Here we go with another chapter. I'm feeling really good about this story at the moment, I even have three chapters written in advance! It's very exciting.

To all you Aussies out there (and all of you who wish you were Aussie, heheh), a very happy Australia Day to you! This is of course why I am updating in the morning (no wait, it's afternoon now... I've been having a lazy day) rather than my usual late evening. Gotta love public holidays.

Shoutouts: You Know Who, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, chemicalbullet (welcome!), completelysmitten18, glowyrm and Delia-of-the-Oysters. I love you all!

Despite the cheery-sounding prompt, we're continuing the trauma theme today, I'm afraid. Harry's not the only one having nightmares...

14. Smile
Friday

"Are you okay, Harry? You look ill."

Harry and Ron are having a quiet drink after a difficult week in the Auror Office. Harry is pale, with dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm fine," he says. "I just haven't been sleeping well."

Ron knows what this means.

"Hermione had a nightmare last night," he says darkly. "She always does at this time of year. It was the anniversary of that night at Malfoy's place. She woke up crying."

Harry merely nods. He too has relived that night in his dreams, too many times to count.

"Maybe you should get a sleeping potion?" Ron suggests. "After all, you need to be alert at work next week."

"Yeah, you're right," says Harry. "I'd get killed if I fell asleep at work."

"I'll say. Forget Dark Wizards, I think Robards would kill you himself if you fell asleep during the morning meeting."

Harry chuckles.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you can still laugh," says Ron quietly. "After everything you've lost. It's taken George four years to even smile more than once a fortnight."

Harry considers this. "Actually," he says, "there are times when I think that too. But there are other times when I can't help but smile. Like the other week, when I saw Teddy. Maybe he's not aware yet of what he's lost, but whenever I see him, he's happy, and it makes me realise that we're all going to be okay. If he can survive it, we all can."

I think that was my first mention of Teddy... I kind of forgot about him. Oh well, it won't be the last time we hear about him, I promise. Also, if anyone is interested, Gawain Robards was the name of some random Auror who I decided is Ron and Harry's boss. I then looked up the HP Lexicon and discovered that he was actually the Head Auror after Scrimgeour. Who's a legend? :)

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