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*Chapter 7*

Alone at Last



Harry woke before any one else, the sun was shining in the large window over his bed. The smell of bacon slipped under the door, he quietly got up and attempted to tiptoe downstairs. Aunt Petunia bustling around in the kitchen, he walked in the door; she was standing at the stove with her back to him.

"Good morning Harry. Are you ready for breakfast?" she asked with out ever turning around. He always wondered how she did that; know he was there with out seeing him. Aunt Petunia had never even had Auror training.

"How do you do that?" he asked her in a very puzzling manner as he sat down at the long table.

"Do what Harry dear?" she said turning to look at him.

"Know I am there, when Idon't think you know I am there?" he said confused at what he was trying to get across to Aunt Petunia.

"Harry, it's called being a mother for twenty-five years." She sat the plate of eggs sausage and toast on the table and sat down beside him. "No amount of your Auror training could compete with a mother's sense of her children." She patted him on his cheek.

Harry just looked at his Aunt, that was the first time since she had been there she had ever referred to Harry as her child. Harry knew that he and his Aunt had mended a lot of wounds, and crossed a lot of bridges. He knew it was hard for Aunt Petunia; she had now lost her only sister, her husband and her only son. In that way Harry knew what she felt. Harry had forgiven Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley a long time ago for the way he was treated as he was a child. Harry relived the scene in his mind many times the day he had let go of all his animosity towards them. When he walked in and found Aunt Petunia holding Dudley's dead limp body and Uncle Vernon laying to the side of her after the attack of the Death Eaters, Harry went to his knees and hugged his Aunt for the first time, he felt a special bond with her, no words were spoken between them. Harry new it was hard for her to accept Uncle Vernon and Dudley being gone. He knew she would never really get over it; because he had not ever gotten over his parents or Sirius. So that they had in common, and she told him once, 'Harry we have to walk over broken bridges together, they are going to be dangerous until we fix them.'

"What is it Harry?" she asked him.

"Oh nothing I was just thinking."

"About what Harry?" She was now pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"The past, Aunt Petunia, the past."

"Harry, I have learned the hard way, you can remember your past as long as it doesn't stop your future."

"Yeah, I know Aunt Petunia." He could see tears welling in her eyes.

"Now, will your friends be joining us soon?" She patted him once again on the face

"They were still sleeping when I came down." Harry took a sip of coffee. "Aunt Petunia?"

"Yes dear."

"I just wanted you to know that Ginny and I are going to get married."

"Harry, that is wonderful, I am so proud for you. Oh I can't wait to tell Remus, he will be so proud for you two, too." She clasped her hands to her chest.

Harry had no idea why Aunt Petunia had taken up so with Remus Lupin lately. The weird thing was he had taken up with her too. Harry had to bring Lupin there about a year ago when he couldn't go the Shrieking Shack for his transformation; Aunt Petunia was the only one there to help. She was never scared of him, she gave him his potion, nursed him back to health and has been doing it every since. Harry asked her once why she wasn't afraid, she told him, 'Harry when you have lost as much in this world as you and I have, you stop being afraid.'

"Good Morning Harry!" a familiar voice came from behind him. "I will be so proud of what?" Remus Lupin came in the kitchen and patted Harry on the back.

"I didn't hear you com in," Harry said.

"I was very quiet. I did not know if you all would still be asleep. Now what will I be proud of." He continued pouring him self a cup of coffee and sitting down.

"Harry and Ginny are getting married Remus, isn't that wonderful news!" Aunt Petunia exclaimed.

"I must say, Harry that is excellent news, unexpected but excellent," Remus said giving Harry one of those looks, raising his eyebrows. "When is this going to take place?"

"Um we haven't worked out all the details yet, but soon," Harry said nodding his head.

Just then two more people joined them in the kitchen.

"Hermione, Ron, how are you doing?" Remus said greeting the two of them.

"Professor I thought Iheard you. How are you I haven't seen you in a while. Potion still working for you?" Hermione said to him. She had helped develop a new stronger potion to help Werewolves repress more of their instincts when they transformed.

"Very well Hermione, thank you. The potion works better than ever." He glanced at Aunt Petunia.

Ron looked at Harry and made a sour face sticking his tongue out. Harry tried to hold back a chuckle. He had to admit the thought of his Aunt Petunia and Remus Lupin was odd one indeed.

