Chapter 1

Ginny was curled up in a conjured armchair, the sun rested against her body, and right now she was lightly sleeping in a boy's dormitory full of four poster beds. Only one of which had an occupant.

'Ginny?' said a hoarse voice. She only vaguely registered her name before the owner of the voice cleared his throat which woke her up, her eyes squinted as she rolled around and stretched. Her back ached from being curled up in the seat of the armchair. She looked around and sat upright immediately when she noticed Harry. She straightened her hair instinctively as he put on his glasses.

'I must have just fell asleep,' she said sleepily whilst blinking several times and stifling a yawn. 'Mum sent me up to see if you wanted lunch.' She checked her watch, 'that was half an hour ago' she smiled and huffed. Harry managed a smile back and sat upright but his face winced as he did so.

'Are you okay?' she asked noticing this.

'Yeah, I'm fine, what time is it?' he asked.

'It's half twelve,' Ginny replied, her head was cocked to the side in sympathy. He sat up straighter, Ginny acknowledged how tired he looked. His face was heavily bruised, she didn't like seeing this.

'I need a wash before anyone sees me,' he admitted.

'You look like you've been dragged through hell and back,' she chuckled. But her laughter died away quickly and then said, 'well I suppose you have.'

'I missed you Gin,' he said. His smile was lightning to her. She had missed him; she had missed his smile.

'I missed you too,' she replied.

Harry made to get out of bed, so Ginny stood up, intending to leave. As much as she had missed him, she felt that now what not the time to talk about things, that would come later. Right now, she needed to see her family, and have some tea and toast.

She walked over to the door as Harry rummaged in his backpack. She had her hand on the door, but she had a question that was burning for an answer, 'there's one thing I need to ask you, did you really intend for Voldemort to kill you?'

Harry stared at her.

'Are you sure you want to know the answer?' he asked looking up at her.

'Yes,' she replied sheepishly.

'Yes,' he replied. She had expected this answer, but she began to leave before he could elaborate. Her sadness had taken over her again and she wanted to be alone in this moment.

Ginny's eye sprung open, she had awoken in her own bed in London, the sun lighting up the curtains. The memory of Harry the day after the battle was as fresh as the day it had happened. Why was she thinking about this today? After getting dressed she looked at the calendar on her bedroom wall. Harry was late to return home, he should've been home two days ago. What was the hold up? She couldn't wait to see him again, she had to tell him she was sorry about everything she had said before he left, and it had been eating her up inside thinking of how he had probably berated her in his head. He had been gone a month, a whole month in which Ginny felt awful for the way they had parted.

When Ginny entered the kitchen, she found Albus and Lily eating cereal at the breakfast table. The said morning as she switched the kettle on. It was a glorious Sunday morning; Ginny admired the dewy grass through the glass backdoor. She made herself a bowl of cereal and joined them at the table. Albus talked of his time at Hogwarts, which him and James had just returned from. Lily was hanging on to his every word, she managed to spill milk down her chin, missing her mouth completely.

'When will I get my letter?' she asked her mother.

'Usually around July, are you excited?' Ginny asked, handing her a cloth to clean her chin whilst she nodded in reply.

'It's not all it's cracked up to be Lil,' added Albus. Ginny gave him a sympathetic look and made a mental note to spend the day with him as soon as possible, he didn't seem his happy self these days.

'Well,' said Ginny deciding to lighten the tone, 'it won't be as bad as my first year at Hogwarts, that's for sure.' Lily smiled widely; she had the same smile as Mrs Weasley. Just then James came bustling down the stairs.

'No dad then' he asked as he walked down the hall whilst rubbing his eyes.

'No, not yet' Ginny replied. All of her children gave the same grimace.

'What time are we going today?' James asked as he grabbed himself a bowl and sat down.

'Two o'clock, Hermione told me Teddy and Andromeda are coming too.' This seemed to cheer up James and Albus, their faces lightened at the prospect of seeing their partner-in-crime.

After breakfast, Ginny went to put on makeup and straighten her hair before they were due at her mums. Mrs Weasley had told her yesterday that Andromeda and Teddy would be coming along with Hermione, Ron, and the kids. George would be joining them too, they hadn't seen him for a while as he was busy with the joke shop, frequently he had said he would need to find someone who could be his partner, as the job was proving to much for just him. Ginny was particularly looking forward to seeing Ron, who was the only person who could update her on where Harry could possibly be, she was grateful that she at least had one contact in the Auror office. Also, being around family took the kids minds off the fact that Harry would not be there. It takes my mind off it too, thought Ginny.

Hermione and Ron were sitting at the table when Ginny and the kids arrived at the Burrow. Lily ran to hug Hermione. Mr Weasley was sat reading the Daily Prophet next to Ron whilst Mrs Weasley waved her wand over the pots on the stove. She gave each of the kids a kiss and hugged Ginny with a rather sympathetic look on her face. Ginny knew immediately why. She was quickly saved from the awkward question as to Harry's whereabouts when George walked through the door. In his hands, he held many Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products which he quickly gave to the kids who joined Hugo and Rose on the rug beside the fire.

