19-Feb-2003
Parallel
A Harry Potter/Gundam Wing fanfic by Stormy
Rating: R
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4
Summary: Heero Yuy and Harry Potter. Transcending time and space, the mystery of what became of Harry Potter is about to unfold.
Warnings: Shonen ai (1x2), possible SBxRL (Should I or shouldn't I? ^^)
Spoilers: TPS, CoS, PoA, GoF, (HP), Endless Waltz (GW)
Additional Notes:
Again, dedicated to Talon, Luna, Chibs, and Kitty-kat – you wonderful,
loveable naggers you. ^^ Anyone else who wants to join in this group – simply
visit my website (http://stormyfics.homestead.com/main.html) and drop me a line on my tag board. ^^
I have over 50 emails in my inbox waiting for responses. I *will* get to them. ^^ Sorry for taking so long.
He tilted his head to one side. Then he tilted it back the other way. Nope, not right. His head veered back to the other side again. Still not right. Maybe if he stood on his head, or even if he lay down on the grass and craned his neck to the right - nope. It was still wrong.
Duo scratched the back of his head and looked over at Quatre who was gazing back at him with the same confused expression. "Quatre?"
"Yes Duo?"
"Structurally speaking, that house shouldn't be standing, right?"
"No Duo."
"Just checking." Man, the things one could do with magic. To the other side of him, he could hear Heero and Ron laughing at him and he shrugged, picking up his duffel bag, the only thing that had come with them to this strange new world.
Heero choked back his laughter and waved at Ron to do the same. He had expected a reaction like that from Duo and Quatre. Trowa, as usual, was unfazed that the house they were to stay in for the remainder of the summer seemed to spread out in ways never before heard of in the construction world, and Wufei had simply raised an eyebrow at the outlandish house, muttering, "Of course," beneath his breath as he turned his gaze downwards to the chickens that seemed fascinated by his feet. Every few seconds Wufei's leg jerked out in warning at the scrawny brown hens to stay away.
"Welcome to the Burrow," Sirius said, smiling. He was happy to be there. Once getting over the shock of learning that Sirius Black, the mass murderer, was innocent, she'd wasted no time in adopting him as yet another honorary Weasely. Harry, Heero recalled his former life with a small smile, had been pleased for those few days of Sirius's freedom - he wasn't the only one on Molly Weasley's 'Fatten' 'Em Up' program. That had been just before the whole Harry-Killed-Voldemort-And-Nearly-Wound-Up-Dead-Himself thingie that had shaved years of Sirius's own life and completely ruined whatever progress Molly had made with him. "You're going to love it here."
"I always have," Heero said quietly, running his eyes over the familiar place he'd come to call home over the last few weeks of every summer since he'd started Hogwarts.
With the exception of a few new stories to the building, it really hadn't changed all that much. Bright curtains still fluttered in the windows, smoke curled out of two of the three chimneys, and Heero's eyes could just make out a familiar shade of blue edging out of the shed.
"Ron?"
Ron looked in the direction Heero was staring. "Oh yeah - Dad got Charley and Bill to round up the Ford Anglia out of the Forbidden Forest and bring 'er back." He winked mischievously. "Dad got the invisibility button working again."
Heero smirked. "Very interesting." Hermione groaned.
"You will not touch that car," a familiar voice cut in warningly. Looking up, the group on the lawn watched Molly Weasely stride across the lawn, a gaggle of redheads trailing behind her. "Not until you get your licences!"
She stormed closer. Duo, for a split second, thought she was actually angry and he automatically tensed. Then he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes, eyes that fixed like homing beacons on his partner, and with a knowing smile, he stepped away from the Perfect Soldier, leaving him to the wrath of Molly Weasely.
Heero had time to blink before Molly's strong arms were wrapped around him so tightly he almost couldn't breathe, one work-worn hand clutching the back of his head as she rocked him like a child for a minute. Heero could feel her tears spilling over, dripping onto his head and for a moment, he let go of his ironclad control and hugged her back just as fiercely.
"Mrs Weasely," he choked out. Molly pulled back enough to see him, and Heero smiled at the face filled with motherly concern. "Thanks for having us."
Molly shook her finger at him, her whole arm trembling. "If you ever, EVER, scare me like that again child... " she didn't finish her sentence, but gathered him up again, squeezing him one more time. "Oh thank heavens," she whispered.
