The light woke her up, though she tried to turn away from it for a bit before conceding. She opened her eyes, and took in the room around her. She hadn't paid much detail to Harry's room last night. It was painted a light green color, and looked quite nice. He had two complementary pieces of art on the wall, and a large wardrobe for all his clothes on the other side of the room. It looked a lot more polished than she would have anticipated.
She got out of bed, her body achy and sore. She rubbed at her temples, which pounded angrily, probably since she had quite a lot of wine last night. She tried to stretch and loosen up, seeing that it was nine o'clock in the morning. On his desk, there was a pile of clothes and a note.
"Good morning, Liv,
I hope you slept well. I had already planned time with Teddy today, so if you find this note we are probably downstairs eating breakfast. We are going for a hike, then plan to have a quiet evening in. Perhaps you'll join us? I'll gladly help you reclaim your belongings and get you set up somewhere tomorrow.
If you'd prefer to sit out of the hike, by all means make yourself comfortable. You're free to use any shower or eat anything in my cupboards. I've left out some of Ginny's old clothes I came across recently, and have yet to get rid of, and I reckon you're about the same size.
Join us down stairs for breakfast if you'd like, or feel free to stay in my room all day. Whatever you prefer.
H"
She looked suspiciously at the pile of clothing, but ended up grabbing a pair of jeans she knew would fit. They were short, but she wore them cuffed, like it was on purpose. The t-shirts were all too small for her, unless she wanted to go for a very tight look in the chest, so she grabbed a plain black t-shirt from his closet. She could replace it later.
She was beginning to realize how everything could be replaced.
She was nervous to infringe upon the time Harry spent with his godson, but despised the idea of sitting in bed all day, so she tiptoed down the creaky stairs, where she could hear them in the kitchen laughing. It was a nice, cozy sound.
"C'mon, I taught you better than that," Harry said, "catch it."
She peeked into the kitchen to see them throwing chocolate chips at each other and trying to catch them with their mouths. As soon as she stepped in, the chip headed directly at Harry's mouth bounced off his chin.
"Hah!" Teddy said.
"That one doesn't count," Harry said. "Female interference. But Teddy, this is my friend Liv, that I told you about?"
"Nice to meet you," Teddy said, shaking her hand. The kid had good manners, at least. "Are you going to stay for breakfast? Harry makes the best pancakes."
"Pancakes actually sound delicious," Liv said. Teddy gestured to the seat next to him, and she was impressed by how mature and charming he was.
She searched for something to talk about, but couldn't even remember the last time she spoke to a thirteen year old. "What year are you going into?"
"Third year," he said, picking at the tray of fruit Harry had set out as he stood at the stove cooking. She grabbed a piece of pineapple for herself.
"What house are you in?" She asked.
"Hufflepuff," he said. "What were you in?"
Harry piped in. "If you were anything but a Ravenclaw, I will be amazed."
"He's right," she said laughing. "What gave it away?"
"You're the most detail-oriented, thorough, smart ass I know."
"You say that like its a bad thing," she said, smiling a cheeky smile at Harry. Coming downstairs was the right idea, as these two guys were making her forget yesterday entirely.
"It's not," Teddy said, assuringly. "Some of my best friends are Ravenclaws."
Harry presented them each with platefuls of thick, fluffy, beautiful pancakes, which she promptly doused with butter and maple syrup. Teddy's, full of chocolate chips, were eaten plain. "Want coffee, Liv?"
She nodded, her mouth too full to talk. She selected a few grapes and pieces of melon, adding those to her plate as well. Harry took the chance to fill her a cup before sitting down and enjoying breakfast of his own.
"So tell me more about this hike," she said, as she chased the last few bites around her plate with her fork.
"Oh, are you going to come with us?" Teddy asked, sounding rather excited. She didn't want to disappoint him. Her eyes went wide as his straw colored hair started to turn white. Her startled look at the change caused him to chuckle. "Sorry, it happens when I get excited!"
"Ted's a metamorphmagus," Harry explained, as if it were totally normal for his hair to change colors like that. She hadn't encountered many before, and they usually used their special abilities for nefarious reasons. But this time it was oddly charming.
"I see that," she said, watching as his hair slowly took on it's normal color again. "As for the hike, it depends on how intense of a work out we're talking. I'm not exactly the most outdoorsy person."
"Well, I think we were going to do Chess Valley today," Harry said. "Which is about 16 kilometers."
"Oh, wow," she said, knowing there was no chance of her being able have the stamina for that.
"But it's a bit warmer than expected," Harry said. "What about the Waltham Abbey trail, Ted? More shade, better breeze. And it's only about 8 kilometers, Liv."
"I think I could do that," she said, smiling. Teddy went up stairs to his room to change, while Liv helped Harry clean up.
"Are you sure you want me tagging along?" She asked, uncertain.
"Of course," he said. "It's just been me and Teddy practically all week. He seemed excited someone would be joining us."
"Good," she said.
"Unless you'd rather stay here," he said. "And I would understand."
She shook her head. "I don't really want to be alone right now. Thank you so much for letting me crash here."
"It's nothing," he said. "How'd those clothes work out for you?"
