"Oh?" Severus sat beside him with his own fishing pole, several fish already strung up next to him in a bucket of water. "Is there something she wishes for?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't think so. Aren't wishing wells just made up Muggle things?"

"No." Severus jerked his pole suddenly and Harry watched in amazement as he reeled in yet another fish. Harry had yet to catch one, as this was his first ever real fishing trip. "A true wishing well has Felix Felicious in the bottom with the water and you wish and then draw water from it to drink. It has such a small amount of the potion that it is not harmful to drink from it often, and eventually the well will once again become unlucky."

"Hm." Harry thought on that. "And you just dig the well out and line it with rocks to start with?"

Severus eyed him as he put more bait on his line and cast out again. "She is your soon to be bride, so to be more accurate, you just dig the well out and line it with rocks. I would suggest you do it in the woods towards the brook, but far enough back from the water that the potion will not dissipate out into the stream. We do not need lucky fish." He chuckled then and Harry shook his head as his father pulled out another trout.

Harry enjoyed the calmness of the morning, and the occasional banter back and forth with his father. He was so lost in peacefulness that he had almost forgotten about the third member of their fishing party until he let out a loud whoop of joy and a fish came flying out of the water towards Harry's face.

"Ugh!" Harry dodged it and the fish landed between him and his father. Harry looked out into the lake, where Draco stood waist deep in the calm water grinning.

"See Potter! Told you it wasn't that hard!"

"Well it's not fair if you cheat!" he shouted back. "Your catching my fish before they get to my hook!"

Draco shrugged and stuck his hands back down into the water, closing his eyes as he waited patiently.

"How does he do that?" Harry asked.

"I have told you before. He has elven blood in his ancestry. His grandfather I believe was half. He calls the fish to him and waits until he feels them between his hands."

"Calls them?"

"Elves are more in tune with nature than most, although I am surprised Draco has the skills needed to do as he does. His father does not acknowledge his elven ancestry and therefore does not practice their magic."

Harry hated being reminded of Lucius Malfoy, or of anything else having to do with Voldemort. Ever since he had been captured at the end of the school year, he was more anxious about the evil wizard and his followers. Draco was as well judging by the fact that he had not gone home yet, and likely wouldn't unless he wanted to face his father and join the Dark Lord, and Harry knew for a fact that he didn't want that. They had returned from Hogwarts three weeks ago to stay with Harry's father in Gildywen mountains, and had since added another bedroom to the house, and tightened security measures along the perimeter, even going as far as to add anti burning and anti explosion charms to the very wood with which the house was built. It was all in preparation of Ginny's seventeenth birthday and arrival in a week.

Despite not wanting to be away from his wife (well, not technically, but with a baby on the way he couldn't help but think of her as such) Harry had agreed with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that it would be good for Ginny to spend the first few weeks of the summer at home with them. Harry suspected it had something to do with Mrs. Weasley not wanting to let her youngest child and only daughter go so soon, but knew she wouldn't have a choice when Ginny came of age and so he allowed her one final month of free reign. Ginny was not pleased, but was resigned to let it happen.

"All in good time," Severus said quietly next to Harry.

"Huh?" Harry looked over at his father. Had he been talking and Harry had tuned out?

"You were thinking about Ginny again. She will be here in good time."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Her getting there was not what Harry was worried about. That had been worked out already. In exactly one week, Harry would go to the Burrow for Ginny's birthday, spend the day, and then bring her home. It was what was to happen at the end of the summer that he was worried about. He wanted to stay with her or near her and had not secured a flat near the castle yet, and had also not secured a job. It wasn't that he needed one with the pile of gold in his Gringotts account, but he wanted to be set with a baby boy on the way and wanted that little boy to have everything he did not have growing up... a big room full of toys and books, the best racing broom, a nice soft bed with warm blankets, stuffed animals, food... and most of all, two loving parents. Harry smiled to himself then and realized that his son would also have a loving grandparent... three to be exact.

"Has the Headmaster said anything yet about me being allowed back into the castle to see Ginny between classes?"

"She will be allowed to go home on the weekends and holidays, and during the week you will be allowed into the castle, but not to stay the night, unless under certain circumstances such as illness."

"Oh." Well, it was better than nothing, he thought. At least they would be able to see each other, but he was worried about after the baby was born. Was he to have the baby all by himself while Ginny was in classes? What about at night? What if she wanted to take him at night and then Harry couldn't be with them?

"It is best to stop worrying yourself over things at this point in time Harry," his father said calmly, and Harry let out a long, low sigh. He was still trying to figure out how to let the burden of some things fall on his father instead of on himself. It was a lesson hard learned with three ulcers. He had had two of them during the school year, and then a third in the last couple of weeks, which his father had already cured him of, but not without great cost of potions supplies.

They continued fishing for another hour before Severus went inside to prepare and store the fish, and Harry drug Draco around to the back of the house where the garden and shed were to look for shovels.

"And what do you need a shovel for?"

"Going to dig a wishing well." He smiled as he found two old shovels and used his wand to sharpen the edges of the two tools.

"Let me rephrase," Draco said. "What do you need two shovels for?"

Harry thrust the taller of the two shovels at his friend and said, "Come on. I'll never finish by myself without your help."

"What am I? Your best mate now? What about Ron?"

"We'll see. For now just help me find a good place."

They trekked off into the forest in search of the perfect spot that was not too close to the stream. An hour later found Harry breaking ground as Draco watched, leaning on his own shovel.

"Come on then," Harry urged him. "Or one day you'll need me to help with something for some girl you love and I'll just stand there lazing about."

Draco rolled his eyes but began marking a circle with his shovel. "I'll have you know we have wands for a reason."

"Dad says we can't use magic on this or it won't work."

"I know," said Draco. "Shame isn't it?"

At lunch time Draco gave up when they'd hit several rocks and a tree root, and had only dug the well a foot deep. Harry stayed behind however, determined to have it done for her. He dug well into the evening when Severus was finally forced to come and retrieve him for dinner, and was impressed with Harry's progress of three feet.

"Save the rocks in a pile over there," he instructed. "You will need them to line the well. I will conjure some rope for you in the morning as well because you will need for getting in and out of the well."