After another minute, she stepped back completely, using a corner of her apron to dry away her tears. Sniffling, she smiled at him again, and then looked over at the group of people watching the emotional display. "And who have we here?"
Heero ran through the introductions quickly, and Molly looked from him to Duo to him and then back to Duo again. She smiled at the carefully neutral expression on the longhaired boy's face, having noted the tiny look of jealousy that had flickered there when she had held Harry. The natural mother-hen nature in her made her walk over to him and scoop him into a hug as well. "I hear you're the one who's been taking care of Harry."
Duo froze, unused to perfect strangers hugging him. "Umm... yes?"
She laughed and squeezed him. Then, determined not leave anyone out, she gave out welcoming hugs to the rest of the pilots, including Wufei who was not successful in deterring her by sticking out his hand for a handshake. Duo giggled at the uncomfortable yet resigned look on his face. Molly didn't push it however, and let him go after a minute. Quatre on the other hand, laughed and agreeably hugged her back, making Molly's eyes fill with tears.
Heero noted the sheer emotion Mrs Weasely was showing, and wondered just how much she knew about them, and their life. Probably more then he thought.
Then he noticed that the others, who had followed Molly out of the house, were still standing just across the grass, watching uncertainly. His lip twitched.
"Hello Fred, George. I see you haven't blown up the house yet."
That seemed to break the tension, and two identical redheads raced over, tackling Heero. Or at least, they tried to. One quick hip check and a roll sent the twins to the ground, but Heero kept his hand on them to slow their descent. Slightly.
Two thumps later, the two glared up at him, rubbing their sides. "Since when did you become a kung-fu master?"
Heero held out his hand to pull them up. "Since now?"
"It's great to see you mate!" Fred exclaimed enthusiastically, ruffling Heero's hair. Normally, the stoic boy would have sent a patented death glare in his direction, but Harry was showing a more forceful side that day, slipping between Heero's cracks and splinters caused by Molly Weasley's heartfelt welcome. Instead, Heero ducked under the hand and nodded back with a slight smile.
"You too."
"What he said, oh Seeker my Seeker, "George echoed his twin's enthusiasm, pumping Heero's hand up and down. "You had the old woman scared more then the time we fed a Canary Cream to a young Fireball Charley was showing off and had to run for our lives from a feathered, clucking dragon!"
"How is Charley doing?"
"He's fine - and right here."
Heero looked past George's shoulder to see the stocky, muscular Weasely striding towards them. "You didn't think I'd miss the homecoming of Harry Potter, did you?"
Heero shrugged. "You're a busy guy," he said, giving another small smile. Charley chuckled and gave him a great hug, picking him off the ground and ruffling his hair like he did to his other younger siblings.
"Welcome back, kiddo," he said quietly, setting him down. His eyes were serious. "You know you're just like the others - one of my and Bill's younger brothers. You know that, right?"
In his heart, Heero/Harry knew, but it had been an unspoken knowledge. His smile was a little bigger this time. "I've always known."
"Good." Charley released him and stepped back. Heero noted a thick white bandage wrapped around his forearm and raised a questioning eyebrow. Charley followed the direction of his gaze and laughed again.
"Got in a tussle with a baby Short-Snout," he admitted. "Didn't want his inoculations."
"I'm not even going to ask."
Ginny and Bill were next. The youngest of the redheaded clan hugged Heero tightly and for a minute, Heero thought he was going to have a younger version of Relena to deal with. Then Ginny let go of him and smiled over his shoulder at Duo. It was a small smile, a sad one at that, and Heero knew that she knew what Duo meant to him. Someone had been spilling secrets. She looked back at Heero and nodded. "Welcome home, Heero." A lot of secrets.
Bill treated him much the same as Charley, hugging him strongly and telling him in no uncertain terms to never scare them like that again. Heero smiled and nodded.
Sirius was still hanging back a bit from the large gathering, still unused to large crowds. Molly slipped through the group and eyed him mischievously.
"Nervous, Mr. Black?" she asked sweetly. Sirius smiled, raking a hand through his hair.
"A bit."
Molly smacked him lightly on the arm. "Well, stop it! No one here is going to bite you - though it looks like you could use a bite of something yourself." She pinched his side and he yelped. Heero's head snapped over in his direction at the sound, but then amusement entered his gaze and he gave a small wave before turning back to the others. Sirius grumbled. Traitor!
