"Okay, so, this story?" Sirius prompted eagerly.
"Right." Ginny nodded, pulling away from Fred. She returned to her seat, gratefully accepting the comforting hand Harry held out for her. "Where was I?"
"Harry broke up with you..." Ron said. His face portrayed his confusion.
"That's right. He broke up with me at Dumbledore's funeral." Ginny said.
"Wow!" George's eyes doubled in size. "Talk about bad timings, mate."
"Hey, I didn't want to do it." Harry rolled his eyes. "But, like I said, I had my reasons."
Ginny squeezed his hand tighter and offered him a small smile. "Your stupid, noble reasons."
"What were the reasons?" Hermione asked softly.
This time, Harry responded. "Simple. I did it to keep her safe. You all know that Voldemort will stop at nothing to be the greatest dark wizard. He doesn't care who he hurts in his battle for power. He wouldn't have thought twice about hurting Ginny to weaken me, especially if he knew how much she meant to me."
"Didn't stop him watching her on the map every chance he got." Ron snickered. Hermione swatted his arm and shot him a warning glare.
"Like you were any better?" She scolded.
"You watched me? That's gross." Ginny pulled a face of disgust.
"Oh, but it's romantic when Harry does it, right?" Ron raised a brow. Ginny's cheeks blushed crimson. Ron shook his head. "No, I didn't watch you. I, um, well, I made a pretty crappy choice about half way into our little mission."
"Little mission?" Hermione scoffed. "I'd hardly call it little."
"What did you do?" Harry asked nervously.
"Before I tell you, I need you all to not attack him. He got an earful from Hermione, and let's just say Mrs. Weasley almost lost her voice from screaming when she found out. It made the Howler she sent in our second year sound like a nursery rhyme." Harry chuckled.
"Oh God, what did I do?" Ron paled.
"You abandoned us." Hermione huffed, folding her arms across her chest.
An echo of surprised gasps followed, accompanied by a few sets of bulging eyes.
"In my defence, I'd been wearing the Horcrux all day, and we all know what those things are capable of." Ron said, holding his hands up in surrender.
"What the bloody hell is a Horcrux?" Fred asked.
"That's an even longer story." Harry shook his head. "Cliff notes version. It's a piece of Voldemort's soul. We had to destroy them to beat him."
"I don't think now's the time for that story." Ginny said, her eyes flicking to Lily in her husband's lap.
"I agree." Hermione nodded, placing a protective hand over Hugo's shoulder.
"That bad?" Remus raised a brow. "Sounds like you've all had quite the journey to reach this happy new life."
"Let's just say it took a very difficult sacrifice to finish the job." Ginny said, shuddering at the memory.
"Well, it was an easy decision considering the alternative if I didn't do it." Harry shrugged. "But, I see what you mean."
Ginny's eyes narrowed at her husband. "Are you sure you want to have that argument now?"
"No, Ma'am." Harry blanched, shaking his head.
Sirius and Remus suddenly started to laugh quietly, both glancing at each other. Harry observed their silent exchange.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing." Remus chuckled. "You both just remind us of James and Lily."
"Your parents, not your children." Sirius added when both James and Lily turned to look at them.
"I figured." Harry nodded with a smile.
"I think your father was a little terrified of your mother, too." Remus said. "He loved her dearly, but her temper always made him nervous."
Harry nodded his head in understanding. He knew the feeling well. He loved Ginny with every fibre of his being. She was his everything. But she could be downright terrifying when she wanted to be. Ginny squeezed his hand tightly, and he turned to look at her. Her smile made his heart skip a beat.
"I'm not the only one terrified of my wife." Harry smirked. "Ron's had his fair share of shaken up moments."
Ron chuckled and turned to his younger self and young Harry. "My advice? Just do as your wives tell you, and all will be fine."
"Stop scaring them." Hermione rolled her eyes, gently swatting at Ron's arm. She turned to Hermione and Ginny. "We're not that bad."
