I apologize for the wait; hopefully updates will be a little quicker for the time being.
Now this chapter will pick up where the last one left off, and then it's going to flip to the Burrow with a small checkup on the other Weasleys and then it's going to flip to where Harry leaves with Desiree to their new home.
Written by myself and my sister author AnnaBoleyna1536, we don't own Harry Potter and I'll tell you now if we had our choices on who we'd own in Twilight and Harry Potter she would take Caius and Draco Malfoy, and I would take Harry and or Bill Weasley and Marcus/Aro.
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Enjoy!
"Leave? What for?" Hermione and Ron stared at Harry closely.
"I've been thinking about it for a while, even before Ginny had the baby. This house is full of memories of both her, and my parents. I can't cope with it, I need to get away." He rubbed his eyes.
"Mate don't you think that's a bit sudden? What about Desiree?"
"Ron I'm not leaving right away, I have an idea of where I want to go but wherever I go my daughter goes with me. I can't deal with the memories right now, I know I loved Ginny but not like everyone thought. I just need to get away from all this; I don't want my daughter exposed to all the fame that comes with my name."
"He does have a point Ron; soon enough Harry will be getting letters from single witches asking him for a date. He needs to focus on what's best for Desiree, but as long as…" Hermione looked at Harry.
"I will keep in touch, and when I settle down I'll invite all of you down. I just want to start anew, with my baby girl." He rocked the bassinet gently, Desiree was still sleeping peacefully. He heard Ron sigh, and a hand went onto his left shoulder.
"If that's how you feel mate then I'll support you, and you know Charlie, Bill, the twins, and Dad will support you too. Not sure about Percy, you know how he is."
"Molly won't…"
"Mum…well she's still grieving for Ginny like the rest of us but I don't think she meant what she said. You don't have to tell her Harry, if anything you don't have to even talk to her because a lot of things can happen between now and the future."
"Ron." Hermione stopped him. "Harry, if you need anything you let us know okay? Us and the Lupins, you know they'll be here for you."
"Yeah, and I want to be sure Teddy will know his god-sister." Teddy was his godson, so Desiree would be like a sister to him.
"Do you know where you'll go?" Harry nodded.
"Turns out…my parents owned a villa in Italy. It's in a little town called Volterra, and it's nice and quiet."
"Volterra…" Hermione's face went blank.
"Something wrong Mione?" Ron touched her shoulder.
"Nothing, it's just that I've heard rumors about that area. It's quiet yes, but it's said to be under the rule of vampires." Ron's eyes widened.
"I know." They nearly gaped at Harry.
"You do?"
"I've looked into it, and some of the rumors there aren't true. The vampires that do live there, they don't eat any of the civilians inside the walls and as far as everyone knows wizards and vampires can coexist as long as they're respectable of each other's territories. Since I would be moving in with my daughter, I wouldn't be any threat. Leave them alone they leave me alone."
"Do you know what a vampire looks like Harry?"
"Pale skin, beautiful to an average human, shy of sunlight, red eyes unless they wear contacts, super-fast, strong, keen senses, am I missing anything?"
"Actually no, you've been doing your research." Hermione smiled.
"Yeah, and I'm not leaving soon. Probably next month I need to sort things out at Gringotts, I have to set a trust for Desiree plus I need to make sure the money is safe while I'm gone."
"Take what you need and leave extra." Ron laughed. "Look mate, I don't want you to go but if it's to help you and my niece then you have my support. Don't worry about mum, we'll set her straight."
"Thanks Ron and speaking of Desiree…"the baby began to make gurgling noises, she was awake. "I think it's time to feed her." He summoned her bottle of formula. "Do you want to?" he held it out to Ron. "You'll need to practice when you two have kids."
"You know I can't refuse." Ron carefully picked the baby up from her bassinet, and began to feed her.
"Sit down Ron, it's easier." Hermione motioned to the couch. As she watched Ron feed the baby she smiled warmly at the sight.
"You two will make great parents someday." Harry loved the two like his own brother and sister, he was glad to have them as Desiree's godparents.
"Hope so, I want at least three." Hermione laughed.
"Three? I want four." Ron pouted only to get a swat.
"We'll see, it all depends on our future together." She kissed his forehead and Desiree's. "Looks like she's done." Desiree finished the bottle, and Ron burped her. "That didn't take long."
"She likes to burp, especially when she eats." Harry laughed and took Desiree into his arms. "She's a good baby."
"Hopefully ours will be the same." Ron smiled. "Well, I'm going to go check on the family. Hermione I think you'd best whip up one of your good meals here because I have a feeling we won't be visiting my parents for a while."
"Harry?" Hermione had been picking up on her cooking skills, as it turned out she was a natural though her meals weren't quite as good as Molly's.
