I am very excited to post this chapter! We're gonna start getting into some action soon, but until then I hope y'all like this sweet chapter. As always I have to thank TheDistantDusk and Breanie. Both of them have been so amazing with their suggestions and encouragement. This chapter I had the great pleasure of talking with Seriously Sam who had some great suggestions so I need to thank her as well!
Thank you for all the kind reviews and messages. You all are amazing and it really brings me such joy to read so many kind things. I hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much as the last two!
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Ginny admired the cute little cottages as Harry drove them to his house. Everything had happened so fast. From being kidnapped, escaping, stealing clothing from a donation bin, to then running into a detective. She'd driven away from her kidnapper's compound fast and without any direction. There had only been one thought: get away. She had just floored it, not caring about where she would go. All that mattered was that it wasn't there.
Finally, she'd arrived in a place she'd recognized, Sheffield. Her brother had worked in the city for a year before going abroad for an assignment. While Bill stayed in the city, Ginny had visited him many times. Being a teenager in a small village got dull fast, so visiting her brother in the city always felt like a treat. Her parents hadn't minded because she would be with her brother, and Ginny loved it because Bill didn't treat her like a child. He would actually talk to her rather than talk at her, like their mother was famous for.
Due to her explorations with Bill, Ginny had managed to find a clothing donation bin outside a thrift store, and she'd grabbed anything that would cover her. That had been in the early hours of the morning when no one was out to report a naked woman stealing. From there, she'd ditched the car. While driving down the dark roads, the thought had occurred to Ginny that her kidnappers would know the car she'd stolen and probably would have a way to find it. Report it missing or something. Ginny didn't know what, but she had known that holding onto the car would be like a beacon to her kidnappers. So she'd ditched it and went out on foot… which led her straight into Harry.
Harry.
She still couldn't believe how good Harry had been, how he'd somehow made her feel… safe. Ginny hadn't wanted to trust him. Every part of her had tried to resist him and his reassuring words. She hadn't trusted them to be genuine. But then there had been a moment while in that break room where Ginny saw his honesty.
It was in his eyes. Those deep green eyes that she had wanted to swim in the first time she'd seen them. While she had been breaking down and unable to control her mind from sliding into a deep hole, Harry had been there. He'd taken her hand and become a tether back to earth. There had been such warmth in his gaze that Ginny had felt like a blanket had wrapped around her shoulders. But then there had been the gentle squeezes to her hand and the sincere tone in his words.
Ginny had always prided herself on her strong gut decisions. It had been her gut that had encouraged her to ditch the car. It had been her gut that had told her she had limited time to escape her cuffs. And now her gut was telling her to trust Harry.
She turned to look at him in the driver's seat. He looked completely at ease like he drove strange women to his house on the regular. His hand was tapping on the steering wheel to the beat of the nineties song playing on the radio. Harry was not how she imagined a detective. In the movies and shows, they always acted so serious and aloof. But in the little time she'd known him, Harry had been so gentle and thoughtful.
And now he was dancing in his seat. He glanced over at her and his lips curled into a cute, goofy grin. "This was my jam as a kid."
Ginny couldn't resist smirking at that. "Were you a Britney boy?"
"What do you mean were?" he asked, one hand rising to his heart in mock offense. "I'm still into her!"
When he proceeded to sing along with the teenage hit, Ginny felt herself sink further into the cocoon of ease he provided. How he could make her feel so comfortable while putting on an over-the-top, albeit off-key, performance of …Baby One More Time, was beyond her. But the fact was that when he pointed at her to take over his solo, Ginny couldn't help but smile and pick up where he left off.
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Ginny stared at the simple but gorgeous cottage Harry parked in front of. It was exactly the type of place she was dreaming of purchasing for herself. It was the cottage out of a storybook, including the ivy growing up on the sides. The thatched roof was perfect and the little fence that lined the front garden was precious. But it was the little rose bushes laying under the window that hooked Ginny as soon as she slid out from the car. Their scent spread through the air, making the whole place feel enchanting.
Harry came around the hood as Ginny took in the cute cobbled walk path and kids' toys littering the grass. "So this is the main house." He gestured to the cottage. "And there's my bachelor pad." His hand moved to the left where a small stone garage sat.
