Disclaimer: I own nothing, see the prologue.

Chapter Nine

When James woke the next morning he realized he was back in his room at Gryffindor's home. He looked over at Harry to see that he was already awake. Harry motioned to the chairs. The sight that James saw made him laugh out loud. The girls were asleep in the chairs, each with a book open.

"It's kind of a shame to wake them."

Harry grinned at his father and called out, "Mum." When nothing happened he tried again, "Mum." Lily started to wake. "Mum," Harry tried again, a little bit louder.

"Harry?"

Harry decided to try something he had heard Dudley use on his aunt when they were in primary school. Lily had gotten up and was headed towards him.

"Mum, I don't feel well." Lily rushed to his side.

"What's wrong?"

Giving her his best puppy dog eyes, which he had been practicing with Ginny, he looked into her matching green eyes and said, "I don't feel good, do I have to go to school today?"

Everyone laughed and Lily threw a small pillow at him. He groaned in pain when it hit his shoulder.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I earned it."

Lily and Ginny checked them over and told them to dress and come to breakfast. Lily also conjured a pair of crutches for Harry to use. Even though his bones were mended she figured that he should keep his weight off his leg for a day or two. They then went to their own room to wash up.

When they finally arrived at breakfast they found Godric, Hannah, Helga and Salazar sitting at the table laughing. "There you are. How are you lads feeling this morning?" Salazar asked.

"Still a bit sore, but alright." James responded.

"Come have some breakfast," Hannah offered.

After they sat and started eating Godric spoke. "The men who were injured yesterday are all doing well. You did an admirable job of tending to everyone's injuries. In fact, most of the men called you angels." Ginny and Lily flushed at the complement. "Construction is stopped until all of the men are fully healed."

"You two lads are to take it easy until I say you're recovered. I want you to rest as much as you can." The two boys nodded and ate their breakfast.

Immediately after breakfast the teens returned to the boys' room, where they napped, and the girls continued their research. Occasionally, one or both boys would wake and do some reading, and then go back to sleep. All the while the girls kept a close eye on them. The day passed slowly in this pattern.

After dinner, Hannah promised to watch over the boys and sent Ginny and Lily outside to enjoy what was left of the day.

"I think we're going to have to tell Gryffindor the truth," Lily stated.

"We're making good progress, despite everything."

"We are, but how long do you want to continue this?"

"Part of me wants to stay here forever. I think part of Harry does too. But I also miss my family."

"Ginny, we can't stay. If we do then Harry won't be born when he's supposed to."

"I know."

They were both silent for several minutes. When they reached a point where they had walked far enough, they turned and headed back for the house.

"We can't let them go back to work. We can't risk them being injured again," Ginny said.

"I agree. As soon as Gryffindor says construction will start again I think we should confess."

"It's a risk if we don't have a way home by then."

"I know, but what choice do we have?"

"I don't know."

They walked on.

"So, tell me, Ginny, who is this Hermione person you two are always talking about."

"She is one of Harry's best friends, and she's like a big sister to me."

"One of? Who is the other?"

"My brother Ron. Ron and Hermione are dating."

"Sounds confusing."

"It's not really. Ron and Harry met on the train their first year of school. They have been almost inseparable since."

"Almost?"

"Boys fight about stupid stuff and move on. They met Hermione that train ride as well, but it took a couple months for them to become friends with her. Then it took Ron another few years to realize that she was a girl."

Lily couldn't help but laugh. They returned to the boy's room to find them asleep. That night the girls slept in their own room.

The next two days were spent in the study again. They boys assisted when they were awake. However, at the first yawn, they were hussled back to bed by their girlfriends. The following day brought some positive changes.

Before breakfast, Ginny and Lily barged in on Harry and James to check their healing. Ginny had James remove his shirt and checked him using the charms that Hannah had taught them to make sure his ribs were properly healed. The bruising on his chest had started to turn a horrible yellow color, but this encouraged her.

"You seem to have healed quite nicely."

"Thanks in no small part to my wonderful healer." Ginny blushed. "Will you study to be a healer as well?"

"No. Although with all the time I've helped my mum patch up my brothers, I think they expect it of me."

"Lily said you are good with potions."

Ginny just smiled. "Go get dressed so we can get to breakfast."

Lily also had Harry remove his shirt. The wound on his shoulder had healed nicely, and he wouldn't have a scar. Lily took away his crutches and had him walk about the room. He was steady on his feet, and she decided that he didn't need the crutches anymore.

"Well, son, you look fine."

Harry grinned when she called him son and catalogued the details of this moment to go with the other times.

"Thanks mum." He kissed her cheek, and Lily blushed.

"Alright now, let's go to breakfast."

"Looks like you've made a full recovery. Of course it helps that you've had your own set of healers," Hannah commented. "Today, however, you lasses will come with me to tend to the others that were injured."

They all sat and started eating breakfast. Quiet conversation filled the room. Ginny took Harry's hand at one point when she noticed Gryffindor and Slytherin chatting and laughing much the way her brothers did. She wondered for what seemed like the thousandth time, what could have driven these two friends apart. Harry watched them as well and filed the memory away to think about later.

As breakfast came to an end, Salazar asked, "Godric and I are going to inspect the building, why don't you lads come with us?"

"I don't think Harry is up to walking that far," Lily responded immediately.

"I feel fine."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"He'll be fine. If he gets tired we'll conjure another set of crutches and bring him back right away." James said.