"How are you Ron? You excited about the wedding," he turned to talk to Ron

Ron's face went pale; anytime you mentioned the wedding he went speechless. "H'em, fine thank you."

"Ginny still asleep, Hermione?" asked Aunt Petunia.

"Yes ma'am we had a pretty late night. The only reason we got up is I have to go to work today," she answered Aunt Petunia.

Aunt Petunia liked Hermione and her parents she felt they were the some of the only few who understood any thing she referred to in the muggle world.

They all continued to talk for a little bit before Hermione and Ron left. Then Aunt Petunia told Harry that Remus was taking her into London today, for a bit of "Muggle Shopping" as he put it. They were going to look at a suit for Remus to wear to Ron and Hermione's wedding and a new dress for her. Then she was taking him to Madam Malkin's for a new Cloak. So she would be back later this evening. Harry told her not to worry he would be at The Burrow for most of the day, he would be back very late most likely.

Harry told his Aunt and Remus good bye. After they left he went upstairs it was around nine thirty, he peeked in on Ginny and she was still sleeping. So he decided to take a shower and then he would wake her up. He was anxious to get to The Burrow and talk to Dobby and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He still had thoughts of Ginny flooding his mind, while he was in the shower. Then the thought of him being a father came into his head. He smiled at this thought and turned off the shower.

He walked in the room with towel on, Ginny was still asleep or so he thought. He got dressed, in an old pair of jeans and ablue on blue stripe button down shirt. Harry turned to sit on the bed to put on his shoes and to his surprise there were a pair of big brown eyes starring at him and smiling.

"Ginny.. .I thought you . . .you were asleep," he said sheepishly.

"Well I could see you haven't lost a buttock yet from sticking your wand in your back pocket," she said still smiling at him.

"You shouldn't have been looking," he said teasingly grinning back at her he got up and sat down on the edge of the bed next to Ginny.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" she asked him stretching her arms.

"They have already gone. So has Aunt Petunia and Remus," he said poking a bit of fun at the pairing of the two.

"What time is it?" she asked him looking out the window.

"About ten o'clock."

"We are the only ones here?" she asked.

"I think we have already covered that." Harry moved in to give Ginny a kiss.

"We don't have to be at The Burrow for a while," she said rolling her eyes and giving Harry a kiss back

"What are you suggesting?"he kissed her back again as he put his arms around to pull her close. She felt so fragile so small. As they kissed Harry's head filled with haze.

Ginny pulled away from the kiss quicker than he wanted her too. He felt her resistance, and he respected her wishes. She patted the bed next to her, Harry lay next to Ginny propped up on an elbow, and they spent the rest of the morning at Grimmauld Place. They decided that they should ask Ron and Hermione if they could have a double ceremony. They thought that would be the best bet since they were a little pressed for time.

"Ginny, I don't mean to damper the conversation, but have your mum and dad heard from Percy? He lied on his back and put his hands behind his head.

"Well I think he wrote to Bill a couple of years ago. We don't mention him much because mum gets to crying so bad."

"Where is he, do you know?" He looked over at her.

"Well I think Bill said he thought he was in America, though he wasn't sure if it was North or South America," she answered him. "Dad quit trying to communicate with him about ayear after I graduated. Why do you ask?"

"Oh I just wandered. I thought he might come in for the weddings,"Harry said staring at the ceiling. "It would thrill your mum!"

"Oh I told Aunt Petunia and Remus this morning, too," he said nonchalantly.

"Everything . . ."

"No just about us getting married."

She let out a heavy sigh."Harry do you really believe all of this?" she asked with a doubt in her voice.

"Well, its like what Dumbledore told me when he told me about my prophecy, 'You see the consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is very difficult' so I am acting on what I feel in my heart,." he said getting up off the bed.

"That is what he said to me too." She got up too, walked to the dresser and got her wand, just then atap came at the window, it was Humperdinck. Harry let him in.

"It's from Dobby." Harry said.

"Go ahead and open it."

Harry opened the letter it said.



Ginny Weasley,

Dobby is to inform you that we are having a family dinner this evening. Your mum request that you bring Harry Potter with you. Dumbledore will be joining us as well.



Dobby



He closed it back.

"I guess we need to get ready to go then." He walked to the door and stood for a second.

She looked at Harry through the mirror. "Is something wrong?"

"No I was just going to make sure you weren't missing a buttock either." he smiled at her.

She grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at Harry and said, "I assure you I am not, but if it ever happens, you will be the first to know!"