"Pants are great," she said. "But we're definitely differently shaped up top."
He glanced at her bust for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Well, you're welcome to any of my shirts. We'll get you your clothes back as soon as possible."
She nodded. "Thank you."
"Want to do a favor?" Harry asked, grinning at her cheekily.
"I'll do anything," she said, earnestly.
"Make sandwiches for us to eat for lunch?" He asked. "There's plenty of stuff in the fridge."
"What does Teddy like?"
"He'll eat anything!" Harry called, as he went upstairs.
She putzed around the kitchen, finding everything she would need. The fridge was completely stocked with food, which was all organized meticulously. Her own fridge didn't even have this much food in it.
She assembled three sandwiches for them, but was hesitant to add anything else because she didn't want to overstep. She felt incredibly comfortable here, and was so glad Harry had let her stay overnight.
She went upstairs to change into a pair of athletic leggings. Without thinking, she opened the door to Harry's room to see him buttoning his pants.
"Oh gosh," she said, her voice high and squeaky. She shut the door most of the way. "My bad."
He laughed. "It's fine," he said. "I'm decent."
She couldn't help but blush as she re-entered the room and went directly to the pile of clothes.
"I think these shirts should fit you," Harry said, handing her a few t-shirts from his wardrobe. "I weighed a lot less when those fit."
She laid the shirt upon her front and discovered that it would indeed fit.
"Did you sleep okay?" He asked, grabbing a cap out of his wardrobe.
"Yes, actually," she said. "Your bed's super comfy. I'm sorry for stealing it from you."
He shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Liv."
"You're absolutely sure you want me to come?" She asked, braiding her long hair off to one side. She looked most like herself when she braided it down her right side.
"I think Teddy would be very disappointed if you did not," he said.
She thought about the kid, who was charming and sweet and she found herself sincerely not wanting to disappoint him.
Three hours later, they were stopped under a shady tree to eat their lunch. In addition to the sandwiches she had made, Harry had brought along a large bag of crisps and some fresh red grapes.
The view from the field was amazing, and worth every bit of sweat on the climb up. She looked out at the English countryside, with its rolling hills and bright green pastures. She felt almost at peace here. Life was so much grander than the problems she was facing at the moment, and their hike helped remind her of that. It was a beautiful summer day, a light breeze crisp against her skin, but not strong enough to disturb the game of chess going on next to her.
She watched as Harry collected Teddy's pawns, skillfully navigating the board.
"Winner gets to play Liv," Teddy said.
"I'm afraid I never learned," she said. She knew the elements of the game, but not well enough that she would be competition for either bloke.
"Automatic loser then," Teddy joked. "And loser gets to pay for ice cream at the end."
"I'll accept that," she laughed. It was the least she could do.
But the she remembered her wallet was, presumably, still on the floor of her and Ames' flat. She had not a single cent- galleon or pound- on her. She started to panic a little.
"Check mate," Teddy said, looking gleefully up at Harry.
"Good move, Ted," Harry said. "You're getting better. But let's get back moving."
She packed up the picnic basket as they put away Chess, and they were soon back on the hiking trail. It wasn't too steep and they were taking it at a leisurely pace, and she found herself enjoying it.
"Ted," Harry said. "Can you run up and check that next trail marker? I just want to make sure we took the right turn back there."
As soon as he was out of earshot, Harry turned to Liv and spoke quietly. "I know you haven't got your wallet on you, so shake my hand and take the twenty pound note to buy ice cream with."
She immediately did what he said, and slid the note into her back pocket. Apparently, she wasn't the only detail oriented one.
"It's the seventh kilo," Teddy called, as he jogged back to them.
"Oh, good," he said. "We took the right path."
A month ago, if someone had told Liv that she'd be spending the day with Harry and his godson, and having a nice time, she would not have believed them. But now she felt like she was entirely where she was supposed to be, as odd as that was.
The terrain quickly became steep, which she knew meant the end of the trail. She had survived. At the base of the hill was another park, with a playground for the children and stalls selling fish and chips and ice cream.
"Alright, bud," Harry said. "Go pick what you want."
Teddy ran ahead, giving them a hint of privacy once more. "That was nice."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said. "Fresh air always helps clear my mind."
"Are you going to get ice cream?" She asked, as they approached where Teddy stood, ordering a banana split.
"Sure," he said. "I'll take a scoop of pistachio."
The teenage girl running the stand looked to live. "For you?"
"Oh, just a scoop of fudge swirl, please," Liv said, stepping forward to pay for their order while Harry and Teddy found them a picnic table to sit at.
"Who orders pistachio ice cream?" Liv asked, carrying the tray of ice cream over to them. "That practically sounds healthy."
"There are so many better flavors," Teddy said, nodding in agreement.
"Have you ever had pistachio ice cream?" He asked.
"No," she said. "I have a fundamental issue with ice cream being remotely healthy."
He stuck his spoon out for her, to taste it. Well, she couldn't truly knock it until she gave it a try.
And she was surprised how not-terrible the sweet ice cream was. "I still maintain there are much better choices."
"You didn't say you hate it," he said.
"No, I did not," she said, smiling and looking down at the last few bites of ice cream waiting in her dish.
