Midnight Conversations
Summary: After the events following the third task, Harry has been having trouble sleeping. One night James finds him in the kitchen and they have a father and son talk. Harry gets to ask James a question he had been dying to know, especially since he's realizing feelings for a certain redhead.
AN: I should have posted this fic before History Repeats Its self. But I am now! This is the conversation between James and Harry that was mentioned in the fic. Enjoy!
It was a quiet and peaceful night in South East England. In the town of Potter's Bar, 20 miles north of London, was a house surrounded by trees and forest. To a Muggle, the house was an average English family home. But to others, they saw something else. In the backyard, there was a flower garden and a small vegetable garden, but there also was a Quidditch Pitch, with a broom shed, something not seen in a normal garden.
In the house, lived a family of three. In the master bedroom, James and Lily were sound asleep, if the sound of James's snoring was anything to go by.
While two of the house's occupants were sleeping, the youngest one was not.
The quietness of the house was broken, by the sound of a door squeaking and quiet footsteps. As the young boy started down the stairs, the fourth step going down squeaking, causing the boy to whisper a curse that if his mother heard, she would be washing his mouth out with soap. After waiting a few breaths to see if his parents were awake, Harry continued on his way to the kitchen. Unbeknownst to his parents, this was his third night this week that he hadn't been able to sleep and the sixth time since he got home.
Harry had been home for two weeks from Hogwarts, where he was forced to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. On the night of the third task, they learned that the cup was a Portkey and Harry and Cedric was transported to Little Hangleton where Harry was forced into a ritual that brought back Lord Voldemort.
Since that night and returning home, Harry didn't sleep much. Lily had suspicions of Harry not sleeping and had taken to every few days, slipping some sleeping potions in his tea or hot chocolate. It at least let him sleep through the night without nightmares.
On the nights that nightmares did occur, Lily would send James back to bed and stay with Harry. She tried everything she could think of in the beginning, until she remembered how she got Harry to go to sleep as a baby and toddler. Massage. She would have Harry lie on his stomach to rub his back, shoulders and or neck. Other times, she had him lying on his back and massage his stomach. Didn't matter which one Lily did, Harry would be asleep in a matter of minutes.
Harry made it to the kitchen, turning the light on as he walked towards the refrigerator and got the milk and collected the cocoa from the cabinet. He had been making hot chocolate for himself since he was thirteen, Remus showed him how to make it during Christmas Break of his third year. He could do it blindfolded, he had made it so much.
When the hot chocolate was finished, Harry collected his mug and poured the chocolate drink into his mug, before he headed to the kitchen table. The day's Daily Prophet was sitting on the table, announcing Cornelius Fudge was out of the Minister of Magic office and Rufus Scrimgeour was elected as the new Minister of Magic. He declared that he believed Harry's story that Voldemort had returned and that people better be getting ready for an upcoming war.
It also announced that Kingsley Shacklebolt was taking Scrimgeour's place as Head Auror. Kingsley selected James as his Deputy Head Auror, a promotion that James welcomed, as it meant no more missions. Lily and Harry also welcomed it as it meant that James would be home more often.
Harry looked over the paper for the third time that day and dumped a handful of marshmallows into his mug, using his spoon to dunk them in further. He didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs and shuffle to the kitchen.
"What are you doing up?"
The voice caused Harry to jump and he had to cover his mouth with his hand to prevent a yelp from escaping. He looked up and found James standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His hair was messy from sleep and his night robe was open.
"Geez, Dad, you scared me," Harry hissed.
"Sorry Harry. What are you doing up?" James repeated.
"Couldn't sleep," Harry replied, folding the paper.
"Nightmare?" James asked. Harry shook his head.
"No, just could stay asleep. I should have Mum rub my back before bed," Harry mumbled, propping his head on an upturned hand.