"This place is adorable," Ginny told him. "I've always wanted a place like this."
"Yeah?" Harry asked as they slowly made their way up the path. They moved in sync, their arms in tandem. "I actually grew up here with Remus."
"Who's Remus?"
"He is…" Harry paused his lips thinning for a second before he let out a deep breath. "He was basically my father."
And now she'd put her foot into her mouth. Clearly, Remus was a tough topic. Before she could apologize for being nosy, Harry bumped her shoulder with his elbow. His sweet smile set her nerves at ease. Clearly, he wasn't offended by her prying question. "Remus married this wonderful woman when I was seventeen and they had Teddy when I was twenty-one."
"So you became like a big brother to Teddy?"
"Yeah. I plan on being there for him. I'm his godfather and I plan on being what Remus was for me."
Ginny turned to look at him. His soft expression and gentle smile made her heart flutter. He was incredible. Stepping up to help raise a toddler… she didn't know many blokes his age who would do that. Young twenty-somethings were out drinking and focusing on having fun, but Harry chose to come home and become a father figure. Her respect for him increased ten-fold.
While her eyes were on Harry, Ginny's too-large shoes caught on a loose stone and she started to topple over. Quick as a flash of lightning, Harry's arm came around her waist steadying her.
"Wow there!" His strong arm pulled her into his side. "You alright there?"
From her new position, Ginny picked up the smooth scent of his woodsy cologne. That was just as intoxicating as the rose…. Ginny could feel heat spreading across her cheek and she straightened herself. "Yeah… I um, these shoes aren't exactly my size."
Harry took a quick look at her footwear and then raised a brow at her. "I'll say. Those were definitely made for the jolly green giant, not a cute, petite thing like you."
Ginny could feel her cheeks redden at his comment. Cute was an interesting addition to that sentence… Ginny cleared her throat. "I'll have you know my sass brings my height well over six feet."
His laugh rumbled through his body. "I believe that." He gave her a gentle squeeze before dropping his arm away from her waist. Instantly Ginny missed his warmth as they started moving back up the path.
They were back in sync, their arms swinging in a steady rhythm. When hers started going backward and his came forward, they would meet in the middle. Every time this happened, Ginny felt warmth spread from the point of contact across her skin.
It didn't take long for them to reach the heavy wooden front door. Harry didn't hesitate as he pushed it open. "After you."
Ginny stepped into the simple foyer where shoes littered the floor in front of a rack. The interior was just as gorgeous as the exterior. Handcrafted beams lined the walls and indented the ceiling. Then there was the lovely wooden floor that matched the dark coloring of the beams. Ginny adored large windows that opened wide to the back garden where she could see a little boy running after a ball.
"Let me just go tell Tonks we're here." Harry had sidestepped her in order to move into the house. His hand brushed against her arm and a shiver ran down her back. He toed off his boots beside the collection. "Make yourself at home."
She watched him walk away, her eyes naturally drifting down his body, landing on his impressive backside. It wasn't just his ass that was fit. Everything about detective Potter was lovely. Ginny mentally shook herself. She had way too much going on to get distracted by some attractive bloke… then again… what did it hurt to forget things for a moment to admire a work of art.
Ginny chuckled at her internal monologue. It was good to know that after everything that had happened to her, Ginny was still as barmy as ever. She followed Harry's lead by taking off her shoes before moving into the sitting room. There were various photos hanging on the wall, but one, in particular, caught her attention. It was of a boy, maybe five or six based on the missing front teeth, and an older man with his arm slung over the boy's shoulder. The boy was Harry, no doubt about that. The older Harry looked the same, just without the baby cheeks and much much taller. The man didn't resemble Harry but looked at him with a fondness that made Ginny think of her father. The pride and love were obvious even through the fading of time.
"Those two were adorable, weren't they?" a voice said from behind her, making Ginny nearly jump out of her skin. She whirled around to see a pink-haired woman smiling widely at her. "Hi, I'm Tonks."
Ginny's hand slapped over her chest and she could feel her heart racing. Taking a deep breath she smiled at the woman. "I'm Ginny."