"Uh, no offence." Ginny said cautiously. "But I just witnessed myself scare an entire household of fully grown adults within ten minutes of arriving."
Ginny burst out laughing, which made the others laugh, too. "She's got you there, Hermione."
Harry chuckled at his wife. Suddenly, he felt his mirror vibrate in his pocket. Ginny must have heard it, too, because her head whipped around in his direction instantly.
"Is that...?"
"Possibly." Harry nodded. He lifted Lily off his lap. "I'll be right back."
Lily quickly climbed into her mother's lap as Harry pulled the mirror from his pocket and raced from the room.
"What's happening, Mum?" James asked eagerly.
"I'm not sure, James. I'm hoping it's Kingsley with good news." Ginny sighed.
Mrs. Weasley stood from her seat and brushed imaginary dirt from her apron. "I think I'll make a pot of tea. Girls, will you help me?"
Ginny, Hermione, Victoire, Rose, and Lily all stood up. Mrs. Weasley startled, as if she'd forgotten her granddaughters were here, but she soon smiled warmly at them before leading them all into the kitchen.
Hermione, who sat beside Ginny, placed a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder. "I'm sure it's good news. We did everything the note said."
"I know." Ginny sighed. She turned to her sister-in-law, both of them sharing a nervous glance.
"Mum?" James spoke in a soft voice. "Are you okay?"
Ginny turned to her son, schooling her features into a calm, confident mask. "I'm fine, James. Everything will be fine, I promise."
"Who's Dad talking to?" Albus asked.
"Mr Shacklebolt, I hope. He's helping to get us all home." Ginny said. "Until then, we have to stay here and.."
"Stay hidden." James rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."
Ginny chuckled at her son, shaking her head in amusement. "James, I know you're bored and frustrated, but you have to remember we're in a lot of danger being here."
"I know, but I feel like I'm suffocating in here, Mum!" James whined. "What's the worst that could happen if I went outside for five minutes?"
"You could be killed." Ginny said seriously. Across the table, she saw Harry and Ron exchange nervous glances. "If I remember correctly, Death Eaters are taking shifts to stand guard outside this very building. They might not be able to see it, but they know someone is here." She turned to Sirius, who was watching her with curiosity. "Right?"
"Right." Sirius nodded in agreement. "Your mum is right, James. Death Eaters will kill you on sight if they catch you. Trust me, I hate being trapped in here as much as you do, but it's for the safety of everyone. Your dad especially needs to be kept safe right now."
"See." Ginny said. "If anything happens to him," she pointed at Harry across the table, "our future is destroyed."
"Alright, alright." James huffed. "I get it. I'll stay inside."
"Thank you, James." Ginny smiled. "I promise, as soon as we get home, you can spend as long as you like outside."
James' face lit up as he sat up straighter in his chair. "Can we go camping in the forest again?"
"Of course." Ginny nodded.
James and Albus started planning their upcoming camping trip excitedly. Mrs. Weasley and the girls returned from the kitchen, playing trays of teacups on the table as well as three full teapots. Ginny placed a tray of milk jugs and sugar pots in the centre of the table, and Hermione placed a tray of biscuits beside it. Just as they all took their seats around the table, Harry hurried into the room. Ginny was on her feet within seconds.
"What happened?" She asked urgently.
Harry approached her, his hands on her shoulders. She could tell by his expression that he was panicked. "The folder I left on my desk, did you give it to Kingsley?"
"Yes." Ginny said with certainty. "I put it in his hands myself, just like you said."
"Did you give him the book that the folder was sitting on?"
"Book?" Ginny's eyes widened. "What book?"
"Damnit, Ginny." Harry exhaled sharply. "Is it still on my desk?"
"Harry, what happened?" Ginny asked nervously.
"Is the book still on my desk?" Harry almost yelled, gripping her shoulders tightly.
"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed. "I didn't touch anything except for the note and the folder you left."
"You were supposed to give him the book, too." Harry said firmly.
"The note didn't say to give him a book." Ginny shook her head.
"Yes, it did." Harry argued.
