As soon as Ginny arrived at the Burrow's apparition point, she was immediately bowled over by a screaming purple-headed blur. Landing with a colossal thump on her bum, she looked up into the unmistakably beaming face of Teddy Lupin. He may change his hair, his eyes, his nose, even the shape of his face, but there was no disguising that crooked grin so like his father's. Today though he was looking incredibly reminiscent of his mother's favorite look, with her heart-shaped face, neon hair, and sparkling dark eyes. It was uncanny. Ginny couldn't help returning the toddler's smile.
"Sorry about that," A familiar voice said sheepishly above her. She tilted her head back to bring the apologetic face of one Harry Potter into sight. Merlin! Even upside down he was gorgeous! With the wind ruffling through his permanently messy black hair and his emerald eyes shining from behind his glasses… it should be illegal to look that fit. Surely it wasn't fair to have so much sexiness thrust upon you like that. "Ginny?" Oh, and how he said her name! So low and rich, like dark chocolate. Yum. "Are you okay?" She suddenly realized he was waving his hand in front of her face (obscuring her view of his lovely visage, the tosser) and looking at her in concern. "You didn't hit your head or anything, yeah?" Shaking herself out of her lustful musings, she sent him a reassuring grin.
"Nah, just lost my breath for a minute there," She replied not untruthfully. "I've had worse scrapes on the Quidditch field."
"Widdit!" The three-year-old chimed. Ginny quickly shifted her attention to the other (much easier to deal with) male currently residing comfortably on her stomach.
"That's right, Teddy, Quidditch." She sat up, the boy settling into her lap. "That's what your Auntie Ginny does, Quidditch."
"Tantie Ginny!" He parroted, clapping his hands together happily. She was glad her name was so easy for him to pronounce, he seemed to take great pleasure in getting it right.
"Want a ride to the Burrow?" She asked him.
"Yes, up, now!" Ginny had to stifle a smirk. He was such a cute little bugger, she could forgive his demanding nature. Hoisting him up to her chest where Teddy's little arms wrapped around her neck, his hair momentarily shifted into her own auburn. He settled in with a very content and satisfied look on his face as he surveyed the fields from his new vantage point. She looked to Harry for a hand but was startled to find him staring at her, seemingly lost in thought.
"Harry?" He blinked. She extended an arm towards him. "Mind helping me up?"
"Oh, yeah!" He darted forward. His skin sparked against her palm as he pulled her off the ground. Had she forgotten what his touch felt like? That brief contact was enough to melt her insides to goo. It took a second to steady herself.
"Thanks." She said rather breathlessly. Harry nodded wordlessly, and they began their walk to the house. "What are you guys doing here anyway? Mum gave me the impression you were only coming to dinner and she didn't mention this little one."
"Yeah, she Flooed me last night. Suggested since Victoire was coming over in the morning I bring Teddy along and make it a proper play date."
"Wicta," Murmured Teddy sweetly. Ginny pursed her lips, getting the feeling her Mum had a completely different 'play date' intended for them.
"I didn't know you Aurors got so much free time." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"We don't, not usually, this is the first Saturday I've had free for a while. And I could ask the same of Chasers."
"Reserve Chaser." She corrected, sensing his predictable eye-roll without looking. In nearly all of their sparse communications once she'd left Hogwarts, Harry insisted she deserved to be on the actual team. It was nice of him, but she tried not to read into it. "And this is my only open weekend for the month, so we're not that far off."
"What a coincidence." At her questioning look, he explained, "That two friends with such busy careers both got the same day free. It's lucky." To her immense surprise (and pleasure), his cheeks colored.
There was a somewhat awkward silence before Ginny asked, "So what's with Teddy's new look?" She was relieved to see his eyes light up and a dimpled grin appear on his face. Circe, how she loved that dimple.
"Andromeda showed him a photo album last week. It was mostly filled with Tonks when she was young; there isn't much from Remus' side, just some wedding photos and a few in between." A moment of silence ensued for their fallen allies. When Harry started up again there was a hint of melancholy in his voice. "Naturally Teddy was drawn to his mother, identifying with her and all. The only changes he's made so far are pink to purple." They shared a smile, staring into each other's eyes. They came to a stop on the front step, hardly noticing when the door opened. It was only when Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat meaningfully that they snapped out of it.
