Hi again! Any suggestions for names? Managed to get quite a bit of the planning done which should help me to write faster. I've been trying to keep track of the little things with not much luck and so I have a planning document on Word that is twenty-five pages long, full of notes, character info and the (made up)school timetable! Much easier now that I haven't got it all stored in my teensy brain. I'm alright once I'm going, it's the starting off that throws me every time. Hopefully now that I have a more concrete direction, I won't be stopping to go back and add things. Yippee!

Hope you enjoy!

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"Make sure you're in your dorm before curfew Al." He closed his hands on the back of the sofa as Albus leant back, tilting his head to look up at Harry.

"Mm, have fun." He grinned and Harry gave in to his urge to ruffle Albus' hair and Albus just smiled brighter. He left his hand in his hair and trailed it forwards, swiping his thumb across Albus' forehead gently.

"Night." He said, before leaving Albus to eat in peace.

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Chapter 10 - Dining and Discussions.

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Harry stumbled out of the floo and brushed himself off.

"Gin?" He called, making his way through the room and looking up the stairs. Ginny emerged a moment later looking beautiful. She wore a short black evening dress that reached the top of her knees, it was moulded to fit every curve and accentuated her hips as she descended the stairs. It had no sleeves, just an emerald strap that went across one shoulder and her hair was pinned up, a few stray curls framing her face.

"You, , are late." She scolded, coming to stand in front of him.

"Only five minutes," Harry protested, chewing his lip. Ginny took pity on him and pulled him closer by the waistband of his trousers.

"Mm, you smell nice." Ginny murmured into his neck. Her breath was giving him goosebumps.

"Daddy!" Came a shout and Harry reeled backwards. Ginny let him go and turned to see Lily fling herself towards Harry, jumping and causing him to catch her.

"Hey Lil." He said, smiling.

"Are you staying this time?" She asked, her bottom lip protruding. He looked to Ginny for help.

"Up to daddy." Ginny answered with a glint in her eye. Uncertain as to what Ginny was up to, Harry answered hesitantly.

"Well, I have to be at Hogwarts tomorrow to feed the baby unicorn as Hagrid's away. So, I'll stay tonight and then see you before I go back?" Lily beamed and Harry watched Ginny carefully. Ginny shooed Lily who left the hallway in order to find Molly who'd agreed to babysit for them.

"So you're staying the night?" She said demurely, coming close again.

"If- if you want me to."

"Shut up Harry." And she kissed him soundly.

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Harry held open the restaurant door for Ginny and they both went in, scanning the room for Hermione and Ron. It was a lovely place, quiet and even though it wasn't usually Harry's cup of tea, if it meant Ginny would dress up like this then he was all for it.

"There they are." Ginny pointed to a booth in a secluded corner. The table was laid for four and the few candles there made it seem cosy. They said hello and sat down, Harry and Ron sitting on the same bench, with Hermione and Ginny sitting opposite their husbands.

"For once it's not me who's late." Ron teased and Harry flushed.

"Yes well it still took you ages to find your shoes, honestly Ron, if you put them away-"

"Whoa! No bickering on our nights out you two, you know that." Ginny interrupted with raised hands. "Don't want to hear it."

"So why were you late?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Unicorn foal, needed feeding." He answered, averting her eyes and studiously avoiding looking at Ron at all. It was the truth!

"And he also looked damn gorgeous when he came home." Ginny threw in casually, causing Ron to grimace as he took a sip of wine. Hermione grinned whilst Harry flushed.

"I don't need to hear this, can't we section this under the ban too?" Ron moaned.

"Nothing happened!" Harry whispered, aware of a few closely sitting customers.

"Only because we were already running late." Ginny supplied unhelpfully. Harry scowled.

"Stop." Ron's clapped his hands over his ears and Hermione hid her sniggers behind her glass.

"For goodness sake Ron, it's only a bit of groping." Ginny smirked. Harry closed his eyes in defeat.

"Good evening." A young waitress approached their table and smiled at them all warmly. "Are you ready to order or can I get you anything in the meantime?" She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and seemed to delegate Harry as the speaker by the way she was watching him patiently. He looked around the table to see Hermione still smirking, Ron rolling his eyes and was rather surprised to see Ginny watching the waitress coldly.

He ordered his food and left Ginny, Ron and Hermione to order their own. He poured himself a glass of wine and also some for Ginny when she nodded. The waitress left their table with their orders, glancing back at them before disappearing into what Harry assumed were the kitchens.

