When Harry, Ron and Hermione went downstairs, they immediately exchanged guilty looks when they saw that most of the setup had already been done. Harry and Ron rushed to take plates from the kitchen outside and Hermione pulled out her wand and conjured candles in the surrounding garden. Though some candles were pressed into bushes, there was no danger of their small fire spreading. She saw one of the tables groaning under the weight of the dishes and reinforced it with another wave of her wand. As they worked, more guests arrived. Bill and Fleur came via car, unwilling to test Teddy's tendency to wriggle on a broomstick. Mr Weasley made them promise to let him 'take a look' at it after lunch. Fleur shot Bill a warning look that he seemed to miss as he heartily agreed. The modest Volvo would probably be able to shoot fire by the end of the day.

Andromeda Tonks showed up soon after and immediately took hold of Teddy. Fleur caught Harry watching and took him aside.

"You made a good call, 'Arry," she told him. "Dromeda loves Teddy but she is still 'urting over 'er 'usband and daughter." Andromeda did look sad as Teddy waved his little arms wildly.

"I just wanted him to have the most stable home he could,"Harry said. "You and Bill are still so solid. I don't know how you manage it." Fleur gave him a sweeping kiss on each cheek for that and held herself even straighter as she went over to Bill. Harry smiled at how easy it was to make her happy. Fleur had an inner strength that he should have seen from the moment he met her, as a fellow Triwizard Champion, but it took the war to get him to see her as more than just beautiful.

The lunch passed in a blur of good food and conversation. Harry found his ears pricking up at his name.

"Of course the information is so valuable that we had to give him a reduced sentence, but he's had no problem with giving us info and then going back to being an evil git in the past," Percy was saying. "Harry's word really only paints Narcissa and Draco in a good light, Lucius is still just awful."

"He's useful though," Mr Weasley said. "And I don't know how innocent the other two are. Keeping an eye on Lucius gives us a reason to keep an eye on them too." Percy nodded seriously.

"When are you coming back to the Ministry, Harry?" he asked. "We could always use more help. Especially now we can't put the fear of Dementors into people."

"I'm pretty happy training the next generation," Harry said. "For what it's worth, Draco's been a quiet, respectful student this year. He's very much struggling with his past, but just the other day he told me he was horrified by the idea of hurting anyone again." Ginny looked at Harry funnily. Harry gave her what he hoped was an innocent smile. "I think I'm going to sign on for another year. Break that curse on the Defence position at least."

"You missed out Perce, he's a good teacher," George said. "Taught us plenty even though we thought we were pretty hot stuff at Defence." Harry smiled. George still seemed like half a person, but at least he was talking more now. It was tragic watching him wait that half beat for Fred to finish his thought just after the Battle. And then he had gone silent for almost two whole months. Harry suspected that Ron had bullied him into perking up. He could see Ron watching George carefully, even more than Mrs Weasley did.

"Harry, Cissy wants to meet Teddy," Andromeda said quietly from across the table. She had allowed Bill to put Teddy in a high chair, but kept glancing back towards him. "Narcissa, I mean. Mrs Malfoy."

"Oh." Harry's mind whirled. "I thought she was, um …"

"Vehemently opposed to anything that isn't pureblood?" Harry smiled. "She wasn't when we were growing up. Our parents wanted us to marry pureblood because the Black side of the family were … anyway, Bella was the exception in our family, playing up the Black hatred to get herself prioritised in the will I suspect. Cissy was the youngest, but she got arranged with Lucius, for her own sake, because after I married Big Ted she couldn't be trusted to make a match herself, but she's told me since that he was putting on his hatred of muggles for his father's sake." Harry felt a jolt of disbelief. How far back did father-worship go in that family? "Of course, when I married Big Ted, they had to cut me off. But she didn't want to, I know. It was just safer for them to pick a side firmly. And now … I know she probably wants to prove to the world that their family aren't as bad as all that and they can put aside things like blood status and even lycanthropy." Andromeda was looking at Harry with pleading eyes. The whole table had gone quiet to listen to what he said. He felt like protesting, like reminding them all that he was only just 18 and they could make their own decisions, but he actually cared about this one.

"Have you seen her since the war?" Harry asked. Andromeda nodded.

"We've been meeting since the war ended. She's so grateful you're looking out for her Draco."

"I think they deserve a chance. I don't know Narcissa, but Draco is beyond desperate to prove himself. He's on track to get all O's, I think he's pushing himself to be known for his academics rather than just his last name." Andromeda nodded fervently. "I would like for us to all meet together, just in case. I don't think they would risk something as stupid as harming Teddy, but …" Harry tried to put his finger on what he thought they could do. "Maybe it would be useful to have more eyes and ears on what they say. See if they are willing to accept change."

Percy was looking at Harry speculatively. He could practically see the cogs turning.

"I understand putting ambition before common sense," he said slowly. "Can I be there?"

Ron, Hermione, Mr Weasley and Fleur all started to speak at once. Harry held up a hand and they fell silent. Harry felt guilty over the power he held, but pushed on.

"I think we should have an Easter gathering. With all of us. No one can feel evil when they're eating Mrs Weasley's eggs." Mrs Weasley blushed and smiled. "Does that give everyone enough time to process their feelings?"

"Harry and I are the only ones who have really seen Draco since the war," Hermione said. "He's working hard. I know connections are how Malfoy's work, but maybe us being their connection is a good thing. We could teach them trust rather than blackmail." Mr Weasley had a rather pitying smile on his face, but he chose not to point out Hermione's naivety. Perhaps he thought it was nice that she could be naive, following what she'd been through. After all it was the sister of Andromeda and Narcissa who had tortured her to unconsciousness.

Lunch was so huge that they ended up having sandwiches from the leftovers for dinner, and that night Harry found himself alone in Ron's room, Ron having left to sneak some time with Hermione. He was glad to have told them his secret, but he felt like he had accomplished all that he came to do. The conversation at lunch was an an added bonus, as he really hadn't known how he was going to get his family to trust Draco, and that was suddenly a priority. Harry was slightly alarmed that he was thinking so far into the future, but even if his relationship with Draco didn't work out, he felt an obligation to help Draco with sorting out the rest of it. He didn't think that could happen unless Draco was seen to be trusted by his family, who had played such an important role in the right side of the war.

Harry thought that he would want to stay at the Weasley's longer, but with Ron and Hermione together, he mostly felt like an outsider. He'd played enough chess games and it was too cold to fly, even though he was curious to see what Ginny had learned.

Harry found himself thinking more and more about Draco waiting for him back in his office. It's only for the holidays, Harry reminded himself. And then next holidays? He didn't feel very convincing. But he still felt like there was a timer on it, and needed to get back. So, on Boxing Day, after a blur of goodbyes that he couldn't focus on, Harry Disapparated to Hogsmeade.