Chapter 13

The ground connected hard with the souls of Harry's black trainers and he stumbled a bit as he began a brisk pace down an unfamiliar dirt road. It was barely nine in the morning and the sun was hanging low in the sky, dew still fresh from the night before. Although he had never traveled this route before he somehow knew exactly where he was going as soon as the cottage came into view a hundred yards ahead. It was a beautiful brick house nestled in the valley of a vibrant green meadow. A large willow tree stood lazily to the left of the house casting a shadow across the lawn. Harry could see a swing hanging from one of the thicker branches and he smiled slightly for a second. He could imagine Remus and Tonks sitting arm in arm as a beautiful little boy ran in circles, the sounds of joyous laughter echoing with the sunset. But his vision faded just as quickly as it had appeared and he trudged towards the house his shoulders sloping forward.

He awkwardly climbed the steps, uncertainty clear on his face. He noticed now that the screen door was open and a voice greeted him before he could think any further.

"Ah! Harry, we were wondering when you would show up!" Andromeda Tonks opened the door and ushered Harry inside.

"We?" Harry questioned nervously, he wasn't in the mood for any surprise confrontations.

"Me and your godson of course," she slyly remarked with an all knowing smile and Harry visibly relaxed.

"I apologize for showing up unannounced-"

"Harry, I'm going to say this once," Andromeda suddenly became stern, "you are welcome whenever you would please."

Harry smiled shyly and scratched his beard. "Thank you. I'm sorry I haven't stopped by sooner."

"Well you're here now," Andromeda stated simply. Harry hadn't really noticed her at the funeral, she had kind eyes and strangely enough didn't really resemble her sisters Bellatrix or Narcissa in any way. Maybe it was her greying hair tied back into a neat bun or just her motherly demeanor, but Harry immediately felt at ease in her presence.

He followed after her into the kitchen and looked around eagerly, "Where is Ted?"

"Sleeping," she murmured softly pointing to the other room. "He's a wonderful sleeper. Must get it from his father, Nymphadora was a terrible sleeper, kept me up for all hours of the night she did."

Harry's eyes softened, "Ma'am I am truly sorry for your loss, if there is anything you need."

Andromeda laughed catching Harry off guard, "Ma'am! Nobody has ever called me ma'am. Harry please call me Dromeda. I appreciate the condolences, but while I lost my daughter I gained a son and I get to see her every day through Teddy and that is more than I could ever ask for."

Harry smiled sadly rocking back onto his heals. "Do you mind if I sit with him for a little while? I won't wake him up or anything."

"Go right ahead dear," she ushered him towards the bedroom. "I'll whip up some breakfast and then we'll wake him up."

Harry padded softly into the bedroom and walked quietly over to the bassinet. He peered over the edge. "You're so big," he whispered softly to himself. He sat down quietly not moving his glance from the beautiful sleeping baby. He looked so fragile and Harry watched tentatively with wide emerald eyes. He had never seen anything so perfect in his life and he felt a wave of calm wash over him.

He leaned back in the chair without lifting his gaze. "You look just like your Dad," Harry murmured under his breath. He wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or to Teddy, but he continued. "Your parents were brilliant. I met your Dad first, he was one of my favorite people. I met your Mum a few years later, she caught me off guard at first, but she had the biggest heart of anybody I've ever known." Harry paused and leaned closer to the sleeping boy. "You know," he started shakily, "they loved you, they loved you so much and they gave up their lives so that other people could live. They were brilliant, and I want you to know that. I couldn't save them," Harry choked out fighting back silent tears, "but I promise you that I will protect you. I will protect you no matter what." Harry sniffed back the tears composing himself and he reached down brushing his hand softly over the little boys bald head savoring the simplicity of this moment wishing he could sit here forever watching over him in a peaceful slumber.

The day passed lazily for Harry and Andromeda, he had ended up having a quite enjoyable breakfast with her before she had woken baby Ted for his own meal which looked far less appetizing than the pancakes and eggs he had eaten. Harry had watched Ted with fascination all morning. Andromeda had taught him how to feed him, burp him, hold him, and Harry's least favorite part change him, but other than that he hadn't felt this useful in a long time.

