Author's Note:
Wow! I hit an all time high on reviews in the last chapter — thank you so much! You are all so amazing!
And hello! I'm so excited to learn there are at least SEVEN Canadians reading this story! Hello, fellow Canucks!
Reviews and Comments: To Seriously Sam: Yes, Ginny refused to see even Theo. She's going through some things. Well, someone does try to kill Harry every year lol. Yes, Fiadh (pronounced Fee-ah), I had fun writing all of those puns. St Louis is a very common name in my hometown! Canadians are awesome. To Steelcode: Yes, I know, poor Harry. To disasterslytherin: Yes, the kiss was complicated, but yes, they will work it out. Ginny just has a lot to sort through as you will see. I think this break will be good for both of them. To peppertc: Haha! Thank you! Canadian geese are ruthless little buggers! To AQuickRead91: Consent is sexy, well said. Rolf will not be meeting Luna for quite some time I'm afraid. Thank you! To briana_t: I know, it is upsetting, but they both need this break. Happy to provide a chuckle despite the sadness. To potterheaded_hipster: I don't hate my readers at all, but knowing you are fuming is kind of entertaining LOL. To CorbanD17: Thank you and they will, I promise! To QuietReader: Thank you. True healing does takes time and even with the potion, she has a lot of healing to do on the inside.
To Ironhidensh: Definitely an unpopular opinion and no. You're right, Ginny is going to struggle to feel safe with everyone again, even Harry. As to dropping another comment (they are always welcome). Harry does understand this and so do Ron and Hermione, but he loves Ginny and they all know that as well. I love Hinny and as much as I believe they need this break, they will not be getting back together in the epilogue. It will be much, much sooner. To okaycher: Ginny definitely does and she needs to sort through everything. To AnaGPotter: Gotta keep you on your toes! Thanks! To Fairy_Frog: Hello, fellow Canuck! I know! Cobra Chickens are actually terrifying and when you hear a bunch of them honking as they fly overhead, what self-saving person does not immediately look for cover? Thank you. We all understand why Ginny broke up with Harry even if it is heartbreaking. To marauders_mowopapr: Aw, when Fred left you were worried — haha! I love I kept you in suspense! Yes, their break will be relatively short-lived, but it's something they both need. To leflemmeenrose: Hello adopted Canadian! I am from Ontario so that's lovely to hear! Thank you!
To kyciona: Thank you! Ginny definitely needs this time and poor Harry, he is going to take it hard! To Mizfitz22: Bahaha, everything is going well, here's a wrench LOL. No, Ginny was good about the potion. She realized she was outnumbered and her brothers were not going to let her get away with it. Yes, they are on a break — but not like Ross and Rachel. To Crawford: Thank you! Tips for creating a new character, I have a few. First is what role are they providing in your story? Once you know how they will fit in, I look at the person themselves, if they are an Auror, why? Are they good at their job? Do they like their job? Why are you introducing them? Who are they? What do they like and dislike? Consider it like a first date or meeting a new friend, you're getting to know this person on a personal level and once you know more about them, I think it will all fall into place. Hope that helps!
To free_bee: Hello my second fellow Canadian! Miniature Muggle Dragons is a perfect description! I may have to steal it! And thank you! I think Canada (being a very large country) not having it's own Ministry or magic school is bogus and GryffindorHealer agreed with me so we've been idea bouncing our own creation. To Fanfis01: Haha, sorry about that. But I'm glad you're anxious for the next chapter! To Lucifer_Morningstar3858: Thank you! As to swans, we don't have too many here, I think the geese scare them away, but my first thought of swans is a particular scene from Gilmore Girls where Luke is convinced Jess got into a fight with Dean only to learn he was beaked by a mad swan LOL. I definitely know they are dangerous! To Prewishjay13: No, it is not the end of Hinny. To Endinium: I know, our poor babies are so sad! And yes, Harry will learn about his new godchild soon. To hiba_imbeautiful: I know, it's very sad. Trust me, it will not be forever. To BadWolfKris: Yes, the potion worked and Ginny will figure things out, but she does need some time. Rolf understands the dangers of Cobra Chickens. LOL.
To Atea1793: Thank you for your opinion. To gemini614: Thank you! Poor Harry did come on a little strong! He was just so happy to hear from her and to see her, but he is a dumb boy sometimes. To Bhelliom: Yay, a third Canadian! I hope to use some Cobra Chickens, but we'll see how it plays out. Ottawa is beautiful! Thank you! To ahlem stelena: LOL, you did ask for a break up period, didn't you? Now you miss them too damn much? No pleasing some people ;) To Mutt N Feathers: Ha, a flock tangled in Bellatrix's hair would be funny. To Kelto2010: Yay, a fourth Canadian! Thank you! Harry definitely needs to break and he will, but he has a strong support system to be there for him as well. Thank you very much! To ANewRanger: There will be some sobbing and definitely some mum hugs, he needs it. As to the kiss thing, Harry and Ginny will both come to terms with it. Thank you, I love Theo very much. He holds a special place in my heart. Happy to provide some entertainment with those puns!
To scrappy8: I feel like I accomplished something great when a review from you involved nothing more than the words "OMG no!" Thank you! To WinkingSkeever: You can take it lol. Thank you. To apham: Yes, the geese are way more terrifying than a beaver or a moose who are actually rather sweet and approachable at times. To Wolf's scream: I agree that Charlie and Bill were quite underused in canon. The break they had before didn't really count considering Ginny's circumstances. To Kezzabear: LOL. I can feel your glare, but yes, I think we all knew it had to happen. But they will get through this. To White Squirrel: Ginny will get counselling, but too much is eating at her and I don't think that puts it out of character for her, she has a lot to work through. As to Lily's prophecy, it has changed by now and has not come to pass based on the choices Harry's made and no, the kiss in the orchard was not the choice, though that is an interesting theory. To anamigellar: Sorry to break your heart along with poor Harry's.
To Nuno Neves: George and Angelina are definitely underrated, agreed! Ginny is feeling very insecure and she needs time to work everything out. To Inhaled Atoms: They both have a lot to work through and this break will be good for them. To Fairqueen2: Do I love to pull your hearts out and then violently stomp all over them like it's nothing? No. But sometimes I have to think about the characters and after what they went through, they both need time to step back and assess. Bringing them back together like nothing ever happened would be completely unrealistic. To Mackie919: They will get there. To minderdude: Harry definitely needs her and we'll see that. Thanks for re-reading! To notthatchhavi: Yes, nosebleed nougat makes you bleed more, but remember there are two sides to the candy, one to bleed and one to cure. You think George and Angelina are a lot like Sirius and Zee? Aww, thanks! Ron is right, Ginny would be treated even worse if she wasn't in love with Harry. You're right, Harry was feeling just as vulnerable as Ginny when he kissed her and didn't understand what he was doing. To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Canadian geese are the worst! Are you also Canadian? Whoo — five! To ValGrey02: I love Ginny/Arthur! I just love the idea of her being a little Daddy's girl sometimes. And I promise, the breakup will not be forever.