"No, Harry." Hermione stood up. "It didn't. I read that note twice, and you never mentioned a book."
Ginny pulled the crumpled note from her pocket, where she'd stashed it in a rush after following Harry's instructions. She unfolded it and held it out to her husband. "See for yourself. I might have been angry, but I made sure I did everything you asked."
Harry took the note, his eyes skimming over his own messy handwriting. "Crap. Okay. I'm sorry, you're right. It was my mistake, not yours."
"Daddy, what's wrong?" Lily asked, easing herself between her parents.
"Nothing, Princess. Everything's fine." Harry said. "Why don't you kids go upstairs and play?"
When none of the children moved, Sirius stood up. "Come on, kids, let me show you something cool."
James, Albus, Lily, Hugo, and Rose all looked up at their parents, waiting for permission.
"Can we, Dad? Uncle Sirius has some really cool stuff!" James exclaimed.
Ginny caught the way Harry's breath hitched in his throat. Sirius cleared his throat, but he smiled warmly at James.
"Go for it." Harry nodded with a smile. "Just be careful."
"Let's go!" James cheered.
"Come on then, kidlings, follow me." Sirius clapped his hands together once.
Harry's eyes followed his children until they were out of sight. Hermione closed the door behind them.
"Did you tell Kingsley where to find the book?" Ginny asked as they sat down again.
Harry nodded his head. "Yes, but it's going to take him a while to get to it."
"Why? It's on your desk at home, isn't it?" Ginny furrowed her brows.
"Yes, but the house is heavily warded, as is my office."
"What else do you expect from the head of the auror department." Ron raised a brow.
"So what do we do?" Ginny looked up at her husband.
"There's nothing we can do until Kingsley gets that book." Harry sighed. "Until then, we sit tight and keep everyone inside."
Ginny's shoulders slumped. Once again, her hope had been extinguished. She had hoped to be home with her children by now, in the correct time. Instead, they were still stuck in their past, scared and helpless. Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. He pressed a firm kiss to the top of her head.
"Everything will be fine, trust me." Harry whispered.
Ginny tipped her head back to look up at him. She smiled softly. "Always have, always will."
"Good." He gave her a chaste kiss. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Ginny whispered.
***
Later that night, after all the children were in bed and asleep, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione found themselves once again sat across from their older selves. It had taken Harry almost an hour to get Lily to fall asleep, but he was finally able to sneak out of the bedroom and join the others downstairs. As he walked into the living room, he released a tired sigh and dropped down onto the small two-seater couch beside Ginny. They'd had to conjure up more furniture, but with the fire crackling and the lamps lit, the room was warm and cosy.
"She okay?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah. She's out for the count." Harry sighed. He looked over across the room at Ginny and Hermione, who shared another two-seater couch. "How's she been sleeping over the last week?"
"Not very well." Hermione said timidly.
"I woke up a few times to her sitting by the window." Ginny added.
"Talking to the stars?" Ginny smiled knowingly.
"Yeah." Hermione's eyes widened. "How did you..?"
"It's something she's done since she was about three years old." Harry said. "It started when she had her first sleepover away from us. When she was old enough to understand that we weren't there and she missed us, we told her to say goodnight to the us via the stars, that way we'd be able to hear it and say it back."
"She also does it whenever Harry is away from home with work." Ginny added.
"That's so cute." Hermione smiled.
"What about the boys?" Ginny asked. "Any trouble with them?"
"Not that we've noticed." Ron shook his head. "Teddy has been there to keep an eye on them all."
"And Hugo snores like Ron." Harry smirked.
"Rose hardly moves." Ginny said. "I woke up to pee one night, and I swear I actually had to check she was still breathing."
"She's been like that since she started sleeping straight through the night." Hermione nodded. "Ron didn't sleep for almost a week for the same reason."
They all laughed softly, making sure to keep the noise down. The teens knew Mrs. Weasley would not be happy to know they were all still awake and sitting downstairs at this hour. And while she couldn't tell the adults when to go to bed, the last thing they wanted to do was upset the household. So when they heard a soft knock on the door, all eight bodies froze. They soon relaxed as Sirius popped his head around the corner.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." Harry smiled, gesturing to an empty footstool by the fire.
