I apologise for all the fluff lately, I've just felt like writing it.

I've spent time reading back through the whole thing and have – hopefully – corrected all mistakes; but if I haven't feel free to point them out. I'll update those chapters tomorrow. They're not major updates; the only real change I've made is changing Dawlish to Williamson, because I don't think Dawlish would have been made head, and I only chose him because I'd heard of him.

I'm averaging at about 4500 words per chapter. That's pretty good for me considering I wasn't much of a writer before this. Now I'm putting all this effort and thought in for your guys' enjoyment and you can't even write one little review... Pretty please?

Also; those of you who cried at chapter 2 may want to have tissues ready...just in case. As the chapter name suggests; this takes place around the time of 2nd May 1999; one year on.


Note to all Hogwarts students:

The school will be closing for the weekend to show respect for those who lost their live here in last year's battle.

Students of all ages are allowed to return home for the weekend to be with their families.

The train will be leaving Friday after breakfast and returning from King's Cross at the usual time of eleven on Monday. Lessons will begin again on Tuesday morning. Students who are old enough that wish to apparate to and from school are permitted to do so. Side-along apparation with parents, guardians, friends and family is also permitted. The floo network is also a travel option to those students from wizarding families. Note that portkeys will not be arranged, so please choose one of the above methods of travel.

Any students who do not wish to return home may remain at the school. Please see your heads of houses as soon as possible and give them your details.

Teachers are also allowed to return home, but as headmistress, I shall be staying to take care of any students remaining.

Sincerely, M. McGonagall.


Harry,

Could you come and get me Friday morning? I'm not allowed to apparate home by myself – since I haven't got around to taking my test yet. McGonagall's closing the school in respect.

Could we please stay at the Burrow for the weekend? I want to be with my family.

I love you, Ginny.


"How are you? Stupid question right?" He asked as he met Ginny at the gates. He took her backpack from her and slung it over his shoulder.

"Just a little," she admitted. Her eyes were red rimmed, but she was trying to be brave. He hugged her tightly to his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders whilst hers went round his waist.

"Ready to go? I have to stop by Grimmauld Place and grab a few things for the weekend, but then we can head straight over to your parents'."

She pulled her head up from where it had been resting on his shoulder. "Okay," she sniffed. "But I changed my mind. Can we stay at yours tonight? I'm sick of crying. Mum will just smother me and make me cry more. I want to forget what time of year it is for just one night."

He nodded before spinning on the spot, transporting them to the hallway of Grimmauld place. He called Kreacher and asked him to take Ginny's bag up to their room. He lead Ginny up to the living room, knowing that she'd already had breakfast at school, even though he suspected she hadn't eaten anything. He'd make her get something later. He'd gotten quite adept at pancakes. He drew the blinds, but left the curtains open so that the room wasn't in complete darkness. Lighting a heatless flame in the fireplace, he sat down in the corner nook of the sofa.

"You know how to make a girl feel at home," she said, sitting beside him. She laid a grateful kiss on his lips before moving so she was curled up on her side, her head on Harry's lap. He ran his fingers through her hair.

"You didn't sleep last night, did you?" He asked, though it wasn't really a question.

"Couldn't," she admitted. "I missed you. You were the only thing that got me to sleep last year."

"When was the last time you slept through the night?" He asked, concerned. Now he thought about it under her eyes did look a little darker than normal.

"Last week; before the final," she offered. "If one till five counts as through the night... I haven't slept at all the last couple of nights."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I didn't want to worry you," she told him; "like I am now," she said, rolling onto her back and looking up at him. "Un-crease! I'm fine...or I will be. You're here now."

"I won't be Monday night though," he pointed out.

"I know," she sighed, rolling back onto her side, though this time she was facing him. "So I'll just have to catch up on sleep now."

"Do you want to go upstairs?"

"Sleep, Harry!" She joked. "No, I'm good here," she said. "You won't get bored, will you?"

"Watching you sleep? Never," he promised. She smiled and then shut her eyes; falling asleep within minutes.


She awoke to the smells of pancakes drifting through the air.

"I thought you might be hungry," Harry said once she'd opened her eyes and sat up. He was gesturing to the huge stack on the coffee table, next to which stood bottles of all different kinds of syrups and a small dish of fresh lemon halves, whipped cream...it went on and on.

"I let slip to Kreacher that I suspected you hadn't managed to eat anything at breakfast and he kind of went overboard," he explained.

"I can see..."

"Was I right?"

"Maybe," she said, grabbing a plate and piling it high.

