He walked silently up the cobblestone path and opened the kissing gate, slipping through it. He made his way expertly past the side of the church and down rows of headstones.
Stopping suddenly as he found what he was looking for, Harry sank to his bum, crossing his legs in front of him.
"Hey mum, dad. Sirius. Happy Hallowe'en." The last two words were said sarcastically. "So... over the past year, Teddy's grown quite a bit. I can't believe he's four already. I know it sounds quite funny, considering he's only four, but I can't help it. I can still remember when he was just a baby and I had to change nappies. Hermione taught me how to do that.
"Hermione's great. She's got a job at the Ministry, in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She's very ambitious. I've been told she's like you in that sense, mum.
"She and Ron are still going steady after the kiss during the final battle. Kind of the wrong moment, eh? Well, it got them together and they're still there. They've had their fair share of rows, but that's those two for you. They kind of remind me of you, mum and dad. According to Remus, you two were always at each other's throats. But hey, they wouldn't be Ron and Hermione if they didn't row.
"Ron's been the same old Ron. I think he's going to propose to Hermione. I don't know when, but I can tell. He just needs to get the nerves to do it. He's working with me now. In the Auror Department. Started in the spring after quitting his job at George's shop. He was... quite nervous, to say the least. Sirius, you would have gotten a kick out of it. He spilt sauce on Ginny the night before.
"I-"
Crack!
Jumping in his skin, Harry jumped to his feet and pulled his wand, pointing it in front of him. "Who's there?" He demanded, quickly wiping his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to... I'll just... go."
Harry let his arm fall to his side, immediately recognizing the voice. "Ginny?"
Stepping out of the shadows, Harry saw his girlfriend's dark red head illuminated by the moonlight.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I was just..." He saw he gestured with her arm in a way to say I don't know.
"S'alright. What're you doing here?"
"I was looking for you."
"How did you find me? I didn't tell anyone where I was going."
Ginny shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself, being in a short sleeved shirt.
"I'm sorry. I'll go if you want to be alone."
Harry hesitated as he watched her turn. "Wait, Ginny. Don't leave. Stay? Please?"
"Are you sure? You're not just saying that, are you? I'll understand."
And Harry knew she would understand, but he did want her there with him. He felt it was the right thing to do.
"I'm sure. C'mon." He held out his hand towards her and she hesitantly stepped forward, accepting the offered hand. "Are you cold?" Harry asked as they sat back down in front of the headstones.
Ginny smiled sheepishly. "A little. I forgot how cold it gets at the end of October."
"Here," Harry removed his own cloak and wrapped it around Ginny's shoulder, zipping his sweater he had been wearing underneath.
"Thanks." Harry glanced at Ginny out of the corner of his eye and turned back to the white stone in front of him.
"Mum, dad, this is Ginny," Harry introduced quietly. "Sirius, you already know who I'm talking about." Harry absently grabbed her hand held it tightly, sounding a little choked up. "I-" he cleared his throat. "She's been my girlfriend since the battle, but you know that already. I... I really care for her and think you three would enjoy her very much. She makes me really happy and I couldn't ask for a better person to be in my life."
Harry got quieter and quieter with each sentence until he was whispering. Ginny swiped at her face as she felt her eyes begin to water. She moved closer to Harry and buried her face in his shoulder.
"She plays for the Holyhead Harpies and is their best chaser. Of course," Harry smiled sadly. "I may be biased, but it's true. She's brilliant, better than me, even."
Ginny gave a watery laugh. She didn't think anyone could be better than Harry.
"I suppose that's all for this year. I miss you, mum, dad. And of course, I can't forget you, Sirius. I'll talk to you in a year. I love you."
Slowly, Harry removed his wand from his pocket and created three red rose wreaths. He placed one on head headstone and helped Ginny to her feet, apparating as tears ran down his cheeks.
_-_-_-_
"James, Sirius, Harry's here."
James and Sirius jumped up from where they were sitting, excitedly following Lily where they could just make out a young man sitting in front of three white headstones.