Harry frowned. "How deep does it have to be?"

"You dig until you hit water. In this case I would say fifteen to twenty feet."

As he followed his father back and took a fast shower before scarfing down a meat sandwich, Harry shuddered at the thought of being in such a deep, enclosed space. Even before being trapped in a cell and small cage at the hands of Voldemort, Harry had been slightly claustrophobic, the product of living in a cupboard under the stairs for nine years. Maybe owling Ron wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. Even if Draco helped, Harry doubted he could dig twenty feet in the remaining five days he had.

Before he went to bed, he sent a letter to Ron asking him to come the next day to work on a surprise for Ginny. He hoped his friend would show up and be willing to work, or else he was in for the long dirty haul by himself.

* * *

"Pull!" Ron strained with Harry and Draco to dislodge the large stone stuck in the dirt at the bottom of the six foot hole. He had managed to get the rope around it and tugged on it as Harry and Draco pulled at the rope from the top.

"Damn it!" Ron kicked the side of the well in frustration and then allowed himself to be pulled out of the hole by Harry and Draco. The sun was starting to set and they were all tired and hungry. Draco had grown bored after about an hour of watching the two former Gryffindors dig by themselves, and had joined in, only to get fully engrossed by the task himself.

"Reckon we need more help?" Harry asked. "I wonder if the rock goes a lot deeper than we thought."

"I don't know," Ron said, "but I could probably get Fred and George to help. Ginny's been helping in the joke shop for money so they could probably leave her at it for the day."

"Drag them here in the morning then," Harry said. "Come and have dinner before you go. I think dad has cooked something on the grill." They had been smelling something good for the last couple of hours, and Harry was sure it was something cooked over an open fire in the outside grate on the side of the house.

Tired, achy, and dirty, the three boys made their way back through the woods and to the house. Two eighteen year olds and a seventeen year old needed meat, and it appeared that Severus was ready to deliver with massive hunks of steak marinated in some sort of red sauce that was sweet and tangy at the same time.

They barely thanked him before sitting down on the grass and digging into it, gulping thirstily at the glasses of water he had brought out for them.

"What is your progress?"

"Six feet, but there's a stone stuck at the bottom," Draco said between bites of meaty, juicy goodness.

"Ron's going to see if Fred and George will come back tomorrow," Harry said, and his father nodded, amazed at their determination to get the well dug. Harry and Ron he could see, but Draco surprised him. Severus secretly knew that Draco often enjoyed manual labor, despite the fuss he put up about his hands being to fair to work with tools. It was a secret kept from Lucius, who had always insisted that Draco would not engage in common tasks fit only for servants.

Later that night, after Ron had left and Harry and Draco had retired to their rooms, Severus knocked on Harry's door, but received no answer. Curious, he opened it to find an empty room. Following a hunch, he set out with his wand and a lit lantern into the night to find his son down in the six foot hole with a hand trowel digging out the edges of the rock as much as he could in the darkness.

"Shall I bind you and carry you off to bed?"

Harry looked up with a grin, face covered in grime. "Not yet. If I can just dig out under the rock some more then I think we can get it tomorrow."

"Have you considered breaking it up?"

Harry shook his head and Severus reached down a hand and motioned for Harry to grab it so that he could be pulled up.

Looking around to the pile of stones they had already dislodged and pulled out, Severus cast a charm at one and then used his wand to levitate it high above the hole.

"I thought you said no magic," Harry protested.

"No magic in digging the well. The rock will lose its magic the second the hovering charm is released however and no harm will be done."

"You think that big rock will break just by dropping the small one on it?"

"I have made the small one permanently heavy. You will have to haul it out in the morning, but I believe it will be worth it."

"All right then." Harry nodded and Severus released the charm, letting the stone plummet to the bottom of the well. There was a loud thud and cracking noise, and Harry shined his wand light down into the hole to see that the large stubborn stone had been broken into three.

"Now, will you come to bed?"

"Yes."

They headed off in darkness, and Severus said, "I did not realize you enjoyed manual labor so much, or else I would have assigned you lines as detention instead of cleaning."

Harry shrugged. "I'm just used to it is all."

"Good, because this came for you by owl after you snuck out of the house."

Harry took the parchment being offered to him and said, "I didn't sneak. I turn 18 in a couple of weeks you know. I used the front door."

"Read the letter," Severus instructed as they made the house again and were bathed in warm light in the entryway.

Harry noted the yellow seal on the parchment with a B and then tore it open.

"To Harry James Potter, previous Seeker and Captain of Gryffindor Quidditch team of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: We hereby invite you to tryout for the primary or backup Seeker position for the Bixby Beetles, on Monday, the thirtieth of July. Pay upon acceptance is 20 Galleons a month, with a 5 Galleon per match bonus, and additional 5 Galleon per winning match bonus. Newest top of the line broom model Zephyr or White Fire (your choice) will be provided at no cost if you are accepted onto the team."

Harry let his hand drop along with his mouth. "They want me to try out!" He couldn't help but be a little excited at the thought of playing Quidditch professionally as well as the high payout and new broom stick.

"They require many hours of work outs as well as game practice, although I believe it is less for a Seeker than it is for other positions."

"Wow," Harry said. "I need to talk about this with Ginny."

From behind his back then Severus withdrew another roll of parchment with a blue wax seal and an arrow and said, "You should talk this over with her as well then."

"Another one?"

"It arrived by a different owl but at roughly the same time. I believe they are now competing for you."

Harry opened it and said, "It's from the Appleby Arrows... that's not far from here!" He was quiet as he scanned the letter, and then ready to give the highlights he said, "They're offering a 20 Galleon sign up bonus with 20 Galleons and 1 Sickle a month pay, 5 Galleon a match bonus and 5 Galleon a win bonus, and choice between a Zephyr or White Fire. They also say they're aware that I have a child on the way and they're willing to work around my schedule, and that I don't even need to try out!"

Severus thought that it was possible that Harry might actually jump for joy, and watched with amusement as his son actually whooped loudly, drawing Draco out of his room.

"What's this about then? Don't you know I'm trying to sleep in there?"

