A/N: So this is the last chapter. Expect to see the Epilogue up soon. I hope you enjoyed this story, and you'll keep reading this series when the sequel, "The Way Home," is posted. Thank you everyone who stuck with me to the end!
Warnings for this chapter: none
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter Twenty-four
Two weeks later, Harry awoke instantly at the sound of his daughter's cry. He looked beside him to see Ginny still asleep. He hurried out of the room, hoping to make it to Lily before she woke her mother. Ginny had been up half the night trying to finish the last of her homework for the summer holiday. Harry gently lifted Lily out of her crib, rocking her back and forth.
"What is it, Lily Pad? Are you hungry?" Harry asked. He found a bottle and offered it to Lily, who eagerly accepted it. Sitting down in the rocking chair, Harry patiently waited for Lily to finish her breakfast. When she was done, he carried her down the stairs and into the kitchen, placing her in her swing. "You stay there while Daddy makes breakfast."
Today was Dobby's day off, and the house-elf had actually managed to talk Winky into taking the day off as well. Harry didn't mind. He had made breakfast for the Dursleys for years, and truthfully enjoyed cooking. Harry had just flipped the first of the pancakes when he heard footsteps behind him.
"You're supposed to be sleeping," Harry said without turning around.
"Yes, and you're supposed to be sleeping beside me," Ginny replied, hugging Harry from behind. She breathed in deeply, loving the smell of him.
"I wasn't the one up all night," Harry told her, turning around to kiss her.
"I heard Lily crying," Ginny said, looking up at him.
"I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you up." Harry turned back to the stove, lifting the pancakes out of the frying pan before pouring more batter into it.
"I know, and it was very sweet of you. But there's not a mother on earth that wouldn't get up when she heard her baby crying." Ginny poured up a cup of tea, setting it on the table.
"Do you think I'm incapable of taking care of our daughter?" Harry looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not! You know that's not what I meant." Ginny folded her arms over her chest.
"I know, love. Here, go eat. We promised we'd meet Draco and Nena at the Leaky Cauldron at eleven o'clock." Harry handed Ginny a plate of pancakes and put the jam on the table.
"I'm not so sure we should go." Ginny looked doubtfully over at Lily, who was drifting off to sleep as her swing continued to sway.
"We're going to have to take her out sometime, Gin. She can't live her whole life in this house." Harry sat down across from Ginny, spreading jam onto his pancakes.
"I just don't like the idea of her being around strangers." Ginny took a sip of her tea.
"Lily's going to be around strangers whether you like it or not. Don't worry, nothing's going to happen to her," Harry assured her.
"I'd better go get us ready then." Ginny put her plate in the sink before picking Lily up and disappearing up the stairs.
Thirty minutes later, Harry toppled out of the fireplace into the Leaky Cauldron.
"Are you all right, love?" Ginny asked, holding Lily securely against her chest.
"Fine. Here's the baby carriage." Harry had cast a Shrinking charm on the carriage and put it in his pocket. He cast the countercharm and it instantly returned to its normal size.
"Harry, Ginny, how are you?" Nena asked, hurrying over to her friends, pulling Draco behind her.
"We're great," Harry told her, shaking Draco's hand. Nena ignored his outstretched hand and gave him a hug.
"And how is the littlest Potter?" Draco asked, peering into the carriage.
"Perfect. She is absolutely perfect." Ginny smiled down at her daughter.
"Well, shall we get started?" Nena asked.
"Sure. I don't have much to get other than parchment, ink, potions ingredients, and the books on the list Harry doesn't have."
"The Apothecary is closest. We can start there," Nena suggested.
As they headed towards the Apothecary, Ginny could feel eyes on her and hear whispers all around.
"Is that Harry Potter?"
"It is. Looks like he stayed with the slut after she had the little brat."
Harry bristled when he heard the remark, but Ginny placed her hand on his arm.
"Let's just get this over with as quick as possible."
Harry nodded in agreement. The young parents were thankful when they reached the seclusion of the Apothecary. The shop was practically empty. It didn't take long for Ginny and Nena to find what they needed in the store and they continued on to Flourish & Blotts.
"Why don't I stay out here with Lily? There won't be an easy way to maneuver the carriage through the stacks," Harry suggested.
"No. We should stay together. What if something happened?" Ginny disagreed.
"Nothing's going to happen, love. You said yourself you don't have many books to get so you won't be long, and Draco can stay too."
"Harry's right, Ginny. We won't be long. Come on." Grabbing her hand, Nena dragged Ginny into the store before she could protest further.
"Do you think she'll ever stop worrying?" Harry asked Draco warily.
"Not as long as she's a mum," Draco replied.
"It's not the worrying in general that bothers me. What parent doesn't worry about their child? I just wish she would stop worrying about someone attacking us and relax. It's been a year since we defeated Voldemort. I don't want her to feel like she has to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life. Merlin knows I've been looking over mine for the past seven years. Now I feel like I can finally live my life without worry of a dark wizard coming after me."
