This was ALMOST part of the last chapter…

But then it would have been WAY long.

Like, over 7,000 words LOL.

So I made it into its own chapter

The chances of this being more than 15 chapters is rising by the day.

I can already tell you, we've passed the max words I intended.

It was supposed to be no more than 20,000 words.

I'm really not good at short stories am I?

This is already over 22,000 words…whoops

Oh well, I will meet the deadline.

Actually I might beat it this time!

It will just be longer than expected.

Thank you for reading, thanks for reviewing, and alerting.

I am not JKR, unfortunately.

Chapter 7

Because That's What Daddies Do

Albus woke up and instantly tried to roll closer to Teddy but found that he was gone. He sat up in a panic, looking around, tears filling his eyes as he took in the unfamiliar room.

"Mum! Dad!" he cried out instantly.

James stirred and sat up half way. "Shhh, Albie…whas wrong?" he said, half asleep and squinting in the dark to try and see his brother.

Albus turned to see James, he had forgotten he and Lily were in the same room as him. He quickly jumped out of his bed and climbed into theirs, not caring that the beds were singles and not meant for two people, let alone three. It was lucky that Lily was still little and Al was small for his age. James gently slid Lily over and scooted over, giving Al room as he lay back down. He was used to Al showing up in his room after nightmares. He had done it since he was little.

"What's wrong?" he asked again as he waited for Al to get settled under the blankets and lay his head on James' pillow.

Albus rolled to face his brother, his eyes still watery. "I dreamed dad sent me away." He said, his lip trembling.

James shook his head and lay on his side so he was facing Albus. "They already told us we are going nowhere. That we're staying here, he's not sending you anywhere." He said in a quiet voice, not wanting to wake Lily.

Albus shook his head and felt a few tears slip out of his eyes. "Not this dad…real dad…we got home and he was mad about the time turner and he said that's why he never loved me cause I do bad things, and he didn't want me anymore. And he sent me away." He said, trying to hold in his cries, his chin trembled dangerously.

James frowned and pulled the blankets up over Al's shoulders. "Albie…you know Dad…our dad, the one that will come find us. He would never send you away. Or me. Or Lilikins. Or Teddy. You know that."

"But what…what if." Albus tried, but James put a hand over his brother's mouth, stopping him from speaking.

"No, no what ifs. Our dad, loves us. And he loves you. You're his Little Mister Mayhem, you're his little bittle boy…you're the one that is a seeker like him. And you know mum loves you. You're her baby boy…she makes a whole different kind of cookie just for you. It doesn't matter how much trouble you get in…or any of us get in. They wouldn't send any of us away Albie. I promise." James said, his hazel eyes boring into Al's bright green.

"But.." Al tried to say through James' hand.

"No, no buts. None. Dad will yell, and tell us off, and ground us and then will come into our rooms…well probably my room, we both know that's where you'll be, and he'll tell us it's okay and that he loves us. Because that's what our dad does. It just is. It's what he does. You're going nowhere. Besides, it's not like you'd be alone Al, even if somehow you got sent away, I'll be right with you. You know I would be too bored without your troublesome self. Look I followed you more than 20 years into the past." He grinned.

Albus smiled slightly and yawned. "Only so you can torment me." He teased.

James grinned and nodded. "It's not my fault you have a cute little girly scream that I would miss if it was gone." He said, glad Al was calming down.

Albus poked out his tongue and settled into the pillow his head leaning against James' shoulder. "We'll go home soon right? To real mum and dad?" he asked sleepily, the time travel, and events of the day, and his upset taking hold as he couldn't fight the sleep much longer, even if he was still a bit scared.

James yawned and nodded, leaning his head against Al's and throwing one arm behind him so it was over Lily. "Dad will find us. It won't take long…It's our dad, he can do anything." He said completely confident. "He'll be here before we're even ready…You know dad." He said softly.

Albus nodded his head as his eyes closed. "Yeah…it's dad. Thanks Jamesy." He barely whispered as he drifted off.

