This is in response to Morning Lilies' Forgotten Family Ties competition,
My prompts were;
~ Teddy
~ Ginny
~ Smile
One Little Smile
"He never smiles anymore," Andromeda was saying in the other room, "He used to smile so beautifully, I just don't know what to do any more, I've tried everything!"
"I'm sure he'll smile again soon Mrs Tonks," she heard Harry say to the old witch, "He's probably just missing his…" Harry voice stopped, and she almost stood up, ready to go in and comfort him, until Andromeda spoke again,
"Don't you dare Harry Potter! My daughter and son-in-law wanted to be there, don't you dare feel guilty for something you had no control over! They were proud to fight! And I'm proud of them! So don't you dare feel guilty! Don't you dare!"
Silently Ginny applauded the other woman, smiling, if there was anyone who deserved to hate Harry it was Andromeda, yet here she was telling Harry not to feel guilty, Ginny smiled at the thought. Just then a small whine was heard from corner of the room, standing up off the sofa, Ginny walked over to the source of the noise, there, wrapped in a blanket was little Teddy Lupin. Ginny smiled at him, but the babe looked blankly back at her,
"That's no way to behave," She told him, picking him up, out of the baby carrier,
"You need to smile back at people, to show them how nice you are!"
Still the baby looked back at her, and she sighed, "You're giving your grandmother a hard time you know, losing most of her family," Ginny stopped a moment, as she thought of her dead brother, a single tear ran down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, "It-it must be awful," She gave Teddy a sad look, "I lost my brother,"
Another tear,
"But it's ok, because he went down fighting!"
She stopped trying to wipe them away, there were too many now,
"It's what he would have wanted, your parents were the same," She looked into Teddy's blue eyes; he blinked and stared back into her brown ones.
"Your parents were amazing," She told him, smiling through her tears, "Especially your mum, she went down fighting you know, yep she did, she was amazing!"
The child's eyes had lost their blank look, as though the conversation interested him, but he still didn't smile, "Your mum was one of the most amazing people I've ever met, and I've met a few! She had such an amazing personality, and she could change how she looked,"
Ginny chuckled slightly at the memories, "I remember once, when we were all at Grimauld Place, she changed her nose into a snout! I thought it was the funniest thing! She was too young to die, your mum, she was so lively, so full of life; I only saw her maybe twice when she wasn't smiling. She was so clumsy too! Always knocking things over!"
Ginny sniffed a little, but smiled at Teddy, "She was always nice to me, she was the one who comforted me when I wasn't allowed to go to the Order's meetings, I hated that, not being able to go." She paused, "Teddy Lupin, you are one special little boy, your parents fought and died for you, they loved you so much!" She stopped, "You're very much like Harry aren't you? But don't worry, you won't be living with a horrid aunt and uncle, we'll look after you..." there was a paused,
"I'll look after you." She whispered.
There was a small movement in his lips, and she smiled sadly at him again,
"Your Dad was amazing too; he was the best DADA teacher we ever had! He inspired Harry, then he created the DA, it was amazing, we learned so much, it even helped us to defeat You-Know-Who! The death-Eaters would have killed us if it wasn't for him,"
"He was a werewolf, your Dad, but he was one of the gentlest people I knew, he inspired everyone to be better."
She laughed, a little, "I still don't quite understand how they fell in love you know. The gentle werewolf and the boisterous metamorphmagus, so different, and yet, they completed each other you know."
She looked at their son, "They loved you little Teddy, they loved you so much, and they still love you, and you're going to grow up in this world knowing that they loved you, even if I have to tell you it every day of your life! Never, ever, forget it! Okay?"
"Your parents were two of the best people ever to walk the earth Teddy. They were both so brave! Risking and giving their lives for other people, especially your Dad, he gave his life for a world that hated him! They were Heroes! The both of them!"
There was a gurgle and she looked down, there was little Teddy Lupin, smiling, chortling away as he looked at the woman holding him. Ginny smiled,
"See? That wasn't that difficult was it? All I wanted was one little smile.
Hope you enjoyed reading it, :)
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If not, please do. I like reviews!