It was finally quiet. Teddy had spent most of the afternoon wailing, but just before Ginny needed to start setting the table for dinner he miraculously fell asleep. Ginny sighed in relief. Teddy was taking it to a new level of fussiness: spitting out his bottles, kicking his legs, and even crying real tears. It had been a long day.

Dinner was blissfully quiet. Everyone ate in companionable silence, just enjoying the food. Ron and Harry seemed especially tired. Based on the poorly healed gash on her brother's cheek, Ginny guessed they'd had combat training earlier.

But while everyone else seemed content, Ginny felt on edge. The longer the silence lasted, the more tense Ginny felt. She almost wished Teddy would start crying again to distract her from her thoughts. Almost.

Finally, unable to handle the quiet a moment longer, Ginny burst out, "I'm not going back to Hogwarts next year!"

Her mother looked up briefly, then continued eating. "Don't be ridiculous Ginny."

Irritated, Ginny dropped her fork loudly onto her plate.. "I'm serious Mum. I'm not going back."

Ginny watched her parents exchange a glance. Her father slowly wiped his face with his napkin, pushed his plate away, and folded his hands on the table. "Would you like to tell us why you feel this way?

Ginny took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. She'd prepared several good arguments, she just needed to keep her head. Focus on Dad, she reminded herself. Ignore Mum.

She stared determinedly at her father. "Well, Fred, George, and Ron didn't finish their seventh year. Fred and George didn't really need Hogwarts to open their joke shop, and I don't really need Hogwarts to play Quidditch."

"You're not actually planning on giving up your only chance at an education on the off-chance you could make a professional Quidditch team?" her mother asked, incredulous.

"I don't think you understand how good I am, Mum."

Ron snorted. "Cocky much?"

Ginny glared at him. "Not that you would know anything about it, Ronald, but other than Harry I'm easily the best player Hogwarts has seen since Oliver Wood left."

Ron glared back. "According to who?"

"Professor McGonagall, for one." To Ginny's satisfaction, Ron actually stopped eating long enough to look dumbstruck. "At my career counseling she was the one who suggested Quidditch. She said I would have no problem at making a team, probably a good one too."

Molly's face was starting to turn red. "Minerva didn't tell you to drop out of Hogwarts though, did she?"

"Well, no," Ginny admitted. "But what good is muggle studies going to do me in Quidditch?"

"You can't play Quidditch forever," her father pointed out. "What are you planning on doing when you're too old to keep playing?"

"Exactly!" exclaimed her mother. "Exactly."

"I'm not sure exactly, but it will definitely have to be something related to Quidditch. It's the only thing I really enjoy."

"Well, won't you need your N.E.W.T.s for whatever that is?" her mother asked.

Ginny thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I shouldn't think so. Ludo Bagman didn't, at least."

"Bagman never finished school?" Ron asked.

"He was the youngest ever Beater to play in Britain," Ginny explained. "The Wasps recruited him when he was only sixteen."

"And look at how much trouble he got into!" Molly shouted.

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to gamble with goblins?"

"You're stupid enough to drop out of Hogwarts for no reason."

"It's not for no reason!"

"A boy is not a reason."

Ginny froze, surprised. "You think this has something to do with Harry?" she asked, slowly.

"I know this has something to do with Harry. I'm not blind Ginny! I've seen how different things have been for the past few weeks. And I won't have you throwing your future away for a boy." Ginny saw Harry staring studiously at his food, clearly embarrassed.

"You must be blind if you think that's what this is about."

"You are going to Hogwarts in September whether you like it or not young lady."

Ginny laughed. "You can't make me do anything! I'll be seventeen next month, I can quit if I want." Her mother was speechless. "I'm not asking your permission, Mum, or even for advice. I'm telling you my plans."

Ginny could never remember seeing her mother so angry, not even the time Fred and George had blown up their bedroom. She braced herself for an onslaught of shouting, but was rescued by the sudden screams of Teddy. She jumped out of her chair, but before she could take a step she heard her mother growl, "Ginerva, you stay right where you are."

"And make Harry take care of Teddy? Look how exhausted he is Mum, and you know Teddy has been especially difficult today. No. You can yell at me later." She ran up the stairs before her mother had a chance to respond.