With the kids busy making explosions and popping sounds, Hermione, Ron, George, and Ginny gathered at the table whilst Mrs Weasley made some tea.

'When was Harry supposed to come back?' George asked.

Ginny took the cup from her mum and replied, 'About two days ago.'

'Surely you know something Ron?' Mr Weasley asked as he folded up the newspaper.

'No sorry' he replied abruptly quickly taking a sip of his tea. Ginny saw Hermione exchange a quick glance with George.

'Hasn't he been in touch with Auror office?' Ginny asked. Ron eyes flicked between her and Hermione. 'Ron?' she prompted.

'It's time to tell them' said Hermione to Ron with a serious look on her face. Ron shoulders relaxed but he scrunched his face up looking as if he was in pain. Mrs Weasley quickly wheeled round.

'Tell us what?' asked Mr Weasley before his wife could ask.

'I've … umm' Ron mumbled. He took a deep breath and quickly said, 'I've quit.'

Mrs Weasley's eyebrows shot up quickly towards her hair line while Mr Weasley took off his glasses.

'Ron's joined me at the shop' George intervened. Ron nodded in agreement as if this settled the matter.

'For how long?' asked Mrs Weasley conversationally.

'About a month' Ron mumbled in reply. Ginny couldn't say anything.

'Well why didn't you say?' asked Mrs Weasley putting her hands on her hips. She had a big smile on her face and Ron seemed to relax more as she smiled down at him.

'Well,' George started, 'I had to give him a trial, I'm not letting just anyone be my partner' he said fairly. 'Even my brother' he laughed.

'I think it's brilliant' chimed Mr Weasley. 'You said yourself you needed help' he said to George who nodded his head.

'What made you decided to do this Ron?' asked Mrs Weasley.

'I don't think I was cut out to be an Auror, it was always Harry's dream, but I got a bit tired after a while' he admitted.

'And you were starting to get rather stressed' Hermione said to him in fairness. He nodded.

'I bet you were, all of these Death Eaters reappearing has been a strain,' Mrs Weasley said to the room at large, 'the last time I saw Harry he looked as if he needed a good sleep.'

She smiled at Ginny who returned it. But on the inside Ginny didn't feel like smiling at all. Her mind was buzzing with questions as to how she was to get information on Harry's trip. Her one helpful insider had now quit. She still had Hermione, she thought, but Ginny would have preferred having someone she knew who actually worked for the Auror office.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Upon Mrs Weasley's invitation, in walked Andromeda with Teddy. Teddy's hair remained as blue as ever, giving Ginny a hug, he asked where Harry was. He seemed rather upset about him having not returned yet but was quickly forestalled for a reply as James and Albus ran up to him showing him their Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products.

Within the next hour they had all been treated to Mrs Weasley chicken and ham pie and were lounging around the kitchen. But as everyone had become comfortable the talk quickly turned back to the whereabouts of Harry. Not wishing to discuss this anymore, Ginny walked outside for some fresh air, she glanced reminiscently around the garden. As she walked towards the gate, she remembered a similar walk she had taken nearly twenty years ago when she had seen Harry stood on his own at the very same gate three weeks after the battle of Hogwarts.

The sky was dark, yet it could only have been six o'clock and he seemed to be retrospectively gazing out into the distance and didn't hear Ginny approaching.

'Dinner's nearly ready Harry' she said. He had jumped out of skin at the sight of her. She chuckled, noticing while she did that it had been a long time since she had chuckled at anything.

'I'll be there now' he replied with an attempt at a smile.

'What are you thinking?' she asked.

She joined him at the gate, leaning as he was on the iron bars. They were not looking at each other but gazing at the dim sky.

'Just about Teddy' he managed after a moment of silence.

'Are you excited to meet him' she asked through a smile.

'Yeah of course, it's just …' he seemed to stop himself from saying anything further.

'What?' she asked now looking at his profile. She hadn't noticed how tired he looked until now, but at least the bruise around his left eye had disappeared.

'I just don't know why Lupin asked me to be his godfather, I never had a chance to ask him' he said sadly.

Ginny considered this for a moment. 'Maybe he wanted Teddy to have a godfather who could be like Sirius was to you' she replied.

He looked at her now, thinking deeply about what she had said. As their eyes met, she realized that this was the first time they had been alone since she woke up in his dormitory many weeks before. She felt both comfortable and awkward at the same time. He smiled at her and nodded softly. The ringing voice of Mrs Weasley interrupted their moment of silence as she called, 'dinner's ready.'

Ginny, now standing at that gate alone, was approached by Hermione with two cups in her hand.

'Are you okay?' she asked, handing Ginny a cup of tea.

'Yeah, I was just thinking about the first time Harry met Teddy, do you remember that?'

'Of course,' Hermione began, 'I think Harry nearly cried, he was so worried about being a godfather, but then I suppose he never really had that kind of responsibility before'

'Yeah, but he has that responsibility now, to the kids now as well as Teddy, and yet I can't remember the last time we spent an entire day together, why is his job more important Hermione? Where is he?' Ginny asked with frustration in her eyes. Hermione smiled softly.