The dynamic in the house was rapidly evolving. It was a matter of days before the presence of the Potters and Hermione became the new normal. Al was starting to feel better. Gin had deduced that he'd developed and ear infection which they insisted on treating with muggle remedies and less than effective charms, much to Mrs. Weasley's distress. ("We've told you he's sensitive to wormroot!"). Mrs. Weasley made everyone breakfast, promptly at 7:15 as she did every school holiday. The children cleaned up. Hermione would go for a walk around the property. Harry and Gin would help Jamie with his reading and spelling while the teenagers were shooed outside. Sometimes a young Harry found ways to linger inside and spy on three kids as they learned to read and write at the kitchen table. Everyone helped themselves to lunch and dinner was a usual full family affair. Mr. Weasley was especially pleased to find a grown Harry was much more informal around them than he was used to. Hermione was especially enjoying Ron's company as it had been years since he'd been that easy to wind up. After dinner, everyone sat in the sitting room together, either chatting about nothing, listening to the wireless, or playing games together. Honey spent most of her day sitting on the roof alone. Mrs. Weasley forbade her from lifting a finger in her house and she was often at a loss for what to do with herself. "I's not to be cleaning. But Misses cannot stop Honey from watching." Honey had knitted Hermione's baby seven pairs of socks, two hats, a blanket, and a stuffed duck in two and a half days.

"I don't know why he's always just hovering around," said Harry haughtily after Mrs. Weasley had declared the cookware well dry and ordered it put away.

"I mean," Gin said watching Al practise writing his name, "I think you forgot what it was like for you – not to have a family. Now suddenly there's one right in front of him and he still doesn't quite fit into it. Mum says he's quite keen on them when we're not around."

"Well, they're not his kids, are they? They're mine – yes, I know. Don't give me that look. I just mean. I made them. I held your hand through your labour. I changed nappies in the middle of the night. I do bath time. I do stories. That's all me – he's yet to do any of it and now he's suddenly fun Uncle Harry? How is that supposed to make me feel?" Gin raised an eyebrow in her husband's direction. "How would you feel if Little Ginny just wanted to replace you?"

"Are you jealous?" she asked.

Harry was silent for a long time. He was only half paying attention to Lou as she pointed at the illustrated barn animals and thrust her book in Harry's face. "COW!" Harry winced as the hard corner of the book knocked his glasses painfully into the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, good job – erm. That's a horse… I'm not jealous… I just…" he sighed. "This!" he circled the air in front of them with vigour. "This is mine. I already did all that hero shite. I just want to sit and read stories with my kids."

"DADDY!" Al was absolutely scandalized.

"chit chit chit," sang Lou happily. "Chit horse chit horse."

"Mm. Well done, sir," Gin tried not to laugh.

"It's still in there, Gin," whispered Harry. He closed his eyes and let his head fall against the kitchen chair.

"You've never been dangerous, Harry." She kissed his temple and wrapped her arms around his neck, "It's always been just you." Harry protested noisily, "I've seen you Harry. All of you – before and after the war. Maybe it was there, but you kept it under tight lock and key – it's never escaped."

Harry didn't agree, she wasn't there for the worst of it. She never heard the thoughts he used to have. She never felt how much hate he felt. How angry he was, all the time. She didn't see him wear the Horcrux.

"When can we go home?" asked Jamie for the second time that day. The whole family was gathered around the kitchen table for dinner.

"Ten more sleeps, love," answered Harry.

"Will it still be Teddy's birthday?" Jamie asked.

"Erm, no. When we get home it'll almost be daddy's birthday," Gin told him.

"Big one this year Harry? 30? 35?" asked Mr. Weasley after dinner had finished. Jamie and Al were playing in the sitting room, having finished their meal earlier.

"32," he shrugged.

"Anything big planned?"

"Maybe," said Harry noncommittally. He smiled stupidly and looked at Gin.

"Absolutely not," she snapped.

"What? I didn't say anything!", protested Harry, wide eyed.

"Yeah, but you thought it! You got that stupid look on your face. It's not going to work this time," Gin flicked a pea at him.

