Harry's POV
Jenny and I have been making regular visits to Meghan and Teddy. Sometimes I would have to leave to meet with Kingsley or other old Order members, and other times Jenny would be at the Hospital Wing under her internship as a Healer while I spent time with Teddy. Other times she would bring Teddy over to the Burrow and we would watch him while she and Molly spent time together or ran errands.
Today, I had come to Meghan's house to find Jenny sitting on the ground, Teddy sitting in front of her.
"Babababa," he grinned, repeating his new sound. His little fingers were curled around one finger on each of Jenny's hands. The way her face lit up when she was with him made me smile, but when she looked up at me something changed. She knew something had happened.
"Harry?" she asked, her smile growing smaller with every second I hesitated.
"They've raided Lestrange's house and they found a girl in her cellar— they've taken her to St. Mungo's. Meghan's gone over, she wants us to watch Teddy until she gets back"
"Who is it? Why has Meghan gone?"
"Dunno, maybe she was the first to respond. Gone to identify her, maybe."
"Is she alive?"
"Beaten, half-starved, and mad, but alive"
She nodded, withdrawing into herself as she tried to recount who the girl might be, remembering who had been missing, who had been killed, who she had seen since the battle. I scooped up Teddy, spinning him around in a fit of giggles.
/
Hermione's POV
I woke up to find both Jenny and Ginny's bed empty and the sun already touching the clouds. I peeled back my blankets and went to brush my teeth when Ron stepped out.
"Good morning," I yawned.
"Morning. Sleep well?"
I nodded, "where is everyone? It's awfully quiet"
"Harry and Jenny left already. Mum went shopping; Dad's at work, George is out with Adrienne, not sure about the others. Ginny might be in the kitchen or out back."
"What time is it?" I asked, wondering how much I'd slept in.
"Noon, at least"
Shocked at how much of the day had passed, I got ready a bit quicker than usual. I slipped on some jean shorts and a lightweight shirt, tying my hair back as I walked down the hall.
"Good morning, Ginny"
"Morning?"
"Right, afternoon," I cracked a smile as I joined her at the counter. She seemed to be making lemonade.
"Sleep well?"
"Better each day. You?" I asked as I took two glasses down from the cupboard.
"Same," she said, thin slices of lime floating in the pitcher as she poured lemonade into the glasses. We walked out the back door and wandered the gardens, the warm sun and conversation making the lemonade taste even sweeter, the lime adding a nice twist to the flavor. We were in the orchard when a gnome popped into view. Ginny grabbed a fallen apple and chucked it at the creature, sending him running the opposite direction.
"We're going to have to de-gnome again, soon"
"Why don't you just charm the fence? It'll keep them out"
"Oh, dad's too fond of them to keep them out completely. I just pretend they are whichever brother is annoying me the most at the time"
"Which brother was it this time?"
Ginny cast her head back and laughed, "That's a good one"
/
Meghan's POV
I hurried through the halls of the infirmary, the injured overpopulating the place, but still finding my way to the front desk. My heart was pounding in my ears, anticipation overwhelming my senses.
"Hello, my name is Meghan and I'm here to see the girl they found in Lestrange's cellar"
"Ah, yes, of course. She's in room 441B, take a right once you reach the fourth floor up those stairs"
"Thank you," I nodded kindly at the woman before weaving my way toward the stairs. When I reached the top, I turned and found myself in a hall less crowded than the previous floors, but each room seemed to be occupied. I reached 441B and took a deep breath before entering, calmly walking inside and shutting the door behind me. I spotted her immediately, lying perfectly still on the white hospital bed. Her mess of curls was dirty and her face spoiled with dirt, contrasting with the white hospital gown she now wore.
"We had to induce her, she was fighting us. It was all we could do," a nurse said, announcing her presence.
"It's her, you were right to call me," I stood there, looking down at her peaceful sleeping face, knowing that it was merely an illusion from her slumber.
"You're welcome to stay, but she won't wake any time soon"
"That's alright, thank you," I said and sat in a chair, holding my hands on the edge of the bed. I was so relieved she was alive— she had been missing for so long that I had assumed the worse, with the war and everything going on. I hadn't the chance to search for her, with the funeral arrangements and Teddy consuming my time. It was all I could do to wait for news, although I had assumed it would be from the coroner's, not Kingsley. I bit down on my thumb to keep from crying, thoughts of my sister flooding back into me. Losing her was enough to bear, and losing her daughter was excruciatingly painful.