Then he looked back at Molly who was waiting for him to decide and he obligingly held out his arm for her. She looped her arm through his and led him back through the crowd towards the house, telling everyone that lunch was ready for them and if they would just follow her, it would be served promptly. Sirius did a quick headcount and realized something.
"Where's Arthur, Molly?"
"Oh he wanted to be here," she sighed. "But he got called in this morning for an emergency meeting. He'll be out early though."
"Oh."
Sirius watched Heero and Duo walk in with the twins, the two redheads trying to fill Heero in on all that he'd missed since his disappearance six weeks ago - did they even know the whole story, he wondered - and Wufei had drifted near Charley, drawn by the mention of dragons, and the two of them plus Bill were having a lively discussion as they entered the lopsided house. Quatre and Trowa stuck close to Hermione and Ron, the only people they were familiar with after Heero and Duo, and were introducing themselves to Ginny.
Everyone seemed to be getting along well, for the most part. Sirius smiled and then the smell of food was upon him and everything else suddenly became second priority.
Lunch was a rather noisy affair, even by Weasely standards. The addition of five people from a future world was exciting enough, and the twins fired question after question at their guests. Arthur Weasely had popped in moments after they'd been seated, and wasted no time joining the twins in their questioning. Quatre, always polite and accommodating, was answering as best he could while trying not to divulge information that he seemed to understand Heero didn't want to be common knowledge yet. The fact that they were Gundam Pilots for one thing. The fact that they'd grown up in a war-torn era for another. Most importantly, Heero wasn't yet ready to tell everyone just exactly what it meant to be a Gundam pilot. That Hermione and Ron knew, as well as his professors and of course Sirius was more then enough for now.
Next to him, Duo was wolfing down his food, his eyes conveying his sheer appreciation for the spread Molly had laid out for them all. He was avidly listening to the conversation between Charley, Bill and Wufei - actually, it was more of a one-sided monologue by the dragon-keeper who was off on a roll about his favorite topic. Bill was throwing in a few comments about some of the traps he'd faced and Wufei had a few rather cryptic remarks about security that made the rebel Weasely laugh out loud.
At the end of the table, Ginny was picking at her food, a strange expression on her face. After a few minutes, she felt Heero's eyes on her and she lifted her head, giving him the same sad smile from before. Then she murmured an excuse to her mother who waved her away, before standing up and leaving the table.
Heero watched her go outside, and he rose. Duo glanced at him questioningly.
"Back in a second," he said nodding at the stairs as though he had to go make use of the little wizards room. But Duo narrowed his eyes, spotted Ginny letting the front door fall shut behind her, and a light dawned in his eyes. Heero shook his head with a small smirk - he should have known he couldn't put one over his partner. Duo smiled back and patted his knee - free and clear permission to go after the littlest redhead.
Heero nodded and excused himself. Walking over to the door, he looked back but no one was watching him, and he slipped outside.
The air was cool but not overly cold. It was a little more overcast then it had been when they'd first arrived, an obvious cold front moving in, letting the sun peek through filmy clouds. Gazing across the yard, he spotted the familiar figure perched on the low stonewall that separated the garden from the part of the land he, Ron and the twins had always thrown the gnomes into. There was still a small dent in one of the trees from where Harry had aimed a little too far left with an angry little gnome.
Ginny sensed him coming and raised her head. Heero had almost expected to see tears running down her face but she was dry-eyed, though a little resigned. Suddenly he felt a little uncomfortable. He didn't know exactly why he'd felt the urge to follow her out here, save for a nagging feeling of guilt, though what it was for was something he had quite figured out yet. "Mind if I join you?"
"Of course." She moved a little to the side and Heero took her spot. It was warm from her body heat and he flashed her a hesitant smile. She smiled back, quickly, and then returned her pensive look to the grass.
Heero followed her gaze and chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. It was obvious something was bothering Ginny, and it didn't take a genius to know he was responsible for it. His memories as Harry reminded him of the blushing girl sending him valentines, and rushing out of the room when she was embarrassed. Still, there were gaps in his memories, and the whole period of time surrounding his last confrontation with Voldemort was a big blur to him. Surely someone would have mentioned something to him if he and her...
Before he could act on that thought, Ginny spoke up. "It's good to see you again, Heero." She stressed his new name.
