"Harry," Claire said putting her hand over her mouth,

"I know," he said looking at Sophie in his arms, "She's beautiful right?"

"I never, when, who?" she said her hand still over her mouth,

"She's mine, mine and Ginny's that's why she didn't want to see me, that's why she was hiding, she didn't want me to know," Claire's brow furrowed

"How could she not tell you?"

"I don't know, and I am done pretending its okay and that I care,"

"Are you sure?" Claire asked wondering where this was leading,

"Yes, I tried to remember when the last time I felt really happy was, and it was with you, and I told you that I couldn't do it, but for the first time in years, I'm free and now that I'm free the only thing I wan to do is be with you," Claire looked at him intently, trying to read his eyes,

"You had your chance Harry,"

"And I blew it, I had baggage, and I wasn't fair to you, but that baggage, those skeletons, they are unpacked and out of the closet and all I am left wanting is you," she was still hesitant

"This is going to take time Harry," He smiled, not really opening his mouth, but in away that made her feel like he really was happy,

"I can take that time," this was when she let the smile creep across her face

"And you thought that by bringing your kid you would cute points?" he laughed,

"I figured it wouldn't hurt," he had missed her,

"Can I hold her?" he smiled and nodded,

"Of course,"

She looked down at Sophie, and ran her fingers over her head,

"She is going to hate you for this unruly hair," he put his arm around your shoulder, she closed her eyes and could almost feel her body shudder, he looked down and kissed her forehead,

"I will make it all up to you, I promise," Claire nodded, she wasn't foolish, she knew not to just assume he was telling the truth, to just assume that he would fall for her as she had fallen for him. She knew there was a part of his heart that she would never see, but it was in the way they spent nights like this, and the way he was able to knock the pessimist in her out and make her believe in something greater.

Harry had taken Sophie for the weekend. It was the first time Ginny had really been away from her since she was born. She was worried wanting to check up every five minutes except for the fact that Harry wasn't talking to her.

Dane and Jules had written her letters but she still wasn't feeling like herself.

Hermione had opted to take Ginny out for the night, they would go to a local pub. Ron had protested at first, but those never last long. Ron still hadn't exactly forgiven Ginny but he wasn't about to forbid his wife from visiting her best friend.

"Ginny we are supposed to leave in fifteen minutes!" Ginny just looked at her, she had got out of the shower and put on jeans and a t shirt,

"And I'm ready," Hermione glared,

"You are not wearing that," she walked to Ginny's closet and pulled out a slinky black top, then walked over to her jewelry box and picked out a pair of simple stud earrings,

"Put it on," Ginny rolled her eyes, and decided it wasn't worth it to put up a fight,

"Why are we doing this?" Hermione didn't answer, she hadn't said much to Ginny about anything aside from trying to cheer her up, and they didn't really approach the problem,

"Because you need to put a smile on, you haven't been out since Sophie was born, and I don't like mopey dopey Ginny, I am even beginning to pine for intoxicated Ginny," Ginny smirked

"Are you condoning me drinking tonight?" Ginny asked now smiling,

"I'm just saying I like her more than mopey you," Ginny laughed, she looked at herself in the mirror, she hadn't gotten dolled up like this in ages.

Hermione and Ginny arrived at Pub Owl a little unsure. Hermione was displaying her wedding ring with pride while Ginny's mind was some where else.

They drank fire whiskey, a few shots and some good old fashioned beer. Ginny was coming back to her old self it seemed,

"Mione, you 'er my best friend, and the only one who get 'zis,"

"Your drunk,"

"You've been keebin' up right?"

"No I stopped after a fire whiskey, shot, and a sip of that nasty beer you have been chugging all night,"

"Damn, I'm going to the loo," Hermione nodded and looked over at her friend, she wasn't going to lie to herself, she felt somewhat responsible for the fall of Harry and Ginny ousting Harry like she did.

Ginny stumbled out of the bathroom and back to the bar,

"Can I 'ave a water?" as she waited she noticed a beautiful boy with curly blonde hair staring in her direction, she glared and looked back at the bar keep until she felt his eyes following her from a closer range,

"Can I help you with something?" she said taking her water and attempting to open it,

He just shook his head, so she shook her in exasperation and continued to try to open her bottle,

"Can I help you?" she nodded and handed him the bottle, he opened it quickly and handed it back,

"Thank you," she got a closer look at him, now his eyes weren't blue but more of a deep green,

"Daniel," he said reaching out his hand, "Daniel Curtis,"

"Good to meet you," she said shaking his hand and turning to go back to Hermione,

"Don't I get a name?" he yelled out over the Weird Sisters,

"Nope," she said smiling back

He laughed and turned back to the bar and Ginny walked back to she and Hermione's table.