So as twelve o' clock hit Harry was sitting in the wooden swing with baby Teddy wrapped protectively in his embrace as the shade of the willow protected both of them from the sun.

Andromeda watched with glassy eyes through the screen door. She had seen Harry's spirits lift considerably throughout the day and it broke her heart to think of what that poor boy had been through the past seven years.

A sound in her fireplace jolted her back to the present and she turned her head curiously towards the hearth.

"Mrs. Tonks?" a familiar voice spoke and Ginny Weasley popped her head out of the fireplace.

A smile broke across Andromeda's face and she clapped her hands together embracing the red headed girl. "Ginny dear! What brings you out here?"

"My mum sent me," Ginny remarked pleasantly. "She wanted to invite you and Ted to dinner this evening. I'm sure she would've come herself, but I was hoping to steal a few minutes with him myself before he is smothered by Mum, she loves babies."

"Well I would love to, but I'm afraid Teddy's a bit taken right now." Andromeda remarked pointing out the window.

"Oh?" Ginny curiously stepped forward and looked across the lawn. Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest when she saw Harry. She was surprised she recognized him. He looked so… relaxed, the way he cradled the little bundle, the way his eyes were shining, it reminded her of the boy she had known years ago and she stared at him longingly through the screen.

Andromeda watched the girl's expression change as soon as she saw Harry. "Your mother mentioned that you two dated, was it serious?"

"I thought it was." Ginny remarked sadly, more to herself than directed at Andromeda. She stepped back from the screen door and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, seeing Harry had caught her off guard and every single feeling she had tried to bury for the past few months came charging back at her.

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Andromeda murmured rubbing comforting circles on Ginny's back.

The screen door clanging shut caught both of them off guard, "Hey Dromeda," Harry vivaciously remarked grinning toothily down at Ted. "I think he's hungry again. Do you mind if I feed him again?" He raised his eyes and was shocked to see not one, but two people sitting wide eyed in the kitchen. "Ginny?" his voice fell an octave.

"Hi Harry," Ginny muttered sadly at the way he had greeted her.

"Well," Andromeda muttered nervously pulling Ted from Harry's arms. She could cut the tension between the teens with a knife. "Why don't you two catch up and I'll go feed Teddy… upstairs…" She couldn't have disappeared faster if she had apparated and Harry would have been amused if he wasn't so shell shocked.

Ginny stared dejectedly at an invisible spot on the table and Harry wrung his hands together unsure of where to put them and a strange silence settled between the two of them both tentative to break the silence.

"Don't look so thrilled to see me."

Harry's heart fell and he sighed striding towards the seat in front of her. "I'm sorry," he shifted his glasses on his nose, "I was just caught off guard. It is always good to see you Gin."

Ginny glanced up with accusatory eyes, the piercing blue unnerving him to honesty.

"Okay, if it makes you feel any better I don't really want to see anybody these days…"

"Oh yeah," she scoffed crossing her arms across her chest, "that makes me feel loads better."

Harry shifted uncomfortably, "How are you?" he remarked changing the subject.

"Fine."

"That's good," Harry responded dumbly, even he realized he sounded like a moron. As he waited for her to ask him how he was doing he realized that she wasn't in the mood to exchange pleasantries. "How is Ron?"

"Fine."

"Is everybody fine," he shot sharply starting to get irritated with how stubborn she could be.

"I guess so," an edge cutting in her voice.

"Wow three whole words," Harry mumbled standing up from the table and walking over to the kitchen sink pulling at his hair in frustration. "Look Ginny I'm sorry for the way I reacted, but I wasn't expecting to see you and it caught me off guard. I'm not a big fan of surprises these days and I'm sorry."

"You're lying," Ginny cut into him again.

"What are you-"

She cut him off, "You've never been a fan of surprises," a hint of a smile played at her lips.

Harry smiled rolling his eyes and he shook his head in exasperation leaning against the sink.

