Ellie didn't wake until mid morning the next day. When she did wake, she found me sitting with Lily on the couch bottle feeding her. She smiled at the sight. "How are you feeling?" I asked her.
"Rested, thank you so much."
"Not a problem," I assured her, "I told you I am here for both of you and I meant it."
She smiled softly at that.
"I'm taking Lily to the Burrow to meet Molly today," she informs me.
"I'll do some tidying up around here while you're gone," I tell her.
"I can't imagine she's going to be very happy about me allowing you to stay here and be a part of Lily's life."
"Just remember that the only person who needs to forgive me is you. Not her, or anyone else. I understand she's your friend and looking out for you but she's not the one helping you raise Lily. I am."
She nods understandingly. "Yeah, you're right."
I decided it was time for a change of subject. "So tell me all about Bradley and Walker. What is going on there?"
"Well, back in December Bradley told me that he is pretty sure he's Bisexual. But he's still figuring himself out. I told him that was all okay, and to take the time he needed to figure it out that I still loved him and he would be my son no matter what. Then at the Yule Ball he and Walker danced together, and they've been very close ever since. I don't think that Bradley is quite ready to be in a relationship just yet. I think he's still figuring himself out, but Walker doesn't seem to mind waiting for him."
I couldn't help but smile, "That's very sweet, and of course you handled it perfectly. He's very lucky to have you for a mother."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Remus," she said with a smile on her face.
"I mean it," I tell her. "You're a great mother, Ellie. I've always thought so."
"Well thank you for that," she says, smiling again. "I'm going to get ready for my day. You can handle her for a little bit longer, right?"
"Of course," I assure her. "You take your time. I've got it here."
"Great, thanks," she says as she stands up and walks out of the room headed towards the bathroom. She was still so beautiful, so brave and so strong. She's lost so much, and still she remains so full of life and never let it get her down. She isn't alone anymore, not while I am here. I am going to have to prove myself to her, but I will eventually.
-Ellie-
Molly was very excited to meet Lily. She was in love with just one look at her, which wasn't really hard to do, she was very beautiful indeed. "Look at all that hair," she beamed as she stroked Lily's tiny head, "oh you must have had terrible heartburn.
"I did," I admit, she chuckles.
"She's absolutely perfect, Ellie. So gorgeous. And I don't really see any traces of Remus in her. I just see you."
"Yeah, speaking of Remus," I say sheepishly, sitting forward a bit. "There's something that I need to tell you."
Her smile quickly turned into a hard stare, "Don't tell me he tried to reach out to you.
"Actually he showed up at my house yesterday. I wasn't there when it happened, but my kids were. When I came back, Remus was sitting on the couch holding Lily. So I took Lyanna into my room and I asked her why he was here and she said he just showed up saying he wanted to see his daughter."
Molly gasped, "And she just let him."
"She did, and believe me I told her off for it. But then Remus and I talked, and he sounded very serious about wanting to be in Lily's life. So I have decided to give him a chance, but before you say anything he knows he's only getting one chance. If he changes his mind again he's out of her life for good."
"Well as long as he knows he's on thin ice until further notice."
"He knows, believe me."
She nods, "Good, and you're not back together?"
"No, and that probably won't happen for a while now. Being realistic, I know if he keeps it up we probably will get back together but he still has to prove himself to me first."
"I just hope that you stick to that, I know how your brain shuts off when he's around. You even told me last year that he still has a hold on you."
"You don't need to worry about me. It will all be okay."
And for the most part it was okay. I stayed strong and I didn't let Remus get to me. I had to stick to my guns about this. It got harder as the weeks went on. Since I converted the spare room into a nursery for Lily, we were sharing my bed every night. When he first arrived, he wanted to do everything. We actually had a small argument about it. We couldn't co-parent if he didn't let me do anything. I knew he was trying to bond and make up for the two weeks he was gone, but I couldn't let him do everything for me.
He admitted to me that it was Bradley that convinced him to come. He received a letter from him, telling him that he had a daughter and that he should feel terrible for what he did. He had even sent the photo that I sent to Bradley when I told him I had the baby. He said it was the wake up call that he needed, that it helped him realize that what he did was awful and it made him decide to come back and be here for Lily.
I was pretty much hooked after that. He had me, and I couldn't act like he didn't.
On my birthday, I woke up and decided today was the day. I was going to tell Remus that I want him back. I loved him, and he has been so amazing these past few weeks. He wasn't in bed when I woke up. So I knew he'd be with Lily when I found him.
He was in the kitchen, making tea. Lily was in her swing rocking side-to-side in view from the living room. When Remus saw me, he smiled and said, "Hello, Ellie, happy birthday."
I couldn't wait anymore. I walked up to him and kissed him. He melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around me, holding me close to his body. When I pulled back from him he had the biggest smile on his face.
"Does that mean that you forgive me?" He asked, his voice hopeful.
I nod, smiling at him. "I forgive you. You've proven to me these past few weeks that you really are here to step up and be a father. It reminded me of why I fell for you. I love you, and I just want you to be mine again."
He cups his hands around the back of my neck holding my head up so I am looking up at him. "I love you, too, Ellie." He kissed me again, this time more ferocious and hungry. He even picked me up and set me on the kitchen counter. He started to kiss my jawline, down to my neck. He stopped for a second to say, "I'm going to put another baby in you." And then he went right back to kissing my neck.
