When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 84

Contractual Dispute

He watched the steady rising and falling of her chest, his own filled with warmth despite the manner in which he had woken. Still, in the peace of his own home, sleep eluded him, the quiet only serving to leave him in a state of alertness where rest was not possible.

For the past week since he had returned home with Minerva and Rosa, they had been inundated with visitors, the only people not doing so thus far being Nicholas and Perenelle, who would be visiting in the coming days.

Tiberius had come along with his wife, as had Frank and Augusta.

Poppy had been four times by Harry's last count, and not a day passed that Robert and Isobel hadn't arrived at the house.

The man was besotted with his granddaughter, almost on the brink of tears whenever he laid eyes on her.

Harry understood that feeling. He found it hard to believe that he had a daughter at all until he looked upon her, the visage staring back at him almost identical to the pictures he had seen of Lily Potter.

It wasn't this, however, that elicited such a strong feeling of uninhibited love within him, but the knowledge that Rosa was the coming together of him and Minerva.

He turned to look at the woman who had brought the babe into the world as she slept peacefully, still recovering from her ordeal, and that same love spread throughout him; doubtless and pure as it was.

This was what he was fighting for, what awaited him when the war was over.

Still, he knew he must go back.

As tempting as it was to just shut the world outside away and live in ignorant bliss, Harry could not do that.

He could not abandon his men, not when they too had fought as hard as he, had bled with him, some even giving their lives.

No, he couldn't and wouldn't even consider such a thing.

"Struggling to sleep again?" Minerva whispered, shifting to wrap her arms around his neck.

"I don't think I will ever sleep peacefully," he murmured. "Especially when I have such the perfect distraction," he added, nodding towards the sleeping babe.

"She is perfect," Minerva agreed, "as quiet as you are."

"Let's just hope she doesn't have the same knack for landing herself in trouble as me," Harry snorted.

Minerva smiled against his neck.

"She might be just like me," she pointed out.

"I bloody hope so," Harry huffed gently.

They fell silent for several moments, both simply watching their daughter.

"You left early yesterday morning," Minerva broke the silence.

Harry nodded.

"I needed to meet with my solicitor to make some adjustments to my will. If anything happens to me, you and Rosa will be taken care of."