It always starts with the battle scene before he went to the Forbidden Forest. Then the scene shifts to the lifeless bodies of Remus, Tonks, Fred, Colin and so many others. He hears his mother's cry for mercy and Hermione's tortuous screams echoing in the Malfoy dungeons. He feels a blanket of coldness paralyzing his body, immobilizing him from saving the people he cared about. Voldemort was going to kill all of them and Harry couldn't do anything about it.

"No!"

Harry woke up with a start his body covered in cold sweat and his face tearstained. Nightmares again. He usually took a sleeping potion to help him sleep since the war but as weeks passed Harry seemed to become gradually immune to it. That or for the reason that he will be going back to Hogwarts where it all happened.

He checked the time and it was only four in the morning. Seeing no reason to waste his last day in Grimmauld Place before going back to Hogwarts, Harry turned on the light of his bedside table and took two bulky photo albums from its drawer. The first one, covered in shiny brown leather, was from long ago; the one Hagrid gave to him, the one filled mostly of his parents' pictures and some relatives he suppose. For the past years since Harry received it, he added some photos of him and his friends, the Weasley family and some special occasions that was chanced by a camera, like the time Gryffindor first won the Quidditch Cup since he started in Hogwarts.

The other album was much bigger and was covered with dark green leather. He made the album recently with the help of Ron, Hermione, Ginny and many other people. Each page of the album was dedicated to a person they lost in the war. Each picture had a caption or some messages from different people, decorated to the fancy of how people perceived them. Looking over the photos gave Harry both the feelings of loss and hope. After giving a silent prayer of thanks to each of the lively faces, he packed them inside his trunk, which was ready almost a week now.

"You're up early." Ginny said emerging from the kitchen's hearth, dusting off ash and soot.

"You're here early." Indeed, it was just turned six in the morning. Harry didn't expect her until eight today.

Giving him a good morning kiss Ginny replied, "Was planning to give you some breakfast and bed treatment."

"Really? What for?"

"Because I want to. Be a real girlfriend for once."

"You're always real to me, Gin. Maybe I should start taking you out on dates and be a real boyfriend for once." Harry said grinning, thinking of how he got so lucky.

"I like the sound of that." She gave him a radiant smile; the one Harry fondly thought that was only reserved for him. The one that made him forget about the nightmares that woke him.

"What's that for?" Ginny asked pointing at the kitchen counter that was filled with vegetables, fruits, some condiments and small empty glass bottles.

"Teddy's baby food. I borrowed one of your mum's homemade baby food cookbooks. I don't want Mrs. Tonks troubling herself with this and you know how she doesn't like Kreacher helping her with Ted. At most two month's stock I think." Harry started mashing an apple with some Muggle utensil Ginny didn't recognized.

"You're spoiling that kid rotten."

"I know. Now help me finish and you can surprise me with your breakfast in bed."

The café where the Grangers usually spent their afternoon looked just the same as Hermione remembered it from almost ten years back when it first opened. As always they sat outside under the shade of the big white umbrella of the shop.

Mrs. Mallory, a beautiful tanned skinned middle-aged woman owned the café and knew the Grangers well. They were her favorite customers, as Mrs. Granger would like to think, so it was no surprise that she went out to serve them herself once the small family arrived.

"Ah, Hermione! You here. You not going to boarding school yet?" Mrs. Mallory said in her heavily accented gentle voice. She was serving the Grangers some complimentary breadsticks and handing them each a menu.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow for my last year." Hermione replied quietly.

"Oh! Are you to study here for university? You remember my daughter Kanda? She taking medicine. Wants to be doctor like her papa. Very smart, very smart my Kanda."

"That's great, Mali. Did she choose a university yet?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"It was hard. All accepted her but she going to Oxford like her papa. Very smart, very smart my Kanda."

"Well, congratulations to you and your family. I hope Kanda will be happy in Oxford." Mr. Granger said.

Mrs. Mallory left throwing praises and skipping slightly. She didn't even notice that Hermione didn't answer her question, which was okay because Hermione wouldn't have an answer – a proper and believable one at least.

When their orders were served Hermione expected her dad to disappear behind his newspaper and her mom with her book but to her surprise they seemed eager to talk.

"Speaking of school, have you thought about possible careers after Hogwarts, dear?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Oh yes. I thought about it since fourth year actually. I plan to work in the Ministry of Magic. I narrowed it down to either in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures or the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And don't worry about 'field' work." Hermione quickly added as she saw a bubbling panic in her parents' eyes. She knew they were thinking of her running around taming dragons and freeing elves or living in the woods for months to catch and duel with dark wizards. "I don't think I can do any more of that unless absolutely necessary. But I thought more on the parliamentary position in the Ministry."

"Good. I mean, whatever you want to pursue, dear, you know me and your dad will support you." Mrs. Granger brushed a soft hand on her only daughter's cheek and gently pulled one of her curls.

