Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To Tiyaxoxo: I've been wanting to give some background into the life story of Barty Crouch Jr for some time, what drove him, what made him turn to Voldemort and in my head, I kept seeing him as more and more disturbed, more deranged, so I thought there must be a reason for it. I wanted to delve deeper into that back story and that's what I came up with. It's dark. It's disturbing. It's creepy, yet it fits for me. I do head canon Sirius and Lily being friends like Ginny and Theo, though I never invested in the Sirius being gay part. To coloredwords: Thank you! I love making up the family tree and organizing all of the background stuff so, it makes sense that I should share it with others as I go along. I know the dream was disappointing, but I couldn't resist! To LifeonEarth: I enjoy writing Blaise as well. I look forward to his storyline and sharing it with you. And yes, I'm in the endgame now, but there is still a lot to go so don't worry. To scrappy8: Wow, you really love Ginny and Theo, thanks!

To AntiCreator: Thank you! I like delving into the darker side! To Steelcode: I think you're right, Finn would have definitely made Thaddeus Nott's life hell if he were still alive. To Wolf's scream: LOL at Oceania always being at war with Eurasia being as accurate as Crouch being used in the ritual being a sign of respect! To Dianne: Thanks for the review here and on my tumblr! You'll see some of Ginny's birthday gifts yes, and no, there will be no Delphi! To Moony The Sheep: Thank you for saying that I've made Crouch "absolutely gross and disgusting yet strangely appealing… appears to be absolutely merciless and yet so loving in a bizarre way. I applaud you." Thank you. To alix33: Blaise is always SO fancy in my mind LOL. To speedsONEandONLY: Zabini does deserve happiness, but you know that I won't make those kinds of promises ;) To ManyGrey: You've been reading since chapter 50, that's awesome, thank you so much for still following me after all this time! I wanted to delve a little deeper into Theo's childhood, which I do again in the coming chapters, to show how he grew up a bit. To NoxKnight: Thank you! And ha, Delphi couldn't make a four-year-old feel fear made me chuckle. Don't worry, she will NOT be in this story.

To tim2604: Ginny does need to spend time with her family and friends, yes. To xXderppXx: Happy to oblige you with more reading materials and thanks for reading mine. To WinkingSkeever: It is coming soon, the non-dream variety, I promise! To Menna Taha: Theo and Finn left before Chardonnay came to the party, so they don't know about her. And yes, Harry will ask her for real one day, not any time soon, but one day. Blaise and Draco are similar in my head, both assholes, but good friends to those lucky enough, though Draco is also a huge git to almost everyone else LOL. To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! To Cowpokette85: Thank you for saying I've made you "laugh out loud, cry, and put the story down in frustration with the characters," what a high compliment! I'm happy that you decided to leave a review and instead of just lurking as well, thank you! To DoodleBug78: Thank you, but no Zee and Healer Abby will not be a couple as Zee is not a lesbian and she is most certainly not ready to be with anyone else (I don't know if she ever will be as Sirius was her soul mate).

To xXQueenofDragonsXx: No Delphi, definitely. I have a big family like that, too, and sometimes it does get too crazy LOL. To PurpleLotus: Thank you! I can't imagine Mrs Weasley not helping out Zee. To GryffindorHealer: I love your poetic reviews!

My posting schedule: Once a week.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX:

Ginny smiled at Bill when he Apparated her to Norfolk Manor a few days after her birthday. She was eager to see the changes her friend had made to his estate.

"Have you seen the changes yet?"

Bill shook his head. "No, I haven't been by since Percy and I told him about his father and asked him to join the Wizengamot. But I know that he said it's coming along." As they approached the gate tower, he smiled. "And I'd say it's coming along pretty well, even the outside looks refurbished."

Ginny had to agree with that. The manor looked brighter, the rust coloured stone seemed more vibrant and less abandoned looking. The flowers bloomed around the edges of the walls and the windows gleamed. Kiki greeted them when they stepped inside the entrance hall. It was no longer dark and covered in dark and medieval artefacts, but bright and cheerful. Art hung on the walls in colour that lit up the room just as Theo came down the stairs.

"You're here!"

Ginny hugged him. "It already looks amazing! I swear even the outside looks different!""

"Yeah. We revitalized it. The outside hasn't been taken care of in years. Not since my grandfather died."

"Well, let's see it then," Bill said.

Theo grinned widely. "Well, this is the front hall, obviously."

Soon he was leading them through the manor explaining how he changed this and that. Ginny loved the living room and his study. Bill commented on the library and then when he took them through the kitchen, Kiki gave them tea with white chocolate and lemon cranberry scones.

Ginny was impressed with his bedroom and commented on how amazing the suite looked. She told him that she was in love with the way he'd added a flare of nature and Theo explained how he'd been influenced by Finn's room at the palace.

"I want him to feel at home here."

"I am home here," Finn said, coming into the room. He kissed Theo's cheek before he turned to smile warmly at Bill and Ginny. "Is he proudly giving you the tour?"

Bill nodded. "He is. The place looks great. I'd say you're doing very well for yourself."

"Finn and Blaise have been helping," Theo admitted. "But it's nice to see the changes. I don't want any reminders of my father here or anything to do with the dark arts.'

"Theo, no one thinks you're anything like your father," Finn assured him.

"I just want the place to look nice," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I wanted to be comfortable here too and to feel like it's really my home and it finally is. I feel comfortable here, in all of the rooms of the house. Not like I'm living in someone else's home where I'm not allowed to touch anything or be in any rooms without my father's permission." He seemed to catch himself because his cheeks flushed and he paused for breath. "I mean… I just want it to be mine. Anyway, Blaise convinced me to add a swimming pool in the back and I admit, it's pretty great."

Bill and Ginny followed him downstairs and out into the back where he showed them the garden he'd been working on and the landscape upkeep and brought them around to where the in-ground salt-water swimming pool was.

"Finn helped me landscape it so that it looks like it's always been here. We even have a protective ward around it like a bubble charm to keep the area warm when the weather cools down. This way we can use it, even in the winter time. And it's charmed to always be a perfect temperature of twenty-eight degrees. Blaise says it could be warmer, but I think that's the perfect temperature. He's just used to Italy."

"It's beautiful," Ginny told him.

"It really is," Bill admitted. "You've done an amazing job here, Theo."

Theo beamed at them. "I still have all of the extra rooms, guest rooms and rooms full of storage, but the main ones are done and that's what I wanted. I can work on the rest next summer. Kiki is going to work on the storage rooms and keep me informed on what she finds. I know my father buried a lot of my mother's things in storage and I want to go through them."

Bill nodded. "You will. You have your whole life ahead of you."

Finn came out of the house and gestured for them to sit under the pergola by the pool. Ginny curled up on the lovely white sofa, looking out across the garden and the pool. She happily accepted the glass of lemonade Finn handed her.

"I could sit out here all day. It's so lovely with the breeze coming in, but shaded from the sun," Ginny told him.

Theo nodded. "I wanted some shade so, I worked the pool design into the pergola. My grandfather built this, but he used it as his outdoor gambling den. I was happy to fix it up. Blaise loves to lounge out here."

"Where is he today?" Ginny asked.

Theo shrugged. "Who knows with him? His house elf came by to bring him back to his home to go over some estate stuff. Then he had to get some stuff for school."

Bill frowned. "I thought the two of you were laying low?"