To ITHersey: I know, a lot of emotional Whiplash! To Natsirt2610: Sorry, but I did. To shivani: Sorry to make you sob. Yes, Ginny needs a break and even understanding it still makes it hard to swallow. Happy you enjoyed my puns! To ASC Fan: Harry will find out very soon that he is going to be a godfather. To Dianne: Yes, it is very painful and making the comparison is hard, but right now Ginny is very confused and it's the only way her brain can wrap around it right now. Yes, she will see Na'eemah again. Will they both date new people while on a break? Well, we'll have to see. You are shipping Theo and Kane? All right. Re-reading past Hinny fluff is always fun too. To Deltarunner66: Thank you and yes, it won't be too long. To The Booknerds: Michigan would definitely make you understand the dangers of cobra chickens lol. Thank you! It does suit the characters and their personalities, even if it's a chapter ending we didn't like. To Slaidback: Thank you very much!
To Lady Scribat: Sorry, but it had to be done! To yunkol76: It is true, I'm sorry. To Cheez: LOL, thank you! To alondrizdiaz: Thank you and yes, they are both going to be hurting. To GodMisha: Thank you. I like Rolf too. To JamesTKent: Ginny needs a break for exactly that reason. To alix33: You're right, Ginny's ambivalent feelings do need to be sorted out. To Guest: Thank you and I know the breakup coming from Ginny was a surprise instead of Harry. To pix25: LOL, Fred needs to teach you how to pick up a girl like that? Sorry, that's up to you LOL. To liya90: Thank you very much! Glad to keep you on your toes! To AnonXImois: Exactly, the line between what is right and what is necessary. Thank you. To saucyswimmer: Aw, you're welcome! I try to respond to every comment when I can. I love that you pop popcorn and curl up and read with a fuzzy blanket, that's so lovely to hear! Thank you very much! Yes, I always thought it was weird the whole Fred/George/Angelina bit, I like George and Angelina together too. Where do I find the fae names? I just choose Celtic names I love and Fiadh is pronounced Fee-ah. Being from Michigan would make you understand the Canadian geese very well! We will see a Hinny reunion, promise!
To Guest: Thank you very much! "This story filled all the plot holes and theories that I've ever had and brought them all to life in the best way" — that is too kind! Yay, a sixth Canadian! To Arctoid32: Yes lol. To kazzyshah: Haha, I will update in my usual timeframe. To Chintan: Thank you for commenting now. LMAO, a scene of Ron getting owned by the Cobra Chickens, I mean, it's possible lol. How can I make you laugh and be sad in the same chapter? Not sure, but I'm happy to be provide. Thank you! To DanWrites: I miss Hinny too, but they both need this and it won't be too long, I promise. To lenalighthouse: I will take the tiny bit of hate, happy to keep you on your toes! To AccioRxses: I am a little evil, I accept that. Thank you! To tanuskagina11: Yes, you read it correctly. Yes, she did. To LilyBlack18: I'm glad you found it unexpected, but yes, I think we all understand her. To Sloopyqueen4: LOL, waiting to read it until midweek so you don't have to wait as long? I accept that. Thanks for finally reading and yes, she is with friends who can help her! To wanderinon: Thank you very much for saying that. I try to be polite to everyone who reviews or comments. Dusk and Seriously Sam both say I should block them, but that feels rude. Apparently that makes me "too Canadian." Thank you for speaking on my behalf. It's so kind of you and you're right, posting one chapter at a time does give people more of an opportunity to voice their opinions. To Nixiefare: Yay, a seventh Canadian! Agreed! Real Canucks know to avoid the dangers lol. I think house elves can have romantic partners yes and we will see Dobby again soon.
To Guest: Thank you! I think having Death Eaters attacked by Canadian geese will be entertaining as well. Thank you for saying my story has you hooked and I always appreciate it when people love Zee. I'm also glad you love my Ginny as I adore her. To Cristina: Nope, no character death, but just a break up lol. She is definitely not under the influence of the potion but remember, she wasn't herself for almost two months and that's going to take a toll on her. Hedwig is still alive, but Harry really uses her to talk to his grandparents in Georgia and Russia, that's about it. He has the mirror for everyone else. I don't mean to make her absent, I just never know how to incorporate her. Haha, I love that you watched Youtube clips of Canadian geese, yes, they are dangerous! To newgroundcreations: Aw, thank you! It's nice to know you can't wait to read it even though you want to. Of course you can print this out for your shelf, it's fanfiction, you're welcome to do so as long as it's only for yourself (It will be A LOT of pages though LOL). To Tiegdalewills15: Yes, fuck indeed.
To kkggr: I don't think you should be ashamed to not have realized that Harry violated Ginny's consent, he didn't realize it. It was something he was trying to get through to her and he didn't see it that way. I think realizing it as a wakeup call will change a lot about how he thinks. Yes, it has been a while since we've seen them hanging out in their Animagus forms, we will see them again. Thank you very much! To evergreenlyn: You also saw signs about Kane and Theo? Good to know. The saying about the greater love stories starting with a fight is a good one. I agree, letting Harry and Ginny get back together immediately would have been too rushed. As to Fred and Fiadha finding their way to each other, it was something I had already planned, but I was surprised by how many readers jumped on it the moment the fae saved him on the causeway. I guess I'm not as sneaky as I think I am LOL. As to none of the fae having any body hair, yes, I agree with this. Finn explained that they shave it all off and I think it applies to all fae.
To TheRealTonks: Ginny does think she doesn't deserve Harry after he needed to save her again. As to dating other people, we will see. To Shouldna: Thank you! I wanted to show what Ginny was feeling so that we can better understand her choices. As to Harry doing something stupid, I think he has enough people keeping an eye on him right now to try to stop that from happening. To Ms Shaikh: Poor Harry and I'm sorry to hear you had a breakup happen the same. I hope it all worked out for the best. To Guest: No, we haven't seen much of Dumbledore's body and as to their being a grand funeral, yes and no. To OH MIA MYA: Thank you! To Jones Man: Thank you and yes, they will not be separated too long. I love that Obscurus storyline in Fantastic Beasts, but no Harry is not remotely rejecting his powers in that sense. But interesting comparison. To Snazzpants13: Thank you very much!
To Adriaan De Beige: Thank you! I don't think Theo is getting little attention from Finn's family, it's just that they are busy. He still communicates with them, don't worry. Fawkes died with Dumbledore. The phoenix sacrificed his life when the wizard died. Thanks for reading! To Puissance73: Thank you very much! I do love building more onto this already amazing world. To Accio Chapter289: LOL, love the name! And yes, Andy will soon learn that her granny fever will be cured LOL. To Gimrrin: Wow! What an amazing review! Thank you so much! Sirius and Remus bonding with little Harry and readjusting their lives was so fun to write so I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I agree, we needed some more wicked evil-doers, if Voldemort really was the darkest wizard the world has seen, he definitely needed to do more dark stuff outside of wanting to murder Harry. Thanks for loving my OCs and claiming Zee is a masterpiece. Happy you find Dean and Seamus so hilarious (I like them as my comedy duo lol). I'm glad you love Theo and Blaise. As to this review being too long, no way! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
To DoodleBug78: Ha, sorry about that! But you'll see it work out. To akshutalankar: Well, in my defence they were together lol, but yes, I suppose it does take slow burn Hinny to a whole other level. To Guest: Sorry to hear that, I will try not to take it personally LOL. To Shivamrai20021: Thank you! And I upload once a week!
