Author Note: Enjoy the last chapter! Humongous thank you to my beta Jezzi, to which this chapter would have just sat in my google drive for all of eternity while I obsessed over it. Also, Jces999 and skyeryder01 sorry for making you cry. - Chefke

Harry stumbled into Grimmauld Place, his hands filled with groceries. He had asked Kingsley to disconnect his Floo after Halloween, so he would have some time to grieve and not have to deal with nosey people coming in and out all day and night. The lights in the kitchen were on and the window was open sending a chilly draft throughout the aging building. Harry dumped the groceries down on the table, thankful it was still light outside. Grimmauld Place was creepy enough during the day. It was worse at night when all the lights were off and the only light was from lamp posts on the street.

He had spent all day at the Ministry dealing with solicitor after solicitor, and random witches and wizards he had never heard of. As Draco and Hermione's appointed heir, he had a lot of paperwork to go through and even more extended relatives snooping around trying to get a handful of galleons or properties.

Ginny, being the angel she was, was helping him heal emotionally. She had even taken off the rest of the Quidditch season to help him grieve and put his life back together. Molly sent food over every night and every couple of days George would send a basket filled with his new Marauders Legacy line, honoring Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.

Predictably, Harry received nothing from Ron. The speckled git had even sent an owl. His old friend was probably entirely ignoring the fact that their oldest friend and his ex, was dead. Harry hated him for it.

Putting Ron out of his mind, he urged himself to think of happier things. Ginny, immediately came to mind. That morning, the two spoke over coffee. Harry knew that she wanted him to let go of the past. Essentially, she wanted him to move on from the loss of Ron, his family's deaths, and the War. She was right and Harry was glad he'd had enough personal growth since they were last together that he could admit that. He also had enough growth that he was able to properly articulate his feelings. Feelings that he wasn't entirely sure Ginny was ready for.

The Prophet always liked to print stories of Harry's supposed illicit affairs. Affairs that were entirely fictional and according to Witch Weekly currently ongoing. It had been two weeks since Hermione and Draco's deaths, and Ginny had all but moved in with him. She made sure he ate food and drank proper liquids. She helped him keep on time with all of his meetings and spoke to the Head Auror about giving him the rest of the month off.

While Ginny was staying in Harry's home, she never slept in his bed. She never left his room either, as his nightmares woke him when he was alone. She insisted on sleeping on the recliner chair next to his bed. Harry tried to fight her on this, but being the stubborn beautiful witch she was, she got her way.

Every morning Harry woke with crippling anxiety that Ginny too would be gone once he woke. He was terrified she was all a dream. He was scared that he finally cracked and was currently in the Janus Thickey ward manically chewing on gum and scribbling on walls.

It was these mental images and Ginny's infuriated reaction to a new Witch Weekly article about him being Hermione's secret lover prior to her death, that prompted Harry to sit Ginny down and talk with her earlier that day. Ginny made a pot of coffee and took out some biscuits Molly had dropped off the day before. Harry handed her the magazine and smiled softly at her.

"Four."

Ginny's eyebrows rose. "Four?"

"I've been on four miserably terrible dates since we broke up. I took each witch to a muggle restaurant, to avoid the press. Nothing happened after dinner, I took them home and never followed up with another date. When I'm not at work or drinking, I'm at home playing Scrabble or listening to…" Harry's voice broke. Tears gathered in his eyes and Ginny covered his hands with her own. "I would listen to Her-Hermione talk about Dra-Draco."

Harry sighed as Ginny gently massaged his hand. "Ginny, they were so happy. They were so in love. I don't understand. Theo-"

Cupping his chin with her other hand, Ginny lifted his face to meet her own. "Theo was terrified of his secret getting out. He was scared of losing everything because our society doesn't recognize that mental illness is just that an illness. He was scared of being sent to prison and he made a terrible decision. A decision that was not your fault. Harry, you did everything you could."

"I didn't though," Harry whispered. "You know Lucius Malfoy was trying to have them killed from prison?"

"And you started an investigation into corruption in the prisons, didn't you?" Ginny released his chin and took a sip of her coffee.

Harry ran his hands through his hair. "It wasn't enough. I should have done more."

They were silent for several minutes. Ginny sipping her coffee as Harry nibbling on one of Molly's gingersnap cookies. Harry contemplated speaking up but Ginny eyes were dark and conflicted. She was struggling with something and Harry wanted to give her the time she needed.