Without realizing, I had fallen asleep.
"I was so cold, Aunt Meg," I lifted my sleepy head from my arms to see her vacant eyes. They were different— no longer the mischievous eyes of a child, but the lost ghostly eyes of someone who had seen death.
"You're safe now," I assured her, placing my hand over hers comfortingly.
"He's gone, isn't he?" She stared at the ceiling for a long time, then, without saying anything else.
I kissed her on the forehead, "sleep well, Blaire-bear"
/
Ron's POV
"No."
"Please?"
"Absolutely not."
"But I need your help, my shift at the hospital wing starts in five minutes!"
"I don't know anything about babies!"
"It's only for a little while, until Meghan gets back"
"Fine," Jenny grinned and set Teddy in my outstretched arms.
"Thanks, Ron! You're the best!" she said and disapparated. I sighed and looked down at the little squishy creature in my arms.
At that moment, Ginny walked into the house. Finally!
"Jenny left Teddy for you, Ginny," I said, trying to pass him off.
"I'm not going to watch him— I've got my own stuff to do."
"But I can't watch him! I don't know what to do"
"And you think I do?"
"Well, yeah. You're a girl"
"That doesn't mean I'm a baby expert! Besides, I've got my own stuff to do."
I watched as she left, my only hope for getting out of this. I sighed, looking down at the little wiggling bundle in my arms. He seems harmless enough.
I reached toward him cautiously, curiously. He surprised me when he bit on my finger with his little toothless mouth, but it didn't hurt at all. I smiled a bit, glad that he seemed to be enjoying my finger as if it were the most delicious thing in the world. At least one of us is happy.
"You're not as bad as I thought," I said, coming to terms with the situation.
But then it happened.
The smell erupted from the baby so quickly that I felt as if the house needed to be evacuated.
"Bloody hell!"
/
Hermione's POV
I hadn't even gotten six chapters into my book when Ron started making a ruckus in the house. I sighed and shut my book, brushing my knees off as I stood. I nearly burst out laughing when I saw the scene inside. Teddy was lying on the ground while Ron had a laundry clip on his nose and was approaching him with a pair of rubber gloves.
"What do you think you're doing, Ronald?"
"What does it look like? I'm changing Teddy's diaper"
"With kitchen tongs and a towel? I think not," I shook my head and picked up Teddy, taking him to the bathroom, aware that Ron was following me as if I were some sort of unknown specimen.
"Stop staring and get a diaper from the cupboard under the sink"
He put the tongs down and went into the cupboard, pulling out a diaper.
"Since when do we have these?"
"Since your mother had children," I rolled my eyes and began the simple task of changing a diaper. When I wrapped up the dirty diaper, Ron pulled his wand at it.
"I hope you're not planning on blowing it up," I warned.
"Are you kidding? That thing is going where I'll never see or smell it again," he said, and with a flick of his wand, it was gone.
"There, all done," I smiled triumphantly, lifting up the newly changed baby.
"How is it you know how to do everything, Hermione?" Ron asked; relieved the whole thing was over.
/
Jenny's POV
"I'm back—" I stopped in the doorway, the lights were off and Ron was knocked out on the couch. Hermione sat in an armchair beside the fire, happily reading her book. She smiled up at me as I shut the door quietly.
"Teddy tuckered him out?"
She nodded, "Meghan came and got Teddy a couple of hours ago."
"Did she say anything?"
"Not much, but she looked pretty… emotional."
"And Harry?"
"He said they found a girl in Lestrange's cellar, but I didn't get anything past that. He's up on the roof now, if you want to see him"
"Thanks, Hermione. Get some rest"
"I will— good night"
"Night," I said and went for the roof. Harry was up there, but he was asleep.
"Hey," I said, sitting next to him. He stirred a little before turning on his side. "You're going to be sore in the morning if you sleep like this," I rolled my eyes.
"But I don't wanna move," he pouted. I laughed, happy that he was in a playful mood. Usually we come up here when we're more melancholy than usual.
"So, did Meghan bring any news?"
"She left? I must have been asleep, sorry"
"That's alright, I'll find out later. We should probably get back inside, though"
