Chapter 4

Harry staggered out of the floo with Severus's advice echoing in his head. His caution had cost him his wife. Or it would if he didn't he didn't shape up fast. Like now. He shook with the terror of finding Ginny packed and gone. Deep inside, he knew he couldn't let her go. Even if it broke his heart a thousand times, he would take any chance to have her back.

She was still here, as were the kids and all their belongings. Through the slightly cracked open bedroom door, he saw them all piled into Ginny's bed again, crowded around a giant book as she read them a bedtime story. He stood outside and listened until she got to the happily ever after, wondering if they had hope for one. As he reached up to knock on the doorframe, Albus's voice made him pause.

"What's wrong, Mum? You're crying?"

Ginny sniffled. "Nothing, Sweetheart," she said. "It's just…a lovely story."

"I like that one a lot too," said Lily. "Even though they were apart for so long, they remembered they loved each other."

"It was true love," said Ginny.

"Like you and dad."

Ginny sniffled again. "Yes exactly."

"Mum," said James, his voice oddly tense. "Are you and Dad…"

Harry knocked and pushed the door open. "Alright, everyone. To bed."

Ginny looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes.

Lily threw her arms around her mother. "Aww, Dad. Can't we stay with Mum again tonight?"

Harry entered the room and stood just inside the doorway, arms folded in mock impatience. "I think you three have monopolized your mum's attention long enough," he said. "To bed with you."

"Aww. Fine. See you in the morning, Mum."

With a bit of grumbling and yawning, the children bid their parents goodnight then headed to their rooms.

As James passed by, he gave Harry a scrutinizing look.

Harry mussed his hair and smiled. "Sleep well, son."

The boy looked unappeased but nodded anyway. "Night, Dad."

Ginny levitated the storybook to its place on the shelf.

"Your magic's coming along," said Harry, still standing by the door. "Should be perfect pretty soon."

Ginny fluffed her pillow and fixed the covers over her legs. "Have you signed the papers yet?"

"I burned them," said Harry.

Ginny stilled a moment but then continued to fidget with the bedclothes.

Harry cleared his throat. "Won't you come to bed, Ginny?"

She glared at him. "I didn't know I was welcome in your bed."

"Our bed," he said.

She scooted under the covers to lie on her back, smirking up at him. "I don't know. I sort of like this one. The other one's too squishy."

Harry inched further into the room. "I can firm it up for you," he said and ran a hand through his hair. "And the mattress too."

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

Harry laughed and started to blush, feeling his ears heat up. "Right. Corny. Sorry."

Ginny bit her lip in that way she did when she was amused but uncertain that she should be. She held on to wariness for a moment longer, then let the fight leave her eyes. "As adorable as you are, standing there awkwardly trying to hit on me, I'd rather you were closer."

Some of the tension left Harry's shoulders. "I wasn't sure if…"

"Get over here, Harry."

He shuffled over to her and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand. "Ginny, I've been an ass."

"I know," she said grinning at him.

He laughed and kissed her knuckles. "I've missed you so much," he said. "Losing you was the most painful thing I've ever felt. I couldn't imagine going through that again, so it seemed safer if you stayed gone. Stupid, I know. I mean, Severus told me I should take the universe's generous gift and run. The kids are happy. You're happy. The only one miserable was me. It's like I was holding my breath so I wouldn't run out of air. And it was unfair to you. I should've tried harder to—"

His next words were obstructed by Ginny's mouth over his, and he quickly forgot them.

"I get it," Ginny said after their lips parted. "And you weren't all in the wrong. I should've been more sensitive to what you've been going through. You've been practically alone these past years. Taking care of the kids. Taking care of me. I shouldn't have demanded that you bounce back immediately. And if you need more time—"

"I don't," he said quickly. "I may not be totally…recovered, let's say, but any healing I need, I'll do it with you."

They kissed again and held each other close for some time.

"Well," said Ginny with a playful lilt, tugging Harry's top button, "I happen to know a particularly effective kind of healing."

Harry growled into her neck and initiated a tickle attack. Ginny burst into squealing giggles, twisting and kicking up the sheets. Her laughter was a salve on Harry's heart. Finally, it dawned on him that his Ginny was back. His wife was in his arms. She knew him. She loved him. His chest swelled, filling with all the emotions he'd thought lost for good. Like Ginny's memories, that missing part of him had finally returned.

The sudden realization triggered a pang in Harry's gut. Without warning, he scooped Ginny into his arms, spinning her around like he'd done so many times before, and took her to bed.

Husband and wife fell asleep with limbs entwined like they were molded to each other.

Harry had sweet dreams for the first time in ages. Also for the first time in ages, he slept past dawn. Late morning, he woke alone, arm stretched across a cold depression in the sheets beside him. A wave of panic had him rolling out of bed and grabbing his wand, heart throbbing in his stomach. He spelled on some trousers and ran out of the room to look for Ginny, fearing the worst.

The smell of fresh bread and butter stopped him in his tracks. Through the banging of his pulse, he heard his children's voices and the tinkering of plates and cutlery. He followed the sounds to the kitchen, and through the entrance to the dining room saw James, Albus, and Lily sitting at the table eating breakfast. A look around located Ginny stooping by the oven, peeking through the glass. He stood there observing, listening to their morning noise, taking in the scene he'd missed so much: his family safe, whole, happy.

As he stood there passively enjoying the atmosphere, the conversation turned to his absence.

"Wow. Dad never sleeps in anymore."

"He'd better hurry up before we eat all the rolls."

"Or we could save him some."

"Or just one."

Harry chuckled and decided to reveal his presence. "Morning everyone."

Three heads turned at once to look at him.

"Morning Dad," said James, stuffing his grinning mouth with bread.

Lily bounced in her chair. "Dad, Look! Mum made breakfast today, and it's brilliant!"

"James is eating yours," said Albus smirking into his orange juice.

"Snooze you lose, old man," said James and wolfed down another roll without remorse.

"There's plenty more," said Ginny, still with her back to him. She took a tray of breakfast rolls out of the oven and put it on the stove to cool before turning to Harry with a bright smile and a rosy glow on her cheeks. "Care for breakfast, Harry?"

Harry pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, deep kiss to a chorus of "eeew" behind him. When he released her, Ginny bopped him on the head with an oven mitt.

"I meant eggs and bacon," she said.

"That too," said Harry.

They smiled goofily at each other and leaned in for another kiss.

"Oi! Get a room, you two!" cried James. "There are impressionable minds here."

Albus snickered. "Yeah, Dad. How about you put on some more clothes and then come sit with us."

"But they have to kiss," said Lily. "They always kiss at the end of the story. That's how you know they're happy."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I suppose now we're obligated to live happily ever after," he said.

"Of course," said Lily. "It's the rules."

Harry laughed and gazed at the woman in his arms. "Do you think we can manage that?"

Ginny smiled back at him. "I think we've got a good chance."