"We have been," Theo assured him. "Kiki picked up my school supplies, but Blaise hasn't been home all summer and he has some stuff to take care of there. He should be back within the hour."

Blaise strolled out into the garden at that moment and raised his wand for a wave. "Ah, company! Hello, Weasleys."

"Hi, Blaise," Ginny said, rolling her eyes when he sat down right next to her.

"Are you here to snog me yet, Red?"

"I don't know, are you still dreaming?"

Bill chuckled. "As much as it pains me to admit it, Ginny has a boyfriend, Zabini."

"And I just don't know what she sees in him," Blaise said with a smirk. "I'm devilishly handsome, you know? Not to mention I have much better taste in shoes."

Theo snorted. "And you never let any of us forget it."

Bill turned to Finn. "Finn, what can you tell me about the swordplay and archery lessons for the defence units? I heard that you were going to be helping out with the teaching?"

Finn nodded and began to explain what the plan was for the volunteers to learn and Theo turned to Ginny.

"So, have you worn those stockings yet? The brilliant black ones with the dragons on them?"

Ginny smiled. "No. It's a little too hot to be wearing nylon stockings just yet. They are brilliant though. Tonks picked them out for me and bought me that lovely black dress with the red rose buds on them."

"Who gave you the blue plaid one?"

"Luna. My brothers were kind enough to give me shopping money for clothes."

Bill rolled his eyes. "I gave you an actual gift."

Ginny chuckled. "You did, but I'm positive Fleur picked it out. It's this lovely light pink dress coat that just sort of shimmers. Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron all gave me money to buy myself some new clothes since they're all working now, though Charlie also gave me that beautiful shawl." She smiled at Blaise. "One of the ladies in the Village of Blue Fire makes them. It's white with bright pink, blue, and red flowers on it. Mum and Dad gave me a basket full of new soaps, shampoos, masks, scrubs, and the like and the boots you bought me, I can't wait to wear them!"

Theo grinned. "You have a secret love affair with shoes that I appreciate. Blaise is shoe-obsessed, you like them a normal amount."

"I'm not shoe-obsessed," Blaise interrupted. "Expensive Italian-leather shoes are a necessity in life."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Doesn't mean one can't wear shoes from somewhere else in the world."

Blaise's eyebrow rose. "That's just blasphemy."

Theo chuckled and turned back to Ginny. "See? Shoe snob. Colin gave you that beautiful picture he took of Norway that was breathtaking! He told me that he has one he thinks I will like and I'm hoping he gives it to me for my birthday"

"Colin is a genius with a camera! I hung the photo up in my room and it looks lovely. The photo he's chosen for you is even more breath-taking. I convinced him to enlarge it. It would look really lovely in your front entranceway."

Theo smiled. "I can't wait to see it. So, what did Harry end up giving you for your birthday?"

"I told you already, he bought me a surfboard. He had it designed for me."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Yes, and on your birthday, he brought another gift. It looked like a book or something and you didn't open it in front of everyone, remember? What was it?"

"Oh! He made me a scrapbook," she said, blushing.

"How adorable," Blaise said. "Excuse me while I throw up in my mouth."

Ginny ignored him. "He filled it with photos of us from our time together in Georgia. He wrote little notes and memories in the margins. It was the sweetest thing and it's so many wonderful memories, too."

"That's so sweet," Theo said with a smile. "And surprisingly romantic."

"I know," Ginny said, beaming. "I think maybe Zee gave him the idea, but I still love it."

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Between you and Theo, I might have to die soon just to get away from the lovey-dovey stuff."

"It's not our fault we have terrific men in our lives, Blaise. Maybe you need a sexy man, too," Theo teased.

"Oh, but darling, you're already taken," Blaise said, making Theo blush. "And I have Patil waiting for me in a few weeks."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Blaise's lips were glued to Parvati's at Goldstein's party."

"She is quite the snogger," Blaise said with a grin.

Ginny laughed as Theo rolled his eyes even more dramatically. "So, other than redecorating, what else have you two been up to?"

"Well," Blaise began. "I've been lounging out here as often as possible. Then there was the time I walked in on these two snogging in the living room, then in the library… oh, and I can't forget the time I caught them snogging in the garden or in the hall."

Theo blushed. "He's not subtle about it either."

"Why should I be?" Blaise asked. "I'm the one who needs to poke my eyes out now. Red, do you have any idea how terrible it is to watch your best mate stick his tongue down someone's throat?"

"He's jealous," Theo told her.

"I'm not jealous. I would simply like to be able to walk into a room without being blinded."

"That's dramatic," Theo said.

"I stand by it," Blaise repeated, making Ginny chuckle.

Theo rolled his eyes again. "Other than dealing with this ponce, the summer has been really great. Ginny, tell Blaise about surfing. It sounds like something that he would enjoy."

When Blaise turned to look at her, she eagerly began to fill him in. Sometimes, it still surprised her that these two Slytherin boys had befriended her. Blaise was more of an acquaintance, but because of how much he cared for Theo, she liked him. Seeing her friend as happy as he was as of late was the most rewarding thing she could ask for. No one deserved happiness more than Theo.

~ ASC ~

The Friday after Ginny's birthday, Harry had finally managed to get time with his girlfriend to show her Clevedon Court. Dobby Apparated both of them there just after lunch and Remus said that he would pick them up in three hours. Harry was glad that it was Remus as he still hadn't told his father about the portraits of his grandparents and he wanted to show him.

He was also looking forward to the broomstick race with Ginny.

He snuck a look over at her as they stood in front of the gate to the house. Her red hair was loose, tumbling down her back and she was wearing denim shorts with a small hole in her left buttock (that she may or may not have known was there, as it revealed she was wearing red knickers). When he caught himself staring at her arse, he swallowed and looked away, instead focusing on the Nimbus Two Thousand and One she had over her shoulder.

"Harry, it's so beautiful," Ginny told him, staring up at the large manor from the path as he held tightly onto her hand.

"Yeah," he said, his eyes on her. He let them drift back around to her backside and when they met her gaze, she blushed.

"I was talking about the house."

His grin was slow. "Were you now?"

Ginny ignored him and tugged him up the path to the front of the house. "I want to see everything."

Harry was still grinning as he led her inside. She was full of questions, but she commented on everything. Dobby, Rosa, and Darby had already done some incredible work on the house over the last week and a half. Harry almost didn't recognize it. The entrance way was more lit and everything polished and gleamed. He could see everything had been given a new coat of paint as well. Ginny loved the Great Hall with all of its art and portraits moving and unmoving on the walls. When they moved into the living room, she especially loved the blue, commenting on it. When she made herself comfortable on the sofa, he couldn't help but stretch out next to her and kiss her.

It didn't take long for both of them to be horizontal. Her lips were soft and when her hands went into his hair, he trailed his mouth down her throat.

"Mmm," Ginny said, pushing him away. "You promised me a tour and we've only seen two rooms."

"But this room has such a comfy couch in it," Harry said, his lips on her neck again.

Ginny slapped her hand on his shoulder. "It does. Now up!"

Harry reluctantly climbed to his feet, pulling his girlfriend up with him and into his arms. He bent his head to kiss her again. When his hands slid out of her hair and down to cup her bum, she pulled away.

"You are terribly distracting. Onwards!"