My posting schedule: Weekly.
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 EIGHTY-NINE:
The One With 'Always'
Harry stared at his reflection in the mirror in his hand, his mouth still open in shock. Had Ginny just… chucked him? He thought of the conversation he'd had last night with Ron and Hermione; how the two of them had convinced him that breaking up with her was stupid and that it wasn't something either of them would be happy with. The thought of not being with her had almost killed him and now she…
"I think we need a break."
Her words replayed in his mind over and over again.
I think we need a break…
I think we need a break…
I think we need a break…
The mirror smashed into the wall across from his bed just as Zee's voice echoed up the stairs that dinner was ready. Harry moved to kneel next to the broken mirror. He stared at the fractured pieces of the mirror, eyes on the tiny pulverized glass particles that were reflecting from his carpet and tried to make sense of it. He clutched his fingers around the pieces, cutting into his skin as blood escaped through his fingers, but he didn't flinch, he only squeezed harder.
Voldemort had done this to distract him. He'd poisoned her and now… had the poison done more? Maybe she… his hands clenched into fists, the broken mirror slicing deeper into his palm. He stared at the blood oozing through his fingers as if in a trance. Maybe she wasn't really cured.
No, she was cured, he told himself.
Ron had told him that and he knew that his grandfather and Borage were brilliant Potioneers and wouldn't have assured him of the potion's success otherwise. But this… had Ginny realized that he was to blame for it? Had she woken up and realized that she'd tried to kill him because of a potion given to her because he loved her?
His heart clenched in his chest. She knew. She knew that it was his fault. She knew that if she wasn't with him, she would be safe. Everyone he loved died and Ginny wasn't stupid enough to risk her own life to be with him.
She'd finally realized the truth that he'd been fighting against.
He wasn't worth it.
"Harry?"
He didn't move, his eyes still staring at the mirror cutting into his palm.
"Harry," Zee said again, stepping into the room. "What — oh my gods!" She rushed next to him grabbing his bloody hands. "Sweetie, let go. Open your fists, right now. I said now, Harry!"
He opened his hands and she gasped. Harry stared at his torn skin, glass pieces sticking out of his palm and fingers, blood seeping out.
"What did you do?" she demanded.
Harry didn't answer her. He only stared blankly at his hands.
"What are you thinking? You're a grown man now and should know better than to touch broken glass! Are you hurt? Harry, sweetie — look at me!"
The blood seemed to trickle over his palm and when Zee used her wand to pull the glass out, he grimaced. Then she grabbed his chin between her fingers.
"Harry, what happened?"
One tear escaped, sliding down his cheek. "Ginny… she's left me."
"What?" Zee asked, staring at him in bewilderment. "What do you mean? I thought that the antidote worked? Ron said that she was back to herself."
"She is," he said, softly. "But she… she doesn't want to be with me anymore."
Zee reached for him, but he simply stretched out across the carpet, his cheek resting against her knee. She gently ran her fingers through his hair as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Harry, sweetie, she's been through a lot. This had to be very rough on her and she's… she's probably just confused," Zee said.
"No," he whispered. "She knows."
Zee continued to stroke his hair. "Knows what, sweetie?"
"That everyone who loves me dies," he whispered.
Zee leaned down to kiss his forehead. "You will never say that again. We were over this, many times after we lost Sirius, and I will not let you sit here and believe such lies. You are so loved, Harry James. You're the first born son of my heart and the man I depend on. And no one who loves you dies because of you, do you understand me?"
Harry turned his head, burying his face in her stomach. "It hurts."
His arms wrapped around her waist as he pressed his nose into her hip as she held him. Her fingers continued to run through his hair.
"I know, sweetie, I know. Remus and Tonks are downstairs with the twins. Why don't we go down there and fix up your hands? Hmm?"
Harry didn't move. Zee carefully removed his arms from around her waist, doing what she could to heal his hands. They'd obviously been up there a while because the doorway darkened and when she looked up at Remus, she gave him a helpless look.
"Harry, what happened?" Remus asked, kneeling on the floor next to his son.
"Ginny broke up with him," Zee whispered.
Remus grabbed his son's hands, healing the areas that Zee hadn't been able to reach before he used his wand to clean up the broken mirror, repairing it in seconds. Then he grabbed Harry by the shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Zee stood up a moment later.
"Talk to me," Remus demanded.
Harry only walked over to his bed and let himself fall face first into the mattress. He tossed his glasses onto the floor. The bed dipped next to his hip and Remus put a hand on his shoulder.
"Harry, it will be all right, I promise."
Harry turned his head away from his father to stare out the glass doors of his balcony into the garden. Remus squeezed his shoulder.
"Okay, well, Zee, Dora, and I will be downstairs if you want to talk."
Harry felt Zee's lips press against his cheek and then the door closed behind them. He stared out of the glass doors, tears in his eyes, and wondered if after everything he'd been through if it was his fate in life to lose it all.
Maybe he would finally defeat Voldemort and maybe he would save the world, but in the end, he would be alone. No one would want to risk loving someone who could get them killed. Being with him was too big of a risk. He couldn't keep anyone safe. Even after everything he'd learned, everything he'd been training to do, in the end, they'd still gotten to Ginny.
They'd still killed Dumbledore.
They'd still taken Sirius from him.
In the end, it was better for him to be alone because no one else could get hurt.
"Ginny," he whispered, his eyes falling on the photo that she'd given him their first Christmas as a couple. The photo of them kissing on the Quidditch pitch and he dragged a hand over his aching heart.
Ginny was right to leave him. She would be safer this way. He didn't need to be happy. He didn't deserve it. He just needed to kill Voldemort and if he died trying to do it, well, the world would be better off without him. Maybe then the people he loved would stop suffering.
"You didn't deserve her," he whispered to himself. "She was always too good for you and she's finally realized it."
At some point, Remus opened the door to tell him that he and Tonks were leaving and Harry only grunted in response. Lady Godiva and Padfoot each jumped onto the bed as Remus closed the door behind him. When sleep finally overcame him, it was with dried tears on his cheeks and a panther and a black dog snuggled against his sides.
~ ASC ~
Ginny came up for air, grabbing a towel to wrap herself in before she made herself comfortable on the lounge chair again. She moved the mirror to the table and picked up her wine to take a sip. The swim had helped. She felt a little better and as much as she hated to admit it, telling Harry that she needed a break, helped.
It was all too much.
The memories.
The lack of memories.
She suddenly felt a need to record her whereabouts for the day, to make sure that she was exactly where she was supposed to be; that she hadn't lost any time.
But she had lost time. She'd lost almost two months of it.
Tom had taken it from her, just like before.
She shivered, despite the warm sun, and pulled the towel around her more tightly just as Luna came into the garden in a white sundress.
"Hello, Ginny," Luna said, making herself comfortable in the lounge chair next to her. "Oooh, pinot."
Ginny watched her friend pour herself a glass before she spoke. "Thanks for coming, Luna."