"I know, Harry told me about you and your… situation." Tonks jerked her head towards the hall. "Let's go into my room and find you something to wear." Without waiting for an answer Tonks took Ginny by the hand and led them to her room. Ginny was too surprised to do anything other than follow the woman's lead.
Tonks opened the door to a spacious, yet simple bedroom. The walls were a gentle blue and the soft carpet felt wonderful beneath her tired feet.
"Why don't you take a seat on the bed while I sort through some options," Tonks suggested. "I'm guessing we're looking for comfort over style?"
Ginny chuckled as she lowered herself onto the edge of the mattress. "I always choose comfort over style."
Tonks looked over her shoulder at Ginny as she made her way to a chest of drawers. "Aw, a woman after my own heart." She winked at Ginny and then started pillaging through different options.
Ginny nearly fell backwards as Tonks started throwing clothing at her. Three different pairs of sweatpants, three t-shirts and a pair of socks and knickers. Tonks turned back to Ginny, using her hip to close the final drawer. "The knickers are new. I just bought a pack."
It took a moment for everything to register in Ginny's mind. "Right. Thank you. I really appreciate it."
Tonks came over to her, taking a seat next to Ginny before gently squeezing her knee. "We've got you now. Harry is one of the best men I've ever met. And I'm not too shabby either."
Ginny felt her throat close up as Tonks' comforting words sank in. She might not know why this was all happening or what would come next, but she truly trusted these people. There was just something about them… especially Harry… that made her feel welcome and safe.
Tonks gave her another squeeze. "So, before you take a shower I would like to see if there is any trace evidence on you… from your kidnappers. Blood or skin cells if they got under your nails. Anything that can help us gather evidence against these bastards. I am a trained crime scene officer and have been trained in SANE procedures, so I'll be able to get this done fast and efficiently. I can only imagine how much you want to shower"
Ginny blinked. She hadn't even thought about anything like that. "I uh," She swallowed. "What does that mean for me?"
Tonks' smile was sweet as she explained the procedure. Ginny couldn't comprehend most of it. Not in her current foggy state of mind. She understood that Tonks would need to ask some intimate questions and need to check over Ginny's body, but past that it all sounded like mambo jumbo. When Tonks finished her spiel, Ginny simply nodded her consent and followed Tonks' directions.
It hadn't been a lie when Tonks said she would get it done fast. She'd already had her kit of tools sitting beside the chest of drawers and started working methodically across Ginny's body. What saved Ginny from feeling embarrassed and awkward about the whole thing was Tonks' easy chatter. She would ask Ginny questions about her job and family, peppering in questions about her kidnapping.
Once Tonks was done she sealed up a baggy with Ginny's borrowed clothing and different baggies with different samples "And now a shower as promised." She pointed to an ensuite to the left. "Take your time. Come out whenever you're ready."
Tonks left the room, closing the door with a soft click behind her. Ginny let out a deep breath, taking a second to come back to herself before heading towards the door Tonks had pointed at.
Ginny stayed in the shower longer than she'd intended. The hot water had just felt amazing against her tired body. It had been like a cleanser for more than just the dirt and grime covering her skin. Putting on the clean clothing was like a holy experience.
When she walked out of the bedroom a half an hour later, she was greeted by a little boy running up to her with a big toothy grin. "Hi!"
"Hi." Ginny could feel her own smile curling her lips. "You must be Teddy."
He nodded enthusiastically. His little hand slid into her own, giving it a pull. "Come build!"
"Teddy, give her a moment to breathe," Harry said as he started to rise from a recliner. He made eye contact with Ginny and mouthed an apology that she waved off with a grin.
She let Teddy pull her into the center of the living room where what looked like a hundred blocks lay scattered around. "I'd love to build, Teddy!"
The boy let out an excited cheer and he pulled her down onto the floor beside him.
"Can I build too, Ted?" Harry asked, coming to join them on the floor.
Teddy looked up at his godfather, his infectious smile growing wider. "Yes! A Casle?"
Ginny practically swooned at the cute baby speech. It made her think of her niece Victoire, who was just starting to turn babble into words. As she thought of the cute toddler, Ginny's heart sank in her chest. She hadn't made it to a phone to call her family and she wondered if they even knew something had happened to her.