"Yeah, your Mum's hands can work wonders," James agreed as he fixed himself a cup of hot chocolate and collected the biscuit tin. Lily had made shortbread and chocolate biscuits that morning and Sirius wasn't there to hog all the shortbread.
James sat the tin down on the table and sat down in the chair next to Harry.
"What's on your mind?" he prompted.
Harry reached into the tin and pulled out a chocolate biscuit, dunking it in the hot chocolate.
"What isn't? Voldemort's return, Cedric's death, the events of last year, how most of it is my fault-" James cut Harry off at that point.
"It is not your fault, kiddo."
Harry looked at his Dad, shock written on his face. "What?" James asked.
"You haven't called me kiddo since I was eleven."
James reached over and patted his shoulder. "I know, but I'm serious. Nothing is your fault. You didn't know that the cup was a portkey, you didn't know that Voldemort would return."
"I know, but I still think it's my fault," Harry mumbled.
James sighed. He recalled that night, that night when he and Lily had thought for a second their son was dead. But when they realized that Harry was okay and Cedric was dead, they were relieved and sadden that Amos lost his son.
But when they couldn't find their son, James and Lily began to panic. That was when they learned that Harry was taken back to the castle by Professor Moody, only to find out that he wasn't Professor Moody.
After he rescued Harry from the Moody imposter, James carried him to the hospital wing. Being under the Cruciatus Curse had made Harry feel weak and unable to walk to the hospital wing on his own. James picked him up after casting a feather-light charm on his son and carried him to the hospital wing. He helped Lily wash off the sweat, blood, dirt, and grime off of Harry, treat his injuries, and helped change him into the pajamas Lily had in her quarters. Sirius slept as Padfoot, next to Harry to allow James and Lily to sleep in the next bed, only to find himself in a tight hold the next morning.
The next day, everything came crashing down on Harry. He then did something he hadn't done since he was ten. He let Lily hold him as he sobbed into her shoulder. Lily rocked him gently, rubbing his back as she murmured comforting words as she shared a look of concern with James.
"Harry, it was not your fault," James repeated. "It was Wormtail's and Voldemort's. We're just thankful that you made it out alive. I know Amos lost his son, but I couldn't imagine life with you. Neither could your Mum, Sirius, or Remus. We love you and we'll get through this."
"I love you all too. You've had to deal with a lot with me, from the stone my first year, the chamber my second, Pettigrew my third, the tournament last year, and in between that, taking care of me when I'm sick or injured."
"We have and we'll continue it. We're your family, it's our job. I stood by you through all of it, even when I knew you were sick, especially when you had Wizard's Flu." James shuddered involuntarily. Harry looked at his father, questionably until he realized something.
"I puked on you, didn't I?" Harry guessed. Memories of those three days were a fog to him now.
James nodded. "It was not the first time, Son. You've puked on me many times. Remember the chocolate frog incident?"
Harry groaned. "Neither Ron nor I could look at one for months after that. Just thinking about it, makes my stomach roll. That was one of the stupidest things I did in my life."
To change the subject, James asked, "So do you know what you want to do after Hogwarts?"
"I don't know, I've thought about being an Auror. I've inherited your Quidditch skills so maybe play Quidditch professionally. I've thought of being a healer, but the sight of blood and vomit, makes me want to vomit."
"You inherited, Grandpa Potter's weak stomach, didn't you?" James guessed.
"I must have." Harry broke another biscuit in half and popped one half in his month. "And I really didn't know I had a weak stomach until that slug incident with Ron. It was all I could do to keep from throwing up. I turned my head when he would…." Harry trailed off, the memory had recoiled the nausea he had felt when Ron started vomiting up slugs.
"Didn't you tell your mother?" James inquired.
"Didn't have to, after witnessing that I didn't feel like eating anything so I headed up to the dorm to lie down. Mum found me and I told her what happened. She told me that I had always been like that. Seeing someone vomit made me vomit."
