Third Times the Charm

by Breanie

Part 3 of the Kismet Trilogy: Voldemort is dead. And while Harry and his friends turn their attention to the future and their new careers, not everyone is willing to move on. It all comes down to this. The cemetery in Godric's Hollow. Three elusive Death Eaters. One Resurrection Stone. One person from the past. All leading to a choice that just may destroy Harry.

19. The One Where It's Certainly Never Dull

Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To Marauder0716: Thank you! To minerdude: The breakdown was both Sirius and Harry and yes, they both very much needed it. Harry especially. He hasn't let himself really have a good breakdown and take everything in the way he should have. Thank you for loving the ending with the three of them and no, Remus knew that as much comfort as Ginny would have brought, Harry needed him and Sirius in that moment. Thank you very much! To Guest: Thank you very much for saying the "father/son bond between Sirius and Harry is incredible." It's definitely great that Harry has Sirius returned to him. Thank you! To MrsHJSnape: Sorry to make you cry like a baby. Zee's soul isn't missing from her body. Yes, Belladonna's interrogation is coming. Thank you very much! To darkhk: We will see Theo in this chapter. Thank you. To Read and Fly: Sorry to make you cry. You thought Sirius would have the breakdown and didn't expect it to be the three of them together? Glad I could surprise you. Thanks for finding it bittersweet to have the three of them together again. You think I'm going to keep Zee alive in some way? We will see. Yes, the twins will meet Sirius soon. Thank you! To Sets: Ha, thanks for liking Ron's "walks it off" line lol. Sirius definitely has a lot to sort through. Remus' reaction also shows how much he's been going through as well. Thank you! As to there being books in Black Manor or in the restricted section of the library about saving Zee, we will have to wait and see what happens. Yes, Harry has a lot to fill Sirius in on. You think if Sirius kisses Zee it will bring her out of her coma? Interesting. Thank you! To Nightwing2013: Yes, it will take a while for Harry to get through it all. Colin's book is definitely going to be great. Thank you!

To : Sorry to make you cry throughout the chapter, but it was needed. Sirius' grief on top of Harry's struggles, it was bound to be emotional. Zee should definitely be there, but she's not. We will see Sirius meeting Mina and Leo. Thank you very much! To peanutybutter: Thank you so much for speed reading ASC and loving it. Thanks for saying my world is canon in your head. Stop playing with your emotions? Well, that I cannot do. As I mentioned in the author's note of chapter sixteen, this story will have 41 chapters. Tips for aspiring writers — write what you want. Don't worry about writing chronologically, get out what you need to get out. It will come together at the end. Thank you very much! To Nan001: You knew I'd bring Sirius back lol. Yes, what does it mean for Zee? You will have to wait and see. As to me apologizing every time someone says they cried, well I am 🇨🇦Canadian🇨🇦, I can't help it. Sorry! Thank you very much! To Cassiopeia Anastasia Black: Thank you! To scrappy8: It was a lot of Sirius for Harry and yes, Harry definitely needed that breakdown. Thank you!

To briana_t: Yes, usually if I cry writing, it is a sure sign of crying while reading lol. Sorry about that. Yes, it was so good Harry finally released all of those tears he's been holding back. Sirius is a bit on edge, a bit overwhelmed, and it's a lot for him to take in. I think Harry breaking down helped him snap out of it. Thank you very much! To AQuickRead91: Ha, totally understandable. I almost didn't post the bonus chapter because Ao3 was down. If I don't save Zee, your therapy bill will be massive? Well, this sounds like a you problem LOL. Who will kill Bellatrix? ️ You will have to see. Thank you! To CheesePuffQueen: Harry has finally let everything out, yes. As to Sirius talking to Fee and Monty's portraits, we will see. Thank you! To BigMackie: Thanks for enjoying the Ginny and Hermione moment, they needed it. This chapter was an emotional rollercoaster for sure. I love showing how Hinny understands each other just perfectly. Sorry to make you cry so much you had trouble reading. It is an impossible decision that Harry will be struggling with. You think we should sacrifice Bellatrix to save Zee? Interesting. Thank you for saying I did a great job at capturing all of the right emotions. I tried my best to do so. Thank you! To pottermum: So nice to hear from you! I wasn't sure if you were still reading! Thank you! To Arabella_SG: Sorry that you can't stop crying, but you're welcome? LOL. I love seeing Harry, Sirius, and Remus all being a family again as well. It does make the Zee question hard. Sirius is back and yes, Harry finally let it all out. Sirius will meet his kids soon. Thank you! To Mrs_Norway: Yes, it was quite the breakdown and yes, Harry really needed it. I think having both of his fathers present was the safe environment he needed, thank you.

To guest111: Thanks for catching up! Sorry that you sobbed for the majority of the chapter for writing a series that "has ripped up" your "heart, stomped on it, and then glued the pieces back together like nothing happened." Thank you very much! To Marigold177: You have 1000 different emotions going at once after reading this chapter? I understand that. It was good to see Harry finally break down and mourn the stress, the grief, and everything over the last eight years. You want Sirius and Zee to survive together at the end? Yes, Bellatrix's vendetta against Remus and Tonks is still lurking. Thank you very much! To kyciona: Sorry to make you cry, but yes, poor Harry, he did have so much on his plate. Yes, Sirius is alive! I've missed him so much as well. Thank you very much! To Guest: Ginny was of course excited to see Sirius and happy, but she's been so worried about Harry. We will see more of that later. Thank you. To Nuno Neves: Thank you very much for saying you think this was one of the best chapters in Third Times the Charm. Yes, opening with Hinny smut was a much. Ginny knew Harry needed to just relax and take it all in. She knows what he needs. Glad I could make you laugh with Ginny's sass. She's tired of her brothers butting in and isn't afraid to tell them lol. It was a lot for Sirius to hear and a lot for Remus and Harry to talk about. It was a very emotional chapter on so many levels which is why the smut and smiles needed to balance it out. Thank you very much!

To vampprincess144: Thank you! Yes, Sirius is back and alive! Thank you for saying the bits with Ron and Harry were a "true comedy masterpiece." I'm honoured I made you laugh so much as well as cry. Thank you! To alix33: Of course Harry told them all the full story. Yes, Ginny has a travel mug for the smoothie. Thank you! To charmshield7: It was heartbreaking to finally see Harry let it all go, but it was much needed. You think Sirius needs to be the one to kill Bellatrix? Thank you! To I'm a Ravenclaw: Sorry that you cried like hell (but also thank you). Ginny did know he needed to breakdown and she hoped he would, but she's been worried about him as well. Him having that moment with Remus and Sirius was that much more powerful. Thank you very much! To TourjoursPurSlytherin: Yes, bring on the tears! It would be nice if Sirius and Zee both lived. Yes, sharing a heart did work for Charming and Snow in Once Upon a Time, but unfortunately, this is not a fairy tale. Thank you! To MABK_Potter_Fan: It was a very raw and difficult chapter, but it was so needed. Sirius' love for Zee is strong and Harry knows that, but knowing he might lose Sirius all over again or lose Zee for good… it's a lot for him. Thank you so much for saying it was "hauntingly beautiful." Thank you! To TatiRena: Yes, he was a bloody git but he's also a bit of overwhelmed by everything. Harry losing it was enough to snap him out of it. Thank you! To GABRIELAGPGP1988: Thank you! To Vampyrella: Thank you! I hope I have some more surprises for you and yes, you will probably cry some more lol. Thank you!

To marauders_mowopapr: Sorry to make you cry. Ha, Harry needs three or four accidents and a calm life? Well, you're not wrong lol. Thank you very much! To katelyn453: Thank you! To EnigmaticEmperor: Ginny is definitely the only person who can truly give Harry the rest he needs. Ginny is very good at making Ron uncomfortable with her statements and Harry just goes with it lol. Harry and his sass, he knows that's not how you get pregnant lol. Sirius and Remus both needed to be there, I agree. Thank you very much! To corneliastreet_28: Thank you very much for saying this was one of the best chapters. Harry ha the support he needed from his dads and from Ginny. Thank you very much! To the frozen flame: Thank you! Yes, I did use all of the original students JKR listed as classmates of Harry and it was fun to give character to people like Sophie Roper, Mandy Brocklehurst, and Stephen Cornfoot. Thanks for noticing! Thank you for saying my "versions of them, among other characters, were so well-developed even as side characters that they're all canon" to you. Thank you very much! To tim2604: Yes, he's really back! It is a lot for Harry. Thank you very much! To ThomasJAvery: Yes, some steamy Hinny which I do think was needed. Ginny is amazing and I love showing how the two of them care so well for each other. Harry definitely needed to explain his death to Ginny (again) haha. I love Ginny annoying Ron. Yup, Sirius catching Harry and Ginny making out seemed like the perfect way for him to wakeup and return lol. Thank you for enjoying the Sirius and Remus and Harry scene from beginning to end. Sorry to make you cry, but thank you very much!