The time she needed turned out to be ten seconds later. Dropping her mug roughly on the table, Ginny stood up and began pacing the room erratically. After several turns, she stopped as abruptly as she had started and whirled around to face him.

"How many?" she demanded, her hands crossed against her chest.

Harry finished cleaning his glasses and returned them to his face. "How many what, Gin?"

"Don't 'Gin' me. How many witches did you sleep with? The ones that weren't dates, just random slags looking for a shag?" Ginny snapped.

"Just you, Ginny. It was only ever you for me." Ginny's face froze with fear, her mouth opened in a large O.

"I… Merlin, Harry. I-" Tears were starting to stream down her cheeks.

"It's okay, Ginny." Please don't say it. Harry wasn't sure if he could handle hearing about her other relationships. As it was, Harry was barely able to hold a conversation with Dean Thomas anymore and they worked together at the Ministry.

"Harry, it's not okay. I slept with… I'm not even sure who I slept with, it was such a blur. I never kept anyone around long enough to learn their names or what they liked other than in bed."

Surprisingly, Harry felt no jealousy. Only relief. He wasn't sure he could compete with another bloke. Some guy that wasn't entirely broken and didn't have cameras chasing him down the street every time he went to purchase toothpaste. "Ginny, I would never judge you. We all deal with grief differently."

"You should!" Ginny stomped her foot, angry tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mum told me to stop and that you'd never take me back once I got my head back on straight. She said you'd hate me. Said I'd hate me. I couldn't. Harry, it was too hard. Waking up every morning without you and then the Prophet kept writing…"

Ginny was a blubbering mess, she was sobbing as Harry stood up and embraced her. "I love you, Ginny. I always have and I always will." Ginny sniffled into his shirt. Summoning his courage, he asked her the question he had based their entire sit down about. "Gin, life's too short. I don't want to waste another minute without you in it, that is if you'll have me. I think we could really make a go-"

Ginny's soft lips crashed onto his. They were soft and inviting and entirely how he remembered them. She smelled of a floral perfume, of broom polish, Quidditch leather, and treacle tart.

Harry slid his hands up her back just as his mouth opened and her tongue reacquainted itself with him. Whilst his left hand gripped her closer to him, his right hand buried itself in her hair relishing at the softness. Ginny withdrew from his mouth, her eyes dark and her face flushed.

"God," she moaned. "Harry, I missed you. I need you."

Harry stirred under her touch, warmth filling his body and his heart. Ginny was like the ocean, cold and fierce. He could drown under her touch and he'd be back the next morning swimming under the surface of her waves, crashing and colliding until she pulled him back under again.

With more restraint than he was aware he had, Harry removed his hands from Ginny's body. "Ginny, if we do this, I want to take it slow. Talk through our issues and work together to build something to last. I can't… I don't think I can handle losing you again. It hurt worse than losing Sirius and Remus."

Ginny ran her fingers along Harry's face, reacquainting herself with the curves and scars she knew so well. He trembled under her touch, his mind still fearful of a time when her touch wasn't his. The pads of her fingers stilled over new scars, as she committed them to memory. His scars were hard earned and came at the cost of his job, a job that forced them apart once before.

"Harry," she whispered. "I'm scared."

"Scared?"

"We crashed and burned last time. I don't-"

"We'll take it slowly."

"Slowly?"

Harry smiled lovingly at her. "What are you doing for dinner? I've been told I make really good eggs and bacon."

Ginny giggled. "That's a breakfast food."

"The Dursley's didn't send me to culinary school. I can pretty much only make four or five dishes and I know you don't like two of them." Harry shrugged.

Ginny kissed Harry's cheek gently and withdrew from his embrace. "Eight? I'm not dressing up."

Harry smiled again. It was one of the many things he loved about Ginny. She was simple and didn't need or want expensive things to keep her happy. "I wasn't expecting you to."

"I'm going to head home, check in with mum. I'll see you later." With one last smile at Harry, Ginny left for the front door and disapparated from the front step of Grimmauld Place.

Harry collapsed into a chair by the table, a goofy grin on his face. He looked around the kitchen happily, until he realized that he had absolutely no food to cook with and that he had an appointment at the Ministry in twenty minutes. Cursing, he rushed to put on clothes so he could meet with the solicitor before shopping for food.

