Chapter 4

They all met up in the middle of the woods. "What did you say to him Ginny?" challenged Ron. He was worried and hungry, having missed all his meals looking for Harry.

"I didn't do anything I swear! All I said was 'rough day?' and leaned my head on his shoulder and he went ballistic. He pushed me away and started running." Ginny retorted snappily. Hermione had been searching that area. Why hadn't they come across the middle of the woods before?

"There you are!" Hermione shouted. Ginny rushed over to them to find Harry wet and shivering vigorously. Harry had a large, deep gash on the upper corner of his left eye, which had been bleeding so bad that even Hermione's healing charms wouldn't work. Night had fallen and although it was summer, it still gets cold at night, especially when you're wet. Ginny hugged his icy drenched bloody torso. Trying to keep him warm, she embraced Harry to share her body warmth with him.

"Harry, why'd you run off like that?" Ron queried.

"It's all just a little much for me right now." Harry chattered.

"I don't understand everyone forgave you, even George. What's wrong? Shouldn't you feel better now?" Ginny was shocked.

"I just need to be alone."

"I'm staying here with you." Ginny added.

"Yeah us too," Hermione spoke for herself and Ron.

Ginny whispered to Hermione and Ron to go get Mrs. Weasley and bring back some blankets. They set off and Ginny sat next to Harry who was leaning against a tree. "Was it something I said?" Ginny said breaking the silence.

"No of course not Ginny. You hardly said two words to me. I really need to be alone, it's not that I don't enjoy your company it's just that I need to think, so could you please go back to the house. I promise to go back when I'm ready."

"No I'm staying with you, no matter what."

Mrs. Weasley appeared with Ron and Hermione tailing her. She brought blankets, medical supplies and Harry's wand. "Where have you been? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh look at you! Look at your eye!" Mrs. Weasley fretted as she passed the blankets to Ginny who had already lit a fire with her wand, but Harry was still unhealthily cold, his glasses on the end of his nose; the whole side of his face was covered with slowly trickling blood.. Ginny draped the blankets around him and wrapped her arms around his upper body trying to get him warm.

"C'mon let's get you home," Hermione insisted after Mrs. Weasley bandaged him up. Harry didn't argue; he was too tired and cold. Because of Harry's head's state they thought it would be best if Harry didn't apparate. Harry and Ginny walked to the Burrow alone.

"Harry?" Ginny asked as they neared the Weasley's home.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me that you will never leave me again, okay? She said sternly yet caringly. Harry nodded and she pecked him on the cheek. The two stood on the hill that overlooked the Burrow and cuddled together.

Twenty minutes later they walked through the front door and Hermione grasped him in a hug. "We thought you were gone. We searched for you the whole day! You had us worried sick. Well I'm just glad you're mostly okay. What's gotten into you?" Being Hermione Granger has its perks, and one is saying countless things all in one breath and in two seconds flat, but Harry didn't answer. He had a million things on his mind and replying to that question wasn't one of them, and in turn blew off the question entirely.

"Thanks guys, I'm off to bed," was all Harry had to say after the day's events. He walked upstairs with the help of Ron, to his and Ron's room.

"Did he tell you anything?" Hermione turned to Ginny as soon as he left. Mrs. Weasley listened intently.

"Not a thing." Ginny answered.

Ron asked when they had settled in, "You okay? You don't have to tell me anything, I just want to know that you won't run off or anything like that again, ya know?"

"Yeah fine," Harry answered untruthfully.

Ron knew he wasn't going to get anything out of him tonight. Ron left for the girls' room as Ginny walked in. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Ginny plopped down on the bed next to Harry. "I can't take care of a baby, Ginny. Not with all that I have going on now," trembled the distressed close-to-eighteen year old boy. Ginny put her arm around his shoulders comfortingly, yet she was confused. She had totally forgotten about Teddy, Lupin and Tonks' son that would now be orphaned.

"It's okay, Harry. You don't have to do it alone. He has an amazing grandmother, Andromeda to take care of him, and don't forget, you have us too." Ginny reassured him.

