Time changes everything.
I don't own anything that has been owned previously by J.K. Rowling, all of the characters used by me will be easy to you to read which ones are mine. And of course I don't make any profit of it.
Harry was sitting in a cozy armchair, watching the last photograph that was taken of him and the love of his life, his finger traced her face, wishing he could touch her, feel her, see how her honey colored eyes would melt him, her lips where so red and full, he could almost remember the way she used to kiss him, how she tasted like sweets and spice. He loved watching her hair flow as she walked, showing all those shades of auburn and gold, her presence illuminating everywhere she went. Harry knew every time she entered a room, his love for her hadn't diminished through the years, he still longed for her, as he did for the last six years.
"You're up early" Harry was thrown out of his own thoughts."Well you're not sleeping in either" Harry had turned to face Hermione and saw she was still in her night gown "Did Breck wake up already?"
"No Harry, he's still sleeping, but he'll be waking up really soon. Are you okay?" Hermione was starting to get concerned, it had been a long time since Harry had trouble sleeping.
"Yeah, I was just thinking" Hermione sat down on the chair opposite Harry; he was starting to get the same kind of look he got when he thought of the past. "It's been almost six years since we came here, since… well since we left England"
"I know, I wish that we could just…"
"Mum?"
Harry got up and picked up Breck "Hey mate, good morning!"
"Good morning da" Breck was still yawning but gave Harry a kiss, "Morning mum" he was watching Hermione still rubbing his eyes.
"Morning sweetie, did you sleep well?" Hermione was taking Breck from Harry's arms "Do you want to have some breakfast?" Breck was nodding, "Well we could have some flapjacks if you want?"
Breck's face lit up, "I love flapjacks mum!" and with that Hermione was making her way to the kitchen. Harry was right behind her and loving the way Breck's eyes lit up every time Hermione would do something out of the ordinary.
"I'll help you 'Mione, let me start the batter and you can start setting the table" Hermione sat Breck down on his chair and turned around helping Harry set the table. "So what do you want to do today? We could go to the zoo, or we could go to Central Park? I'm all yours today, just tell me what my little devil wants to do?" with this Breck started giggling and was starting to laugh at his dad. Harry gave a wave at his hand and started to make the flapjacks in different forms.
"Zoo, I want the Zoo!" Breck was starting to lift his arms.
"Ok, we can go to the zoo and afterwards we can have a picnic in Central Park, how's that sound 'Mione?" she was entranced at how Harry could make her son so happy, hoping she was having this type of life with someone else.
"Sorry Harry, what was that?" she stopped watching her son and continued to set the table.
"Do you want to go to the zoo and afterwards to Central Park? We could have a picnic over there and just relax in the afternoon?"
"Yes, I would love that, but don't you have to go into the Ministry today?""No I have the whole week off, I forgot to tell you yesterday, so I don't have to go to the Auror's office until next week, so it also means I can spend the week with you, probably we could go on vacation or something, planning of course you can take next week off?" Harry was starting to sit at the same time the food was starting to pile on the table, with another wave of his hand milk, pumpkin juice and water was on the table.
Hermione was starting to serve Breck and cutting up his breakfast, so he could start eating, she was pouring milk into his cup so he would drink his milk. "Sure just let me work something out tomorrow, and we could probably leave on Monday or Tuesday at the most, but Harry where do you want to go?"
"I would love to go back home, or at least something near over there, we could just pop and visit Remus and Tonks, and spend some time with them, take Breck to go and see his homeland?" Hermione was starting to get a little nervous with Harry's interest in going back to England, and Breck was starting to jump up and down, "Uncle Moony, I want to see uncle Moony, please dad?"
"Well it's up to your Mum, so whatever she says" Harry was watching Hermione intently, not wanting to make her feel like she was being pushed, but he knew it was too late to think that, she started to bite her lower lip, she always did that when she was trying to put everything in perspective.
"But Harry, we have to do something about Breck, we can't just barge in and expect not to run into anyone, we have to go prepared" Harry started to smile, this was working, he wanted so bad to go back, and probably catch a glimpse of everyone back home.
"I already thought of that, I can cast a charm over him, and make him look more like you, so he doesn't attract that much attention while we are there. Either way we are only going to go to London, and probably we can go to Ireland, how many people can we run into?" Harry was pleading to Hermione, she knew too well that face, she was still a little nervous about this whole thing, but she missed her home also, she also wanted to go back, even if it was for only a week.
