„Uncle Harry, walk with me?"
Victoire was smiling from the doorway and Harry nodded after a few seconds of just staring at her face, wondering what she could possibly want to talk to him about. He quickly excused himself and then went after his niece.
They walked silently the small pathway from the Burrow leading to a big field. He enjoyed the comfortable silence the two of them shared while walking slowly. The atmosphere at the dinner had been nice, it had been long since everybody had attended their Family Dinner, so it was especially good for Molly to have her whole family under one roof. Charlie had come home from Romania, and Victoire was currently staying with her family for a few weeks after she had left for college last year. Even Andromeda had started to come to the Burrow more often now. It was good, why wouldn't it be. It had been two years since Teddy died. They still thought about him, some more than others, but their lives went on, like they should. Harry didn't feel like it was his fault anymore; at least not entirely. It had been an accident after all. But he still missed him crazy and couldn't help but feel angry on some days that he couldn't have spent more time with him.
But life was okay. It was good.
Victoire came to a halt and leaned on a wooden fence. Harry stopped next to her and followed her gaze. They had come to the playground most of the children played at. It was a rather old one, with only one swing and a short red slide whose color resembled more of a light pink by now. But it still looked nice, with the big field in the background and the sun setting down behind it.
Victoire smiled at the sight.
„Teddy and I used to play here a lot. We always tried to both fit on the swing and end up falling down" She laughed at the memory and Harry joined her quietly. That sounded like them.
„You were trouble after all." He reminded her.
„Sometimes we would just run around the field and try to catch butterflies."
Her face grew more dreamy now. „He would always try to fool me into believing he had one in his hands. And I always believed him. I think I would have believed him everything."
Harry watched her for a second. She seemed lost in thought for a few moments before she continued, her gaze still fixed on the field in front of them; now in its beauty with the orange sun rays shining down on it.
„I come here sometimes. I tell myself if I waited long enough I'd see a small figure appear across the field, gradually becoming larger until I'd see it was Teddy. Jumping around, trying to catch butterflies. He'd smile, and maybe call my name." She paused for a moment. „I don't let my imagination go beyond that. I can't."
She turned around to look at her uncle now. Harry could see her eyes shining with tears, making her blue eyes appear even more beautiful under the sunset.
„I just remind myself that I was lucky to have him in my life at all."
She turned to look at the field again, her arms resting on the fence. Harry watched her for a few moments longer, a small smile forming on his lips as he saw Victoire smiling, too.
He leaned closer to her and turned to look at the field himself.
They stood there until the sun set, watching the small boy on the field trying to catch butterflies.