"If you and Ron or anyone else at the burrow would ever want to visit, I'm sure that Teddy would be happy to see someone other than me for a while." Harry sighed and adjusted his glasses for a moment. He glanced from his spot in the drawing room out the door. This house was all his, given to him by his godfather. His family home. Ever since the war ended last year, he's been working on making the house more hospitable. Ginny and he had dated for a while, but she soon realized that outside of the war and Voldemort and horcruxes and being the chosen one, the boy who lived, he was just regular Harry Potter. Sadly, now that the house was done, he had nothing to do. The house was empty except for Teddy and Harry. It was such a big house, but there was nothing in it. To be honest, Harry was lonely.
After Ginny broke up with Harry, Molly Weasley wasn't exactly happy, but she still looked at Harry as one of her own. She had invited him to the burrow for everything from a meal to live permanently. Harry declined every time. He was given this house for a reason and he intended to keep it. It was his to keep. There was a crack next to Harry and he looked over to see Kreacher, wiping his hands on his shirt.
"There are fresh biscuits in the kitchen. Does the master require anything else from Kreacher before he returns to the school kitchens?" Kreacher's voice croaked next to Harry. Harry shook himself out of his dream-like state to look at the aged house elf.
"No, thank you, Kreacher." Kreacher nodded and with a crack, he was gone again. Harry sighed and returned to his letter. He wanted to send this out to Hermione tonight and she would receive it the next day. Harry missed his friends. He was so lonely. Ron and Hermione were dating. Harry knew that Hermione was spending a lot of time at the burrow and he wasn't excited about that fact. Harry needed to be here with Teddy in this house, but he wanted to be at the burrow. He wanted to be with his family. He wanted to see Ron. He wanted to see Hermione.
"Everyone there is welcome to the house for Christmas. Everyone in the order." He wrote, realizing how lonely he actually felt. "As long as Mrs. Weasley helps with the cooking a bit. Kreacher is talented, but he can only do so much. Well, I said I was going to keep this brief, but that idea went right out the window. Give everyone my best. I miss you, Hermione. Love, Harry." He stared at the letter for a moment before sighing and folding it. He slipped it into an envelope and sealed it before standing up and starting toward the owlery. He was passing the front door when he heard a soft whoosh and looked over to see a very redfaced Hermione. Her eyes were red and puffy from what looked like crying and she had her beaded handbag held tightly in her hand.
"That loathsome arse!" She shouted as soon as she adjusted to the new setting. Harry was surprised mostly and looked from the letter in his hand to her and then up the stairs to where Teddy was sleeping. "I cannot believe him!"
"Hermione, can you try to-" Harry said, stepping forward and reaching out his hand to her.
"He ruins everything!" She fumed, shaking her bag at Harry.
"Hermione, please. Teddy-"
"We were having such a nice night and then he had to go and spoil it!"
"Hermione, at this rate Ted-"
"And to think that I ever-"
"Hermione!" Harry shouted, finally interrupting Hermione's rant. She looked at him a little shocked at the outburst and that's when Teddy started crying. Harry sighed and hung his head before looking up with a small smile on his face.
"I'm sorry, Harry." Hermione said with a small chuckle. Harry sighed and shook his head before turning and walking toward the stairs. He put the letter in his pocket and walked to Teddy's room to find the child, crying and squirming around in his crib, his hair the color of a brushfire.
"Shh..." Harry cooed as he picked up the baby and held him. "Little man don't you cry/We'll stay here by your side/Don't you worry night or day/You'll be here nice and safe" Harry sang quietly. "Little baby boy just rest your eyes/Just go to sleep you'll be just fine/Lay down your little head right in your crib/Mum and dad will stay here through thick and thin/Little baby boy now don't you cry/Close your eyes and keep them dry/Calm little child the time for sleep is now/We'll see you in the morning when the moon is down" Harry finished and bounced Teddy for a moment while he patted his back. "Shhh...Go to sleep..." Finally, after a few more minutes, Teddy was sleeping quietly again. Harry gently placed the sleeping child back in the crib and turned around to see Hermione standing in the doorway, looking at him. There was something odd about the look she was giving him. He had gotten it before, but it had been a while. It always made him smile a little, the look that she was giving him. It warmed his heart.