"So this vacation, as you call it, is part of the reason you couldn't sleep? Probably you where thinking of going back home since before, right?" Hermione was watching Harry trying to see right through him.
"Yes, I admit it, ok, just think about it, before Breck came down, you were also talking about how you miss home, right? We all could use a brake."
"Please, just think about it" Harry was starting to clean after Breck, when he heard Hermione sigh, knowing her he knew she just gave in. Turning around she saw her smile he came around the table and picked her up swing her around the kitchen.
"Thank you, thank you so much" and with that Harry kissed Hermione's temple and swung her around, "You've made your husband so happy Mrs. Potter" and with than he put her down on the ground and kissed the top of her head.
"You're welcome Mr. Potter, but please, you have to make sure everything goes right, and floo Remus and tell him to prepare everything, I don't want anything going wrong, not after all this time".
Harry was jumping up and down and Breck was running after Harry trying to get him to lift him up. "C'mon Breck we have to go and floo your uncle Moony, and we have to tell him we're going home" and with that Harry went into the living room to talk to Moony.
"Grimmauld Place!" he shouted into the fireplace, Harry bent down so he could talk to them, "Remus? Tonks? Kids? Is anyone home?" suddenly someone came into the room and knelt down to talk to Harry.
"Harry? Harry! Is so good to see you, it's been a month since we talked to you, how are you?" and suddenly another head popped next to Harry, "Hi! Aunt Tonks! We're coming over!"
"What? Harry? Is it true, you're coming over? Now? REMUS! Come down now!" Harry was getting nervous by the way Tonks was reacting.
"What is it Tonks, why do you have to yell?" Tonks was raising her eyebrows, and tilted her head towards the fireplace. "Harry? Oh Harry is great to see you, and you Breck, how are you, is everything all right?"
"Well it seems that Harry here is planning in coming home… to England, what I don't know is whether your coming now?" turning to watch Harry.
"No Tonks, not now, but we are planning going over to England just for a week, probably getting there on Monday or Tuesday at the most. Is there a problem with this?" Remus and Tonks started fidgeting in their place.
"Um…. No, there's no problem, not at all"
"Remus what is it?" Harry's voice was between nervous and pleading.
"Well, let's talk when you get here. When are you planning on coming over?" drastically changing the subject, Harry noticed this and turned to Breck so he could go get Hermione.
"What's wrong Remus, it looks like you're not glad we are not going home, has something happened" at that moment Hermione's head popped into the fireplace.
"Hey Remus, Tonks, how are you?" she noticed Harry's face and turned to see the others. "Is something wrong? Are you alright?" and Hermione was watching as Remus and Tonks started to get nervous, more than they were a second ago.
"C'mon Remus you have to tell us, we're bound to find out right?" Hermione was talking to Remus trying for him to tell her.
"Well… the thing is… why don't we wait for you to come over here in a day or two and we can have a cup of tea, and talk… yes talk… about… about everything that is happening over here"
Harry turned his face and started to press his knuckles against the floor.
"Tonks if you don't tell us know, we will come over there now! Today! Do you understand?" and suddenly everything in Grimmauld Place started to shake as well as in Harry and Hermione's place.
"Harry calm down" and Hermione was grabbing Harry's arm.
"But…"
"Don't" Hermione turned to face Remus and Tonks. "Now tell us please, is there something wrong?"
"Ok, we'll tell you but you have to promise you won't get mad" Remus asked Harry.
"Yes I promise"
"Well, the thing is, there was a fire, it happened last night, and well… your parents where in the house at the moment… I'm sorry, Hermione, I really am" Hermione was starting to let her tears fall down freely and was crying.
"Are they…"
"No, they're not dead, only badly injured, they took them to St. Mungo's, they are being treated as we speak, you're Mum is the one who is in worst shape." Hermione was starting to go into hysterics.
"I need to get there now!" Hermione was starting to get up; at the same time Harry stopped her and tried to calm her down.
"No Hermione, we're going there, but I think we need to take things with calm, why don't you try and get everything packed, and pack as much as you can we don't know how much time we are going to be there, I will send an owl to the Ministry and to your boss. You have to try and calm down, remember we need to do things the right way, we will take a plane to England, we can't let them know we are going back, ok?" Hermione first was getting mad at Harry, but as soon as she understood why they needed to do the things the right way, she tried to calm down.
As nervous as she was she said goodbye to Remus and Tonks and went to pack and get everything together.
