A/N: This is my first attempt at a story like this. I'm posting it on a trial basis, just too see how people like it and what kind of response I get. If it seems that nobody is interested I will either take it down or else just refrain from updating. So, PLEASE respond with any comments or criticism you may have, I want honest reviews. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

"Harry? Harry Potter? Is that you?"

Harry closed his eyes in frustration, mad at himself for being seen. For the past six years he had managed to stay hidden, away from prying eyes. It would figure that the first time he went to Diagon Alley since he left London would also be the same day that one of his former classmates was there. Taking a deep breath, Harry turned around, a huge fake smile plastered across his face.

"Hermione, hello. Fancy seeing you here. How have you been?"

"Don't give me that shit, Harry James Potter. Don't even act like it's just another day! Where have you BEEN? Do you have any idea how WORRIED everyone has been? You disappeared! Just up and left, out of the blue! You didn't tell anyone where you were going, not even Ginny! She cried herself to sleep for a month. A MONTH, Harry! We've spent the past six years looking for you, you disappeared off the face of the earth! And now, out of nowhere, you just show up in Diagon Alley?"

"Hermione, please . . .calm down," Harry begged with her. With each passing sentence, her voice was getting louder and they were beginning to draw attention.

"I will NOT calm down, Harry. We thought you were DEAD! We thought you had been taken. You were just gone from your room, no clue as to where you had gone. How could you DO that to us?"

"Hermione, please . . . ."

"Please what? Please understand? Please listen to you make up some lame excuse? Why should I?"

"Because, you're my friend."

"Right, you're friend," Hermione scoffed as she gave him a poisonous glare. "If I'm such a good friend then why have I not heard from you in six years?"

"I . . .don't know Hermione. I should have contacted at least one of you, let you know that I was okay. I don't know why I didn't. At first it was because I didn't want anybody to come after me. Then . . . I dunno, I guess it was because I was afraid nobody would want to hear from me."

"Harry, of COURSE we wanted to hear from you! No matter HOW mad we were, we always wanted to hear from you, just to know that you were alive. We've never stopped worrying, never stopped hoping that one day you would come back. Why did you ever think we wouldn't want to hear from you? Why didn't you want us to find you?"

"Because," Harry began with a sigh, not knowing where or how to begin. "I knew if you found me, you'd make me come back. I knew you'd find a way to talk me in to it, and I didn't want that."

"Why, Harry? Why didn't you want to come back? Why did you leave in the first place?"

"Because I was scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Of life in general. I had just graduated from school, and already my life was being planned for me. Ginny was talking about marriage and family. Mrs. Weasley and you were no better. I hadn't even proposed yet and the three of you were planning a wedding for the next summer, as soon as Ginny was out of Hogwarts. I wasn't ready for that."

"So why didn't you just SAY something then, Harry? You could have talked to Ginny about it."

"I tried," Harry explained in frustration. "I tried talking to everyone. Mrs. Weasley, you, even Ron! But nobody would hear what I was saying! You all had it planned out. Ginny and I were the perfect couple, meant to be together. We would get married straight out of school and start our perfect little family. That wasn't what I wanted, but nobody cared. I wanted to live my life, first. I had spent seven years worrying about my life, and trying to save the whole world. I wanted to have my freedom, I wanted my youth. I wasn't ready to be anybody's husband, I wasn't ready to start a family. First, I wanted to experience the world. But, the more I tried to talk about it, the more I was ignored and pushed to the side. Everyone told me I was just getting myself worked up and I'd feel differently after I was married. It started to scare me and I paniced. I packed up what I could and I just left. I felt so guilty afterward, but I just couldn't come back. For the first time in my life, I was the one controlling my life."

Hermione just looked at him, a semi-sympathetic look on her face, and for once in her life at a loss for words. She had just taken a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted by a tiny girl, no more than five years old, ran in between Harry and her.

The little girl had long red hair, tied back in a braid, and began talking to Harry in an excited tone, waving a pack of chocolate frogs in his face.

*~"Papa, peut j'avoir un de ces derniers, sil vous plait?"

"Pas en ce moment, amoureux."

"Mais vous AVEZ PROMIS que je pourrais obtenir quelque chose quand nous sommes venus à la ruelle!"

"Je sais que je , mais le papa parle à quelqu'un en ce moment."

"Ainsi ? Sil vous plait, papa. . ..sil vous plait?"

"I dit pas maintenant. À là où est votre soeur?"

"Là-bas, regardant les balais de formation."

"Disparaissent l'attente avec elle jusqu'à ce que je sois parler fait."

"Mais papa. . . "

"Allez ! Si vous êtes bon, alors je vous obtiendrai quelque chose avant que nous partions. Si vous ne vous comportez pas, alors vous n'obtenez rien."~*

"Fin." The child finally gave in and sulked off.

Hermione, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes, watched the girl walk across the store and begin talking animatedly with a tiny brunette girl. Finally she turned back to Harry, mouth agape. After a minute of staring at him, she regained control of her voice.

"D-did that child just call you PAPA?" She managed to squeak out, voice full of doubt and disbelief.

Harry sighed and turned his gaze to the two little girls, a loving expression in his eyes as he watched them.

"Yes, Hermione, she did. Those two little ones over there . . .are my daughters."

*~ Translation to the French part:

"Daddy, can I have one of these, please?"

"Not right now, sweetheart."

"But you PROMISED I could get something when we came to the Alley!"

"I know I did, but daddy is talking to someone right now."

"So? Please daddy . . . please?"

"I said not now. Where is your sister at?"

"Over there, looking at the training brooms."

"Go wait with her until I'm done talking."

"But daddy . . ."

"Go! If you're good, then I'll get you something before we leave. If you don't behave, then you're not getting anything."

"Fine."~*