"Oh… Hello Mum." Ginny greeted her at length. The corners of her mouth twitched, but Molly kept it together.
"Hello love, always nice to have you home. Your father's already left for work I'm afraid, but at least you'll keep me company." She turned to Harry. "And Harry dear, you look far too thin. Come in, I still have some bacon on the griddle." They stepped into the kitchen, Ginny conjuring a high chair and settling Teddy into it. Harry stepped around her, brushing her back (oh the shivers) as he did, and sitting on one of the rickety dining chairs. Mrs. Weasley scrutinized them for a minute before piping up almost innocently, "Did you two arrive together?" Instantly they both flushed and began stuttering.
"No, of course not —"
"— met at the gate —"
"— just ran into each other —"
"— well, Teddy did the running —"
"— Totally innocent." Harry finished, a hand scratching the back of his neck in that way he did when he got self-conscious. Ginny wondered first why he would be so agitated, but then was flustered to realize she had recognized his nervous habit. Surely she couldn't know him well enough for that. She was startled by her mother's soft laughter and narrowed her eyes at the devious matron.
"Fine, fine. Forget I asked." Mrs. Weasley effortlessly deflected her daughter's glare and began doling out breakfast. Ginny sniffed her porridge suspiciously. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility that her mother had added a dose of love potion. She had the insane urge to throw Harry's bacon out the window.
If she managed to make it through the day without a mental breakdown, she deserved a bloody medal.
"Sorry we're late, we couldn't leave without Victoire's stuffed Opaleye." Bill announced wearily as he stepped into the sitting room an hour or so later. Ginny, Harry, and Teddy had moved there after breakfast and decided to make arts and crafts. She had taught the little boy how to make paper chains, although considering he had almost strangled himself getting wrapped up in them, perhaps it wasn't her best idea.
Her brother gestured to the pearly shimmering plush toy clutched in his daughter's grasp. Victoire's blonde pigtails shook as she burrowed her face into it protectively, daring anyone to take it from her. "Why Charlie thought a dragon was a good present for a little girl, I'll never know, but it's done the trick. She's so attached she won't leave home without it." Ginny held out her arms and her niece obligingly toddled forward into the hug.
"I always fancied dragons more than winged horses. She's just sensible." Pulling back to look the girl in the face, she cooed, "Yes, you're very, very smart. My good little tomboy. Isn't that right, Vicky?" The blonde blue-eyed beauty nodded emphatically. Bill groaned but it was Harry who spoke up.
"You know Ron hates that nickname." He said, still struggling as he tried to unwind the paper from the wriggling Teddy, but there was definitely restrained mirth in his voice. Ron's absolute meltdown upon realizing his niece would bear the name of his romantic rival forever had been one of the most hilarious fits in Weasley history. Ginny winked saucily at him.
"Which is precisely why it's going to stick." She released Victoire who immediately waddled towards Teddy, whom Harry had finally managed to extricate from the paper prison. The boy grinned at her and held out a purple link of paper.
"Pwesent fow you." She took it, seemingly fascinated and started to rip it. "No!" Teddy said, panicking as he shook his head vigorously, making her stop short. Instead, she put it around her wrist like a bracelet.
"Lie dis?" She asked, looking to him for approval. He nodded, pleased she wouldn't ruin his hard work. Victoire sat down next to him. She handed Teddy her prized stuffed dragon who took it solemnly. He started examining her toy like one would a fine piece of art as Vicky began shredding the loose sheets of paper and tossing them in the air like confetti, giggling all the while.
"Bloody hell." Ginny whispered to the adults after witnessing the scene. "If those two don't end up married, then I'm a blithering Flobberworm."
Lunch was always a strange affair at the Burrow. There could be any number of guests, and each combination promised a different experience. In this instance, Percy and George, Harry and Ginny, Teddy and Victoire, and the great Weasley matriarch.
For some inexplicable reason, Percy and George had bonded intensely after Fred's death. It had seemed unlikely, but they turned out to be what the other needed most. Percy helped George rediscover order in his life, and George got Percy to (miraculously) lighten up. As such, the two could always be counted upon to get you laughing.
