"Look what you did, you and Carina," Ginny insisted as they stopped, Draco looked around, his face blank as he did. Ginny had taken him back to the Manor, walked him through the house, stopping to look into each room they past. There was a smile on her face as she led him around his own home. "Can you not see it?" She asked, there was amusement in her voice, but truthfully Draco did not get it. "You, you and Carina, you created a home… You said everything around you breaks, but this didn't break. This was broken before; I know you moved straight out after Hogwarts. Now? Now this is a home, this is a place where our friend who was tortured can return and not be scared." She took a deep breath looking around the room; it was the drawing room, a large airy space. "How amazing is that, to make something safe again for someone who had nightmares about this place."
He didn't know what to say, he had never considered that.
"You're so unwilling to believe me," Ginny almost laughed, she was stood before him in the home he had created for him and his sister, and still unable to see. She stepped forward, grasping his face in her hands and kissed him once more. She didn't know why she felt that urge, it wasn't like she often went around kissing people. But there was something so unbelievably fragile about Draco at that moment. That and kissing him was searing. She'd had a few in her time, but there was something about it that shot right down her middle and to her very core. She reluctantly pulled her lips from his and gazed up at his confused face. "Please believe me…"
He wrapped his hands around her, pulling her close, he'd never admit it, not to anyone, but it was the first time since the battle he had kissed a woman. He'd had sex, but he was never able to bring himself to kiss someone. He realised now just how much he had been missing out, if kissing any woman was like kissing Ginny. Soft persistent lips attached to his, taking no prisoners. Oddly, it almost reminded him of her quidditch style from school, she always went for the hard shot – she rarely missed.
As he was telling himself to stop this, to avoid dragging this brilliantly forgiving, kind woman into his dark world, she made a noise that was essentially his undoing. It was a small almost mewling noise tinted with something of a moan. He paused worried that he had somehow hurt her, only for her to push her body flush against his, her arms around his neck. That sound hit him hard, in a surprising manner. Her tongue touched his lips, and there was nothing for it, but to give into her every demand.
"How long had you been plotting that one?" Hermione asked Carina as they stood together sipping on flutes of champagne.
"Oh, a while." Carina admitted with a devilish smile. She was glad that Ginny had acted, it made her plotting fall into place much sooner than she had thought it would. Of course, she saw it as perfect. Ginny was so lovely, so accepting, and Carina knew that was exactly what Draco needed, someone who would accept him, not who had to accept him. He was the only one who didn't see how much of a catch he was, or when he did it was to his own determent. "He'll be good to her, I know you lot are all like freaking out, but he'll be good to her."
"I know," Hermione smiled as Rufus appeared beside them, a tumbler of firewhiskey in his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to whisk my man away for a dance before he decides more mingling is in order."
Smiling, Carina watched as Hermione and Rufus danced together on the dance floor, they were a perfect couple. They challenged each other intellectually, he was about ten years older than her, but he was good looking and her maturity helped. She was finishing off her champagne when a familiar face appeared with another flute for her.
"Oliver… Right?" Carina asked as she accepted the drink, she was teasing him and he knew it.
"You wound me!" He declared, a smirk on his handsome face. Carina grinned back at him, Oliver was attractive, she could have laughed, because he and Michael were not dissimilar. Oliver's hair was shorter and styled a bit more. His face was less rounded with a stronger jawline, he was slightly slimmer but clearly very fit. "I think it is an act so vile that you must make it up to me immediately."
"Oh, and how would you propose I do that then?"
"We're at a ball; a dance would be most fitting." Carina grinned as she allowed herself to be led to the dance floor, Oliver was a good dancer she realised quickly. He led with confidence, a cocky grin on his face the entire time. "Forgive me for asking, but do you not have a boyfriend who should be sweeping you off your feet?"
"Oh, no," carina answered blinking at Oliver. "I never actually had a boyfriend, apparently we just went out for seven months, dated, slept together, but not actually be together."
"Ah, I can see that probably touched a nerve," Oliver commented, Carina tilted her head to the side waiting for him to explain further his view. "Well, you were the 'dirty little secret' weren't you – that's what the paper quoted anyway, and once you're past that, you are his dirty little secret? If you were mine, nothing could stop me declaring it to as many people as possible; you'd be anything but my dirty little secret."
Carina smiled a big, bright smile. It probably should have meant so much, but it did. It would be nice for her to be wanted, not hidden. That would definitely make a nice change for once, not that she was going to say that to Oliver. He could figure it all out on his own.
"This feels a bit like Yule ball all over again," Ron commented as he and Harry stood side by side, watching Hermione and Carina dance with Rufus and Oliver respectively. Harry laughed a small laugh, looking amused at the notion. "Admittedly I'm not exploding with anger towards some famous quidditch player… Just a small twitch."
