A/N Sorry for the amount of typos in the last chapter. My computer literally ate the entire story. It was just gone. Not anywhere to be found. So I had to use the back up I had on a friends computer, which the web site didn't like. So it formatted funny and I had to fix it all by hand. We got it up and running though. And the first part of the last chapter was Draco speaking, I know that was not clear. Stupid computer again. Also I will promote Dragonsbane1611 once again. Read her companion pieces. They rock. Thanks for reading. KEEP REVIEWING PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Angelina)

It was late before they finished with the meeting. I waited patiently, trying not to panic, to keep my cool. The children played on the floor of the bedroom, making up games and telling silly stories. I listened to them for a while, Ivy told a very humorous tale about Pinching Parberries that made me laugh in spite of myself. Eventually Lily crawled up into my lap and fell asleep. I found myself petting her long dark hair and enjoying the love of having a child dream in your lap. The others continued playing their games though occasionally a statement was punctuated with a yawn and a sleepy rub of the eyes. I laughed as Mia did her best to stay awake but kept leaning against her brother and drifting off.

My mind wandered to Fred and the dread I had been feeling before was lessened. I still worried about his reaction, but knew somehow that in the end my baby would be loved. It would have wonderful cousins and aunts and uncles to take care of it. I kissed the top of Lily's head and smiled a bit.

We were all hungry, I hoped they would end soon before the children had to go to bed. Just as I was about to announce bed time the door opened and Ron entered looking haggard and worn.

"Hey guys." He said and bent down to be welcomed by his children.

Lily stirred in my lap and looked around sleepily.

"Where's Mum?" She asked quietly.

"She's downstairs getting dinner ready with the others. Come on guys lets go eat so you can go to bed. We're all staying here tonight." He announced and lifted Mia into his arms.

I followed slowly, herding the children in front of me. The dining room table was set for dinner and I helped put the children into their chairs. Eventually the adults came to join us. Harry sat next to Ron far down the table from where his wife and child were seated. I found that strange but didn't say anything. Neville came in and grinned as his daughters begged him to come and see them, neither wanting to get up from their chairs. He kissed them both on the cheeks and whispered in their ears making them giggle.

Fred and George were in deep discussion when they entered. Fred kissed me between sentences and only ceased talking when the food was brought in. The meal was sparse, but good and everyone ate their fill. A strange tension had settled over us. The only ones oblivious to it seemed to be Lupin and Tonks who were having a great time shooting food across the table at Meshach and Mab. It was nice to see the older man smile. He deserved a little happiness after so much tragedy.
Talk was minimal except for the hushed conversation between Fred and George. They took no notice of my eavesdropping, though I heard nothing that interested me. They seemed to be conferring about the shop and what they needed to order though I knew somehow that it was a code. Whatever they were talking about it had nothing to do with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

When everyone was finished I helped put the children to bed. Ron was carrying a very tired Mia and I held Ivy. Neville led the others up the stairs and to a bed room with a very large bed. Meshach said something about having to share the bed with girls again and Ron laughed.

"You won't complain so much when you're older."

Meshach made a face and curled into a ball beneath the covers. Once everyone was situated I waited outside the dinning room to speak with Fred. He came out still speaking to his twin only now they seemed in agreement and the conversation was much lighter.

"Hey Angie." He said smiling and taking my hand.

"You ready for bed?" I asked yawning.

"I'm going to bed, we'll talk more in the morning." George excused himself and climbed the stairs.

"I thought you wanted to talk to me?" He said and I felt my heart jump.

"Yeah, come on, lets go upstairs." I said and pulled him up two flights of stairs to an empty bedroom.

I closed the door behind me and sat nervously on the creaky old bed. He sat next to me and wrapped an arm about my shoulders.

"Whatever it is, we'll deal with it. I promise." He whispered pressing his cheek to mine.

"I went to the healer today." I began.

"I know. Dad wouldn't tell me anything. Said I needed to hear it from you. Just tell me what's wrong. What illness do you have?"

I laughed, "I'm not sick."

"Then what's wrong?" He repeated sounding exasperated.

"I'm pregnant."

There was a long pause and his arm slowly fell off my shoulder. I felt my lungs freeze and my heart speed up. His hazel eyes gave nothing away, shock lined his face.

