Over the next few weeks Halie began the long process of finding a job. She spent her days filling out applications and going to interviews. She and Teddy spent his days off together, walks in the park, romantic dinners, and long talks under the stars. It was almost a month after they started dating that Halie paid her first visit to the Auror offices at the Ministry of Magic. She had just stepped in the door when she bumped into a familiar person. "Hello Nikolas," Halie greeted him with a smile.
"Halie, it's been quite a while. Are you here to see your dad?" Nikolas asked smiling back.
"Yeah, I brought him . . . and Teddy some lunch," Halie admitted sheepishly.
"Come on, I'll take you to them," Nikolas offered bringing Halie first to Harry's office, then to Teddy's cubicle. "Teddy, you have a visitor," Nikolas announced.
"Who is it?" Teddy asked not looking up from his paperwork.
"Your girlfriend," Halie answered stepping forward. Teddy turned quickly to face her, a grin spreading across his face.
"I'll leave you two alone," Nikolas stated backing away unobtrusively. Halie held out the bag with Teddy's lunch waiting for him to take it.
"I thought you might be hungry," Halie explained as he looked inside.
"Mmm . . . it's been a while since I've had your cooking," Teddy replied giving Halie a small peck on the cheek.
"Well, I didn't want to spoil you," Halie joked.
"So, what's the occasion?"
"I was in town for an interview and I know how you tend to forget to eat when you're occupied with work."
"What makes you think I'm occupied with work?"
"Because sometimes you are just like my father," Halie told him laughing quietly at their similarities.
"Is that so?" Teddy challenged stepping closer.
"Well, you can be forgetful, distracted off in your own little world with a very unbecoming frown on your all to handsome face," Halie finished her list with a small smile.
"So you think I'm handsome?" Teddy asked teasingly, brushing a lock of hair back from her face.
"I wouldn't be dating you if I didn't," Halie objected playfully.
"Oh, I see – so you're only with me because of my looks."
"Well, there are other reasons," Halie shrugged wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Name one," Teddy ordered wrapping his arms around her waist. They were about to kiss when someone cleared their throat behind them. Halie and Teddy turned and saw one of the men who had guarded Halie during the summer.
"Ms. Potter," he said acknowledging Halie's presence.
"Hello," she greeted him before turning back to Teddy. "I'll see you soon."
"Very soon," Teddy promised. Halie stepped around the other man and headed off down the hall.
"Come on, the boss wants to see us," the auror told Teddy leading the way to Harry's office. Halie was almost out the door when she heard someone speak.
"Leaving so soon?" Nikolas asked. Halie turned to face him and saw Teddy stepping into her father's office.
"I think Teddy is getting another assignment, one that will take him away for a while," Halie explained nodding to the office.
"Well, when he comes back we should go on a double date," Nikolas suggested.
"You have a girlfriend now?" Halie asked, her interest peaked. "It's been so long since we've talked I had no idea."
"It's been almost a year hasn't it?" Nikolas asked referring to the last time they spoke.
"Over a year, actually," she corrected him. Nikolas fidgeted for a moment before deciding to speak again.
"I want to apologize again, for what happened."
"You don't need to. It was my fault anyway. No need to worry, everything is forgiven and forgotten, and we'll talk again when Teddy gets back." Nikolas recognized the finality in Halie's tone. Wisely deciding to stay quiet he nodded his acquiescence. Teddy came out of the office then coming over quickly to speak to Halie. Nikolas stepped away and the two exchanged a wave before Halie turned her attention back to Teddy.
"Halie, I'm sorry," Teddy began quickly, "but I have to cancel our date tomorrow."
"I know, you have some super secret assignment that will take you a way for an indeterminable amount of time. I understand," Halie replied with a shrug, masking the pain in her voice.
"How did you know?" Teddy asked.
"I guessed as much when I saw you going into my dad's office. I'm not going to ask where you're going, or when you'll be back. I just want you to promise me that you'll be as safe as possible, and that you will come back to me – alive." Halie insisted locking gazes with Teddy. He took Halie's hands gazing deeply back.
"I promise. You are very understanding," he added smilingly.
"This is your job. We wouldn't be together for long if I fought and cried every time you were taken away from me by it."
"I suppose that's true," Teddy agreed. "So – I'll see you when I see you?"
"As soon as you get home," Halie ordered. She smiled as they said their goodbyes and left the office.
"Well done," Harry congratulated Teddy, who looked back to see that Harry had been watching from the door of his office. "I don't think my first mission away from Ginny went that well."