Luna leaned back in the chair, tilting her dark shades down to look at her friend. "Of course I've come. Now, tell me why you look so unbearably sad."
"I just told Harry that we need to take a break."
"A break?"
Ginny nodded. "That we need a break. From each other."
Luna's lips tightened. "And how did our Harry take that?"
"He looked like I'd stunned him and then I… I closed the mirror."
Luna sipped her wine. "So, you've broken up with him then?"
"No!" Ginny exclaimed. "I've just… we're taking a break. From each other."
"Sounds to me like you've ditched him."
"I haven't… I mean…" Ginny gave Luna a helpless look. "I just need some time, Luna, and Harry is…"
"Making you worry that he'll distract you with his magical tongue?"
Ginny glared at her friend. "He kissed me when I was under the potion!"
Luna raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"And… I wasn't… I mean, I didn't…"
Luna nodded, her blue eyes staring into hers over the rims of her shades. "You feel like it was against your will."
"Wasn't it?" Ginny asked. "My brothers held me down, Luna! They held me down and they let him kiss me and I was struggling against it… how can I trust any of them? How can I trust Harry?"
"Why aren't we trusting Harry?" Theo asked, making himself comfortable on the lounge seat with Ginny instead of finding his own.
"Ginny broke up with him," Luna said.
Colin's mouth dropped open as he sat on the bottom of Luna's lounge chair. "You broke up with Harry? Why?"
Ginny looked flustered. "It's not that I…"
Theo draped his arm around her and pulled her into his side. "You need some time, I get it, chick."
Tears welled up in Ginny's eyes and when Theo pressed his lips to her temple, they spilled over. Then she was sobbing, deep, gut-wrenching sobs that seemed to consume her. Theo held her tighter and she was only vaguely aware of Colin and Luna moving in to hug her as well until the four of them were smushed together in one lounge chair as she cried. When she finally managed to pull herself together, Luna squeezed her hand.
"Have a chocolate torte."
Ginny smiled through her tears and let Luna pop the chocolate into her mouth. She enjoyed the dessert before she swallowed. "Thank you."
Colin pulled her to her feet and kissed her cheek. "All right. No more tears. Theo kidnapped me and I'm here to help make you feel better."
"I really did kidnap him," Theo said. "And I was interrupting." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Colin rolled his eyes. "You would have been if you'd come earlier. We were saying goodbye."
"A lot of tongue for a simple goodbye," Theo added.
Colin smirked. "It was a long goodbye."
"Are you still seeing your new neighbour?" Luna asked.
Colin nodded. "Off and on." At Ginny's look, he smiled. "A new family moved in next door and their youngest son is erm… very good looking."
"And obviously quite the snogger," Ginny added.
Colin blushed. "We might have gotten up to more than just snogging this summer."
"Colin!" Theo exclaimed. "Are you about tell me that you lost your virginity?"
Colin grinned sheepishly. "Yes."
Theo squealed and poured more wine for everyone, opening a second bottle. "I need details."
Colin shrugged. "Ginny has more important things going on than you hearing about that."
"No, I don't," Ginny interrupted. "I need a distraction. Tell me about the sex."
Colin's cheeks flushed. "Well, it was… nice. I mean, it was better than nice, but it was… it hurt a bit."
"Ah, so he buggered you then?" Theo said, his eyes twinkling.
"Will you let me tell you the story or not?"
Theo made a zipping motion over his lips as Colin told them all about his neighbour, Naveen. When he finished, Luna and Ginny were smiling and Theo was beaming.
"Was he better than Blaise?" Ginny asked.
"Whoa, back up!" Theo demanded. "Blaise? My Blaise?"
Colin brought his wine to his lips, a smirk on his face. "Ginny, I might have forgotten to tell Theo about that. But for the record, yes, he was better than Blaise, but that could have something to do with the fact that Naveen used his mouth on me."
Theo's eyes were wide. "Tell me everything."
Colin chuckled as he told Theo how it happened in November of last year. He said that he had been in the boys' toilets on the sixth floor and was washing his hands when Blaise had come in. He'd strut right over to the urinal and unzipped and Colin had not so discreetly checked him out.
"Blaise is gorgeous and he knows it. The vain bastard," Theo said with affection.
Colin agreed and told them how he'd taken an extra long time to wash his hands just so he could ogle his behind. But then Blaise had looked over his shoulder and caught him looking and he'd flushed.
"I was embarrassed. I mean, only a complete perv checks out another bloke in the loo," Colin told them. "But he was totally cool with it. He made some suave comment about how if I was going to look, I could at least look properly and then he turned around and… Merlin, he was letting it all hang out."
Theo licked his lips. "As I've seen Blaise starkers, that's a sight worth seeing."
Colin made a sound of agreement. "He obviously knew I thought so because he smiled and said something about how if I liked what I saw, I should let him know. I just stared at him, completely clueless, my eyes on his cock and he laughed. Then he walked over to me and said if I wanted to touch it, he wouldn't protest."
"Oh, gods," Theo murmured. "I'm getting stiff just thinking about this."
Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Ew. We don't need that overshare, thanks."
Theo stuck his tongue out at her.
Colin explained how he did touch it and Blaise only smiled. "He said that he knew I was Theo's friend and that I was into both men and women and when I asked how he knew that, he said that my reaction to his cock gave it away. I told him that I knew he was with Patil and he shrugged and said that he was, but that they weren't exclusive and that she wouldn't suck him off. He said how he wasn't into the whole exclusiveness when it came to relationships. I told him that I didn't know he was into men and he told me he wasn't, but that he's very into pleasure and more than willing to let a man suck him off if he was interested. And then he gestured towards the back corner of the loo, you know that private little alcove by the broken stall? And I followed him."
"And?" Theo asked.
Colin grinned. "I gave my first blowjob."
"And you kept it from me for over a year!" Theo bellowed.
Colin shrugged. "Well, I wanted to tell you, but you were always out shagging Finn and the Blaise thing only happened a few times."
"A few times?" Theo repeated.
"Six actually," Colin said. "I rather liked it and he was more than happy to let me wrap my mouth around him. He even guided me a bit, told me some tips. I told him you'd given me some advice and he'd chuckled and said he'd expected nothing else. Then well… he left and that was that."
Theo nodded. "And you didn't want to tell me because you thought Blaise had betrayed me."
Colin shrugged. "Look, it was just… he let me suck him off. It's not like we dated or anything and Merlin knows he was shagging Patil at every other opportunity, but it was my first real experience with a bloke and he was decent about it."
"Blaise is a decent guy and yeah, he has no desire to reciprocate on another bloke, but he'll take a blowjob from just about anyone. Guy's a complete whore," Theo said.
Colin blushed. "Well, it made me more confident for Naveen, who definitely knew what he was doing."
Ginny smiled. "I'm happy for you, Colin."
Colin helped himself to a handful of grapes. "We decided to make it a summer fling. I mean, with me going back to school it's not something that's going to last and if next summer, we're both still unattached, well, we'll see. He's going to be eighteen in January. Now that you've all heard all about my exciting sex life, can we turn the conversation back on Ginny?"
Ginny reached for her wine. "I'd rather not."
