3 YEARS LATER

In the days following the battle of Hogwarts, I was left with an overwhelming sense of guilt. For the entire duration of my seventh year, I had been safely sleeping in the Beauxbatons castle with no idea where Dean was or what he was doing. Sometimes, in the depths of the night, I was left to worry about whether or not he was alive. It was only after the battle had occurred that the news of the battle surfaced in the school. I had arranged a portkey home as soon as I could, but even then, it was weeks after the battle. My guilt made up a large part of the reason for why I stayed at Dean's side, tending to him as he remained on his mother's enforced bed rest. He hated every minute of it.

Even now, as I stood by his bedside, I couldn't help but notice just how much weight he'd lost whilst he'd been on the run. Biting my bottom lip to stop myself from asking him what had happened to him, I watched as he turned towards me. He sighed instantly, watching me with weary eyes.

"You're doing it again," he groaned, draping a hand over his eyes.

"Doing what?" I muttered, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Feeling guilty."

"I'm just sorry I wasn't there," I muttered, lowering my head slightly.

Raising my head in time to see him roll his eyes, I frowned when Dean scoffed. "And what were you going to do exactly? Break magical and international laws by illegally transporting into Hogwarts?"

"No," I muttered, swatting his chest when he had the nerve to laugh at me. Here I was, genuinely feeling upset that I hadn't been there for him, but he was laughing at me. "But I still should have done something to help."

Dean didn't say another word. Instead, he pointed to the mug I had clasped in both of my hands. "What's that?"

I knew he was doing it to distract me. But still, I humoured him because, without knowing it, he'd reminded me of one of his mother's orders. "I'm not quite sure, to be honest – I watched your mum add some juice from ginger to honey. Her and your step dad have taken the kids to the park and I'm under explicit instructions to make sure that you drink it all."

Handing the mug to Dean, I watched as he sat up and peered into the mug. Sniffing it cautiously, he scrunched up his nose. "It's always one thing after another."

"Finish it," I said firmly, narrowing my eyes at him.

Dean held my eyes for a moment as if wondering whether he could convince me against it. But, realising I wasn't going to budge, he sighed before downing it in one go. When the mug was empty, he set it down on his bedside table and shuddered at the taste. I stifled a smile; he really was one big baby.

"Are all muggle mothers like this?" he wondered aloud as he laid down again, staring at me as I reached out to fix his blanket around him. "Even though I've taken all the potions and have the healer's stamp of approval, she's still behaving like this."

"Most mothers are like that; muggle or not." I rose to my feet, turning to leave my room when he reached out suddenly to take my hand in his. "What is it? Do you need anything?"

"I thought you were supposed to keep me company?" he whined, staring up at me with those deep brown eyes. "I'm stuck here so the least you can do is spend some time with me, right?"

"You need to rest Dean," I insisted, trying to brush his hand off from mine but he held on firmly, grinning sweetly up at me. "I mean it."

"But where are you going?"

"Next door, my house." I tried not to laugh when he frowned at me. "What now?"

"I thought you said your family were out for the day?" At my nod, his frown deepened further, "So you're going home to an empty house?"

"I'm a grown woman Dean." Rolling my eyes, I stared incredulously down at him. "I can look after myself."

"But what if you're bored?"

"Then I'll watch TV."

"But what if I'm bored?"

"Dean, take a nap or something."

I turned to leave again when Dean suddenly tugged on my arm. Resisting with all my might, I went to leave again. But Dean, with his large frame, easily overpowered me and pulled me down beside him. My eyes widened in surprise at the sudden movement and before I could try and get up, he wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me pressed against my chest.

"Dean!"

"You said to take a nap," he protested between chuckles. "If you leave now, how are you going to know whether or not I actually take a nap? So, you should take one with me."

"You're ridiculous," I muttered, even as I settled down beside him.

He grinned, realising he'd won and his hold on me softened slightly as I burrowed my head under his neck. "See how much easier it is if you just give up?"

Making a face that he couldn't see, I swatted his chest and tried to protest, "What if someone walks in?"

Removing one of his arms from around my waist, Dean reached under his pillow to retrieve his wand. Pointing it in the general direction of the door, he murmured a locking charm which somehow, managed to stick. Shoving his wand back down under his pillow, Dean settled down comfortably again, pulling me into him.

"There," he murmured against my hair. "Now go to sleep; don't think for one second that I didn't realise that you've been having trouble sleeping lately. Did you really think you could keep that from me? And that I'd let you baby me even as you wore yourself out?"

"Dean –"

"Just go to sleep," he said softly, dropping a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up."