Chapter 5: Back to the Burrow

Some time had passed since Harry had been unable to eat or stand for long periods of time; in fact, he was now eating nearly as much as Ron and spending half his time with Ginny, perusing the Hogwarts grounds. Mrs. Weasley had certainly noticed the great uptake in his health, and it was with this in mind that she interrupted Harry and Ginny in an empty classroom, both of them wearing shifty looks of guilt and embarrassment at having been found snogging heatedly. Harry and Ginny followed Mrs. Weasley up to the Gryffindor Commom Room, where she motioned for them to sit on the sofa while she stood facing them, an amused glint in her eye.

"For now, let's pretend that I only interrupted a game of Wizards Chess, but I may not be so lenient in the future. I came to find you because Hogwarts reopens at the end of the month and, admirable as our efforts are to assist with the rebuilding, Minerva has reassured me that she and the rest of the staff can manage on their own. She wishes for us to return home and enjoy the short time we have left before you two, Ron and Hermione leave for your seventh year." Harry's spirits suddenly dropped several degrees, as he had no intention of returning to the Dursleys and knew not whether Grimmauld Place still remained standing and protected.

"And when I speak of us, Harry, I am certainly including you. You are always welcome at the Burrow—in fact, I will not have you leaving my sight just yet and therefore demand that you come home with us."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley, that means the world."

"Don't mention it dear, I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, you two best gather your things, scarce as they may be, because Minerva has arranged for us to floo in an hour from the Common Room. Oh, and Ginny, just because Harry is always welcome a place at our home does not mean that I will tolerate any impropriety." Harry felt a bright crimson blush creep up his neck as Ginny giggled, kissed him on the cheek and bounded off to the girls' dormitories to get her rucksack.

As Harry descended the dormitory stairs, his moleskin pouch along with the personal items it concealed tucked safely inside the front pocket of his bag, he realized that this would be the first summer since his first year at Hogwarts that he would not be plagued by worries about Voldemort. And yet, there were funerals to be arranged for the loved ones he had lost—Remus, Tonks, Fred and even Snape, who deserved a good farewell and thanks after all he had done—that would mar what should have been a joyous August. It seemed as though similar thoughts troubled the Weasleys, as well, for when Harry entered the Common Room it was to find Bill and Charlie comforting George and Percy, who seemed unwilling to leave the place where Fred had given his life. Harry moved to Ginny's side and swept her into a warm embrace, knowing that, even though she rarely showed how she was feeling, she was deeply aggrieved by the loss of one of her closest brothers.

It was then that Harry noticed Ron sharing a teary goodbye with Hermione, who would be escorted along with an Auror to Australia, where she would be able to find her parents and reverse the memory spells she had placed on them. Since their intense kiss in the midst of the final battle, Harry had not seen the two of them exchange any more than light gestures of affection; but then again, he had been unaware for almost a week after the battle and had surely missed something, for now Ron was repeatedly kissing Hermione in between utterances that she should write upon finding her parents and not miss the train to school. Hermione gave him one last hug, gave a cheerful "see you soon" to the room at large and shot Harry a beaming smile before backing out of the portrait hole to meet her escort. Mr. Weasley thumped Ron on the back and gestured to the fireplace, into which they stepped one by one, shouting "The Burrow!" into the green flames.

"It's so good to be home," Harry heard several people comment as he stepped out of the Weasley's fireplace and into their familiar kitchen. Suddenly, Ginny was at his side and he was lost in her flowery scent, tracing his fingertips up and down her arm and staring into her eyes, feeling that this method of communication was even better than words.

"Oi, I do not need to see that when there is food around! You'll ruin my appetite!"

"Ron, don't be zo inconsiderate. I think zat eet is wonderful," Fleur shot from the doorway.

"Fleur, dear, come in. How was your visit with your family? Are they all well?"

"Oui, Oui, they are so zoree about ze death of Fred, zo. So terrible. Where is Bill?"

"Yes. We're all trying to cope the best we can. Please do thank your parents for their sympathies. He's just gone out the back to check the wards. Please, sit, have dinner. He'll be back in no time."

