Disclaimer: I still don't own a thing. I don't own the the characters, the plot, or the magic. If I had a mind as creative as that then I wouldn't be wasting my time writing fanfictions.

Author's Note: What plot? Well, yes, it is rather plot-less. Please forgive that. It is, however, full of Potter/Weasley family fluff. Thank you all who have reviewed this so far. I'm really terrible at replying to reviews, but I promise I'll work on that. This one is for Feff. I hope I did the Harry/Teddy relationship justice for you, dear. If you want to see something in particular, I am always open for ideas. Please keep your lovely feedback coming! I hope you enjoy.

GATHERING LEAVES

Fall is piles of crunchy leaves,

Orange, gold, and red.

Fall is sweaters with long sleaves

And blankets on the bed.

On most days, Harry Potter would love to have his godson come over and spend some time with him. Teddy Lupin's visits were a regular occurrence at the Potter house, especially when Ginny had a good dinner planned. Harry would never forbid the boy to spend the day with him, but that didn't mean that his company was always one hundred percent appreciated. He would die to protect the boy, who looked so much like his parents, it broke Harry's heart. There wasn't another person on the earth, aside from, perhaps, Andromeda, who loved little Teddy more than him. But when the day consisted of laborious yard work, it was only normal to wish that a five year old would play elsewhere.

Harry had desperately tried to convince Ginny to take Ted with her, reasoning before she left for work that he couldn't watch a five year old and rake leaves at the same time. Ginny's simple answer was to have him help out. It was true that Teddy looked up to Harry. In fact, Harry didn't really think it would take much persuasion to coax the boy into gathering fallen leaves and debris. Maybe, just maybe, Teddy would think the work was actually fun, a concept Harry just couldn't wrap his head around.

It wasn't that Harry was afraid Teddy would rather play on his miniature broomstick, than help out. Actually, to be perfectly honest, Harry would have preferred him to play with his beloved toy, than attempt to help around the yard. The only problem was that Harry only had one set of eyes, and one pair of hands. There was no humanly possible way he could watch his godson on the broom set and get the yard work done at the same time. Sure, Harry Potter was a talented wizard, but he clearly had his limits.

Everything would have been so much easier if he could use his wand to do the task. Just one tiny flick of his wrist, and he would be done with it all. The only problem was that, living around Muggles, the neighbors might not have taken too kindly with the abrupt disappearance of the scattered fall remains on the lawn. Poor Mrs. Downer across the street might just have a heart attack if Harry tried to pull off something like that. There were definitely drawbacks to living out of the immediate Wizarding World. In fact, he thought that he should start looking for a house where he could perform magic on a regular basis, without the fear of being found out.

The problem was, Harry was sure that little Teddy, as much as he adored the little guy, would just make a mess. He wasn't too old to remember watching the children in his neighborhood growing up. Harry used to envy them, watching them jump into the piles of leaves their parents had just compiled. The parents' faces, Harry had noted, had always turned from angry to amused, as they watched their little ones having fun with nature. Not opposed to a good time, Harry was afraid that if Teddy decided upon leaping into the piles, he would end up joining him. The whole job would be futile and time consuming, which was exactly why he wasn't particularly keen on having his godson over for the day.

Despite his feelings toward Teddy spending the day, Andromeda flooed them both over, leaving her grandson with Harry with a kiss, and a promise to be back the next morning at eleven. Teddy looked eagerly at his godfather, a mischievous glint in his eyes. For a few minutes, Harry just stared at him, wondering what to do. It would have been so easy to cave in and play a game with Teddy, instead of doing his domestic duties. However, he wasn't dumb. He knew how brilliantly that would fly over with Ginny, if he told her that playing a board game was more important than fixing up the yard.

"Harry…"

At the sound of young Teddy's voice, Harry snapped his head up and gave a dejected sigh. Shaking his head and capitulating to attacking the daunting lawn, Harry waved his arm in a summoning motion to his godson.

"C'mon Ted. Looks like we have a bit of yard work to do before we start in on any real fun," Harry muttered, looking a bit crestfallen as he opened the front door.

Teddy gave Harry a confused look, before following his godfather out the door. He stood firmly on the small porch, as he watched Harry go to the small shed, and pick up two rakes. Teddy noticed that one was considerably smaller than the other, and he figured his godfather wanted him to help out with this 'yard work'.