Harry launched straight into his Quidditch offers and got Draco riled up before Severus finally ushered them both back off to bed and told Harry to wait until morning to send those offers off to Ginny in case any more came in. There were three more by breakfast, but Harry only sent the original two off, not wanting to play for the Irish team, not wanting to play for the Falmouth Falcons (rumored to be vicious in their tactics), and not wanting to help start up a new Quidditch team in Wigtown to go against the Wigtown Wanderers. There was an offer for Draco as well from the Falmouth Falcons, but Draco wasn't even going to consider replying.

"I thought you liked them," Harry said as they headed out towards the well in the morning mist."

"I do, but I like my neck better. Think about it. You're a high security risk and they'll probably have all sorts of Ministry security at your practices and games, but not me. I'm liable to just disappear one day and never be heard from again."

"Oh," Harry said. He hadn't thought of that, and suddenly he wondered if Ginny would not want him to play Quidditch then just because of his high profile and the likelihood that Voldemort would try to kidnap him again.

As promised, Ron showed up with Fred and George, and they worked hard all day, getting down to twelve feet after they finally managed to haul the tiny, and yet tremendously heavy stone Harry's father had broken the large one with out of the well. Ron, Fred and George also reveled in all of the Quidditch invitations Harry had received (two more by lunch), and discussed all of the possibilities with him. One team even offered to practice at Hogwarts so that Harry wouldn't have to travel, but Fred and George nixed that idea with the reminder that Dumbledore probably wouldn't allow it.

"Too bad," Ron said. "They were offering you two brooms and all... you know, in case you had a friend that wanted a new racing broom for Christmas." Ron grinned and Harry playfully pushed him.

"Take all these to Ginny and come back tomorrow. Maybe we'll get this thing dug so we can start lining it with stones."

Harry dug by himself until around ten o'clock that night, and when Severus could not coax his son out of the dark, deep hole, he conceded to join him for an hour if his son would finally go to bed. They enjoyed the time together so much however, that it was one in the morning before Severus finally dragged Harry up out of the well, and back to the house.

By the next day they had hit water and stopped digging, but more than being one step closer to his goal, Harry was pleased to receive a reply from Ginny by owl. It had two words on it and a lipstick kiss. "Applby Arrows," he read allowed, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Pushover," he said. "Well, at least I don't have to watch you flying around in bright red anymore."

Harry grinned and took the evening to relax. If he could get the well lined with stones tomorrow then it would be finished, and his father had already brewed a large phial of Felix Felicis to add to the water. He couldn't wait to see the look on Ginny's face. He couldn't wait to see Ginny and the little bump in her stomach that was their son.

Harry was looking forward to seeing Ginny, but was apprehensive about a day with the rest of the Weasleys. He'd asked Draco to go with him all morning, but they both knew that Draco hadn't received an invitation. Funny, Harry thought, previously he'd always considered Draco a party crasher.

"Wing man," Harry mumbled, and threw his handful of floo powder into the fireplace, steeling himself for a full day with the Weasleys. He really wasn't sure what to expect. Ron and the twins seemed ok with him now, or at least they had while they were digging the well, but he did not want to stand up against Molly Weasley's wrath should she still be holding a grudge. "The Burrow, Quidditch," he said loudly, announcing both his destination and the secret password. Draco spun out of sight and before Harry knew it, he was being thrown out of the Weasley's living room fireplace forcefully. His glasses snapped as he hit the floor, and he grumbled.

"Sorry," Ron said as he mended Harry's glasses with his wand and handed them down to him. "Dad put extra charms on the fireplace... just in case somebody breaks the password. He reckons this way we'll have a few seconds to curse whoever comes through." "Brilliant," Harry said sarcastically as he hauled himself up off the floor. He looked around, hoping to find Ginny, but he and Ron were alone in the darkened living room. Sensing the question in his friend's eyes, Ron said, "Mum has taken Ginny shopping for maternity clothes on Fantasia street and everybody else is in the yard setting up. Ginny will be back soon I reckon. Mum's been driving her mad."

Harry raised his brows. "Fantasia street?"

"Oh," Ron said, realizing again that his friend had not grown up in the wizarding world and still did not know all the little nuances of it. "It's like Diagonalley, but shorter, and only women are allowed. It's in Bristol between a doctor's office and a lingerie store." He averted his eyes downward, as if he were embarrassed to even say lingerie, and Harry chuckled. "Come on," Ron said, embarrassed, and they made their way out to the front yard where Fred and George were setting up a tent over a large wooden table, Mr. Weasley was levitating a large pink and purple cake, and Hermione was setting the table.  Bill and Charlie were there as well, working on something Harry couldn't see down on the ground, but they seemed determined not to even acknowledge him, and so he ignored them as well.

"Hello Harry," Mr. Weasley said quietly. "I expect Molly and Ginny will be back soon. You can help Hermione set the table if you'd like."

"Ok," Harry took a deep breath. Nobody seemed to be angry with him, except Bill and Charlie maybe. At least nobody was berating him, yet. This only made him more anxious about Mrs. Weasley returning. Harry sat down on the end of the bench while Ron moved to help Fred and George with the tent because it was hanging precariously as if it would collapse at any second.

"Hi Hermione," Harry said, taking a stack of silverware. He was still sore from digging and preferred to sit, so he pulled out his wand to levitate things across the table to their proper positions.

"Hello," she said stiffly, not bothering to look up at him. Harry frowned... as far as he knew, she was still talking to him at the end of the school year, so he must have done something between then and now. He and Ron had learned early on not to get on Hermione's bad side.

"Alright there?" he queried carefully. He hated feeling anxious. Living with the Dursleys there was never a time with them that he didn't feel as though he was walking on eggshells, just waiting to be falsely accused of something or do something wrong and feel their wrath. She set her silverware down and looked at him plainly.

"Perfectly," she said, and then left him there at the table to go into the house without another word. Harry sighed. He could never do anything right. He only had a moment to dwell on it however when the tent above him finally did collapse, and he struggled with it for the next ten minutes along with Ron, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley, to get it untangled and set up again. When it was finally finished, Harry looked for something else to do, but could find nothing.

