Harry carried down all our belongings down the stairs with Ginny following behind, tear-stained, with Teddy in her arms.
"I know you want to come with us, Gin. But please, I promise in a few months. Right now, I think it best if you're here with your family," Harry sighed and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Ginny nodded and her expression turned back to her fiery self. "You are not keeping him or me away from each other," she hugged Teddy closer to her and we chuckle.
"Never," Harry grinned and placed a soft kiss on his girlfriends' lips.
Harry turned to our things and shrunk them. I place them in my beaded bag with the undetected extendable charm that I had used during the war. Even looking at this small parcel brings back horrid memories.
"You ready," Harry looked at me with a sad smile and I nodded.
Ginny handed Teddy reluctantly to Harry and he gave her one last kiss. "I'll open the connection to our floo, alright?" He spoke to everyone, but his eyes directly on his fiery redhead.
"Then you'll do best to expect me often," Ginny giggled.
"And me! Seems like everyone's forgetting me," Ron sulked.
"We could never," I turn to face him and give him a small hug. Things may be awkward now, but I know we're close to getting back to normal.
As we said our goodbyes, I apparated first in front of 12 Grimmauld Place. With a quick pop, I'm in front of the building. I stare up at the lonely structure and a million emotions surge through me. With a pop, Harry and Teddy apparate next to me. The last time we were here was when we came here to hide. I closed my eyes to take a breath and then opened them to look up at Harry. He was staring at the building. His face was impassive and tears were trickling down his bright green eyes. The green eyes that always glimmered with pain, but was hidden behind his glasses. I take a hold of his free hand and squeeze it. With Teddy in his arms, they turn to face me. I know what he's thinking; he misses Sirius. I let go of his hand and hug the both of them so tightly, he finally releases his pain and breaks down, sobbing into my shoulder while I comfortingly rub his back as my own tears trickle down my face. As uncomfortable as we are in this position, with Teddy in between us and all, we can't bring ourselves to let the other go. Harry and I's relationship is one we both cherish so much. Both now orphans went through actual hell together, we are brother and sister. We share a bond with each other like none other. I was the only one Harry could cry like this to, no one else. Ginny knows his pain, she feels the same- but, Harry couldn't be like this in front of her. He felt he had no reason to because he believes he cost her her brothers life. So, while Ginny was able to release anguish in front of Harry, he just didn't feel he had a right to do the same. Both Harry and I couldn't put up a facade with each other. We know each other's pain.
After what seemed like hours of sobs, but what was actually 5 minutes, both Harry and I wiped our tears and walked hand in hand into the building. Everything still remained untouched from our last visit. Kreacher, who now serves Harry appeared at the entrance and bows. After the war, Harry came back briefly with the intent to set Kreacher free. Kreacher had been touched by the gesture but refused. Now, they're quite alright with each other.
"Kreacher welcomes back Master Potter and Miss. Granger," he says in his raspy voice and grins.
"What would Master like Kreacher to do?" he stares up at Harry.
Both Harry and I still didn't wish to ever have a house elf, we wanted Kreacher to be free and have his rights.
"Kreacher," Harry spoke very calmly trying not to offend the proud creature, "If you so wish, the offer still stands and you can still be a free elf," Harry smiled down at the Elf and handed him his sock that I didn't notice he had removed. Kreacher reached for the sock and looked at Harry with wide glassy eyes.
"Master has granted Kreacher freedom before, but Kreacher still does not want to be freed. Kreacher has nowhere to go and wants to keep serving Master Potter. Master Potter has been the only one who'd shown Kreacher kindness. Grimmauld place is Kreacher's only home," he starts wailing which causes Harry and I to step back.
"Okay, okay Kreacher. You may stay, but can you please accept any clothes we give you?" Harry desperately tried to calm the elf down.
"Kreacher obeys whatever Master says," he bowed once more, but his flowing tears and running snot does not cease, causing Harry to look at me with 'Help' etched into his eyes. I sigh and talk firmly but calmly. "Kreacher, would you be a dear and fetch us some tea." The elf all at once stops his crying and sniffling, "Certainly, Miss. Granger, Kreacher will fetch the tea right now." and with that, he disappeared into the kitchen. Both Harry and I sighed, sagging our shoulders in relief.
"I was thinking we should redecorate the place a bit. Of course, I don't want anything too drastic, but just a little TLC to make this place more livable," Harry said while rubbing his temples.
"Sure," I replied dryly and with that, we began redecorating.
I'm running in the forest, dodging every tree in my way, but it seems like something is stopping me and I can't get myself to run faster no matter how hard I try. I keep slowing down as if something is physically holding me back and I can't free myself. Suddenly, I hear laughter. The laughter of Bellatrix Lestrange laughing that she's coming after me in a demonic sing-song voice. I try screaming for Ron and Harry, but no sound comes out of my throat. Suddenly, I'm hit with an excruciating jolt of pain and fall on the dirt floor. I hear Bellatrix skipping over to me as I cry and thrash in pain from the Crucio.
"There you are, Mudblood," she snarled climbing on top of me.
"Think you could escape now could you?"
I try speaking, but I have no voice. I try screaming and yet nothing still comes out. I sob uncontrollably and Bellatrix screams in my face to stop. I breathe hard, trying to catch my breath, focusing on the smell of the forest. Bellatrix lets out a deranged laugh and takes out her knife. She slides it across my face and then to my arm. She traces over the still fresh scar that read 'mudblood' and deepens it further. I thrash around in pain and then I open my once scrunched up eyes to see a platinum blonde man standing behind Bellatrix. I can't make out his face as it is blurred by my tears. I try screaming at him to help me, but he just stands there, unable to hear me. He tells me to focus on the smell. The smell of the forest.
"Hermione!"
I hear my name being called in the distance.
"Hermione!"
I hear again and I look back to the man, then suddenly, everything goes white.
I wake with a jolt. Harry is hovering over me with pain etched across his face. I close my eyes and take a deep breath... it was just a dream. I sit up and see my bed drenched in my cold sweat and Harry is rubbing soothing circles on my back.
"I heard you screaming and ran in here to see you having another nightmare," he said solemnly.
I put my face in my hands and begin to cry.
"What was it this time," he looked at me with his beautiful green eyes that had agony in it.
"Bellatrix...the smell of the forest, of him," I sighed.
"Another Bellatrix and Malfoy nightmare? Do you wanna talk about it?"
"...No."
"...Okay, whenever you're ready... Accio sleeping draught," Harry said, waving his wand. When the potion landed in his hand, he handed it to me and I drank it eagerly. These damn nightmares never seem to leave me alone. Before I drift off into my dreamless sleep, I let out a sob, "Thank you, Harry. I love you," and with that, I fall into a deep sleep, barely catching Harry's 'I love you too, 'Mione'. Harry waited until I was fully asleep before he left to his room to go back to his sleep. He too had to take a sleeping draught.