"Sure thing, mate." Harry ruffled Teddy's hair and as his free hand started pushing blocks towards the toddler. Teddy clapped happily before starting to stack up random shapes. Harry put a rectangle down next to a triangle Teddy was trying to arrange when he looked up at Ginny. Ginny could see the concern enter his gaze as he scooted to sit closer to her. "You alright, Ginny?"
"I —" Her breath hitched as she tried to control the sudden rush of emotions. "I just." She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "It's a lot. It's all so much and I just can't help but wonder… wonder what my family has been thinking."
"Your family?" Harry asked gently.
"Yeah, my parents and brothers. I have six brothers and I just… they don't know." Ginny didn't know how to say it. How to say how much she wanted… no needed… to talk to them.
Harry came even closer, his knee touching hers. One of his hands slowly came to take hers "Hey, we're gonna figure it out, alright? We'll get you back to your family and you'll be able to put this whole mess behind you."
Ginny looked into his honest, open expression and felt the tension in her shoulders slowly fade away. Her breath came out in a little hitch and she squeezed Harry's fingers. "I — thank you, Harry."
His smile was bright. "Of course. So tell me about your brothers. You have six of —"
Harry's question was cut off by an insistent toddler. "Haweeee, build!" Teddy demanded, his little hands pushing a block into Harry's hand.
"Sorry, mate." Harry took the block "I forgot we were building a castle."
Teddy nodded enthusiastically before going back to his precarious tower.
Harry turned back to Ginny, laughing. "Looks like the boss caught me slacking off."
Ginny picked up her own red rectangle. "Better you than me." She placed her block beside Harry's. "I wouldn't want to be caught by such a tyrant."
That made Harry laugh harder. "Nothing describes Teddy while building better than a tyrant." He pulled over a random collection of shapes. "How about we work together; that way we avoid displeasing the boss?"
"I like the way you think, detective"
She and Harry fell into a peaceful silence as they started placing blocks. They worked rhythmically, taking turns building up their castle. Ginny felt for the first time in days a sense of calm. It was just so soothing, building with blocks and allowing herself to fully relax. It was such a homey situation: Building blocks with Teddy, and hearing someone out in the kitchen working on what smelled like chocolate biscuits.
"So," Harry started as his yellow square lined up with a triangle Ginny had placed. "You were telling me about your brothers."
"Oh, right!" Ginny smiled. "Well, there's Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron. I'm the youngest of the lot and the only girl."
"Wow! That must have led to a lot of teasing."
Ginny laughed. "You don't even know the half of it. The first time I brought a boy home… the poor boy never stood a chance."
"Oh yeah?" Harry added a blue block to the pile. "What did they do to him?"
"Well, Fred and George own a joke shop and they were testing out their new itching powder."
Harry's jaw dropped. "Oh no!"
"Oh yes!" Ginny shook her head but smiled at the memory of Michael Corner running out of her parents' house, his arms scratching at puffy red warts covering various spots on his body. "Let's just say his skin resembled more of a tomato than anything else after the twins were done."
"Oof!" Harry winced. "So what happened afterwards?"
"Oh, he moved on to someone else the next day." Ginny shrugged. "He didn't even break things off with me. I found out we were done when I caught him snogging another girl in the library."
"No way!" Harry actually looked offended on behalf of her teenage self. "What a prat! How could he do that to someone like you."
"Like me?" Ginny asked, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. "What does that mean?"
"I mean — it's just that —" Harry ran a hand through his hair. "You seem really great. Funny, strong, beautiful. I can imagine you were the same when you were younger."
Beautiful. Well, that was a surprise. Ginny could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. "I — I mean, I think so but clearly Michael didn't get the memo."
"Clearly." Harry shook his head. "Well good riddance about him."
"The next couple of blokes weren't much better," Ginny admitted with a laugh. "Percy loves to ask very detailed and prying questions. Honestly, it made me stop bringing them round. I figure I'll prep the next one with various pranks and intimidating questions to get him used to it."
"The next one, huh?" Harry chuckled, his purple rectangle sliding into place. "Sounds like a rough gig. You sure you'll have a next one?"
