AN-Hey long time, no see right? Thanks for all your patience and to all those who are still reading thank you so much!

Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 5

Together, Hermione and Harry observed Grimauld Place with solemn faces. The house had been uninhabited since their short stay during the horcrux hunt. Kretcher had been freed and the house that was normally filthy had gotten much worse.

"Well," Hermione broke the silence. She transfigured a piece of parchment from a gum wrapper in her purse and pulled out a pen. "Let's start a list of what needs to be done and supplies we'll need first."

Harry glanced over at her and nodded. Good old, reliable Hermione with her organization and list, he thought fondly. The spent the next hour going from room to room, scrutinizing every detail. They set to work, wanting to at least get two bedrooms clean enough to sleep in. It took some serious magic and a trip to the store for some sheets and pillows, but the managed to get Hermione's bedroom satisfactory by the time Harry had to leave to pick up Lily.

"I'm going to work on the bathroom, it's absolutely disgusting!" Hermione announced heading, down the hall. "See you later. Bring me some takeout or something, k?"

"Hi, daddy." Lily exclaimed smiling though confused that her father was picking her up.

"Hey, kiddo. Let's go out to supper."

"Can we go to McDonalds please?" Lily pleaded. He and Ginny had tried to keep their kids from fast food places, but he agreed and apparated them to the restaurant. Lily ate her kids meal and chattered on and on about what happened at school, like Bobby Miller pulling on Gabby Stevens braids and the teacher accidently saying the "F-word"

"So what did you do today dad?" She asked when she finally finished. They arrived at their, no not his anymore, Ginny's house.

"Well, I-"Harry paused. How was he supposed to explain this? "I started cleaning out Grimauld Place today; it was my godfather's old house."

"Why are you doing that? Are you going to sell it?" Lily asked curiously.

"Err…no. I'm going to be staying there." He said carefully, running a hand through his hair as he sat down on the bench below the window.

"Staying there." She repeated. Harry could see the wheels turning in the child's mind, biting her lip in a very Hermionish way. "Why? What's wrong with staying here? Are mum and I coming with?"

"No, honey. It's just me."

"You're leaving us?" Lily said, tears starting to cloud her eyes. She reached up under her glasses to whip them away.

"Lily-flower. I still love you and your brothers. Nothing will ever change that." Harry said gently, reaching out to draw her into his arms but she jerked away.

"No! Everything's going to change! And can't say that! You're giving up on all of us!" She yelled. Inside, Ginny must have heard the yelling because she opened the front door and looked at them in concern. Lily turn to run into the house, but not before making Harry feel like a knife was shoved through his heart. "I hate you!"

With that, Lily pushed past her mother and ran inside. From within they could hear her bedroom door slam. Ginny didn't say a word to Harry, instead shooting Harry a disappointed look before closing the door on him.

Ginny hesitantly knocked on her daughter's door." She received a muffled reply of "Go away!" but she opened the door anyway. Lily sat on the window seat, looking out of the front walk, holding her stuffed beat tightly to her chest.

"It's not fair, mum." Lily said angrily. Ginny crossed the room and sat down next to Lily.

"I know it's not fair, sweetheart." Ginny said, stroking Lily's hair. "He still loves you."

"No he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't have left." Lily threw the bear at her bed. "Mum, just go away, I want to be alone."

AN-Bit longer than my other chapters. Review?