Harry watched her eat with pleasure, glad that she looked so much better already even though she'd only been asleep for a few hours. She managed to eat her way through four – heavily syrup coated – pancakes before claiming she was going to throw up. She put the plate down on the table and lay down on her back, her hands on her stomach.

"Why didn't you make them?" She asked. "Your pancakes don't taste as nice as Kreacher's. And why did you let me use so much syrup?"

Harry laughed at her and then groaned; he too had probably eaten more than he should have. He lay on the other side of the couch so their feet met in the corner. Ten minutes of resting, five minutes of footsie, and one minute of shuffling forward later, fingers couldn't seem to find skin fast enough and lips hungrily devoured something other than food. In the back of his mind Harry hoped that Kreacher would wait till later to come in and clean up.


"You got your bag packed?"

"Yup," he replied, walking back into the room where she was stood waiting for him. He took her hand, ready to apparate.

"Can I do it? Pretty please?" She begged. "You know I can."

"Yes, and I also know that you haven't had your test yet. You wouldn't want me to take you in would you?"

"Are you serious?"

"No; I wouldn't do that to you. But you'd be surprised at what people are being brought in for these days. I think everyone's getting bored."

"Harry..." She began. "About work..?"

"I wondered when you'd bring it up," he sighed. "I'd have thought less than a week, but I guess you've been distracted. Elsie's just a friend," he assured her. "She's a lot like you actually. But she's not you," he said, kissing her lips. "No one could ever fill your place. Besides, she's like five years older than me. I like my girls a little younger than that, say seventeen, nearly eighteen."

She didn't smile like he'd intended her to. "So her sister then?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Come on," he told her. "Let's try to get to your mum's on time for once."


"Ginny, you're looking skinny," Molly said as soon as they stepped through the door. She hugged them both tightly and then ushered them into the living room where Ron and Hermione were sat.

Ron looked gloomy to say the least. He was sat next to Hermione on the sofa; his head flopped on her shoulder. She held his hand, rubbing soothing circles with her thumb. He didn't really acknowledge them enter, and simply nodded his head in their direction, not even moving his eyes from where they stared blankly at the wall. Hermione briefly smiled at them in welcome before she turned her attention back to Ron.

Ginny sat down for about a minute before she stood back up and pulled Harry with her out the back door. Once they were out it the light he noticed that her cheeks were wet. He pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her as they began walking to nowhere in particular.

"Sorry I keep crying," she said after a while. "I'm not normally like this; I know I worry you."

"I'd be more worried if you weren't crying," he told her. "I know you like to seem strong, and I'm not saying that you aren't, but you are allowed to grieve over your big brother."

She smiled. "I know. I keep reminding myself that I still have five of them; that I only lost one. And then there's Tonks too," she mentioned. "It's strange really... I mean, I know Andromeda's his guardian, but in a way, we'll probably end up raising Teddy. We'll be the parental figures in his lives. I never thought all those years ago when I was sat next to her laughing at her pulling faces that I'd play a main part in raising her child."

"Yeah," he agreed.

"You sound like you've already thought of all this," she accused.

"I did," he admitted. "Last year, when I was sat with him after the funeral; I was feeling sad that I'd lost another father figure and then I looked at Teddy and I realised that it was my turn." She smiled warmly at him. "I think he's starting to recognise me as that; he mirrors my eyes whenever I'm with him. I could just be being hopeful though," he said.

"He's smart," she said assuredly, "I think he knows more than you'd give a baby credit for. Like his hair; it's like he instinctively recognised that picture of Tonks. He looks cute with the pink stripe," she laughed.

"Strangely suits him, doesn't it?" He laughed. "You wanna head back?" They were nearing Fred's place; Harry sensed she wasn't ready to go there yet.

She looked forward towards the top of the hill. "Yeah," she sighed. "I'll come visit tomorrow."

They walked back to the house in comfortable silence; Ginny stopped before entering the house though, and grabbed Harry's arm. He turned towards her in confusion, but also in expectation; wondering if she was going to let him in on what she'd been thinking the whole walk back.

"Harry..." She told him, concern written on her face, along with a kind of protectiveness. "Don't be Sirius."

She smiled in understanding; he'd been listing his and Teddy's similarities too. They'd both lost their parents to Voldemort at a young age, both being brought up by relatives – though Harry would have greatly preferred Dromeda to the Dursleys; and they both had their father's friend as a Godfather.

"I won't be," he assured her, leaning down and kissing her head. He really hoped that could be true, but really; he hadn't died yet – at least not died and stayed dead; how much more bad luck could a guy get?