"Hey mum, dad. Sirius. Happy Hallowe'en." Sirius grinned as Harry said it sarcastically. For as long as he knew Harry, he knew the boy - no, young man – could be extremely sarcastic when he wanted to.
"So... over the past year, Teddy's grown quite a bit. I can't believe he's four already. I know it sounds quite funny, considering he's only four, but I can't help it. I can still remember when he was just a baby and I had to change nappies. Hermione taught me how to do that."
Lily smiled sadly. "Remember when I had to teach you how to change nappies, Sirius, James?" James snorted as he recalled the event.
"Yeah, it was dirty, smelly and gross."
"I really wish we could have met Hermione. She sounds lovely."
Sirius laughed. "She's also bloody brilliant. Smartest witch I've ever known. No offence Lily."
"None taken."
"Hermione's great. She's got a job at the Ministry, in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She's very ambitious. I've been told she's like you in that sense, mum."
Sirius groaned loudly. "She's still up with SPEW?"
"What's SPEW?" James asked curiously.
"Something to do with house elves. I'll tell you later."
"She and Ron are still going steady after the kiss during the final battle. Kind of the wrong moment, eh?"
"Ah, I wish I had been there to see that," Sirius commented as James laughed.
" Well, it got them together and they're still there. They've had their fair share of rows, but that's those two for you. They kind of remind me of you, mum and dad. According to Remus, you two were always at each other's throats. But hey, they wouldn't be Ron and Hermione if they didn't row."
"No, they wouldn't. I wear, they were worse than you two."
"Hey! Lily and I don't row!"
"Anymore," Sirius chipped.
"Stuff it, Sirius."
"Ron's been the same old Ron. I think he's going to propose to Hermione. I don't know when, but I can tell. He just needs to get the nerves to do it. He's working with me now. In the Auror Department. Started in the spring after quitting his job at George's shop. He was... quite nervous, to say the least. Sirius, you would have gotten a kick out of it. He spilt sauce on Ginny the night before."
"Poor boy. He must have been very nervous."
"You would've taken the mickey out of him, wouldn't you've, Sirius?"
"For sure."
"Who's that?"
Lily and Sirius turned and peered where James was pointing. They could just see the outline of a small girl with long hair.
"Is that-"
"Ginny?" Harry's question answered James' question.
"She's beautiful." Lily whispered, awed at finally seeing the young woman her son spoke about each year.
"She looks just like you Lily." Indeed, Lily felt James was right. Her hair made them look very much alike.
"She's wicked powerful," Sirius said randomly.
The three watched Harry and Ginny interacting and Sirius and James pretended to gag as Harry gave up his cloak for her. Lily shushed them impatiently. "It's very sweet of him. You could take a page out of your son's book, James."
"Why, are you cold?"
Lily rolled her eyes dramatically. "Prat."
"Mum, dad, this is Ginny," Harry introduced quietly. "Sirius, you already know who I'm talking about."
"He's not crying, is he?"
"I - She's been my girlfriend since the battle, but you know that already. I... I really care for her and think you three would enjoy her very much. She makes me really happy and I couldn't ask for a better person to be in my life."
Lily was in tears by this point and Sirius and James were actually listening.
"She plays for the Holyhead Harpies and is their best chaser. Of course, I may be biased, but it's true. She's brilliant, better than me, even."
"I suppose that's all for this year. I miss you, mum, dad. And of course, I can't forget you, Sirius. I'll talk to you in a year. I love you."
James wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder as she wept, feeling sad himself. That had been the most depressing visit his son had ever given them. Sirius voiced this and Lily tried to smile through her tears.
"I wish we were still there. I would love to meet Ginny. And Ron and Hermione and... oh and everyone. I imagine harry and Ginny'll get married sometime soon."
"We just have to wait until they're here with us. Which, hopefully isn't too soon. "
Author's Note - Hey everyone. Here's a quick Hallowe'en one shot I thought I'd write. Probably not what you thought, eh? Well, enjoy!
-Padfoot7