In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*1 month later

The battle was now over, and Hogwarts was closed for rebuilding. So in the time since, Briar felt like she had attended a million funerals, and she had shed more tears than she ever thought possible. But now a month had passed and she was beginning to settle herself back into normal life.

All her wounds from Greyback's claws had healed, leaving white scars on her upper arm, and the rest of her bruises and cuts were faded.

Remus and Tonks had left her their money, and it turned out when her mother had died the money had gone to Remus, so that was added on top of his own money, and this meant Briar had enough money to buy herself a small cottage in the village next to the Weasleys's, and now that the place had been furnished she was heading to Andromeda's, Tonks's mother, to pick up Teddy

"Hi, dear," Andromeda smiled as she opened the door for Briar

Truthfully Andromeda would be a good guardian for Teddy, but she was quite old and looking after a baby would put a lot of wear on her, so they had agreed Briar would take him

"Hi," she smiled back "How is he?"

"Been a bit fussy today, but he settled down around lunch," she replied and led Briar upstairs, into what had been Tonks's room, but had temporarily become Teddy's nursery

Babbling away in the crib was her little brother, and when she picked him up, his little tufts of hair went from yellow to blue, which made Briar laugh. Teddy seemed to have worked out that people laughed and smiled at him when his hair changed, so it had become a feature of his to do

"Hi, buddy," Briar grinned and tickled under his chin, making the adorable baby giggle

"You'll be good for him," Andromeda smiled "He needs someone young and able. Unfortunately my days of baby raising are over"

"Come on Teddy, say goodbye to grandma Andy," Briar said to the baby and passed him into Andromeda's arms. Andromeda bounced him in her arms playfully, and as she did so Briar could see tears brimming in her eyes. "Andy, are you okay?"

"Yeah," she sniffed "Just...when I look at him I see my own baby" Tonks "I see her in him and I wish she was here"

"I do too," Briar said sadly 

"But I know you'll raise him well," she said "And I know you'll never let my baby be forgotten"

"Tonks was far too charismatic for that" Briar chuckled and Andy smiled sadly 

"I'll come round and check on him," Andy said and passed the baby back into Briar's arms "Look after him for me okay?"

"With my life," Briar said and she bid the older woman goodbye before heading out. She had confunded herself a driver's license and a car, so she strapped Teddy into his baby seat before starting the hour long journey home

When they arrived at her cottage Briar parked in the outside shed before taking out Teddy in his car seat. She had set up her spare room as a nursery for him, so she took him out of the seat and carried him through the apartment

"Welcome home, baby" she whispered as she bounced him on her hip. She sat down on her soft grey sofa and placed him on her lap, letting him tug on her hair playfully. Her eyes drifted to the coffee table, on which was a photo of her dad and Tonks on their wedding day

She reached forward without disturbing Teddy and picked up the photo. "Look at this," she cooed him and held the photo in her other hand "This is your mum and dad. And even though they aren't here with us anymore, I promise you that they loved you, and that they'll always be watching us" Teddy may not have understood a word she said, but she felt like telling him was helping anyway