James smiled a bit as he made sure the covers were over all three of them. "Anytime Albie." He whispered. He lay there for a few minutes listening to his brother and sister's rhythmic breathing and trying not to think about the mess of trouble that they were all in. It didn't take him long at all to fall back asleep, content to be nestled between his younger brother and sister.

0o0o0o

Harry was sitting in the center of his bed, looking at the wall, it was late, and he hadn't been able to go to sleep. When the door creaked open he looked at it, expecting Sirius or Remus. When it was Ginny standing there instead he just looked at her, unsure of what to say.

Ginny opened her mouth to talk to him, a thousand things running through her mind to say but she couldn't figure out how to say anything so she just closed her mouth again.

Harry unconsciously pushed his hand through his hair and looked over at Ron who was peacefully asleep and then back at Ginny. "I…hey…" he said a bit lamely.

What do you say to the girl who had a crush on you for years, then stopped, and you now have children together only, you don't even like her like that…do you? And she doesn't like you like that…does she? And you've never even kissed her, or anyone for that matter…but you're now parents together. There's A LOT to say….which in this case, left the 14 and 15 year old both completely speechless.

"Er…hey…" Ginny replied. "Ah…I'll just…goodnight." She said, starting to turn to go upstairs, not knowing what to say. Instead she found herself colliding with a very small red headed little girl who instantly wrapped her arms around her waist and buried her face in her stomach. "Mummy, mummy I couldn't find you or daddy, your room is gone, I don't know where it went." She cried, clinging to Ginny tightly.

Ginny looked at her, blinking rapidly before looking back over her shoulder at Harry who looked a bit dumbfounded. "Er….hey….er… Lily." She said nervously, she had spent a few minutes talking to the boys, she was used to boys though, all she had was brothers, dealing with a little girl was totally diferent.

"I dreamed so so so bad. It was scary and spinny, and my tummy feels sick, and I don't know where anything is, and Jamie stole the covers and is all over the bed, and Albie got in bed with us and it's too small…and I had a bad dream and I can't find Daddy and he always sleeps with me when I have bad dreams." Lily cried all in one breath.

Ginny smiled slightly and patted the little girl's back as she hugged her hesitantly. "He does, does he?" she asked, glancing at Harry with a grin as he watched the pair. Ron sat up in his bed.

"Whus goin on?" Ron mumbled, half asleep.

"Er…Lily had a nightmare." Harry answered, his voice apologetic.

At the sound of Harry's voice Lily looked up and squeaked, she let go of Harry and ran to his bed, jumping up onto it and quickly finding her way into his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck tightly as she cried. "Take me to home, to real home, I don't like this one, it's scary with heads on the walls, and it's dark, and I can't find anyone. Rooms are in the wrong places, it's so dark. And please Daddy, just bring me home." She cried. "I won't touch Albie's sparkly necklace ever again." She promised.

Ron rubbed his eyes as he watched Harry look down at the little girl, alarmed to say the least. Harry looked completely frozen on the spot. Ron yawned widely. "Hug her." He told him, lying back down on his bed.

"Huh?" Harry asked as Ginny walked farther into the room and sat at the bottom of Harry's bed so she could see Lily.

"Hug her…it's what dad used to do with Gin when she had nightmares the summer after her first year. And when she was really little too, I remember. Hug her. Hold her, and she'll sleep." Ron said with a shrug and a yawn.

Harry looked curiously at Ginny as she glared at Ron for letting slip about her nightmares. He pulled Lily up into his lap better and wrapped his arms hesitantly around her little body, and hugged her the way he remembered Molly hugging him after the tournament. To his surprise the mini version of Ginny wiggled into his embrace and rested her head against his chest and started to calm down.

"I don't like back in time." Lily sniffled. "I'm glad you and mummy came with us too." She said. "Are we in trouble?" she asked worriedly.

Ginny chuckled softly and scooted back onto the bed, and leaned against the wall. "Er…no, not right now you're not." She said with a grin, knowing that when they did get the kids back to their own time, they probably would be in trouble.

Harry looked at Ginny and then back down at Lily, he smiled a bit and moved the little girl's messed up hair from her face. "You look like your mummy." He told her.