Harry tried to catch it in his mouth but missed spectacularly. He laughed shyly, "Come on. Just one more," he pleaded. Harry wrinkled his nose and gave a wide smile that crinkled the fine lines around his eyes.

"Stop it! That's what you said about the last two!" she laughed.

"It'd be a good age gap," Mrs. Weasley suggested off handily.

"Exactly! We have to have enough that by the time the last one heads off to Hogwarts, Jamie moves back in. Plus, if we wait too long, we'd have to have two," Harry happily agreed.

"I said I'd think about it when Al weans," she defended, "I only have two boobs, Harry… Mum," she narrowed her eyes at Mrs. Weasley. "Stay out of it!" Mrs. Weasley threw her hands up in mock surrender.

"He's almost there," said Harry. Gin rolled her eyes.

"I mean… aren't they both old enough to just stop?" asked Ron with a frown. He grimaced slightly at Lou who was attached to Gin's chest after refusing to eat any solid food.

"I'm surprised to hear that from you, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, "Mum nursed you until you were almost six."

"That-That's too old," sputtered Ron. Gin smiled triumphantly.

"Explains a lot though," muttered Hermione. Harry met her eyes and they snickered. Ron turned bright red. "No, really though, attitudes in child rearing will shift dramatically just after the turn of the century. It's not uncommon to nurse in public, or tandem nurse anymore. Harry and Gin have become the poster children for attachment parenting really –"

"That's fine, but… it's just weird to eat dinner staring at my sister's boobs! Okay? There I said it! We were all thinking it. And I'm the only one who's got the bollocks to say anything."

"Then stop staring," at least four members of the party said in unison.

"But he can talk!" Ron was turning purple, "Harry, don't you think it's bloody… weird?"

Harry shot Ron a death glare for dragging him into the conversation, "Erm, no… " Harry gestured to his bearded counterpart, "Clearly not. I don't know why you're so shocked, Ron. Ginny never does anything less than full on. I don't know why this would be any different."

"Alright!" Ginny interrupted. "Thank you everyone for your options on my boobs. Ron if it bothers you so much, why don't you eat in the sitting room? Because this is the last ever I want to hear of it – but," she addressed Gin, "could I please convince you to use a blanket or something? At least around Dad and the boys?" she asked, turning a bit pink. Ron huffed and said he was finished any and going flying.

Gin shrugged, "She won't sit under it – it gets too hot. It just gets to a point where you just don't care anymore. She mostly covers me."

"Gin," said Harry, scratching his beard. He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear, "I think she's saying she's not at that point just yet." Gin rolled her eyes but agreed to try; for she remembered how she felt about her body at 15. Little Harry went to fetch something to cover her from the sitting room.

"He's so eager to help," Mrs. Weasley admired.

"I don't think I held Jamie until he was two weeks old," Gin told the table. "He pushed me over to get to him when he was born."

"I did not push. I just forgot to keep holding you up and you fell over. And you got him for nearly 11 months. It was my turn," said Harry. He suddenly remembered something and patted around his jeans for his wallet. "This was James when he was born; look he had my nose," boasted Harry. He passed around a well-worn photograph of baby Jamie, taken when he was just minutes old.

Molly cooed and teared slightly at the photograph.

"And your chin," admitted Ginny softly when it was her turn. Gin smiled and pinched her husband's chin lovingly. Harry returned with a thin blanket and a glass of water for Gin. Lou put up with the blanket for less time than it took Gin to arrange it around herself. She wiggled down and went to play with her brothers.

When Harry returned to the kitchen, he gave Gin the blanket and a glass of water. They were passing around a small worn photograph.

"And your chin," he heard Ginny say softly. Ginny turned the picture to him. His heart stopped. The smallest baby Harry had ever seen yawned at him. His tiny hands were up by his face, held in loose fists. Harry could see his paper-thin fingernails. Barely the size of a half grain of rice. He tried to kick at the receiving blanket wrapped loosely around his legs, but he wasn't strong enough.

