A/N: Last post of the decade! Hopefully, the new year will bring with it some much-needed rain.
"I can't tell you where I'm going, Hermione," Harry says apologetically as he stuffs clothes and provisions into a bag with a messiness that would make Teddy proud. "I'd like to, but we're supposed to keep it secret. And we had a security breach a few weeks ago. I can't insist that people follow the rule and then tell my friends about it."
Hermione's hands, which were playing with the edge of his doona, still. From the corner of her eye, she can see the little Snitches stitched into the fabric drift towards her again, emboldened by the reprieve from her fussing.
She stares at the back of his head in shock until he turns to face her, a concerned expression on his face. "It's not personal, Hermione. You know I — '
"Harry," she says, a smug smile of realisation and pride spreading across her face, "you're growing up. Back in school, you would've told me anyway, double standards and favouritism be damned. But now…"
"I am." His eyes widen in fake panic before his face softens into an amused grin. "Don't tell anyone."
"Afraid it will cramp your style?"
"Just aware that no one will believe it."
A fit of giggles overtakes her at the thought. "Honestly, I think Professor McGonagall would be horrified. She wanted to win the House Cup more than anything, but she secretly liked it when we broke the rules as long as we weren't caught. Anyway," she adds, shaking off the amusement, "it's low risk?"
"Yeah. It's just recon." Picking up a shirt, he continues to pack his bag. "Our asset is important — hence the secrecy — but there shouldn't be any security risks."
"Especially if you don't tell anyone where you're going."
That pulls a laugh out of him. "Yeah, especially then."
They fall into companionable silence as Harry packs and Hermione stares at the ceiling, remembering a time when low risk always turned out to mean almost fatal. Their propensity for attracting danger seems to have faded since the war, with most of Harry's Auror missions going off without a hitch, but she's still painfully aware of how easily a situation can spiral out of control.
After spending a childhood trying to survive in a school that seemed to be made of things that were trying to kill them, she can't shrug off that lesson. Not even years of successful Auror missions by the boys can do that.
"Andromeda is going to take care of Teddy while I'm at work," she says, needing to distract herself from the black hole her thoughts were heading towards, "and he'll probably stay there on the nights I'm due to finish late."
"Does he know about the sleepovers?" At her nod, he continues: "That's why he's been so excited today! I thought it was strange that he's so stoked about visiting her when he does that so often anyway."
"I think it's the only thing keeping him from being sad that you won't be around for the week."
"I'll bring something back with me. I know it's not the same as being here, but…"
"He'll love it. But Harry, you don't need to worry; the occasional week-long work trip does not a neglectful parent make. Teddy knows you love him, and he knows you'll be back soon."
"I guess. I just want him to be safe and happy, you know? It's as if things being right for him now will make everything we went through, everything Ginny went through, worth it."
"Life's messier than that," she says, watching as he zipped up the bag and came over to sit on the bed beside her. "It's never just one thing; we know that better than anyone. You can be surrounded by darkness and still find cause to smile. School can be ruled by a cat-loving tyrant and you can find joy in creating a resistance group. Teddy can be disappointed that you sometimes have to go away for work but still be happy overall."
His hand reaches up to scratch the back of his neck in a familiar gesture. "I'm overreacting, aren't I?"
"It's sweet."
"Well, that's something, at least," he replies dryly.
"Isn't it just?" The sound of some sort of clamber drifts up to his room, and Hermione jumps to her feet eagerly. "That must be Percy and Teddy, back from lunch. You're right here?"
He just manages to get out, "Of course," before she hurries downstairs to greet them.