2
HP
After everyone finished lunch, Harry helped clean the table against Mrs Weasley wishes. When he rounded the table to where Amelia's untouched plate of food stood and he leaned down to pick it up, his foot kicked something under the table. With a frown, he placed the plate back down on the table and crouched down to look under it. And there it was, Amelia's grey cell phone. He reached over and plucked it from the floor. He looked at it for a moment, debating to flip it open. To see who had called but he thought the better of it. He was already tucking it into his pocket when a voice spoke.
"What are you doing?"
Harry jumped, bumping his head against the hard wood of the table. With a soft curse, he shuffled out from under the table and looked to Percy. "Dropped a fork." Harry shrugged and placed the plates and silverware in the sink, as it started to wash itself.
With the table empty, he passed by Percy and walked to the living room where Fred was playing with Teddy again. Fred and Teddy were nearly as inseparable as Harry and Teddy. Harry mused it was to keep his mind occupied outside of work. The healing progress was going slow, really slow. And if Fred needed the baby to keep his mind busy and away from the slow progress, Harry didn't mind. He was surprised to see that side of him, of him and George to be honest, but now he couldn't see it any other way. Harry sat down on the ground in front of the fireplace, feeling the warmth of the flames on his back. His finger subconsciously traced the outline of the cell phone in his pocket as his mind wandered back to the young woman. It was stupid really, since he didn't know her, but the moment she stepped in the kitchen all flustered and confused, it brought more colour and light in his life than he had for years.
Harry thought about handing the cell phone over to Arthur or even Percy, but he didn't. He was the one who wanted to give it back. So he had an excuse to look her up at the ministry and hand it over.
HP
It was now Wednesday, three days later and he still hasn't seen a glimpse of her. He looked for her at the morning and evening commute. He looked for her at the lunchroom. He even went by Arthur's office with a lame excuse, but she wasn't in, neither of the two was.
So now he was walking the long hallway on his way back to training as he tossed the phone in the air and caught it with ease when she appeared on the end of the hallway. Her hair was tied up in the same way as last Sunday. She had an unorganized file of papers in one arm while she touched the arm of another wizard with the other as she laughed. Harry's stomach twisted into knots as he looked at the scene in front of him. Her laugh boomed through the hall as it bounced off the walls, and if it wasn't the second best sound he had ever heard, he didn't know what was. The first one being little Teddy's laugh. The young wizard leaned forward and whispered in her ear, making her laugh once again before they waved goodbye and went their separate ways. She turned his way and Harry faltered. He was standing there still in the hall, watching her for at least a few minutes. It was too late to duck away, so he started to move forward and tried to act nonchalant. He would just walk past her and hope to catch her in a less creepy way.
Just when they crossed each other, a hand on his arm halted him to a stop. He looked sideways and saw her looking at him with a smile. "Harry, right? The musician?"
"The musician, yeah." He chuckled. "Although, I would advise you not to take me to a karaoke bar."
"Already inviting me to take you out?" Harry's chuckle fell away as his mouth dropped open like a fool. "I'm just messing with you." She laughed at his expression. "You work here too?"
"Trainee, alongside Ron." He managed to say without stumbling over his words. "Just had lunch." He glanced over his watch. "I should head back actually, before I'm too late. My boss will have my head."
"Good luck then." She smiled again, a smile that made his heart studder in his chest. "Maybe I'll see you at lunch next time." She waved as she stepped in the elevator, a moment later she was gone, and Harry was still standing like a loon in the hallway. But they didn't see each other at lunch. Actually... Harry never saw her or Arthur. Okay the ministry was large, and they had two cafeterias, but still. Harry even convinced Ron to try the other cafeteria with him, under the ruse to see other colleagues and see if the food was different. The later was the one that convinced him, no shocker there. He stopped by Arthur's office twice more that week, with no luck. The cell phone was still tucked in his pocket. The first time he bumped into her, he was too flustered to think about it. So, he carried it around everywhere in the hope he would bump into her again. But when the week came to a close, and he still didn't spot her, he was happy with the thought she would be there at Sunday lunch.