"You four want to keep an eye on the time. Mrs. Weasley will have your wands if she finds you down here." Sirius said, eyeing the four teens.
"We're just filling them in on the last week and how the kids were." Hermione said softly.
Sirius grinned as he sat down. "Great bunch that you've all got there. I can see traits of you all in them."
"We've been told." Ginny nodded with a fond smile.
"I see traits of their grandparents, too." Sirius smiled with amusement. "Well, the Potter and Weasley sides. Unfortunately, I don't know the Granger side."
"What traits do you see?" Hermione asked.
"Well, Rose is smart, responsible, a bit of a bookworm." Sirius began. "But she's got a hint of authority about her, just like you and Mrs. Weasley. And Hugo, he's calm, laid back, like Mr. Weasley. But he's Ron's double. Always eating, and even I've heard his snoring from the floor above."
Hermione and Ron exchanged proud smiles.
Sirius turned to Harry and Ginny. "James certainly lives up to his namesakes. He's got pranking and mischief down to an art."
"Believe me, we know." Harry chuckled. "How do you think we all ended up here?"
Sirius laughed and nodded his head. "He may bend the rules a little, but he's a good kid. Not unlike yourself, Harry. He's brave, loyal, and protective of his family. I trait I see in both versions of you."
Harry nodded and dipped his head as his cheeks warmed. Then, he looked up at his Godfather with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Padfoot."
"You're welcome." Sirius nodded once. "Now, Albus is a miniature you. No DNA test needed for that boy. And while I still have some concerns about his middle name, I can tell he's been raised right. He's wise beyond his years that kid."
"His middle name came from a man who sacrificed himself to save my life." Harry said softly. Ginny slid her hand into his. "His bravery was the reason I was able to defeat Voldemort."
"Still. He's very much his father's son." Sirius smiled. "You're raising some very fine young men, Harry."
"I hope so." Harry nodded.
A heaviness settled in his chest, sitting across from a man that had been taken from him far too soon. He wished more than anything that Sirius had been around for the best events of Harry's life. His wedding, his job success, the birth of his children. While he wasn't happy about the situation they were in, he was grateful for this bonus time he got to spend with his Godfather.
"And we can't forget little Lily." Sirius grinned.
Harry chuckled and nodded his head.
"What a girl she is." Sirius said. "I can see why she's got you wrapped around her little finger. She's a miniature Ginny. But I see a lot of your mother in her, too."
"You do?" Harry raised his brows.
"I do." Sirius nodded. "Kind, friendly, gentle, sympathetic, and just a little fiery. In fact, Ginny, you remind me of dear Lily a lot."
"Really?" Ginny smiled. "Remus once said the Potter's had a type."
"Merlin, I forgot about that." Harry chuckled. "We'd just started dating then."
"He's right." Sirius nodded. "You and your father both fell for the beautiful, fiery tempered, kind hearted redheads. I'm pleased I got to witness this. By the sounds of it, I wouldn't have if you guys hadn't come back."
Harry and Ginny both looked over at the younger versions of themselves. Both of them seemed to have sunk as deep as the couch cushions would allow, their cheeks ablaze.
"Maybe we should talk about something other than our relationship." Ginny suggested. "The last thing we want is to put pressure on either of you."
"Why not? This could move things along quicker." Sirius said, waving a hand at the two teens. "Cut out all those unnecessary awkward relationships."
"That's the thing, Sirius." Harry sighed. "Those relationships aren't unnecessary. We can't risk changing anything. Even the slightest change could ruin everything."
"He's right. We all had to go through those relationships to get to the ones we're in now." Ginny said. "Even Ron."
"Me?" Ron's head whipped up sharply. "Who do I date before.. you know.."
Ginny clamped her lips together to hold back her laughter. Harry chuckled to himself, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Lavender Brown." Harry smirked.