Harry was suddenly aware of a new bout of hunger and pulled Ginny to the table, where a loaf of bread was currently cutting and buttering itself. It would seem that Hermione's presence had calmed Ron greatly around the physical affections that Harry and Ginny shared, and that her current absence left him with nothing to do but shoot the two of them disgusted looks throughout dinner. Harry and Ginny chose to ignore him and were instead submitted to answer Fleur's many questions about their relationship, ending with "Zo all zat remains to be zone is ze wedding. Eet is zo obvious." At this, a bout of sputter came from each of the Weasley brothers and Harry and Ginny each blushed, but neither of them denied her claim. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze while she beamed up at him. Fleur leaned against Bill's shoulder, content with their response, while Mrs. Weasley, a pleased smile playing at her mouth, summoned the Treacle Tart from the kitchen and directed Harry to take the first slice. Harry dutily did so and passed it to Ginny before taking his own.

***

"Oh, Harry, don't lurk in the corner like that, come hold your Godson!" Andromeda Tonks called from the sofa. Harry had hesitated at the bottom of the stairs when he saw that Andromeda had come with Teddy to go over funeral arrangements with Mrs. Weasley. He had not known what to say to Teddy; how could he ever apologize to Teddy for the loss of the parents he had never met, when Harry knew first-hand that no apology could ever do the situation justice? Teddy's hair was rapidly changing colors under Andromeda's arm, from violet to auburn to the bubble gum pink that had been a favorite of Tonks, and Harry suddenly felt a surge of protectiveness urge him forward to take Teddy into his arms, to promise the small child that he would grow up surrounded by love and not by hostility and neglect, as Harry had. Teddy simply smiled up at him, his hair settling upon a teal blue as he played with Harry's glasses, pulling them from his face and brandishing them about precariously in the air. Ginny snuck up to Harry's side and gently pried the glasses out of Teddy's fist, returned them to Harry's nose and gave him a quick kiss before crooning over Teddy.

"Now, isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen," Andromeda said adoringly as she and Mrs. Weasley sat on the couch, gazing at Harry and Ginny who were now passing Teddy back and forth, coaxing him to laugh and change his hair color. Harry felt his face brighten, knowing what the picture of himself and Ginny with the small baby must look like, just as Teddy let out a giant fit of giggles and reached for Harry's glasses again.

"Come on, Harry, let's leave them to the arrangements," Ginny said gravely as she lay Teddy against her shoulder and began the ascent up the staircase.

"Thanks, dears. Remember, I want him back before I go!" Andromeda called from below as Harry followed Ginny into Ron's room. Ron looked between Ginny and the baby in her arms, whose hair had settled on the perfect imitation of Ginny's firery locks, and then at Harry, who entered the room behind Ginny, before a looked of comprehension crossed his face.

"Is that Teddy?" He asked.

"Yes. Andromeda is downstairs with Mum planning the funerals," Ginny replied solemnly. "We're watching Teddy."

Ginny passed Teddy to Harry, who sat on the cot and rocked the baby, whose hair now resembled Harry's.

"He looks just like you," Ginny remarked. "Well, without…the scar." She absently brushed Teddy's hair aside to reveal a flawless forehead.

Ron was still staring at the two of them as though seeing them together for the first time.

"Now, Harry, I know I haven't been the nicest bloke over the past couple of weeks, and don't take my words too seriously, but if what Fleur said is true, well, I wouldn't mind having you as a brother-in-law. Actually, you're the only person I can think of who's fit for the job."

"Thanks, mate." Harry couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he looked at Ginny, who was playing with Teddy's fingers, and wondering what it would be like to see Ginny playing with her own son's fingers—his son's fingers.

"So you really mean it? You really love each other?"

"Always," Ginny said firmly while looking straight into Harry's eyes, a blazing look reminiscent of the one she had given him before their first kiss stealing across her features.

"I'm happy for you," Ron ended before adding, "Ugh" when Harry and Ginny continued to gaze at each other. With that, Ron pulled Teddy into his arms and left the room, calling "No funny business, Potter!" over his shoulder with a laugh as he stomped upstairs to find George.