"Do you want to go together or separately tomorrow?" Molly asked tentatively at dinner that night.

Everyone's eyes looked up from their meal, meeting the random gaze of occupants of the cramped table. As well as herself and Arthur, Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny and George, Charlie and Percy had also returned home for the weekend. Bill and Fleur were coming the next morning for breakfast; as were Angelina, and to most people's surprise; Penelope.

To go separately seemed to be the general consensus before appetites were lost and everyone headed to bed early. Ginny headed to her room whilst Harry went to Bill's, at least until everyone else was asleep.

"Where do you think you're going?" Harry groaned inwardly at the unmistakable voice of Molly Weasley. He pressed closer to the door which he'd just been about to walk through.

"Don't think your sneaking in to see Harry," she told Ginny sternly. "I may have let you Christmas and Easter but you're not doing it under this roof."

"Mum! We do have an actual relationship you know! It's not just...that. And, hello? You really think I'd be in the mood right now?" She was almost yelling, but Harry heard the distinct waver in her voice that meant she was close to tears again.

"Well-"

"He helps me sleep, okay? Which I haven't really been doing a lot of lately... Please, Mum? Just for tonight?"

Harry stepped back as to avoid being hit by the door as Ginny came in. "Oh," she said upon seeing him so close. "Were you about to..?"

"Yeah," he answered her. They both stood there awkwardly, neither making a move to lie down. "Want to go to your room?" He asked. She nodded and they both went down to the first floor.

They wrapped their arms tight around the other, each seeking...something from them, each trying to lose themselves to sleep. They'd both need their rest before they faced the next day.


"Where were you?" Ginny asked when Harry re-entered her room. It was early morning; just after seven. She sat up against her pillows and fixed him with a sleepy stare.

"I went to see Snape," he told her, sitting on the edge of the bed. She shuffled forward so she was knelt adjacent to him; she lifted her hand and ran it through his hair, pushing it back from his eyes; they were red.

"Harry," she whispered softly, her arm went around the back of his neck, her hand settling on the side of his face so she could pull him towards her and cradle him against her chest. "Why didn't you wake me? I would have gone with you."

"I wanted to go alone," he said. "You weren't awake long were you?" He asked, detaching himself from her and trying to tame her morning hair.

"Don't do this, Harry," she said in a hurt voice, shuffling back up the bed. "Please? Not now; not today. Don't retreat away from me," she accused. "I don't want to be one of those nagging girlfriends that demands to know every thought that passes through your head, but I'd be really grateful if you'd let me in right now."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. He hadn't meant to shut her out; he just done it for so long that it was habit. He crawled up the bed and kissed her in a way that, most definitely, should not be allowed.

"It's not gonna work, Harry," she taunted against his lips. She pushed him off of her and he flopped down beside her.

He was quiet for a few minutes, randomly tracing patterns on the back of her hand. "Okay," he sighed. "I got up at five, I walked to the end of the garden so I wouldn't wake anyone, and then I apparated to Godric's Hollow," he told her.

"I woke up just before you got back," she said, smiling.

He smiled back before continuing. "I went to see my parents first. I apologised for not going more often; or at all in the past, but no one had told me where they were," he said, trying to keep his tone light; that made it easier to deal with; he didn't want to cry again. "I told them about you; how beautiful you are, how talented...how much I love you."

She turned her head to the side and kissed the corner of his mouth. He moved slightly and gently touched her lips with this own.

"Then I said goodbye to them, and I walked to where Snape is. I sat down in front of his grave and I had no idea what to say to him," he told her. "Did I thank him? Would he hate me for thanking him? Did he even appreciate me sitting there? I'd like to think that he could get past our differences enough to do so; but I'm not sure. I'll always be a carbon copy of my dad to him," he said, smiling slightly. "But I'm Lily Evans' son too; and he can never completely hate me because of that."

"I don't think he ever hated you, Harry," Ginny said. "Not really. I think he was jealous. You – well, not you exactly because you look so much like your dad – but, you could have been his. Your mum was the only person he ever loved. I think he saw you as what he could have had," she finished, ignoring Harry's shocked expression.

He'd never even thought of that. Snape could have been my dad, he thought disbelievingly. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the image.

"Come on," he said, getting up and offering a hand to her. "Your mum's up – not that it's likely she actually slept. Let's go and get breakfast."


"Morning, dears," Molly said, trying to be cheerful as they entered the kitchen hand in hand.