"Seriously?!" Ron sat up straight.
"Yep. You're her Won-Won." Ginny snorted a laugh.
"Wow." Harry tried but failed to hold back his laughter beside his best friend.
"Was that before or after Romilda tried to smuggle Harry the love potion that Ron took instead?" Ginny said, her grin widening.
"Wait, what?" Harry said, his face quickly morphing into shock horror. "Romilda, as in Romilda Vane?"
"Oh yeah." Harry nodded. "It was actually during his relationship with Lavender. That's why they broke up, remember, Ron said Hermione's name while he was unconscious in the hospital wing."
"Oh, that's right!" Ginny laughed.
"How the hell does a love potion send someone to the hospital wing?" Ron exclaimed.
"That's a long story." Harry shook his head. "A story for another time. But it all happens next year."
"Well, it sounds like you're all in for quite a year." Sirius chuckled.
"It was memorable, that's for sure." Harry nodded.
The clock above the fireplace chimed, signalling the stroke of midnight. They all decided it was time to call it a night and wished each other a goodnight. Then, they dispersed to their designated rooms. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione checked on their children before slipping into their bedrooms. Ron and Hermione practically bolted into their rooms, avoiding each other completely. Harry, however, diverted back down the stairs towards the kitchen.
He was still in some sort of shocked trance as he filled a glass with water. Just when he thought he'd gotten used to the idea of becoming a father and marrying his friend, said future wife appeared and sent his mind spiralling. He'd spent most of the day observing his future self and future wife, and even he couldn't deny that their was a bond between them. One stronger than he'd ever seen before. The strange protective feeling that tugged in his chest when he was around James, Albus, and Lily made more sense the more he watched his older self interact with his children.
Once he'd finished his glass of water, Harry headed back upstairs to bed. As he reached the landing however, he paused when Ginny stepped into the hall from the bathroom. The second she spotted him, she froze.
"Hi." She whispered.
"Hey."
"You okay?" Ginny asked, closing the bathroom door.
"Yeah, I was just getting a drink." Harry said awkwardly. "Are you.. okay?"
"I think so." Ginny nodded. "It's still so strange to watch them."
Harry nodded in agreement. "I know."
"We.. uh, they.. seem happy, though." Ginny said, lacing her fingers together in front of her. "Looks like we have a good marriage."
"Looks like it." Harry nodded. "Ron and Hermione, too."
"Yeah." Ginny smiled.
They fell into an awkward silence, both avoiding eye contact with the other. Harry didn't know what to say to her. He didn't know how to explain the feeling in his chest or the sudden pull he felt when he was around her. Like he needed to be near her.
"Well, goodnight, Harry." Ginny smiled awkwardly.
"Goodnight." Harry nodded once.
Ginny turned to walk towards her room, however she only made it three steps before Harry suddenly called out her name again. Ginny spun around instantly. She didn't say a word. She simply looked at him, patiently waiting for him to speak. The problem was, Harry didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure why he'd stopped her. Ginny took a few timid steps towards him.
"Harry? Are you okay?"
"I.. uh.. I don't know." Harry shook his head. "Sorry.."
She took another step closer. She was close enough that Harry could touch her if he lifted his hand just a few inches.
"What for?"
The pull that he'd felt before was now stronger than ever. He gazed down at her face, taking in her delicate, beautiful features. This woman, his best friends sister, his friend, was to become his wife. He was going to share what he had learnt was to be a wonderful, joyful, happy life. He couldn't help it, his eyes flicked down to her pink, full lips. She released a shaky breath as Harry decreased the small space between them. The scent of flowers washed over him.
"Harry?" Ginny whispered.
He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he could no longer resist. His curiosity got the better of him, and he crashed his lips against hers. He was worried he'd overstepped for a brief second, but that fear soon vanished with Ginny responded with equal force. Suddenly, his hands were on her waist and her arms wrapped around his neck, their bodies flush against the other. A small part of him knew he should stop, that this was wrong. But if it was wrong, why did it feel so right?