"You'd think after the last few years, one of us would have gotten better at this stuff," Harry replied with amusement as Ron nodded his head, they were both clutching tumblers of firewhiskey and looking amused. "I mean, you're a famous Quidditch player, I'm Harry Potter, and neither of us has quite managed to get it together."
"No need to get cocky mate," Ron joked. "Anyway, I got it relatively together, you're the hopeless cause."
"I am not a hopeless cause." Harry retorted, but his heart wasn't in it. He was a hopeless cause.
"Yeah mate," Ron commented, his eyes scanned the crowd, honestly there were a lot of gorgeous women around, he spotted a tall light brown haired woman, she was around his age, he recognised her from somewhere. Looking to Harry he grinned. "Well mate, I'm going try and do some damage, try not to look to lonely." With that Ron took off in the direction of the brunette woman.
"Hi, I'm Ron," Ron introduced himself as they both collected drinks form a passing waiter. "I'm sorry, but I recognise you from somewhere and I can't quite place it…"
"Year below you, Hufflepuff… I was a chaser," The woman replied with a smile, she didn't look star struck which was a relief, Ron had to admit he was little good with woman who were impressed with him, it just made him feel self-conscious. "Tamsin."
She extended her hand to him, which he took gratefully and shook.
"Tamsin… Would that be Tamsin Applebee?" Ron asked, his interest peaked now. The Applebee family were as he remembered from Appleby, a town in the north; the family had started the Appleby Arrows team.
"It would be," Tamsin replied with a small smile. "How are the Canons doing? They've greatly improved in recent years."
Harry watched as his friend was drawn into deep conversation with the brunette woman, she was pretty, she had a round face, and her brown hair was all large curls, she had a wide smile, she was athletically slim, a form he saw on female quidditch players most frequently. She appeared genuinely interested in their conversation, knowing Ron it would be quidditch related.
He didn't want to admit it, but he could feel the stab of jealously in his side, he'd never been good with women, at school or after, even when he'd had a girlfriend it hadn't exactly gone too well. Apparently being stinking rick and really famous did little to change that, taking a final swig of his drink he left.
When he arrived back at his home, a two bed flat in wizarding London, he fell into his bed and looked at the ceiling. Heaving a sigh he closed his eyes before opening them again. He checked his watch, it was late, but not too late, pushing himself up he apparated out of his flat and before a familiar door.
He knocked and soon he was looking at Andromeda, who was looking exhausted.
"Harry!" she sounded surprised to see him. "What are you doing here so late?"
"I came to ask you something," Harry admitted as Andromeda let him into the house, leading him towards the kitchen, she put on the kettle and waited for his explanation. "You know that I have a house in Godric's Hollow, a three bed house with a large garden… I know I'm out of order asking, but… Would you let me take Edward? I can understand you saying no, but I'm his godfather and without Remus and Tonks-"
"Harry, you're asking me if I would grant you custody of Edward?" Andromeda asked, looking thoroughly surprised. He nodded his head yes. "I need time to think Harry."
Authors Note: To the person who has been posting stupid and cowardly anonymous reviews:
BIGGEST FLAW IN YOUR NASTY MESSAGES, JRK HAS CONFIRMED TEDDY IS SHORT FOR EDWARD ON POTERMORE. Just in case that isn't ENOUGH of an argument for you, as the nasty review would suggest – and the fact I have been unable to clear this with yourself through a reply that I try to send every review here's some further food for thought.
Edward is an English name which shortens to many variations, including but not limited to Ted or Teddy – As Ted Tonks would have been born circa 1950's, he would have almost certainly been given the name Edward, as it was a hugely common name at the time, given that not long before the birth of Ted Tonks Edward VIII was incredibly notable for his dalliances and the direct affect it had on the Monarchy at the time. (Names after the Kings/Queens or notable royalty is a massive English thing, we do it a lot, currently there's a lot of Georges.)
As Nymphadora named her son after his grandfather, she would most likely have given the full name, i.e. Edward. However, if you read on in my retelling (fanfiction) Harry DOES call little Edward Teddy, just not around his grandmother – this is due to the fact that Ted Tonks was murdered in the Second Wizarding War. What person would want to say the name of the person they loved the most in the world every day, after that very person was torn from you? Andromeda calls Edward, Edward, because it's his full name. Andromeda is also of a very different age when historically we know there were more traditionalists around regarding name usage and full names were particularly key – even JKR does not create too many nicknames.
If I receive more abusive messages that swear at me, or try to insinuate I can't read I will block anonymous reviews, I like to keep them open to receive constructive criticism. Don't be the person who makes me stop.
Further to that, I know Teddy can be an abbreviation of Theodore – but it's not the only one. Get your facts straight. I have mine – Also Google Teddy Lupin and see what most of the sites say about Teddy's name - before you get abusive towards me.
To my other readers, I am sincerely sorry that you had to read the above, I hope you continue to enjoy the story and truly wish you all the best.