"Sure, the kitchen's got all you need. See if Fred and George want to join us Ron." Bill and Fleur were going out later, and Charlie had to return to Romania since he only had enough time just for the funeral. Percy on the other hand, he too blamed Harry for Ginny's death but he didn't want to see Desiree. Reasons why Harry didn't know, but didn't care…he'd lost respect for Percy long ago.
"I'll be back." Ron left through the floo, and Hermione went straight to the kitchen. Harry just sat down with Desiree, and silently prayed to whoever was listening that once he left he and his child would have a better life.
At the Burrow:
"Molly what in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" Arthur, Molly, the twins, and Percy had returned to the Burrow after Harry left with Ron and Hermione. "How could you say that to Harry?"
"I only stated the truth, that baby needs two parents to raise her not one."
"That's Harry's child mum! You can't just say he can't keep her, and what gives you the right to say that?" Fred couldn't believe his mother; Harry had just buried his wife and was going to be a single dad and she acted like he was unfit.
"I'm her grandmother, I have the right."
"No Molly you don't. I know you're upset because Ginny is gone, but you can't go blaming Harry he didn't make her bleed out."
"If anything it's your fault Mum." George blurted, and then regretted it when his mum's anger flared.
"How dare you say that to me?! I would never hurt my child!"
"You pressured her to get married, when you knew she wanted to play pro Quidditch before settling down. Yeah she and Harry seemed okay, but even we could tell they were having it hard. Ginny wanted to wait, but no you just couldn't wait for her to get married so you could plan her big fancy wedding which she didn't want!"
"Fred that's enough." Everyone turned as Ron stepped through the floo. "I heard everything and I agree with you two, but I also came to see if you and George wanted to join Hermione and me for dinner at Harry's house."
"He's having dinner, he just lost his wife." Molly was furious now.
"He doesn't want to be alone Mum, and no you aren't invited. In fact something tells me there's not going to be any family meals for a while here." He looked to Arthur. "You're welcome to come too dad."
"I think I'd best stay here, but tell Harry what Molly said isn't true. He's a great father."
"I will, you coming guys?" Fred and George nodded.
"What about me?" Percy had the gall to ask that.
"He didn't mention you." That was the last thing Ron said before he left with the twins. Arthur turned back to Percy and Molly, and put on his famous glare.
"I can't believe you two, Harry hasn't done anything wrong and you have done nothing but shun him. He is a great father; he can take care of Desiree."
"Desiree…a silly name." Molly snorted.
"I just think he'd be better to let mum help him, until he gets his life fixed up." Arthur was close to losing his temper.
"Harry's life is fine, he has a nice house, he has money, he has time all of which will be spent with his daughter. I'm going into my shed, and I'll fix my own dinner tonight." He took his coat and left to the shed.
"He'll see reason sooner or later, that baby would be better off with us." Molly kissed Percy's cheek before going into the kitchen. Percy just shrugged and left to go home, unaware that soon enough he would soon lose his niece and Harry if he didn't straighten things out with his siblings and them.
A month later:
A month was all it took to pack up Harry's home; he had the furniture and all his belongings including Ginny's packed up and sent it off to the villa. Ginny's things had been donated, but the jewels Harry gave her were placed back inside the vault. Gringotts set up an account to where Harry could access his money wherever he went and had a trust set up for Desiree which she could have access to on her seventeenth birthday.
Hermione and Ron had helped as did the twins, and the twins now knew about the divorce plan and didn't blame Harry at all. They knew the marriage wouldn't last, but they were glad that Ginny and Harry made a plan together. They'd also seen the villa, and they loved the city though Harry left out the vampire part. They promised to visit with Bill and Charlie when they could, but they kept it from their parents until Harry was settled into his new home. They knew how Molly would react, but Arthur they weren't entirely sure.
"Harry it's beautiful." Hermione looked out the window of the den, seeing an entire view of the city.
"Yeah it is, nice and serene. I'm not the only wizard here either, there's at least five other magic families here but they're small and they all attend an academy in Venice that rivals Beauxbatons."
"Are you going to send Desiree there?"
"No, when she becomes of age I'll bring her back to London. Her name's been down since she was born after all." Harry held Desiree in his arms, she was already a month old and wearing a cute little blue dress and shoes Hermione had gotten her.
"You got it good here mate, I'll be sure to visit you at least twice a month." Ron loved the house.
"As long as you write first, so I can be sure my schedule is cleared out enough." Desiree smiled at her daddy; she'd been doing that a lot lately. "Hey baby girl, you like the new house?" she kept smiling.
"I think she does." Hermione giggled. "Where's her nursery?"
"Upstairs next to my room, come." He walked upstairs carefully with Desiree and showed them the nursery. It had colors of white, purple, green, and blue all mended together to create a field of daisies background with pretty butterflies flying across the walls and ceiling. The crib was wood but brown, and the room also had a changing table, her bassinet, a rocking chair, a desk of drawers to match, a small closet, and a shelf of toys above the little toy box in the corner.
"Did you do this yourself?" Ron looked at Harry.