Nobody was talking to him except Ron, and suddenly Harry felt lonely for the company of his father and Draco. He never felt judged at his dad's house, and he hadn't felt anxious around his father in a long time, which felt nice, to have an adult to be around where he didn't have to feel anxious.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Harry turned at the gentle voice behind him and wrapped Ginny up in his arms, breath taken away because he had forgotten how beautiful she was. But not before Mr. Weasley caught the way Harry's eyes lit up.

"Alright, break it up you two," Fred laughed.

"Yeah, better watch out, because Bill and Charlie look murderous over there," George said, nodding to where Bill and Charlie were now looking up at the reunited pair, anger in their eyes.

Ginny looked away, face red. "I'm sorry Harry. They're very upset. They haven't gotten over it like the others have... well, Mum still hasn't really, but she's starting to I think."

Harry nodded.  "Don't apologize, its ok. This is your birthday, just have fun!"

She gave him a warm smile then and said, "I'll try." Harry returned the warmth and then looked down to the small bump in her belly, just barely beginning to show before Mrs. Weasley called to Ginny, telling her to come put her things away.

"I'll be back," she promised, making Harry feel at ease.

"Good, and then you can tell me what's up with Hermione." Ginny leaned in and gave Harry a hurried kiss as Mrs. Weasley called to her again, impatient, and she hurried off.

Taking his turn to be called away, Harry turned as Mr. Weasley called out his name and waved to him from the side of the house. Curious, and being sure to keep tabs on Bill and Charlie and that they were in plain sight and not hiding for him round the bushes near Mr. Weasley, Harry made his way over. Mr. Weasley wasn't glaring him down though, so he felt confident he wasn't leading him into a trap.

"Would you help me get some more tent stakes from the shed by the thicket?"

"Sure," he nodded and put his hands in his pockets as Mr. Weasley smiled and said, "'Atta boy," and lead the way. The Weasley property was big, and they had several sheds in various stages of decay. The one by the thicket was the farthest from the house and required walking across a field and over a small stream.

"How have you been then Harry?" Mr. Weasley enquired when they were well away from prying ears.

"Good," Harry said. "Did Ron tell you about the well?"

"He did. Have you finished it then?"

Harry nodded. "Stayed up half the night last night tidying it up, and we put the felix felicis in this morning."

"Be sure that Ginny doesn't have any water from the well until after the baby is born. They say if a mother has that potion while she's with child then the child will be born unlucky."

Harry nodded. His father had already told him, and he wondered yet again if Neville's mother had taken the potion when she was pregnant with him.

"I heard you asking about Hermione," Mr. Weasley said as they neared the far side of the field. The shed was still not in sight, but Harry knew they'd be there in a few minutes.

"She seems... tense?"

Arthur nodded. "She's been here for a week already, and she's been listening to Molly go on about how a young woman needs her mother in situations like this. I believe Hermione has taken her side. Although," he added thoughtfully, "it may also be because Molly has doubled the protective charms around all of the bedrooms. Nobody of the opposite sex aside from Molly and I can go into a bedroom. She scolded Ron and Hermione for holding hands at dinner the other night as well."

"Oh," Harry said. It appeared then that he and Ginny had ruined things for Ron and Hermione whilst they were still at the Burrow. At least they could move away now if they wanted, although Harry knew the Burrow was well protected with charms and a lot safer than any place they'd find on their own.

Nearing the shed now, Mr. Weasley stopped walking and turned to Harry. "You've got some rough times ahead of you young man. Trust me when I say I know. Molly and I were only eighteen when we were getting ready for our first child. Nothing can really prepare you for that, and I think that's what Molly is afraid of the most. Bill and Charlie are angry that it happened in the first place, but Molly is worried that you and Ginny won't be able to handle things after the baby is born."

Harry sighed, hands still in his pockets, and scuffed the dirt with his shoe for a moment, before looking back up at Mr. Weasley. "You mean she thinks I won't be able to take proper care of my family?"

"You're still very young. I know you're a responsible lad Harry, and I know that you love Ginny very much. I can see it in your face and I could see it when you disregarded your own wellbeing to make sure she was ok after you came back from being captured." Harry looked away, not liking to think about the time he'd spent captive under Voldemort, but after an appropriate pause, Mr. Weasley continued. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, we'll be there to help. I know you've got plans to live close to Hogwarts, but there will be times, trust me," he added, "when you will need help. You can always call on Molly and I to watch the little one when you need. You're family now Harry."

Harry looked right into his eyes and remembered how he'd once thought of Mr. Weasley as a father. He sort of still did he guessed, but he wasn't sure he could get over the fact that they'd dropped him so quickly once Ginny had become pregnant.

When they neared the house with the tent stakes again Harry saw that more guests had arrived. Neville and Luna were sitting across the table talking to Ginny and Hermione, and an elderly woman with bright orange hair was stirring something in a pot at the serving table next to Mrs. Weasley.

"Hey Harry," Neville said with a bright smile as Harry approached them and took a seat next to Ginny.

"Hello," Harry said, trying to put on a smile for Ginny but feeling in a mood. He wished Draco was there and thought it was actually rude that he hadn't been invited. No matter, he'd take Ginny home at the end of the day in any case and be away from all of this discomfort. He glanced sideways and noticed that Bill was at the other end of the table staring intently at him again.

After the last of the guests had arrived, which included several of Ron and Ginny's cousins which were a few years older than they were, or who were not yet old enough to attend Hogwarts, the large purple cake was served and Ginny blew out the candles, making a silent wish, though she whispered into Harry's ear after the cake was taken away what it was. She wished for a happy ending, and Harry vowed silently to give it to her.

Everyone brought presents to Ginny then, some of which were for her like books or clothes, and others which were for their baby, including a few stuffed animals, books on parenting, and a soft baby blanket that Hermione had sewn in Gryffindor colors.

Harry heard something being mumble down the table by Charlie about how the blanket should have been Slytherin green, but tried to ignore it when he felt Ginny's hand tightening around his below the table. He made an effort to relax then as Mrs. Weasley brought over two pieces of cake and set them down in front of him and Ginny. Harry knew there was no birthday party planned for him next week, so he pretended that this was also a celebration of his and that this cake was for him too.