Lily nodded, and gave a little yawn. "I know silly bear. You tell me all the time. That I'm pretty like mummy. I'm your pretty princess." She giggled, closing her chocolate brown eyes as she relaxed in his arms.

Harry looked up at Ginny and blushed slightly as Ginny grinned and Ron covered his head with a pillow, grumbling about not wanting to hear this.

Harry looked back down at Lily, uncertain as to what to do with her. "Why don't er…we take you back up to bed?" he offered. "Er…I'll take you up." He said.

Lily shook her head. "I want to sleep with you daddy, I always sleep with you and mummy when I'm scared. Please. It's so scary here." She said, her lip trembling as she gripped him tightly.

Ginny looked at Lily a bit worriedly, "It's not so scary…it just looks a bit different, that's all. And your brothers are here. And Teddy." She pointed out.

Lily nodded her head. "But they don't fix my bad dreams. Daddy does. Jamie only fixes Albie's bad dreams." She whined. "And Albie and Jamie are in my bed." She said, opening her eyes back up and looking at Harry.

Ginny frowned, when she had left, James had been sharing a bed with Lily but Albus had been in his own bed. She wondered what had happened to make him crawl into bed with his brother and sister.

"But if they're in your bed the other bed is empty. There's lots of space." Harry said, a bit flustered with the idea of sleeping with the 8 year old.

"Please!" Lily cried.

Ginny bit her lip and Ron sat up. "It's okay Lily…" he said with a tired huff. "Harry's right, that bed is empty, so he's going to carry you up there to it, and he'll sleep in there with you, incase er…Jamie..or Albie have any bad dreams too, or if they're scared….because he's your DADDY and that's what he's supposed to do." He said, glaring at Harry as if he should know what a daddy is supposed to do. "And I am going to go back to sleep, if you need me I'll be in my bed." He said firmly.

"I…I er…"Harry stammered.

Ginny smiled thankfully at her brother and nodded at Harry. "That is what daddy's do." She said softly.

Lily looked up at him with wide tearfilled and very sleepy eyes. Harry couldn't tell her no, he wasn't sure why, but he couldn't. He nodded and moved to the edge of the bed, picking her up as he did, and grabbing his blanket, wrapping it around her as he held her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder as he hoisted her more firmly into his arms.

"Okay, but I don't know where you're staying." Harry said honestly.

Ginny smiled and got up. "Come on, I do, I took the boys up." She said, pulling the door open for him and leading him out of the room.

Ginny held the door open to the room so Harry could carry Lily inside, the little girl was nearly already asleep, the calming draught having not worn off completely yet, and it was nearly 4 in the morning anyways. She glanced at the bed that she knew James was in and smiled at the two boys. Lily had been right, James was on his stomach and sprawled across the bed, one leg hanging off the side and he was cocooned in the blankets that belonged on the bed. Albus was sleeping curled against his brother's side, he was bent over, his legs pulled close to his chest, and his head laying on James' back. Both boys were obviously soundly asleep. Harry walked to the empty bed and moved the blankets as he sat down gently, laying Lily down with her head on the pillow. He glanced at the two boys and couldn't help but smile. He grabbed one of the two blankets off the bed and held it out to Ginny, pointing silently to the uncovered Albus.

Ginny smiled and took the blanket from him, she lay it over the small 11 year old boy gently so as not to wake him up before moving James' leg back onto the bed.

"Lay down daddy." Insisted Lily's half asleep little voice.

Harry looked at her and up at Ginny. Ginny laughed softly and nodded. Harry sighed and lay down next to the 8 year old. Lily instantly wiggled and curled against him, burying her face in his chest. Harry looked at her with wide eyes. He had never slept in the same bed with anyone in his life. He wasn't quite sure what to do. Ginny smiled and walked over to the bed, she took his wrist and picked up his arm and laid it over the little girl's shoulders softly.