Several exhausting hours later, Harry stumbled back into Grimmauld Place. He flicked the lights back on, shivering as he was greeted with a chilly draft. Ginny liked to open all the windows and air out the aging house.

He smiled as he scurried into the kitchen and dropped the groceries on the kitchen table. Harry eyed the clock. He had three and a half hours until Ginny was due to arrive. Enough time to clean and obsessively worry about there being enough food.

Harry began unpacking the groceries and straightening up the kitchen. He had just finished putting the eggs in the fridge and was rummaging for a vase for the flowers when he noticed that things were out of place. His coffee cup being dirty and in the sink, was the first clue. The sugar on the counter was the other.

As a young child, Harry learned the importance of never leaving dirty dishes in the sink. It was usually at the end of Uncle Vernon's belt buckle and it was enough that Harry's sinks were always clean and the dishes stored neatly away in the cupboards. Harry withdrew his wand and did a quick surveillance of his house. There was no one in his home and no one had entered his home after he left for his meeting at the Ministry. He was just being paranoid.

Placing the flowers in the vase on the table, Harry surveyed the now tidy kitchen. Mrs. Weasley had taught him cleaning charms after he moved into Grimmauld Place, but he still liked to clean the regular way. It was therapeutic. It gave him time to think and make several phone calls on the steps outside the house.

Harry made an appointment with Dr. Green for next week. He had not been to his therapist since before Halloween and Harry was sure he was overdue. He had asked for a double appointment, in case Ginny wanted to come with him. If she wasn't ready, that was okay, Harry had more than two sessions worth of things to talk about with Dr. Green.

Harry opened the junk drawer and pulled out a pen. He walked over to his calendar that was pinned next to the sole open window in the kitchen. Uncapping the pen, he began to fill in the appointment time with Dr. Green. The last rays of the sun were shining through the window, reflecting off of something on the counter and creating a shadow on the calendar.

Having a profession that literally involved investigating things, Harry searched for the source of the light. Sitting on the counter next to the last remaining grocery bag was a thin band of leather attached to a pendant made of silver. Engraved in the silver was a proud phoenix with its wings outstretched. Leaning forward, Harry surveyed the Phoenix turn and wink at him. Cheeky bird, Ginny must have left it when she left that morning.

Harry checked the clock again. He had enough time to shower before dinner needed to be prepared. Not wanting Ginny's necklace to get lost under his cooking Harry decided to put it away in his room and give it back to her later.

As soon as Harry's fingers closed around the object he cursed himself and his own stupidity. He felt a familiar pull in his navel as he resisted the urge to throw up. The ground disappeared beneath him as the room began to spin. When would he learn that not everything in the Wizarding World was what it seemed?

Shite. Shite. Shite.

Harry tried to reach for his wand but it was already too late. He was being transported out of his kitchen and to God knows where. The last thing he saw before he vanished completely was the open window mocking his own complacency.

Harry was spat out of the portkey and dropped to his knees, dry heaving. The necklace was still clutched in between his fingertips. He could feel two figures looming over him, wands pointed viciously into his back. All it would take is one false move and he would join so many others he loved in death.

He continued to dry heave. He was fine, at that point but he was faking it as he surveyed the room he was in. The area was oddly familiar, which was odd in itself considering he was in a barely lit cave. There were stacks of hermetically sealed containers lined up against the walls that created three rooms of sorts in the rear of the cave.

Harry couldn't be sure, but there was at least one hostile in the second makeshift room. On Harry's right were piles of age-old carcasses of rats. It reminded Harry of…

That couldn't be. Only Sirius, Ron, and Hermione knew about this cave. Why would Ron-?

"Shite. He might actually be sick. What-" Harry's head snapped up, his green eyes meeting grey.

"Dr-Dra-Draco?" he stuttered.

Draco Malfoy smiled brightly at the best man at his wedding. "Hey, you gave us a scare just now. I know portkey isn't the best method of travel, but there's no need to die over it."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" demanded a shrill voice that Harry knew all too well. "Stop aiming your wand at Harry so he can get up! He's sitting in filth."

Without a thought or even looking at her face properly, Harry threw himself into Hermione's arms. Predictably, this annoyed Draco to no end. "Seriously, Harry. I come back from the dead and all I get is a stutter? Hermione's alive? Oh, let's give her a hug. Everyone ignore Draco, I mean, who needs-"

The end of Draco's tirade was smothered when Harry and Hermione simultaneously yanked him into the hug. It took several moments of tears and some sarcastic comments until everyone was calm enough to talk and untangle from their tight hug.

