Disclaimer : bast4 does not own Harry, Petunia, Tom, or anything else you recognize. Eric, however, is mine.

A/N : Turns out I had the next chapter saved away. Not sure when the next will be written, but here you go anyways.

Second Cousin

By bast4

Chapter 2 - Meetings

Petunia was sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the wall across from her. Eric squirmed and looked at his guardian in sweet concern from his place next to her on the comforter. A noise made her jerk back to awareness. Her head snapped to the door as it unlocked and slowly opened. Seeing a figure in a long black robe, she surged to her feet and placed herself between the newcomer and the baby, ready to fight an unknown and probably powerful foe to protect her grandson. "Who are you? What do you want?" She snapped while glaring at the hooded man closing the door.

Turning back to her, the man just gazed at her for a long moment, the silence tense and wary. After examining her, hidden eyes tracked to her right, landing on the squirming baby on the bed. "So that's your grandson."

Not recognizing the somewhat familiar voice, Petunia snarled and blocked the newcomer's view of the child. "You will not have him. He's an innocent child. You will not touch him!" With her last words, she felt a strange yet pleasant tingle come over her, warm and protective, ready to strike as she was. No one, not even the Dark Lord himself, would have her grandson.

"You sound just like her..." The man murmured, sounding a bit surprised and wistful.

"Like who?" Petunia asked warily, curious despite her caution.

"Like Mum. When she was defending me from Voldemort." A hand lifted to push back the cloak's hood, revealing a mess of dark hair and startling emerald eyes. "Hello, Aunt. Did you know you are a witch?"

"Harry... I - What?" Petunia started to relax, then his words kicked in. How could she be... Remembering something Lily said, she snapped back to the defensive. "Prove you're Harry. You could be using that changing potion, Poly-something. Or an illusion. Tell me something only Harry and I would know."

A small grin flitted across the handsome face. "Smart, Aunt. Okay, three days before my fifth birthday, you slipped me a slice of chocolate pudding cake while Vernon was out working on the car. He came in suddenly, you slapped me, the plate and half the glasses shattered, Vernon beat me and locked me in the cupboard for the next two weeks. You snuck in that night and shoved some anti-bacterial ointment and bandages at me before shutting me in again." After watching her a moment, he quietly said, "I don't forgive you yet, but I do believe you. Maybe... maybe we can fix things. If you want to try..." He glanced at Eric and said, "So this is my cousin, huh. Or rather second cousin."

Petunia's chest had tightened in memory of that day, that failed attempt at giving her nephew happiness. She was such a horrible woman... But he said he was willing to fix things, that he believed her. Hell, he had come to her aid even after everything she had done. And that wistful shy look in his eyes... It made something in her clench and hope rise in her soul. Maybe things could work out. Seeing he was embarrassed, she went along with his subject change.

"Yes, this is Eric." She stepped aside so Harry could get a better look. After a moment, she playfully said, "You can come closer. He won't break if you breathe on him." Sorrow wafted through her as he jumped a bit and looked at her with some surprise at her little taunt. It would take so much work to fix things between them... But watching him tentatively touch Eric's hand and the awe on his face as the baby wrapped little fingers around his larger one, Petunia felt that all the work would be worth it. Her nephew had grown into a remarkable man, and, if he would allow, she wished to get to know him and his world. Wait, his world...

"Harry, I'm not a witch." Petunia said, looking down at her hands. "While I would love to be, I'm not. I tried a few spells with Lily's wand, but nothing ever worked. It didn't even feel warm. I've never done accidental magic. I can't be a witch."

A gentle hand on her shoulder made her look up. Earnest green eyes locked onto her brown as Harry leaned over her seated form. "Yes, you are. Accidental or wish magic isn't the only indicator. My friend Neville didn't do any magic until his uncle dropped him off a balcony and he bounced instead of going splat. Mum's wand probably wasn't compatible with you. I went through a good three dozen dead-feeling wands before I found mine. And when you were defending Eric a moment ago, you started to glow with magic. I bet your magic saved Eric back at Privet Drive too." A gentle look entered his eyes. "I can see magic, in things and people. You have magic, Aunt. You are a witch."

Petunia just stared at him in shock, her mind spinning. She couldn't be... But his words, his voice, so sure and confident. Could it be true, could she really have what she had always longed for? Could she really be...?

A knock at the door made her start. She watched with some surprise and awe as her nephew straightened, turned, and drew his wand in one fluid movement. A not-breeze came from nowhere, making her skin tingle, strength and protectiveness wrapping around the room. What was this? Was she, somehow, sensing Harry's magic? But how could she - ? Unless it was true, and she was a...

Harry relaxed next to her, his wand disappearing to somewhere as he moved forward. Opening the door, he said, "Hello, Tom. Perfect timing."

"Thank you, lad. I try." The inn-keep entered, his hands full of a large tray. Delicious aromas of kippers, eggs with a touch of pepper, and sweet glorious coffee and tea made Petunia's stomach rumble loudly. She felt her face heat with embarrassment as both men and even her grandson looked at her.

Tom chuckled. "Now, no need to blush, ma'am." Setting the tray down on a table, he gave her a stern glance. "You didn't eat much last night, so I expect you to eat all of this, you hear me, young lady?" He shook a scolding finger at her, but his eyes held warmth. So much like her father...

"Thank you." Petunia said, still blushing a bit.

"Now, no need for thanks." The old man said, pouring tea for her and her nephew. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine."

"Actually, Tom, she's not just a friend." Harry cut in, carrying a baby bottle full of warm formula toward the bed and a squirming Eric. "This is my aunt, Petunia Durs - "

"Evans." She cut in. "I'm Evans now. I'm quite happy to get rid of that boar's filthy name." Her lip curled in disgust of the man who had been her husband. She rose, striding toward the table and waiting meal.

"Evans? Are you Lily's sister?" Tom asked.

"You knew my sister?"

"Aye, she stopped by here time and again. Very polite and kind to everyone. Would light up a room with her laugh." He chuckled suddenly. "Need a hand with that, Harry?"

Looking back to the bed, Petunia hid a smile with her tea cup. Harry had the bottle hovering patiently next to him as he tried to figure how he was going to pick up his cousin, arms moving toward the baby, and then withdrawing them. Giving Tom a relieved glance, Harry gave a rueful lopsided grin so much like Lily's it tugged Petunia's heart. "I can out-duel the Headmaster, but I've no clue where to start with a baby." He said, rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed flush and small chuckle at his own expense.

Petunia ate as she watched Tom maneuver Harry's arms and lay the baby in them, giving patient instructions of "Hold his head there" and "Nice and close to your chest, babies like to hear a person's heartbeat" as he tried not to laugh at the young man's nervous fear. Harry fumbled a bit as the bottle was added into the equation, but his natural balance quickly evened things out. The wonder and joy on his face, eyes alight as he gazed at the little life feeding in his arms, made a warm smile cross her face. Yes, it may take a while, but things would work out. She had chosen well by writing to Harry, by informing him of his baby cousin. She didn't know what life had in store for them, but it would be all right. Somehow, it would all be all right in the end.

-- end chapter --

Sorry that it's short. Hope you enjoyed.

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