"You never told your friends?" James figured Harry would have. Remus was the one in the group that had a weak stomach. He and Sirius knew about it and never judged him for it. But over time, Remus was able to overcome it. So much so, he was able to stay with Harry if needed and he had vomited.
"Ron and Hermione didn't find out about it until something happened and I ended up telling them. It's still a deep secret of mine that only my closest friends know about."
Harry nibbled on his biscuit for a second, thinking of what to say next. He decided to ask his Dad about something that had been on his mind since Christmas.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
Harry took a deep breath, knowing he would hear things about his parents, he rather not know, and asked, "How did you ask Mum out?"
If James was surprised he didn't show it. Lily had told him about the Yule Ball and how much time Harry had spent with Ginny. The young redhead had a really good time and had a smile on her face all night. But Lily told him she noticed something about their son, something that when the time was right, Harry would talk to James about.
She realized that Harry was slowly but surely, falling in love with Ginny. That time, Lily had mentioned was here. James had waited for this moment since the day Harry was born.
"Which time?" James asked.
"The final time," Harry countered. "Sirius told me it took you multiple times to get Mum and she called you an arrogant toerag."
James looked his son, stunned. "Who told you that?"
"Mum."
"Figured," James sighed. He thought back to the day he finally got a yes from Lily to go to Hogsmeade with him. Lily had caved one afternoon in their sixth year and finally said yes. In truth, she had started to like the Potter boy. With the help her friends, Alice and Janice, she prepared for the date, one night was dedicated to some form of beauty rituals.
By Saturday she was ready. If James thought she was beautiful on any day of the week, she was gorgeous on Saturday. The bulky robes hid her figure and curves, her hair was down and not pulled up at the top of her head in a messy bun and curled.
After breakfast, they headed down to the village where they spend the day and by the time they came back to the castle, they were laughing and talking like old friends. Over the next week, they spend some time together. Walking around the lake, sitting with each other at meals, heading up to the Astronomy tower in the middle of the night, and even going for a fly on his broom, it didn't matter as long as they were together.
Then one afternoon a week later, James plucked up enough courage to ask her to be his girlfriend. And that was the beginning.
"Dad?"
James came out of his daydream when he heard his son's voice. Then he remembered why he was thinking of the beginning of his and Lily's relationship.
"Who's the girl?" James asked with a smile. He already knew the answer, just wanted to hear from his son.
"Ginny," Harry said, quietly.
James nodded, smiling. The little interaction, Harry had with Ginny so far had been comical for the lack of a better term. Harry was tongue-tied around her and it was apparent that his son had it bad for the Weasley girl.
"You get tongue-tied around her?" James asked.
"Yeah," Harry replied.
"You feel like your heart is going to pound right out of you?"
"Yeah."
"You feel sweaty, the palm of your hands, especially?"
"Yeah."
"What about your stomach?"
"I feel like I'm either going to throw up or my stomach feels like I swallowed a bunch of snitches."
James nodded, smiling to himself. "Son, I felt the same way about your mother."
Harry then let something else that had been bothering him off his chest. "But she's Ron's sister. I don't know how to tell him and I'm afraid of how he'll react. She's dating Michael Corner now and I know I'll have a chance because when I talked to Ron last he said that things aren't going well."
James smiled to himself, knowing what Harry was thinking.
"Let me ask you this question. How did you ask her to the Yule Ball?"
"I just asked her," Harry shrugged.
"Did Ron have problems with that?"
"No."
"Son, he trusts you with his life. He'll trust you with Ginny. If I had a sister and Sirius liked her, I would be thrilled. I wouldn't worry because I trust Sirius with my life."
Harry nodded, knowing he was worrying over nothing about how Ron would react.
"Thanks, Dad."
"Harry, how long have you liked Ginny?"
Harry nearly snorted hot chocolate up his nose. He quickly swallowed the rest of the hot chocolate and turned to his father.
"Before the Yule Ball. I can't really describe it though."