Harry laughed as she tugged him out of the living room and through the doors leading into the library. He showed her the dining room, the kitchen, the wine cellar, the storage rooms, the loo, and then they headed up the main staircase. They peeked in the three large bedrooms and the bathroom on the second floor and Ginny was impressed to learn that the master bedroom had it's own private bath and little sitting room. It wasn't as grand as the bedroom suite that Theo had, but it was quite large. Harry told her of his plans for the room and she smiled, giving a few suggestions that he liked. They moved onto look into the others bedrooms: One room had clearly belonged to James and one to Sirius, which made Harry smile. He explained to her that the third floor was split up: The right side had two smaller bedrooms and one bathroom, while the left side was mostly abandoned and used for storage.

"Why are there two separate staircases to the third floor, Harry?"

"Uncle Sirius said that it's because the house has been added to over the centuries. There's quite a few staircases actually. I'll show you."

Ginny loved Monty's potions room and that the only access to it was from a secret staircase in the library. When she found the small hidden staircase behind the second living room led to Fee's indoor greenhouse tower, she was charmed.

"I don't know what to do with this room," Harry told her as they came back down the stairs into the second living room. "Uncle Sirius said that my grandparents used it for guests and kept the other one as the family room. Two living rooms just seems weird."

Ginny nodded. "I have to agree. You did mention — never mind."

Harry's eyebrow rose. "Gin, I want to know your thoughts."

She smiled at him. "It's just, you mentioned that the kitchen was a little small and technically, you could use part of this room for the kitchen if you wanted to expand it."

Harry stared around the room, looking pensive. "Well, I mean, if we knocked out that wall and that wall there, it could all become the kitchen and this could be… a guest living room?"

She chuckled. "It was just an idea. You'd have to put more thought into it. The guest living room isn't a bad idea, it's just I don't see the need for two."

"Me neither," he admitted. "I mean… it's so grand."

"But it is homey," Ginny said and he grinned widely at her. "What?"

"I said the same thing when Uncle Siri first brought me here — that it's large, but it feels like home. I love that some of the floors are uneven and that there's creaks when I walk… it feels like it could be home," he repeated. "It's easy to picture my dad sliding down the bannister and he and Uncle Sirius running around barefoot… when Uncle Sirius first told me that it was a manor I pictured it huge and full of chairs and tables you can't use, you know?"

Ginny nodded. "I know. Theo is doing the same with his. Bill and I went over there on Wednesday. Norfolk looks incredible. He's done such a good job making it feel like a home. Though that one really is a huge manor. It's grander than this, that's for sure; practically a mini castle, and he has his own ballroom. But, it feels like a home and it feels like him, warm and sunny. It's important to feel like the place is yours, Harry."

"I want to live here one day," he told her.

Ginny stood on her toes and kissed him softly. "And you will. Now, where's this infamous pitch you told me about? I need to kick your arse in a race already."

He laughed, but he first showed her the little courtyard between the kitchen passage and the guest living room; then he led her out the door at the back of the entrance hall leading into the garden. Ginny loved the flower and vegetable patches and the little home where the house elves lived. He showed her the big guest house and how he and Zee had discussed keeping the upstairs as a guest flat, but turning the main house into stables. Ginny was intrigued and loved the idea. He showed her the tower shed where his father had kept his Quidditch gear and they walked the stone paths around the gardens and down onto the pitch.

"Holy moly!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she grabbed his wrist. "Harry!"

He grinned, slipping his arms around her waist. "It's not as big obviously, but it's pretty great, right?"

Ginny nodded. "Your grandfather built this?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, for my dad to practice on."

"It's brilliant!"

He had to agree. Soon they were both in the middle of the pitch, brooms mounted as he grinned widely at her. "All right, so here's what I'm thinking. Five laps around the pitch. We'll use these flags from the broom tower. I'll be red and you can be white. Every time you make a lap, you have to put one flag on the keeper hoop. If your flag falls, you have to fix it. Once all five flags are up, first one to land back in the centre of the pitch is the winner. Deal?"

Ginny scooped up the white flags, hooking them on her belt before she tied back her hair into a messy bun. "Deal."

Harry grinned and situated himself on his broom with his flags. "The starting line in the centre is the finish line. On three. One. Two. THREE!"

They both took off and Harry couldn't help but sneak a look over at her. The way her legs wrapped around her Nimbus made him swallow before he shook his head. This was not the time to allow for distractions. He focused on his task at hand and lowered himself on his broom to give him more speed and tore off. His first flag went into place no more than thirty seconds before hers. By the fourth lap, they were almost neck and neck. He locked his final flag into place mere seconds before her and tore off towards the centre of the pitch, flying over the finish line and jumping off his broom to whoop as Ginny landed behind him.

"Come kiss the winner!"

Ginny glared at him. "I want a rematch!"

Harry chuckled and pulled her closer. "I'm the best flier, Ginny, you just have to admit it."

"I'm the better player!"

"Ah, but that wasn't part of the challenge now, was it?"

She shut her mouth and he grinned, bending his head to nip at her lips.

"Hmm, I guess I'll need to make you that hat. When do I get to see you wear it? You said nothing but the hat, correct?"

She blushed. "Well that was… when I thought that I was going to win."

Harry chuckled again and kissed her neck. "Oh, backing down now are we?"

Ginny stared at him. "Weasleys never back down."

Then she jumped him and he stumbled, his hands gripping her arse tightly as she plastered her lips to his, legs wrapped around him. Harry lost himself in her lips, moaning as they kissed over and over. He let his finger slip into the hole in her shorts and she squirmed against him. He slid his hands up over her bum, up her back to her neck and then he took her hair down, letting it tumble into his hands as her tongue met his to deepen the kiss. His fingers glided through her hair as they moved up her back, around to cup her breasts and she sighed into him. He almost groaned in disappointment when she broke away. Her lips were swollen as she slid slowly down his body.

"Come back here," he growled.

Ginny smiled. "Later. Remus is supposed to be here soon." She looked around, attempting to look at her arse. "Do I have a hole in my shorts?"

"Maybe," he said, reaching around to slip his finger into the hole again.

Ginny squirmed away from him. "A gentleman would have told me."

Harry kissed her cheek. "I thought you knew it was there and just wanted me to know you were wearing red knickers."

Ginny blushed. "No, that was just a lucky bonus for you."

He grinned and kissed her again. "A definite bonus."

Ginny sighed against his mouth. "Harry, Remus is going to be here soon. No distractions."

Harry nodded in reluctance, glancing at his watch. Remus had said he would be coming to get them at four and it was already quarter to. He sat on the grass of the pitch, stretching out on his back. Ginny sprawled out next to him, biting her lip.

"What?"

She gave him a knowing smirk as her eyes moved down his body and Harry only shifted himself. He knew he was hard and her look only reminded him that it was probably painfully obvious. He tried to think of something else, but her flowery scent washed over him in the breeze and he figured that was a waste of time.

"Ginny, tell me a secret."

Ginny smiled at him, turning on her side to look at him. "I let you win."

"Liar."

She pouted. "Okay, yes, I'm lying. You are clearly the superior flier. Happy now?"

"When you make an announcement at the first Quidditch match, yes, I will be."

Ginny's mouth opened in shock before she caught herself. "Bragging prat."

"Sore loser."

She elbowed him and he grinned.

"No, really, tell me a secret."

Ginny rolled back onto her back and stared up at the blue sky, the clouds drifting across it in fluffy waves. "It's not really a secret because Colin and Charlie know but… I'm going to write for the Hogwarts Herald in September."