Over the next hour Harry engaged his friends in conversations about what their plans were, and about his potential plans to join a Quidditch team.

"I'd love to join a team," Ron said, "But I haven't gotten any letters."

"You can always go to tryouts for a team," Harry said, and Ron looked thoughtful.

"Yeah, I don't even know what else I'd like to do. I don't fancy a desk job much."

"What about auror training?" Neville asked with a sparkle in his eye, as if he fancied doing it.

Ron shrugged. "I think I've had enough of fighting bad wizards for a while." Ron caught Harry and Hermione's eye then, as if to communicate to them what they all knew. They weren't done fighting yet, because Voldemort was still around.

"Well I think a Ministry job would be just fine," Hermione said, "but they're not taking on Muggles these days."

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Death eaters have filtered into high up Ministry positions and they won't even review applications for Muggleborns now."

"Hermione's applied for five jobs since school got out," Ron said then seriously. "Each time she got a letter saying she wasn't the type of person they were looking for."

"That's a shame," Luna said then in her dreamy voice. "You can come and work for my father if you want Hermione. He's looking for a new reporter to travel around and investigate strange occurences."

"Maybe that's what you should do Ron," Ginny said then with a little laugh.

Sun shining down on them as they ate lunch later that day, Harry was starting to feel relaxed finally when someone said out loud, "And where's your gift for her?"

Harry turned from where he and Ginny sat on a blanket on the grass with their friends to find Bill and Charlie both with their arms crossed standing above them and blocking out the sunlight.

"Her present's at home. It's a surprise."

Charlie sneered. "Don't you think you've done enough of that already?" It wasn't a joke and Harry could feel the malice dripping from the older boy's words.

Ginny gripped his hand again to calm him, but it was still a struggle for Harry. He was tired of being blamed for this as if it were all his fault. They had only been involved one time.

"No answer?" Bill said then, and Harry took a deep breath to himself noticing that Ron was determinedly not looking at Harry or his brothers.

"Not for you, no," Harry said. Before he knew what was happening though, one of the men had gripped his shirt and hauled him to his feet, startling Harry along with the other guests there.

"Boys!" they heard Mr. Weasley shout from the distance, but no one was paying attention.

"You're lucky we don't wipe that smirk off your face with a fist," Bill said, holding tightly to Harry's shirt. "You had no right."

"No right? I have every right to do what I want to do," Harry said. "You don't think I've earned it saving your family from Voldemort time and time again? You don't think Ginny has the right to make her on decisions?"

Granted, Harry had to admit to himself later that it might have been the wrong thing to say, but he'd been feeling on edge all day and he just wanted to take Ginny and go home to people he felt understood him. As Bill threw Harry to the ground and he and Charlie began throwing fists at Harry, Harry wondered, almost amused, that two Slytherins understood him, and several Gryffindors did not and were angry and ready to kill him. What an upside down world he'd found himself in.

It took Ron, Fred, George, Neville, and Mr. Weasley to pull Bill and Charlie away from Harry, who now had a black eye and a nice bloody nose and fat lip to go with it.

"Charlie, how could you?" Ginny was screaming, and Harry had to agree. This was her day, and they'd ruined it, and try as he might have not to, he had helped them do it.

"You're making a mistake Ginny!" Charlie shouted as Fred and George dragged him away backwards towards the house.

"But it's mine to make!" she cried out towards him as he disappeared into the house, and something unpleasant settled into Harry's stomach then. Did she think they were making a mistake?

"Harry, perhaps it's time to take Ginny with you now," Mr. Weasley said looking tired. "I'll have Ron bring her things through later this evening."

Harry nodded and took Ginny's hand, and they were gone. He didn't want to take her back into the house to use the floo, so he apparated her away there on the spot, leaving the disturbed party behind them.

Ginny was crying quietly when they landed just outside the boundary of his father's property. Harry thought a secret code, a long string of numbers and then held her hand as they walked through the barrier. He knew his father would change the password as soon as they got back now that they had used it. He changed it each time someone had to go through the barrier.

"I'm sorry," Harry told her, stopping inside the boundary to pull her close.

"It's ok Harry," she said. "I know you tried."

"Yeah but I disappointed you. It was your party and I messed it all up."

"No, no it was them. They ruined it all. I wish I could have said goodbye to mum though." She wiped a tear away from her eye then and Harry held her out at arms length to look at her.

"I'll take you back."

"No, no, I want to stay."

With a frown, Harry sighed, feeling much older than he really was. Then he remembered her gift, and took her hand with a smile and lead her off at a jog. "Come on, I've got something for you!"

"What is it?"

"Come on."

They walked quickly through the woods for several minutes before a little stone well came into view, and Ginny stopped in her tracks, just staring at it.

"Is that a-"

"Yup. Dug it out all week. It's got the potion in there already so you can't drink from it yet until after the baby is born."

"Oh Harry."

Harry thought she would stop and throw her arms around him again, but was surprised when she ran over to the well and peered into it instead. Instead of a frown, Harry found himself smiling however as he walked over to her with his hands in his pockets.

"Draco helped, and my dad. And Ron brought Fred and George over and they all helped."

"All for me?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'd do anything for you. You know that."

This time she did throw her arms around him for a moment before the walked back to the house hand in hand.

"Bloody hell," was how Draco greeted them as they walked through the front door. "That's the reason I didn't want to go." He was referring to Harry's bruised and bloody face.

Severus came out from the kitchen, drying his hands on a dish towel and took in Harry's appearance. "We expected you back through the floo."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "You'll have to change the password to the wards. Things got a little out of hand."

"It was Bill and Charlie sir," Ginny said. "Everyone else was fine but they ganged up on him."

Severus lifted Harry's chin with a finger and then motioned for him to follow him to the Potion's lab where he kept all of his healing potions. Ginny followed them in and watched sadly as Harry sat on a stool and Severus began washing Harry's face with a cloth and applying bruise balm.

"I'm really sorry Harry," she said, but Harry waved her apology off.

"Don't be. I knew it was coming."

"I hope they don't stay mad," she said. "Or we'll never be able to visit on holidays."

