The O'Conner Manor

Sherlease lay under her favorite Weeping Willow, one hand lazily on Tiernan's scruff. He lay next to her dozing lightly while she attempted to read a book, but it was not working. Her mind was wandering entirely too much, and of course it was wandering to where Harry was. She had not seen or heard from him in about three weeks and she was beginning to worry. He had been sent up north to where Eris was killing, she knew he had chosen this life willingly and that she had chosen to remain with him , but sometimes she wondered if this was the right life for them. After all they had been together since their sixth year and he had not even tried to bring up marriage. Not that that was what she wanted...at least she didn't think so at the moment.

It was then that her thoughts were interuppted by Tiernan raising his head as Conal landed on her leg. She blinked as her mind came back to the real world and then smiled. "Hey you, what have you got there?"

The falcon raised a leg and offered her the letter on his left leg. She took it and opened it hoping it was from Harry, but those hopes were dashed. However she was happy to have this one as well.

Sherlease,

George and I would love to attend we will be there at about three today. See you then!

Alex

Sherlease looked at her cell phone, a thing that her muggle friends insist that she carry and leapt up. "Damn, it is ten to three now!"

She took off running for the house, followed by Tieran and Conal both looking for treats. She tended to do more muggle things around home because she had been around muggles all her life. It came natrually to her she guessed. She hit the kitchens and smiled at Janice her cook and leading house keeper.

"You know, lucky for you that I figured you would forget. I have already started preparing the food for our guests soon to arrive."

Sherlease kissed her cheek as she headed up stairs to change. "You are the best you know that?"

"Then a raise is in my future?" Janice said with a smile.

"A hundred kuntz do?"

"I could retire."

"Then no." She laughed as Janice swatted her with a towel.

It was a long standing joke they had ever since Sherlease was little. She was the only one not traveling the world at the moment and so had been given the O'Conner Manor and Janice to take care of her when she was in sixth year. She ran up stairs and quickly changed out of her baggy sweat-pants and white spagetti strap. She put on a midnight blue halter top with light tan skin-tight breeches and her dark tan knee-high moccasins before heading back down stairs right as her fire place in the main drawing room lit up brightly and Alex and George stepped through.

Alex stepped through the fire place, shortly followed by George. She was wearing her favorite outfit, it was a light blue jean mini skirt, she loved to show off her legs, George always joked with her that she was all legs and nothing else, her shirt was a lime green spaghetti strap that clung to her bust, gently pushing them up, it flowed at the waist. She was wearing a pear of light blue converse with lime green strips.

"What do you mean! You promised me George Weasley!" She put her hands on her hips ignoring Sherlease, George opened his mouth, "No! I don't care if he's not here, you promised!"

George sighed, "Babe! I don't want to be around all girls, and they need me at the shop."

"If you leave before I do, I will not speak to you for the rest of the week, and THAT is a promise!"

George kissed her on the cheek, "I love when you get mad, your accent gets sexy." he had a big grin.

George and Alex had been married for six years, but still act like newly weds. They had started dating when she entered Hogwarts in her sixth year. It was love at first sight.

Alex shook her head and turned to Sherlease, "You look lovely!" she walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Sherlease chuckled. "As do you, and I see nothing ever changes with you two."

She pulled away and gave George a hug, he had become like a brother to her when they were in school. She then turned as Janice entered the room and smiled at the two guests.

"Lovely to see you Alex." The house keeper said as she gave her a warm hug. "Missed you around here lately, and you too George." After giving him a hug and a pinch on the cheek she turned. "Well snacks and drinks are on the back patio, the garden is lovely today."

Sherlease smiled and turned to follow Janice who no doubt would have out done herself once more. "So how has your summer been?"

Alex laughed, "No nothing ever changes, but that's the way I like it." She hugged Janice back , "It's lovely to see you too."

George hugged Sherlease back, "Any word from Harry?" he asked as Janice hugged him. He smiled and puffed his cheeks as she pinched them.

"George!" Alex smacked him playfully on the arm.

"What?" he asked innocently. He matched his steps to Alex's and embraced her hand, their fingers intertwining, he looked at her passionately, and kissed her hand. Alex got chills. She knew that he was childish when they first met, but she was still deeply in love with him, and he with her.

The two of them followed Sherlease, George not watching where he was going, ran into the kitchen table, "Bloody hell!"

Alex laughed and shook her head.