"Why didn't you tell me first what was wrong? What else happened?" Harry turned and tried to stay as calmed as he could but was getting mad by the second.
"Well Harry we didn't think we should tell you at first, with Breck and everything that happened, but we where going to find out first how are they and then contact you with correct information on their status. The only thing we know was that it was magically initiated, and is not the first fire that has occurred, 5 days ago there was another" Harry knew instantly where he meant, and the color of his face was drained in a second.
"Who got hurt?"
"Molly and Arthur, they are the only ones who are living there, Ginny and Ron live at a flat here in London" Harry flinched and paled more if possible at the names he heard, it had been a long time since he heard their names.
"H…h…how are they, are they still… alive?" Harry was afraid to ask.
Even though Harry was really a powerful wizard, considered the most powerful in England since the defeat of Voldemort, he tried to control more and more his powers, he was the only wizard who could do wandless magic with each and every spell there was, he got to master occlumency and legillmency, but he tried not to intrude into no one, knowing he could but also knowing it was an invasion of their privacy and a principle of ethics, as Dumbledore had taught him.
"Yes Harry, Molly was very injured, she is still lying unconscious on a hospital bed. They don't know what happened, but Arthur is not that bad injured, he will probably leave the hospital next week"
"Why didn't you tell me? You know I consider them like my parents." Harry started to get sad and depressed, he hadn't seen, nor talked to Molly and Arthur in the time he had been away, but that didn't mean he didn't loved them. A tear left Harry's eyes, he was looking at the floor, and tried to stop the tear that where forming in his eyes. Suddenly he turned at looked Remus directly in the eyes.
"I know you know who did it. You have to tell me. I will get him myself and hurt him with my bare hands." Remus and Tonks we scared of the look they saw in Harry but didn't try to move.
"They think it could be Malfoy, he's been around some rumors of death eaters activities, but they couldn't prove anything, and nobody knows how to bring him to justice, Arthur being Minister of Magic, has been helpful but still, we can't find sufficient evidence to send him to Azkaban" Remus kept talking, hoping this would calm Harry, but it only made him madder, he was under so much pressure to keep his anger under control that he started to glow.
"Harry you have to calm down, you can't do anything right now, they think that he's doing all of this to try and make you come out, he thinks you're in some country near England, he doesn't know you're all the way in America, and he's practically doing stupid things to get some revenge on you for killing his dad. But you have to understand, we didn't tell you anything, because of Breck, what if he tries to do something to him; you have to think in another things. Please understand." Remus was really pleading to him, Harry could see this, and he could also see he was really sincere.
"Really Remus, you should've told me. We will be going to St. Mungo's as soon as we arrive, we will get there by plane, I will try and see how early we can get out of here, and I will be going to send the things to Grimmauld, so after we can unpack, ok?" Remus knew how Harry got when he got nervous. "I'm hiring a chauffeur to pick us up at the airport, and he will take all of our bags straight to Grimmauld I will ask you to wait for me at the Hospital so you can take him to the house, is that all right with you?"
Remus was starting to get a little excited, just only, of Harry coming home, he got to start planning everything for his appointed godson, everything for him to feel at home.
"Yes Harry, everything will be fine, and everything will come around, just be careful, and don't forget anything". Remus was starting to smile. "I will be waiting for you so I can give you a proper hug.
"Remus, I hope you don't think we are imposing or anything right? If you can't have us there I will look for some proper living once I have an opportunity" Harry had inherited a substantial sum from his godfather Sirius Black, he divided his fortune in three parts, one went to Remus and the rest to Harry, Grimmauld Place was Harry's, but he left Remus living there, so practically it was Remus's. He also got a big inheritance from the Potter family when he turned 17, so Harry really worked to keep his mind occupied, but in the economic sense he didn't need anything, not even his grandchildren would have to be concerned for money, he had more than enough to live three lives with great leisure.
"Harry don't be ridiculous this is your house, so you can be here anytime"
"Well it's really your house, but I don't want to impose"
"No, you're always welcome and so is your family" Remus said this with a twinkle in his eye, Harry tried to see what his hidden message was, but he snapped out of the moment when he felt Breck on his side.
"Well Moony, I need to make all the proper arrangements, and I will be sending you a message as soon as we leave, Hermione probably is done, and I need to buy the tickets. See you tomorrow, probably, I'll let you know" and with that Harry left Grimmauld Place.
