Chapter 2: A Night With Claudia

Five years later.

Harry knocked on the Ron and Hermione Weasley's door. He waited outside the doorstep of Ron and Hermione's house for someone to answer the door, while he kicked around the brown autumn leaves that covered the welcome mat. It was a cool Friday evening. Harry was usually there on the weekends while Ron and Hermione went out to look after Claudia. He never minded being in on the weekends. He loved spending time with his godchild. Harry thought of her as his own daughter. Ron opened the door to greet Harry. "Hello mate! You know you don't have to knock. You can just come in, you know," he said.

"I know, but I like to be polite," replied Harry.

"Well, come in! We should have time to have ourselves some butterbeer and chat. Hermione's trying to straighten her hair tonight!"

"We should be here for awhile then!" Ron went over to the refrigerator and pulled out two butterbeers and set them on the table. Harry went straight for the playpen and picked up little Claudia, who was barely a year old. She had sparkling blue eyes like her father and curly brown hair like her mother. Harry loved teasing Ron that Claudia finally escaped the Weasley Red Hair curse. "Where's my girl!" said Harry, looking straight at Claudia. She giggled with happiness as she looked at her godfather. Harry went over and picked her up from her playpen. "How's my favorite godchild?" He let her squeeze his index finger. "Can you say 'Uncle Harry'?" Claudia giggled and made her best effort to say, "Unca Haar." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and set her back down in the playpen. He went over to the kitchen table to join his best friend. He sat down and took a swig of butterbeer. "So where to tonight?" Harry asked.

"We're going to this new resturant in London. It's a muggle place. Hermione's been dying to go there ever since it opened."

"Sounds nice. What time do you think you guys will be back?"

"Oh, I don't know. We might apparate to the Three Broomsticks and visit with Fred and George for awhile. I'd say we'll be back around 1am."

"Sounds like it'll be a fun time tonight. You aren't going to be stumbling back like last time are you?" Harry and Ron laughed.

"Well, I might be stumbling, but Hermione probably won't be drinking tonight. So, when are you finally going to be busy on a Friday night, Potter? You haven't been out in ages!"

"I have no desire to be with any other girl than the one right over there in the living room."

"Harry, it's been five years. You should at least come out with us sometime. Maybe do a few rounds of firewhiskey. What do you say?"

"Maybe. I'll think about it. I'm quite content just hanging out here with Claudia, though."

"Oh, don't keep using her as an excuse not to go out and meet new women. Why would you let someone like Kaylie stop you from meeting the woman of your dreams?"

"She was the woman of my dreams. And then she made it very clear that I couldn't trust any woman, especially the one I loved the most. So sue me if I gave up."

"Kaylie Williams was nothing more than a slut. You remember her reputation before you started dating her. She had already slept with most of the Ravenclaw guys."

"Correction---Kaylie Malfoy."

"You're kidding! They actually got married?" Harry nodded his head.

"It was in the Daily Prophet last week."

"Well see? If she could marry a Malfoy, then she obviously wasn't the right girl for you. There's much better women out there." Harry took a huge gulp of his butterbeer. "I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than take a chance at getting hurt for a second time. It's not worth it," Harry muttered.

"You don't mean that. Don't you want to have a family?"

"You guys are my family. I don't need anything more than that."

"You are a stubborn son-of-a-bitch, you know that?" Harry laughed at Ron's comment. They both thought it best to change the subject at that point. Ron could see that Harry was obviously getting uncomfortable remembering what Kaylie did to him. And especially since he had just heard the news about her marrying Draco, he didn't need to relive that nightmare again. Harry and Ron got into a deep discussion about who was the best Quidditch player. Harry kept insisting that Oliver Wood was a much better keeper than the new keeper for the Cannons. Ron still shook his head and said, "No way, Chudley is easily the best team out there. There's no way Puddlemere's team can catch up to them! And I would know---I do work in the Wizard Games department!" said Ron.

"Puddlemere's only down by 10 points, Ron, I think they can manage! They're in second place!" argued Harry. Hermione finally came downstairs, her hair straightend. She was wearing an off-white blouse and a black, knee-length skirt. "How do I look, sweetie?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Like I under-dressed. I'll be right back..." said Ron, rolling his eyes. He set his empty butterbeer bottle on the counter by the sink and headed up the stairs to change out of his jeans. "So Harry," Hermione began. "How have you been this week?"

"Not bad. Things are going good at work. Me and the boys caught a couple of guys that were trying to sell jinxed items to muggles in their store. We made them fix all of their items or else they would lose their business. Then at a bar last night, there was this guy, probably in his 50's using the Imperius Curse on a lady so he could get 'lucky'. He's serving some time in Azkaban now."