"Halie had a unique perspective on a lot of things," Teddy replied feeling a little awkward.
"Don't look so worried. Halie has explained everything and I'm – comfortable with the two of you being together." The two men looked at each other for a moment before Harry spoke again. "You should get going now."
"Yes, sir," Teddy answered and collected his things. Over the next two weeks Halie kept herself busy, writing letters to her friends, and going to job interviews. When at home she spent all of her time cooking and cleaning, the busy work was enough to keep her occupied, but not enough to make her happy. The most trying time for Halie were the nights she spent tossing and turning in her bed. When she closed her eyes she was confronted with memories of her old life and horrific images of her loved ones dying.
Halie would wake in the middle of the night crying or screaming. Eventually she tried to stay awake through the entire night, though unable to she felt she had to try. She was sitting in her favorite chair in the den, drawing to stay awake when she heard a familiar voice. "You look tired."
Halie's head snapped up, relief flooded through her, "Teddy!" she exclaimed flying to him. "Oh – I'm so glad you're home."
"I'm glad too," Teddy laughed a little at her exuberance. He stepped back a moment to look at her, and his brow creased in concern. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Halie objected leaning against him.
"You can tell me anything," Teddy assured her. "What's wrong? Why are you so tired?" he asked pulling Halie close in an embrace.
"I've been – having nightmares since the day you left. I haven't been able to sleep for two weeks," Halie confessed quietly.
"Well then, I think it's time for you to rest," Teddy stated his voice full of quiet concern. Teddy kept one arm around her waist as he led Halie up the stairs to her bedroom. He laid her down, and Halie found herself nodding off as he tucked the coverlet around her. He started to turn away to leave, but was stopped when Halie reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Please don't go," Halie begged sounding panicked.
"Okay, I'll just pull the chair over - "
"No!" Halie stopped him mid-sentence. "Um, could you lie down next to me?" she trailed off suddenly embarrassed.
"Are you sure that's alright?" Teddy asked anxiously. "As much as your parents like me I don't think they'd be very happy if they found us."
"Stay on top of the covers and you'll be fine." Halie could see how worried he was. "Please," she begged, "I just need to feel your arms around me. I need to know you're really here." Halie's expression was so tired and frightened that Teddy couldn't argue. He stepped around to the other side of the bed and lay next to Halie. She turned to bury her face in his chest and he held her close.
"Sweet dreams," Teddy whispered as Halie faded from consciousness. Minutes later Teddy was also relegated to the world of dreams, having been sleep deprived as well. Halie woke slowly to bright sunlight, and Teddy's sleeping face on the pillow next to her. A smile of pure contentment spread across her face, a moment before she realized by the position of the sun that it was late afternoon. Yelling at herself mentally for sleeping so long Halie rolled out of bed trying to let Teddy sleep, when she turned around, however, she saw that he was awake.
"Hey," Halie greeted him smiling once again.
"Are you going somewhere?" Teddy asked sitting up to look better at her.
"Downstairs to make us some lunch, we missed it," Halie explained. "You just take your time coming downstairs, I'll have everything ready soon," she suggested lightly. Before leaving she pulled something out of her bedside table drawer and left the room quickly. Surprised by her rush Teddy quickly followed her. "Thank you for all your help."
"What's this?" Teddy asked plucking the phone from Halie's hand.
"My mobile," Halie explained tersely "Can I have it back now?" she asked holding out her hand.
"Why do you even have one?" Teddy asked taking a step back as Halie moved to enter the kitchen.
"I've been applying to jobs at muggle offices, they need a phone number to contact you at, and since I already had it I thought I would use it." Halie began pulling things from cupboards and turned on the stove.
"Why are you even applying for muggle jobs? You're a witch."
"Because there are things I miss form the muggle world, and I suppose I'd like to be independent. I rely too much on everyone around me, getting a job, particularly one where I can't use magic, would help me feel like I can take care of myself."
Teddy shook his head, "Aren't you the one who's always telling us that you don't need to be taken care of?"
"Just because I say it doesn't mean that I always feel that way," Halie explained.
"When did you get a mobile anyway?"
"It was a gift," Halie explained shortly.
"From whom?" Teddy asked. He waited for a reply but was disappointed for a few minutes as Halie just continued cooking. Finally he stepped in her path, "Halie who gave it to you?"
"Patrick, my first birthday here, he put everything in my name so he doesn't know I'm still using it." Halie met Teddy's gaze and saw the worry in his eyes. "Teddy," she started to say.