"I know, mum. And I am eternally grateful I have you as parents. I couldn't have asked for better parents. I know it hasn't been easy for you guys to have me as a daughter. I sometimes wished you had another one that's non-magic like you so she can live up to your dreams." Hermione said giving her parents a sad smile.

"What? What do you mean, dear?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Oh, dad. Like I said, I know it hasn't been easy for you. I know it wasn't easy to explain to Nana and Granddad about me being magical. I know it wasn't easy for you to not tell the rest of the family about me being magical. I know it wasn't easy to lie to your friends about me going to a foreign boarding school. I know because I had to lie to some of my friends here about it and we know that didn't turn well. You can't even brag about my top marks because who else would understand 'my daughter got ten O.W.L's'? I know that before any of us knew I was magical you had hopes and dreams of me going to a good university and maybe take dentistry or medicine like Kanda. Maybe I'd expand the family clinic. I know because I had those hopes and dreams too." Hermione was softly crying now and so was Mrs. Granger who was holding her close.

"Oh, honey…"

"I'm not sorry I'm a witch but I'm sorry for depriving you of the things that are normal here. And I'm still sorry for keeping you in the dark when bad things were happening."

"Hermione, dear, listen to me," Mr. Granger's voice was thick with emotion. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to your mother and I. We don't care a bit for not being normal here because we got something so much more than what we bargained for. We got something magical and we're over the clouds about it."

"We love you even more because of it. You're the perfect daughter, darling." Mrs. Granger added, hugging her daughter closer.

"Just promise us next time if there's trouble, know that your mother and I can handle it." Mr. Granger kissed the tops of her daughter's hair.

"Okay. I promise."

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes closed about half an hour ago. The three assistants that the shop had now literally had to push some kids out of the store but not after reminding them that the shop did have mail order services if they wanted to buy more of the merchandise. It was indeed a very busy day since the Hogwarts Express will be leaving tomorrow and everyone was frenzying over last minute shopping.

Ron had fun with the customers today. He did most of the advertising in the defense objects that the shop sold, telling tales to the curious customers of his experiences with the merchandise.

"You're coming for dinner, right? Mum's expecting everyone," said Ron to his brother. And by everyone, he meant the whole Weasley family, the ones with red hair. Harry and Hermione decided to stay with their families – well, Harry with Mrs. Tonks and Teddy.

"I don't know…"

"You can't keep hiding here, you know. C'mon, even Charlie is going to be there."

"Alright. Just let me change first." George disappeared to the staircase that led to the flat he once shared with his twin.

It was hard for everyone in the family but it no denying that it was hardest for George. Sure, George can at least pretend to be happy, produce a laugh, and in some days be genuinely fine and be his old self but Ron knew better. There were also moments that George seemed so far away, lost, his face either passive or just staring into space. But Ron knew that his brother felt most happy in the shop and that's why he visits often and tries to help out for free. It was in the shop he had his brother feeling and looking whole again.

"Mr. Weasley, we've finished casting the Protective and Preserving Spells. We're heading out now." one of the assistants said.

"Oh yeah sure. I'll tell George. Great job today, guys. I'll talk to George about fattening up your bonus for putting on some extra hours today."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Weasley!" And with the shop's door tinkling, the trio in magenta uniform left.

"They're gone? Thank goodness, I thought they'd stay a while longer and gang up on me about a raise." George said emerging from the stairs.

"I told them that you would, at least for today's work. The shop did run pretty smoothly today and we've sold out more than half of the products."

"Maybe I will then. It's hard to keep good people like that but it's unlikely other stores will pirate them. We're at our peak and I plan to stay there."

"Plan huh? Tell me more about this plan of staying on top."

"Only if you tell me about your plans after Hogwarts. Where's Ickle Ronniekins heading after, eh?" Although Ron was a few inches taller than his brother George still managed to give him a playful rub on the head.

"Ugh. Get off!" He shrugged off his brother and gave him a half-annoyed and half-grinning look. "Me and Harry plan to sign up for Auror training. Since fifth year really."

"Ah! An Auror in the family! That'll be the first. Mum and dad would be proud and worried."

"Yeah, well after five kids out of Hogwarts I think they've grasp the concept that they can't control our lives. At least I hope mum does."

"She'll grow into it. How about our little sister? Any idea what she'll do?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think she wants to work for the Ministry though."

"Yeah, imagine Ginny doing desk job. She'll go crazy! And speaking of which, she's spending an awful lot of time in Grimmauld Place."

"Don't worry about her. She can take care of herself and we all know Harry. He wouldn't do something that will get him hexed with a male-ful of Weasleys."

"Wow, Ron. I'm surprised you're actually okay with this."

This was one of the moments Ron lived for. Having a normal conversation with his wholesome brother about how great their family is. Catching up like two best friends strolling the streets of Diagon Alley with arms on each other's shoulders.

AN: I'm sorry it's late but I hope this one's worth the wait. I hope you enjoyed this one! Feel free to review! Thanks ~ E