"Oh...um..." She stammered a little before moving out of the way of the door. Harry smiled a little and looked back at Teddy whose hair was a light green as he slept. Harry walked through the door and carefully closed it behind him. Harry looked at Hermione and sighed. It wasn't the first time that she had appeared at his door, but this was the first time in a while. On top of that, she looked a little more angry than she usually does. The only person that could get her this worked up had to be Ron.
"Come on. I'll make you some tea." Harry said quietly, putting a comforting hand on her arm. He nodded and then lead her to the kitchen where he put a pot of water on the stove. He directed her to the fresh biscuits Kreacher had made earlier and prompted her to sit down at the table.
"You sang 'we'." Hermione said as she sat down at the table.
"Hmm?" Harry said as he sat down across from her. She took a biscuit off the plate and looked at it for a moment. "In the song, you sang to Teddy. You sang 'we' not 'I'. Why?" Harry sighed.
"I don't know. I guess, it might make him believe he has someone other than me to take care of him. To watch over him." Harry said with a sigh. He idly turned a biscuit over in his hands. "Remus and Tonks should be taking care of him. Not me." Harry would always feel bad. It was his fault they were dead. That Teddy didn't have parents. Actual parents. Hermione reached across the table and grabbed his hand. Harry closed his eyes and sighed, squeezing her hand back.
"You're doing admirably well for a 19 year old." She said, giving him a comforting smile. Harry chuckled and smiled at her just as the water was ready. He stood and walked to the stove, shutting off the burner and grabbing two mugs from the cabinet. He prepared the tea and slid a mug over to Hermione.
"So, what brings you here?" Harry asked with a sigh. He knew that they were going to have to talk about it eventually. She was fighting with Ron again. Whatever it was, Harry was usual the voice of reason here. As soon as Harry reminded her of why she had come here, she seemed to become a little more worn looking. She looked tired.
"I'd really rather talk about this tomorrow." She said quietly with sad eyes. Harry was happy for Hermione and Ron, but he hated seeing her like this. She would always be so upset when she was fighting with Ron and it so happened that they fought a lot. She always seemed so bothered by something. There were times when Hermione and Ron just weren't meant to be. There were even sometimes that he wished he had taken that step. Taken the leap of faith. When Ron had left them before the war ended. It was just the two of them in the woods. It was at times like these that he had wished he had accepted her offer of growing old together.
"Tomorrow? You want to crash here tonight?" Harry asked, a little surprised. "Are your parents out?" She sighed and nodded softly.
"I told them I was spending Christmas at the Burrow and so they went on a cruise with the neighbors." She said with a sigh. Harry could see her hesitation a moment before hse looked up at him, tears threatening her eyes. "To be honest, I really just don't want to be alone right now." Harry looked at her with sad eyes and nodded.
"I'll make up your old room." Harry said with a warm smile. "It's the one across from mine and don't worry, from there you won't be able to hear Teddy if he cries. I sleep right above him." She gave him a watery smile and nodded.
"Thank you." She said, taking a sip of tea. Harry patted her arm and stood, walking out of the closet and making his way to the closet where he retrieved the bedding for the room Hermione and Ginny used to share while 12 Grimmauld Place was the Order's headquarters. He grimaced a little when he was reminded of the girl he apparently wasn't good enough for. The girl that left him for Quidditch. He cleared his throat and shook his head a little, shaking the memories away. Harry finally turned around and bumped into Hermione who was walking toward him, knocking the sheets out of his hands. "Sorry." She said quietly as they knelt down to pick it back up. Harry remade the stack and handed it to her.
"Sleep well, Hermione." Harry said quietly, patting her on the arm. Hermione grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Thanks, Harry." She said with a small smile before disappearing up the stairs and to her room. Harry stood there for a moment, a smile spread across his face. He was glad that he had someone else in the house. He was especially glad that it was Hermione. He went downstairs and cleaned up the kitchen a little before putting up the protection charms on the outside of the house. The nightmares still happened and he still didn't have the sense of safety that one would gain from defeating the dark lord. The death eaters were scattered at best and Voldemort was finally defeated. Harry didn't feel safe. He probably wouldn't for a long time.
"Fianto Duri. Protego Maxima. Repello Inimigotum. Repello Muggletum." He whispered as a shield formed around the walls of the house. He sighed a little and put away his wand. Harry walked back to his room right above Teddy's and slipped into his pajamas. He climbed in bed and closed his eyes, hoping for Teddy's and Hermione's and his own sake that he didn't have any nightmares tonight.