Tension filled the room as James and Lily took sides. Harry didn't have the slightest idea how to defuse it, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to either. He like his parents arguing over his well-being, but it was getting to be a bit much. They all jumped when Ginny started laughing.

"You know Lily, for being Harry's brother's fiancée you sound an awful lot like his mum."

Harry, James and the adults all laughed at the simple observation.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I guess I went a little overboard, but I didn't spend all that time healing you for you to go out and re-injure yourself the first day without crutches."

"I'll be fine. I promise I will take it easy, mum."

Everyone laughed, and Lily blushed. With that settled they all went on their way. Hannah, Lily and Ginny went to the village and check on the other injured men. Some had healed as well as James and Harry. However, most were still recovering. They left additional potions and care instructions promising they would be back in a few days. All the villagers were extremely grateful for their care. Many families offered them some sort of pay, but they always refused. By the time they returned home, they were extremely relieved that all the men were healing nicely and should all make full recoveries.

By the time Harry and the others reached the castle, he was tired and his leg hurt. All of his companions offered crutches but he refused saying that he just needed to rest a bit. They all sat on the front steps and tried to recreate what happened.

After a bit they walked around the site and re-piled the stones. Gryffindor and Slytherin did some amazing magic that neither Harry nor James had ever seen before. They watched the stones fall and re-pile themselves in slow motion. At the end the stones were secured, and they agreed that was just an accident. Harry and James shared a stunned look.

It was almost dinnertime when everyone returned home.

"How long until everyone is healed and ready to go back to work?" Salazar asked.

"Probably a fortnight."

"That long?" Godric questioned.

"Some of the men were very seriously injured. Our lads were lucky the injuries that they sustained were not worse."

"We examined what happened today. We are lucky that our lads didn't die." Salazar said.

The four teens shared a look. They of course, had known how bad it could have been. But it was something else to hear it spoken out loud. They were called into dinner and conversation drifted to more peaceful topics.

Harry was back at the building site, the day of the accident. He heard the thunderous crash as the rock shifted. His cries for the men to raise shield charms were drowned out by the crash of the rocks and the screams of the workers, as they were crushed beneath tons of stone.

He watched as the stones were lifted revealing he and James laying still. Ginny ran to James while Lily ran to him. Both girls used a charm to wake them, only James didn't wake. Ginny tried it again and again, and then she tried a different charm. Nothing. She laid her hand on James neck. She then did something Harry wasn't prepared for. She stared screaming and beating on James' chest. Suddenly she was crying uncontrollably. Lily rushed to her side and began to cry. They just held on to each other as they sobbed.

"Ginny." Harry heard himself call out. He wanted to go to her, but he couldn't move because of his broken leg.

"Ginny!" He called out, more desperate this time. She and Lily turned and rushed back to his side.

"Ginny," he gasped.

"I'm here Harry. I'm here."

"Something's wrong."

They all saw it, Harry was fading. It was like he was being erased. Ginny tired to take his hand, but her hand went right through his.

"Don't you dare leave me Harry Potter!" Ginny cried.

Harry tried to wipe her tears, but he was translucent, like a ghost, and he couldn't touch her.

"I love you Ginny. I love you mum."

"Harry, don't go! Harry!"

Harry saw himself vanish. He didn't exist because his father died before he had ever been born. Now Ginny and his mum were stuck in the past forever.

Ginny continued to scream for him, "Harry! Harry!"

"Harry. Harry."

Harry sat up gasping for breath realizing that he was crying. He wiped at his eyes and tried to calm himself.

"Harry, you alright?"

"Nightmare."

"I guessed that. What happened?" He told James the details of his dream. "That explains why you were crying out for Ginny."

Harry decided he wanted to check on Ginny and take a walk. He wouldn't be able to get back to sleep any time soon. "I'll be back. Go back to sleep."

"I don't think you should be alone right now."

"I'll be fine."

"Harry!" James laughed. "What is your middle name? I can't scold you properly if I don't know your full name."

"James."

"What?"

"No, that's my middle name. Harry James."

"Oh." Both boys laughed.

"Well, Harry James, I don't think you should be alone right now."

"I'm used to being able to think after nightmares. I won't be gone too long."

Harry left the room. When the door closed James asked the empty space, "How many nightmares do you have, if you're used to them?" He lit the candles and waited for his son to return.

Harry made his way to the girls' room and quietly snuck in, but was surprised to see an occupant was missing. He crawled into bed with Ginny and cuddled with her. Having her in his arms made him feel better. He gently kissed her face ending with her lips. Just savoring the moment, he was surprised when she kissed him back.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"I love you Ginny." He kissed her again. It had been his intention to keep it soft and gentle but he got ahead of himself. Only when he realized that Ginny was on her back and he was in a position to have things get carried away did he stop himself.

"Gin, I'm so. . ."

She put her hand over his mouth. "Shush Harry." She pulled him back to her so that they could cuddle again. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. "What happened to cause you to come to my bed in the middle of the night?"

"Oh, Gin, I'm such a cad."

"Hardly. Did you have a nightmare?" He only nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I already told my dad. I just feel better when I'm with you."

"I think that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. I love you Harry."

"I love you too. Now go back to sleep before my mum catches me in here."

"Well, that's a switch."

"What is?"

"Usually we are worried about being caught by my mum."

The shared a quiet laugh, and then a quiet kiss or two. He held her as she started to drift back to sleep. On his way out he heard her whisper, "I love you." He smiled and gently closed the door.

A/N: My continued thanks to Cliodne for her awesome beta work and to all my readers.