you were a baby, he planned that you'd be to marry Mr Baddock's son... Malcolm."

I let out a laugh.

"No he didn't. Dad didn't even know."

"You sure? Because I clearly remember hearing those conversations every time Mr Baddock was at our house. Call it an arranged marriage... I don't know, but they wanted you to marry, have children and continue our heritage."

No...

Does Malcom know?

"Why are you here, Henry?" I asked. "After twenty-three years, what are you doing back home?"

"I came to see you. I wanted to come home when Nadine died but I was too scared. I should've been there when the war happened and I should've been able to try and protect her but I wasn't and then I was too scared to come home for the sake of you. Our parents scared the living shit out of me. I was also scared that if I came home and saw mum, I wouldn't be able to get myself to leave again if it was necessary."

I took a deep breath.

"But I have a wife now and I've got all four kids." He let out a small chuckle. "I've always told them about you and Nadine... even Sam even though he was three when he died. They want to meet you. My wife has no siblings so you're their only aunt."