He felt his hand reach out of its own accord and take the picture from Ginny. He sat down in the nearest chair blindly. He stared at the photograph for what felt like hours, absorbed in the endless loop of the baby stretching his legs, yawning deeply, and opening his eyes to look directly at the camera. "He looks like me," he finally managed to say. Hermione leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear,

"I have more in my bag if you'd like to look at them later." He nodded thickly.

Mrs. Weasley dabbed the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. She patted his cheek warmly and handed him another slice of pie. He gave it to Gin. Everyone retired to the sitting room. Harry sat with his older counterpart and Gin. He gave the picture back reluctantly.

"Show him Al, love." Ginny said enthusiastically.

Harry shook his head, "Later," he promised. Harry looked at him gratefully. Al looked even more like Harry than Jamie did, and he wasn't sure if he could look at his picture without crying. "But, maybe you could help with baths tonight?" Harry asked him. "I think Gin could use a night off."

"Gin could very much use the night off," she agreed. "I think I might go to bed before the kids even," she yawned.

"Go now before they hear you," Harry whispered to his wife. She nodded and slipped out through the back door, walking outside to the front door before disappearing up the steps.

"Do you want to help me with the enchantments?" asked Harry.

"Erm, sure. What needs to be done?" he responded.

They walked around the property slowly. Harry showed himself how to check that the enchantments weren't starting to fade and even helped him practise a few complex charms.

"I hope these work on muscle memory," said Harry after dramatically failing to produce an ounce of magic.

"Should do, I don't remember struggling to get these. Just watched Hermione do it a few times," replied Harry. "We'll work on it throughout the week – you'll need these ones soon."

"Yeah…" he said, "How soon?"

"I think things really start falling apart in June… But things take a big turn the day after my 17th birthday," replied Harry.

"But then it's over… when?" he asked. He kicked a rock with the toe of his shoe. It bounced off one of his enchantments he was working on moments ago.

Harry thought carefully before saying, "I don't think about Him hardly at all anymore. My job is boring, but it's important. Once I killed him, I was more famous than ever, but it was almost like people were too… impressed to bother me much."

"Department Head, eh?" he asked. "Guess Umbridge didn't know what she was talking about after all."

Harry chuckled, "Oh she did her best. I enjoyed her trial most of all."

"And Ginny, er – Gin, she's happy?" Harry nodded in simple reply. "I just always thought that if somehow I did manage to survive… No one, er…"

"Yeah," the man said, "I know."

Harry stopped walking; he didn't have the slightest idea of where to start hunting, how was he going to finish everything that needed to be done. "What do I do?" he pleaded with Harry. "I don't know how to even… He's so powerful and… it has to be me. But I'm just…"

Harry slowly sat down against a fallen tree and stared at the pond and patted the ground next to him.

"I'm not going to tell you how. I won't risk changing anything, even for the better. I'm finally happy – and, selfishly, I need to go home to the same world I left," said Harry. "But I am in the unique situation to be able to tell you I do know how you feel. I know how scared you are and I wish I could... reassure you, but there's nothing that can be said."

"Yeah," Harry cleared his throat and turned his attention to the Burrow and the setting sun behind it.

"It sucks less when you cry, you know," Harry said simply.

"I'm not going to bloody cry," Harry ripped some grass out by the root.

"Really, that's my only advice – learn to cry. At least on your own." Harry reached into his wallet again and brought out two more photos. One of a new Lou and Ginny smiling. The other of Albus wrapped in the same baby blanket Jamie was.

"Merlin," Harry laughed, " He looks just like me… They're so perfect. All of them," his voice wavered.

"I always wondered – well you know – that maybe Mum didn't love Dad like everyone said she did. When she just left him to die and ran… and I love my wife more than life itself. But after Jamie was born, I knew I'd happily use her as a human shield to protect that baby… I can't describe what it's like to love someone else that much."

"Even now, knowing that this," he held up the photographs, "Is waiting for me – I think it makes whatever's about to happen worth it."

"It is. I wouldn't change a single thing," said Harry. "It took a long time to feel that way though."

"I saw them again, you know… Mum and Dad. Sirius too – looks better dead if I'm being honest. "They're around here, somewhere. They said they never strayed too far… at least during the important bits."