"Actually Tonks helped, and speaking of her she and Remus were thinking about moving into the old house."
"Your parents' house?"
"I thought you'd sold it mate."
"I thought about it, but then I realized Tonks and Remus have wanted to get a place of their own for some time so I just let them move in. Now I still own the house, but Remus has offered to pay rent though I told him not to worry on it."
"That's so nice of you Harry, they have room for their family and Andromeda gets her space." Hermione knew him too well; he couldn't just sell his family's old home so he lets his godson's family take it.
"Yeah, they needed it though and I gave Grimmauld Place to Malfoy."
"You gave it to the ferret?" Ron frowned.
"Ron he's changed, I mean his father's in prison for aiding Voldemort and his mother is ill. Kingsley cleared him so he's not trouble."
"Why didn't he go back to Malfoy Manor?"
"Because it's full of too many memories he wants to forget, bad ones at least. He's going to keep it, and he has control of his family's money so he can get Grimmauld fixed up, or I think he already has."
"What's wrong with his mum?" Harry shrugged.
"I'm not sure, but it's nothing too serious he thinks it's just exhaustion from all the years of putting up with his dad and the other death eaters." Ron and Hermione just nodded. "Look I'm civil with him now, so you should try too."
"Yeah alright." Ron just nodded.
"Fred and George will stop by later, they want to make sure you're all settled in. Plus we're going to break the news to Molly tonight."
"Go on, she can't do anything to me or my child while we're here." He put Desiree down in her crib. "You two are welcome to come by this weekend and see the city."
"We'd love to Harry, but sadly I have a job interview at the Ministry for Kingsley's undersecretary."
"And I promised the twins I'd help out at the shop, Angelina's not feeling well."
"Oh well maybe next time, we'll keep in touch alright?" they shared hugs, and kisses to Desiree before the happy couple left. Harry looked around the nursery again, wishing that Ginny could've seen it but he knew she was still with him.
Harry knew Molly would try and force him to stay, or at least take Desiree from him. Molly was far too controlling over her family, but her sons were starting to break away. She wanted Ginny to be like her, but having Ginny grow up around several brothers and masculinity threw that wish out. True she knew how to be a woman, but she was tough. Molly hadn't spoken to Harry since the funeral, nor had she bothered to even ask about her granddaughter.
Either way he was free now, free to live his life with his daughter and tomorrow he was going to take her out into the city and they'd look around their new neighborhood.
Good thing he could speak Italian too.
At the Burrow, that evening:
"Where have you been?" Molly asked as Ron and Hermione entered the front door.
"Out." Arthur came in after them. "But we're not staying."
"Why not?" Molly had been working on a nice dinner for hours, but she thought her son and daughter-in-law had agreed to come.
"Because we know you won't be happy once we tell you some news." Ron sighed. "Harry's gone." Molly about dropped her spoon and Arthur's eyes widened.
"Gone? What do you mean?"
"He left dad, and he took Desiree with him. Remus and Tonks are living in his house, but he's not in London anymore."
"He's not in the UK anymore that is." Hermione spoke it clearly.
"WHAT?" Molly shrieked. "He can't just leave like that and not say anything!"
"Well you didn't give him much choice mum, after the way you've been treating him he wanted to leave. That house is full of too many memories with Ginny, he wanted to start anew and so we helped him." Ron glared at her.
"He can't take that baby!"
"She's his child Mum and stop calling her 'that baby' she has a name! Desiree."
"A ridiculous name, he should've given her Ginny's name."
"Ginny picked out the name Molly, that's what Harry told us." Hermione's patience was running short. "She loved the name."
"Nonsense, he will return and if he wants to leave fine but he's not taking that child with him."
"It's too late Molly." Arthur spoke up. "And this is your fault anyway; you have no idea how hard Harry has had it since Ginny died. It's not his fault she died, and it's his choice if he wants to move away." He turned to Ron. "Tell Harry I'll visit when I can, I want to be sure he and Desiree are alright."
"We will."
"No." Molly put her foot down. "I don't want him around here again."
"He won't be if it means seeing you." Hermione snapped. "And so what, he's invited the whole family to visit next weekend and he's got a nice home. He made Desiree's nursery with Tonks, it's beautiful and it suits her."
"Looks like we'll have to have dinners at Bill's from now on." Ron looked to Arthur. "I'm sorry dad, but if she's going to keep treating Harry like this then I don't want her around."
"It's fine Ron, go tell your brothers I'll handle this." They shared a hug and left. "Molly, you've gone too far this time. Now you might never see your granddaughter, but I'm not going to abandon my family." he turned and left the woman alone.
Harry deserved to be happy, and if he had to leave then who could blame him? Everyone just hoped he and Desiree would be alright.
Sorry about the wait, tried to get this done as quickly as I could.
Next chapter will be where Harry first meets Caius, and then a little flip to the vampires where Caius talks to Marcus about Athenodora, maybe more.
R&R
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