To Ellieoryan7447: Thank you for fitting in a review in between me bugging you all week lol. Yes, it starts off with Ginny taking care of Harry and I love showing that aspect of their relationship, how sometimes they don't even need to talk. They just know that being there for each other is exactly what the other needs (even providing blowjobs so that he orgasms and goes to sleep lol). Of course Ginny is rightfully concerned and angry over Harry's "injuries" and as grateful as she is for Ron watching over him, she's not amused by "he's fine" comments lol. Ginny and Ron just ribbing on each other is great. Thanks for enjoying seeing Sirius' POV once more. Remus walking in and seeing Sirius being Sirius… it's an emotional moment for everyone. Yes, thank you! When Harry turns to Remus for comfort instead of Sirius, I think that's a true representation of how much has changed because Sirius was always his number one. It was an emotional scene to write and yes, Sirius just breaking down and trying to kill himself without even thinking about everything in between. Sorry to make you sob, but thank you as I cried writing it. Harry just really needed that time to break down, to take it all in. It is a lot for a person to bear and showing him "gripping onto Sirius for dear life as his dads comfort him — like a small child during a meltdown — is so heartbreaking yet so healing at the same time." Thank you very much, that was beautifully said. Harry did need the affirmation from both of them more than he knew. Thank you very much!

To SiriusLover93: Yup, Sirius is a bit a drama queen, but in this sense, there was an exception lol. Yes, Harry finally admitting that he is not fine was so important for him. Yes, I like mythology so to me the Orpheus reference made sense. Thank you! To Bellmel: Ha, Sirius was very much all, hey what's up. To him it's been like a day and he has no idea why people are freaking out so much. When he realizes it, it's huge wakeup call. I'm sorry to have left you an utter mess after reading about the boys breaking down together. Thank you so much for your beautiful words as always! To Fingerpainter: Thank you for loving that I "interact with reviewers." I know a lot of people don't like it, but I love taking the time to respond because you took the time to leave me a comment. As to Third Times the Charm, no, you have to read ASC first or you'll miss way too much context. Thank you very much!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

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CHAPTER NINETEEN:
The One Where It's Certainly Never Dull

Theo was late coming home. He'd gotten caught up talking with one of his professors and the next thing he knew, time had slipped away from him. He grabbed his books and notes before he hurried off to Apparate back to Fakenham in the county of Norfolk and made his way up the drive to his home. Kiki greeted him at the door with a wide smile.

"Good evening, Master Theo. We were beginning to worry."

"Sorry, Kiki. I didn't mean to be so late."

The elf's big eyes examined him carefully before she nodded as if deciding that whatever his face said was proof that everything was all right.

"There will be chicken Alfredo, salad, and fresh bread ready in about twenty minutes for you and Master Sebastian. He's in the living room now and has been home for about an hour."

"Thank you, Kiki."

The elf bowed her head and hurried off.

Theo took off his shoes, tucking them into the cupboard at the front door before he made his way towards the living room. He found Sebastian stretched out across the chesterfield, his bare feet dangling over the arm. He was dressed in nothing but faded and worn grey sweats with Armani snuggled over his stomach, purring in contentment while Sebastian's large hand pet him. Theo noted his eyes were closed and the wireless was on.

"Kenmare's in possession," the announcer said from the wireless. "Henderson dives under that Bludger sent from Jones and Weasley steals! Look at Weasley go as she flies down the pitch! The speed and confidence this rookie has is amazing to watch!"

"Incredible, Dave!"

"Weasley scores! Holyhead's back in the lead, seventy to sixty."

"Are you just going to stand over there and stare at me all night?" Sebastian asked, opening one eye and meeting Theo's gaze with an amused smile.

"Well, you look so pretty all curled up with the kitten. Where are Oliver and Arlo?"

Sebastian pointed to the armchair across the room. Oliver was curled up on the cushion asleep and Arlo was snuggled up against him.

Theo's eyes widened. "Oh! Look at them! I knew Oliver would love them over time!"

Sebastian continued to stroke his fingers over Armani as he purred loudly and when Theo reached over to pet him, he hissed at him.

Theo pouted. "Armani hates me!"

Sebastian chuckled. "Nah, he just loves me better. Arlo abandoned me for you, as did Oliver, only seems fair."

Theo continued to pout, but he took a seat on the tiny sliver of couch cushion at Sebastian's waist. "He just likes to lie on your abs."

"They are nice abs, I've been told."

He grinned and reached out to trail his fingers over them. "That they are. Long day?"

"No, pretty normal. You're late tonight, everything all right?"

"Yeah, I got caught up talking to one of my professors. Apparently I have a lot of questions," Theo said with a laugh. "But they're great and patient with me. I didn't realize it was so late or I would have sent word. Kiki said that you've been home about an hour?"

"About that, yeah," Sebastian said. "I saw you weren't home yet so I took a shower and then figured I'd try to catch Ginny's match on the wireless. It's been a close one, but Holyhead seems to be pulling ahead so far." He shifted and Armani gave him a look before jumping down in annoyance. "Kiss me hello."

Theo grinned and leaned down to do just that. He pecked his boyfriend's lips and when he went to pull back, Sebastian tugged him down on top of him. He smiled against Sebastian's lips as they kissed softly, basking in long kisses until Kiki announced from the doorway that their supper was served.

Sebastian stole one more kiss before he sat up, cradling Theo in his lap. "All right, let's go eat and you can fill me in all of the questions you had to ask your professor."

They walked hand in hand to the kitchen and took a seat at the small table. Kiki left them alone to eat and Sebastian poured them each a glass of chardonnay while Theo talked about his day.

This was his favourite part of the day. He loved coming home to the man he loved or being home when Sebastian came home. He loved sharing a meal with him as they chatted about their day. Theo loved how attentive Sebastian was; how he actually listened to him talk all about his classes and what he'd learned. He asked questions and listened to him in ways that no one really had before. When he finished, Sebastian smiled over his wineglass.

"You light up when you talk about it, you know. This is what you were meant to do, baby."

"I think it is," Theo agreed, a big smile on his face. "I really love it, Bas, and I'm so excited to really get started treating people and helping people. Even though I'll still be working alongside mind healers and working more as an apprentice, I just can't wait to get started."

"July is when the internship starts, right?"

Theo nodded. "Yeah. What did you do today? Anything awesome and secret Knight of the Auror-like?"

Sebastian chuckled. "J and I had a short mission in Belgium. It's classified so I can't tell you about it, but it went well. Then we had to make a stop at Carminta's Clinic to talk to a healer there for another case we've been working on and J was a bit smitten with one of the healing apprentices."

"Really?" Theo exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Tell me more."

He shrugged. "Nothing to say. Yeona flirted. She kept going on about how gorgeous this healer was, but I don't know what happened. By the sounds of it, she struck out, but she's not one to give up that quickly."

"Any idea who the apprentice is?"

"She's still in training and all I got was that her name was Patil."

"Padma?" Theo said in surprise. "Oh! Yes, I can see why Yeona would like her!"

"You know her?"

"A little," Theo admitted. "She was a Ravenclaw. You met her at the party at Goldstein's house last summer."

Sebastian nodded. "I thought she looked familiar. What's her story? She seemed interested in Yeona, but also very hesitant. I thought maybe she was just shy."

"Could be," Theo said. "But to be honest she might just not be ready to date. Her girlfriend and her identical twin sister were both killed in the Battle of Hogwarts."

Sebastian's eyes softened. "Oh, poor thing. Well, I guess we'll have to see if she's even interested in Yeona at all. J can be a bit persistent on matters when she's interested in a woman."

Sebastian told him more about his day and when they finished dinner, they agreed to go back and listen to the rest of the match as it was still going on. Sebastian stretched back out on the chesterfield and Theo snuggled into his side, his head resting on his bare shoulder. Sebastian waved his wand over the wireless to make the program come to life and Theo watched as Ginny's figure flew over his head on her broomstick.

"Looks like this is going to be a long match, folks! Kenmare's at two hundred and twenty points and Holyhead's at two hundred and ten with no eye on the Snitch anywhere in sight."

Theo, as interested as he was in Ginny's career, had never been a huge Quidditch fan. He drifted off, content in his boyfriend's arms until he was suddenly awoken by Sebastian's angry yell at the ref.

"Uncalled for! Holyhead deserved that goal!"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry, baby," Sebastian said, kissing his brow. "Foul call."

Theo watched the game some more and when the announcer claimed that the Kenmare Seeker had caught sight of the Snitch, he sat up, his eyes finding the Seeker. Five minutes later, the game was finally over. Kenmare had won, four hundred and seventy points to Holyhead's three hundred.

"Oh, wow! Poor Ginny," Theo said.

Sebastian smiled. "Holyhead is still doing great this season. Unfortunately, they can't win every match as much as we'd love them to. This was a close game though. Come on, let's get you upstairs to bed before you pass out on me again."

Theo pouted. "But I'm not tired anymore."

Sebastian chuckled and kissed Theo's forehead. "Maybe I am."