"That's brilliant. You're going to love it."

"I think so," she admitted, pleased that he thought so. "I'm looking forward to it. I need to come up with a pen name though. Colin suggested that I do an advice column where people can ask personal questions and I can anonymously respond without them knowing who it is. It intrigues me and I think that I'd be good at it."

"You'll be great at it," he told her, rolling over onto his side. He let his hand reach out to absentmindedly stroke her hair. "Colin would never have suggested it otherwise."

She smiled at him, turning to face him as well. "I hope so. Tell me a secret, Harry."

"Not really a secret either, but I think that I've decided to be an Auror."

"You'd be great at that," she said.

His fingers continued to play with her hair. "I want to help people and I want to stop Voldemort and anyone like him from doing things like this. I want to make a difference."

"You will," she said. "I guess that means you've organized your classes?"

"Yes. I'm dropping Astronomy, Arthimancy, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies, but I will be taking Wandless Magic with Professor Rhiannon. Uncle Remus thinks that she can teach me a lot, especially about harnessing it. Maybe then I won't get so tired and need to rely on my wand as much."

"I'm a little jealous. I can only do little things wandlessly, without even realizing it, you know?"

He nodded. "I know. And the rest will come with practice, if you want it. Are you going to be a writer, Ginny? After school, I mean?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. Charlie and I talked about having scouts come out to watch me play."

He raised his eyebrows, grinning widely. "That would be incredible."

"Do you think I could? I mean… it's a dream, but if I could play Quidditch professionally…?"

"You could," he told her. "You're an incredible Chaser, Ginny. Auntie Minnie told me that scouts don't seriously start looking until sixth year, but they do like to keep a list of potentials around before that. You should talk to her about submitting your name."

Ginny smiled. "Maybe I will. Don't tell Mum though."

He chuckled. "I won't." He said, brushing her hair behind her ears. "Best thing that happened this summer?"

"Teaching you to surf."

"It was pretty cool," he agreed.

"You?"

His grin was slow as his eyes roamed down her body. "You telling Harley it's not her name I say when you make me come."

Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair. "Not one of my finer moments."

"Oh, it was bloody brilliant," he corrected. "Not to mention that you most definitely made me say your name."

She bit her lip. "I liked it when you touched me."

"I liked feeling you come around my fingers."

Her breath hitched. "So did I."

They stared at each other a moment before Ginny rolled over onto her back and looked back up at the sky. "I don't want to start something that we can't finish."

"Oh, I'd let you finish," he promised, his voice deeper than normal.

She blushed again at the desire and arousal in his voice. "Harry…"

He leaned over and kissed her softly before he flopped back onto the grass. "You're right. Uncle Rem will be here any minute, I know…"

Ginny let out a slow breath. "I don't want to be, for the record."

He grinned. "Good."

She let out another slow breath. "What's the one thing you wish for the most?"

"My parents to meet you," he said, his eyes on hers.

Ginny's eyes softened. "Do you think that they would have liked me?"

"I think they would have loved you," he told her. "Uncle Siri says my dad would have cheered because you have red hair, but they would have loved you. Your turn."

Ginny stared up at the sky, watching the clouds for a long moment. "That in the rematch, I beat you."

He snorted, turning on his side again and slipping his arm around her waist. "Never going to happen. I'm the superior flier. It's been decided."

She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling before turning somber. "I wish that Tom was gone."

His eyes sobered and his fingers clutched the shirt at her waist. "We all wish for that, Ginny. It's going to happen… with Neville and Luna finding the diadem it's just a matter of waiting for him to make his next move… I don't know what kind of move, but Uncle Remus says that he will bring the war to us and we'll know."

Ginny nodded, turning to look back up at the sky.

Neither of them spoke for the longest time, Harry's fingers gently dancing along the bare skin of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up.

"The one thing that you most regret?" Ginny asked quietly.

Her words startled him as he'd been tracing each freckle he could see on her stomach. He didn't answer right away, but continued to trace her freckles one by one until he rested his arms on either side of her and hovered over her.

"Rejecting you."

Ginny's eyes flashed in surprise. "Harry —"

Harry shook his head. "—No, let me speak." He took a deep breath when she closed her mouth. "You did a brave thing. You took me aside and you told me that you fancied me and I laughed in your face."

"You didn't laugh in my face," she said quietly.

"No, but I wasn't… it scared me. All I thought was that this is my friend and I couldn't imagine losing you as a friend and it's all I could see."

"No, Cho was all you could see," Ginny said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "That was a colossal mistake. Ginny, I love you. I love you more than I can possibly put into words. You're everything to me. You're my best friend, my girlfriend, my… what did Finn call it? My cridhe agus anam. I'm sure I butchered that horribly but… he said to me that it's as if we're part of each other - and that's true. You are my heart and my soul, Ginny Weasley, and the thing I regret most in my life is not being smart enough to realize it when you gave me a chance. Instead I… we wasted so much time on people who didn't really matter, not the way that they should have anyway, all because I was too thick to see what was right in front of me. And I don't know if I've ever apologized for that, for… for rejecting you. But I am sorry. Being with you now only shows me how stupid I was and how much I hurt you. I'm sorry."

Ginny reached up to frame his face with her hands. "Harry, I've never held that against you. I was… you saved me from Tom and from the Chamber and I fancied you, part of it was that hero worship and the other part… you were my friend and I admired you, but I wasn't ready to be with you yet, not like we are now. We weren't ready for each other yet."

He looked into her warm eyes and he nodded. "Maybe not, but I regret it just the same."

"You know, Zee told me something interesting."

His eyebrow rose. "Oh?"

"She told me that she first knew you loved me during the Quidditch World Cup."

"Er, that's… the Veela," he said, swallowing and sitting up.

Ginny simply sat up with him and straddled his lap, her arms linking behind his neck. "She said that it takes more than just an attraction to someone to break them out of a Veela haze, but that for it to happen naturally it's because there's a bond there. Did you love me even then, Harry?"

Harry stared into her brown eyes. "I didn't know it then, but yeah, yeah I think I did. When I saw you at the ball, Ginny… you were the most beautiful girl there and that dress… the burgundy and the gold… I couldn't take my eyes off of you and it hit me like lightning that I… I wanted you, Gin, I wanted you more than I had ever wanted anyone or anything in my life and when I saw you turn in Michael's arms, I saw green."

She smiled. "I was jealous of Mandy."

"Mandy was… when I realized I couldn't… you were happy with Michael and I had convinced myself that I'd cocked it all up, that I'd lost my chance with you. I was attracted to Mandy so, I flirted, and she was great and I liked her, but she… she just wasn't you."

Ginny rested her forehead against his. "I liked her too and I hated that I liked her. I hated that you liked her and I thought that I had to be there as your friend even more to prove that it didn't bother me that you were with her. But it did, Harry… when you kissed her, all I thought was that you chose her over me."

"And I thought you chose Dean over me."

Ginny brushed her lips across his. "Fools are we."

He closed his eyes when she brushed her lips across his again. "I'm sorry I was a fool, Ginny. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

Ginny's lips brushed his scar tenderly. "We were both fools. And I don't regret my time with Michael and the others and you shouldn't regret yours either. The important thing is that they were our past and it was through them that we were brought together. Well, and because some cheeky git snogged me in front of the whole school instead of telling me he fancied me."

"What a blighter," he said, sighing when she kissed his scar again.