HP
But she wasn't there. Twelve o'clock turned one, no Amelia. One turned two, still no Amelia. Harry was just about to ask Arthur about it when Fred beat him to it.
"Dad, wasn't Amelia coming?" He asked leaning forward over the kitchen dining table.
"I asked but she said she had other plans." He leaned back in his chair as he finished his lunch. "We had quite the busy week. Ever since I became head of the misuse of muggle artifacts and detection and confiscation of counterfeit defensive spells, it's been a whirlwind. She has just been a treasure, even with all the work I've given her. She's amazing at fieldwork, I think she would do great as an Auror." He said that when he looked to Harry and Ron. "The work for confiscation of counterfeit defensive spells has died down mostly, thank Merlin. But once in a while, something pops up again."
"And her paperwork?" Percy asked, his chin tilted in the air. "She seems... unorganized."
"It may seem so." Arthur smiled. "But it's an organized mess, believe me. She can whip up the right paper in two seconds."
"I bumped into her." Harry blurted out and every eye in the room turned to him. "At the ministry." He added. "She was talking to the guy from DMAC, for the Obliviate section, I think."
"Hugo." Arthur nodded and the eyes shifted to him again. Harry let out a breath as his shoulders slumped. "He's coming to the office a lot, to help her with the cases on misuse of muggle artefacts."
Percy snorted. "That's his excuse, dad. You have seven kids, you're ought to know by now, he isn't coming over that often to help her."
"He likes her." Bill added when Arthur still looked confused. Harry held back a growl as he averted his eyes to the one thing that could always distract him, a purple headed little boy.
"Oooh." Arthur said slowly.
"Maybe her plans were with Hugo?" Molly suggested as she cleared the plates from the table. Harry frowned as he pushed himself away from the table and stood up. Eight pairs of eyes shot back to him. Harry smiled as Teddy lifted his arms to be picked up again. Fred, who had him on his lap again, kissed the top of his head before passing him to Harry.
"It's a nice day, I think Teddy and I are going to the playground."
"Isn't he a little young?" Molly asked worriedly.
"No, it's just for the little ones." Harry smiled.
"What about the muggles?" Percy asked as he looked to Teddy's purple hair.
"Concealment charm." Harry shrugged. "Ready, little man?" He asked and the baby babbled happily. "See you next Sunday." He waved to the Weasley before he stepped in the floo and disappeared.
HP
Harry was sitting on a blanket in a muggle park near London. There was one tiny little playground, hidden behind large trees, just for the kids under three years old. Harry and Teddy were the only ones there. There was a tiny yellow slide where Teddy was now crawling on and when he reached the top, he slid down on his belly, giggling like mad. There was also a small rectangular trampoline in the ground, two baby swings and a colourful seesaw. Teddy was already crawling back on the slide and squealed in delight when he slid down once more.
Harry's eyes widened when Teddy stood up from the ground. Harry didn't make any sudden movements, afraid he might flop down on his bottom and do nothing ever again, so he waited patiently. Teddy was swaying a little on his tiny, chubby legs, before he put a step forward, then another. Harry's never been so proud. He quickly took out his camera and started filming. Teddy was making his way to Harry before he changed direction as he called.
"Bye-bye." Teddy stepped next to Harry who was still filming and followed the boy curiously. Then through the lens of the camera, he saw where Teddy was wobbling to, or he should say who. Amelia was smiling at Teddy, her eyes sparkled with joy, and she crouched down and held open her arms. "Bye-bye." Teddy said again. Harry's heart was thudding fast in his chest, his palms went sweaty as he looked at Amelia through the camera.
"Hey, little munchkin." She smiled when Teddy fell into her arms, and she held him close. Then her eyes lifted up to Harry and his camera. "Hello to you too."
"Oh, hi, sorry." He stumbled over his words as he lowered the camera. "It was Teddy's first steps, I couldn't help myself."
"Too bad you didn't twist off the cap."
"WHAT?!" Harry spluttered and turned his camera over. Just when he saw the cap was off, he heard her laugh.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself." She repeated his words back to him. She stood up and walked closer to him with Teddy on her hip. "Here is your little runaway." She placed him back on the ground. Teddy stepped three tiny little steps until he fell in Harry's lap. "I should get going." She straightened up. "Maybe I'll see you at work."