Theo gave a dramatic sigh before he stood up and linked his fingers with Sebastian's before tugging him to his feet. "All right, let's go."

They headed upstairs to the bedroom and Theo went to take a shower. When he came out, Sebastian was lying on top of the sheets completely starkers, his hands behind his head.

He would never tire of looking at his boyfriend's gorgeous body. The man was muscled and toned, with eight gorgeous abs and thick thighs. His biceps were large, but not ridiculous, and in Theo's mind, he had the perfect amount of body hair. He let his eyes travel down the dark hair by his naval to the neatly trimmed dark hair that led to his large, thick cock. Theo licked his lips at the sight of it.

"See something you like?" Sebastian teased.

Theo dropped his robe and hurried over to the bed, jumping up on it and making Sebastian laugh. "I see a lot of things I like."

He leaned down to kiss his boyfriend's mouth and Sebastian cupped his chin in his large palm, bringing him closer.

"I love you," Theo whispered.

Sebastian smiled against his mouth. "Lucky me. I love you, too." He pressed his mouth to his again before he gave him a lust filled look. "Now, why don't you show me my pretty hole?"

A thrill swept through Theo. He didn't know what it was exactly, but when Sebastian got possessive over him, he liked it. He loved it actually. He loved knowing that he was wanted, that he was loved.

"Your hole?" he teased, kissing Sebastian's throat.

"Mmm, yes, my hole," he said, slapping Theo's arse lightly. "I think it needs my fingers in it."

"No," Theo whispered, his dark eyes meeting blue ones. "It needs your tongue. Eat me, Bas."

Sebastian flipped him beneath him, pinning his arms down on either side of his head as he rolled him over and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. "It would be my absolute pleasure."

And when that tongue slipped into him, hot and wet, Theo bit his lip.

Nothing was better than coming home to the man he loved and having him worship him. Sebastian's tongue twisted inside of him and Theo groaned.

Life was damn near perfect.

~ TTTC ~

Hermione finished up the last of her work and said goodnight to Barnaby before she grabbed her bag. She met Ron in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic, smiling when he reached for her hand.

"Hi, how did today go?"

Ron shrugged. "Long. Busy. With Harry taking a few days, Baxter and I are working on all of the reports; dotting all of the i's and crossing all of the t's."

Hermione followed Ron to the Apparition point and together they Disapparated straight to the Burrow before she responded. "Did you see Harry this morning?"

Ron shook his head as they headed up the path to the house. They had plans to have dinner with Molly tonight, having decided to give Harry some alone time with his godfather. Tonks had sent word that Remus was over there as well and that they were talking and Ron didn't want to intrude. He knew his friend needed this time with the men who'd raised him.

"No. I heard him and Sirius talking before I left and I didn't want to disturb them. I hope they spent the day getting through to each other about… well everything. Tonks said that Remus was going over today as well."

Hermione pursed her lips. "I still don't know what to make of it. I can't believe he's really back."

"Me neither," Ron admitted. "Then traveling to get his soul… it was a lot."

Hermione squeezed his hand in hers. "I'm so proud of you for going with him. Harry needs you."

"Well, I need him too so I wasn't about to let him go off and get killed like a bloody fool."

"Aw, Ron, look you do have a brain."

"Oi!" he exclaimed, making her laugh.

"You should use it more often," Hermione scolded. "You're a lot smarter than you like people to think. How's the head?"

"Hard as a rock."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That I know already."

Ron grinned. "Baxter took me to St Mungo's this morning to get formally cleared by a healer for duty. All good. Had a minor concussion but I'm back to normal. How was work today for you?"

"Very well," Hermione said. "Barnaby and I spent the day finalizing some of the last steps in putting together the first house elf get-together."

"That's promising."

"Hopefully it will be," Hermione replied. "Now it's just a matter of getting house elves on board. Basil is interested and after talking to Theo, he promised to make sure his elves attended. If they pass it around amongst their friends, we will hopefully get a larger turn out. I'm hoping for at least fifty, but more would be even better."

Ron nodded as they stepped through the backdoor of the house. "We'll have to hope for more then."

Molly greeted them both with a big smile, pulling them close for a kiss. "Hallo, dears! So glad you both made it!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "We were just coming from work, Mum, not a foreign country."

"Don't be a smart-arse!" Bill called out from the living room.

Ron stuck his tongue out at his eldest brother and Hermione bit back a smile. She rather loved coming to these Burrow dinners. There was never a chance at boredom and really, watching the handsome Weasley boys interact was always nothing short of entertaining.

Molly pulled her close for a hug and kissed her cheek. "It's lovely to see you again, dear. I know the break was hard on the both of you, but it was for the best. Sometimes we all need a little breathing room."

"Thank you, Mrs-Molly," she corrected. "I love him."

"I know," Molly said, patting her cheek. "Go make yourself at home."

"Who's all coming over?" Ron asked, moving to sit next to his eldest brother on the sofa as Hermione headed into the living room after him.

Bill had his arm around his wife on the other side of him. Percy and Audrey were on the small love seat by the fireplace.

"George and Angelina went to cheer Ginny on against Kenmare tonight, but the rest of us are here," Bill said.

"Except for Charlie and Aydin," Molly interjected.

Ron rolled his eyes again. "Obviously, Mum. Romania's not exactly next door, is it?"

Molly cuffed her youngest son across the head when she walked past him and when he grumbled; Hermione smirked.

"Serves you right for always being a smart-arse."

"Thank you, dear," Molly said before turning back to the kitchen.

"You're supposed to be on my side," Ron grumbled.

Hermione pecked his cheek in response.

"Where's Fred?" Ron asked.

"He went upstairs with Fiadh. The girls were fussing," Bill said.

"Girls are finally asleep!" Fred exclaimed, coming down the stairs just as Bill finished speaking for him. Fiadh came up behind him and curled up in the big armchair.

"Kind of late for them to be napping, isn't it?" Percy asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"A bit," Fiadh admitted. "But they have teeth coming in and have been fussy all day. If they can sleep at least an hour, we'll wake them up."

"Kids need to be on a tight schedule," Percy lectured. "If you let them dictate it, you're asking for trouble."

"And you know this because of all of your kids, Perce?" Fred demanded, urging his girlfriend to budge over so that he could sit in the large armchair with her.

Percy scowled. "It's called common sense!"

"Then how come it's not so common?" Fred shot back.

Fleur chuckled and placed a hand over her large stomach. Hermione thought it really wasn't fair that despite being eight months pregnant, the French witch still looked incredibly beautiful. She looked like she had a large cauldron under her shirt and other than her larger breasts, hadn't gained an ounce.

"You look amazing, Fleur," Hermione said, kindly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fat," she said with a laugh. "Merci. She 'as been kicking me all afternoon."

Bill placed a hand over his wife's stomach, his eyes wide in amazement. "She's getting excited to meet us."

"How's the nursery coming along?" Fiadh asked, crossing her legs from her seat in the armchair, tossing them over Fred's legs.

"Just building the cradle," Bill told her. "It looks great."

Talk turned to babies as Fred and Fiadh talked about Finley and Felicity. They talked about some of the work they were doing on the house and Fiadh talked about how her brother Tiernan was coming to babysit twice a week.

"He's completely smitten with them," Fiadh said with a smile. "It's making our own mother wonder if maybe he's finally getting the baby fever, but Tiernan is stubborn and says he'll never have his own kids. Donal pops by once a week as well to see the girls."

"It helps us anyway," Fred continued. "Tiernan or Donal watch the girls for a few hours and Fiadh and I are able to get some work done on the house. It's mostly all set up the way we like it, but we're still repainting a few rooms here and there."

"Their magic is already coming through as well," Fiadh said. "Finley scared ten years off of Fred's life last night."

"Only five," Fred corrected. "I went to go tend to her in the night and found her hovering above her cot a few inches in the air. She was laughing and kicking and bloody hell, I launched for her, terrified she was going to fall to her death!"

"Will she 'ave wings?" Fleur asked. "All fae 'ave wings, oui?"

"Yes," Fiadh replied. "We do. I don't know if our daughters will or not, but they definitely can fly, or Finley can. Felicity hasn't shown any desire to fly, but she has gotten rather good at summoning plushies to herself."

Fred nodded. "The other morning her entire cot was full of every single plushie that anyone has ever bought for her and Finley. She was almost buried in them!"

Molly chuckled. "Good. After what you and George put me through, you deserve to be kept on your toes."

"Thanks for the support, Mum," Fred said dryly making Fiadh laugh.

Bill spoke a bit about the excitement of his own daughter who would be coming at the end of April Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, was coming to stay with them next month as she wanted to be there when the baby was born.

"They don't mind her taking time out of her schooling?" Molly asked.

Fleur shook her head. "Madame Maxime is letting her come as a favour to me. I want my leetle seester here when it's time."

"How old is Gabrielle now?" Hermione asked. "I still remember her being be so small when she came out of the Black Lake."