Ginny gave him a mock affronted look. She gave his shoulder a little shove. "How dare you, Harry. I'll have you know I'm well worth dealing with itching powder in your boxers."
"I don't doubt it." The sincerity in Harry's voice made Ginny look up at him. Their eyes met and Ginny felt heat spread through her chest. The way he was looking at her… it was as if he didn't doubt her worth at all. Her throat tightened as her mouth suddenly felt dry.
"Ahhhh!" Teddy's scream tore Ginny's eyes away from Harry's just in time for the toddler to come crashing into their tower. His little arms flailed as he knocked over every block he could reach.
"Teddy!" Harry laughed, his arms coming out to grab the giggling boy. He lifted Teddy into the air making the toddler laugh louder. "What did you just do?" Harry started ticking Teddy making him scream.
"I'd say he went Godzilla on our castle." Ginny smiled at the two of them. How a grown man playing with a toddler could be so cute was beyond Ginny.
"Was that it, Ted?" Harry asked, his fingers pausing their assault. "Were you being a big scary monster?"
Teddy beamed at his godfather before wiggling away. He went back over to the castle. Teddy looked over his shoulder at Harry. "Roar!" When his little foot kicked a square block it toppled over.
"Teddy!" Tonks' voice called from the kitchen. "Come get lunch!"
The toddler froze mid swipe, then seeming to decide food was the better option hurried off towards his mother.
"I've got lunch for you two as well!" Tonks yelled. "You can play with blocks later, right now come eat your apple slices."
Harry laughed as he rose from the floor. He offered Ginny a hand up, easily pulling her to her feet. " We best get in there before she uses her full mum tone."
"I fear that tone, especially from my own mother." Ginny couldn't help but smile as they walked side by side into the kitchen. Somehow in the little time she'd been in Harry's home it had become a safe space.
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Ginny loved the lunch time entertainment Teddy brought. The toddler was a riot, chattering loudly. He would tell them about a bird he saw or a ball he'd played with early. Also the way he would use his food as props made it all the better. Ginny was particularly fond of his apple wedge smiles.
"Ted, love," Tonks let out an exasperated sigh as another apple slice fell out of Teddy's mouth and onto the floor. "I know you're excited to have a new friend, but you need to eat your food, not just play with it."
"Ginny, look!" Teddy picked up a cube of cheese and squashed it between his hands .
"Oh no, Teddy," Ginny leaned over and separated his fingers and used a napkin to clean up the mess. "It's much more fun to eat it. Watch!" She took a bit of apple from his tray and plopped it into her mouth chewing it with a loud, happy noise.
Teddy looked at her dubiously but followed her lead, picking up another piece of cheese.
"You're good with kids," Tonks observed as she took a sip from her cup of tea. "Do you have any?"
"Just one niece so far, but another on the way." Ginny leaned back in her seat once Teddy got into a rhythm of eating. "I've always liked minding Victoire. She's maybe a year younger than Ted here and just as sweet." She smiled at the toddler who reciprocated showing off his white baby teeth.
"Which brother has Victoire?" Harry asked.
"The oldest, Bill. He was always the most protective yet open with me." Ginny bit her lip as a flood of emotion crashed through her. Homesickness wasn't something she dealt with often, especially with family gatherings at least once a month, but at that moment Ginny's heart hurt missing her family. She wanted to see Victoire running around the garden, to watch Fred try to prank Percy; even the idea of her mother asking when she would find a man wasn't so daunting. Ginny wanted to crawl into her mother's arms like she used to as a child and just talk. Tell her about the last few days.
"Ginny?" Harry reached across the table and touched her hand which had become motionless on her mug. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath, trying to hold in the "I really want to go home to my family."
Harry nodded. "I can only imagine." His brow furrowed. "Do have any of their numbers memorized? You could use one of our phones to call them?"
Ginny shook her head sadly. "I haven't remembered a phone number since I was a kid and calling my grandmum's old house won't do any good."
"Yeah, that's fair." Harry ran an unconscious hand through his hair. "Well, how far away do they live?"
She shrugged. "My parents live down near Devon. So close to five hours."
Harry winced. "Bit of a trip, and I need to head into the station this evening for a bit."