Luna stood up, undoing the ties of her white dress and letting it fall to the ground revealing that she wore absolutely nothing beneath it. "I'm going for a swim."
Colin's mouth had dropped open at the sight of her naked body. "Did she just…"
But Luna was already in the pool, smiling up at the sun.
Ginny shook her head. "Luna doesn't believe in tan lines."
Theo chuckled as he took his own shirt off, standing there in his red swim trunks. "Tan lines are a pain, aren't they, Luna?"
Luna nodded. "They are. Theo, your pool is perfect."
"Thank you," Theo said, dropping his shorts.
"THEO!" Colin bellowed.
Theo shrugged, diving naked into the pool to join Luna. "What? She's right. Tan lines are a pain. Might as well follow Lovegood's sound advice! Besides, no offence, Luna, but you have nothing that I am interested in."
Luna smiled, dreamily. "I know."
Colin turned to look at Ginny. "Well, I certainly can't swim now with both of them all naked! Who knew Luna had such luscious tits?"
"I did," Ginny said with a grin. "I've missed you, Colin."
"I missed you, too," he said. "Now, I know that you don't want to talk about it, but I just want to say one thing before I promise not to bring it up again?" At her nod, he continued.
"I know how overwhelmed you must feel. Waking up in the hospital wing to find out that I'd missed most of my first year, to feel my body having changed while I was in this frozen state, to not know what had happened and what was real, is something I still dream about. It's scary waking up to that unknown and I can't imagine how much scarier it is when you have fake memories aligning the real ones. But I can promise you, all of your time can be accounted for. You never did anything that you have to worry about. You never hurt anyone. Your brothers made sure that you were safe and maybe by doing so they made you feel unsafe, but I promise you that they had good intentions. I know you didn't want the antidote and I know you probably fought them when they forced it upon you, but without it, you would have died, Ginny. It took Fleur's bridesmaids two hours to make you look like yourself for the wedding, to rid your body of the black veins and purple bruises that littered your skin. Avril touched up your makeup more times than I can count so that I could get flawless photos. That was the darkness creeping into you, Ginny, and now you're healed. The darkness is gone. You're back and everything else will make sense again soon. You just have to give yourself time to heal."
Ginny blinked at him, surprised by his little speech. "And Harry?"
Colin shrugged. "He's sexy and completely mad about you. If you need a break from him to help gain perspective, that's your choice, and no one else can make that choice for you. Harry loves you and he'll give you anything you ask, even if it means breaking his heart to do it."
"I don't want to break his heart!" Ginny exclaimed, her brown eyes wide. "I don't want to hurt him, Colin, I just… it's too much right now. The idea of being with him makes me feel… it's too much!"
Colin squeezed her hand in his. "So take the break and think about why that is. We'll all be here for you as long as you need us."
"And even when you don't," Theo added, coming out of the water to snag some more wine. "Now, everyone in the pool!"
Colin looked over to where Theo was standing naked drinking wine and then over to where the water was lapping at Luna's tits and he groaned. "Can you two please put your bathing suits back on you?"
Luna only blinked at him. "Nudity isn't something to be embarrassed about, Colin."
"Not embarrassed," he murmured. "Just hard."
Theo laughed. "Well, if you're lucky, when you go home tonight Naveen will be there to help you with that problem."
Colin shot him two fingers before he pulled his short off and dove into the pool in his bathing suit and Ginny grinned. This was what she needed. She joined Colin the pool, the two of them staying in their suits, and splashed him with a smile. Good friends, good wine, and laughter. She needed to feel like herself again and she knew that was going to take a while to achieve. She only hoped that Harry could understand what that meant and not hold it against her.
~ ASC ~
Percy had spent most of the night before talking to Audrey about Ginny. They'd discussed the antidote in detail and what the side effects might be, how she'd taken it, and what they could expect from her concerning it. They'd fallen asleep on the sofa of his flat, still talking about it. Work was long and when he finally made it back to his flat that night, he wanted nothing more than a nap.
He plopped himself onto the sofa, loosening his tie and leaning his head back against the cushions. His father had taken the day off work to stay at home and see how Ginny fared. Ron had given him word that she'd slept most of the day before deciding to stay with Theo. Percy thought it was a good idea for her, to be with her friends. It sounded like exactly what she needed. He hated seeing his sister the way she'd been and he just wanted her to be better, to feel like herself again, and he was willing to do whatever he could to help her get there. But he thought that her friends were the best people for her to be around right now.
The door to his flat opened and he craned his neck over the sofa to smile at his girlfriend. Neither of them had spoken about the fact that she had a key, nor that he had one to her place. It had happened wordlessly and yet, it was right. He was mad for her and he wasn't entirely sure when it had happened.
She straddled him on the sofa, kissing him softly. "Hi."
"Hi," he said back, holding her in place. "I didn't get to see you today."
"I know, the Auror department was insane," she told him, dancing her fingers along the back of his neck and playing with the curls there. "K's been ordering witnesses in left and right from old and new cases. He's reopened cold cases suspected to be of Death Eater activity and sent officers into the crypt to interview some of the prisoners about their previous crimes. He's been on a war path. Since I'm now Kingsley's secretary, I've had to deal with his annoyance over how good K is."
"That's that bloke from the MIA, right?"
"Uh-huh," she said, nipping at his ear. "The tall bloke with the dark hair and rippling biceps."
Percy frowned. "Rippling biceps?"
Audrey chuckled. "Did I fail to mention that he's gorgeous?"
"Yes," Percy said. "I assumed he was a fat, old bloke."
"Nope. He's barely twenty-one and dead sexy. A bit of a hothead though. Kingsley respects the hell out of him and hates him at the same time. It's rather entertaining to watch."
"How sexy exactly?" Percy asked, his lips pursed.
Audrey grinned. "Oh, very sexy. Dark hair that just begs to be touched, stunning blue eyes, a tight arse, incredible abs and biceps, a mouth that looks like it was made for kissing… he's delicious. Of course, only if you're into that thing."
Percy snorted. "So, only if you're dead then?"
Audrey let her hands slip into his dress shirt, spreading the buttons. "You wouldn't be jealous, would you, Percy?"
Percy made a sound of protest and she tightened his tie. "N-no."
Audrey smiled, unbuttoning his shirt slowly before she pulled on his tie, bringing his lips to hers. "I do love blue eyes on a man," she teased, taking his glasses and putting them on the top of her head before she traced a finger under his blue eyes. "Not to mention how much I love a good tight arse," she said, her hand sliding down to squeeze his.
Percy groaned. "So, you're saying that you'd want to shag him then?"
Audrey's lips pressed against his throat. "No, I'm saying I much prefer daft gingers with gorgeous blue eyes and an arse so tight, the stick is stuck in there."
"Oh, haha," Percy said.
Audrey's hands slid up his lean chest. "Plus, I rather prefer my men with hidden muscles, not the obvious ones. I like my man lean, sexy, and under my control."
Percy's eyebrow shot up. "Must be hard to find a man like that, Miss Mayfair."
"Requires a lot of punishment," she said. "He's always misbehaving."
She shimmied down his body until she was kneeling on the floor in front of him.