"What?" He asked in a whisper.

"I'm pregnant." I said again swallowing hard.

"You're having a baby?"

Strangely enough I was annoyed by his answer.

"Yes."

He caught my flat tone and turned to look my in the eyes. A grin slowly spreading across his face. With a shout of exultation he threw his arms around me and squeezed as hard as he could. The first shout was followed by a loud whooping noise that seemed to shake the ancient walls. Had I been able to breathe in his grasp I might have laughed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry." He said letting me go and seeming suddenly to be afraid of touching me.

"For what?" I asked confused but happy I could breathe.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. I'm fine." I said.

His grinning face was all I could see. For so many hours I had waited, fearing his reaction only to find that he was overjoyed.

"What's wrong? I didn't mean to squeeze that hard." He said as I began to cry.

"No, no, I'm fine, I just thought you might be upset." I explained wiping my eyes determined not to make a spectacle of myself.

"Why would I be upset, this is the most fantastic news I've ever had!" He cried and jumped up to pull me into his arms.

"I just thought that since I mean, we talked about it and decided kids were not something we wanted until we were both ready, I wasn't sure if you were ready." I babbled.

"This is the best day of my life. I'm going to be a daddy." He crowed and began to dance a silly dance while dragging me with him.

I laughed and joined him in the romp. We twirled and dipped and jumped until both of us were completely worn out.

"I've got to go and wake everyone up and tell them." He said hurrying for the door.

I stopped him.

"Not now. Wait until tomorrow."

"But I've got to tell George at least."

"No. Lets just have it between us tonight." I said forgetting that three other people already knew.

He smiled at me and nodded. Silently, but grinning we both got ready for bed and covered up. He held me close to him, pressing his mouth next to my ear.

"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're the best thing that ever happened to me." He whispered.

"You don't mean that."

"More than I've ever meant anything in my life. I'm in love with you." He said and I felt his hand stray to my stomach.

I sighed and covered his hand with my own.

"This baby will be loved. We will raise it to be good and kind and loving. It's ours Angie. Ours. We made it together. It's amazing." He murmured.

I didn't answer, merely turned and kissed him. When I pulled back he was smiling still, hazel eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Goodnight Angie." He said.

"Goodnight Fred." I replied snuggling against him.

His hand reached out again and rested on my abdomen.

"Goodnight baby." Was the last thing I heard before drifting off to sleep.

(Ginny)

Hermione was worrying again. I could feel her gaze on me as I helped her clean up after dinner. There was no need to look, her frown seemed to fill the room as I cleansed the dishes and placed them on their shelves. Several times she opened her mouth to say something, to ask what was wrong, but then closed it. Finally as I sat tiredly in one of the chairs she began to speak.

"Are you okay?"

I smiled weakly at her.

"I'll be fine."

"Is something wrong with Harry?" I glanced at her face and looked quickly away.

"I don't really want to talk about it." I replied.

"I understand, but if you need to talk, you know I'll listen." She offered patting my shoulder.

I sighed and finally met her gaze.

"If worse comes to worse could you take care of Lily for a while?" I asked hoping it wouldn't come to that, hoping we could do this silently with as little pain as possible.

"Sure." She said quickly.

I nodded and looked at my hands. The choice I had made was difficult. I loved my husband. I loved having him with me, talking to him and just being near him, but it seemed ages since we had done any of that. Until last night I could not remember a time when he wanted me enough to silence me with kisses, enough to admit his need for me.

"Are you certain you don't want to talk about it?" She asked seeming to hover between leaving me be and forcing the information from me.

"Maybe later, when I'm sure what's happening."

She nodded and glanced at the doorway. I looked and saw my brother standing there smiling. His eyes were tired and his posture was slouching.

"Get some sleep, it'll help. Goodnight." She said quietly and hurried off with Ron.

I sat alone in the dinning room for what seemed an age. My eyes alternately brimming with tears or burning with anger. Part of me wanted to find Harry and take him back, would welcome the stiff silence and the forced conversation of the past years, but more of me wanted him to love me. So I stayed where I was, staring at the wooden table top, seeing funny faces and designs in the grain.

"Ginny? I didn't know you were still awake." Someone said.

I looked up and smiled at Neville.