Hermione, ever the hostess, summoned four chairs, a small serving table, and a tea set. They all sat as Hermione poured the tea, offering biscuits which Harry declined. Hermione held onto one of Harry's hands, her eyes glistening as he drank the tea that tasted suspiciously like it contained calming draught in addition to camomile.

Harry was going over the crime scenes and his initial suspicions prior to Theo's legilmancy confession when Draco interrupted his thoughts. "Forgive me Harry, but you're not as surprised as we'd thought you would be."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sipped her own tea. A concoction that was made up of an odd blend of ginger, nettle, and raspberry. The smell was off-putting, to Harry anyway. Draco didn't seem to mind.

"Draco," Hermione pouted. "I told you Harry wouldn't be surprised."

Harry smiled as the couple began to bicker at exactly which stage the two had decided that Harry would be convinced they were dead.

"I thought it was a rouse when I first saw the bodies," Harry interrupted. "Neither of you would part with your wands and they were missing from the bodies and the entire grounds. Draco's ring was missing as well as Hermione's entire first edition collection of Wizarding and regular books. Also, Astoria mentioned Hermione's dress style and it wasn't the dress Hermione was found in, and I couldn't find an alternate dress on the grounds. I was wavering the line of belief and non-belief until I saw Theo's memories."

Draco and Hermione exchanged worried glances. The two began to murmur amongst themselves about whether or not their plan worked. Harry sat and listened until Hermione had worked herself into such a state she upset the teapot on the table.

"The clues were all completely separate. I only realized because I was surveying each crime scene and the Manor in its entirety." Harry attempted to reassure the couple. When Hermione woke up in Saint Mungo's from an assault, Draco and Harry discussed faking the couple's deaths and moving them out of the country. "I thought we were going to wait for a safe house and Kingsley's approval?"

The shock of seeing them alive began to wear off. It was replaced by a steady and cold rush of anger, Harry's face reddening as it began to fill him. He fought to control his temper, but flashes of the last two weeks kept smothering any joy he had at seeing his friends alive.

To their credit, Draco and Hermione were expecting his reaction. They were both staring at him expectantly. Waiting for him to burst, Harry stubbornly held his anger in not wanting to give them the satisfaction of being right about his outburst. What right did they have to expect anything from him? He thought they were dead! They lied to him! Played him!

"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Let it out."

Her soft words broke the dam he was holding back and words were flowing from him before he had the chance to hold the back. "You made me believe you were dead! Do you know what you put me through? What I'm still going through? How dare you!" Harry's voice broke. "We're… we're family. I took you in when they came after you. I never asked any questions. You just picked up and left when it wasn't convenient for you. Throwing a huge party and then telling me not to come. I should have been more suspicious. I should have asked questions."

Harry's mind spiraled with the possibilities had he just been at the party and stopped whatever stupid, but convincing plan they put in place.

"Harry, it's not your fault," Draco murmured.

"I know it's not my fault!" Harry was shouting now, ignoring the fact that they were in hiding. He forcibly lowered his volume, he was likely going to alert the villagers of Hogsmeade if he got any louder. "Just… Hermione, we did everything together. We grew up together. Draco. You… you were my best friend and you both abandoned me!"

Harry's voice cracked as he croaked out the part that had hurt the most. "We were family. We were family and you left me, just like everyone else left me."

Hermione sat with a steady stream of tears running down her cheeks. "We had no choice," she whispered.

"No choice?"

"Cynthia overheard us talking the night before at a function at the Ministry," Draco whispered, his wedding band shining from beneath Hermione's fingers. "Hermione and I… we're expecting. Expecting a baby and Cynthia… she took it straight to Lucius."

"Kingsley has an entire operation within the walls of Azkaban. One of his contacts assured him that Lucius was arranging a prison break for November the first. He was going to murder us both and pose as me. His plan was to claim Hermione ran off and then marry a pureblood and cleanse the Malfoy name." Hermione began to sniffle and shake her hand protectively hovering over her belly.