"We can come here," Harry said. "My dad conjures a living Christmas tree and everything.

When that didn't seem to brighten Ginny's mood, Severus said, "If given the choice between seeing their two eldest sons who are intent on causing trouble, or seeing their daughter and grandchild, I believe they will opt to invite you instead of your brothers."

"But then won't I be causing a family rift?"

"No, that is on the shoulders of your brothers."

Harry was grateful then that his father knew what to say to make her smile again, because he hated to see Ginny frowning.

After Harry's face was mostly healed, he took Ginny to the kitchen and made her dinner, and was surprised to find there was a cake in the fridge with her name on it.

"We made that this afternoon," Draco said as he came in and stole a chip from Harry's plate. "Happy birthday... cousin," he said awkwardly.

"Thanks," she said. "That's right... we are cousins aren't we?"

After Draco left the room after making himself a sandwich, Harry said, "I think he wanted to go to your party, but he wasn't invited."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about it I guess. I forget that you two are friends sometimes. I think Bill and Charlie would have had even more of a fit if he had come though."

"Yeah."

After having been separated from Ginny for so long, Harry couldn't wait to just cuddle her all night, so after Ron and Hermione had brought Ginny's things through the floo and they'd talked briefly, Harry lead her down the hall to his room, watched her unpack her things, and then pulled her close.

"I'm glad you're home," Harry said, and Ginny snuggled close to him.

"Me too," she said, not admitting to Harry that this wasn't home to her yet, and that she was uncertain about the future, and already missed her family.

A few days after Ginny had arrived, Harry sat to write a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley inviting them to lunch the next day. Maybe if they came here for visits this would feel more like home to Ginny, or at least less like a foreign place. As Harry penned the letter, he tried to ignore the voice in the back of his head that told him Ginny's happiness wasn't his only motive for inviting them. Deep down Harry was still hurt that the Weasley's had rejected him, even though most of them seemed to have mellowed now. He wanted them to like him and to think highly of him. He wanted them to know he could take care of Ginny and that their house was nice and that she wasn't being mistreated here.

Before he sent the letter off he confirmed with his father that it was all right to have company.

"I will be at Hogwarts for the day working on lesson plans tomorrow. This is your home too and you are allowed to have visitors." He asked to see the letter and Harry let him read it. When he was done Severus tried not to look perturbed as he handed it back to Harry.

"You want their approval," Severus said.

"It shows that much?" Harry asked, re-reading the letter.

"No, but I know you."

Harry sighed. "It's not wrong to want them to like me," Harry said, trying to defend himself. "They're family now."

"They are family now," Severus agreed, though he didn't seem as though he liked the notion very much. He wrote something down on the parchment he'd been working on and then turned back to Harry, who was still re-reading the letter, which said little more than if they weren't busy that Harry and Ginny would like them to come have lunch the next day and that Ron could tell them how to get there and what the current password was. "You cannot hang your value on what they think of you. You have made your decisions and you must stand by them regardless."

"It doesn't hurt to have them like me though," Harry said, not looking up from the letter. "It'll make things easier if I don't have to fight them all the time."

"It will be easier," Severus agreed again, "and you should try to make things as easy as possible on yourself and on Ginny, however what I said is still true. Your value doesn't belong in what they think of you. There will always be some people you will be unable to please."

"You think it'll be like that with them?" Harry asked, unable to keep the neediness out of his voice. It was more than wanting to make things easy on himself. He needed them to want him to be part of the family again.

Severus' eyes flickered up to the bruises still visible on Harry's face and arms from where the eldest Weasley sons had beat him up the day before. "Aside from Bill and Charlie," Harry said.

"I do not know," Severus said. He pointed at Harry's chest and said, "Your value is there and in your actions and beliefs. Be careful that you don't tie your value too much in what those around you think. That is a trap not easy to pull yourself out of once you are caught in it."

Harry had a feeling this was wisdom bourne of experience, so he nodded and let his father get back to whatever it was he had been working on.

Harry didn't tell Ginny that he'd invited her parents to lunch the next day, but he did tell Draco after he'd sent the owl off.

"Wonderful," Draco said. "Guess I'll go fishing for the day tomorrow."

"You don't have to," Harry said.

Draco looked up at Harry's bruised face as well. "Uh huh," he said.

Harry made dinner for everyone in the house, and after Ginny retired to their room to do some reading for the evening, Harry went back to the kitchen to begin baking cookies and a pie.

"What's all that for?" Draco asked, coming into the kitchen and seeing the various baking supplies.

"Lunch."

"Do I get some of that?" Draco asked.

"Of course."

Satisfied with the answer, Draco moved to help make snickerdoodle cookies and an apple pie.

"What are you serving besides desert?" Draco asked.

"Cucumber sandwiches, lunch meat sandwiches, tea."

"Vegetables," Draco added, and went to the grocer's list to add carrots, mini tomatoes, and more cucumbers. Ten minutes later the items appeared in the fridge and Draco washed them with a spell so Harry could cut them up. All that was left was for Harry to make the sandwiches in the morning.

"How do you know they'll show?" Draco asked.

Harry shrugged. He didn't know. "I guess if they don't we'll still have a lot of good food to eat for lunch. I could just tell Ginny it's for a picnic if they don't come."

Draco showed Harry a neat spell he knew to make their plates, tea kettle, tea cups and silverware look fancier and he and Harry transformed several items for lunch the next day. Then Harry put a note on the fridge and inside the fridge both that told everyone to stay out of what he'd made until he said it was ok to eat.

As Harry lay in bed with Ginny that night, Ginny snoring quietly beside him, Harry wondered if Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would come for lunch and what they would think of the house. It prompted him to rise earlier than the rest of the house and cast every cleaning spell he knew at the floors, walls, furniture, windows and fireplace. He was just finishing up when his father came out of his room with a briefcase and his traveling cloak.

"You are up early."

"I was cleaning."

He made a face that let Harry know he thought it wholly unnecessary to go this far to impress their guests. Harry wondered if his father was still mad about all the letters Mrs. Weasley had sent him when they'd found out Ginny was pregnant.

"Do you know any spells to make flowers sprout up outside?" Harry asked.

