A gentle breeze blew knocking a few flakes of snow down from their perch in the trees. Everything was white, covered in snow. The moonlight seemed to reflect off of it, making the night appear almost as bright as daylight.

Harry Potter could just make out the top of the burrow from where he had apporated. He had come here many times over the last few years. He never made any farther than where he was now. He hadn't been able to make himself take even one step closer. He hadn't been ready to return to the wizarding world until now. He felt like a coward for running away from all of it without so much as a word to anyone. After Voldermort was defeated, he needed to get away, to back up from his life and see where it was going. So after graduating from Hogwart's school of Witchcraft and Wizardy he left. He left to try and discover what he really wanted out of life, to find out who he really was. And as he was sure he would eventually, he had returned to the Burrow and all the people that had missed him so much.

It had taken five years for the owl's to stop arriving daily, five years before his friends had finally decided that he really didn't want to be found. He wondered if they would understand his need to pull back from the life that was thrust upon him. He wondered if they would forgive him for running away from them like he had. If the many howlers Ms. Weasly had sent him was any indication, he wasn't sure they would even let him back in. But with his new life falling apart, he had to try. He couldn't stand how much he missed everyone anymore. He had to face the fact that they might hate him and try to find a way to make it up to them.

Settling his eyes on his destination, he squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and took off at a determined speed. Snow drifted out of the trees and landed on his long, black leather trench coat. Maybe he shouldn't be showing up on Christmas Eve this way. Maybe since he was an outsider now he wouldn't be welcome to intrude on their holiday the way he once had been.

No, he told himself sternly. There will be no excuses this time, no backing out. He had created the problem and now he was going to try and fix it.

Harry had gotten close enough that he could see a small child playing in the living room window. He wondered who the little girl belonged to. The shock of fiery red hair told him without a doubt that she was a Weasly. Maybe she was Bill's daughter, or one of the twins. Perhaps even Ron's.

Then his heart lurched a bit, like it always did when he thought about Ginny. He held no expectations that she was even around much less unattached. That was a ship that had sailed before it even left port. He knew ending their relationship was the best thing. He had to keep her safe and nothing was safe if it was around him. But he still looked at Ginny with a tinge of regret.

He physically shook his head to clear such thoughts from his mind, causing several snowflakes to drift onto his shoulders.

"Who is it? " Ms. Weasly's voice called from the front door. "Ginny, is that you? "

Her voice was tense and a little high pitched.

Harry took a deep breath, drawing the freezing air into his lungs and stepped into the light from the door way.

"No, it isn't Ginny. "He answered, quietly.

Ms. Weasly simple stared at him for several long minutes like she was frozen in place.

Harry didn't move, waiting for her to scream at him to go away or invite him inside. A moment later he heard footsteps approaching the door.

"What is it, Mom? " Ron's voice said, as he stepped up behind her. Then he peered out into the yard and his eyes fell on Harry. He too stood staring for what seemed an eternity.

Ms. Weasly was the first to find her voice.

"Harry? "She asked, almost doubtfully.

"Yes. "He answered. "It's me. "

A high pitched squeal erupted from behind Ron's shoulder and before he could react, he was laying on his back in the snow with a very excited Hermoine straddling him, her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck he was almost unable to breathe. The next thing he knew she was being lifted off of him and Ron was standing over him with his hand out.

"She's must be off her meds today. Sorry, mate. "Ron chuckled, as Harry took his hand and stood up.

He had called him mate. Harry's heart soared for a minute, but he quickly pushed it back down trying to be cautious.

"Where have you been? " Ms. Weasly asked coming up to him and launching herself at him as well.

"I've been around. "He answered vaguely, enjoying her arms around him and hugging her back just as enthusiastically.

She pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. "I'll let that go for now, because you're freezing to death out here, but I want the full story once we get you inside and warmed up. "She told him sternly.

Harry smiled at her and nodded in agreement. Hermoine was beside him again, throwing her arms around his neck but managing this time to not knock him to the ground. He embraced her tightly and they both just stood there for a long moment.