"Harry," she cried. "He was going to kill our baby. Our innocent defenseless baby. He…"

Hermione burst into another round of fresh tears. Draco pulled her into his lap, her robes tugging around her waist the outline of her bulging belly on display. Harry felt his face heat up as another wave of anger pulsated through his body.

He was going to fucking kill Lucius Malfoy.

Draco must have been reading his mind because he shook his head sadly. "Kingsley couldn't find us because we were at your house. We couldn't cancel the event and once we got to the party everything went to the shitter fairly quickly. Kingsley, Theo, and I had to act quickly. Kingsley altered Theo's memories when he got there so that they would only show what we wanted everyone to see. We weren't sure which Auror was going to come in. Hermione and I hoped it wouldn't be you so that we could explain it to you before you heard about it from the Auror department. We went straight to Godric's Hollow but you weren't there. Kingsley forced us to come here straight after that. Not that he knows where here is…"

Harry sat in stunned silence. Kingsley had been in on the plan the whole time? There were still so many holes and questions. "The bodies?" he asked.

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "Bonded house elves. As soon as Hermione and I faked our deaths they would have no one to serve and they would pass on anyway. Hermione is… understandably upset but there was nothing to be done. We needed two dead bodies and they were going to be dead shortly anyway." Harry's grimaced as the last bits of the puzzle fit itself together. There wasn't really anything he could respond to that. They murdered house elves that were already on the path to death. He filed it away, to be re-examined with Dr. Green.

Instead, he chose to look at Hermione who was trying her very hardest not to cry again. His face split into a real smile as Hermione groggily waddled over to him.

"How far along are you?" he asked as she took the seat next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"A little over four months. I ache everywhere and every food I smell makes me want to hurl. It's a bloody picnic." Harry looked over her body in surprise. He may not have grown up with younger siblings, but he knew enough to know Hermione was too big to be carrying only one. He raised an eyebrow, to which Hermione laughed in response.

"I told you Draco, he's a detective. He's bound to notice."

Harry looked at his oldest friend innocently, "Notice what?"

Draco face split into a humongous grin. Hermione opened her mouth to respond but Draco beat her to it. "Twins! We're having twins! First Malfoy in history to have twins!"

Harry hugged Hermione tightly. "Sheesh. Couldn't start off with one and work your way up could you?"

Hermione looked at Draco lovingly. "We've never done anything the easy way."

"Hey, quit giving Draco lovey eyes while I'm hugging you. It's making your big brother uncomfortable." Hermione burst into giggles and based on Draco's surprised face, Harry doubted that sound was heard a lot recently.

Hermione smile grew serious. "So we're okay? You'll forgive us? Harry, if there was any other way-"

"Hermione, you know me better than most. When have I been known to hold grudges? I mean, Draco-"

Harry yelped as Hermione jumped up and hugged him tightly. Harry hugged her back, his memory flashing back to many other hugs from his best friend and filling him with joy. "I told you he wouldn't stay mad, Draco, I told you. I'm so sorry Harry. We didn't mean to give you a fright."

Harry chuckled and hugged Hermione protectively. Harry would have given up his own life to protect the ones in his arms. There was something that was bothering him, though. "What I don't understand is, why Theo? Did he not suffer enough?"

Hermione smiled and poured Harry a glass of coffee, her eyes darting to a dark corner in the cave where a hunched over figure stood in the doorway of one of the makeshift rooms. Draco cast a nonverbal Lumos and Harry felt a nervous smile pick at the edges of his lips.

"Actually, I suffered quite enough in this fucking country. I'm good for a long permanent vacation." Theo Nott was flipping Harry the bird, whilst leaning against the doorway of boxes.

As an Auror, Harry should have arrested him immediately. As a friend, Harry pocketed his wand. "How?"

"I was brutally murdered by a vengeful fan of Hermione's on my way to Azkaban earlier this afternoon. My impromptu murder was courtesy of Kingsley. The wizard is frighteningly creative if I'm being honest." Theo shuddered. "Are we sure he isn't actually Slytherin or a vengeful teenage witch?"

Hermione and Draco ignored Theo. While Harry was happy that his friends were all safe, he was worried about the rest of Wizarding England. "What about your father?"

"Auror Proudfoot had someone inside the prisons. He postponed the breakout when you were murdered. The Ministry takedown went on this morning. Ian wants to go out with a bang, I guess. Anyway, father dearest is going to be solitude for life. They tossed a bunch of other blokes in solitude and they're working on spells to stop something like this from ever happening again." Draco looked extremely pleased with himself.