With a sigh Severus led Harry outside and showed him several spells, which Harry used to make lilies and white daisies sprout up on both sides of the walkway leading up to the front door. "Remember what we discussed," he told him. Harry nodded. "I may not be back until after nine."

Harry waited until he apparated away to grow some more flowers, and then went back inside.

"Why can't I eat what's in the fridge?" Ginny asked.

"We're having it for lunch."

"That looks like a lot for lunch," she said.

"I invited your parents."

She paused, hand halfway to the plate of cookies on the counter, and turned to him. "You did?"

"Is- is that ok?" Harry asked, still anxious and now rethinking his decision not to tell Ginny about it. She came up and hugged him for an answer.

"I love you," she said, and Harry blushed.

"You're going to have to work on that. If you blush every time I tell you I love you, people will think we don't know each other. How will that look when the baby is born?" She giggled then and Harry reached up to rub the back of his neck. She kissed him again, took a cookie from the plate despite the note not to, and went into the bedroom to change.

Draco came down the hall from his own room a moment later with a fishing pole.

"You don't have to go," Harry said again.

"I'd really rather not witness the whole awkward affair. I would like some lunch though." He held out a charmed lunch box. "You promised."

Harry pulled out two of the sandwiches, some of of the vegetables and two cookies.

"Pie?" Draco asked.

"After you get back?" He really wanted the pie to be whole for Ginny's parents.

"If you don't save me a piece," Draco said, zipping up his lunch box, "You're gonna owe me a pie."

"Deal," Harry said.

"I won't come back until four. If they're still here I'll head out to the creek."

"It's your house too," Harry reminded him.

Draco waved him off and disappeared out the kitchen door that led to the side of the house and to a path down to the lake.

Not knowing what to do with himself, Harry went into the bedroom and made the bed, straightened Ginny's clothes in the wardrobe, and then took all of his books currently stacked on the floor beside the bed, and put them into his trunk.

"I can clean my own things," Ginny said.

"I just want it to be clean for when they come," Harry told her.

"What time did you invite them?"

"Noon."

"Did they agree to come?" she asked.

"I didn't get an owl back. But- today is one of your dad's normal days off isn't it?"

"Yes. But if things keep going downhill at the Ministry, he might have a lot more days off soon."

They sat and read for a while, but as it got closer to noon, Harry grew more anxious. "Maybe I'll make another pie."

"Another? How come?"

"I'm just nervous. Having something to do is helpful."

She looked at the clock on the bedroom wall. "It's almost twelve. Just relax." Harry went back to his book, but didn't read a word. At eleven fifty seven they went to the living room and waited.

"Maybe I should have waited for an owl," Harry said, at two past twelve.

"Your clock is fast," she said, and a moment later there was a knock at the front door. Harry practically flew off the couch and to the door to open it, startling Ginny.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were on the other side of the door, dressed smartly as if they'd been invited to a nicer luncheon than Harry had planned. A wave of nervousness made him forget to say hello, especially given his best clothes weren't very nice at all, but Ginny saved him by greeting her mother and father with a big hug.

"Please come in," Harry said, trying to remember his manners. He'd never hosted guests for a meal before, and tried to think back to the various times aunt Petunia had had people over, including the man and his wife that Dobby had dropped the pudding on.

"I'll get lunch ready," Harry said. "It should only be a moment." He hurried into the kitchen, leaving the Weasleys and their daughter in the living room.

"Is he all right?" Mr. Weasley asked Ginny, watching Harry's back as he worked in the kitchen, pulling things out.

"He's a bit nervous I think. He baked pies and cookies last night and prepared a bunch of food. He was up before anyone else this morning doing things to get ready."

Mrs. Weasley gave Ginny another hug and a kiss on the forehead, and then went to the kitchen to see if she could help Harry.

"Do you need help dear?"

Harry startled and almost dropped the tray of cut vegetables he was getting ready to put on the table. He'd found a pretty tablecloth in a closet early that morning and was hoping it would make their plain wood table look more presentable.

"No thank you," Harry said. "It's all ready to go." He set the tray down and Ginny and her father came in from the living room. Ginny sat down next to her mother on one side of the table, and Harry sat down with Mr. Weasley on the other.

"It looks lovely," Mr. Weasley said. "We were very pleased to receive an invitation to lunch."

"I'm sorry the notice wasn't earlier," Harry said.

"We didn't have any other plans," Mr. Weasley told him.

After they'd all put food on their plates and Harry brought tea to the table, Mrs. Weasley spent most of their lunch talking to Ginny, asking how she'd been, asking how she'd been feeling, and about various other things. Mr. Weasley talked to her too and Harry was glad to see Ginny smiling and laughing with them.

"Do you need me to do any of your laundry dear?" Molly asked her.

"Harry did my laundry yesterday," she said.

Both of her parents looked over at Harry. "He did?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yes. He did it a few days before that too. There's a Muggle machine in the closet that runs on charms."

"A washing machine?" Mr. Weasley asked, suddenly interested.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Did you charm it yourself? How does it work without the charms?"

After they'd eaten their main meal and Harry served the pie and cookies, Mrs. Weasley went with Ginny to see their room, and Harry showed Mr. Weasley the charmed washing machine and answered all sorts of questions about it. Harry was only glad the lunch had been going well so far, and that it wasn't as awkward as Draco had thought it might be. Mrs. Weasley had been very quiet and hadn't spoken that much to Harry, but Mr. Weasley had made an effort to start conversations with him.

In their bedroom, Ginny sat down on her side of the bed and watched as her mother looked around the room. It wasn't big, but it was bigger than the room Ginny had at the Burrow. After a moment Molly asked, "Harry stays here too?"

Ginny nodded.

"In this room?"

Another nod.

"But where are his things?"

Ginny pointed at the trunk at the foot of the bed. "He took all his things out of the wardrobe and off the bookshelf so I could store my things. He put up an extra shelf for my books and took all his posters down so I could hang mine."

"That's very sweet but-" she trailed off, giving another look around the pristine room.

"What?" Ginny asked, and Molly came to sit down next to her.