"So Harry," Ginny leaned back in her chair assessing him up and down. "How are you?"

Harry was tempted to say fine, but decided to cut the pathetic battle that could go on for hours with the two of them. He contemplated the question for a few seconds. "Honestly?" He asked sheepishly, "I think I'm pretty crazy. I spent the day talking to a baby."

Ginny couldn't help, but giggle slightly and Harry grinned back at her fondly the tension fading for a moment. Harry had missed her company whether he had realized it or not. He had been very close with Ginny and he had loved her a lot and he knew that she loved him, maybe she still did, maybe she always would. The guilt that came from not being able to return her feelings killed him and he wished that he could take back everything if it would mend her broken heart.

"There it was," Ginny muttered sadly her eyes boring into his and the air between them shifted again.

"What?" Harry whispered quietly.

"That look," she broke their gaze and swallowed dryly, "for a second."

"What look?"

"The way you used to look at me. I saw it for a second again."

Harry's heart sank deep into his chest and he crossed his arms tightly over his pectorals wishing to be anywhere else. "Ginny… I-"

"Do you know how it felt when I thought you were dead? When I saw you… limp… in Hagrid's arms, I couldn't breathe. It was like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. Seeing you, thinking that I would never see your eyes again, never see you smile again, knowing that you would never hold me again. Harry in that moment I saw our future disappear in a second. Right before my eyes I saw everything I ever wanted slip away into nothing… and then you woke up."

Harry watched her with wide eyes tears threatening to spill from behind his lenses as she continued her own freely flowing.

"I was so happy that you were okay. Couldn't wait to hug you and kiss you and love you… without anything getting in the way. I saw our future again… falling even deeper in love, marriage, kids. It was all so clear, and I had been holding onto that even when you were distant, even when you broke up with me, even when you needed space and disappeared, I never gave up, until the ball. That night I saw our future disappear all over again."

"What are you talking about?" Harry pleaded breathlessly longing for answers.

Ginny looked at him finally her pale blue eyes broken and lifeless, "When I saw how you looked at Hermione."

Harry froze. That was the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth and he blinked back his tears sighing deeply. "Ginny..."

"Harry!" she sobbed, "Don't lie to me! I saw the way you looked at her, it was the same way you used to look at me! Hell who am I kidding? You've never looked at me the way you looked at her!"

Harry let out a few shallow breaths and shrugged pursing his lips together, "I don't know what to say."

"Was it always her?"

Harry avoided eye contact and gritted his teeth running sweaty hands though his already unruly hair. "I don't know."

Ginny nodded wiping her pale cheeks with shaking hands.

"Ginny you need to understand." Harry pleaded, "There's no future with me."

"Yeah Harry I figured that out when I saw the way you looked at her," Ginny spat in response anger flaring up in her cheeks. "How could you do this to Ron? How could you let this happen? He's in love with her Harry!"

"You don't think I know that!" Harry raised his voice for the first time finally allowing his emotions free. "Why do you think I left? So that they could be happy! So that you could be happy eventually! I left so that I wouldn't hurt my best friends, so that I wouldn't hurt you anymore! So that I could try to figure out what normal was without everybody asking me every five minutes if I'm going to bloody break down! I didn't plan on falling in love with Hermione, but I did, and I'm sorry that it meant falling out of love with you."

Ginny placed a hand over her mouth and allowed the tears to all heavily and Harry stood by the sink watching helplessly as she cried.

"I should go," he hunched his shoulders and strode past her breathing deeply. "Please tell Andromeda that I'll be back again soon."

"Wait," Ginny managed to say in shallow breaths, "You're still coming to the Burrow for your birthday, aren't you?"

"Do you even want me there?" Harry muttered out in pure shock turning at the screen door.

"It will break my Mum's heart if you don't come." Ginny swallowed dryly and padded towards the fireplace picking up a handful of floo powder out of the pot. "And Harry, You will destroy Ron."

"I know." Harry murmured despondently and with that Ginny disappeared into a mess of green flames.