"Hold her." She whispered as Lily cuddled closer to him. "Like that. So she's safe. Daddy's make you feel safe and secure when everything else is wrong. They're like er…what do muggles call them…uhm…Superheroes they are all powerful. No one can hurt you in your daddy's arms." She said, trying to explain how it felt when your father held you when you were scared, knowing that Harry would have no idea.

Harry looked up at her, his face a mix of understanding, sadness, and a bit of fear.

"Mummy?" Lily asked in a slurred voice.

"Er…" Ginny looked at her and gently sat down, so Lily was between them. "Shhh…go to sleep." She said, tucking Lily's hair back from her face.

"Lay down with us." Lily requested again, her voice trailing off.

Ginny went red, as did Harry. "In a little bit Lily. I'm watching your brothers, so Albie doesn't have a nightmare too." Ginny said, trying to remember anything her mum had ever told her in her life as a reason not to lay down.

Lily nodded, seemingly happy with that explanation as she fell asleep wrapped in Harry's arms. They both sat there silently for a while, Ginny looking in awe at the two boys that were curled together in bed and Harry staring down at the child in his arms.

"Think she'll stay asleep if I go?" Ginny asked Harry as her eyes were getting heavy, it had to be getting close to 5 in the morning.

Harry looked at Lily, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully but felt a moment of panic. "You want to leave me alone with all three of them?" he hissed. "What if they wake up. The one won't even talk to me." He said.

Ginny snickered softly and leaned over, she picked up a discarded pillow off the floor and put it on the bed and scooted farther into place, leaning against the headboard so she was still sitting but was fully on the bed, her side was resting against Lily's little frame.

"They won't bite, you know." She said with a grin. "I'm sure they're all past that stage." She teased.

Harry rolled his eyes at her. "You're so funny." He grumbled quietly.

She giggled slightly and grabbed the blanket that Lily was under. She covered up with it as well, before grabbing the blanket that was pushed to the bottom of the bed and throwing it over Harry.

"Thanks." He whispered.

Ginny nodded and lay back against the pillow, turning a bit to face the two boys. "I can't let the father of my children freeze to death in the same room as them…it's just wrong." She said watching Al and James for a minute before letting her eyes close.

Harry looked over at her and shook his head, "You're determined to make this not seem as mental and embarrassing as it is, aren't you?" He asked.

Ginny smiled a small smile. "It just seems easier than freaking out about it…I mean, let's be honest Harry…kids going back in time to meet their parents? That's completely sounds like something either one of our kids would do." She said quietly, not opening her eyes. "And…I'm sure that they'll go home soon…I mean, we don't have to really be their parents right now…they won't be here long, surely we're ripping apart the ministry right now trying to get them back." She said.

Harry sighed deeply. "This is Hermione's idea of punishment for dragging her into so much trouble. I know it." He grumbled tiredly.

Ginny laughed softly. Harry waited a while for her reply but it never came, after a bit he looked back over at her and smiled when he saw her turned towards the boys, her breathing was even and deep, she was obviously asleep. He looked at the two boys and frowned slightly, as he tried to think of a way to fix what he had done to the little one…he still couldn't figure out what would ever possess him to name his son after Snape. But that was hardly the boy's fault. He hadn't even thought before that outburst. He blamed the shock of meeting his kids before they were born. He simply didn't think about how the little boy would take it.

He looked at James and then down at Lily who was in his arms. So this was his future? He wasn't sure how he got there, but it meant that the war would eventually end…and that Voldemort wasn't here to stay, someone would defeat him. The kids all seemed happy, which would mean he would be happy at some point. Voldemort wouldn't succeed in trying to kill him. He stared at the side of Lily's sleeping face, the only part he could see as she was burrowed into his shirt. He swallowed a bit nervously as she wiggled into him and whimpered, though her eyes didn't open. He hesitantly wrapped his arm more firmly around her, remembering what Ginny said about making her feel safe. Idly wondering what that felt like.

If this was really his future, if he really had a future that is. It made facing the present seem a bit less daunting…though…he wasn't sure at this moment which was scarier, a fully in power Voldemort, or two son's that were obviously always up to mischief. He smiled at thought as he too fell asleep.