"You know how I feel about what has gone on and the decisions the two of you made," she said. "The two of you would have been better equipped to handle life together if you'd been older. But now that you made those decisions, you're going to have to learn how to live with each other now."

"But- we are living with each other." Ginny said, brows furrowed.

"You're staying in the same room, but that's not living together. I can see he's been taking care of you. Cooking and cleaning and doing your laundry, and he's put all of his things aside for you."

"Yes, he's been very sweet. By the time I go to do something he's already got it done."

She patted Ginny's leg. "Yes, but what concessions have you made for him?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"It looks like you live in this room alone. He doesn't even have a photo of his parents up, or of his friends. When you're in a committed relationship like this, you have to take care of each other. If it's only one person taking care of the other all the time, that person will get burnt out."

"I didn't mean for him to do all of this," Ginny said. "I'm perfectly capable on my own."

"I'm not scolding you dear-" she looked like she was going to say something, but changed her mind. When she spoke again, it was to tell a story. "The first year your father and I were together, we barely spoke."

"What? Why?"

"We were having a fight. That is to say, we were unhappy with each other over several things and misunderstandings, but didn't want to fight, so we barely spoke to each other at all."

"What were you upset about?"

"Oh, this and that," said Mrs. Weasley. "He wasn't used to living with another person and neither was I. He would leave his dirty socks and clothes all over the bedroom floor and never pick them up. I was cooking food for us to eat, but sometimes I'd make things he didn't like. He'd eat what I made and never say a word about it. There were other things too. It took us a long time to learn to live with each other, to communicate and more than that, to take care of each other. When you're in that kind of relationship, you have to know what your partner needs and take care of them, and trust that they'll take care of your needs, and you have to learn to tell each other what you need. You needed space in a new home, so Harry put all of his things away for you to make that space, whether you asked him to do it or not."

"What am I supposed to do then? He's just doing these things on his own. He never asks for anything. Even at school he'd walk around hurt and sick and never go to the Hospital Wing, or ask anybody for help when he needed it."

"Then you know that's something he needs help with," Molly said. "As much as you need space to live in this room, so does he, even if he doesn't say it, or doesn't know it. You have to find a way to let him know that and share the space together. He might do your laundry because he sees it needs to be done and wants you not to have to do it, but you've got to find things to do for him as well. Has he been cooking all the meals for you?"

"Sometimes Draco or Severus cook too."

"I know you know how to cook. Maybe you should make it your mission to cook a meal or something special for Harry once in a while, or to tidy after him if he hasn't had a chance to. Has Harry made you feel loved by the things he's been doing for you?"

"Yes, although sometimes it can be a little annoying that he's done all the chores when he knows I can help too, just because of the baby."

"Then tell him that, and show your love to him through your actions. I'm surprised you haven't told him that already. You're like me, very outspoken. So are some of your brothers."

"Harry's been so nice. I didn't want to upset him."

"It will be upsetting for all three of you if things don't work out in the end," Molly said, and Ginny's mouth opened a little.

"I- I wouldn't ever think of splitting up. I know you'd all be happier if we did-"

Molly held up her hand to stall her. "I told you already, you know my feelings about what happened. But it did happen, and now what's important to you is your relationship and your son, so that's important to me and your father as well. It's also important to your brothers. We're family and we're invested in helping you and Harry, and in your relationship."

"If only someone had mentioned that to Bill and Charlie," Ginny said.

"Your father shouted at them for an hour after you left the party."

"I didn't want to make a scene. I thought we wouldn't be able to have holidays with you or anything, because of Bill and Charlie."

"They'll behave themselves," she said. "Or they won't be coming to holidays until they can."

"I feel awful about that though," Ginny said. "I don't want to rip our family apart."

"You're not, and what you need to focus on right now is keeping your new family together."

They were quiet for a few moments as Ginny leaned into her mother and let herself be hugged. "Harry was very nervous to have you over."

"We noticed."

"I don't know how to help with that. He was never nervous before."

"Unfortunately that's something your father and I will have to work on with him, especially with how things have happened between us in the past few months."

"Maybe we could come for lunch next time."

"That's a good idea."

"Are Bill and Charlie still at the house?"

"They had to go back to work a few days ago. Even if they were still there, you and Harry are welcome any time. It's still your home Ginny, no matter how old you are. Never forget that."

"Thanks mum."

* * *

Harry offered Ginny's parents more deserts, and offered to make a cake after Molly and Ginny came back out of the room, but they declined. It was just before three when Molly and Arthur thanked Harry and Ginny for inviting them, and then invited them to lunch the following week.

Ginny said they would come, and they walked them back outside.

Mr. Weasley frowned as he took his wife's arm and said to Harry, "I didn't even notice they weren't here and forgot to ask! Where are Draco and Severus?"

"Dad had to go to Hogwarts for the day to prepare for the term, and Draco went fishing."

"Please tell Draco we didn't mean to put him out for the day. He's welcome to come for lunch when you come next week."

"I'll tell him," Harry said.

They waved to Harry and Ginny and apparated away.

Harry let out a sigh of relief and then let his shoulder's sag.

"Are you ok?" Ginny asked him.

"Yeah, that was a little nerve wracking."

"I think they had a good time," Ginny said. "Dad kept saying how delicious the cookies were. Are you sure you're ok?"

Harry rocked his shoulder back and said, "I think I strained something."

She took his hand and led him back into the house and to the couch, and began to work the knot out of his shoulder. He seemed tense at first, but relaxed after a while. "Harry, we should put up a new shelf in the room."

"Did you order more books?" he asked.

"No, but yours need a home. And some of my clothes can go back in my trunk. I have to pack for school soon anyway. You need space for yours."

"I'm ok," he said. "I'm used to living out of a trunk."

Ginny stopped rubbing his shoulder and leaned in to give him a hug from behind. "We have to share the room, ok? Both of our stuff gets a home because it's home to both of us. Your posters and mine can hang side by side, and so can our clothes."

Harry snorted then, surprising her.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you sure my clothes won't get your clothes pregnant?" He laughed then. "Maybe then your brothers could beat up my clothes instead of me."

She slapped him gently on the arm in a playful way and then the two of them went to the room to rearrange it again.