"Why did I have to speak?" He complained quietly and Ron snorted.

"Fucking clueless." He said, shaking his head.

"Ronald! Watch your language." Hermione scolded though her eyes shone with amusement. Harry, perplexed, looked to Ginny. She gave him a lopsided smile and shook her head. Harry shrugged and picked up his wine.

The food was delicious, and they were halfway through when the conversation steered towards their nights out.

"There was a lovely place along the Thames." Hermione said, cutting into her salmon. "We went not long ago, nice food and the atmosphere was relaxing." Ron nodded and Ginny listened attentively.

"What about the one in Brighton?" Ron offered and Hermione turned thoughtful.

"The one with the jazz band?" She asked and Ron nodded. "Not as nice as the one on the Thames, though they were both wonderful. You just liked the bigger portions." She teased and they all laughed.

"It's nice eating out." Ginny said, and Harry couldn't help but detect the note of wistfulness as she said it. Guilt burned in his stomach making the wine bitter in his mouth. He ought to be treating Ginny to things. Nights out, little presents, flowers even. Just something. But he couldn't get her things for her birthday or Christmas without feeling nauseous. Added to that, his frustration over his irrational reaction, left Harry dreading the special occasions. He didn't want the stress, and that was what Harry excused himself with in his head whenever situations like this arose. It was far easier to endure that uncomfortable twist in his stomach and wait for the moment to pass than to face the glaringly obvious issue. Ginny was fine with it, he reasoned, watching her talk quietly with Hermione as she toyed with the stem of the glass. She was happy, they were happy, and he needn't drag things out of the woodwork.

"Maybe if you start small mate." Ron said, glancing surreptitiously over at Ginny. His hushed voice caught Harry's attention and his brain tried to focus on what Ron had said.

"What do you mean?" He murmured, so quiet that only Ron would hear.

"Look, to anyone else it's not noticeable. But to us…" Ron fidgeted with the tablecloth for a moment, clearly uncomfortable. "What I mean is… whatever it is that's stopping you, just… just let it go. Whatever stupid voice is in your head, just ignore it." Harry became very still.

"I don't know what you're on about Ron. Who the fuck hears voices?" His voice was surprisingly steady. Ron's mouth tightened.

"I'm just saying, it's what women want. You know, showing your feelings through stupid things like chocolate. Though I don't see the logic in that, 'you are beautiful, here, have some chocolate and get fat.' God, you do not want to get chocolate when they're on a diet." Ron finished grimly.

"We're fine. She understands." Harry replied, nodding and smiling briefly when Hermione and Ginny left for the loo.

Ron shrugged. "Understands, sure. But that doesn't mean it doesn't bother her."

The waitress came over again and seemed to have something in her eye judging by the amount she was blinking. Ron picked up his glass and took a generous swig.

"Why don't you look in the mirror, it's easier to get it out when you do it that way." Harry suggested, a moment later, wine was being sprayed across the table and on the back of his neck. He turned around and gave Ron an incredulous look. It soon turned puzzled when he noticed Ron hiding his face in his hands, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Sorry about him." He apologised to the waitress.

"It's okay." She sighed and left their table, passing their bill to another waiter stood by the kitchens. He made his way over.

"Look what you did Ron." Harry scolded. Ron was still laughing, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he looked at Harry.

"Harry, Harry, Harry. That had nothing to do with me." He chuckled quietly and the waiter arrived at their table and handed Harry the bill.

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Harry and Ginny arrived home at a quarter to eleven. Harry pressed his palm to their front door and it swung open, admitting them into the hall. He raised his hand and the lights came on, glowing softly, as they went into the living room where Molly was reading.

"Oh, hello dears. Did you have a good night?" She put the book down and brushed her dress off before stepping forward to hug them both.

"Yes mum, thanks. We really appreciate you looking after Lily."

"Nonsense, don't be silly Ginny. She's my granddaughter, I love spending time with her, and you never visit me and your father enough. Either of you." She added with a stern glance to Harry.

Not too long after, Molly flooed home and Harry and Ginny were left alone, Lily fast asleep in her bed.

Ginny stood close, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I can't believe it's only been one week. Seems like ages."

"Mm, I have been back a few times though. How are you sleeping?" He said and she smiled tightly.

"About as well as you I'd imagine." Ginny quipped, obviously knowing he wouldn't admit to having difficulties sleeping and also not wanting him to feel guilty. She'd admitted it, in her way.