Harry handed the smaller one to his godson, an apologetic smile on his face. He hoped Teddy would be fine with helping him. After all, whenever he was over, Teddy was practically glued to Harry's side. It was adorable, really, how Teddy imitated everything Harry did. Why should today be any different?

Just as Harry was starting to really worry, with the confused and exasperated expression on his godson's face, Teddy spoke up.

"How, Harry?"

Teddy looked at the funny looking tool in his hand in amazement and bewilderment. Whatever it was, it sure looked funny, with all the squiggly spokes at the end! Harry mentally berated himself, as he realized Teddy hadn't seen one before. Andromeda never had to do yard work, as her lawn was spelled to remain groomed under the most harsh weather conditions. It was a Muggle creation, after all, and Teddy didn't exactly have a lot of knowledge about the Muggle world.

Harry flashed an easy smile at Teddy, as he leaned over and started raking some leaves.

"See, Teddy? Just like this."

Harry did the motion once again, slower this time, to make sure Teddy got the hang of it. He watched out of the corner of his eye, as Teddy struggled a bit. The boy's small hands had wrapped themselves tightly around the wooden pole, as he lightly brushed against the ground, barely rustling the leaves.

"Try it a bit firmer, Ted. Press down harder," Harry instructed, stopping his own raking motion to supervise his godson.

Still, Teddy couldn't get a good grip on the ground, which only frustrated the poor boy.

"I'm trying!" Teddy cried out, pushing his small body against the rake, in hopes of making a pile of his own.

It didn't take long for Harry to realize that Teddy was too small for the task he was asking him to do. There would have to be a slight change of plans made, in order to keep Teddy working and happy. Grinning, Harry gently took the rake out of Teddy's hands, before tossing it aside on the ground.

"Actually, Ted, you know what would be brilliant?"

An eyebrow rose in confusion as his rake was confiscated, and his godfather started making a new proposition. He shook his little head 'no', wondering why he was no longer helping Harry. That wasn't very fair! He was trying to do what Harry asked him, but his godfather hadn't given him much of a chance!

"You see this pile right here?" Harry pointed at the small pile he had already formed, nodding his head at Teddy. "It would be a big help if you could pick it up and place it in this bag!"

Harry dug through his coat pockets, pulling out a black garbage bag in the process. He handed it over to Teddy, who looked skeptical. To Harry's delight, Teddy took the offered bag and looked at it carefully. The task Harry asked him to do didn't seem very helpful at all. It just seemed that his godfather wanted him out of the way.

"Okay," Teddy responded, his tone sad and heavy. He lowered his eyes and worked hard on hiding his disappointment.

"Thanks Ted. You're a fine helper, you know that?"

Harry sensed his godson's apprehension and wanted to avoid a storm if he could. Lately it seemed that Teddy was very sensitive, almost seeking out criticism that wasn't dealt to him. Perhaps it was a stage all children went through, but Harry felt like he had to walk on eggshells around the little boy. Of course, Harry found no fault in Teddy's inability to rake leaves. He should have realized that he was far too young to do such an adult chore.

"Yeah, sure." Teddy walked over to the pile, kicking the edges of it with his sneakers.

"Ted, c'mon now. Thanks to you, I'll get this dreadful chore done much faster."

Teddy's little shoulders shrugged up and down, a pout pulling at his lips. Sighing heavily, Harry walked over to Teddy and squatted down in front of him. He placed a hand on each of his godson's shoulders and smiled softly at him. Harry noticed that the minute he came into contact with his godson, his hair, known to spontaneously change colors with his mood, changed to a vicious red. Noting it, Harry hoped his nosey neighbors didn't catch a glimpse of it.

"Teddy, what's going on here?" Harry asked, the concern showing in his face.

"You don't like me helping you! Gran doesn't like me helping her! Aunt Ginny doesn't like me helping her! No one needs me!" Teddy shouted, his balled fists shaking in anger.

"Ted, you know that---"

"It is true! It is!" Teddy stomped his foot on the ground, scattering the leaves that were already in a pile.

"Theodore Lupin, you stop your tantrum right now."