Bill and Fleur were sat with breakfast in front of them, poking with their forks, not really bringing themselves to eat. Charlie was sat next to his older brother; he looked to be chewing his food without tasting it. Percy was sat next to Penelope on the other side of the table; she had a hand placed tenderly on his arm. Arthur sat, statue like, as figure head at the end of the table

"What would you like for breakfast?" Molly asked them softly. They both looked at the plates of food on the table and shook their heads.

"Just juice please, Molly," Harry said; Ginny nodding mutely in agreement.

She pursed her lips, but it didn't meet her eyes. She set two glasses of pumpkin juice on the end of the table for them. They lifted them slowly each taking the tiniest of sips before putting it back down.

"Where's George?" Ginny asked, her voice breaking; she cleared her throat.

"Already gone..." Ron trailed off as he came into the kitchen, casting his eyes in the direction of Fred. Hermione was behind him; she was blinking rapidly and she sniffed as she took a seat at the table with Ron.

"Who's going next?" Asked Ron, not caring about the breakfast Molly had slid in front of him.

"Erm...age order?" Molly suggested.

"Great! Thanks!" Ginny said angrily, sitting down and hanging her head in her hands. Harry sat beside her and wound an arm around her waist, squeezing slightly. She turned in her seat; her hands rested on his chest as she buried her head in his shoulder. He used his left arm to grab behind her knees so she was sat on his lap.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Molly said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Me too," she mumbled against Harry's chest; his tee shirt was wet. "That's probably the easiest..."

"How about everyone goes when they're ready," Harry suggested. "Whenever someone goes up there they could leave a marker and then remove it when they come back."

"Dibs on going next," Ron muttered.

"Ron," Hermione said; she didn't even have the heart to smack him over the head.

"He can go next if he wants to," Arthur said. Nobody spoke after that; they all just attempted to eat something, though none of them had anything close to something resembling an appetite. Harry sat and sipped his juice, rubbing soothing circles on the small of Ginny's back; he didn't notice she'd fallen asleep till breakfast was finished.


"Afternoon, Sleeping Beauty."

"Afternoon..? Wait, who's Sleeping Beauty?" Ginny asked sleepily.

Harry had tightened his grip around her waist and slid his left arm under her legs and then carried her upstairs to the sounds of sighing from all the girls in the room. He'd stayed with her in her room, not wanting to intrude downstairs without Ginny by his side. He knew it was silly, but still...

"Muggle fairytale," Harry answered. "And it was nearly two the last time I checked."

"Two? Really?"

He nodded. "You ready to go?" She didn't have to ask to know what he meant. "I think everyone's been..."

"Ready as I'll ever be," she sighed. "I haven't been since... Does that make me a bad sister?"

"I think he'd understand; he wouldn't approve, but he would understand."

He helped her up and looped an arm firmly around her. She leaned into him for support as they went out of her room, down the stairs and out the back door. The walk up the hill was a quiet one. Harry wasn't sure when she started crying, only that the next time he glanced at her, her cheeks were wet with her steadily falling tears. They glistened softly in the early afternoon light. Harry tightened his grip as Fred's gravestone came into view.

They both sat down on the grass; Ginny curling herself to Harry's side. "What do you say?" She whispered so quietly it was barely audible; her voice breaking from the tears that still fell.

"Just talk," he advised; "that's what I did," he sighed. "Start with 'hello.'"

She tried to smile but all she managed was a slight twitch in the muscles at the corners of her mouth. "Hey, Fred," she said, sniffling. He nodded in encouragement and she continued.

"I miss you," she told him. "I know I still have five other big brothers, but it doesn't mean I don't notice you're gone. Doesn't seem right; George without Fred; especially since I always said your name first. It's stupid, but I sometimes feel my breath catch when I see George; then he'll turn around and I'll see where his ear used to be and I just feel like crying. Kind of like I am now." Her voice was braking constantly; it was heartbreaking for Harry to listen to. He didn't realise he was joining her till he felt a wet tear hit his hand where it laid on his lap.

"I know you wouldn't approve; that you'd want me to remember all the good times and smile, but I can't seem to help it." Despite what she'd just said she smiled for the first time since talking to Harry that morning.

"I'm with Harry now," she said stating the obvious. "I hope you're more accepting than Ron is. I still see him watching us out the corner of his eye. You think he'd give his best mate some credit, but Ron will be Ron I guess," she rolled her eyes. "I hope you're accepting anyway; because I'm in love with him. And you're gonna have to watch us together for the rest of our lives; I plan on spending mine with him – even if he gets sick of me."

"That's not going to happen," he said against her cheek before kissing it softly; it was salty from her tears. "I promise to take good care of her," he told Fred.