Percy had strolled into the kitchen at exactly 12:30, planting a quick kiss to his mother's cheek. The children giggled as he swept them up into a big hug. Teddy stole his horn-rimmed glasses, putting them on and matching his blue eyes and curly red hair perfectly. He even managed Percy's usual pompous expression before shattering the impression by sticking out his tongue. Everyone crowed over his cute little act, even Percy.
"That's my little protege," George said as he joined them, poking Teddy in the ribs and making him shriek as he reverted to his previous appearance. "I can see my comedic talents are rubbing off on him." Percy shook his head as he reclaimed his glasses.
"Don't try to take credit for him. With his parents, there's no doubt he's naturally mischievous." Ginny took Victoire and started bouncing her on her hip.
"I can't wait 'til this pair goes off to Hogwarts. The letters we'll get, oh, it'll be priceless!" Harry stepped to her side, grinning widely. Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Committee better watch out.
"I can see it now, Marauders Mach Two." He joked. She threw back her head and laughed, images of Teddy and Victoire running pellmell through the halls after dark filling her mind. When she'd calmed down she beamed at Harry. He was just so mesmerizing, she could stare at him for days. Were his eyes always that shade? They looked exactly like Floo fire, the way they burned when he saw her. No. You're over this. Snap out of it, Ginny. You've. Got. To. STOP!
She wrenched her gaze away, feeling slightly sick. What just happened?
Percy was replicating the high chair, already depositing Teddy into it. She quickly settled Vicky into hers and took her own seat. Harry followed a moment later, sitting directly across from her. He gave her another brief smile. Wait, it seemed different, tighter somehow. Odd.
"There we are," Mrs. Weasley bustled around, placing plates in front of the children. "Cheese and crackers and PB & J's for my little munchkins." She ruffled Teddy's purple hair affectionately and patted Victoire's cheek. George's stomach gave an audible rumble as he eyed their food greedily.
"Lucky buggers." He grumbled as they tucked in voraciously. Percy elbowed him.
"And for the rest of you impatient leeches," Their mother continued teasingly, "There's corned beef sandwiches and vegetable soup." They all clamored for their choices at once, though Molly somehow managed to pick apart the din and get everything right. As Ginny slurped her lunch, she made a mental note to appreciate her mum more.
Like that would last.
"So how are things at the shop?" She heard Harry ask.
"Great!" George said around his mouthful of corned beef. It came out sounding like, "Mafe!" Disgust warred with amusement. He swallowed the lump with an exaggerated gulping noise. From the corner of her eye she could make out his sly grin. "Those dolls we worked out are selling like hotcakes." At this, Ginny looked up at Harry, surprised to see him so flustered.
"What's this?" She asked him. "Dolls?" He scratched the back of his head again, messing up his hair even more. Illegal, I tell you.
"It's nothing." He replied shiftily.
"Don't be modest," George interjected, ignoring Harry's obvious glare. "Your likeness is probably in every household by now." Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"You have a doll. In your image." She stated flatly. He was becoming deeply flushed, he'd be about the shade of her hair soon. Percy snorted beside him.
"Oh yeah," Her brother added, "Doesn't it speak too, George."
"You're quite right, Perce," He replied, clearly enjoying taking the mickey out of poor Harry. "It's got a number of catchphrases like 'Eat dust Voldy' and 'Death Eaters don't stand a chance against The Chosen One' and 'Study up, don't be a Dung-bridge.' I put that last one in for the parents."
"Of course," Percy got out through his snickers. Harry was now sitting so low in his chair his glasses were level with the table.
"Now, now, that's quite enough." Mrs. Weasley scolded, taking pity on him. "He gets enough of this without you two." The boys muttered their assent and vague apologies. Harry straightened up with a relieved sigh. There was silence except for the sounds of Vicky smearing peanut butter and jelly on her face.
"So," Ginny said innocently, "Are these just for kids or can anyone get in on this?" There was a clatter as Harry's elbow knocked the butter dish to the floor. Her brothers burst out howling their glee.
Hooray! Another chapter for you all! I was so blown away by the reviews for the first part, you are all so kind. I hope I continue to live up to your expectations.
A quick note: I use a lot of material from the expanded Potter universe (Fantastic Beasts, Quidditch Through The Ages, etc.) so if you come across a feature or character you don't know (assuming it's not an OC) I advise you to look it up on the Harry Potter Wiki. Wouldn't want anyone feeling lost.
Love,
Laury.