"Hermione are you ready, the plain leaves at two o'clock, we need to leave now!" as he said that the taxi was honking his horn, they shrunk everything and got it inside 4 trunks, Hedwig's cage also was inside the trunks.
"I'm coming Harry, I was just checking we didn't leave anything important" and with this Harry and Breck raised their eyebrows.
"Hermione we didn't leave anything we are taking all of our house, you already covered the furniture, you've checked everything three times, what else do you need to do?"
"Just say goodbye to my home of almost six years" and a tear was coming down on Hermione's cheek
"We will always keep this house, after we fix everything I'm sure we will be back" Harry was now rubbing Hermione's back, while holding Breck on his arm.
"Don't cry Mum, we are only going on a vacation, to visit grandma, and grandpa, and uncle Moony and auntie Tonks, right? Don't cry Mum please" and with this Breck was reaching to give his Mum a hug.
"It's alright boys, I'm fine, I just needed to let everything go" and with this she took three breaths and turned around and left the house. They started to load the taxi, and got in the taxi on their way to the airport. And this is when it all started. She began making a checklist of everything.
"Where's Hedwig?" Hermione asked.
"She already left to London, I gave her a little push" Hermione turned and scowled at Harry.
"Where are the tickets?"
"In my pocket"
"And how many bags and trunks are we taking?" Breck started to giggle, he always made fun of his Mum when she started rambling about things.
"4 trunks and 3 bags, 1 of the bags is Breck's toys and potion, and clothes, his pj's, and the change of clothes for tomorrow" and with this Breck turned to his father and raised his eyes.
"You didn't bring me snacks, I'm going to die if I don't eat something now" and with this he pretended to faint.
"No mate, I brought you some snacks, we will eat on the plane, and you'll eat something in between. Merlin you're always hungry!" Breck started to laugh.
"Ok, I hope I don't forget anything" Harry was starting to laugh when Hermione turned around and asked him.
"What are you laughing at?"
"You forgot all about Crookshanks"
"Oh my God, we need to go back for him, he's going to hate me"
"No, I already got him in his cage, he's in the trunk, now he's going to hate me"
They got to the airport and went to check in, when everything was set, Harry and Breck went into the bathroom to check everything was in order. After doing so they went to their gate and boarded the plane.
"Mum how long is the flight?"
"We are getting there tomorrow morning"
"Dad, why did you have to change me?"
"We already talked about this, it's to keep you safe, and remember you can't tell anyone that you have a disguise spell on you, ok?"
"Yeah, ok, can I do something it's boring here" Harry turned to watch in amazement his son.
"What are you talking about, you're seat is bigger than your bed, and you can watch any movie you want, what else do you need?" Hermione was laughing they were on first class, but Breck felt like he was bound to a tiny place, they were practically alone, only two more passenger were in that section, so it was like they were alone.
"How about we play with a videogame?" and Harry raised his brows.
"Please Dad?" Breck was now batting his eyelashes.
"Ok, but we can't scream, and if I win you get to do whatever I say, ok?"
"Sure Dad, if you win"
Hermione was reading a book, but also paying attention to everything they were talking about. A few hours later they were landing in Heathrow airport, Hermione felt a pressure in her chest, she started to get really nervous and turned to Harry who was starting to wake up.
"We are here" her eyes where filling with tears.
"I know, it feels strange to be back home" and with this he got up, and went and hugged Hermione for a while.
"Ok," Hermione adjusted her clothes gave herself and Breck a cleaning charm, meanwhile Harry was putting a charm for not to be disturbed, he gave himself also a cleaning and shaving charm. Harry was wearing an adjusted and long off white sweater with a pair of black trousers. Hermione was wearing a suit that was made in a very 40's kind of way, in black with very small pink polka dots, she had black 40's pumps and a pink coat on her shoulders, with a very wavy hairdo with a nice jewelry flower on it, after all these years she learned some how to tame her hair.
Harry and Hermione looked like a very stylish couple, coming from New York into London. Breck was still asleep when they got off the plane Harry was carrying him when they got out of the airport. The chauffer was already waiting for them.
But what they didn't see was a reporter from the Daily Prophet who was there to pick up his parents who where arriving in the same plane they came on.
Colin Creevey tried to say hello to them, but he also couldn't believe his eyes, after almost six years Harry Potter was back, and with a family, he could see his son sleeping still on his arms, his wife very pretty and she looked so well poised. That's when he took a snapshot of the family and in that moment he recognized his wife. It was Hermione Granger.