AN: Hey! OK I now have to Harry/Serenity crossover stories a Harry/Blade crossover and two Harry/Hermione comedy/romance stories! OH YEAH! If you like my stories check out my C2. There are mostly crossovers there but a few good ol' Harry Potter stories I had to throw in. Someone asked about what the hell my story title is… Basically I changed the title cause it sucked. Now its cool but only if you know Latin. Aetas means eras.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to Harry Potter or Serenity…Do you really have to do this? It seems a bit repetitive? Oh well…. Oh and I don't own Firefly either!

Chapter Twelve

Raspberry

Everyone was in a slight daze as they helped clean the dishes. Harry would have volunteered to do them seeing as he now had his wand, but from their expressions he decided they weren't ready for any more magic in the near future. As he handed a freshly scrubbed plate over to River to be dried he caught eyes with Mal. Harry had sensed that Mal was watching him, but it was far from an aggressive gaze. It felt more like Mal was trying to figure him out. Harry could hardly blame him for that as he had been considering his great-grandson himself. He had noticed the look of loss Mal had when he took his old wand from him. They way he seemed to be reluctant to hand it over made Harry wonder if maybe some of his magical DNA had survived over the last 150 years. Although he knew it shouldn't matter to him, he sincerely hoped Mal did have the capacity. It was the only legacy he had left to pass down. River playfully pinched him to get him back to cleaning. With a smile Harry complied.

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Simon watched Harry and River with a cautiously happy expression. Ever since Harry had come River seemed much more sedate... though not it in a drugged out way, but more of a serene even normal way. He wasn't certain what it was, but she certainly seemed happy, and that's what he wanted most. Kaylee gave his arm a brief squeeze of comfort after she had followed his gaze.

"I really think she'll be alright." Simon commented. Kaylee smiled brightly.

"I think so too."

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Once all the chore were done everyone said their good nights and made their way back to their bunks for the night. It had been an exhausting couple of days.

Harry walked slowly down the stairs towards the infirmary when a gentle yet reprimanding voice called out his name.

"Harry!?" Kaylee's giggling voice was unmistakable. With a smile Harry turned to face the engineer with a questioning face.

"Yep?" He asked. Kaylee smiled softly when she reached him.

"You didn't spect we'd make you sleep in the infirmary did ya?" She asked rhetorically. Though Harry hadn't considered it that was exactly what he thought.

"Oh ah… well where do I go then?" Kaylee smiled.

"We've got a whole set of guest bunks!" She grabbed Harry's hand and began to lead him in the opposite direction. After a moment Harry was able to get the excitable Kaylee to slow to a slightly easier pace to keep. Harry found the rhythmic sound of boots meeting mettle to be soothing in an odd way. Though he had gotten her to slow down she still skipped along side him. So for every one of his steps she managed to fit two or three of her own in. As far as Harry was concerned any kind of stability in his life was soothing really.

Kalunk.

Klunk Klunk.

Kalunk.

Klunk Klunk.

Kalunk.

Klunk Klunk.

Harry smiled softly. Kaylee seemed to pick up on his good mood and she hated to do it, but she promised Simon. With a frown she stopped her skipping.

"Harry?" She ventured with a regretful smile.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"You seem to really like River…" Harry nodded his head affirmatively. "Well you know she's been through a lot." Kaylee felt like smacking herself. Look who she was talking to. He probably knew better than she did. She didn't want to go on. She wanted to feign ignorance of her prior statement and let Simon due the protective brother speech. The problem was Simon couldn't seem to muster up his usual ire for Harry. He'd grown to fond of his patient. "I just want you to be careful, ya know. She hasn't experienced life the way you and I have…" Harry's eyes became cloudy with painful memories. "Oh!" Kaylee exclaimed angry with herself. "I'm so sorry, Harry! You don't- ugh- I mean your nice and-"

"Kaylee!" Harry stopped her with a gently hand on her shoulder. "It's ok. You're just looking out for River. I understand. I actually think I might be able to help her with her problem."

Kaylee's eyes widened and her characteristic smile spread across her face. "Really!? That's great! Oh Simon knew it! He said you were helping her! But how can you! Oh my gosh River will be so happy! And the captain…" Kaylee's mouth continued to fly at full speed but now no sound was coming from her. A surprised and slightly nervous expression came over her before she saw a smirking Harry waving his wand. Her mouth opened to reprimand him, but no sound came out. Her eyes narrowed with a playful gleam of vengeance. With out warning she launched herself at Harry intent on getting that gorram stick.

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Simon yawned as turned over in bed. Kaylee was certainly taking a while.

"NOOO! S-stop please!"

Simon sprung up in bed. That sounded like Harry. He quickly ran across his room and opened the door. River was across the hall wearing and equally worried expression. One more shout of…

"Please anything, but that!" And they both sped off in the direction of Harry's pleading voice. When they turned the corner and saw the source of the commotion they both froze in shock.

Kaylee had Harry pinned under her and was tickling him mercilessly. Kaylee was virtually straddling him as she tried to tickle the location of his wand out from him. With Harry writhing in painful pleasure below her it became quiet a show. The Tam siblings' eyes narrowed dangerously.

Harry noticed them first. He froze. His body stiffened and he only occasionally let out an uncontrolled giggle. Kaylee thinking that he was trying to play it tough broke out the big guns of a tickle war. She pressed her lips the side of his neck and blew hard. Harry's lips quivered as he tried not to laugh from the strange sensation of the raspberry. He pinched her arm and after she finally stopped to catch her breath she noticed his expression and where he was looking. Almost as if in slow motion she turned to see Simon and River, both wearing equally unhappy expressions. With a contrite smile Kaylee lifter herself off from her perch on Harry. She tried to speak but once again nothing came out. She sent a quick look to Harry who knew when a joke was over. He flicked his wand and not a second later Kaylee was talking a mile a minute again.

"Oh Simon it ain't what it looks like. See Harry stole my voice so I had to get revenge and I…" She trailed off as she finally noticed that Simon's lips were curling in an uncontrollable smirk. Kaylee growled. "Oh! I thought you were angry!" She smacked his arm. Simon smiled.

"I will be if you don't get in my bunk in the next ten seconds." He struck a pose as though he were counting and with a squeal Kaylee sped off. With one last smile at Harry and River he shot off hot on her heels.

"Were you having fun?" River asked in a surprisingly clear and some what commanding tone.

As River continued to stare down at him with her hands on her hips he couldn't he a feeling of déjà vu. Hermione used to strike the same pose when she reprimanded him.

"No?" His voice squeaked out what sounded more like a question to River. She could tell he was under her control at the moment. So she smiled a bright smile showing off her pearly whites.

"Good! Now I need to be tucked in!" She grabbed his hand and practically hauled him off the floor, dragging him to her room. "And a bed time story never hurts." Harry smiled as River childishly pouted.

To be continued….

AN: I had more planed for this chapter, but my sister took control of the computer, but I promise I have more soon!