"Good job I'm staying tonight then, perhaps we'll be up bright eyed and bushy tailed, I think is the saying, tomorrow." Ginny raised an eyebrow and leant towards him to whisper in his ear. Her breath ghosted across his neck and he closed his eyes.

"Catching up on sleep is the last thing on my mind." She whispered.

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Harry watched Albus rub his eyes with a frown. He clearly hadn't slept much last night and Harry was at a loss what to do. Al had put it down to too much homework, but it had been a Saturday night, and Albus had never been one to procrastinate with his work. It was James who received detentions for late homework. Speaking of which, Harry needed to speak with him after breakfast. He looked back to Albus who was now pushing scrambled egg around his plate. Making his mind up, Harry noted Neville's empty seat next to Flitwick and smiled inwardly. He left his seat and took Neville's, greeting the short Charms professor as he did.

"So what brings you to our end of the table? Surely our company is not worth parting with your prestigious position." Flitwick teased, turning away from Minerva to face him.

"Prestigious position?" He scoffed. "Oh yes, sitting next to Snape is the highlight of every mealtime."

Flitwick chuckled, "I wasn't quite thinking of that, but surely you'd realised." He looked at Harry through squinted eyes, seeing something Harry wasn't.

"Uh, not a clue sir." He said blankly.

"Minerva has always been particular with her company." He divulged quietly. "The rest of us couldn't fail to notice that as soon as you arrived, she seated you on her right rather than seating you with the other newer staff members. Over the years I have worked my way up the table so to speak. I have known Minerva for many a year now and as such, she seated me on her left when she gained the title of Headmistress." Flitwick winked conspiratorially and Harry blinked, astounded by the politics in seating arrangements.

"But- but then I cheated really? I mean, surely Snape should be there instead. I know they clash sometimes but they trust each other." Harry said, glancing down the table to the new professors, expecting glares to be sent his way. They seemed to be perfectly fine though and so he turned to listen to his old professor.

"Those two have more issues with each other than I care to count, they care, don't misunderstand me. But he's not you, you're her boy Harry, never forget that. She chose you at her side, none of us here have missed that."

Harry looked down, embarrassed. Sure, Minerva was kind in her own way but what Flitwick was saying sounded as though she really cared, and not just simply had a soft spot for him. Ginny had teased him about it before, saying they'd got away with everything because she'd gone easy on them. It hadn't seemed like that to him!

He shook his head, "It's just a seat, really." Flitwick gave him an odd smile, one that made him uncomfortable. "I wanted to ask you about Albus."

His eyes flicked to Albus and back to Harry.

"I had wondered whether you would come to me with an explanation to be honest."

"You don't know? He said he wasn't sleeping well because of homework, but now I'm not so sure." Harry bit his lip.

"I have made enquiries and the second year homework load is considerably lighter than in previous years, especially with it being only the first week back." Harry rubbed his forehead. "Perhaps he is missing his mother?"

"Maybe." Harry said quietly. That could be it, he wondered.

"With you here, he may be feeling torn as to where he would like to be. The difficulty we had last year was that both of you were home, therefore he had a place in mind as to where he felt safest." Flitwick explained and Harry was sure that he'd found the problem. Albus was almost impossible last year. In the end, they'd agreed that Albus return home for the weekends. Though what would they do now?

"I'll speak to him." Harry promised, that feeling of failure making his stomach churn. He needed to speak with both of his boys now.

"I shall ask my prefects to keep an eye on him."

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Harry caught James after breakfast and pulled him into an unused classroom.

"Do you want to tell me what happened in Charms and Potions?" Harry asked, leaning back against the table. James frowned a little before scowling.

"Snape was winding everyone up! So he blamed it one me of course and gave me detention." He folded his arms across his chest and Harry sighed heavily.

"I know perfectly well how he can be, don't sink to it." Feeling rather hypocritical, Harry continued. "He just likes to get a reaction, beat him by not giving him one. Though that doesn't explain Charms?"

James looked away and shifted his feet. Harry could see from a mile off that this time James felt he was in the wrong.

"I was only messing around." He mumbled.

"What did you do?" Harry asked, dreading a story to emerge that had likeness to his father and Sirius' days.

"Put disillusioned pins on peoples seats." James admitted and Harry had to control his expression. A disillusionment spell, at fifteen! Instead he fixed his most disapproving look and James glanced up, though his head fell forward a moment later, immediately cowed.