"How about tomorrow?" Tonks suggested. "Do you think you could get the time off tomorrow, Harry? Ginny could spend the night here and you two could head out in the morning. It would let Ginny catch up on some sleep."
Harry looked at Ginny, a smile curling at his lips. "How about it, Gin? Wanna go on a road trip tomorrow? I promise to play the best tunes."
Ginny's heart did a weird dance when he shortened her name. Normally she hated when people tried to give her a nickname. Her name was already a nickname, but the way Harry said Gin… she mentally shook her head, focusing on his question. "You don't mind?"
He waved a dismissive hand. "It's been too long since I took a detour down there. It will be fun."
How did she get so lucky to run into this man? He was… honestly he was perfect. Helpful, compassionate, and supportive. A little voice in the back of her mind shouted about his impressive body and sexy unruly hair, but Ginny ignored that addition.
"I couldn't — I can't thank you enough, Harry."
His smile warmed her from the inside out like a good cup of tea. "I'm happy to help, Gin."
There was that nickname again. Fuck, why did she like it so much? Before Ginny could dwell on that thought for too long Tonks clapped her hands together pulling Ginny's attention. "Well, I'm glad that's settled!" She moved over to Teddy's booster seat and lifted the toddler onto her hip. "Did you hear that, Ted? Your new friend is having a sleepover."
Teddy's brow furrowed for a moment before he looked over at Ginny and smiled. "Where is she sleeping? With me?"
Tonks laughed, shaking her head. "Sorry, buddy your bed is a little too small for the two of you."
That made the toddler's smile fade. He pursed his lips, his eyes going from his mother, to Ginny, to Harry. His face lit up like he'd made a discovery. "Ginny sleep with Hawe! He's got a big bed!"
Ginny's eyes seemed to seek Harry's like they were magnetic. His cheeks were tinged pink as he gave her a sheepish grin. "You are more than welcome in my bed." His eyes went wide as he realized what he said, and the pink flush went firetruck red. "I meant that you are more than welcome to have my bed. Without me in it. You can sleep there and I will sleep on the sofa. We don't — I didn't mean —"
Tonks started laughing. "Oh how I love awkward Harry." She gave Harry a pat on the shoulder. "It's alright, luv. I think Ginny knew what you meant."
Harry's head landed on the table with a loud thud. When he spoke his voice was muffled. "I'm sorry, Ginny. Sometimes I'm an idiot."
Ginny started laughing. She hadn't assumed Harry was trying something with her in the first place, but his rambling explanation had been so cute. "It's alright, Harry. I did know what you meant."
He lifted his head. His cheeks were still bright. "Still, my bad." A hand came up to run through his hair. "So… yeah… now that's settled. I'm gonna head into the station." His lips curled into a chagrined smile. "Hopefully by the time I get back I can look you in the eye again."
Tonks and Ginny both laughed at that and this time Harry joined in. Teddy looked between all the adults clearly not understanding what was happening but loved the energy. His loud laugh bounced off the walls and he wiggled excitedly in his mother's arms.
"Alright, Ted," Tonks shifted to get a better hold on the toddler. "Now we've got bed arrangements settled, let's get you off for your nap."
Teddy's shoulders sagged as he shook his head. "No, Mummy!"
"No arguing, Teddy," Tonks reprimanded. "Maybe if you're good Ginny will read you a story." She looked over at Ginny who nodded with a smile.
That soothed Teddy's woes. His grin grew wide again and he looked over at Ginny. "Three bears, Ginny?"
"Whatever you want, mate."
The boy clapped happily as Tonks carried him off. Harry cleared his throat pulling Ginny's eyes onto him. The blush still powdered his cheeks, but it had faded a lot. "I'm really sorry about that, Ginny."
She shook her head. "Honestly, Harry, it's fine. It was funny."
A hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "I just want you to know… I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I want you to feel safe. Here. With me."
His words made her heart flutter in her chest. She stood up from her chair and moved over to Harry, pulling him out of his own seat. The surprise look on his face was the last thing Ginny saw before she hugged him tightly. "I do, Harry. I really do. Thank you."
Harry's arms slowly wrapped around her back, his hug tightening. In that moment, there in his arms, Ginny truly did feel completely safe.