Sherlease waited till they were outside, seated at the one of the tables filled with plenty of delicous finger foods and butter-beers. Janice gave her a pat on the hand and an encouraging smile before leaving them to themselves.

"No I haven't heard from him in three weeks. Not even a small miss you, I am beginning to worry. Harry never misses a chance to send me word, he knows I will go hunting for him if I have to." She sighed and shook her head. "I just hope he has a good reason for worrying me like this, otherwise I will feed him to one of my pets."

While Sherlease had her wolf, falcon and favorite horse...pet consisted of any number of deadly beasts. Sherlease had always had a soft spot for them and many of them lived in the woods all around her 200,000 acres. Her fave was a Hungarian Horntail named Zalar.

George shivered, "Do you know how creepy it is that Janice resembles my mum in every single way and I mean every single way?" he gave a sort of nervous laugh, ignoring what was said about Harry.

"She does not." Alex lied, "And about Harry, he's pretty busy, we have a few leads on Eris, but that's all I can say."

"Why do you do that?" George rolled his eyes, "I mean really, you do that all the time, you mention something and then say you can't say anymore."

"Because you know I can't!"

"Then why say something?" he asked turning in his chair to look at her.

"Don't stare at me. You know I hate it."

"But it get's you to talk."

"Not this time it's not!" Alex turned her attention to the butterbeer bottle and zoned out.

Sherlease sighed and shook her head, she wondered if her and Harry got married if they would still be the love sick pups they were now like Alex and George. She leaned back in her chair and looked at the sky. "Well he had better not come to any harm, or the Ministry will never be the same again."

Alex shook her head, "he wont, I wont let it." She grabbed her butterbeer and took a sip, then offered some to George, he took it and drank half the bottle, "Every time." she shook her head.

Sherlease laughed, it was hard to stay glum with these two around. They always could make her laugh. She looked at Alex, "So what are you planning for the school year? Besides what things to add to the forbidden toy list of course." She winked at George.

"I have no clue! I'm also teaching charms, it's going to be a tough year." She looked at George when Sherlease mentioned toys, "I don't see the point of the list, it just makes him make more." Alex saw the look on George's face, it may have been five years since they both lost someone but he was still taking it harder since Fred was his twin brother, they were best friends. Fred was an amazing person, and she missed him terribly. Alex kissed George on the cheek and whispered "I love you." into his ear.

He smiled and whispered it back as he put his forehead to hers, holding her chin, he kissed her on the lips, "Always."

"And forever" she smiled.

Sherlease shook her head as music began to play, Janice was thinking everything she thought. She rose and started to walk into the house when she got a strange feeling. She raised one slender brow as she turned around. Her heart stopped for just a moment when she saw him, his emerald eyes were looking her up and down as if he could drink in his fill that way. She acted then, by running into his arms and clinging to him.

Harry wrapt his arms around her kissing her hair and face, and any where he could. He had missed her terribly but he had been afraid to write her this time. He had gotten close to Eris and her band, and had not wanted retaliation upon Sherlease. Finally cupped her face with both hands and stared at her, "Bloody hell how I have missed you."

"The same here, 'tis a right mean thing you did leavin' me without so much as a word." Her Irish tones started coming out. Her and Alex had always been easy to tell when their emotions ran high, it was how they had started bonding in the days when they were students.

He laughed and kissed her. "I'm sorry love, I couldn't risk it this time and that is-"

Sherlease placed a finger on his lips. "I know, all you can say." She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. "Good day to come home though, Alex and George are here for dinner and a few others should be arriving later." Her voice smooth once more.

Harry groaned, "Like your brothers?"

Sherlease smacked his arm, "Of course, I would never dream of leaving them out."

"To my horror." He mumbled, his reply was another smack. "All right, all right." He chuckled.

He turned to George and offered his hand, "Good to see you haven't been killed by your witch of a wife yet."

"I heard that Potter!" Alex raised an eyebrow, "Better watch who you're talking to, I'm higher up than you!"

George laughed, "Good to see you mate." he said after shaking his hand.

Harry merely laughed, "I will keep that in mind, but remember should anything happen to me you will have to deal with Sherlease...or her 'Pets'." He shuddered and laughed when Sherlease stuck her tongue out. "Sometimes I think she was worse then Hagrid."

"I am not!" She snapped as she threw a butter beer in his direction.

Harry caught it and shook his head. "See how much she misses me? She throws things at me."