"Yeah." I mumbled looking back at my hands.

"Are you feeling all right?" He asked drawing closer.

"Not really." I whispered wondering why I was more willing to speak with him than with Hermione.

"What's wrong?" He sat in the chair next to me a worried expression on his face.

"It's complicated." I stated.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But if I can help, let me know how."

My eyes found his steady hazel gaze and I knew he was sincere. I'd never known Neville to be anything but honest and genuinely good natured.

"It's just some problems between Harry and I, nothing to fuss over."

"Would you like me to talk to him?" He offered, I knew from the sound of his voice that he didn't really like the idea.

"No, we'll work it out, one way or another." I assured him.

"Good. I'd hate to see something come between you two."

The tone in his voice had changed and I found myself frowning at him. He meant every word, he always meant every word, but somehow I knew he didn't want to mean them.

"No, nothing like that." I lied.

I watched as he absently rubbed his fingers over the gold band he still wore. A bit of me ached for him, fate had played a cruel trick on this man. Taking away what he loved the most and leaving him with two constant reminders that looked so much like their mother.

"I'm sorry he spoke to you that way tonight." I said suddenly.

"No harm done. He was just upset is all. I guess I should be as well, my house was broken into and my shop was nearly destroyed."

"He shouldn't have yelled at you. You had a good point." I replied unable to let the subject rest.

"Harry is my brother, he's under a lot of stress, I have no right to question his actions." Suddenly Neville sounded so like Ron I almost kicked him.

"Just because Harry is stressed is no reason for him to lash out at the people he loves. You didn't deserve to be talked down to. He owes you an apology." I stated, slightly upset by Neville's complacency.

"The only person Harry owes an apology is you." He whispered averting his eyes.

My response was interrupted by the sound of someone running down the stairs. My daughter entered the room nervously.

"Did you need something, Sweetheart?" I asked as she stood by me shivering a little.

"I couldn't sleep. I hate this house." She said.

"Come on up here, you can sleep with Mummy tonight." I cooed straightening the large tee shirt of her father's that she was wearing as a nightgown.

"I'd better go to bed as well, have to get up early and see what can be salvaged." Neville said as he stood.

I nodded in agreement and followed his lead, Lily held tightly in my arms. As I slowly made my way up the stairs she laid her head on my shoulder and I pressed a kiss against her hair. The night had taken on a strange atmosphere and I couldn't place what was causing it. Neville's footsteps echoed my own but stopped at the fist landing.

"I'm going to check on the girls before I go to bed, if you ever want to talk again…" He left the sentence unfinished.

I smiled at him and continued on my way to the empty bedrooms. As I topped the last stair I found my husband waiting for me. Had I not been so troubled his appearance would have made me smile. His hair was messier than usual, as though he had been gripping it in his hands, his clothing was rumpled and those brilliant green eyes were darkened by shadow.

"Ginny." He said in greeting.

"Harry." I replied wishing he would move so I could put Lily to bed, she was growing heavy in my arms where she slept.

"I…needed…wanted…" He stammered stepping closer.

"Can we talk about this later?" I begged feeling my daughter slip.

"No. I needed to see you." He tried again.

Without thinking I thrust our sleeping child into his arms and heaved a sigh of relief as I flexed the aching muscles in my own limbs.

"What?" He asked awkwardly holding her.

"She's getting big, I was going to drop her, come on." I said motioning him into a room.

"Where?" He asked.

"On the bed." I said rolling my eyes.

He gently lay her on the bed and stopped me as I went to tuck her in. Pressing my lips together nervously I watched him pull the blankets up around her, his movements stiff and unsure. Then frowning he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"You know, she looks like me." He whispered touching her hair.

"Sleeps as heavily as you, too."

"I wanted to talk to you…"

I motioned him out into the hall and shut the door behind me. Turning I found him gripping a handful of hair and pulling it hard.

"Stop that, you'll give yourself a headache." I commanded automatically.

"To late," He mumbled, then went right into the issue at hand, "Ginny, I'm sorry."

I sighed, "Harry, I can't live like this anymore."

"Like what?"

"Everything you do with me is forced. It's almost as if being near me hurts you. As if I hurt you."

"It's not that. It's just that I can't seem to…do…be…" He ended in a growl of frustration.