"Try to put yourself in Ginny's shoes. She protected Lily for nine months, and now, everyone has access to her and she feels anything can happen because of that."
"I don't worry about our failure to protect her. I worry about my failure as a father." Harry looked at Lily, avoiding Draco's eyes.
"Lily's only three weeks old. How could you possibly be a failure?" Draco asked skeptically.
"I've never had a father. Half the time I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or doing anything the right way. I've never had anyone to show me how a father is supposed to be." Harry glanced through the shop window, wishing Ginny and Nena would hurry.
"Just because your dad died when you were a baby doesn't mean you haven't had a father. What about Mr. Weasley and your godfather?" Draco glared at a couple trying to get a look at Lily.
"I know I've had wizards I could look up to as a father, but I never had anyone to mend a scraped knee or care for me when I was sick. I just want to be the best possible dad to Lily, and I have no clue how to do it."
"You already are, Harry. You already are."
Harry was saved from answering by Ginny and Nena's reappearance.
"Find everything you needed?" Harry asked, taking Ginny's hand in his as they began to walk down the cobblestone path.
"Yes. I believe we've got everything unless there's anything you need," Ginny answered while anxiously checking Lily over.
"I could go for some ice cream," Draco suggested.
"We should get Lily home if there isn't any more shopping to do." Ginny shook her head.
"Come on, Ginny. Stopping for an ice cream sundae isn't going to put Lily in any danger," Draco tried to persuade her.
"And how do you know?"
"Draco's right, Gin. It won't do any harm to stop for a strawberry and peanut butter ice cream, and then we'll go home."
"I don't know." Ginny looked around. There were so many people in Diagon Alley; she wanted Lily to be away from them all.
In the end, the boys won and after much persuasion on Harry's part, Ginny relented and let him steer them towards Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Ginny and Nena found a table and sat down with Lily while Harry and Draco went to get their ice creams. When they returned with four large ice creams, Ginny couldn't help but feel safer immediately.
"Relax, love. People are going to look. Just ignore them." Harry watched Ginny from across the table.
"That doesn't mean I have to like it."
"No, it doesn't. It just means you have to tolerate it."
Before Ginny could retort, Lily let out a loud cry. Ginny pulled her daughter from the carriage, fishing around in the nappy bag for a bottle. When she looked up, everyone was staring. Sighing, Harry turned around and glared at the crowd until they turned away.
"Better?" Harry asked.
"Yes, thank you. I can't even feed her without everyone staring." Ginny looked down at Lily.
"We can leave whenever you're ready."
"I thought you said to ignore them." Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"That was before she was out of the carriage where everyone could see her," Harry said.
"So it was irrational for me to be upset over everyone staring when she was in the carriage, but now that she's out its not?"
"I didn't mean it like that."
"Let's just go," Ginny said, glad that Lily had already finished her lunch. Harry didn't speak but followed her out of the building.
"I guess I'll see you at Kings Cross," Nena said, hugging Ginny tightly.
"Of course. I can't miss my last train ride to Hogwarts." Ginny nodded.
"I'm sorry about all the attention." Draco gave Ginny a one-armed hug.
"It's all right, it's not like it's your fault."
"Maybe, maybe not. I am the son of a well-known Death Eater." Draco shrugged.
"Yes, and I'm married to Harry Potter. Harry's right. People are always going to stare. I just have to get used to it."
"You will. I'm almost used to the glares I get."
"Don't let them bother you, Draco. Those people know nothing about you." Harry clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks mate. I'll see you on September first?"
"Of course. I have to see my wife off to Hogwarts." Harry smiled.
"I don't know why you insist on going with me. It's not like I won't be home that night."
"Because we've both been there each time one of us boarded the Hogwarts Express, and I don't plan on breaking tradition." Harry squeezed her hand.
"Or you're just stubborn." Ginny smirked.
"Well, there is that." Harry laughed. He picked Lily up and gave her to Ginny so he could shrink the baby carriage. He slipped it into his pocket and turned back to Draco and Nena. "So I guess we'll see you September first."
"See you then." Nena hugged the couple and Draco shook Harry's hand before they Disapparated.
Once they were back home, Ginny put Lily down for a nap and joined Harry in the library where he was once again pouring over the blueprints he had unearthed in the attic.
"I think I'm going to do it." Harry looked up as she entered the room.
"Do what?" Ginny asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Finish my dad's plans. He was going to add an entire wing to the manor before he died. I think I'm going to finish it for him." Harry leaned back in his chair, pulling Ginny into his lap.
"I think that's a wonderful idea. He would be pleased." Ginny laid her head on his shoulder.
"I think so too." Harry kissed her forehead. As he held Ginny in his arms, Harry knew that his father would be proud of the man he had become.