Chapter seven
A week later, Hermione and Ron sent an owl and ask to visit, so Tonks gave them her address and said they could come over anytime.
Harry was sitting on the couch with Teddy and like always, he was up on Harry's shoulder and that's how Harry looked when Ron and Hermione stepped inside.
'That's not something I ever expected to see, you burping a kid,' Ron said laughing softly, making Harry laugh.
'Not something I thought I'd be doing for a long time anyway, but I'm not burping him, Teddy just likes it up on my shoulder. But I even change Teddy, bathe him, dress him, so I've gotten very good at looking after him. The only thing I can't do is feed him.'
'Why can't you feed him?' Ron asked as he sat down with Hermione.
'Because Tonks breasts feeds him, not something I can do.'
'Which he is due for anytime,' Tonks smiled as she sat next to Harry, 'But he looks too happy at the moment, so I've got a few more minutes. How are you two doing?'
'We're good Tonks, well coping anyway, what about you?'
'Coping, Harry's been wonderful, he's helping me get through it.'
'That's what we wanted to talk to you about Harry, George. His so angry right now and no one can get through to him. So I'm sorry, but we spoke to dad, in private, told him about you and what you were willing to do. Dad thinks that might be the only thing that might help George. He'll always miss Fred, but he's not grieving, he's not letting himself learn to live with this. So dad asked if you could consider telling George.'
'Tonks and I have been talking about that, she thinks I should tell your family, I know I can trust them that they won't tell anyone. Okay, but I'll tell your whole family Ron. Work out a time for us to come over, because I would like Tonks there, along with Kingsley and Rodney.'
'Thanks Harry, I'll talk to dad when I get home.'
Just then Teddy let out a small cry, 'Okay little mate, go to mummy,' Harry handed Teddy to his mother, then watched as she put Teddy to her breast, 'He's got a good appetite.'
'Um Tonks,' Ron said as he looked away, 'do you want us to leave why you do that?'
'No, I don't, Harry asked the same thing the first time he saw me feeding Teddy. But this is a beautiful and natural thing and I'm not the shy type. Harry's so comfortable with it now he likes to watch Teddy while he's having a feed.'
Harry turned and looked at Ron, 'I do, it's just so amazing watching him. Like now, he's staring up at his mother while he's having a feed, sometimes he looks around with his eyes but he always holds Tonks's finger.'
'I suppose I can't know what you're feeling, but I'm not sure I could let anyone but the father of my baby watch when I do that,' Hermione said.
'I was never a shy one with anything, but I would never just showed myself either. When you've got this precious little life depending on you, things like showing a breast to feed your baby doesn't come into it. If Teddy wants a feed, I feed him no matter who is around or where I am. Some mothers keep themselves covered while they feed their child, but I don't see anything wrong with it.'
'I don't either, that's how baby's get fed,' Harry smiled but kept watching Teddy until he noticed he was finished, so he put a towel up on his shoulder and Tonks handed Teddy to him and he put Teddy up on his shoulder why Tonks fixed herself up. Harry started to pat Teddy's back, 'There you go my little mate.'
'He's loud,' Hermione chuckled.
'Yeah, sounds like most blokes I know, especially Ron,' Harry laughed making Hermione and Ron laugh.
'I know, that's just me being a Weasley.'
'We know Ron,' Harry got up and placed Teddy on the change table then started to change the baby boy, 'Whoa there little man, I get it every time.'
Tonks laughed, then got up and cleaned Harry while he finished changing Teddy, 'He does seem to like it when you change him. The moment you take his nappy off, he always gets you.'
'I think he likes being free,' Harry finished, then sat back down with Teddy, 'You get used to it Ron,' Harry said seeing the look on Ron's face, 'First time he hit me was right in the face, Tonks was on the floor laughing, she never warned me that could happen.'
'If you have a boy, it's a natural thing,' Tonks smiled as she watched Harry holding her son, 'But Harry is impossible, he won't put him down to sleep. So I've warned him if Teddy doesn't want to be put down and it's four o'clock in the morning, then I'm waking him up to take Teddy.'
'I just can't help it, I love holding him and he just stares up at me, he's given me a smile, Tonks thinks it was wind.'
'It was wind Harry, but I know he loves you.'
'You're like a family,' Ron said staring at Harry.
'That's how I feel, like I've got a family. I'm going to be the best godfather any kid could have, aren't I Teddy,' Harry leaned down and kissed the baby's forehead, 'Oh shit, Tonks, look at him.'
Tonks stared at her son, 'He's like me, gave himself black hair to match you Harry. See, he's showing you he loves you.'
'He's a Metamorphmagus?' Hermione asked as she got up and stared at Teddy, 'Seeing that Harry, he could pass as you're son.'
'I know, but you little man, have a great father,' Harry smiled.'
'I know it won't be for a while, but I spoke with Professor McGonagall about finishing off my last year, she said everyone can go back. Ron's going to come back with me to finish, are you going to Harry?'
Harry shook his head, 'No, I want to stay away from Hogwarts. So since I've got all that money my parents left me, I'm going to take my time and work out what I want to do, which won't be for a long time. I'm enjoying not having anything to do and no danger.'
'We thought you'd say that mate, but we wanted to ask you anyway. What about being an auror then?'
'I know Ron, right now I wouldn't want to be one, I want to get right away from all that. I'll work something else out, are you still going to see about being an auror?'
'Yeah, after the last few years, I realised how good I felt that I could help, so I want to keep doing that. Seamus wants to be an auror as well.'
'They do need them Ron, they lost a lot. Kingsley and Rodney said they only have five left, not counting Kingsley or myself. But as I can't go back for a long time, five is nowhere near enough, so the more that want to join, the better.'
'Would you go back to being an auror if you could Tonks?' Hermione asked.
'I loved being an auror and Mad-Eye said I was good, so I think I would, but not just yet. I want to spend time with my son. I did think about getting a nanny to look after Teddy, but now because he doesn't have his father, I want to be there for him. He needs one of his parent's home with him for a while.'
Harry stared at Tonks for a minute then looked down at Teddy and an idea came to him, one he didn't know if Tonks would go for, but Harry could see himself doing it and thought he might talk to her about it in a couple of months. Let her get her life together now she hasn't got her parents or husband and give her more time to spend with her son. Harry knew if he mentioned this to Ron or Hermione, he knows they would be completely shocked so much that Ron wouldn't eat and Hermione couldn't read, but the more Harry thought about it, the more he liked the idea.
For the next couple of hours, Harry, Tonks, Hermione and Ron talked, but it was like they knew they didn't want to bring up anything upsetting, so they never spoke about the last few years, nothing on Voldemort, death eaters, not the war in any way. After Ron and Hermione left, Tonks and Harry had dinner, spent more time with Teddy before putting him to bed, then Harry showered ready for bed, Tonks did after Harry and they both headed for bed.
Harry woke to loud cries, so he threw the robe on and ran into Tonks's bedroom and found her crying into her pillow. He never said anything, just got on the bed beside her and pulled Tonks into his arms and held her why she cried. Harry wished he could say something to make her feel better, but he knew there wasn't, it was just going to take time, a lot of time. Harry knew Tonks was awake, but she just kept her head buried in Harry's shoulder while she cried. Harry rubbed her back wishing he could make her feel better, then after a while Tonks's cries eased and her breathing even out and Harry knew she had fallen asleep. Harry thought about leaving her and going back to bed, but decided to just stay there so if she needed him, he was already there for her, so that's what he decided to do, stay and hold her.