Fleur smiled. "She'll be fourteen in June. Our mère claims zat she is a 'andful."

"I'm sure that she's just like her big sister," Bill said, kissing his wife's hand.

Percy and Audrey steered the conversation away towards their own wedding plans. Things were finally in place and a formal date had been set for September of the next year.

"I found a dress," Audrey said, a big smile on her face. "My sister Anna helped me. It's perfect."

"I'm sure it will look lovely, dear," Percy said, kissing her hand.

Ron made a face at Percy when he turned his head and Bill elbowed him.

Audrey went on to talk about the plan for the wedding to be autumn colours and how she wanted all of the bridesmaids to wear tangerine. Audrey was having her sister, Anna, as her Maid of Honour, and then had asked one of her friends, Claudia, to stand up with her along with Ginny. Percy wanted his sister in his wedding and then asked Bill to be his best man, surprising everyone with his choice. But Bill was the brother whom Percy had always looked up to the most and Bill was honoured to stand by his side. The other groomsmen were to be Charlie and a friend of his from work named Donald. It was going to be small, but Audrey was already looking to make it a bit on the lavish side. She wanted a perfect wedding.

"I want something bright for the bridesmaid dresses but still an autumn tone, maybe like a ripe tangerine," Audrey explained, bringing Hermione out of her daydream. "It will be the perfect fall colour."

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "It sounds lovely."

Fred wrinkled his nose. "Gem won't like that. Who wants to place a bet on her freaking out when she finds out she has to wear orange?"

"What's wrong with orange?" Ron demanded.

"Nothing, dear," Hermione said, patting his leg. Weddings were for the bride and Audrey deserved to not be overshadowed by anyone, even if she picked a rather poor colour choice.

"Orange is the colour of the Chudley Cannons, it's perfect!" Ron exclaimed.

Percy scowled. "Audrey doesn't mean Chudley orange, Ron!"

"I want tangerine," Audrey said.

"I'm thrilled that there's going to be another wedding coming up. That's two in two years!" Molly exclaimed, clasping her hands together and loudly interrupting the bickering between Ron and Percy.

"No, Mum," Fred said when his mother's gaze landed on him. "Fiadh and I are quite happy living in sin."

"That's hardly what I'd call it," Molly insisted. "I only think that since you two have children together you should consider marriage as another step."

"Sure," Fred said. "Just not yet."

Hermione chuckled, turning to Fiadh. "How are you adjusting to living with Fred full time on top of the babies?"

Fiadh sighed. "Challenging. Just this morning I came downstairs and found oatmeal all over the wall and even on the ceiling."

Bill grimaced. "Guess the girls aren't taking to solid food so well?"

Fiadh gave Bill a look. "Oh no, they're doing wonderful. This was because Fred decided to try out a new joke shop idea near the girls' food."

"It was an accident!" Fred insisted. "I didn't expect it to splatter oatmeal everywhere."

Fleur laughed. "Oh dear, it seems things are always interesting, n'est pas?"

"Certainly never dull," Fiadh agreed.

Bill turned to Ron. "How's Harry doing?"

Ron shrugged. "About as well as you'd expect."

"So Sirius Black is really back?" Percy asked, his eyes on Ron. "That's the rumours I heard."

"Yeah," Ron said. "It's hard to believe, trust me, I know, but he is. He has his soul back and he's alive and… yeah."

"Bloody hell," Bill said, running a hand over his jaw. "How the hell is Harry dealing with that?"

"About as well as you'd expect," Hermione repeated. "He's been given a few days off and Ron and I left him talking with Sirius today."

"He really doesn't remember anything?" Audrey asked.

"Nothing," Hermione replied. "The last thing he remembers is being killed in the Department of Mysteries."

"What's the next step?" Percy asked.

Ron shook his head. "I couldn't tell you. Obviously the investigation is still ongoing, but we did capture Brambilla. However, as far as Sirius goes, he's back. He isn't being accused of any crimes so for now, we're at a standstill. Robards and Shacklebolt are concocting a story about him faking his own death and hiding out in America for the last three years to explain his reappearance. We can't exactly claim he's returned from the dead without a lot of questions. There's a lot to deal with."

Fred whistled. "You know, sometimes I wonder how that boy is still standing. All of the shit he's gone through? And now this?"

"We're keeping on eye on him," Hermione assured him. "Between Ron and I and of course, Ginny, we're making sure that he's all right."

"I bet our little Gem's taking real good care of him," Fred teased.

Fiadh elbowed her boyfriend. "Shush!"

Hermione smiled as Molly told them dinner was ready and they headed into the kitchen to eat. Bill moved to turn the wireless on after a quick look at the clock and quickly found the station that was playing Ginny's Quidditch match.

They ate Molly's delicious pot roast and listened to the match, conversation flowing around them. When Kenmare scored again, making them tie, Fred swore.

"Bloody hell! The Kestrals are matching them play for play!"

A cry from upstairs had Molly standing, offering to bring the twins downstairs. Fiadh went up to help her as the announcer talked about a great play Ginny made.

Hermione touched Ron's arm and he turned to smile at her. "Do you think that we should stay here tonight? Give Harry and Sirius some more time?"

Ron swallowed the mashed potatoes he'd shoved into his mouth before he nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. We'll catch up with him tomorrow."

Ron turned his attention back to the match and Hermione turned back to her meal, feeling a bit lighter. She hoped that Harry and Sirius were figuring things out between them and she hoped that her friend was dealing with everything as well as he could be.

Hermione knew that no matter how strong Harry thought he was, this was a huge shock to the system and he had to deal with it, one step at a time.

~ TTTC ~

After the loss, the whole team felt the weight of the match. Ginny knew that it hadn't been anything they'd done wrong either, Kenmare had just played better. Both teams had played to the best of their abilities and it had been a close match.

She showered and changed into a bright purple sundress with a half black jacket overtop before using her wand to style her hair into soft waves down her shoulders and back. She slipped into black heels and grabbed her bag, hurrying to meet the team for the press conference. When she was finally free to go, she hurried back to Hogwarts to grab a few things and then let McGonagall know that she would be returning to Clevedon Court for the evening.

"Is it true?" McGonagall asked, her eyes wide as they stared at Ginny. "Harry sent me an owl saying… is it true?"

Ginny clutched her bag on her shoulder as she stared into McGonagall's gaze. "Yes. He's back. He finally woke up this morning before I left. Harry was waiting for him to get some rest before they really talked about things. From what I understand he doesn't remember anything since just before he was killed in the Department of Mysteries."

McGonagall paled, clutching her desk. "Merlin! I cannot believe this! He's really… alive?"

"Yes," Ginny said. "The Aurors are still trying to figure things out, Professor, but he's alive."

A single tear slipped down McGonagall's cheek and she hastily wiped it away. "You'll tell Harry that when he's ready, I'll want to see him?"

"Of course," Ginny assured her. "I know that he'll want to see you, too."

McGonagall gave her a curt nod before gesturing for her to use the fireplace. Ginny tossed some Floo powder into the fire and stepped inside. She called out Clevedon Court, but not before she saw the woman's shoulders slump as she began to cry and she couldn't imagine how the professor was feeling over something like this.

She didn't know how she was feeling over something like this. Seeing Sirius this morning, even for just a moment, had been a shock to her. She honestly hadn't even known how to process it. It was Harry she was focusing on. It was still a huge shock and she'd been worried all day over how Harry was dealing with it all. The man had cried and had little breakdowns over the last few months, but Ginny was worried they weren't enough. As much as he'd shared with her and with his mind healer, Harry really needed to fully sift through all of it and deal with it or he was going to implode. She just wished that she knew how to help him get there.

When she stepped into the entrance way, Kreacher greeted her and insisted on taking her bag upstairs. It was almost nine and she had a back-to-back match week which meant that she was to play Tutshill tomorrow. She knew that she needed to get some rest, but she couldn't. Not without checking in on Harry first. And if she was honest with herself, she wanted to check in on Sirius as well.

She left her heels by the front door and walked barefoot towards the living room where she found her boyfriend with Remus, Tonks, Teddy, and Sirius. Merlin, just seeing Sirius Black sitting there was giving her a lot to think about. She couldn't imagine how this was affecting the others.

"Ginny!" Tonks exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Come sit!"

Ginny took a seat on the love seat with Tonks, her eyes on where Harry was sitting between the two men who had raised him, Teddy asleep on his shoulder. His green eyes met hers and the emotion she saw there made her want to reach for him. But she knew that he was good there, between the two fathers he loved.

"Gin, I'm sorry. I missed the match," Harry said.

"It's all right," she assured him. "It was long and we lost. Hopefully the next match will be better. It's against Tutshill."

Sirius blinked at her. "So, it's true? You're really playing professional Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies?"

"I am," Ginny said, her lips curving. "Chaser. And I bloody love every exhausting moment of it."

"Wow," Sirius said as if it was still sinking in.