Theo sauntered over to the fourth chair around the table and sunk into it. Hermione released herself from Harry's hug and made Theo a cuppa. Several moments of comfortable silenced passed before Hermione stomped on Draco's foot and, not too subtly, darted her eyes towards Harry. Draco winced and Theo barked out a fit of laughter that he quickly disguised as coughing.

Draco ran his hand through his hair nervously. "Blimey, I never thought I'd be standing here."

"Pretending to be dead and moving to another country to wait out your insane father-in-law's death in prison, so that you can return home and live a normal life with the girl you secretly married but also bullied in school because you were a racist prick?" Theo supplied.

"Stop making me more nervous, Theo," Draco said as he sent a silent stinging hex at Theo. Turning to Harry, he wiped his sweaty palms on his robes. "Okay, so Harry..."

"Yes."

"We're having a baby."

Harry widened his eyes in sarcastic shock at Hermione's belly. "What? No way! How?! When! Tell me all the details!"

Hermione giggled at Harry's successful attempt at humor. Harry slowly felt the dread and depth of his depression melt away. His eyes were bright and his lips were quirked upwards. He felt light and free. Free, that he was able to claw his way out of rock bottom. He could see the light and he was sure as hell not going to let it slip away again. He was going to be happy this time. He was going to have a proper family.

Draco mumbled to himself, dragging his hands over his face with clear anxiety. Harry almost laughed. If he was looking for an overprotective father speech, he was speaking to the wrong friend. Theo rolled his eyes at Draco's consternation.

"HarryPotterwillyoubemyunbornchildsgodfather?" Harry's smirk froze on his face. Losing all ability to speak. A quick jab to his ribs from Hermione brought his wits back, as well as his shock.

"What?"

Hermione placed a gentle hand on Draco arm. "Harry, would you be our son's godfather?"

Harry's tears were running down his cheeks and staining his glasses. "A son?" He choked out.

Draco was smiling proudly. "Yeah. Boy and a girl. We wanted to name them Narcissa Lillian and Vincent Sirius. Would you be our son's godfather? I know you have a godson already, Teddy Lupin, but-" Harry nodded through his swimming eyes and the two men gripped each other in a tight hug. When they separated the only dry eyes in the room were Theo's.

Theo had just begun complaining about how he was the only 'real man' in the room when Hermione cut him off. "Oh, please. You sobbed like a baby when we asked you to be Narcissa's godfather," Hermione chastised the blonde before turning to Harry. "I was so worried you weren't going to see the necklace. Everything happened so suddenly and Kingsley wants us out of the country and away from Lucius. Draco went by Grimmauld Place earlier. I know you have dinner with Ginny tonight and we were worried you wouldn't make it in time…"

Harry's heart plummeted, he had completely forgotten about dinner. He checked his watch, he still had a half hour until Ginny was to arrive. Shite looks like they were eating takeaway. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow," Hermione rubbed her belly affectionately. "We're going to stop in a couple of countries but our final destination is in Cairo. We have a little house set up there, we hope you'll come to visit."

Harry held up the small necklace still clutched in his fist. "A portkey?"

"Yes. It's keyed to the portkey wherever the twin necklace is." Harry smiled at the matching necklace around Hermione's throat. Theo and Draco smirked as they each withdrew matching scorpion ones from their robes.

"Scorpions?" Harry asked.

"It was my idea for a baby name, but Hermione vetoed it." Draco shrugged petulantly. Hermione waved her hand at him in annoyance before getting up and going to the back of the cave.

"It's a ridiculous name, Draco." Theo shrugged when Draco shot him an annoyed look.

"Theo, aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

Theo held both of his hands up in surrender. "There are no sides when it comes to angry hormonal pregnant witches. You just agree with whatever they say. Faster you learn that, the longer you'll live mate."

Hermione reappeared holding a basket under her arm. She smiled and patted Theo affectionately on the head, much like she used to pet Crookshanks before he disappeared in the war. "Theo is right, Draco, maybe you should take notes from your friend."

Draco grumbled in annoyance, while Harry just barely resisted the urge to chuckle.