"Last night was the first time in years you have shown the slightest bit of interest in me. And I'm not just talking about sex either," He blushed when I said that and looked away, "You don't want to talk to me, or be near me or even sleep next to me, I've seen you scoot to the farthest corner of the bed. Those things hurt me and I can't live like that anymore."

He paused for a long time, eyes boring through me as if trying to read my soul. I stood very still and waited.

"I love you." He whispered and stepped towards me.

"I love you too, but I hate the way you make me feel." I said moving out of his reach.

His shoulders hunched and he covered his face with his hands in defeat, this was no joyous victory though, I could feel the tears coming on. I wanted to hold him and comfort him, but knew that in the morning he would again be distant and harsh.

"I've taken my things from the house. I'll figure something out." He muttered.

"I do love you." I repeated feeling that he needed to know that.

"Is this going to be permanent?" He asked suddenly with a strange fear in his eyes.

"I don't know. I've just got to work things out. I've got to think for a while and I think you need to do the same. Figure out why you can't touch me anymore. Then we'll talk."

A glimmer of hope came to his face, but faded as his eyes reached my face. I knew suddenly what he was looking at. My fingers reached up and grazed the edge of my scar. The years had faded it to a pale pink and eased the tight edges but it still stretched from my temple to my chin, marring my flesh. I said nothing but felt an old pain grow.

I worried over the scar for so long, worried that he wouldn't want me anymore, that he would find me ugly. He promised that he thought I was beautiful, that he didn't care, but now I knew the truth.

Turning on my heel I entered the bedroom and locked the door behind me, seeing his green eyes grow hazy as it shut.

"Where did Daddy go?" Lily asked as I slipped beneath the covers beside her.

She scooted to me and snuggled into my side.

"He's sleeping downstairs." I told her feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Why?" She inquired, her voice sleepy

I hugged her close and kissed her cheek, choosing not to answer the question, simply letting her drift off to sleep.

(Meshach)

The dream had changed, or perhaps it wasn't a dream, but something completely different. There were no fangs of silver and white, no cold green flames to chill my back as I ran, only a field that seemed to stretch on forever. I longed to wake up, to leave this cold pasture and be back with my family, instead I seemed to float over the ground towards an unknown destination.

Sounds reached me and I scanned the horizon for the source, voices, familiar voices. Suddenly I saw who was speaking, my father, Uncle Harry and Uncle Neville stood huddled together whispering.

"It seems kind of excessive to be doing this Harry." Uncle Neville said clutching his cloak tighter about his shoulders.

"I will not wait for this to happen again, I will not sit idly by while he regains his strength." Uncle Harry stated vehemently.

The other two nodded in understanding and waited patiently as the cold wind whipped around them, I shivered as well, though not from cold. Another sound caught my attention, a bone chilling rasp of breath, I knew what it was, knew before I saw it.

A dark cloaked figure appeared on the edge of my vision. It's movements were fluid, yet halted at times, it limped.

"You think to kill me." It said and my blood froze in my veins.

The group of men said nothing, merely held their wands at ready and waited.

"You think to slay me here, leave my body to rot beneath the cold moon."

"That was the plan." Uncle Harry said clearly, every muscle tensing.

The cloaked figure made an odd noise, a hissing sort of cough, and I realized it was laughing. Slowly it raised it's wand as well and stood very still. The three others patiently watched him, growing apprehensive.

"Expelliarmus." My father cried.

"Protego." The thing said and the spell did nothing.

"You think to defeat me with such childish things?" It asked stepping closer.

"Stupify." All three of them shouted and blasts of light hurtled away from their wands.

He managed to block two of them, but one caught him in the chest and he stumbled backwards landing awkwardly on his bad leg.

"Diffendo." The creature yelled and Uncle Neville flew backwards several yards.

"Check him." Harry shouted and my father hurried to his friends side.

A flurry of spell casting began as my uncle and the creature circled each other. One would cast a spell and the other would block it, one would take a step and the other mirrored him. I pleaded with my body to wake up, to end this.

"Crucio." The creature said very clearly.