And Ginny realized it was. This poor man had come back after being dead for three years. He had a lot to learn, a lot to understand. That wasn't even including everything that had happened while he'd been wandering around soulless for five months.

"Tell me about it," she said. "I still can't believe it myself sometimes."

"She's incredible," Harry said. "We'll have to take you to a match, Uncle Siri. You can cheer her on."

"I'd love that," Sirius said, giving her a bright smile. "Not right away, I don't think, but I'd like that."

"How's the day been here?" Ginny asked, her eyes on Harry.

Remus reached out to touch Teddy's back where he was sleeping soundly on his godfather. "Emotional. For all of us."

Sirius swallowed. "Very. But I think between Harry and Moony I'm mostly clued in on what I've missed. I hear Molly has granddaughters now."

Ginny smiled. "That she does. She dotes on every one of them. Bill and Fleur are due to give her another at the end of April. Charlie has Aydin, who turned two in December. Fred has twin girls who are five months old named Finley and Felicity. Bill hasn't shared what they want to name their daughter yet, but we do know it's a girl."

"Wow. That's great! I can't believe that Moony and Tonks are parents now either… it's… I can't believe your brothers are even having kids already," he admitted.

"Neither can Mum," Ginny replied.

Sirius nodded, his expression sobering. "I was sorry to hear about Arthur."

Ginny let out a slow breath. "Thank you. That's been hard on all of us."

"I imagine so," he said. "Andy and Ted too and Misha… Merlin… it's a lot to take in."

"It's a lot to take in for us to see you return," Ginny said, making Sirius' gaze land on hers in surprise. "You coming back without a soul and everything that's happened over the last few months… Harry's been beside himself."

"Gin —"

Ginny ignored Harry, keeping her focus on Sirius. "Knowing you're really back is amazing, Sirius. We're all overjoyed, but you need to know that Harry's been through hell dealing with everything."

"I know," Sirius began.

"No, I don't think you do," Ginny interrupted. "Between Zee going missing and you showing up again, he suddenly felt like he was responsible for everything all over again. I've watched him try to take on the world and watched him stress out over you being back and evil and wanting to kill him. He's been hurting and I won't stand for that."

Sirius' eyes softened. "I've always thought that you were perfect for him. Knew it even when you were kids. Thank you for being there for him, especially when I couldn't be. I don't know why I'm back, Ginny. I don't know how I survived the re-souling when Harry tells me that there was almost no chance of me doing so. I don't understand it any more than you do. I died and the way life works is that the dead shouldn't return, but here I am. I don't know what that means for my future, but I do know that I'm here now and that's what matters."

Ginny stared at him for a long moment, suddenly feeling angry. As happy as she was to see that Sirius was back, that he was alive and well and whole; the stress of it all and seeing what it had done to Harry — was a lot for her. She had enough going on for herself and seeing Harry unravel was another stressful thing that she didn't need.

"Just don't hurt him again."

"Ginny," Harry said, passing a sleeping Teddy to Remus before he stood up and walked over to her. "I'm okay."

Ginny shook her head when he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. "Not yet. But you will be."

Harry kissed the top of her head and held her close. "I'm fine, really. I… Uncle Remus, Uncle Sirius and I we… we had a good talk this afternoon."

"We did," Remus replied. "And then we all had a really good cry as well."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, we did."

Tonks cleared her throat. "Well, I hate to break this up, but Remus, we need to get Teddy home to bed. Sirius, you should get some more rest yourself and I'm sure Ginny wants to get bed after her long day. Perhaps we can pick this up again tomorrow?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Remus agreed.

"Harry, you'll take tomorrow to keep catching up with Sirius and see how things will go before you come back to work the next day. Robards will want a full report and Sirius, I think you'll probably be coming back to the Ministry for some more follow up questions," Tonks told him. "And that includes having a healer look you over."

"I figured as much," Sirius said. "Harry mentioned something about the Department of Mysteries wanting to speak with me as well."

"Yes," Tonks said. "Everyone has questions."

"I'll do whatever you need," Sirius agreed. "But only after I see Zee and my kids. That's my only stipulation."

Tonks nodded. "I'm sure Harry will take care of that tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yes," Harry replied, keeping his hand in Ginny's. "We already talked about it. Uncle Sirius and I will be going to St Mungo's first thing in the morning to see Zee and then we'll head to Black Cottage to see Mina and Leo. Grandmama is keeping them home from nursery school tomorrow."

"Good," Tonks said. "It looks like you have a plan.'

"Somewhat," Harry admitted. "But it's a start."

Remus stood up, Teddy asleep on his shoulder. He moved across the room to give Harry a one-armed hug. "Get some sleep, Harry. If you need me tomorrow, please let me know. Minerva's covering my classes."

"I will," Harry promised.

Remus squeezed his shoulder before he put his arm around his wife. "Come on, let's go home."

Tonks moved to kiss Harry's cheek, then Ginny's before she moved to hug Sirius. "I still can't believe your back, you big tosser. Get some sleep tonight."

Sirius hugged her tight and kissed her cheek. "You too. I can't believe you're a mum."

"Me neither," she said with a laugh. "I'll see you later."

Remus, Tonks, and Teddy took off, leaving Ginny alone with Harry and Sirius.

"Well," Sirius said, stretching his arms up over his head. "I think Tonks and Moony have the right of it. It's been a long day. I'm going to head up to bed and try to get some sleep. Um, and you two will be…?"

"Heading up to bed as well," Harry said.

"Together?"

Harry gave Sirius an amused look. "Yes, together."

Sirius looked like he wanted to say something, but he shook his head. "Well, that's… going to take some getting used to." He turned to look over at Ginny. "Thank you for telling me that. I've always admired that about you. You've never been afraid to speak your mind."

Ginny let go of Harry's hand and moved to hug Sirius tightly. "We've all missed you, Sirius. I'm so happy to have you back."

Sirius held her close, kissing the top of her head. "I'm happy to be back."

Ginny pulled away, blinking back tears. "I didn't mean to sound cross with you."

"You didn't," he assured her. "You're looking out for Harry and I couldn't ask for more."

"I always will," she said.

Harry cleared his throat. "Well, I think it's time we all head upstairs. I know I'm tired after today."

"Yes," Sirius agreed. "I'm pretty tired as well. Bed sounds good. Tomorrow's going to be another rather long day I think."

"Will you be all right?" Harry asked.

Sirius smiled. "I'll be fine, Harry. Goodnight."

Ginny leaned into Harry. "Don't worry, Sirius. I'll make sure Harry gets tucked in properly."

Sirius laughed. "I bet you will. Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, Uncle Siri," Harry said, his cheeks heating.

Sirius gave them a little wave before he turned and headed out of the room.

Ginny turned in Harry's arms, tilting her head back to look up at him. "Hi."

Harry lowered his head to press his lips to hers. "Hi. I love you."

Warmth rushed through Ginny. Every time Harry told her those words she felt so complete. She felt the love he had for her and it only reminded her of everything they'd been through.

"I'm sorry I was a bit harsh with Sirius, but I've been worried about you."

"I love you for that," Harry told her. "I know that I've been stressing a lot and I know that's trickled down onto you. I'm sorry."

"I don't care how much it's trickled down to me, I only care about you," she said, reaching up to cup his cheek. "Will you be talking to Auden this week?"

"Later, I think. I want to settle things first and get my thoughts in order. I'm not putting it off," he told her. "I promise."

"Good," Ginny said. "I thought that I was going to have kick your arse."

He chuckled. "Good thing I'm keeping up on things then." He reached for her hand again. "Come on, let's go up to bed. I want to hear all about the match."

"Only if you tell me what happened today first."

"Deal," Harry said.

Ginny let him lead her upstairs. They passed by the bedroom that Sirius was staying in, the door closed, and Ginny wondered how Sirius was dealing with everything. As worried as she was about Harry, she knew that Sirius had to be reeling from everything himself. It had to be a hell of a lot to come back from the dead and learn about all of the things that he'd missed while he was gone.

When they reached the master bedroom, Harry closed the door behind them, his gaze roaming over her body.

"You look bloody fantastic," he said, his voice coming out in a growl. "I love this dress."

"Me too," Ginny said. "It's one of the dresses that I bought with Fleur."

Harry's eyes followed the v-neck of the dress, moving over the fullness of her cleavage. "I bet everyone's eyes were on you tonight at that press conference."

"They were more interested in the discussion of the match and why we lost."

"That's what you think," Harry said. He slid his finger under the thick strap of the dress beneath the half jacket. "What are you wearing under this?"

Ginny stood on her toes and pecked his lips. "You can find out after. Tell me what happened today."

Harry sighed and moved to take a seat in the armchair by the balcony. "It was a long bloody day."

Ginny moved over to him, letting him pull her down into his lap. "Tell me."

Harry pressed his cheek against hers as he sighed. "I don't even know where to begin. We talked about everything and then… fuck, Gin, when I told him about Zee, he just lost it."