"It's good to be back," he replied slowly. He turned his head to look at her face and saw her staring up the sky, squinting a bit at the light. "I have the feeling," he began." That I've hurt you, but I don't remember how."
The words were said quietly, but they seemed as loud as though he'd shouted them. Ginny shot him a quick look, assessing him. Heero wasn't looking at her anymore -rather, he was looking inward, a slightly confused look on his face. It was odd, seeing such a familiar Harry expression on those alien features.
Ginny may have been the youngest Weasely in her household, but she was by no means a baby. She was a fifth year, maturing as all young girls eventually do, and her childish crush on Harry had grown in its intensity.
All her life she had heard of the wondrous Boy-Who-Lived. Meeting him in her home had been the first time she'd ever met someone who was a celebrity. And Harry had been so nice, so polite, not like her tricky older brothers who treated her like a baby most of the time. Then in her second year, Harry had been the one who had rescued her, facing down a living memory of Voldemort and a giant snake to save her life. Her infatuation had grown.
When Harry had disappeared six, almost seven weeks ago, she had thought that she would never see him again. That her chance with him was gone and that she would always have that 'what if' in her mind. It had hurt. She knew that Ron, Hermione and her whole family was hurting, that they had more of a 'right' to then she did, but it still hurt not knowing what might have been.
When Ron had told her what the Headmaster and the professors, along with a newly freed Sirius and Remus, were planning, what they had discovered - the idea that Harry might still be alive - Ginny had scarcely dared to hope. Then came word that Harry had been found - in the future. That they would bring him home. Then her mother came to speak to her.
Her mother took her aside and told her the information that Remus Lupin had given her. Ginny was shocked to learn that while Harry had been only gone six weeks to them, in reality, he had grown up all over again in the future and now had two lives worth of memories in one head. Even bigger was the shock that Harry had been reborn into a different body, and that he'd had a harder life then he'd had previously, even if the details on that were rather obscure.
The final shock was learning that Harry - now known as Heero - was in a relationship. With another boy.
Ginny didn't know what to say about that. Her mother had raised her to be an open-minded person. Prejudice had no place in her mother's house. The fact that Harry/Heero was gay bothered her more because until he had disappeared, she had been certain Harry was heterosexual. Cho Chang, the Patil twins, Fleur Delacour - had she simply been making a fool of herself?
Seeing Harry again had been bittersweet. She had spent the night with silent tears dripping down her face, thinking over the changes she would encounter in the boy who had come to mean so much to her over the years. Anger over him loving another boy, warred with joy that came with knowing he was coming home, alive and well. Then there was guilt - after all, she and Harry had never been an official couple. Harry had no loyalties to her other then what he did with her entire family.
She spoke slowly, still looking at him. "You did," she whispered. "But it's not your fault."
Heero turned from the sky to her. "Really." It wasn't a question, but a word filled with sincere doubt about the truth of her statement.
"Really." Ginny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then she gave him that same sad smile again. "It was just a surprise, that's all. Seeing you with that other boy - Duo, right?" Her hands twisted the hem of her baby doll t-shirt. "It just... opened my eyes to a few things."
Heero stared at her, and she noticed the concern in them. "I... remember most of what my life was like before. But the last few weeks before this whole mess happened... a lot of it is still... unsure. A blur." He leaned in a bit, forcing her to meet his eyes. The seriousness there startled her. Harry had never been the forceful type, unless it was in a battle for his life, or the life of his friends. "Were we... "
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. A choked laugh escaped her and she looked away. "No, we weren't together like that." She glanced back, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "Though I would have liked to be."
"Ah." Heero sat back a bit. Apparently that seemed to fit in with what he remembered, she thought, noting the faint hint of relief on his face. She wasn't hurt by it - she knew it was more of him worrying if he was two-timing her. That she could believe - in her experience, Harry was considerate.
"I had the same silly dreams that all girls have," she continued, still playing with the hem of her shirt. "Dreams and crushes. We were friends - you saved my life - but we were never more then that." She laughed again, softer this time. "It just surprised me, "she repeated.
"That I'm with a boy instead of a girl," Heero said, smiling faintly. "Ron felt the same way."
"Did he?" Ginny laughed. "I can imagine what his reaction was. 'Oh my GOD!'" she pantomimed. Heero laughed.