"So with all this shit in meh-life, I forgets to ask you howz married life?" Hermione blushed,

"Its good, really good actually, he is very sweet, a little hard to handle but sometimes he surprises me with little things and its just sweet," Ginny eyed Hermione who was still blushing profusely,

"Howz everything elze working out?" Hermione almost looked scandalized,

"Ginny really!" Ginny sat back,

"You can tell me, right now I'm your slutty friend who got preggers and had a baby,"

"You are not a slut Ginny,"

"Well lez just say for now that I am, you can tell me… you should share these m'ments with somebody,"

"At first it was a little eager on both of our parts, but its getting better," she was trying to be as discrete as possible

"Yah," was all Ginny said she was starting to come down from her original high,

"I actually need to get back,"

"Right, I think I'm going to get water to zober up a bit b'fore I go back to the burrow,"

"Good idea, I'll wait with you," Hermione said looking down at her watch

"No, I'll be fine really, I'm sobering up, get back to Ron,"

"Well, I just-"

"Go 'Mione, I'll be fine,"

"Okay well, owl me when you get back,"

"Yes mother," she reached over to hug her friend before she left,

Ginny was getting quiet, and beginning the pity party of her drunkenness, she didn't feel like having people she cared about around for that.

She walked up to the bar for her water,

"Another water," then she heard a voice from behind,

"Thirsty much?" it was Daniel,

"Yes?" she grabbed her water and walked outside the bar but before she could walk to far she sat on a bench. She didn't want to go home yet, not like this, not before she had gotten through the rough part of this drunkenness

She watched as one by one people filed out of the pub, some with companions, others alone, most of them seemed happy, but she found herself in the minority who felt lost.

She was nineteen years old, with what used to be such a promising future, and now she was alone on the street.

"Hey Red," she looked up wiping the tears away quickly, it was him again,

"Look now really isn't a good time,"

"That's why I thought I'd check on you, you were hitting the bottle up pretty hard tonight,"

"I haven't had anything to drink in almost a year," she snapped

"Really?"

"Yes it is frowned upon when you find yourself pregnant," his face changed, "Yes I have a little girl, whose father has her tonight, and he isn't speaking to me because I am a heartless deceitful bitch," she was fighting back tears again, biting her lip

"Oh come on give yourself some credit, I'm sure you were conniving as well," he said with a sly smile, she allowed herself to laugh briefly,

"I bet I was too, I mean go 'ard or go 'ome right?" she stood up, "I need home, I mean I need to go home,"

"Where do you live?" he said trying to brace her wobbly stance,

"On the uh, um the uh- village edge?," her head was spinning she couldn't exactly see straight, she attempted to walk but was barely managing a stumble

"How about I walk you to my place, have a lie down," she slapped his hands as they started helping her up

"I may have a baby but I don't let just anybody get in my knickers you, you, if I was sober I- well not now" she was beginning to feel hazy the world was seemingly blurred,

"I won't even look at you, now come on just a ways over," she could barely function now,

"Yeah okay lets- okay," he held her up as he walked her down the street to his flat,

"Alright, its just up here," Ginny turned to look at him,

"Your so nice, so nice, I don't deserve niceness," she said nodding off again

"Oh sure you do," she shook her head slowly,

"No I don't"

He fumbled with the keys, opening the door and flipping on the lights,

"Here why don't you go to the bathroom clean up a bit?" she was tired she just wanted to fall over,

"Fine,"

He hurried over to the bed, made it look presentable, then grabbed a t shirt and athletic shorts. He then made his way over to the bathroom,

"Here you can change into these," he cracked the door and threw them in, after putting on his own night clothes. He had never done this before, okay so that was a lie but he had never done it for a complete stranger without any other intentions.

He brushed his teeth and stood outside the bathroom, she opened the door slowly and then collapsed in his arms.

"Alright sleepy lets get you in bed," she was mumbling something he couldn't make out

He placed her in his bed and threw the covers over her; he then went into his living area and pulled out a blanket on the couch.

He fell asleep fairly quickly, he hadn't drank much that night. Those days were over, for a while after he and Karen had first broken up he had found himself getting drunk beyond all recognition and waking up with a different woman every morning. He wasn't proud of it and it wasn't a time he would ever go back to if it presented itself.

He recognized sad drunks when he saw them, and that's what this girl was, just a sad drunk in need of a little kindness from a stranger.

It was morning or maybe it was afternoon, whatever time it was her head was pounding and she did not recognize where she was. She could here a man's voice in the background. She saw her clothes at the end of the bed, she put them on and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror she looked about twice as bad as she felt.