"Sorry, I know you don't like me worrying about you, but that's what you do when you love someone," Teddy stated placing his hands on her shoulders. Halie was frozen for a moment as she processed what Teddy had just said to her.
"Did you just say that you love me?" Halie asked breathlessly.
"Yes, and I will tell you as many times as you need me to," Teddy promised. They shared a short kiss, and Halie went back to cooking. After lunch Halie and Teddy spent some time catching up, Ginny was the first one home, and though she was a little surprised to see Teddy, she was also happy to see Halie so happy.
"It's good to see you back safe and sound Teddy," Ginny smiled as she greeted him.
"Thank you," Teddy replied with a smile of his own. "I should get home now, I 'm pretty sure my mom would like to see me sometime today." Teddy kissed Halie lightly on the cheek and left for the day.
"Everything seems to be going well with the two of you," Ginny observed.
"They are . . . are you okay?" Halie asked her mom, as she sighed.
"Yeah, I was just remembering when Harry used to leave on his missions for the Auror office," Ginny explained.
"Did you have nightmares too?" Halie was compelled to ask.
"Is that why you haven't been sleeping? Because you've been having nightmares about Teddy?"
"I couldn't stop seeing him die," Halie confessed.
"That's one sure sign," Ginny stated brightly.
"Of what?"
"That you're in love with him," her mother stated matter-of-factly.
"Mom," Halie objected.
"Well, aren't you?" Ginny asked playfully.
"Just don't say it like that, it's a little embarrassing." Halie grumbled as she stood from the sofa. "Now let's get dinner ready." Two hours later an elaborate dinner was being served, and Harry had joined them. "I hope Teddy was successful in whatever you had him doing," Halie said to keep the conversation going.
"He does good work," Harry replied, "I may need him out in the field again, and soon."
"How soon?" Halie asked her hand freezing with her fork half way to her mouth.
"A few weeks maybe," he replied with a shrug. Halie set down her fork and leaned back in her chair looking suddenly green.
"May I be excused?" Halie asked a moment later.
"Of course," Ginny replied. Harry was bewildered by Halie's behavior, but didn't say anything. Ginny came to Halie's room the next morning and found her asleep at her writing desk, a half composed letter to Teddy beneath her hand. Ginny sighed leaving Halie to sleep, and hoping it was the end of her daughter's nightmares.
Over the next few weeks Halie became a frequent sight at the Auror office as she brought lunch for Harry and Teddy almost every other day. When they had a day together Halie and Teddy were nearly inseperable, spending every moment they could together. Then the inevitable assignment came. Teddy and Halie were sitting together on the sofa in the Potter's living room when Harry came in and gave them the news.
"Teddy I need you and Eims to go on another mission," he announced plainly. "I've sent the details to your house. You leave tomorrow."
"Yes, sir," Teddy replied. He kissed Halie good-bye and left.
Halie was a different person with Teddy gone, quiet and reserved. She seemed uninterested in anything other than finding a job, or looking after the housework. Eventually even her friends at Hogwarts noticed the difference and began to worry. "Do you think she's alright?" Sophie asked the group after reading Halie's last letter. "She sounds so . . . depressed."
"I think Teddy's gone on another mission for Uncle Harry. She hasn't mentioned Teddy in a few weeks," Rose replied sounding just as worried as Sophie.
"Do you think it's that simple?" Jenna asked, "Halie can be really complicated sometimes."
"Yeah, but she loves him, and you know how she worried about the people she cares for."
"Ironic considering how much she hates people worrying about her," Scorpious observed dryly. "Should we do something for her?" he asked his underlying concern showing in his voice.
"There's nothing we can do," Rose replied. The four friends sat in silence for a short time before moving on to problems they could fix. Harry finally broached the subject of his daughter's less than cheerful mood with his wife. "Do you know what's wrong with Halie? She seems . . ." he didn't seem able to identify his daughter's distress.
"She's worried about Teddy," Ginny replied frankly. "She's been having nightmares, even the sleeping potion isn't really helping, she's still dreaming."
"Halie has been taking a sleeping potion?" Harry asked in concern.
"Only when she hasn't slept for several nights," Ginny said as an excuse for her daughter.
"Are you okay with this?"
"I understand what she's going through. Don't worry it will get better," Ginny assured him, they spoke about it again on several occasions, but Halie remained oblivious. Five weeks after he had left Teddy came home, a little worse for wear, but happy to see Halie. As the months progressed Teddy was sent on many assignments, but when he came home he would always spend his spare time with Halie, and the two of them would only fight when they couldn't decide what to do for the night.