Chapter Four: When A Light Shines Through

November of Harry's 6th Year

Harry Potter grumbles as he turned the corner and he hurried his steps. He heard the melodic voice of Ginny Weasley calling him from down the hall. Normally he would have welcomed time with Ginny to talk. She always did manage to lift his spirits in one way or another. But at the moment, he had been called to Dumbledore's office. For another pep talk, no doubt. About how he needed to stop wallowing in self pity and depression about the death of his god father, Sirius Black.

But he wanted to wallow, damnit.

Harry didn't bother slowing as Ginny neared. "Harry, I need to talk to you!" she called out.

"Can't it wait, Ginny? I've got a meeting with Dumbledore." he mumbled over his shoulder as she finally caught up to him. "Probably tell me to buck up and move on with life, or something like that."

"Well, if he did, he'd be right." Ginny said with a smirk., putting a hand on his arm. "It's not good to be so depressed all the time, Harry. And not to mention-"

Her words stopped suddenly when he whirled around, all of his pent up emotions breaking free.

"You know what, Ginny? If you had been through half of what I've been through, you wouldn't be so damn happy all the time!" he yelled. She blinked in surprise, but he continued.

"My parents, my friends, and now Sirius, the only family I ever had; they're all dead. So tell me Ginny, if you didn't have your precious family to hide behind, you wouldn't be so eager to seize the day, would you?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing.

"You wanted to talk to me, Ginny, let's talk. What's so important that I had to hear it right now? You couldn't go bother Ron about it? Oh no, because Harry Potter is the Quidditch Captain, and that's just another responsibility to take on, because trying to save the entire Wizarding World isn't enough!"

Ginny was quiet for a moment before speaking. She tried to swallow the tears in her that were welling in her eyes, but it was no use. "No need to get pissy, Potter. I'm just delivering a message from your best friend, letting you know that Daniel broke his arm and Ron's picking out a replacement to help take the burden off of you. You know why? Because that's what friends do, Harry. Help each other through the hard times. And that's what we've all been trying to do, but you can't see past the brick wall you've put up, blocking us all out. So if you're going to be a stubborn jack-ass about it, then don't say I didn't offer."

She spun on her heel and stormed around the corner, leaving Harry more frustrated with himself than with her. "Ginny..." he mumbled, but she was already gone. Harry then turned to face the statue that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Chocolate Frog." he spat at the gargoyle, who eventually moved. He marched up the stairs and into Dumbledore's office, anger flowing through his veins.

"What the bloody hell do you want now?" Harry blurted out before he could stop the words. "I have some student responsibilities to tend to."

It was only after he spoke that he realized they were not alone. There was a beautiful woman sitting across from Dumbledore. She smiled at Harry as Dumbledore gestured for Harry to sit.

"Please take a seat, Harry. We have some delicate matters to discuss." the wise old wizard said gently.

Harry somewhat reluctantly sat in the chair. "Okay, what?"

"Harry, I'd like you to meet Hestia Jones, a member of the Order..."

Harry groaned. "I don't want anything to with the Order anymore!"

"... and a close friend of Sirius."

Harry paused and looked at the woman quizzically.

Dumbledore smiled. "I thought you would find this interesting."

"Please Harry," the woman said softly. "There's something I would like to... share with you." She turned towards Dumbledore, "May I?" was her question.

He nodded. "Of course."

The lady named Hestia Jones smiled nervously before speaking. "Well, Harry... I'll get straight to the point to avoid any awkwardness. Before Sirius was put in Azkaban, before you were even born, I knew Sirius and we were good friends... more than friends, actually. And I was one of the few who believed he was innocent." She said, smiling gratefully at Dumbledore. "Since he returned, we... we were together often and quite... intimately," Tears grew in her eyes as she tried to speak, "and I loved him very much."

Harry nodded and looked to the floor.

"During... one of our last times together, I became pregnant before he died." Harry's eyes grew wide at this. "A few weeks ago, I gave birth to a baby girl, Sirius' daughter."