"He knows you will; it's not in you to do anything else," she said simply.

They sat there for a little while longer in a comfortable silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts. They knew they'd have to go back eventually but they were trying to prolong that moment for the meanwhile. The atmosphere of the house was much like it had been a year ago; conversation was difficult and forced, stress levels were high, and tears fell so constantly people didn't bother wiping them away.

"We should head back," Ginny said softly, stretching her limbs and moving to get up.

"Yeah..." Harry had been waiting for Ginny to say it. The day wasn't over yet. He stretched and stood up whilst Ginny slowly walked forwards and crouched down again.

"I'll come more often from now on," she whispered. Then she stood straight and, wiping the last remains of tears from her cheeks, walked to where Harry was waiting for her.

"We should get some lunch and then we can go," Harry said when they were halfway back.

"Go where..?" Harry was about to tell her when her eyes began to refill, and her mouth formed a little 'o' shape; her hand went to her mouth as the first of her fresh tears began to roll down her cheeks. He didn't need to ask her to know what she was thinking; she'd forgotten.

He immediately pulled her against him, smothering her sobs against his chest. "Shh, shh; it's okay, it's okay."

"No it's not," she blubbered, pulling away slightly. "I forgot! How is that okay?"

"Ginny! Look at me," he said firmly, grasping her shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "You don't have to be perfect all the time. You're allowed to fall apart; especially today."

"But-"

"Ginny! Nobody's judging you. Have you seen where we've just been? No one's blaming you," he stressed. "Shh," he whispered tenderly, soothing her till she recovered enough to feel like facing the houses inhabitants.


After a quick lunch which, despite being hungry, neither of them particularly ate much of, they flooed to Dromeda's; Ginny not wanting to apparate.

"Hello," Harry called as he stepped out of the fire and dusted himself off. "Dromeda? It's Harry...and Ginny."

"Maybe she's out..?"

"Probably," he agreed.

"Let's go then," she said, gritting her teeth and gesturing towards the door.

They unlocked it and then relocked it behind them, heading down the garden path and onto the pavement. It wasn't long till they ran into Andromeda. She held Teddy's hand as he walked slowly beside her; his little legs shaking slightly.

Harry grinned widely at the sight of his Godson walking.

"He took his first steps on Friday," Dromeda told him. "I was going to write you but I figured you'd be here soon enough."

Harry was still smiling as he crouched down to Teddy's level and held out his arms towards him. "Hello, Teddy."

"Habby!" Teddy cried; a grin on his face. Harry held Ginny chuckle at Teddy's name for him.

"He hasn't really mastered 'r' yet," he told her. She could laugh all she wanted. He liked the name.

Andromeda let go of his hand as he made the last shaky steps towards Harry, who swept him up into his arms when he was within reach. He saw Teddy's eyes turn green as he looked at him.

"Are you visiting?" She indicated towards the place she'd just come from.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Does he need a nap or something?" He asked Andromeda but was interrupted by Teddy.

"No nap. Habby," he said, clinging with his little fists to the fabric of Harry's tee shirt.

"I think he wants to stay with you," she said kindly. "Bring him back when you're done. I'll have a pot of tea waiting," she told the both of them. "I don't know about you two but I could use one."

"Thanks, Dromeda."

He sifted Teddy to his right hip and held him tightly, then took Ginny's hand with his left. Teddy helped by shifting his grip from Harry's shoulders and wrapping his arms around Harry's neck. Harry got the feeling he was watching Dromeda walk away from over his shoulder.

"I can't remember where," Ginny admitted when they stepped through the gates of the cemetery.

"Me either," Harry said; "I didn't really pay attention last time."

"You haven't been?"

"No." It seemed only fair that he admit it.

She didn't say anything, just started to walk forwards, her eyes scanning the space around her. Teddy lifted his head and looked over his shoulder; helping them search.

"Da! Da," he said, pointing to a spot just a little ahead.

"Ginny?" He called to where she was looking a short distance away. "Erm...I think it's over here."

He walked forwards to the place where Teddy was still pointing. "Clever boy," he said in disbelief, shaking his head. "Andromeda must bring him here a lot," he told Ginny as she arrived next to them.

They both knelt down on the grass, Harry shifting Teddy again so he was sat on his knees. Teddy stayed put for about a minute before slowly pushing himself up and taking a wobbly step forwards. He managed another before stumbling and falling on his knees. Harry's arms shot out but Ginny stopped him.

"Let him get up on his own or he'll never learn," she told him, restraining his wrists.

"I've never let him fall over before... What if he's hurt?"