"Maybe if she gave him a better incentive to behave, he'd listen. Take off your top."
The demand made her eyes twinkle, but she did as he asked, slowly unbuttoning the blouse.
"Bra too," he demanded.
Audrey let her bra fall to the floor next and he reached out to fondle her breasts. "Mmm, I love a man with good hands."
"Did I give you permission to speak, Miss Mayfair?"
Her lips curved. "Oh, you think you're in control, Mr Weasley?"
Percy made to say something to contradict her, but her hand gripped him through his trousers and he hissed. "Minx."
Audrey unzipped him, pulling his trousers down his legs and off before she nuzzled him through his boxers. His hand rested on the top of her head. Her teeth tugged on his boxers and he let out a soft groan that made her smile before she finished undressing him. He sat on the sofa with his dress shirt hanging off his shoulders and his tie on and nothing else. His curly hair was in disarray from her fingers and he was squinting at her without his glasses. Audrey pressed her lips against his cock for a soft kiss and he let out a slow sigh.
"Good girl."
Audrey kissed him there again before she stood up. "I think I could go for a glass of wine."
Percy's eyes flew open. "Later. Get back on your knees, woman."
Audrey's lips twitched. "Make me."
Percy jumped to feet and grabbed her arms, tugging her up against him. "I won't ask again."
Audrey let her hand slip down to tease him. "I won't kneel for you, Mr Weasley."
Percy made a groaning sound in the back of his throat before he dragged her into his bedroom. He ripped his tie off and tied her hands expertly over her head in a knot just tight enough to make her squirm before he tied her to the bed post.
"Now, you've done it, Miss Mayfair."
"Done what, Mr Weasley?" she asked, breathlessly.
Percy pressed his lips to one of her very pert nipples. "Forced me to punish you."
He pulled her skirt and knickers off, leaving her naked before him and she twisted under him against the tie.
"Stop moving," he warned her.
Audrey's brown eyes met his and she nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Yes, Mr Weasley."
Percy climbed off the bed and went to his closet, coming back a moment later with his old Gryffindor tie in his hands. Her eyes widened and he smiled.
"Oh, don't worry, I won't be tying your feet up as well."
Instead he straddled her, the tie in his hand. He knelt over her breasts, the tip of his erection teasing her chin. He took the tie and carefully wrapped it around his cock, stroking himself with the silk as she watched eagerly. She licked her lips, her mouth opening for him, but he didn't give it to her. Instead he fondled himself, teasing himself with the silk tie until he was on edge as she squirmed, trying to move her head towards him to taste him.
"Nun-uh," he said. "You had your chance, Miss Mayfair."
Audrey pouted and then groaned when he slid down her body, rubbing his leaking cock over her as he did, until his head was between her legs. Then he took the silk tie and slowly tightened it between his hands and slid it along her folds. The sensation of the tight silk teasing her had her groaning.
"Oh, Percy…"
Percy slid the tie over her again, watching the way the silk grew wetter and wetter the more he teased her with it. Then he leaned in sucked on her clit. His fingers wrapped in the silk began to pump in and out of her and her hands fought against the ties as she attempted to touch him. He let go of her clit, running the tight silk against her bud, teasing her with the rough strokes as she gasped and moaned. Then he rolled her over, making her arms strain against the tie and he spanked her.
"What do you say, Miss Mayfair? Have you learned your lesson yet?"
"No," she gasped.
He spanked her again, slipping two fingers into her as he did. "Now?"
"No," she squeaked.
Percy pumped a third finger into her and bit her arse before he spanked her again. "Tell me, Miss Mayfair. What are you sorry for?"
He rubbed her clit, fingers pumping in and out of her as he ground his own aching cock into the mattress.
"Yes, oh… fuck, Percy, I'm so close…"
He removed his fingers and spanked her again. He rolled her back over, eyes on her erect nipples, her wide aroused eyes, and he smiled.
"I think I'll go find us that wine now."
"Percy!"
He winked at her as he climbed off the bed, leaving her aroused beyond reason and tied up. He headed into the kitchen to open the bottle of red and poured them each a glass, rubbing his cock to tame it. He took a moment to enjoy the wine before he topped up his glass and carried them into the bedroom.
Audrey was squirming desperately, trying to touch herself to no avail. Percy knelt on the bed, offering her the wine which he helped her sip before putting both glasses on the night table.
"Now, what do you say, Miss Mayfair?"
Audrey's eyes were dark in arousal. "I'd love to kneel before you, Mr Weasley."
"And?" he prompted, his blue eyes sparkling in arousal.
Her fingers twitched under the ties. "And suck you dry."
"Good girl," he said, kissing her neck. "Do you want it now?"
She nodded as he rubbed his leaking cock over her neck. "Yes, Mr Weasley. Give it to me."
Percy smiled. "Give what to you?"
"Your big, hard cock," she said, licking her lips.
"That's right, Miss Mayfair," he said. "That's right. You want it, don't you?"
She made a purring sound and when she opened her mouth, he slid just the tip of himself inside and groaned. Her tongue teased him and he pulled out.
"Good girl."
Then he shimmied down her body and slid two fingers into her. She cried out his name and he smiled before removing his fingers. He positioned himself over, rubbing himself against her just enough to drive them both mad before he untied her hands and slid into her.
Audrey screamed his name, her nails raking down his back. Percy felt none of it, too consumed with how good she felt beneath him to care about anything else. He worked her over, intentionally dragging his cock up to brush her clit and her eyes rolled. And when she finally came, he lasted only five seconds before he erupted, burying himself deeper inside of her and riding out their pleasure.
Audrey was running her fingers through his curly hair when he finally caught his breath. "This is why someone like K wouldn't do it for me."
Percy raised his head to look at her. "I thought we were done talking about your mysteriously sexy MIA Auror?"
Audrey smiled. "K would never make me so come hard. He doesn't know my body like you do."
"He better not know your body at all," Percy grumbled, kissing her breast.
She chuckled. "Percy?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm in love with you."
Percy's blue eyes stared into hers. "You — yeah?"
She nodded, her fingers still in his curly hair. "I've been for a while, I think. Your family's incredible and you're so sweet and so good to your sister. I love how passionate you are about your job and how naughty you can be. I love you."
Percy brushed his lips over hers. "Pretty good thing I love you too, then."
She smiled. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," he repeated, kissing her. "Now that I know you love me, I must demand a blowjob every day. I like you on your knees, Audrey."
She hit him and he laughed, kissing her again.
"You're a prat, Percy Weasley."
"And you're the best thing that ever happened to me, Audrey Mayfair," he said.
Audrey cupped his face in her hands. "Yes, I am. Now, I'm starving. I think I need some pizza to go with my wine."
"Go make something," he murmured, kissing her shoulder. "You know where the kitchen is."
The slap on his arse was hard enough to echo in the quiet room and he yelped.
"What was that, Mr Weasley?"
He kissed her shoulder again and climbed to his feet. "I said that I'd love to go out and find you pizza, Miss Mayfair."
She grinned and stretched in the bed. "After we eat, I'm going to punish you for that comment."
He grabbed a pair of trousers of the chair and grinned. "Can't wait."