"I've missed you so much. "She finally whispered in his ear and hugged him even tighter.

"I've missed you, too, Moine. I've missed everyone so much. "He said, feeling the beginnings of tears burning at the corners of his eyes.

Ron was once again pulling Hermoine away from him and ushering her towards the house, while Ms. Weasly took charge of Harry.

Once inside, he was directed towards the table where Arthur Weasly sat reading a muggle paper and sipping at something with steam coming out of the cup.

"Arthur, look what just turned up on our doorstep." Ms. Weasly said as she pushed Harry towards a chair.

Mr. Weasly folded the corner of the paper down and peered over the top of it, his eyes unrecognizing at first. Then realization began to sink in and a smile slowly spread across his face.

Harry was having much the same reaction. He hadn't noticed it on Ms. Weasly or even Ron and Hermoine, but the years away certainly showed on Mr. Weasly. Gray streaked the temples of his always unruly red hair, his eyes were a bit sunken and his skin tone seemed paler than it had before.

"Good Heavens, "Mr. Weasly muttered almost unconsciously as he continued to stare at Harry. " How long has it been, Son? "

Son, Harry's heart leaped again, first Mate and now Son. Harry was starting to feel as if he had never left.

"Eight years, Sir. " Harry answered as he sat down in the chair Ms. Weasly was pushing him into. She yanked the scarf from around his neck and hung it on a rack by the door that housed many different coats and other cold weather garments.

"That's quite a long time. " Mr. Weasly stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes, it is, Sir. "

"What have you been doing with yourself? "He asked, putting the paper aside, but not taking his eyes off of Harry.

"I've been living in New York. " Harry offered.

"You've been in America all this time. I never thought about America. We looked all over Europe. I think Neville might have tried America, but nothing ever came of it. "

Mr. Weasly acted as if he was talking to himself more than to Harry and Harry let him continue without interrupting.

Ms. Weasly sat a steaming cup down in front of him and looked at her husband indulgently. "He gets this way sometimes. " She whispered to Harry. "Since losing Fred and Ginny taking off and of course …" she stopped herself before saying 'and you leaving 'but Harry heard it anyway. "He's just not himself anymore. Sometimes he's clear as a bell, others he's crazy as a loon. "

Mr. Weasly was still rambling on about all the places the Order had searched for Harry.

Harry's face had turned to horror as he watched, guilt swept over him, hitting him on the head like an anvil in a child's cartoon.

"I made him like this? " Harry whispered disgustedly.

Ms. Weasly stopped what she was doing and turned to face Harry directly.

"Harry, you didn't cause this. Please don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault and no one here blames you. "She insisted.

"But I helped. I helped when I ran away. I didn't think about it before I took off. I was so selfish. "Harry admonished.

Ms. Weasly opened her mouth to protest but a voice behind him interrupted her.

"Yes, you were. "

Ron's eyes had harden as he Harry turned to look at him. He was no longer wearing the stunned bemused looked he had before. Now he was angry and Harry couldn't blame him in the least.

"Ronald, "Ms. Weasly hissed. " We mustn't make Harry feel badly, this isn't his fault at all. "

" I am not going to lie to him because we're afraid he'll run away again. He was selfish and childish and let a lot of people down. Surely I'm not telling him anything he doesn't already know. " Ron answered with his arms crossed over his chest.

"No, I know all those things. The only thing I can say is I'm sorry. I have no excuse for my actions." Harry admitted guiltily.

"I think you at least owe us all an explanation. It might have been different if you had come to us and explained that you were leaving, but sending owls, that's was just bloodly stupid. I never pegged you for a coward before. I guess I was wrong. "

Harry sat quietly and let him rant. He had no argument. There was nothing he could say to make up for what he had done. He had expected this reaction from his friend. And Ron had right every right to his anger. Harry was stupid and cowardly and everything he was being accused of.