Ginny listened attentively, her hand resting on the side of his face, the other wrapped tightly in his as he told her what happened. When he got to the part about Sirius' freakout and how he reacted, he choked on his words.

"And then I just lost it, Gin."

"Harry, it's about bloody time," she whispered, kissing his cheek. "I've been so worried about you and how you've been dealing with everything."

"I've been dealing all right," he insisted.

Ginny gave him a look. "You have not been dealing all right, Harry Potter. I've been watching you since everything happened and honestly I do not know how you're still standing. If you haven't been speaking to Auden twice a week, I think you would have had a nervous breakdown by now."

"I…"

"No," Ginny said, putting a finger over his lips. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You have so much going on inside of this head of yours and I can't imagine what your heart is feeling with all of this. Having Sirius back in any capacity, but having him back for real and not knowing what's happening with Zee… I can't imagine, Harry. I don't know how you're still standing and I'm so proud of you for everything."

Harry kissed the fingers on his lips. "It felt good to just… let it go," he admitted. "Once I started, Gin, I just couldn't stop. It was like everything I've felt over the last few years, since Uncle Siri died and even before it just… it just exploded. I couldn't stop it."

"You shouldn't stop it," Ginny told him. "Crying is good for you, Harry. You need to let it out and you need to let yourself feel it all. Stop holding it all in. I need you whole and I need you to think about your emotional well being just as much as your physical."

"I will," he promised. "I like talking to Auden and it… it does help."

"I'm glad," she said. "And today, letting it all out today with Sirius and Remus, I'm proud of you for that."

"It was… exhausting. But when it was all done, I felt… better. Lighter," he admitted. "It was like a big weight was lifted from my heart that I didn't even know was there."

Ginny's fingers stroked the the stubble beard on the side of his face. "I'm so glad to hear that."

"Gin… I don't know what we're going to do about Zee."

Ginny's fingers continued to move across his skin. "You'll figure it out. No matter what happens, you've been given a gift, Harry. Sirius is back and he's alive and he's here with you."

"I know," he whispered. "And I know it's asking too much to be able to save Zee too. You lost your dad and here I am wanting to save both of my parents and what right do I have to ask that?"

"Every right," Ginny insisted. "I love you and I know how much you've lost. You never got the chance to really know James and Lily Potter. They were taken from you and in their place you were given two incredible men who raised you and loved you like their own. You were given Andy and Ted and Tonks. And then you were given Zee and with her came Grandmama, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa, and so many more. I know what losing Zee will do, Harry. I know that you're clinging to that last bit of hope that she can be saved and there's nothing wrong with that. Hope is a powerful thing."

"But it's not enough."

Ginny kissed the lightning bolt scar through his eyebrow. "Sirius is back and that alone tells me that hope's a hell of a lot more powerful than you think it is."

"Do you think that we can save her?"

Ginny kissed the scar on his cheek. "I don't know, but I won't give up hope while she's still in a coma. If Sirius coming back has taught me anything, it's that hope has a way of surprising us."

Harry nodded and kissed the palm still resting on the side of his face. "I can do that."

"Good," she said, a soft smile on her lips. "And tomorrow you're going to bring Sirius to see Zee?"

"Yeah. We're going to go to the hospital right for eight in the morning. Spend an hour or so there and let Uncle Sirius see her and then… I want him to meet Mina and Leo. He wants to meet them and well… it's going to be an emotional day all around. I don't know if I'll make it to your match against Tutshill… the next few days are going to be busy."

"Harry, you don't have to attend every single one of my matches. That's unrealistic and I don't expect that."

"But I want to," he told her. "See, I didn't stop by to give you a good luck orgasm today and you lost. You need me."

Ginny chuckled. "I'm sure that's the only reason we lost."

"Absolutely," he agreed.

Ginny stood up and held her hand out to him. "Let's get into more comfortable clothes and I'll tell you about the match."

Harry put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. "I want to hear everything. Every detail about the match against Kenmare. After."

"After what?" Ginny asked, running her fingers through his hair.

Harry let his hand slide down under her dress, trailing up her thigh to finger the silk knickers she was wearing underneath. "Just after."

Then he was pushing the little half jacket off of her shoulders and unzipping her dress, watching it pool at her feet. His eyes darkened at the sight of the black lace bra and matching knickers before he hooked his thumbs in the material and tugged them down, leaving her in nothing but her bra. Ginny watched him lick his lips and desire shot through her.

Seeing Harry enthralled by her was an image she would never tire of seeing. She loved watching his reactions to her. Her eyes followed his hands as he pulled his jumper over his head, followed by his tee shirt. Then he was unzipping his jeans and rolling them down his hips and she licked her own lips, eyes on his tight abs and the delicious v of his pelvis disappearing beneath the red boxer briefs he was wearing.

Her hands reached out automatically towards him, flattening against his chest before she slowly slid them down over his abs and lower to lock her thumbs in the sides of his underwear. He put his hands over hers to stop her and then he knelt in front of her. The moment that hot mouth began to kiss her own toned abs, she let out a shaky breath.

"Harry…"

"Mmm," he murmured against her skin. "Shh, I've missed you."

"You had me last night. Twice," she whispered.

"Too long," he murmured.

Then his mouth was moving lower, leaving a delicious burn wherever his beard stubble roamed: Over her belly button, down her pelvis, against her thighs, before his mouth finally pressed against her.

"Yes," she whispered.

She felt him smile against her skin and then his tongue slid over her. She reached down to take his glasses, but he covered her hand with his.

"No. I want to see you when I make you come."

Then he slid his tongue back into her.

Ginny's fingers tangled in his hair as she looked down at the man on his knees before her. The look of pure bliss on his face as his tongue stroked her was almost enough to send her over the edge. It never failed to amaze her how this incredible man had chosen her. He was hers and she knew how lucky she was to have him.

His tongue moved over her clit and she let out a sharp gasp and then when he sucked it between his lips, she knew he meant to drive her mad with need. Two fingers joined his tongue and when he lifted one of her legs, resting it on his shoulder, she tangled her fingers even tighter in his hair and cried out as she tumbled over the edge.

Harry licked his lips, grinning widely at her when she finished before he stood up and tugged her towards him. Ginny started to say something, but before she could, he'd pushed her up against the glass of the French door leading to their balcony.

"Put your hands on the glass," he ordered.

Butterflies dragged through her stomach at his growl and despite just coming, desire shot through her. Ginny flattened her palms against the glass and she could see his reflection in the dim light. She watched him struggle out of his boxer briefs and then his hard erection was pushed up against her arse and she whimpered slightly.

He moved her legs apart and then she watched him squat down to get the right angle before he slid into her. They both moaned at the contact and he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

"Bloody hell, Gin, you feel incredible."

Ginny tilted her head back. "Move, Harry."

He gripped her hips tightly and did just as she ordered. The slow slide of him deep inside of her was strong enough to cause her to push up against the glass. Her nails slid over the window panes as her cheek pressed against the cool glass and each thrust smacked her against the door.

"Faster," she grunted.

Harry did as he was told and Ginny worked to keep her palms on the glass in an attempt to keep her balance. When one of his hands slid around to play with her clit, she groaned at the first stroke. She was halfway there when he pulled out and spun her around. Ginny didn't wait for him. She jumped into his arms and locked her legs around his waist, gripping him with her hand and impaling herself back onto him.

Harry groaned and stumbled into the wall. Ginny placed both of her hands on the wall behind him, trusting him to hold her weight as she rode him in place. The feel of his thick, hard cock moving in and out of her was almost enough to get her there on its own. His mouth covered her breast through her bra, sucking on a nipple through the silk and lace and she picked up her pace, shagging him faster, needing more friction.

Then his thumb found her clit again while his other hand unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts. His head ducked under the dangling bra to suckle her more thoroughly while his thumb circled her and she moaned, meeting him thrust for thrust again and again. A picture fell off of the wall next to them, but neither of them made any motion to stop. Instead, Harry took a step towards the bed, slipping halfway out of her before he covered her body with his. He ripped her bra off fully, tossing it behind them, and pushed deeper inside of her. The change of angle was exactly what she needed and she arched back, crying out as she came.

Harry kept up his pace for almost a full minute before he joined her, their fingers clasping together as he came, riding her into the mattress. He collapsed on top of her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his breathing hard.

"Fuck, I needed that."

Ginny chuckled, her nails teasing down his spine. "So did I."

Harry rolled off of her, pulling her with him so that they were side by side before he tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her deeply. When he pulled back, they were both breathless.

"So," he began, a satisfied smile on his face. "Why don't you tell me about your match now?"

Ginny's fingers trailed over his collarbone. "Are you sure that you can stay awake long enough to listen?"

"Yes," he insisted, kissing her shoulder. "Because after you tell me all about the match against Kenmare, I'm going to console you."

"Oh? And how are you going to do that, Mr Potter?"

Harry kissed her shoulder again, his green eyes twinkling. "Wait and see, Harpy."

She laughed and leaned in to kiss him, reaching around to smack his arse hard enough for the crack to echo in their silent room. "All right."