~ ASC ~
Remus was sitting in the sunroom, a sleeping child on each shoulder. Holding Sirius' kids made him pine for his own in a way that he'd never done before. He watched his wife sip on the pink lemonade that Zee had given her, in a wine glass much to his amusement, as Zee sipped wine.
It had been five days since they'd found Harry with his hands bleeding in his bedroom. Five days in which he'd only left his room to use the bathroom. Dobby brought him food that he barely touched. Kreacher attempted the same and was ignored. He didn't leave his room for anything. Remus and Tonks had come over every day for dinner, but still he wouldn't come down.
Zee had made an incredible dinner of roast beef, with scalloped cheesy potatoes, spicy green beans and spinach, and a salad full of fruit and nuts. He was pleasantly full. Mina and Leo were sleeping on him in a half doze. Zee told him that it was their bedtime, but he made no effort to move. He rather liked feeling their warm bodies snuggled into him. They had that incredible baby smell and something that reminded him strongly of Sirius. He wasn't sure what it was, but something reminded him of their father and right now, he wanted that closeness of his best friend.
He looked up at the ceiling. There had been nothing but the steady beat of the music coming from his room. Each day when he arrived, Zee would shake her head and tell him no change. Harry sat in his room, lying on his bed, playing one of Sirius' Bon Jovi records on repeat. Not the whole record, oh no, only one song.
Over and over and over again.
He hadn't come down to dinner either and Remus knew that his son was up there with a broken heart. He wanted to be angry at Ginny for hurting him, but he knew that she was just doing what she felt she needed.
The bloodlust potion had taken a terrible toll on her and now she needed to recover. Maybe being apart from Harry was a good thing. He didn't want to say it aloud, but the closeness that the two of them had shared sometimes alarmed him. They were so in love in a way that reminded him of James and Lily. They loved fiercely and completely and he knew that despite how hard Harry was taking this break-up, he didn't think it would last long. He knew what true love looked like and his son had it with Ginny.
On the third day, Zee had gotten annoyed and simply carried the twins upstairs, opened his bedroom door and plopped them onto his bed.
"I'm going shopping."
Then before Harry could protest, she'd left him alone with the twins. She'd returned two hours later to find Harry still in his bedroom, music still blaring the same song on repeat as he sang loudly and very off key. He hadn't noticed her standing in the doorway and when Remus came to stand behind her, she'd only placed a finger over her lips as they watched Harry with the twins.
"This Romeo is bleeding, but you can't see his blood. It's nothing but some feelings, that this old dog kicked up. It's been raining since you left me, now I'm drowning in the flood. You see I've always been a fighter, but without you, I give up," he sang. "I can't sing a love song, like the way it's meant to be! Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore, but baby, that's just me!"
He kissed Mina's chubby cheek. "Sing with me, Mina. Let's sing about heartbreak together, yeah? Come on, Leo. Sing with me. Your dad always loved Bon Jovi. Uncle Sirius always said that he had style and was real rock and roll. You have to appreciate the greatness of 80s rock legends before you can love the new stuff, trust me on this. Uncle Siri was always very clear on that. Nothing but rock all the time. But no one sings a ballad quite like Bon Jovi."
They both babbled at him and he merely reached over to turn up the dial before he started to belt it out again.
"Always! I'll be there 'till the stars don't shine, 'till the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme and I know when I die, you'll be on my mind. And I'll love you, always."
Harry leaned down to kiss Leo's tiny hand. "I'll never let anyone break your heart like this, Leo. No one should ever feel hurt like this, you know? I will protect you both, always," he promised. "And Mina, if a bloke ever hurts you, I will break both of his legs, okay? If it's a girl, well… I can't hurt a girl, but if a girl breaks either of your hearts I will make sure that she regrets it and give you treacle tart and whiskey, okay?"
They both babbled at him and he merely scooped them both up, snuggling them into his arms and belted out the song again, even more off key then before.
"What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair, to touch your lips, to hold you near. When you say your prayers, try to understand, I've made mistakes, I'm just a man."
Mina babbled at him.
"I'm just a man, it's true," he said. "But I love her so much. Ginny's the best person I know. You know, she's incredible. She's beautiful and she has this vibrant energy about her. It draws people to her. This potion it just… messed up her head and she's feeling a bit confused, I guess. I understand that, I do, but… it hurts. It feels like my heart is in a billion pieces and no one understands. Well, Bon Jovi understands. This song speaks to my soul, you know? You two will still love me even when I'm sad and pathetic, right?"
He sighed and dragged a hand over the thickening stubble on his face.
"I don't mean to be sad and pathetic, it's just… I can live without her. I know that I can do it. It's just that I don't want to. The thought of doing so is just… my life would never be as happy as it could be with her. She makes the world turn round. I'd do anything for her. Anything."
"If you told me to cry for you, I could," he sang. "If you told me to die for you, I would. Take a look at my face, there's no price I won't pay, to say these words to you!"
He kissed both of their cheeks. "I love her so much, you know? I just… I want her to be safe. I want her to be happy and well… Voldemort wants to kill me. He's a mad wizard who's incredibly dangerous and maybe he will kill me one day. But I'm going to work my damnedest to make sure that he doesn't, okay? I won't abandon Zee. She needs me and… maybe you two do as well, yeah?"
Leo babbled something that made Mina babble along with him and Harry smiled.
"Yeah, you both need me a little bit and that makes a difference. I need you guys, too. I don't know what I would do if Zee hadn't come into my life. If I'd lost Sirius and she… she promised that she'd always be there for me and she's never once let me down. Maybe that rule is true, the only woman who won't break your heart is your mother. You're lucky to have Zee as your mama. She's an incredible woman. I love her more than I can ever put into words. I love you both even more." He kissed them both again. "Sing with me. Come on, let's really belt it out."
"And I, will love you, baby, always! And I'll be there forever and a day. Always. I'll be there 'til the stars don't shine. 'Til the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme. I know when I die, you'll be on my mind. And I'll love you, always. Always, always!"
When the song ended, he'd merely kissed them both and then turned it on again. He hadn't said much when Zee came to get the twins for lunch. He'd told her that he wasn't hungry, let her kiss his cheek and then closed his bedroom door, turned the music up louder and buried his head.
Now it was two days later and Harry was still upstairs in his room, Bon Jovi still blaring from the speakers on repeat. Despite Remus going up and asking him to come down and join them, Harry had still refused to do so. All he ate was endless treacle tart that Dobby brought him, refusing almost everything else. Remus knew he was drinking as well, but hiding that from Zee. So, now they sat in the sunroom after sharing a delicious meal and waited to see once more if after five days, Harry would come down.
Remus kept his eyes closed as he listened to his wife and Zee talk.
"I just can't believe that she'd do this to him!" Zee exclaimed. "After everything those two have gone through, to break that sweet boy's heart after… She'll regret it. She'll never find anyone as sweet as my boy."
Tonks chuckled. "Look at you, getting all protective, Mama Bear."
Zee scowled. "She hurt my baby! The sweetest boy on earth and she ripped out his heart and stomped on it as if everything they've shared was for nothing! Now he's been up there, crying and listening to Bon Jovi on repeat and… I want to strangle that girl for hurting him!"