"Yes, but he's a rather good kisser."

He smiled and his lips brushed hers, teasing them apart. "Is he now?"

"Harry! Ginny!"

Harry swore as he nipped at her lips once more. "And he has the worst timing."

"My point exactly," she said as he kissed her once more.

"Over here, Uncle Rem!"

Remus appeared over the garden wall and smiled at them. "Who won the race?"

"I did!" Harry said, jumping to his feet. "I'm the best flier!"

Ginny rolled her eyes as she sat up. "He barely won."

"I had at least twenty seconds on her."

Remus chuckled. "Sounds like it was close."

Ginny pulled her hair back up into a messy bun. "I admit, he's a better flier, but I'm the better player."

Harry shrugged. "I concede that."

Remus stared at them in amusement. "You two ready to head back?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but first I have to show you something."

Remus raised his eyebrow. "What's that? Dobby took me through the house. It's looking great. Fee and Monty would have been proud of you cleaning it all up."

"I hope so," Harry told him, taking Ginny's hand in his. "Come on inside and follow me."

Harry led Ginny and Remus through the house and into the great hall. He led them to the corner and he heard Remus' breath hitch behind him.

"Nan, Pop, I brought Uncle Rem to see you."

Monty's face beamed from the portrait. "There's my boy! Still a giant I see, I don't know what runs through Lupin blood, but you and your father, both so tall."

"Hi, Monty, Fee," he said softly. "Merlin, it's good to see you both."

"He's grown up so handsome, Monty! I knew you would, you and those charming golden eyes of yours. Harry tells us you're married, darling?"

"I am," Remus said with a smile. "In fact, we celebrate one year on Monday. She's wonderful and you'd love her."

"You'll bring her to meet us then and introduce her properly," Fee told him sternly, her eyes twinkling.

"Yes, Fee."

She smiled brightly before her eyes landed on Ginny. "And who is this lovely young lady?"

Harry slipped his arm around Ginny's waist as he tugged her forward. "This is my girlfriend."

"Ah, the lovely Ginny!" Fee exclaimed with a smile. "Harry told us all about you, dear. I'm Fee and this is Monty Potter, we're charmed to meet you, my dear."

"Likewise," Ginny said. "Harry, you didn't tell me that there's a portrait of your grandparents."

"I didn't know. Dobby showed it to me and Zee when we returned from Georgia."

Remus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Jamie put it away after they died."

Monty nodded. "I understand that it was hard for him. He said that he would bring us back out when it wasn't so fresh, but Harry told us what happened."

Remus' eyes were sad as he stared at the portrait. "I forgot all about you two having this commissioned. Sirius and I… we raised Harry."

"He told us that too," Monty said. "You boys did a fine job. Fee and I couldn't be any prouder."

"Sirius and I have missed you and now…"

Fee's eyes filled up. "Harry told us. Darling, you mustn't blame yourself. Monty and I are so proud of you for raising Harry, for stepping up. We knew that you'd be a great man one day and it does us proud to see you standing before us — and a professor at that! We're so proud of you, dear!"

Remus grinned widely. "I sometimes can't believe it myself."

Harry tugged Ginny away and into the living room to give Remus some alone time with his grandparents' portrait. He thanked Dobby when he brought them sandwiches.

"Will I get to see you again before we go back to school?"

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe you can come to the Burrow again soon? Mum and Dad want me home since I've been gone most of the summer."

He nodded. "I suspected as much. And I suppose it is only two weeks."

Ginny smiled as she ate her sandwich. "Long two weeks though."

Harry couldn't argue with that. "I plan on spending the rest of the summer working here and at home so anytime you have a moment, feel free to pop by?"

"Deal."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "The Floo is strict here just like at Black Cottage. It took a lot of work to do so, but Dobby tells me that it's all set up now. You can only get here through Black Cottage and through Remus and Tonks' cottage. But I asked him to add the Burrow to the list. I want you to be able to come here whenever you want."

Ginny smiled at that. "You know that means my brothers also have unlimited access."

He smirked. "Yeah, but your brothers don't know the address, do they?"

Ginny's eyes widened at that as he nipped at her lips.

"Sorry to interrupt," Remus said from the doorway, an amused smile on his lips. "But I think it's time we get going."

Harry agreed. They finished off their sandwiches and said goodbye to the house elves before they used the Floo to get back to Black Cottage. Zee was reading a pregnancy book in the living room when they arrived and she smiled brightly at them.

"Well, who won?"

"Me!" Harry exclaimed, laughing when Ginny elbowed him.

"I concede, he's the better flier," she said rather grumpily.

Harry laughed again and put his arm around her. "We're pretty evenly matched and I did agree that I may be the better flier, but she's the better Quidditch player."

Zee chuckled. "Sounds like a fair assessment. Are you staying for dinner, Ginny?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, thank you. Dobby gave us some sandwiches before we left, but Mum is expecting me home."

She kissed Harry chastely before she headed back into the fireplace to head home. He watched her go with a sigh and turned back to Zee and Remus.

"Uncle Rem are you staying for dinner?"

Remus shook his head. "Not tonight, Harry. Nymphadora has the weekend off for our anniversary and I'd like to spend it with her if you don't mind?"

"I guess that's a good reason."

Remus smiled and pulled Harry into a one-armed hug. "If you need me, send me one of those wandless Patronuses. Otherwise, I'll see you on Tuesday."

He disappeared into the fireplace as well and Harry plopped down next to Zee. "So, guess it's just you and me?"

Zee squeezed his arm. "That it is. I was thinking pizza?"

"Brilliant," he said. "Do we have any dough made?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Takeaway?"

He grinned. "Perfect."

~ ASC ~

After dinner, Zee decided to take a bath and Harry asked her if he could go for a run on the beach. She agreed as long as he took Lady Godiva and promised to run with a shield around him. Harry decided that was a good trade. He changed into trainers and shorts before he spent ten minutes stretching on the patio. He wandlessly enacted his shield before he whistled at the panther and she broke out into a run next to him as they headed through the woods and down the hill towards the beach. The sun was setting on the water as he ran, the warm summer breeze making him feel relaxed. Every once in a while he thought that he could feel eyes on him, but as he scanned the beach, he saw no one; everyone had cleared out for the day. He ran three kilometres before he threw himself down onto the pebbled ground to catch his breath.

He pulled water from the bottle he had clipped to his belt and drank greedily, his eyes on the waves. The sun was mostly set and he stared out at the ocean, nothing but the sound of his own breathing around him.

And then he heard the little bark.

Lady Godiva's head shot up and she made a hissing and growling sound, but Harry held his hand up to stop her. He rolled onto his knees to peek through the semi-darkness, hoping to find the source of the sound. He heard it again and his eyes widened when the dark head of fur stuck its head out from behind a little castle someone had built in the sandy pebbles.

Black fur as dark as night with pointed ears and eyes glinting silver in the moonlight. He only looked to be a few months old, large paws that he tripped over and Harry sympathized with him. He was thin and frail looking, and Harry's heart ached at the sight of him.

"Come here, boy," he said softly.

The puppy perked its ears up at his voice and moved slowly towards him. Lady Godiva lifted her head and he gave a little puppy bark. Lady Godiva growled again and the puppy jumped up to nip at her tail. She bared her teeth and let out a fierce growl that made the puppy jump back and land on his butt. The panther merely lowered her head back to the ground and covered her eyes with her paw, making Harry laugh.