"Harry, he's already stood back up," she pointed out. "And generally if babies are hurt they cry; I see no tears. Do you always smother him this much?"

He smiled sheepishly and then returned his gaze to Teddy who was stood leaning against the stone; his fingertips traced the names of his parents. He turned around and reached out a hand to Harry.

"Habby," he said before turning back to the stone and then back to Harry. "Dada. Mama," he told Harry, pointing to each of their names in turn.

"Yeah, Teddy," Harry sighed. "Come here," he said holding his arms out for Teddy to return, which he managed to do without falling. "Do you know where your parents are?"

In response Teddy pointed at their grave and then up at the sky. Harry was surprised that Andromeda had taught him so much. But then again maybe it was better he knew now, understood it in a way that didn't hurt him. Better that than find of when he's older and have to work through everything then.

"Do you know why they're there?"

His little eyebrows pulled together in a frown, and he shook his head in defeat.

"Well, they're up there because they wanted to make the world a better, safer place for you to grow up in. Your Dad told me that himself," Harry told him. He seemed to look at their names in a thoughtful way after that.

"When?" Ginny asked, confused. "Or did you just assume that, because if you did that's kind of mean to deceive him like that."

"What about to deceive someone you love..? Well, misinform anyway..."

"What do you mean?" He was glad she didn't seem angry.

"Do you remember last year, when we sat outside under the tree and I told you everything?" When she nodded he continued. "One of the Hallows – the Resurrection Stone – I wasn't completely honest when I told you about what happened to it..."

"What did happen to it?"

"When I walked into the forest, to face Voldemort, I figured out what the clue on the snitch meant."

"'I open at the close,' right?"

"Yeah; the close. I put it next to my mouth and I whispered; 'I'm about to die.'" He tried not to look as she flinched. "Dumbledore had hidden the stone inside of it," he told her. "When I was walking in there, I brought back my parents, and Sirius, and Lupin. He told me then," he said. "Then I dropped the stone. I don't know where and I don't plan to ever go looking for it."

He heard her sigh. "I'm glad you didn't tell me that back then," she said, "and I'd advise you not to tell anyone else."

"I know; I don't plan to. It's too hard to resist. But like I said, I don't know where I dropped it. I'm scared someone will find it though."

"Not many people believe the story, Harry. It's just a fairytale to them. Besides, the only person that goes into the forest on a regular basis is Hagrid and the things that live in there. I doubt they'd know how to use it even if they did find it," she reasoned. Harry figured she was probably right.

"We're getting distracted," he acknowledged.

"Now I really don't know what to say," she admitted, turning her attention to the grave in front of her. "Hi, Tonks. Ginny here; you're friend. I'm sorry that I didn't get to know you better in the time we spent together. I promise to take care of your son, and help raise him with Harry and your mum; as close to my own – that I'll have someday – as possible, but not so much that he forgets about you." She'd meant it to be an example, and her tone had started that way – light and with elements of sarcasm; but by the end what she was saying was completely heart-felt.

"I'm already taking care of him as my own," Harry said. "He definitely sees me as something to that effect, but I try not to encourage it at this age. I never want to replace you as his father," he told Lupin. "I know you had your doubts, but I think you would have been great. And I'll tell him that – maybe not every day; but often enough so that he gets sick of it," he said.

"I think I'm having second thoughts," Ginny chuckled. "I'm not sure I want my children to have such an overbearing father."

"I'm not overbearing, I'm-"

"Overbearing," Ginny cut in, pushing him playfully. He finally let Teddy escape – I was keeping an eye on him; I'm not overbearing – and pushed her back.

Somehow their shoves lead to Harry lying spread eagled on his back with Ginny pinning him down; his squirming to get free didn't really do much to help. Reaching up and crushing his lips to hers proved to be much more effective though; her grip on him slackened and he rolled so he was the one on top.

"Harry," she said breaking contact with his lips. "You may have forgotten but we're in the middle of a graveyard and somewhere," she craned her neck so she could look around the immediate vicinity, "there's a thirteen month old baby wandering around."

That got his attention. "What?" Harry exclaimed, having, apparently, forgotten about Teddy for the moment.

"Harry, relax," Ginny told him when he shot up and started franticly whipping his head from side to side. "He can't have gone that far," she said, standing up and dusting herself off.

"No," he agreed, "but he loves hide and seek. And he's a very good hider."

"Found him," Ginny drawled, rolling her eyes at Harry, who had gone further away than was really necessary. "Really, Harry. Take a chill pill," she giggled, picking up Teddy from where he was sat on the other side of his parents' gravestone. "He's a child; children explore. You need to stop worrying," she told him, handing him over.