"Humph! Next time it shall be your head Potter." She flopped back down in a chair and shook her head.

"I have enough scars there don't you think?" He joked.

Harry sat down next to her, he had been with Sherlease forever it seemed, not because it was horrible, but because each day had been better then the next as he had grown to love her more and more. He fingered the small box in his pocket as he watched her talk with Alex about okaying some of the creatures she was planning to show the students this year.

"I think Zalar would be perfect, he would never hurt the children and they would have a genuine experience don't you think?" She asked.

Alex knew that Zalar wouldn't hurt anyone but she had to make it clear, "As long as he doesn't hurt any of the children he will be fine." Alex turned her attention towards George, he grabbed her hand and kissed it, she smiled and shook her head with a slight laugh. "Hey Potter, when do you think you will pop the question?" she asked questionably.

George smacked her leg, "Babe, that's not our business."

"Well I want to know." she stuck her tong out like a little kid.

George shook his head with a small laugh.

Harry nearly chocked on his butter beer, but managed to get it down without too much problems. He knew all three eyes were on him, and he couldn't blame them. All their old friends were married it seemed, except for Harry and Sherlease. People had begun to wonder if he would ever pop the question or if he would lose Sherlease before he could. She was patient woman, but she was used to a big family and had expectations to uphold for the family name, he knew he could not keep her waiting forever.

"Well we really haven't discussed it much, at all really." He said. Harry saw her shoulders slump and the light start to leave her eyes. So she really did want to be with him for the rest of their lives, even if his ended sooner then expected. "Sherlease are my extra clothes still here?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, I am having an affrair with Ron and he took them. Of course they are here."

Harry rose, "I am going to go change will you make sure Janice gets the dirty ones for the wash?"

"Yeah, yeah."

They rose and left and Harry went to the bathroom in Sherlease's room and handed her the clothes as he was changing. "Can you make sure to check the pockets for anything?"

"You know Harry I-" She stopped as she stuck her hand in his pocket. She pulled out the small black velvet box, her face filled with surprise as she dropped his pants and opened it.

Harry stood there in just his pants with a smile on his face as her sapphire eyes flew up to meet his. "So, will you do me the honor Sherlease O'Conner?"

His answer was her running up to him and kissing him after throwing herself in his arms. He laughed as she showered his face with kisses and took of running laughing like she did when he had asked her out on their first date. Harry followed her where the house staff congradulated him and when he reached the patio Janice hugged him tightly. Saying it was about time he got his head back on his shoulders.

"Does that answer your question Alex?"

Alex shook her head, "About bloody time!"

George got up and hugged Sherlease and then shook Harry's hand. just as Alex got up to hug Sherlease and then hugged Harry and kissed him on the cheek. They were close, but if you didn't know them, you would think they didn't get along.

It was then that Sherlease's trio of older brother followed by her mother and father, came walking in.

Kael raised a brow, "What have we missed?"

Sherlease went and hugged him. "Oh Father, Harry finally asked me to marry him!"

"You didn't say aye did ye?"Colin asked.

She smacked him. "Of course I said aye, don't be daft."

"I don't remember being asked." Nolan stated as he folded his arms, the other two brother's mirroring him.

"I don't remember havin' to ask ye for yer permission Brothers." Sherlease said, her accent coming out fully again.

"Of course ye do, we have watched over you forever. 'Tis a high shame when a lassy's man does not ask before showin' off the ring." Nolan said.


Sherlease rolled her eyes, "Well 'tis my life and I will be doin' with it what I want. And I say I am marrying him."

"Well then, I guess your Father and I have a lot of planning. Congradulations Lese." Her mother hugged her and then hugged Harry. "Welcome to the family."

Alex got up to greet the family. She walked up to Kael and hugged him first, Kissing him on the cheek, "It's good to see you." She moved from him to the brothers and lastly her mom, repeating the same thing.

George got up to shake their hands with a small but stayed back behind Alex, his hand on her waist. They were expecting Alex's brother to arrive next. She knew her mother wouldn't come because she was out in the muggle world with her new friend.

As her and George made their way to their seats she heard Janice say something, "Alex dear, your guests are here."

Alex turned around and saw four men standing there. She walked up to them and hugged them. "Приняло вас настолько длиной?" She asked. (What took you so long)

"Ve vere visiting mum. Ve are only two seconds late." Vic kissed her on the cheek.