"Or you could stay, keep us a little company." Harry blurted out; his cheeks flushed.
"Oh." Her face surprised. "I don't know."
"You would do us a favour, we've been sitting here alone for over an hour and Teddy seems to like you." He was looking up to her, hoping to show her his puppy dog eyes instead of pleading ones. But it seemed like it was the right look, because she smiled, so warmly, it made his heartbeat quicken.
"Only if you're a hundred percent sure, I don't want to interrupt your quality time."
"Sit." He smiled as he padded the blanket next to him. His surprise was evident on his face when she sat down next him, close beside him. Teddy crawled out of his lap and into hers. His little hands cupped her cheeks and he giggled.
"He's just the sweetest." She turned her head to look at Harry. "How old is he?"
"He turned one, a few weeks back."
"Is he yours or Fred's?" She asked. And the question took him by surprise. But she didn't notice as she was still looking at Teddy. "I've seen a picture in Arthur's office of Fred holding him. But when I saw the boy in your arms and now at the park, I was wondering."
"Well... he isn't mine or Fred's. I'm his godfather." He looked back at the purple hair. "His... his parents died in the war. So, I took him in."
"I'm sorry." She whispered as she watched Teddy stumble back to the playground. It was silent for a long while, only Teddy was heard as he squealed when he slid down the slide.
"How old are you?" She asked just as he said. "How is moving to London going?"
They looked at each other, before they grinned. "You go first." Harry said.
"How old are you? You don't look that old and raising a one-year-old, it must be hard.
"Eighteen, almost nineteen. It's hard but I have a great support system. And I want Teddy to know he is loved and cared for."
"And don't know you, but the way you look at him, take the time to take him to the park and with the whole Weasley family, he's never going to doubt that."
"Thanks." Harry looked down, trying to hide his blush. "So, how's the move treating you?"
"I moved a lot over the years, so I'm fairly used to it. But now, I moved away...without my parents. To a country where I didn't know anyone. It was hard, but I'm getting there. Meeting new people at work, meeting muggles. I don't have real friends yet...but."
"I could be your friend." Harry said suddenly and he wanted to slap himself on the back of the head.
"I didn't say that so you would offer..."
"I know." He cleared his throat. "But two of my closest friends are at Hogwarts right now, Ron being the only one left, so I could use a friend. And so would Ron." He quickly added.
"Why not." She shrugged. "We can try to be friends, and if I don't like you, I can just ignore you at work." She chuckled.
"Why won't you like me? I'm very likeable." He grinned.
"Hmm, we'll see about that." She smiled as they watched Teddy stumble back as he rubbed his eyes. He let himself fall in Harry's lap, falling asleep in an instant. "You should head home, the little munchkin is beat."
"Yeah." Harry answered as he readjusted Teddy in his arms. Amelia curled her fingers around his arm to help him up, sending shivers down his spine. She quickly folded the blanket and stuck it in Harry's backpack. "Oh, before you go." With great difficulty he took the phone out of his pocket and held it in his hand for her to take.
"Where did you find it? I've lost that since..." Then she clapped her forehead. "Sunday. At the Burrow, right."
"I tried to find you at work this week but didn't have much luck."
"I usually eat out during lunch, and we were out of the office for most of the week. But... we did see each other last week."
"I know." He tried to push back the blush, but felt his neck burn, nonetheless. "I forgot." He mumbled.
"It's okay. Thank you for giving it back, Harry." She leaned closer and kissed his cheek.
"Do - do you want to come to lunch at the burrow next week? Ron and the twins are going to be there."
"Sunday?" She repeated to herself. "I may have to move some things... but why not." Her smile wide.
"Brilliant. The burrow at one then?"
"I'll be there." Harry smiled at her answer, his stomach fluttered from her own beaming smile. She ran her hands through Teddy's hair before she wished them goodbye and disappeared from the park. Harry stood there for a long moment; his smile wide when he finally apparated home.