They made it back to the house, mid afternoon, and she was wiped. She got comfy on the couch in the front living room while Harry and Teddy playfully argued over something she didn't quite grasp... and before she knew it, she was asleep.
She woke up some time later, covered in a knitted blanket and feeling very content. She could have easily gone back to sleep, but the smell of fresh pizza has piqued her interest.
"Oh good, you're awake!" Teddy exclaimed as she entered the kitchen.
"Did the hike tucker you out?" Harry asked, as he was setting the take away out across the table.
"I think all the furniture in your house is just extra comfortable," she mumbled, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "What've we got here?"
"It's called the Teddy special," Harry said.
"You take an extra cheese pizza," Teddy said. "Then add hot sauce, bacon, ham, jalapeños, onions, and pineapple."
"Pineapple on half," Harry clarified. "Because some of us think the pineapple takes it from delicious to horrible."
She couldn't help but smile. "I'll try it."
Harry handed her a plate. "C'mon, get a plate ready, we're going to watch a movie."
"Muggle movie?" She asked.
"Yeah," Harry said. "I grew up with Muggles, and Ted's got some in his blood, so we occasionally enjoy some of their culture."
Harry got things straightened up in the kitchen as they got settled into the living room. Teddy was on the end of the couch Liv had taken. "Do you have any Muggle blood, Liv?"
She knew it was a question out of pure curiosity. "I honestly can't answer that," she said. "I never knew my dad."
"Me either," he said, looking sad. "But people tell me lots of stories about them. Nan loves to tell me about all the ways Mum was naughty as a child."
She knew nothing about his parents, other than that they were killed in the war, and felt sad she had nothing to add. "That's really wonderful, Teddy. I'm sure your Mum and Dad would be proud of you."
Harry timed it well and entered at that point, the remote to the Muggle TV in his hand. "All ready for the movie?"
It was such a novelty. She had seen TVs, walking around London, but never actually watched one. The movie they had chosen was obviously intended for a younger audience, but it had all of them laughing at times.
As soon as the movie was over, Teddy's eyes were heavy. "I think I'm gonna head upstairs."
"Good night, Teddy," Liv said.
"Will you still be here in the morning, Liv?"
"She will," Harry said, answering for her. The corners of Teddy's mouth turned up.
"Sweet dreams," she wished him. Harry went upstairs, briefly to say good night, while she stretched out and got comfortable. She didn't feel like she'd be awake for long either.
As she was getting comfortable, Harry came back down. "Budge over."
She moved her legs so he could sit at the end of the couch. "Today was one of the nicest days I can remember."
Harry smiled. "I'm glad."
"Teddy's a good kid," she said. "Impossible not to love."
"Yeah, he is," Harry said. "I enjoy when he's home from Hogwarts. We get up to all sorts of good stuff. We went camping last month."
"I've never been camping in my life," she laughed. "So... rustic."
"You might enjoy it. Drink a lot and cook things over open fire. I try to hike every week or two, good to keep in shape," Harry said. "I've given up on trying to get Ted to go flying with me."
"He scared of heights?" She asked.
He nodded. "Couldn't even manage it first year. I was all set to lay out twenty galleons on a racing broom for him to go on trips with me, but he decided he'd rather play Chess with me."
"I like this kid," she said. "I never got the hang of it either."
"Ames didn't take you out?" He asked so casually, she felt only the mildest pang of angst over the situation.
She shook her head. "He's not into flying for fun. Just for sport. If he's on a broom, he's practicing or playing."
"Speaking of," Harry said. "I checked the roster and it seems like he's got a game at one tomorrow. Teddy will be back with his Nan by then, if you're ready to go collect your things."
She knew how hard that was going to be, but it was inescapable. She was just glad she had a friend. She nodded. "Yeah, I suppose that's a good idea."
"Want to head upstairs?" He asked. It was getting late, and she was getting more and more comfortable on the couch.
She stood up, stretched, and folded the knit blanket into eighths before setting it over the arm of the couch. She followed him upstairs, then bore left towards the bedroom he'd made up for her last night.
"Clothes are in my room," he reminded her, and she veered back toward him, pulling a pair of flannel pants from the pile. Those would do. She used his en suite bathroom to change, folding up today's clothing and putting it at the bottom of the pile. It felt only a little weird to be wearing his ex wife's clothes. When she thought about it, it may have been the oddest thing of all about their current situation.
She kind of wanted to stay in here for the night, but didn't want to impose any more than she already had. She just remembered how warm and safe she'd felt as she drifted off to sleep the night before.
He got into bed, and patted the spot next to him, so she carefully got in beside him. "Don't want to be alone?"
She shook her head. "If you want me to sleep across the hall though-"
"Shh," he said. "Whatever you need, Liv."
He grabbed his wand, dimming the lights almost entirely. She scooted down, fully under the quilt, and turned on her side, facing him.
He gently moved closer to her, running his hand lightly through her hair. She seemed to calm immediately, letting go of all the tension she didn't know she'd been holding in.
"You're safe here," he murmured, lips close to her ears. "It's okay."
She nodded weakly, and let sleep take over.