"He's just a puppy, Lady G, don't pick on him. Come here, boy."

The puppy bounded over and Harry dropped his shield as he tentatively reached out to stroke his soft fur. The puppy melted into him and when his pointy ears perked up, Harry realized with a jolt that the puppy was a German Shepard. He swallowed slowly.

"Who do you belong to, boy?"

The puppy licked his arm and Harry held him closer, laughing as he playfully licked him. He didn't have a collar and when those silver eyes met his again, he swallowed.

"Padfoot?"

At the sound of his godfather's name, the puppy yipped and snuggled into his shoulder.

Harry wrapped his arms around the puppy, too afraid to move. The puppy appearing like he had, looking so much like the father he'd lost, was both a curse and a blessing. He searched the abandoned beach once more, but saw no sign that the puppy had come from anyone nor that anyone was looking for him. Considering the pup looked half starved, he figured that someone had abandoned him. He stood, the puppy in his arms and whistled at Lady Godiva. He put his shield back up and began his jog home.

When he returned to Black Cottage, the puppy barked happily. Harry brought him into the kitchen, quickly finding Marauder's old water dish and he filled it up before looking in the fridge for something to feed him. He'd just mixed up some roasted chicken with shredded carrots and cheese in a bowl and placed it on the ground when Zee came into the kitchen.

"Hey, how was your run?" she asked, her eyes widening at the sight of the puppy.

"He found me on the beach," Harry told her. "He was watching me. And when I called him over, he came. He's a German Shepard, Zee."

She nodded, her eyes on the black puppy. "You want to keep him."

It hadn't been a question, but he nodded. "Yes. His eyes are silver, unique, and… I know he's not… Don't you think he should be Padfoot?"

Tears welled up in Zee's eyes and she nodded. "Yes, yes he should be." She dropped to her knees. "Hi, Padfoot, is that your name, sweetie? Are you going to be our Padfoot?"

The puppy yipped and licked her hand and her eyes softened.

"Merlin, he's perfect, isn't he?"

Harry nodded. "I think so, yeah."

Her eyes met his and she smiled, giving the puppy one more rub before she urged him back to his food. "I'll pick up some food for him on my way home tomorrow."

Harry grinned. "Thanks."

Zee moved over and stood on her toes to kiss her cheek. "He looks just like him."

He nodded. "Do you believe in that? That maybe he… I mean… the way he came right over to me and when I called him Padfoot, Zee… I swear he responded to it. Do you think he could be?"

Zee gently cupped his cheek. "Nothing is impossible, sweetie."

"I'm going to give him a bath when he's done eating and then he can sleep in my bed."

Lady Godiva looked offended by this before she strolled out of the kitchen.

Harry laughed. "Your cat's annoyed with me."

"She'll get over it," Zee said. "And that sounds like a good plan."

Harry looked over at the puppy again and for the first time in a long time, he felt a little lighter. "Welcome home, Padfoot."

The puppy's silver eyes met his and he knew, with absolute certainty, that the puppy was home.

~ ASC ~

Theo stood in his study, looking out the full-sized window into the garden. The Wizengamot session that afternoon had been long, but informative. Bones had made an announcement that the fountain would be finished within the next three to four weeks and that she would be sitting in on departmental meetings all over the Ministry to discuss new changes and procedures. The Ministry was going in such a good direction, he couldn't help but be proud of the work there. The thought of going back to Hogwarts in two weeks almost made him sad.

He had come to really enjoy going to the Wizengamot sessions. He enjoyed the talks with the other members; he wanted to help. For the first time in his life, he finally found like he really belonged, like he'd found his purpose. But he knew that returning to Hogwarts was just as important. He wanted to finish his education and most of all, he wanted to see Draco.

He missed his friend more than he could explain. He was worried and scared for him. Theo needed to see him with his own eyes and he needed to try to figure out how to help him. Draco had been there for him last year through everything. He'd seen him at his worst. He'd let him cry on his shoulder when Theo had contemplated taking his own life. And Draco had stood by him when the Macmillan situation came to head. Now it was his turn and he wasn't about to let his friend face his demons alone.

But he also didn't want to leave Finn.

He'd gotten used to waking up wrapped in his boyfriend's arms. He loved the support Finn gave him; the calming way he had about him. Finn was always assuring him that everything would be okay. He'd gotten used to Finn being there day after day and the thought of going back to school and only seeing him on the weekends was more painful than he could bear.

As if he'd heard him, arms encircled his waist from behind and a warm mouth pressed against the side of his neck.

"How was the session today?"

"Good. Really good," Theo told him. He turned his head to kiss him. "Did you just get back?"

Finn nodded and began to unbutton Theo's shirt. "I did."

Theo chuckled as his dress shirt was spread open and Finn began to work on his black trousers. "Let me take off my Wizengamot robe first."

Finn's mouth sucked on his ear so sharply that Theo felt the sensation between his legs as he pushed Theo's trousers down, followed by his boxers. "No."

Then his hands were all over and Theo felt a whoosh of magic as suddenly all of his clothes were gone except for the open purple robe. Finn turned him around and knelt in front of him. He started with soft kisses on his thighs, on the back of his knees, and then his mouth was wrapped around him and Theo could do nothing, but hold onto his boyfriend's hair as he pleasured him.

Finn's mouth brought him right to the edge before he stood up, kissing Theo's cheek and turned him around towards the window. Theo groaned when he smelt the oil and then his boyfriend's hands were doing the most delectable things to his arse.

"Finn..." he begged. "I want to touch you."

Finn ignored this and Theo groaned when he felt his boyfriend's finger rock into him. Then Finn was tugging his clothes off and Theo caught a glimpse of his boyfriend's reflection in the window standing gloriously naked behind him before Finn pushed him up against the glass, and slid into him.

Theo cried out at the intrusion and then there was nothing but pleasure. Finn's hands slid around to grip him, pumping him in rhythm with every thrust. His thumb stroking under the head, circling and tugging, and it wasn't long before Theo cried out his name as he came all over the window pane. Finn rode him harder, pinning him against the glass. One hand continued to gently fondle Theo's spent cock, the other held his hip as he thrust himself forward. Theo was panting, the pleasure building more and more as Finn's lips brushed the back of his neck and then Finn panted his name as he emptied himself.

Theo sighed in contentment when Finn slid out of him. Finn's arms turned to pull him into his embrace and they stumbled towards the sofa in the library, wrapped in each other's arms.

"So, you like my robe then?"

Finn chuckled against Theo's hair as he snuggled him closer on his chest. "Yes. More than I expected. You look incredibly sexy in it. Proud and confident and it makes me think of all of the great things I know you can accomplish. Then it makes me think of how much I want to be part of your life while you do those things. Then I just want you. All of you. I'm so proud of what you're doing, Theo."

"You make me want to aspire to be more," he said.

Finn gently brushed Theo's hair away from his face. "I love you."

Theo smiled and kissed Finn's chest before he froze, eyes widening as they locked onto his boyfriend's green ones. "Finn! I think Blaise was in the bloody garden!"

Finn grinned. "He was. He disappeared rather quickly when he caught sight of us in the window."

Theo blushed scarlet. "And I... I can't leave that mess on the window for Kiki."

"Mmm," Finn said absently, running his hand down Theo's chest and down to grip him in his hand.

Theo groaned as he felt Finn revitalize him with magic. "I only would have needed a few more minutes, you know."