He was frozen in shock and amazement, and for the first time he noticed the small item in her arms. She pulled down a small blanket to reveal an angelic baby face. And for the first time in a long time, Harry smiled.

"She's beautiful." he whispered.

"Would you like to hold her?"

The questions shocked him, but he nodded emphatically, words no longer doing justice for his emotions.

As Hestia placed the baby girl in his arms, a new sensation came over Harry. A sense of protection for the infant he held over came him. He'd never had a real family before. The Dursley's didn't count, and though the Weasley's loved him, but they weren't his family. But Sirius, the father he never knew, this was his daughter. Harry's family.

"I have an odd request of you, Harry." Hestia said with a smile. "Sirius was your godfather, and it's a shame you didn't get to know him more, because he was an amazing man. But I want this baby girl to have a good man's influence in her life, someone to look up to."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked carefully.

"Well, I'd like you to be her God father."

Harry suddenly felt his throat constrict with emotions as happiness flooded his entire being. "I'd be honored." Harry said softly, smiling down at the child in his hands. Cherubic features, button nose, mischevious smile and a head full of dark hair - just like her father.

Hestia smiled as she gently touched her daughter's head. "Her name is Ebony."

Harry nodded. "Ebony."

&

Harry was later walking around the snow covered grounds with a ridiculous smile on his face. There was still a little piece of Sirius left her on the earth for Harry to cherish. Hestia was a great woman, and Harry was humbled by her offer, that she considered him a good enough man to be an influence in the life of her daughter. Of hers and Sirius' daughter.. He didn't really know how to accept it, but it was the only thing he had smiled about in months. It felt good. It felt right.

Harry was so lost in this thoughts, he didn't even hear the foot steps behind him. But when he was suddenly head first in the snow, his fierce anger returned.

"What the hell..." Harry grumbled as he shook the snow from his head. He looked up expecting to see Malfoy and his gang, but was surprised instead to see Ron's face.

"You had no right, Harry!" Ron shouted, his face turning red from the anger. "Biting off her head the way you did. She was doing me a favor, and you just sent her off like you've been doing to us all term."

"Ron," Harry began, but instead Ron punched him in the face, knocking back down to the ground.

"I can understand that you've had a hard life. That you're upset because Sirius died, because everything seems so hopeless. But we're your friends, Harry. You have no right to order me around or bark at Hermione... or Ginny, for that matter. Not when she... we care about you."

Harry nodded and stood, readjusting his jaw just as Hermione and Ginny ran up. "You're right, Ron." Then with a right hook, Ron was on the ground. "Consider us even now."

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, rushing to Ron's side and dropping to her knees in the snow. "If he's right, then you sure as hell had no right to punch him!"

Hearing Hermione curse turned the corners of Harry's lips. In a few moments, he was laughing out loud and leaning up against a nearby tree for support. Hermione and Ron watched in confusion while Ginny kept her distance.

"What is so funny?" Hermione asked.

When Harry only continued laughing, it fed Ron's furious fire. He stood unsteadily, wiping the drop of blood that trickled form his mouth. He pushed Harry back up against the tree and drew his hand back. "What is so bloody funny?"

Harry paused for a moment, then burst into a fit of giggles again, though they did manage to hear the word, "Blood." Ron shook his head, trying to ignore that laughter that was building up inside himself. But Harry's laughter died down gradually and eventually said after he caught his breath, "I'm a God father."

Many brows raised at this, demanding an explanation. Harry smiled as he pushed Ron's hand away and motioned Ginny to come forward. She moved apprehensively towards him and was surprised when he took hold of her hand and kissed it gently with apologetic eyes.

"Come here, guys. I'll explain everything, just come sit down."

Many minutes later, all four of them were sitting in the snow underneath the large tree. Harry had told them all about Sirius, Hestia and the baby Ebony, and they understood a little more about his outburst.

"And I want to apologize for being a complete git lately. To all of you, including you, Ginny." Harry said, his gloved hand finding hers in the snow. "I never wanted to hurt you, I didn't mean to blow up like I did, and I'm sorry."