She took a deep breath and opened the door to the bedroom,

"Good afternoon," she winced,

"Daniel right?" he smiled and nodded handing a coffee to her,

"I never did get your name,"

"Ginny, Weasley, Ginny Weasley," he nodded

"Good to know,"

"So last night did we, um you know,"

"Have sex?" he said bluntly, her face turned bright red, "I hope not because if so I am not as memorable as I once thought," she took a deep breath

"Thank God," she took a seat at the table, "Then why am I here,"

"Well when you couldn't rightly tell me where you lived I figured you would be safer here than somewhere else," she smiled,

"Thanks," she still looked uncomfortable,

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you drinking?"

"Because I wanted to," she said defensively

"Right, sorry because everyone loves getting falling down drunk and waking up at a stranger's house,"

"I find it widens my social range,"

"Right," he laughed, "So what'd he do?"

"Nothing," she was now turned away,

"Mine cheated on me," she looked back at him, "When I drank like that, she cheated on me,"

"I had our baby and didn't tell him," he nodded,

"What'd he do?"

"Said he would love our daughter but he could never look at me the same,"

"It will get better," she nodded

"Of course it will,"

"No really, it will, your allowed to be sad, just remember you have other things in your life to care about,"

"Sophie,"

"Who?"

"That's her name, my daughter," all of a sudden she was incredibly alarmed, "What time is it?!"

"2:30,"

"BLOODY HELL! I need to go. I am supposed to be at the burrow to get Sophie back in a half hour," Daniel looked perplexed,

"Well, sorry for being so blunt but can I take you out for coffee sometime," Ginny rolled her eyes,

"Really you don't want to do that, I'm sorry, I am in no place to date,"

"Well no offense but I never said date, I said coffee," she smiled

"I might fit in a coffee," she was gathering her stuff together, "Thanks again,"

"Newt Shoppe? Tomorrow night at eight?" Ginny nodded,

"I'll see you then,"

"Bye," and with a quick indistinctive pop she was gone.

Harry was running late, Sophie had slept longer than usual and he wasn't exactly sure how everything fit into the diaper bag Ginny had packed.

Ginny arrived at the burrow and found Hermione waiting on her bed.

"Where in the hell have you been!" Hermione whispered loudly, "You said you were going home I came here to check on you and now you show up in the clothes you had on last night! WHAT HAPPENED?!?!" Hermione was panting now

"I was really drunk, this guy took me home and I slept at his place," Hermione's mouth dropped,

"You mean you?" Ginny looked scandalized

"No! He gave me clothes and let me sleep it off. Now could you please let me get in the shower so I can try to wash off the smell of liquor?"

"Do you at least no this blokes name,"

"Uh its Daniel something, Daniel Courts?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders

"I'm not really sure it was a long night, we are having coffee at Newt's at eight," Hermione's eyes widened

"A date?"

"No, just coffee," Ginny hopped in the shower, she had maybe thirty minutes before she would see Harry.

Ginny got out of the shower tied her hair up, and managed to put on some loose fitting jeans and a t-shirt.

"Ginny dear, Harry is here with Sophie," her mother called, Ginny bounded down the stairs, but was not prepared for what she saw,

It was Harry and Sophie as her mother had said, but what she didn't mention was the young woman at Harry's side.

"Well Harry you and Claire are welcome to stay for dinner," Mrs. Weasley said doing her best to put on a smile and pretend that she didn't feel a pang of sadness seeing another girl at Harry's side,

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, but we have reservations tonight," Harry said,

"It was so kind of you to invite us though," Claire piped up, Ginny slowly made her way to the room,

"Hi, I'm Ginny," Ginny said reaching a hand out to Claire, "You must be Claire, Harry has told me wonderful things about you," Harry looked surprised, Ginny reached over for Sophie, "How was she?"

"Good, she slept longer than usual," Harry said looking directly at Sophie,

"Okay,"

"I'll be picking her up Wednesday afternoon," Harry said kissing Sophie on the head,

"She'll be ready at two, it was nice meeting you Claire," Ginny added, taking Sophie into the living area where her play things were.

Harry gave Mrs. Weasley a hug and opened up the door for Claire.

As they walked to the apparition point neither of them spoke, until Claire finally said it,

"Ginny seemed nice," Harry shot a look at her,

"I don't want to talk about her," Claire nodded,

"Okay,"

Ginny set Sophie in her carrier and walked over to her dresser. She looked at herself in the mirror, she used to be one people considered beautiful, and it was as though that girl was looking at her another's eyes. She was tired, she looked it, but when she looked over at Sophie her eyes seemed to warm.

She dabbed make up on her eyes, allowing it to accent her features in such a way that made her feel more mature than she was. She took her hair down, and ran a comb through it, it didn't look good, she pulled it back up in an attempt to look elegant. She looked like a mom, and right now that was okay. She played with Sophie for the next couple of hours. Dinner came and Sophie ate and went to sleep soon after, Ginny did her best to not look to anxious for eight 'o' clock to come.