"What I need, is a lovely cup of tea..."

"Mmm, that sounds nice," she agreed. "Bye, Tonks," she said.

"Bye, Lupin," Harry followed. "Say goodbye, Teddy."

"Bye, bye," he said, sleepily, half-waving at them.

He'd fallen asleep by the time they'd reached the gates, where the three of them ran into a familiar face. Or familiar to Harry anyway.

"Harry! What are you doing here? Wow, I didn't know you had..." She gestured to Teddy.

"Oh, no," Harry told her. "This is Teddy, my Godson."

"Oh! Duh? Sorry, I forgot. You must be Ginny," she said, extending her hand towards her. Harry was glad she hadn't realised who she was or she may have just bitten it off. Instead she shook it lightly, a small smile forming on her lips. "Harry's told me so much about you." Big mistake. "I'm Elsie," she told Ginny, who's expression had taken on a rather hard edge. Retract your hand, retract your hand!

"Oh," Ginny said knowingly, perhaps tightening her grip a little before she released her hand.

"We were just visiting friends," Harry told her, trying to distract from the rising hostility in Ginny.

"Me too," she told them. "A girl I did my training with. She died a year ago..."

"Tonks?" They both asked.

"Yeah..."

"That's who we've been to see," Harry said. "This is her son."

"Really? Well, I probably should guessed. Babies don't normally have hair that colour. He got that from her then? But I never knew she had a son," she said. "She wasn't really at work much the year before she... It was hectic, though, you didn't really notice when someone was there and when they weren't."

"I can imagine," Harry said.

"She was married too," Ginny informed her. "His name was Remus Lupin. He was Harry's dad's friend."

"My friend too," Harry corrected her. "Anyway, we should be going; put this one down somewhere more comfortable."

"Okay," she smiled. "See you, Harry. It was nice meeting you, Ginny."

"You too."

"Goodbye."


"So..?" Harry asked her when they were clear of the cemetery.

"She's pretty," was all Ginny said. "But," she continued before Harry could say anything. "Knowing she's Tonks' friend... I know you wouldn't think about Tonks that way so... I've been jealous and stupid and petty; forgive me?"

"I suppose I will," he said, glad that she'd come to her senses. He tried to kiss her, but Teddy got in the way, and he didn't want to move him to one arm in case he woke up.

"Later, Harry," she told him, compensating by putting her arm around his waist. "Right now though, there's a pot of tea with our names on it. I know what Andromeda meant when she said she needed one."

"Everything solved with a cup of tea..."

"Well, it is the English way," she joked. "Hopefully mum will make something nice tonight. I don't exactly have an appetite, but I'm bloody starving."

Harry laughed as they entered Andromeda's, both heading to the kitchen as the smells of tea and ginger newts drifter their direction.


Molly was slightly peeved when they returned and actually wanted feeding for the first time that day. She hadn't particularly made anything seeing as how her efforts had been wasted at breakfast and lunch. Her scowl lessened though when they tucked in heartily and then demanded seconds ten minutes later.

They headed back to Grimmauld Place around sundown. They both knew they'd need the other to sleep that night and they'd rather not be reminded by Molly that they'd only requested the one night under her roof.

They headed to bed earlier than they normally would; both feeling tired from getting up early that morning, as well as the energy the day's events had taken out of them.

"Harry, do you think we could call by the Ministry in the morning?" Ginny asked, emerging from the bathroom in her pyjama's, using a towel to get rid of the majority of dampness in her hair.

"Sure, why?"

"I'm sick of being able to apparate and not being allowed to. I'll have time to take my test, won't I?" She asked. She muttered a charm on her hair so it dried instantly and fell in a silky curtain against her back.

"Yeah," he replied, taking her in his arms when she crawled into the bed next to him. "You don't have to be back at school till evening; we could sleep in if you like."

"Wait, it's Monday tomorrow; don't you have work?"

"Damn; I forgot to take the day off. I guess you're coming to the Ministry anyway," he said.

"It's a good thing you have an office now," she teased.

"Ginny, it's tiny," he told her, laughing lightly.

"You still have a desk though, right? You can accomplish a lot with a desk..."

"Go to sleep," he said. They're really going to poke fun at me after tomorrow, he thought. At least they'll know why. It was no secret that Ginny was found attractive by men besides himself. He was glad he was better at hiding his jealousy than her. He could only imagine what she'd say if she found out.


"I passed!" Ginny cried, barging into Harry's office.