"Now?" Harry's throat was uncomfortably tight.

"They're probably watching us, yeah."

"Do you know if they can hear us?" he asked. Harry nodded. "I… I do miss you," he said into empty air feeling a little silly, "I know I tell people I don't because we never really met but… just so you know… I… that's not true."

"They know," said Harry.

Harry wiped his nose discreetly on his sleeve. "So, how many more kids do you think you'll have?" he asked, changing the subject.

Harry chuckled, "Well when we got together, I told Gin that the minimum was two and there is no maximum."

He laughed, "I don't think Ginny would want seven like her mum."

"No," agreed the man, "She doesn't… but there's enough cousins around to keep me busy for now. I would love at least one or two more though. Might take a few years off work and just be with them when they're little."

"So… you really like the hair?" Harry asked gesturing to the controversial bun.

Harry smirked and shurgged, "She says it gives her something to hold onto. And I really like that," he said with a laugh.

Harry gaped at him, turning red around the edges; desperately wishing he had a beard to cover his hot cheeks.

"Is it all it's cracked up to be?" he asked after a prolonged stretch of uncomfortable silence.

"Most of the time. You get out what you put in."

"… I bugger it up, don't I?"

"The first time? Ugh, brilliantly," admitted Harry, grateful that his beard covered most of his blush.

"I knew it," whispered the teenager sullenly. "… I'm not daft of purpose, you know. Girls are just - hard."

"I know… I was just so stupid… You are so stupid," Harry whinged.

"I really don't know how to do any better," he said in his own defence.

The older man leaned back on his elbows and outstretched his legs. "Well for starters," he said, "Playing house with Ginny around? Cut that shit out. She's 15, it's freaking her out. Gin thinks it's cute, but Dad is my job, you're just the boyfriend… for now."

"I know," said Harry sadly, "It just that, everything I've ever wanted is right there, and I'm only allowed to watch. And if I don't do everything right… It – this could be all I get. And I don't even get to keep the memory."

"It's not fair. That everything falls on you. I know. You're going to do it. It'll be hard, and you certainly won't do it well – but," Harry sighed painfully, "It's the second of May 1997. That's when it finishes."

"Second of May," breathed Harry. "One more year - I wish I could write that down. I can do one more year… yeah, one more year."

"You can do it, well, because you've already done it," said Harry. He looked his former self in the eyes and gave himself the thing he desperately needed at this age; he put both hands on his shoulders and said, "It's going to be okay, Harry. Everything is going to be just fine, I promise.

Harry opted to go flying with Ginny instead of helping with the kids' bath. Ginny had been extremely surprised and pleased. They flew until it was too dark to seek "I didn't think I'd be seeing much of you this holiday. Not with them around at least," she told him.

"I know, I'm sorry about that. I think I was just wanted to spend time with them in case this does end up changing things," he admitted. "But I'm happy just to spend time with you," said Harry. He wiped his palm on his jeans and took Ginny's hand in his.

"I will admit, they're pretty funny," smiled Ginny. "I swear, Lou whacks people in the face on purpose. Especially Ron."

"I thought that too! Did you see yesterday with the serving spoon? He was still clearing his nose of mash potatoes the next morning."

"Who do you think gave a two-year-old a giant spoon full of potato?" smirked Ginny. Harry belly laughed with Ginny on their walk around the paddock. They spoke of Ginny's upcoming OWLs, the latest gossip concerning the Order, Harry's plans for the quidditch team, and everything but the future.

"How are you doing with everything? You seem better than when they first got here," said Harry on their way back to the broom shed.

"Yeah, when Harry and Gin got here things got a lot easier," said Ginny. "It was all a bit much… It's nice to see you so… happy, though." Harry smiled sheepishly. Ginny, continued, "You know that you're family here, but I guess I never thought about what it's like not to be around you see yourself in."

"Isn't it neat?!"

"It is kinda cool to see Jamie – he looks exactly half and half," she admitted. "And he's so sweet."

"Yeah, don't know where he got that from," said Harry somberly.

"From you, stupid!" Ginny exclaimed, "You've the biggest heart, Harry. He's obviously learned it from watching the way you speak with me… er, Gin," she explained.