Finn shifted him so that he was under him on the sofa. "I know, but I need you in my mouth right now."

Theo gasped as Finn did exactly that and he again wondered how he was going to survive the whole school year without seeing this perfect man every day.

~ ASC ~

Tonks looked up when Rex Higgins plopped himself down on the edge of her desk. "I have one folder left to fill out and I think I may have actually finished all of my paperwork."

"That can't be humanly possible," Higgins said as he passed her a cup of coffee.

"Rex, you're my saviour and if I wasn't so happily married, I'd kiss you right now."

He chuckled as he watched her sip the coffee. "If I didn't have date number three with my lovely barista tonight, I may have let you."

Tonks grinned at him. She'd come to love working with him more and more over the last year. He needed to close two more cases and he would be eligible to write his A2 exam and she was rooting for him. She loved his sass and his quick thinking. He understood her and they worked well together.

"Rotten luck for us both then."

Higgins snorted. "The paperwork though, you honestly can't be almost done. I think mine grows wings and brings back strays when I blink."

"Oh, I am most definitely almost done… I just didn't say that it was from this month."

He smirked at that and sipped his own coffee. "Ah, that makes more sense."

"So, you brought me coffee to butter me up, I assume? What time is the big date tonight?"

Higgins grinned. "If I could leave thirty minutes early, that'd be great, Lupin!"

Tonks smiled at him and nodded. "We haven't pulled anything in and it's almost four so go ahead and knock off. I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Thank you!" Higgins exclaimed, hopping off the desk. "I have this big night planned and I just want everything to be perfect."

"Have a good weekend, Rex."

She watched him hurry off and she grinned, sipping her coffee happily before she turned back to the paperwork. It had thankfully been a fairly slow day and she was looking forward to having the weekend off. Maybe she and Remus could plan their own date. Their one year wedding anniversary was on Monday and Kingsley had let her have a three day weekend so that they could celebrate properly. She planned on keeping him naked as much as possible.

"I'd say someone is about to have a great night with that gleam in your eye," Atwell said, winking at her.

Tonks grinned. "It's my anniversary this weekend. I'm just thinking of all of the naughty things I want to do to my husband."

"I could learn to hate you, you know," Atwell said. "It's been eons since I've had a good shag. In fact it's been so long, they might have changed it by now."

Tonks laughed. "I think you're safe."

"Where's Higgins?"

"I let him take off early. He had a date and I'm just finishing up paperwork. Any leads on the missing children case?"

Atwell shook her head. "Nothing. It's like they vanished into thin air. Listen, Dora, I hate to do this to you with only two hours left of your shift, but there's been a Crouch sighting. Do you want to call Higgins back for backup?"

Tonks' eyes immediately fell to the folder in Atwell's hands and shook her head. "No, not yet. Every time I think we have a lead with him it turns out to be a dead end. Tell me what we know."

"He was spotted outside of Vita Flint's home three days ago. Her son Magnus claims one of the neighbours recognized him. Magnus Flint reported his mother officially missing this morning."

Tonks took the folder from Higgins. "Bloody hell! How did he find out that we spoke to her?"

"We don't know. Maybe there's some DEs spying on her and they saw Aurors approach her place. Or we could have a spy in the department. I'm not ruling anything out these days. Either way, not knowing how he found out is another reason to be worried. Magnus Flint thinks his cousin has her and there's been no sign of her since he was spotted. Flint claims that he spoke to his mother that morning and hasn't been able to get a hold of her since."

Tonks nodded and stood up. "I'll go to the Flint residence and talk to him. But I bet it's going to be a dead end. He never actually saw Crouch with his mother and… Merlin, we know that if he has her, she's already being tortured either way. I hate that I know that. The woman was crotchety as all hell, but she doesn't deserve anything he does to her."

Atwell nodded. "I'm free if you want a second pair of eyes."

"That'd be great, Nat, thanks. I hate to call Rex back just for a follow-up on a MISPERS case."

Tonks adjusted her wand holster and followed Atwell out of the DMLE. They Apparated into an alley near the London flat that was the Flint residence five minutes later and Magnus Flint answered the door. He had a large nose and a wide mouth that made him look rather fierce, but his eyes were haunted with worry.

"Magnus Flint? I'm Auror Lupin and this is Auror Atwell, we're here to talk about your mother's supposed disappearance."

Flint nodded, his eyes wide. "The fact that they sent Aurors to follow up instead of officers tells me it's bad."

"That means nothing, Mr Flint," Tonks told him sternly. "We're only here because of the tip that your cousin may be involved. I understand that one of your neighbours claims that they saw Crouch Jr approaching the door to this flat?"

Flint swallowed. "Mrs Patterson in 2E claims that she recognized him from the paper."

"Why do you think he was here?" Atwell asked.

"Why do I think he was here? My mother wouldn't be missing if you hadn't come snooping around here asking questions! That's why he was here! We haven't seen or spoken to Bart since he went to Azkaban!"

"Mr Flint, we understand that you're worried, but Crouch is a dangerous wizard and we're doing our best to find him before he hurts more people," Atwell said quietly.

Flint nodded, dragging his hand over his face. "My mother never liked Bart. She used to always tell me that something about him was off, that something wasn't quite right about him."

"Did you ever chum around with him?" Tonks asked.

Flint shook his head. "No. I had left Hogwarts by the time he started and my son, Marcus, just finished his seventh year in June. We're on different spectrums and sides of life."

Tonks nodded. "What can you tell us about your cousin?"

"Honestly, nothing. We were never close. I only saw him a handful of times in my youth at family functions and as I said, I haven't seen him since he went to Azkaban. My mother was worried about him and told me that if I ever heard from him to make sure that the Aurors were informed because he was dangerous. Ever since my uncle was killed… she's been worried that he would look at the rest of the family."

Atwell watched him for a moment. "Where are your wife and son now?"

"At home. I didn't want to worry them. And my father died five years ago. Mother's been living here alone. I've tried to get her to move in with me and Linota but she won't hear of it. She says that she's fine here, but she's been slowing down over the years and… he's probably torturing her, isn't he?"

"Mr Flint, there's no need to jump to conclusions."

"I know that you're both thinking it," Flint said, staring at his hands. "He has her and there's no way that he's going to let her go. Not alive."

"We're going to do our best to find your mother, Mr Flint," Tonks told him.

"I've increased the wards around my home," Flint told them.

"That's probably a wise choice," Atwell told him. "And we suggest that you come up with security questions for your wife and son as well. We can never be too cautious in times like these."

Flint nodded and thanked them for their time.

Tonks followed Atwell back out onto the street and shook her head. "He's right. I don't want to give up hope, but Crouch has given me no chances at finding him. There's been a manhunt out for him since we learned he was responsible for the death of his father almost two years ago and other than sightings… he leaves mutilated corpses in his path and then disappears without a trace until someone else goes missing."

Atwell led the way into the alley to Apparate back to the Ministry. "We'll find him, Lupin. It's just a matter of time. No one can run forever."

Knowing that was true didn't make the situation any better.

She found Remus in the garden when she got home. He was sitting with his feet up on the table, a book open in his lap in the evening sun. It was so homey and she remembered her plans for him with a smile.

