The sun rose into a clear blue sky the next day, gently rousing Kit. Her deep red hair was spread on her pillow, tangled in spots, framing her gently tanned face, which was undergoing changes of emotion. Finally her eyelids fluttered open, her golden eyes gazing blearily around the room. With a sigh, she rolled over to where she expected to see Harry beside her. Instead, a smiling miniature of the famous Potter greeted her.

'Where's daddy?' Kit asked sleepily.

Nate clapped a hand to his mouth and shook his head. Kit smiled.

'Secret?'

He nodded, grinning.

Just then, the door opened as Harry backed into the room carrying a breakfast tray laden with scrambled eggs, toast, and juice for them all.

'Surprise!' Nate yelled happily, clapping his hands.

Kit beamed as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Harry was smiling broadly as he laid the tray across her knees. Together, they all ate some breakfast, Nate playing more than eating. As Harry leant across and kissed Kit, Nate happily threw his piece of toast across the room. Both parents grinned at each other as Nate clapped happily, neither of them reaching to pick it up. It wasn't until Nate had picked up his cup of juice and splashed it on the beige comforter of the bed. Instantly, Harry picked up Nate as Kit tried fruitlessly to mop up the orange juice with a napkin. As Harry placed Nate on the floor, Kit handed him the tray, a cross between a smile and a scowl on her face.

'Take him with you,' she said, flinging her legs over the side of the bed as Nate toddled over to the door. 'I'm going to have a shower.'

Harry just shook his head, following Nate into the hall and down the stairs. As he laid the breakfast tray on the kitchen counter, he heard the shower start. Nate was pulling on the leg of his trousers.

'What did you want to do, Nate?' Harry asked, crouching down onto his son's level. Nate's face contracted in concentration before he ran off into the living room. Harry followed, smiling, and arrived in time to see Nate attempt to climb a box labelled 'Kit's Clothes'.

'You want to unpack?'

'Yeah,' Nate grunted, still trying to pull himself onto the box. Harry grinned.

'That box first?'

Nate nodded, a hand clutching the corner of one of the flaps. Harry stepped forward and easily pulled the top of the box open. Nate pulled his chin over the corner to peer into it. A frown briefly crossed his face before he reached in a hand and pulled out one of Kit's tank tops.

'Mum!'

Harry laughed. 'Did you want to take it upstairs?'

Nate nodded, rushing towards the stairs as Harry picked up the box and followed him.

However, halfway through the unpacking of the first box, Nate became bored, and began playing 'hide and seek'. As Harry looked up for the fifth time, expecting to see Nate on the other side of the bed, he received a shock to find the bedroom empty. A sinking feeling in his stomach, Harry launched himself across the room and into the hallway. He turned towards the stairs in time to see the giggling boy descend the first step. His heart light again, Harry smiled, silently following the small boy down the staircase. As Nate reached the bottom, he stood and looked around, an expression of thought across his young face.

'Found you,' smiled Harry, watching Nate jump slightly, turning around to his father. 'Did you want to go outside?'

Nate grinned, and instead of answering, ran, squealing, to the kitchen door. Harry laughed, opening the door for the young lad and following him out onto the open deck. Made of the same wood as the front porch, the deck was enclosed by a thin railing, and wide steps led out onto the backyard that had more than enough room for a dog to run around in. The deck, unlike the front porch, was uncovered, and Harry shaded his eyes against the sun as Nate ran in the yard. Smiling, Harry looked around the yard, enclosed by a fence, an alley behind the furthest end of the yard. On either side of their house sat two others; the right without a deck but with a garden sprouting flowers Harry had only seen in books; the left with a deck, not as grand as the one Harry was standing on, but just as occupied.

As Harry made his way slowly over to the fence, he watched Nate run through the dewy grass. The other man sidled over as well.

'Hi there,' the man said, reaching the fence where Harry greeted him. 'I noticed a car in your driveway and couldn't believe this place finally sold.' The man ran a hand through his shaggy red hair, smiling at Harry. 'I'm Walt, by the way,' he said, extending a hand over the fence, which was somewhat lower than the other, although planned that the two neighbours would converse over it. 'Walt Zakarias.'

'Harry,' Harry said, taking his hand and shaking it happily. 'How long have you lived here?'

The man shrugged, turning slightly to look at his own house, painted a cheery yellow and trimmed in dark brown. 'Roughly a year and a half. It needs new paint.'

'You don't like the yellow?' Harry smiled.

Walt pulled a face. 'It's not one of my favourite colours,' he said, turning back to Harry, his eyes lingering for a second on Nate. 'Where's the girlfriend?'

'In the shower,' Harry shrugged, leaning against the fence on his side so that Nate was within his eyesight.

'Not married?' Walt asked, watching Nate as well.

'No,' Harry said, sneaking a side long glance at the neighbour and smiling. 'But I've convinced her to start looking at flowers and dresses.'

Walt snorted. 'That's probably a first in man-kind.' Harry grinned. 'Have you popped the question yet?'

Something close to a frown flitted across Harry's face. 'Not officially, but I told her I would once I found the perfect ring.'

'Haven't found it?'

Harry shook his head, pushing his hair out of his eyes. 'No. I mean, I want to find my mother's engagement ring and use that.'

Walt ceased his watching of Nate and looked at Harry, now genuinely interested. 'How are you going to do that?'

'Well, they lived in this house before, and all of their furniture and some of their CD's are still here, so I'm hoping I'll find it in here soon,' Harry said, motioning to the house.

'I'm sorry they're dead,' Walt said quietly, his brown eyes trained on Harry.

'What?' Harry's green eyes locked with the brown ones across the fence, which moved, quickly to his scar and back.

'Come on, Harry,' he said, quieter still, 'there aren't just muggles here.'

Harry fell silent, and turned his gaze back to Nate, who chose that moment to squeal as a squirrel ran along the higher part of the fence. A screen door slammed, and both Harry and Walt look up to find Kit dressed on the deck.

'Talk at you later,' Walt said, sidling back over to his own deck.

'Yeah,' Harry said offhandedly, 'see you.'

As Harry walked over to Kit, he noticed her watching the red squirrel on the fence with displeasure. Nate turned and saw his mother, instantly running over, almost losing his footing three times on the not quite dry grass. Harry smiled, racing Nate the last few feet to the deck, causing him to squeal with delight as the toddler won.

'Are you going shopping?' Harry asked Kit as he noticed the purse over her arm.

'I was going to,' she said smiling as Nate hugger her knees. 'I was going to take this one,' she added, bending down and scooping Nate up into her arms. 'Will you finish unpacking?'

'Of course,' Harry said, holding open the door for the two loves of his life.

'I was going to get a surprise for you, as well.'

'Like what?'

Kit only grinned, grabbing the keys off the table.

'And do the dishes, please,' she added with a swift kiss on his cheek as Nate pulled on his shoes.

Harry smiled, pulling the tea towel from the handle of the oven and whipping it at her –

'You know that's precious meat,' Kit snapped playfully, sticking her tongue out at him. 'Oh, and this present will be the first of many that I'll buy.'

'With what money?'

Kit shrugged, smiling, leaving the front door after Nate. 'Later!'

Harry just grinned after them, filling the sink.