And when she began to talk, he adjusted his glasses, those green eyes on hers with his full attention. He listened to every word, made comments and complaints about the other team, and when she finished, he covered her mouth with his and pulled her on top of him.

He pecked her lips and cupped her cheek. "I think we'd both feel a lot better if you shimmied on up here and rode my face."

She blushed. "My oh my, you're getting bold, Auror Potter."

"No," he whispered, his hands sliding down to cup her bottom. "Not bold, just hungry for you."

Ginny rubbed against him. He was hard again and when she rolled her hips, they both moaned. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes," he growled, lifting her up his body by her bum. "Get up here."

She did as he wanted, playing with her nipples as she situated her knees on the mattress on either side of his face. Harry gripped her hips and pulled her closer and then his tongue swept over greedily and she made a soft mewling sound.

"Harry…"

He licked her and then licked his lips. "You'll come for me and then I'm going to bury myself deep inside of you and make you come again."

"Yes," she gasped. "Yes, please!"

Then he was pulling her down to his mouth and using his tongue skillfully. Ginny knew in that moment that no matter what was happening as long they could keep finding their way back to each other at the end of the day, that everything would be all right.

~ TTTC ~

Sirius was nervous. He was more than nervous; he was bloody terrified and he didn't know how to calm himself down. After hearing all about them and after looking at countless pictures; he still couldn't quite believe that he was about to meet his children.

His blood.

His babies.

His heart was pounding in his chest and when he realized his hands were clammy, he shoved them into his pockets. He let Harry take his arm and Apparate them to Black Cottage as Harry had explained why Sirius had to be removed from entering the properties on his own.

It sent a shiver down his spine at just the thought that Harry had been worried about soulless him wanting to hurt his kids. He wanted to vomit at the thought of it.

His morning had already been a long and stressful one. He had gone with Harry to St Mungo's first thing that morning and been admitted to the private ward that Harry was holding for Zee. It had taken every strength he possessed to force himself to walk through the door.

When they entered, the first thing he'd seen was Colt Jackson sitting in a chair, holding his granddaughter's hand. Colt paled at the sight of him and stood up.

"Holy hell! You're actually goddamned back from the dead!"

"Surprise," Sirius said, trying to keep his voice light.

Colt shook his head and moved across the room to stand in front of Sirius, shaking his head. "Goddamn, it's good to see you, boy."

Then Sirius was gripped strongly between the old man's arms and he hugged him back, surprised at the welcome.

"It's good to be back, Colt."

Colt smiled when he released him. "Our boy's been working his ass off trying to figure things out with you and with our Zahira here… it's been a hell of a year, let me tell ya."

Sirius nodded. "I bet. It's been a lot to take in."

Colt clasped his shoulder. "I'll leave you two to see Zahira. You going to see Mina and Leo after?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Harry said.

Colt nodded. "All right then. I'll head on home for a bit. Flo will be by just after ten if you want to hang around until then. Sirius, it's good to see you."

Sirius' heartbeat seemed to ring in his ears. He remembered Harry had said something about someone being here as often as possible to sit with her and that Colt and Flo had moved to England. He had taken note of the officers standing guard outside of her room as well. When Colt disappeared, closing the door behind him, Sirius finally let himself look at the woman lying lifeless in the hospital bed and something caught in his throat.

The first thing he thought was that she looked like she was sleeping, only not. His Zahira was a wild sleeper. She was always stretched across the bed, legs tangled with his, hair wild if she forgot to wrap it. Her mouth was usually open and she usually snored softly (not that she believed him when he teased her). But this… she was too still, wrapped up to her chest with the sheet, her eyes closed.

Her dark hair flecked with gold and deep browns was a wild mess of curls around her face, down her shoulders. He could see the curve of her shoulder in the hospital gown she was wearing and a hint of the niffler tattoo on her neck. His eyes fell to the cathedral star engagement ring she still wore on her hand and he moved towards the bed, linking his fingers with hers.

"Zee…"

Part of him expected her to respond despite knowing she wouldn't. He pressed her hand against his face, feeling her pulse under his fingers.

"I'm back, baby. I… I don't really understand all of the how of it, but I am. I'm here and I need you," he said, kissing her hand. "I know part of you is still in there and I know that those bastards did something awful to you. I should have stopped it. I should have fought harder to protect you."

Harry placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder, but he didn't turn to look at him.

"Harry's here with me. We're going to go see Mina and Leo. I'm so excited to meet them and terrified too. I've missed out on their whole lives. I've missed everything and… Zee, please, baby. You just have to hang on, all right? You have to keep fighting. I'm not giving up on you. You've never once given up on me and… we need you back, hot mama. We need you here."

He kissed her hand again, letting his lips linger over her knuckles.

"I love you, Zahira. I love you."

They didn't speak anymore.

They just sat there together and Sirius kept his eye on Zee, watching the flashing spells monitoring above her and declaring her still breathing, but unable to reach out to them. When Flo arrived, it was a relief to go even if every part of him insisted he couldn't leave her.

"I'm leaving now, Zee," he whispered. "I'm going to see our children. I'll kiss them hello for you. I love you. I'll be back soon."

Sirius pressed his lips against her forehead, one tear falling onto her pale bronzed skin and he brushed it away with this thumb before he stood up.

Flo watched him for a long moment before she nodded. "Good. Our Sirius would cry over his woman like this. Get over here and give me a hug."

He did, surprised at the warmth he felt from her embrace. "Hi, Flo."

Flo kissed his cheek before she let him go. "You've been missed. Now get on out of here and go meet those babies of yours."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, making her smile.

When they left the room, he felt a little lighter and that much more terrified for the future. He had been gone for almost three years and he knew that returning after that was going to be a lot to deal with for more than just him. These people he loved and knew had moved on with their lives; they'd learned to live without him. They had learned to live in a world where he didn't exist and moving back into their lives was going to cause a tidal wave for all of them.

He didn't even want to think about what it meant for his own life. How was he going to even begin to live again? Was he just supposed to pick up where he left off? There was a lot of questions he still needed to ask, but right now the only things he wanted to think about were his family. He needed to figure out how to get Zee out of this coma and he needed to meet his kids. He needed to see them.

He followed Harry up the drive to Black Cottage now and he was surprised to see them greeted at the door by a barking dog that looked remarkably like his own Animagus form.

"This is Padfoot," Harry said, reaching down to scratch the dog. "He's a bit protective."

Sirius reached a hand out and Padfoot sniffed it a moment, those eyes on him before he licked Sirius' hand.

Harry grinned and reached down to scratch the dog behind the ears. "Good boy."

"How long have you had him?" Sirius asked.

"I found him the summer after you… he came to me when I was running on the beach and I just… I felt like you'd sent him to me. It was why Zee and I decided to name him Padfoot."

Sirius smiled. "I like to think that I did send him to you. It's a nice thought."

"You don't remember anything about being with my mum and dad and grandparents in the afterlife?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. I just… I have this sense that I was happy; at peace."

Harry nodded and kicked off his shoes. Sirius did the same and then followed Harry around the corner of the tiny entrance way that he called home, passed the shelves he'd built to cover the cupboard under the stairs, and into the living room. It looked mostly the same, he noted. There were baby things around, toys scattered, but the room hadn't changed much. More photos on the fireplace and hanging on the walls, but it was his house.

It was home.

He found Sorcha standing in front of the fireplace, her hands clenched together as she stared at him.

"Harry… S-Sirius."

"Sorcha," Sirius said, a soft smile tugging on his lips.

Sorcha shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe you're really back."

"Yeah, that seems to be the common consensus."

Sorcha smiled and held her hand out to him, when he took it, she tugged him towards her for a hug. "Welcome home, Sirius."

The warmth of her words made tears catch in his throat and he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Ah-ree!"

"Ah-ree!"

Sirius turned at once from Sorcha's gaze to see two little toddlers making a beeline from the sunroom and straight for Harry. He watched his son crouch down to hug them both as they chattered on and on in mostly non-sense and tug on Harry's hand.

"Wait a minute," Harry said. "I have someone for you to meet."

The boy, Leo, tilted his head a little in a gesture so like the one that Sirius often saw in the mirror, it made his heart jump into his throat. Then Leo's gaze turned to look at him, big brown eyes (Zee's eyes) meeting his. He stared at the curls on his head, the chubby little baby cheeks, and his heart positively burst from his chest.

This was his son. His son.

"Dada?"

Sirius' body jolted at the word. His hands were clammy and his heart was pounding so loud that he thought they could hear it. He wanted to speak, but when he opened his mouth to do, nothing came out. Harry seemed to notice because he cleared his own throat.

"That's right, Leo," Harry said, reaching out to touch Sirius' arm. "This is your dad, Mina."

Mina.