He was about to ask Hermione what was in her basket when his wards alerted him that someone had passed the ward lines of his home. Closing his eyes, he did a quick mental check to make sure it wasn't the postman, again. Since their regular postman retired and was replaced with a squib Harry began to get regular mail at Grimmauld Place. He and Gary Goyle were friends and Harry enjoyed gifted him a bottle of Ogdens every year during the holidays.

A quick check confirmed it was not Gary, though it was someone who regularly came in and out of his home. Most likely, it was Ginny walking up the stairs of Grimmauld Place ready for dinner. He was really glad he had disconnected the Floo so he could still race home.

"What is it?" The occupants of the cave were staring at him in fear.

Harry smiled reassuringly. "Just Ginny. She's a bit early for dinner. I was planning to make bacon and eggs but my best friends decided to come back from the dead, so it looks like we're having takeaway."

Harry stood up and slipped the necklace around his neck. He would have to stop at the Chinese place around the corner. He hoped Ginny still liked their beef lo mein and fried rice. He could get some wontons-

"I actually was worried about your date. I made dinner for you guys. Just a couple of things, you know like squash soup, some breadsticks, and a lasagna." Hermione handed Harry the basket.

"I made my famous snickerdoodles!" Draco piped up.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she ushered Harry towards the mouth of the cave. "They're not famous, Draco. They're the only thing you can make."

"Mate, it took you four and a half hours." Theo chuckled. "I can't cook for shit but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to take that long."

"I can make waffles, too," he said petulantly. Hermione ignored them both and hugged Harry tightly.

"You'll be back in the morning before we're off?

He had to get back, Ginny would be waiting and wondering. "Yes, but… I have to go. Promise me you'll wait tomorrow morning?"

Draco stood to stand next to Hermione, "Our portkey is at ten. We'll wait as long as we can."

"I'll cancel my appointments with my solicitor. I'll be here at eight. Do you need me to bring anything?" Harry asked, his wards gave him a gentle nudge.

"No, just yourself. I love you, Harry." Hermione held onto her belly, as Draco draped an arm over her. Theo hovered behind the couple protectively.

Harry leaned over and kissed Hermione's cheek. "I know. I'll see you tomorrow."

Without looking back, he left the cave and wandlessly apparated to the abandoned alleyway up his street. When he officially moved into Grimmauld Place, he put several Notice Me Not Charms, as well as Muggle Repelling Charms so he could apparate in and out of the alleyway next to his home.

Harry poked his head out to see Ginny clutching a bottle of wine. She was sitting on the front step in jeans and a jumper, her face contorted with worry. Gripping the basket, he walked out into the street and towards Ginny.

She didn't notice him until he was two houses away. Her smile brightened when their eyes met, all traces of fear and unease fled from her face. After looking him over for signs of injury, she hurried down the stairs towards him.

Harry resisted a sigh. They were going to need several sessions with Dr. Green if they were going to make it work. He understood her anxiety, especially after losing Fred but he wanted them to both be happy in their relationship. Harry was happy protecting people the same way Ginny was happy playing Quidditch. Harry wouldn't ask her to give up her career, he expected the same in return.

Ginny ran up to him and crashed into his body, kissing him firmly. After being snogged to the point that Harry wasn't entirely sure why they were in the middle of the street, she withdrew. "I was worried."

Harry held up the basket. "Change of dinner plans. I've got lasagna."

Ginny eyebrows rose slightly, lasagna was a dish that Harry didn't know how to make. She opened her mouth twice before closing it quickly. Deciding better than to speak, she slid her hand into his and guided him back to his house.

Harry opened the door and the two descended on the kitchen. Harry retrieved his wand from the counter and pocketed it. He learned a valuable lesson today, that thankfully had not been costly.

Ginny pulled out dishes and cutlery, while Harry pulled the food from the basket. The basket actually held a lasagna, a greek salad, a vegetable platter with an orange thick dip, garlic bread, squash soup with croutons, mini fruit cups with fresh creme, snickerdoodles, and a small sponge cake with holes in it and coffee liquor drizzled over it.

Harry was marveling over the sheer amounts of food when he heard a shatter behind him. Harry reacted before he had time to think, a protective shield was around Ginny and he was standing in front of her, his wand brandished and ready to attack.

It took several moments to realize that Ginny was not in fact under attack. Turning, he found Ginny leaning against the sink staring at the table in shock. The plates and glasses she was holding were shattered around her feet, reminding Harry of the kitchen where he found his friend's bodies. Well, their house staff anyway.