By seven thirty Sophie had been asleep for an hour, and was out for the night, yet she was not about to ask her parents to babysit. She put Sophie in her child carrier and made her way to the apparition point.

"Dormio," she said waving her wand at the carrier so Sophie wouldn't feel the affects of apparation as strongly as she would have had the spell not been performed.

Ginny sat in a corner of the shop so Sophie would hear the least amount possible, she pulled the shade over the carrier and faced it to the wall checking almost every five minutes that Sophie was okay.

"Hello," she heard from behind her, she stood up, unsure of what she was supposed to do,

"Hi," he made his way to the seat across from her, "what kind of coffee did you order?"

"No caffeine for me, I need to sleep when she sleeps," she said pointing down at Sophie, Daniel looked surprised,

"You brought her with you?"

"She is my responsibility, I haven't seen her much because she was with her dad, and she is mine to take care of, not my parent's" he nodded

"I can respect that," she laughed,

"Probably be more respectable if I hadn't gotten pregnant in the first place,"

"Matter of opinion," he shrugged,

"So what do you do?" he looked confused, "Do you work? Go to school?" he shook his head

"No I really just help my dad out," Ginny now was the confused one, "What about you?"

"I'm in training for the International Defense Team Auror Program," he was impressed,

"Wow, how old are you? I mean I know people who have been trying to get into that program for years"

"I'm nineteen," again he looked shocked,

"You must have had some impressive credentials,"

"I was pretty involved in the final battle and the events leading up to it," he looked confused… again, "Okay something you should know about me, my brother is best friend's with Harry Potter, has been since their first year at Hogwarts,"

"Weasley! I thought I recognized that name, you and he dated for a while didn't you," she nodded

"For the better part of two years until the beginning of last summer," he was trying to process it all,

"Harry, is Sophie's father, he is the reason I passed out at your place last night,"

"Weird," was all Daniel said, Ginny eyed him,

"Thank you?"

"No I just mean, all my life 'Harry Potter' has just been a name, I mean its just sometimes it doesn't even seem like he could be real," she shrugged

"He is, trust me," Daniel smiled, "Now that we are on the subject who was that girl you were talking about this morning?"

"Karen. We dated for a year and a half, I proposed after a year, and then I caught her in bed with my best friend,"

"Oh, that's painful,"

"Yeah, I haven't seen either of them since, and if I have, I have pretended not to,"

"Harry brought his girlfriend to drop Sophie off," Ginny said stirring her straw in the hot chocolate, Daniel nodded, "I mean I don't want to be in a relationship with him at all, its still just weird,"

"I understand," he paused, "Would it be too forward to say you look beautiful tonight?"

"Maybe, but it's always nice to hear that,"

"Well you do,"

"You're still not getting in my knickers," she laughed,

"Aw bloody hell, that means I am going to call Janie Jugs on 32nd Street," Ginny laughed again, "It's okay I'm a regular, which means there is a discount,"

"You are just too classy for words," Ginny added shaking her head

"Well I was educated past primary school," Daniel smiled at her,

And so the conversation went, it was one 'o' clock in the morning before they realized how late it was, Sophie hadn't made a sound and was still sleeping peacefully. There was something in his confidence that drew Ginny in. He was easy with his words, she couldn't remember having this much fun talking to someone since Harry.

"Its late, and I need to get some sleep before she has her three am feeding," Daniel smiled,

"Of course," he reached over to hug her, "How would you feel about dinner at Sargiano's tomorrow night?"

"I have Sophie," Ginny stated simply,

"Does she have something against Italian food?" she was surprised, "What time is good for her?" Ginny beamed,

"5:30?" he nodded,

"I'll be looking forward to it Miss Weasley,"

Ginny picked up Sophie and left Newt's with a renewed sense of self. All she could think about was how easy it was. How his curls hung elegantly in his face and the way his eyes looked at her with warmth.

She was headed into uncharted territory and not knowing where this led is what made it the most charming of all.

Harry spent all of the previous night with Claire, staying up just talking. She had gone to sleep around two, but Harry had stayed awake just watching her. When he looked at her, he didn't ache, it didn't hurt. It was so refreshing to have feelings for someone who cared for him openly without fear.

I have been updating like crazy lately. And if I don't update for a while take it as a good sign because that means that I am actually studying and/or working on an original story I've been plotting out for a while. And when I say a while I mean it might be a few weeks, but I have given you guys three updates in the past week or so, lol so get excited.

Eaglesnest, Harry and Ginny are meant to be. However neither is in a place where they are completely over what happened to them and the scars are fresh and still healing. They need to get past that, and eventually become friends. Claire is sweet and Harry feels genuinely happy with her, she isn't stupid though she realizes his situation and respects it. Ginny and Daniel are both hurting and have both been broken by past relationships and can learn to heal from each other.