"You think?" asked Harry, hanging up his borrowed Cleansweep, using only the light of the moon coming in through the small open window to see.

"Yeah… you're going to be a really great Dad, Harry," whispered Ginny.

"Maybe. I mean I hope so," said Harry, "I still think there's a good chance I'll bugger all this up. I think I've hurt your feelings a lot over the last six days."

"Make it up to me," replied Ginny. She reached for his other hand and closed the door to the broomshed with her foot.

"Yeah," said Harry, trying to think quickly. Ginny clearly didn't understand how hard it was for him to form thoughts, let alone talk, when she was standing so close. Harry could smell her floral shampoo her face was so close to his… But she didn't want flowers. Maybe he could get her something else, no she didn't like when people bought her things. "I'm sure I can do that… I… I could help you work on your non-dominant passes."

"I guess that could be nice… or maybe… you could do something else for me?" she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb which only made Harry think of the other places her hands had been and how it felt to touch her skin. "There's lots of things I could do to you– er! For you," he corrected quickly. Ginny didn't let go of his hands, so Harry assumed she hadn't heard what he'd let slip.

Shhhh! Came a noise from the window.

"I'm sorry! I can't I can't!" a woman's voice giggled from outside the window. Harry pushed Ginny behind him and raised his wand in one motion. He heard a sputtering failure to hold in a laugh, but he didn't see anyone.

A man's laugh joined the first and with a whoosh, Harry and Gin revealed themselves from beneath Harry's invisibility cloak. They doubled over in tears, Harry's hand rested on Gin's back.

"Were you spying on us?" demanded Ginny.

"Just… trying to relive our youth!" cried Gin.

"I remember is being so confused! Bout what you wanted – was convinced you… you were so hard to read," Harry struggled to get out between his laughs.

"I really wasn't!" exclaimed Gin. She was also struggling to breathe. "Oh, I'm going to wee myself!" she howled.

"This isn't funny!" he said huffily. His face felt extremely hot and he could see Ginny was also starting to giggle with them. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because – you're such a dolt!" Harry wheezed. The three of them spent a good long while taking turns laughing at his expense.

Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot. "What'd I do?" he pleaded.

"She's clearly telling you she wants you to kiss her," said Harry.

"No she wasn't! Were you?" he gasped.

Ginny shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "It's just that I always kiss you first."

He gaped and shook his head. He defended, I'm being respectful."

"Respectful!" shouted Harry gleefully, "I know first-hand what your thoughts are like and they are a far cry from respectful!"

"I'm not that bad!" he snapped.

"I really am going to wee myself!" Gin cried and ran back in the direction of the Burrow.

Harry chuckled and turned to follow his wife, "You kids have fun!" he called over his shoulder.

"I'm really not that bad," said Harry. "I just think he's trying to embarrass me."

"They both are," replied Ginny. "I wish they'd stop giggling at us at the table."

"Really! They're like children!" groaned Harry. He leaned against the broomshed and massaged his eyes with the heels of his hands. Ginny joined him and crossed her arms. She sighed and asked,

"What did you two talk about on your walk?"

"What an embarrassment I am to my 30-year-old self," mumbled Harry. "And how badly I'm mucking things up with you."

"I don't think you're mucking things up at all. In fact, I think you're handling this best of everyone."

"I guess I'm just used to weird," he shrugged. "Why wouldn't I have an unexpected time travelling family visit just after I finally started dating you?"

Harry swallowed his nerves and reached for Ginny's jaw with a tender hand. He pulled her close to his face and touched her lips with his. She smiled under his touch and kissed him back fervently. Harry felt Ginny's fingertips caress his collarbone and glide around the back of his neck.

"Hm, that's better," Ginny murmured against his mouth. Harry pulled her closer and kissed her again.

"Did you two have fun?" Asked Mrs. Weasley when Gin bolted through the door.

"Loo!" shouted Gin. She bolted up the stairs and slammed the door to the only toilet in the house.

"What was so funny?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry.

"He's hopeless," replied Harry with an eye roll.