Ginny started Teddy with a bath, usually his favorite part of the day and a sure-fire way to get him to stop crying. But without Harry helping, Ginny couldn't charm the water to keep it warm. So after only about five minutes of laughing and playing in the bath, Teddy started crying again.

Next she tried a bottle, but the results were the same as they'd been all day. When she put it in his mouth, it just made him cry harder.

"Come on Teddy," she crooned, "I know you're hungry. You've barely drunk a drop all day. I know it'll make you feel better if you just eat something." But nothing worked.

Giving up on his bottle, Ginny tried bouncing him, singing to him, rocking, and even peek-a-boo. But he just kept sticking his hands in his mouth and crying.

Just as she was starting to feel frustrated, Harry walked in. He kissed her on the cheek, then gently took Teddy from her. Teddy's hair turned bubble-gum pink the moment he caught sight of Harry. "What's wrong?" he asked, bouncing the baby in the air.

"He won't eat," Ginny replied, holding out the completely full bottle as evidence.

"Aw, sure you will, won't you Teddy?" Harry hoisted Teddy up against his chest, and softly patted his back. After several minutes, Teddy's screams started to die down. When he finally stopped crying, Harry cradled him again, sat down in the rocking chair Ginny was keeping in her room, and popped the bottle into his mouth. To Ginny's amazement, Teddy didn't cry, but started drinking instead.

"See?" Harry said, smiling at her.

Ginny did not smile back. "Harry," she asked, sitting on the side of her bed, "why didn't you back me up in there?"

Harry didn't meet her eyes. "Because I think you should go back to Hogwarts. And," he sighed, "because I also think that this is about me."

"It is a little bit about you," Ginny confessed, "but that's not the main reason."

"I shouldn't be any part of this decision."

"I just got you back Harry. I couldn't handle another year like last year: never seeing you, not knowing if you're safe, missing you so badly that I can't sleep."

His expression softened. "It's not going to be like that this year."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's always like that with you."

Harry laughed. "I would give anything to go back to Hogwarts for my seventh year."

"Then why don't you?" Ginny asked, confused.

"I wanted to, but the Ministry wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What do you mean?"

Harry looked down at Teddy, readjusting the bottle in his mouth before he continued. "I guess McGonagall told the Ministry I was interested in becoming an Auror after my career counseling fifth year."

Ginny nodded. "Makes sense."

"Anyway, just a few days after the Battle of Hogwarts they approached me and asked me to start training this summer. They said they would waive the N.E.W.T. requirements because they needed me so badly."

"So you didn't ask them?" Ginny was surprised. Why didn't he tell me this before? she wondered.

"No. I actually turned them down at first. But then I had a meeting with Kingsley, who's head of the department right now. It's pretty bad out there Ginny. There are a bunch of Death Eaters who escaped the Battle of Hogwarts who think they can bring Voldemort back again. Since the Ministry no longer employs the dementors, they're on the loose, terrorizing people. Azkaban isn't secure yet, so some very dangerous people have broken out. Plus, there's a whole bunch of idiots, mostly recently graduated Slytherins, who think they are going to be the next Dark Lord trying to cause trouble."

"So you're giving up what you want to help everyone else. Again."

Harry looked sad. "What else can I do? I have to protect Teddy, and you, your parents, Hermione's parents…" He trailed off.

Ginny's heart swelled with pride. Harry was the best person she knew. He always thought of everyone else before himself. But he shouldn't have to do that anymore. "Let someone else take care of us for once. You deserve a break."

Harry watched Teddy drink for a moment, smiling at him. He looked back at Ginny. "What good is doing what I want if someone I love gets hurt? If things are really that bad, then they do need me. And I can't say no. If anything ever happened to you or Teddy, I would never forgive myself."

"Well that settles it," Ginny replied. "If things are really that dangerous, there is no way I'm going back to Hogwarts while you risk your life every day."

"Ginny-"

"Aaaa-GAAAA!" Teddy interrupted, beaming, his face covered in milk. He looked so silly that, despite her best efforts, Ginny burst into a fit of giggles.

Harry chuckled appreciatively too as he wiped Teddy's face off with his bib. "I guess he's done with his bottle."