"Must be fun working in wizard Law Enforcement."

"Oh, I'm having the time of my life. How about you? How's your department doing on that new charm?"

"Well, we're progressing. We've been working on the Speed-Reading Charm for a few months now."

"I could have used a charm like that back when we were in school!"

"You're telling me!" Ron came down the stairs, wearing a green sweater and black slacks. "Ready to go, honey?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Just let me give Claudia a fresh bottle." She went into the fridge grabbing a bottle, she pointed her wand and muttered "Incendio!" said Hermione, putting the bottle over the flame. When she could feel it was luke-warm, she let out the fire and gave it to Claudia. "Remember Harry--She goes to bed at 8:30. Don't let her stay up too late playing with her toys. I know you like to spoil her. There's some pizza in the fridge if you get hungry, and help yourself to anything," said Hermione, walking out the door, her hand in Ron's. "Don't worry Hermione, me and Claudia will be fine. Go have a good time!" Harry said.

"See you later, Harry," said Ron.

"Tell Fred and George I said hello," said Harry.

"Will do!" called Ron, shutting the door behind him. Harry picked up Claudia, who was sucking away at her bottle. "Hey sweetie! Just you and me tonight. You're the only lady I need in my life. I'd never have to worry about you hurting me, because I already know you love me. You have to love your godfather, that's just a rule. People thought my godfather was a murderer of six people, but I still loved him. You'd never make me think you loved me and then go run off and make a Malfoy your godfather. We don't need any girls like that, now do we? Nope. All I need is you." He tickled her belly and she giggled, throwing down her bottle. "Yeah, that's right! You!" He bent over to pick up her bottle. Harry then smelled something foul. He handed Claudia the bottle and raised her in the air giving a big sniff. "Oh yeah sure! Mum and Dad walks out the door and you have to take an enormous dump, now do you? I'll thank Hermione later..." he said sarcastically. "Well, up we go to change that dirty little diaper of yours!"

Harry ate some pizza and watched the tele with Claudia on the couch next to him playing with one of her toys. It was way past her bedtime, but Harry loved spoiling her. She happily played with her doll as Harry watched his movie. He was so glad they had quite a bit of muggle items. Hermione and Harry were both brought up as muggles, so that was what they were most used to. Ron had an interesting time trying to get used to some of the muggle artifacts, but he was learning--slowly but surely. As much as Harry loved being a wizard, he was happy to watch some muggle television. He looked at the time; 10 o'clock. "Oh dear, you're mother is going to kill me. He took the toy away from Claudia and placed it in the playpen. She began to cry hysterically. Clearly, she was very cranky, because she should have been in bed two hours ago. Harry picked up the crying baby and brought her upstairs to her crib. He kissed her forehead, gently layed her down and handed Claudia her favorite teddy bear. She was still crying, but not as loudly as before. "Shh, shh," said Harry, attempting to soothe her. He walked over to the bookcase in Claudia's room and grabbed a book. "Okay sweetie, I'll read you a bedtime story." The sound of his voice telling the story calmed Claudia down instantly, and by the end of the story, she had fallen asleep. Harry turned on her baby monitor and went back downstairs to finish watching his movie. He made sure the baby monitor was loud enough downstairs so he could hear if Claudia was crying for anything. Taking a swig out of his butterbeer bottle, Harry stretched out on the couch and continued to watch his movie. It wasn't long before his eyes began to get very heavy, and he dozed off.

It was around 1am when Ron and Hermione had gotten back, as Ron had told Harry before. He woke up to the sound of Ron stumbling through the door. Clearly he done some shots of firewhisky with the twins down at the bar. Hermione was holding him up, and she did not look very happy. "Two weekends in a row! Ronald, I can't stand this!" cried Hermione in frustration. "Hey guys," Harry said groggily. "How was your night?" Ron burst out laughing. "We had a great time!" slurred a very drunk Ron.

"Well, it was fun until this one here burped the alphabet with his brothers!" Hermione said with a very angry tone in her voice. Ron began to laugh harder at the mention of the burping he and his brothers did at the bar. Harry just shook his head trying not to laugh. He found Ron to be hilarious when he was drunk, but Hermione would only get madder if Harry laughed too. "Claudia's fast asleep upstairs. Everything was fine tonight," said Harry.

"Alright, well we'll see you tomorrow. Be here around 5:30, okay?"

"Sure thing. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Goodnight!" Harry apparated into his lonely one-bedroom appartment. He was exausted, so he put on his pajamas and brushed his teeth quickly, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.