"You turned out alright, dear," said Mrs. Weasley. She offered him a cup of tea.

"Thanks Molly, but I think I'm going to head to bed. Lou's up at the crack of dawn these days," he replied.

"Of course. We'll see you in the morning," she said and pecked him on the cheek.

Before heading up the old staircase, Harry peered through the window over the kitchen table. "Oh for the love of Magdalena," he huffed under his breath. "Oi," He knocked on the window loudly and waved to the teenagers by the broomshed. "You two! Knock it off and get inside!"

"They're fine, Harry," said Mr. Weasley.

"It's dangerous at night," he protested.

"Just let them be kids," said Mrs. Weasley tenderly, "While they still have the chance." She touched his shoulder lightly. Harry's protest died in his throat. He smiled weakly at Mrs. Weasley. He was overcome with gratitude, suddenly indebted to Mrs. Weasley and everything she'd done for him. She was the only adult in Harry's childhood that treated him as a child. Everything she had ever done for Harry was in attempt to give him some sense of normalcy in his chaotic life; how he was expected to do the same amount of household chores as Ron, when she'd written to him and told him that under no uncertain circumstances was he permitted to leave the Yule Ball before 10pm, the way she would smile at him when he was getting into mischief with Ron and the twins.

"That's why you didn't want me in The Order."

"You were just a boy," she smiled sadly into her tea.

Harry crawled into bed and grabbed for his wife. "Come here," he kissed her boldly.

"Mr. Potter," she gasped, "Where did that come from?"

"Years of first-rate training, Mrs. Potter," he kissed down her collarbone.

"You ARE jealous! Oh, Harry, that's kind of weird – I'm 15 in 1996," she crinkled her nose.

Harry rolled to his back in a huff, "I'm not jealous! … It's just…" he sighed, "It just that you deserve a lot better than that guy," he huffed.

"Harry,"

"I mean it! Everything I put you through before we were engaged? You didn't deserve it."

"Could any of it be helped, really?" asked Ginny. She rested her head on his chest and let Harry trace her spine.

"Suppose not," he admitted, "Well some of it, maybe."

"You know that I wouldn't change anything," she sat up and swung her leg over Harry's hips. "Now stop talking," she demanded.

"Again?" laughed Harry, "Merlin, Gin, is there something in the water here? We should bring some of it back with us."

"I said. Shut. Up."

He was in a dark, empty house with a seemingly endless corridor. The air violated his nose and mouth with the stench of mothballs and decay. White hot pain radiated from his scar. There was a single white door at the end of the corridor. Every time he took a step forward, the door seemed to sink further and further away. He tried to call out. He couldn't make a sound.

The pain pulsated and rooted his feet where they stood.

Ssshhhow mee…

The voice hissed from every direction. When the sound hit his ear drums it burned like someone was pouring molten metal in his ears.

Ssstand assside… Sssstupid girl…

No. No. I have to get to the door. He took a step and fell sharply onto his knees. Crawl. I need to open the door. Every movement burned worse than the last. His vision was growing dark around the edges. He was drowning. His mother's last screams reverberated from the thin walls. Their volume knocked him down again. Stand.

Ssshhow mee your ssssecrets…

His knees buckled. Crawl. The door. The kids. James. Albus - He clutched his head in his hands and clawed at his forehead. Stop. Please

Take me instead!

"HARRY!"

Harry threw himself out of bed and collapsed to the floor. He was sick. There was blood in his eyes and in the corner of his mouth.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, "Wake up!" The door to Ron's attic bedroom burst open with a flash of white.

"Get out!" shouted Harry.

"What happened?" demanded Gin.

"OUT!" he screamed. He tried to stand and lunge for the doorway. "You have to leave!" He staggered against the bed. He sprung forward and caught Gin's forearm. "Now! You have to go!"

"What did you see!" a deep voice boomed from behind Gin.

Harry looked into his own eyes, "He's coming."

AN:/ Some Harry/Harry time! I hope my writing was abundantly clear on who was speaking when. I would really appreciate feedback on that scene though. I tried not to use 'the older/bearded man', 'the teenager' too much as it gets a little redundant/hokey.