"Vhat is so improzant zhat 'ou must 'ave us 'ere." Vince said.

"Vhat? I can'z spend zime vith my brozers?" She asked angrily, her accent coming out. They always had a habit of teasing her about her spending every second with them. She walked over to George and wrapped her arms around his wasit and laid her head on his chest as the boys greeted the others.

Sherlease smiled and gave each of Alex's brother's a hug. She had come to know them well over the years always being with Alex, or Alex being with her. Vince came up and gave her a hug last, then he noticed the box still clutched in her hand.

"Is that a gift for me?" He joked with her.

Sherlease looked down and laughed nervously. "Oh this, no this just hasn't made it to my finger."

Vince raised his brows, "A ring?"

Sherlease bit her bottom lip like she always did when she was being careful about what she was about to say. "Er-yes, Harry just purposed to me."

She saw the flash of disappointment go through his blue eyes. "Congradulations."

Sherlease smiled softly. "Thank you Vince."

Harry came up then and saw the box in her hand. He took it from her and took the ring from it, it was a silver band with a sapphire and emerald on either side of an onyx. "Oh Harry it is beautiful."

"You and me bound forever. I knew you would like it." He slipped it onto her ring finger slowly.

Sherlease smiled, but she could not help but feel bad for the look Vince gave from the back of the crowd as Harry placed the small band on her finger.

Alex watched the conversation between Sherlease and Vince. They had dated each other at one point, just as Alex and Fallon had done. Alex felt someone's hand wrap around her, she looked to the left and saw Vince. "Vhy vould she marry 'im? 'ou and I both know ve love each ozher."

Alex wrapped her hand around his waits and kissed him on the cheek, "Vince I'm sorry. I know you love her but you need to get over it, it was long ago."

He shook his head and walked away. Alex just shook her head and turned around to find George, he was talking to Fallon, when they got together the two of them joked and talked about her. "What's going on over here?"

"Nothing!" the both of them said at once.

Alex rolled her eyes and walked away. She found a seat at the table with Tray, "Hows the contracting coming along?"

"Erm...Iz going okay I guess."

"You guess?"

"Okay Oaky, iz not going. I 'aven't found any one zo contracz me. But I 'ave zhee aczing career."

Alex nodded and smiled. Watching the other people as she talked to her baby brother.

Sherlease smiled as Janice announced that the grill was fireing up. Sherlease smiled and headed to the grill. "All right, who wants chicken and who wants steak?" She asked.

Alex called out Chicken but the five boys called Steak. Alex walked up to George and kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms around his waist with a smile.

Sherlease smiled and started putting the steaks on the large grill. The chicken for Alex and her mother went on the top shelf. The aroma of the wine and herbs used to marinate them filled the air along with conversation. Tiernan whinned from her side and she laughed, giving him a small piece of steak not yet on the grill. "There you go." This of course was followed by a squak from Conal who landed on her shoulder, she gave him a piece too. "You two are spoiled." She laughed.

Harry came up then and took one of her hands and kissed it. It was then that the sun caught his hand just right and she saw the silver scars, 'I will not tell lies'. Her heart went out to him as it always did. She had just been a fourth year when the DA had started, she had wanted to join badly but she had been unable to because Umbridge had constantly been watching her and Sherlease had not wanted to give Harry and the others away. But every time she saw the scars she wished she had been there to recieve them with him. She took his hand and placed her lips to it, wishing she could make them go away.

"I know if you could of you would have joined us." He said.

"She was always watching me thanks to the one time she saw me talking to Hagrid and Dumbledore. She just knew I would lead her to you." She smiled. "And besides you were so into Cho you would never have noticed me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I wasn't that bad."

"Oh yes you were." Sherlease laughed again. "But I have you now."

He smiled. "Yes, yes you do."

George gave Alex a strange look when she asked for chicken instead of steak, he raised an eye brow, "You okay." he asked. Alex nodded. "You're eating more at home, but when we are eating with some one you don't eat a lot."

Alex sighed and gave him a half smile, she pulled him in close and whispered something in his ear. George's face glowed as his smile over came his face, "REALLY?" She nodded and picked her up and spun her around covering her face with kisses, "That's the best news ever!"

Sherlease and Harry turned to the others, who now had all attention. Sherlease smiled at Alex and then started to laugh. "I see you finally told him."

Harry looked at Sherlease, "Told him what?"