James nodded, smiling as he remembered feeling the same way about Lily. He had turned to his father one night before his sixth year and asked what he could do. He said the same thing that he had told Harry tonight.
"I think I'm in love with her," Harry whispered.
"Repeat that?" James sat up straight and leaned forwards towards his son.
"I think I'm in love in her. I've fallen in love with my best friend's sister."
James smiled, leaning back in his chair.
"I figured you have. Here's what I suggest," James began. Harry leaned forward, ready to listen to every word. "Wait until she's free. If she is by the time school is in session, then follow my advice. Ask her to Hogsmeade as soon as the first date is announced and then make a plan. Ask for her input and then spend the day together. And if you feel that the time is right, ask her to be your girlfriend.
"Thanks, Dad."
"And lastly don't share your plans with Sirius. He'll show up and make your day miserable."
"What did Sirius do?" Harry asked with a smile.
"He followed me and your Mum around and would interrupt our conversation and would announce, loudly, that we kissed and he tried to walk in between us to prevent us from holding hands. I ended up hexing him by the end of the day so I could kiss her when we came back to the castle."
Harry laughed quietly, knowing if he was loud he would wake his mother. "What happened after?" Harry inquired.
"He didn't speak to me for a day. A week later, I took advantage of some alone time with Lily and I ask her. I told her what I liked about her and then I asked her."
"So I should do that?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. It worked for me."
"Thanks, Dad."
"You're welcome, son."
Harry picked up the tin and peered in. "You do know these will be gone tomorrow, right?"
Sirius and Remus would be over tomorrow for supper. Sirius would eat up the shortbread biscuits and Remus would eat up the chocolate.
"I do. It's why I got some shortbread biscuits in a tin hidden in my office."
"Does Mum know?"
"No, she does."
James banished his and Harry's mug to the sink and the biscuit tin back to the counter. They remained at the table, discussing the possibility of going into Muggle London for a father and son day and to a Quidditch match. James had a friend of his who could get him tickets to the next Puddlemere United and Appleby Arrows match.
They had been busy discussing what they would want to do this summer that they didn't notice Lily enter the kitchen.
"What are you two doing up?" she asked.
"I had woken up, hearing someone down here and it was him," James explained. Lily turned to her son.
"What were you doing up?" she repeated.
"I couldn't sleep," Harry answered.
"Well, it's two in the morning and you both need some sleep," Lily said in her tone that didn't merit any arguing. She looked at her son, who was now yawning.
"I'll clean up in the morning. Let's go to back to bed."
The two Potter men followed Lily back up the stairs. Lily pointed to their room and motioned for James to go on in. "I'll be there in a minute," she said, quietly.
"Okay." He turned to his son. "Good night, son."
"Good night, Dad."
Harry followed his mother to his bedroom. She fixed the sheets on his bed and the comforter. Not needing to be told Harry laid down in the bed on his side.
"Turn over onto your stomach and I'll rub your back," Lily requested, as she sat down on his bedside.
Listening to his mother, Harry turned onto his stomach. He soon felt Lily's hand under his T-shirt, rubbing his back.
"Thanks, Mum," Harry murmured.
"You're welcome, sweetheart." She continued to rub his back, watching as Harry fell asleep and soon his breathing evened out, telling her that he had fallen asleep.
She gently removed his glasses, as they were still on his face and laid them down on the nightstand. She got up from the bed and tucked the covers around her son. Softly, she kissed his cheek and whispered "Good night, sweetheart. I love you."
She turned off the lamp on Harry's nightstand and left the room quietly, pulling the door halfway. She mentally noted to let Harry sleep in, in the morning as she returned to her room.
Harry would never forget the advice James gave him that night. It was advice that one day Harry could pass down to his son. It also wasn't the last midnight conversation Harry and James had. There would be many of them over the next year or two. But it was this midnight conversation that Harry would never forget.