"You're pretty close," he smiled. They sat there for a few minutes, each lost in thought. Finally, Ginny sighed and drew her knees up, resting her cheek against them.
"Tell me something?"
"Anything."
"If you hadn't faced Voldemort... if this whole mess hadn't happened... ." Ginny turned her head and gazed out at the horizon. "Even if Cho had made a move, if Parvati had tried to keep a hold of you after the Yule Ball... " her eyes turned back to Heero. "If you had stayed here... "
"Ginny?"
"... .do you think I could have been a contender?" Her face was still sad, but her eyes gleamed softly.
Heero's own eyes softened. The already battered wall that divided Heero from Harry took hit, and Heero let Harry's more gentle personality traits take center stage. Scooting closer, he wrapped one arm around the girl's slender frame, and leaned his forehead against hers. "Cho and the Patils never would have stood a chance."
Ginny choked. Heero drew back from her in alarm, until he realized it wasn't a sob escaping her, but a laugh. Ginny looked up at him, a faint sheen of tears finally evident in them, and she smiled a watery smile.
"Oddly enough, that made me feel a little bit better," she admitted, with another choked laugh. Heero laughed with her, a little quieter, and Ginny leaned against him with a sigh. She fit against him, much like she did with Bill, or any of her older brothers, and she realized to herself that that was a good thing. Heero's arm came around her, protective of his own like always. She smiled again. "Did I just gain another brother?"
A light chuckle came from above her head, and Heero's chest rumbled with the sound. "If you want a used one."
"I do," she said firmly. It was still hard, pushing aside her feelings for Harry, but underneath it all, she could feel contentment. Harry was home. Heero was home. And if she couldn't have him, well, somehow it was easier knowing that she wouldn't have lost out to a girl she knew. She smiled again, and looked up at him. Heero returned the look questioningly. "Tell me about Duo."
Duo looked up from the apple pie slice Molly had set down in front of him and watched Heero and the girl - Ginny, he recalled - walk inside, arm-in-arm both laughing. Across from him, Sirius saw the two enter as well, and glanced back at Duo, expecting to see maybe a flicker of jealousy or something. But all he saw was a smile that lit the braided boy's face, and all of Sirius' words that he had planned to say to explain why Heero would be walking arm-in-arm with a girl died in his throat. There was love in that gaze, love and trust. He swallowed hard.
Duo saw him looking and grinned suddenly, waving his forkful of apple pie. "Man, have you tried this yet? It's awesome!"
"Yeah, I know." Sirius grinned back, relieved. Heero and Ginny rejoined the large group at the table.
Quatre turned from his conversation with the twins and Trowa, and asked Heero a silent question with his eyes. Heero nodded. Quatre smiled, and turned back.
All too soon, the meal was over. Magic took care of the dishes, and Duo and Quatre laughed themselves silly at the sight of the leftovers wrapping themselves in plastic wrap and walking themselves to the icebox.
Arthur caught his wife's eye and she nodded, smiling. Clapping her hands, the matriarch of the Burrow Weasley's stood up. With their attention firmly in hand, she motioned to the family room.
"Time to decide sleeping accommodations, and plans for the summer," she said. "That includes shopping for school supplies - yes," she nodded at the pilots. "If you're staying here, you may as well attend classes until you leave."
Duo and Heero's faces darkened at the thought of their friends leaving without them. Quatre blinked.
"Is our money even good here?" he wondered. Heero laughed.
"Don't worry Quatre - over here, I'm probably almost as rich as you are." His smile dimmed a bit. "My parents made good money working as Aurors, and I am the sole beneficiary of the Potter vaults since my dad is dead." He said the words so matter-of-factly that the Weasely's looked concerned, but the pilots simply nodded. Heero tipped his head at Quatre. "You've paid for our safe houses, our expenses and for trips so many times, it's a pleasure to be able to return the favour."
Quatre smiled. "Thank you Heero."
Wufei and Trowa added their thank you's as well. Ron looked over and saw Duo sitting there with a shell-shocked look on his face. "Duo? Mate? You okay?"
Duo blinked - and came to life. "My boyfriend's rich?"
Heero covered his eyes, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
End chapter 18
See? That didn't take as long to get out. ^^ Hope you like it - this ties up the loose 'Ginny-likes-Harry' deal from the book, and hopefully does it in a way that is acceptable for fans. ^^
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Stormy
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