She smiled appreciatively and squeezed his hand in return. "Ho harm done, Harry. I understand why you snapped like you did."

"But Ron was right, I had not right. I've been horrible. To all of you. I just feel so rotten about it now." he said wistfully.

"Now, don't go getting all depressed again, Harry." Hermione chuckled.

"While we're at it, I'm sorry too." Ron spoke up suddenly. "About me punching you and all. I was just so riled up."

"Don't worry about it. Besides, I think you got the worst of it." Harry commented, pointing towards his bleeding lip. "Didn't mean to belt you so hard, mate."

Hermione was applying special attention to Ron's wound when Ginny caught Harry's eye. She almost giggled at the sigh, of Ron and Hermione in such an intimate position.

Harry too smiled and coughed, breaking the locked gaze on Ron and Hermione. Ron flushed red, as did Hermione, who suddenly stood and pulled Ron to his feet. "Madame Pomfrey should probably take a look at that, Ron. She'll fix you right up."

"You know, Hermione, I'm sure you could make Ron's lips feel much better... I mean, with a spell, of course." Harry said with a smirk.

Hermione glared at Harry coldly. "Madame Pomfrey will do it fine." She said through gritted teeth. Then she stormed off, tugging on Ron's hand.

Ginny suddenly burst into quiet giggles. "Harry, I cannot believe you just said that!" she shrieked once they were out of ear shot.

Harry only chuckled. "The tension was thick enough to cut." Ginny nodded amidst the laughter and Harry took that opportunity to scoot closer to her. "And I wanted them to leave, so I could talk to you."

Instantly, Ginny froze and looked up at Harry coyly. "Why?"

"I should not have blown up at you like I did, Ginny. I want to make it up to you."

Ginny smiled as Harry's hand found her opposite shoulder. "What's your plan?"

"Well, since Daniel broke his arm, how about you fill in for him in our big game this weekend?"

Ginny raised her eyebrow. "Daniel? You want me to play Beater? Not likely, Potter. That's the most dangerous position on the field."

Harry nodded, taking this into consideration. "Okay, how about I play Daniel's spot and you be the Seeker. My punishment, your gain."

Ginny nodded with a small smile. "I guess that'll do."

"And... after the big win, how about accompanying me to Hogsmeade for a victory drink?"

Then Ginny grinned. "Now that I'll do."

&

Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were waiting outside the infirmary for Madame Pomfrey to admit him. Ron was gently touching his swollen lip and Hermione was nervously bouncing her knee.

"So you coming to the game, Hermione?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "Of course. You're playing, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Then of course, I'll be there." She said, turning back to staring at a spot on the wall. "I'm your friend, Ron And friends are there for emotional support."

Then she could have sworn she heard him mutter something about "physical support."

"Excuse me?"

Ron turned to look at her and countered her question with one of his own. "Why didn't you do it, Hermione?"

"Do what?" she asked in confusion.

"Make my lips feel better yourself?"

Hermione blinked and looked away. "I mean, you're the brightest witch I know. I'm sure you have some spell that could fix this easily."

"She was bright enough not to." said a voice from behind them, and Madame Pomfrey stood in the doorway with hands on her hips. "She knows better than to throw around spells, don't you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione only nodded, too caught up in her own thoughts to verbalize anything. She watched Ron disappear into the infirmary, with no blush on his face. So when he waved at her and said, "See you back at the common room," she realized it must have been a completely innocent question. After the door closed, Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. But she shook her head and stood, asking herself the same question.

FIN

A/N: This is the last chapter for this story. I really loved writing this story. I know that it was not a common story setting, but I hope you all enjoyed it. Next up will be "Daring Destiny," a 10 chapter sequel and the finale to this little trilogy, which should be started around the beginning of March. The story will be set in Harry's 7th year, with the pairings of Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Charlie/Tonks and Remus/Joselynn. To understand this story and the next one, you'll need to read the story where all this started, "Fighting Fate." I hope you all continue to enjoy it. And leave me reviews to let me know what you think! Thanks so much for reading!