Sirius finally tore his eyes away from the little boy to take in the girl. She was staring at him suspiciously. Her hair was a tangle of curls just like her brother's, but even more unruly. It was the same dark brown with hints of gold like her mother's, but with a jolt he realized she had his grey eyes: The Black eyes. Her features were a tad softer, but she had the same baby cheeks as Leo, her lips a little poutier. They were both so beautiful it broke his heart to know he'd missed out on so much of their life.

This was his daughter. His daughter.

He swallowed as he watched Leo take a step closer to Harry, but Mina turned and ran towards the sofa. A moment later she returned with the picture frame that sat on the table. It was a photo of Harry, Sirius, and Zee in Russia. She pointed to Sirius in the photo.

"Dada!"

Again, the word surprised him. Dada… Harry had always been his son and always would be, but hearing that word from the twins was making his legs tremble. He wanted to fall to his knees, to pull them close and never let go. Again, when he tried to speak, no words came out.

Harry took the photo from Mina and began to point to the people in it. "That's right, Mina. See, Mama, Dada, Harry." He pointed to Sirius. "Dada."

Mina moved closer to Harry, still looking unsure.

Sirius crouched down to their level and held his hand out, hoping the kid couldn't see that it was trembling. He swallowed and finally managed to croak out words. "Hi, Mina. Hi, Leo. I'm your… Dada."

Leo looked at Harry in question and when Harry nodded, Leo took a tentative step towards Sirius. "Pway?"

Sirius swallowed back tears as Leo touched his hand. The feel of the soft hand, somewhat sticky but warm, touching his own made it all seem real. He wiped a stray tear away from his eye and let the boy lead him into the sunroom to where a huge container of building blocks was situated. Leo picked up one of the blocks and handed it to Sirius.

"Dada, big towa."

Mina was in Harry's arms as Harry came to sit next to the container, holding her in his lap.

"You want to build a big tower, Leo," Harry said.

Leo babbled something that Sirius assumed meant yes and then urged Sirius to take the block.

"I'd love to help," Sirius said, taking a seat next to Harry.

Leo babbled a bit as he passed Sirius blocks, helping him build a tall tower. Sirius couldn't stop watching them. His eyes kept moving from Leo to Mina and back again. They were their own little people. Their eyes were wide in excitement, curly-haired and beautiful. He wanted to hold them. He wanted to kiss them. He wanted them to know that he loved them more than he could put into words and the more he watched them move, the more that love gripped him by the heart and squeezed.

Sirius could see how their little minds were working. He could see how their brains were contemplating where to put each piece, which parts connected where. It was amazing to witness and reminded him of Harry. He'd missed out on Harry at this age, but he hoped that he'd made up for it later. That made his breath catch again as he realized that Harry would never again be this small. His firstborn in everything but blood was a man now. He watched Harry help Mina fix the corner of the tower and when she beamed at him, Sirius smiled. They adored him and it made his heart feel good to know that they had such a charming big brother.

He took the block Leo passed him to place it on the top of the growing tower and once it reached past the toddler's waist, Mina kicked it and it crumbled down.

"Uh-oh! Towa fa don!" Leo exclaimed as Mina giggled.

"Gan!" Mina demanded, moving out of Harry's arms to help her brother. "Gan! Gan!"

The two of them worked together, urging Sirius to help. When the tower reached a height they couldn't reach anymore, Mina marched in front of Sirius.

"Dada up! Big towa!"

Sirius reached down to pick her up, holding her up so that she could place the next block on the top. The feel of her in his arms, the strength of her… the fact that he could hold his daughter like this in his arms — it was enough to make his eyes swim in tears. Merlin, he hadn't known he could love like this, so suddenly. But he did. He loved them without question and it terrified him as much as it moved him. When he put Mina down, Leo marched over and demanded him to do the same. When he picked up his son, the same strong emotion swamped him and this time he let the tears stream down his cheeks.

He smiled and laughed, interchanging between Mina and Leo as he lifted them up into his arms to let them make the tower higher and higher. They giggled in joy and the sound made his heart swell in his chest. When the tower inevitably reached a height too high to properly sustain itself, it toppled over and Leo squealed.

"Uh-oh!"

"Fa don!" Mina exclaimed.

Mina laughed and ran into Sirius' arms, giving him a quick hug before scurrying off to build more of the tower and a single tear rolled down Sirius' cheek. The hug had startled him, but when she left his arms, he'd immediately felt empty like he'd lost a limb he hadn't known he'd needed.

"You okay?" Harry asked, reaching out to touch Sirius' arm.

Sirius shook his head, wiping away the tear. "They're beautiful. I… I don't know what to say."

Harry gave him a small smile. "Leo, Mina. Dada's sad, can you give him a hug?"

The twins both turned and launched themselves into Sirius' arms without question. Sirius wrapped his arms around both of them, love swamping him like he couldn't explain. They smelt like kids, that sent of fresh soap, a bit of sweetness, and a bit of pee. They were warm against his chest and he kissed both of their heads, pulling them closer.

"Dada!" Mina said, her big grey eyes staring up at him before she shoved her fingers at his mouth and pushed his lips into a smile. "Eee!"

Sirius kissed her forehead. "I'm not sad anymore, baby girl. Thank you."

Mina escaped from his grasp to turn back to the tower, but Leo made himself comfortable on Sirius' lap, playing with the buttons on his shirt. He pointed to each button and said something unintelligible before he giggled and flicked the button with his finger. Sirius kept his hands on the little guy's hips, holding him in place and relishing every moment that this child was giving him attention.

Eventually Mina seemed annoyed that her brother had abandoned her and she moved to join him on Sirius' lap. Unlike her brother's fascination with the buttons, Mina began to point to the tattoos on Sirius' exposed arms.

"Eee!" she squealed. "Doggie! Woof!"

She pointed continuously and Sirius just watched her, patiently telling her what every object was that she pointed too. Leo grabbed his other arm, doing the same thing with his tattoos on the arm he held.

He stayed through lunch. He couldn't stop watching them. Eyes on how they ate their grilled cheese and pieces of apple; watched them drink their milk. His heart felt unbearably full and he couldn't quite process that these two beautiful little humans were his. He had helped make them. They were part of him.

When they finished their lunch, Harry announced that it was nap time. There were a few tears, but after Leo demanded Sirius read them a story, the two of them settled down into their little beds and went to sleep. Harry closed the nursery door and they went downstairs.

Sirius took a seat on the sofa, eyes on the charm Harry enacted to show the twins' room and he just watched them sleeping, unable to look away.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked, sitting down next to him.

Sirius shook his head, tears trailing down his face. "No, I… they're so beautiful."

Harry moved to hug him and Sirius held him close. "They know you from the photos. Zee and I always made sure that they knew who their dad was. Every night when they go to bed we show them the photo and say how much their mum and dad love them."

"Do you think they're wondering where the hell I've bloody been all this time?"

"No, Uncle Siri. They're still babies and they don't wonder that."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I just do," Harry assured him.

Sirius nodded, not knowing what else to say. "Can we stay until they wake up?"

"We can stay as long as you want," Harry assured him. "I told Grandmama that we would take care of them."

Sirius kept his eyes on the image of the nursery projected by the spell, his eyes on their sleeping figures. Mina was sleeping upside down in her bed, her face at the end of the bed, the blankets kicked off. Leo was sleeping all bundled like a burrito, with one foot sticking out.

"Is it weird for me to look upon them and know that I love them without really knowing them? I just feel this mad desire to want to fight anyone who tries to hurt them."

"I think that's fairly normal," Harry admitted. "I dunno though. I love them and I love Teddy, but I'm not their dad."

"Their dad," he whispered, shaking his head. "I never thought… I always assumed raising you would be my only chance at fatherhood."

Harry grinned. "I had no complaints."

Sirius elbowed him lightly. "Thank you, Harry. Thank you for bringing me here, to meet my children. Thank you for loving them and helping Zee and… thank you."

"I learned from the two best men I've ever known."

Harry reached out to clasp his arm and Sirius couldn't help but smile back at him.

"We're going to figure this out, Prongslet. You and me. Moony, Tonks, everyone… No matter what happens, we're going to make sure that Zee comes back."

"But —"

"No," Sirius insisted. "I'm not suggesting anyone bloody offs me here, but I know that we're going to make the best choice. We're going to bring Zahira back."

"How?" Harry asked. "Borage and Slughorn were clear, Uncle Siri. If you're alive, she's not. I can't choose between you."

"I'm not asking you to," Sirius said. "What happened here… it's not normal. This is magic unlike anything anyone has seen in centuries. I know that. I know that all magic comes with a price and that bringing me back meant a sacrifice. I get it. It bloody-well sucks, but you know what else I know? I know that I wasn't given another chance at life just to die again without the woman I love by my side. I refuse to believe it's me or her. I won't."

"Uncle Siri, we've been looking for months. Zee's running out of time."

"But she's not out of time yet," Sirius insisted.

Harry nodded, his eyes on Sirius. "All right. Where do you want to start?"

Sirius squeezed Harry's arm, feeling a bit lighter. "At the beginning. Let's go over everything you know."