He barely had time to turn to his right before she flung her arms around his neck and his vision was lost as her hair covered his face. "I knew you would," he told her. "Congratulations."

"Be sure to mention it to Ron won't you? And take a picture of his face so I can see," she told him as she pulled back and sat on his knee.

"Why don't you go and tell him yourself?" He asked. "You have time to kill; go to Diagon Alley for a bit. Bring me back an ice cream," he said, handing her a galleon; "and one for yourself of course."

"Thank you," she said, hopping up. "I'll be back soon."

"Don't hurry on my account. I said I'd get these reports finished."

"You realise I'm gonna ignore you and be back up here, on there," she indicated the desk, "with you between my legs in approximately...fifteen minutes maximum."

"Ginny," he laughed; "we're not having sex in this office. Anyone could walk in, including your dad; or had you forgotten he works on this floor too?"

"Fine," she sighed, pouting much to Harry's amusement. "But you'll regret it," she teased before walking out the door and closing it behind her.


Harry did regret it. Boy did her regret it. His ice cream ended up abandoned and left to melt as Harry practically drooled watching Ginny lap up hers. He had transfigured an armchair out of the table that normally stood in the space beside the door, and she was sat with her leg crossed over the other, her eyes locked on Harry as her tongue worked wonders. He was turned in his seat, squirming slightly and mentally cursing himself for denying her.

We could have locked the door, he thought, sound-proofed the room. It would have been no different than we when we did it at her house last summer.

She raised her eyebrows suggestively and flicked her eyes to the desk which was pushed against the wall to Harry's left. Everyone advised him that he should really have it facing the door, but there just wasn't room so this was his compromise.

It was when she slowly licked her lips that Harry lost control. He stood sharply and discarded of his ice cream, simultaneously casting the appropriate spells in the direction of the door. He used both arms to roughly shove everything off his desk, clearing the surface.

"Finally," Ginny sighed, standing up and doing away with the remainder of her own. "I was running out of ways to tease you without-"

She didn't get a chance to finish as Harry urgently fused his lips with hers. He let her catch her breath as he roughly grabbed her and laid her down on the desk. Somehow she'd already lost her shirt so he did away with his own as she undid the fastenings on her jeans. She kicked off her shoes as he lost his trousers, then he helped her by pulling her jeans the remainder of the way off before climbing on top of her and resuming his urgent devouring of her body.


"I should probably go," Ginny said, getting up and starting to locate her clothes. "The train will be getting to Hogsmeade soon, I should go and catch a carriage."

"You gonna be able to sleep okay tonight?" He asked, sitting up. They'd switched places on the desk – Ginny claiming that it was far too uncomfortable; Harry hadn't really noticed.

"I'll be okay," she assured him. "And I promise to write you if I'm not."

"Good."

"Are you going to get dressed or do you want everyone to see you when I open the door?" She asked, hesitating with her hand on the door handle.

He quickly shoved his trousers on and grabbed the rest of his cloths and shoved them in the armchair; hiding evidence as it were.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Will they really make that big a deal out of it?" She took the look he threw her to mean yes. "Okay, okay. Do you want me to sneak out the back?" She laughed. "Oh my God! You totally would! Too bad for you there isn't a bad door."

"There's a window," he joked. "Kidding! I'll see you on Friday," he told her, placing one last, lingering kiss on her lips.

"Don't do that," she said against his lips as he continued. "I'm gonna be late," she warned, pushing him away. "Friday," she promised, placing on last kiss on his lips before departing out the door.

Friday seemed much too long to wait in Harry's opinion. He closed the door and then got dressed properly. He looked at the mess of his work on the floor and restored it to the desk with a wave of his wand before sitting down in his chair. He realised as he sat there that he'd never be able to look at his desk the same way again.

He never thought he'd ever be like this with anyone, and he didn't know what it was about him and Ginny; they just had to have each other. Whenever they were around each other it was like there was this static between them that charged the longer they were together before it reached a mind shattering breaking point that was like lightning striking every nerve in your body.

He was getting antsy just thinking about it and hastily made himself focus on his work to distract himself. Though he couldn't help it if his mind wandered occasionally...


It's officially been two months since I started writing this; 4th July seems a long time ago. Just thought I'd mention that.

Sorry about the mass of fluff to those who don't enjoy it that much; I'm gonna try and lessen it in the next chapter.

I'm afraid to say that updates will be getting a lot less regular from now on, on account of the fact that summer's ending and school's starting. And I could do with focusing on my work more this year. That means no spending all day writing... Please don't let that put you off though. I'm still going to try and write as much and as often as I can.