"Yeah but how am I ever going to explain what happened to his parents? How am I to tell Teddy the one who his parents trusted the most, with their most prized treasure, their baby, let them down the most? Ginny, they trusted me! I was too selfish to think of Lupin and Tonks and Teddy. Teddy should resent me, if he only knew."

"Harry, if he ever comes to wonder what happened to his parents we'll tell him. They died for a noble cause after all. He'd be proud of his parents, or at least I would. I'm proud to call Fred my brother, even though he and George lost loads of points for Gryffindor, and I'm proud of you." Tears swelled up inside of her but she managed a smile.

"What for?" he said unconvinced.

"For going through with something that nobody else I know would even consider. Dying for the sake of destroying evil and to save many people all across the world is very brave, ya know. I'm proud to even know you."

Harry was utterly at a loss for words; he didn't know what to say. Ginny understood this.

"You should get to bed, you look terrible." They both climbed into bed still wearing their every day clothes, but while Ginny lay asleep, next to her, Harry was wide awake for the second night in a row.

The door bell rang, but Harry was too drained to go and get it. He gently nudged Ginny awake pretending it wasn't him and closing his eyes to act as if he was asleep. Ginny rolled out of bed and went to get the door. As she walked through her bedroom doorway to get Harry, she saw he lay wide awake staring at the ceiling. "Harry, you have an unexpected visitor." He pretended not to hear her. Ginny walked over to his side of the bed and almost had to drag him out of bed. He walked downstairs to see an older version of Tonks standing in the doorway with a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.

"Hi Harry, sorry to leave this upon you but I have an urgent message from the Ministry. Do you mind taking care of Teddy until tomorrow?" asked Andromeda Tonks politely yet quickly.

"Oh yeah of course I will." Harry replied. He helped the aging woman with all of the baby's bags and finally took the baby. The greatest feeling in the world overpowered Harry, holding his godson for the first time made him feel for once in a very long time, genuinely happy. A smile washed over his face as Ginny walked in to check on Harry and the person who just arrived. She was amazed how good Harry was with the baby. When Ginny saw him smiling she couldn't help but smile too. She rushed over to Harry who still held baby Teddy after an hour of him being here. Teddy's royal blue hair barely poked out of the soft blanket. Teddy slept as Harry rocked him gently. Harry smiled at Ginny and looked down at Teddy. Mrs. Weasley peered out of the kitchen door to see Harry and Ginny in the sitting room taking care of a beautiful baby. She was so proud of the two, for being so mature at young ages.

Ron and Hermione entered the sitting room together holding hands and both shocked to see a baby in the house gawked at his cuteness. Mrs. Weasley slipped away into the kitchen to cook breakfast.

"Bloody hell, Harry! What's a baby doing in our house?" Ron questioned, but Harry just smiled.

"Teddy's so cute! It makes me wish I had little ones or at least a baby brother or sister. You would make a great father, you know, well it seems you kind of already are," Hermione said to Harry. Her comment bothered Harry, and then it finally hit him. His face went white.

"Yeah, thanks, well I'm going to go upstairs and put his things away," Harry said rather hurriedly. He dashed upstairs with Teddy and all his things. He locked the door behind him and set up Teddy's collapsible crib. He placed him hastily in it, but making sure he didn't wake up, and made his way over to the bathroom. He sat near the toilet feeling sick, almost about to throw up. Harry had trouble breathing, he took of his shirt to see if that would open up his airways. Harry, not caring put his hands to cover his eyes. His glasses broke and a sharp piece had caused the cut from last night to bleed again.

After thirty minutes, Ginny went upstairs to check up on Harry. The door was locked, much to her surprise. She unlocked the door using "alohamora" and the door swung open with a bang. Teddy started bawling after being awoken. Ginny immediately picked up the baby and went to check on Harry, who she found in the bathroom. Ron and Hermione heard the baby crying and followed after Ginny. A few moments later, Mrs. Weasley came in to see what all the commotion was about but saw everyone huddled around in the bathroom with Teddy still crying. She grabbed the baby from Ginny and went downstairs to calm him down.