"Tell me why that was wrong James." Harry asked, wanting to hear a difference between the parallel pranksters.

"It hurt them." He answered straight away and Harry's insides relaxed.

"Did you apologise?" James shook his head.

"Well that's what you'll be doing in your next lesson then won't it?" Harry said firmly and James nodded, looking apprehensive. "I want you to apologise to everyone you think you wronged with that prank." Harry hoped James caught his meaning, he guessed he would know soon enough.

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Harry trudged through the grounds, pulling his cloak tighter as the wind picked up. He needed to spend the last bit of the weekend doing something relaxing and so he was making his way down to bottle-feed the foal. Snape had been feeding the foal in the morning and so Harry was due for the afternoon feeds. He pushed open the barn door and stepped inside. Snape was still there.

He looked up at Harry, and then got to his feet from where he'd been kneeling in the straw. Harry shoved his hands inside his robe pockets, unconsciously clenching and unclenching his hands. This was the first time they were properly alone since Harry had blurted out, and he wanted nothing more than to leave, to run and hide out in his rooms. Bloody coward, he thought scathingly.

Snape stood watching Harry for a long moment before Harry was able to look away, a welcome distraction in the shape of the foal nudging at his legs. He reached out a hand and stroked his mane, smoothing down the little forelock. The only sounds were of a few of the other unicorns shifting their feet and eating the hay, the chewing loud in the silence.

"I'm not spoilt." Harry said, barely above a whisper. Just get it over with, he thought, keeping his eyes studiously on the foal. "They didn't like magic and so they didn't like me."

"You were their nephew." Snape pointed out, his voice seemed to lack any emotion and Harry resisted the urge to look up and try to decipher the man's mood.

"So? They didn't like magic. I was magic." Harry glanced up and the man's eyes were just as indecipherable as his voice.

"And so they withheld food?" Snape's voice had a hint of scepticism in it. Harry looked up properly at that and registered Snape's folded arms and raised brow. He gritted his teeth and nodded sharply. "How often?" He asked, voice low.

"I don't know, it wasn't like that. It wasn't a punishment really, well, not when I was older. I just wasn't fed much, that's all, no big deal." Harry shrugged and his hands carried on fidgeting.

"I highly doubt that it is, as you say, 'no big deal', when you retain such a fear into adulthood." Snape sounded annoyed and Harry shifted his feet nervously. All he ever seemed to do was piss off Snape, why did he even bother starting the conversation.

"Look, it doesn't matter-" Harry started but was cut off by Snape.

"Did they hit you?" Harry blinked.

"No, not really." He answered, caught off-guard. Snape frowned slightly.

"They either hit you or they didn't." Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and went to the shelves, preparing a bottle. The formula was a gloopy substance and Harry picked up the container, hoping that Snape didn't notice the tremble in his hands.

"It was just the occasional shove or something, they didn't beat me." He fished out a bottle and began pouring the formula into it.

"Are you certain?" Snape's voice came from close behind Harry and he started. He gripped the formula and turned to Snape.

"Yes, though I wish they had. It would've made things so much easier." Harry turned his back on Snape once more.

"Right." Snape stated.

"It would have made things easier to see, to understand. Things would be so much more straightforward, left much easier to define scars. Instead-" Harry broke off, looking around helplessly, "Instead it's just so confusing!" Harry slammed down the formula and it splashed back up at him, though he didn't notice. His voice was hushed when he spoke next. "I never know whether I'm being weird because of them or whether it's me. If it's what I'm like naturally. And it all-all of these issues… sometimes they overlap and it's like being kicked when you're down."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Snape's sharp tone had Harry feeling as though he'd been doused in a bucket of cold water. He'd done it again! Snape didn't give a shit about him and here Harry was, like a bloody idiot, spouting things about his childhood only to have them rubbed back in his face. Snape would tell, would announce it to the entire school.

"I-I don't know." Was all Harry whispered, stood frozen. He vaguely felt a hand on his shoulder and found himself steered around to face Snape. The man's eyebrows rose as he watched Harry, looking directly into his eyes. His jaw twitched and he looked away.

"Surely you do not think that low of me?" Snape ran a hand down his robes and smoothed them out. "I will not share our discussion Potter." He said firmly and Harry watched the man carefully. Snape was looking at something above Harry's eyes and Harry couldn't help but flinch when Snape's hand reached out, plucking something from his hair. Something gooey. Oh, the formula.

"Silly child." Snape scolded gently and Harry couldn't help but give a small sheepish smile.