Her eyes were glazed over and Harry began to worry about whether or not he should take her to Saint Mungo's. "Ginny?"

Her eyes snapped forward and she shoved Harry out of the way and ran towards the table. She shoved a cookie into her mouth, barely swallowing before she sampled everything on the table. Harry stood in shock. Ginny wasn't a lady, but this was…

"HARRY JAMES POTTER, I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU!" Harry backed up to the counter as Ginny's wand whipped out of her jeans and aimed straight at his face.

"Ginny, what the bloody hell-"

"WHERE ARE THEY?!"

"What… What are you-?"

Her wand flicked and Harry clamped his eyes shut, waiting for the pain to come. When nothing came he opened his eyes to see her slamming all the windows shut and sending silencing and anti-monitoring charms up all over the house.

"Ginny, love?"

"Quiet, or I swear to Merlin I will hurt you." Harry clamped his mouth shut. When Ginny was satisfied, she pushed Harry into a chair. "How long have you known?"

"How long have I known what?"

"How long have you known that Draco and Hermione are alive?" Harry's felt his stomach drop. How did he blow the secret not even ten minutes after he had learned it?

"I… umm… what?" Harry's cheeks burned as he blushed under her gaze.

Ginny's cheeks were red and Harry tried his best to remain scared and not utterly turned on. "Potter, you're in deep shit right now. So, I suggest you answer the question."

"A couple of hours. They sent me a portkey."

"Where is it?" she demanded.

Harry flinched nervously, "Ginny, I-"

Her eyes locked on the pendant, as she visibly deflated. It took several deep breathing exercises before she was calm. "I feel like an idiot, Harry. Why didn't they tell you what happened before?"

"There wasn't time. I'll be honest right now, Gin. You're terrifying and insanely sexy pointing that wand at me." Surprised, as she had likely forgotten it was still pointed at him, she lowered her wand.

"Sorry, I forgot. I'll put up some tea. You can tell me all about it."

And so they did. They were still sitting at the table, the food having been eaten and the tea having been switched for harder liquor hours earlier when the sun came up.

"It's half past seven, would they be upset if I came too? I want to meet our future godchildren." Ginny asked nervously. Harry tried to ignore the happy leap his heart gave. The two were smiling, their hands clasped tightly over the table.

"They'll probably obliviate me, but it would make it easier to say goodbye if you were there by my side."

Ginny smiled warmly. "Harry, I think we're going to be okay."

"I think so too." Harry kissed her knuckles, his lips lingering on her skin.

"Do you want to run out to that shop?" Ginny asked excitedly. "See what we can buy for the twins?"

Harry grabbed their jackets as the two left the house. He helped Ginny into her jacket, before shrugging on his own. Hands intertwined they left the stairs of Grimmauld Place and walked towards a Muggle children's shop. They had a godchild and his sister to spoil and little time to do it in.

At a quarter to eleven, the two were snuggling on a bed in the Hog's Head, too exhausted to make the trip home. Aberforth gave them a private room and after scourgifying the place and putting up silencing charms the two fell asleep in each other's embrace.

It turned out that Draco didn't want to tell anyone but Harry and Theo. Hermione, having been tired of fighting with him, had just baked all of Ginny's favorite dishes and sent them with Harry. Knowing how sharp Ginny was, Hermione knew her favorite ginger would put the pieces together.

Draco was severely pissed until he saw how happy his wife was. The two witches embraced each other and cooed over Hermione's belly. Draco looked guiltily at his wife. In going on the run he was depriving her of friends coming to her shower and meeting her babies. Having Ginny in their lives would fill the female gap in her life. That and the sheer amount of toys, clothes, and nappies that Ginny and Harry bought kept Draco calm and everyone obliviation free.

Their goodbyes were quick and their hugs were mostly tear-free, as Harry knew he would see them again. Hermione cried the entire time, although everyone blamed the hormones. After they left, Harry and Ginny walked together hand in hand until they reached Hogsmeade. Harry asked her about going to Dr. Green and to his surprise, Ginny was genuinely excited about the idea. She even asked Harry to make her a private session with him before she had a sit down with Harry.

The last couple of weeks were hell, but Harry's life was slowly falling back together and he couldn't be happier if he tried. Tugging Ginny close to his chest, he smiled into her hair as sleep claimed him. He was safe in the arms of the woman he loved.