Harry's calm, yet firm, voice, pulled Teddy out of his fit immediately. His godfather never spoke like that to him! He was used to it, from his Grandmother, but never from Harry. Seeing the brief look of hurt on Teddy's face, and then the tears running down his godson's cheeks, Harry prayed for patience. A familiar feeling of guilt plucked at his stomach, knowing he had been the source of his godson's tears.

"Teddy, it's okay. Don't cry…" Harry didn't exactly know how to console a crying child, since Teddy was the first he had really encountered.

Pushing his palms against his eyes to hide his flow of tears, Teddy turned away from Harry, his shoulders shaking from the effort of his cries.

"Hey now, Ted. Let me see your face."

Harry walked around, so he was once again facing Teddy, and opened his arms to his godson. Teddy looked at Harry hesitantly, before wrapping his own arms around his godfather's neck. Once he had Harry in his grip, Teddy refused to let go. The love Harry held for the boy took over, and he followed his instinct, rocking Teddy gently until he calmed down considerably.

Patting Teddy on the shoulder as his godson pulled out of the embrace, Harry walked back over to his fallen rake. An idea formed in his head, as set himself to make a decent sized leaf pile. As Harry made a pile, he watched Teddy start picking up the trail of weathered grass and crisp brown leaf skeletons, left behind from the rake. Giving off an encouraging smile to Teddy as the boy placed them in the garbage bag, Harry finished his task.

"Teddy, why don't you come over here for a minute." Harry beckoned the boy to the pile, smiling ruefully, as he watched his much happier godson approach him.

"You see this, Ted? This is a leaf pile."

Teddy looked at him and nodded his head, his head cocked slightly to the side. Of course he knew what it was! Did Harry think he was dense?

"You know what's fun to do with leaf piles?"

At the question, Teddy shook his head no, his confused expression changing to one of eager interest.

"Let me show you."

With that said, Harry proceeded on jumping in the pile of leaves, throwing them around him as he did so. Teddy looked uncertain at this new game that his godfather seemed to enjoy. Watching Harry, Teddy decided to give it a go. It must have been fun if it even had Harry laughing with glee.

The two of them jumped, rolled and ran around the yard for the better part of the day. They made pile after pile, having a good time in each, before re-piling it and tossing it in the bags. By the time they had finished, the sun was setting, and Ginny had finally arrived home. She watched the two leaf covered boys, and couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Did you clean the yard, or wear it?" She bent down to give Teddy a hug, and stood on her tip-toes to give Harry a kiss on the cheek.

"Great job, boys. I know just what you need."

With that, Ginny hurried off into the kitchen, as Harry shrugged his shoulders at Ted. Harry was surprised that the yard work had actually been fun. He felt like a child himself, running and chasing after Teddy, leaves whirling everywhere. It was like he gained a part of his missing childhood. Teddy had enjoyed himself too, asking Harry, as soon as they had finished, if he could help rake next week as well.

Placing a hand on Teddy's back, Harry guided him into the house, following Ginny's wake. When they got into the kitchen, the aroma of chocolate hit them in the face. Harry took off Teddy's jacket, before taking off his own, and took a seat in the living room.

"Teddy, you're not too old to sit on your favorite godfather's lap, are you?"

Teddy gave Harry an exaggerated look of annoyance before breaking off into a smile.

"No!"

Teddy came whizzing over to Harry, climbing on top of Harry's lap. He tucked his cold feet under his godfather's legs and smiled.

The scene was interrupted by Ginny, who came in carrying two mugs of hot cocoa, both with whipped cream on the top.

"Here you go. It'll warm you up a bit."

Ginny tapped Teddy's nose lightly, before handing each boy their respective mug.

"I just have to go grab mine, and then I'll join you. Be careful. Both of you. I don't want any spills!"

As soon as Ginny's back was turned, both godfather and godson looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Teddy then giggled, before taking a sip of his delicious drink. He snuggled into Harry's chest, before looking up at Harry with a smile.

"Uncle Harry?"

Harry nodded his head at him, an eyebrow risen with the word 'Uncle'. While Ginny was Aunt Ginny, he had always just been Harry to Teddy.

"Yes, Ted?"

"Wanna know something'?"

"Of course."

"You're my bestest friend in the whole wide world."

Harry positively beamed at the compliment, and hugged Teddy closer to him.

"You know what, Ted? You're mine too."

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xo Mur