"Oh please don't," I say, quickly, "One is enough for now." He chuckles at that. He looks at me in the eyes, placing some of my hair behind my ear. "I don't want to waste any more time. I want you, for the rest of my life. I want to get married as soon as we can."
He nods vigorously, "Yes, of course. I would love that. Wait here." He takes off, walking quickly in the direction of our room. It took him a second to get what he was looking for. He came back after a moment. "Sirius gave this to me when we were 16 after his grandmother passed and he got her ring, saying that when the time came I should give it to you. I've kept it all this time, because even though we spent all those years apart, I always had a feeling that we'd end up back together. Will you marry me, Ellie?"
"Yes," I say without thinking about it. "One million times yes."
He slid the ring onto my finger and then he kissed me. It was amazing. To think that he was going to be mine forever. I suddenly felt so overwhelmed with happiness. I started crying.
"Don't cry, Ellie," he said as he held me and rubbed my back with his hand.
"I'm so happy," I told him through sobs, "This is all that I ever wanted."
"Me too," he admits and we kiss again.
"I'm going to thank Bradley for writing you that letter," I tell him and he laughs.
He smiles, "So will I, we can do it together."
I nodded, "We will."
I instantly started writing to my friends to tell them the news. I had to tell Garrett that he was right. We got back together on my birthday. Molly didn't seem too excited but I didn't care. I was finally truly happy and I wasn't going to let anyone bring me down.
We started planning right away because we didn't want to waste any time not being married. We decided July was the best time because my older kids will be out of school then. I wanted Lyanna and Bradley to be there. That was important to me.
The rest of April anday were so amazing. Remus and I were a family, and I couldn't wait until my twins were here too. At the end of June, Dumbledore invited us to represent Harry’s family on the day of the last task. Molly had been asked to as well. Of course we said yes. This would be the first time Molly has seen Remus in years, since Archie's funeral.
Molly was more excited to see Lily than she was to see anyone else. She just loves babies. Bill was with her, and he seemed to be happy to be back here at Hogwarts. He's been off in Egypt for a few years now, so I bet Molly is so excited to have him back.
When Harry entered the room, he looked around looking confused for a moment and then he spotted us. He smiled so happily at us and walked our way. Molly hugged him so tight and told him how proud she was of him for everything he has done this year. Bill greeted him happily and said he was excited to see if the school has changed any since he's been gone.
Then I hugged him too, and Remus greeted him as well, telling him he was excited to watch him in the last task. Then Harry looked at the baby in her stroller and asked, "Is that Lily?"
"Yes, dear, this is Lily," I told him and I opened the cover a bit since we were indoors. She looked up at Harry with her big brown eyes and smiled, and Harry smiled back at her for a moment.
I overheard Amos Diggory mutter something about favoritism, and I couldn't help but think he was talking about how I was treating Harry. But he doesn't know the history I have with Harry’s parents. How Harry, before he was even born, was one of my favorite kids. When it comes to my private life I will admit that Harry has always had a special place in my heart. He's the product of a relationship I had a hand in happening in the first place.
Bill wanted to go check out the castle again, so we let Harry lead us around. He shows us the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. Molly was intrigued by the Whomping Willow tree that was planted my first year here for Remus to sneak through on the nights of the Full Moon.
When we returned to the castle for lunch, a lot of the students were surprised to see us. A lot of them rushed to say hi to Remus. Lyanna had taken Lily from us and she showed her off like a trophy to all of her friends. Bradley even came over to say hello, and I thanked him for writing to Remus because it made him realize what he had done. He admitted that his intention was to just make him feel bad, but he was glad that Remus was here now.
Then that night it was time for the third task. I told both Harry and Cedric good luck before we took our seats, and then the last task of the Triwizard Tournament began. Remus and Molly were so excited to watch because they hadn't been here for the other two like I had been. Remus bounced Lily on his knee so she could also see what was going on around her. Molly leaned in so she was by my ear and told me that Remus was very good with our daughter, I had to agree with her on that.
Not that it would have made me love her any less, but I was very glad that Lily survived her first Full Moon without turning into a miniature werewolf. Remus was scared for nothing. Remus was obviously more relieved about this than I was.
Fleur came back first, and she looked tattered and torn up. Then Viktor returned, and he also looked tattered and torn up. It was a moment later that we realized that meant that someone from Hogwarts would be taking the cup. It didn't matter who, but one of then would win for Hogwarts. I was suddenly so excited.
But when Harry came back that excitement went away.
He threw Cedric on the ground, and Cedric seemed lifeless, unmoving. Everyone was clapping until Fleur let out a blood curdling scream. Dumbledore rushed to Harry, but Harry was refusing to let go of Cedric.
"He's back!" Harry shouted, "Voldemort is back!"
Made-Eye eventually got him off Cedric and took him off to the castle. I asked Molly to watch Lily while Remus and I went down to the other professors. Minerva asked if Remus and I would help Professor Sprout get all of the children back to their dorms, so we did just that.
All I could think about was Harry. He said Voldemort was back. What had he seen? What had happened to him? Was he hurt? All of the questions were burning in my mind and I couldn't shake them. It was driving me mad.
_________________________
Here's part 43!
They're back together, they're engaged, they have a daughter, and the second war is about to start.
It's going to be a bumpy ride, folks!
-Emily Winchester.