Title: Making Amends
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Petunia, Harry
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,087
Summary: Petunia attends the wedding of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.

Notes:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: February Event - Library Lovers: 1984 – Quote: In the face of pain there are no heroes / Word: Freedom / Colour: Grey

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Gardening – Task 3 – Write about someone making peace with something/someone. Prompts: Character: Petunia Evans / Word: forgiveness / Feeling: hopeful

Ultimate Patronus Quest Competition: Class G - Birds – 28. Swan: 28. Write about Petunia Dursley attending Harry Potter's wedding

Petunia thought about wearing grey today as it would have matched her more somber mood, but that felt like a slap in the face to the happy couple, so she decided on a light violet dressed that she owned.

She donned it and avoided Vernon's eyes. He wasn't happy with her decision to attend, and he didn't understand why she wanted to go in the first place. She didn't completely understand her desire either, but there was something in her that felt compelled to go.

She hadn't seen him since the day he left their house for good, and she had been surprised to receive an invitation to his wedding. Petunia was even more surprised that she wanted to go and see how he was doing. She wanted to witness the kind of happiness that he found for himself.

She sat through the ceremony and watched with dry eyes as her nephew pledged his life to a redhead girl. It was a girl Petunia didn't recognize, but she did recognize some of the redheads that sat in the front, as some of them had been to her house when Harry lived there, and she knew the bride must be a part of the family.

When the two of them looked into each other's eyes, Petunia sensed the love between them. It was how she had looked at Vernon on her wedding day, and she also knew it was how Lily had looked at James.

Her breath caught when they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, and she politely clapped while there was more raucous applause all around her.

When Petunia entered the backyard where the reception was held, she noticed how there were many wands out, and she realized she might actually be the only non-magical person there. The idea made her uncomfortable and a familiar jealousy tingled just beneath her skin.

Why did they get to experience magic and not her?

Why was Lily chosen to be the magical one in the Evans family?

And why did magic decide that Lily should die?

These were all questions Petunia had never received answers for.

She looked around and stiffened at the sight of the groom—her nephew—walking towards her.

His emerald eyes were guarded. "Hello, Aunt Petunia. I didn't expect you to be here."

"You sent me an invite," she said in a tone that spoke of accusation.

He narrowed his eyes. "I did out of politeness, but I didn't expect you to actually accept it."

"I can go then," Petunia offered with her back ramrod straight.

"Don't," he hurried to interject. "I'm sorry if I came off as unhappy; I was just surprised. It's nice to see you doing well. I'm guessing Uncle Vernon didn't come."

"He had another engagement today," she lied.

They both knew it was a lie, too. Vernon would never set foot at anything he deemed as unnatural, and a wedding for a witch and a wizard fell into that category.

"Harry, I wasn't sure what I would say if I saw you today."

He arched his eyebrow. "And? Have you figured it out?"

Petunia stared into his eyes. She expected to see anger in his gaze. Or maybe indifference. She even expected to see loathing. If anyone deserved to be hated by anyone else, it was she by he.

All she saw was curiosity. And maybe... Was that hope?

She took a deep breath and plunged into uncharted territories. She had never asked for forgiveness before. She had never even admitted to being at fault.

"Harry, I can't even begin to apologize for my behavior when you were in our house. You were my family by blood. Lily's son. I should have loved you like she would have loved you. If my position with Lily had been reversed, and it was Dudley who was orphaned, I know Lily would have loved Dudley as if he was her own son. And it was an example that I should have followed."

"Then why didn't you?" he asked.

For the first time that day, Petunia felt her cheeks become wet with her tears. "Lots of reasons, and they're all petty. Jealousy at not being the magical sister. Hatred at magic for taking my sister's life. Anger at Lily for dying and leaving me without a sister. And you were punished for all of those emotions even though you were a helpless baby that was completely innocent. I was a monster to you and I don't deserve any kind of forgiveness from you."

Harry smiled. "You know, when I first realized you were here, I felt hope."

So, she had read his eyes correctly. "Hope for what?"

"Well, you're my last remaining tie to my parents. My godfather and surrogate godfather are both dead. They died fighting a war to regain our freedom from a madman with delusions of grandeur. You're it, and I always wished we could have had a better relationship. I wish that you could have accepted me as family. And when I saw you, I thought my wish was finally coming true."

"How can you even begin to forgive me?" Petunia asked, not understanding how one person could have that kind of capacity in himself. Surely, there had to be some limit to what one would be able to forgive, right?"

"I learned a lot of things in the war. When there is nothing but pain, it's hard to find a hero. A hero is one who is able to move past the pain and overcome it. If I didn't think you were sincere in your pain and remorse, I wouldn't be able to forgive you, but I'd like to think I've become pretty good at reading people, and I really do think you want to do better."

"I do," she agreed.

"And that's why I'm willing to work on our relationship. I have a whole surrogate family in my wife's family. Her brothers are like my brothers, and her parents are the closest things to parents I'll ever know. But I would love to have an aunt. If you want to try, that is."

Petunia nodded. "There's nothing I want more." And she realized that was the utmost truth.

Harry smiled warmly. "Would you like to meet my new wife?"

She nodded.

He held his arm out to her, and she slipped her own arm through the loop he created. He led her through the backyard, and she thought this was the start of a new beginning.