She didn't want to think about work or the looming darkness that was falling over England. She didn't want to think about Crouch Jr and what he was up to. Atwell would be working the case with her partner Baxter and she told Tonks that unless they had a massive breakthrough, she wouldn't bother her with it until she returned to work on Tuesday. Atwell claimed that if anyone deserved a three day weekend with their husband, it was her. Tonks was grateful for that. She just wanted to do naughty things to her husband and not worry about work for once.

She bent over his shoulder to kiss his cheek and simply plopped herself into his lap.

"Good evening, Nymphadora," he said, kissing her softly. "I wondered how long you were going to watch me from the back door."

"Good evening, Remus," she replied, her eyes twinkling. "Always all knowing, are you? What are you reading out here?"

"Oh, just an old Muggle mystery novel."

"You should read something steamy and erotic. You know my mum has these books where the witches always get — mmm," she said against his mouth.

"I don't need to read those kinds of novels when I can do something steamy and erotic to you."

Tonks grinned at that and kissed him again before she began to unbutton his shirt. "Did you have something particular in mind, Professor?"

He smiled when she spread his shirt open, her lips pressing over every scar with such tenderness that he couldn't help but sigh. No one had ever made him feel as worthy as she did. When she kissed the pulse in his throat, he tugged her chin up to kiss her lips.

"A few things may have crossed my mind."

Tonks grinned and slid down his body, unzipping his jeans and tugging them down his legs. "I have a few myself."

When her fingers touched the waistline of his boxers, his eyes met hers. "You have entirely too many clothes on. Let's go inside."

"Why?" she asked, looking around the empty garden, out at the wood. "We have no neighbours." Then she pulled his boxers off leaving him in nothing but his open shirt.

"Nymphadora," he said, reaching for her.

But she ignored him, her hand rubbing over him as she kissed his stomach, sliding her tongue over every scar, kissing him everywhere she could reach while her hand stroked and teased him. When her lips brushed his tip, he groaned and his fingers slid through the soft pink curls.

Tonks lingered a moment, soft sucks and nips before she leaned back on her legs and tugged her shirt over her head. She dropped her bra next to her shirt and stood up as she unbuttoned her jeans, sliding them down her hips. Her husband's eyes hungrily roamed over her and she gave him a teasing smile.

"Let's go inside."

He stood, following her quickly and kissing her passionately against the wall of the kitchen. His hand slid down to cup her bum through her purple knickers and she squirmed against him.

"Not yet."

At his look, she opened the cellar door and went down the stairs.

"Dora," Remus said sharply.

She didn't look back at him until she was standing at the bottom of the staircase. He stood in the doorway, the sunlight from the kitchen windows framing him and making him look like some Celtic god, all lean muscle and scarred from battle with his big, thick, cock pointing out. She smiled and licked her lips.

"Come down here."

"Nymphadora," he said more sternly. "We don't come down here."

Tonks only stared at him and slowly shimmied her knickers down and he moved down a few steps.

"Nymphadora, come upstairs with me — now. We've talked about this. This is… this is where I…"

She nodded and moved deeper into the cellar. "We have and you know how I feel about your thoughts on it."

"Dora, this isn't the place for us. This is where I come to transform, where I…"

"Where you let the wolf out," she said, quirking her finger at him in a come hither motion.

Remus moved down the rest of the steps and walked towards her. She was leaning against the stone now, her fingers playing with the iron shackles on the wall. "No."

"It's going to be our one year anniversary in three days and you still won't let me?"

"Dora, it's not about… let's go upstairs, please?"

Tonks reached forward to stroke him. He'd been getting harder the more he spoke and she knew that he was intrigued. She let go and in one quick motion, shackled herself to the wall. "I'm at your mercy, Mr Wolf."

His eyes gleamed. "Nymphadora…"

Tonks only smiled as her arms were held into place above her head. "Don't you want to do naughty things to me, Mr Wolf? I'm all chained up and… helpless."

Remus stared at her a moment and then she saw the gleam in his eye show desire and she knew that she'd won. His lips hungrily attacked her throat, kissing her hard and bruising. His mouth trailed up her arms and around the shackles before he turned her, pinning her against the wall. Her arms protested the turn, but his fingers found her wet and wanting and she ignored the pain. The whimper she made seemed to spur him on and when his hands greedily moved up to her breasts to squeeze and fondle, she gasped.

"Rem…"

"Do you like this, Nymphadora?" he whispered, kissing her ear. "Do you like it when you're all tied up like this?"

"Yes," she said, her eyes on him.

Her words seemed to have shaken something in him, because he pushed her harder against the wall, her breasts pushing against the cold stone, and then he was lifting her and lowering her onto his cock. She cried out, the shackles clinking together as he rode her hard and fast. The orgasm tore through her and she screamed his name before he pulled out. He grabbed the chain of the shackles, pulling the moving chain from the stone to give him more leverage and brought her down to her hands and knees. She groaned as he took her again, holding her bound hands above her head as he thrusted into her from behind. His head bent under her arm to suckle her breast and she found herself begging for more.

When she came a second time, he pulled out of her again, locking her bound arms around his neck and pulling her down into his lap and lowering her back onto his erection.

"Is this what you want, Nymphadora? To see me lose control with you?"

Tonks kissed him deeply, gasping as he filled her. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Remus panted against her shoulder as he finally came in such a mind-blowing orgasm that he surprised himself, taking her over the edge with him as he did. She collapsed against him as he fell back onto the blankets he'd cleaned and set out for the next full moon and he heard the shackles clang. He gulped for breath, surprised to find that he almost couldn't catch it as his wife snuggled on top of him like a contented cat.

They laid there in silence for the longest time, Remus' hands stroking her smooth back before he found the energy to move.

"You destroy me, Nymphadora. You utterly and completely destroy me."

Tonks kissed him softly. "You still think that I'm ashamed of you and I don't know why. This is our home and every room is ours, even the one where you transform."

Remus' eyes were full of emotion as he kissed her. "I love you, Nymphadora. I'm sorry that I still feel that you're ashamed of me sometimes, I know you're not. Even if it baffles me."

She kissed his chin. "No bafflement. I love you too much to protest. Now, how about my incredibly sexy wolf goes upstairs to find his wand and unties me?"

Remus trailed his fingers down her arm. "Maybe I like you tied up after all."

Tonks grinned. "I don't have to work until Tuesday, Professor, you can keep me tied up as long as you want."

"Don't tempt me," he said, kissing her lips.

"Or maybe," she said, rubbing her body over his hardening cock. "You can untie me and I can tie you up."

"You've handcuffed me before, Mrs Lupin."

She grinned mischievously. "And you loved it."

Remus slid out from under her, leaving her shackled to the wall as he stood. "I'll go get my wand, and Nymphadora?"

When she only bit her bottom lip, her eyes on his erection, he swallowed.

"Did you bring your handcuffs home?"

"They're hanging on my belt."

"Good."

She watched him run up the stairs and she giggled. Sometimes she loved making him let everything go, to just focus on them and their pleasure. She loved watching him relinquish control to her. When he came back a moment later with his wand and the handcuffs dangling from his hand, she grinned.

"I want to use the shackles first."

He groaned. "You'll be the death of me."

Tonks crawled towards him as far as the chains would allow and licked his length joyously. "Only if you'll let me."

Then she laughed when he untied her and they merely fell into each other, kissing deeply. She knew that he'd let her do anything and she couldn't wait to let him do the same.

End Author's Notes:

Thanks to Steel for lending his ear over the puppy.

Thank you for reading and please review!