"We searched for you for five long years. We looked everywhere, followed every lead. Ginny and I did nothing for five years but look for you. We put our careers, our families, our entire lives on hold for you. Even after Ginny gave up and finally moved on I kept looking. " Ron continued, getting out all the pent up frustration and pain Harry's disappearance had caused him and the people he cared about.

Tears burned Harry's eyes. He tried to hold back, but it was impossible. He felt the wetness streamed down his cheeks in twin rivers and batted at them with the back of his hand absently.

Ron regarded him for a moment and his tone suddenly shifted. He came behind Harry's chair and rested his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mate. I'm glad you're back, really I am. But we were so worried and you didn't even owl us to let us know you were still okay."

Harry sighed and turned his face towards Ron's for the first time since the outburst began. He looked older as well and a little haggard. Harry was instantly reminded of Professor Lupin and his stomach lunge painfully. He offered him a weak smile. And his best friend returned it with genuine affection.

"I am so sorry I caused so much trouble. " Harry said in a quiet voice.

"Why did you leave like that? " Molly asked, sitting down beside him and covering his hands with hers.

Harry heard shuffling at the door and turned to see Hermoine sticking her head in the kitchen doorway. Every eye was on Harry and he was pretty sure he could hear what he imaged was George right outside the door, listening.

"I had to get away for a while. I didn't mean to be gone for so long but then one thing lead to another and another and another and before I knew it six years had passed. I just needed to find out what it felt like to just be me for a bit, not the chosen one or the boy who lived or even the Dursley's whipping boy, just Harry." He told them, offering them the speech that he had been preparing for just this moment.

"What things lead to other things? " Hermoine asked from his side. He shifted his attention from Ms. Weasly to her and smiled.

"I met a girl. " he replied sheepishly.

George toppled into the room at hearing this and landed in a pile at Harry's feet. "A muggle girl ? " He asked, standing up.

"Yeah, a muggle. It didn't work out though. We've been separated for almost a year now. "Harry answered.

"Separated ? " Ms. Weasly gasped. "You're married ? "

"Not quite. We lived together for five years and she kept pressuring me to marry her but I just couldn't without being honest with her about who I am and I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Anyway to make a long, miserable story short, we aren't together and haven't been in a while. "

"Look, Molly Dear, everyone is here. " Mr. Weasly said out of nowhere. "Is it Christmas yet? Where are Bill and Charlie and little Ginny ? Ginny is coming isn't she ? It's been so long. "

Ms. Weasly gave him that same indulgent smile and sighed. "Dear, Charlie is working and can't make it. Bill is upstairs putting Victoire to bed, and it won't be Christmas until tomorrow. "

Ron went to his father and patted him on the shoulder. "Let's get you up to bed, Dad. The sooner we get you to sleep the sooner Christmas will be here. "

Arthur rose from his chair and followed Ron out of the room.

Harry turned back to Ms. Weasly, a worried frown on his brow. "Where is Ginny? I'd really like to talk to her. " He asked.

"I'm not really sure where she is. She comes and goes flits in and out. Last I saw her was last summer; she was living in Morocco with some Quidditch player. I was really expecting her when I found you. She usually at least shows up for Christmas. "Ms. Weasly answered distantly. "I'm sure you and Ron and Hermoine have a lot to catch up on so we will just leave you to it. I need to go and check on Teddy." She said, standing and adjusting the red apron she wore over her floral dress.

Harry smiled and nodded, "I'm really glad to be home. "

Molly turned to him with a slight frown on her brow. "You do consider this your home, don't you, Harry ? "

"Yes, Ma'am, I do. " Harry assured her.

"Good, Dear. "she answered, patting his shoulder again, " Because no matter what you will always be part of this family. "

Harry felt his eyes watering again but this time he was able to keep his emotions in check.

"I really appreciate that. " he told her.

"Alright now, everybody scoot. Let's give them some time alone. "She announced as she ushered everyone but Hermoine out of the kitchen.