"I guess so," Ginny said, still trying to fight off the giggles.

"I'd better get to studying then." Harry stood up and handed Teddy over to Ginny.

"Gggzzzzzzzhh," Teddy said. Delighted with his own success, he opened his mouth wide to laugh, but no sound came out. Ginny giggled again. Teddy had only managed a real laugh a couple of times, but his silent laughs were beyond adorable.

Harry kissed Teddy then Ginny, and headed to his room. He paused at the door and turned around. "Ginny, I love you, and you know I'll support whatever decision you make. But I really hope you change your mind." He smiled sadly, then left.

Ginny grumbled quietly to herself for a moment, then turned back to Teddy. He was still smiling at her, and his hair had shifted from pink to red to match her own. She placed him on her bed, flat on his back, and watched as he happily sucked on his hands and kicked his feet. From time to time he would yank his hands away from his mouth for long enough to flash a big grin and wiggle from side to side.

His good mood lasted for about five minutes before he began to fuss again. He didn't scream like he had for most of the day, but his whimpers were even more sad.

Imitating Harry, Ginny picked him up and patted his back, all the while talking in a soothing voice. It seemed to help for a moment, but then he started fussing again.

For a quarter of an hour Ginny sat rocking with Teddy, patting his back. When her mother finally walked into the room, it was a welcome relief.

Molly Weasley reached out for Teddy without a word, the cradled him close to her chest and sat in the old rocking chair. Frowning, she leaned over and pressed her cheeks to Teddy's forehead. "He feels warm."

"Does he have a fever?" Ginny asked as she sat cross-legged on her bed. "Maybe that's why he's been so fussy today."

"Only a slight fever, if he has one at all." Her mother looked thoughtful. "He seems to be drooling more than normal as well."

"I noticed that too. But I figured that's what babies do, drool." Ginny shrugged.

Her mother readjusted Teddy in her arms, the expertly opened his tiny mouth, squinting as she looked around. "Ah, there it is. See that white spot on his gums?" She pointed to a spot on the bottom gum, just to the left of center. Ginny nodded. "He's got a tooth coming in."

"Isn't it a little early for that? I haven't read anything about teeth in the book yet."

"Mmmm," her mother nodded, "that's why I didn't think of it before. Most babies don't start teething until around six months. But four months isn't unheard of." She shook her head. "I should have realized. Percy's teeth came in early too."

"What can we do about it?"

"Tomorrow morning I'll show you how to brew a potion to put on his gums that should help them hurt less. That should help his appetite too. But in the meantime he can chew on a toy or your finger until he feels better."

Ginny took Teddy back from her mother and skeptically stuck her finger in his mouth. Instantly he stopped crying as he gummed away at her finger. This feels weird, Ginny thought.

The two women watched him together in silence until he eventually drifted to sleep, Ginny's finger still in his mouth. Ginny leaned back onto her pillows and sighed happily. Finally.

Her mother interrupted her peaceful state. "Ginny, about what you said earlier."

Here it comes, Ginny thought, bracing herself. "Mum, I-"

"Please, let me finish." She took a deep breath. "You're father and I have discussed it, and you're right, we can't force you to do anything. But once you come of age, if you are old enough to make the decision to drop out of school, then you are old enough to take care of yourself."

A feeling of unease came over Ginny for the first time that night. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that whatever you decide, on September 1st I expect you to be out of the house."

"Mum, that's not fair! Quidditch trials don't start until October!"

"My decision is final."

"How can you expect me to go back there?" Ginny pleaded. "After everything that's happened, after Fred…" Ginny saw tears fill her mother's eyes, but she pressed on. "How can I just walk through the halls where Fred died like nothing is wrong? How can I eat in the Great Hall every day after seeing so many people I cared for dead on the Gryffindor table? How can I sit through class knowing exactly why Colin Creevey isn't there? Hogwarts is full of terrible memories, and I would have to re-live them every day!"

Tears streamed down Molly's cheeks, but her resolve stayed firm. "You are not the only one who has seen death, Ginerva. What I expect is for you to move on with your life, just like everyone else." And with that she stood up and walked away, crying, leaving Ginny feeling worse than she had all summer.