Tonks made a sympathetic face. "I know. I can't imagine how torn up he must be feeling, but imagine how Ginny's feeling, Zee. After everything that she's gone through, the Chamber of Secrets, being possessed by Riddle and now this potion… she's probably reeling. She's probably a bit scared and confused and… I don't know what I would do in her shoes."
"I wouldn't break Harry's heart for starters," Zee said.
Tonks chuckled. "He's lucky to have such a mum in his corner."
"Speaking of mums," Zee said, her eyes on Tonks.
Tonks let out a dramatic sigh. "He knew."
Remus arched an eyebrow. "I told you, I didn't want to steal your thunder."
Tonks rolled her eyes. "You're still a prat for not telling me."
Zee smiled. "Congratulations, to both of you. I can't wait to meet baby Lupin. I'm sure he or she will be great friends with my twins."
"Definitely," Remus assured her. "Blacks and Lupins are destined to be friends."
Tonks let her eyes move up to the ceiling. "We really wanted to share the news with Harry. We've already waited almost a week because we thought we should wait until Ginny was cured. But then we came to tell him five days ago and well…"
"We found him heartbroken," Remus said.
"The news might do him some good," Zee agreed. "But he won't come down. I can't take it anymore."
Tonks put her lemonade on the table. "I'll go up."
"He's still listening to Bon Jovi, though," Remus protested. "I don't want to…"
"What? Rain on his parade of sadness?" Zee said in exasperation. "He could use the pick me up. He won't talk to me and… please? If I hear 'Always' for another day on repeat, I might just crack," Zee pleaded. "He's ruining a beautiful song for me. Give him some good news already!"
"I just want him to be excited," Remus reasoned. "I want him to be… he's going to be the godfather after all."
"He will be! Babies make everything better," Tonks argued, moving to kiss her husband's cheek. "Come on, we already cancelled on Mum and Dad just so I wouldn't spill the beans to mum at dinner. We wanted to tell Harry first."
"He actually brightens up a little when Mina and Leo hang out on his bed with him," Zee said. "He talks to them. Baby news will definitely cheer him up."
"I'm going and you can't stop me!" Tonks said, hurrying towards the staircase. "Highly trained Auror coming through!"
Remus grinned and exchanged a look with Zee. "Maybe you two are right, maybe it will cheer him up a little."
"Here's hoping," Zee said as she came to sit on the arm of the chair that Remus was sitting in. "Can we put these two to bed yet?"
"I don't know," he said. "They seem pretty comfortable to me."
Zee smiled. "You're a big softie, Remus Lupin, and you look damn good with babies in your arms."
"I'm excited," he admitted. "And terrified."
"Both feelings I'm familiar with," she told him. "What about Tonks' job?"
"We talked about it," he said. "She's going to wait a couple more weeks until we tell people."
"Waiting until the twelve week mark?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Then she'll talk to King and go on light duty. It means she'll be stuck in the office, but her job is dangerous and she's not willing to risk the baby. Plus, Higgins is an A3 now and she's trained him well. He'll be fine doing all the legwork in her absence."
"I'm sure he will," Zee said, reaching out to brush her finger down Mina's cheek. "I hope Tonks has better luck with our boy up there."
Remus only nodded, his arms still holding the sleeping babies in his arms, and thought if anyone could get through Harry's teenage angst, it was his Dora.
~ ASC ~
Harry didn't say anything when Tonks came into his room. He blinked when she pushed his glasses onto his face and opened the glass doors to let some fresh air into his room. He merely rolled over and covered his head with his pillow as she turned down the wireless record player.
"Will you at least look at me?" she asked.
Harry sighed and looked at her. "Go away."
"No," she said. "Remus and I came over tonight to see you and you hid in your room all night."
Harry covered his face again. "I don't want to talk."
"Well, I do," Tonks said, shoving his legs over and lying on the bed next to him.
Harry groaned and glared at her. "I'll give you a million Galleons to go away."
"Hmm, tempting but no."
"I hate you."
Tonks grinned. "There's that charm I know and love. Sit up," she said, smacking his leg. "I have something important to tell you."
Harry made a sound of protest but when she only continued to hit his leg, he finally sat up, pushing his glasses up his nose. "What?"
She wrinkled her nose. "A shower would do wonders for you."
"Gee, thanks for that. Go away."
Tonks ignored him. "No. We'll come back to the shower. And that scruff? Can you actually grow a beard now?"
"I don't know, I've never gone this long without shaving. Now, get lost."
"Stubble… looks good on you, very Sirius-esque. Of course, Sirius was smart enough to shower on a regular basis."
"I get it, I smell, so leave," he said, plopping back down onto his bed.
Instead of leaving, she poked him repeatedly in the arm until he sat up again.
"What?"
"Listen, Mr Grouchy Git, ever think I came up here for something important?" At his look, her lips curved. "You made me a promise when you were eleven, you know."
"What promise?" he asked, completely bewildered.
Tonks smiled. "So, remember when I came over the other day and made you promise not to tell Remus?"
"When you made me pretend that I never saw you? It rings a bell," he said, still not sure where Tonks was going with this.
Tonks smirked. "Well, you don't have to keep that a secret anymore. Remus knows that I was here."
"Goody," he said, sarcastically, plopping back down into his bed.
Tonks grabbed a handful of shirt and pulled him back up. "That's not all!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Tonks, I adore you, but right now, I just want to sit here and think about how much my life sucks, okay?"
"No, not okay," Tonks said. "I won't have you sitting here wallowing when you can be jumping up and down in excitement for me."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "And why am I excited again?"
"Because I've finally made good on my promise and made you a godfather."
Harry blinked up at Tonks. "What?"
"Godfather. You know, 'I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse,' that godfather." At his blank look, she elbowed him. "You promised me when you were eleven, mister!"
For the first time in five days, Harry forgot about Ginny chucking him and his melancholy slipped away. He reached out a hand and turned off the wireless, shutting off Bon Jovi.
"Me? Godfather?"
"Yeah, but it requires you leaving your room and showering on a regular basis and—"
Harry dove forward and enveloped Tonks into a hug. He buried his head into her neck. He was a big brother. He was going to be a godfather. He may have lost Ginny, but he was being surrounded by little, tiny humans who needed him and relied upon him. Maybe, just maybe, they could help him through his heartache.
"Yes!"
Tonks laughed and hugged him tightly. "Really? Did I get a smile?"
His lips curved as he pulled away. "You're really having a baby?"
"I'm really having a baby," she told him. "And your prat of a father knew I was pregnant for weeks and didn't tell me! Can you believe that?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah, I can believe that. Wait, there's only one in there, right?"
"As far as I know," Tonks said. "Remus heard the heartbeat and he said he only heard one… but he didn't tell me about the baby so… we better go check."
Harry laughed when she grabbed his hand and dragged him down the stairs and he thought maybe, just maybe, he was starting to feel a little bit better.
End Author's Notes:
Thanks to Sam for her help with my teenage angst Harry.
Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics to "Always" by Bon Jovi, and fun fact and because I have a little bit of OCD, if you listen to the song, you can read the in between parts until you get to the next lyric.
Thanks for reading and please review!