My uncle tried to move, but wasn't fast enough, his body fell twitching to the ground, animal wails echoing into the night. Long moments seemed to pass, the torture would never end, then the creature fell to the side as my father lunged at him. They fell to the ground in a tangle of robes and screams of anger. I saw a flash of claws and my father jerked back bleeding from a gash on his chest. I called out to him, but he didn't hear me.

"Expelliarmus." Neville called standing for a moment, his arm over his stomach drenched in blood.

The wand of the creature flew a few feet away and lay hidden in the grass. Harry seemed to recover and got to his feet pointing his wand at the struggling bodies of my father and the monster. His body twitched a little as his steps led him closer.

"Ron, move." He said in a strange low voice.

My father scrambled backwards giving Harry room. The hood had fallen away revealing an atrocity of almost human features. Again I shook myself trying to wake up. I didn't want to see it move, or hear it talk anymore, I wanted to go home. Instead I watched it blink it's reptilian eyes and heard it's hissing laugh again.

"Have you learned how to kill yet, little one? Have you learned how to hate enough to take a life?" Black blood was dripping down it's face.

"Harry." A voice whispered and my uncle turned for a moment.

Neville fell to his knees gripping both arms over his abdomen, crimson blood staining his cloak red, spilling to the ground, shining silver in the moonlight.

"Kill me then, Potter. Fulfill the prophesy." The hissing continued.

Harry continued to stare at the horror and began to mutter words beneath his breath. A stream of light flowed from his wand and wrapped itself around his enemy, binding it.

"You could not face me at my full strength. I would have killed you, as I should have long ago."

Meanwhile my father had come to Neville's aid. Kneeling next to him, whispering to him, pressing his own cloak against the wound.

"You have to hold it together, just a moment more, you know the plan." He was saying.

A vague calmness settled over my uncle's features, as if he saw something no one else could. His grip in the cloak loosened and fresh blood seeped out.

"I don't think I can." His voice seemed far away.

"You have to, we can't do this without you." My father was shaking now, glancing over his shoulder at the two locked in a strange mortal trap.

"I can't…" He said again leaning heavily on his friend.

"Get up! You don't have a choice!"

"Just let me…"

"NO! Get up!" My father shouted forcing my Uncle to sit up again.

A gasp of pain escaped the other man's mouth and he clenched his hands into fists, gripping his wand until I thought it would break.

"Ron…stop. I need…rest." He begged.

"You can rest soon, just hold on a little longer. For me. Hold on for me. For your girls, they need you."

"Luna…" He muttered gaining strength.

"Yes, hold on for her, she'd want you to finish this."

With great effort they worked him to his feet and stumbled to Harry's side. The creature had begun to struggle, lashing out with claws and strange fangs. Hissing names and curses that had no meaning without his wand.

The men looked at each other and raised their wands.

I tensed at the sight and hugged my arms around me.

The killing curse echoed long into the darkness, the cloak seemed to fall away into nothing. I saw a strange wisp of smoke rise into the air. I cried out to them that something had gone wrong, something was not right. They didn't hear me, instead my Uncle Neville toppled to the ground unconscious and they dropped to his side.

I began to float back the way I had come, though I tried to stop, they needed to know. Instead I woke shivering in bed. My body was covered in a cold sweat, slowly I sat up, shaking with adrenaline.

"You cried out." Ivy whispered next to me.

I looked over at her and tried to smile, her blue eyes were large with fear.

"Nightmare." I said very quietly.

She nodded knowingly and continued to watch me closely.

"What was it about?" She asked finally.

I sighed. Had it been Mab asking I would have told her, instead I shook my head and laid back down. There was no need to worry any of the others. If I were going insane it was best if no one else knew.

"Seriously Meshach, what was it about?" She insisted laying down as well, one eye barely visible over the mountain of pillow.

"I don't want to tell you."

"I want to know."

I growled and wished I could just roll over and go to sleep.

"Please." She begged.

"It was about…when our fathers fought Voldemort." I said softly.

"I dream about that too." She said and I looked at her, honesty shining in her ice colored eyes.

"This was different. I've never dreamed like this before, well, not for so long." I admitted.

"Can you go back to sleep?" She asked scooting closer.

I shrugged.

"Try." She murmured and I obeyed, closing my eyes.

A strange melody came over me and I found sleep to be very close. As it continued I drifted off happily dreaming of adventures I had never had.